NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced After Kicking in Door and Shooting at Ex

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Bryce Tyler Pyle, 36, for First Degree Burglary in Indian Country and Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Judge Russell ordered Pyle to 168 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.

    In July 2024, Pyle drove to his former girlfriend’s home with their child in the car. At some point, Pyle kicked open the former girlfriend’s door and pointed a handgun at her and another person in the home. The former girlfriend demanded that Pyle leave. When Pyle returned to his car, he intentionally fired his gun toward the house before leaving. The former girlfriend noticed their child crying in the backseat of the car when Pyle drove off.

    The former girlfriend called Pyle and convinced him to return their child. Pyle then entered the home a second time and began destroying property. While Pyle was in the home, police officers intercepted and detained him.

    Pyle is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clinton, Indiana, Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    URBANA, Ill. – A Clinton, Indiana, woman, Davetta Cox, 32, pleaded guilty on March 7, 2025, to using facilities of interstate commerce in a murder-for-hire scheme. Sentencing for Cox has been set for July 18, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.

    At the hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Cox admitted to seeking to hire someone she believed to be a hitman to kill another individual. During the hearing, the government provided information that Cox had offered the supposed hitman $6,000 to murder another individual.

    Cox was arrested in January 2024 and remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, pending sentencing. Cox faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment; up to a $500,000 fine; and up to a six-year term of supervised release.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, Champaign Resident Agency, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer is representing the government in the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Decatur Siblings Sentenced to Multiple Decades in Prison for Kidnapping Local Businessman

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two Decatur siblings, Ademeko Maclin-Carney, 26, and Ausarian Carney, 23, were sentenced on March 5, 2025, to thirty and twenty-four years in federal prison, respectively, to be followed by multi-year terms of supervised release, for kidnapping and seeking ransom for a Decatur businessman on March 24, 2022.

    During a five-day jury trial from October 7-11, 2024, the government presented evidence that Maclin-Carney lured a local businessman to an abandoned house in Decatur under the pretense of seeking a flooring estimate for the home. When the victim arrived to provide the flooring estimate, Maclin-Carney greeted him using an alias and led him inside, where she pepper-sprayed him in the eyes as he stood up from taking a measurement. As this was happening, her brother, Carney, entered from another room, pressed a firearm into the victim, and told him it was going to be a “very bad day” for him. After ordering the victim to the ground while holding him at gunpoint, Carney then zip-tied the victim’s hands, duct-taped his face, and put a bag over his head. The siblings instructed the victim that they wanted $400,000 for his release, otherwise they would kill him.

    The kidnappers moved the victim to various locations, at one point instructing him to make a ransom call to his wife at their family business. Though the victim instructed his wife not to call the police, she nonetheless called 911 and the Decatur Police Department responded and began their investigation. Maclin-Carney went to the victim’s business and saw members of the Decatur Police Department there, which spurred her and Carney to again move the victim and to eventually dump him, zip-tied with a bag over his head, in the back of an abandoned van. The victim, left alone on a bed of broken glass in the rain, eventually pried a hand free and escaped his zip ties. He ran to a local business, where the authorities were contacted and came to his aid.

    Meanwhile, the Decatur Police Department was conducting an extensive investigation and had located the victim’s car, which the defendants had dumped in an alleyway in Decatur. The defendants also had placed the victim’s belongings in the car, along with a notebook that listed the address of the home from which he had been abducted, the alias that had been used by Maclin-Carney, and traces of pepper spray that had been used against the victim. Ultimately, law enforcement discovered that the notebook contained the fingerprints of both defendants. Using this information, the Decatur Police were able to locate and search the home where the victim had been abducted and find more evidence implicating the two defendants.

    The victim identified Maclin-Carney before and during the trial as the kidnapper who lured him to the home for the flooring estimate. A variety of forensic evidence, including fingerprints, DNA, business video footage, trace fiber evidence, and cellular location data all demonstrated that the siblings perpetrated the kidnapping. The jury convicted both siblings of kidnapping on October 11, 2024.

    At the sentencing hearings before U.S. District Judge Stephen McGlynn on March 5, 2025, Judge McGlynn noted that the victim and his family would suffer long-lasting psychological trauma from the incident. Judge McGlynn also noted that neither defendant expressed remorse for the crime.

    In imposing the thirty-year sentence for Maclin-Carney, Judge McGlynn highlighted that she was the leader of the kidnapping, specifically noting her research about the victim, his family, and his business before the crime. The court also noted that Maclin-Carney had researched the penalty for “third-degree murder” in the leadup to the kidnapping. After her arrest, Maclin-Carney also took steps while in pretrial detention both to prevent the victims from testifying against her, and to manufacture an alibi through false testimony about her own and her brother’s whereabouts during the kidnapping. Maclin-Carney had two prior violent felony convictions, both for aggravated battery, prior to committing this kidnapping.

    In imposing the twenty-four-year sentence for Carney, Judge McGlynn noted that although Maclin-Carney was the mastermind of the operation and had a more serious criminal history, Carney was still the gunman and the muscle. Carney had been, in every way, a partner to his sister’s crime, had pressed the firearm into the victim multiple times to force his compliance, and like his sister, never expressed regret or remorse for his actions.

    “The defendants’ violent kidnapping of the victim in this case shows their avarice for ill-gotten gains at any cost, including the terror they inflicted on the victim and his family,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “The significant sentences here reflect the gravity of the defendants’ crimes. I want to thank our law enforcement partners – the Decatur Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service – who all did excellent work investigating this crime.”

    “Kidnapping cases are incredibly traumatic, and this one was no different,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres. “The husband and wife victims of this offense showed immense courage throughout this ordeal, including testifying at the trial. Throughout, I was deeply moved by their strength and faith. I am also deeply appreciative for all the hard work of law enforcement in investigating this case.”

    “This case is a testament to the outstanding dedication and collaboration between the Decatur Police Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in bringing these suspects to justice,” said Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel. “The investigators worked tirelessly on this complex case, demonstrating exceptional skill and commitment to ensuring public safety. We are grateful for our strong partnerships and the unwavering pursuit of justice by the prosecutors who brought this case to a successful conclusion. Most importantly, our thoughts remain with the victim, and we hope this resolution brings them a measure of healing and justice.”

    “Quite often, successful investigative outcomes require resources from a variety of law enforcement partners,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Karen Marinos. “The Decatur Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and FBI Springfield brought their best to the table. Those efforts held the offenders accountable and led to justice for the victim.”

    The statutory penalty for kidnapping is up to life imprisonment, followed by up to five years of supervised release.

    The Decatur Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan D. Freres and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the United States in the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Human Rights Committee Congratulate Zimbabwe on Passing a Law Abolishing the Death Penalty, Raise Questions on Land Reform and Judicial Independence

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Human Rights Committee today concluded its consideration of the second periodic report of Zimbabwe on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  Committee Experts congratulated the State for passing a law that officially abolished the death penalty, while raising questions on land reform and the independence of the judiciary.

    A Committee Expert congratulated the State party for passing the law that officially abolished the death penalty on 31 December 2024, which was a historic step forward, demonstrating the country’s commitment to protecting the fundamental right to life and human dignity of its people.  The Expert asked about measures Zimbabwe would take to incorporate the abolition of the death penalty into the Constitution and commute all death sentences that were pending rehearing.

    Another Committee Expert said a reliable report indicated that expropriated white-owned farms were often redistributed to the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front elite, allowing high-level officials to bypass the one-farm-per-official policy.  What were the objective criteria for land redistribution, and what mechanisms ensured transparency and impartiality?

    One Expert said reports indicated that judges who had failed interviews had been appointed to the High Court, and that the judicial promotion process was not subject to the same level of public scrutiny as initial appointments.  How did the State party ensure that the public interview process was respected in practice, and that judges remained fully independent, including in high-profile cases involving the Government?

    Responding to questions, the delegation said Zimbabwe had embarked on phases of land reform, from 1980 to 2000 and from 2000 to the present day.  These reforms aimed to address inequalities in the country and decongest rural areas, as well as to enhance agricultural productivity.  The process continued to be fine-tuned, including through the Global Compensation Agreement signed in 2021, which outlined a mutual agreement to the payment of 3.5 billion United States dollars in compensation.  The payment of compensation was ongoing.

    The delegation said the Constitution stated that courts needed to operate free from interference.  In Zimbabwe, judges were not elected by the people, but rather were appointed by the President after consultation with the independent Judicial Service Commission, which had its own budget and was able to pay salaries for judicial officers, safeguarding them from outside influence.  A digital case management system had also increased judicial independence, ensuring the judiciary had sole autonomy regarding the allocation of cases to judges, without influence from the Executive.

    Presenting the report, Nobert T. Mazungunye, Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and head of delegation, said Zimbabwe was proud of the advancements achieved through significant legislative reforms, administrative measures and its strong commitment to democratic processes.  One of the most significant achievements in Zimbabwe’s human rights trajectory was the enactment of the Death Penalty Abolition Act on 31 December 2024, a historic milestone in the country’s development.

    On the death penalty, the delegation added that some 48 inmates who were due to be executed had had their executions halted.  They would all be brought before the court before renewed sentencing.   A bill to amend section 48 of the Constitution, a step in ensuring the death penalty was abolished, had been introduced by a member of the opposition to Parliament and was supported by the Government.

    Mr. Mazungunye said it was important to acknowledge that Zimbabwe continued to face a heavy burden due to the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures imposed by some Western countries.  These had suffocated Zimbabwe’s economy and undermined the Government’s capacity to fully implement programmes and initiatives that were critical to promoting and protecting civil and political rights.

    In concluding remarks, Mr. Mazungunye expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the Committee.  The State was dedicated to implementing the necessary steps to ensure the rights enshrined in the Covenant were fully realised by all Zimbabweans.

    Changrok Soh, Committee Chairperson, extended sincere appreciation to the high-level delegation of Zimbabwe for their willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Committee.  Mr. Soh thanked all those who had contributed to the dialogue.

    The delegation of Zimbabwe was made up of the Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and representatives of the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services; Zimbabwe Republic Police; Inter-Ministerial Committee; Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion; Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; and the Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    The Human Rights Committee’s one hundred and forty-third session is being held from 3 to 28 March 2025.  All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Monday, 11 March to begin its consideration of the seventh periodic report of Mongolia (CCPR/C/MNG/7).

    Report

    The Committee has before it the second periodic report of Zimbabwe (CCPR/C/ZWE/2).

    Presentation of Report

    NOBERT T. MAZUNGUNYE, Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and head of delegation, said Zimbabwe was proud of the advancements achieved through significant legislative reforms, administrative measures and its strong commitment to democratic processes.  The journey had been marked by a strong dedication to establish a more transparent, inclusive and participatory political environment.  One of the most significant achievements in Zimbabwe’s human rights trajectory was the enactment of the Death Penalty Abolition Act on 31 December 2024, a historic milestone in the country’s development.  By abolishing the death penalty, Zimbabwe had taken a decisive step towards aligning its legal framework with international human rights standards.  This Act represented a transformative shift in the country’s legal landscape; it replaced existing statutes with sentences focused on rehabilitation, proportionality and justice.

    The Constitution and the Electoral Act were amended to further enhance transparency, credibility, and inclusivity in the electoral processes.  These amendments extended the women’s quota for members of Parliament by two Parliamentary terms.  A youth quota was introduced and implemented in the National Assembly as well as a 30 per cent women’s quota for the local authorities.  To enhance transparency, 2023 harmonised elections were carried out in 46 counties and 17 continental and regional bodies.  Zimbabwe was party to the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance of the African Union, reinforcing the country’s commitment to ensuring free, fair and transparent elections.

    To enhance welfare of citizens, including those in the diaspora, in December 2021, the Government launched the biometric e-passport and had since continued to ramp up the establishment of e-passport centres in destinations like South Africa and the United Kingdom, to ensure efficient, secure and expeditious passport processing for citizens living abroad.  The Government also enacted the Freedom of Information Act and the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, providing for the constitutional rights of expression and freedom of the media.  The Act also provided for protection of the rights of freedom of assembly, association, demonstration and petitioning.

    A key step towards enhancing access to justice in Zimbabwe had been the decentralisation of courts, the Legal Aid Directorate, the Pre-Trial Division and the Community Service to districts, significantly reducing the geographical barriers faced by citizens in accessing judicial services.  The introduction of a performance management system for the judiciary improved its efficiency and effectiveness, and the Integrated Electronic Case Management System rolled out in superior courts was now being cascaded to the lower courts.  Zimbabwe had passed into law the Prisons and Correctional Service Act, which included explicit provisions on rehabilitation and correctional services which were not provided for in the previous statute.

    In 2024, Zimbabwe established an Independent Complaints Commission under the Independent Complaints Act, the mandate of which was to ensure transparency and fairness between the country’s security institutions and the public.  Citizens could report grievances against security personnel without fear; the Commission had the authority to investigate complaints, misconduct and abuse of power.

    It was important to acknowledge that the country continued to face a heavy burden due to the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures imposed by some Western countries.  These had suffocated Zimbabwe’s economy and undermined the Government’s capacity to fully implement programmes and initiatives that were critical to promoting and protecting civil and political rights.  The economic constraints caused by these illegal economic sanctions had hindered the provision of essential resources for governance, infrastructure development and social services.  Zimbabwe condemned these sanctions and continued to call for their immediate and unconditional removal.  Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe was steadfast in its commitment to promoting and protecting all civil and political rights.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert congratulated the State party for passing the law that officially abolished the death penalty on 31 December 2024, which was a historic step forward, demonstrating the country’s commitment to protecting the fundamental right to life and human dignity of its people.  However, it appeared that there were still some issues that needed to be addressed by the State party to further affirm its commitment in this regard. The Committee was aware that notable steps had been taken by the State party in terms of improving respect for human rights in the country, however some issues of concern remained.

    It was understood that the State party was in the process of aligning subsidiary legislation to conform with 2013 Constitutional provisions, which was a welcome development. However, there were concerns that some of the ongoing Constitutional amendments had yielded regressive results that restricted rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association, including the Patriot Act, and the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, among others.  What measures would the State party take to repeal legislative amendments that apparently impeded the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms provided in the Constitution and the Covenant?  Would Zimbabwe withdraw the Private Voluntary Organization Bill and ensure the autonomy of civil society organizations to operate without reprisals? What steps would be taken to expedite the alignment of existing laws to ensure that such laws were fully in conformity with the Constitution and its obligations under the Covenant?

    Could the State party provide relevant examples of cases in which the provisions of the Covenant had been invoked by national courts?  Could the exact place of the Covenant in the hierarchy of laws in Zimbabwe’s legal system be clarified?  What measures were being taken to raise awareness of the Covenant among the public, Government officials, judges, lawyers and prosecutors?  The State party was considering ratification of the first Optional Protocol of the Covenant, which was a welcome development.  Could a timeline for this process be provided?

    The information provided by the State party regarding the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, including the functional mandates given to it under its establishment Act, were well noted and appreciated.  However, reports indicated that the Commission still faced several challenges in discharging its legal mandates in practice.  What steps did the State party plan to take to provide sufficient financial and human resources to the Commission to enable it to carry out its mandate? The Commission’s independence appeared to be threatened by the backlash from the Executive, when the latter sought to cover up accountability.  What steps would the State party take to ensure the independence of the Commission free from undue interference by the Executive, including aligning the Commission’s Act with the 2013 Constitution?  What steps would be taken to adopt a clear, transparent, participatory and merit-based process for the selection and appointment of the senior leadership of the Commission?

    The Expert welcomed the ruling of the High Court of Zimbabwe that section 2(1) of the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977 was unconstitutional and invalid.  This ruling broadened access to safe and legal abortion for minors and survivors of rape, including marital rape.  What steps would the State party take to revise the relevant provisions of the Termination of Pregnancy Act with a view to bringing it into conformity with the ruling of the High Court?  Reports from several stakeholders indicated that women continued to face barriers in accessing basic sexual and reproductive health services and unsafe abortions, contributing significantly to the high maternal mortality rate in Zimbabwe.  Could updated statistics on maternal and infant mortality in urban and rural areas be provided?  What efforts were underway to reduce high rates of maternal mortality and ensure full and unimpeded access to sexual and reproductive health services and contraception?

    Zimbabwe had taken a commendable step in passing the 2024 Death Penalty Abolition Act, marking a significant milestone toward affirming the fundamental right to life and human dignity in the nation’s history.  However, it appeared that further steps needed to be taken by the State party to remove any uncertainty about its firm commitment towards abolishing the death penalty.  What measures would Zimbabwe take to remove the provision which allowed for the reinstatement of the death penalty in cases of states of emergency; to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant; incorporate the abolition of the death penalty into the Constitution of Zimbabwe; and commute the sentences of all persons sentenced to death that were pending rehearing?

    The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission had a clear constitutional foundation.  However, it was allegedly being operated to target political opponents and used as a tool for short-term arbitrary detentions.  Who nominated the eleven members of the Commission and what criteria guided their selection?  How was the organization administered in practice?  Additionally, the Committee has received information that in May 2018, a new entity was established, seemingly bypassing the Commission.  Did the new entity have a constitutional basis?  How was it currently operating?  What types of cases had been brought to the anti-corruption courts, and what was the ratio of those that had resulted in convictions or penalties?

    A reliable report indicated that expropriated white-owned farms were often redistributed to the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front elite, allowing high-level officials to bypass the one-farm-per-official policy.  What were the objective criteria for land redistribution, and what mechanisms ensured transparency and impartiality?  What measures had the State party implemented to prevent threats against magistrates and judges handling corruption cases?  Could information be provided on specific cases, particularly those of Hopewell Chin’ono, an award-winning journalist, and Jacob Ngarivhume, the leader of the political group Transform Zimbabwe?

    Zimbabwe faced serious environmental challenges but was a party to numerous treaties and had demonstrated strong commitment to various programmes and strategies aimed at addressing these issues.  How did the Government assess their effectiveness, and what measures were in place to strengthen enforcement?  Concerns had been raised about illegal mining in Chimanimani National Park, allegedly involving park rangers; what actions were being taken to address these issues?  How was international climate-related funding being redistributed, particularly at the local level?  Could a more detailed explanation of the current disaster risk management strategies be provided?  Was knowledge of disaster preparedness, including early warning systems, widely disseminated among local communities?  How did the Government ensure that vulnerable populations were adequately informed and equipped to respond to disasters?

    Did the State party plan to accede to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance?  Were there any obstacles preventing accession?  Could the State party confidently assert that the existing provisions fully covered torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment?  What oversight mechanism did the State party have in place to ensure the protection of torture and enforced disappearances?  Could the State party provide statistical data on the number of complaints received regarding misconduct by law enforcement and the security forces, and the corresponding investigations?  Could information be provided on human rights training provided to judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement and security forces?

    Another Expert said the Committee had several questions regarding the State party’s efforts to combat impunity for past violations of the Covenant.  The oldest of these incidents related to the Chihambakwe Commission established to investigate atrocities committed by State security forces in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces in the 1980s.  Why was the Commission’s report never published?  Had the National Council of Chiefs’ Community Engagement Manual been implemented?  What was the status of the community engagement programme announced in July 2024 to promote healing in the two provinces?  Would the previous granting of amnesty to security forces affect the State party’s ability to hold perpetrators accountable?  The Committee also had questions about election-related violence in 2008, when State security forces engaged in abductions, arbitrary arrests, torture, and extrajudicial killings, with no substantial investigations taken nor any prosecutions of the perpetrators.  What steps would be taken to address these issues?

    In 2018, security forces killed six individuals and injured 35 others in acts of electoral violence.  Zimbabwe created an International Commission of Inquiry to investigate this violence, but the State party had reportedly not implemented the recommendations of the Commission; what steps would be taken to address this?  The Committee commended Zimbabwe for creating the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated hundreds of complaints and provided redress to victims.  What concrete steps would the State party take towards achieving the unfulfilled objectives of the Commission? 

    Credible reports had been received of widespread discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, including that individuals had been fired or forced to resign from their employment due to their sexual orientation, often after being harassed. What measures were being taken to prevent discrimination on all grounds prohibited by the Covenant, including sexual orientation?  Did Zimbabwe have plans to adopt foreign funding restrictions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex rights advocates?  Would the State party consider decriminalising consensual same-sex relations?  What measures were planned to enhance the participation of persons with disabilities in political processes, as well as their social inclusion?  Could statistical data on complaints of discrimination be provided?  The Committee was disturbed by reports of hate crimes and hate speech against individuals based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or HIV status.  Could information be provided on investigations into these incidents, and other measures taken to prevent and punish hate crimes and hate speech, including by public officials?

    What measures were being taken to improve the implementation of existing laws and policies to ensure gender equality in public and political life?  The Committee commended the State party for amending the Data Protection Act to criminalise online gender-based violence.  Could information on its implementation and efforts to raise public awareness be provided?  What remedies were provided to victims?

    Another Expert commended Zimbabwe for the large component of women in the delegation, which was great to see.  Reports from different sources had shown that despite the enactment of the Domestic Act in 2006, 25 years ago, domestic violence remained a serious problem, and prosecution was rare.  Could information be provided on recent measures to prevent, combat and eradicate all forms of violence against women, including sexual and domestic violence? What steps were taken to address the issue of femicide, and to prevent and track it?  What had been done to encourage the reporting of cases by victims; address the low rates of prosecution of cases of violence against women; and to investigate the cases of sexual violence committed by security forces in January 2019, and bring perpetrators to justice?

    There were allegations of unlimited time for pre-trial detention, especially for political detainees. What measures were being taken to ensure the full respect of basic procedural safeguards for detained persons? What steps had been taken to reduce the use and duration of pretrial detention and to use non-custodial alternative measures?  Could the delegation comment on the situation of juvenile detainees, as well as on reports of arbitrary arrests and detention of political opposition, trade union leaders and protestors?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said a bill was in place to ensure civil society organizations declared their sources of funding.  There were around 4,000 civil society organizations on the ground in Zimbabwe. Amendments were part of a host of measures Zimbabwe had taken to align itself to the mutual evaluation issued in 2016 by the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group, where it was rated compliant in 20 out of 40 recommendations.  Now it was rated as compliant in 30 out of 40 recommendations.

    Those exercising freedom of expression should not infringe on other people’s rights. Legislation aimed to ensure that police were present to offer security and to regulate gatherings.  Out of 234 laws which had been identified as requiring alignment with the Constitution, just 15 remained outstanding.  A statutory instrument was passed in 2024 which banned illegal mining.

    The Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission was appointed in consultation with the President and the Judicial Services Commission.   The Committee on Standing Orders was also consulted.  The State had an obligation to fund its own institutions and the Human Rights Commission. Approval for external funding was necessary in any democratic society, as this could be an avenue for money laundering.

    Atrocities had occurred in rural areas, and chiefs were coordinating a programme for the healing of victims and their families.  There was talk of compensation to be provided to the families of victims. Church leaders were also involved in these activities.

    Zimbabwe had removed the death penalty, and the defence act had been amended, with the section on the death penalty no longer in place.  Zimbabwe had started the process to amend legislation to ensure the right to abortion could be enjoyed by women.

    The Zimbabwean Constitution discouraged same-sex marriages.  There were same-sex couples in Zimbabwe who lived peacefully in the country.  However, marriage between these people could not be permitted in law due to the State’s customs.  It was possible that this could change in the future.

    Section 85 of the Constitution dealt with the enforcement of fundamental rights, and courts were flooded with citizens seeking redress under this section.  The Constitution had an educational philosophy which was human rights based.  Zimbabwe had progressed tremendously in the appointment of women in higher positions, with the Prosecutor-General and Attorney General both being women.  The Constitution had also been amended to provide for female quotas in Parliament.  Every elected member of Parliament was entitled to a constituent development fund.

    All victims of violence were provided adequate protection under Zimbabwean law.  It was not true that members of the opposition were denied bail.  The Executive did not interfere with the deliberation of court cases.  The denial of bail was subject to the law; this was the prerogative of the judiciary and not the Executive.

    Zimbabwe had embarked on phases of land reform, from 1980 to 2000 and from 2000 to the present day. These reforms aimed to address inequalities in the country and decongest rural areas, as well as to enhance agricultural productivity.  They had been successfully implemented and were irreversible.  The process continued to be fine-tuned, including through the Global Compensation Agreement signed in 2021.  The agreement outlined a mutual agreement to the payment of 3.5 billion United States dollars in compensation.  The payment of compensation was ongoing and was a work in progress.

    The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission had closed but had not completed its mandate, due to financial restraints.  The Government was making significant strides to ensure there would be a replacement, as healing was still needed.  A body like the Commission would be beneficial to the country, as it would complement the work being undertaken by the chiefs.

    Civil society organizations were always invited to contribute to reports, and those who were willing provided their inputs.  The Government always held consultations with these organizations.

    Zimbabwean legislation took precedence over international laws.  When international laws were not in conflict with Zimbabwean laws, the courts normally used the international laws to ensure justice was served.  So far, seven out of nine human rights treaties had been ratified. Consideration of ratification of the remaining two was ongoing.

    Regarding the death penalty, meetings had been held with the relevant stakeholders to operationalise the act.  Some 48 inmates who were due to be executed had had their executions halted.  They would all be brought before the court before renewed sentencing.  Prior to this, a list of all inmates on death row would be compiled.  The circumstances of each accused person would be considered separately, including how they had behaved in prison, when it came to issuing their new sentence.

    Laws ensured no one in Zimbabwean society was discriminated against, particularly based on gender and disability. A national disability policy had been established in 2021, focusing on non-discrimination.

    Following the reforms to the Constitution, an accused person who was arrested needed to be brought before the courts within 48 hours, meaning long periods of pretrial detention no longer existed.  Courts were even open on Saturdays for this purpose.  If longer detention was required, this had to be specially requested.

    Following the events of the August 2018 election, a Commission of Inquiry was established by the President.  The report issued by the Commission found that there was no evidence to suggest that the six individuals in question were killed by State security forces.

    It was a crime to abuse a woman, and women who had been abused had reported their cases to the police.  Issues of abuse were often linked to relationships, which made prosecution complicated.  In Zimbabwe, there were no selective approaches when it came to bringing accused persons before the courts.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on whether there was evidence that civil society organisations had funded terrorist activities in Zimbabwe; the proposed registration of non-governmental organizations; whether the death penalty would be abolished in the Constitution, and whether there were plans to ratify the second Optional Protocol to the Covenant; discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons in the workforce, and specific provisions addressing it in the Criminal Code; how the legal framework around hate speech was applied and how reports on hate speech were investigated; the experience of the State party in implementing the act on cyber violence, and other steps taken to prevent cyber violence against female political candidates; and the operations of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and statistics around cases brought to courts and convictions enacted.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the amendment of section 48 of the Constitution was the first step in ensuring the death penalty was abolished.  The abolition of the death penalty was an ongoing process.  A bill to amend section 48 had been introduced by a member of the opposition to Parliament and was supported by the Government.

    The private voluntary organization bill aimed to regulate the operations of the private voluntary organizations.  Its objectives included combatting financial crimes and monitoring funds, and ensuring private voluntary organizations operated transparently and used donor funds responsibly.  The bill included provisions to monitor foreign funding sources to ensure they aligned with national interests.  It addressed counter-financing of terrorist activities, including by identifying terrorist groups posing as private entities.  These amendments were part of a host of measures taken since the mutual evaluation report issued in 2016.

    State legislation criminalised cyber bullying and protected private data.  The Government firmly rejected any acts of torture and enforced disappearance.  It was firmly committed to upholding the rule of law.  The Government remained committed to ensuring a safe and conducive environment for women’s participation in politics.  There were no recorded cases of online harassment against female candidates.  Any woman who experienced online harassment was encouraged to report it. Investigations of hate speech followed due process.  Zimbabwe’s legal framework ensured juveniles were provided special care and protection in the justice system.  There was no selective evaluation of the law in Zimbabwe; all law enforcement agencies were expected to abide by the law.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said the Committee had received information that as of March 2020, the prison occupancy rate had reached 129 per cent and the conditions therein were harsh, due to overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions and a lack of medical care. There was only one prison holding boys alone, while girls were held with women.  Boys were frequently assaulted by older prisoners, despite the authorities’ attempts to keep them in separate cells.  What measures were being taken to address overcrowding, including through pre-trial detention centres?  Could the delegation clarify whether basic services were being denied to those in places of deprivation of liberty?  Were juveniles and adults kept separately?  Were monitoring visits conducted to places of deprivation of liberty?

    Could information on the legal and regulatory framework governing the right to freedom of expression and its compatibility with the Covenant be provided?  What measures were in place to protect journalists from attacks and arbitrary detention?  How was it ensured that all cases of violence against journalists were investigated?  Could the State party comment on refusals to grant radio licences, which were important in a society where many people relied on the radio for information, and media shutdowns?

    The Committee had serious concerns about the Government’s approach to dealing with peaceful assembly.  Had the State party made any progress toward ensuring that the laws governing freedom of assembly were in full conformity with the Covenant?  Could the delegation comment on allegations of the disproportionate presence of the military at peaceful assemblies, and of excessive use of force resulting in injuries and killings in August 2018 and January 2019? Could information be provided about complaints received in the last eight years concerning this serious issue, investigations conducted and punishments issued to perpetrators, as well as redress provided to the victims.

    The Committee was concerned about child abuse in the State party, including incest, infanticide, child abandonment and rape.  Reports indicated that 15,000 cases of child abuse had been received via the national helpline.  Despite legal prohibition, some rural families and religious sects continued to force girls into underage marriages.  The proportion of orphans in the country remained high, most of whom had lost one or both parents to HIV.  These children were more likely to be abused and not enrolled in schools and were vulnerable to HIV and homelessness.  Could information be provided on measures taken to combat child abuse, corporal punishment and traditional harmful practices, including child marriages?  What had been done to assess the situations of orphans, homeless children and children with disabilities in the State party?  What was the current minimum age of criminal responsibility?  Were there any plans to raise it to over ten years?

    Another Expert said the Committee appreciated steps to reduce the judicial backlog, including through the integrated electronic case management system and the restructuring of the courts.  However, reports described barriers to accessing the case management system; how were these being addressed?  What steps was the State party taking to ensure timely and efficient access to justice, including in high profile cases?  The Committee commended steps taken to strengthen Zimbabwe’s free legal aid system. Did the State party intend to provide additional resources for legal aid services?  Would it consider extending legal aid to all cases?

    The Committee understood that judges were appointed through public and merit-based interviews. However, reports indicated that judges who failed these interviews had been appointed to the High Court, including in June 2024, and that the judicial promotion process was not subject to the same level of public scrutiny as initial appointments.  How did the State party ensure that the public interview process was respected in practice?  The Committee was also concerned by reports of intimidation of judges, including threats by a high-level Government official after the High Court decided that extending the Chief Justice’s term beyond retirement age was unconstitutional. Could the State Party comment on these reports?  How did the State party ensure that judges remained fully independent, including in high-profile cases involving the Government?

    The Committee was aware of reports indicating that the State party had applied privacy and data-protection laws to engage in intrusive surveillance, such as monitoring citizens’ financial transactions and social media usage and gathering precise geolocation data on opposition politicians and activists.  How did the State party prevent abuses of these broad surveillance powers, protect personal data, and avoid arbitrary interferences with privacy? The Committee had received credible reports of recent surveillance targeting journalists and political opponents. For example, in February 2024, the NewsHawks investigative outlet was forced to halt coverage of alleged military corruption after its journalists were surveilled and threatened.  How did these surveillance activities comply with the right to privacy?  The State party had acquired sophisticated Chinese surveillance technologies, including facial recognition systems from CloudWalk and communications interception technology from the surveillance company Circles.  Could information about the legal framework governing the deployment of Chinese surveillance technologies be provided?  Were there safeguards in place to protect citizens’ rights?

    How did the 2014 Trafficking in Persons Act effectively address the practical challenges of combating human trafficking?  Were there any plans to amend the definition of trafficking to align more closely with international standards and ensure comprehensive protection for victims?  Could the State party provide a comprehensive overview of the measures taken to provide protection, rehabilitation, reparation, and reintegration services to victims?  How many shelters were available in the country and what efforts were undertaken to address child labour, particularly in commercial sexual exploitation, mining, and tobacco production?  What policies were in place to address human trafficking from sources other than Kuwait?

    Could the State party elaborate on the legal and factual elements considered when assessing asylum claims?  What safeguards were in place to ensure that assessments were conducted in line with international human rights standards, particularly regarding the principle of non-refoulement?  How did the State party respond to allegations of the mistreatment of prisoners? What measures were in place to prevent such mistreatment and ensure the safety and dignity of detainees?  Could statistical data, including the number of individuals expelled from Zimbabwe and the number of applicants who had failed in their asylum appeals, be provided?  What was being done to address concerns around stateless children, including through birth registration?

    Was there any statistical data available on prosecutions or penalties related to child marriage?  There were reports indicating that certain religious groups specifically promoted early marriage.  What challenges did the State party face in enforcing its prohibition policy in light of such religious influences?

    Although it was widely recognised that military recruitment in Zimbabwe had been voluntary since independence, the Constitution did not explicitly guarantee the right to conscientious objection to military service.  Could the Committee confirm whether the National Service Act of 1976 remained in force, given that it allowed for exemptions for individuals whose “bona fide religious beliefs” prevented them from performing national service?

    Another Committee Expert said reports before the Committee said there were several gaps in the legal framework that remained unaddressed for conducting free, fair and transparent elections.  What steps would Zimbabwe take to align the electoral legal framework to guarantee and protect fundamental freedoms?  How would it ensure that human rights defenders and civil society actors could carry out their activities without fear of harassment or intimidation?  What measures would the State party take to fully align the Electoral Act with the Constitution, to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the future?  The absence of campaign finance regulations in the State party undermined the transparency and accountability of the electoral process in terms of establishing limits to donations from individual donors and the lack of caps on electoral campaign expenditures.  What steps would Zimbabwe take to adopt a comprehensive legislation regulating campaign financing?

    Several reports before the Committee raised concerns that the 2023 harmonised elections took pace in a restricted political environment and that the administration of elections had serious gaps in terms of independence and transparency.  Could the State party respond to such reports, and state what specific measures would be taken to address these concerns?  In May 2020, three female leaders from the political opposition party “MDC Alliance” were allegedly tortured, sexual assaulted and dumped 48 hours later outside Harare.  Could the State party provide information on investigations carried out regarding the alleged acts, and whether those responsible had been held to account and victims compensated?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said overcrowding was a challenge in Zimbabwe, but several strategies had been put in place to address this issue, including the parole system.  The Zimbabwe prison correction service was also relying on Presidential amnesty.  The rehabilitation activities implemented ensured that inmates were equipped with skills to foster a smooth reintegration into society.  A new prison was also being built to tackle the issue of overcrowding.  Steps were being taken to ensure that all detainees had access to medical care, which was a challenge.  Programmes and measures had been developed to ensure detainees received nutritional meals, including investment in sustainable agricultural practices.  The prison administration did not discriminate against any inmate based on their political affiliation or opinion.  No convicted inmates were housed in a remand prison.  Some 22 visits had been made to places of detention.  Zimbabwe was still grappling with the effects of sanctions imposed by Western countries.

    Children in conflict with the law were housed in the State’s juvenile detention centre, which was separate from adult prisons.  Eighteen years was established as the minimum age of marriage within the Constitution. Every child under the age of 18 had the rights to be protected from economic and sexual exploitation, neglect and all other forms of abuse.  In 2022, Zimbabwe passed the Marriage Act, which set the minimum age of marriage as 18 years and repealed previous customary law.  The Children’s Act aimed to prevent neglect, ill-treatment and exploitation, including by parents and guardians.  The national action plan for orphans and vulnerable children established child protection committees at various levels, ensuring collaborative efforts between the Government and civil society to protect children’s rights.  It was a criminal offence for parents to prevent their children to work in brothels.  A law criminalised child pornography and imposed severe punishments to offenders.  The national case management system offered a multisectoral approach to responding to child protection concerns.

    Currently the minimum age of criminal responsibility was set at seven years.  However, Zimbabwe was working on a child justice law which would set the minimum age of criminal responsibility at 12 years.  It was currently amending its laws on trafficking to strengthen enforcement and enhance victim protection.  Police officers received specialised training on trafficking, with a focus on victim identification, regional cooperation and human rights, among other topics.

    The Constitution stated that courts needed to operate free from interference.  In Zimbabwe, Judges were not elected by the people, but rather were appointed by the President after consultation with the independent Judicial Service Commission, which had its own budget and was able to pay salaries for judicial officers, safeguarding them from outside influence. A digital case management system had also increased judicial independence, ensuring the judiciary had sole autonomy regarding the allocation of cases to judges, without influence from the Executive.

    Currently, 14 community radio stations and six free to air television channels had been licensed in Zimbabwe; there was no monopoly on media access.  There was a legal aid directorate which extended to civil cases. The legal aid directorate mandated the Government to provide legal aid services to indigenous persons.

    The Constitution provided that any person who was detained had the right to conditions of detention consistent with human dignity, including the right to physical exercise, adequate accommodation, and nutrition.

    The Government’s law enforcement agencies maintained a balance between the right to demonstration and the rights of other citizens.  During demonstrations, police were authorised to use minimum force to disperse crowds conducting gatherings outside the framework of the law.  All political parties were supposed to notify the police of demonstrations, for the protection of other citizens.

    Children born to immigrant parents in Zimbabwe were given birth certificates, but certain criteria needed to be met, including proof of the child’s birth.  Parents’ statelessness needed to be clearly established through documents.  There needed to be proof of residence in Zimbabwe.

    A data and cyber protection law was in place to safeguard citizens’ personal and institutional data from cyber threats and breaches.

    Legal aid was only available for accused persons facing murder charges.  Those being charged with murder could not appear in the High Court without a lawyer.

    If the Zimbabwean Election Commission could access foreign funding, it could be exposed to the influence of outside parties.  The State ensured the Commission was adequately funded so it could carry out its mandate.  A recent legal amendment stipulated that judges could be elected up to the age of 75 years; this represented an improvement in the State’s jurisprudence. The Government was not aware of the Chinese surveillance system mentioned by the Committee.  This would be investigated further.

    Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts

    The Committee asked follow-up questions on topics including human rights defenders and civil society actors being able to carry out their activities without fear of harassment; judges who had failed the interview process still being appointed to the High Court; the expected timeline for the amendments to the trafficking in persons act; the resources allocated to the national plan on trafficking in persons; whether a comprehensive assessment of the human rights impacts of sectors such as mining and tobacco had been conducted; how documentation challenges for stateless persons would be addressed; how it was ensured that the births of all children could be registered; and conscientious objection to military service.  The State was urged to dig deeper into the issue of Chinese surveillance technologies.

    Responses by the Delegation 

    The delegation said Zimbabwe needed to protect its sovereignty.  The State was suffering from the impacts of unilateral coercive measures.  It wished to stop actions which would affect the country in the long run.  There were provisions for an affidavit to be provided for those who did not give birth in a hospital to facilitate birth registration.  Only judges who passed interviews could be appointed to the High Court.   Judges in Zimbabwe were entitled to own houses and agricultural land, just like any other citizens.

    There were laws prohibiting child labour in Zimbabwe that set the minimum working age to 15. The State had ratified key international conventions in this regard, but implementation remained weak due to a lack of awareness.  Organizations including the United Nations Children’s Fund worked to rescue children from forced labour situations and reintegrate them into society. 

    Closing Statements

    NOBERT T. MAZUNGUNYE, Deputy Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and head of delegation, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the Committee.  The discussions and recommendations demonstrated Zimbabwe’s collective commitment to protecting and advancing human rights in the country.  The State was dedicated to implementing the necessary steps to ensure the rights enshrined in the Covenant were fully realised by all Zimbabweans.

    CHANGROK SOH, Committee Chairperson, extended sincere appreciation to the high-level delegation of Zimbabwe for their willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue with the Committee.  Mr. Soh thanked all those who had contributed to the dialogue.  The discussion had explored Zimbabwe’s implementation of the Covenant, highlighting areas of progress and challenges that remained.

     

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

     

     

    CCPR25.004E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Federal Firearms Ban Wrong Approach for Enhancing Public Safety

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 7, 2025

    On March 7, 2025, the federal government expanded the number of firearms listed as prohibited for sale and ownership in Canada. The expanded ban includes the addition of 179 firearms to the banned list that has swelled from an initial 1,500 to over 2,500 models of firearms. Many of these firearms are commonly used in Saskatchewan and across Canada for hunting and sport target shooting. 

    “Ensuring the safety and security of communities is a top priority for our government,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “Further expansion of the firearms ban will not reduce criminal activity and will only increase the budget for a federal buyback program that has already cost taxpayers $75 million. Continuing to target lawful firearms owners will not stop criminal acts involving firearms. Rather, we need to focus on addressing gang activity, the illegal use of firearms and the smuggling of firearms into Canada.”

    Saskatchewan continues to take tangible steps to reduce firearms-related crime. The Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) administers The Saskatchewan Firearms Act and Canadian Firearms legislation to promote the safe use and storage of firearms, ensure proper licensing of all firearms owners and address firearms-related crime. The SFO is also responsible for licensing federal seizure agents who will be tasked with collecting, transporting firearms, ammunition and accessories seized by the federal government through their proposed buyback program. To date, no one from the federal government has applied to be a seizure agent in Saskatchewan.

    “The SFO, through our Saskatchewan Ballistics Lab and firearms safety education programs, are supporting law enforcement and promoting responsible firearms ownership to minimize their illegal or unauthorized use,” Saskatchewan Firearms Office Commissioner Robert Freberg said. “This announcement will only criminalize more lawful firearms owners, impact the heritage of responsible firearms ownership, and create more financial concerns for businesses and individuals already absorbing losses for firearms they cannot sell or use as a result of these ongoing, arbitrary bans. These funds would be better spent supporting initiatives that encourage safe firearms use and target illegal activities involving firearms and smuggling across Canada.” 

    In spring 2024, the SFO opened the Saskatchewan Ballistics Lab at its temporary location in the Saskatoon Police Service to conduct ballistics testing and tracing the origin of firearms seized during police investigations in Saskatoon and Prince Albert. The permanent Ballistics Lab is slated to open and expand services in Saskatoon in fall 2025 to conduct firearms identification, ballistics testing, serial number restoration and firearms tracing for all municipal police services in the province. 

    The lab is already reducing firearms testing backlogs and has successfully traced several firearms back to criminal investigations in Saskatchewan, Canada and the United States. Last week, the lab was recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice for helping to prevent criminal networks from engaging in cross-border firearms trafficking and improving community safety in Saskatchewan, Canada and the U.S. 

    An Amnesty Order is in place for these newly prohibited firearms until March 1, 2026.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joy riding thief caught

    Source: South Australia Police

    An opportunistic thief has been caught by PolAir and patrols after stealing a car from Blair Athol this morning.

    About 12.15am this morning (Saturday 8 March) the victim had been in a pub on the corner of Main North Road and Grand Junction Road, when he dropped his car keys without realising.

    A man was seen by staff to pick up the keys, exit the pub, and drive away in the victim’s black Nissan Xtrail. When the victim realised his car was gone he was able to provide live updates to police on it’s location due to having a tracker in the vehicle.

    The Nissan came into the CBD before heading back out north through North Adelaide and on to Prospect Road. PolAir was overhead by this time and tracked the car as it headed west through Woodville North and Ottoway, before travelling up the Port River Expressway doing a big loop through Parafield, Para Vista and back down to Holden Hill.

    PolAir directed patrols to Vale Avenue in Holden Hill where the Nissan parked and the driver got out. Here patrols swooped in and arrested the 36-year-old Kilburn man without incident.

    He has been charged with illegal use of motor vehicle and driving without due care. He was bailed to appear at the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 2 May.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Chester — Lunenburg County District RCMP investigate fatal collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg County District RCMP is investigating a fatal collision that occurred in East Chester.

    On March 7, at approximately 11:05 a.m., Lunenburg County District RCMP, fire, and EHS responded to a report of a collision on Hwy. 103 involving two vehicles. Upon arrival at the scene, both vehicles were engulfed in flames. RCMP officers learned that a black Dodge RAM and a tractor trailer travelling in opposite directions collided.

    The driver and sole occupant of the Dodge RAM, a 51-year-old Hammonds Plains man, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

    The two occupants of the tractor trailer reported minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

    A collision reconstructionist attended the scene. The investigation remains ongoing, and is being assisted by the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harrisburg Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tayvain Folkes, age 24, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by the U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to deliver fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of one gram of fentanyl from Folkes on December 28, 2021. Based on that purchase, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Folkes’ residence, which yielded approximately 269 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 9mm pistol, and approximately $35,000 in cash. Folkes admitted to possessing the firearm and narcotics after his arrest.

    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 Federal Bureau of Investigation Harrisburg, the Vice Unit, Dauphin County Drug Task Force, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: March Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Natividad Castillo Avena. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Avena, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy M. Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-064

    Adan Alberto Bazaldua-Pichardo. Fraud and Misuse of Visas and Permits. Bazaldua-Pichardo, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully and knowingly possessing a fake social security card to gain entry or employment in the United States. The Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-061

    Jose Ricardo Borrayo-Gomez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Borrayo-Gomez, 36, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-062

    Carlos Daniel Calderon-Ponce. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Calderon-Ponce, 49, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-063

    Aldrin Jhovani Solis Castellanos. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Castellanos, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2024. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-073

    Joseph John Ronald Chavoya. Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun. Chavoya, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly and unlawfully possessing a machine gun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-075

    Jose Darvin Chicas-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Chicas-Castro, 35, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2011. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-065

    Adrian Lasean Foster. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country. Foster, 24, of Muskogee and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with breaking into an occupied home with intent to commit a crime. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Ihler is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-076

    Julio Gonzalez-Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gonzalez-Ramirez, 42, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2012. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-066

    Luis Enrique Guereca-Castrellon. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Guereca-Castrellon, 67, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2020. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-067

    Jose Alberto Hernandez-Casimiro. Fraud and Misuse of Visas and Permits. Hernandez-Casimiro, 37, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully and knowingly possessing a fake legal permanent resident card to gain entry or employment in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-068

    Jose Abraham Joya. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Joya, 38, a Salvadoran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2019. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-069

    Felipe Jesus Mendoza-Lopez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm. Mendoza-Lopez, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm, knowing he was an alien illegally in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-070

    Alexander Enemias Ortiz-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ortiz-Gonzalez, 22, a Guatemalan national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-071

    Juan Reyes-Ochoa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Reyes-Ochoa, 33, a Guatemala national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Oct. 2023. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-072

    Joshawa Wayne Wildcat. Assault of a Spouse by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Wildcat, 33, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with strangling his spouse. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Weems is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-077

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: On International Women’s Day, Indian Railways decides to equip Women RPF personnel with Chilli Spray Cans

    Source: Government of India

    On International Women’s Day, Indian Railways decides to equip Women RPF personnel with Chilli Spray Cans

    This initiative to empower women personnel with a non-lethal yet effective tool to handle challenging situations

    RPF has the highest proportion of women (9%) personnel among all Central Armed Police Forces

    During the Mahakumbh, RPF’s women personnel tirelessly assisted thousands of women pilgrims alongside their male counterparts at Prayagraj

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 8:36PM by PIB Delhi

    Indian Railways has decided to equip women personnel of the Railway Protection Force with chilli spray cans. This non-lethal yet effective tool will help women RPF personnel tackle challenging situations swiftly, particularly while safeguarding female passengers traveling alone or with children for ensuring safer train journeys for women passengers.

    This innovative move reflects Indian Railways’ strong commitment to gender inclusivity, women empowerment, and enhanced security across its vast network. By providing chilli spray cans, women RPF personnel will have an additional layer of security, allowing them to deter threats, respond to incidents of harassment, and handle emergencies effectively — especially in sensitive areas like isolated stations, running trains, and remote railway locations where immediate backup might not be available.

    Backing this initiative, the Director General of RPF, Shri. Manoj Yadav stated “The initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision of empowering women and ensuring safer public spaces. Indian Railways has consistently introduced several measures to improve the travel experience for women passengers. Our women RPF personnel stand as symbols of strength, care and resilience. By equipping them with chilli spray cans, we are enhancing their confidence and operational capability, while sending a clear message that passenger safety — especially the safety of women — is our highest priority.”

    One such impactful policy has been the deliberate induction of more women into the RPF. Today, the RPF proudly boasts the highest proportion of women (9%) among all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). Many of these women RPF personnel are part of the ‘Meri Saheli’ teams, whose core responsibility is to ensure safe journey for women travellers. Over 250 ‘Meri Saheli’ teams interact with nearly 12,900 female passengers daily, offering both security and reassurance.

    The role of women RPF personnel extends far beyond security. They frequently assist female passengers in distress, including expectant mothers who go into labor during train journeys. Under ‘Operation Matrishakti’, women RPF personnel have helped 174 women safely give birth onboard trains in 2024 alone, ensuring privacy, dignity, and timely medical aid. During major events like the Mahakumbh, RPF’s women personnel worked tirelessly alongside their male counterparts, offering prompt assistance to thousands of women pilgrims who arrived for the holy dip at Prayagraj.

    Armed with the new tool in hand, women RPF personnel will embody strength, compassion and resilience, reaffirming Indian Railways’ dedication to safe and secure journey for women passengers.

    ****

    Dharmendra Tewari/ Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2109254) Visitor Counter : 6

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE removes Romanian fugitive wanted for identity theft, fraud in France

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed foreign fugitive Torsten Ew Torz, 31, a native of Germany and citizen of Romania, March 6.

    Torz is wanted by law enforcement authorities in France for identity theft and credit card fraud.

    “We continue to work closely with our international law enforcement partners to ensure foreign fugitives are held accountable for their crimes overseas,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris. “Removing criminal aliens like Torz keep our American communities safe.”

    Torz entered the United States without admission or parole by an immigration official on an unknown date and at an unknown location.

    The Garden City Police Department in New York arrested Torz on Dec. 19, 2023, for grand larceny, possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of a forgery device.

    The Paris Judicial Court in France issued an arrest warrant for Torz on March 25, 2024, on charges of “swindling carried out by an organized gang” and’ “involvement in a criminal conspiracy for the purpose of conceiving an offense punishable by 10 years of imprisonment.”

    ICE arrested Torz on Oct. 16, 2024, and issued him a notice to appear. He was detained at the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, without bond, pending removal proceedings.

    An immigration judge in Elizabeth, New Jersey, ordered Torz removed from the United States on Nov. 19, 2024.

    Torz was turned over to Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 21, on an outstanding warrant. The District Court of New York in Suffolk County convicted Torz for unlawful possession of a skimmer device intended for use in identity theft and sentenced him to time served. Torz returned to ICE custody Jan. 29, where he remained until 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 Newark’s mission to increase public safety in our New Jersey communities on X: @ERONewark.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Halifax Regional Municipality — Man wanted on province-wide arrest warrants

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Police in the Halifax Regional Municipality and Millbrook are seeking information on the whereabouts of a man currently wanted on multiple province-wide arrest warrants.

    Tayshawn Maloney, 27, from Halifax, is wanted and facing charges of:

    • Attempt to Commit Murder
    • Aggravated Assault
    • Robbery
    • Uttering Threats
    • Impaired Operation
    • Operation while Prohibited
    • Mischief
    • Failure to Comply with a Release Order
    • Multiple firearms offences

    Maloney is described as 5-foot-7, 150 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

    At this time, investigators believe he may be driving a silver Toyota Yaris.

    Maloney is known to frequent Halifax, Dartmouth and Truro. However, he was last seen in the Cape Breton area in October 2024.

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

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

    File #: 2024-1254792

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Approximately 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine to New Hampshire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Manchester Man Pleads Guilty for his Role in a Conspiracy to Traffic Approximately 50 Pounds of Methamphetamine to New Hampshire

     

    CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty in federal court in Concord to a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney John J. McCormack announces.

    Riley Thibodeau, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, specifically methamphetamine.  U.S. District Court Samantha D. Elliot scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2025.  After also pleading guilty, co-defendant Ronny Ramos was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott on December 9, 2024 to 120 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Thibodeau conspired to traffic approximately 50 pounds of methamphetamine from Massachusetts to New Hampshire.  From March through October 2023, Ramos received five separate orders of methamphetamine from Thibodeau, via an intermediary. The payments from Thibodeau for the methamphetamine were made via the same intermediary. The amounts per order ranged from 10-12 pounds at a price of approximately $20,000 for each order. The methamphetamine was delivered to Thibodeau in New Hampshire. On October 31, 2023, law enforcement agents arrested Ramos in Methuen, Massachusetts, and seized 10 pounds of methamphetamine destined for Thibodeau in New Hampshire.

    The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least 3 years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. 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.

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation.  The Manchester Police Department, the Salem Police Department, and the Methuen Police Department provided valuable assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Couple Indicted for Abducting and Sexually Abusing 13-Year-Old They Groomed Online

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendants Sexually Assaulted Teen Victim in Their Van and Apartment Over Several Days

    ROANOKE, VA. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Justin Johiah Curtright, 40, and Christin Marie Curtright, 32, a married couple from Springfield, Missouri. This indictment follows the couples’ arrest and preliminary hearing last month on a federal criminal complaint. The complaint alleged that the Curtrights groomed a 13-year-old victim over the internet, traveled from Missouri to pick her up from her home in Virginia, then repeatedly sexually assaulted her in their van and at their apartment until she was rescued by police.

    The indictment charges: coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence; conspiracy and transportation of a minor in interstate commerce to engage in criminal sexual activity, which also carries a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence; and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, which each carry 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentences. If convicted, the Curtrights face a maximum punishment of life in prison.

    According to court documents, in May 2024 the victim met Justin Curtright on Discord, an online group chat platform, where the two talked for hours. The victim initially used an alias and claimed she was 18 years old. Justin Curtright soon began talking in sexual overtones and eventually sent the victim a sexually explicit video of himself.

    The next morning, Justin added the victim to a private Discord channel that included both him and his wife, Christin Curtright.  From that point, the three talked extensively, both online and by phone.  The victim eventually admitted she was only 13 years old.

    The Curtrights also engaged in sexually explicit acts on camera while video chatting with the victim. Justin would frequently pretend to be the victim’s father.

    At some point near the end of June, the Curtrights devised a plan to drive to Virginia to abduct the victim and take her to their Springfield apartment.  On the morning of July 24, 2024, as planned, the Curtrights met the victim near her home in Virginia.  The victim got in the Curtrights’ vehicle, and they drove her back to Missouri.

    During the trip back to Missouri, the Curtrights each took turns sexually assaulting the victim while the other drove. Once they reached their apartment, they continued their sexual abuse and exploitation of the victim for several more days.

    On July 27, 2024, officers with the Springfield Police Department went to the Curtrights’ apartment, where they found the victim hiding in the back of a closet in the Curtrights’ bedroom. The victim had a debit card and false ID that Justin Curtright gave her, which represented her as Justin’s 15-year-old daughter.

    Springfield officers seized the Curtrights’ phones, which held recordings of the Curtrights’ video chats grooming and sexually exploiting the victim, as well as images of the victim being abused during the drive to Missouri.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, made the announcement today.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Springfield Police Department, and various local law enforcement agencies investigated the case.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States.

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

    The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: A message from Christine Jardine on International Women’s Day

    Source: Liberal Democrats UK

    That means pushing our revolutionary parental leave and childcare policies –  helping more mothers return to the workplace should they want to, and fighting against the gender pay gap. Or our plans to end period poverty and ensure that survivors of violence against women and girls are properly supported in the criminal justice system. 

    Women deserve an ambitious vision from political parties of how their lives can be improved. So it’s disappointing that the government seems to have missed opportunities to make this a reality. They removed the target for women’s health hubs in the latest NHS mandate, while their Crime & Policing Bill fails to mention domestic abuse once.

    The fight for equality continues. Liberal Democrats will keep pushing on these issues and others, to deliver the positive future that all women deserve.

    Of course, accelerating action also means supporting the tireless campaigners who are already doing fantastic work. I am especially grateful to the groups within our own party who are pushing for change. Lib Dem Women and the Campaign for Gender for Balance are just some examples, who lead the fight to get more women involved in politics.

    We as a party – and a country – have come so far. If we keep working together, we can go even further.

    Happy International Women’s Day.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guilty Pleas in December 2023 Burglary of Dozens of Firearms from a Maryland Pawn Shop

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Vincent Lee Alston, 23, of Washington D.C. and Niquan Odum, 23, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with the December 2023 burglary of 34 firearms from a Maryland pawn shop.

                The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department

                Alston, aka “Vedo,” pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Odumn, aka “Stickz,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and to possession of stolen firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson scheduled a sentencing hearing for Alston on June 27, 2025 and for Odumn on June 13, 2025. Alston was arrested on December 15, 2023, and has been detained since. Odumn was arrested on March 25, 2024, and has been detained since.

                Co-conspirator Juwon Markel Anderson, aka “Peezy,” 22, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on March 4 to conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Others charged in the conspiracy are Cy’Juan Hemsley, 18, of District Heights, Maryland, and Tyjuan McNeal, 28, of Washington, D.C.

                According to the court documents, on December 13, 2023, the co-conspirators drove from Washington, D.C. to the A&D Pawn Shop, a Federal Firearms Licensee, in Glen Burnie, Maryland. At the pawn shop, one of the co-conspirators used a portable saw to cut the locks on a pull-down security gate. Another co-conspirator then used a crowbar-type tool to pry open the main door. Once inside, the quintet grabbed an array of rifles, shotguns, and pistols from the shelves and display racks and fled with at least 34 of the firearms. The co-conspirators later used social media to advertise the sale of the stolen firearms.  Two days after the burglary, on December 15, 2023, Alston was arrested with one of the stolen firearms.

                This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the ATF Baltimore Field Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes.     

    23cr452

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Firearms Office and Métis Nation – Saskatchewan Sign MOU for Firearms Safety

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 7, 2025

    Today, the Saskatchewan Firearms Office (SFO) and Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MN-S) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to provide ongoing firearms safety education to Métis citizens.

    The MOU outlines opportunities for partnership, such as increasing firearms licenses among MN-S citizens and promoting firearms safety and education. 

    “Our government is committed to promoting public safety within all communities and protecting the rights of all lawful firearms owners,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “Through this partnership we want to encourage responsible firearm ownership and support Métis traditions in a way that keep people informed and protected.”

    The four specific areas the Memorandum outlines for the SFO and MN-S to collaborate on are:

    • Promotion of education and licensing of as many community members as possible;
    • Minimizing unnecessary criminalization of individuals for regulatory offences;
    • Appropriate compensation for seized firearms; and
    • Protection of gun owners’ current and future privileges.

    “Firearms safety education is of the utmost importance to our MN-S government to ensure our Métis harvesting traditions are responsibly passed down to the next generation,” Métis Nation -Saskatchewan President Glen McCallum said. “We are pleased the Saskatchewan Firearms Office wants to continue to strengthen our working relationship with a recommitment to work together on educational programs based on current and incoming firearms regulations.” 

    The SFO and MN-S will coordinate to provide education to Métis citizens on existing and incoming firearms laws. The SFO will also provide training and educational materials for MN-S community centres and encourage and facilitate members in becoming fully licensed and legally compliant firearms owners. 

    “The Saskatchewan Firearms Office is proud to partner with MN-S again to ensure Métis citizens have the knowledge to legally use and store firearms safely,” Saskatchewan Firearms Office Commissioner Robert Freberg said. “Greater compliance increases public safety and through this partnership we will contribute to a safer Saskatchewan for our communities.”

    This MOU is the second firearms education agreement between the SFO and MN-S, marking another step forward in an ongoing partnership and demonstrating a shared commitment to balancing public safety with respect for Métis traditions.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marquette Heights Felon Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Unregistered Destructive Devices

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

    PEORIA, Ill. – A Marquette Heights, Illinois, man, Dalton Lee Mattus, 35, was sentenced on March 5, 2025, to an aggregate 57 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon, possessing a stolen firearm, and possessing an unregistered destructive device.

    At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the court was informed that Mattus had multiple prior criminal convictions within Tazewell and Peoria Counties that prohibited him from possessing a firearm.  In May 2024, he was the passenger in a car that was stopped by Pekin Police Department officers. During the traffic stop, the officers confiscated a locked bag from the car. After obtaining a search warrant for the bag, they found a stolen Springfield Armory XD-S .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol and two unregistered destructive devices. The devices were made from cardboard tubing, metal BBs, and chemical powder used to make explosives. The officers also obtained a search warrant for Mattus’s residence, where they found three additional unregistered destructive devices, along with materials to make several more. Officers also seized 50 rounds of live ammunition and equipment used to assemble and disassemble firearms.

    In sentencing Mattus, Judge Mihm commented that while this was a very serious case, what was most troubling was that the explosives were homemade and were intended to harm others. The judge commented that this is “about as bad as it gets.”

    Mattus was arrested by the Pekin Police Department in May 2024, and a federal complaint was filed two weeks later, followed by a federal indictment in June 2024. He entered a guilty plea in October 2024.

    The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are not more than 15 years’ imprisonment. The maximum term of imprisonment for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing an unregistered destructive device is ten years’ imprisonment. Each count carries up to a three-year term of supervised release.

    The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, comprised of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria Police Department; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; Illinois Department of Corrections; and the Illinois State Police, investigated the case. The Pekin Police Department and Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department also participated in the investigation. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnstown Resident Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Crack Cocaine

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

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Kevin Johnson, 39, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Count One of the Superseding Indictment.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around March 2021 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Johnson conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine base in the form commonly known as crack. Johnson was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the crack that he distributed to others.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for June 26, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Johnson. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Hall Man Sentenced to Five Years for Robbery at Knifepoint

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

    POCATELLO – Malik Marin Ish, 23, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.  Chief U.S. District Court Judge David C. Nye sentenced Ish on March 3, 2025, to 54.5 months in federal prison in addition to the 8.5 months of tribal jail time, which Ish served leading up to his sentencing.

    According to court records, on February 19, 2024, Ish approached a man getting gasoline in his Jeep Cherokee at a gas station in Fort Hall and demanded the man’s vehicle at knifepoint.  The man and Ish struggled for a time and Ish tried to stab him.  Ish took the Jeep and crashed it a short distance away.  Fort Hall Police officers located Ish later that day and recognized Ish as the robbery suspect, based on the unique red clothing he was wearing.  Police officers also obtained video surveillance from the gas station, which showed Ish as the robber.

    Chief Judge Nye also ordered Ish to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.  Ish pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2024.  Ish will also concurrently serve 21 months for a supervised release violation from an earlier conviction.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Hall Police Department for their joint investigation in this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Haycock prosecuted this case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Council host International Women’s day event

    Source: City of Preston

    On Monday 3 March, the Town Hall opened its doors to host a networking event for International Women’s Day.

    The day saw a panel of local women speak about their experiences in the workplace and how they have implemented change.

    This year’s theme was ‘Accelerate Action’ and community members from across Preston were invited to attend to listen to the key speakers and have the opportunity for networking.

    This showcased the number of strong female role models present within the community and the collective drive towards equality in Preston.

    The speakers were:

    • Mrs Amanda Parker – His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire
    • Superintendent Sally Riley – Lancashire Constabulary, Chair of Inspire – The Women in Policing Network
    • Miss Zaynab Jogi – Self-Defence Trainer and Mountaineer
    • Dr Kailash Parekh – MBE, Community Champion and Educationalist
    • Dr Chinyere Ajayi – Course Lead at the School of Health, Social Work and Sport, UCLan
    • Mrs Sarah Threlfall – Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Community and Wellbeing at Preston City Council

    There were also stalls shining a light on the work carried out in the community by:

    • Lancashire Women
    • Sahara
    • Ashton Food Aid and Penwortham Care and Share representing Preston Food Network

    According to data from the World Economic Forum, at the current rate of progress it will take 133-years to reach full gender parity, which is roughly five generations from now.

    One of the best ways to forge equality is to understand what works and do more of this faster. 

    More than 50 women attended this networking event, and they were catered for by participants of the Lady Boss course – a programme engaging with a group of 10 non-registered, home-based female cooks from minority communities who were interested in gaining a food safety qualification, registering with the local authority for food safety purposes, and incorporating as a business.

    By the end of the programme, all members had achieved a Level 2 Food Safety certification.

    The food was delicious and off the back of this success, they received another booking for an upcoming event in Preston.

    Reflecting on the event, Councillor Nweeda Khan, Preston City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Social Justice said:

    It was an honour to be part of the International Women’s Day networking event today, and it was inspiring to hear from women from different career paths contributing towards a change in the workplace.

    Preston City Council actively applies and prioritises the principles of Community Wealth Building wherever applicable and appropriate. Community Wealth Building is an approach which aims to ensure the economic system builds wealth and prosperity for everyone.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shreveport Man Found with a Firearm, Ammunition and Narcotics Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. for possessing a firearm during the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Quintell Dewayne Gladney, 45, was sentenced to 262 months (21 years, 10 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.  

    According to information presented in court, on May 26, 2020, officers with the Shreveport Police Department performed a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Gladney. The officer approached the vehicle and began a conversation with Gladney and noticed what appeared to be a firearm in his waist band. Officers learned that Gladney was a convicted felon and asked Gladney to step out of the vehicle, but he refused. The officers then opened the door and removed Gladney from the vehicle for officer safety. A pat down search revealed that he did in fact have a loaded FN Herstal Model Five Seven 5.7×28 pistol in his waist band. 

    In addition, officers found over $3,000 in cash in Gladney’s pockets, and several small bags of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana which were packaged for distribution in the vehicle. Over 41 rounds of 5.7×28 caliber ammunition were also found inside the vehicle. Gladney pleaded guilty on July 31, 2023, and admitted to illegally possessing the firearm. 

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: One of Atlanta Police Department’s Most Wanted Fugitives Sentenced for Multiple Counts of Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Jordan Pack has been sentenced for two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    “Pack continued to possess firearms and commit violent offenses after being previously convicted of a violent felony,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “This case is another example of the effective law enforcement partnerships in our district that enable the successful prosecutions of dangerous repeat offenders like Pack.”

    “This sentence reflects ATF commitment to ensure that those with a history of crime are held accountable”, said Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons.  Convicted felons possessing firearms presents a danger to the community and ATF along with our law enforcement partners will work hard to remove them from our community.”  

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: In October 2008, Jordan Pack was convicted of Armed Robbery (involving a firearm) in the Superior Court of Douglasville, Georgia. He was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment, with 10 years to serve in custody and the remainder to be served on probation. He was released from prison in April 2018.

    On October 22, 2021, officers responding to a motor vehicle collision in Dacula, Georgia, arrested Pack for giving false identifying information to a police officer. A crossbody satchel that Pack was wearing at the time of his arrest contained live .38 caliber ammunition, and officers later learned that, after the accident, Pack had discarded a .38 caliber Taurus revolver under a nearby vehicle. Upon recovering the revolver, officers discovered that the firearm was loaded with the hammer cocked.

    Later, on June 17, 2022, Atlanta Police Department (APD) officers responded to the scene of a shooting at a single-family home in Northwest Atlanta. A female resident of the home advised that, following a domestic dispute, Pack had threatened to shoot her. He then retrieved a firearm from his vehicle, fired multiple shots into the air, and fled the scene. Both the victim and her young child were present in the home at that time. Officers recovered five spent .45 caliber shell casings from the driveway of the home.

    On August 10, 2022, officers with the APD fugitive unit located Pack at an apartment complex in Southwest Atlanta. Pack was working at the location as an armed security guard (under the alias “William Tate”) and in possession of a Tokarev 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun. During a search of Pack incident to his arrest, officers recovered a .45 caliber Highpoint semi-automatic pistol which was loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition in a high-capacity magazine, a pair of brass knuckles, a pocketknife, a canister of bear mace, and a large machete. In addition, during a search of Pack’s vehicle, officers seized the Tocarev shotgun, two magazines, 14 rounds of 12-gauge shotgun shells, and several .45 caliber cartridge casings.

    On March 6, 2024, Chief District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. sentenced Jordan Pack, also known as “William Tate,” 35, of Atlanta, Ga., to 66 months of incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Pack pleaded guilty to the charges on November 12, 2024. 

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Atlanta Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Joshua May, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jesika French and Norman Barnett, prosecuted the case.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man From Clear Lake, Iowa, Pleads Guilty to Producing and Distributing Child Pornography

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

    A man who produced and distributed child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa.

    David Bradley Garrison, age 43, from Clear Lake, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography.

    At the plea hearing, Garrison admitted that he sexually exploited a child in July 2021 by producing a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He also admitted that between June 2021 and August 2021, he distributed visual depictions of child pornography to other individuals.

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

    Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Garrison remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Garrison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $95,200 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Devra T. Hake and Dillan Edwards, and it was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation, and Rockwell Police Department. 

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

    The case file number is 24-CR-3054.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middle Sackville — RCMP investigating fatal vehicle-pedestrian collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a fatal vehicle-pedestrian collision that occurred in Middle Sackville.

    Yesterday, at approximately 7:15 p.m., RCMP officers, fire services, and EHS, responded to a report of a collision near the 1600 block of Sackville Dr. Investigators learned that a Honda Civic was travelling west on the roadway when it struck a pedestrian crossing the road.

    The pedestrian, a 58-year-old Middle Sackville man, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

    The driver and lone occupant of the Civic, a 25-year-old Middle Sackville man, did not suffer physical injuries.

    Weather conditions in the area, at the time, consisted of heavy rain and wind.

    An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation, led by the Halifax Regional Detachment Traffic Unit, is ongoing. Currently, it’s not believed that alcohol or drugs were a factor.

    Investigators are asking anyone with dash cam footage of Sackville Dr., near Lively Rd. and Wilson Lake Dr., between 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. to come forward.

    Sackville Dr. was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

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

    File #: 25-31814

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm And Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

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

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Brandon Palmore (30, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Palmore faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Palmore has agreed to forfeit the Sig Sauer handgun and ammunition used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, on December 1, 2023, agents were conducting surveillance at an apartment complex in Tampa in relation to an outstanding arrest warrant for Palmore and observed him walking to his vehicle. As Palmore was given commands to exit the vehicle, he was seen reaching toward the center console and passenger floorboard area of the vehicle. A Sig Sauer handgun was found where Palmore had been seen reaching. The handgun was loaded and had previously been reported stolen. At the time, Palmore had multiple prior felony convictions, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at, within, or into, a vehicle. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

    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 for occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Officer pleads guilty over unauthorised searches on police systems

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A Metropolitan Police officer has pleaded guilty to four counts of misconduct in public office over a series of unauthorised searches for information which he shared in WhatsApp chats with members of the public.

    Police Constable Matthew Olive, 26 who was attached to the Professional Standards Directorate, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Friday, 7 March.

    He previously appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 24 December.

    Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Neil Smithson, who leads the Professional Standards Directorate, said:

    “PC Olive abused his position, searching confidential police systems to look up information for no other purpose than to satisfy his own interests and those who he passed information on to.

    “His colleagues, and the public, rightly expect those who are trusted to access sensitive information to do so only for legitimate policing reasons.

    “By misusing his privileged position, he will have done further damage to the trust between the police and the public that we are collectively working so hard to rebuild.

    Following his guilty plea, PC Olive will now face a misconduct hearing at the earliest opportunity.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives arrest man following Ruislip stabbing

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met officers have arrested a 19-year-old man allegedly responsible for a stabbing which left a teenager critically injured in Ruislip.

    Officers were called to Victoria Road at 16:55hrs on Thursday, 6 March. A 16-year-old boy was treated for stab wounds.

    He was later taken to hospital where he remains in a life-threatening condition. His family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

    Detective Inspector Tony Smith, leading the investigation from the Met’s policing team in north-west London, said:

    “We recognise this is a distressing incident and we have upped local foot patrols and will ensure there is a visible police presence over the weekend.

    “Although we have a suspect in custody, we are working round the clock to build a picture of what happened and I would ask anyone with information to contact us immediately.”

    A crime scene remains in place. Victoria Road remains closed from the Stonefield Way junction to the Field End Road roundabout. We are encouraging people to avoid the area where possible to minimise congestion.

    Anyone with information that could assist police, or who may have captured the assault on a doorbell or dash cam, is asked to call 101 or visit ‘X’ @MetCC and quote 5631/06Mar.

    You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Duluth Felon Charged with Possession of Firearm, Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DULUTH, Minn. – A Duluth woman has been indicted on illegal possession of a firearm and drug trafficking charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, on December 8, 2023, Khadijah Denise Preston, 30, was found in possession of a Smith & Wesson model M&P Shield M2.0 handgun. On October 9, 2024, Preston possessed fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

    Because Preston has a prior felony conviction in Hennepin County for second degree assault, she is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

    The indictment charges Preston with one count of illegal possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. She made her initial appearance today in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois on March 6, 2025.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Duluth Police Department, the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole J. Carter is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Winslow Man Sentenced to 8 years in Federal Prison for Possession of Biological Weapon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FAYETTEVILLE – A Winslow, Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison without the possibility of parole for Possession of a Biological Agent.  The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.

    According to court documents, in January 2024, a concerned citizen made an anonymous tip to the Washington County Sherriff’s office that Jason Kale Clampit, age 44, was manufacturing and may have poisoned one of his family members with ricin. Thereafter, an investigation revealed that Clampit had, in fact, produced ricin at his residence in Winslow, Arkansas, for the stated purpose of setting traps for trespassers. The investigation likewise revealed that during the manufacturing process, Clampit inadvertently exposed himself to ricin, which made him extremely ill. On January 24, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed by both the Bentonville Bomb Squad and an FBI Bioweapon Specialist team, which resulted in the confiscation of several items associated with processing ricin, and suspected ricin byproducts. On that same day, Clampit was taken into custody. While in jail, he made statements on a monitored phone call in which he directed others to dispose of liquid ricin contained in a jar that was secreted in a camper on his property. After listening to the monitored call, FBI agents responded quickly, contacted the individual Clampit directed, and located, in a trash can, a jar containing processed ricin.

    Clampit was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in March 2024. He entered a plea of guilty in October 2024.

    U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Bentonville Police Department, and the Arkansas Department of Corrections Division of Community Correction (probation and parole) all investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov. 

    MIL Security OSI –