NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Fallen During 2023 Police Week Events

    Source: US FBI

    Police Week regularly draws 25,000 to 40,000 visitors to the nation’s capital. The observance comprises several events—including some, like the FBI service, that occur before Police Week officially starts.

    These collective events include the Blue Mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church; a Police K-9 Memorial Service at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial; a 5K fundraising run; the arrival of the Police Unity Tour, where more than 2,000 bicycle riders simultaneously arrive in Washington, D.C., after traveling for days from cities around the country; the aforementioned 35th annual candlelight vigil; and the 42nd annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service at the U.S. Capitol, which was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Law Enforcement and Other Offenses During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man was sentenced to prison today after he was previously convicted of assaulting law enforcement other offenses during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                Brett Alan Rotella, also known as Brett Ostrander, 35, of Kannapolis, North Carolina, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss to 38 months in prison, 36 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

                A federal jury previously found Rotella guilty of three felony offenses, including obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers, and several misdemeanors.

                According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, on Jan. 6, 2021, at approximately 2:24 p.m., Rotella was identified among a crowd of rioters amassed on the West Plaza of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., wearing distinctive clothing that included a red skull cap, a black sleeveless puffy vest over a red sleeveless shirt, and white or gray long shorts. He carried a long pole with at least two flags affixed to it at various points during the day.

                According to police body-worn camera footage, just minutes after his arrival at the West Font, Rotella approached a police barricade and forcibly pushed it toward a Metropolitan Police Department officer, while shouting inflammatory remarks.

                At approximately 2:33 p.m., as the police line on the West Plaza became overwhelmed and was forced to retreat, Rotella was observed taking charge of a group of rioters, directing their movements by periodically signaling with his hand to “hold” and leading them up the southwest stairs toward the Capitol.

                Video footage from the Lower West Terrace showed that at approximately 2:40 p.m., Rotella followed retreating officers into the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement that day. Inside the Tunnel, as officers attempted to hold back the rioters, Rotella continued his advance, even after pepper balls containing chemical irritant were fired at him.

                Evidence during the trial showed that the mob, including Rotella, breached the Capitol entrance at the Tunnel by smashing the glass pane of one of the locked doors and forcing the doors open. CCTV and body-worn camera footage depicted Rotella entering the Tunnel and joining others in a concerted effort to physically assault police officers inside. Inside the Tunnel, Rotella pushed against police shields and attempted to leverage his body to push through the police line and into the building.

                Rotella left the Tunnel at approximately 2:55 p.m., but remained in the vicinity for approximately ninety more minutes, joining a large crowd that repeatedly surged against the police line. Further video evidence depicted Rotella counting down and leading a coordinated push by the mob against the officers.

                Rotella was later observed grabbing a large orange ladder and handing it toward the front of the crowd in an apparent attempt to use it against the officers. Video footage showed Rotella pushing the ladder into the Tunnel and pushing against other rioters near him in an effort to collectively breach the police line.

                The FBI arrested Rotella on Aug. 29, 2023, in Mooresville, North Carolina.

                This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

                This case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte and Washington Field Offices, which identified Rotella as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #82 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                In the 47 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,572 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 590 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Raleigh Man Who Fled From Police with ‘Ghost Gun’ Sentenced to Eight Years

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man was sentenced to 96 months in prison after fleeing from the police and discarding a “ghost gun”.  On May 22, 2024, Treyvion Maleke Sutton pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on December 8, 2023, Sutton, 20, fled from Raleigh police officers on foot after officers attempted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. While running from officers, Sutton discarded a loaded, unserialized “ghost gun” with an extended magazine. Sutton, who has prior felony convictions for common law robbery, assault by strangulation, discharge of a weapon into occupied property, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and battery of an unborn child, was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    A privately made firearm is often called a “ghost gun” because it is not marked with a serial number and therefore is far more difficult for law enforcement to trace if they are used to commit crimes. These firearms can be made from scratch, or they can be assembled from weapon parts kits, including “buy-build-shoot” kits, which are weapon part kits with pre-manufactured, dissembled, complete firearms (a firearm in a box).

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., 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 and the Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Nokes  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-24-D-RN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Zoe Mafia Family, Other Gang Members Convicted on Firearms and Narcotics Charges in South Florida Federal Court

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, ATF Miami, and Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), in collaboration with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, secured federal convictions and prison sentences against 18 members of violent South Florida street gangs – including Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), the 3rd World gang, and several sects of the Bloods gang.

    The joint operation involved charges of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine trafficking; carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and felon in possession of a firearm. It led to the recovery of 23 firearms, three kilograms of fentanyl, and seven kilograms of cocaine, as well as methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana.

    The defendants, former residents of South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties) were convicted and sentenced to prison terms as follows: 

    Andre Allen, 37, was sentenced to 120 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-20190);

    David Brown,41, was sentenced to 151 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl (22-cr-60177);

    Tirell Caldwell,26, was sentenced to 57 months for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60220);

    Johnnie Gibson,51, was sentenced to 175 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205); 

    Brionne Griffin,35, was sentenced to 60 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, and methamphetamine (22-cr-60082);

    Joseph Johnson, Jr.,46, was sentenced to 120 months for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60131);

    Timothy Neil Lewis, Jr.,26, was sentenced to 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60083);

    Makinson Moise,35, was sentenced to 248 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine base (23-cr-60004);

    Arnicious Odom,48, was sentenced to 30 months for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine (23-cr-60205);

    Wendy Previl,33, was sentenced to 120 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); 

    Joshua Robinson,38, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132);

    Robert Roseme,28, was sentenced to 42 months for possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl (23-cr-60089); 

    Nolan Setoute,43, was sentenced to 12 months for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon (22-cr-60124);

    Terrance Stanley,40, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60120);

    Dorshawn Tate,20, was sentenced to 8 months for possession with intent to distribute alprazolam (23-cr-60051);

    British Wilkerson,42, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-60125);

    Byron Felecio Williams, Jr.,40, was sentenced to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (22-cr-80136); and

    Kevin Williams,31, was sentenced to 18 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (24-cr-60132).

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the ATF Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office announced the results of the operation.

    This case was investigated by ATF Miami and Broward Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, and FBI Miami.

    Southern District of Florida Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Brown and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason McCormack prosecuted these cases.

    Several of the defendants, are associated with Zoe Mafia Family (ZMF), a South Florida Haitian street gang.

    Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department designated two Haitian gangs (Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Indiana Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Embezzling Nearly $1.2 Million From Employer

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Christina Robinson, 52, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler today, and pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling nearly $1.2 million from her employer, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed plea documents and the hearing, from September 2013 to April 2023, Robinson engaged in a scheme to defraud a Charlotte-based company by abusing her position as the company’s controller to embezzle nearly $1.2 million in company funds. During the scheme, Robinson misused her position and access to the company’s bank accounts to carry out the scheme by moving the embezzled funds and withdrawing them in cash. To conceal the theft and to remain undetected, Robison made materially false and misleading accounting entries in the company’s books and records. As Robinson admitted in court today, she used some of the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including more than $330,000 in purchases, over $324,000 in credit card payments, more than $80,000 in loan payments, over $40,000 in mortgage payments, and more than $35,000 in car payments.

    Robinson was released on bond following the plea hearing. At sentencing, she faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud charge. A sentencing date has not been set.

    The FBI investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Law Enforcement During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man pleaded guilty today to assaulting law enforcement during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                David Paul Daniel, 37, of Mint Hill, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to a felony offense of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Judge McFadden will sentence Daniel on May 5, 2025.

                According to court documents, Daniel traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the Jan. 6, 2021, “Stop the Steal” rally on the National Mall.

                At approximately 2:12 p.m., the initial breach of the U.S. Capitol building occurred at a doorway known as the Senate Wing Door. Eventually, U.S. Capitol Police officers were able to stop the influx of rioters from that doorway. To secure the area, the officers, among other efforts, placed heavy wooden structures in front of the Senate Wing Door and nearby windows.

                At approximately 2:42 p.m., a rioter succeeded in once again breaking open the Senate Wing Door, but further entry was blocked by one of the heavy wooden structures, which was placed in front of the door like a barricade. At approximately 2:46 p.m., Daniel moved to the front of the crowd directly in front of that barricade.

                About one minute later, Daniel and another rioter to his right thrust their arms into and forcefully pushed the barricade into the officers standing on the other side. Officers attempted to keep the heavy wooden barricade in place as the crowd swarmed behind Daniel to support the push. Approximately one minute later, rioters succeeded in overwhelming the officers and swarmed into the Senate Wing Door hallway.

                At about 2:49 p.m., Daniel climbed over a pile of wooden structures to exit the Senate Wing Door area through a broken window. Daniel then re-entered the Capitol through another broken window beside the Senate Wing Door. He spent several moments walking around the perimeter of the area just inside the Senate Wing Door, then then walked south down a corridor, through the Small House Rotunda, and entered the Capitol Crypt. After a few moments, Daniel walked back north to the Senate Wing Door, where, at approximately 3:04 p.m., he eventually exited the building through a broken window.

                This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                In the 48 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,583 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 600 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces North Georgia Results of Operation Restore Justice

    Source: US FBI

    ATLANTA – Between April 28, 2025 through May 1, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort, by all 55 FBI field offices, United States Attorneys’ Offices across the country, and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division (CEOS), to identify, track, and arrest child sex offenders.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 subjects, including six individuals charged in the Northern District of Georgia: Austin Hunter Bedingfield, 27, of Douglasville; Ian Dudar, 26, of Roswell; Kenneth Frazier, 30, of Powder Springs; Eduardo Gardea, 26, of Norcross; Connie Lynn Thompson, 52, of Grantville; and Christopher Welcher, 44, of Grantville.

    “The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims – especially child victims – and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

    “Sex crimes against minors are especially heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts to hold accountable those who prey on children and achieve a measure of justice for the victims and their families.”

    “Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

    “Our commitment is resolute. FBI Atlanta remains steadfast in its mission to safeguard children from those who seek to harm society’s most vulnerable,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “However, let there be no confusion – this week’s operation is just one chapter in a relentless, year-round effort that our dedicated agents are fully invested in. We will continue to leverage every tool and resource at our disposal to track down child predators and ensure they face justice.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court, the following defendants were arrested in connection with the operation, indicted by federal grand juries seated in the Northern District of Georgia, and have now been arraigned before a United States Magistrate Judge:

    • Austin Hunter Bedingfield was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Bedingfield allegedly distributed graphic videos depicting the abuse of minors to an undercover officer via Kik. FBI agents conducted a search of Bedingfield’s electronic devices and recovered additional images of sexual abuse of minor children. He was arrested on April 30, 2025.
    • Ian Dudar was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material. Dudar allegedly purchased child sexual abuse material using Bitcoin from a commercial child exploitation ring on at least four occasions in 2022.  Later, in January 2024, when FBI agents executed search warrants on his person and home, they found child sexual abuse material on two of his electronic devices. He was arrested on April 29, 2025.
    • Kenneth Frazier was charged with enticement of a minor, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. On November 7, 2024, acting on tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Cobb County, Georgia, Police Department executed a search warrant at Frazier’s residence in Powder Springs. Officers seized Frazier’s cell phones, which contained hundreds of images and videos of children as young as infants and toddlers forced to engage in sex acts. One of Frazier’s phones also contained chat transcripts in which Frazier allegedly described himself as a “pedophile,” enticed a minor to engage in sexual activity, and received a visual depiction of that minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He was arrested on May 2, 2025.
    • Eduardo Gardea was charged with distribution of child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Gardea allegedly distributed child sexual abuse material on two internet platforms and possessed thousands of images depicting the sexual abuse of children. He was arrested on April 24, 2025.
    • Connie Lynn Thompson was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly destroying electronic devices to conceal the alleged child exploitation crimes of Christopher Welcher, who was also arrested during the operation, as is more fully described below. Approximately a week after Welcher’s arrest, he allegedly called Thompson from jail and discussed a plan to destroy electronic devices that contained evidence against him. Although Thompson allegedly executed the concealment plan, the FBI recovered the damaged devices from Thompson’s household trash. She was arrested on May 16, 2025.
    • Christopher Welcher was charged with enticement of a minor, interstate travel to engage in an illicit sex act with a minor, possession of child sexual abuse material, and commission of a felony by a registered sex offender. On March 4, 2025, Welcher, a registered sex offender who previously served more than six years in federal prison for distributing child sex abuse materials, allegedly exchanged sexually explicit text messages with an undercover investigator he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Welcher then drove from Alabama to the vicinity of a northwest Georgia high school to allegedly meet and molest the girl. Police arrested Welcher upon his arrival at the meeting location and seized his phone, which contained hundreds of images of child sex abuse. He was arrested on May 16, 2025.

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

    United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg and Assistant United States Attorneys James Hwang, Matthew LaGrone, Leanne Marek, and Amy Palumbo are prosecuting these cases.

    These cases are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the Cobb County Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and Rome/Floyd Metro Drug Task Force.

    This effort follows the Department of Justice’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April 2025, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, investigate and prosecute these crimes every day, April served as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

    The Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

    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: Columbus Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Crimes Related to Sexually Exploiting and Sextorting More Than 25 Identified Victims

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 324 months in prison for crimes related to sexually exploiting and sextorting more than 25 known victims in at least four states.

    Lorenzo A. Winfield, 23, persistently and aggressively sought out and collected nude files of high school classmates and minor females he met online.

    “Acts of sextortion are serious and have no place in our society. As we heard in court today from more than a dozen victims, this conduct creates significant harm,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Today’s sentencing reflects that we will hold such perpetrators accountable for their damaging actions.”

    According to court documents, from at least 2016 until 2021, Winfield used extortion tactics to solicit and collect explicit photos of underage girls at his Columbus high school, the Arts and College Preparatory Academy (ACPA), where he was known as the “ACPA Hacker”.

    Winfield would contact students at ACPA and demand nude images and videos of them.  He would also hack into victims’ social media accounts and use the photos he obtained in their private accounts against them as leverage for more content.  Winfield would threaten the victims, letting them know he had nude content depicting them or other students and that he would distribute those images and videos unless the victims complied with his demands. On numerous occasions, Winfield followed through on these threats, distributing sexually explicit photos of his victims to others to prove he was serious with his threats in a bid to contain more content. In addition, Winfield told the victims to send him sexually explicit images or videos in order to regain control of their own social media accounts.

    Winfield used several social media accounts of his own to engage in the exploitation and extortion of the victims. His accounts were active across platforms such as Discord, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype and Google Hangouts.

    Winfield was separately investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office for extorting and exploiting at least four victims in Fairfax and Prince William counties in Virginia.

    For example, one identified victim was approximately 11 years old at the time Winfield first contacted her online. During their communications, Winfield obtained nude images of her and videos of her masturbating. Winfield used this content as leverage and eventually sent nude photos of the victim to students at a Virginia middle school to prove he was serious about his sextortion of her. Eventually, as the victim got older, Winfield also sent the images to students at her high school, promising the victim that if she got her friends to help her out by sending him nude images, that he would stop. Winfield threatened to harm the family of the Virginia minor if she did not comply with his requests for sexually explicit photos and videos and continued to exploit and extort her until his arrest.

    Similarly, Winfield exploited at least one victim in College Station, Texas. The investigation revealed that the Texas victim sent approximately 50 pictures and videos to Winfield. Winfield demanded explicit images and videos of her daily. On one occasion, when the victim did not comply with Winfield’s demands, Winfield sent images of the victim’s nude breasts and vagina to the victim’s brother and friend. 

    The defendant pleaded guilty in December 2023 to sexually exploiting minors, possessing child pornography, and communicating interstate with the intent to extort.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperative investigation in this case with FBI divisions and state and local law enforcement agencies in Ohio, Virginia and Texas. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Arrested on Felony and Misdemeanor Charges for Actions During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: US FBI

                 WASHINGTON — An Ohio man was arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                 David Valentine, 46, of Wilmington, Ohio, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with a felony charge of civil disorder. In addition to the felony, Valentine is charged with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful, knowingly, and with intent to impede or disrupt the orderly conduct of government business or official functions and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building or grounds.

                 Valentine was arrested on Aug. 22, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and he made his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

                 According to court documents, Valentine was identified within the restricted grounds of the U.S. Capitol building at around 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, near a line of police officers and bike-rack barricades preventing rioters from advancing toward the U.S. Capitol building. At about 1:40 p.m., rioters carried and passed a large metal-framed “Trump 2020” sign toward the police line.

                 It is alleged that when the sign reached the police line, Valentine joined the rioters who pushed the sign against the police officers. It is alleged that Valentine reached for the sign with his right hand and pushed the sign. The rioters used the large sign as a battering ram against the officers who were holding the line and attempted to breach the bike-rack barricades while the officers were attacked with the large sign.

                 Later, Valentine was identified on the West Plaza of Capitol grounds and was seen entering a lower part of the Inaugural stage within the West Plaza. Valentine then allegedly climbed into an area that appeared to be under construction and seemed to cut some wires with a folding knife.

                 At about 2:30 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) retreated to an area inside the archway of the U.S. Capitol building’s Lower West Terrace Doors, referred to as the Tunnel. The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement on January 6th.  There, rioters massed in front of the Tunnel and attacked police officers, pushing in a collective effort to overwhelm the police officers guarding this entrance to the building. Valentine was present outside the Tunnel.

                 At approximately 5:00 p.m., rioters collectively pushed against the police officers in the Tunnel, and Valentine allegedly joined the group, placing his hand against the back of the rioter in front of him before being repelled by a chemical irritant.

                 This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

                 The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Cincinnati and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

                 In the 43 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,488 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including nearly 550 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                 Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Members of Violent Third World Mob Gang Guilty of Trafficking More Than 1,000 Kilograms of Marijuana

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal jury has convicted two members of the Third World Mob gang with conspiring to traffic more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana. Third World Mob is a violent criminal organization in Columbus.

    After an 8-day trial before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr., jurors deliberated for less than six hours before finding Klegewerges Abate, 35, and Abubakarr Savage, 34, both of Columbus, guilty on all counts.

    Abate, who is also known as “Bells,” “Robell” and “Sosa,” was convicted of conspiring to traffic at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, firearms offenses, and wire fraud related to illegally obtaining COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.

    Savage was charged with and convicted of conspiring to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. Savage is also known as “Sav” and “Savdripp.”

    According to court documents and trial testimony, Third World Mob members brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana into Ohio from other states like California and Georgia to sell in central Ohio. They used U-Haul trucks and rental cars to move the drugs.  Coconspirators used rental houses or houses leased or owned in other individuals’ names as “stash houses” or “trap houses” to facilitate the drug trafficking and to store significant amounts of cash from the drug proceeds.

    For example, in August 2019, Abate and others possessed a suitcase with approximately $940,000 in cash in it in a house on Phlox Avenue in Blacklick.

    During a November 2022 search of a residence on Chapel Stone Road in Blacklick, law enforcement officials found Abate and two of his co-conspirators, along with more than 700 kilograms of marijuana and three firearms.

    Third World Mob leaders and members used violence and the threat of violence to maintain authority over their drug trafficking.

    Surveillance video presented at trial showed Abate, a convicted felon, shooting a man at a restaurant in Columbus. Jurors also heard testimony about numerous shootings, a pistol-whipping, and other acts of intimidation.

    Abate was also convicted of wire fraud for falsely applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, fraudulently claiming that he had been a self-employed landscaper during the time he trafficked drugs.

    In total, seven members of the Third World Mob have been charged federally since 2021. Fellow member Menelik Solomon pleaded guilty in November 2023 and was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison. Coconspirator Teddy Asefa entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and wire fraud just prior to trial. Another defendant stood trial with Abate and Savage and was acquitted of the single obstruction of justice charge against him.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; and Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin announced the verdict. U.S. Attorney Parker recognized the assistance from the Columbus, Whitehall and Tucson, Arizona, police departments and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth A. Geraghty and S. Courter Shimeall represented the United States in this case.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cincinnati Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Missing Teen

    Source: US FBI

    CINCINNATI – A Cincinnati man was sentenced in federal court here today to 162 months in prison for sex trafficking a missing teen girl.

    As part of his conviction, Payton Jamar Brown, 26, was ordered to pay nearly $58,000 in restitution to the minor victim and forfeit his home on Niagara Street in Cincinnati. Proceeds of the sale of his forfeited home will be paid to Brown’s victim as restitution.

    According to court documents, from June until October 2022 and again in February 2023, Brown sex trafficked the teenaged girl.

    Brown met the victim online and began a relationship with her. The victim began to reside with Brown, who created prostitution advertisements of her. Brown would transport the victim to hotels for prostitution dates that he had arranged. Brown arranged at least 40 prostitution dates in this timeframe and collected the proceeds from the victim.

    In October 2022, Colerain police officers responded to Brown’s residence and recovered the victim, who was subsequently taken to a juvenile facility in another state.

    In February 2023, the juvenile escaped the facility and messaged Brown on Instagram to pick her up. Brown drove interstate to pick up the victim and her friend and bring them to his residence. Brown again created a prostitution advertisement of the victim and arranged sexual encounters with other men for money.

    Throughout his time with the victim, Brown would regularly engage in sex acts with the minor and record those acts with a cell phone. He would then sell the photos and videos to others online.

    Brown was arrested by the FBI in February 2023. He pleaded guilty in October 2023.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III; and members of the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations (RECI) task force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Columbus Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Stealing Cocaine From Crime Scenes, Police Evidence Room

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Columbus police officer pleaded guilty in federal court here today to crimes involving more than 10 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.

    Joel M. Mefford, 35, of London, Ohio, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, one count of possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of money laundering.

    According to court documents, Mefford was a Columbus police officer assigned to investigate drug crimes. On three occasions between February and April 2020, Mefford worked with another officer to steal and traffic cocaine.

    In February 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating a drug crime and unlawfully gained access to a detached garage belonging to the subject of the investigation. Without a warrant, they entered the garage and discovered two kilograms of cocaine in the rafters. They unlawfully seized one of the kilograms and left the other to be found during the execution of a search warrant the next morning. The other officer gave the stolen narcotics to another individual to sell.

    Similarly, in February and March 2020, Mefford and the other officer were investigating drug-trafficking activity at houses on Ambleside Drive and Kilbourne Avenue in Columbus. On March 7, 2020, the officers took a bag containing multiple kilograms of cocaine from the house on Ambleside Drive and arrested an individual there. They then traveled to the house on Kilbourne Avenue and removed a kilogram of cocaine. That same day, Mefford turned in one kilogram of cocaine to evidence, and the officers stole the other kilograms to be sold.

    In April 2020, Mefford and the other officer stole between 10 and 20 kilograms of cocaine from the Columbus police property room and replaced it with fake cocaine. Mefford transported the stolen cocaine in a police cruiser and the other officer later gave the drugs to another individual to sell. The drug proceeds were then given to the other officer, who provided Mefford his cut. Mefford personally received a total of approximately $130,000 from cocaine sales.

    Mefford deposited more than $72,000 of the cash derived from the cocaine sales into his personal bank account.

    Possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine is punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine carries a potential penalty of five to 40 years in prison. Money laundering is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Congress sets the minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.

    The case was investigated by the FBI’s Southern Ohio Public Corruption Task Force, which includes special agents and officers from the FBI, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office and the Columbus Division of Police.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: BLM Activist Sentenced to Prison for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

    Source: US FBI

    TOLEDO, Ohio – Sir Maejor Page, 35, of Toledo, has been sentenced to 42 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Helmick after a jury convicted him of wire fraud and money laundering for defrauding donors of more than $450,000 that they collectively gave to his nonprofit “Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta” (BLM of Greater Atlanta) based on Page’s false representations. He was also ordered to pay a $400 special assessment fee.

    Page continued to collect donations to his purported social justice charity through the organization’s Facebook page even after its tax-exempt status was revoked for failure to submit IRS Form 990 for three consecutive years.  He regularly posted content to Facebook about social and racial issues to give his nonprofit the appearance of legitimacy, despite no longer being tax-exempt. He also used Facebook to message privately with users, and he falsely represented that their donations would be used to “fight for George Floyd” and the “movement.” As a result, approximately 18,000 people donated to the BLM of Greater Atlanta charity through its Facebook account, which Page administered.

    Page used the donations to BLM for his own personal benefit. He purchased entertainment, hotel rooms, clothing, firearms, and a property that he intended to use as his personal residence. He attempted to conceal the purchase of the property by using the name “Hi Frequency Ohio” and asked the seller to sign a nondisclosure agreement that would have prevented the seller from listing Page as the actual buyer.

    “Mr. Page took advantage of a cause meant to fight social injustices, using it instead to line his own pockets with thousands of dollars of donations,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “People donate their hard-earned money to support causes they believe in, and when a fraudster like Page comes along and tries to get away with a fake charity scheme, it hurts legitimate nonprofit organizations that rely on the generosity of others to advance their missions and make positive change in the world. This Office will hold accountable those who try to profit by scamming unsuspecting people out of their money like Page did here.”

    “The FBI will aggressively investigate individuals, like Sir Maejor Page, who engage in fraudulent charity schemes at the expense of the American public,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen.  “Page is a calculating criminal who willingly conspired to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars through the trusting public. Today’s sentence holds him accountable and demonstrates that the FBI will steadfastly pursue perpetrators who target American citizens.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Rob Melching.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison For Attempting to Assist ISIS to Conduct Deadly Ambush on U.S. Troops

    Source: US FBI

    U.S. Army Private First Class Provided Tactical Guidance in Attempt to Help ISIS Attack and Murder U.S. Service Members in the Middle East

    Cole Bridges, also known as Cole Gonzales, 24, of Stow, Ohio, was sentenced to 168 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder U.S. military service members, based on his efforts to assist the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to attack and kill U.S. soldiers in the Middle East.

    Bridges pleaded guilty to terrorism charges on June 14, 2023. According to court documents, Bridges joined the U.S. Army in approximately September 2019 and was assigned as a cavalry scout in the Third Infantry Division based in Fort Stewart, Georgia. Before he joined the Army, beginning in at least 2019, Bridges began researching and consuming online propaganda promoting jihadists and their violent ideology, and began to express his support for ISIS and jihad on social media. In or about October 2020, approximately one year after joining the Army, Bridges began communicating with an FBI online covert employee (the OCE), who was posing as an ISIS supporter in contact with ISIS fighters in the Middle East. During these communications, Bridges expressed his frustration with the U.S. military and his desire to aid ISIS. Bridges then provided training and guidance to purported ISIS fighters who were planning attacks, including advice about potential targets in New York City. Bridges also provided the OCE with portions of a U.S. Army training manual and guidance about military combat tactics, with the understanding that the materials would be used by ISIS in future attack planning.

    In or about December 2020, Bridges began to supply the OCE with instructions for the purported ISIS fighters on how to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East. Among other things, Bridges diagrammed specific military maneuvers intended to help ISIS fighters maximize the lethality of future attacks on U.S. troops. Bridges also provided advice about the best way to fortify an ISIS encampment to ambush U.S. Special Forces, including by wiring certain buildings with explosives to kill the U.S. troops. Then, in January 2021, Bridges provided the OCE with a video of himself in his U.S. Army body armor standing in front of a flag often used by ISIS fighters and making a gesture symbolic of support for ISIS. Approximately one week later, Bridges sent a second video in which Bridges, using a voice manipulator, narrated a propaganda speech in support of the anticipated ambush by ISIS on U.S. troops.

    The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force investigated the case, with valuable assistance provided by the FBI field offices in Washington, Atlanta, and Cleveland; U.S. Army Counterintelligence, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, and U.S. Army Third Infantry Division.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Matthew Hellman for the Southern District of New York prosecuted the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with Intent to Commit Murder

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jason Edward Lewis, age 48, of Kenefic, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country.

    The Superseding Indictment alleged that on or about July 10, 2024, Lewis assaulted an individual with intent to commit murder.  The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.

    The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Lewis will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Geizura represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Adair County Resident Sentenced for Child Abuse

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brian Keith Bowen Jr., age 26, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee Nation Marshals Service.

    On May 22, 2024, Bowen pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, between April and May of 2023, Bowen maliciously harmed a child entrusted in his care.  Bowen’s mistreatment came to light on May 2, 2023, when medical professionals treating the child observed numerous injuries, including fading bruises, petechiae, and a spiral bone fracture consistent with child abuse.

    The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Bowen will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jade Larae Duncan, age 27, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.

    The Indictment alleged that on December 2, 2022, Duncan unlawfully killed an individual in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony and in the commission in an unlawful manner, without due caution and circumspection, while driving under the influence of alcohol and departing the roadway into a creek bed.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Department.

    The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan, Lewis M. Reagan, and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Medford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Fatal Fentanyl Overdose of a Teenager

    Source: US FBI

    MEDFORD, Ore.—A Medford man was sentenced to federal prison Monday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a local teenager.

    John Rocha, 31, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.

    According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned that the teenager had taken counterfeit Percocet pills containing fentanyl. Within days, investigators identified Rocha as the victim’s fourth-level drug supplier and, when confronted by law enforcement, he admitted to having recently sold counterfeit pills.

    On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Rocha and four others with distributing fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    On February 20, 2024, Rocha pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: L3 Technologies Inc. Agrees to Pay $62,000,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations arising from Submission of False Cost or Pricing Data on Defense Contracts

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    L3 Technologies Inc., a corporation doing business in Utah, has agreed to pay the United States $62 million to settle allegations that its division, Communications System West, violated the False Claims Act and the Truth In Negotiations Act by knowingly making false statements and submitting and causing the submission of false claims by failing to disclose accurate, current, and complete cost or pricing data for communications equipment sold to various Department of Defense agencies, including the Air Force, Army, and Navy, and other government agencies.

    L3 manufactures communications equipment to operate unmanned vehicles and retrieve data and visuals for military operations and intelligence. The devices are known as remote operations video enhanced receivers (ROVER), Video-Oriented Transceivers for Exchange of Information (VORTEX), and Soldier Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (SIR) receivers.  The United States has purchased ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR products through sole source, fixed price contracts, and L3 also has supplied these products under subcontracts with other prime contractors who manufacture unmanned vehicles.

    The settlement resolves allegations that, between October 2006 and February 2014, L3 failed to disclose accurate, complete, and current cost or pricing data relating to the labor, material, and other costs for manufacturing the ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR products, and each of their versions and kits, and falsely certified that it had done so in dozens of government contract proposals.  The United States alleged that this conduct violated the Truth in Negotiations Act, which requires a contractor to provide to the government at the time of an agreement on price the most current, complete, and accurate facts that could reasonably be expected to affect price negotiations significantly.  The United States further alleged that, by failing to disclose accurate, complete, and current cost or pricing data, L3 knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims in connection with the ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR contracts and subcontracts in violation of the False Claims Act.

    “The Department will vigorously pursue federal contractors who fail to provide truthful information during contract negotiations to ensure federal agencies do not overpay for products and services.” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

    “Taking advantage of the resources that support the armed forces of the United States and other government agencies will not be tolerated,” said Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable individuals and contractors who defraud the government.”

    “This $62 million settlement underscores the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) commitment to protecting national security and ensuring the integrity of Department of Defense acquisitions.,” stated OSI Special Agent Jeffery T.E. Herrin. “L3’s defective pricing in contract proposals for critical systems like ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR erodes public trust, and OSI, through robust law enforcement partnerships, will continue to uphold law and order within the defense industry.”

    “This settlement is the result of a collaborative effort to guard against fraud, waste, and abuse, demonstrating the commitment of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and our partner agencies to safeguard public funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Olga Morales of the Department of the Army CID Southwest Field Office. “Investigating companies that defraud the Army is crucial to maintaining the trust of the American public and upholding the integrity of government contracting.”

    The settlement resulted from a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah with assistance from the Defense Contract Management Agency, the Department of the Air Force, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Special Operations Command.  Senior Trial Counsel A. Thomas Morris and former Senior Trial Counsel Russell Kinner of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra Cadman for the District of Utah handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 10th EU Day Against Impunity event emphasises protection of the independence and integrity of international judicial authorities who are investigating and prosecuting core international crime

    Source: Eurojust

    International judicial authorities are increasingly confronted with challenges such as sanctions, funding limitations, and lack of cooperation. These obstacles risk disrupting ongoing investigations and proceedings, ultimately undermining justice for the victims of some of the most heinous crimes.

    The opening remarks provided by Eurojust, the Polish Ministry of Justice and the European Commission, underscored the significance of international judicial institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), in ensuring justice for core international crimes.

    Mr Michael Schmid, Eurojust President: Delivering justice for core international crimes is not optional. It is essential for security, stability and the rule of law. The EU Day Against Impunity reminds us that accountability cannot wait and that the EU will not look the other way. Together with independent international justice systems, we will be a force for accountability and make global justice part of who we are.

    Mr Adam Bodnar, Minister of Justice of Poland: Our unified European support for international accountability for war crimes is more important than ever. But we should not forget that independence of judicial authorities is one part of the story. The other is what we do in order to document war crimes and for this I’m grateful for Eurojust’s support and the work of authorities in other EU Member States.

    Mr Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection: The independence and impartiality of international judicial bodies are not negotiable. These institutions do not serve geopolitical interests; they serve the law; and the law serves the people it is enacted to protect.

    The event also featured a keynote address from Mr Frank Hoffmeister, Head of the Legal Department of the European External Action Service, as well as a panel discussion featuring representatives from the ICC, Council of Europe, civil society, and EU Member States. The panellists examined how these challenges undermine the effective delivery of justice and restrict victims’ access to it. They emphasised the urgent need for strong collaboration among states, international organisations, and civil society to safeguard the integrity and impartiality of judicial bodies in an increasingly complex landscape.

    Since 2016, Eurojust has joined the Genocide Prosecution Network, European Commission and Presidency of the Council of the EU to host an event on or around 23 May to raise awareness of the most heinous crimes and promote national investigations and prosecutions. In previous editions, they have discussed topics such as the cumulative prosecution of foreign terrorist fighters, accountability for core international crimes committed in Syria, and the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.

    These annual events highlight the efforts and commitment of EU Member States in enforcing international criminal law with the support of the EU. To see an overview of all previous editions, visit our website.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Main organisers of large-scale drug transports to Nordic countries arrested in Serbia

    Source: Eurojust

    In an operation coordinated via Eurojust, the Serbian authorities arrested five suspects this week for organising the long-term, large-scale transport of illicit drugs to Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. Previously, eight fictitious owners of haulage companies used for these transports had already been detained in Serbia. This week’s successful action is the result of a joint investigation team (JIT) between Serbia and the four Nordic countries, set up and supported by Eurojust.

    The criminal network that has now been brought down was responsible for transporting large quantities of narcotics, such as cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis, from Spain and the Netherlands to Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway. The network mainly arranged drivers and the lorries for transports via France and Germany. The drugs were hidden in secret compartments in the trucks, occasionally together with firearms.

    Locally operating criminal groups were responsible for selling and distributing the illicit drugs. Over the last few years, several suspects have been arrested and, in some cases, convicted in Sweden, Denmark and Norway for their involvement in the drug trade via the transport network.

    The total volume of drugs handled is not available, but the Serbian authorities estimate that at least 1.6 tonnes of various narcotics and approximately 62 000 tablets and pills were transported. Investigations had been ongoing as of 2020, when in April 2024 a JIT was set up to consolidate the investigative efforts. Eurojust provided logistical, organisational and financial support to this JIT. The Agency also organised a series of coordination meetings to prepare for the action this week.

    During the operations in Serbia, several encrypted mobile phones were seized, as well as a firearm, ammunition and documents referring to the foundation of the Serbian transport companies. The coordination and cooperation between all countries involved was also facilitated by the fact that both Serbia and Norway are among the twelve countries outside the European Union to have a Liaison Prosecutor at Eurojust.

    The operations were carried out and supported by the following authorities:

    • Serbia: Prosecution Office for Organised Crime, Belgrade; Police Service for the Fight Against Organised Crime
    • Sweden: Swedish Prosecution Authority, National Unit Against Organised Crime: Swedish Customs
    • Finland: Prosecution District Southern Finland; National Bureau of Investigation
    • Denmark: National Special Crime Unit
    • Norway: Innlandet Police District

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Qakbot Malware Conspiracy Indicted for Involvement in Global Ransomware Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A federal indictment unsealed today charges Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov, 48, of Moscow, Russia, with leading a group of cyber criminals who developed and deployed the Qakbot malware. In connection with the charges, the Justice Department filed today a civil forfeiture complaint against over $24 million in cryptocurrency seized from Gallyamov over the course of the investigation. These actions are the latest step in an ongoing multinational effort by the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Canada to combat cybercrime.

    “Today’s announcement of the Justice Department’s latest actions to counter the Qakbot malware scheme sends a clear message to the cybercrime community,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are determined to hold cybercriminals accountable and will use every legal tool at our disposal to identify you, charge you, forfeit your ill-gotten gains, and disrupt your criminal activity.”

    “The criminal charges and forfeiture case announced today are part of an ongoing effort with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable cybercriminals,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “The forfeiture action against more than $24 million in virtual assets also demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to seizing ill-gotten assets from criminals in order to ultimately compensate victims.”

    “Mr. Gallyamov’s bot network was crippled by the talented men and women of the FBI and our international partners in 2023, but he brazenly continued to deploy alternative methods to make his malware available to criminal cyber gangs conducting ransomware attacks against innocent victims globally,” said Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The charges announced today exemplify the FBI’s commitment to relentlessly hold accountable individuals who target Americans and demand ransom, even when they live halfway across the world.”

    According to court documents, Gallyamov developed, deployed, and controlled the Qakbot malware beginning in 2008. From 2019 onward, Gallyamov allegedly used the Qakbot malware to infect thousands of victim computers around the world in order to establish a network, or “botnet,” of infected computers. As alleged, once Gallyamov gained access to victim computers, he provided access to co-conspirators who infected the computers with ransomware, including Prolock, Dopplepaymer, Egregor, REvil, Conti, Name Locker, Black Basta, and Cactus. In exchange, Gallyamov was allegedly paid a portion of the ransoms received from ransomware victims.

    The announcement of charges today is the latest step taken by the Justice Department against the Qakbot conspiracy. In August 2023, a U.S.-led multinational operation disrupted the Qakbot botnet and malware. At that time, the Justice Department announced the seizure of illicit proceeds from Gallyamov, including over 170 bitcoin and over $4 million of USDT and USDC tokens.

    According to the indictment, after the disruption and takedown of the Qakbot botnet, Gallyamov and his co-conspirators continued their criminal activities. Instead of a botnet, they allegedly used different tactics, including “spam bomb” attacks on victim companies, where co-conspirators would trick employees at those victim companies into granting access to computer systems. The indictment alleges that Gallyamov orchestrated spam bomb attacks against victims in the United States as recently as January 2025. It also alleges that Gallyamov and his co-conspirators deployed Black Basta and Cactus ransomware on victim computers.

    On April 25, 2025, pursuant to a seizure warrant, the FBI seized additional illicit proceeds from Gallyamov, including over 30 bitcoin and over $700,000 of USDT tokens. Today, the Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Central District of California against all of the illicit proceeds seized from Gallyamov — worth over $24 million as of today — in order to forfeit and ultimately return those funds to victims.

    The investigation of Gallyamov was led by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, which worked closely with investigators from Germany’s Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), the Netherlands National Police, The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Netherlands, France’s Anti-Cybercrime Office (Office Anti-cybercriminalité) and Cyber Division of the Paris Prosecution Office, and Europol. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Milwaukee Field Office provided significant assistance.

    Trial Attorney Jessica Peck of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Khaldoun Shobaki, Lauren Restrepo, and James Dochterman for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.

    These law enforcement actions were taken in conjunction with Operation Endgame, an ongoing, coordinated effort among international law enforcement agencies aimed at dismantling and prosecuting cybercriminal organizations around the world.

    Resources for victims can be found on the following website, which will be updated as additional information becomes available: https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/divisions/national-security-division/qakbot-resources

    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: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 1100 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Third Week in May as part of Operation Take Back America

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 1100 defendants with Criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Southern District of Texas filed a total of 209 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from May 9-15. As part of the cases, 78 face allegations of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 124 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling.

    The Western District of Texas filed 295 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 9 through May 15. Among the new cases, Mexican nationals Juan Jose Medrano-Escobedo and Rosendo Dominguez-Morales were arrested after allegedly entering the U.S. illegally through the Texas National Defense Area (Tx-NDA) less than half a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso. Medrano-Escobedo has been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, most recently July 30, 2024. He has been convicted of three felonies, including evading arrest in 2017 and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in November 2023. Dominguez-Morales was last removed on Aug. 20, 2024, following an Aug. 18, 2024 felony conviction for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. Medrano-Escobedo and Dominguez-Morales are each charged with two counts related to violating defense property security regulation and one count of illegal re-entry.

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 310 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 125 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 170 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States charged 15 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

    The Southern District of California filed 153 border-related cases this week, including charges of assault on a federal officer, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances. One of these cases included a man who was arrested and charged with illegal importation of cocaine. According to a complaint, Luque applied for entry through the Calexico, California East Port of Entry in a Kenworth truck towing a car hauler. Upon inspection of the trailer, Customs and Border Protection officers found 92.18kg (203.22 pounds) of cocaine concealed in the frame of the trailer.

    The District of New Mexico filed 212 criminal charges related to immigration and border security-related matters. 68 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326). 8 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324). Three individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325). And 133 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325) and 50 U.S.C. 797, violation of a military security regulation, arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico. Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for alien smuggling, drug possession, and DUI.

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Colombian National Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Kidnap and Assault U.S. Army Soldiers in Colombia

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Colombian national was sentenced today in the Southern District of Florida for her role in kidnapping and assaulting two members of the U.S. military who were on temporary duty in Bogotá, Colombia.

    Kenny Julieth Uribe Chiran, 35, was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $24,115 in restitution. She is the third and final defendant to be sentenced and held accountable for this criminal conspiracy. She pleaded guilty in March 2025 to conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.

    “Uribe Chiran and her co-defendants mercilessly preyed on U.S. soldiers when they drugged their drinks, stole their valuables, and left them incapacitated on the street,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Kidnapping and assaulting two U.S. military service members is deplorable and the Criminal Division will continue to prioritize protecting our service members through these prosecutions. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring justice to these victims.”

    “Members of our military, whether serving here or abroad, can count on this Department of Justice’s respect, support, and protection,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Kidnappings and assaults against U.S. service members will not be tolerated. To those who would dare commit such reprehensible acts against America’s heroes, know this: We will identify you; we will find you; and we will prosecute you as aggressively as the law permits.”

    “The FBI’s commitment to investigate criminal acts against the U.S. military beyond our borders is clearly demonstrated by our persistent pursuit of justice for the two kidnapped soldiers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office. “Our close cooperation with Colombian and Chilean law enforcement authorities was essential to this international investigation’s success. To all would be kidnappers the message is clear: target our citizens with violence anywhere in the world and we will hold you accountable for your actions.”

    According to court documents, the two U.S. soldiers went to an entertainment district in Bogotá to watch a soccer game on the evening of March 5, 2020. They later went to a pub, where Uribe Chiran and one of her co-defendants approached the soldiers and, without their knowledge, put drugs in their drinks that rendered them incapacitated. Medical examinations later confirmed the presence of benzodiazepines in the two soldiers’ systems. The defendants then kidnapped the soldiers, took their valuables, including their credit and debit card information, and left them incapacitated on the street in separate locations. The defendants used one victim’s credit card and the other victim’s debit card to make purchases and withdraw money.

    Uribe Chiran was extradited in September 2024 from Colombia to the United States. Co-defendant Pedro Jose Silva Ochoa was extradited in April 2024 from Chile to the United States, pleaded guilty in December 2024, and was sentenced in March 2025 to 27 years and three months in prison. Co-defendant Jeffersson Arango Castellanos was extradited in May 2023 from Colombia to the United States, pleaded guilty in January 2024, and was sentenced in May 2024 to 48 years and nine months in prison.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá provided significant assistance in this matter. The United States thanks Colombian law enforcement authorities for their valuable assistance.

    Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor and Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bertila Fernandez for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fifteen Charged with Drug Conspiracy and Weapons Charges

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A 29-count indictment was unsealed today charging 12 men and 3 women for their roles in a drug trafficking organization and related gun offenses.

    According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, psylocibin mushrooms, and marijuana. Six of the defendants face additional charges for gun crimes relating to their alleged drug trafficking. The defendants are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. As alleged, in one notable instance in June of 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States.

    “As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”

    “The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.”

    “For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Houston. “​Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and our OCDETF partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”

    James Michael Brewer, also known as “Creeper,” 33; Jonathan Alvarado, also known as “Joker,” 28; Hector Luis Lopez, also known as “Capulito,”23; Alfredo Gomez, also known as “Fredo,” 26; and Victor Norris Ellison, 35, all of Houston, have been indicted on drug trafficking and firearm charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    The following defendants, all of Houston unless otherwise noted, have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.  

    • Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez, also known as “Paco,” 29, a Mexican national,
    • Enzo Xavier Dominguez, also known as “Smiley,” 32,
    • Alexis Delgado, also known as “Chino,” 28,
    • Jose Eduardo Morales, also known as “Primo,” 22,
    • William Alexander Lazo, also known as “Miclo,” 21,
    • Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24,
    • Ruby Mata, 31,
    • Mexi Dyan Garcia, also known as “Mexi,” 31, and
    • Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez, also known as “Jr.,” 33.

    Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch, also known as “Taco Man,” 41, a Mexican national, is charged with drug trafficking. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.

    The Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice Office of the Inspector General.

    Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston, Texas. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence.

    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. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    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: Hollywood Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Seeking Millions of Dollars in COVID Tax Breaks

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Hollywood man who admitted to seeking more than $65 million from the IRS by falsely claiming on tax returns that his nonexistent farming business was entitled to COVID-19-related tax credits was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison.

    Kevin J. Gregory, 57, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $2,769,173 in restitution.

    Gregory, who has been in federal custody since May 2023, pleaded guilty on January 17 to one count of making false claims to the IRS.

    In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact, Congress authorized an employee retention tax credit that a small business could use to reduce the employment tax it owed to the IRS, also known as the “employee retention credit.”

    To qualify, the business had to have been in operation in 2020 and to have experienced at least a partial suspension of its operations because of a government order related to COVID-19 (for example, an order limiting commerce, group meetings or travel) or a significant decline in profits. The credit was an amount equal to a set percentage of the wages that the business paid to its employees during the relevant time period, subject to a maximum amount.

    Congress also authorized the IRS to give a credit against employment taxes to reimburse businesses for the wages paid to employees who were on sick or family leave and could not work because of COVID-19. This “paid sick and family leave credit” was equal to the wages the business paid the employees during the sick or family leave, also subject to a maximum amount.

    From November 2020 to April 2022, Gregory made false claims to the IRS for the payment of nearly $65.3 million in tax refunds for a purported Beverly Hills-based farming-and-transportation company named Elijah USA Farm Holdings.

    The IRS issued a portion of the refunds Gregory claimed, and Gregory used a significant portion – more than $2.7 million – for personal expenses.

    Specifically, in January 2022, Gregory made a false claim to the IRS for the payment of a tax refund in the amount of $23,877,620, which he submitted as part of Elijah Farm’s quarterly federal tax return. Gregory claimed Elijah Farm employed 33 people, paid nearly $1.6 million in quarterly wages, had deposited nearly $18 million in federal taxes, and was entitled to nearly $6.5 million in COVID-relief tax credits.

    In fact, Gregory knew that Elijah Farm employed nobody and paid wages to no one and had not made federal tax deposits to the IRS in the amounts stated on his tax return.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kristen A. Williams of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. More information on the Justice Department’s response to the pandemic may be found here. 

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it to the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or via the NCDF online complaint form.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington man arraigned on drug charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Seattle man accused of distributing drugs on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation appeared yesterday for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Jesse James Cochran, 31, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime charged in the indictment, Cochran faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, a maximum term of 40 years, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. Cochran was released pending further proceedings.

    Count one of the indictment alleges that on or about October 2022, and June 2024, in and near the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, the Cochran knowingly and unlawfully conspired with his co-defendant to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of methamphetamine. Count two alleges that on or about October 2022, and June 2024, in and near Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Cochran knowingly and unlawfully possessed with the intent to distribute 40 grams or ore of fentanyl and aided and abetted the same.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Myers is prosecuting the case. The Tri-Agency Task Force conducted the investigation.

    The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the 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.

    PACER case reference. 24-92.

    The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 24 Months for Possession of a Glock Semiautomatic Pistol

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Tyrell Anthony West, 30, a previously convicted felon and resident of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 24 months in prison in connection with being in possession of a loaded Glock semiautomatic pistol when police encountered him with a stolen Mercedes.

               The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Division, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

               West pleaded guilty on Feb. 13, 2025, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta ordered West to serve three years of supervised release. 

               According to court documents, on Feb. 26, 2024, about 7:30 p.m., the officers with the MPD’s Robbery Suppression Unit were travelling down the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, in unmarked vehicles. An officer noticed a parked silver Mercedes Benz C300 park and watched as West quickly closed the car door and crossed the street at a brisk pace to where a group was congregated. 

               Officers ran the Mercedes’ plate number and learned it was not registered in the database. They approached the vehicle to discover that its VIN number was covered. 

               An officer uncovered the VIN. Another asked West if the car’s registration was in the glove compartment. West opened the glove compartment and then opened the vehicle’s center console. One of the officers immediately spotted a firearm. Three seconds later, the officer checking the VIN number learned the Mercedes had been reported stolen from a car dealership in Howard County, Maryland. 

               From the center console, MPD officers recovered a black Glock 30. .45 caliber semi-automatic firearm loaded and ready to fire with one round of ammunition in the chamber and 13 additional rounds in the magazine. DNA evidence later linked West to the firearm.

               Officers also recovered three plastic bags containing a white rock substance with a combined weight of 82.79 grams, and a black digital scale with white residue. Later testing by the DEA determined the substance was N, Ndimethylpentalone, an illegal synthetic controlled-substance otherwise known as ‘boot.” Officers also recovered 28 suspected suboxone strips from the trunk of the Mercedes. 

               West has a previous conviction for carrying a pistol without a license. On April 22, 2022, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, which was suspended. On Feb. 9, 2023, he was resentenced to nine months in prison. 

               This case was investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department. The matter is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Omeed Ali Assefi, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov.

    24cr134

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Several convicted for roles in deadly transnational human smuggling operation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A sixth and final person has admitted her role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Mexican national Cynthia Gabriela Muniz Carreon, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien causing serious bodily injury and resulting in death.

    Those previously convicted include Mexican nationals Martha Angelica Limon Parra and David Alejandro Gomez Flores, both 29; Guatemalan national Edy Ronaldo Lima Flores, 37; and Dagoberto Flores, 24, and Angel Elias, 22 both of Laredo.

    All six were part of a transnational human smuggling organization responsible for moving illegal aliens across the southern border of Texas. Their actions led to the death of a Guatemalan man and several other dangerous events, including a rollover crash.

    “For those that may have relatives, friends, or other loved ones that are considering hiring a smuggler, urge them to think twice. If you are thinking about coming to this country illegally, also think twice.” said Ganjei. “Human smuggling is a dangerous, and often deadly, business, and those that are transporting you have little or no regard for your safety or well-being. Do not put your life in the hands of these criminals.”

    Authorities identified Carreon and Parra as Mexico-based coordinators for the organization. Cellphone data revealed both women were part of a WhatsApp group chat titled “La Oficina,” which the organization used to coordinate human smuggling activity. The group maintained detailed ledgers and color-coded spreadsheets documenting the aliens’ biographical information, arrival dates, assigned stash houses, guides and payment status.

    Although many of the aliens were from Guatemala, the smuggling group instructed them to falsely claim Mexican nationality. This tactic exploited U.S. immigration procedure by ensuring the aliens would be removed to Mexico instead of their home country which made it faster and easier for the organization to smuggle them back into the United States.

    Ledgers shared in “La Oficina” chat revealed the organization generated approximately $79,000 in smuggling proceeds between April 12 and 17, 2024, alone.

    Authorities identified Lima Flores as the organization’s Laredo-based transportation coordinator, who hired Dagoberto Flores. Authorities also identified Gomez Flores as the stash house coordinator responsible for receiving aliens from Mexico and illegally harboring them in Laredo. Cellphone evidence revealed Gomez Flores had been involved with the organization since at least 2003 and had received more than $300,000 for helping conceal and transport aliens illegally.

    Elias worked with Lima Flores and acted as both a transporter and scout for the organization.

    The investigation revealed additional smuggling incidents dating back to April 2024, including one in which an alien became so weak and delirious that he could no longer walk through the brush. Authorities also linked the same organization to a smuggling event April 19, 2024, that resulted in a rollover crash near Laredo. A Guatemalan alien involved in the crash suffered serious back injuries and required hospitalization.

    On July 2, 2024, Dagoberto Flores was driving a Ford F-150 transporting aliens. He fled when authorities attempted a traffic stop. The aliens scattered into the brush, including a Guatemalan national who became separated from the group. The investigation revealed he had repeatedly contacted Lima Flores and Carreon asking for help and sharing his location. Carreon told him to stay well hidden and be patient. Authorities later found him deceased. His cause of death was determined to be from heat exhaustion, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees that day.

    U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, each faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

    All six have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Laredo Police Department Gang Unit, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Encinal Police Department Customs and Border Protections (CBP) and CBP Air and Marine Operations conducted the investigation.

    The case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation and coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

    JTFA, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling, more than 334 U.S. convictions, more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    JTFA detailee Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case.   

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Mexican Police Officer Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Martin Eulalio Molina Lopez, 33, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on May 19, 2025, by United States District Judge Sharad Desai to 63 months in prison. Molina Lopez previously pleaded guilty to Alien in Possession of a Firearm.

    In early 2024, Molina Lopez was admitted to the United States under a travel visa. In February 2024, Molina Lopez was arrested and charged after law enforcement observed him recruit United States citizens to serve as straw purchasers for firearms at a gun show in Phoenix, Arizona. Law enforcement agents found Molina Lopez in possession of 18 firearms that were purchased by others for him at the show. A subsequent investigation revealed that Molina Lopez, who was prohibited from purchasing firearms in the United States while on a travel visa, had previously recruited United States citizens to purchase an additional 20 firearms on his behalf.

    Molina Lopez retired from the Hermosillo Municipal Police in 2021 after sustaining a gunshot wound.

    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).

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Marcus Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-00482-PHX-SHD
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-081_MOLINA LOPEZ

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

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