NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Roanoke Man, Who Posed as Baseball Prospect, Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register, False Statement Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke, Virginia man, who used burner phones to pose as officials from both Major and Minor League baseball teams, pled guilty today in federal court to failing to register as a convicted sex offender and making false statements.

    Janike Dunbar Holt, 29, a.k.a. “Nike,” a.k.a. “Janike Tagovailoa” a.k.a. “Keanu Tagovailoa,” a.k.a. “Trey Tagovailoa,” pled guilty today to one count of failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and one count of making a false statement to law enforcement.

    According to court documents, in August 2018, Holt was convicted of four counts of taking indecent liberties with a child in North Carolina after he had sexual relations with a fifteen-year-old. Holt was released from custody in October of 2018 and, after initially complying with his required sex offender registration requirements, Holt failed to report an address change in June 2022.

    In March 2022, Holt began dating a woman (Individual 1) who had a minor child (Minor A). Holt was not the father of Minor A, but he told others that he was. In addition, Holt was asking several other women for money that he claimed was to support Minor A, to visit Minor A, or to help obtain custody of Minor A. However, Holt did not actually use the money for these stated purposes or otherwise provide this money to Individual A or Minor A.

    Around October 2022, Holt began dating Individual 2. Holt falsely told Individual 2 that he had a child (Minor A) and got Individual 2 to give him $65 for diapers for the child and for gas to go visit her.  Individual 2 gave Holt access to her bank accounts, and Holt stole $5,000 from her. Individual 2 was able recover this money from her bank.

    At other times in 2022, Holt also dated Individual 3 and Individual 5. While living with Individual 3, Holt stole at least three checks from her, which he subsequently made out to himself. Holt filled out one of these checks and asked Individual 5 to cash it for him. Holt made out another of these stolen checks for $225,000, with the memo line reading “Lawsuit Refund.” The check was never cashed. Holt later made out another of these stolen checks for $75,000, with the memo line reading “Law-suit settlement.” He asked Individuals 7 and 8 to cash this check for him, but they refused.

    On February 6, 2023, Holt asked a friend to drive him from North Carolina to Virginia, where he was planning to move. Holt lived with his brother in Roanoke for a few days before moving in with a new girlfriend, Individual 6. Holt continued living with his new girlfriend until March 14, 2023. While living in Roanoke, Holt never registered as a sex offender in Virginia, despite being required to under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

    Despite living with Individual 6, Holt also spent a significant amount of time at a house where the mother of two of his brother’s children (Individual 7) lived with her mother (Individual 8). Holt falsely told his brother, Individual 7, and Individual 8 that he had been recruited to play for a Major League Baseball team. Holt used burner phones to send text messages to his brother, Individual 7, and Individual 8 while pretending to be actual individuals affiliated with a Major League Baseball team and a Minor League Baseball team. Holt used the names of these individuals without their knowledge.

    Holt told his brother, Individual 6, Individual 7, and Individual 8 that they would all be moving as a result of his purported Major League Baseball career. In preparation, and at Holt’s urging, Individual 7 and Individual 8 sold some of their vehicles and gave Holt the proceeds. Holt also attempted to sell Individual 6’s vehicle without her knowledge. 

    On March 14, 2023, Holt was arrested on a warrant out of North Carolina. While being interviewed by a deputy marshal, Holt made several false statements, including that he had a child (Minor A), that he had not been living in Roanoke, Virginia but had been driving back and forth between Roanoke and North Carolina every other day, and that his probation officer was aware that he was habitually traveling between Roanoke and North Carolina.

    The United States Marshals Service is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clarenville — Clarenville RCMP conducts speed enforcement on TCH, twenty drivers ticketed for speeding

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Clarenville RCMP conducted speed enforcement on the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) on May 25, 2025 and ticketed 20 drivers under Highway Traffic Act for traveling at excessive speeds.

    Over a six-hour period on Sunday, police officers conducted traffic enforcement on the TCH between Southern Harbour and Port Blandford. During that time, the 20 drivers were ticketed for traveling at speeds between 25 km/h to 49 km/h over the posted speed limit.

    RCMP NL reminds motorists as the summer season approaches to expect increased traffic along roadways throughout the province, much of which will be comprised of tourists who may be unfamiliar with the area. Motorists are expected to travel within the posted speed limit and can expect that RCMP NL will be on patrol, checking for violations.

    Roadway safety is everyone’s responsibility. Those who travel at excessive speeds, while impaired or otherwise in a dangerous manner, place themselves as well as all others who share the roadway at increased risk of serious injury or death. Please immediately report these incidents to your local police detachment or call 911.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Juniata County Woman Sentenced To Six Months’ Home Confinement For Social Security And Housing Choice Voucher Program Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Doris Santana, age 54, of Thompsontown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 22, 2025, to six months’ home confinement by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for social security fraud and theft of public money related to her theft of social security and federal housing funds.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between February 2008 and December 2021, Santana was a participant in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), which provided rental assistance to eligible recipients. Between May 2018 and September 2024, Santana also received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In April 2011, Santana married Individual 1. However, Santana concealed the marriage from the SSA and HUD. Santana’s marriage to, cohabitation with, and receipt of income from Individual 1 rendered Santana ineligible to receive SSI and Housing Choice Voucher Program funds.

    Judge Wilson also ordered Santana to pay $141,055.10 in restitution. 

    The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney David C. Williams prosecuted the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: El Salvador National Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – An El Salvador national was arrested and charged with possessing firearms as an illegal alien, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, a/k/a Jose Manuel Mejiva, 35, a citizen and national of El Salvador and most recently of Long Branch, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. Viera made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day in Trenton federal court and was detained.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On December 11, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., law enforcement officers in Long Branch responded to multiple calls for service regarding gunshots fired in a suburban neighborhood. Shortly after officers arrived, they observed an individual, later identified as Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, riding a bicycle and carrying a large black bag. Officers followed Viera before he dismounted from the bike and fled into the exterior property of a nearby residence. Officers searched the area where Viera fled and eventually recovered his bicycle and the bag he was carrying. The bag contained two firearms, a semiautomatic rifle and a loaded handgun, firearm magazines, ammunition, and a machete. A short time later, officers discovered Viera hiding in the truck-bed of a pickup truck parked in the driveway next to the residence. Viera was subsequently identified by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as being an El Salvador national and citizen and without any legal status to be in the United States.

    The alien in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited deportation officers of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, the Long Branch Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Jorge Silverio, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation.

    The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

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

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    Defense counsel: Benjamin West, Federal Public Defenders

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kanawha County Man Sentenced for Withholding Information in Bankruptcy Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Eugene Wells, 73, of Marmet, was sentenced today to one year of federal probation for withholding records relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy from an officer of the court or a United States Trustee entitled to its possession.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2022, a Charleston business solely owned by Wells’ wife filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wells helped with the business’ day-to-day management, including by overseeing many of its financial affairs, but was never an employee of the business or a registered owner or manager. As part of his guilty plea, Wells admitted that he applied for and obtained five loans in the business’ name from February 2023 through February 2024, knowing that the business had filed for bankruptcy protection. Wells further admitted that he did not disclose the existence of the loans to the United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia.

    On January 31, 2024, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court held a hearing on the U.S. Trustee’s motion to dismiss the business’ bankruptcy case. That day, the bankruptcy lawyer for the business informed the U.S. Trustee of the existence of one of the four loans that Wells had obtained by that time in the business’ name. When the bankruptcy court confronted Wells about the loan, Wells lied under oath about the circumstances surrounding its origins. As part of his guilty plea, Wells admitted that he did not disclose the existence of the other three active loans while the bankruptcy judge questioned him under oath. Wells further admitted that the fifth loan, obtained on February 8, 2024, was not approved by the bankruptcy court or disclosed to the U.S. Trustee. On February 21, 2024, the bankruptcy court dismissed the business’ bankruptcy case.

    A total of $68,000 was obtained in proceeds from the five loans and used for the business’ operations or to pay down debt. The lender charged the business $9,750 in fees. Wells’ agreement with the lender gave the lender priority status over other creditors, including by granting the undisclosed lender direct access to the business’ bank account. This arrangement allowed the lender to withdraw funds directly from the business’ account without court oversight.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-7.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Local Rapper Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Keynon Frazier, a/k/a “Green Eyez,” 29, of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 78 months followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine.

    Frazier a/k/a “Green Eyez” was found guilty by a jury on January 15, 2025, for Felon in Possession of Firearm. On April 15, 2024, officers with the Shreveport Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Frazier in the downtown Shreveport area, which ended with his vehicle crashing into a telephone pole and another vehicle. Officers approached the crashed vehicle and found Frazier, who was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle. Also, inside the vehicle on the front passenger floorboard, officers found two firearms, a Glock 17 firearm, and a Glock 45 firearm, along with an expended shell casing stuck within the chamber of the Glock 45. In addition, there was a bullet-size hole found in the front driver’s side windshield of the vehicle.

    Officers determined that Frazier had prior felony convictions for aggravated battery and second degree robbery, and he was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. As a convicted felon, Frazier was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. 

               The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron Crawford and Cheyenne Wilson.          

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced in Alpine to 20 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALPINE, Texas – A Colorado man was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 240 months in prison for distributing fentanyl to a Texas resident.

    According to court documents, Douglas Christopher Steele, 54, of Denver, engaged in a text message conversation with a man living Alpine on Jan. 29, 2024. Steele agreed to mail 20 fentanyl pills to the man’s work address. Steele notified the man that he’d mailed the package of fentanyl on Feb. 2 and, on Feb. 5, the man’s co-worker received the FedEx delivery. Through additional text message exchanges, Steele and the man discussed how strong the fentanyl was and, just after midnight on Feb. 6, 2024, the man messaged Steele telling him that he nearly overdosed. Later that morning, the man was found unresponsive in the restroom at this place of work. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

    A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigation revealed the envelopes at the man’s residence that had been mailed from Steele’s Colorado residence, and eventually the cell phone messages between the man and Steele.

    Steele was indicted on May 9, 2024 in Pecos for two counts related to fentanyl distribution and was arrested in Denver on May 11. He pleaded guilty Nov. 18, 2024.

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

    HSI and TX DPS CID investigated the case with assistance from the Alpine Police Department, Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iranian Man Pleaded Guilty to Role in Robbinhood Ransomware

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Robbinhood Ransomware Scheme Caused Tens of Millions of Dollars in Losses and Major Disruption of Public Services in U. S. Cities

    Note: see indictment here.

    An Iranian national pleaded guilty today to participating in an international ransomware and extortion scheme involving the Robbinhood ransomware.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Sina Gholinejad, 37, and his co-conspirators compromised the computer networks of cities, corporations, health care organizations, and other entities around the United States, and encrypted files on these victim networks with the Robbinhood ransomware variant to extort ransom payments. These cyber attacks caused significant disruptions and tens of millions in losses, including to the City of Greenville, North Carolina, and the City of Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore lost more than $19 million from the damage caused to their computer networks and the resulting disruption to several essential city services, including online services for processing property taxes, water bills, parking citations, and other revenue-generating functions, which lasted many months. The conspirators used the damage they caused these cities to threaten subsequent victims.

    “Gholinejad and his co-conspirators — all of whom were overseas — caused tens of millions of dollars in losses and disrupted essential public services by deploying the Robbinhood ransomware against U. S. cities, health care organizations, and businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The ransomware attack against the City of Baltimore forced the city to take hundreds of computers offline and prevented the city from performing basic functions for months. Gholinejad’s conviction reflects the Criminal Division’s commitment to bringing cybercriminals who target our cities, healthcare system, and businesses to justice no matter where they are located. There will be no impunity for these destructive attacks.”

    “Cybercrime is not a victimless offense — it is a direct attack on our communities, as seen in this case. Gholinejad and his co-conspirators orchestrated a ransomware scheme that disrupted lives, businesses, and local governments, and resulted in losses of tens of millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims and institutions,” said acting U. S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The announcement today marks a significant step towards justice for the countless victims impacted by the defendant’s malicious scheme. Cases like these act as a reminder that cybercriminals who seek to exploit our digital infrastructure for personal gain will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable.”

    “These ransomware actors leveraged sophisticated tools and tradecraft to harm innocent victims in the United States, all while believing they could conduct their illegal activities safely from overseas,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office. “This case demonstrates the capability and resolve of the FBI and our partners to find and impose consequences on cybercriminals no matter where they attempt to hide.”

    Beginning in January 2019, Gholinejad and others gained and maintained unauthorized access to victim computer networks and then copied information from the infected victim networks to virtual private servers controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators also deployed Robbinhood ransomware to encrypt the victims’ files and extort Bitcoin from victims in exchange for the private key required to decrypt the victims’ computer files.

    Gholinejad and his co-conspirators attempted to launder the ransom payments through cryptocurrency mixing services and by moving assets between different types of cryptocurrencies, a practice known as chain-hopping. They also hid their identities and activities through a number of technical methods, including the use of virtual private networks and servers that they operated. The indictment identifies multiple additional victims of Robbinhood ransomware, including, but not limited to, the City of Gresham, Oregon and the City of Yonkers, New York.

    Gholinejad pleaded guilty to one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Baltimore Field Office. The Justice Department extends its thanks to international judicial and law enforcement partners in Bulgaria for providing valuable assistance with the collection of evidence.

    Senior Counsels Aarash A. Haghighat and Ryan K. J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U. S. Attorney Bradford DeVoe for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Alexandra Cooper-Ponte of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Deputy Chief Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in the collection of evidence.

    Additional details on protecting networks against ransomware are available at StopRansomware. gov. 

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO strengthens cooperation with industry to protect critical undersea infrastructure

    Source: NATO

    NATO’s Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network met in Karlskrona, Sweden, on Monday and Tuesday (26-27 May 2025), bringing together civilian and military authorities, industry partners, and experts from across the Alliance to deepen cooperation in protecting cables and pipelines that underpin global connectivity and energy security.

    The meeting focused on enhancing situational awareness, strengthening preparedness, and reinforcing collective responses through improved information sharing and coordination. Participants discussed innovative approaches to detecting suspicious activities and securing vital undersea assets, including through new sensing and monitoring technologies.

    “Sharing information across public-private and civilian-military sectors is not just beneficial, it’s essential,” said Ambassador Jean-Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber. “Enhancing our ability to deter, detect and respond to threats requires a collective effort. We’ll continue our work together to do just that.”

    Following disruptions to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea in December 2025, NATO launched Baltic Sentry – a multi-domain activity to strengthen the Alliance’s military presence in the region and improve its ability to detect and respond to potential threats.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Knife-Wielding Passenger Charged in Random Stabbing on Metro Bus

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Ankintola Olowofoyeku, 43, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was indicted for threatening to kill two strangers and stabbing one of them on a metro bus in July 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department.

    View copy of indictment here.

                A Superior Court grand jury indicted Olowofoyeku on May 21, 2025, on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and two counts of felony threats.

                According to the government’s evidence, on July 21, 2024, Olowofoyeku was aboard a 70 route bus, in the vicinity of Georgia Avenue NW and Jefferson Street NW, when he began screaming at two strangers and demanding that they exit the bus. Olowofoyeku threatened to kill the two victims while holding a knife behind his back and forcing the victims to retreat into a corner of the bus. Olowofoyeku struck one of the victims and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Olowofoyeku stabbed one of the victims in his leg, arm, and hand. Eventually, Olowofoyeku was forced off the bus, where he continued to brandish the knife and threaten to kill. Subsequently, Olowofoyeku fled the area and was arrested on February 7, 2025.

                Trial is scheduled for June 16, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld.

                This case is being investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

                It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dal Lago.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Two Years for Attempting to Illegally Purchase a Firearm

    Source: US FBI

    Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Stephen K. Gainous (38, Jacksonville) to 30 months in federal prison for making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer during the attempted purchase of a firearm. Gainous pled guilty on February 14, 2025.

    According to court documents, Gainous completed an ATF Form 4473 during the attempted purchase of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer. Gainous indicated on the required paperwork that he was not a felon. This was a false statement, in that Gainous was previously convicted of seven felonies, including battery on a child, making a false statement during the acquisition of a firearm, possession of cocaine, criminal use of personal identification, and fraudulent use of a credit card.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

    This is another case uncovered through the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). All NICS denials are reported to federal law enforcement and are reviewed daily for potential criminal prosecution. Federal law makes it a felony offense to make a false statement to a firearms dealer when trying to buy a gun.  

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Minnesota Man Indicted For Attempted Arson Of Memorial U.S. Army Tank With A Molotov Cocktail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Trang Johnny Nha Phan (25, Minnesota) with attempted arson of federal property, possessing a Molotov cocktail as a convicted felon, and using a Molotov cocktail in furtherance of a crime of violence. If convicted on all counts, Phan faces a minimum penalty of 35 years, up to 65, in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Phan that the United States intends to forfeit assets that are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. 

    According to the indictment, on February 14, 2025, Phan attempted to set fire using a Molotov cocktail to a M-60 A-3 tank owned by the U.S. Army. At the time, Phan had been convicted for threats of violence and possessing three grams or more of heroin.

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

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.          

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax Returns for Failing to Report Business Earnings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio − Sidney L. Glover, Jr., 36, of Warren, Ohio, has pleaded guilty to failing to report three years’ worth of business earnings to the IRS.

    According to court documents, Glover was the sole owner of Teaching Excellence, LLC, a business dedicated to providing home healthcare services for individuals with disabilities. Because it specialized in serving clients with special needs, most of the company’s income was generated from the Ohio Department of Disabilities, which receives its funding through Ohio Medicaid.

    IRS records analysis confirmed that the defendant did not file income tax returns for calendar years 2015 and 2016, but he eventually prepared and filed those documents two years later in April 2018. At that time, he also submitted the filing for the 2017 tax year. During the investigation, authorities learned that Glover’s Teaching Excellence business, in fact, generated more than $1 million in gross receipts for 2015, 2016, and 2017 combined, and that he did not report those earnings in his tax filings for those years. Investigators also found that Glover had spent some of the unreported business earnings on various personal expenses.

    In total, the defendant’s failure to report business income resulted in a loss of approximately $155,000 in unpaid taxes owed to the United States Treasury.

    On May 21, 2025, Glover pleaded guilty to making and subscribing false tax returns for which he faces a maximum of up to three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled.

    The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Brenna L. Fasko prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Sentenced to 14 Years for Involvement in Cross-Country Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh gang member was sentenced on Thursday to 14 years in prison for conspiring to traffic fentanyl pills in the Eastern District of North Carolina.  Shakeim Weeks, age 30, pled guilty on February 27, 2025, to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Four Hundred Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, law enforcement determined that Weeks, a validated member of the United Blood Nation gang, was part of a drug trafficking organization that was obtaining fentanyl pills in California and Arizona and transporting them to the Raleigh area for distribution. On June 7, 2024, Weeks was arrested when law enforcement found approximately 100,000 fentanyl pills, weighing approximately 11 kilograms, in Week’s suitcase when he returned to North Carolina from a resupply trip to Arizona.  The fentanyl pills Weeks’ brought to North Carolina were packaged in Lego boxes, consistent with other seizures of fentanyl pills from this drug trafficking organization. 

    This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Raleigh Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Durham Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey L. Peaden prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D-006. 

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former President of Local Oilfield Consulting Service Business Sentenced in Federal Court for Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Brian T. Owen, 52, of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, has been sentenced for money laundering. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Owen to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, $100,000 fine, and ordered him to pay $1,157,154.39 in restitution.   

               Owen pleaded guilty in October 2024 to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of money laundering in connection with his unlawful activities as president of an oilfield consulting service business headquartered in Bossier City. According to information introduced in court, in June 2020, the company filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. 

               In January 2021, as part of the company’s bankruptcy plan of reorganization, a Distribution Trust was established to pay back creditors, and Owen executed a Distribution Trust Agreement in his role as president of the company. According to this plan, if Owen received any additional compensation from the company, he was required to pay 30% of that directly to the Distribution Trust. 

               In 2021, the company began applying for Employee Retention Credits (“ERCs”), which are a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owen then devised a scheme to defraud the Distribution Trust by intercepting the physical U.S. Department of Treasury Checks before they were deposited into the company’s working accounts. Unbeknownst to other senior leadership at the company, Owen had opened a bank account in the name of the company while it was still in bankruptcy. As part of the scheme, he deposited a total of $3.8 million in ERC funds for himself as additional compensation. Owen did not pay the Distribution Trust the 30% as he had agreed, but instead used the money for his own personal expenses, including to pay off gambling debts.         

               The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fall River — RCMP investigates hit and run in Fall River

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a hit and run that occurred in Fall River.

    On May 23, at approximately 10 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment, fire services, and EHS, responded to a report of a collision near the 1400 block of Fall River Rd. RCMP officers learned that a Dodge Ram was travelling on the roadway when it collided with a dirt bike travelling in the same direction.

    Two of the three youth dirt bike riders suffered serious injuries and were transported to hospital by EHS. The third rider was uninjured.

    RCMP officers located a Dodge Ram, believed to be the vehicle involved in the collision, at a nearby gas station. The male driver displayed signs of impairment and provided a roadside breath sample into an approved screening device. The results indicated that he was not impaired by alcohol.

    Officers then demanded that the 45-year-old man from Fletchers Lake perform a standard field sobriety test. When he refused, the man was arrested for Refusal to Comply with a Demand. He resisted and assaulted an officer during the arrest.

    During a search of the man, baggies containing a white substance were located and seized.

    The man was later released. He will appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court at a later date to face charges of Refusal to Comply with a Demand, Assaulting a Peace Officer, and Resisting Arrest.

    The collision investigation continues.

    File #: 25-72611, 25-72649

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Elizabeth City Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – An Elizabeth City man was sentenced Thursday to 6.5 years in prison after he ran from law enforcement during a traffic stop and was found in possession of 29.66 grams of fentanyl. Rashawn M. Baum, 29, pled guilty to Possession With the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of a Mixture and Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Fentanyl on February 27, 2025.

    According to court records, officers with the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement and Elizabeth City Police Department observed Baum driving erratically at a high rate of speed.  When officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, Baum sped off.  After a short pursuit, Baum collided with two separate cars before coming to a stop near a local family restaurant.  Baum and one of the passengers in the car attempted to flee on foot but were caught quickly.

    In Baum’s vehicle, law enforcement found a green Crown Royal bag on the driver’s side floorboard. It contained a plastic bag and ten bindles containing various quantities of a white substance. Tests of that substance confirmed it to be approximately an ounce of fentanyl.  Law enforcement also recovered a .357 semi-automatic pistol from the scene.

    U.S. District Court Judge James C. Dever, III, imposed the sentence and stated that “fentanyl is destroying thousands of lives.” Judge Dever explained the sentence was, in part, because the defendant would rather poison members of his community than seek legitimate employment. The 78-month sentence will commence after Baum finishes an unrelated state sentence in 2031.

    Elizabeth City Chief of Police Eddie Graham echoed the District Court and stated that “drugs ruin people’s lives, break up families, and have a disastrous effect on our community.” Chief Graham asserted that such conduct “will no longer be tolerated.”

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and Elizabeth City Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Logan Liles prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-CR-182.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Man Guilty of Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury found Noel Hall of St. Paul guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to evidence presented at trial, Noel Debra Hall, 47, drunkenly brandished a firearm inside a St. Paul apartment at approximately 5:30 a.m. on July 7, 2024. The St. Paul Police Department responded to the apartment complex and engaged in a multi-hour standoff with Hall, who was barricaded inside. Hall surrendered to police after the St. Paul SWAT team deployed a drone inside the apartment. Law enforcement ultimately discovered a semiautomatic pistol and a loaded magazine concealed in a box spring within the apartment.

    According to court documents, Hall is a former federal defendant convicted in 2019 of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. He was on supervised release for that conviction when he committed this offense of unlawfully possessing a firearm.

    “As a convicted felon, Noel Hall was prohibited from possessing a firearm, and his conduct underlying his conviction in this case shows precisely why that was—he was a clear and present danger to the public. St. Paul is a safer place as a result of the jury’s verdict,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the St. Paul Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn tried the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Woman Indicted in Federal Court After Shooting Man with a Handgun on Navajo Nation

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Navajo Nation woman has been indicted in federal court after allegedly shooting a man with a handgun during an incident that left the victim with serious injuries.

    According to court documents, on November 17, 2024, Beverleta Tayah, 53, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe with a handgun and that assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe.

    Tayah stands charged with three felony crimes—assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging said firearm. She will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which will occur next week. If convicted of the current charges, Tayah faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

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

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Indicted for Multiple Armed Carjackings

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man made his initial court appearance Tuesday before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Albregts for allegedly committing multiple violent armed carjackings.

    According to allegations contained in the indictment, on March 24, 2025, Aerion Warmsley brandished a Taurus 9mm firearm and stole a Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 from a victim by force, violence, and intimidation. The victim suffered a fractured nose. Then, on March 27, 2025, Warmsley brandished the 9mm firearm and stole a Mercedes-Benz GL450 from a victim by force, violence, and intimidation. While fleeing from law enforcement, he struck two pedestrians with the vehicle resulting in serious bodily injury to the victims. One victim suffered a brain bleed and multiple fractures, and the second victim suffered multiple fractures. On the same day, Warmsley brandished the 9mm firearm and stole a Kia Sorrento from a victim by force, violence, and intimidation.

    Warmsley is charged with two counts of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of carjacking. A jury trial has been scheduled for July 14, 2025, before United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro.

    If convicted, Warmsley faces the maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, North Las Vegas Police Department, Henderson Police Department, and the Clark County School District Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Penetar is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Idaho Man Indicted After Allegedly Assaulting U.S. Park Rangers in Southern Utah

    Source: US FBI

    SAINT GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Idaho man after he allegedly assaulted federal officers with his vehicle at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Southern Utah.  

    Gregory Aaron Farley, 51, of Hazelton, Idaho, was charged by complaint on May 3, 2025.  
        
    According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, two U.S. Park Rangers working at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area responded to a dispatch call that reported an erratic driver in a white pick-up truck near Lake Powell. At 7:47 p.m., the rangers conducted a traffic stop on Highway 89 on a pick-up truck matching the vehicle description. Farley was the driver and while one of the rangers was speaking to him, Farley fled the scene at a high rate of speed, nearly hitting one of the rangers. The rangers returned to their patrol vehicle and pursued Farley. During the pursuit, Farley turned around and collided into the driver’s side of the rangers’ vehicle. As a result, the rangers were pushed into the shoulder of the road, the airbags deployed, and the driver’s side door was rendered inoperable. After Farley hit the rangers’ truck, he reversed his truck and was still facing the rangers’ truck. In response, both rangers fired their weapons at Farley. Additional officers arrived on the scene, Farley exited his truck, and received medical aid. He was then taken into custody.  

    Farley is charged with assault on an employee of the United States with a Dangerous Weapon. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before a U.S. Magistrate judge in Room 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent and Joseph M. Hood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

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

    Attachments:

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Made Bomb Threat on a Flight to Seattle Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Brandon L. Scott, age 40, to 22 months in prison for making a bomb threat onboard a flight to Seattle. Judge Rice also imposed 3 years of supervised release and $79,449.47 in restitution to Alaska Airlines and the Spokane International Airport.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, On July 5, 2023, Scott was a passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight from Atlanta to Seattle. During the flight, Scott handed a flight attendant a note that said in part:

    “There is a bomb on the plane. This is not a joke. Several pounds of homemade explosives are in my carry-on bag. I have a detonator with me. Handle this matter carefully and exactly how I say, otherwise I will detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board. You are to alert the pilot to this note and keep the issue to yourself. Many innocent lives are in your hands, do as I demand and everyone will live. Deviate and the consequences will be deadly for all of us. I have nothing left to lose.”

    The note included instructions to reroute the plane from its destination in Seattle and land at another airport. The flight attendant alerted the captain and co-pilot to the threat who then alerted Air Traffic Control. Air Traffic Control diverted the flight to the Spokane International Airport. The airport placed a ground stop on all aircraft, resulting in significant delays to other departing and arriving aircraft and passengers.

    The plane landed at Spokane International Airport and Scott was taken into custody and admitted to what he had done. No explosive materials or devices were found on the plane.

    “Threatening the safety of a commercial flight is a serious federal crime that puts lives at risk, disrupts national air travel, and drains emergency resources,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “Mr. Scott’s actions caused widespread disruption and alarm, and this case underscores our commitment to protecting the safety of passengers and airline personnel in Eastern Washington and across the country.”

    “The threat made by Mr. Scott ended up being a hoax, but he is finding it had real-life consequences,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office.  “Fortunately, his actions did not result in anyone being hurt. I am grateful that the flight landed without incident in this case and applaud the flight crew for the professional manner in which they handled a potentially dangerous situation.”

    This case was investigated the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler H.L. Tornabene and Patrick J. Cashman. 

    2:23-cr-00084-TOR

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — Road Safety Week campaign leads to charges across Nova Scotia

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    During Canada Road Safety Week, more than ten percent of vehicles stopped by the Nova Scotia RCMP during proactive enforcement efforts resulted in charges.

    Over the seven days of Road Safety Week, enforcement by RCMP officers in the province resulted in 54 Criminal Code charges for impaired operation, 22 provincial roadside suspensions, and almost 1,000 summary offence tickets. Tickets were primarily for distracted driving, aggressive driving and not wearing a seatbelt. As the four primary causal factors for fatal and serious injury collisions in 2024 were impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving (primarily speeding), and failure to use a seatbelt, it was particularly important for officers across Nova Scotia to remind all road users about how we all play a part in keeping Nova Scotia safe.

    Canada Road Safety Week took place from May 13 to 19. Although road safety is important throughout the year, RCMP general duty officers and officers from traffic services units used this campaign as an opportunity to prioritize proactive and preventative interactions with the public.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Media Advisory: Coast Guard, state, local first responders to conduct boat drills on Ohio River in Kentucky & Illinois

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release  

    U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland
    Contact: 8th District Public Affairs
    Office: 504-671-2020
    After Hours: 618-225-9008
    Eighth District online newsroom

     

    Port conditions change based on weather forecasts, and current port conditions can be viewed on the following Coast Guard homeport webpages:

    For more information follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Summary Report: FBI Denver 2024 Investigative Review of Wyoming Cases Involving Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons

    Source: US FBI

    In 2024, FBI Denver launched a data collection project to review Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) cases in the state of Wyoming. This initiative began with collecting tips from the public as well as case information from Wyoming law enforcement regarding MMIP investigations in Wyoming over the last 10 years. During this review, FBI Denver identified a new lead in a cold case due to advancements in technology, identified contributing factors associated with death investigations in and around the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR), and identified no new homicides or unknown missing persons investigations in Wyoming from public and law enforcement outreach efforts.

    In 2015, FBI Denver was advised of evidence retained by a coroner’s office from a 1969 cold case homicide on the Wind River Indian Reservation. FBI Denver opened a cold case investigation, however evidence reviewed by the FBI laboratory did not identify any new leads at that time. Based on recent advancements in technology, FBI Denver will re-open the investigation for investigative genetic genealogy review to identify potential new leads.

    A 10-year review of death investigations involving Native American victims in Wyoming identified gunshot wounds as the primary manner of death for homicides cases. This review identified the majority of Native American homicides are occurring in or around the Wind River Indian Reservation and involve Native American offenders and Native American victims. Intoxicants were a major contributing factor in the death investigations reviewed. FBI Denver did review the age of victims and offenders for Native American homicide cases in Wyoming; however, the ages of the victims and offenders varied greatly.

    The 10-year review of death investigations involved thoroughly reviewing documents such as medical reporting, law enforcement reporting, interviews, and evidence reports. The following are examples:

    • In August 2019, a Native American male was kidnapped by three other Native American males in Riverton, Wyoming. The individual was beaten and transported onto the WRIR, where he was executed and dumped off a bridge. Through extensive cooperation with other state and local LE agencies, the FBI successfully prosecuted the three subjects, all of whom received lengthy prison sentences.
    • In November 2017, a Native American male was found deceased inside a suitcase in the crawlspace of a home on the WRIR. The individual suffered from blunt force injuries and severe sharp force injuries. The investigation indicated the victim in this case was killed due to his refusal to provide alcohol to other involved individuals during a party at the residence. The FBI was able to successfully identify and prosecute four Native American individuals that were involved in the captioned homicide case.

    FBI Denver also collected information from public outreach efforts including a press release, public forums, and tip lines. Between February 8 2024, and October 30, 2024, FBI Denver received eight tips, however these tips did not provide any new leads or identify any unknown missing or murdered indigenous persons cases.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Manchester Man Sentenced for Defrauding State and Federal Taxpayers of Nearly $300,000 in Pandemic Relief Funds

    Source: US FBI

    CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced for his involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain CARES Act funds from the United States government and the State of New York, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Kyereem Sackey, age 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty to 18 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.  Sackey was also ordered to make restitution in the amount of $295,167.  In January 2025, Sackey pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of bank fraud.

    “The defendant exploited a national crisis for personal gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack. “He stole nearly $300k in pandemic relief funds that were meant to support struggling families and small businesses. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who stole from the government during the pandemic and intentionally depleted the public fisc for personal profit.”

    “While the entire world was focused on dealing with a pandemic, Kyereem Sackey was selfishly focused on exploiting programs designed to help people struggling financially to instead enrich himself,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Sackey has been held accountable for cheating taxpayers, and the FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring to justice those who have committed similar crimes.”

    “Kyereem Sackey and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain New York Department of Labor pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and Small Business Administration Payroll Protection Program loans. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who seek to exploit these critical benefit programs,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    According to the court documents and statements made in court, Sackey used social media to conspire with others to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. Sackey filed unemployment insurance claims in the State of New York on behalf of a co-defendant, which he was not entitled to.  When the money was deposited into the co-defendant’s bank account, a portion of the money was sent to Sackey and another co-defendant.  Sackey and his co-defendants filed approximately $50,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.  In addition to the claim made on behalf of his co-defendant, Sackey filed claims on behalf of a dozen individuals as well as himself resulting in more than $250,000 in fraudulent unemployment benefits to be paid by the State of New York.

    Sackey also used a co-defendant’s information to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans using a false and fraudulent business that did not exist.  Sackey provided the bank with false documents, including fabricated tax documents.  Court records show that Sackey fraudulently applied for and obtained more than $30,000 in PPP loans.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General led the investigation.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Illinois Police Officer Sentenced for Assaulting Handcuffed Man

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Thursday sentenced a former police officer who struck a handcuffed man in the face to two years in prison.

    Justin Gaither was in full uniform and on duty with the Venice Police Department on Nov. 20, 2022, when he began pursuing a car that was displaying stolen license plates. The car drove over spike strips that Gaither deployed, then over the McKinley Bridge and into St. Louis. A Brooklyn Police Department officer was also pursuing the car. The pursuit ended in the 3800 block of Parnell Avenue in St. Louis. The vehicle’s occupants ran away. Gaither, the Brooklyn officer and that officer’s K-9 chased the driver. The driver was bitten while climbing over a fence and fell. His hands were then handcuffed behind his back by the Brooklyn officer. As Gaither lifted the driver from the ground to escort him to a police vehicle, he struck the driver twice in the face without justification and without a legitimate purpose, breaking the driver’s nose.

    Gaither, 34, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in February to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The right violated in this case is the right to be free from the use of unreasonable force under the Fourth Amendment.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ingomar — Shelburne District RCMP charges man with sexual assault and weapons offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Shelburne District RCMP has charged a man with multiple offences following an investigation into a sexual assault.

    On May 9, Shelburne District RCMP received a report of a sexual assault involving a firearm. Through the investigation officers determined that a woman had been unknowingly given a noxious substance, held against her will and sexually assaulted at a residence in Shelburne County. Officers executed a search warrant at the home on May 22, seized evidence related to the offences and safely arrested a man who is known to the victim.

    Robert Sean Williams, 51, of Ingomar, has been charged with:

    • Sexual Assault with a Weapon
    • Uttering Threats (two counts)
    • Administering Noxious Thing
    • Kidnapping
    • Voyeurism
    • Overcoming Resistance to Commission of Offence (two counts)
    • 10 firearms offences, including, but not limited to, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose and Careless Use of a Firearm

    Williams has also been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine) and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (psilocybin). He was remanded into custody pending future court appearances.

    The investigation is ongoing and is being led by Shelburne District RCMP.

    If you are experiencing, or have experienced, gender-based violence, including sexual assault, you are not alone. The elimination of gender-based violence continues to be a priority for the Nova Scotia RCMP, and the RCMP employs a trauma-informed approach. Survivors of gender-based violence can contact us and discuss an incident before deciding to further participate in the investigation and court process. Survivor supports are available, including through the RCMP Victim Services program.

    File # 2025-623161

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Felon Arrested in Connection with Months-Long Armed Robbery Spree

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Terry Lewis Burston, a multi-convicted felon who was released from prison last year, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon on May 22, 2025, following his arrest on charges of postal robbery, aggravated assault on a federal employee, Hobbs Act Robbery, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. Burston was arrested on May 17, 2025, pursuant to a criminal complaint obtained by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

    “Burston is a violent repeat offender who allegedly terrorized the citizens of DeKalb County by assaulting federal employees and robbing local business operators at gunpoint,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners whose coordinated investigation resulted in Burston’s arrest and prevented him from committing additional violent crimes.”

    “This is another example of Postal Inspectors and local agencies collaborating to remove an armed and dangerous individual from our community,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the violent and callous actions committed by this defendant against postal service employees and other businesses.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On December 14, 2024, Burston allegedly robbed an auto parts store in Decatur, Georgia. During the robbery, Burston allegedly brandished a black handgun, tapped it on the store counter, and demanded money from an employee. Burston fled after confiscating the cash.

    Six days later, on December 20, 2024, Burston allegedly waited outside a Scottdale, Georgia, post office. He forced his way inside after the last customer departed, pointed a gun at a postal employee, demanded money, obtained cash from the register, and fled.

    Later, on January 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a gas station in Decatur when he pointed a black handgun at an employee and demanded money.

    Four months later, on May 17, 2025, Burston allegedly attempted to rob a Lithonia, Georgia, Post Office but fled after postal employees began alerting their co-workers. Postal inspectors who responded to the attempted robbery found Burston changing his clothes behind a nearby restaurant. They recovered a firearm lying at Burston’s feet and arrested him after a brief chase.

    At the time of these alleged offenses, Burston was subject to federal supervision following his 2013 conviction for armed bank robbery. In a separate case, Burston was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment for robbing an Atlanta bank and post office in 1995.

    Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with valuable assistance from the DeKalb County Police Department. 

    Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Schechtman is prosecuting this case.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Mexican National Purchased More Than 150 Firearms to Be Smuggled from the United States to Mexico

    ATLANTA – Edson Aregullin has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for unlawfully purchasing firearms for transport from Georgia to Mexico. 

    “Illegal firearms trafficking wreaks havoc in communities within and outside our district,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are proud to stand alongside our federal law enforcement partners in helping to stem the unlawful flow of firearms to criminals.”

    “Every illegal firearm that crosses our border becomes a weapon of destruction in the wrong hands,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “ATF is committed to shutting down these criminal pipelines with precision and force. Our communities – here and abroad – deserve nothing less.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Edson Aregullin conspired with several individuals in Mexico to purchase more than 150 firearms from various firearms dealers in the Northern District of Georgia.  Those firearms included 9mm pistols and AR-style rifles.  Aregullin’s contacts in Mexico sent him detailed instructions concerning the makes and models of the firearms to buy.  Aregullin bought the firearms with funds received from the actual buyer in Mexico and then facilitated transportation of the weapons to Mexico.

    The guns Areguillin purchased illegally were used to commit violent crimes. For example, on April 21, 2022, Aregullin bought a .223 caliber rifle that law enforcement officers in Guanajuato, Mexico recovered just a few months later after a deadly encounter between municipal police and armed combatants. During the ensuing melee, eight people were killed, and four were injured.

    On May 22, 2025, United States District Judge Steven D. Grimberg sentenced Edson Aregullin, 47, a Mexican national previously residing in Atlanta, Georgia, to 71 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On November 19, 2024, Aregullin pled guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic in Firearms, three counts of Trafficking in Firearms, and three counts of False Statements to a Federal Firearms Licensee.   

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

    Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Gabay-Smith prosecuted the case.

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

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

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