NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury finds human smuggler guilty of possessing child sexual abuse material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old Lyford man has been convicted of possessing 150 images of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The jury deliberated for approximately 15 minutes before finding Jose Rodriguez Jr. guilty after a one-day trial.

    Law enforcement originally arrested Rodriguez Aug. 12, 2024, in connection with an alien transportation event. At that time, they seized his phone and discovered over 150 images and videos of child sexual assault material (CSAM).

    During the trial, the jury heard testimony and evidence regarding the multiple images and videos of CSAM downloaded and stored on Rodriguez’s phone over multiple months. The evidence included numerous files depicting sexual assaults of prepubescent children. The jury also learned Rodriguez has a prior conviction for criminal attempted sexual assault from 2010 which involved a minor victim.

    The defense attempted to convince the jury that a virus downloaded the CSAM onto his phone. However, evidence showed that Rodriguez had over 100 user accounts on the phone linked to him and that the child pornography was downloaded on 20 separate occasions from April through August of 2024.

    The jury also heard from a computer forensic expert who rendered an opinion that the pattern of activity indicated intentional downloading.

    “The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for child sex offenses, much less repeat sex offenders like the defendant in this case,” said Ganjei. “We are grateful to the jury for serving justice in this case.”

    U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton set sentencing for July 15. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Rodriguez was charged in a separate case for the human smuggling event and later pleaded guilty.

    He was taken into custody following the verdict where he will remain pending sentencing in both cases.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with assistance from Raymondville Police Department and Willacy County Sheriff’s Office. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devin Walker and Jose Garcia are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Arrested for Conspiring to Distribute Nearly 65,000 Fentanyl Pills

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Dominican national, unlawfully residing in Lawrence, Mass., has been arrested and charged for allegedly conspiring to distribute tens of thousands of fentanyl pills and illegally reentering the United States after deportation.  

    Juan Alexis Rodriguez Garcia, 35, was charged with conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The defendant was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained.  

    According to the charging documents, Rodriguez Garcia was admitted into the United States in December 2009 as a Lawful Permanent Resident in Puerto Rico. In November 2016, Rodriguez Garcia was arrested in North Andover, Mass. for fentanyl distribution, which he was later convicted of in May 2018. He was ordered removed from the United States in November 2018. It is alleged that, sometime after his removal, Rodriguez Garcia unlawfully reentered the United States.

    According to the charging documents, on March 30, 2025, as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, law enforcement attempted to conduct a controlled purchase of 65,000 fentanyl pills from a known drug trafficker. It is alleged that, on April 2, 2025, Rodriguez Garcia arrived at the agreed upon location for the transaction in Lawrence. Rodriguez Garcia was arrested on site for immigration violations.

    During a subsequent search of the residence Rodriguez Garcia allegedly visited immediately prior to the planned drug deal, approximately 64,390 fentanyl pills made to look like pharmaceutical pills were found. It is alleged that the pills were packaged into three separate vacuum sealed plastic bags and found inside a large black duffel bag inside of the front closet on the first floor. It is alleged that Rodriguez Garcia’s fingerprints matched two latent prints developed from the plastic bags containing the pills. The fentanyl pills had a net weight of over 7.2 kilograms.  

    The charge of conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Hudson, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kunal Pasricha of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Delivers Remarks Following Conviction of Michael Sang Correa

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Thank you, Acting United States Attorney Grewell, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Denver Field Office, Steve Cagan, and everyone for being here. My name is Matthew Galeotti, and I am the Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

    Today, the Justice Department secured the conviction of Michael Sang Correa on multiple counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture.

    This verdict underscores the Justice Department’s determination to protect victims and prevent perpetrators of torture and other heinous human rights abuses abroad from seeking a new life here in America.  You cannot hide here.  We can and will prosecute you if you come to the United States after committing atrocities abroad. This country will not be a safe haven for human rights violators.

    At the outset, I want to express my admiration and gratitude for the strength and courage of the victim witnesses who travelled all the way from Africa to a courtroom in Denver, Colorado, to tell the jury what Correa and his co-conspirators did to them. Reliving those horrific crimes and facing their tormenter in person again takes tremendous bravery. It must have been painful and difficult, and we thank them for enduring this ordeal in the interests of justice.

    I also want to express my appreciation and commend the prosecutors from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Assistant United States Attorneys from the District of Colorado, and agents from Homeland Security Investigations for relentlessly pursuing this case, and ensuring justice was done.

    The evidence presented at trial exposed the depravity of the torture Correa committed in 2006, prior to his arrival in the United States, where he sought to escape accountability for his crimes here in Colorado.

    The government’s evidence showed that Correa, along with his co-conspirators, tortured and abused victims accused of plotting a coup against the regime then in power in The Gambia, a West African country which at the time was under the regime of President Yahya Jammeh.

    Correa belonged to a special unit of President Jammeh’s security forces, known as the “Junglers,” who brutally cracked down on what the regime claimed was a coup plot.

    Trial testimony revealed the direct role Correa played in that torture.

    With the intent to cause severe pain and suffering, Correa and his co-conspirators:

    Dripped hot, molten plastic onto the bare skin of one of their victims; they put plastic bags over victims’ heads, restricting breathing; one of Correa’s co-conspirators put the barrel of a pistol into the mouth of a victim; they threatened victims with knives and stabbed one of them; they electrocuted their victims, on their hands, and on their genitals; they extinguished cigarettes into their skin; they rubbed sand into their eyes; they hit one victim in the face with a hammer; and they beat their victims ruthlessly, using fists, feet, firearms, sticks, branches, wire, and pipes, to inflict pain and cause injury.

    There were virtually no bounds on their cruelty.

    But, just as there were no bounds on the defendant’s cruelty, there are no bounds on how far this Justice Department, under the leadership of Attorney General Pamela Bondi, will go to hold people who commit such brutality to account.

    People who have committed violent crimes — let alone human rights abuses — should not come to the United States. Period. They are not entitled to live the American Dream. They belong in prison. A core policy objective of the Justice Department is to secure our communities against criminal aliens, and today’s conviction of Correa is one more step taken in that direction.

    Wherever we have jurisdiction, the Justice Department will prosecute persons who have committed atrocities abroad under the federal criminal statutes proscribing torture, war crimes, genocide, and the recruitment or use of child soldiers, among other criminal charges. The Department can also use our criminal and civil immigration and naturalization laws to revoke U.S. citizenship or obtain other criminal penalties.

    The Department of Justice participates in an interagency effort to deny safe haven in the United States to human rights violators, working closely with the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and other agencies to identify such individuals and prevent them from entering the United States. This verdict today is the outcome of successful collaboration across agencies, and especially with Homeland Security Investigations and its Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center.

    My thanks also go to the Department’s prosecutors, paralegal specialists, historian/analysts, and others who have worked on the Correa case with impressive determination and skill. They did so while always putting the victims first, which is one of the Department’s core principles.

    Correa’s conviction is the third time in which a defendant has been found guilty of torture in federal court, and it won’t be the last. Today’s verdict is a demonstration of our commitment to leave no stone unturned to prosecute human rights violators.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fargo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Lucas Tavares, Age 34 of Fargo, ND, appeared in United States District Court today and was sentenced by Chief Judge Peter Welte to serve eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the offense of Hobbs Act Robbery.  Tavares was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee.

    As reflected in court documents, on March 5, 2024, Tavares robbed the Loaf ‘N Jug located at 1201 N. University Ave, Fargo, ND. An employee told responding officers that Tavares held a knife to his neck during the robbery.  Fargo Police Department detectives quickly identified Tavares as the robber and took him into custody on the same day as the robbery.  A federal grand jury indicted Tavares for one count of Hobbs Act Robbery.  Tavares pleaded guilty on January 13, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of North Dakota, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Lee. 

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: San Antonio, Texas Woman Indicted for Fraudulently Selling Thousands of Counterfeit Coupons Causing Losses to Retailers Across the United States in Excess of $17 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury in the District of New Jersey returned a six-count indictment against a San Antonio, Texas woman for fraudulently creating and selling over $17 million worth of counterfeit retail coupons used at various retail stores across the United States for the purchase of household items, United States Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Janet Bernal, 48, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud.  According to the Indictment:

    From June 2020 through August 2024, Bernal orchestrated a fraudulent scheme to produce and sell fraudulent, counterfeit coupons for use by purchasers at retail stores throughout the United States, including large pharmacies and grocery stores. In furtherance of her scheme, Bernal offered counterfeit coupons through a monthly fee-based subscription group that was available on a commonly used Internet cloud-based messaging application. Members subscribed to the group, paid the monthly fee, and then had unlimited access to numerous types of counterfeit coupons that Bernal posted for download.

    Members paid the monthly fee via mobile cash accounts that Bernal directly controlled. Over the span of the scheme, members downloaded thousands of counterfeit coupons and redeemed them at retail stores throughout New Jersey and elsewhere in the United States. In total, the loss to the retail stores and to the manufacturers whose products were covered by the counterfeit coupons was in excess of $17 million.

    The conspiracy and wire fraud counts carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, per count.

    United States Attorney Alina Habba credited postal inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, in Newark, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Blake Coppotelli of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                           ###                                                                 

    Defense counsel:

    Carol Dominguez, Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Continues Efforts to Stop Unlawful Tax Return Preparers

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    Today, the federal tax filing deadline, the Justice Department’s Tax Division acknowledges the majority of taxpayers and tax return preparers who voluntarily meet their yearly filing obligations. The Tax Division also cautions taxpayers to choose their return preparers carefully and to look out for unscrupulous preparers who make promises of tax reductions not based on legitimate positions and who include errors or false information on tax returns that could leave a taxpayer subject to liability for unpaid taxes, penalties, and interest.

    Over the last year, the Tax Division has worked with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices around the country to bring civil and criminal actions against dishonest tax preparers. These actions include criminal indictments and prison sentences when appropriate as well as civil injunctions to stop ongoing fraud, civil penalties, and disgorgement of ill-gotten proceeds when appropriate. The Justice Department’s message has been clear: those who prepare fraudulent returns will face serious and lasting consequences.

    Examples of civil injunctions obtained by the Tax Division over the last and current filing seasons include:

    • On Oct. 28, 2024, a federal district court in the Southern District of Indiana permanently enjoined Juan Santiago and his tax preparation business, Madison Solutions LLC, from preparing tax returns for others or employing any person acting as a federal tax return preparer. The government’s complaint alleged that Santiago and his business engaged in fraudulent filing schemes by improperly claiming Head of Household filing status, the Child Tax Credit, and business deductions to which their clients were not entitled. The government estimated that these false returns cost the government over $1 million each filing season.
    • On Oct. 3, 2024, a federal district court in the Southern District of Florida entered a permanent injunction against George and Luis Brito and their business, Brito and Brito Accounting USA Inc. The injunction prohibits them from preparing tax returns for others. The government’s complaint alleged that since 2019, the Britos had prepared thousands of tax returns annually, and that they prepared returns that understated their clients’ income by claiming false or inflated business expenses and fabricating residential energy credits.
    • On March 29, 2024, following a 12-day trial, a federal district court in the Eastern District of Michigan permanently enjoined Annetta Powell and seven of her businesses from preparing tax returns for others. The court found that Powell and her businesses prepared returns that reported fake Schedule C businesses and business expenses, claimed household help income they knew the customers did not qualify for, and claimed head of household filing status without doing the required due diligence. The court also ordered Powell to disgorge $697,797 in ill-gotten profits.

    The Tax Division has also sought to strip fraudulent preparers of ill-gotten gains and to hold in contempt those who attempt to flout court-ordered restraints on further fraudulent activity. Over the last year, the division has brought these cases to court, including:

    • On Oct. 24, 2024, a federal district court in the Northern District of Texas held that Jennifer Murley violated a previous injunction against returning tax returns for others. The IRS had suspended Murley’s Electronic Filing Identification Number (EFIN), but she and her tax preparation firm misappropriated EFINs assigned to others. The court ordered Murley to disgorge over $700,000 in ill-gotten gains she received for preparing returns in violation of the previous court order.
    • On Oct. 23, 2024, a federal district court in the Southern District of Florida found Gerald Vito and James Eleby in contempt for violating a previous injunction from 2021 that enjoined them from preparing tax returns for others. Vito and Eleby worked with Kwame Thomas to continue to file returns after being barred from doing so, and the court ordered them to disgorge a total of $988,789.56 in ill-gotten and to notify their clients of the injunction or face possible incarceration.

    Criminal indictments and convictions against fraudulent preparers obtained by the Tax Division since the 2024 filing season include the following :

    • Thierry Musese, who ran a return preparation business from his barbershop located in Auburn, Maine, was charged with preparing false returns and generating fraudulent refunds for clients by including bogus business losses, fuel and residential energy credits. Musese also allegedly defrauded his clients by diverting a portion of their tax refund to himself without their permission. If convicted Musese faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of preparing a false tax return and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for wire fraud.
    • John Borgela, a Florida return preparer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for conspiring to file hundreds of false tax returns for clients from his business, Empire Tax services. Borgela typically inflated tax withholdings and reported fictitious itemized deductions to reduce his clients’ tax liability or to generate refunds. He concealed his involvement in the fraud by not including his name as the person who prepared the return on his clients’ tax returns.
    • Vervia Watts, a return preparer in Illinois, was sentenced to one year and a day in prison for preparing and filing false returns for clients. Watts prepared over 900 fraudulent income tax returns for her clients, reporting false education expenses and business income to obtain larger refunds from the IRS. She caused a tax loss to the United States of approximately $1.3 million.
    • On April 17, 2024, Jonathan Barefoot, a Mississippi return preparer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for preparing false tax returns for clients. Barefoot conspired with others to claim inflated tax refunds for clients by reporting false education credits, itemized deductions, and business losses. He and his co-conspirators caused a loss to the United States of approximately $3.5 million.

    The Tax Division reminds taxpayers that the IRS has information, tips, and reminders on its site for choosing a tax preparer carefully (Choosing a Tax Professional and How to Choose a Tax Return Preparer) and has launched a free directory of credentialed federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers taxpayers tips to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes.

    In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation, too.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gambian Man Convicted on Torture Charges

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A Colorado jury convicted a Gambian national, Michael Sang Correa, on torture charges for his participation in the torture of numerous victims in The Gambia in 2006, including through beating and flesh burning, because of the victims’ purported involvement in a plot against The Gambia’s then-President, Yahya Jammeh.

    “Michael Sang Correa tried to evade responsibility for his crimes in The Gambia by coming to the United States and hiding his past,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “But we found him, we investigated him, and we prosecuted him. The lesson is: if you commit violent crimes—let alone torture or other human rights violations—do not come to the United States. If you do, the Department of Justice, together with its law enforcement partners, will leave no stone unturned to see that your crimes are exposed and justice is served. I thank the jurors for their service and the witnesses for the courage to relive the horror they experienced at Correa’s hands.”

    “The torture inflicted by Michael Sang Correa and his co-conspirators is abhorrent,” said Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado. “Today’s verdict shows you can’t get away with coming to Colorado to hide from your past crimes. The jurors are to be commended for their service throughout this trial and the witnesses for traveling so far to serve the interests of justice.”

    “Correa’s crimes caught up with him today,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver, who oversees HSI operations in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. “Correa chose the wrong country to try to escape from justice. HSI actively investigates and apprehends human rights violators who run from their criminal pasts and come here. We have a zero-tolerance policy for human rights violators.”

    According to evidence presented at trial, Michael Sang Correa, 46, served in an armed unit known as the “Junglers,” which answered to The Gambia’s then-President, Yahya Jammeh. The jury found that, as a Jungler, Correa conspired with others to commit torture. The jury also found that, together with others, he tortured five victims. The evidence at trial showed that Correa and his co-conspirators targeted these victims based on suspicions that they plotted against Jammeh.

    The evidence at trial proved that in March 2006, shortly after a failed coup attempt, Correa and his co-conspirators transported the victims to the main prison of The Gambia, known as “Mile 2 Prison.” For the rest of the month of March and well into April 2006, Correa and his co-conspirators beat, stabbed, burned, and electrocuted the victims. A victim testified that he had his thigh burned by hot, molten plastic; the Junglers also placed the victim in a large bag, suspended him in the air, and dropped him to the ground. Another victim testified that he was suffocated when Correa and his co-conspirators placed a plastic bag over his head; one of Correa’s co-conspirators also put the barrel of a pistol in his mouth. In addition to suffocation from a plastic bag over the head, another victim testified he was electrocuted on his body, including his genitals; hanged upside down and beaten in that position; and stabbed in the shoulder. A fourth victim endured electrocution and was hit in the head with a pistol. A fifth victim’s testimony indicated that he had cigarettes extinguished into his skin and experienced electrocution and was also struck in the face with a hammer. These and other horrific acts of torture and abuse emerged in the testimony of the victims at trial and revealed that Correa played an integral role in inflicting this torture on the victims.

    Ten years after these crimes, Correa obtained a visa to enter the United States, arriving in this country in December 2016. Correa escaped apprehension until 2019, and upon his arrest by ICE that year he was placed in removal proceedings. He was charged with torture in 2020. This is the first conviction of a non-U.S. citizen on torture charges in a federal district court.

    Correa faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each of the five torture counts and the count of conspiracy to commit torture. He will remain in U.S. custody pending his sentencing at a date to be determined by the Court. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The HSI Denver Field Office investigated the case, with support from HSI agents in Senegal, as well as personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal.  The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) significantly supported the case. Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers.

    Acting Principal Deputy Chief Christina Giffin and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Hindman and Laura Cramer-Babycz for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

    Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Carter Lake Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Carter Lake man was sentenced on March 12, 2025, to 84 months in in federal prison for receiving child pornography.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip that an account, later determined to be associated with Jay McCall Schnider, 52, received and uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material between April 2020 and July 2023. Law enforcement seized an electronic device during the execution of a search warrant of Schnider’s Carter Lake residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic device showed that Schnider used the device to receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Schnider 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Omaha Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Threating Multiple Federal Law Enforcement Officers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Omaha, Nebraska man was sentenced, March 11, 2025, to 37 months in federal prison for threatening a federal law enforcement officer.

    According to public court documents, Larry Eugene Burns, 36, while on federal supervised release, left threatening voicemail message for his assigned United States Probation Officer. Once in custody, Burns threatened United States Marshal deputies, including using racial epithets.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Burns will be required to serve three-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 United States Probation Office and United States Marshal’s Service.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Charged with Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging Carlos Eduardo Pineda-Morales, 34, of Denton, Texas, with receipt of child pornography and access with intent to view child pornography.

    According to an indictment unsealed today, Pineda-Morales used a communications application, a cloud storage service, and digital devices that he owned to receive and access child pornography between Oct. 7, 2024, and Oct. 30, 2024.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin Jr. for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement.

    The FBI Dallas Office – Frisco Resident Agency and the Denton Police Department investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Adel Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – An Adel man was sentenced on March 6, 2025 to 18 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Charles Adam Bradshaw, 41, drove from Adel to Omaha, Nebraska to pick up methamphetamine from a Mexican-based source of supply, who facilitated the transactions through local couriers. Bradshaw was on parole for 2021 convictions for eluding and possession of methamphetamine in the Iowa District Court for Dallas County at the time he committed this offense.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Bradshaw 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 Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and DEA.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent Carjacker Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOISE – Jordan L. Davis, 34, of Nampa, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for carjacking and unlawful possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced.

    According to court records, on July 31, 2024, Davis and another individual entered the victim’s home in Nampa, Idaho.  Once inside, Davis entered the victim’s bedroom, drew a firearm, pointed it at the victim’s head, and threatened to kill him if he did not comply with Davis’ demands.  Davis stole several of the victim’s personal belongings and his vehicle.   

    After the victim called 911, law enforcement found Davis driving the stolen vehicle on the freeway.  Davis ignored law enforcement’s attempts to stop him and led officers on a high-speed chase, that at times exceeded 100 mph.  Law enforcement eventually stopped Davis after performing a PIT maneuver.  When officers approached Davis, they saw him holding a firearm. Davis refused to comply with officers’ repeated commands to drop the firearm and get out of the car.  After a nearly 20-minute standoff involving multiple law enforcement agencies, Davis eventually surrendered.

    “Thanks to the heroic efforts of the Nampa Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho State Police, no one was injured during this dangerous incident.”  Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott stated.  “This sentence appropriately reflects the serious nature of the crimes and ensures that a violent felon is no longer free to victimize members of our community.”

    “This case is a stark reminder of how quickly violent crime can escalate and put lives at risk,” added Canyon County Sheriff Kieran Donahue.  “I’m proud of the courage and professionalism our deputies showed that day, working alongside our law enforcement partners to bring this dangerous individual into custody without anyone being harmed.  I appreciate the work of Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott and his team for their work in prosecuting this case and putting this dangerous individual behind bars.”

    U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Davis to serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence and to pay over $37,000.00 in restitution.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Nampa Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Idaho State Police, which led to Davis’ arrest and subsequent charges.  Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted this case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Canadian Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Saskatchewan, Canada man was sentenced on March 6, 2025 to 14 years in federal prison for transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

    According to public court documents, Quentin Joel Nighttraveller, 45, drove his fourteen-year-old daughter from Canada to the United States. Nighttraveller worked as a commercial truck driver. In Rogers, Minnesota, Nighttraveller stopped to get the truck repaired. Nighttraveller sexually assaulted the victim. They continued the trip and while in Avoca, Iowa, the victim ran from the truck in the gas station and requested assistance. Nighttraveller drove away.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Nighttraveller 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force Surpasses 60,000 Arrests

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Cleveland, OH – U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott announced today that the U.S. Marshals led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) has surpassed 60,000 arrests. 

    Members of the Cleveland NOVFTF arrested David Wayne Garner, 40.  Garner marks the 60,000th arrest for the NOVFTF. Garner was wanted by the East Cleveland Police Department for aggravated murder.  The murder occurred on January 20, 2025, in the 1700 block of Shaw Ave. in East Cleveland.  According to police, Garner shot and killed the victim while he was sitting in his car.  While a fugitive, Garner evaded law enforcement on multiple occasions. However, on March 24, 2025, Garner was located and arrested by the NOVFTF during a traffic stop near the 2200 block of Brockway Ave in University Heights. 

    Since the inception of the NOVFTF in June 2003, over 2,400 homicide suspects have been arrested.  These arrests have taken place all throughout northern Ohio as well as across the country due to the reach of the USMS as well as the partnerships across the country with the state and local police departments.  These homicide arrests include Andre McCoy who was wanted for the September 21, 2020, shooting death of 4-year-old Rowan Sweeney in Struthers, Ohio.  It also includes the out of state arrest of fugitive Martino Giles, who was a wanted fugitive on the run for 8 years.  Giles was wanted for the shooting death of his roommate, DaAndre Jackson.  After years on the run, he was arrested by the NOVFTF in Bloomington, Illinois. 

    In addition to the over 2,400 homicide arrests, the NOVFTF has arrested more than 2,500 people wanted for rape, over 4,800 wanted for robberies and another 9,700 wanted for felonious assault.  While working fugitive cases the task force often encounters fugitive who, while on the run, continue to carry firearms.  Fugitives such as Adarus Black, who while on the run for the murder of Na’Kia Crawford in Akron, was arrested in possession of an AR type rifle.  Over the past 23 years the NOVFTF has seized more than 2,900 guns.

    Additionally, over 4.5 million in U.S. currency has been seized. 

    In June 2003, the NOVFTF was created in memory of Cleveland Police Patrolman Wayne Leon who was killed in the line of duty by a fugitive on the run.  Patrolman Leon’s memory lives on through the men and woman assigned to this task force throughout northern Ohio.  Since the inception, the task force has grown from a couple teams across the northern district of Ohio to 9 fugitive investigation/apprehension teams, a missing child unit, cold case unit, sex offender investigations, and a full-time training instructor. 

    “Although the success of this task force is often measured in the number of arrests made each day, it is also measured in the partnerships that have been built and sustained over the last 22 years,” U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated.  “Partnership and teamwork are exemplified here in northern Ohio; without the daily positive working relationship of the law enforcement community and the civilian community the task force would not have the success it has had.  We are grateful for that.”

    Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.  Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hit and Run Fugitive Apprehended After 78-Year-Old Woman Killed

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Philadelphia, PA – Members of the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force arrested in Philadelphia today a man wanted by the Philadelphia Police Department on charges of homicide by vehicle in relation to a deadly hit and run on Dec. 28, 2022, in the 3700 block of Fairmount Ave in Philadelphia.

    Jovan Lowe, 21, was taken into custody at a residence in the 4600 block of Hawthorne Street where Marshals Service investigators learned Lowe was presently hiding. Investigators from the fugitive task force apprehended Lowe after Lowe attempted to jump out a second story window but was quickly forced back into the home.   

    “Our persistence in pursuing those who commit such senseless crimes is never diminished by time, and hope Jovan Lowe’s arrest will bring some closure to Julia Abraham’s family,” said Eric Gartner, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

    The Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force is a team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent crime fugitives. Membership agencies include the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Parole Officers, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General Agents, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Chester Police Department, Bucks County Sheriffs, and Delaware County Sheriffs.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: ATF National Response Team Investigates Florida Fire

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

    TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives requested assistance from ATF’s National Response Team investigating a fire in Ocala, Florida. The fire started on April 8 and destroyed a 12,000 square foot structure and caused the deaths of 21 horses.

    The team concluded their on-site investigation and is reviewing and analyzing additional data from the fire. Once this step is complete a final determination will be made regarding the cause of this fire.

    “This deployment highlighted NRT’s distinct role in supporting state and local investigators,” said Kirk Howard, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Tampa Field Division. “Our partners recognize that ATF is the federal government’s gold standard when it comes to complex fire investigations and that we’ll mobilize our capabilities wherever we’re needed.”

    The team consists of Special Agents, Certified Fire Investigators, Fire Protection Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Forensic Chemists, Certified Explosives Specialists, an Intelligence Research Specialist, a Medic and an Accelerant Detection Canine with handler.

    Since its inception in 1978, the NRT has responded to 928 incidents, including eight activations this fiscal year alone. The NRT’s rapid-response structure enables it to generally deploy within 24 hours, bringing in state-of-the-art technology, including drones, 3D mapping, and portable labs, to aid in fire origin and cause determinations.

    The NRT has a proven track record of handling the nation’s most tragic and complex fire and explosive incidents. Past deployments include:

    • The Maui Wildfire Disaster: One of the deadliest U.S. fires in over a century, requiring an intricate investigation due to high winds and rapid fire spread.
    • Conception Dive Boat Fire: A fatal fire near Santa Barbara where the NRT helped uncover key evidence leading to safety reforms in marine operations.
    • 2020 Midwest Civil Unrest: The team processed over 200 arson scenes linked to protests, providing critical evidence that led to arrests and prosecutions.

    ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating fires and crimes of arson. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockford Man Sentenced to Eight and a Half Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms

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

    ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms.

    JOSEPH GARZA, 40, pleaded guilty last year to two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed the sentence on Monday during a hearing in federal court in Rockford.

    Garza admitted in a plea agreement that in 2017 and 2018 he illegally possessed and sold seven firearms, utilizing two co-defendants as brokers for the sales.  Garza set the price for the firearm sales and delivered the guns to the co-defendants, who then conducted the sales with the buyer, who was working as a confidential informant for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the ATF Chicago Field Division.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Ladd.

    Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Minh Phoung Ngoc Vong Participated in a Multi-Year Fraudulent Scheme to Obtain Remote Information Technology Work With U.S. Companies and Government Agencies for Persons Based in China

    Minh Phuong Ngoc Vong, 40, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme whereby he conspired with unknown individuals, including John Doe, also known as William James, a foreign national living in Shenyang, China, to defraud U.S. companies into hiring Vong as a remote software developer. After securing these jobs through materially false statements about his education, training, and experience, Vong allowed Doe and others to use his computer access credentials to perform the remote software development work and receive payment for that work.

    According to the plea agreement, on Jan. 30, 2023, Doe submitted a fraudulent resume in Vong’s name to a Virginia-based technology company for the position of web application developer, which required U.S. citizenship as a condition of employment. The resume falsely represented that Vong had a Bachelor of Science degree and 16 years of experience as a software developer. In fact, Vong had no college degree or experience in software development.

    On March 28, 2023, Vong participated in an online job interview with the CEO of the Virginia-based company and verified his identity and citizenship by showing his Maryland driver’s license and U.S. passport. Following the interview, the Virginia-based company hired Vong and assigned him to work on a contract for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) involving a particular software application used by various U.S. government agencies to manage sensitive information regarding national defense matters. The Virginia-based company provided Vong with a laptop to use in connection with his employment, and the FAA authorized Vong to receive a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card to access government facilities and systems. Vong installed remote access software on the laptop to facilitate Doe’s access to it and conceal his location in China.

    Between March 2023 and July 2023, Doe used Vong’s credentials to perform the software development work from his location in China. The Virginia-based company paid Vong more than $28,000 in wages for work performed by Doe, portions of which Vong then sent overseas to Doe and other conspirators.

    As part of his guilty plea, Vong admitted that the Virginia-based company was not the only company he and his co-conspirators defrauded. Between 2021 and 2024, Vong used fraudulent misrepresentations to obtain employment with at least 13 different U.S. companies, who collectively paid Vong a total of more than $970,000 in salary for software development services that were, unbeknownst to them, performed by Doe and/or other overseas conspirators. Several of these defrauded companies contracted out Vong’s services to U.S. government agencies in addition to the FAA. As a result of Vong’s fraudulent misrepresentations, these government agencies unknowingly granted Vong’s co-conspirators access to sensitive U.S. government systems, which they accessed from China.

    Vong faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman for the District of Maryland scheduled sentencing for Aug. 28. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Baltimore Field Office is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina A. Hoffman for the District of Maryland is prosecuting the case with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Alexandra Cooper-Ponte of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section.

    Under the Department-wide DPRK RevGen: Domestic Enabler Initiative,  launched in March 2024 by the National Security Division and the FBI’s Cyber and Counterintelligence Divisions, Department prosecutors and agents are prioritizing the identification and shuttering of U.S.-based “laptop farms” – locations hosting laptops provided by victim U.S. companies to individuals they believed were legitimate U.S.-based freelance IT workers – and the investigation and prosecution of individuals hosting them. Today’s announcement follows successful actions taken by the Department in October 2023, May 2024, August 2024, December 2024, and January 2025, which targeted similar and related conduct.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tyler tax preparer sentenced to federal prison for role in tax refund fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TYLER, Texas – A Tyler tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a tax refund fraud scheme in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Karistha Johnson, 38, pleaded guilty to making false and fraudulent statements on a tax return and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 15, 2025.  Johnson was ordered to pay $1,244,934 in restitution.

    “The Eastern District of Texas is committed to prosecuting tax preparers who engage in return preparer fraud schemes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “Schemes like this threaten to disrupt the orderly administration of the income tax system for law-abiding taxpayers, and taxpayers ultimately end up paying the bill.”

    “Ms. Johnson, in her role as a tax preparer, took advantage of those seeking assistance by filing fraudulent returns,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “By fabricating deductions and business expenses, she filed hundreds of false returns, resulting in more than $1.2 million in fraudulent refunds. The women and men of IRS-CI remain dedicated to safeguarding our tax system and ensuring that individuals who engage in fraudulent activities face the full consequences under the law.”

    According to information presented in court, Johnson was involved in a multi-year return preparer fraud scheme involving the submission of tax returns containing false and fraudulent statements. Johnson prepared and filed 610 returns from 2017 through 2019 and received $1,244,934 in fraudulent refunds.

    This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Admit Roles in Armed Robbery of U.S. Postal Service Employee

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – Two Essex County, New Jersey men admitted their roles in an armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service employee, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Dyshawn Williams, 28, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of assaulting certain federal officers or employees.  Karieem Stamps, 26, also of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

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

    In November 2023, three individuals – including Williams – robbed a U.S. Postal Service employee at gunpoint in Newark, New Jersey.  The assailants stole the victim’s cell phone, keys, and wallet – including a credit card and debit card.  The robbery impeded the victim from delivering mail, which interfered with interstate commerce.  Shortly following the robbery, two individuals – including Stamps – used the stolen debit card to make purchases.  Both transactions passed through servers located outside of New Jersey.

    On August 1, 2024, Stamps – who was convicted of a felony offense in 2020 – possessed a Glock 29 Gen5 handgun bearing serial number CCRT895 with an extended magazine and 26 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition.

    As to Williams, the counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and assaulting or impeding a federal employee carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  As to Stamps, the count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine; the count of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence; and the count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation.  She also thanked special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, deputies of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, officers of the New Jersey State Parole Board, under the direction of Chairman Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Jacobs of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

    25-103                                                 ###

    Defense counsel:

    Williams: Laura K. Gasiorowski, Westfield, New Jersey

    Stamps: Joseph Z. Amsel, Newark, New Jersey

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ashland Doctor Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Misbranded Semaglutide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ASHLAND, Ky. – An Ashland physician and owner of Lewis Family Care, Matthew Lewis, 44, pleaded guilty on Monday, before Chief U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning to receiving a misbranded drug and offering it for sale with the intent to defraud or mislead.   

               According to the charges against Lewis, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three drugs with semaglutide as the active ingredient – Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy – to improve blood sugar levels in adult patients with diabetes or, in the case of Wegovy, for weight loss.  The FDA did not approve any generic semaglutide drugs.  In his plea agreement, Lewis admitted that beginning in May 2023, he purchased non-FDA approved semaglutide from suppliers in California and Georgia to administer to patients at a weight loss clinic.  These companies were not registered with the FDA as drug manufacturers or outsourcing facilities of compounded drugs, were not authorized to distribute semaglutide, and were not licensed pharmacies or licensed prescription drug wholesalers.  Lewis obtained the semaglutide from these unauthorized suppliers at a significantly lower cost than the legitimate prescription drugs.

               This non-FDA approved semaglutide sometimes arrived at Lewis Family Care packaged in a vial that contained a warning that the drugs were intended for lab research and development only.  The labels failed to provide adequate directions for use, adequate warnings, failed to contain an expiration date, and failed to list its active and inactive ingredients.  Lewis took measures to disguise and mislead others as to the unauthorized sources of the semaglutide. For example, he purchased the semaglutide using Venmo, Afterpay, or via phone, and he described the orders on his Venmo payments as “Meal Prep.” Lewis stored the drugs in his office, separate from Lewis Family Care’s other legally obtained medications.  He did not inform his patients that he was administering non-FDA approved semaglutide to them.  Between May 2023 and February 2024, Lewis Family Care’s weight loss clinic earned $249,044.40 from the administration of this unapproved semaglutide.

    “Prescription drugs are highly regulated in this country in order to keep patients safe,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey. “At a time of increased public interest in weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, Lewis chose profit margins over patient safety when he purchased non-FDA approved semaglutide and administered it to his patients.”

    “Physicians who administer misbranded drugs that come from outside the secure and regulated supply chain—particularly products that are injectable and pose sterility concerns—not only puts their patients’ health at risk but also violate their patients’ trust,” said George Scavdis, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who would disregard and jeopardize public health and safety by selling misbranded drugs.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey and FDA Special Agent in Charge Scavdis, jointly announced the guilty plea.

    The investigation was conducted by the FDA-OCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Dunn-Pirio is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. 

    Lewis is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18. He faces a maximum of three years in prison and any applicable restitution. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.

    — END — 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Carnegie Man Charged with Evading Taxes and Willful Failure to File Tax Return

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of tax evasion and willful failure to file a tax return, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The seven-count Indictment named Caesar Tavoletti III, 42, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, Tavoletti evaded taxes for tax years 2018-2020 and willfully failed to file tax returns for tax years 2018-2021.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss of the offense, or both, on each of the tax evasion counts. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney William Guappone is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of New Jersey Businesses Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining Over $3.2 Million from The Paycheck Protection Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – An owner of several New Jersey businesses admitted to fraudulently obtaining over $3.2 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Daniel Dadoun, 48, of Israel, formerly of South Plainfield, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to an information charging bank fraud and money laundering. 

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

    From April 2020 through August 2022, Dadoun engaged in a scheme to illegally obtain over $3.2 million in PPP loans for his New Jersey businesses by submitting false and fraudulent loan applications. After receiving the PPP loan proceeds, Dadoun sought to keep the money by submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan forgiveness applications that misrepresented payroll expenses and the number of employees at his companies.  In support of the loan and forgiveness applications, Dadoun submitted falsified tax documents and altered bank statements.

    The charge of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, whichever is greatest.  The charge of money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or gross loss to the victim, or twice the amount of criminally derived property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater.  Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office, under direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.

    The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

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

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Anthony J. Pope, Jr., Esq.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Independence, MO Man Sentenced for $1.4 Million COVID-19 Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for filing a false claim as part of a scheme to fraudulently receive nearly $1.4 million in COVID-19 relief funds from the government.

    Richard Dean Schiele, Jr., 51, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to a year and a day imprisonment and ordered to pay $130,125.09 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES” Act) provided for an Employee Retention Credit designed to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll. The Employee Retention Credit is available to eligible employers that paid qualified wages to some or all employees after March 12, 2020, and before Jan. 1, 2022.

    In his guilty plea, Schiele admitted he filed nine Employer’s Quarterly Tax Return forms with the IRS on April 22, 2023, for a company he formed the same month called Schiele Family Own Distribution. The returns made a total of $1,392,716 in claims for COVID–19 pandemic era credits against the company’s ostensible employment taxes. In reality, Schiele admitted, the company did not have any employees in 2020 through 2022.

    Based on these false claims, the IRS issued checks totaling $478,890 to Schiele. The Treasury Department recovered $348,764.91 from Schiele’s bank account. Under the terms of today’s sentence, Schiele must pay $130,125 in restitution to the IRS.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Return Preparer Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns for Clients

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland, returned an indictment, unsealed yesterday, charging a Maryland woman with preparing false tax returns for clients and failing to file her own tax returns.

    According to the indictment, Zewdi Tsegay, of Burtonsville, ran a tax preparation business called Taxes R Us LLC, which later changed its named to Taxes 4 You LLC. The indictment alleges that from 2018 through 2024, Tsegay prepared and filed with the IRS false tax returns for clients. These returns allegedly included false business losses that benefited the client by claiming false refunds to which they were not entitled or decreasing their tax liability. 

    According to the indictment, the IRS conducted an undercover operation at Tsegay’s business in March 2020. Tsegay allegedly initially prepared the undercover agent’s tax return correctly, which reflected that the undercover agent owed taxes, and then added a fictitious business loss to the return, which resulted in the return improperly requesting a refund. The indictment further alleges that from 2021 to 2023, Tsegay was required to file tax returns for herself but did not do so.

    If convicted, Tsegay faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of failing to file her own tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    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.

    Trial Attorneys Catriona M. Coppler and Richard Kelley of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cooperation of joint investigation team into crimes against Ezidi victims in Syria and Iraq leads to first two convictions

    Source: Eurojust

    With Eurojust’s support, the JIT was set up in October 2021 by the judicial authorities of Sweden and France, with Belgium joining in October 2022 and the Netherlands in June 2023. The main aim of this judicial cooperation is to identify FTFs linked to ISIL (Da’esh) who have returned from Syria or Iraq and were involved in core international crimes, mainly perpetrated against Ezidi victims. Core international crimes are crimes such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    The Netherlands had its first conviction for crimes against the Ezidi in December 2024. A Dutch citizen was convicted of crimes against humanity for the enslavement of a female Ezidi victim, participation in ISIL (Da’esh), promoting crimes with a terrorist objective and abandoning the victim’s son in a helpless position in a war zone. She was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment and identified through the work of the JIT.

    Recently, a Swedish citizen was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed against nine Ezidi victims. Six of the victims were children under the age of seven. The extensive cooperation through the JIT proved to be crucial for this conviction in Sweden.

    In 2026, a French citizen might be tried on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.

    Based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, EU Member States can start investigations into core international crimes committed outside their own territory. Such cases are actively supported and coordinated by Eurojust and the Genocide Network Secretariat (GNS), which the Agency hosts.

    With the financial and operational support of Eurojust, the JIT partners and investigating judicial authorities from Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia fully intend to continue the investigations into crimes against Ezidi victims committed by ISIL (Da’esh). However, they stress the need to receive adequate information and analytical support.

    In view of this, they regret the closure of the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (UNITAD), which ceased its activities in September 2024. With the conclusion of UNITAD’s mandate, information from its database, which is highly relevant to the work of the JIT, has been transferred to the United Nations headquarters. Unfortunately, they have limited capacity to respond to requests for access from national authorities.

    Leading Swedish prosecutor and co-founder of the Eurojust-supported JIT, Ms Reena Devgun, stated: Unfortunately, the closure of UNITAD has slowed down the investigations of the joint investigation team. However, all its members hope that the UNITAD archive will be made easily accessible again soon to all practitioners who investigate core international crimes against Ezidi victims. This is of prime importance to continue their work to end impunity for these atrocities.

    The work of the JIT is also actively supported by the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic (IIIM). Eurojust remains fully at the disposal of the JIT partners to assist with the coordination and support of investigations.

    For further information:

    Belgium and Netherlands sign up to joint investigation team targeting crimes against Yezidi victims in Syria and Iraq (26 June 2023)

    Support to joint investigation team of Sweden and France targeting crimes against Yezidi victims in Syria and Iraq (7 January 2022)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Deer Lake — RCMP Traffic Services West stops excessive speeder on Route 430, driver blows warning on roadside screening device

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 49-year-old man was stopped by RCMP Traffic Services West for excessive speeding on April 13, 2025, on Route 430 near Cormack and was issued a demand for roadside breath testing.

    At approximately 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, police stopped a vehicle traveling 153 kms/hr in a posted 90 kms/hr zone on Route 430. The driver showed signs of alcohol impairment and provide a roadside breath sample that was above the provincial limit, but below the criminal threshold for impaired driving.

    He was ticketed for the excessive speeding. For having a blood alcohol concentration above the provincial limit and for the excessive speeding, his licence was suspended and the vehicle was seized and impounded.

    The combination of speed and alcohol when operating a vehicle places the driver, and all others who share the roadway, at increased levels of risk for serious injuries or death. If you suspect someone is driving while impaired or in a dangerous manner, please immediately contact your local police or dial 911.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling and Labor Trafficking Scheme

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARIA DEL CARMEN SANCHEZ POTRERO, also known as Maria Carmela Sanchez, 71, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 51 months of imprisonment for her involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford.  The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Sanchez and others in Connecticut and Mexico to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S.  In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico.  They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, including Sanchez’s residence on Madison Street in Hartford, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death.

    After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay approximately $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez and her co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas and utilities.  Sanchez and her co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area.  In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork without compensation and without having their debt reduced.

    Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt.  If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that Sanchez and her co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments.

    To date, investigators have identified 19 victims of this scheme. Multiple victims were minors, and at least two were smuggled into the U.S. unaccompanied by a relative or legal guardian.

    Sanchez has been detained since her arrest on March 1, 2023.  On October 24, 2024, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens.

    Judge Dooley ordered Sanchez to pay restitution of $574,608.

    Sanchez faces immigration when she completes her prison term.

    This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Sentenced to 15 years after Kidnapping a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual Conduct

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tadashi Kura Kojima, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, 29, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he kidnapped a Utah teenager to engage in illegal sexual activity.

    The sentence, imposed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Kojima pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.  

    According to court documents and statements made at Kojima’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Kojima admitted that between December 26, 2022 to December 28, 2022, he traveled from Arizona and kidnapped a 13-year-old from Utah. They were located in Nebraska and Kojima was arrested. The purpose of traveling was to engage in sexual activity with the victim. See prior press release: Arizona Man Arrested for Kidnapping a Utah Teenager is Facing Federal Charges Including Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor.

    The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Layton Police Department and Grand Island Police Department in Nebraska.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Elma man pleads guilty to production and possession of child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew A. Steele, 53, of Elma, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to production and possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 30 years, and a fine of $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that between July 2008, and July 2010, Steele produced images of child pornography with a minor female (victim) on several occasions from the time she was approximately nine years old until she was approximately 12 years old. Some of the images were distributed by Steele to other unknown individuals. On March 11, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at his residence, seizing two electronic devices. A forensic review of the devices recovered numerous sexually explicit images of the victim created by Steele. In addition, 45 images of child pornography, not involving the victim, that Steele obtained over the internet were recovered. Some of the images included prepubescent minors and depicted violence against children.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Sinatra.

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