NewzIntel.com

Category: Police

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oakland Resident Convicted Of Dealing Firearms Without A License And Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OAKLAND – Robert Davis was convicted of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and firearms possession by a federal jury, announced Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Cicolani.

    The jury found Davis, 31 of Oakland, California, guilty of selling for profit firearms that he purchased illegally in Texas.  The jury also found that on a separate occasion Davis illegally possessed a firearm and ammunition as a felon.  The jury acquitted Davis of an additional charge that Davis had possessed and shipped firearms. The verdicts followed a week-long jury trial before the Honorable Araceli Martínez-Olguín, U.S. District Judge.

    Evidence at trial showed that Davis travelled back and forth between California and Texas, where he illegally bought firearms at gun shows. After purchasing the firearms, the defendant shipped the firearms back to the Bay Area where he advertised and sold them for profit, principally using Instagram.  The evidence further showed that on December 22, 2021, law enforcement searched the defendant’s residence and found a loaded 5.7mm firearm in his home. Law enforcement also found more than 100 rounds of ammunition throughout the apartment as well as in Davis’s vehicle. Because Davis previously had been convicted of a felony, he was ineligible to possess the firearm and the ammunition.

    Davis is currently in custody pending sentencing which has not yet been scheduled.

    The maximum statutory penalty for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A) is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and the maximum statutory penalty violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) is ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Mateer and Jonah Ross are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello, Mark DiCenzo, and Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, and Fort Worth (TX) Police Department.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Two people charged with 77 offences across southern Tasmania

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Two people charged with 77 offences across southern Tasmania

    Friday, 21 February 2025 – 9:48 am.

    Police Taskforce Saturate have charged two people with a combined total of 77 offences across southern Tasmania.  
    Early yesterday, members from Taskforce Saturate and Glenorchy Uniform attended a Glenorchy residence and conducted a search as part of a targeted operation.  
    A 27-year-old Claremont woman and an 18-year-old Glenorchy man were arrested in relation to multiple offences which allegedly occurred around Southern Tasmania during a six-week period in January and February 2025. 
    They have been charged with a combined total of 77 offences related to stealing, drugs, and breaches of bail.  
    Both were detained to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court today. 
    Police thank members of the public who assisted in the investigations into both offenders.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NT Fire and Rescue Chief Officer announced

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services (NTFES) is pleased to announce the permanent appointment of Mr Stephen Sewell AFSM as Chief Fire Officer (CFO).

    Following an extensive merit-based selection process, Mr Sewell, who has been acting in the CFO role for the past 12 months, has officially been appointed to the position.

    This appointment brings stability to the NT Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) and allows for the continued recruitment of Deputy Fire Officers, which is set to begin this month.

    Before stepping into the role of Chief Fire Officer, Mr Sewell served as the Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Territory Operations. He has been with the NTFRS since 2009 and has held an executive position since 2020.

    In addition to his extensive experience with NTFRS, Mr Sewell has served in various regiments of the Australian Army since 1989 and remains an active member of the Australian Army Reserve.

    He has been recognised for his service with several prestigious awards, including the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM), and medals for his deployments, such as the International Force East Timor Medal, the Afghanistan Medal, and the Iraq Medal.

    NTFES Commissioner, Andrew Warton congratulated Mr Sewell on his appointment, acknowledging his significant contributions over the past 16 years.

    “Stephen brings a wealth of strategic and leadership experience to this role, along with an unwavering commitment to protecting the lives, property, and environment of the Northern Territory,” said Commissioner Warton.

    “Over the past 16 years, Stephen has made significant contributions to our operations, firefighting preparedness, training and development, fire safety initiatives, recruitment, and community engagement.”

    In addition to his operational expertise, Mr Sewell holds qualifications in human resource management, public safety, training and assessment, and occupational health and safety.
     

    Quotes attributed to Mr Stephen Sewell AFSM:

    “It is a tremendous honour to be appointed permanently as Chief Fire Officer, and I am committed to ensuring that the NT Fire and Rescue Service continues to serve the community with the highest standards of professionalism, preparedness and safety.”

    “My focus will be on maintaining the safety of our communities, supporting our dedicated firefighters, and further strengthening our operational capabilities to respond to emergencies across the Territory.”

    “The role of Chief Fire Officer is both challenging and rewarding, and I am excited to continue the work of enhancing community resilience while working closely with all stakeholders to ensure a safer Northern Territory.”

    “I want to thank the dedicated men and women of NTFRS for their commitment and service. Together, we will continue to advance the agency’s mission to serve and protect.”

    With the recent formation of the NT Fire and Emergency Services, which merges the NT Fire and Rescue Service, NT Emergency Service, and Bushfires NT into a single agency, Mr Sewell’s leadership will be vital in further enhancing the agency’s ability to respond to emergencies while prioritising community resilience.

    Media contact
    Rickie Abraham

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing for Fatal DUI Crash on Navajo Nation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to 75 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, stemming from a fatal drunk driving crash on the Navajo Nation in November 2022.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on the evening of November 25, 2022, Jane Doe and John Doe were driving from Colorado to visit family in Tse Bonito, NM when their sedan broke down. Jane Doe’s family members came to assist, and her nephew began towing the sedan with his SUV.

    As the group traveled on Navajo Route 12, Olan Jumbo, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, who had been drinking alcohol while driving, crashed his speeding truck into the back of the sedan. The collision caused severe damage to the sedan, resulting in Jane Doe’s death at the scene and serious injuries to John Doe. Jumbo fled the scene but was apprehended two days later.

    Investigation revealed Jumbo was driving between 74-82 mph in a 45-mph zone at the time of impact and had multiple prior drunk-driving related convictions. Open containers of alcohol were found in Jumbo‘s vehicle after the crash.

    Upon his release from prison, Jumbo will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norman Gray, Founder and CEO Of Biomedical Company, Sentenced For Defrauding Investors Of More Than $13 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NORMAN GRAY, the founder and CEO of a biomedical company (the “Biomedical Company”), who defrauded investors of over $13 million, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer to 10 years in prison.  GRAY was convicted of wire fraud at trial on May 29, 2024.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Norman Gray preyed upon people who wanted to invest in developing life-saving medicine for children with a rare and generally fatal disease.  Gray gained his victims’ trust by lying about everything from his educational background and to his supposed access to off-shore trusts he could use to fund his company alongside the investors.  He even submitted false patent applications, invented a fake mortgage company, and forged FBI background check records.  Thanks to the work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, Gray has now received just punishment.”

    According to the Superseding Indictment, public filings, public court proceedings, the evidence presented at trial and in connection with sentencing:

    At all relevant times, GRAY was the founder and CEO of the Biomedical Company, which is headquartered in Hamden, Connecticut.  GRAY presented himself to investors (including “Victim-1” and “Victim-2”) and others as a billionaire scientist and successful entrepreneur with a Ph.D. from MIT at the helm of a company he was personally funding that was potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars.  GRAY claimed to have previously created a successful medical equipment company (“Prior Company”) with over 1,000 employees, which was earning approximately $900 million in revenues before GRAY sold it to a foreign pharmaceutical company.  GRAY claimed that he put the profits from the sale of the Prior Company into his offshore trust (“Offshore Trust”), which he claimed held more than $300 million, and which he was using to self-fund the Biomedical Company.  In reality, GRAY did not have a Ph.D., had not created or sold a nearly billion-dollar company, did not have access to hundreds of millions of dollars to fund Biomedical Company, and, as of 2020, both he and the Biomedical Company were in significant debt. 

    Beginning in 2016, GRAY also claimed to employees and investors in Biomedical Company, including Victim-1 and Victim-2, and in written investment materials, that a flagship medication being developed by Biomedical Company was approved for compassionate treatment in Saudi Arabia, where it was saving the lives of two specific children who were suffering from a rare and generally fatal disease known as MVID.  Victim-2 sent $200,000 to GRAY to continue funding this supposed program.  GRAY submitted treatment data from the supposed program in patent applications for the flagship drug.  But the program did not exist.

    Based on GRAY’s misrepresentations, between 2018 and 2020, Victim-2 invested approximately $7.6 million in the Biomedical Company through wire transfers into accounts controlled by GRAY.  In May 2020, at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, GRAY fraudulently induced Victim-2 to invest into a joint venture with GRAY to purchase personal protective equipment (“PPE”) and resell it to hospitals and universities in the United States and Spain. GRAY provided Victim-2 with fabricated purchase orders from two New York-area hospitals purporting to show that he had close to $8 million of committed sales. Victim-2 sent three wire transfers totaling $1,751,342 to GRAY’s account.  Ultimately, the PPE that GRAY purchased  could not be sold, because it was defective or otherwise not fit for market, and Victim-2 lost the $1.75 million supposedly invested by GRAY into the PPE project.

    In or about August 2020, GRAY induced Victim-1 to send him $250,000 as a purported investment in the Biomedical Company.  Rather than purchase equity for Victim-1, GRAY used nearly all of Victim-1’s $250,000 payment to repay a loan that GRAY had taken out from a tenant in the same building where the Biomedical Company is headquartered in order to make payroll. In the ensuing weeks, GRAY extracted an additional $1,217,000 from Victim-1, representing that Victim-1’s funds would be invested in deals involving the procurement of PPE for two major universities in the tristate area who committed to close to $8 million in sales in essentially the same amounts as GRAY’s prior fabricated purchase orders sent to Victim-2.  Notwithstanding the losses Victim-2 had already experienced through GRAY’s venture, GRAY falsely represented to Victim-1 that his prior PPE deals had turned a 40% profit within 90 days, that he already had purchase orders in hand for PPE worth nearly $8 million, and that, therefore, the risk was “virtually zero.” In reality, over the preceding months, GRAY had accumulated a vast inventory of unsellable PPE, the purported purchase orders were recycled fakes, and GRAY did not invest Victim-1’s funds in PPE. Instead, GRAY misappropriated Victim-1’s funds, in part, to purchase himself a nearly $1 million home, a $50,000 luxury SUV, and to pay down $200,000 of his and his family’s credit card debt.

    As part of his scheme to defraud Victim-1, and as a means of dispelling Victim-1’s concern that an investment with GRAY might require Victim-1 to forego the purchase of a home, GRAY offered Victim-1 a mortgage from a purported boutique mortgage company of which he was the sole investor.  GRAY directed Victim-1 to a purported mortgage broker that worked for this boutique mortgage company.  In reality, both the mortgage company and the mortgage broker were completely fabricated by GRAY and did not exist.  To further this aspect of the fraud on Victim-1, GRAY registered an internet domain in the name of the purported mortgage company and created an email address in the name of the invented mortgage broker contemporaneously with making his false representations to Victim-1.   As GRAY’s fraud began to unravel in or about early November 2020, GRAY promised to return all of Victim-1’s money.  Ultimately, GRAY never returned any money to Victim-1 and, after Victim-1 asked GRAY to provide her with the purported PPE purchase orders from the two universities, she never heard from GRAY again.

    Victim-2 was a board member of the Biomedical Company at the time that GRAY defrauded Victim-1.  Following Victim-1’s report of GRAY’s fraud to the board in November 2020, accompanied by publicly available evidence of GRAY’s prior criminal history, GRAY reassured Victim-2 that he had no criminal history beyond driving infractions.  GRAY also produced to the board a fraudulent record purportedly from the FBI disclaiming any criminal history and falsely asserting that GRAY had a “top secret” clearance status renewed on November 14, 2016.  After being reassured by GRAY that Victim-1’s allegations were meritless, Victim-2 provided approximately over $2.3 million in loans separate from his over $7.5 million of Vanessa investments and $1.75 million of PPE investments.

    At trial, GRAY obstructed justice by attempting to introduce into evidence a false document supposedly drafted after GRAY’s fraud on Victim-1 was complete and purporting to memorialize an agreement by Victim-1 to “convert” her PPE investment into shares of Biomedical Company.

    *                *                *

    In addition to the prison term, GRAY, 69, of Hamden, Connecticut, was sentenced to 3 years of supervised release.  GRAY also was ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $1,467,000 and to forfeit his interest in the home and luxury vehicle discussed above.  The Court also ordered restitution of $1,533,675 to Victim-1.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations.  Mr. Podolsky also thanked the New Haven Police Department, as well as law enforcement authorities in the United Kingdom and Spain and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, for their assistance.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Gianforti, Vladislav Vainberg, and Jessica Greenwood are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal Crash, Glassford Road, Otago

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has died following a serious crash on Glassford Road, Otago overnight.

    Police were alerted to the single-vehicle crash at around 11pm.

    Sadly, one person was located deceased at the scene.

    The Serious Crash Unit examined the scene overnight.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man charged with allegedly causing grievous bodily harm to baby

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Man charged with allegedly causing grievous bodily harm to baby

    Friday, 21 February 2025 – 8:59 am.

    Police have charged a Claremont man with allegedly causing grievous bodily harm to a baby. 
    Police were contacted by the Royal Hobart Hospital yesterday (Thursday 20 February) in relation to a baby who had presented to hospital the night before with significant head injuries. 
    Glenorchy CIB is investigating, and a residence in Claremont has been declared a crime scene.   
    A 24-year-old man from Claremont, who is known to the baby, has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm. 
    He has been detained to appear before the Hobart Magistrates Court at 10am today. 
    The baby remains in hospital in a serious condition.  

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.

    Malcolm Desir, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting; four counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; one count of firearms trafficking; and one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. Desir was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with co-conspirator Cordell Miller and Alan Robinson.

    Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. Over a three-month investigation beginning in August 2023, Miller sold several firearms to a cooperating witness during controlled purchases and offered to sell distribution weight cocaine. The drug deals were handled by Desir, who distributed the powder cocaine in a number of controlled purchases. During one controlled purchase, Desir also sold a firearm he had purchased from Miller two years prior. More than a kilo and half of powdered and crack cocaine, unknown prescription pills, indicia of distribution and two illegal firearms were recovered during a search at Desir’s residence.

    In January 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2025. Miller pleaded guilty in February 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2025.

    The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of a minimum of five years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Duluth Man Sentenced to Over 17 Years in Prison in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Duluth man has been sentenced to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, Johnathan Eric Thompson, a.k.a. “Remy,” 34, conspired with others to obtain and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Thompson regularly traveled to Chicago to obtain methamphetamine and fentanyl to sell throughout the Duluth, Minnesota region. On October 27, 2023, Thompson sold 1,830 grams of methamphetamine to one individual, and on November 16, 2023, he sold 2,280 grams of methamphetamine to another individual. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at an apartment being used by the defendant and his co-conspirators to store and package methamphetamine and fentanyl for sale and found 858 grams of methamphetamine and 568 grams of fentanyl. Thompson was arrested on November 30, 2023. At the time of arrest, he was found in possession of 268 grams of fentanyl and 100 counterfeit fentanyl pills. Between October and November 2023, it is estimated that Thompson possessed 7,321 grams of methamphetamine and 863 grams of fentanyl.

    Thompson was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud noted the sentence was due in part to Thompson’s negative impact to the city of Duluth, and that his crimes “fed existing addictions and destroyed lives and families.”

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole J. Carter prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Narcotics Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A member of the East Side Money Gang with multiple prior convictions was sentenced today for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Gang operated in Chelsea, Mass. and surrounding communities.

    Henry Del Rio, a/k/a “Junior,” 28, of Chelsea, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2024, Del Rio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Del Rio was arrested and charged in January 2023 along with co-defendant Jose Perez.

    In December 2022, police officers attempted to stop a vehicle speeding through Lexington, Mass. that Perez was driving. Perez accelerated and engaged in a high-speed escape attempt, traveling more than 85 miles per hour on residential streets, crashing head-first into another vehicle, and ultimately losing control and colliding into a post. As Perez exited the vehicle, a loaded Glock 34X 9mm semi-automatic handgun dropped to the ground. Perez and Del Rio, the sole passenger, fled and led officers on a foot chase through a parking lot. Once the two men were apprehended, approximately 63 grams of cocaine and a bag containing 44 smaller, individually wrapped bags of fentanyl, totaling approximately 53 grams, were found where Del Rio had fled. A third bag containing approximately 49 grams of cocaine was recovered in the vehicle.

    At the time of the offense, Del Rio was on federal supervised release after serving a five-year prison sentence for multiple felony convictions, including drug and firearms offenses, arising from a prior East Side Money Gang-related case.

    In December 2024, Perez was sentenced to 142 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury in August 2024.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lexington, Chelsea and MBTA Police Departments and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury Indicts Convicted Felon For Firearms Offense

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

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal bill of indictment charging Anil Dabydeen, 39, of Charlotte, with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for allegedly shooting at vehicles on I-485, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to the indictment and a filed criminal complaint, on January 8, 2025, at 3:49 p.m., CMPD officers were dispatched to I-485 at the South Tryon Street exit for a reported shooting. Court documents allege that CMPD received several 911 calls describing a male operating a white Honda sedan on the highway who was shooting at passing vehicles. Law enforcement arrived on the scene and located two victims who had been struck by gunfire. The victims told the officers that they were traveling south on I-485 when their vehicle was struck by gunfire. While on the scene, the officers reviewed a video shot by a witness. It is alleged that the video showed a white sedan stopped on the side of the highway, and an individual, later identified as Dabydeen, walking around the vehicle brandishing a firearm and pointing it at passing vehicles.

    According to allegations in court documents, while the officers were investigating the incident, they observed a white Honda sedan traveling south at a high rate of speed. The officers recognized the vehicle as the one observed during the shooting and began to pursue the vehicle. After a brief pursuit, Dabydeen stopped the vehicle, and he was taken into custody. It is alleged that, over the course of the arrest, officers recovered from Dabydeen a live round of 9mm ammunition, and a Taurus, Model G3c, 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen. It is further alleged that Dabydeen has a prior felony conviction for 1st Degree Manslaughter in New York, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Dabydeen is currently in custody. The charge of possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

    The charges against Dabydeen are allegations, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron thanked the ATF and CMPD for leading the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Wanted in Cold Case Murder Sought by the FBI and Long Beach Police Department; Reward Offered

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

    The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the location of a one-time Long Beach resident who was charged with a murder that occurred at a restaurant in Long Beach, California, on October 18, 2008.

    Jose Manuel Flores, 47, is wanted for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of an individual inside the Brite Spot Restaurant in Long Beach, California, on October 18, 2008.

    Following an investigation by the Long Beach Police Department, Flores was charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a felon on March 9, 2010, in the Superior Court of the State of California in Long Beach. Flores had a criminal history and was considered a felon at the time of the alleged murder.

    Once detectives with the Long Beach Police Department determined that Flores had fled the state of California, they requested assistance from the FBI in order to locate Flores, who was thought to have fled south of the U.S. border. On June 24, 2010, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Flores in the United States District Court in Los Angeles after he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

    Flores uses a date of birth of November 25, 1977, and was born in Florida. He has used aliases including “Willie” and “Malo.” He has also used the suffix “Jr.” at the end of his formal name. Flores has brown eyes and brown hair and weighed approximately 160 lbs. in 2010, with a height of 5’7”. Flores is an American citizen of Hispanic descent. He has tattoos on his right arm, back, chest, head and neck. A photo of Flores dated 2008 can be found on the FBI’s wanted poster for Flores at Flores Wanted Poster.

    Flores has ties to or may visit Southern California and Mexico. He previously resided in Long Beach, California, and is believed to currently be living in Mexico. Flores is known to have ties to the Los Zetas cartel in Mexico. Flores should be considered armed and dangerous with violent tendencies.

    The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the location of Jose Manuel Flores.

    If you have any information concerning this case or the whereabouts of Flores, please contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565 or the Long Beach Police Department Homicide Detail at (562) 570-7244. You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saint Paul Man and Mounds View Woman Sentenced to Prison for Armed Carjacking in Minneapolis

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A Saint Paul man has been sentenced to 51 months in prison, and a Mounds View woman will serve 41 months in prison for their respective roles in aiding and abetting a Minneapolis carjacking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, on October 6, 2023, Carvon Antonio Saine, 19, and his co-defendant Isis Martinaz Brent, a.k.a. Jayda Marie White, 20, approached an elderly victim who had just parked a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu on the street in South Minneapolis. Brent brandished a Carl Walther 9mm semiautomatic pistol and demanded the victim’s keys. During the carjacking, an associate of Brent’s forcefully snatched the victim’s bags, causing the victim to fall and suffer bodily injury on their hands and knees. The Malibu experienced mechanical issues and was later found abandoned. A short time later, Brent and Saine approached a second victim in a parking lot on Chicago Avenue South. Brent knocked on the window, demanded the victim’s keys, and again brandished the Walther semiautomatic pistol at the victim. The second victim was able to escape the attempted carjacking. 

    Saine and Brent were sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim, each on one count of aiding and abetting a carjacking. 

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department and the FBI.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Halloween getaway driver convicted

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    VICTORIA, Texas – A federal jury sitting in Victoria has returned a guilty verdict against a 27-year-old Houston man for armed robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Jordan Javon Ashton following a three-day trial.

    The robbery took place at the Morelos Supermercardos in Victoria Oct. 31, 2023, and involved a stolen vehicle with stolen plates and a stolen gun.

    On that Halloween evening, Latrayveon McNeal and Jerrell Potts – wearing masks and brandishing firearms – entered the supermarket and approached the Barri money services counter. They pointed weapons and yelled at the cashier, store employees and customers. Fearing for their lives, the employees complied with demands and provided U.S. currency and a large amount of cashed checks.   

    McNeal and Potts fled in a stolen white truck and met up with Ashton who was armed and waiting for them a few blocks away from the store. Ashton then drove the robbers from the scene leaving the white truck in the middle of the road with the motor still running.

    The jury saw numerous exhibits to include several photographs and surveillance video from the supermarket, the weapons used in the crime and heard excerpts of 911 calls made on that day.

    They also heard that Ashton had previously been convicted of a felony and was on parole during the commission of this crime.

    The defense attempted to convince the jury that he withdrew from the conspiracy. They did not believe those claims and found Ashton guilty as charged.

    McNeal, 26, and Potts, 25, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the crime. Potts received 87 months in federal prison, while McNeal is pending sentencing.

    U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over trial and set sentencing for May 29. At that time, Ashton faces up to 20 and 15 years for the robbery and the firearms charges, respectively, as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Victoria Police Department, Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and Victoria County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Corpus Christi man admits to recording sexual video of himself with minor relative

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old man had entered a guilty plea to production of child sexual abuse material otherwise known as sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The investigation into Valentine Cancino began when authorities received multiple cyber-tips indicating child pornography had been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Cancino as the source of the content.

    On Jan. 30, 2024, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Cancino’s residence in Corpus Christi. They located and seized two electronic devices.

    One of those devices was a Samsung Galaxy cell phone. Upon inspection, authorities discovered a video recording Cancino made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor relative.

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing June 4. At the time, Cancino faces up to 30 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Cancino has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

    Homeland Security Investigations and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Indicted for Possession of Loaded Gun After High-Speed Chase

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging David Garcia, 32, of Fresno, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, on Jan. 23, 2025, law enforcement officers located a vehicle suspected in several recent catalytic converter thefts. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, Garcia, sped off across an apartment complex lawn before leading officers on a high-speed chase in which he drove the wrong way on the road, collided with another vehicle, and ran multiple red lights and stop signs. In an attempt to escape officers, Garcia tried to drive through a fence into Scandinavian Middle School but his vehicle was disabled. Garcia is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County.

    According to court documents, officers found a loaded Glock 22 handgun with an extended magazine in Garcia’s vehicle. The handgun and vehicle were both reported stolen.

    This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Garcia faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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 U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Aliens Charged with Methamphetamine and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Paducah, KY – A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued this week charging two illegal aliens with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. One of the defendants was also charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court records, on August 28, 2024, a search warrant was executed at a residence in Hopkinsville where Carlos Daniel Davalillo-Silva, 26, and Paola Alexandra Rodriguez, 32, both citizens of Venezuela, had been staying. The search yielded approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine that the pair intended to distribute.  Rodriguez was also found to be in possession of two firearms. Silva and Rodriguez were charged with aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Rodriguez was also charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

    Homeland Security Investigations verified that Silva and Rodriguez are Venezuelan and entered the United States illegally.

    The defendants are in state custody and will make initial court appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky at a later date. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    This case is being investigated by the DEA – Paducah Post of Duty, the ATF – Bowling Green Post of Duty, HSI, ICE/ERO, and the Hopkinsville Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Guilty Plea in Firearm Assault Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon after an incident that left one of the victims requiring medical treatment for facial injuries.

    According to court documents, Jerome Weaver, 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, admitted to intentionally assaulting two victims using a firearm with the intent to cause bodily harm. As a result of the assault, one of the victim’s required medical treatment for facial injuries.

    Weaver will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Weaver faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Inmate Sentenced to Two Additional Years of Prison for Possession of Contraband

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of imprisonment on his conviction of possession of contraband in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Lafon Ellis, 30, who is currently incarcerated at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center.

    According to information presented to the Court, throughout 2023, Ellis repeatedly possessed contraband and otherwise violated the law through his conduct while imprisoned at the Allegheny County Jail. On February 17, 2023, a search of Ellis’s cell revealed a Schedule I controlled substance commonly referred to as K2. On May 3, 2023, a search of his cell revealed a piece of paper that subsequent testing revealed to be K2. He also had 16 intact Suboxone strips and 57 partial Suboxone strips. On August 9, 2023, a search of Ellis’s cell revealed eight sheets of K2. A search of his cell on December 10, 2023, revealed marijuana, K2, and Suboxone. Additionally, Ellis was the subject of about two dozen other misconduct reports, most of which related to Ellis refusing to obey valid orders, threatening employees, engaging in physical altercations with employees, fighting with other inmates, threatening to kill a correctional officer, and possessing a nail that he was fashioning into a weapon.

    Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Marshals Service and Allegheny County Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ellis.

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  • MIL-OSI Economics: African Development Bank Partners with Interpol to Combat Financial Crime and Strengthen Anti-Corruption Efforts in Africa

    Source: African Development Bank Group
    The African Development Bank Group has taken a significant step forward in its fight against corruption and financial crime by signing a Letter of Intent with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) today. The Bank Group is the first multilateral development bank to establish such a…

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

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

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

    ROANOKE, Va. – A married couple from Springfield, Missouri, was arrested recently and charged with transporting a minor in interstate commerce with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    Justin Johiah Curtright, 40, and Christin Marie Curtright, 32, groomed the 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 Springfield, Missouri apartment until she was rescued by police.

    According to the federal criminal complaint filed last week, 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 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 southern 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 transported 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.

    If convicted, the Curtrights face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum punishment of life in prison.

    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 Attorney Drew O. Inman is prosecuting the case for the United States.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Unlicensed D.C. Row House Found Guilty in the Deaths of Two People in Fatal Kennedy Street Fire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – James G. Walker, 67, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today in Superior Court of the District of Columbia on two counts of second-degree murder, and 27 criminal building code violations, for the deaths of Fitsum Kebede and Yafet Solomen, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Brian L. Schwalb, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division Anthony Spotswood, Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr.

                Walker was indicted and arraigned on January 16, 2020, on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of the lesser included charges of involuntary manslaughter and numerous criminal building code violations by Superior Court Judge Ronna L. Beck.

                According to the government’s evidence, the defendant, James Walker, owned commercial property located at 708 Kennedy Street, N.W.  Walker did not have a certificate of occupancy for the building and the structure was in violation of several fire safety codes. Walker operated the building as an illegal “rooming house.” Some of the building’s rooms were too small to be considered habitable space; some had no windows, and the defendant failed to install or maintain functional smoke alarms throughout the building, including the basement. The most egregious violation, however, was the failure to provide an unobstructed means to escape the property, which included erecting multiple security gates that required keys from both sides, the worst offense being a double-keyed security gate installed within the property that blocked access from the kitchen to the front door. Importantly, the defendant had received specific warnings on March 21, 2019, from the Metropolitan Police Department that the building was in violation of several building codes specifically related to fire safety and hazardous conditions. He was instructed to correct the conditions and have the building inspected for residential use. He did not.

                On the morning of August 18, 2019, a fire erupted in the basement of 708 Kennedy Street. Three tenants were present at the time of the fire. 40-year-old Fitsum Kebede and 10-year-old Yafet Solomen were in the basement and were unable to exit the premises. They subsequently died from thermal burns and smoke inhalation. The government’s evidence was that the defendant’s knowledge of the danger posed by the conditions of the property and his conscious disregard of the extreme risk that death or serious bodily injury could occur were the but-for cause of the deaths of the decedents.   

                This case was jointly tried by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the District of Columbus Office of the Attorney General.

                In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, ATF Special Agent in Charge Spotswood, MPD Chief Smith, and Fire and EMS Chief Donnelly, commended the work of the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force that investigated the case, including MPD, ATF, and Fire and EMS.  Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Vinet Bryant, Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Cargill and Assistant Attorney General Keith Ingram who prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Stamford Resident Sentenced to More Than 26 Years in Federal Prison for Recording His Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SERVIO BARROS-TERREROS, 58, a citizen of Ecuador last residing in Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to 320 months of imprisonment for taking pictures of his repeated sexual abuse of a minor.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in December 2022, a minor female victim reported that, when she was nine and 10 years old, Barros-Terreros had sexually assaulted her multiple times.  The victim reported that Barros-Terreros took sexually explicit pictures of her and threatened to publish the pictures and show them to the victim’s mother if the victim told anyone.  Barros-Terreros also instructed the victim to undress during video calls he initiated with the victim, during which he also engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    On January 12, 2023, Stamford Police arrested Barros-Terreros on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses, and seized Barros-Terreros’ iPhone.  Analysis of the iPhone revealed sexually explicit images of the minor victim, and images of Barros-Terreros engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor victim.

    Barros-Terreros has been detained since his arrest.  On March 5, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to production of child pornography.

    Barros-Terreros faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.

    This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Stamford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Stamford-Norwalk.

    This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a San Antonio man Wednesday for one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

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

    Prior to this arrest Vecera had been convicted of several violent felonies, including two prior Nevada convictions for burglary and coercion (sexually motivated), and a Texas conviction for violation of a protective order and assault. Vecera faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karina O’Daniel and Amy Hail are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Indictments Charge Five Individuals With Unlawful Gun Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Five individuals have been charged in separate federal indictments this week for unlawful possession of firearms, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. One defendant is also facing a drug charge and a gun offense tied to drug trafficking.

    The indictments are the result of an ongoing collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), to combat crime, reduce violence, and remove illegal firearms from the hands of prohibited individuals and convicted felons.

    “Protecting communities across Western North Carolina is one of our highest priorities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron. “We will continue to enforce federal firearms laws and partner with law enforcement to remove illegal guns from our streets and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”

    The five individuals indicted this week and the charges against them are:

    • Jonathan Glendale Denton, 41, of Charlotte – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
    • Rex Allen Hawkins, 53, of Traphill, N.C. – charged with possession of firearms by a felon, including a shotgun, a rifle, and ammunition seized from his residence during a probation search.
    • Mitchell Clydero Patterson, 37, of Spring Lake, N.C. – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
    • Anthony Dion Tribble, 27, of Charlotte – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
    • Timothy Demetrius Williams, 34, of Charlotte – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm.

    The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.

    Federal law prohibits individuals from possessing a firearm if they fall into certain restricted categories, including convicted felons, fugitives from justice, illegal aliens, individuals convicted of domestic violence, and unlawful users of controlled substances. Additionally, it is illegal to possess a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime or a violent offense. Federal law also prohibits the straw purchase of a firearm, wherein a person who can lawfully purchase a firearm buys a gun, or attempts to do so, for a prohibited person. Federal law also requires that individuals who are engaged in the business of dealing in firearms be licensed by the ATF. For additional information and resources please visit www.atf.gov.

    These cases are 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. For more information about PSN in the Western District, please visit our website.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Kershaw County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Cameron Jones, 26, of Camden, has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on April 1, 2022, an officer with the Camden Police Department was patrolling a local park due to recent violence in the area. When the officer approached the park, Cameron Jones began to run from the officer while holding his waistband. The officer chased Jones and saw Jones throw items into some bushes. The officer eventually caught Jones. While Jones was detained, officers with the Camden Police Department and Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office went back to the area where Jones threw items into the bushes and found a tan pistol with a drum magazine and 24.11 grams of cocaine. Additionally, Jones had over $3,700 in cash in his pockets. Further investigation revealed that Jones’ DNA was on the firearm and that he had previously posted pictures with the firearm on social media.

    The court also heard information that on Dec. 19, 2023, FBI agents and officers with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office and Camden Police Department arrested Jones after he was indicted by a grand jury for his conduct on April 1, 2022. After his arrest, the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant on his home and found, multiple handgun magazines, marijuana, methamphetamine, and 18 machine gun conversion devices (also known as Glock switches), and a magazine matching the firearm from April 1, 2022.

    Jones has a prior conviction for distribution of cocaine which prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition and was a known member of a gang at the time of his arrest.

    United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson sentenced Cameron Jones to 93 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.  There is no parole in the federal system. 

    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 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Camden Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar J. Fyall and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Sanford are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Leader Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Andre Alonte Willis, 33, of Washington, D.C., and a leader of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street crew, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison on five felony convictions related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the District of Columbia. 

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

                On September 12, 2024, a jury convicted Willis, also known as “Boogie,” of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana; conspiracy to use, carry, and possess firearms and machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking; illegal possession and transfer of a machine gun; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.   

                Evidence at trial proved that Willis was a “big homie” in the D.C. street crew known as “Push Dat Shit” or “PDS,” and was the gang’s primary source of exotic strains of marijuana that he acquired from a variety of sources in California. FBI agents seized $150,000 in cash, along with a loaded handgun and marijuana packaged for distribution from Willis’ apartment when he was arrested.

                PDS maintained gang territory on the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open air drug market outside the Holiday Market. In approximately August 2018, PDS became allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG.”  Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location. 

                As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling and distributing fully automatic AR-Pistol assault rifles that he purchased as “kits” from online retailers. Such firearms are defined as “privately made firearms” by the ATF but are frequently referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.  PDS/JG members used, carried, and possessed these “ghost gun” AR-Pistol machine guns in order to both defend their territory from rival gangs, but also to “spin the block” on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade the rivals from entering PDS/JG territory. PDS/JG members “kept score” with rival gangs, and the points earned by “spinning the block” varied depending on the “importance” of the people that were injured or killed

                In calculating Willis’ sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson included sentencing enhancements based on her finding that the conspiracy involved between 400 and 700 kilograms of marijuana, as well as her findings that Willis was a leader of more than five people in jointly-undertaken criminal conduct, and that he recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to others in the course of fleeing from the FBI to avoid arrest. Wills was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.

                This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and MPD. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Nelson and Justin Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — Statement from Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, Commanding Officer, Nova Scotia RCMP, in response to RCMP member charged with breaking and entering and mischief

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Earlier today, the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) charged one of our members, Cst. Sara Bennett, with breaking and entering and mischief in relation to incidents involving a man known to her.

    The RCMP takes all allegations of misconduct seriously; our employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that not only meets, but exceeds, the rightfully high expectations of Canadians.

    Cst. Bennett, who’s been an RCMP member since June 2023, is currently on administrative duties. An internal code of conduct investigation has been initiated and is ongoing. Cst. Bennett’s duty status will be continuously assessed throughout both the court and internal processes.

    Media release issued by SiRT:

    SiRT charges Nova Scotia RCMP officer with breaking and entering and mischief

    The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a member of the RCMP committed criminal offences in Sydney Cape Breton, relating to incidents involving the property of a male known to her.

    On December 14, 2024, Cape Breton Regional Police contacted SiRT regarding an incident involving a member of the RCMP.

    On February 20, 2025, Constable Sara Bennett was charged with breaking and entering and committing an offence contrary to s. 348(1)(b) of the Criminal Code and mischief relating to property valued over five thousand dollars contrary to s. 430(3) of the Criminal Code.

    Constable Bennett will appear before the Nova Scotia Provincial Court at 136 Charlotte Street, Sydney on February 28, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.

    As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, SiRT will not provide further comment on the investigation.

    SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

    Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SJ at 8th IBA Asia Pacific Regional Forum Biennial Conference (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the 8th IBA Asia Pacific Regional Forum Biennial Conference today (February 20): Mr Menzer (Vice-President of the International Bar Association (IBA), Mr Jorg Menzer), Mr Dhillon (Co-Chair of the IBA Asia Pacific Regional Forum Mr Dinesh Dhillon), Mr Liu (Co-Chair of the IBA Asia Pacific Regional Forum Mr David Liu), Winnie (Secretary of the IBA Asia Pacific Regional Forum and co-chair of the conference, Ms Winnie Tam, SC), other friends from the IBA, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,      Good evening. I wish to begin by thanking the organiser, in particular, my good friend Winnie, for inviting me to this dinner. I also wish to congratulate the conference co-chairs and the conference organising committee for hosting this eighth edition of the International Bar Association Asia Pacific Regional Forum Biennial Conference. I was told that more than 360 persons coming from 36 jurisdictions have signed up for the conference. Apart from 20 jurisdictions in the Asia Pacific region (including the Mainland and Hong Kong), we have friends coming from South Asia, Central Asia, Europe, North and South America, as well as Africa.      In 2008, Hong Kong hosted the IBA Asia Pacific Forum with the theme “New focus of international business: Asia, the centre stage”. Time flies. As at today (February 20, 2025), what had been described as the “new focus” back in 2008, 17 years ago has become the “main focus”.      In these circumstances, the theme of this conference is most pertinent, namely “Vibrant Asia – Land of opportunity and promise”. This theme, of course, applies to Hong Kong, being one of the major international cities in Asia. But I wish to be more specific tonight by spending the next 15 minutes or so to convince you why, from the legal perspective, Hong Kong is a land of opportunity and promise.      The short answer is that, as we always say, Hong Kong serves as the “super connector” and “super value-adder” between China and the rest of the world. We perform such roles by making use of our unique strengths and advantages under the principle of “one country, two systems”. One of these unique strengths and advantages is that we have very strong rule of law based on our common law system. You may wonder: there are many jurisdictions in the world including Asia, which practise the common law; what is so special about Hong Kong’s common law system? My answer is that there are at least six key characteristics of our common law system which, when combined together, have rendered our legal system unparalleled.     First, our legal system is very stable. Hong Kong is the only common law jurisdiction in China. The continuation of the common law system is guaranteed by various provisions in the Basic Law which implements the fundamental national policy of “one country, two systems”. It is most significant to note that, in his speech delivered on July 1, 2022, at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), President Xi Jinping made it crystal clear that the principle of “one country, two systems” is a good policy that must be adhered to in the long run. Equally important is that he mentioned the common law twice in his speech. Apart from acknowledging the contribution of the common law to the success of Hong Kong since China’s resumption of sovereignty over Hong Kong on July 1, 1997, he said that “The Central Government fully supports Hong Kong in its effort … to maintain the common law …”. More recently, on December 20, 2024, at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland, President Xi repeated that “one country, two systems” is a good system that sustains the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao. He also pointed out that the values embodied in the principle of “one country, two systems”, namely, peace, inclusiveness, openness and sharing are relevant to not only China but also the whole world.     Second, our legal system is very credible and reliable. In particular, we have an utmost reputable and independent judiciary. The Basic Law provides that our courts shall enjoy the independent power of adjudication and also that our Court of Final Appeal (CFA) shall enjoy the power of final adjudication. There are also express provisions which guarantee judicial independence. For example, judges in Hong Kong are appointed on the recommendation of an independent commission, with the only criteria considered being their judicial and professional quality. Non-permanent judges from other common law jurisdictions of the highest calibre have been invited to sit on our CFA. The most recent appointee, former Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, Mr Justice Allsop, came to Hong Kong last week to hear his first case. The judgments of our courts, in particular those of the CFA, are often cited in other common law jurisdictions. All court hearings, subject to very few exceptions, are conducted openly; and court judgments are always published. These measures enable people to see that judges have in fact discharged their duties independently without any improper interference. A strong piece of evidence, which I will mention with great reluctance, is that in litigation involving the Government, the Secretary for Justice was, on some occasions, not the successful party. The integrity and quality of our judiciary is never in doubt.      Third, our legal system provides a very safe and secure environment. Fundamental human rights and freedoms based on international standards set by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, as well as private property rights, are fully protected by Hong Kong law. Our law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies, such as the Police, the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption), the SFC (Securities and Futures Commission), always enforce the relevant laws strictly and fairly. In this respect, it is very important to note that we have consistently been ranked as one of the least corrupt places in the world. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index 2024 released by Transparency International very recently on February 11, 2025, Hong Kong ranks 17 out of 180 jurisdictions, well ahead of many Western developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.      Fourth, our legal system is very user-friendly. It is the only bilingual common law system using both English and Chinese. This is important because English is the linqua franca of the international business community. Our laws (both substantive and procedural) are aligned with prevailing international practices, and hence are familiar to the international community. For example, our Arbitration Ordinance is based on the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Model Law. In the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024 published by the International Institute for Management Development in June 2024, Hong Kong ranked first in “Business legislation”.      Furthermore, we strive to update our laws continuously to ensure that they will meet the demand of the latest developments and trends around the world. Let me give two examples. We have just completed a consultation in relation to the proposed amendments to the Copyright Ordinance to cater for the fast development of AI generated works. Second, a draft legislation is now being considered by our Legislative Council which aims at creating a regulatory regime for the issuance and offers of stablecoins.      Fifth, our legal system is well connected to both the Mainland and other parts of the world. With the strong support of the Central Government, Hong Kong has signed nine mutual legal assistance arrangements in civil and commercial matters with the Mainland covering three main areas: first, procedural assistance on, for example, service of judicial documents and taking of evidence; second, arbitration-related assistance; and third, reciprocal recognition and enforcement of civil and commercial judgments. These MLA (mutual legal assistance) arrangements give Hong Kong an advantage that is unavailable in other jurisdictions.      In this respect, it is necessary to mention the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which consist of nine cities in the Guangdong Province, the HKSAR and the Macao SAR. The population of the GBA has exceeded 86 million; its size is similar to Croatia; its total GDP has already exceeded Australia and is among the top 10 in the world. It is the home of giant tech companies such as Tencent and BYD. Great efforts have been made to harmonise the rules and regulations in the three different legal territories in the GBA. For example, to promote and facilitate the use of mediation to resolve civil and commercial disputes in the GBA, there is now a uniform set of rules on mediation and also a consolidated panel of GBA mediators. Furthermore, important measures have been introduced to give business entities the option to use Hong Kong law in their contracts, and choose Hong Kong as the place for arbitration when they set up their businesses in the GBA. Just last Friday (February 14), the Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China announced that Hong Kong-invested enterprises registered in any of the nine Mainland cities in the GBA may choose Hong Kong as the seat of arbitration. And for enterprises registered in Shenzhen or Zhuhai, they may also choose to use Hong Kong law as the governing law of their commercial contracts. These additional options will certainly create more demands and, hence, opportunities for legal practitioners in Hong Kong.      Sixth and lastly, we have very strong legal professionals and dispute resolution institutions with high expertise and vast experience in providing legal and dispute resolution services involving Mainland and international elements. A very important point is that, while most of our lawyers are very good at handling international legal issues, at the same time, they are also proficient in both Chinese and English, and have intimate knowledge of the Chinese culture and business practices. According to the latest statistics updated to February 20, 2025, published by the Law Society of Hong Kong, 299 law firms have overseas offices, and 86 have representative offices in the Mainland. Because of these strong Mainland and international connections, by engaging a Hong Kong lawyer or law firm, the client would in effect be able to obtain a one-stop legal service regarding different jurisdictions.      Our dispute resolution bodies are of course very popular and well regarded worldwide. According to the statistics published by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) (the main arbitral institution in Hong Kong), in 2024, 352 new arbitration cases were submitted to the HKIAC, with the total amount in dispute reaching approximately US$13.6 billion. Both figures represent a record high for the HKIAC. Parties from 53 jurisdictions participated in these arbitrations. In 86 per cent of these cases, at least one of the parties was not from Hong Kong; and in 14.5 per cent of these cases, neither party came from Asia. These figures demonstrate and reinforce Hong Kong’s status as a world class leading and popular international arbitration centre.      As there are many friends from the Mainland and other countries here tonight, I wish to stress that we adopt a very open policy and welcome lawyers from other jurisdictions to practise here in appropriate circumstances. As a matter of fact, there are already 83 foreign law firms and 1 571 foreign registered lawyers practising in Hong Kong. On the other hand, King’s Counsel from England come to Hong Kong from time to time on an ad hoc basis to appear in difficult and complex litigations.      Turning to arbitration, we place no restriction at all on the nationalities or professional qualifications of the parties, legal advisers or arbitrators to participate in arbitral proceedings in Hong Kong. As a further step to facilitate people from other places to take part in arbitrations in Hong Kong, starting from next month, individuals participating in arbitrations in Hong Kong may do so without the need to obtain any employment visa. These individuals include not only to parties to the arbitration, arbitrators and counsel, but also expert and factual witnesses, tribunal secretaries, and tribunal-appointed experts. And it does not matter that the seat of arbitration is indeed somewhere else so long as the arbitral proceedings take place physically in Hong Kong.      While I am very confident that Hong Kong’s legal system is unparalleled, and provides abundant opportunities to legal practitioners from not just Hong Kong but also the Mainland and other parts of the world, we recognise that there is no room for complacency. Therefore, we will spare no effort to further promote Hong Kong as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre as well as a capacity building centre. I am excited to say that the signing ceremony of the international treaty regarding the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IoMED) will take place in Hong Kong later this year. The establishment of the IoMED is the result of successful negotiations between China and a number of friendly states. Its headquarters will be located in Hong Kong, and it will be the world’s first intergovernmental international legal organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes of different natures through mediation.      In addition, the Department of Justice established the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy last November which aims at providing capacity building programmes, organising practical training courses, and international exchange programmes to promote sharing of knowledge and experience among legal talents in the region and beyond.      I think I have said enough, and it is time for you to enjoy your well-deserved dinner. To my dear friends coming from overseas, I do hope that, apart from taking part in this conference, you will have some spare time to explore our wonderful city. Seeing is believing. I am very confident that you will be convinced that Hong Kong has remained to be a very open and vibrant society full of energy, hopes and opportunities, as is always the case.       I wish you all a very pleasant evening. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Woman injured after Rowland Flat crash

    Source: South Australia Police

    A woman has been taken to hospital after a crash at Rowland Flat in the Barossa Valley.

    Just after 10.20pm on Thursday 20 February, emergency services were called to Pioneer Avenue after a woman had parked a small bus at the entrance to a hotel.

    She then got out of the bus and had walked around the front when it rolled forward and collided with the woman.

    The 59-year-old Peterhead woman was airlifted to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

    Local police are investigating the collision and anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –