NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuelan Nationals with TPS Charged in Miami with Defrauding U.S. Government-Funded Covid-19 Relief Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Freddy Urribarri, 42, and Mairilin Munoz 39, have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with their submission of false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. Both defendants are Venezuelan nationals who were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allowed them to remain in the United States temporarily after they had entered the country. They were living in Dania Beach, Fl. at the time of their arrests.   

    According to allegations in the Indictment and statements made in open court, the defendants conspired with each other to commit fraud by submitting false PPP loan applications for Covid-19 era relief money meant to help struggling small business owners financially survive the pandemic. The defendants submitted two sole proprietorship loan applications with false and fraudulent supporting tax documents. Urribarri and Munoz also caused the submission of a false and fraudulent PPP loan application for FU&MM General Services, a company they controlled as president and vice president. The application inflated FU&MM’s income and number of employees. The lender accepted the false representations and approved a loan of about $438,000.

    Once they received the loan proceeds, the defendants engaged in a scheme to conceal the nature of the funds. Munoz also engaged in financial transactions over $10,000 using proceeds of the fraud. Urribarri and Munoz also submitted false and fraudulent tax documents in support of a PPP loan forgiveness application.  

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Division, announced the charges.  

    HSI Miami investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein is prosecuting it.

    The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20151.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brewton Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Sending Death Threat to a South Alabama District Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                Montgomery, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama announced today that a Brewton, Alabama man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for sending a death threat to a district attorney in south Alabama.

                On April 28, 2025, a federal judge in Mobile sentenced 54-year-old William Terry Holmes to 60 months in prison after Holmes pleaded guilty to mailing a threatening communication. The sentence, the maximum allowed under the federal statute, will run consecutively to the state prison term Holmes is currently serving with the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) on unrelated charges. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to the prison sentence, Holmes was ordered to pay $26,185.70 in restitution.

                According to court documents and Holmes’s plea agreement, the threat arose after a man that Holmes claimed to know was convicted of capital murder for the killing of a police officer. On March 19, 2024, Holmes, who was an inmate serving a state prison sentence with ADOC, sent a letter to the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the capital murder case. The letter began, “I am personally writing you to inform you we know where you live,” and went on to identify Holmes as a member of a known white supremacist group. Holmes threatened that the district attorney, the district attorney’s family, and the judge involved in the case would suffer “a very horrible and painful death” in retaliation for the conviction and the pursuit of the death penalty against his alleged associate.

                On March 22, 2024, agents interviewed Holmes. During the interview, Holmes admitted to writing the letter and claimed he had associates watching the district attorney, warning that the prosecutor had only hours to live. Security precautions had already been taken to protect the district attorney and his family. Holmes pleaded guilty to mailing the threatening communication on January 28, 2025.

                “No one who serves the cause of justice, or the families of those who serve, should ever be threatened for doing their job,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Our system depends on the courage of prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement officers. Threats against them are attacks on the rule of law itself and cannot be tolerated.”

                “There is no place in our justice system for threats of violence – especially leveled at officers of the court,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who serve justice can do so without fear and will hold offenders accountable.”

                The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mobile Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb from the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Toronto — Fraudulent investment scheme ends with guilty plea

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    In 2022, the Integrated Market Enforcement Team (IMET) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Toronto initiated an investigation, after receiving information from the Ontario Securities Commission. The investigation confirmed that three investors had been defrauded through the purchase of shares in a private placement of Cobalt Blockchain. However, these shares were never purchased on behalf of the investors. On March 12, 2024, the RCMP charged Harvinder Singh Bhoi, who is the CEO and President of Asset Real Capital (ARC) with one count of fraud over $5,000.

    In early April, Bhoi from Toronto, entered a guilty plea to one count of Fraud over $5,000 contrary to section 380(1)(a) of the Criminal Code of Canada.

    On April 10, 2025, the court imposed the following sentence on Bhoi:

    • An 8-month conditional sentence;
    • 2 years of probation and travel restrictions;
    • A restitution order in the amount of $33,000 to be paid to his victims by July of 2025

    This investigation was led by the RCMP’s Toronto Integrated Market Enforcement Team. This specialized RCMP-led unit is mandated to protect the integrity of Canada’s capital markets by detecting, investigating and deterring capital market fraud.

    “This investigation is a great example of the RCMP’s commitment to keeping our communities safe by effectively disrupting financial crime.”
    – S/Sgt. David Kim, Acting Officer in Charge, RCMP IMET.

    The RCMP IMETs are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec and are funded by the Government of Canada and led by the RCMP. Their goal is to detect, investigate and charge those using capital markets to harm the economic interests of Canadians.

    If you have any information about money laundering or any other criminality, you can contact your local police, the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, or report anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: York County Men Sentenced to 30 Years in Fentanyl Distribution Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Timario Gayton, 33 and Quonzy Hope, 36, both of Rock Hill, were each sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that in August 2022, Hope sold approximately 5,000 pills to a confidential informant. Following the purchase and further investigation, agents focused on a property in York County which they suspected was being used to manufacture illicit fentanyl pills.  On Oct. 19, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a trailer on the property and found Gayton, Hope and two codefendants inside the trailer. Law enforcement immediately determined the trailer was being used as a clandestine lab. After clearing the trailer and rendering it safe to search, agents found multiple bags of powder and multiple containers containing approximately 160,000 pills, totaling over 29 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 1,890 grams of cocaine, 690 grams of methamphetamine, and 1,500 grams of heroin.  In addition to the drugs, agents found several pill press machines, a large amount of cash, various drug paraphernalia.

    United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Gayton and Hope to 180 months imprisonment each to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Major is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced To Life In Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Heath Lloyd Taylor, age 46, of LeFlore County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to life in prison for Drug Conspiracy.

    Taylor’s co-defendants were sentenced at hearings held between October 16, 2024, and April 25, 2025.  Seven members of the drug trafficking organization were sentenced for Drug Conspiracy:

    • Aaron Guy Key, age 47, of Poteau, Oklahoma (240 months);
    • Travis Austin Powers, age 38, of Anderson, South Carolina (168 months);
    • Mallory Nicole Laird, age 37, of Poteau, Oklahoma (130 months);
    • Terri Angela Stroud, age 53, of Spiro, Oklahoma (70 months);
    • Kandi Anne Hankins, age 43, of Idabel, Oklahoma (57 months);
    • Tracie Ann Sells, age 55, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma (41 months); and
    • Jeremy Paul Newman, age 47, of Poteau, Oklahoma (24 months).

    Five additional members of the drug trafficking organization were sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances:

    • Taylor Dain Parnell Caldwell, age 35, of Poteau, Oklahoma (151 months);
    • Cody Wade Reece, age 34, of Poteau, Oklahoma (151 months);
    • Heather Leigh Brown, age 35, of McAlester, Oklahoma (87 months);
    • Whitney Marie Granite, age 37, of Spiro, Oklahoma (58 months); and
    • Randi Shawn Gann, age 35, of Heavener, Oklahoma (57 months).

    According to investigators, between August 2022 and November 2023, Heath Lloyd Taylor, who was serving time in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, led a drug trafficking organization operating in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.  As part of that conspiracy, non-incarcerated members obtained, stored, and distributed over 25 kilograms of methamphetamine and approximately 465 grams of fentanyl from a base of stash houses.  The stash houses also served as a base of operations where the defendants funneled drug proceeds, stored drug trafficking assets, and obtained and stored firearms.

    This joint investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, working in cooperation with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and IRS Criminal Investigation.

    Additionally, several law enforcement agencies contributed at various stages of the investigation, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the District 16 Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crime Taskforce, the Poteau Police Department, the Spiro Police Department, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, the Seminole Police Department, the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service.

    “There should never be any doubt that there are countless victims of drug trafficking, and the violence associated with it,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chavez, who oversees DEA operations in Oklahoma.  “Defendant Taylor and his associates took advantage of individuals and showed no concern for those who stood in their path of destruction.  Sentences of this nature are a win for our victims and a warning to drug traffickers.”

    “Drug trafficking and the illegal activity associated with it continues to threaten the safety of the general public throughout our communities.  Life in a federal prison should serve as a reminder to those who think they fly under the radar that they are and will continue to be our target.  ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep illegal substances out of our communities and investigating those responsible,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bennie Mims.

    “This was an outstanding joint investigation with our state and federal partners to dismantle and prosecute a complex criminal organization,” said OBN Director Donnie Anderson.  “We want this to send a strong message that we will aggressively pursue those who think they can safely run their criminal network while behind bars.”

    “The sentencings announced today conclude a months-long investigation and prosecution of a nefarious group that distributed large quantities of dangerous narcotics in and around the Poteau area,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Thanks to the cooperative work of federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement, Taylor and his co-defendants are off the streets and their drug operation has ended.”

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and the Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by designation, presided over the hearings. Defendants are in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Cornell and Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Resident with Prior Domestic Violence Conviction Indicted for Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Charged as Part of Make D.C. Safe Again Initiative

    WASHINGTON – Christopher Forbes, 30, of Suitland, Maryland, has been indicted on federal firearms charges as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

    Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

    Forbes is charged in an indictment in federal court with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon; one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; and one count of unlawful discharge of a firearm.

    According to court documents, on April 5, 2025, at approximately 5:42 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) responded to the 1800 block of A Street SE after receiving multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire. Upon arrival, officers observed a man, later identified as Forbes, matching the suspect description. Officers located Forbes several blocks away on Independence Avenue SE and conducted a protective pat-down.

    During the encounter, officers recovered a loaded .40 caliber handgun from his waistband. The weapon was loaded with 2 rounds, including one in the chamber. Shell casings found near the scene matched the firearm’s caliber. Forbes was arrested on the scene.

    A review of law enforcement databases revealed that Forbes had a prior felony robbery conviction in Prince George’s County, Maryland, in 2024, and an active extraditable warrant for failure to appear related to that case. He also had a non-extraditable warrant out of Florida stemming from a prior conviction for discharging a firearm in public.

    Forbes was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to his felony conviction and his prior misdemeanor domestic violence conviction.

    This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national indicted for trafficking cocaine and heroin into the U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 36-year-old resident of Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, has been charged with trafficking more than 12 kilograms of cocaine and nearly five kilograms of heroin and conspiracy to do so, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    A federal grand jury has now returned the four-count indictment against Albing Pablo Rivera-Leal.

    In custody since his arrest on a criminal complaint originally filed in the case, he will appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

    According to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case, authorities stopped Rivera-Leal April 5 for a traffic violation on I-35 north in Laredo. They conducted a search of the vehicle and allegedly found indications of tampering under the rear seats in the vehicle. The charges also allege a K-9 conducted a free air sniff and detected controlled substances in his car.

    Upon further inspection, law enforcement allegedly found several packages of cocaine and heroin concealed in a secret compartment inside the cabin of the vehicle. The charges allege the packages contained approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine and 4.5 kilograms of heroin.

    If convicted, Rivera-Leal faces up to life in prison and a $5 million fine.

    The Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Charged in Conspiracy to Steal and Sell Catalytic Converters

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – Three Rhode Island men have been charged in federal court in Providence for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal and sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of catalytic converters, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Kuron Mitchell, 25, of Newport, Alberto Rivera, 25, of Cranston, and Luis Aceituno, 27, of Providence, are each charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with interstate transportation of stolen property in excess of $5,000 and conspiracy to commit the same. Additionally, Aceituno is charged with filing false tax returns.

    According to charging documents, in January 2022, the Cranston Police Department began tracking patterns surrounding the thefts of catalytic converters. A criminal group was later identified as allegedly being responsible for more than 7,000 stolen catalytic converters in Southern New England and in the greater Boston area, valued at more than $2.4 million. It is alleged that many of the stolen catalytic converters were sold to a Providence company (identified in court documents as Company 1) that recycles catalytic converters. Depending on the model and type of precious metal component, the average scrap price for catalytic converters ranged from $300 to $1,500.

    Charging documents reflect that from at least January 2021 until November 2022, Rivera, Aceituno, Mitchell, and others canvassed neighborhoods and parking lots in search of unoccupied vehicles from which they could steal catalytic converters. Working in groups, they allegedly targeted vehicles in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, cut off the catalytic converters, and sold many of them to Company 1.

    An FBI analysis of Company 1’s databases seized during a court-authorized search of the business in February 2023, and a review of a database maintained by Rhode Island Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Identification, revealed that from 2021 to 2022, Rivera allegedly sold 19 catalytic converters and received $7,100; and Aceituno allegedly sold 2128 catalytic converters to Company 1 and received $699,735.

    In addition to his alleged participation in the conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic converters, it is further alleged that Luis Aceituno failed to disclose to the IRS income derived from the sale of catalytic converters in tax years 2021 and 2022. It is alleged that for tax years 2021 and 2022, Aceituno failed to report a total of $699,735 in income and failed to pay a total of $199,908 due to the IRS.

    Luis Aceituno appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday and was released on unsecured bond; Kuron Mitchell appeared in U.S. District on April 25, 2024, and was ordered released to home detention with GPS monitoring; Alberto Rivera is currently detained on charges unrelated to this matter.

    A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Julie M. White.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI, Cranston Police Department, Providence Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigations, United States Marshal Service, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Newport Police Department, Fitchburg State University Police, Watertown Police Department, Canton Police Department, Attleboro Police Department, Fall River Police Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs- Office of Inspector General-Criminal Investigations Division.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee of Telecommunications Company Admits to Wire Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A former telecommunications company employee admitted to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a scheme to fraudulently unlock the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards of thousands of mobile phones, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Richard Forrest Sherman, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court, to an information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy.

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

    Sherman worked at a multinational telecommunications company. While there, he managed an account for a customer that received an exemption to unlock the SIM cards of mobile devices. Sherman exploited this exemption by creating a series of customer accounts within the carrier’s system to make the accounts look like an affiliate company of the customer that actually received the exemption. Sherman and others then submitted bulk unlocking requests through these fake affiliate accounts that Sherman set up before leaving the telecommunications company.

    Sherman, through his entities, received payment from others in exchange for causing the fake affiliate accounts to successfully send International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers in bulk to the carrier. The carrier, believing that the fake affiliate company was entitled to the unlocking exception, unlocked these IMEIs in bulk. Unlocking these IMEIs permitted others involved in the scheme to resell the phones for profit – the phones would have otherwise remained locked or required payment of a fee to be unlocked. Sherman set up the fake affiliate accounts in or around 2013; he and his conspirators exploited the fraud scheme until it was discovered in August 2020.

    The wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service’s Seattle Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Glen Peterson, with the investigation leading to the charge.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Nadel of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark. 

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    Defense Counsel: Henry Klingeman, Esq. and Robert Westinghouse, Esq. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harlingen couple guilty in multimillion-dollar Medicare fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The operators of a durable medical equipment (DME) company have pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jeremiah Yzaguirre, 46, and his wife, Maria Luisa Yzaguirre, 45, both of Harlingen, operated a business called Southwest Medical Homepatient. The business was enrolled in the Medicare program as a provider of DME and services. It claimed to provide parts and repairs for power wheelchairs among other services.

    As part of their pleas, the couple admitted they received millions of dollars for parts and repairs that were never performed or provided. They both acknowledged billing Medicare approximately $736,072 for parts and repairs for one specific beneficiary, falsely claiming to have replaced expensive parts hundreds of times.

    They also admitted to using the proceeds from the fraud to purchase cryptocurrency, a vehicle, electronics, miscellaneous collectibles and purses.

    Medicare was billed approximately $14 million for power wheelchairs, parts and repairs for just 37 Medicare beneficiaries between 2019 and 2023 as a result of their scheme.

    “Medicare fraud is ultimately fraud against the taxpayer,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will aggressively prosecute those who steal from their fellow citizens by defrauding public services.”

    U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. will impose sentencing Aug. 4. At that time, the Yzaguirres face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Both were permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

    The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Health and Human Services – OIG, Texas Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Ana Cano are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bank General Counsel Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for $7.4 Million Embezzlement Scheme

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES BLOSE, 56, of Fairfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses stemming from a decade-long embezzlement scheme at banks where he served as General Counsel and held other high-ranking positions.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2013 to January 2022, Blose was an attorney and held high-ranking positions, including General Counsel, at Hudson Valley Bank and Sterling National Bank.  From approximately January 2022, when Webster Bank acquired Sterling National Bank, until February 2023, Blose served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Webster Bank.

    From approximately 2013 until Webster Bank discovered his scheme and his employment was terminated in February 2023, Blose defrauded his employers (“The Bank”) in various ways.  In certain commercial loan transactions where The Bank was the lender, Blose fraudulently retained for himself portions of closing costs, including legal fees.  In certain real estate transactions in which The Bank was the seller, Blose retained portions of the sale proceeds for himself.  For some of the real estate transactions, Blose created false documents in order to hide his theft from The Bank.  Blose also stole from The Bank in other ways.

    As part of the scheme, Blose used his attorney trust accounts to make personal expenditures, and to transfer funds to accounts in the names of business entities he created and controlled, and then used those funds for his personal benefit.  Through this scheme, Blose stole approximately $7.4 million from his employers, and used the stolen funds to purchase a vacation property on Kiawah Island in South Carolina, for construction of his Connecticut home, and for luxury vehicles, jewelry, private jets charters, multiple country club memberships, and other expenses.

    Judge Chatigny will determine restitution after additional court proceedings.

    On December 20, 2024, Blose pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of engaging in illegal monetary transactions.

    Blose, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 23

    This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection’s Office of the Inspector General.  Financial crimes investigators from Webster Bank assisted the investigation.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norwalk Man Sentenced to 22 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Cocaine

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER ADAMS, 58, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 22 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine in southwestern Connecticut.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and Stamford Police Department identified Rodney Canada, also known as “Supreme,” as the leader of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine in Stamford and elsewhere in southwestern Connecticut.  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Canada and others coordinated the street level distribution of narcotics, and that Canada sold bulk quantities of cocaine to Adams for further distribution.

    On March 8, 2024, Adams was arrested on related state charges after a court-authorized search of a Norwalk hotel room where he was living revealed approximately 80 grams of cocaine.  After Adams was released on bond in his state case, he resumed his narcotics trafficking activity.

    Canada and several other members of the conspiracy were arrested federally on May 14, 2024.  On that date, investigators conducted court-authorized searches at locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and Darien and seized approximately three kilograms of cocaine, nearly 400 grams of raw fentanyl, more than 500 bags of fentanyl, five firearms, a bulletproof vest, and seven vehicles. 

    Adams was arrested federally on May 18, 2024.  On December 10, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.  He has been detained since his arrest.

    Canada has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

    This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, the Stamford Police Department, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Danbury, and Darien Police Departments.  The DEA HIDTA Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Bridgeport Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, and Danbury Police Departments.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Stolfi Collins and Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Raising Awareness: Sexual Assault Aboard Aircraft

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

    Q: What should you do if you’re being attacked? 
    A: If someone is attacking you on the flight, Tarbert explains that the first thing you should do “is to make noise, make a ruckus, and tell the person to stop—and then notify the flight crew as quickly as possible to hopefully get reassigned to a new seat and to explain what happened so the flight crew can notify law enforcement on the ground to meet the aircraft when it lands.”

    Offenders may take advantage of the fact that some victims might not report an incident because they are embarrassed, don’t want to cause a scene, or try to convince themselves the assault was accidental.

    “If you need a reason to get out of your seat and find a flight attendant, you can use the excuse of going to the restroom to get up and talk to them. Or you can hit the flight attendant call button and when they come over you could say something like, ‘Hey, can I come back and get a water’ or ‘I would like to get another snack, and I’ll pay for it,’” said Tarbert. 

    Q: What should you do if you witness an attack? 
    A: Notify the flight crew as soon as possible.

    Q: Why is it important to promptly notify the flight crew if you’ve been attacked or witness an attack?  
    A: Timely notification to law enforcement is key—crime aboard aircraft is more difficult to investigate once days, or even hours, have passed following the incident since witnesses depart and recollections fade. The more advance notice the flight crew has, the more information they can provide to law enforcement to assist upon landing.

    “The ultimate authority on a flight is the flight crew and captain,” said Tarbert. “Their job is maintaining the safety and security of the flight until the aircraft lands. They’re the ones who are going to coordinate a response with law enforcement.”

    The flight crew can share information such as passenger flight manifests and seat numbers, incident timelines, and timezones in which the incident occurred, all of which can assist in the investigation.

    With timely notification, FBI agents and other law enforcement can also be on scene when the plane lands to conduct interviews, take subjects into custody, and offer victim services.

    This is important because gathering all parties relevant to an investigation can be challenging. “For many passengers, when they land, they’re just focused on getting to their destination and often don’t stick around at the gate,” said DArcangelis. Flight crew members also face time constraints to avoid delaying their next flight. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Resident Sentenced for Illegal Reentry Following Seven Previous Removals from U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Mexico who had been previously removed from the United States seven times between 2013 and 2017 pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Dario Fortunato-Torres, 38, on April 28, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, on October 8, 2024, Fortunato-Torres was arrested by the Moon Township Police Department and charged with several traffic violations, which, according to the public docket, have since been withdrawn. Following this encounter, immigration officials determined that Fortunato-Torres was illegally present in the United States and arrested him on November 19, 2024. Fortunato-Torres had been removed from the United States on seven prior occasions between 2013 and 2017. Fortunato-Torres has been in custody since his November arrest and will be returned to immigration custody.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fortunato-Torres.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Man Sentenced for Fifth Illegal Entry into U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Mexico pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to 60 days of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Juan Antonio Lopez-Mauricio, 34, on April 28, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, on January 30, 2025, immigration officials encountered Lopez-Mauricio and determined that he was illegally present in the United States. Lopez-Mauricio was previously removed from the United States four times between 2012 and 2015 following convictions in federal courts in the Southern District of Texas and the District of Arizona for illegally entering the United States. Lopez-Mauricio has been in custody since his January arrest and will remain detained pending his deportation from the United States.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Lopez-Mauricio.

    This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Pennsylvania Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man arrested over fatal Mitcham stabbing

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been arrested following a fatal stabbing in Mitcham.

    Around 19:30hrs on Monday, 28 April, officers attended an address in Maple Close, Mitcham, alongside the London Ambulance Service. A 39-year-old man was treated at the scene for stab injuries. He was taken to hospital, where he sadly died.

    His next of kin have been informed and we await formal identification.

    A man, aged 24, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken into custody after attending a south London police station on the afternoon of Tuesday, 29 April.

    In light of the incident, patrols are being stepped up in the local area to provide reassurance to residents.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell, from Specialist Crime South – who is leading the investigation – said: “The victim’s loved ones are being supported by specially trained officers. They have our deepest sympathies following this terrible loss.

    “Anybody who witnessed the incident – or who has information – should contact the police on 101, quoting CAD reference 6812/28APR.

    “To remain 100 per cent anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn, New York, Woman Sentenced to Four Years for Aiding and Abetting Armed Robbery of Hyde County Family Dollar Store

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

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Brooklyn, NY woman was sentenced Wednesday to 4 years in prison for aiding and abetting in the armed robbery of a Family Dollar in Swan Quarter. On November 13, 2024, Victoria Michelle Cyren Clarke, 32, pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Hyde County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) received a call about an armed robbery at the Family Dollar, located at 13065 US Highway 264 in Swan Quarter. Two individuals entered the store brandishing firearms while demanding money. After retrieving over $2000 in cash from the store, the two individuals left and got into a car being driven by Clarke. A deputy with HCSO attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle after it was observed leaving the area at a high rate of speed. A high-speed chase ensued for approximately 18 miles with speeds in excess of 100 mph before the vehicle was finally stopped. In addition to the two armed robbers and Clarke, two children were unrestrained in the vehicle. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clarke bought both firearms used in the robbery and rented the get-away car.

    “The Hyde County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and businesses,” said Sheriff Guire Cahoon. “The armed robbery at the Family Dollar in Swan Quarter was a serious crime that put innocent lives at risk, and we are grateful for the quick response of our deputies which resulted in the apprehension of the individuals involved, and we are grateful for the assistance of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on the case. Violent crime has no place in our community, and we will continue working tirelessly to protect the people of Hyde County.”

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. Hyde County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Childress  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-12-FL-RJ-3.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Northern District of Ohio U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Multiple Defendants with Immigration Violations

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

    CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) has announced that federal grand juries in the Northern District of Ohio have returned indictments for the following individuals on charges of immigration-related law violations. These are separate cases and are not related.

    Hector Linares, 47, a citizen of El Salvador, has been indicted on three counts. He has been charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, and for being an alien in possession of a firearm, for possessing a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol and ammunition. In 2010, he was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine. Linares was also charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being Nov. 24, 2023. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Marshals Service.

    Edil A. Martinez-Padilla, 38, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States twice with the last being April 24, 2013. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    Carlos Daniel Romero-Esborar, 39, a citizen of Honduras, has been charged with illegal reentry. He was previously removed from the United States on at least one occasion with the last being April 27, 2012. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    A team of Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the USAO’s criminal division are prosecuting the cases above.

    Additionally, Juan Tiul Xi, 26, a citizen of Guatemala unlawfully residing in Cleveland, has been indicted for allegedly submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Tiul Xi encouraged and induced a 14-year-old female unaccompanied minor from Guatemala to illegally enter the United States. It is alleged that he used his sister’s identity for the girl to provide as an alias which he included on paperwork in an effort to obtain custody of her. This indictment is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland Division are jointly investigating with assistance from HSI’s attaché team in Guatemala. Senior Trial Attorney Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik and Criminal Division Chief Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Each defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Defendants Arrested in Serbia for Allegedly Directing Interstate Stalking and Harassment of Los Angeles-Based Critic of China’s President

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

    LOS ANGELES – Serbian law enforcement authorities have arrested two foreign nationals, Cui Guanghai, 43, of China, and John Miller, 63, of the United Kingdom, at the request of the United States, the Justice Department announced today.

    The United States today unsealed its criminal complaint alleging that Cui and Miller coordinated and directed a conspiracy to harass, intimidate, and threaten a Los Angeles resident (the victim) who had been publicly critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

    According to court documents, beginning in October 2023, Cui and Miller enlisted two individuals (Individual 1 and Individual 2) inside the United States to carry out a plot to prevent the victim from protesting President Xi’s appearance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November 2023. The victim had previously made public statements in opposition to the policies and actions of the PRC government and President Xi.

    Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 1 and Individual 2 were affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

    In the weeks leading up to the APEC summit, Cui and Miller directed and coordinated an interstate scheme to surveil the victim, to install a tracking device on the victim’s car, to slash the tires on the victim’s car, and to purchase and destroy a pair of artistic statutes created by the victim depicting President Xi and President Xi’s wife.

    A similar scheme took place in the spring of 2025, after the victim announced that he planned to make public an online video feed depicting two new artistic statutes of President Xi and his wife. In connection with these plots, Cui and Miller paid two other individuals (Individual 3 and Individual 4), approximately $36,500 to convince the victim to desist from the online display of the statues. Unbeknownst to Cui and Miller, Individual 3 and Individual 4 were also affiliated with and acting at the direction of the FBI.

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

    If convicted, Cui and Miller face the following maximum penalties: five years in federal prison for conspiracy and five years in federal prison for interstate stalking.

    The FBI is investigating the case. The United States thanks the Ministry of Justice of Serbia, the Ministry of Interior of Serbia, and the Republic Public Prosecutor’s Office of Serbia for the assistance in this matter. The United States will seek extradition of Cui and Miller and looks forward to working in partnership with the Republic of Serbia’s Prosecutor’s Office and the Ministry of Justice.          

    Assistant United States Attorneys David Ryan, Chief of the National Security Division, and Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, along with Trial Attorneys Leslie Esbrook and Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin P. Taibleson for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Trial Attorney Goran Krnaich of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Licking County Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography, Making Notices with Plans to Sexually Abuse Young Boys

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – David Hamilton, 27, of Heath, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 293 months in prison for child pornography related crimes.

    According to court documents, Hamilton and a co-defendant communicated extensively and graphically about their intent to sexually abuse young boys, including boys to whom they could gain access. Their messages on the Telegram app discussed Hamilton’s plans to babysit an approximately 6-year-old boy and then drug him with an anti-depressant and sexually abuse him. Hamilton and his co-defendant also discussed starting a family of all boys whom they could sexually abuse together.

    When law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Hamilton’s home, they discovered a bag belonging to Hamilton containing two types of anti-depressants, children’s overnight diapers in a variety of sizes, lubricating jelly, condoms and stuffed animals.

    Court documents also detail that the FBI received an additional report from another minor male about Hamilton’s online exploitation activities. Law enforcement learned that Hamilton requested the minor produce images of child pornography for him. Hamilton gave the minor male his username and password to various platforms to upload the created content there, threatening the minor male if he did not comply. The minor male confirmed Hamilton was in online groups that raped, hurt, drugged and killed minors.

    On his electronic devices, Hamilton possessed thousands of videos and images of child sexual abuse, including exploitation material involving babies, toddlers and children.

    Hamilton pleaded guilty in August 2024 to making a notice for child pornography and possessing child pornography.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp announced the sentence imposed on April 21 by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski and Tyler Aagard are representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Chief Operating Officer Sentenced for Stealing from Morgantown Medical Practice

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Francisco Ortiz, age 50, the former chief operating officer of a Morgantown medical practice, was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison for bank fraud.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Ortiz, of Vacaville, California, defrauded Wedgewood Physicians, Inc. by diverting more than $650,000 for his own benefit. Ortiz used the funds to pay for personal items such as travel, home improvements, and online purchases. Ortiz also diverted some of the money for the benefit of co-defendant, James Mersing, a physician formerly employed by the practice. Mersing pled guilty to his role and was sentenced in October 2024.

    Ortiz was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $692,176.19.

    Ortiz will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Man Who Allegedly Shot at Pursuing PPD Officer Charged With Drug and Gun Crimes

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

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Shahiem Groover, 45, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested today and charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

    As alleged in court filings, on February 24, 2025, Groover was the driver and sole occupant of a Buick with a suspended license plate. Philadelphia police officers observed the suspended plate and pulled the defendant over for a routine traffic stop. The defendant initially stopped his car and got out to speak with officers, but eventually got back into the car, rolled up his windows, locked the doors, and fled at high speed.

    The pursuit lasted several blocks, until Groover jumped out of his car and ran up the street. As officers caught up to the defendant, he stumbled. While on the ground, he allegedly produced a loaded Sterling Arms .22 caliber pistol, turned, and fired one shot at the closest officer. After a brief struggle, the defendant was arrested and the pistol recovered. Detectives subsequently searched the defendant’s car and located cocaine and methamphetamine packaged in a manner consistent with drug trafficking.

    Groover had previously been convicted in a court in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm.

    If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Parisi.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing AI-Generated Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct and Child Sexual Abuse Material

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

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. –Daniel Joseph Broadway, 53, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today and pleaded guilty to possessing AI-generated images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to plea documents and today’s court hearing, on December 12, 2023, CMPD officers executed a search warrant at Broadway’s Charlotte residence. From the residence, officers seized nine electronic devices that were later forensically analyzed and found to contain images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material. Some of the images and videos in Broadway’s possession had been AI-generated and some had not. A forensic analysis of the devices revealed that Broadway possessed 8,661 images and two videos of non-AI CSAM. Broadway also possessed 20,292 images and videos of AI-generated CSAM. Many of the non-AI and AI-generated CSAM depicted prepubescent minors that were nude or partially clothed, lasciviously displaying their genitals or engaging in sexual intercourse with adults.

    Broadway pleaded guilty to possession and access with intent to view child pornography involving prepubescent minors and possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children, each of which carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Broadway was remanded into custody following his guilty plea. A sentencing date has not been set.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked FBI and CMPD for their investigation which led to the guilty plea.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Memphis Woman Sentenced in Health Care Fraud Scheme and Schemes to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program

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

    Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Nakita Cannady, 49, to 14 months in federal prison to be followed by two years of supervised release for healthcare fraud and making false statements in connection with loan applications for the Covid-19 Relief Program.  The final sentencing hearing was concluded on April 4, 2025, with the entry of an order by Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr. directing the defendant to pay more than $500,000.00 dollars in restitution to the victims.  Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

    According to the original federal indictment in the healthcare fraud case, Cannady owned and operated What About Us In-Home Healthcare, a home healthcare services business that purported to provide custodial healthcare services 24-hours a day, 7 days a week to mostly elderly patients. From May 29, 2017 through December 23, 2019, Cannady fraudulently billed Cigna Insurance for 24 hours a day of home healthcare when she knew the patients had only received 8 or 12 hours a day of home healthcare. Cannady was ordered to make restitution to Cigna Insurance in the amount of $193,508.10.

    According to the second federal indictment, from June 17, 2020 through April 15, 2021, Cannady submitted six fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications for four purported businesses she controlled, specifically: What About Us Childcare, What About Us Foundation, What About Us Adult Daycare, and What About Us In-Home Healthcare. Cannady’s loan applications contained false information concerning the dates of operation, gross revenues, costs of goods sold, number of employees, and amount of payroll related to the businesses. Cannady was ordered to make restitution to the Small Business Administration in the amount of $346,882.13.   

    “Those who exploit health care programs for personal gain will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office. “Health care fraud is a priority for the FBI, and we will continue to work with our partners to investigate those who prioritize greed over the well-being of others.”

    Interim United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. and Assistant United States Attorney Raney Irwin prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Cotten and former Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney Lewis and Murrell Foster also assisted in the prosecution of this case.  The FBI Nashville Field Office – Memphis Resident Agency and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation investigated this case.

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    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Memphis FCI Correctional Officer Sentenced to Federal Imprisonment for Bribery

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

    Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Bryan Miller, 32, a former correctional officer with the Memphis Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) to federal prison for bribery. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

    According to the information presented in court, beginning in December 2022, Miller began smuggling contraband into FCI Memphis while employed as a correctional officer for that facility.  Over a four-month period, he had received $19,500.00 as payment for his unlawful activities.

    In January 2024, Miller pled guilty to a one count information alleging that, as a public official, he accepted money in exchange for smuggling contraband items, including narcotics, into FCI Memphis, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(C). On April 10, 2025, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Miller to a total of 12 months and 1 day of federal imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Michelle Kimbril-Parks and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

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    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Prolific Fraudster Sentenced to 10 Years for Series of Schemes Costing Victims Millions

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

    HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Manvel resident who used his veteran status to perpetuate several financial crimes has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Antonio Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty Feb. 4.

    U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Jackson to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Jackson to pay a total of $1,974,145.63 in restitution to four different victims.     

    At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the various methods Jackson used to exploit his victims, including creating fake companies, submitting bogus tax records and even faking signatures of government officials and copying official government seals and emblems. In handing down the sentence, Judge Rosenthal highlighted Jackson’s wide-ranging criminal conduct and his ongoing commitment to defrauding both public and private victims. The court also noted that Jackson exploited his brief stint in the U.S. Army, which ended in a court-martial, as a way to deceive others under the guise of service.  

    From July 2020 to May 2021, Jackson submitted four false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. He claimed his business earned millions in revenue and paid hundreds of thousands in wages to more than 20 employees. In reality, Jackson fabricated tax returns, bank statements and other business records to support his false claims. The scheme resulted in losses of approximately $480,000.

    While awaiting trial, authorities uncovered three additional schemes Jackson committed. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to defrauding a Washington D.C.-based federal credit union through a series of scam home improvement loans. Jackson also made false statements to obtain a Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA)-backed loan. In addition, he defrauded Brazoria County taxpayers by falsely claiming disabled veteran status to receive property tax relief on his Manvel residence.

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

    The Small Business Administration and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs- Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of several local police departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years’ Imprisonment After Traveling to Utah to Sexually Abuse a 12-Year-Old

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

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Carl William Wyckoff, 25, of New Boston, Texas, was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he traveled to Utah and sexually abused a 12-year-old victim.

    The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Wyckoff pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    According to court documents and statements made at Wyckoff’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Wyckoff began exchanging messages with a 12-year-old girl he met playing an online game. The messages between Wyckoff and the victim became sexual, and images were exchanged. Initially, Wyckoff believed the child was an adult, but after she disclosed her true age, Wyckoff continued exchanging sexual messages and images. Wyckoff admitted that between April 13, 2024, and April 15, 2024, he then traveled from Texas to Arizona and then transported the 12-year-old victim to Utah to engage in sexual activity with her.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement.

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

    Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Vice President and Controller of Publicly Traded Consumer Goods Company Sentenced to 13 Months for $1.6M Insider Trading Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in the Southern District of Florida to 13 months’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine for his role in an insider trading scheme that netted over $1.6 million in profits. He was also ordered to pay over $200,000 in restitution and over $1.6 million in forfeiture.

    According to court documents, from November 2018 to April 2023, Stephen George, 54, of Parkland, was a member of the Finance Department and held roles including controller and vice president at a consumer-packaged goods company headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida (Company A). The company was the maker of a fitness drink whose securities were publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market. At Company A, George received material non-public information (MNPI) regarding the company’s financial performance.

    On his final day at Company A on April 7, 2023, George created a consolidated income statement showing its financial performance for the first quarter of 2023, which George knew contained MNPI. The income statement showed that the company’s first quarter results had greatly exceeded expectations. George then emailed the document to himself using two personal email accounts.

    On April 10, 2023, the first trading day after his last day of employment, and continuing through May 8, 2023, George purchased Company A securities based on MNPI – specifically, 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts. On May 9, 2023, after the market close, Company A publicly reported better-than-expected earnings and sales for the first quarter of 2023, including an all-time quarterly record in revenue. After the public announcement, its stock price increased significantly. During the next trading day, George sold all 20,000 shares of common stock and 300 call option contracts, resulting in over $1.6 million in personal profits.

    In February 2025, George pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group.

    Trial Attorneys Matthew F. Sullivan and Matt Kahn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Elizabeth Young for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard responds to vessel collision, sunken barge on Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release  

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

     

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

    For more information follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Prolific board game shoplifter sentenced following Met Police investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A prolific shoplifter who stole more than £3,000 worth of board games, books and toys from a shop in Haringey has been convicted following a Met Police investigation.

    Paul Mangal, 58 (30.03.67), of Hornsey Rise Gardens in Haringey, repeatedly targeted a Waterstones store on The Broadway in Crouch End between April 2023 and February this year.

    He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 29 April, where he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.

    He was also issued with conditions not to enter Crouch End or Hornsey for two years, and is banned from being in possession of a suitcase in these areas.

    In September last year, officers from the local policing team in north London increased patrols in The Broadway, regularly visiting staff and security teams at large retailers and independent shops.

    It was through these relationships they were made aware of Mangal, with staff at Waterstones informing officers of the many thefts he was committing.

    Working with the store, officers carried out a month-long operation throughout January to gather CCTV footage and other evidence to identify Mangal.

    The officers were alerted by staff on Sunday, 23 February, when he’d again entered the store and made off with several items in a suitcase.

    He was arrested a short distance from his home in Hornsey and charged the following day.

    He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 24 February, where he pleaded guilty to a total of 23 charges of theft and was bailed.

    Sergeant James Elliott, of the local policing team in north London, who led the investigation, said:

    “We’ve recognised that shoplifting is something local people and businesses in Haringey are concerned about, and we are stepping up our efforts to tackle it.

    “Through building strong relationships with staff at this branch of Waterstones, we were able to identify Mangal by assessing his patterns of offending, which appeared to ramp up before, during and immediately after Christmas, then almost daily up until his arrest.

    “Sadly, we know some businesses on The Broadway are being targeted so often, many have stopped reporting thefts to police, so I hope the success of this case will encourage more to work closely with us so we can remove the most prolific shoplifters from our streets.”

    As well as relationship building and doubling the number of officers on the ward since February, Sergeant Elliott and his team are visiting retailers daily to offer reassurance and ensure they feel more confident when it comes to reporting incidents.

    Through these proactive measures, the number of thefts in the area has reduced by 35 per cent since December last year.

    There are now plans to introduce Live Facial Recognition (LFR) patrols to identify offenders, and during the summer months, officers will be out on bicycles so they’re able to react quicker to shoplifting incidents when they occur.

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