NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 153 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in 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.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week:

    • On May 11, Mario Santiago-Velasquez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in The United States. According to a complaint, Santiago-Velasquez was previously convicted of five immigration crimes and Malicious Destruction of Property.
    • On May 12, Juan Jose Perez-Garcia, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of five immigration-related offenses including felony reentry-after-deportation in 2023, was sentenced in federal court to seven months in custody for again entering the U.S. illegally.
    • On May 13, Juan Nazario Lizarraga Peralta, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Lizarraga was attempting to enter the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry when he was intercepted by Customs and Border Patrol agents with seven pounds of fentanyl and 11 pounds of cocaine strapped to his body.
    • On May 13, Oscar Echevarria-Luque, a Mexican national, 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.
    • On May 14, Ernesto Alejandro Rodriguez Gallegos, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Rodriguez attempted to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with 135 pounds of cocaine hidden in his vehicle.

    Also recently, a number of defendants with criminal records were convicted by a jury or sentenced for border-related crimes such as illegally re-entering the U.S. after previous deportation. Here are a few of those cases:

    • On May 16, Serafin Abelino-Medel, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of felony inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, and threatening crime with intent to terrorize, was sentenced in federal court to 15 months in custody for again entering the United States illegally.
    • On May 16, Isaac Lopez-Rodriguez, a Mexican national who was previously convicted of Attempt to Commit Aggravated Assault in 2015, was sentenced in federal court to two years in custody for again entering the U.S illegally.

    Pursuant to the Department’s Operation Take Back America priorities, federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CEO of Financial Firm Sentenced to Prison for Running a Multimillion Dollar Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Carlos Manuel da Silva Santos, the founder and chief executive officer of San Diego-based Ethos Asset Management, Inc., which offered financing to domestic and international businesses, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for tricking borrowers into paying him more than $17 million in up-front loan fees for nothing in return – conduct that U.S. District Judge Robert S. Huie described as “reprehensible.”

    Santos pleaded guilty in January 2025 to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with his advance-fee loan scam through his company, Ethos.

    Santos, a Portuguese national, has been in custody since his arrest on November 13, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey, after arriving in the United States from abroad.

    According to his plea agreement, Santos admitted he and co-conspirators held Ethos out to the public as a “full-service project financing” company that offered loans to prospective borrowers in exchange for an upfront fee as collateral for Ethos to use. However, on many occasions when a borrower gave Ethos the upfront fee as collateral, Ethos’ funding never materialized.

    To induce prospective borrowers to send Ethos an upfront fee as collateral and enter into loan agreements, Santos and his co-conspirators lied about Ethos’ history of funding projects, the source of Ethos’ money, the amount of capital available to disburse loans, and how Ethos used the collateral upfront fees. For instance, Santos admitted that he used money from the upfront collateral fees to release collateral deposited by other borrowers and to disburse loans to other borrowers.

    Santos also admitted that he and others altered otherwise legitimate financial account statements to inflate the amount of money Ethos appeared to have at its disposal to finance projects for the purpose of luring prospective borrowers to provide collateral and financial institutions to lend money. For example, in August 2021, Santos successfully induced a borrower to wire money as a collateral upfront fee by sending a bank statement that falsely represented Ethos having $100,304,447.46 when, in fact, it did not.

    In February and May 2023, Santos again induced borrowers to provide collateral upfront fees by emailing a copy of Ethos’ annual financial statements reflecting falsely that Ethos had over $2.2 billion in total assets and that an accounting firm had audited the statements. Indeed, Santos admitted that he knowingly forged the signature of an employee at a bookkeeping firm on Ethos’s 2022 annual financial statement to falsely indicate that the firm had audited the statement. In each noted example, Ethos fraudulently obtained upfront fees and failed to disburse loan payments as promised.

    Santos further admitted Ethos’ project financing scheme was international in nature, with a presence in the United States, Brazil, Turkey, and elsewhere. Santos admitted his scheme resulted in $17,125,000 in losses to certain U.S.-based victims. The plea agreement also explains that the parties will request a restitution hearing allowing the United States to offer evidence that Santos owes significantly more money to various other victims.

    According to the plea agreement, Santos also forged the signature of an employee at an accounting firm to make it appear that the firm had audited Ethos’ annual financial reports.

    “Fraud like this is a calculated abuse of trust,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “It strips people of their money under false promises. The impact is real, measurable, and lasting—and it calls for real consequences.”

    “Businesses, large or small are the backbone of our economy yet one wrong or ill advised financial move can result in significant losses or even complete ruin,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI and our partner agencies are committed to preventing greedy scammers from victimizing and profiting from legitimate businesses. Our country relies on these businesses and law enforcement will continue to protect them from criminals.”

    A restitution hearing will be held at a later date.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Christopher Beeler and Carl F. Brooker, IV.

    If you believe you are a victim of Carlos Santos and his company Ethos Asset Management, Inc., contact Homeland Security Investigations at ethos-victim@hsi.dhs.gov.

    DEFENDANT

    Carlos Manuel da Silva Santos                  Age: 30                                  Portugal

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Wire Fraud Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1349

    Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1028A

    Maximum penalty: Mandatory two years in prison consecutive to the term for the underlying felony

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Homeland Security Investigations

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm As a Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on May 12, 2025.

    Dayvon Sanchez, age 26, was sentenced to one year and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Sanchez was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025.

    The conviction stems from an incident on February 24, 2024, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation when law enforcement observed Sanchez driving recklessly in Mission and initiated a traffic stop. Rather than stop, Sanchez eluded law enforcement until he wrecked his vehicle. Sanchez was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. A pistol and ammunition were located in Sanchez’s vehicle.

    In 2018, Sanchez was convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. As a result of this felony conviction, it is illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition. Sanchez will forfeit ownership of the firearm and ammunition to the United States.

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

    This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pipeline Indian Country Fentanyl Distributer Found Guilty After Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. PAUL, Minn. – A federal jury convicted Dimitric Wilson, a Twin Cities resident originally from Detroit, with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, and distributing fentanyl while on pretrial release, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents and evidence at trial, law enforcement set out to discover a supplier of fentanyl in Wisconsin and Minnesota, including in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and on the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation. After an extensive investigation, Dimitric Timopkin Wilson, 46, was identified and stopped by the Minnesota State Patrol as he traveled back to the Twin Cities from Detroit. When apprehended by law enforcement, Wilson and the other passenger gave inconsistent stories regarding their activities in Detroit. The State Patrol used a drug dog to sniff the car for narcotics. The drug dog alerted to the odor of drugs, resulting in a search of the vehicle. State troopers noticed an electrical panel that was altered. The officers opened the panel and located four separate vacuum-sealed packages hidden with a natural void accessible from the panel area.  The packages contained multiple sub-packages and were ultimately found to contain approximately a kilogram of fentanyl, a package containing heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, and another package containing crack cocaine. After being charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and given terms of release pending trial, Wilson was documented selling fentanyl to a government informant.

    On May 15, 2025, a jury convicted Wilson of all three counts on which he was indicted. Wilson was previously sentenced to a state misdemeanor conviction for maintaining a drug house, a state felony conviction for carrying a concealed weapon, and a federal felony conviction for conspiring to distribute heroin.  Due to his prior federal conviction for conspiring to distribute heroin, Wilson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for the possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute conviction and a mandatory consecutive sentence of up to 10 years for his conviction for distributing fentanyl while on pretrial release.

    “I laud the hard work of the agents and officers who exposed Wilson as a major fentanyl trafficker, running routes from Detroit to Minnesota,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  “Wilson showed that he would not be stopped—despite a prior federal conviction, he peddled his poison to the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation.  Outrageously, after being released from custody, Wilson yet again trafficked in fentanyl, this time selling drugs to a government informant.  Wilson rightly faces serious federal time.  Wilson—and others who would bring deadly fentanyl to Minnesota and to our vulnerable Indian reservations—should be prepared to spend decades in federal prison.”

    “Fentanyl continues to ravage communities across the country, fueling addiction, tragedy, and loss,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “One of the FBI’s top priorities is to protect the American people, and that means holding accountable the individuals and networks responsible for pushing fentanyl into our communities. The FBI and our partners are committed to removing these drug traffickers from our neighborhoods and stopping the flow of fentanyl at its source.”

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department, the East Central Drug Task Force, the Sawyer County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol, and the Lac Courte Oreilles (Wisconsin) Tribal Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Campbell Warner and Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Texas Syndicate gang members receive multi-decade sentences for drug trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi residents have been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jesse Martinez, 51, and Gabriel Galindo, 46, both long-time Texas Syndicate gang members, pleaded guilty Jan. 2. 

    U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has ordered Martinez to serve 360 months, while Galindo was ordered to serve a 288-month-term of imprisonment. Both must also serve five years of supervised release following their sentences.  

    The court held Martinez responsible for over two kilograms of heroin and almost eight kilograms of methamphetamine. Galindo was held responsible for almost 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and over a kilogram of heroin. However, the court heard that throughout the investigation, authorities calculated that the Texas Syndicate drug trafficking organization was likely distributing approximately two kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of methamphetamine per month from September 2020 to May 2024.  

    The court also considered their criminal histories including convictions for theft, burglary, weapons and drug charges for Martinez. Galindo’s criminal history began at the age of 14 and includes burglary of a habitation, multiple cocaine convictions – with a federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute – and possessing a stabbing weapon while incarcerated. 

    Furthermore, the court heard Galindo was found with a shank, methamphetamine and suboxone strips while incarcerated for this offense and that he was dealing suboxone to other inmates. 

    The investigation began in 2020 when law enforcement was looking into the drug trafficking activities of the Texas Syndicate. They discovered Martinez was receiving kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin. Galindo was one of his top distributors in the Corpus Christi area. 

    On May 21, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Martinez’s residence and found he was in possession of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana as well as three unsecured firearms. Several children were also living in the home. 

    Galindo was also found in possession of almost a kilogram of methamphetamine, a kilogram of heroin and four firearms at the time of his arrest.  

    Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service and police departments in Corpus Christi and Robstown. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara J. De Pena and Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Houston sex trafficker gets 14 years for luring minor through social media

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Michael Ramone Hooks pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2024.

    U.S. District Judge Sim Lake considered victim letters and sentenced Hooks to 168 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $6087 in restitution to a known victim and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hooks will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

    At the time of his plea, Hooks admitted to recruiting the 16-year-old victim to engage in prostitution via Instagram, text messages and video calls.

    He communicated via cell phone with the minor and lured her away from a known sex trafficker, Antonio Dario Osario-Avelar aka Pressure. Prior to Hooks’ attempt to lure the minor victim away to work for him, Osario-Avelar had caused to her to engage in commercial sex.

    Hooks knew the victim was a minor. Law enforcement discovered text messages revealing that they discussed her age. The victim agreed to pay Hooks a “choosing fee,” which is a fee the victim pays a trafficker for them to be their “pimp.”

    In August 2023, authorities arrested Hooks and recovered the minor victim before she could join up with him.

    Osario-Avelar was previously sentenced to 375 months in federal prison for his conduct in a separate case before U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks.

    “This case is a reminder that sex trafficking is happening in our city, even if it is not always immediately visible,” said Ganjei. “This case was, of course, a great hit against this specific defendant, but our larger goal is nothing short of putting the Houston sex trafficking trade completely out of business.”

    He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance and Houston Police Department (HPD).

    Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Celia Moyer and former AUSA Sherri Zack prosecuted the case.

    HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.

    Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: SDTX continues efforts to secure the border with 209 more charged with immigration-related crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A total of 209 cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from May 9-15, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    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.

    Three of those charged this week had unlawfully attempted to reenter the country after being removed less than one month ago, according to allegations. Authorities had allegedly removed Honduran national Erick Nahun Orellana-Ramos and Mexican national Alejandro De La Vega-Loyola April 21, while Mexican national Luis Cibrian-Gonzalez was removed May 5. However, the alleged convicted felons were once again allegedly discovered in the United States unlawfully, according to their charges.

    Criminal complaints further allege Eleno Martin Velazquez-Hernandez and Edwin Vazquez-Perez both have prior convictions for sexual assault and were previously removed from the United States in 2021 and 2019, respectively. However, law enforcement allegedly found the men in the Rio Grande Valley and are now charged with illegal reentry after removal. 

    Similarly, Heriberto Garcia-Robles was allegedly discovered near Mission. The criminal complaint charging him alleges the Mexican male had been previously removed Jan. 10, 2023, following a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.  

    In addition to the new cases, two Tango Blast gang members were sentenced for conspiring to transport illegal aliens. Eusebio Regalado was ordered to serve 66 months while Eric Grajeda had previously received 36 months. Both had led law enforcement on multiple vehicle pursuits during human smuggling attempts. 

    “With these sentencings, two less gang members are out on the streets, and a human smuggling operation has been dismantled,” said Ganjei. “Securing the border is the Southern District’s top priority, and we’re delivering.”

    In Brownsville, Felix Raymundo Mora-Gonzalez received a 70-month sentence for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He was originally arrested Feb. 21, 2023, for harboring illegal aliens. However, the investigation uncovered a cell phone at the stash house that belonged him. A forensic examination of the cell phone revealed Mora-Gonzalez knowingly possessed 29 videos and nine images of CSAM. He had also previously pleaded guilty to the smuggling charges and received 15 months.

    Also announced was another criminal alien who had unlawfully reentered the United States. Hector Castillo-Molina has a lengthy criminal history to include five felonies such as burglary, drug possession, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal reentry into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court called Castillo-Molina’s extensive record “concerning,” noting that if he kept coming back, he would just be spending all his time jail.

    In Corpus Christi, Eusebio Cavazos received the maximum of 60 months for smuggling 36 illegal aliens in a tractor trailer. All were from the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador. Five had previously been removed from the United States and now face additional charges for illegal reentry. Cavazos admitted he was paid to drive the group from near Donna to Houston and expected to earn $1,000 per person.

    Following a one-day bench trial in McAllen, an illegal alien was convicted of unlawfully reentering the United States for the eighth time. Enrique Melendez-Saldivar attempted to resist and evade arrest as authorities struggled to apprehend him in the South Texas brush. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

    In Houston, another illegal alien pleaded guilty in a large-scale wire fraud conspiracy involving more than 550,000 fraudulent Texas paper license plates. Former fugitive Emmanuel Padilla Reyes admitted he used stolen identities to obtain used car dealer licenses and created two fictitious dealerships to access the state’s secure tag portal. Authorities said he and his co-conspirators advertised the tags on social media and issued them without selling any vehicles. The fake tags allowed buyers to avoid registration, safety inspections and insurance, and enabled criminals to conceal their identities while committing crimes ranging from fraud to robberies and drive-by shootings. He faces up to five years in federal prison and is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. 

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The cases are 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. 

    An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Department of Justice Announces Settlement of Litigation Between the Federal Government and Rare Breed Triggers

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights, as well as the Attorney General’s Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force, the Department of Justice announced the settlement of litigation between the federal government and Rare Breed Triggers.

    “This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.”

    In June 2024, in Cargill v. Garland, the Supreme Court held that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a rule classifying a bump stock as a “machinegun.” In July 2024, the Northern District of Texas applied Cargill v. Garland to a device called a “forced-reset trigger” (FRT) and concluded that FRTs also cannot be classified as a “machinegun.”

    The Department’s agreement with Rare Breed Triggers avoids the need for continued appeals in United States v. Rare Breed Triggers and continued litigation in other, related cases concerning the same issue. The settlement includes agreed-upon conditions that significantly advance public safety with respect to FRTs, including that Rare Breed will not develop or design FRTs for use in any pistol and will enforce its patents to prevent infringement that could threaten public safety. Rare Breed also agrees to promote the safe and responsible use of its products.

    The cases that will be resolved under the settlement agreement are:

    • NAGR v. Garland, 23-cv-830-O (N.D. Tex.), on appeal 24-10707 (5th Cir.).
    • United States v. Rare Breed Triggers LLC, No. 23-cv-369 (E.D.N.Y), on appeal 23-7276 (2d Cir.).
    • United States v. Miscellaneous Firearms and Related Parts and Equipment Listed in Exhibit A, 23-cv-17 (D. Utah).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FACT CHECK: DHS Requests to Replace 20-Year-Old Coast Guard Jet is for Safety

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today fact-checked false accusations by media outlets surrounding the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) planned replacement of a jet that is more than 20 years old. 

    “The current CG-101 G550 is over 20 years old, outside of Gulfstream’s service life, and well beyond operational usage hours for a corporate aircraft. This is a matter of safety. Much like the US Coast Guard’s ships that are well beyond their service life and safe operational usage, Coast Guard’s aircraft are, too. The Trump Administration is taking action to restore our Nation’s finest maritime Armed Service to a capable fighting force,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 

    The majority of authorized users for the Long-Range Command and Control Aircraft (LRCCA) program are Coast Guard leadership, including four-star and three-star admirals. 

    One of the Service’s two aircraft is 22 years old and faces significant avionics and communications obsolescence issues.   

    The maintenance issues of the older jet directly impact its availability for critical missions and hinders the USCG’s ability to provide reliable and secure transportation for Coast Guard leadership. 

    The Coast Guard and its leadership—which includes the Secretary of Homeland Security—require world-class, effective command and control capabilities.

    • Significant constraints on capabilities and communications in the current aircraft program threaten to limit the Department and USCG’s ability to carry out its critical mission.
    • These efforts will ensure secure, reliable communications and meet the demand for continuity of operations and mission-ready command and control capability. 

    Presently, the Coast Guard has only two Long-Range Command and Control Aircraft to provide safe and reliable air transportation and communications capability for key leadership within DHS and the Coast Guard.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Department of Justice Announces Settlement of Litigation Between the Federal Government and Rare Breed Triggers

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Today, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order Protecting Second Amendment Rights, as well as the Attorney General’s Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force, the Department of Justice announced the settlement of litigation between the federal government and Rare Breed Triggers.

    “This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “And we are glad to end a needless cycle of litigation with a settlement that will enhance public safety.”

    In June 2024, in Cargill v. Garland, the Supreme Court held that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a rule classifying a bump stock as a “machinegun.” In July 2024, the Northern District of Texas applied Cargill v. Garland to a device called a “forced-reset trigger” (FRT) and concluded that FRTs also cannot be classified as a “machinegun.”

    The Department’s agreement with Rare Breed Triggers avoids the need for continued appeals in United States v. Rare Breed Triggers and continued litigation in other, related cases concerning the same issue. The settlement includes agreed-upon conditions that significantly advance public safety with respect to FRTs, including that Rare Breed will not develop or design FRTs for use in any pistol and will enforce its patents to prevent infringement that could threaten public safety. Rare Breed also agrees to promote the safe and responsible use of its products.

    The cases that will be resolved under the settlement agreement are:

    • NAGR v. Garland, 23-cv-830-O (N.D. Tex.), on appeal 24-10707 (5th Cir.).
    • United States v. Rare Breed Triggers LLC, No. 23-cv-369 (E.D.N.Y), on appeal 23-7276 (2d Cir.).
    • United States v. Miscellaneous Firearms and Related Parts and Equipment Listed in Exhibit A, 23-cv-17 (D. Utah).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lansdowne Station — Pictou County missing persons investigation continues with renewed ground and air search efforts

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Ground and air search efforts are planned for tomorrow (May 17) as the missing persons investigation into the disappearance of Lilly and Jack Sullivan continues.

    Searchers from ground search and rescue teams, the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association, and the RCMP will focus on specific areas around Gairloch Rd. in an effort to locate Lilly and Jack and advance the investigation.

    This search follows a large-scale air and ground search of 5.5 square kilometres of heavily wooded, rural terrain in the Gairloch Rd. area that began on May 2. On May 7, the search was scaled back in favour of more specific searches.

    On May 8 and 9, the RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team (URT) scoured bodies of water around Lansdowne Station; URT’s two-day operation did not uncover evidence.

    We continue to ask that the public avoid the search area to allow trained searchers to do their work.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Francis Woman Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 12, 2025.

    Viola Boneshirt, age 21, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Boneshirt was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. She pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025.

    The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on September 11, 2023, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that day, a juvenile was socializing with Boneshirt and other individuals at a residence in Parmelee, South Dakota. At some point, Boneshirt got angry and started fighting with the juvenile. Boneshirt then produced a sharp object and cut the juvenile’s leg, causing a large laceration that required multiple stiches. Afterward, Boneshirt fled the scene.

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

    This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 295 New Immigration Cases in Western District of Texas This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district 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.

    Also in El Paso, two U.S. citizens are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Fabens. Jared Isai Ramirez and Jesus Alberto Soriano, driving separate vehicles, allegedly attempted to flee from USBP. A criminal complaint alleges Ramirez lost control of his vehicle and collided into a rock wall. He and four passengers allegedly exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot before being apprehended. The four passengers were determined to be illegal aliens and were transported with Ramirez to the Clint Border Patrol Station for further investigation. Soriano eventually stopped the vehicle he was driving and was also transported to the Clint Border Patrol Station. The criminal complaint alleges that Ramirez admitted that he would be paid $300 for each of the four illegal aliens he was transporting. Soriano allegedly stated that he had agreed to scout the area for law enforcement during the smuggling scheme. 

    A Mexican national was encountered at the Bastrop County Jail and charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Elisandro Enriquez-Sanchez has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico four times in addition to a voluntary return. He had been arrested in Bastrop and charged with driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container. Enriquez-Sanchez’s lengthy criminal record includes two convictions for illegal re-entry as well as taking a weapon from an officer, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and three DWIs in a two-year span.

    In Presidio County, Honduran national Angel Daniel Vasquez was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry. Vasquez has four prior removals, the last one being to Honduras May 27, 2024. He’s also a twice-convicted felon with a criminal record that includes assault causing bodily injury in Nashville, Tennessee in 2023 and a 2015 illegal re-entry conviction in Phoenix, Arizona. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor in Nashville for driving under the influence in April 2024.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are 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).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 10-Time Convicted Felon Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging He Caused Four Fatal Fentanyl ODs at Palmdale House Last Year

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A 10-time convicted felon from the Antelope Valley has been arrested on a 10-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he distributed fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of four victims at a Palmdale house last year, the Justice Department announced today.

    Damian Michael Evans, 46, of Palmdale, was arrested Thursday and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles.

    He is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to the indictment returned on Wednesday, on January 15, 2024, Evans knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the deaths of four victims in Palmdale. Evans allegedly also possessed other illegal narcotics in late 2023 and early 2024, including after the four fatal fentanyl overdoses in Palmdale.

    Evans also illegally possessed a revolver and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. He is not legally permitted to possess them because his criminal history includes convictions dating from 1997 to 2016 in Los Angeles Superior Court for 10 felonies – nine of them drug-related convictions and most of them for drug dealing. 

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

    If convicted of all charges, Evans would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. This case is part of the DEA’s Overdose Justice Program and LASD’s Overdose Response Task Force.

    Assistant United States Attorney Brittney M. Harris of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Youth Pastor Sentenced for Coercion of a Minor and Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – A former youth pastor was sentenced today for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Possession of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Chaz Chinsethagid, 34, of Jenks, to serve 168 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Chinsethagid will also be required to register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, from December 2023 through March 2024, Chinsethagid knowingly entered an online chat room. He engaged in several conversations and initiated a conversation with someone he believed to be 14 years old. Chinsethagid spoke with the 14-year-old about school and quickly turned the conversation sexual. He then attempted to entice the 14-year-old to participate in a video call or provide sexually explicit photos.

    Chinsethagid further admitted to possessing explicit videos and images of children, some under 12 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. 

    Chinsethagid will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of ‘21st and Vietnam’ Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Admitted that He Was Accountable for 1.2 to 3.9 Kilos of Fentanyl, as well as Cocaine, Boot, and PCP

    WASHINGTON – Damien Jenkins, 35, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 151 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization known as the “21st and Vietnam” crew.

    The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Jenkins pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, as well as cocaine, N-n-dimethylpentalone, also known as “boot,” and phencyclidine, aka PCP. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered Jenkins to serve five years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, Jenkins is a member of the “21st and Vietnam” crew, an organization that distributed narcotics – primarily fentanyl and cocaine – in an open-air market and apartment building in the area of the 1900 block of I Street, NE.

    Among other things, the crew took over a vacant apartment for use as a base of operations and used it to process, prepare, and package the drugs for redistribution. Sales occurred at the front of the building, in the apartment, and in a parking lot at the rear of the apartment.

    Law enforcement identified Jenkins as being involved in the manufacture, packaging, and sale of drugs. Jenkins has admitted that he was accountable for 1.2 to 3.9 kilos of fentanyl, as well as cocaine, boot, and PCP.

    Additionally, on March 7, 2024, several crew members engaged in a verbal altercation with an individual. Co-defendant Charles Manson went into the vacant apartment and Jenkins handed Manson a ski mask. Manson, who was in possession of a firearm, put on the mask. Manson

    then went outside of 1919 I Street, NE, and opened fire in the direction of the indivIdual.

    On May 15, 2024, about 6 a.m., law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jenkins’s residence. Law enforcement recovered an AK pattern firearm, a Ruger .380 caliber handgun, a Sterling Arms .22 caliber handgun, weapon magazines, dozens of rounds of ammunition, and $3,342 in cash.

    This case was investigated by the MPD, the DEA Washington Division, and FBI Washington Field Offce. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Duvall and Solomon Eppel.

    24cr226

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior sex offender from North Dakota who groomed a child online and sexually assaulted her after traveling to Wisconsin receives 30 years in federal prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 15, 2025, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Kelly J. Rosemore (age: 43) to 30 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by life on supervised release, after Rosemore pled guilty to child enticement and committing a felony sex offense against a minor as a registered sex offender, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2422 and 2260A.

    According to court records, in late 2023, Rosemore was living in North Dakota where he was required to register as a sex offender based on a prior felony sex offense against a minor from 2010. Before December 2023, Rosemore met a 14-year-old female from Wisconsin in an online platform. Unknown to the child’s family, Rosemore groomed her for months, including by sending her sexually explicit chats and photos. In March and April 2024, despite knowing the child was 14 years old, Rosemore twice traveled to the Green Bay area where he rented hotel rooms and sexually assaulted her, which included violent acts, restricting her breathing, restraining her wrists, and taking sexually explicit pictures of her while she was blindfolded.

    The child subsequently reported the sexual assaults to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office. Meanwhile, Rosemore had returned to North Dakota and sent the child a sexually explicit photo of her that she did not know he had taken, threatening to extort her. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office coordinated its investigation with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal investigation, which arrested Rosemore and obtained incriminating evidence from his phone and vehicle.

    Rosemore was extradited to Wisconsin by the Brown County District Attorney’s Office, and he has remained in continuous custody as state and federal prosecutors worked collaboratively toward the outcome.

    At the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach emphasized that Rosemore was previously convicted and sentenced to prison for the same conduct, and that he had again targeted a child, whom he repeatedly and cruelly sexually assaulted. The judge said that Rosemore’s conduct called for a lengthy prison term to achieve just punishment, deterrence, and protecting the public.

    The investigation was spearheaded by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with critical assistance from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Funnell.

    # # #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Area Man Accused of Fentanyl, Meth Dealing

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man accused of involvement in methamphetamine and fentanyl dealing was arrested by the FBI in Richmond Heights, Missouri Friday.

    Albert James, 47, was indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on one count of conspiracy with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded not guilty Friday.

    The indictment accuses James of agreeing with others in 2021 to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth and 400 grams of fentanyl. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of $18,920 in cash.

    In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards said the charges related to a traffic stop in Oklahoma, when James was caught with pounds of meth and fentanyl.

    “This is part of a larger on-going investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Perpetrators should not underestimate the FBI’s expertise, resources, and tenacity to dismantle criminal networks.”

    Each charge carries a potential prison sentence of at least 10 years, with a maximum term of life.

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The FBI and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Keshena Man Sentenced for Fatal Drug Delivery in Tribal Detention Facility

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 16, 2025, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Warren Grignon (age 43) of Keshena, Wisconsin, to 12 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl he smuggled into the Menominee Tribal Jail, which led to three overdoses, one of which was fatal. Those actions led to the February 7, 2025, entry of guilty pleas to charges of involuntary manslaughter and distribution of controlled substances. Grignon was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the distribution of controlled substances count and a concurrent 8 years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter count.

    According to court records, Grignon was booked into the tribal jail on December 22, 2023, and moved into a cell with other inmates on December 23, 2023. Grignon distributed a substance containing fentanyl to three other inmates, who ingested the drug that afternoon. All three inmates overdosed, and responding jail personnel, tribal police, and EMTs managed to revive two of the inmates. Tragically, one of the inmates died.

    At the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach noted that the serious nature of the offense and the profound effect Grignon’s actions had on the community required a lengthy prison term. Following his 12-year prison sentence, Grignon will be on supervised release for an additional 10 years. He was also ordered to pay $6,943 in restitution to the victim’s family.

    The Menominee Tribal Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier in the United States District Court in Green Bay.

    # # #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Men Arrested For Illegal Reentry During Immigration Enforcement Operation In Sumter County

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Henry Noe Murillo Castellanos (29, Honduras), Juan Diaz Mendez (29, Mexico), Esteban Pashanno Gomez (30, Mexico), and Hermilo Jimenez Vazquez (23, Mexico) have been arrested on federal criminal complaints charging them with illegal reentry after being previously deported or removed from the United States. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

    These arrests took place during an immigration enforcement operation carried out in in Sumter County during the week of May 12, 2025. According to court records, Murillo Castellanos had been previously deported from the United States on at least three occasions; Diaz Mendez had two prior deportations; Pashanno Gomez and Jimenez Vazquez each had one prior removal. None of these individuals applied for or received permission from the Attorney General, or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, to return to the United States. 

    These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Florida Highway Patrol. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.

    The investigations are 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Portland Community Awards Ceremony

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

    The FBI Portland Field Office held a ceremony to recognize several community leaders and organizations from across the state of Oregon at their headquarters office on May 9, 2025.

    The community awards ceremony, the office’s third, highlighted government and non-profit entities who work closely with FBI personnel in the area to accomplish various aspects of our mission; to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States.

    Among those in attendance, in addition to the awardees and their friends and families, were Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Bill Narus, Criminal Chief and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah Bolstad, Portland Police Bureau Assistant Chief Amanda McMillan Stayton City Manager Julia Hajduk, and former Portland FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Jordan.

    “The FBI mission is clear: to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Olson. “Though the words are straightforward, the work is anything but simple. This mission demands collaboration—it’s a shared effort that depends on strong partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the dedicated individuals in our communities.”

    “Your involvement is essential to the success of this mission we all share. So, today is about thanking our partners. Partners across our community, partners from law enforcement, and partners at the U.S. Attorney’s office. While the FBI is a large federal agency, we are incapable of achieving our mission without all of these partners being recognized today,” he said.

    The awardees included:

    • Local Community Partner Award—Kids First Children’s Advocacy Center: Kids First is Lane County’s Children’s Advocacy Center. Their mission is to provide intervention and advocacy for children who are victims of/or witnesses to crime. Minor victims are referred directly by community partners: law enforcement, DHS Child Welfare, and medical professionals. Kids First most often serves children who are victims of child sexual abuse, physical abuse, severe neglect, or witness to domestic violence.
    • Exemplary Service Award—Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Paaso: Since May 2020, Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Pamela Paaso has been the principal prosecutor for crimes committed on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Statistical accomplishments that can be attributed to AUSA Paaso ’s work with the Warm Springs Safe Trails Task Force include 74 indictments, 52 convictions, and the sentencing of 47 subjects.
    • Exemplary Service Award—Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas H. Edmonds and Lewis Burkhart, Supervisory Paralegal Kelly Borroz, Victim-Witness Specialist Samantha Lwali-Welsh, Milwaukie Police Department Detective/FBI Task Force Officer Tony Cereghino, and Portland Police Bureau Detective/FBI Task Force Officer Brett Hawkinson: The group was nominated for the FBI’s Exemplary Service award as a result of their outstanding efforts in a long-term complex investigation leading to the conviction of six individuals for their roles in a violent robbery series in 2016 that included the violent death of a Milwaukie, Oregon, man.
    • Law Enforcement Leadership Award—Chief Gwen Johns, Stayton Police Department. The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the largest public awareness campaign and grass-roots fundraiser for Special Olympics. Known honorably as Guardians of the Flame, law enforcement members and Special Olympics athletes carry the Flame of Hope into the Opening Ceremony of local competitions, and into Special Olympics State, Provincial, National, Regional and World Games. Chief Johns has been active with the Special Olympics for over 15 years. She is the chair of the Awareness Committee and also an Oregon State Regional Coordinators covering Yamhill, Polk, and Marion Counties. She has been instrumental in organizing Law Enforcement Support for the Torch Run and other Special Olympic events such as tournaments and the annual Polar Plunge which occur year-round. These activities serve to raise awareness and funds for the Special Olympics while bringing the community together to support local athletes.
    • Director’s Community Leadership Award—National Women’s Coalition Against Violence and Exploitation (NWCAVE). NWCAVE is a non-profit dedicated to advocating for victims and survivors of various forms of violence and exploitation. They focus on incidents involving human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual assault, missing and murdered individuals, bullying, hate crimes, gun violence and more. Their mission statement is, “We have a dream; a world without violence.” Since their inception in 2012, NWCAVE has provided services for over 30,000 victims of crime not just in Oregon, but in Washington and California as well. They are intentional in using their platform and programs to shed light on issues surrounding violence and exploitation. They strive to educate and hold safety briefings for community members through their speaker ’s bureau to help prevent future violence.
    • FBI National Academy Associates Award—Chief David Rash, Rogue River Police: Chief David Rash has dedicated over 30 years of service in law enforcement to protecting communities in Oregon. He has served communities in Milwaukee, Hubbard, and now Rogue River, where he currently serves as the Chief of Police. Chief Rash is a past-President of the Oregon Chapter of the FBI National Academy Association, but his service to the chapter did not end when his time on the board was over. He remains a trusted and valuable partner who is known for his acts of service, historical knowledge, and willingness to step up when needed most. So much so, the phrase, “Let ’s ask Rash” has become common place. He continues to volunteer by organizing regional gatherings across the state, and consistently recognizes promotions or retirements of chapter members.  Chief Rash is a great example of what service should look like, as he has dedicated so much time over the years to his community, and to his law enforcement partners.
    • FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association Award—Jocelyn Libby: Jocelyn volunteers over 100 hours each month to the Trauma Intervention Program NW (TIP) and has responded to 18 incident calls since the beginning of 2025. She has a variety of roles within TIP – she is a certified National Trainer who has traveled to other TIP affiliates to train and present on “emotional first aid.” Jocelyn devotes multiple weekends every year to be a “volunteer crisis team manager” providing coverage for staff members and allowing them time for self-care. The Trauma Intervention Program NW (TIP) is a non-profit organization of specially training citizen volunteers who respond to traumatic incidents and citizens in crisis. TIP volunteers are requested on scene by Law Enforcement/Fire/Paramedic/Medical Examiners to provide immediate trauma informed, emotional and practical support to those affected by a crisis.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling More Than $64,000 Worth of Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A fentanyl dealer was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in distributing over $64,000 worth of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    On May 15, 2025, Donald Derrell Slay, Jr., 31, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.  Court filings reveal that, in late 2022 into early 2023, Slay and two others, Hakeem Aziz Wiley and Richard Daniel Gomez, sold several quantities of fentanyl to undercover officers on multiple occasions in the Dallas area.  One delivery involved 6,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $15,000.00.

    Slay, Wiley, and Gomez each pled guilty to a conspiracy count after indictment.  Hakeem Aziz Wiley, 26, of Frisco, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Judge Starr in January 2025.   Richard Daniel Gomez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, received a sentence of 37 months in federal prison from Judge Starr in February this year.

    Fentanyl pills have an approximate street value of $10 per pill.  The potential street value of the fentanyl pills seized in this case is approximately $64,690.00.

    The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant United States Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Sex Offender Who Held Standoff with SWAT Team Found Guilty of Federal Child Exploitation Crimes by South Florida Jury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – This week, a federal jury sitting in Fort Pierce, Florida found Michael Gordon Douglas, 48, of Escondido, California guilty of seven counts of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”) and one count of Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity.

    Federal prosecutors proved the following during the five-day trial: In October 2023, South Florida law enforcement learned that Douglas was active in an online chat room focused on incest and other sexual taboo. Douglas communicated with someone he believed was the mother of an eight-year-old girl. During months of chats, Douglas bragged about his sexual experiences with children and posted dozens of sexually explicit photos and videos. He repeatedly instructed the mother on how to gradually sexualize her child so that she would be ready, willing, and able to have sex with him. At one point, Douglas tried to set up a Halloween sex party where he offered to take the child’s virginity “in front of a meth-fueled orgy.”

    On the day of a planned meet-up with the child, Douglas spotted law enforcement and erratically drove away. Agents stopped the vehicle, and a female passenger jumped out screaming, “He’s got a grenade, he’s going to kill us!” Douglas then pulled the pin out of what looked like a real grenade and held a standoff with a SWAT team.  Douglas eventually put down the replica grenade and was arrested.

    Inside Douglas’s car, law enforcement discovered sex toys, personal lubricant, extra-small lingerie, a small speculum, and a unicorn stuffed animal. During planning chats, Douglas said he would bring those very items to his encounter with the child. The trial evidence showed that Douglas purchased most of these items online the day before the meeting with rush delivery.

    Sentencing is currently set for August 25 at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon. Douglas faces a minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge Jose Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office made the announcement. 

    HSI Miami and HSI San Diego Field Divisions investigated the case. U.S. Attorneys Justin Chapman and Adam McMichael are prosecuting it. 

    The Justice 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 of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.

    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, under case number 23-cr-80219.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Montgomery Man Sentenced on Federal Firearm Charge Following High-Speed Vehicle Pursuit and Shooting Incident

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MONTGOMERY, AL – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that a Montgomery man has been sentenced to prison following his conviction in federal court. On May 15, 2025, 38-year-old Lorenzo Anterrio Monta received a sentence of 180 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Upon completion of his 15-year prison term, Monta will serve three years of supervised release. As with all federal sentences, there is no parole.

    According to court records, on March 21, 2024, officers with the Montgomery Police Department (MPD) identified a vehicle traveling near Eastdale Road and Atlanta Highway that had been reported stolen earlier that day. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver refused to pull over and instead accelerated, initiating a high-speed pursuit.

    During the chase, a passenger in the vehicle—later identified as Monta—leaned out of the car window and fired multiple shots toward the pursuing MPD patrol vehicle. The pursuit ended when the driver brought the vehicle to a stop, and both occupants, including Monta, fled on foot. Officers quickly apprehended both individuals in the surrounding area. When Monta was taken into custody, officers recovered a handgun from his pocket.

    Monta has prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On December 20, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    “Lorenzo Monta’s actions showed a complete disregard for public safety and law enforcement,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Firing a weapon during a high-speed pursuit placed countless lives at risk. The sentence imposed was the maximum allowed by statute and reflects the seriousness of the offense. Our office remains committed to holding armed, violent felons accountable and we will continue working with our local and federal partners to protect our communities from gun violence.”

    This case was investigated by the Montgomery Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Eric M. Counts prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Health Aide Worker Sentenced for Stealing from the Family of Dying Hospice Patient

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Beverly Ochoa, 30, of Derwood, Maryland, was sentenced today to a 12-month suspended sentence for first-degree theft in the stealing of $2,600 cash from the elderly wife of a hospice patient, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Ochoa pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree theft. As part of the sentence, Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno ordered one year of supervised probation to include 40 hours of community service and suspended three years of supervised release.

    According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of Oct. 1, MPD officers were called to the victims’ home in Southeast, where an elderly couple resided, and the husband was receiving hospice care. The couple employed two health aide caregivers from different companies to assist with the care of the patient. One of the workers, Ochoa, was in the home with the patient when the patient’s wife came downstairs to pay the other health aide worker. When she asked Ochoa where the other worker was, Ochoa said she had left the residence. The patient’s wife then placed the $2,600 in $100 bills inside a drawer so she could pay the other worker later and left for a medical appointment. When the patient’s wife returned later that day, the cash was missing from the drawer. The couple’s family arrived at the home and reviewed in-home security camera footage. The video captured Ochoa retrieving something from the kitchen and placing it in her purse. The family called law enforcement and when officers arrived, they found $2,600, in $100 bills, inside the defendant’s purse. She was arrested that day.

    In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

    They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nickolas Reck and Katherine Ballou, who prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Sentenced to Prison in Domestic Violence Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon following a violent domestic incident.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on November 16, 2021, Jicarilla Apache Police responded to a report of domestic violence at a residence within the Jicarilla Apache Nation. Upon arrival, officers found an adult female victim visibly distressed and injured. Officers observed fresh abrasions and other signs of physical harm.

    The investigation revealed that an argument between Orlyn Vigil, 49, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, and the victim escalated into violence. Vigil physically assaulted the victim, including strangling, dragging, and throwing her to the ground. As the victim attempted to leave the area, Vigil struck her with a vehicle, causing further injury.

    Vigil pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon. Upon his release from prison, Vigil will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.

    The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Mia Ulibarri-Rubin and Nicholas J. Marshall are prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jefferson County man sentenced to federal prison after robbing convenience store and leading police on a high-speed chase

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for violent crime violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Patrick Lee Bridgewater, 22, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 16, 2025.

    According to court documents, on April 14, 2023, local law enforcement officers responded to a report of an armed robbery in progress at the Speedy Stop on College Street in Beaumont.  Witnesses reported two men entered the store and demanded money from the clerk at gunpoint. A description of the men and the vehicle they fled in was broadcast to law enforcement.  The vehicle was quickly located traveling eastbound on College Street. A traffic stop was initiated, but the vehicle evaded police resulting in a high-speed chase eventually ending in Nederland.  Bridgewater was a passenger in the vehicle, which had been reported stolen and was being driven by a minor.  Evidence from the robbery was found in the vehicle.

    This case was sentenced as 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).

    This case was investigated by FBI’s Beaumont field office and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Sentenced Under Alien Registration Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILMINGTON, Del. – A Dominican national residing in New Castle County, Delaware was sentenced on May 13, 2025, to 30 days’ probation for failing to notify the U.S. government of his change of address, in violation of the Alien Registration Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Shannon T. Hanson. The Honorable Laura D. Hatcher, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the District of Delaware, pronounced the sentence.

    According to court documents and information provided in open court, Wagner Rivera-Campusano, 27, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) in 2023 and was given bail. He provided ICE an address in New York City.  Mr. Rivera did not appear for his immigration proceedings and was ordered removed from the U.S. in absentia.  In approximately September 2024, Mr. Rivera moved to Delaware without informing the federal government of his new address. 

    In April 2025, Mr. Rivera was convicted of a drug felony in the Superior Court of Delaware.  He was released to ICE custody and charged federally with failure to notify the U.S. government of his address change.  As Mr. Rivera was informed in open court, he will almost certainly be deported. Should he return to the U.S., Mr. Rivera will face significantly enhanced penalties because of his Delaware state drug conviction.  

    To date, in support of Operation Take Back America, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware has filed a total of 58 immigration and border security-related cases between January 20, 2025, and May 13, 2025, an 800% increase over those charged with illegally re-entering the country during the same timeframe in 2024.

    This announcement is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware.   

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Estonia

    Source: NATO

    On Friday (16 May), NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska travelled to Estonia.

    She began at the Ämari Airbase, from where the Portuguese Air Force currently helps secure the skies as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.  The Deputy Secretary General was also briefed on the ongoing multinational exercise Hedgehog/Siil. Led by Estonia, the exercise brings together over 18,000 Estonian military personnel and forces from eleven Allied countries, including NATO’s multinational presence in Estonia.  

    At the Lennart Meri Conference later in the day, the Deputy Secretary General outlined NATO’s priorities for the upcoming Summit in The Hague.  She discussed the ways to strengthen deterrence and defence in the face of global security challenges, emphasising the importance of increasing defence spending and defence production. She also discussed NATO’s support to Ukraine.
    Mrs. Shekerinska also visited the Regional Hub of NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA), where start-ups work to adapt their innovative technologies to defence, in areas such as sensing and surveillance, energy, and critical infrastructure.

    The Deputy Secretary General met the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Margus Tsahkna, and the Minister of Defence, Mr Hanno Pevkur.  She thanked Estonia for its exemplary commitment to investing in defence, support for Ukraine, as well as for its contributions to defence innovation and cyber defence.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former New York City Police Officer Sentenced to 23 Years’ Imprisonment for Sexually Exploiting Minors Online

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Targeted Minors on Twitter and Convinced Them in Chats to Send Him Sexually Explicit Photos and Videos of Themselves

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Carmine Simpson was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 23 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors online.  On March 24, 2023, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of sexually exploiting a minor.  The charges stem from Simpson’s extensive online conduct in 2020, while he was a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, which includes engaging numerous children in sexual conversations, enticing and manipulating them into sending him nude images and videos, routinely requesting them to engage in live chat sessions on FaceTime and Snapchat, directing them to physically harm themselves, and asking them to write degrading sexual phrases on their nude bodies.  Simpson resigned from the NYPD in 2022.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

    “The defendant’s repeated sexual solicitation and exploitation of minors is reprehensible,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “That he was a law enforcement officer at the time he committed these crimes makes his conduct even more horrific.  My Office will continue to work to protect vulnerable children from predators like the defendant.”

    “Carmine Simpson betrayed his badge by preying upon minors for twisted sexual gratification. Simpson repeatedly prowled online for minor victims before coercing them to provide sexually explicit and degrading content,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI will never tolerate any individual who exploits children, especially those with sworn duties to protect them.”

    Simpson, then a police officer with the NYPD, targeted vulnerable children on Twitter for the purpose of having them create and send him sexually exploitative photos and videos of themselves.  Simpson had multiple Twitter profiles and pretended to be a 17-year-old boy to entice minors into engaging with him, even using a filter to alter his own appearance so that he looked younger.  Simpson then communicated with numerous minors, including some as young as 13-years-old.

    Law enforcement first learned about the defendant’s conduct in December 2020, after the mother of John Doe 2, a 13-year-old transgender male, filed a police report after finding chat communications with the defendant on her child’s computer.  In those messages, the defendant stated, “Do you take good nudes?” and “You take good nudes? Prove it.”  He gave instructions to write words on the victim’s body with a marker and commented: “How many words do you think we can add to your body?”  As part of that conversation, John Doe 2 sent the defendant at least two sexually explicit videos.   

    This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States  Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    CARMINE SIMPSON
    Age: 30
    Holbrook, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-97 (GRB)

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