NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: NUTEC Plastics Initiative Helps Protect Biodiversity in the Galapagos

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Scientific visits to the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco are a key part of harmonizing analytical protocols. (Photo: E. McDonald/ IAEA)

    The IAEA training also helps to harmonize data collection methods, so that data collected in the Galapagos is comparable to data gathered by monitoring programs around the world which helps to develop policy measures.   

    “Worldwide, NUTEC Plastics partners and members of its Global Marine Monitoring Network are working in a wide variety of marine and coastal environments, so monitoring protocols will vary accordingly,” said Carlos Alonso-Hernandez, an IAEA research scientist and technical officer for NUTEC. “Harmonizing these protocols enables us to compare data globally, which gives countries the whole picture of microplastic pollution.” 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada Printer and Mailer Pleads Guilty to Participating in Elder Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Nevada woman pleaded guilty today for engaging in a prize notice fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of consumers, many of whom were elderly, across the United States and abroad. Barbara Trickle, 80, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    According to the indictment, Trickle and her co-conspirators prepared and mailed millions of fraudulent prize notices that led their victims to believe that they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee. In reality, no victim ever received a large cash prize from Trickle or her co-conspirators. Instead, victims received a “report” describing sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of minimal value. After victims responded to one fraudulent prize notice mailing, Trickle and her co-conspirators inundated them with additional fraudulent mailings. Trickle and her co-conspirators used the scheme to steal more than $15 million from victims.

    The fraud scheme operated from 2012 to February 2018, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) executed multiple search warrants and the Justice Department obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Trickle was the owner and operator of a printing and mailing business that produced the fraudulent prize notice mailings for the scheme. Trickle supervised the lasering, printing, and mailing of the fraudulent mailings.

    “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful to the Postal Inspection Service for their thorough investigation in this matter.”

    “The defendant and her co-conspirators used the promise of sweepstakes winnings to defraud the most vulnerable members in our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the  U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively investigate mass-mailing schemes and other types of fraud to protect older Americans from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”

    The USPIS conducted the investigation.

    Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

    The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Nevada Printer and Mailer Pleads Guilty to Participating in Elder Fraud Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A Nevada woman pleaded guilty today for engaging in a prize notice fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of consumers, many of whom were elderly, across the United States and abroad. Barbara Trickle, 80, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    According to the indictment, Trickle and her co-conspirators prepared and mailed millions of fraudulent prize notices that led their victims to believe that they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee. In reality, no victim ever received a large cash prize from Trickle or her co-conspirators. Instead, victims received a “report” describing sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of minimal value. After victims responded to one fraudulent prize notice mailing, Trickle and her co-conspirators inundated them with additional fraudulent mailings. Trickle and her co-conspirators used the scheme to steal more than $15 million from victims.

    The fraud scheme operated from 2012 to February 2018, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) executed multiple search warrants and the Justice Department obtained a court order shutting down the fraudulent mail operation. Trickle was the owner and operator of a printing and mailing business that produced the fraudulent prize notice mailings for the scheme. Trickle supervised the lasering, printing, and mailing of the fraudulent mailings.

    “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful to the Postal Inspection Service for their thorough investigation in this matter.”

    “The defendant and her co-conspirators used the promise of sweepstakes winnings to defraud the most vulnerable members in our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the  U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively investigate mass-mailing schemes and other types of fraud to protect older Americans from financial exploitation and bring criminals to justice.”

    The USPIS conducted the investigation.

    Trial Attorneys Carolyn Rice and Charles Dunn of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with substantial assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

    The department urges individuals to be on the lookout for fraudulent lottery, prize notification, sweepstakes, and psychic scams. If you receive a phone call, letter or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, do not respond. Fraudsters often will use official-sounding names or the names of real lotteries or sweepstakes or pretend to be a government agent purportedly helping to secure a prize.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Virginia Man Sentenced for Firearm and Ammunition Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Virginia man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  

    Ted Therrien, 54, of Newport News, Va., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to time served (356 days) plus two weeks in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In November 2024, Therrien pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    According to court documents, on or around July 30, 2021, when boarding a commercial fishing vessel in Fairhaven, Mass., Therrien unlawfully possessed a Ruger .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and at least nine rounds of Remington .40 caliber ammunition. While on board the fishing vessel, after an argument with fellow crew members, Therrien discharged the firearm into the air. The U.S. Coast Guard was called and removed him from the fishing vessel. Therrien is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.  

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Steven Firth, Special Agent in Charge of Coast Guard Investigative Service, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Marshals Service and the Fairhaven Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case. 
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 2 felons sentenced for illegal reentry into the country

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – Two foreign nationals have been ordered to federal prison for returning to the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Porfirio Martinez-Santos, 55, Mexico, pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2024, while Juan Esteban Zelaya-Hernandez, 42, Honduras, admitted his guilt Jan. 31.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez-Santos and Zelaya-Hernandez to serve 42 and 21 months in federal prison, respectively. At their hearings, the court heard additional evidence regarding both men’s criminal histories. Zelaya-Hernandez has two convictions from 2023 for possession of a firearm by a felon and illegal reentry. In handing down the sentences, Judge Crane noted Martinez-Santos had previously served a 37-month sentence for illegal reentry.

    Both are again expected to face removal proceedings following their prison terms.

    Law enforcement found Martinez-Santos near Cuevitas Oct. 4, 2024, while they discovered Zelaya-Hernandez near La Homa the following month. Both had claimed they had illegally entered the United States on the same day of their respective discoveries near Hidalgo.

    The investigation revealed Zelaya-Hernandez had been ordered removed in August 2024 after serving a federal prison sentence for two felonies. Martinez-Santos was removed in 2023.

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

    Border Patrol conducted the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Avery Benitez prosecuted the cases.

    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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior felon arrested for illegal re-entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jhonser Rafael Coste-Morales, 38, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on May 26, 2024, a New York State Trooper in Painted Post, NY, arrested two individuals for possession of fentanyl. U.S. Border Patrol was contacted to assist in verifying foreign documents provided by the two individuals. Record checks determined that one of the individuals, Coste-Morales, was a citizen and national of the Dominican Republic and had been previously deported from the United States following an aggravated felony conviction. On April 14, 2025, Border Patrol agents received a call that Coste-Morales was going to be released from custody. Coste-Morales was subsequently arrested again and taken into custody.

    Coste-Morales legally entered the United States in April 2013 and became a Lawfully Admitted Permanent Resident in August 2017. In April 2022, he was convicted of a felony drug charge in Montour County, Pennsylvania, and in October 2023, he was deported back to the Dominican Republic.

    Coste-Morales made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was detained.

    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.

    The complaint is a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Purse Thief Charged with Robbery, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Wire Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, a Chilean National who is in the U.S. illegally, was arrested on April 26, 2025, on a criminal complaint charging wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and robbery in connection with three purse snatchings in the District and the unauthorized use of victim credit cards.

    The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

    An initial appearance in U.S. District Court is pending. Bustamante Leiva appeared in Superior Court today on an unrelated fugitive warrant. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has lodged an immigration detainer against him.

    According to court documents, on April 12, 2025, a victim reported to MPD that her purse was stolen from the back of her chair while she was dining at Nando’s restaurant, in the 800 block of F Street, NW. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect who appeared to be acting in concert with a second individual (Suspect 2). An unauthorized transaction totaling more than $500 was made using the victim’s credit card.

    On April 17, 2025, a victim at the Westin Hotel, in the 900 block of 9th Street, NW, reported her purse had been stolen while it was hanging on the back of her chair, while she was having dinner. Two unauthorized transactions for more than $400 were made using the victim’s credit card.

    On April 20, 2025, a third victim, who was dining at the Capital Burger restaurant in the 1000 block of 7th Street, NW, reported that her purse, which she had placed at her feet while dining, had gone missing. Law enforcement recovered video surveillance of the suspect, who made unauthorized transactions, totaling more than $200, using the victim’s credit card. The victim also lost cash and personal documents.

    “Thanks to the efforts of the Secret Service working in concert with the Metropolitan Police Department, this alleged thief was quickly identified, arrested, and, with the deft management of the Assistant US Attorney, charged,” said U.S. Attorney Martin.  “He will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “We began this investigation with only a grainy security video of a masked offender,” said U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Matt McCool. “The subsequent arrests in this case are a testament to the extraordinary investigative work by the analysts and special agents of the Washington Field Office, the USSS Uniformed Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department.   We also received valuable assistance from our partners at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

    During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that on April 19, 2025, Bustamante Leiva had reported a robbery to Montgomery County (MD) Police, claiming a bag containing his belongings were stolen from him while he was asleep on a bench.

    On April 26, 2025, law enforcement from the U.S. Secret Service and MPD went to a location where Bustamante Leiva was staying, located him, and placed him under arrest. Following his arrest, law enforcement interviewed Bustamante Leiva in connection with the purse thefts.

    This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Saugus Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy Involving Tens of Thousands of Counterfeit Pills and Firearm Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Saugus man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a drug conspiracy involving tens of thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, pills containing fentanyl and a firearm offense.

    Aaron Lenardis, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Lenardis was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. In February 2023, Lenardis was indicted along with co-conspirator Charles Bates.

    In August 2022, an investigation began into Bates after he ordered 50 kilograms of an orange binding agent commonly used to make counterfeit Adderall pills, which he was observed picking up at a UPS store in Boston. Bates brought the binding agent to Lenardis’s house in Saugus, where he and Lenardis used it to manufacture counterfeit pills using a pill press.

    Throughout September 2022 and October 2022, Bates exchanged text messages with drug customers and associates in which he spoke about pills that are “made to order,” described being physically present at the place where the pills were made—Lenardis’s house—and “watching the guy work so no corners have been cut.” Bates described the pill press being used for 20 hours at a time and producing 5,000 pills per hour. In total, the offense involved at least 136,000 counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine, equivalent to approximately 40 kilograms of such pills.  

    After the pill press broke, Bates traveled to Pawtucket, R.I. to obtain a replacement. Bates and Lenardis were observed carrying the replacement pill press into Lenardis’ residence in Saugus.

    A search of Lenardis’ residence in Saugus on Oct. 25, 2022 resulted in the seizure of an industrial pill press; 14 firearms including a Glock outfitted to operate as a machinegun; at least 1.85 kilograms of pills; powder containing methamphetamine; at least 87.6 grams of pills and powder containing fentanyl and “M30” stamps commonly used to manufacture counterfeit pills.

    In November 2024, Bates was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel R. Feldman and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.        

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Smoke and Mirrors Update: Jackson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Mark Leslie Lively, 58, of Kenna, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    A federal jury convicted Lively on July 17, 2024, following a two-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that Lively participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area from about November 2022 to in or about March 2023. Members of the DTO conspiracy commonly obtained their controlled substances on consignment, paying their suppliers with proceeds from distributing them to customers. On February 2, 2023, law enforcement officers watched Funderburk and Lively meet in an alley near Washington Street West in Charleston, where Funderburk provided approximately 138 grams of methamphetamine to Lively.

    As Lively drove away from the meeting place, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of Lively’s vehicle and requested the assistance of a police K-9 unit. The police K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. The officer searched Lively’s vehicle and seized the methamphetamine hidden underneath the dashboard.

    The evidence at trial established that Lively intended to distribute the methamphetamine that he received from Funderburk.

    Lively has a long criminal history that now includes 34 criminal convictions, with at least eight of those prior convictions for felony offenses.

    “The defendant is a hardened criminal who has shown time and again that if he is on the streets, he is committing crimes,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “After decades of failing to curb his lawlessness, he participated in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that caused untold harm to the community. Today’s sentence will spare the community further harm by this defendant for an extended period of time.”

    Lively and Funderburk are among 31 individuals convicted as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that has yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.

    Funderburk, 39, of Charleston, was sentenced on October 3, 2024, to 13 years and six months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of cocaine, conspiracy to distribute a quantity of fentanyl, and for violating supervised release. Funderburk is among 30 of the defendants who pleaded guilty.

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    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. 2:23-cr-31.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: President Trump Appoints 20 New Members to Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON—Today, President Donald J. Trump appointed 20 members to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council, a bipartisan group tasked with reforming and streamlining the nation’s emergency management and disaster response system. Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will co-chair the council. 

    The FEMA Review Council is charged with streamlining operations and ensuring FEMA delivers rapid, efficient, and mission-focused relief to Americans in need. 

    Appointed Members:

    • Co-Chair: Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
    • Co-Chair: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
    • Greg Abbott, Governor, State of Texas
    • Phil Bryant, Former Governor, State of Mississippi
    • Jane Castor, Mayor, City of Tampa, Florida
    • Mark Cooper, Former Chief of Staff, Governor John Bel Edwards
    • Rosie Cordero-Stutz, Sheriff, Miami-Dade County
    • Evan Greenberg, CEO, Chubb Limited
    • Kevin Guthrie, Executive Director, Florida Division of Emergency Management
    • W. Nim Kidd, Chief, Texas Division of Emergency Management
    • Michael Whatley, Chairman, Republican National Committee
    • Glenn Youngkin, Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
    • Robert J. Fenton, Jr., Regional Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency

    About the FEMA Review Council
    On January 24, 2025, the President established the Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency through Executive Order 14180, Council to Assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The goal of the FEMA Review Council is to advise the President, through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, on the existing ability of FEMA to capably and impartially address disasters occurring within the United States and shall advise the President on all recommended changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Connecticut Man Who Committed Narcotics Offense While on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Connecticut man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

    Hector Soto Gonzalez, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2024, Mercado Aponte was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Beginning at least as early as June 2023, while Soto Gonzalez was on federal supervised release after serving a 10-year sentence for a narcotics conviction in the District of Puerto Rico, Soto Gonzalez became a source of supply for fentanyl for co-defendant Jose Mercado Aponte. Mercado Aponte travelled from Massachusetts to the area of Soto Gonzalez’s residence in Hartford, Conn., on multiple occasions to pick up drugs that Mercado Aponte then provided to a cooperating witness (CW).  
        
    On Nov. 13, 2023, Mercado Aponte arranged to sell a kilogram of fentanyl to the CW. On that date, Mercado Aponte communicated with the CW to coordinate the deal and then made three calls to Soto Gonzalez. Later that afternoon, law enforcement conducting surveillance of the residence observed Soto Gonzalez leave his residence and put something in his trunk. Soto Gonzalez subsequently departed his residence in his truck and travelled from Connecticut to Massachusetts where a traffic stop was conducted and approximately one kilogram of fentanyl was located inside the vehicle. Soto Gonzalez was released from federal custody in May 2022 after being sentenced and serving 70 months in prison.
        
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey Noble of the Massachusetts State Police; and Commissioner Shawn Jenkins of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation New Haven Division, Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Watertown, Reading, Peabody, Hudson, Concord, Waltham, Fitchburg, Leominster and Hartford, Conn. Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Complaint filed against Houston pharmacy and its owners for violations of the Controlled Substances Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A civil complaint has been filed seeking monetary penalties against a local pharmacy and its owners following an investigation revealing numerous fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The complaint seeks civil monetary penalties from Nnwood Pharmacy and names Nnwood’s owners Cheryl Brew Greenleaf and Wendell Kirk Greenleaf, both of Houston, as defendants.

    According to the complaint, Nnwood Pharmacy registered as a retail pharmacy with Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) May 21, 2007, and was authorized to dispense Schedule II through V controlled substances.

    The investigation revealed Nnwood dispensed numerous dosage units of powerful controlled substances that physicians located hundreds of miles from the pharmacy’s location had allegedly prescribed. It also dispensed multiple dosages of Schedule II hydrocodone and Schedule IV carisoprodol pills to numerous male customers whose prescriptions originated from doctors specializing in obstetrics and gynecology care, according to the complaint.

    Authorities executed an administrative inspection warrant July 16, 2021, at which time they seized 99 allegedly fraudulent patient prescriptions Nnwood had dispensed. The complaint alleges the prescriptions were for schedule II thru schedule IV-controlled substances and dispensed pursuant to several invalid DEA registration numbers.

    Nnwood and the Greenleafs allegedly dispensed controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice by dispensing the fraudulent and invalid prescriptions.

    Additionally, Nnwood and the Greenleafs allegedlt failed to make, keep and furnish records and reports The Controlled Substances Act and DEA regulations require.

    According to the complaint, Nnwood was also the subject of a previous investigation in 2007. 

    “The Controlled Substances Act ensures that those who manufacture, prescribe, dispense, and distribute controlled substances do so in a safe and legitimate way. This prevents dangerous narcotics being diverted for illicit use, or for unsuspecting people to ingest dangerous drugs,” said Ganjei. The Southern District of Texas is committed to ensuring that those who endanger the public by violating the Act are held accountable.”

    “Pharmacies are the final defense against prescription drugs being diverted to the black market and into the wrong hands devastating communities,” said acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of the DEA-Houston Division. “Pharmacies have a fundamental responsibility to ensure safeguards are in place to prevent the diversion of controlled substances and ensure that they are dispensing controlled substances pursuant to legitimate prescriptions.”

    The Controlled Substances Act and its implementing regulations seek to deter, detect and eliminate the diversion of controlled substances and listed chemicals into the illicit market while ensuring that an adequate supply of controlled substances and listed chemicals is available for legitimate medical, scientific, research and industrial purposes.

    The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill O. Venezia is handling the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadoran National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that STANLIN DANIEL VASQUEZ-SALINAS, also known as “Stalin Vasquez-Salinas” and “Stalin Vasquez,” 25, a citizen of Ecuador recently residing in Danbury, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 11, 2025, Danbury Police arrested Vasquez-Salinas and charged him with conspiracy to commit commercial sexual abuse of a minor between the ages of 15 and 17 years old.  Vasquez-Salinas identified himself as “Stalin D. Vasquez” at the time of his arrest.  Analysis of Vasquez-Salinas’ fingerprints confirmed his true identity, and the investigation revealed that Vasquez-Salinas had illegally entered the U.S. in December 2019 and was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.  He was removed to Ecuador in May 2020.

    It is further alleged that, on March 14, 2025, Vasquez-Salinas was released from state custody on bond.  That same day, after a brief vehicle chase and subsequent foot pursuit, he was taken into ICE custody.

    Vasquez-Salinas has been detained since March 14, 2025.  He appeared today in Hartford federal court.  The charge of unlawful reentry of a removed alien carries a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and 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 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj. N. Patel.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

    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).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Supervising Maryland Unemployment Insurance Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Defendant obtained victim’s personal information to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.

    Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Tiia Woods, 47, of Jacksonville, Florida, to 74 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. The sentence is in connection with Woods’s role as an organizer of an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost approximately $3,296,725.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the guilty plea, beginning in June 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Woods engaged in a conspiracy to defraud and obtain money through materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises in connection with the UI scheme.  Woods obtained the personal identifiable information of real persons and used the information to submit false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL).

    Woods and her co-conspirators used UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed people due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their personal use. She instructed her co-conspirators Tyshawna Davis and Devante Smith via text message in furtherance of the conspiracy. Woods’s guidance included instructions on how to obtain benefits, expedite a claim, and how much Woods would keep for herself.

    Smith was previously sentenced to 54 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized increased unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits.  UI benefits have historically been a state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible workers.  The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide UI benefits for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including self-employed workers or independent contractors, who would not normally be eligible for UI benefits.

    The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI, along with Bank of America – Detection and Complex Investigations Fraud Rings and Analytics, for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Harry M. Gruber who prosecuted the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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

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

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Michael Vernon Pinson Jr., 30, of Huntington, was sentenced today to one year and six months 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 February 20, 2024, law enforcement officers responding to reports of an unresponsive male in a vehicle in Huntington encountered Pinson in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Officers searched the vehicle during the encounter and found a loaded Taurus model PT111 Millennium Pro 9mm pistol in the vehicle.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Pinson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for unlawful wounding in Cabell County Circuit Court on February 16, 2016.

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

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor 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. 3:24-cr-149.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Sentenced to Prison for International Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Elderly U.S. Victims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    A Nigerian national was sentenced on Friday to 97 months in prison for his role in a transnational inheritance fraud scheme.

    According to court documents, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, 36, was a member of a group of fraudsters that sent personalized letters to elderly victims in the United States over the course of several years. The letters falsely claimed that the sender was a representative of a bank in Spain and that the recipient was entitled to receive a multimillion-dollar inheritance left for the recipient by a family member who had died overseas years before. Ogbata and his co-conspirators told a series of lies to victims, including that, before they could receive their purported inheritance, they were required to send money for delivery fees, taxes, and other payments to avoid questioning from government authorities. Ogbata and his co-conspirators collected money victims sent in response to the fraudulent letters through a complex web of U.S.-based former victims, whom the defendants convinced to receive money and forward to the defendants or persons associated with them. Victims who sent money never received any purported inheritance funds. In pleading guilty, Ogbata admitted to defrauding over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly or otherwise vulnerable.

    “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to pursue, prosecute, and bring to justice transnational criminals responsible for defrauding U.S. consumers, wherever they are located,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This case is a testament to the critical role of international collaboration in tackling transnational crime. I want to thank our U.S. law enforcement partners, as well as those who assisted across the globe, including the Portuguese Judicial Police and Public Prosecution Service of Portugal, for their outstanding contributions to this case.”

    “The long arm of the American justice system has no limits when it comes to reaching fraudsters who prey on our nation’s most vulnerable populations, to include the elderly,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “We will not allow transnational criminals to steal money from the public we serve. Individuals who defraud American consumers will be brought to justice, no matter where they are located.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has a long history of protecting American citizens from these types of schemes and bringing those responsible to justice,” said Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Steven Hodges of the USPIS Miami Division. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedicated partnership between the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, HSI and USPIS to protect our citizens from these scams.”

    “It’s inconceivable to imagine any human being robbing from those who’ve spent a lifetime working and building a life, and then are duped out of it all,” said Special Agent in Charge Fransisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona. “Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate this kind of behavior – we will bring justice to those who have wronged and stolen from so many people.”

    Senior Trial Attorney and Transnational Criminal Litigation Coordinator Phil Toomajian and Trial Attorneys Josh Rothman and Brianna Gardner of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case. USPIS and HSI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Europol, and authorities from the UK, Spain, and Portugal all provided critical assistance.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/  or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Accountant Pleads Guilty to $8M Tax Fraud

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    A Colorado man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to defraud the United States and tax evasion.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Rodney Ermel owned and managed a Colorado-based accounting firm. Along with co-defendant Kenneth Bacon, Ermel provided accounting and tax preparation services for Joseph LaForte and his entities. Ermel conspired with LaForte, Bacon, and others to hide approximately $20 million in income. He did this through various fraudulent accounting practices, such as fabricating shareholder loans and “bad debt” deductions. Ermel also filed tax returns which he knew underreported taxable income by over $20 million between 2016 and 2018. Ermel’s fraud caused a loss to the United States of over $8 million.

    Ermel is the fourth defendant to plead guilty to criminal conduct related to this tax scheme.  Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

    The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer and John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami Return Preparer Agrees to Injunction and Disgorgement

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issued an injunction today against Miami tax return preparer Nia Daniel, which bars her from preparing tax returns for others, having any ownership stake in any tax preparation business, or assisting or training others in tax return preparation through at least Jan. 27, 2028. The court also ordered Daniel to disgorge $446,000 in ill-gotten gains she received from her return preparation business. Daniel agreed to both the injunction and ordered disgorgement.

    The complaint alleged that Daniel understated customers’ tax liability and claimed inflated refunds largely by:

    • Falsifying or overstating business expenses claimed on a Schedule C;
    • Claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for clients who did not qualify for it;
    • Falsely claiming other credits, such as the American Opportunity Credit and Residential Energy Credit; and
    • Falsifying income and filing status to increase the Earned Income Tax Credit.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $500,000 in 2023 alone from returns prepared by Daniel.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers 10 tips to avoid tax season fraud and ways safeguard personal information.

    In the past decade, the Department of Justice Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California Truck Driver Sentenced to Eleven Years in Prison for Trafficking $2.5 Million Worth of Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCKFORD — A California truck driver was sentenced today to eleven years in federal prison for trafficking $2.5 million worth of cocaine that was destined for Chicago. 

    RONALD COLEMAN, 45, of Barstow, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.

    Coleman admitted in a plea agreement that in April 2023 he was the driver of a semi-truck and trailer traveling through Whiteside County, Ill. on Interstate 88. Inside his semi-trailer, he knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute more than 91 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2.5 million. Coleman was transporting the cocaine to a warehouse in Chicago, where he was to exchange the drugs for cash and transport the money back to California.  Inside his semi-truck, Coleman also possessed a firearm to protect himself, the cocaine, and the cash during the transport.  Coleman expected to be paid for transporting the cocaine from California to Chicago.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Sheila G. Lyons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Illinois State Police provided assistance in the investigation.

    The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ladd.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Alex Kai Tick Chin, 40, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced today to 37 years in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography, enticement of a minor, and committing a sex crime against a minor while a registered sex offender.

    A federal jury convicted Chin on August 22, 2024, after a three-day trial. Evidence at trial proved that from on or about December 12, 2020, through on or about February 14, 2021, Chin coerced a minor female residing within the Southern District of West Virginia to record and send him sexually explicit images of herself via the Snapchat multimedia instant messaging app. Chin threatened to harm himself if the minor female did not send him sexually explicit images.

    Chin exchanged messages with a second minor female during the same time period who also resided within the Southern District of West Virginia, engaging in sexual conversations and soliciting nude images from her as well. Chin also threatened to harm himself in conversations with the second minor female unless she complied with his demands. Chin sent photos and videos of himself to the second minor female, including an image of himself masturbating.

    Chin continued to communicate with both minor females until early March 2022, when he drove from California in a white panel van equipped with a mattress to the Southern District of West Virginia. There, he attempted unsuccessfully to meet both minor females in person.

    Chin was a registered sex offender at the time of these offenses, and has been since his felony conviction for possession of child pornography in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, on December 27, 2017.

    “The defendant was already a convicted sex offender when he targeted these two minor victims online. He groomed them, preyed upon their vulnerabilities, and coerced them into sending him pictures,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “He has shown a complete inability to take any responsibility for his own actions or demonstrate any remorse for his conduct, which was reprehensible in this case.”

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Courtney L. Finney 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 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.justice.gov/psc.

    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. 3:22-cr-87.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Felon who Fought Police Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWNAN, Ga. – Arthur Gene Young, a multi-convicted felon with a history of violence, has been sentenced to federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm while resisting police officers in a small west Georgia city.                                                                                                                                      

    “Armed felons cannot be allowed to terrorize the citizens of our district,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “After Young was arrested with a firearm for the third time in two years, local law enforcement wisely sought federal assistance to ensure he would be removed from the community. We will continue to work with our partners at all levels to protect the public from gun violence and repeat violent offenders.”

    “The law-abiding citizens of this community are safer because of today’s sentence which will ensure the incarceration of a dangerous criminal and contribute to the restoration of order and peace to this area,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons.  “This sentence sends a direct message to criminals that ATF and our local law enforcement partners will investigate violent criminals and protect citizens.”

    “The partnership of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies is imperative to help local communities stay safe,” said Bremen Police Department Lieutenant Joshua Newman. “The Bremen Police Department would like to thank all the agencies and law enforcement officers that were involved in this case.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 2, 2023, less than a month after his release from state prison for other criminal conduct, Arthur Gene Young shoplifted from a pharmacy located in Bremen, Georgia. He returned to the pharmacy the following morning and argued with the store manager. Police officers responded and, upon learning of the earlier shoplifting incident, escorted Young from the store to arrest him. Young refused to obey the officers’ commands and shouted that he would not go back to prison as he fled the scene. 

    As officers pursued Young through the center of town and towards a church preschool, Young exclaimed that he was armed and demanded to be left alone. As additional officers responded, Young crossed a highway, scaled a berm, and walked onto an active train track. There, he grabbed the wrist and arm of a deputy sheriff who attempted to detain him. Ultimately, Young tripped, giving officers an opportunity to place handcuffs around one of his wrists. But Young fought the officers and refused to comply as the officers attempted to fully cuff him. During the struggle, one of the officers noticed the grip of a loaded 7.65mm semiautomatic pistol in Young’s right pants pocket. The officer managed to secure the weapon before Young was finally handcuffed. 

    As a multi-convicted felon, Young was legally prohibited from possessing firearms. Young’s decade-long criminal record included convictions for crimes of violence, such as attempted robbery by intimidation and terroristic threats, as well as other offenses. Additionally, at the time of his arrest following the incident at the Bremen pharmacy, Young was under indictment and on pretrial release in three cases brought in 2021 and 2022 charging him with attempted armed robbery, attempted robbery by intimidation, and two counts each of felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault, and simple assault.

    Arthur Gene Young, 34, of Bremen, Georgia, was sentenced on April 22, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr. to 14 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Young was convicted of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person on January 14, 2025, after he pleaded guilty in the middle of a jury trial.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bremen Police Department. The Haralson County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Georgia State Patrol provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore S. Hertzberg and Amy M. Palumbo prosecuted the case.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Syracuse Man Sentenced for Distribution, Transportation and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Paul Mignacca, age 46, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 78 months in federal prison for distribution, transportation, and possession of child pornography. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig R. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Between September 2023 and February 2024, Mignacca uploaded several videos of child sexual abuse material to a social media application group chat dedicated to sharing child pornography files, as well as to Mignacca’s private account on an Internet-based filesharing application. Law enforcement arrested Mignacca in April 2024 and seized his electronic devices. Digital forensic analysis revealed that Mignacca possessed more than 3,400 files constituting child pornography.

    United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Mignacca to serve a 10-year term of post-incarceration supervised release, to pay a total of $60,000 in restitution to children identified from the child pornography he possessed, and to forfeit the electronic device he used to commit the offenses. Mignacca will also be required to register as a sex offender after his release from prison.

    The case was investigated by the FBI’s Albany Division Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case as a part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative 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 (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: Defense News: Navy Reserve Force Officially 100% Manned, Advancing Warfighting Readiness and Strategic Depth

    Source: United States Navy

    WASHINGTON — The Navy Reserve Force is officially 100% manned. This week, the Reserve reached its authorized strength of 57,700 Sailors for Fiscal Year 2025, the first time since 2020, reinforcing the Navy’s ability to project power, respond to global contingencies, and deliver warfighting capabilities across all domains.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group F/A-18 Super Hornet Lost at Sea

    Source: United States Navy

    MANAMA, Bahrain – USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) lost an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 and a tow tractor as the aircraft carrier operated in the Red Sea, April 28. All personnel are accounted for, with one Sailor sustaining a minor injury.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Man Sentenced to Seven Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

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

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dustin P. Brunker, 37, Weston, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Brunker pleaded guilty to this charge on January 28, 2025.

    In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area. Brunker was identified as a distributor for the group.

    Following a series of controlled purchases of methamphetamine involving Brunker in March and April of 2024, task force officers executed a search warrant at a residence that Brunker shared with co-defendant Mercadys A. Perkins in Weston. Officers found over 300 grams of methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search.

    Further investigation revealed that between February 18, 2024, and April 12, 2024, a co-conspirator provided Brunker and Perkins approximately 16 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 ounces of cocaine intended for further distribution.

    At the time of these events, Brunker was serving a term of state supervision for two felony cases and out on state bond for a felony drug charge. His state supervision was revoked, and he was sentenced to a total of 3 years in state prison, which he is currently serving. Judge Conley ordered the federal sentence run concurrently with the remainder of Brunker’s state prison sentences.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley called Brunker’s large quantity methamphetamine trafficking egregious. Judge Conley further observed that while Brunker had a lengthy prior record, the conduct in the present case showed an escalation in criminality.

    Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking conspiracy. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Joshua Lake and Jessica Colby have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks.

    The charge against Brunker was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machinegun

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

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to unlawful possession of a machinegun.  

    James Thelwell-Mullen, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs who scheduled sentencing for July 29, 2025. In July 2024, Thelwell-Mullen was indicted by a federal grand jury.

    On or around April 28, 2023, Thelwell-Mullen unlawfully possessed a machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch” – a device designed to enable a Glock semi-automatic pistol to fire automatically. According to court documents, a machinegun conversion device, as well as two privately made firearms, ammunition, firearm magazines, other firearm accessories, and one plastic bag of fentanyl, were recovered during a search of Thelwell-Mullen’s Boston residence. Messages on Thelwell-Mullen’s phone indicated that he was also selling machinegun conversion devices.

    The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Criminal Division.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Smiths Settlement — RCMP arrests man for assaulting fishery officer

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has arrested a man for assaulting a fishery officer in the lawful execution of their duties in Smiths Settlement.

    On April 26, at approximately 5 a.m., RCMP officers responded to a report of an assault near Hwy 7. RCMP officers learned that Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) was attempting to conduct an inspection at Eel Pond when a man driving an Acura TL collided with a uniformed fishery officer who was on foot and instructing the driver to stop.

    The fishery officer was not injured.

    The 36-year-old driver from Sipekne’katik was safely arrested at the scene by RCMP officers. During a search of the vehicle, an extendable baton and drug paraphernalia were seized.

    The man was later released. He’s scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on August 20, at 9:30 a.m., to face a charge of Assault with a Weapon.

    A second man who was present at the time of the incident was arrested by DFO in relation to a Fisheries Act investigation and later released.

    File #: 25-57781

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 151 Months

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ABINGDON, Va. – A Big Stone Gap, Virginia man, who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, was sentenced last week to 151 months in federal prison.

    James Eugene Gamble, 50, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, Gamble conspired with Eric Coffey, Daniel Hafemeister, Thomas Ray Houston, Jr., and others to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Southwest Virginia.

    Gamble served as a major supplier of methamphetamine in the Lee and Wise County, Virginia areas, selling over ten kilograms of methamphetamine between approximately October 2023 and March 2024.

    Gamble routinely made trips to North Carolina with co-conspirators to obtain several pounds of methamphetamine and up to a pound of fentanyl at a time from a drug supplier.  On several of the trips, co-conspirator Thomas Houston, Jr. drove Gamble to North Carolina to conduct the drug transactions, and Gamble paid Houston $2,000 each trip to drive him.  Gamble redistributed the drugs he purchased in North Carolina to individuals in southwest Virginia.

    Co-conspirator Thomas Houston, Jr. was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment in February 2025.  

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Southwest Drug Task Force, Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hammonds Plains — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment investigates vehicle crash

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a vehicle crash involving a fatality in Hammonds Plains.

    Yesterday, at approximately 8:40 p.m., RCMP officers, fire services, and EHS responded to a report of a vehicle crash at the intersection of Kingswood Dr. and Terradore Ln. Investigators learned that a Ford Edge travelling on Terradore Ln. went through the intersection, struck a fire hydrant, and came to rest in the tree line.

    The driver, a 72-year-old Hammonds Plains man, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, is believed to have suffered a medical incident.

    The passenger, a 70-year-old Hammonds Plains woman, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by EHS.

    The investigation remains ongoing.

    Our thoughts are with the man’s loved ones at this difficult time.

    File #: 25-58591

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas title company employee sent to prison for orchestrating $350,000 real estate wire fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 55-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Mayela Saby Cantu pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has ordered Cantu to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $350,000 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed Cantu’s role in the scheme. The victim also reported the significant loss due to Cantu’s actions and asked the court for a sentence that would operate as a deterrent for others. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the complexity of the scheme and emphasized that Cantu’s role as an escrow officer allowed her to facilitate the scheme.

    At the time of her plea, Cantu admitted she knowingly participated in a scheme that used falsified lien payoff statements, fraudulent warranty deeds and deceptive emails to mislead lenders, title companies and property buyers.

    From November 2020 until her arrest, Cantu defrauded buyers and lenders in multiple property transactions while working at a McAllen title company. Using her position of trust, she facilitated closings backed by falsified documents. In one notable case, she directed others to create a fraudulent email address resembling that of a legitimate lienholder. Cantu then used the fake account to send false payoff amounts via interstate wires, leading a title company to improperly disburse more than $350,000.

    Cantu facilitated additional fraudulent property transactions, including arranging closing on properties that had already been sold and accepting undisclosed cash payments. By concealing the true nature of these deals, she caused significant financial harm to the affected parties.

    She was permitted to remain on bond pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The FBI, McAllen Police Department and Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Garcia prosecuted the case.

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