NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parmelee Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

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

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 7, 2025.

    Leonard Little Thunder III, a/k/a Yamni Little Thunder, age 19, was sentenced to six 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.

    Little Thunder was indicted by a grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025.

    The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in November 2023 within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On November 29, 2023, the victim, an adult male, was outside his residence near Mission, South Dakota, with multiple family members. Little Thunder drove past the residence multiple times before stopping and producing a short barrel shotgun. Little Thunder fired at the victim, causing a wound to the victim’s head. Little Thunder then fled the scene, but he was arrested a short time later at a residence south of Mission. The shotgun was seized as evidence, and Little Thunder will forfeit ownership of the shotgun 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, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

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

    FORT WAYNE–Yesterday, Jakwan D. Braster, 30 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after his guilty plea to maintaining a drug-involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Braster was sentenced to a total of 100 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, Braster maintained a drug house in Fort Wayne from February through August 2020 for the purpose of distributing and manufacturing controlled substances.  In August 2020, he illegally possessed firearms despite his prior felony conviction for resisting law enforcement, and he possessed those firearms in order to facilitate and protect his drug trafficking at his drug house.   

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, the Indiana State Police, the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and the Fort Wayne Police Department.  Also assisting in this investigation were the Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, the Indiana State Police Laboratory, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Teresa L Ashcraft.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Men Charged in Southern District of Indiana for Illegally Reentering the United States after Previous Deportation Following Criminal Convictions or Charges

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

    Southern District of Indiana—Last week, three illegal aliens were arrested and charged federally with unlawfully reentering the United States after previously being deported following immigration proceedings. The charges follow an immigration and enforcement removal operation that took place in Evansville and Bloomington, Indiana between April 29 and May 1.

    According to court documents, each of the three men are Mexican nationals who illegally returned to the United States and were found by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Southern District of Indiana. As outlined below, court documents allege that each man had previously been convicted of crimes they committed in the United States, or had charges pending against them, or both.

    • Martin Cortez-Lopez, 36, was arrested on April 29 in Bloomington. Cortez-Lopez had previously been convicted in Florida on charges of resisting an officer with violence, possession of a controlled substance, and disorderly intoxication in a public place causing a disturbance. He currently faces charges in Monroe County, Indiana, following two incidents, one resulting in charges of possession of cocaine and operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and the other resulting in charges of possession of cocaine and operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person. He has previously been removed from the United States on at least one occasion.
    • Jaime Ortiz-Guzman, 46, was arrested on May 1 in Bloomington. Ortiz-Guzman had previously been convicted in Indiana on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. He currently faces charges in Monroe County, Indiana, for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. He has previously been removed from the United States on at least one occasion.
    • Amin Reynosa-Diaz, 28, was arrested on April 29 in Evansville. Reynosa-Diaz had previously been convicted in Indiana of domestic battery. He currently faces charges in Hampton County, Virginia, for driving while intoxicated, and is wanted on multiple warrants for failing to appear in court. He has previously been removed from the United States on at least one occasion.

    If convicted, each man faces up to between two and ten years in prison.

    These charges and arrests are the latest prosecutions of illegal aliens who were found in the Southern District of Indiana after unlawfully re-entering the United States after having been previously deported. Specifically, these prosecutions involve illegal aliens who were previously convicted of crimes they committed in the United States, or who are facing pending charges, or both, for offenses including rape, domestic violence resulting in serious bodily injury, child molestation, burglary, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

    The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:

    • Immigration and Customs Enforcement
    • Federal Bureau of Investigation
    • Drug Enforcement Administration
    • Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
    • Homeland Security Investigations
    • U.S. Marshals Service

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Haney, Meredith Wood, Todd S. Shellenbarger, and Matthew B. Miller, who are prosecuting these cases. 

    These changes and arrests 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    An indictment or criminal complaint 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 Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Locate Missing Michigan Teen in North Carolina, Arrest Person of Interest

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Detroit, MI – U.S. Marshals in North Carolina May 7 recovered a Roseville teen who was reported missing April 20 and arrested a person of interest in her disappearance.

    Roseville Police were contacted at approximately 8:20 a.m. Easter morning and, after working with several local agencies to locate the teenage child to no avail, referred the case to the Roseville detective bureau April 21. Roseville police obtained CCTV footage from a local gas station showing the teen purchasing a bottle of water before exiting the store.  

    April 30, based on a tip the child had been spotted in neighboring Clinton Township, detectives from Roseville Police, along with other local agencies, canvassed the area of Hayes and Clinton River roads and learned the child had been seen in a trailer park just days before.

    Roseville Police contacted the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in the Eastern District of Michigan May 5 and requested assistance from the agency’s Missing Child Unit.  USMS investigators developed information that the child, deemed by the agency a critically missing and endangered, had been in the area as recently as May 4 and were able to obtain surveillance video of her.  

    After executing numerous search warrants, USMS investigators by May 7 had developed information regarding a person of interest they believed had come from North Carolina to Michigan and picked up the teen around 4:30 p.m. May 4.

    That same day, USMS investigators in Michigan developed information the person of interest was at an extended stay motel in the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, and sent a collateral lead to USMS investigators in the Eastern District of North Carolina, who, working with members of the Raleigh Police Department, went to the motel where they arrested the person of interest, who has been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The teen was located, safely recovered and transported to the Raleigh PD Detectives Division as the investigation continued.

    “The U.S. Marshals Service holds the mission of locating and recovering critically missing children as the highest priority,” said Owen Cypher, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan. “It is our honor to protect our most vulnerable victims, we will continue to support our state and local partners with this endeavor.”

    “The safe recovery of this missing child reflects the power of strong partnerships,” said Glenn M. McNeill, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “I commend the dedicated personnel from the United States Marshals Service and the Raleigh Police Department whose collaboration, focus, and swift action brought this case to a successful close. Their work is a clear example of what can be accomplished when agencies operate as one team, committed to protecting our most vulnerable.”

    “The Roseville Police Department is committed to investigating all cases of missing and runaway children who, regardless of age, face significant risks including homelessness,” said Roseville Police D/LT. Andrew Beemer. “We are grateful to the U.S. Marshals Service for their swift and professional work alongside our detectives to help bring (the teen) home.”

    “Protecting our children is one of our highest priorities, and we never take that responsibility lightly,” said Raleigh Police Department Chief Rico Boyce. “We are proud to have assisted in the investigation and safe recovery of a missing child.  The Raleigh Police Department is committed to standing with our community and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to stop those who seek to harm our youth. This work depends on strong collaboration, trust, and shared dedication to keeping our neighborhoods safe.”

    In May 2015, the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act was passed and clarified the USMS’ discretionary authority to support law enforcement requests for assistance on any missing child cases. As such, the USMS assists state, local, and other federal law enforcement agencies, upon request, in locating and recovering missing children, while focusing agency resources on “critically missing child” cases – those that involve a suspected crime of violence or where factors are identified by law enforcement that indicate an elevated risk to a missing child. 

    In 2016, the Missing Child Unit was established within the USMS Sex Offender Investigations Branch to manage JVTA implementation. The MCU develops and manages training, guidance, and enforcement initiatives as well as provides overall oversight of the program. The MCU is in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and assists with missing child case information sharing. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Drug Trafficking Organization That Distributed Heart Shaped Pills Resembling Candy, Laced with Lethal Drugs, Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Investigation resulted in what is believed to be one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region – over eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder

    BOSTON – A Lynn, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) on the North Shore of Massachusetts. In November 2023, millions of doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder, with street value estimated to be over $7 million, was seized from a stash location and clandestine laboratory used by the organization.

    Sebastien Bejin, a/k/a “Bash,” 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 12 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Bejin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. Bejin was charged in November 2023 along with alleged co-conspirators Emilio Garcia and Deiby Felix. The defendants were later indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023.

    In July 2023, an investigation began into an overdose death in Salem, Mass. which led investigators to the drug trafficking organization led by Bejin, Garcia and Felix.

    On Nov. 1, 2023 searches were conducted at four locations frequented by Bejin and Garcia. The searches resulted in what is believed to be, one of the largest single-location seizures of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Massachusetts and the region. The seizure included nine kilograms (20 pounds) of pink heart shaped fentanyl-laced pills pressed to look like candy. Additional narcotics and five firearms were also seized. During the course of the investigation over 150 kilograms of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine were seized, along with multiple additional kilograms of cocaine and dozens of kilograms of cutting agents, including xylazine, that are used to adulterate controlled substances.

    In total, more than an estimated eight million individual doses of fentanyl and methamphetamine laced pills and powder was seized. The street value is believed to be upwards of $8 million.

    Garcia and Bejin would travel to the stash location on a daily basis and then bring quantities of suspected controlled substances from the premises to supply lower-level dealers.

    A search of Felix’s residence resulted in the seizure of more than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of pressed pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl and a firearm. A subsequent search of the basement of Felix’s residence revealed a clandestine drug laboratory that had been built into a small room. Multiple industrial pill presses, mixing equipment and other manufacturing paraphernalia and equipment were also recovered. Within multiple large storage bins located within the laboratory, over 100 pounds of suspected fentanyl powder was also discovered.

    Garcia pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2025. Felix pleaded guilty on Feb. 3, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Lynn, Lynnfield and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison for Participating in Violent Kidnappings in the Chicago Suburbs

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for conspiring to abduct several victims at gunpoint in the Chicago suburbs.

    SEDGWICK WILLIAMS participated in kidnappings in Naperville, Ill., and Westchester, Ill., in the fall of 2019.  Williams and a co-conspirator also attempted a third kidnapping in South Holland, Ill., but they were unsuccessful and were arrested fleeing from the intended victim’s residence.

    A federal jury last year convicted Williams, 48, of Chicago, and co-defendant TAI HON LA, 35, of Beach Park, Ill., of participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and other related charges.  On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso sentenced Williams to 50 years in federal prison.  La is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2025.

    Two other defendants pleaded guilty in the case.  IVAN AYERS, 37, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to participating in the kidnapping conspiracy and is set to be sentenced on June 10, 2025.  JONATHAN VARGAS, 38, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to kidnapping the first victim in Naperville and is set to be sentenced on June 5, 2025.

    Williams’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  The case was investigated with assistance from the Naperville Police Department, Westchester Police Department, South Holland Police Department, Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.

    According to evidence presented at trial, the first kidnapping occurred in Naperville on Oct. 17, 2019.  The conspirators posed as law enforcement officers to handcuff and abduct a man at gunpoint outside of his electronics store, which they then burglarized.  The conspirators forced the victim into a car and transported him to Chicago, where they assaulted him and extorted his family.

    The conspirators carried out the kidnapping in Westchester on Nov. 16, 2019.  Posing as federal agents, the conspirators handcuffed and abducted a man at gunpoint outside of his residence.  The conspirators forced the victim into his home, where they seized another victim and forced them both into the basement.  Two other victims later arrived at the residence and were also forced into the basement at gunpoint.  The conspirators stole cash and jewelry before fleeing.

    The conspirators attempted the third kidnapping in South Holland on Dec. 11, 2019, but the intended victim was able to call 911 and the South Holland Police arrived before the conspirators could gain access to the house.

    “Williams orchestrated a series of incredibly violent abductions and armed robberies throughout Chicago and the neighboring suburbs,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared C. Jodrey and Kate McClelland argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Williams and his co-conspirators ruthlessly threatened, restrained, beat, robbed, kidnapped, terrorized, and tortured people for their own personal gain.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Charged with Trafficking Narcotics in the Waterbury Area

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of  Connecticut, Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo today announced that ZACHARY FOSTER, also known as “Lee,” 58, of Waterbury; KEVIN LUCAS, 61, of Waterbury; PHILLION HARVEY, also known as “Dawg,” 52, of New Haven; RONALD McDOWELL, 58, of Waterbury; and KENYA BROWN, 43, of Bristol; have been federally charged with conspiring to traffic narcotics in and around Waterbury.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on November 26, 2024, Foster was sentenced in New Haven federal court to approximately 35 months of imprisonment, time already served, and four years of supervised release, for trafficking narcotics.  In February 2025, an investigation by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force determined that Foster had resumed his drug trafficking activity.  Between February and April 2025, investigators intercepted hundreds of calls between Foster and his associates coordinating the distribution of cocaine, crack, and fentanyl.

    During the investigation, a search of a stash location that Foster maintained at a residence on National Avenue in Waterbury revealed approximately one kilogram of cocaine, and a search of a location he maintained on Meriden Road in Waterbury revealed approximately 600 dose bags of fentanyl.  Harvey, McDowell, and Brown also were found in possession of distribution quantities of fentanyl.

    On April 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an indictment charging each of the five defendants with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and fentanyl.  If convicted of the charge, based on the type and quantity of drug attributed to each defendant, and based on Foster’s previous conviction for a serious drug felony offense, Foster faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Lucas, Harvey, McDowell, and Brown each faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  Foster also faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release.

    Foster, Lucas, and McDowell were arrested on federal criminal complaints on April 3, 2025, and are currently detained.  Brown was arrested on April 25, 2025, and is released on $100,000 bond, and Harvey was released on April 29, 2025, and is released on a $50,000 bond.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven District Office (NHDO) Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The DEA Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Connecticut State Police and the New Haven, Waterbury, East Haven, Branford, West Haven, Ansonia, Meriden, Naugatuck, and Shelton Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan J. Keefe and Natasha M. Freismuth.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Rock Hill Cop Convicted at Trial of Receiving, Sending Child Sexual Abuse Materials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal jury in Columbia has convicted Daniel Paul Shealy, 36, of Rock Hill, on 18 counts of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.* The jury returned a guilty verdict following three days of testimony and an hour and a half of deliberation.

    According to evidence presented during trial, in 2023 investigators with the York County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that three videos depicting the sexual abuse of children were flagged on the social messaging app Kik, under the username “orgasmd0nor.” Investigators with the YCSO and FBI traced the account and IP address to Shealy, a detective and former school resource officer with the Rock Hill Police Department.

    Further investigation revealed that Shealy was a member of more than 40 private groups on Kik designed for users to trade child sexual abuse materials, including groups with references to minors, teens, and incest in the titles. According to testimony from a Kik representative, users in such groups often exchange images and videos of rape, sexual assault, bestiality, and other abuse of children. Investigators testified during trial that after receiving the tip, they executed a search warrant on Shealy’s phone and his Kik account. Shealy’s phone was in his patrol car and accessible through his thumbprint and a passcode, which was his badge number. 

    Agents recovered 126 explicit videos of children from Shealy’s phone and Kik account, which Shealy had received or distributed to others on the internet. The files included recordings of prepubescent minors in bondage and constraints and child sex abuse materials represented the majority of explicit recovered from his Kik account.

    When Shealy testified at trial, he admitted that he operated the orgasmd0nor account and that he accessed child sex abuse material on the platform. He also admitted that he never reported the any of the videos to Kik or to law enforcement because he either did not know how to report or was concerned about his privacy related to his intimate life. Shealy taken into custody at the conclusion of the trial. 

    “The facts alone in this case were disturbing but became even more appalling because the defendant was a police officer, an individual given immense public trust,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We remain committed to holding those who betray public trust accountable and protecting our most vulnerable citizens, our children. We’re grateful to the FBI, York County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case and our trial attorneys that worked diligently to bring this man to justice.”

    “The FBI is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding children from individuals who perpetrate physical and sexual abuse or engage in the exploitation of minors through the distribution of child sexual abuse material, as proved in this case,” said Reid Davis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “We hope this verdict represents a meaningful step toward justice for the victims and ensures that the defendant is held fully accountable under the law.”

    He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, lifetime supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, and sex offender registry requirements.  United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson Jr. presided over the trial and will sentence Shealy after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia field office, the York County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force at the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder Of Celsius Sentenced To 12 Years For Fraud And Market Manipulation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Alexander Mashinsky Deceived Customers About Celsius’s Financial Stability and Rigged the Price of Celsius’s Crypto Token, Leading to Billions in Losses

    Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ALEXANDER MASHINSKY, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Celsius Network LLC and their affiliated entities (collectively, “Celsius”), was sentenced to 12 years for committing commodities fraud and securities fraud at Celsius.  MASHINSKY previously pled guilty on December 3, 2024, before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who imposed today’s sentence.

    U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Alexander Mashinsky targeted retail investors with promises that he would keep their “digital assets” safer than a bank, when in fact he used those assets to place risky bets and to line his own pockets.  In the end, Mashinsky made tens of millions of dollars while his customers lost billions.  America’s investors deserve better.  The case for tokenization and the use of digital assets is strong but it is not a license to deceive.  The rules against fraud still apply, and the SDNY will hold those who flout them accountable for their crimes.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:

    Celsius, a crypto asset platform, offered customers “rewards” on deposited assets, secured loans, and custody services.  Marketing itself as the “safest place for your crypto,” Celsius encouraged customers to “unbank” themselves by transferring crypto assets to its platform.  Celsius’s primary offering, “Earn” program, promised to deploy customer assets to generate investment returns.  Celsius also provided “Custody” and “Borrow” programs, the latter allowing customers to obtain loans by posting crypto assets as collateral.  MASHINSKY, as CEO, directly marketed Celsius to retail customers globally.  Throughout his tenure, he repeatedly misrepresented key aspects of Celsius’s business and finances to attract customers and retain their assets.  His false claims covered the safety of Celsius’s yield-generating activities, its profitability, the sustainability of high rewards rates, and the risks associated with depositing crypto assets on the platform.  As MASHINSKY portrayed Celsius as secure, the platform grew exponentially.  By the fall of 2021, Celsius had become one of the largest crypto platforms in the world, holding approximately $25 billion in assets at its peak.

    MASHINSKY and others orchestrated a yearslong scheme to mislead customers about Celsius’s proprietary crypto token CEL.  They manipulated CEL’s price by spending hundreds of millions purchasing it on the open market to artificially inflate its value.  At times, they used customer deposits to fund these market purchases, without disclosing that to customers.  Without aggressive manipulation, CEL’s price would have been significantly lower.  As Roni Cohen-Pavon, Celsius’s Chief Revenue Officer who later pled guilty to illegally manipulating CEL’s price, privately told MASHINSKY, “the value was fake and was based on us spending millions.”

    To further the manipulation scheme, MASHINSKY repeatedly made false public statements about Celsius’s market activity and role in supporting and inflating CEL’s.  In some instances, MASHINSKY and other executives personally purchased CEL to artificially support its value.  The artificial price inflation allowed MASHINSKY to profit approximately $48 million from his own sales of CEL.  He publicly claimed he was not selling CEL, while actually selling large quantities, sometimes to Celsius itself.

    Before Celsius halted customer withdrawals on June 12, 2022, MASHINSKY continued assuring customers of Celsius’s strong financial position and liquidity.  Meanwhile, he withdrew $8 million worth of his own non-CEL assets from Celsius.  When Celsius announced it was halting customer withdrawals, hundreds of thousands of Celsius customers had $4.7 billion in inaccessible assets on the platform.  Celsius filed for bankruptcy on July 13, 2022.

    *                *               *

    In addition to the prison term, MASHINSKY, 59, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine and forfeiture of $48,393,446.

    Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, each of which has filed a parallel civil action.

    The case is being overseen by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Davis, Adam S. Hobson, and Allison Nichols are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnson County Man Sentenced for Producing and Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A Hagerhill, Ky., man, Jason Ryan Campbell, 46, was sentenced on Thursday to 40 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, for production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.  

    According to his plea agreement, on August 27, 2022, Campbell engaged in the production of child pornography. Specifically, upon searching his phone, law enforcement located two videos taken of Campbell and a minor victim engaging in sexual conduct. Law enforcement also found additional videos and photos of child pornography on his phone. 

    Under federal law, Campbell must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Kentucky State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case was prosecuted 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 the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 21 Armed and Violent Drug Traffickers and Gang Members from Spokane Area Facing Federal Drug and Firearm Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced that 21 individuals have been charged following the return of 15 separate indictments alleging dozens of charges against these defendants.  Certain of the individuals indicated are not yet in federal custody.

    The arrests follow a long-term joint federal investigation that began in October 2024, led by the by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This 7-month long investigation has targeted violent individuals and armed drug traffickers in Spokane as well as individuals operating in what has become nothing less than an open-air drug market on Division Street downtown..  These individuals have been problems in multiple states, impacting multiple communities during their lifetimes, in not only Washington State, but also Texas, Nevada, North Dakota, Montana, Alabama, Idaho, Oregon, and California.

    Upon release of the latest indictment, which was unsealed earlier today upon the arrest of several additional suspects, Acting United States Attorney Rich Barker stated, “I am grateful for the coordinated efforts of so many law enforcement agencies, who worked together to coordinate the takedown of this alleged drug trafficking operation.”  Acting U.S. Attorney Barker continued, “It is an honor work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners on such important prosecutions, which help remove illegal drugs and firearms from our community.  Our community and nation are safer, because of the work of our law enforcement and prosecution teams.”

    To date, agents seized just shy of 14-pounds of methamphetamine, over 1 kilogram of heroin, over 16,000 fentanyl pills, over 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, almost $60,000 in drug proceeds, as well as four vehicles and 36 firearms.  In connection with the prosecution, the United States has filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the Eastern District of Washington against a local Spokane apartment complex located near North Central High School, which allegedly was being used to distribute illegal drugs and a place for individuals to obtain firearms. Properties such as this one are not only a community safety issue as a free for all of illicit activity, they are also a drain on public resources that could be used elsewhere.  For example, in the last 2.5 years, records show there have been approximately 58 separate calls for service at the address.

    According to unsealed charging documents, the following individuals, many of whom have ties to various street gangs and who have a history of violence, have been charged in connection with the investigation. Additionally, the names of others indicted in connection with this investigation will be unsealed upon the arrest of those individuals.

    Andrew Vincent Auerbach, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking.  Auerbach has a prior federal conviction for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

    Daryl Edward Boone, 45, charged with Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, Possess with Intent to Distribute 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl, Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine

    James M. Ferguson, 33, charged with Unlawful Possession of a Short-Barreled Shotgun

    Jonathan Jacob Inglis, 40, pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. On January 30, 2025, he was sentenced to 151 months in prison.

    Nathan Carlson Johnson, 44, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine.

    James Lelacheur, 56, charged with Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine.

    Christopher Wayne O’Neal, charged with Distribution of 5 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine.  O’Neal is currently in Spokane County Jail stemming from a separate drug trafficking investigation.

    Gabriella Sherif Rizkalla, charged with multiple counts of Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, and Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine

    Roland Dewayne Sanders, 36, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl, Distribution of 40 Grams or More of Fentanyl.  Sanders was on federal supervised release at the time of his offense and utilized his minor child to assist in the distribution of fentanyl.

    Bernie Ray Shaw Jr., 45, charged with Distribution of Fentanyl

    Courtney A. Wheeler, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

    Andrew Lee Williams, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

    Anthony Dale Williams, charged with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and Conspiracy to Possess a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, multiple counts of Distribution of 50 Grams or More of Actual (Pure) Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, and Distribution of Cocaine.

    Certain of the individuals will be arraigned at the Spokane Federal Courthouse on May 9, 2025, at 10:00am.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation along with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Moses Lake Police Department, Border Patrol, and the Washington Department of Corrections. Additional assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

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

    WILLIAMS et al – 2:25-CR-75-RLP

    SANDERS – 2:25-CR-15-MKD

    LELACHER – 2:24-CR-16-MKD

    FERGUSON – 2:24-CR-158-RLP

    JOHNSON – 2:24-CR-159-MKD

    AUERBACH – 2:25-CR-16-TOR

    INGLIS – 2:23-CR-56-TOR

    SHAW – 2:24-CR-163-MKD

    BOONE – 2:24-CR-164-RLP

    United States of America v. Real Property Known as 625 West Maxwell Avenue Spokane Washington et al, 2:25-cv-00148-RLP

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Accused of Concealing Death of Disabled Veteran for Years to Reap Financial Benefits

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

    ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from Salem, Missouri was indicted on Wednesday and accused of concealing the death of his uncle, a U.S. Army veteran with quadraplegia, for at least five years so that he could steal at least $650,000 of his disability benefits.

    Brian K. Ditch, 44, is now facing four felony counts of wire fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of theft of government property and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The indictment alleges that Ditch was solely responsible for his uncle’s care beginning in 2008, and kept his uncle locked in his garage and under his control so he could fraudulently obtain his government benefits. Instead of properly caring for his uncle, Ditch trapped him in the garage for over 24 hours at a time, forcing his uncle “to sit in his own urine and feces without the ability to eat or drink,” the indictment says. After his uncle’s death around 2019, Ditch concealed his death and the body so that he could continue to receive the money, the indictment says. It says Ditch told relatives that he had moved his uncle into a nursing home.

    His uncle received $9,559 per month in Disability Compensation benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the indictment says. The VA would not have continued to pay had they known Ditch’s uncle was dead, the indictment says. Ditch’s uncle also received a total of $235,210 in Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Retirement Insurance benefits from the Social Security Administration since 2008.

    Ditch used the money to buy exotic reptiles, fund lavish vacations and enrich himself, the indictment says. Salem police officers found the uncle’s partially frozen body in a trash can in March, as well as three shotguns, the indictment says. As a convicted felon, Ditch is barred from possessing firearms.

    Ditch is expected to plead not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday.

    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 Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General is committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits veterans or steals their VA benefits,” said Special Agent in Charge Gregory Billingsley with the VA OIG’s Central Field Office. “VA’s programs and services are established to justly compensate deserving veterans and the VA OIG will bring to justice those who would defraud these programs.”

    The Salem Police Department, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

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

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Larry Joe Chapman, 44, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 28, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a reported shoplifting at a MacCorkle Avenue business in South Charleston. The officers found that Chapman, the subject of the shoplifting call, had locked himself in the storage room of the business. Chapman unlocked the door for the officers, and officers found him in the storage room with a knife in his hand with the blade open. Officers disarmed and arrested Chapman, took him outside, and searched him. Officers found a Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380-caliber pistol and over $1,000 in merchandise belonging to the business on Chapman’s person. Officers later determined that the firearm was stolen.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Chapman knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for breaking and entering a building other than a dwelling on February 5, 2018, and conspiracy to operate and attempt to operate a clandestine drug laboratory for the purpose of manufacturing methamphetamine on November 8, 2013, both in Kanawha County Circuit Court.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the South Charleston Police Department.

    United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess and former Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-125.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 290 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) has once again lost the connection to its only remaining back-up power line, underlining the continued fragility of the electrical grid during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

    The latest disconnection of the 330 kilovolt (kV) power line – which occurred just before noon local time on Wednesday – left the plant entirely dependent on its last functional 750 kV power line for the electricity it needs to cool its reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions. According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy, the disconnection occurred as a result of military activities.

    “A secure supply of off-site power from the grid for all nuclear sites is one of the seven indispensable pillars of nuclear safety and security that we outlined early in the war. It is obvious that this supply is far from being secure. The vulnerability of the grid remains a deep source of concern for nuclear safety at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant as well as elsewhere in Ukraine,” Director General Grossi said.

    Before the conflict, the ZNPP had access to a total of ten external power lines, both 750 and 330 kV. The site has lost all off-site power eight times during the conflict.

    The IAEA team based at the ZNPP continued to hear explosions at distances far away from the site on several days over the past week.

    The team has continued to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security at the plant, in recent days conducting a site walkdown, confirming the water levels in the sprinkler ponds, and observing the testing of an emergency diesel generator. The team also visited the nuclear safety related electrical breakers and instrumentation, and control cabinets of units 3 and 4.

    Director General Grossi said he was in daily contact with both sides to organize the next rotation of IAEA experts at the ZNPP. The current team, ISAMZ27, has been at the plant for more than two months now. The previous rotation, conducted in early March, was also delayed because of difficult conditions on the ground.

    “The IAEA’s continuous presence at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, since September 2022, has been of vital importance for our efforts to help prevent a nuclear accident during the war. However, getting our staff to and from the site – located on the frontline – has become more complicated in recent months. In the coming days, I will continue to engage intensively with both sides to find a solution, which is urgently needed. My overarching priorities are the safety of my staff and the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant,” Director General Grossi said.

    At the Chornobyl site, investigations to determine the extent of damage sustained by the New Safe Confinement (NSC) arch are ongoing following the drone attack in mid-February.

    It took several weeks to completely extinguish the fires caused by the strike. The emergency work resulted in approximately 330 openings in the outer cladding of the NSC arch, each with an average size of 30-50 cm.

    According to information provided to the IAEA team at the site, a preliminary assessment of the physical integrity of the large arch-shaped building identified extensive damage, for example to the stainless-steel panels of the outer cladding, insulation materials as well as to a large part of the membrane – located between the layers of insulation materials – that keep out water, moisture and air.

    In addition, the IAEA team was informed that the NSC’s main crane system (MCS), which includes the crane north maintenance garage area, was damaged by the drone strike and is currently not operational. The MCS is one of the building’s main systems. The crane maintenance garage area houses several electrical cabinets for various systems, most of which were affected by the drone incident and by the water used to put out the resulting fires.

    The NSC’s other systems – providing relevant safety functions such as radiation monitoring, seismic monitoring, decontamination and radioactive waste management, power supply, and fire protection – remain functional, the IAEA team was informed.

    While the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems remain functional, they are not in service after the drone incident, the Chornobyl site added.

    “We are gradually getting a more complete picture of the severe damage caused by the drone strike. It will take both considerable time and money to repair all of it,” Director General Grossi said.

    On a more re-assuring note, there still has been no increase in radiation levels measured at the Chornobyl site, indicating there was no release of radioactive materials as a result of the strike.

    At Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – five out of their total of nine units are currently operating and generating electricity. The four other reactors are in various stages of shutdown for planned maintenance and refueling, of which two are expected to restart soon.

    The IAEA teams based at the three operating NPPs and the Chornobyl site have continued to report about air raid alarms on most days over the past week. The team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP had to shelter on the site in the morning of 30 April.

    As part of the IAEA’s assistance programme to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, the Khmelnytskyy NPP and Energoatom’s Centralized Spent Fuel Storage Facility received radio-communication systems, procured with funding from the European Union. In addition, USIE Izotop – a Ukrainian state enterprise involved in the management of radioactive material intended for medical, industrial and other purposes – received software for dose assessments and related calculations, funded by New Zealand. This brings the total number of deliveries to 135 since the start of the conflict.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Detainee Admits to Possessing Contraband Inside Wyatt Detention Center

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE –   A federal detainee found to be in possession of contraband while detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Center today pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy and to a charge of providing and possessing contraband in prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Anthony Whyte, 50, admitted that on May 21, 2023, he took possession of an envelope containing documents passed to him by a visitor. Upon further inspection, Wyatt officials determined that eight of the pages had the appearance of having been contaminated with some sort of substance. One of the eight pages later analyzed by the FBI was determined to have been treated with synthetic cannabinoids.

    Court documents reflect that Whyte arranged for the delivery of the contaminated pages during recorded telephone conversations he made from inside the Wyatt Detention Center. The papers and the manilla envelope they were contained in were seized moments after Whyte took possession of them. At the time, Whyte was detained in an unrelated criminal matter brought in the District of Connecticut.

    Whyte is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Wyatt Detention Center Professional Standards Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse. The sentencing took place on May 1, 2025.

    Louis James Swallow, 22, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Swallow will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

    Swallow was indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025.

    The case was charged after an acute disclosure of forcible sexual assault by the 13-year-old victim.  She disclosed Swallow followed her while she was walking home, grabbed her, forced her to the ground, and then raped her.  In sentencing Swallow to 20 years in prison, Judge Schreier condemned Swallow’s “frightening conduct,” noting he had also been charged in Pennington County for raping and strangling a girlfriend in 2020. Judge Schreier further recognized the trauma Swallow’s violence inflicted on the 13-year-old victim.

    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 FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Private School Settles with Justice Department to Address Discrimination Against Children with Disabilities

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 8, 2025, Wisconsin Montessori Society, Inc., d/b/a Milwaukee Montessori School (MMS) agreed to injunctive relief and payment of $290,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to provide full and equal enjoyment of its educational services to children with disabilities, in violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12189.

    MMS is a private day school that offers pre-K through grade 8 education.  Private schools, day care centers, and other places of education are generally prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability under Title III of the ADA. Disabled individuals protected under Title III include both individuals with an actual disability—meaning “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual”—as well as individuals “regarded as having such an impairment.”

    Since at least 2018, MMS has discriminated against young children with disabilities.  MMS has: (1) denied, on the basis of disability, participation in its educational services to disabled children by expelling and refusing to admit them; (2) denied disabled children equal participation in MMS’s educational services by repeatedly sending them to the office, seating them separately from other students, and sending them home early because of manifestations of their disabilities; and (3) failed to make reasonable modifications for disabled children.  MMS’s discriminatory actions are evidenced by the experiences of ten children described in the Settlement Agreement.

    “Children with disabilities have the right to access the educational opportunities offered by private schools, including Montessori schools,” said Acting United States Richard Frohling.  “This settlement is an important reminder that the ADA’s obligations extend to private schools and their treatment of students with disabilities.”

    Under the settlement agreement, MMS will pay monetary damages of $240,000 to compensate aggrieved persons as well as a civil penalty of $50,000 to the United States.  It also includes injunctive relief that requires monitoring and reporting, and MMS has voluntarily taken some steps to address the government’s findings.

    The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of covered entities. The Department of Justice is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa Yun and Nia Schmaltz represented the government in this matter.  The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; MMS does not admit liability for the allegations.

    # #  #

    For Additional Information Contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    414-297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Trumbull Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Handguns, Ghost Guns, Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JACK JAKUPS, 41, of Trumbull, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Jakups’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for narcotics possession, burglary, robbery, larceny, and escape offenses.  In January 2019, Jakups was released from prison to Connecticut’s Special Parole program.  On November 30, 2021, Jakups’ parole officer, with the assistance of ATF, conducted a search of Jakups’ residence and seized a Diamondback 9mm handgun, a Ruger 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, a privately made Glock-19-style firearm, a privately made AR-15-style firearm, and more than 300 rounds of ammunition.

    It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    On November 14, 2022, Jakups pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a felon.

    Jakups, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 8.

    This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of Connecticut State Parole.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Emily Pike Investigation Reward

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

    In support of the Gila County Sheriff’s Office investigation into the death of Emily Pike, the FBI is now offering a reward of up to $75,000 for any person providing independently verifiable information identifying the individual(s) responsible for her disappearance and murder. Please see the attached “Seeking Information” poster from the FBI. The poster can also be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/emily-pike.

    This reward is in addition to the reward already being offered by the San Carlos Apache Tribe.

    Again, the FBI Phoenix Field Office is supporting the Gila County Sheriff’s Office investigation, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Gila County Sheriff’s Office or report tips to the FBI.

    As this is an ongoing investigation, no other information is available from the FBI at this time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Preston — UPDATE: Police continue to ask for the public’s assistance in homicide investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP/HRP Integrated Criminal Investigation Division (CID) continues to ask for the public’s assistance in relation to the 2024 homicide of Tyrell Beals.

    Today marks one year since the RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment received a report that a man had been shot near the 1100 block of Downey Rd. Upon arrival at the scene, officers located Beals, of Westphal. He had sustained gunshot wounds and was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

    “To advance unsolved homicide investigations, we need information from the public in order to find those responsible,” says Sgt. Jason Withrow of CID. “If you were in the area of Downey Rd. on May 8, 2024, or have any information regarding the murder of Tyrell Beals, please contact us; we need your help to bring closure to his loved ones.”

    The ongoing investigation is led by Homicide Investigations in the Special Enforcement Section of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, RCMP Forensic Identification Services, and RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment.

    Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020.

    Our thoughts continue to be with Mr. Beals’ loved ones.

    File #: 24-61350

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sex Trafficker Who Supplied His Prostitutes with Heroin Sentenced to 90 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON D.C. – Johnny Lee Gibson, 58, whose last known residence was in Florence, South Carolina, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 90 months in federal prison for sex-trafficking women who he kept under his control by supplying them with narcotics.

    The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Gibson, aka “Preach,” pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. In addition to the 90-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Gibson to serve 10 years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, Gibson recruited drug-addicted women to work as prostitutes for his commercial sex enterprise that operated in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. The enterprise ran from 1994 until Gibson’s arrest at a motel in Brooklawn, New Jersey, on July 25, 2024.

    Gibson placed online advertisements offering the women’s sexual services. Some ads ran on websites that targeted the DMV. In 2019, he ran ads in the District touting one woman that stated “100% Real and always discreet, always on time, fresh, and looking my very best. I always aim to please…”

    When he was arrested in July 2024, Gibson gave a recorded statement in which he admitted to sex trafficking five women, acting as a pimp, procuring drugs for them, and controling the women by providing access to drugs.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

    It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Ditzler Shinskie and Rachel Forman.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rhode Island Man Admits to Cyberstalking, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island man today pleaded guilty as charged by federal indictment to one count of cyberstalking and four counts of distribution of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Melvin Vidal Herrera Perez, 21, admitted to a federal judge that he befriended a minor child, encouraged her to take sexually explicit images of herself, and later used the images to threaten and harass her after she turned eighteen.

    Perez admitted that he used a variety of tactics to cause serious emotional distress to the victim, including opening websites to display her images, texting and emailing her images, and messaging a wide number of individuals in the victim’s personal and social circles.

    Perez, who has been detained since his arrest in December 2024, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Julie M. White.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Four sentenced in $110 million-dollar kickback conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – Multiple people have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks in exchange for prescription referrals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    John Ageudo Rodriguez, 55, Mohammad Imtiaz Chowdhury, 44, and Hector de la Cruz Jr., 54, all of Edinburg, and Alex Flores Jr., 55, McAllen, had all previously pleaded guilty.

    U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 60 months in federal prison. De La Cruz and Flores were sentenced to 46 months while Chowdhury received a 30-month-term of imprisonment. All must also serve three years of supervised release following completion of their sentences.  

    Rodriguez, a former licensed pharmacist, owned and operated Pharr Family Pharmacy. He conspired with several “marketers” – including Chowdhury, De La Cruz and Flores – to pay kickbacks to medical providers who referred prescriptions to his pharmacy. Rodriguez then billed various benefit programs, including the Department of Labor, TRICARE and Medicare, for millions of dollars in claims. From 2014 to 2016, his pharmacy submitted more than $110 million in claims to federal health care programs for compound drugs.

    “Illegal kickbacks are the engine that drives health care fraud,” said Ganjei. “Our office will aggressively pursue fraud, waste, and abuse that cost taxpayers millions, if not billions, every year.”

    All were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor-OIG, FBI, Department of Defense-Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Veteran Affairs-OIG, Department of Health and Human Services-OIG and Texas Health and Human Services-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sheshatshiu — Arrest warrant issued for Simon Andrew in relation to violent offences in Sheshatshiu

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Sheshatshiu RCMP is looking to arrest wanted man 40-year-old Simon Andrew in relation to a violent incident that occurred at a residence in Sheshatshiu on May 6, 2025.

    Andrew, who has actively been evading police, is charged and wanted in relation to the following criminal offences:

    • Sexual assault with a weapon
    • Aggravated assault – two counts
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose – two counts
    • Forcible confinement
    • Mischief under $5000.00
    • Failure to comply with conditions of a release order

    Police believe that Andrew is frequenting between Sheshatshiu and Happy Valley-Goose Bay. An image of Simon Andrew is attached. The investigation is ongoing.

    Anyone having information about the current location of Simon Andrew is asked to contact Sheshatshiu RCMP at 709-497-8700. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore Justice: 205 Child Sex Abuse Offenders Arrested in FBI-Led Nationwide Crackdown, Including Two in the District of Hawaii

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

    HONOLULU – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

    “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.”

    “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 pledge to protect Hawaii’s keiki is among the most solemn and critical commitments we make to our local community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Working with our outstanding law enforcement partners we have consistently and aggressively pursued child predators and those who seek to exploit children either for profit or their own twisted gratification. Our efforts in Operation Restore Justice, including last week’s arrests, demonstrate the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to investigate, charge, and convict those who violate federal child protection laws.”

    “The FBI is unwavering and united with its partners in the fight to protect children,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Our collaboration with state and local law enforcement allows us to extend our reach into communities, respond faster to threats, and ensure survivors get the support they need. FBI Honolulu will continue to conduct proactive arrest operations targeting those seeking to harm our children—we’ll work to get these predators off the streets and keep our kids safe.”

    In the District of Hawaii, two individuals were arrested and charged with federal crimes, including Dominick Kalikokaeoeo Howard, who was charged by criminal complaint with distributing child pornography, and David Martin Garcia Perez, who was charged by criminal complaint with receiving and possessing or accessing child pornography.

    Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

    In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

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

    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 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.

    Other online resources:

    Electronic Press Kit

    Violent Crimes Against Children

    How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Zombie knife attacker guilty of attempted murder at Carnival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A teenager who carried out at a zombie knife attack during Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of attempted murder.

    Rumarni Tuitt, 19 (01.12.05) of Sutherland Road, Walthamstow was charged on 29 August 2024 with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

    He stood trial at the Old Bailey and was convicted on Thursday, 8 May.

    The court heard that shortly before 20:00hrs on the Monday evening of Carnival – 26 August 2024 – Tuitt was in Canal Way, off Ladbroke Grove.

    Officers who were on duty as part of the policing operation recounted how they saw him appear agitated as he argued verbally with someone in a crowd, before taking a huge knife from his waistband and thrusting it into a group in front of him.

    A 19-year-old man who was in the crowd was stabbed no fewer than five times causing multiple serious injuries including some to his abdomen that required life saving surgery. He and Tuitt did not know each other and a motive for the attack has never been established.

    Officers intervened immediately, arresting Tuitt at the scene and providing vital medical treatment to his victim until paramedics could reach them.

    The knife used, which was at least 10 inches in length, was recovered from the scene.

    Acting Detective Inspector Sophie McLoughlin, who led the investigation, said: “This was a savage and senseless attack. The victim was very lucky to survive his injuries.

    “Hundreds of thousands of people, including the victim in this case, go to Carnival to have a good time and enjoy the music and entertainment. Those who would choose to turn up armed with a 10 inch zombie knife clearly have no such intentions.

    “It is thanks to the vigilance of officers on duty that day and the hard work of my team in the months since that we were able to build the case that saw Tuitt convicted at court.

    “It is also thanks to officers’ immediate medical intervention at the scene, as well as the specialist further care by paramedics, that we’re talking about a conviction for attempted murder and not worse.

    “I hope the victim can now move forward and begin to put this experience behind him.”

    Tuitt was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 27 June.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in Fatal Stabbing Case

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man pleaded guilty in federal court to voluntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal stabbing.

    According to court records, on February 4, 2023, Joey Luarkie, 25, an enrolled member of the Zuni pueblo, was at a residence in Zuni when the victim arrived, and an argument ensued. The confrontation escalated inside the home, where Luarkie stabbed the victim in the neck. The victim was found outside the residence by responding officers and died the next day after being transported to the hospital and undergoing emergency surgeries.

    At sentencing, Luarkie faces up to 15 in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release.

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

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Kristofer Haken Surrenders to New Hampshire Authorities 24 Hours After Federal Arrest Warrant Issued

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Portland, ME – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Maine Violent Offender Task Force (MVOTF) announces the arrest of Kristofer Haken, 46, on multiple state and federal arrest warrants.

    Haken was a fugitive for approximately six months evading law enforcement after the issuance of a November 8, 2024, arrest warrant from the Portland Maine Police Department on one count of Conspiracy to Commit Elevated Aggravated Assault and two counts of Elevated Aggravated Assault stemming from a July 30, 2024, incident where a woman was shot and killed.

    On May 6, 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of Maine obtained a federal arrest warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Haken surrendered to New Hampshire Probation and Parole on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, approximately 24 hours after the arrest warrant and wanted poster were issued. Haken was transported to a New Hampshire Correctional facility where he is currently in custody. Haken will be re-indicted in Maine to face his federal and state charges.

    The United States Marshal Service would like to recognize the following agencies who assisted in the fugitive investigation for Haken; Portland Maine Police Department, York County (Maine) Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service Districts of New Hampshire and Northern New York, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, Barrington New Hampshire Police Department, Hartford Vermont Police Department, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

    The USMS, Maine Violent Offender Task Force is comprised of members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Maine Department of Corrections, Biddeford Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Maine National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.

    If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of any state or federal fugitive please contact the United States Marshals Service at MED.TIPLINE@usdoj.gov or submit a USMS Tip.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years for Gun Battle in Southeast Washington Neighborhood

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

    WASHINGTON –  Isjalon Jermiah Armstead, 22, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison in connection with a June 2023 shootout in a residential neighborhood in Southeast.

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

    Armstead, aka “Smaut,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit street crew. He pleaded guilty Jan. 30, 2025, to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. In addition to the 120-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy B. Jackson ordered Armstead to serve four years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, on June 5, 2023, Armstead was in possession of a half-pound of marijuana and intended to sell it. About 3:15 p.m., Armstead — who was seated in the front passenger seat of a 2005 Nissan Altima near the intersection of Third and Atlantic Streets, SE — engaged in a gun battle with the driver of another car. During the shootout, Armstead fired a .300 caliber AR-Pistol from the passenger seat before the Altima he was riding in became disabled and crashed through a fence and stopped in a grassy area next to an apartment building on Atlantic Street.   

    Armstead, who suffered bullet wounds to his wrist and chest during the shootout, and the driver of the vehicle both fled on foot through a wooded area between Atlantic Street and Valley Avenue, stopping to discard the AR-Pistol in a trash receptacle. Responding MPD officers apprehended Armstead about 3:18 p.m. at the intersection of Fourth Street and Valley Avenue, SE, retraced Armstead’s steps, and found the AR-Pistol which was later determined to have Armstead’s DNA on it.

    According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, SE, and operated an open-air drug market outside a market. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang. The combined gang also conspired to carry firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom they had “beefs.”

    This sentence is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has resulted in 26 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Task Force, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson.

    23cr379

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National With Two Prior Deportations Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made his initial court appearance Wednesday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after being removed from the country on two prior occasions. 

    Hilario Villegas-Espinoza, 52, is charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Maximiliano D. Couvillier, III.

    According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Villegas-Espinoza is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on November 4, 2009, and February 11, 2011, and reentered the United States illegally on or before September 3, 2020. 

    On September 3, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Villegas-Espinoza had been arrested by North Las Vegas Police for three counts Sexual Assault Against Child Less Than 14 and four counts Lewdness by Person Over 18 with Child Less Than 14, in North Las Vegas, Nevada. On April 22, 2025, Villegas-Espinoza was remanded to ICE custody from the Nevada Department of Corrections, based on an immigration detainer. Villegas-Espinoza has a 2010 felony conviction in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, of Illegal Reentry After Deportation.

    If convicted, Villegas-Espinoza faces the maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. 

    The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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