NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Sentenced to 22 Months’ Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Pay and Receive Healthcare Kickbacks

    Source: US FBI

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 29, 2025, U.S. District Judge Joseph P. Stadtmueller sentenced Michael G.V. Comino to 22 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. Comino was also ordered to pay over $2 million in restitution to Medicare.

    According to court records, Comino and his co-defendant owned Kestrel Medical LLC, a company that supplied durable medical equipment, such as orthotic devices, including braces for ankles, knees, backs, and shoulders. Beginning in August 2019, Comino began providing “leads” or signed doctors’ orders to Kestrel in exchange for kickback payments to two companies he owned. Comino became a fifty percent owner of Kestrel in approximately February 2020, after which he continued to offer and pay kickbacks for signed doctors’ orders. Comino and his co-defendant concealed the nature of the kickback payments by paying invoices for marketing hours. As a result of the conspiracy, Medicare paid over $2 million to Kestrel. Comino personally received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Kestrel in 2019 and 2020.

    “The United States Attorney Office prioritizes efforts to stop healthcare fraud and will continue to hold accountable individuals who intentionally misuse Medicare and Medicaid dollars,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling. “The restitution order and prison sentence in this case underscore that providers of medical equipment and supplies cannot engage in unlawful schemes that put their interests ahead of those of the American taxpayer.”   

    “Individuals like Mr. Comino must face the consequences of their actions that defrauded the American people and wasted taxpayer money. This case sends a clear message that healthcare kickback schemes won’t be tolerated,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle. “The FBI will continue to work vigorously with our partners to combat and prevent healthcare fraud.”

    “The conduct in this investigation highlights a scheme whereby the defendant prioritized profits over patient care, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working together with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to protect the integrity of federal health care programs.”

    The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully prosecuted.

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    For further information contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    (414) 297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Milwaukee Woman Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 3, 2025, Chasity Evans (age 38, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Ripley, Tennessee) was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman for her role in the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM, or child pornography), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a), 2251(e), and 2(a).

    According to court records, Evans created child pornography using a minor child, which she then distributed and sold to her co-defendant via cell phone, in exchange for nominal sums of money via Cash App. The criminal conduct occurred on multiple occasions between February 2023 and June 2023, while Evans was a resident of Milwaukee and the Memphis, Tennessee, area. The child was between the ages of 11 and 12 during the production of the CSAM.

    Following her term of imprisonment, Evans also will spend five years on supervised release. She will also have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Memphis, Tennessee, field offices) investigated this case, with the assistance of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.

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    For further information contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    (414) 297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Defence Ministers agree new capability targets to strengthen the Alliance

    Source: NATO

    Meeting in Brussels on Thursday 5 June [2025], NATO Defence Ministers agreed an ambitious new set of capability targets to build a stronger, fairer, more lethal Alliance, and ensure warfighting readiness for years to come.

    At a closing press conference NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that the targets “describe exactly what capabilities Allies need to invest in over the coming years… to keep our deterrence and defence strong and our one billion people safe.”

    The targets are the basis for a new defence investment plan which is expected to be approved at the NATO Summit in The Hague. The proposal calls for Allies to invest 5% of GDP in defence, including 3.5% on core defence spending, as well as 1.5% of GDP per year on defence and security-related investment, including in infrastructure and resilience.

    The NATO-Ukraine Council also met on Thursday, with Allies joined by the Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov, and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. Following the meeting, the Secretary General reaffirmed Allied support for Ukraine noting that this year alone, Allies had pledged over 20 billion euros in additional security assistance for Ukraine. He also welcomed the additional support Allies had pledged at the meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group on Wednesday.

    In the final meeting of the Ministerial, Allies took part in a regular meeting of NATO’s Nuclear Planning Group. “Nuclear deterrence remains the cornerstone of Alliance security,” noted the Secretary General, “and we will ensure that NATO’s nuclear capability remains strong and effective, in order to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cincinnati man sentenced to 25 years in prison for role in narcotics, firearms conspiracies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CINCINNATI – Mason Meyer, 32, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison. Meyer is the final of 16 defendants charged in this case for their roles in narcotics and firearms conspiracies.

    The case originated with Meyer and another individual involved in an Aug. 7, 2020, police chase through Cincinnati that resulted in the deaths of two bystanders in Newport, Kentucky. Meyer and Kirsten Johnson, 26, of Cincinnati, were charged federally in August 2020. Ongoing investigation led to the additional 14 defendants and charges.

    According to court documents, officials with the ATF, Cincinnati Police and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force were surveilling Meyer in Cincinnati on Aug. 7, 2020, when Meyer drove away. Cincinnati police officers attempted to stop Meyer when he fled, causing a police chase through Cincinnati and into Covington and Newport, Kentucky.

    Local court documents detail that Meyer’s vehicle struck and killed a couple dining on the patio of Press on Monmouth in Newport, Kentucky. Two other pedestrians were struck and suffered minor injuries.

    At the time of the chase, Meyer and Johnson possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle.

    A grand jury indicted all 16 defendants in the federal case in July 2021, charging the defendants in a firearms conspiracy and in a narcotics conspiracy involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine and 10 grams or more of LSD, as well as detectable amounts of MDMA, DMT, marijuana and ketamine.

    In total, as part of this case, law enforcement seized 11 firearms and more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, more than 200 pounds of DMT, more than five kilograms of marijuana, more than 15 kilograms of hashish and hashish oil, more than one kilogram of MDMA, more than 19,000 dose units of LSD, fentanyl, cocaine, and other synthetic and counterfeit drugs.

    Meyer’s source of supply of methamphetamine, Ryan Haskamp, 36, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in February to 27 years in prison. Haskamp used at least five Cincinnati residences as stash houses to store and sell drugs. He also had others rent Airbnb locations and hotel rooms to further his drug trafficking. Haskamp had packages of drugs delivered to the Airbnb rental properties. Haskamp supplied drugs for redistribution in Cincinnati and Dayton via numerous co-defendants.

    Others convicted in this case include:

    Name Age City of Residence
    William Keith Jenkins 37 Cincinnati
    Michael Alden Mobley 42 Ghent, Ky.
    Michael Tyler Boeh 35 Cincinnati
    Victoria Stauffer 30 Cincinnati
    Quincy Pemberton 33 Cincinnati
    Damon Gene Wade 31 California, Ky.
    Kelly Marie Smart 35 Cincinnati
    Kevin Patrick Thiery 44 Cincinnati
    Crystal Randall 37 Cincinnati
    Rory Hartmann 30 Cincinnati
    Julie Renae Wetzel 34 Cincinnati
    Ashley Long 30 Cincinnati
    Haley Pennington 26 Moraine, Ohio

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge and agencies with the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and Drug Abuse Reduction Task Force (DART) announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mendota Man Pleads Guilty to Witness Tampering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McKinley Lee Shaffer Assaulted Another Inmate to Prevent the Inmate from Testifying

    ABINGDON, Va. – A Mendota, Virginia man – and self-described gang member- pled guilty yesterday to physically assaulting a fellow inmate at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority (SWVRJA) facility in Abingdon to prevent that individual from testifying in relation to a federal investigation.  

    McKinley Lee Shaffer, 32, pled guilty to one count of to using physical force against a witness in relation to the witness’s testimony and potential cooperation in an official proceeding. At sentencing, Shaffer faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

    The witness was involved in a federal investigation involving a March 2024 shots-fired incident in Abingdon and a related federal investigation. Investigation revealed that Lakin Garrett had fired a pistol at a victim as part of a drug-related dispute. On November 24, 2024, Shaffer assaulted the victim at the SWVRJA facility in Abingdon. Surveillance equipment recorded the assault and shows Shaffer punch the victim without warning, and an ensuing physical altercation. In a later recorded video “visit” with another person, Shaffer stated he was a gang member, and that the victim had robbed an “Aryan Princess” and “told on her” for shooting at the victim. Shaffer was referring to the March 2024 shots-fired incident in Abingdon. Shaffer said that he “had to go beat him up.”

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bristol, Virginia Police Department, and the Abingdon Police Department are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Whit Pierce is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Setting Multiple Fires Around the Exterior of a Church; Assaulting Federal Officers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE, RI – A Rhode Island man who intentionally set multiple fires around the exterior of a predominantly black church in North Providence, RI, in February 2024, and while detained at a federal detention center following his arrest assaulted two federal correctional officers, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison.

    Kevin Colantonio, 36, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to malicious damage by means of fire, obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, and two counts of assault on a federal officer. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 78 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release.

    Colantonio previously admitted to a federal judge that on February 11, 2024, he used gasoline and a lighter he purchased minutes earlier at a gas station within walking distance of Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries, a predominantly black church with both an in-person and online following, to ignite five fires around the exterior of the church. The fires were quickly extinguished by North Providence officers who arrived at the church moments after the fires were lit, but not before the church sustained some damage.

    Due to the damage, church congregants were prevented from enjoying their free exercise of religious beliefs as church services were cancelled until the church could be reopened.

    Several hours prior to the fires being discovered, the pastor of Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries reported to police that he witnessed an individual on the church’s Ring camera doorbell attempting to break into the church. The pastor spoke to the male subject through the Ring camera, telling him, among other things, that the building was a church. The man continued trying to break in the door, and then broke the Ring camera off the side of the building. The pastor later identified Colantonio as the person he saw on the Ring camera.

    The day after lighting the fires, Colantonio privately messaged a family member that no one in the community cared about the arson; Colantonio called the church “Athiest God mockers,” adding that, “They’re busy dancing around collecting money.”

    During a February 15, 2024, court-authorized search of Colantonio’s residence, an accelerant detection canine indicated a positive reaction on several items of seized clothing. These items matched the clothing Colantonio was wearing on the night of the arson, based upon surveillance footage.  Also seized were notebooks with writings such as “Eliminate Rich Snob global Elite Pastors, burn churches down to ground, when congregants move to next church, do the same… .”  In a separate entry, Colantonio wrote, “hunt them down gun everyone down that isn’t white, if one is white spread the gospel. Always give our bloodline a chance.”

    In addition to admitting to setting the fires, Colantonio admitted to assaulting two federal correctional officers while he was detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility following his arrest. Colantonio admitted that he struck two federal officers with human bodily waste and fluid that were contained inside a mug he tossed at the officers.

    Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division made today’s announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter I. Roklan for the District of Rhode Island and Taylor Payne of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

    The fires set at the Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with members of the North Providence, RI, Police Department and the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office. The assault of the federal officers was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced William Ariel Tamay Guaman, 23, to time served (approximately seven months in prison). Tamay Guaman pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.

    According to court records, on February 4, 2025, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the FBI conducted surveillance at a South Portland residence. After observing Tamay Guaman get into a van, agents followed him and conducted a traffic stop. An ERO agent familiar with Tamay Guaman approached the driver and asked for their name. Tamay Guaman provided a false name and was directed to step out of the vehicle. After briefly fleeing on foot and resisting arrest, Tamay Guaman was taken into custody. He had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2023.

    ICE-ERO investigated the case with assistance from the FBI.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Josue Osmin Montoya Acosta was pulled over by police for driving without a rear plate light

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Honduran national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Josue Osmin Montoya Acosta, 36, to time served (approximately 93 days). Montoya Acosta pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.

    According to court records, on February 25, 2025, Montoya Acosta was observed by an officer from the Brunswick Police Department operating a vehicle with no front license plate and no light on the rear license plate. The rear plate was later determined to be a temporary plate from Indiana. When asked for his license, Montoya Acosta presented a Honduran passport and told the officer he did not have a driver’s license. When asked if he had a visa, he told the officer he did not. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed on two prior occasions.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana Man Pleads Guilty to $3.8 Million Durable Medical Equipment Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A Louisiana man pleaded guilty today in connection with a five-year scheme to submit millions of dollars in fraudulent claims to Medicare for expensive and medically unnecessary medical equipment.

    According to court documents, Michael L. Riggins, 62, of West Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud for his role in a durable medical equipment (DME) scheme. Riggins was the owner of Bluewater Healthcare (Bluewater), a DME supply company in West Monroe. From 2018 to 2023, Riggins paid for doctors’ orders for medically unnecessary DME and tricked doctors into signing DME orders and certificates of medical necessity in order to bill for it. Despite receiving hundreds of complaints regarding the fraudulent orders, Riggins submitted over $3.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for supplying the DME and was reimbursed over $1.8 million.

    Riggins is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook for the Western District of Louisiana; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

    HHS-OIG is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Samantha Usher and Kelly Z. Walters of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin McCoy for the Western District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Department Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against More Than $7.74 Million Laundered on Behalf of the North Korean Government

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that North Korean information technology (“IT”) workers obtained illegal employment and amassed millions in cryptocurrency for the benefit of the North Korean government, all as a means of evading U.S. sanctions placed on North Korea.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 433rd Airlift Wing Citizen Airmen provide crucial airlift support to Marine Raiders

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    Citizen Airmen from the 433rd Airlift Wing from Joint base San Antonio-Lackland provided crucial airlift support to Marine Raiders assigned to the Marine Special Operations Reserve Detachment and Chilean Special Forces personnel as part of Exercise Southern Star ‘25.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Loses Nearly Half a Million Dollars in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam

    Source: US FBI

    CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio (USAO) has filed a civil complaint in forfeiture against 679,981.22 Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency suspected of being fraudulently obtained as part of an investment scam. USDT are digital tokens that are circulated through the internet and tied to, or “tethered,” to a fiat currency such as the U.S. dollar. The USDT amount in the complaint is valued at $679,981.22, at a 1:1 ratio to the dollar.

    According to court documents, on July 22, 2024, a woman using the name “Kristina Tian” contacted a victim located in Solon, Ohio, through the LinkedIn online professional networking platform. The two began messaging and became friendly with one another. Tian then suggested to move their conversation to the WhatsApp messaging platform where they continued to communicate. She then steered the conversation toward her successes in cryptocurrency to gain the victim’s interest. Prior to being contacted by Tian, the victim already had a cryptocurrency account through the Kraken exchange. While corresponding with Tian, he sent her screenshots of his investment holdings to prove that he had a significant amount of funds to invest. In total, he transferred approximately $500,000 of his money to his Kraken account. Tian then instructed him to transfer his Kraken cryptocurrency to an investment platform that the victim did not know was fraudulent. Following his initial investment, the victim requested that a portion of the first deposit be returned. Once that transaction was successful, he felt comfortable to proceed with investing more money. However, around this time, the FBI intervened. FBI agents informed the Solon man that they were investigating investment fraud schemes, and they believed he was a victim. After learning about the scam, the victim confronted Tian through WhatsApp. She responded with a series of mocking messages such as, “I feel for you. But thank you for you giving me half of your savings,” and “Lol, I enjoyed it and thank you for the money so I can find more. Glad to use your life savings.”

    Investigators also identified a second victim of the underlying cryptocurrency fraud scam. The female victim was a resident of Arizona who met a man on a dating app, “Coffee Meets Bagel.” After some time spent messaging through the app and building trust, the man suggested that she invest in cryptocurrencies. The victim made an initial purchase of cryptocurrency through Crypto.com and then transferred the full amount to the fraudulent investment platform that the man recommended. Later, the victim was unable to retrieve her funds. The Arizona woman lost $63,000 to the investment fraud scheme. This included $15,000 that she cashed out from her 401(k) retirement account, and another $48,000 from a home equity loan that her daughter took out and had given to her to invest.

    Because many virtual currencies record their transactions on publicly accessible digital ledgers known as a blockchain, investigators were able to conduct analysis for signs of fraudulent activity. They ultimately traced a portion of the funds stolen from the two victims to two cryptocurrency addresses on the Tron blockchain. Further investigation revealed that the stolen currency had been converted to the USDT virtual currency.

    By the complaint in forfeiture filed on June 2, 2025, the United States seeks to forfeit the entire 679,981.22 in USDT cryptocurrency. In the complaint, the United States alleges that the funds contained in the two cryptocurrency addresses in excess of the victims’ traceable losses also are proceeds of fraud and, accordingly, are subject to forfeiture. Additionally, the complaint alleges that such other funds were involved in money laundering violations.

    The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only. The United States must prove the claims by a preponderance of evidence.

    If successful in this forfeiture action, the United States would seek to return the stolen funds to the victims.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James L. Morford for the Northern District of Ohio.

    The case is part of the FBI’s initiative against cryptocurrency fraud scams perpetrated on victims throughout the United States, including the Northern District of Ohio.

    To report fraudulent conduct involving older adults, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov to submit a report. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Allies enhance cooperation in the air

    Source: NATO

    On Thursday (5 June 2025), NATO Allies further strengthened their ability to train aircrews and use cross-border airspace for exercises.

    At a signing ceremony held on the margins of NATO Defence Ministers’ meeting, a number of Allies joined two established initiatives. 

    Canada, Denmark, Norway and Poland joined the NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE) High-Visibility multinational initiative, which aims to ensure the delivery of state-of-the-art pilot training across Europe in a cost-efficient and interoperable manner.

    Since its launch in 2020, eight military campuses have been fully accredited for NFTE training and six are undergoing certification. NFTE training includes basic, intermediate and advanced training for fighter jet, helicopter and transport pilots, as well as personnel who remotely pilot uncrewed aircraft. On 5 March the first group of students graduated in Remotely Piloted Aircraft System training at the NFTE campus in Waddington, United Kingdom.

    Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands and Slovenia agreed to join the 21 other Allies that participate in the Cross-Border Airspace Cooperation initiative.  

    Launched in 2023, this initiative aims to develop larger airspace solutions, including cross-border, that are better suited to accommodate training events for modern air capabilities and systems.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: MEDIA AVAILABILITY: Coast Guard participating in Harborfest 2025

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    06/05/2025 11:34 AM EDT

    The Coast Guard is scheduled to participate in Norfolk Harborfest 2025, which runs June 6-8 at Town Point Park, at the Downtown Norfolk Waterfront.    Norfolk Harborfest is a maritime festival run in partnership between national, state and local organizations to encourage public boating safety.

    For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard responds, investigates vessel fire in Fajardo, Puerto Rico

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    06/05/2025 10:55 AM EDT

    Coast Guard Sector San Juan marine investigators and Incident Management personnel responded, Wednesday, to a fire aboard the 75-foot motor yacht Emilia in Fajardo.  The vessel fire was successfully extinguished by local emergency responders, there are no people missing or injuries reported, and Coast Guard investigators are working to determine the cause of the incident.  Coast Guard Incident Management personnel are working with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and other local authorities to assess the impact of any remaining fuel pollution in the water. 

    For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Police continue to investigate a house fire in Brent which killed four people

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are continuing to investigate a house fire in Brent in which four people died.

    Met officers were called to assist the London Fire Brigade at the fire in Tillett Close, Stonebridge at 01:22hrs on Saturday, 24 May.

    Sadly, a woman and her three children died at the scene.

    Detectives have named them as Nusrat Usman, 43, Maryam Mikaiel, 15, Musa Usman, 8, and Raees Usman, 4.

    A woman in her 70s was taken to hospital but has since been released. A 13-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical but now stable condition.

    Superintendent Steve Allen, from the Met’s local policing team in north-west London, said:

    “Our thoughts go out to all those impacted by what has happened.

    “Specialist officers are continuing to support the wider family who have asked for privacy at this deeply upsetting time.

    “Local officers are working closely with officers from the Specialist Crime Command on what continues to be a very complex investigation.

    “I’d like to thank the members of public, our first responding officers and colleagues from other emergency services for their efforts during this highly pressurised and distressing incident.

    “Equally, we appreciate this has affected the wider community who have been extremely supportive. You will continue to see extra officers in the area while the investigation progresses.

    “This is a complex investigation but it’s moving at pace, and we are working closely with partner agencies.

    “We are grateful for your patience and understanding. If you have any concerns then please speak to them.”

    A 41-year-old man was arrested at the scene in connection with the incident. He has since been bailed and was subsequently detained under the Mental Health Act.

    Anyone with information that could assist our investigation is asked to call 101 giving the reference 509/24MAY.

    Information can also be shared anonymously, with the independent charity Crimestoppers, by calling 0800 555 111.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Box Elder Man Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who sexually abused a child was sentenced today to 68 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Brian Lee Bigbow, 48, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in April 2021, a Montana DPHHS centralized intake report came in on an abuse of Jane Doe, who disclosed she was sexually abused by Brian Bigbow. During interviews, Doe provided details of the abuse. Doe said Bigbow hurt her and said the sexual abuse occurred when she was in Bigbow’s bed, and they were watching TV. He turned off the TV and the lights and “raped her” – which she described as sex when you don’t want it. Bigbow took off his pants and clothes and took off her clothes. Doe tried to push him away but could not. His private parts touched her private parts and it, “hurt really bad.” He was laying on her, touching her leg with his hand, and he tried to hold her hand. Bigbow told her not to tell anyone or he would hurt her. Doe did not remember how many times it happened – she just knew it was multiple times.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services

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

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Department Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against Over $7.74M Laundered on Behalf of the North Korean Government

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Forfeiture Action is the Latest Disruption of an Indicted North Korean Official’s Efforts to Generate Revenue for North Korea and its Weapons Program Through Illegal IT Worker Schemes and Cryptocurrency Theft

    The Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture complaint today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that North Korean information technology (IT) workers obtained illegal employment and amassed millions in cryptocurrency for the benefit of the North Korean government, all as a means of evading U.S. sanctions placed on North Korea. The funds were initially restrained in connection with an April 2023 indictment against Sim Hyon Sop (Sim), a North Korean Foreign Trade Bank (FTB) representative who was allegedly conspiring with the IT workers. While the North Koreans were attempting to launder those ill-gotten gains, the U.S. government was able to freeze and seize over $7.74 million tied to the scheme.

    “This forfeiture action highlights, once again, the North Korean government’s exploitation of the cryptocurrency ecosystem to fund its illicit priorities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department will use every legal tool at its disposal to safeguard the cryptocurrency ecosystem and deny North Korea its ill-gotten gains in violation of U.S. sanctions.”

    “For years, North Korea has exploited global remote IT contracting and cryptocurrency ecosystems to evade U.S. sanctions and bankroll its weapons programs,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s multimillion-dollar forfeiture action reflects the Department’s strategic focus on disrupting these illicit revenue schemes. We will continue to use every legal tool available to cut off the financial lifelines that sustain the DPRK and its destabilizing agenda.”

    “Crime may pay in other countries but that’s not how it works here,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Any adversary who thinks they can benefit, financially, from executing a criminal scheme – whether directly or through the use of surrogates – had better rethink this ‘get rich quick’ strategy. It doesn’t work for the average citizen, and it certainly does not have a more positive outcome for foreign entities. Sanctions are in place against North Korea for a reason, and we will diligently investigate and prosecute anyone who tries to evade them. We will halt your progress, strike back, and take hold of any proceeds you obtained illegally.”

    “The FBI’s investigation has revealed a massive campaign by North Korean IT workers to defraud U.S. businesses by obtaining employment using the stolen identities of American citizens, all so the North Korean government can evade U.S. sanctions and generate revenue for its authoritarian regime,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division. “Today’s action shows the FBI will do everything in our power to protect Americans from being victimized by the North Korean government, and we ask all U.S. companies that employ remote workers to remain vigilant to this new and sophisticated threat.” 

    According to the complaint, the North Korean government uses illegally obtained cryptocurrency as a means of generating revenue for its priorities. This illegally obtained cryptocurrency is allegedly generated, in part, through remote work done by North Korean IT workers deployed around the globe, including in the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation (Russia). Those IT workers have generated revenue for North Korea via their jobs at, among other places, blockchain development companies. To obtain employment, these North Korean IT workers allegedly bypassed security and due diligence checks using fraudulent (or fraudulently obtained) identification documents and other obfuscation strategies. These tactics hid the North Koreans’ true location and identities, causing unwitting employers to hire them and pay them a salary, often in stablecoins, such as USDC and USDT.

    To send their illegally obtained cryptocurrency back to North Korea, the IT workers allegedly transferred the cryptocurrency using money laundering techniques. These techniques included: (1) setting up accounts with fictitious identities; (2) moving funds in a series of small amounts; (3) moving funds to other blockchains or converting funds to other forms of virtual currency (i.e., “chain hopping” and “token swapping,” respectively); (4) purchasing non-fungible tokens as a store of value and means of hiding illicit funds; (5) using U.S.-based online accounts to legitimize activity; and (6) commingling their fraud proceeds to hide the origin of the funds. After laundering these funds, the North Korean IT workers allegedly sent them back to the North Korean government, at times via Sim and Kim Sang Man (Kim). Kim is a North Korean national who is the chief executive officer of “Chinyong,” also known as “Jinyong IT Cooperation Company.” Chinyong is subordinate to North Korea’s Ministry of Defense (formerly known as the Ministry of the Peoples’ Armed Forces), which the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added to its list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) on June 1, 2017.

    Chinyong employs delegations of North Korean IT workers that operate in, among other countries, Russia and Laos. Kim allegedly acts as an intermediary between the North Korean IT workers and North Korea’s FTB by sending funds from the North Korean IT workers to Sim.

    On April 24, 2023, OFAC added Sim to its SDN list. On May 23, 2023, OFAC added Chinyong and Kim to its SDN list.

    Today’s forfeiture action follows the Department’s announcement of two federal indictments charging Sim for allegedly conspiring (1) with North Korean IT workers to generate revenue through illegal employment at companies in the United States and abroad; and (2) with over-the-counter cryptocurrency traders to use stolen funds to buy goods for North Korea. The forfeiture action also follows on successful actions to disrupt North Korean revenue generation taken by the Department in May 2024, August 2024, December 2024, and January 2025. Those actions, which are part of the Department-wide DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, targeted U.S. persons facilitating remote IT work and their North Korean co-conspirators.

    The FBI Chicago Field Office and FBI’s Virtual Assets Unit are investigating the cases associated with this complaint.

    Senior Counsel Jessica Peck of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Gregory J. Nicosia, Jr. of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Rick Blaylock for the District of Columbia are handling the prosecutions and forfeiture action. Significant assistance was provided by former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Chris Wong.

    The FBI, in conjunction with the State and Treasury Departments, issued a May 2022 advisory to alert the international community, private sector, and public about the North Korea IT worker threat. Updated guidance was issued in October 2023 by the United States and the Republic of Korea (South Korea), and in May 2024 by the FBI, which include indicators consistent with the North Korea IT worker fraud and the use of U.S.-based laptop farms. In January 2025, the FBI issued additional guidance regarding extortion and theft of sensitive company data by North Korean IT workers, along with recommended mitigations.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coram Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Coram woman accused of possessing methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Heather Marie Kushmaul, 37, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Kushmaul faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for October 8, 2025, Kushmaul was released on conditions pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement learned that beginning in May 2024, Heather Marie Kushmaul and her co-defendant were coming from their home in Coram, Montana, to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to deliver large amounts of methamphetamine. In October 2024, law enforcement arranged three controlled purchases of large amounts of methamphetamine from the defendants. During each of these controlled purchases, Kushmaul and her co-defendant traveled from their home in Coram to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and exchanged methamphetamine for money.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, BIA, DEA, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Habitual Offender Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Domestic Assault on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    GREAT FALLS – A Harlem man who assaulted his domestic partner was sentenced today to 51 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Nicholas Dee Birdtail, 53, pleaded guilty in January 2025 to one count of domestic assault by habitual offender. 

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that Birdtail and Jane Doe had been in a dating relationship for over three years and were married in tribal court in 2022. On September 2, 2023, Birdtail slapped Jane Doe across the face. The responding law enforcement officers saw a fresh handprint on the left side of Doe’s face. Doe also showed the officer bruises on her arms from the night before that were caused by Birdtail. At the time of the assault, Birdtail was released on bond for previous domestic violence charges against Doe. A condition of his bond was to have no contact with Doe.

    Prior to September 2, 2023, Birdtail was convicted of multiple misdemeanor domestic assaults in Billings municipal court, and he was convicted of felony partner family member assault in Yellowstone County District Court. He also has a misdemeanor conviction for partner family member assault from Idaho.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services.

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

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Confirms Individual Wanted in Hit-and-Run with Pedestrian in Nashville is an Illegal Alien from Venezuela

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer for this criminal illegal alien evading justice for severely injuring Zach Carach 

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement confirming the suspect involved in a hit-and-run accident that left 21-year-old American Zach Carach severely injured on May 18, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee is an illegal alien from Venezuela.

    Tony Gebian Lopez Infante is wanted for allegedly striking Carach—who was visiting Nashville from Florida to celebrate his 21st birthday—with his car and fleeing the scene. Carach sustained severe injuries.

    “An illegal alien who should never have been in the U.S. allegedly struck a young man who was celebrating his 21st birthday in a hit-and-run crash and is still at large. The Biden Administration released this illegal alien into our country in 2023,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “This crime was preventable and is the direct result of open border policies that prioritized illegal aliens over the safety of American citizens. Secretary Noem is praying for Zachary Carach’s quick recovery. To report suspicious criminal activity or sightings of Lopez Infante, call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423)–help President Trump, Secretary Noem, and our brave law enforcement remove these public safety threats from our communities and make America safe again.” 

    Lopez Infante illegally entered the United States on August 1, 2023, and was released into the country on August 14, 2023, pending removal proceedings. On September 25, 2024, an immigration judge issued a final order of removal.

    Lopez Infante is still at-large. Homeland Security Investigations agents are working with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department to locate the suspect. This is an open investigation.

    Anonymous tips may be reported on this form and via the toll-free ICE tip line, (866) 347-2423.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: White River Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison For Possessing a Firearm As a Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a White River man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on May 27, 2025.

    Michael Bettelyoun, age 31, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Bettelyoun was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025.

    The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on June 19, 2024, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Bettelyoun was videotaped shooting a pistol in a rural area outside of Norris, South Dakota. Law enforcement was subsequently alerted to Bettelyoun’s conduct and collected the firearm and video as evidence.

    Bettelyoun was previously convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in 2019. He was on supervised release for this conviction at the time of the instant offense. As a result of the prior felony conviction, Bettelyoun is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.

    Bettelyoun was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent McKees Rocks Felon Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm and Violation of Federal Supervised Release

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 17-and-a-half years in prison on his conviction of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and violating his federal supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Ernest Lee Terry, 46, on June 4, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, on May 12, 2024, Terry opened fire on another individual in broad daylight in McKees Rocks. Based on recovered evidence and surveillance video, Terry fired at least seven rounds at a vehicle as it fled from him. Two days later, when arrested for the shooting, Terry had a firearm in his waistband, which was later confirmed to be the same firearm Terry used during the May 12 shooting. Terry was on federal supervised release for a prior federal firearms conviction at the time of the offense. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

    “After a 15-year federal prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and while still serving a term of supervised release for that conviction, defendant Terry pulled a gun and fired at least seven rounds at a fleeing individual,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “Upon his arrest two days later for this egregious conduct, Terry had the same gun tucked into his waistband. We commend the Allegheny County Police Department for their outstanding work in apprehending this dangerous felon. This sentencing demonstrates that we remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners at all levels to prosecute violent recidivist offenders like Terry to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “ATF’s highest priority is reducing violent gun crime, and keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous career criminals like Ernest Terry is a key means to protect public safety,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “We work tirelessly with our local, state and federal partners to prosecute the criminals that endanger our communities.”

    Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hornak stated that Terry’s conduct was “exceptionally serious,” and emphasized Terry’s significant criminal history. Judge Hornak described Terry’s conduct in committing the shooting as “calculated” and observed that Terry had “engaged in conduct that created a high risk of serious harm or death to other people.”

    Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Allegheny County Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Terry.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Porcupine Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Porcupine, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on May 30, 2025.

    Chandler New Holy, age 28, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    New Holy was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 17, 2025.

    The charge related to New Holy having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old female. New Holy and the female lived in the same community and corresponded with each other over a social media platform. The female represented that she was 16 years old. New Holy told the female he was only 17, when in fact, he was 25 years old. A short while later, the female told New Holy she was only 14 years of age. Despite learning that the female had not reached the age of consent, New Holy continued the relationship, and they both attempted to keep their relationship a secret. The female was reported missing by her family members. Law enforcement later located the female with New Holy, which prompted the investigation.

    This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

    New Holy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Manslaughter and Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 2, 2025.

    Daeshawn Poor Bear, 19, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay restitution and $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Poor Bear was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.

    Poor Bear, the victim, and two other friends consumed alcohol and edibles containing THC and smoked THC wax at an abandoned trailer in Pine Ridge on the evening of September 2, 2024. The victim and the other friends were all juveniles. The victim threw a firearm onto a bed near Poor Bear. Poor Bear picked up the firearm, pointed it at the victim, and pulled the trigger. The bullet struck the victim and killed him. Poor Bear and the other two friends ran to Poor Bear’s mother’s residence. Poor Bear’s mother called 911. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety arrived at the abandoned residence and found that the victim had passed away. Poor Bear has a history of using THC, making him prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.

    This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

    Poor Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Multiple Firearms and Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

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

    Morisee Williams, 41, pleaded guilty to Count One of an Indictment before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 7, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at Williams’ residence in the Knoxville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. During that search, law enforcement recovered four firearms (two of which were stolen), approximately seven ammunition magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a firearm mount and rifle grip. As a previously convicted felon, Williams is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for September 24, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine C. Jordan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Elvis Alfonso Lopez-Perez, age 32, Guatemalan National residing in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to eight months in prison by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for illegally reentering the United States.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Lopez-Perez was removed from the United States on February 1, 2013. He illegally reentered the United States at an unknown time thereafter. On May 28, 2024, he was found in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the United States.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Embezzling $5.8 Million From Employer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant cut his court ordered location monitoring device while on pre-trial release

    BOSTON – The former finance director of a Florida-based company has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for embezzling more than $5.8 million from his employer.

    Paul Schnitzer, 52, of Clermont, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo. T. Sorokin to 54 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Schnitzer was also ordered to pay $5,831,829 in restitution and to forfeit various assets that he obtained through his crime, including the full balances of two financial accounts, subscription ownership shares in certain artwork, and up to $50,000 in cash on deposit with Bulgari, the luxury jeweler.

    Between January 2022 and May 2024, Schnitzer made over 100 transfers, most disguised as “equity distributions,” from his employer’s operating account into his personal account. He also secretly used a line of credit to replenish the company’s operating account after he had stolen from it and to transfer additional funds to his account. To hide these transfers, Schnitzer provided falsified financial reports with inflated cash balances for the company, to the Massachusetts-based investment firm that owned the company. He also spoofed email addresses and posed as representatives of the company’s bank and customers to send falsified confirmations to the company’s audit firms.

    While on pre-trial release, Schnitzer was arrested after cutting his location monitoring device in June 2024 and using a company credit card to make over $10,000 in purchases in August 2024.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit handled the forfeiture aspects of the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California Resident Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Long Beach, California, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Derrick Polk, 62, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan to Counts One and Three of the Superseding Indictment on June 4, 2025.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around April 2019 to July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Polk conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Further, in and around April 2021, Polk possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Polk was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for September 24, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses 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 Polk. 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: District Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Firearm Following Traffic Stop in Northwest D.C.

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – Trevon Timothy Vines, 30, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025, to one count of illegal possession of a firearm following his arrest on March 15, 2025, in the District of Columbia.

                According to court documents, on March 15, officers with the Metropolitan Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the vicinity of 1820 7th Street NW after observing a traffic infraction. It is alleged that during the course of the stop, officers observed several open containers of alcohol and requested that all occupants exit the vehicle.

                Court documents say that Vines was seated in the front passenger seat and holding a cup consistent with the others observed. As officers attempted to place Vines in handcuffs, they felt what they immediately recognized to be a handgun on his person in a front left jacket pocket. Officers eventually recovered the firearm and discovered that it had been reported stolen from a gun dealer in White Plains, Maryland.

                An investigation revealed that Vines is a convicted felon with multiple prior convictions. At the time of the incident, Vines was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal and D.C. law. He did not have a license to carry or own a firearm in the District of Columbia.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, ATF Baltimore Field Office, and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.

                This case is part of Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful, an executive order surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

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