NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Sentenced in Maryland to Five Years in Federal Prison for Tax-Refund Money Laundering Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The conspirators used stolen personally identifiable information from identity theft victims located in Maryland

    Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Jerome Brown, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, to five years in federal prison for his role in laundering money stolen from federal and North Carolina state-tax refunds. Additionally, Brown was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $604,889.64.  On January 28, 2022, Brown pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) – Washington Field Office; Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS-OIG); and Acting Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor, Social Security Administration (SSA-OIG) Office of Inspector General – Philadelphia Field Division.

    In his guilty plea, Brown acknowledged that from February through August 2020, he conspired with individuals in Nigeria and Michigan to launder wire-fraud proceeds. The co-conspirators placed the wire-fraud proceeds on Green Dot pre-paid debit cards.  Brown laundered the fraudulent funds by depositing them into bank accounts and cashing them out through ATM withdrawals and purchasing money orders and cryptocurrency.

    These fraudulent proceeds were comprised of stolen funds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR). The IRS and NCDOR administer federal and North Carolina state-revenue laws, respectively, and pay “tax refunds” to individuals who are entitled to them under the law.  At the time, these funds could be paid onto pre-paid debit cards.  Brown and his co-conspirators regularly cashed out these funds soon after the government agencies added funds to a card.

    Through the fraudulent scheme, one of Brown’s co-conspirators, who was working from Nigeria, and others, caused funds to be placed on the pre-paid debit cards. The co-conspirators registered the cards with Green Dot using stolen personally identifiable information (PII) from identity theft victims around the country, including in Maryland.

    Co-conspirators purchased the pre-paid debit cards in the United States and then sent the associated card information to the co-conspirator in Nigeria to receive the stolen government funds. The co-conspirators aided the fraudulent scheme by using stolen PII to file for false IRS tax refunds.  Additionally, the co-conspirators applied for NCDOR tax refunds and state unemployment insurance payments.

    The federal and state agencies then deposited the proceeds through ACH transfers directly onto the pre-paid debit cards.  After the funds were placed onto the pre-paid debit cards, the co-conspirator in Nigeria informed others, including Brown, that the funds were available on the cards.  In exchange for a commission, Brown and the other co-conspirators facilitated the cashing out of the cards and returned the remaining funds to the co-conspirator in Nigeria.

    Brown and the other co-conspirators took steps to conceal their identities, the money laundering conspiracy, and scheme to defraud. The co-conspirators attempted to hide the fraudulent scheme by enlisting others to make withdrawals from the cards, withdrawing from multiple locations, converting funds into cash rather than depositing them into bank accounts, and making money orders payable to other individuals.

    The defendant cashed out at least approximately $540,975.80 from pre-paid debit cards as part of the scheme. Brown kept approximately 40 percent of the proceeds, for a total of $216,390.36, and sent approximately $324,585.44 in Bitcoin to his co-conspirator in Nigeria.  The co-conspirators used the pre-paid debit cards to apply for at least approximately $1,255,761 in benefits from the IRS and $588,716 in benefits from the NCDOR.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the IRS-CI, USSS, DHS-OIG, SSA-OIG, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Detroit Division for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Darren Gardner who prosecuted the federal case.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two North Dakota Men Charged with Credit Union Robbery in Eagle Butte, South Dakota

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted two New Town, North Dakota, men with Credit Union Robbery.

    A federal grand jury indicted Jason Cook, age 40, and Conrad DeMarce, age 37, in April 2025. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 21, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

    The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

    On April 8, 2025, Cook and DeMarce are alleged to have taken money from the Black Hills Federal Credit Union in Eagle Butte by force, violence, and intimidation.

    The charge is merely an accusation and Cook and DeMarce are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen is prosecuting the case. 

    Cook and DeMarce were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been scheduled for June 30, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two charged following a fatal stabbing in Walworth

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men charged and another arrested following a fatal stabbing in Walworth on Monday, 14 April.

    Joseph Jimenez, 21 (14.08.2003) of no fixed address was charged on Tuesday, 23 April with the murder of 21-year-old Giovanny Rendon Bedoya.

    He was remanded into custody and appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 23 March. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday, 25 April.

    Angel Gonzales Angulo, 19 (24.08.06) of Camberwell Church Street, SE5 was arrested on Wednesday, 23 April and was charged on Thursday, 24 April of murder. He appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 25 March. He will next appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 29 April.

    On Friday, 25 April a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder, he remains in police custody.

    On Monday, 14 April at 21:16hrs police were called to Hillingdon Street, SE17 following reports of a stabbing.

    Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service who treated 21-year-old Giovanny Rendon Bedoya for stab injuries.

    Sadly, despite their best efforts, he was pronounced dead on scene.

    Giovanny’s next-of-kin continues to receive support and updates from specialist officers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Officers continue to investigate death of man in Southall

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for information following the death of a man in Southall, who is believed to be 65-year-old Michael O’Donnell.

    An investigation was launched into the circumstances of his death, which is being treated as murder.

    Officers are appealing to those who may have seen Michael within the last two months to come forward.

    While officers are yet to formally identify the victim, police are confident it is Michael.

    Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who is leading the investigation, said:

    “Family liaison officers are supporting Michael’s family at this distressing time and my thoughts remain with them.

    “We continue to work diligently to gather evidence and establish what led to Michaels’ death and I would ask any local residents to take a careful look at these images to check whether they know him.

    “Have you seen him since Monday, 24 February either alone or with anyone else?

    “Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call police on 101 providing the reference CAD2369/23APR or online by visiting the Major Incident Public Portal (MIPP) Website.

    “Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

    Officers were called by the London Ambulance Service following concerns for the welfare of a man at 10:56hrs on Wednesday, 23 April in Samara Drive.

    Sadly, a man was found dead at the address.

    A 54-year-old man from Southall was arrested on suspicion of murder and preventing a lawful burial on Wednesday, 23 April. He remains in custody.

    A 28-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

    Report information via the MIPP portal or by calling 101: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS25X64-PO1

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nebraska Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Chadron, Nebraska, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

    Casey Lopez, age 51, was sentenced on April 21, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

    Lopez was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and pleaded guilty on January 17, 2025.

    Lopez and others distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City.  Lopez was a leader in the conspiracy, setting prices, organizing the distribution, and enabling a Mexican cartel to gain inroads into the Pine Ridge Reservation. In sentencing Lopez, Judge Schreier denounced how Lopez’ actions severely damaged the community. Judge Schreier also noted the drugs Lopez was distributing came from Mexican cartels and constituted 100% pure methamphetamine.

    This case was investigated by Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.

    Lopez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing. 

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Francis Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Larceny in the Rosebud Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Larceny. The sentencing took place on April 22, 2025.

    Larry White Lance, age 29 was sentenced to seven years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    White Lance was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 29, 2025.

    The conviction stems from White Lance breaking into a home in St. Francis in June 2022 and steeling a tool chest, tools, and other property.

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Sees Increase of Government Impersonation Scams Targeting South Florida Residents

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

    MIAMI—The FBI Miami Field Office is aware of a recent increase of scam attempts targeting South Florida residents. Callers identify themselves as a federal officer and typically instruct people to wire or mail “settlement” money or to assist law enforcement with an investigation against a bank. These calls are fraudulent, and call recipients should hang up immediately. Federal agencies do not call or email individuals threatening them to send money or to use their personal money as “bait” for a federal investigation.

    There are many versions of this government impersonation scam, but they are all variations of the same tactic. This type of scam has been around for years and targets people across the nation.

    “Criminals use law enforcement impersonation scams as a means of confusing and unnerving their intended victims in order to get them to act rashly,” said Supervisory Special Agent Michael Brown. “If you receive one of these calls, hang up, and report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.GOV). In the 2024 IC3 report released this week, Florida residents reported 1,579 impersonation scams with an estimated loss of over $12 million.”

    In addition, a scam phone call may seem legitimate because scammers can spoof caller ID information. It may appear the call is coming from a federal agency’s legitimate phone number or from Washington, D.C., or may show the name of a federal agency.

    To protect yourself from falling victim to this scam, be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize. Do not send money to anybody that you do not personally know and trust. Never give out your personal information, including banking information.

    Anyone who feels they were the victim of this, or any other online scam should report the incident immediately at ic3.gov. More information about government impersonation schemes and other online fraud schemes can be found at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes.

    For the latest annual report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center go here: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norfolk man sentenced to over eight years in prison for federal drug and firearms conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and using and carrying a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

    According to court documents, from July 25, 2023, to Aug, 7, 2023, the Chesapeake Police Department (CPD) conducted four controlled purchases of narcotics and firearms from Donte Rodrick Mondy, aka Tae, 37. In total, Mondy sold a combined total of 2.9 grams of fentanyl and xylazine; 6.1 grams of fentanyl; 4.49 grams of fentanyl and xylazine; and 8.07 grams of parafluorofentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine.

    On Aug. 29,2023, investigators with CPD, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Norfolk Police Department, searched locations associated with Mondy, including his residence in Norfolk. Law enforcement detained Mondy as he left his residence. Investigators searched Mondy and a satchel he was carrying and recovered a loaded handgun; a cellphone; 81 capsules containing parafiuorofentanyl, cocaine, fentanyl, and xylazine; 104 counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl; .96 grams of cocaine; and 3.33 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine.

    From Mondy’s Norfolk residence, investigators recovered indicia consistent with drug distribution; 1.3 grams of methamphetamine, a sifter, a digital scale, a handgun, a loaded magazine, and six bags of marijuana.

    Among other crimes, Mondy was previously convicted of felony possession of cocaine and assault and battery of a family member – third offense. As a previously convicted felon, Mondy cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, 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 Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-83.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-seas mariners sentenced to a decade in prison for violating Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – Two Nicaraguan nationals were sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute over two tons of marijuana on the high seas, in international waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, on board a stateless vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Sept. 27, 2023, while on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific, a maritime patrol aircraft located a go-fast vessel (GFV) in international waters 97 nautical miles southwest of Malpelo Island, Colombia. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) James (WSML 754), a National Security Cutter, was patrolling nearby and maneuvered to intercept the GFV.

    After requesting and receiving authority, Cutter James launched a helicopter, which first attempted to contact the GFV on a maritime channel, then activated its blue warning lights, fired three warning shots across the bow, and, as the vessel failed to yield, engaged a precision gunner to disable the GFV’s engines.

    A boarding team launched from the Cutter James and found three individuals onboard, including Maximo Zacarias, 43, Ismael Alexis Martinez, 30, and Bernacio Solares Ramon, 31. The boarding team determined the GFV, El Tanque, was without nationality. The team was authorized to recover 74 bales of marijuana, weighing a total of 4,610 pounds, and a five-gallon bucket containing electronics devices such as a GPS, SAT phone, ship-to-ship walkie-talkie, and other communication devices. Solares Ramon was in possession of paperwork with GPS coordinates for the routes of travel to near a Pacific island off the coast of Costa Rica.

    Zacarias and Solares Ramon were convicted by a federal jury on Aug. 23, 2025.

    Martinez pled guilty on Aug. 8 to possession with intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana on board a vessel. He was sentenced on Jan. 23 to two years and six months in prison.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Rear Admiral Joseph R. Buzzella, U.S. Coast Guard, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes. The Maritime and Counternarcotics Unit within the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division provided substantial assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin M. Comstock, Eric M. Hurt, and Joseph E. DePadilla prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-129.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indian Citizen Convicted of Submitting Fraudulent Immigration Application

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that yesterday, after a two-day trial before United States District Judge Joseph Laplante, a federal jury convicted Nasir Hussain, 31, a citizen of India who had been living in Orlando, Florida, of submitting a false statement of material fact on an immigration application, specifically an I-360 Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”) self-petition.  Immediately following his conviction at trial, Hussain was sentenced to time-served.

    Hussain has been in continual federal custody since his arrest in May of 2023 on a wire fraud conspiracy charge.  The wire fraud case proceeded to trial in October 2024, resulted in a jury verdict of guilty, which was subsequently set aside by the Court via a judgment of acquittal.  The United States has entered a notice of appeal of the judgment of acquittal and that appeal remains pending.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial in the immigration fraud case, Hussain traveled to Connecticut in October of 2021 for the purpose of entering a sham marriage to a United States Citizen.  Hussain never saw the woman prior to nor after the date of the wedding.  After the wedding, Hussain paid for insurance policies in the name of his “wife,” subscribed to magazines in her name, and ordered merchandise in her name, all to manufacture evidence that Hussain and his “wife” were living together at his Orlando residence.  After manufacturing this evidence, Hussain went to an urgent care facility, and falsely claimed he was abused by his “wife.”  Hussain thereafter caused the submission of the evidence he had manufactured, along with medical records, to the United States Immigration and Citizenship Office in support of an I-360 VAWA self-petition, claiming he was the spouse of an abusive U.S. citizen with whom he had been cohabitating at his Orlando apartment.   The evidence at trial, including testimony of his “wife” and former roommates, established beyond a reasonable doubt that Hussain’s “wife” never lived in Florida as he had claimed, and therefore could never have abused him as he alleged.  Had Hussain’s immigration package been successful, he would have been awarded a VAWA visa and potentially Lawful Permanent Residence status in the United States.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the investigatory work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  At trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle M. Arra and Jonathan A. Ophardt represented the government.  Hussain was represented by Kevin Henry, Esq.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kidnapping Carjacker Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison

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

    WASHINGTON – David Zanders, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison in connection with a May 1, 2022, kidnapping and a subsequent carjacking the same day.

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

                Zanders pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024, to one count of kidnapping and one count of carjacking in the U.S. District Court. In addition to the 180-month prison term, the Honorable Royce C. Lamberth ordered Zanders to serve five years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, in the early morning hours of May 1, 2022, Zanders and a friend kidnapped two males outside of a nightclub located on the 600 block of Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.  Zanders and the friend pretended to be working for Uber and the two male victims got into Zander’s vehicle. Shortly thereafter, Zanders pulled over on a neighborhood street in the District, pointed a firearm at the two victims, and robbed them of their phones and money. Zanders then drove them to various ATMs in an attempt to withdraw money using ttheir credit cards.

                One of the victims escaped at a gas station in Washington D.C. as Zanders and the other suspect went looking for a cash machine. After the first victim escaped, Zander drove the remaining victim to a supermarket in Maryland. Zanders and the friend withdrew money from an ATM at the supermarket using the remaining victim’s ATM card. They then drove to another location in Maryland and released the victim.

                That same evening, Zanders gathered with several associates on the 900 block of Longfellow Street, NW. Zanders had arranged a meeting to sell a vehicle to another party, but in fact planned to steal the would-be buyer’s own car. When two new victims arrived in a green Dodge Charger, Zanders pulled out a gun, threatened to shoot, and demanded phones, money and keys. One of Zanders’ associates drove away with the 2019 green Dodge Charger. Zanders and the remaining associates then fled in their own vehicles.   

                Zanders was arrested on November 18, 2022, and has been detained since.

                This case was investigated by the MPD’s Carjacking Task Force and the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department.

                The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shehzad Akhtar and Cameron Tepfer and by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Renaud. The case initially was investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Strong.

    22cr0287

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Armed Robber Who Targeted Delivery Workers in D.C., Maryland, is Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison

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

    WASHINGTON – Rubin Raphael Bordeaux, 36, of the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 192 months in prison for his role a string of armed carjackings that targeted delivery workers in November 2023. At the height of the criminal spree, Bordeaux’s escalating violence culminated in a shooting, an eight-mile chase in an Amazon van, a vehicle collision, and a foot chase.

               The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

               Bordeaux pleaded guilty on September 12, 2024, to carjacking and to possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition to the 192-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Bordeaux to serve three years of supervised release.

               According to court documents, Bordeaux and his co-defendants specifically targeted delivery drivers in a spree of armed carjackings and robberies over four days across the District of Columbia and Maryland. 

               On November 9, 2023, around 1:30 p.m., a UPS driver was in the back of her work truck in Upper Marlboro, Maryland sorting packages. As she was working, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator were lying in wait, planning to rob her at gunpoint. As the UPS driver continued her job, the co-conspirator saw his opportunity and, with a silver firearm in hand, jumped into the back of the UPS truck. The co-conspirator told the UPS driver to “calm down. I just need your wallet and keys.” He took the UPS driver’s keys and ordered her to show him how to operate the UPS truck. In fear for her life, the UPS driver complied. The co-conspirator then threw the UPS driver’s phone in her direction and took off driving the truck. Bordeaux was not far behind. He followed the UPS truck in a tan pickup truck. Eventually Bordeaux and his co-conspirator stopped to offload packages from the UPS truck and abandoned the vehicle in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. 

                Just one hour later, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator struck again in Oxon Hill, Maryland. This time, they targeted a FedEx driver who was finishing a break. Bordeaux and the co-conspirator used their pickup truck to box-in the FedEx driver. Bordeaux jumped out of the pickup, quickly approached the FedEx driver, displayed a revolver, and demanded the keys. The FedEx driver gave up the company truck, and Bordeaux, followed by his co-conspirator in the tan pickup truck, drove off. Law enforcement recovered the FedEx truck in Washington, D.C., after it had been stripped of multiple packages. 

               Four days later, on November 13, 2023, Bordeaux and a co-conspirator targeted another work vehicle. On that day, around 5:24 a.m., an Amtrak driver was seated in the rear passenger seat of a conspicuously marked Amtrak truck. The Amtrak driver and his two coworkers, who were also in the vehicle, were planning to start their workday with breakfast from a restaurant. While waiting inside the running vehicle, the Amtrak driver noticed that a man with a mask had walked up to the truck. Believing this person was a coworker, the Amtrak driver got out of the truck. The masked individual was not his coworker. 

               Bordeaux ordered the Amtrak driver to “give me the truck.” When the Amtrak driver was slow to react, Bordeaux brandished a black gun and demanded again, “give me the truck.” The Amtrak driver surrendered the vehicle. Bordeaux got into the driver seat and drove away. As he did so, he was followed by a gray sedan. 

               Bordeaux later abandoned the truck in Washington, D.C. after causing $27,883 in damage to the vehicle during the short time he had it in his possession. 

               The next day, on November 14, 2023, Bordeaux and his co-conspirators targeted a shopper and her young child in a department store parking lot in Forestville, Maryland. An individual approached the woman at her car, demanded the keys to her vehicle and then forcefully removed the keys from her hands. The individual fled with the car toward Washington, D.C. 

               Later that day, Bordeaux and three other individuals left the shopper’s vehicle parked in an area of Southeast D.C. As the four walked away, they came upon an Amazon delivery driver, who became Bordeaux’s next target. The Amazon driver was walking to his work van when Bordeaux approached him in the road. A second person from Bordeaux’s group simultaneously walked towards the Amazon driver, who began to run. Bordeaux fired a shot in the Amazon driver’s direction while the other individual also fired at the Amazon driver. Bordeaux’s bullet barely missed the driver, who then stopped and surrendered. Bordeaux went through the Amazon driver’s pockets, demanded “give me them f—- keys” and threatened the driver with “do you want to die?” Bordeaux located the keys and fled in the van while his accomplice ran off in the opposite direction. 

               Behind the wheel of the Amazon van, Bordeaux led the police on an eight-mile-long chase crossing from the District of Columbia into Maryland. While trying to make his getaway, Bordeaux struck numerous vehicles, among them a police car. Once he realized he could not shake the police, Bordeaux stopped the vehicle on a sidewalk in Capitol Heights, Maryland. He attempted to run from law enforcement on foot but was quickly stopped. The keys to the shopper’s carjacked Honda were recovered from Bordeaux’s pocket.

             This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the MPD. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Omeed Ali Assefi and Jacqueline Yarbro.

    24cr76

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lac La Biche — Lac La Biche RCMP charge two after multiple break and enters

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On March 13, 2025, Lac La Biche RCMP received a complaint of a break and enter in progress at an Alberta Parks Shop yard in Lac La Biche County. The three suspects stole fuel before they fled in a truck. The truck was located in the ditch a few kilometres away with the suspects fleeing into the woods.

    St. Paul RCMP Police Dog Services (PDS), along with Eastern Alberta District Rural Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), Athabasca Traffic Services and Lac La Biche RCMP, set up containment to track the suspects. Nearing the end of the track, Lac La Biche RCMP received a call of a second break and enter involving the theft of firearms. All resources, including a remotely piloted aircraft system (drone), relocated to that area. RCMP issued a shelter in place to ensure the safety of all residents in the area. After a rigorous track, St Paul RCMP PDS located and arrested a male without incident.

    During the arrest of the male suspect, Lac La Biche RCMP was dispatched to a complaint of a suspicious female on the rail road tracks near the previous search area. The female was located, and further investigation lead to her arrest for the initial break and enter.

    A 30-year-old individual, a resident of Edmonton, has been charged with the following:

    • Break and Enter with intent to steal a firearm

    • Break and Enter with Intent (x2)

    • Theft of a Motor Vehicle (x2)

    • Possess firearm while prohibited (x5)

    • Theft under $5000.00

    • Possession of property obtained by Crime over $5000.

    A 31-year-old individual, a resident of Kikino Metis Settlement, has been charged with the following:

    • Theft under $5000.00

    • Possession of property obtained by Crime over $5000.0

    • Break and Enter with Intent

    After judicial interim release hearings, both individuals were remanded in custody to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Lac La Biche on March 17, 2025. On March 17, 2025, the 31-year-old individual was remanded in custody to appear again on March 31, and the 30-year-old individual was released on a Release Order with several conditions. She will also appear on March 31, 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Who Hid Loaded, Fully Automatic Handgun in Six-Year-Old Nephew’s Pants Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Federal Prison

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

    SAN FRANCISCO – Darneko Yates, 30, of Richmond, Calif., was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony.  U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence.

    Yates was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), following a one-day bench trial on Jan. 17, 2025.  The evidence at trial established that on Aug. 27, 2023, police officers stopped Yates for a vehicle infraction.  Yates’s young nephew and niece were in the backseat of his car.  Police officers discovered that Yates possessed a loaded automatic handgun, which was concealed in the front of his six-year-old nephew’s pants.  At the time, Yates was on parole following three felony convictions for carjacking, solicitation to commit murder, and possessing a loaded firearm.  

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinez-Olguín ordered Yates to serve three years of supervised release.

    Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

    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 of Justice 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.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leif Dautch and Richard Ewenstein are prosecuting this case.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, and the San Pablo Police Department.  
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Charged With Providing Material Support to a Conspiracy to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    So-Called “Garri Master,” or Master of Mutilation, called for violent attacks against Cameroonian civilian population and raised funds to supply AK-47s to separatist groups.

    Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Eric Tano Tataw, 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Cameroonian national, also known as “the Garri Master,” is charged with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist groups in Cameroon and making threatening communications to injure or kidnap Cameroonian civilians.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Maryland.

    According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist groups sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon in an attempt to coerce and intimidate the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

    “Tataw and his co-conspirators masterminded and financially supported a vicious scheme to overthrow a foreign government. They resorted to an unthinkable level of violence while instilling fear in innocent victims to advance their political agenda,” Hayes said.  “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who attempts to inflict mayhem on others. Tataw and his co-conspirators demonstrated a total disregard for human life so now they must pay the price.”

    “The defendant is alleged to have ordered horrific acts of violence, including severing limbs, against Cameroonian civilians in support of a violent secessionist movement,” Galeotti said. “This indictment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable human rights violators who direct brutal political violence and fundraise for armed militias from the comfort of the United States.”

    “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who help murder, maim, and kidnap,” Bai said. “We will continue to hold accountable those who aim to turn American soil into a staging ground for political violence abroad.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning no later than April 2018, Tataw conspired to provide material support and resources — including money, weapons, and personnel — to Amba Boys in Cameroon, and called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of Cameroonian civilians. Tataw and his co-conspirators directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people.  Additionally, Tataw referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a government-owned company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the Cameroonian government. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators solicited and raised funds to supply Amba Boys with firearms, ammunition, explosive materials, and other equipment for enforcing lockdown or “ghost-town” orders and carrying out violent attacks.  A fundraising campaign, known as the “National AK Campaign,” was designed to arm each Amba Boy in Cameroon with an AK-47 rifle.  From about September 2018 through December 2020, Tataw and his co-conspirators raised more than $110,000. Tataw and co-conspirators transferred portions of these funds — either directly or through intermediaries — to Amba Boys located in Cameroon and neighboring Nigeria. Additionally, Tataw communicated directly with Amba Boy leaders on the ground in Cameroon. Tataw also, on multiple occasions, personally took credit for Amba Boys murdering, kidnapping, and maiming civilians in connection with the separatists’ cause.

    An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  All defendants charged by indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.  If convicted, Tataw faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the material support count and five years in prison on each count of making threatening communications to injure or kidnap. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI Maryland’s Document and Benefit Fraud/El Dorado Task Force, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Joseph Wenner; Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section; and Michael Dittoe and Andrew Briggs, National Security Division, who are prosecuting this case, along with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their valuable assistance.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or www.tips.fbi.gov. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Halifax County Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Distributing Narcotics in Halifax County

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Troy Covington, age 54, was sentenced Tuesday to 11 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine. Covington pleaded guilty to the charges on January 23, 2025.

    According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) conducted a series of controlled purchases from Covington from April 2023 to May 2024. Specifically, on July 20, 2023, HCSO conducted a purchase of more than 80 grams of pure methamphetamine from Covington using a confidential source of information.  HCSO conducted another controlled purchase from Covington on September 28, 2023, where he sold seven grams of pure methamphetamine to the source. That same day, HCSO executed a search warrant at Covington’s house in Roanoke Rapids. As a result, HCSO located more than 700 grams of pure methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, drug packaging and distribution materials, a firearm, ammunition, and approximately $2,200 in U.S. Currency.

    Covington has prior felony convictions for drug distribution, including possession with intent to distribute heroin from 2013 and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance in 2022. Additionally, Covington has a prior robbery with a dangerous weapon conviction from 2014.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, Roanoke Rapids Police Department and DEA investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon 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 number 4:24-CR-00042                      .

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Marathon County Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Conspiring to Traffic Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    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: Former Trinidad ISD business manager sentenced to federal prison for theft from school district

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TYLER, Texas – An Orange, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for theft from the Trinidad Independent School District, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Brandon Delane Looney, 39, pleaded guilty to theft from a program receiving federal funds and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 24, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, Looney stole nearly $340,000 from Trinidad ISD between 2017 and 2023 while he served as Trinidad ISD’s business manager. Federal law makes it a crime for someone to steal from an organization receiving more than $10,000 in federal funds annually.  Looney used the stolen funds to purchase personal trips to Walt Disney World and on spending sprees at the Disney Store.  Trinidad ISD is one of the poorest school districts in Texas and suffered adverse financial consequences as a result of Looney’s theft.

    Looney worked with the Financial Litigation Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to liquidate his available assets, including his home, to pay $200,000 of the restitution before sentencing.  The remaining balance of the restitution judgment will be collectible for 20 years after the termination of Looney’s incarceration.

    This case was investigated by FBI’s Tyler Field Office, with assistance from the Tyler Police Department and the Trinidad ISD.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Austin Wells.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Wilson Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Fentanyl and Firearm Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Wilson man was sentenced Wednesday to 10 years in prison for charges related to the sale of narcotics and possession of a firearm by convicted felon.  Navon Shemar Freeman, 24, pled guilty on November 11, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, investigators with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) received information in July 2023 that Freeman was selling narcotics. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) and Nash County Probation Office conducted a search of Freeman’s house and located fentanyl pills and firearms. One of the firearms seized was equipped with a fully operational, 3-D printed “switch,” which is a device that can be placed into a semi-automatic firearm to make it fully automatic.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Nash County Probation Office, and the Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie A. Childress, Jimmie Bellamy, and Nicholas Hartigan  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00252-FL.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Newtown Man Admits Stealing Nearly $3 Million to Fund His Day Trading Activity

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that on April 18, 2025, TIMOTHY MINGIONE, 33, of Newtown, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to an offense related to his theft of nearly $3 million to fund his day trading activity.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Mingione assisted investors in the purchase of real estate and then became the designated asset manager for the acquired properties, including overseeing the properties, addressing tenancy issues associated with the real estate, and reviewing property financials.  In this role, Mingione had access to bank accounts required for property management.  Mingione provided purchase and asset manager services for a New York-based real estate company, worked with a syndicate of investors involved in the purchase and management of five real estate properties in Connecticut and Florida, and worked as an asset manager for various other limited liability companies.

    Beginning in approximately April 2023, to fund his day trading activity, particularly in S&P 500 options, Mingione stole from the various business bank accounts he had access to by writing checks against the accounts or by wiring monies from the accounts to his personal trading account with TD Ameritrade.  Mingione tracked the monies he stole and, at times, returned funds to the accounts he had stolen from.  However, by late spring 2024, he had amassed more than $1 million in trading losses and, by the end of September 2024, had stolen nearly $3 million.

    Mingione pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transmission of stolen money, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Judge Thompson scheduled sentencing for July 15.

    Mingione has agreed to pay restitution of $ 2,958,203.

    Mingione is released on a $40,000 bond pending sentencing.

    This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Springfield Man Indicted for Drug and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Springfield man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mass., in connection with drug and firearms offenses.

    Hector Navarro, 36, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, being a felon in possession of ammunition and possessing a firearm if furtherance of a drug distribution felony. Navarro is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Springfield at a later date.

    According to the charging document, on Jan. 27, 2025, Navarro possessed cocaine intended for distribution, along with a 9-mm handgun with no serial number and approximately 47 rounds of ammunition.

    Navarro is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to a number of prior convictions including heroin distribution, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and assault with a dangerous weapon.

    The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides for a sentence of at least 15 years in prison and up to life in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking felony provides for a sentence of at least five years in prison and up to life in prison, no more than three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Superintendent Lawrence Akers of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Life in Prison for Savage Murder of Cellmate at Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex

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

    TERRE HAUTE— Joshua T. Mebane, 29, of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been sentenced to life in federal prison for first degree murder. Mebane previously pled guilty in open court on October 23, 2024. 

    According to court documents, in January of 2016, Joshua Mebane was an inmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, serving a 45-year sentence for first degree murder in the District of Columbia. Mebane was also later convicted of murder and attempted murder in Maryland, committed in 2012, for which he received multiple life sentences.   

    On January 26, 2016, inmate Michael Tucker moved into Mebane’s cell. Just two days later, correctional officers went to retrieve Mebane for a medical appointment and called for both inmates to be present at the cell door. According to policy, all inmates in the cell must be handcuffed before opening. As the officers again called for Tucker to be handcuffed, Mebane admitted “My cellie (cell mate) is dead… I killed my cellie on Wednesday.”

    Officers entered the cell to investigate and found Michael Tucker lying face-up in the bottom bunk bed, covered by a blanket. His body was cold to the touch and without a pulse. Life saving measures were initiated by medics but were unsuccessful.

    The medical examiner ruled the official cause of death to be asphyxiation and determined the manner of death as homicide.

    “This life sentence reflects our office’s commitment to justice for all victims, including those who are incarcerated in federal correctional facilities. The horrific murder deserves one of the harshest penalties allowed under the law, and I sincerely hope that the completion of this prosecution brings some measure of closure and peace to Mr. Tucker’s family,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.

    “The FBI is committed to ensuring the rights and dignity of every victim – no matter where the crimes occur. This kind of violence is inexcusable, and the sentence should serve as a powerful reminder there is no place in our society for such hate,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and send a clear message that the protection of all individuals from hate-driven violence remains a top priority.”

    “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message – those who threaten or harm others will be held accountable. The safety and security of our facilities will always be the FBOP’s top priority in our mission to ensure public safety,” said a BOP Spokesperson.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Prisons investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Sweeney II. 

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle M. Sawa and Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Darknet Drug Trafficker From Pennsylvania Sentenced in D.C. for Selling Mass Quantities of Fentanyl Online

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

    WASHINGTON – Jacob Blair, 27, of Aliquippa, Pa., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in federal prison for his role in a drug conspiracy that distributed a wide variety of narcotics, including large amounts of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Blair sold and distributed the narcotics on the darknet marketplace Tor2Door and other darknet markets.

    The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr.; Acting U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti of the Western District of Pennsylvania; Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Kevin P. Rojek of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Division; Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division; Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the US Postal Inspection Service Pittsburgh Division for; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.

    Blair pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to a charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams of methamphetamine, and to a charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Blair also pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to a charge, originally filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania, of distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    In addition to the 180-month prison term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered Blair to serve five years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, Blair was responsible for distributing more than 1.2 kilograms but less than 4 kilograms of fentanyl, and at least 50 grams but less than 200 grams of methamphetamine. He also admitted to mass-marketing the narcotics by means of an interactive computer service.

    Blair’s co-defendant Dyani Pezzelle pleaded guilty March 5, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and 50 grams of methamphetamine. Pezzelle is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2025.

    Between August 1, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2023, Blair and Pezzelle operated vendor accounts on various darknet marketplaces. On the marketplace Tor2Door, Blair and Pezzelle advertised their controlled substances using the monikers “YVS” and “YVendor Supplier” which they touted as “a syndicate of professionals that specialize in making the best products the markets have to offer. We focus on quality, consistency, stealth, and speed.” The conspiracy completed at least 459 sales of illegal narcotics.

    Blair manufactured and obtained counterfeit Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax pills for sale. Blair posted advertisements for the controlled substances on Tor2Door and four other marketplaces and accepted payment in cyrptocurrency. During the conspiracy, Blair shipped counterfeit oxycodone pills to the District of Columbia at least six times. These pills contained fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and metonitazene, a Schedule I controlled substance. In addition, they also shipped counterfeit Xanax and Adderall pills to the District multiple times.

    On February 22, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at Blair’s residence in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, and other locations. During the searches, law enforcement recovered 10 firearms, over 20,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, an industrial pill press, and other manufacturing and distribution supplies.

    This case was investigated by the FBI’s Field Offices in Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Moon Township Police Department.

    The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Strong and Peter Roman of the District of Columbia’s Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) section and Assistant U.S. Attorney DeMarr Moulton of the Western District of Pennsylvania.  The case was initially investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg.

    24cr560

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Identifies Missing Crew Member

    Source: United States Navy

    PHILIPPINE SEA – Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Gabriel D. Holt, from Washington, Utah, has been listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) after being reported unaccounted for Saturday morning while the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) was conducting a regularly scheduled port call at Naval Base Guam.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Deputy Secretary General addresses young leaders at NATO Youth Summit

    Source: NATO

    On Friday (25 April 2025) NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska welcomed young people from across the Alliance to the NATO Youth Summit in Budva, Montenegro. Organised in cooperation with the Atlantic Council of Montenegro, the fifth Youth Summit brought together hundreds of young people for discussions with the Deputy Secretary General and other NATO leaders on critical security issues.

    Ms Shekerinska highlighted priorities in the run-up to the NATO Summit in The Hague, including increased defence spending. She underlined that, “We have seen a number of Allies not just reaching 2% which was the pledge that NATO did more than 10 years ago, but actually going much beyond.” Ms Shekerinska also stressed that young people should care about security.  She encouraged young people to be involved and advised the future generation to be courageous, determined and resilient.

     The Deputy Secretary General took part in a conversation titled “Setting the Scene”, moderated by Selin Yimaz, President of the Youth Atlantic Treaty Association (YATA) International. During her trip to Montenegro, she met the President of Montenegro, Mr Jakov Milatović, visited the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre, and the Government Cybersecurity Operations Centre.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chair of the NATO Military Committee visits Kuwait

    Source: NATO

    From 23-24 April, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, visited Kuwait to meet with the nation’s senior political and military leadership. The trip marked Admiral Cavo Dragone’s first time in the Gulf and his inaugural mission to a member of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), as CMC. During his stay, he also delivered remarks at the Mubarak Al-Abdullah Joint Command and Staff College (MAJCSC), visited the Salem Al-Sabah Air Base, and received a briefing at the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre in Kuwait (NIRC).

    On his official visit, Admiral Cavo Dragone held a high level meaning with His Highness the Crown Prince, Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. The two discussed NATO-Kuwait cooperation, and committed to continuing strengthening this unique and fruitful relationship. CMC praised the nation for its essential role in fostering regional stability and security in the Gulf, for its pioneering role in the ICI and for its dedication to dialogue and practical cooperation with the Alliance.

    CMC also had the opportunity to meet the Minister of Defence and Acting Minister of Interior, H.E. Abdullah Ali Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. Both reflected on the 20 years of NATO-Kuwait partnership, as well as additional opportunities for deeper military cooperation between Kuwait and the Alliance.

    Admiral Cavo Dragone had the opportunity to address the MAJCSC to discuss current global security challenges, and how NATO is tackling them. He stressed that from his personal experience, there are four practices that are instrumental in dealing with said challenges: adaptation on all fronts, cooperation with partners, a whole-of-society approach, and enlightened leadership. CMC emphasized the key role of partnerships, by stating “NATO’s overall strength doesn’t come from Allies alone. It comes from the contribution of our partners, too. As we say in NATO: Alone, you may go faster. Together, we will go further.”

    During his visit to the NIRC, CMC praised the professional results and the even greater potential that the Centre holds to expand cooperation between NATO and the Gulf. Established in 2017, the NIRC has become a lynchpin for NATO’s cooperation efforts with ICI partners, and the Gulf as a whole. The NIRC is the first of its kind in the ICI, and acts a hub for strengthening political dialogue, education and training, and public diplomacy.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Armed Separatist Fighters to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon and For Making Threats

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A federal grand jury in Baltimore returned an indictment yesterday charging a Cameroonian national, Eric Tataw, also known as “the Garri Master,” 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist militias in Cameroon and threatening violence against Cameroonian civilians. He surrendered and will make his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson today.

    According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist militias sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon in an attempt to force the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

    “The defendant is alleged to have ordered horrific acts of violence, including severing limbs, against Cameroonian civilians in support of a violent secessionist movement,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable human rights violators who direct brutal political violence and fundraise for armed militias from the comfort of the United States.”

    “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who help murder, maim, and kidnap,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who aim to turn American soil into a staging ground for political violence abroad.”

    “Tataw and his co-conspirators masterminded and financially supported a vicious scheme to overthrow a foreign government. They resorted to an unthinkable level of violence while instilling fear in innocent victims to advance their political agenda,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who attempts to inflict mayhem on others. Tataw and his co-conspirators demonstrated a total disregard for human life so now they must pay the price.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning in April 2018, Tataw and others sought to raise funds for the Amba Boys to finance violent attacks in Cameroon. Tataw also allegedly called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of civilians and the destruction of public, educational, and cultural property in Cameroon. Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw allegedly used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people. Additionally, Tataw allegedly referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a public company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the government of Cameroon. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

    Tataw is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support and four counts of interstate communication of a threat to harm. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the material support count and five years in prison on each count of communication of a threat to harm. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Maryland made the announcement.

    HSI and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the FBI, are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman and Joseph Wenner for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Michael Dittoe and Andrew Briggs of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hardin Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Using a Phone to Promote Prostitution with a Minor

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

    BILLINGS – A Hardin man who promoted prostitution with a minor was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    William Serges Joseph, 75, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering.

    U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in March 2023, Jane Doe, a juvenile female, disclosed to law enforcement that, commencing in approximately September 2022, she began showing her breasts to the Joseph. The two messaged each other on Facebook and Joseph was aware of she was a juvenile. Jane Doe said she allowed Joseph to touch her in exchange for alcohol and he also asked her for naked pictures.

    Jane Doe was interviewed again in June 2023. She added that Joseph continued to message her and offered her $50 for sexual contact. A review of her cell phone reflected, among other communications, a February 2023 message from Joseph with a picture of male genitalia. Joseph was interviewed in February 2024. He admitted providing alcohol to Jane Doe in exchange for pictures of her breasts. At the time of the offense, prostitution was illegal under the laws of Montana and Sex Trafficking was illegal under the laws of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the FBI.

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

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pontiac Man Pleads Guilty in $4 Million Identity Theft and Unemployment Fraud Case

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

    DETROIT – A Pontiac man has pleaded guilty to committing aggravated identity theft and wire fraud as part of large-scale, multi-state Unemployment Insurance benefit fraud scheme in which he and co-conspirators fraudulently obtained debit cards loaded with more than $4 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced today.

    Joining in the announcement were Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent-in-Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Charles Miller, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Douglas Zloto, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Sean McStravick, Acting Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, and Director Jason Palmer, State of Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency.

    Terrance Calhoun, Jr., 36, of Pontiac, Michigan, pleaded guilty to committing aggravated identity theft, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and to possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices, all in relation to acts of unemployment insurance fraud.

    According to his plea agreement, Calhoun Jr., and others, used stolen personal identification and filed hundreds of false unemployment claims with state unemployment insurance agencies in Michigan, Arizona, and Maryland over a six-month period in the names of other individuals without their knowledge or consent. Those false claims resulted in hundreds of debit cards loaded with over $4 million in unemployment insurance funds being mailed to addresses controlled by Calhoun Jr. and his co-conspirators. Roughly $1.6 million dollars in purchases and cash withdrawals were then successfully made from the cards.

    As described within a prior complaint, when agents executed search warrants at the principal mailing addresses used for the fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit claims, including the residence of Calhoun Jr., agents seized numerous documents containing the personal identification information of other individuals, multiple debit cards in the names of numerous other individuals, and firearms.

    Calhoun now faces a possible sentence of up to 20-years’ imprisonment for each of the wire fraud counts to which he has pleaded guilty, a possible sentence of up to 10-years’ imprisonment for possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and a mandatorily consecutive 2-year sentence for the aggravated identity theft charge to which he has pleaded guilty.

    Sentencing is set for August 27, 2025 before United States District Court Judge Judith E. Levy.

    “Taxpayer money diverted into the pockets of criminals means less money going to Michiganders who actually need help getting through difficult financial times and who follow the rules when seeking assistance,” said Acting US Attorney Beck.  “These charges reflect our office’s ongoing commitment to the community by investigating such schemes and bringing those who commit these crimes to justice.”

    “Terrance Calhoun Jr and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud state workforce agencies in Michigan, Arizona, and Maryland by filing hundreds of fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims.  As a result, Calhoun enriched himself by stealing taxpayer resources intended for unemployed American workers.  We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the UI program from those who seek to exploit it,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    “Individuals who commit identity theft and unemployment insurance fraud of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).  “Terrance Calhoun, Jr. and Jermaine Arnett demonstrated a blatant disregard of the integrity of the multiple states’ unemployment insurance systems and caused immeasurable hardship to innocent victims. IRS-CI remains committed to the pursuit of identity theft and financial fraud, and together with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will hold those who engage in similar crimes accountable.”

    “The FBI in Michigan, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in protecting the community and investigating individuals who violate federal law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Today’s guilty plea by Terrance Calhoun, whose involvement in a multi-state fraud scheme, is a clear reminder that bad actors will be stopped, and we will ensure integrity will prevail.”

    The case was jointly investigated by agents from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, and the State of Michigan -Unemployment Insurance Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. Gilmer-Hill and Jessica A. Nathan.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Dubuque, Iowa

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

    A Guatemalan man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 12 years in federal prison.  Jose Eleazar Aceves‑Garcia, age 30, from Guatemala, received the prison term after a November 20, 2024 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine and 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine.

    In a plea agreement, Aceves-Garcia admitted that between January 2019 and January 2022, he distributed at least 400 pounds of ice methamphetamine to a co‑conspirator in the Dubuque area.  His fingerprints were on two packages, which contained a total of more than seven pounds of ice methamphetamine, that he mailed to the co-conspirator in Dubuque.  Aceves-Garcia also distributed a kilogram of heroin to the co-conspirator.

    Aceves-Garcia was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Aceves-Garcia was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and must serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Aceves-Garcia is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Criminalistics Laboratory.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 23-CR-1022.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

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