NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: California State Prisoner Indicted for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Nathaniel Ray Diaz, 21, of Greenfield, was arraigned today after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment that charged him with sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and obstruction of justice, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Diaz was serving a three-year sentence at Avenal State Prison in Kings County for committing lewd acts against a 12-year-old and making criminal threats with a gun. Between July 5, 2024, and Nov. 25, 2024, Diaz used prison phones, a CDCR-issued tablet, and prison-monitored ViaPath messaging equipment to communicate with the victim. Although Diaz had a 10-year no contact order for a minor, he placed thousands of calls to the minor. He instructed the minor to create and transmit to him images of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. When Diaz learned that someone had contacted law enforcement about the communications, he directed people to delete evidence.

    This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Service Unit, and the Salinas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower from the Department of Justice Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Diaz faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 50 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the sexual exploitation of a child, a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for attempted receipt of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted of the obstruction of justice charge, Diaz faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Nationals Accused of Possessing and Distributing Fentanyl Face Federal Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with drug crimes.

    Jorge Luis Hernandez-Valle, 36, and Luis Alfredo Hernandez, 35, both Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally in Salt Lake County, Utah, were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025. 
        
    According to court documents, since March 2025, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating an alleged drug trafficking organization. During the investigation, detectives purchased narcotics during a controlled buy. During this time, two alleged drug runners involved with the organization and two vehicles were identified. On April 8, 2025, one of the vehicles, a Toyota 4-Runner, was stopped in Kearns, Utah, and a search warrant was executed. From the vehicle, detectives seized approximately 4,500 individual field-tested positive fentanyl pills. Hernandez and Hernandez-Valle were subsequently taken into custody. According to court documents, Hernandez was previously removed from the United States in July 2009 and September 2018. Hernandez-Valle was previously removed from the United States on three occasions, December 2007, September 2010, and May 2019.

    Hernandez-Valle and Hernandez are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

    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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Middlesex County Woman Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $150,000 in Social Security Retirement Benefits

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey woman admitted she defrauded the Social Security Administration for over eight years by improperly claiming her deceased mother’s Social Security retirement benefits, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Deborah Bailey, 68, of Piscataway, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert A. Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an Information charging her with theft of public money.

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

    The Social Security Administration provided retirement benefits to Bailey’s mother. Those benefits were paid through electronic funds into Bailey’s mother’s bank account. After Bailey’s mother died in 2016, Bailey did not notify the Social Security Administration about her mother’s death, and she made withdrawals from that bank account between 2016 and 2024. Through an investigation by the Social Security Administration, it was determined that Bailey withdrew approximately $150,903.00 in retirement benefits.

    The charge of theft of public money carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for August 19, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Abrams of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

    25-121                                                 ###

    Defense counsel: David Holman, Esq.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDER KOLITSAS, 31, of Wolcott, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for operating a catalytic converter theft and trafficking ring.  Judge Nagala also ordered Kolitsas to pay a $50,000 fine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut.  A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves.  The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component.

    Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford.  From approximately January 2021 to June 2022, Kolitsas used Downpipe Depot to purchase stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves.  Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.  Analysis of records seized from Downpipe Depot revealed that many of Kolitsas’s suppliers were selling thousands to tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen converters to Kolitsas each week.

    Starting in January 2022, Kolitsas maintained electronic invoices reflecting the purchase of stolen catalytic converters from his suppliers.  In several of the invoices, Kolitsas permitted his suppliers to use fictitious names or business names in order to create the appearance of proper recordkeeping while obscuring from his records the true source of the stolen converters.  The invoices show that between approximately January 26, 2022, and May 31, 2022, which was only a portion of the time period that Kolitsas operated Downpipe Depot and trafficked stolen catalytic converters, Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot paid more than $3.3 million to purchase converters from his suppliers.

    Kolitsas regularly transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey.  Some of these trips yielded payments in excess of $200,000.  In an interview with law enforcement, the owner of the New York recycling business estimated that he paid Kolitsas a total of approximately $10 million in cash for catalytic converters.

    The investigation also revealed that Kolitsas used proceeds from the theft and sale of catalytic converters to purchase a Ford Transit Van and other items.

    Kolitsas was arrested on August 24, 2022.  On October 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of promotional money laundering.

    Judge Nagala ordered Kolitsas to forfeit the Ford Transit Van, a 2016 Polaris Slingshot, $91,581 held in a Downpipe Depot bank account, and $75,127 in cash, all of which was seized by law enforcement during the investigation.

    Kolitsas, who is released on a $150,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 14.

    This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Manhattan Man Convicted Of Raping And Sexually Abusing Two Teenage Girls And Distributing Methamphetamine To Minors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that a jury returned a guilty verdict against SHYMELL EPHRON, a/k/a “Shy,” on two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, one count of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and two counts of distributing methamphetamine to a minor, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett.  EPHRON is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As a unanimous jury found, Shymell Ephron lured two runaway teenagers back to his apartment in Harlem, where he repeatedly raped and sexually abused them for five days while plying them with methamphetamine and alcohol.  Thanks to the FBI and the NYPD, the girls were eventually found and returned to their parents.  I commend these young women for the bravery they showed by testifying at trial.  This Office is committed to keeping the children of New York City safe from sexual predators, and thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, the support of victim services specialists of this Office, and the willingness of the victims to speak up, Ephron has now been convicted for his egregious conduct and will face justice for the harm he caused.” 

    As reflected in the evidence presented at trial:

    Between approximately May 2024 and July 2024, EPHRON worked with others to distribute narcotics, including methamphetamine and cocaine, in Times Square and other locations in New York City.  On or about May 17, 2024, EPHRON approached two teenage girls in Times Square while he was selling drugs.  The girls had run away from home.  EPHRON convinced the two girls to follow him to his residence in Harlem, where they stayed with EPHRON for several days.

    EPHRON engaged in multiple acts of forcible rape, forcible touching, sexual abuse, and illegal sex with a minor while the girls were staying in EPHRON’s apartment.  EPHRON repeatedly provided the girls with methamphetamine, marijuana, and alcohol.  EPHRON also provided a cellphone to the girls to monitor their whereabouts, communicate with them about narcotics, and to persuade, induce, and entice them to return to his apartment each night so he could engage in unlawful sex with them.  Law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) eventually rescued the two girls and returned them to their parents.

    *                *               *

    EPHRON, 35, of New York, New York, was convicted of two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum potential sentence of life in prison; one count of narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of distributing narcotics to a minor, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison.

    The mandatory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the work of the FBI’s Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and the NYPD.  Mr. Podolsky also thanked the New York State Police and the Yorktown Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent & Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison, Lisa Daniels, Michael R. Herman, and Andrew W. Jones are in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Albanian National Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Illegal Aliens into the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Fatjon Shytani, an Albanian national and resident of the Bronx, New York, with a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens from Canada into the United States for financial gain.  Shytani was arrested yesterday morning and was arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and indictment.

    “As alleged, Shytani conspired to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States to benefit himself financially, but was thwarted by the outstanding work of our law enforcement partners,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “These types of schemes represent a significant threat to our national security and will not be tolerated.  This case demonstrates our Office’s continued dedication to protect our border security and the integrity of the immigration process.”

    Mr. Durham also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the New York City Police Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Albanian State Police for their valuable assistance during the investigation.

    Fatjon Shytani, an Albanian national, allegedly facilitated the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States in exchange for cash payments.  This alleged conspiracy established unauthorized border access designed to circumvent proper protocols and evade authorities.  The FBI remains dedicated to apprehending any individual who profits from violating the borders and security of our nation.

    As alleged in court filings, Shytani and his co-defendants conspired to smuggle foreign nationals from to enter the United States via illegal border crossing at the U.S. border with Canada.  During the course of the investigation, Shytani accepted cash from an undercover agent (UC-1) in exchange for arranging to have the agent’s significant other, who purportedly was from the Republic of Kosovo, smuggled across the Canadian border into the United States.  In reality, the agent’s significant other was another undercover law enforcement agent (UC-2).  Between March 12, 2024 and March 13, 2024, Shytani and UC-1 exchanged phone calls and text messages during which they agreed to meet in person on March 14, 2024, at a coffee shop on Long Island, New York.  On March 14, 2024, Shytani met UC-1 at the agreed-upon location where they discussed details regarding UC-2’s illegal crossing from Canada into the United States. At the conclusion of the meeting, UC-1 paid Shytani $14,000 in cash for the planned smuggling service.  On March 16, 2024, Shytani’s co-conspirators then attempted to smuggle UC-2 and two other aliens from Canada into the United States before being apprehended and later released by Canadian law enforcement.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of alien smuggling and transportation conspiracy, Shytani faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

    Assistant United States  Attorneys Andrew Roddin, Stephanie Pak, and Kate Mathews are in charge of the prosecution.  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 other 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 Project Safe Neighborhood.

    The Defendant:

    FATJON SHYTANI (also known as “Fati”)
    Age:  41
    Bronx, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-133 (SJB)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Attorney Pleads Guilty to Not Paying Employment Taxes

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A Maryland attorney pleaded guilty today for not paying employment taxes withheld from the employees of his law firm.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: James E. McCollum Jr. was an attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. From 1998 to 2024, McCollum was the sole proprietor of a law firm based in College Park, Maryland, which he operated using a series of business names, including McCollum P.C.; McCollum & Associates LLC; and The McCollum Firm LLC. Nevertheless, McCollum was always the sole owner and operator of the business.

    As such, McCollum exercised financial control over the firm, including hiring and supervising employees, operating the payroll, and maintaining signature authority over the business bank accounts. From at least 2000 onward, McCollum was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the government each quarter. McCollum was also obligated to pay over the employer’s share of Social Security and Medicare taxes.

    The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.

    Over the last 24 years, McCollum, however, was frequently not compliant with his obligations to pay these taxes to the government or to file the necessary tax returns.

    Beginning in 2010, the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid employment taxes, issuing numerous notices and levies to the law firm. When the IRS was unable to collect the outstanding taxes from the firm, it assessed them against McCollum personally and tried to collect them from him as well.

    In 2020, instead of paying the taxes that were due, McCollum sought to thwart the IRS’s ongoing collection efforts by transferring his business and its employees to a new entity, The McCollum Firm. Yet, even after the transfer, McCollum continued to not file the requisite tax returns or pay the employment taxes over. McCollum acknowledged that from 2000 through 2024, he did not pay over at least approximately $2,174,992.83 in employment taxes.

    McCollum also acknowledged that he did not file his own individual income tax returns and did not pay $220,515 in individual income taxes due for the tax years 2020 through 2022.

    The court scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29. McCollum faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the failure to pay over employment taxes. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. McCollum also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Assistant Chief Jorge Almonte and Trial Attorney Mark McDonald of the Justice Department’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Pharmaceutical Company Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of $60 Million in Diverted HIV Drugs

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Adam Brosius, 60 of Delray Beach, pleaded guilty in connection with his role in a nationwide scheme to unlawfully distribute misbranded and adulterated HIV drugs to unsuspecting patients.

    According to court documents, Brosius was a part owner of Safe Chain Solutions LLC (“Safe Chain”), a wholesale distributor of pharmaceuticals based in Cambridge, Maryland, that purported to sell legitimate prescription drugs to pharmacies throughout the country, including expensive HIV medication. 

    In connection with his guilty plea, Brosius admitted that he and his co-conspirators illegally acquired HIV drugs that had been diverted from the regulated pharmaceutical distribution chain by various means.  One common method of prescription drug diversion involved buying bottles of supposed prescription HIV medication from individuals on the street, repackaging and relabeling the bottles, and then reselling the drugs to Safe Chain at steeply discounted prices with falsified documentation concealing the drugs’ true origin.  Brosius and his co-conspirators were notified of the false documentation accompanying these drugs but continued purchasing the steeply discounted HIV drugs and reselling them to pharmacy customers, which dispensed the diverted drugs to unsuspecting patients.  According to court documents, at times patients received bottles labeled as their prescription medication but which contained a different drug entirely, with one patient passing out and remaining unconscious for 24 hours after taking an anti-psychotic drug thinking it was his prescribed HIV medication.

    Sentencing is set for August 29, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale before United States District Court Judge William P. Dimitrouleas.  Brosius pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces up to 20 years in prison. 

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Miami Regional Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case. 

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20255.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Repeat Offender Sentenced to 97 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOISE – Isaac Augustin Santoyo, 25, of Nampa, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for seven counts of distributing cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.  U.S. District Court Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also sentenced Santoyo to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence, pay a $9000 fine and pay a $900 special assessment.

    According to court records, Santoyo had previously been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver in Ada County in 2017.  When he completed probation for that offense, he continued to distribute cocaine in Canyon County.  From October 2023 through April 2024, Santoyo sold cocaine during controlled buys with law enforcement on seven different occasions, totaling 868 grams.  A search warrant was served on his residence, where law enforcement seized (and ultimately forfeited) $25,291, a semi-automatic handgun, and 174 grams of cocaine.  Santoyo pleaded guilty to all nine offenses on January 16, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Nampa Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, Idaho State Police, and Idaho Probation and Parole.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 45th Anniversary of the Joint Terrorism Task Force

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

    Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) can be found at each of the FBI’s 55 field offices and many of their smaller offices—around 280 locations in all. FBI Atlanta organized its JTTF in 1994. The FBI Atlanta JTTF has representatives positioned around the state of Georgia.

    JTTFs gather trained investigators, intelligence analysts, linguists, and tactical experts from federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Task force members share intelligence and investigative leads and respond to threats and incidents.

    “We rely on our law enforcement partners to help keep our communities safe,” said Paul Brown, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta. “All of our partners bring their special skills and expertise to these teams, making us all that much stronger.”

    The FBI’s JTTF model dates to 1979, when the New York Police Department and the FBI’s New York Field Office created a joint task force to tackle violent bank robberies. They imitated the model in 1980, when terrorist bombings, bomb threats, and other violence plagued the city and announced the formation of the first JTTF in April 1980.

    After the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies.

    JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades.

    FBI Atlanta counts numerous disruptions of its own, including a plan to attack the White House in 2020. Thanks to a tip from a member of the Atlanta community, Hasher Jallal Taheb was captured and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

    https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/forsyth-man-sentenced-attempted-attack-white-house

    The FBI Atlanta JTTF also investigated the Jihadists of Georgia case, where two men living in Georgia made videos of the U.S. Capitol and other Washington, D.C., landmarks with plans to travel and attend a terrorist training camp.

    https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2009/december/jihadists_121509
    https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2009/december/jihadists_12170 .

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former DOC Case Manager Pleads Guilty to Bribery in Smuggling Narcotics and Cigarettes for an Inmate

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Herbert Baylor, 68, of the District, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one count of bribery in connection with a cigarettes and narcotics smuggling scheme at a facility operated by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections (DOC).

                The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Investigator Kevin L. Hammond of the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services.

                The Honorable Tanya Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Aug. 11, 2025.

                A co-defendant, Pamela Porter, 56, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025, to bribery in connection to her participation in the smuggling scheme.

                According to court documents, Baylor was a case manager employed by DOC to assist and manage inmates housed at the Correctional Treatment Facility (CTF), a specialized medium security facility that houses inmates receiving specialized medical treatment or monitoring related to substance dependencies. 

                From December 19, 2022, through September 23, 2024, Baylor’s duties included helping with the administrative pre-trial and trial needs of inmates, including facilitating communication with their attorneys or social workers.

                Baylor worked as Inmate-1’s case worker at CTF. Beginning in October 2023, Baylor agreed with Inmate-1 and others to smuggle contraband into CTF in exchange for money. Specifically, Inmate-1 directed his non-incarcerated associates, including Pamela Porter, to send CashApp payments to Baylor. Baylor then hid on himself cigarettes he had purchased or controlled substances received from Inmate-1’s associates, in order to clear security at CTF. Once through security, Baylor brought Inmate-1 to his office and provided him with the contraband. Inmate-1 then distributed the contraband to other inmates at CTF in exchange for money. As part of this scheme, Porter sent Baylor $1,200. In total, Baylor received $6,245 between October 20, 2023, and June 21, 2024.

                On September 19, 2024, Inmate-1 asked Baylor if Inmate-1 could call his attorney to talk about an appeal. Baylor authorized the inmate’s request. But instead of calling an attorney, Inmate-1 called Individual-1 to set up the delivery of prohibited objects to be smuggled into CTF. Baylor agreed to smuggle Suboxone strips into the CTF facility for Inmate-1. Suboxone strips contain Buprenorphine—a Schedule III narcotic drug.

                On September 23, 2024, Baylor met Individual-1 in the parking lot of CTF. Baylor accepted $1,000 in cash from Individual-1 and received a cigarette carton Baylor believed to be filled with Suboxone strips. Following the meeting with Individual-1, Baylor placed the $1,000 in his personal vehicle. He put the cigarette carton inside his underwear. Baylor went through security at the entrance to CTF and entered the facility. At that time, he was arrested.

                As a DOC employee, Baylor’s conduct was governed by the DOC’s Contraband Control policy which states that trafficking contraband of any kind to inmates is strictly prohibited. The policy describes any illegal drug or controlled substance and any tobacco product as major contraband. Additionally, federal law makes it a crime to provide “prohibited objects” to an inmate. Prohibited objects include any controlled substance or any object that threatens “the order, discipline, or security of a prison, or the life, health, or safety of any individual.”

                This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the D.C. Department of Corrections Office of Investigative Services. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold.

    25cr87

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Guatemalan Nationals And One Brevard County Man Plead Guilty To Drug And Immigration Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Augusto Rene Reyes-Gonzalez (37, Guatemala), Carlos Grijalva-Garcia (38, Guatemala), and Brandon Charod Smith (39, Palm Bay) have pleaded guilty to their respective roles in conspiring to distribute and distributing cocaine and methamphetamine. Reyes-Gonzalez and Grijalva-Garcia also pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a deported alien. Reyes-Gonzalez and Smith each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Grijalva-Garcia faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. No sentencing dates have been set. 

    According to court documents, in August and September 2023, Reyes-Gonzalez conspired with Grijalva-Garcia to distribute cocaine, which they distributed to a confidential source on August 25, 2023. Between September 2023 and January 2024, Reyes-Gonzalez conspired with Smith to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which they distributed to the same confidential source on September 8, October 6, December 1, and December 22, 2023. In total, the conspiracies involved over 80 grams of cocaine and over 3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.

    At the time of the drug conspiracies, Reyes-Gonzalez and Grijalva-Garcia were citizens of Guatemala and found to be unlawfully in the United States. Both individuals had previously been removed from the United States on multiple occasions. 

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Palm Bay Police Department, the Rockledge Police Department, the Melbourne Police Department, the Cocoa Police Department, and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Cruz, Dana Hill, and Megan Testerman.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami Executive Pleads Guilty to Massive Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Pushpesh Kumar Baid, also known as “PK Jain,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in Tradepay Capital LLC (Tradepay), a purported factoring company.  The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.  When sentenced, Baid faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of over $35 million and forfeiture of over $2.6 million.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.

    “Through a complex web of shell companies, straw bank accounts, fraudulent documents, and other lies, Baid and his co-conspirators deceived their victims into investing tens of millions of dollars into a business that did not exist,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Today’s plea demonstrates that my Office will hold accountable fraudsters like Baid who enrich themselves at their investors’ expense.”   

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations for its work on the case.

    As set forth in court filings, Baid was the business head of Tradepay, which purported to be an international factoring business run by an executive team experienced in factoring invoices in particular industries and geographic regions.  Factoring involves the sale of an invoice to a third party at a discount.  In a factoring transaction, the seller of an invoice obtains immediate funding from the buyer of the invoice, and the buyer of the invoice makes a profit when the invoice is paid in full.

    Between April 2017 and October 2019, Baid and his co-conspirators implemented a scheme to defraud investors in Tradepay by making it appear that Tradepay was a legitimate and successful business when it was, in fact, an elaborate scam.  For example, the hundreds of invoices from various businesses that Tradepay purported to be factoring were fraudulent and included fake signatures for both sides of the transactions.  Baid and his co-conspirators also funneled millions of dollars of investors’ funds—which they represented would be sent to Tradepay’s business partners—into a sprawling network of bank accounts that Baid controlled through shell entities and straw signatories.  From those accounts, Baid and his co-conspirators spent millions of dollars on personal expenses, including cash withdrawals and purchases of luxury cars and watches.  Baid even lied about his identity, concealing his real name from investors in order to obscure the fact that he was wanted for criminal offenses abroad.

    Investors in Tradepay initially received payments on the invoices, which led them to contribute increasingly large sums of capital.  By approximately July 2019, however, the payments on the invoices stopped, resulting in roughly $35 million in losses.

    As part of his plea, Baid also admitted to defrauding investors in Luxestreet Inc., formerly known as Asset Capital Partners LLC (Luxestreet), and agreed to pay restitution to Luxestreet’s investors.  Baid claimed that Luxestreet operated like a pawn shop for high end goods, including luxury watches.  In reality, Luxestreet contracts were forged and the physical watches held by the company were mere knockoffs.  

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Dylan A. Stern, Benjamin Weintraub, and Molly Delaney are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Sarah Burn.

    The Defendant:

    Pushpesh Kumar Baid (also known as “PK Jain”)
    Age:  44
    Miami, Florida

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-367 (DC)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Huntington Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Mark Lawrence Lowe, also known as “Cell,” 24, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Lowe admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least September 2023 through November 2023, Lowe participated in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl at various locations in the Southern District of West Virginia and elsewhere as part of the DTO.

    On September 9, 2023, Lowe and co-conspirator Paul Anthony Rucker were transporting fentanyl and methamphetamine from Huntington to Nitro when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle on Interstate 64 in Cabell County. An officer seized approximately 149 grams of fentanyl and 222.62 grams of methamphetamine from the vehicle during the traffic stop. As part of his guilty plea, Lowe admitted that he and Rucker intended to distribute the seized controlled substances.

    Lowe is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

    Rucker, 47, of Nitro, was sentenced on July 15, 2024, to six years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

    Lowe and Rucker are among 27 individuals indicted on charges alleging the DTO distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.

    Lowe, Rucker and 22 other defendants have pleaded guilty, including one who pleaded guilty to a separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment. Charges against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. 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 Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting 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. 3:23-cr-180.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Woman Pleads Guilty to Credit Card Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Charges in Car Rental Scam

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of access device fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Tai Jauna Jones, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Jones, through the dark web, obtained credit card numbers and other personal information of numerous individuals, and then was one of several co-defendants who provided the fraudulently obtained credit card numbers to a manager at a Monroeville car rental location. The manager rented the vehicles knowing that the true owners of the credit card numbers did not authorize the car rentals, renting a total of more than 140 vehicles in this manner to cause losses of more than $500,000.

    Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for August 14, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than two years and up to 12 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The United States Secret Service, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jones.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Armed Robber Who Targeted Delivery Workers in DC, MD, Is Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    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., ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Division, 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 Violent Crimes Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Office, 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-OSI Security: Former US Forest Service law enforcement officer pleads guilty to fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA – A Thompson Falls man accused of falsifying time and attendance records admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Nathan J. Snead, 47, pleaded guilty to theft of government money. Snead faces ten years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen DeSoto presided. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for August 27, 2025. Snead was released with conditions pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that the defendant was required to work 40 hours of regular time per week, and he was compensated for administratively uncontrollable overtime, which is premium pay designed to compensate law enforcement officers (LEOs) for irregular and unscheduled overtime duty. In 2023, the defendant’s overtime rate was 15%, meaning he was required to justify an additional 5-7 hours per week to maintain that percentage at his next overtime review.

    The defendant documented his regular and overtime hours on his Time and Attendance Record for each pay period and signed the following certification: “I certify that the above information on hours worked and leave used is true and accurate.” The defendant also completed a record of overtime for each pay period in which he provided a case number and justification for the overtime and signed the following certification: “I certify that the official duties were performed as described above and were administratively uncontrollable.”

    On May 2, 2023, based on information Snead was not working his claimed hours, agents installed a GPS tracker on his government-issued patrol vehicle to monitor his movements. The tracker data showed Snead’s patrol vehicle was stationary at his house during hours he claimed to be working.

    On several occasions, Snead certified on his Time and Attendance Record he worked an 8-hour regular shift. However, his patrol vehicle remained stationary at his house for the entire 8 hours. Additionally, Snead claimed overtime hours when his patrol vehicle was stationary at his house for much of his regular shift and for the entire time of claimed overtime.

    Agents also evaluated Snead’s law enforcement statistics from 2021 through 2023. His productivity levels, measured via incident reports and the issuance of violation notices, were much lower than other similarly situated LEOs. The United States estimates Snead’s false time claims resulted in him stealing approximately $18,645.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Forest Service conducted the investigation.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Releases New Nationwide and International Ads Warning Illegal Aliens to Self-Deport and Stay Out

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary Noem announced new nationwide and international multimillion-dollar ads, exposing the heinous crimes of criminal illegal aliens and warning others to leave America otherwise they will be fined nearly $1,000 per day, imprisoned, and deported. It directs illegal aliens to download and use the CPB Home app to voluntarily self-deport before they are caught and prevented from ever returning to the United States.

    “Child molesters. Rapists. Murderers. These are just a few of the illegal alien scumbags who have been fined, imprisoned, and deported thanks to President Trump,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “President Trump and I have a clear message to those in our country illegally: LEAVE NOW. If you do not self-deport, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and deport you. Download the FREE CBP Home app today to self-deport.”

    This series of ads will run on broadcast television and online, across the United States and internationally. It will be broadcast in multiple languages. Ads will be hyper-targeted, including through social media, text message and digital to reach criminal illegal aliens hiding from law enforcement in the United States. The ads are also targeted toward an international audience to deter any migrant from attempting to cross into the United States illegally.

    Watch the 30 and 60 second ads here.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 1,220 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Third week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Central California, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 1,220 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Southern District of Texas filed 216 cases in immigration and security-related matters. As part of those cases, 86 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, or prior immigration crimes. A total of 119 people face charges of illegally entering the country while 11 cases involve various instances of human smuggling. Some of those charged with felony reentry include Mexican national Alejandro Contreras-Zapata, who was allegedly found near Roma. The charges allege he had been previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon before his removal March 7.

    The Western District of Texas filed 378 new immigration-related criminal cases. Among the new cases, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations (ICE ERO) agents in San Antonio received notification that Mexican national Netsai Moreno-Suarez was arrested for a traffic violation on April 11. Moreno-Suarez was transferred into ICE ERO custody, charged with illegal re-entry. She was previously removed from the United States in August 2023 after being convicted for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and being sentenced to five years of probation. If convicted, Moreno-Suarez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 328 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 130 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 179 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 16 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law.

    The Southern District of California filed 135 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances. A sample of border-related arrests this week: On April 15, Jesus Manuel Zuniga Huerta and Jose Alberto Flores Avalos of Mexico were arrested at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and charged with importing deadly fentanyl into the U.S. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 148 pounds of fentanyl in the rear frame well of a tractor-trailer driven by Zuniga Huerta. On April 15, Brian Jaime Sanchez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers found an undocumented immigrant concealed in the trunk of Sanchez’s car as he attempted to cross the border at the Tecate Port of Entry. On April 17, Sergio Villalba-Serrano, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Departed Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Villalba-Serrano was taken into custody near the Tecate Port of Entry after his vehicle was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Villalba-Serrano had previously been deported on Oct. 26, 2019, from Laredo, Texas.

    The Central District of California filed criminal charges against 34 defendants who are alleged to have been found in the United States following removal, the Justice Department announced today. Many of the defendants charged previously were convicted of felony offenses prior to their removal from the United States, including domestic violence, unlawful sex with a minor, and assault with a deadly weapon.

    The District of New Mexico brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 68 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), 10 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325).  Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, aggravated driving under the influence and possession of a forgery writing/device.

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Up to $5 Million Reward Offered for Capture of Archaga Carías, a Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and Leader of Foreign Terrorist Organization MS-13

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organization MS-13 leader Yulan Andony Archaga Carías, also known as “Alexander Mendoza” and “Porky,” 43, is the highest-ranking member of MS-13, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), in Honduras and was previously charged in 2021 in a superseding indictment in the Southern District of New York with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses. Archaga Carías, a Honduran national, was subsequently placed on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List, the DEA’s Most Wanted Fugitives List, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI)’s Most Wanted Fugitives List. The Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is offering a reward under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) of up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction in any country.

    “This terrorist leader can no longer be allowed to live free as MS-13’s evil devastates communities in America and throughout the western hemisphere,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “If you can contribute information leading to his arrest – come forward now.”

    Archaga Carías remains at large. If you have information, please contact the FBI by email at archaga-carias_tips@fbi.gov, or via WhatsApp at +1-832-267-1688. If you are outside the United States, you may also contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are in the United States, you may also contact the local FBI, DEA, or HSI office in your city. Only tips sent to U.S. Government will be considered for reward.

    “Dismantling and ultimately eliminating MS-13 continues to be one of the FBI’s highest priorities, and we’re not stopping until that mission is complete,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, the FBI will find Archaga Carías — a terrorist whose reign of terror at the helm of MS-13 is coming to an end.”

    “With MS-13 now officially designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, the rules have changed — and so has the mission,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz. “Archaga Carías isn’t just a fugitive — he’s a foreign terrorist waging war on innocent Americans through murder, trafficking, and terror. Let me be clear: under this Administration, we will dismantle MS-13 piece by piece—and anyone protecting him will fall with him. A $5 million is on the table. Turn him in. End this threat.”

    A co-defendant, David Campbell, aka “Viejo Dan” and “Don David,” a Honduran national, is currently in custody in the United States facing the charges contained in the superseding indictment. In addition to Archaga Carías and Campbell, the superseding indictment charges three other MS-13 leaders, Juan Carlos Portillo Santos also known as “Juancy;” Victor Eduardo Morales Zelaya also known as “Cuervo;” and Jorge Alberto Velasquez Paz also known as “Chacarron,” with racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and firearms offenses. Portillo Santos, a Honduran national, is in custody in Honduras serving a lengthy prison sentence. Morales Zelaya and Velasquez Paz, both Honduran nationals, remain at large. The case is assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Gregory H. Woods for the Southern District of New York.   

    “MS-13 remains one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world, and the recent designation of MS-13 as a Foreign Terrorist Organization underscores this reality,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York. “This Office, working closely with our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate, prosecute and track down MS-13’s leadership, no matter where in the world they may be hiding.”

    As alleged in the superseding indictment previously unsealed in Manhattan federal court, Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13 is a transnational criminal and foreign terrorist organization that engages in acts of violence, including murders, kidnapping, and assaults, extortion, and large-scale drug importation and distribution throughout Central America and the United States. Archaga Carías is the highest-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras. As the leader and highest-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras, Archaga Carías is in charge of, among other things, the gang’s drug trafficking operations, ordering and coordinating acts of violence, including numerous murders, and the laundering of drug proceeds. MS-13’s drug trafficking operations led by Archaga Carías include the processing, receiving, transporting, and distributing of multi-ton loads of cocaine shipped through Honduras and into the United States.

    “President Trump has been very clear — we will not allow criminal groups and their members like Porky to threaten Americans,” said Senior Bureau Official F. Cartwright Weiland of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “We will work with our international partners to find these criminals wherever they may be hiding.”

    Archaga Carías and other MS-13 members and associates acting at his direction also provided protection to drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) engaged in transporting multi-ton loads of cocaine through Honduras and destined for the United States. Archaga Carías contracted out members of MS-13 as “Sicarios,” or hit men, to DTOs for payment. Members of MS-13 committed numerous murders for hire for DTOs trafficking cocaine through Honduras to the United States. Archaga Carías and MS-13 also supplied DTOs with firearms, including machineguns, that were received from El Salvador, Nicaragua, and elsewhere. Archaga Carías also ordered multiple murders of rival gang members and drug trafficking competitors in Honduras, as well as other members of MS-13 whom Archaga Carías believed had been disloyal to the gang.

    Campbell was one of the principal suppliers of cocaine and weapons, including machineguns, to MS-13. As an associate of MS-13 and close confidant of Archaga Carías, Campbell planned and coordinated retaliatory acts of violence with Archaga Carías, and assisted MS-13 and Archaga Carías in establishing businesses to launder the gang’s drug proceeds. Campbell and MS-13 used businesses they owned or controlled to launder drug proceeds, including through banks in the United States.

    Morales Zelaya was a national leader of MS-13 in Honduras and a close associate of Archaga Carías. Morales Zelaya coordinated the gang’s drug trafficking business, acts of violence (including murders) against rivals, and the movement of proceeds from the gang’s illicit activities.

    Portillo Santos was a high-ranking member of MS-13 in Honduras who reported to Morales Zelaya. Portillo Santos was responsible for leading MS-13 in one of the largest sectors in Honduras, which included the distribution and movement of large shipments of cocaine, acts of violence (including murders and kidnappings) of rival gang members, and contract murders carried out against rival drug dealers. Campbell, 58, of Honduras, is currently in Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) custody facing the charges in the superseding indictment. Portillo Santos, 36, of Honduras, is currently in custody in Honduras on local charges. Archaga Carías, 43, and Morales Zelaya, 50, of Honduras, remains at large.

    If convicted, Archaga Carías faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of 40 years in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

    Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) and the Southern District of New York’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit are handling the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Robles and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Eason, and Trial Attorney Jacob Warren of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are in charge of the prosecution.

    This case was brought by JTFV, which was created in 2019 to destroy MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern District of New York; Eastern District of New York; the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the District of Massachusetts; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; HSI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the FBOP have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal aliens, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Convicted of Five Armed Robberies and Attempted Robberies in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and New Jersey

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A federal jury today convicted Tony Clanton, also known as “Tone,” on all counts of a superseding indictment charging him with Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and use of firearms during crimes of violence.  The charges arose from a string of robberies and attempted robberies committed at gunpoint by the defendant and co-conspirators.  The verdict followed a six-day trial before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto.  When sentenced, Clanton faces a mandatory minimum term of 25 years in prison and up to life in prison.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Terence G. Reilly, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.

    “Over a six-month period, Clanton directed a cruel and violent spree in New York City and New Jersey that left terrorized robbery victims in his wake, including two children who watched as their parents were shot at or menaced with guns,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Thanks to exceptional investigative work by the FBI and the NYPD, the defendant was identified, apprehended, and rightly convicted today by jurors who were presented with a mountain of evidence that demonstrated his crime wave and overwhelmingly proved his guilt.”

    Mr. Durham also thanked the Edison, New Jersey Police Department for their valuable assistance on the case.

    “Tony Clanton is a serial violent criminal who has gone to great lengths to terrorize his victims in the pursuit of monetary gain. The FBI won’t rest until violent organized criminals are taken off the street so victims and others in the community may sleep soundly, and know justice has been served,” stated FBI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Reilly.  “The FBI’s Safe Streets Task Forces spearhead countless cases similar to this one.  But with each case, there are victims.  All our efforts are for them.”

    “Tony Clanton terrorized communities throughout New York City — holding victims at gunpoint in front of their children, firing recklessly, even impersonating a federal agent,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.  “Thanks to the outstanding work of NYPD investigators, in partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he’s now been brought to justice.  This conviction ends a violent spree that had no place in our city.  And we will continue working with our partners to make sure criminals like this are held accountable.”

    As proven at trial, Clanton orchestrated a series of violent robberies at gunpoint in the Eastern District of New York and in New Jersey between January 2023 and July 2023.  After he was indicted, Clanton removed his ankle monitor and fled the district two weeks before a previously scheduled trial date and went on the run for five weeks.  While he was a fugitive, Clanton fled from two police officers who pulled him over, presented fake identification documents, and searched on the Internet for how to fake his own death.

    January 20, 2023 Home Invasion in Staten Island

    Clanton orchestrated an attempted robbery in which a co-conspirator, wearing a white hazmat suit, gloves, and standing in the vestibule of an apartment building with a can of paint, accosted Victim-1, who was entering the vestibule with his 10-year-old son.  The co-conspirator pointed a silver revolver at Victim-1 and said, “Don’t make this a homicide,” struck Victim-1 in the head with the gun, and fired a shot.  Clanton, who was also armed with a gun, grabbed Victim-1’s keys and tried unsuccessfully to open Victim-1’s apartment door.  Clanton and his co-conspirator then fled in a U-Haul van.

    June 3, 2023 Robbery of a Smoke Shop in Staten Island

    Clanton orchestrated the robbery of an employee (Victim-2) of a smoke shop in Annadale, Staten Island as he was closing the store for the night.  As his co-conspirators brandished firearms and robbed the smoke shop, Clanton monitored a police scanner radio and maintained cell phone contact with his accomplices to warn them that the police were on the way.  They restrained Victim-2 with zip ties and pressed a gun to the back of his head.  The robbers took approximately $4,000 in cash, packages of cigarettes, and a quantity of marijuana.

    June 24, 2023 Attempted Robbery of a Car Buyer in Staten Island

    Clanton orchestrated a robbery in which he pretended he was selling his Mercedes-Benz automobile to a prospective buyer (Victim-3).  While Clanton waited in the area, two of Clanton’s co-conspirators tried to rob Victim-3.  With Victim-3’s teenage son watching from the doorway, one of the co-conspirators attempted to rob Victim-3 at gunpoint.  Victim-3 fled into his home and slammed the door shut before the co-conspirator could barge inside.  That co-conspirator then fled the scene with Clanton as the get-away driver.

    June 27, 2023 Attempted Robbery of the Owners of a Jewelry Store in New Jersey

    Clanton and a co-conspirator attempted to rob the husband (Victim-4) and wife (Victim-5) owners of an Edison, New Jersey jewelry store outside their home.  Clanton identified Victim-4 and Victim-5 as potential targets and conducted surveillance on them for over a week before the attempted robbery.  During the attempted robbery, Clanton and his co-conspirator were wearing jackets with the letters “FBI,” badges that said “FBI,” and hats identifying themselves as law enforcement agents that Clanton had previously ordered from Amazon.  When the victims pulled into their driveway, Clanton and his co-conspirator ordered them out of the car at gunpoint.  Realizing Clanton and his co-conspirator were not FBI agents, the victims sped away and escaped unharmed.

    July 12, 2023 Robbery of the Owner of an Ice Cream Store in Brooklyn

    Clanton and a co-conspirator waited outside a TD Bank in Brooklyn for the victim (Victim-6) to leave with a bag of cash.  They followed Victim-6 to his home where the co-conspirator took a bag containing over $6,000 at gunpoint.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roddin and Matthew Skurnik are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Timothy Migliaro.

    The Defendant:

    TONY CLANTON (also known as “Tone”)
    Age:  51
    Staten Island, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-328 (S-1) (KAM)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jaremy Smith Sentenced to Life in Prison for New Mexico State Officer’s Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – Jaremy Smith has been sentenced to life in prison for a violent crime spree that culminated with the murder of Officer Justin Hare in New Mexico.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    On March 15, 2024, Smith encountered NMSP Officer Justin Hare in Tucumcari, New Mexico, when Officer Hare stopped to assist Smith with a flat tire on the BMW. When Officer Hare pulled over behind the BMW, Smith exited the driver’s side of his car and approached the passenger window of Officer Hare’s patrol car. After a short discussion, Officer Hare asked Smith to walk to the front of the patrol vehicle. Instead, Smith shot Officer Hare, who slumped to the right in the driver’s seat. Smith then moved to the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle and shot Officer Hare two additional times before entering the driver’s seat and driving away with Hare still inside the vehicle.

    Screenshot of Exhibit 1 (00:01:02) depicting Smith walking to driver’s side window of the patrol vehicle

    At some point, the vehicle’s distress system was activated. Smith drove westbound on I-40 before exiting on a frontage road and removing Officer Hare from the vehicle, leaving him on the side of the road, and drove away. Smith drove the patrol vehicle for another 10 minutes, eventually crashing the patrol unit into shrubbery along the north frontage road of Interstate 40 in Guadalupe County, New Mexico.

    When Officer Hare did not respond to the dispatcher’s check for an update, a second officer was sent to the scene. While en route, the second officer received the distress signal from Officer Hare’s handheld radio. The officer then spotted Officer Hare’s patrol unit driving in the opposite direction at high speed along the frontage road. The second officer attempted to catch up with Officer Hare’s unit, but before he could, Smith crashed the patrol vehicle. Upon approaching the crashed vehicle, the officer found it empty, with no sign of Smith or Officer Hare. The officer then began a search of the area and found Officer Hare, still alive. Officer Hare was rushed to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari, where he was pronounced dead at 7:21 a.m.

    After crashing the stolen patrol car, Smith fled on foot, stole a flatbed truck in Cuervo, and drove to Albuquerque. Smith was heading to Albuquerque because he had a former girlfriend who lived there.

    Smith’s capture came on March 17, 2024, when a gas station clerk in Albuquerque recognized the unusual spelling of his name from police advisory messages when he presented identification to make a purchase, and the clerk contacted law enforcement. Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputies quickly arrived, and Smith attempted to ambush them before fleeing through a residential neighborhood. During the chase, Smith discarded the firearm used to kill Officer Hare, which was later recovered. Law enforcement also found the stolen flatbed truck, with ammunition inside, and further linked Smith to the crime spree.

    “Jaremy Smith’s violent crime spree left a trail of destruction across state lines, endangering the lives of both the public and first responders,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellsion. “Today’s sentence serves as a powerful reminder that violence against those who serve and protect the public will not be tolerated. Officer Justin Hare, a hero who saw someone in need and selflessly stepped in to help, paid the ultimate price. We honor his memory by ensuring that Jaremy Smith will never again be able to endanger the lives of others. Our focus remains on securing justice for victims and holding violent criminals fully accountable for their actions.”

    “Every day, first responders answer the call to protect others- often at great personal risk. The loss of Officer Hare is a heartbreaking reminder of that reality,” said Raul Bujanda Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “While this sentence does not undo the pain inflicted upon our community, we hope it brings a sense of resolution to his family. We will continue to work with our partners to pursue violent offenders with every tool at our disposal.”

    “Jaremy Smith, in a cruel and calculated act of evil, ambushed Officer Justin Hare, executing him and leaving him to die alone in the cold after stealing his patrol vehicle,” said Chief Troy Weisler of the New Mexico State Police. “Thanks to the courage of community members and the tireless efforts of our local and federal partners, Smith was swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. With today’s sentencing, the court has sent a clear and unwavering message: anyone who harms those who protect and serve will face the full and unrelenting weight of justice. While no sentence can bring Justin back, our officers will rest easier knowing that Jeremy Smith will never again walk free and will spend the rest of his life exactly where he belongs.”

    On January 17, 2025, Smith pled guilty to carjacking resulting in death, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, kidnapping resulting in death, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen firearm.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and New Mexico State Police investigated this case with assistance from the Tenth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and Jack Burkhead prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DES MOINES, Iowa – A Las Vegas, Nevada woman was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance containing fentanyl that led to an overdose death.

    According to public court documents, in the fall of 2023, Alica Marie Hawkins, 34, was identified as a source of supply of fentanyl pills in the Southern District of Iowa. On September 11, 2023, Hawkins distributed a fentanyl mixture to the victim in Jefferson, Iowa. The victim died due to an overdose from the fentanyl mixture. Hawkins did not render aid to the victim, tried to conceal any involvement, and eventually returned to Nevada during the investigation.

    After completing her term of imprisonment, Hawkins will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Jefferson Police Department and Des Moines Police Department.

    Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. In 2023, accidental overdose was the number one cause of death in 37 states for residents under 40 years old. https://stateline.org/2023/09/05/death-rates-for-people-under-40-have-skyrocketed-blame-fentanyl/. In Iowa, opioid-related deaths reached a record high 258 in 2021, up 64% compared with 2019, and decreased 8% in 2022. https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/11935/download.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: El Paso Business Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Tax Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso today to 18 months in prison for failure to account for and pay over trust fund taxes.

    According to court documents, Edward Dean La Puma, 58, was the founder and sole proprietor of 77 Stone, a granite countertop business, who willfully failed to account for and pay over trust fund taxes for 20 tax periods, from the first quarter of 2018 through the last quarter of 2022. His 20 violations resulted in the tax loss of $818,096.

    La Puma was indicted for 20 counts April 24, 2024 and arrested May 21, 2024. He pleaded guilty to one count on Nov. 21, 2024. As part of a plea agreement, La Puma agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $383,551.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Micaela Glass prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: BAKER WOMAN SENTENCED TO 30 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR WIRE FRAUD

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Erin D. Jones, 49, of Baker, Louisiana, to 30 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud. The Court further sentenced Jones to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment, ordered her to pay $334,092.03 in restitution, and entered a money judgment against the defendant for an additional $334,092.03.

    According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Jones worked part-time at a small business in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, that provided truck and diesel engine repair services and was trusted to assist with the company’s book-keeping and accounting, among other tasks. Jones held bank accounts at JPMorgan Chase Bank and Hancock Whitney Bank (collectively, the “banks”), and the company also maintained a business bank account at Hancock Bank.

    Beginning in or about May of 2019 and continuing through April of 2024, Jones knowingly executed a scheme to defraud the company and to obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.

    One of Jones’ job responsibilities was to retrieve the company’s mail from a post office box that the company maintained in Baton Rouge. Using her access to the post office box, she would retrieve checks that had been issued to the company and mailed to the company by its customers. The checks were drawn on the customers’ bank accounts at banks located across the country. After gaining control of each check, Jones would endorse the back of the check and deposit it into one of her own personal bank accounts, either by using an ATM or making a remote online deposit.

    Jones concealed her scheme in several ways. On many occasions, she would use her access to the company’s accounting program to delete the underlying invoices that caused the company’s customers and vendors to make the payments.

    Over the course of the scheme, Jones embezzled and fraudulently deposited approximately 431 checks payable to the company, totaling approximately $334,000.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Leon stated, “Small businesses are the backbones of a local economy.  Employees are entrusted with duties and responsibilities that contribute to those companies either thriving or failing. Therefore, prosecuting fraud at these establishments are important, and we join our federal and local law enforcement partners in prioritizing them accordingly. We truly appreciate the hard work of the United States Secret Service and East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of this financial crime and acknowledge the impact these prosecutions have on our small businesses and local economy when offenders are held accountable.”

    “The U.S. Secret Service takes our mission to investigate financial crimes seriously. As a result of a true team effort between our amazing local law enforcement partners, federal prosecutors, and our agents, another fraudster was brought to justice. This individual abused their position of trust to steal from their company and its clients, and now they will face the consequences of those actions. This type of crime will not be tolerated in Louisiana, and the U.S. Secret Service is proud to stand with our partners to protect our citizens,” stated U.S. Secret Service SAIC James A. Kearns.

    This matter was investigated by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, with substantial assistance from the United States Secret Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: “Booker” for High-End Brothel Network Sentenced to One Year in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant vetted clientele via cell phones which contained thousands of verified sex buyers in Massachusetts and Virginia; Brothel network generated over $5.6 million in revenue from approximately 9,450 scheduled commercial sex dates with sex buyers

    BOSTON – A Korean national residing in Dedham, Mass., who served primarily as the “booker” for an interstate prostitution network that operated sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia, was sentenced on April 18, 2025 in federal court in Boston. 

    Junmyung Lee, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to one year in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Junmyung Lee is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. The Court also ordered a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $200,000, equal to the amount of proceeds earned by the defendant during the conspiracy. In October 2024, Junmyung Lee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy.

    Junmyung Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass. and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. Han Lee pleaded guilty in September 2024 and, in March 2025, was sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $5,418,572 and restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date. James Lee pleaded guilty in February 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2025.

    From at least January 2022 through November 2023, Junmyung Lee conspired with Han Lee and James Lee to operate an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels, in greater Boston and eastern Virginia, designed to entice women to travel interstate to engage in prostitution. Junmyung Lee and his co-conspirators also conspired to launder the proceeds from the prostitution network by concealing that the money was derived the prostitution conspiracy.

    Junmyung Lee was recruited to work for the prostitution network in approximately late 2021 through early 2022, as the business expanded. His main role in the conspiracy was that of the appointment “booker” and assisted with various tasks to maintain the prostitution network. In exchange, Han Lee paid Junmyung Lee $6,000-$8,000 per month. During the entirety of the conspiracy, the brothel network generated over $5.6 million in revenue from approximately 9,450 scheduled commercial sex dates with sex buyers.

    As “booker,” Junmyung Lee was responsible for vetting sex buyers, booking appointments and communicating directly with vetted customers via at least two cell phones – for Massachusetts and for Virginia, respectively. The brothel cell phones each contained over 2,800 verified customers of the prostitution business. An additional known cell phone containing additional contacts for the Virginia brothel was never recovered. Junmyung Lee also helped transport women to and from the airport, with some women working at the brothel locations on multiple occasions and in multiple states.

    The defendants rented high-end apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia to serve as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. In June 2022, Junmyung Lee leased one of the brothel locations in Cambridge, Mass. under his own name. In exchange for the lease, Junmyung Lee received a large cash payment of prostitution proceeds from Han Lee. Junmyung Lee used a portion of the cash payment towards the purchase of a Corvette.

    Additionally, Junmyung Lee collected the cash proceeds from the various brothel locations at the direction of Han Lee and then conceal the proceeds via structured deposits into personal bank accounts and through peer-to-peer payments with other conspirators. The defendants also regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at the brothel locations.

    Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central District of California and the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who possessed a firearm as a felon pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Mickey Lee Miller, age 37, from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

    In a plea agreement, Miller admitted that on October 16, 2024, in Dubuque, Iowa, he possessed a loaded firearm and ammunition.  A witness told law enforcement officers that Miller had pointed the firearm at her and threatened to kill her and others.  Miller has a prior felony conviction for robbery with threat of force.  

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

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), 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).

    Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Miller remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Miller faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 25-CR-1008.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Flew From California to Texas to Smuggle Aliens, Will Spend 5 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national who had resided illegally in Vallejo, California was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 66 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.

    According to court documents, on July 10, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of a pickup truck suspected of picking up undocumented noncitizens near U.S. Route 277 in Eagle Pass. The driver, Guillermo Hernandez-Gonzalez, 23, refused to yield and led agents on a 25-mile pursuit at speeds between 50 and 80 mph. At one point during the pursuit, Hernandez-Gonzalez placed his truck in reverse and crashed into an agent’s patrol vehicle as he was attempting to exit.

    The pursuit came to an end when Hernandez-Gonzalez crashed into a cattle fence and telephone pole. He attempted to flee from the scene but was quickly apprehended by responding agents who discovered a total of seven illegal aliens in the truck. Three of the aliens were in the truck’s bed, while four sat in the cabin. Two of the seven were transported to the hospital to be treated for a lacerated scalp and sprained ankle.

    Hernandez-Gonzalez admitted that he learned of the alien smuggling opportunity through an advertisement on Instagram, which offered to pay him between $7,700 and $15,000. Hernandez-Gonzalez flew from Oakland, California to San Antonio and followed instructions from an unindicted co-conspirator.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    USBP investigated the case with support from the Maverick County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayvee Rhoda prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Swatting Charges

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

    Baltimore, Maryland – Owen Jarboe, 19, of Hagerstown, Maryland, has pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the guilty plea, from December 2023 through January 18, 2024, Jarboe along with other co-conspirators, knowingly and unlawfully conspired to place swatting calls to multiple police and emergency departments across the United States. Swatting is a form of criminal harassment that involves deceiving an emergency service into sending a police or emergency service response team to another person’s location.

    Jarboe helped create an online group known as “Purgatory.” The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting activities and to announce swats that they had conducted.  Jarboe and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to obscure their phone numbers and identities.

    Swatting incidents perpetrated as part of this scheme include threatening to burn down a residential trailer park in Alabama and shoot a teacher and unnamed students at a Delaware high school. Other swatting occurrences include false allegations about multiple homicide events and shooting threats of individuals at a residence in Eastman, Georgia, and bombing and shooting threats of Albany International Airport in New York and an Ohio casino.

    “Swatting is a very serious offense – one that can easily become dangerous for law enforcement and the victims involved,” Hayes said.  “Emergency personnel work hard every day to ensure that first responders are dispatched to render aid to those who truly need it. Mr. Jarboe and his co-conspirators’ actions showed a complete disregard for law enforcement, the victims, and those who actually needed emergency assistance during these incidents.”

    “Jarboe’s crimes are despicable and dangerous. He put our brave first responders and countless innocent lives at risk while creating unnecessary fear in many different communities,”  DelBagno said. “Jarboe’s guilty plea shows that the FBI will not tolerate swatting or hoax threats and will make sure anyone committing these crimes is found and charged to the full extent of the law.”

    Jarboe is facing a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threat, and a maximum sentence of 10 years for each charge to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosive. 

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, July 23, at 10 a.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its outstanding work in the investigation.  Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the 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: Former Newtown Resident Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a four-count indictment charging DONALD S. HAMMALIAN, JR, 50, last residing in Newtown, with child exploitation offenses.

    The indictment was returned on April 10, 2025, and Hammalian appeared today before U.S. District Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges.  He has been detained on a violation of supervised release since November 16, 2023.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in January 2010, Hammalian was sentenced in the Middle District of Florida to 48 months of imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography.  In 2015, Hammalian’s supervision was transferred to the District of Vermont where he moved after his release from prison.  In June 2018, Hammalian pleaded guilty to violating his supervised release by again possessing child pornography and was sentenced to 72 months of imprisonment and 20 years of supervised release.  In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge in Vermont reduced Hammalian’s sentence to time served and Hammalian was released from prison.

               It is alleged that on November 13, 2023, the U.S. Probation Office searched Hammalian’s residence and found five unapproved internet capable devices, including three smartphones and two tablets, two of which contained child sex abuse material.  The investigation revealed that Hammalian was managing about a dozen social media accounts and had more than 100,000 followers, and he was using the accounts to communicate with minors, sometimes posing as a 16-year-old boy.

    The indictment alleges that between July 2022 and November 2023, Hammalian received child pornography.  The indictment further alleges that between July 2022 and February 2023, Hammalian enticed a minor to send him child pornography, that he transferred obscene material to a minor, and that he committed these offenses while a registered sex offender.

    The indictment charges Hammalian with receipt of child pornography, which, based on Hammalian’s criminal history, carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years; coercion and enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; transfer of obscene material to a minor, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; and commission of a felony offense involving a minor by a registered sex offending; which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Hammalian faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release.

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

    This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel M. Krull and Nancy V. Gifford through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

    MIL Security OSI –