NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man caught three times with dealer quantities of fentanyl indicted federally

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    In one encounter police and medics saved the life of an infant suffering from opioid overdose

    Seattle – A 37-year-old man who was living in a Des Moines, Washington, hotel, is charged federally with four counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and one count of money laundering announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Dennis Aguilar Huisa was placed under arrest twice last fall when he was found to have possession of fentanyl pills and/or powder, methamphetamine, cocaine and a firearm. Huisa has been in state custody since his final encounter with law enforcement on November 1, 2024.

    According to the criminal complaint, Puyallup Police first contacted Huisa on the side of the road in the early hours of August 15, 2023. Huisa said his car had overheated and he and a passenger were waiting for the engine to cool down. The police officer noticed that the license plate on the car did not match the type of vehicle listed in the registration. Huisa was removed from the car while law enforcement determined whether the car or the license plates were stolen. A second officer noticed blue pills in the car. Ultimately the car was impounded. A search revealed about 1,000 fentanyl pills as well as some suspected fentanyl powder. There was also a scale with drug residue in the car.

    On September 7, 2024, Puyallup Police responded to a report of a nine-month-old infant who had stopped breathing. Huisa and a woman met the officers outside a box truck the infant in their arms. Law enforcement worked to get the child to respond and breath, medics responded and continued to work on reviving the child.

    The law enforcement investigation found evidence that Huisa and the child’s mother has given the infant two doses of Narcan suspecting that the child had been exposed to fentanyl or other drugs. Huisa gave permission to search the box truck. Law enforcement located approximately 115 blue fentanyl pills. On Huisa they found fentanyl powder and over $16,000 in cash.

    The infant was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. The child was given additional dose of Narcan, and the child’s blood tested positive for fentanyl, amphetamine, and oxycodone. The child survived and was temporarily released to Child Protective Services.

    Finally, on November 1, 2024, Auburn Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit served a search warrant on the Des Moines motel where Huisa had been living. In the hotel room they found small packages of fentanyl powder packaged for sale in the toilet. They found additional fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, and cocaine in other places around the room. Officers once again searched the box truck Huisa had been driving and found two kilograms of fentanyl powder and a Polymer 80 ‘ghost gun’ – a gun made without a serial number.

    Huisa was charged by criminal complaint on March 12, 2025, and was brought into federal custody today. He was indicted by the grand jury on March 26, 2025, for four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and money laundering. Huisa is making his initial appearance at 2:00 today.

    Possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to life in prison to run consecutive to the other sentence imposed in the case. Money laundering is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.

    The charges contained in the criminal complaint and the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by the Puyallup Police Department, the Auburn Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Philadelphia Correctional Officer Convicted at Trial of Violating the Constitutional Rights of an Inmate, Filing a False Report

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ivory S. Cousins, 35, of Glassboro, New Jersey, was convicted today at trial of three counts of depriving an inmate of his civil rights under color of law and one count of filing a false report about the incident, arising from her conduct while employed as a Philadelphia correctional officer. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons provided substantial assistance with this case.

    Cousins was charged by indictment in August 2024 with violating the inmate’s constitutional rights for ignoring his significant injuries from an assault by other inmates, pepper spraying him, helping another inmate to steal from him, and obstructing the investigation of what happened to him.

    As proven at trial, while on duty at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the defendant became aware that an inmate had been assaulted by other inmates and had serious injuries, but she was deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs, failed to get him medical attention, and prevented a superior officer from discovering the inmate’s injuries.

    After her partner discovered the injured inmate and called for medical attention, but before assistance arrived to escort him to the medical unit, Cousins subjected the injured inmate to excessive force, unreasonably pepper spraying him.

    When the injured inmate had been escorted out of the area for medical attention, Cousins further violated the injured inmate’s constitutional rights by helping one of the inmates involved in his assault to steal the injured inmate’s personal belongings from his cell.

    When she later completed a report about the incident, Cousins provided false information about the injured inmate being aggressive, engaging in a fight, and using a weapon.

    The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 41 years in prison.

    “Prisoners still have civil rights, and we will prosecute all violations committed by officials entrusted with their security,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Jessica Rice.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Resident Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Distribution Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Dale Jetton was sentenced today to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for distribution of child pornography announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.  Senior U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen handed down the sentence.

    Jetton pleaded guilty on August 22, 2024, to one count of distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). Jetton was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on August 29, 2023. According to the plea agreement, beginning in March 2023, Jetton began exchanging email messages with an individual who, unbeknownst to him, was an undercover law enforcement officer.  Jetton sent the undercover officer an invitation and link to a cloud service that Jetton boasted contained over 700+ megabytes of child exploitation materials.  The link included thirty-eight videos containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Jetton, a registered sex offender, admitted he knew the visual depictions in these videos included prepubescent minors or minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including at least one video that depicted a minor being subjected to sexual bondage.

    Jetton has been in custody since his arrest in 2023.  He will begin serving his prison term immediately.  In addition to the prison term, Judge Chen also ordered Jetton to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roland Chang and Sophia Cooper.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the San Francisco Police Department.    
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baker to Vegas 2025: Running to Compete, Running to Honor.

    Source: US Marshals Service

    The United State Marshals Service (USMS) is proud to announce the successful completion of the 2025 Baker to Vegas (B2V) Challenge Cup Relay by three agency teams: USMS Elite Running Team, USMS Women’s Running Team Silver, and USMS Women’s Running Team Blue. Each team represented the best of who the agency is: committed, resilient, and united in purpose.

    B2V is no ordinary relay race. It’s a 120-mile, 20-stage relay through the Mojave Desert, finishing in Las Vegas. The course pushes runners to their limits with punishing terrain, extreme temperature swings, long, steep mountain climbs, and miles of isolation. This year, runners battled sustained 25-mph headwinds – a brutal new layer of difficulty. Each team met it head-on with grit, heart, and determination.

    But this race wasn’t just about time – it was about tribute. This year our teams ran in honor of Deputy Tommy Weeks, TFO William Alden Elliott, TFO Sam Poloche, and Honorary Special Deputy Joshua Eyer – four fallen officers whose memory continues to guide and inspire us. The teams were incredibly honored to be joined on the racecourse by Kelly Weeks, whose presence brought powerful meaning to the journey and reminded everyone of the deep personal connections behind every name.

    Our tribute was woven into every step:

    • We wore red bandannas (Tommy’s favorite color) and wristbands with Tommy’s name and badge number.
    • Each runner had the names of all four of our fallen, and their end of watch dates on memorial shoe tags to ensure every footfall had meaning.  
    • Each runner carried photos of the fallen on their race bibs.
    • A memorial candle was lit for each fallen officer at the start of the race and burned until the final USMS runner crossed the finish line.
    • Tommy’s favorite songs were incorporated into our playlists, and we ran our hardest miles dedicated to our four fallen.
    • At the finish line, we handed the team batons to Kelly Weeks, a symbolic gesture that carried the memory of our heroes across 120-miles of grueling desert.

    For all three teams, this achievement did not come without personal sacrifice. Each runner, alternate, and support team member gave generously of their personal time, energy, and financial resources to represent the USMS and carry the memory of our heroes. Travel, lodging, training, gear, equipment, annual leave, and rental vehicles came out of their own pockets – which was done in service of something bigger than themselves. They did it to stand for the USMS, and to honor our fallen.

    We could not be prouder of these teams. B2V is a powerful reflection of who we are as an agency – strong, unified, selfless, and driven by purpose. It showcases our people at their best – working together to support one another and doing whatever it takes to rise to the challenge. Together we ran to compete. Together we ran to remember.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Employee Charged With Possession Of A Firearm By An Unlawful Drug User

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

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Bryan Roger Byers (57, Jacksonville), a United States Postal Service employee, with possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user. If convicted, Byers faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

    According to court documents and proceedings, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Byers after a firearm he had purchased was recovered during a drug trafficking investigation. During that investigation, a felon was found to be in possession of a firearm and admitted purchasing the firearm from Byers in exchange for crack cocaine.

    Investigators located text messages, which reflected that Byers used sex workers to find buyers for his firearms and those buyers then exchanged drugs for the firearms. Records reflect Byers purchased at least 10 firearms over the last four years.

    On April 2, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Byers’s home. Law enforcement officers located seven firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, and two suspected crack pipes, all of which were seized by ATF. The next day, Byers attempted to purchase another firearm and was arrested by ATF agents.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, local agencies, responding to helicopter crash in Hudson River

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    04/10/2025 07:18 PM EDT

    NEW YORK — The Coast Guard is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies in response to the helicopter crash in the Hudson River that occurred Thursday afternoon in New York City near the Holland Tunnel. Click the link to read the full release.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Arturo Contreras Soto, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 60 months in prison. Soto was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon following a bench trial on January 28, 2025.

    On April 3, 2024, Tucson Police Department officers arrested Soto while he was riding an electric bicycle and carrying an open container of alcohol near downtown Tucson. The officers searched the satchel that Soto was wearing across his chest and found a 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine. Soto also had approximately 500 fentanyl pills and approximately $250 in cash in his pockets. Further investigation revealed that Soto had numerous prior felony convictions, including a conviction for motor vehicle theft, two separate convictions for drug-related felonies, and two separate convictions for aggravated robbery. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) then assumed responsibility for the case in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department as part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).

    The National PSP was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.

    The ATF and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer H. Berman and Alessandra Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-02929-TUC-JGZ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-054_Soto

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tucson Woman Indicted for Attempting to Smuggle Rifle Ammunition from the United States Into Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a one-count indictment against Andrea Villalva, 32, of Tucson, Arizona, for Smuggling Goods from the United States.

    The complaint filed in this case alleges that, on March 7, 2024, Villalva attempted to exit the United States through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. During a physical inspection of Villalva’s vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered 8 sealed cases of 5.56 XP193 rifle ammunition hidden behind the rear wall of the trunk. In total, 8,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Villalva admitted being paid $150 per box of ammunition that she successfully smuggled into Mexico. She also admitted to having smuggled ammunition into Mexico on three previous occasions.

    A conviction for Smuggling Goods from the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

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

    An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Sottosanti, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:            25-CR-01724-TUC-AMM
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-053_Villalva

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno County Podiatrist and Sales Representative Indicted for Conspiracy to Submit Millions of Dollars in False Claims Related to Skin Grafts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Felipe Ruiz, 51, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 52, of Clovis, charging them with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist at West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties.

    Aguirre was a sales representative for several companies that sold skin grafts. Aguirre used his name, his wife’s name, and the name of a corporation registered to his wife to sell the skin grafts.

    Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre, who was not a licensed health care provider, to apply the skin grafts to Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries without Ruiz being present. Ruiz and Aguirre also allowed beneficiaries to refer to Aguirre as “Dr. Gabe,” though he was not a doctor.

    Ruiz and Aguirre subsequently submitted claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz had applied the skin grafts to the beneficiaries, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services. As a result, Medicare and Medi-Cal paid Ruiz millions of dollars for the false claims. Ruiz then made payments to Aguirre. Ruiz and Aguirre used the money for their own benefit and for personal expenditures.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Ruiz and Aguirre face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 million fine. 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albion man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Norman Kelly, 68, of Albion, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that between March 12 and September 20, 2023, Kelly used his laptop computer to entice minors to engage in sexually explicit behavior for the purpose of producing images, which he would receive via the internet. On March 12, 2023, Kelly received a sexually explicit image of a female child, approximately 10-12 years old. On July 20, 2023, he received a sexually explicit video file of an infant female, approximately 1.5 to three years old. Kelly possessed approximately 475 image files and 377 video files of child sexual abuse material. Some of the images included depictions of 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. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder and Top Executive for Fresno-Based Business American Labor Alliance Receive Multi-Year Prison Sentences Following Fraud Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresno residents Marcus Asay, 69, and Antonio Gastelum, 53, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years in prison and two years in prison, respectively, for committing a long-running pension fraud scheme through their company, Agricultural Contracting Services Association dba American Labor Alliance (ALA), Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. 

    ALA also received a corporate fine of $2.5 million. Asay and ALA were each ordered to pay $69,250 in restitution.

    On June 18, 2024, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA were convicted of the pension fraud scheme following a five-week jury trial. Asay and ALA were also convicted of committing a worker’s compensation fraud scheme, a hardship exemption fraud scheme, and money laundering. The hardship exemption fraud scheme involved a supposed exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that people obtain health insurance or pay a significant shared responsibility payment when they file their taxes.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Asay was the founder and chairman of ALA, and Gastelum was the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Compliance Officer. From 2011 through 2019, the defendants offered three sham products: retirement plan, worker’s compensation coverage, and hardship exemption.

    Pension Fraud Scheme

    For the pension fraud scheme, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA falsely represented to more than 3,000 people that they would protect and invest their retirement money through a 401(k) Plan when, in fact, they used the money for improper business and personal expenses. The improper expenses included restaurants, travel, credit cards, rare coins, transfers to Asay’s personal retirement account, online companion websites, and rent for Asay’s lakefront mansion in Fresno. Asay, Gastelum, and ALA then covered up the fact that the retirement money was gone by taking money the company received from the worker’s compensation fraud scheme and holding those funds out as pension funds. The loss caused by the pension fraud scheme was more than $620,000.

    Asay’s money laundering conviction resulted from this scheme because he moved pension funds through multiple bank accounts to conceal the source of the funds before using them for improper expenses.

    Workers’ Compensation Fraud Scheme

    For the worker’s compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that national insurers backed the worker’s compensation coverage that the company offered in several states, including California. Asay and ALA did so by listing the national insurers on the certificates of insurance and policy declarations that the company issued to customers. The accuracy of the certificates of insurance and policy declarations was important to the customers because they needed to present these items to their own customers and regulators as proof of having worker’s compensation coverage in order to continue doing business. When government authorities began investigating the workers’ compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA sent letters to customers telling them not to cooperate. The worker’s compensation fraud scheme generated $2.25 million in premiums.

    Hardship Exemption Fraud Scheme

    For the hardship exemption fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that for a few hundred dollars they could provide people with an exemption that would protect them from the Affordable Care Act’s shared responsibility payment for not having health insurance when, in fact, only government agencies could issue such exemptions. Moreover, the exemptions were free to those who qualified.

    Asay and Gastelum received enhanced sentences because they both testified in their own defense at trial and were found to have perjured themselves.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Labor-Management Standards, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Tierney, Joseph Barton, and Stephanie Stokman prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: HSI ARRESTS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED, VIOLENT FELON FUGITIVE WANTED FOR HOMICIDE IN MEXICO

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on Illegal Re-Entry charges on Tuesday during a Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) operation led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. Renteria-Cruz was charged by Criminal Complaint for violation of Title 8, U.S.C. 1326(a) and (b)(1).

    On October 11, 2006, Renteria-Cruz, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of Aggravated Assault, a class 3 felony, in the Maricopa County Superior Court and sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Renteria-Cruz was deported to Mexico on April 8, 2008.

    After his deportation, Mexican authorities charged Renteria-Cruz with homicide for events that occurred on July 20, 2009, in Mexico. Since that time, he has been a fugitive.

    Pursuant to a tip in January 2025, HSI learned that Renteria-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States. Agents were able to locate and identify Renteria-Cruz, and on April 8, 2025, Renteria-Cruz was arrested during an Immigration Operation.

    This investigation 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.

    A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Homeland Security Investigations in Phoenix, Arizona conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           25-3128MJ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-052_Renteria-Cruz

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Enhanced Second-Degree Theft Charges Filed for CVS Retail Store Theft in Northwest

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Ramon Randall, 37, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on March 12, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

               A grand jury indicted Randall on April 9, 2025. Arraignment is scheduled for on April 29.. 

               According to the government’s evidence, on March 12, 2025, the defendant entered the CVS located at 2009 8th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 with a reusable bag. The manager of the CVS saw him place several items in his bag and called the police. MPD officers arrived on the scene and observed the defendant walking furtively throughout the store. The officers observed Randall attempt to leave the store without paying for the items. One officer, who was familiar with the defendant, stopped him as he was leaving the store. Randall exclaimed, “I ain’t left the premises!” The officer then delivered the stolen items to the manager, which consisted of several bottles of toothpaste, socks, and other merchandise valued at $133.27. 

               Randall has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.

               This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cut Bank man sentenced to two years in prison for assault

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Cut Bank man who assaulted a 17-year-old girl was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Elijah John Bullcalf, 21, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that on May 25, 2023, Bullcalf assaulted Jane Doe in her bedroom at her parents’ home. They got into an argument after Bullcalf saw a text message he didn’t like on Doe’s cell phone. Bullcalf bit Doe’s hand and then punched her one time in the face, breaking her jaw.

    Bullcalf didn’t want her to go to the hospital and took her to his house instead. After several hours, Doe was in so much pain that Bullcalf relented and took her to the hospital. He told Doe to tell everyone she slipped and fell on the porch. Doe had to have two metal plates surgically placed in her jaw, one of which is permanent. Doe told law enforcement that one month after the assault, Bullcalf hit her again in the same part of the jaw, causing pain and bleeding. During a recorded interview with law enforcement in March 2024, Bullcalf admitted the assault.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Scarborough Resident Sentenced for Assaulting Federal Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A former Scarborough resident was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland for assaulting a federal officer.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Garrett McDonald, 28, to two years of probation. McDonald pleaded guilty on October 22, 2024.

    According to court records, on August 6, 2023, an airline crew at the Portland International Jetport requested that law enforcement remove McDonald from a flight due to his behavior. A Portland police officer and a security officer with the Federal Air Marshal Service escorted McDonald from the plane. McDonald began yelling and arguing about being removed from the flight. Once inside the exit port, McDonald pushed one officer and then resisted the officer’s efforts to restrain him. The officers secured a handcuff on McDonald’s left wrist but were unable to secure a handcuff on his right wrist. McDonald freed his right arm from underneath his person and struck the federal officer with his fist.

    The FBI, Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Portland Police Department investigated the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Stilwell Resident Of Voluntary Manslaughter

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Mose Adam Smith, age 43, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.00.

    The jury trial began with testimony on April 7, 2025, and concluded on April 10, 2025, with the guilty verdict.

    During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on or about July 17, 2023, Smith unlawfully killed an individual during an altercation at the victim’s Sallisaw, Oklahoma residence.  The Government presented evidence that during the altercation, Smith inflicted blunt-force trauma on the victim, and that Smith caused extensive injuries resulting in the death of the victim.  Smith attempted to conceal the victim’s death and fled the state.  The crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    On March 19, 2025, Co-defendant Kimberly Dawn Ball-Gilbert, age 42, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter.  At the plea hearing, Ball-Gilbert admitted to aiding and abetting Smith’s actions in causing the victim’s death.

    The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  The sentencings for Smith and Ball-Gilbert will be scheduled following completion of the presentence reports. The Court will sentence the defendants after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Smith and Ball-Gilbert will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, locals rescue overdue boater near Barnegat Bay

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    04/10/2025 05:37 PM EDT

    The Coast Guard, local law enforcement and commercial salvage crews rescued an overdue man Thursday, near Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Rescued was John Mazzy, 72, from an aids to navigation dayboard in the vicinity of Oyster Creek Channel.

    For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Conspired to Traffic Child From Behind Bars Sentenced to More Than 15 Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A Dallas man who coordinated the trafficking of a 17-year-old girl was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to more than 15 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    Christopher Jabar Jenkins, 33, was indicted in August 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.  He was sentenced Wednesday to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer, to be followed by 35 years of supervised release.  Jenkins was also ordered to pay $82,300 in restitution to the victim.  

    According to plea papers, Jenkins admitted that between July 2022 and November 2022, he advertised the 17-year-old victim’s sexual services on commercial sex websites.  He also rented hotel rooms for commercial sex dates and negotiated with patrons.

    In an interview with the child, it was revealed that Jenkins physically assaulted her, threatened her at gunpoint, forced her to “brand” herself with a tattoo to indicate his ownership of her, and kept her identification as a way to ensure that she could not leave him.

    At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors described how the child was forced to work seven days a week, up to fourteen-hour days, and Jenkins took all of the resulting proceeds for himself.

    According to court documents, when Jenkins was arrested in September 2022 for unrelated charges, he passed the victim off to another trafficker.  Jenkins continued to traffic the victim while in jail.  During the recorded calls, Jenkins instructed the victim to continue participating in commercial sex acts.  He also coordinated with other coconspirators regarding the pricing, advertisements, work hours, travel, and other logistics to ensure the success of the criminal enterprise.  Jenkins specifically instructed a coconspirator to collect all of the money that the minor victim earned and to set it aside for him or add funds to his jail commissary account.  Records confirmed that an individual deposited money to Jenkins’ jail commissary account no less than seven times from September 13 to September 29, 2022.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation, with invaluable assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Winters prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two New Orleans Men Indicted for Bank Robbery and Possession of Stolen Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KAILUS JAMES (“JAMES”), age29, and CEDRIC MAY (“MAY”), age 31, were charged on April 4, 2025, in a three-count indictment, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Count 1 charged them with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Count 2 charged them with bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and (d), and 2. Count 3 charged them with possession of a stolen vehicle, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2313 and 2.

    According to the indictment, on or about March 15, 2025, JAMES and MAY stole approximately $98,320.00 of United States currency, belonging to and in the care, custody, control, management, and possession of a JP Morgan Chase Bank, in New Orleans.

    If convicted, JAMES and MAY face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release, for Count 1; up to 25 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release for Count 2; and up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3.  JAMES and MAY also face a payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all three counts.

    Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Browning attorney arraigned on sex abuse charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Browning attorney accused of sexual assault appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Nathan Nicholas Johnson St. Goddard, 44, of Browning, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, and making a false statement. If convicted of the most serious crime, St. Goddard faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. St. Goddard was released on conditions pending further proceedings.

    The indictment alleges that on June 22, 2024, St. Goddard knowingly engaged in sexual acts with Jane Doe by using force and threatening and placing Jane Doe in fear, and without Jane Doe’s consent. Additionally, the indictment alleges he made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation to the FBI.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    PACER case reference. 25-25.

    The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince George drug trafficker sentenced to over 12 years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RICHMOND, Va. – A Prince George man was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, on April 1, 2024, law enforcement searched the residence of Robert Damian Atkins, 39, based on prior controlled purchases of narcotics. During the search, detectives recovered $10,625; an electronic money counter; a shotgun; three semi-automatic pistols; multiple firearms magazines, including a drum magazine; and multiple boxes of ammunition. During a search of Atkins’ vehicle, detectives recovered another pistol and a backpack that contained 191 grams of fentanyl, 112 grams of methamphetamine, 84 grams of cocaine, two digital scales, and a magazine for the firearm. In the trunk of the vehicle, officers located a bag containing multiple firearm cartridges.

    An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arranged to take Atkins into custody on his federal warrant after his court appearance in Prince George County General District Court on Oct. 7, 2024. After learning of his impending arrest, Atkins fled the courthouse and cut off his GPS ankle monitor. Law enforcement located Atkins later that day in Chesterfield and took him into custody.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Washington Field Division; and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. The Prince George County Police Department assisted in the investigation.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller prosecuted the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-158.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: April Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Jesus Sebastian Herrera Chavez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Chavez, 21, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was an alien illegally in the United States. Further, Chavez intentionally assaulted someone with a firearm. The ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-125

    Jimmie Leroy Cox, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Cox, 63, of Fairland, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Cox is also charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. Additionally, Cox knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-110

    Victor Hubert Dominguez-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Dominguez-Castro, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-116

    Leonard Ray Ellis. Robbery in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary. Ellis, 40, of Inola and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with taking property of value by force and violence. He is further charged with breaking into an occupied home intending to commit a crime. The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-111

    Ryan Leon French; Lexie Renee French. Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Ryan French, 46, and Lexie French, 42, of Tulsa, are charged with coercing a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. Ryan French is further charged with possessing videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-117

    Maria Gabriela Labrada Rico. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rico, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2018. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-118

    Robert Nicholas Long. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor;Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Long, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to coerce and entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity and knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos that depict the sexual abuse of children. He is further charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. As a registered sex offender, Long committed a felony involving a minor child. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-132

    Pablo Lopez-Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lopez-Ramirez, 44, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2013. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-119

    Joshua Clay Murphy. Threatening to Assault and Murder a Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer with Intent to Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Immediate Family Members of a Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer with Intent to Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Immediate Family Members of Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate. Murphy, 47, of Milfay, is charged with retaliating against a former federal law enforcement officer by threatening to assault and murder the former officer and their family. Further, Murphy knowingly threatened to assault and murder federal law enforcement officers and their families with intent to impede or interfere with the officers’ duties. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-131

    Oscar Najera-De La Cruz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Najera-De La Cruz, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2014. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-120

    Jose Ramon Portillo-Chavez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Portillo-Chavez, 47, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2010. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-121

    Nick Lee Ramirez; Destiny Rayleen Steward. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Ramirez, 39, and Steward, 25, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. They knowingly possessed methamphetamine and more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute and maintained a residence for the purpose of drug distribution. Additionally, they both possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Steward possessed a firearm, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-122

    Raciel Ramirez-Vasquez Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramirez-Vasquez, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-124

    Dominic Rocky Torres. Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery; Hobbs Act Robbery; Aiding and Abetting Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Torres, 22, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with conspiring with others and aiding and abetting others to obstruct commerce by robbery. Further, he knowingly aided and abetted in brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-112

    Jose Pedro Zelaya-Figueroa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Zelaya-Figueroa, 53, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2011. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-123

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Possessing U.S. Postal Service Key to Steal U.S. Mail from Postal Mailboxes and Possession of Stolen Mail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that WAYNE C. WALKER, age 28, of New Orleans, pled guilty on April 8, 2025 to Unlawful Possession and Use of a United States Postal Service “arrow” key used by Postal Service employees to access authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1704 and, Unlawful Possession of approximately 80 pieces of stolen United States Mail previously deposited into authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708. 

    According to court documents, on January 26, 2022, WALKER was arrested in possession of the United States Postal Service “arrow” key and the stolen mail.  WALKER faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment for unlawful possession of the United States Postal Service mail key and up to five (5) years imprisonment for possession of stolen mail, both counts to be followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for July 10, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: San Angelo man posing as 11-year-old in child pornography production case sentenced to 50 years in federal prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A San Angelo man who impersonated an 11-year-old child and persuaded a 9-year-old female child to produce child sexual abuse material was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    James Wilson, 57, was indicted in September and pleaded guilty in December 2024 to Production of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography.  He was sentenced Tuesday to 600 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Wilson to pay $106,500 in restitution.

    According to court documents, Wilson employed a 9-year-old victim to produce at least two videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Wilson admitted to using a social media application to transport multiple videos of child pornography over the Internet.  He also admitted to possessing and transporting a video that depicted a 10-year-old female child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

    Wilson admitted to law enforcement that he had viewed and downloaded child pornography for several years.

    The vast collection of child pornography possessed by Wilson included videos from multiple identified child pornography series.  Minor victims from 13 of the series requested restitution due to trauma from their sexual abuse.  The Court awarded $106,500 in restitution to those victims.  

    FBI’s Dallas Field Division – San Angelo Resident Agency and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma City Trio Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Child Sex Trafficking and Witness Tampering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – ANTWON MONTRELL JACKSON, 43, and SARAH LARAYNA HOLLAND, 39, both of Oklahoma City, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit child sex trafficking, and SHANIKKA NICOLE JACKSON, 46, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has pleaded guilty to witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On February 20, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Antwon Jackson and Holland by Second Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking and child sex trafficking. According to the public record, in July 2024, Antwon Jackson was Holland’s pimp, and the two worked together to set up commercial sex acts for both Holland and a minor female, using online advertisements to attract customers. Between July 20, 2024, and July 25, 2024, Holland and the minor engaged in commercial sex dates in multiple cities in the Western District of Oklahoma. Customers would pay for the sex act utilizing CashApp, and the majority of the money went to Antwon Jackson.

    On April 4, 2025, Shanikka Jackson, Antwon Jackson’s sister, was charged by Superseding Information with witness tampering. According to public record, between September 17, 2024, and December 5, 2024, Shanikka Jackson attempted to influence the minor to prevent her from testifying in the pending federal trial of Antwon Jackson.

    Last week, Antwon Jackson and Holland pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Second Superseding Indictment, and admitted they conspired to sex traffic a minor, set up commercial sex dates for the minor, benefited financially from those dates, and that they knew when they trafficked the minor, she was under 18 years old. Holland admitted she posted the online ads and transported the minor to commercial sex dates. Antwon Jackson admitted he directed Holland to post the ads and communicated with potential customers who had responded to the ads for the minor in an effort to set up dates. 

    Today, Shanikka Jackson pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted she attempted to pass a message from Antwon Jackson to the victim, to try and influence the victim not to testify against her brother.

    At sentencing, both Antwon Jackson and Holland face up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 each. Shanikka Jackson faces up to three years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

    This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Warr Acres Police Department, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Elizabeth Joynes are prosecuting the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Expatriate Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill U.S. Senator and Staff

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – An American citizen living in Thailand pleaded guilty Wednesday to threatening to kill United States Senator Thom Tillis and his staff.  Eric Charles Welton, 53, pled guilty to one count of threatening a federal official on account of his duties.

    According to court documents and information presented in court, Welton made multiple harassing and intimidating calls to the offices of Republican elected officials and GOP organizations in the United States. Welton claimed he made the threatening calls because he was angry about the large number of unsolicited political emails he received.  In September of 2021, Welton spoke with a staff member at the Senator’s Raleigh office and threatened to show up and “put a bullet through each of [their] heads.” Welton also threatened to come to North Carolina and “mow…down” the “whole [expletive] state,” and find the person who emailed him and cut off his hands.

    “Threatening to kill a public official and his staff is not only despicable, but also an affront to our democratic system of government,” Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today.  “Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute threats or intimidation against public officials, so they can properly carry out their important duties.”

    “It is unacceptable to make violent threats against anyone. But when threats are directed at elected officials, it can impact their ability to effectively serve their constituents and their country. The FBI will not tolerate this type of intimidation for any reason especially when it comes to those who help run our democracy,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI in North Carolina.

    Welton pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison when sentenced in July.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-192-M-RN.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: State Senate Campaign Treasurer Admits Lying to Federal Grand Jury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESSICA MARTINEZ, 43, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to making a false declaration before a federal grand jury.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Martinez was the Treasurer for the campaign of Dennis A. Bradley, who was running for a Connecticut State Senate seat in 2018.  The Citizens’ Election Program (“CEP”) is a voluntary public election-financing program under which candidates for Connecticut state offices can apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (“SEEC”) for grants to fund their primary and general election campaigns.  On March 15, 2018, the Bradley campaign held an event at Dolphin’s Cove restaurant in Bridgeport.  Although CEP rules imposed a $2,000 limit on a State Senate candidate’s expenditure of personal funds, Bradley used personal funds to pay Dolphin’s Cove $5,597.31 for the campaign event, used personal funds for additional campaign expenditures related to the event, and received campaign contributions from several contributors at the event.  In subsequent filings with SEEC, the campaign omitted the Dolphin’s Cove event and that Bradley had incurred more than $6,000 in expenses related to it, and misrepresented the dates of contributions the campaign had received on March 15, 2018.  In July 2018, SEEC issued the campaign $84,140 in public funds.

    On September 23, 2020, Martinez appeared as a witness under oath before a federal grand jury in New Haven.  When asked about the Dolphin’s Cove event, Martinez falsely stated, “Dolphin’s Cove had zero to do with me and the campaign.  Dolphin’s Cove was a BDK event, (Bradley’s) law firm’s event, thanking the community, in which I knew State Senator Bradley was going to announce his run for state senate.” Martinez further stated, “There was no fundraising there.  There was no fundraising there.  But at any rate, I was not the treasurer yet.  The campaign did not begin. That was a BDK event.”

    The charge of making a false statement before the grand jury carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

    Martinez was arrested on May 25, 2021.  She is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

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

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coconut Grove Fine Art Dealer Indicted in Federal Case, Charged with Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money Laundering Related to Forged Andy Warhol Works

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Leslie Roberts, 62, of Miami, was charged in a federal court for participating in a conspiracy to sell forged art using fake and fraudulent invoices and authentications. Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, 37, of Sunny Isles, was also charged for his participation in the wire fraud conspiracy.

    According to allegations in the indictment, Roberts sold art from Miami Fine Art Gallery located in Coconut Grove. Roberts fraudulently represented the art as original pieces created by renowned artist Andy Warhol.  Further, Roberts falsely claimed to victims that he acquired the artwork directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and provided fake and fraudulent invoices to the victim.  Rodriguez Melendez falsely represented that he was an employee of a New York-based auction company in order to fraudulently authenticate the artwork in to conceal that the artwork was fake.

    The Indictment also alleges that Roberts engaged in money laundering, transferring wire fraud proceeds from his Miami Fine Art Gallery bank account to a personal bank account. According to the Indictment, Roberts made transactions in the amounts of $150,000, $40,000 and $50,000.

    On April 9, 2025, Roberts and Melendez were arrested by law enforcement and made an initial appearance in federal court (Case No. 25-cr-20142).  Roberts and Melendez were subsequently released on bond. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 21.

    If convicted of the wire fraud conspiracy, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.  If convicted of money laundering, Roberts faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    FBI Art Crime Team and FBI West Palm Beach investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman and Joshua Paster are prosecuting it.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. 

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20142.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Naugatuck Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for $865,000 Embezzlement Scheme

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

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JENNIFER CORMIER, 45, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 25 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for embezzling approximately $865,000 from her employer.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Cormier was employed at a family-owned business (“Company A”) offering plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services in Naugatuck, where she performed bookkeeping and other office-related tasks.  Between approximately 2017 and July 2023, Cormier stole from her employer by fraudulently creating approximately 1,000 checks made payable to her and to “cash.”  She forged the signature of Company A’s owner or used the owner’s signature stamp on the checks, and then cashed them or deposited them into her personal bank account.  After the checks were issued, she deleted the transaction in Company A’s accounting system.  Through this scheme, Cormier embezzled $865,106.17.

    Judge Oliver ordered Cormier to make full restitution.

    On September 27, 2024, Cormier pleaded guilty to bank fraud.

    Cormier, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 9.

    This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naugatuck Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty To Fraudulently Spending More Than $300,000 In Covid Relief Funds

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

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Denys Perez (31, Tampa) has pleaded guilting to wire fraud related to COVID relief funds. Perez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he faces a forfeiture order of $502,900, as well as a forfeiture order for the property he purchased with proceeds of his offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, between September 2021 and January 2022, Perez applied for COVID relief funds through the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Based on the information submitted by Perez, he was awarded $502,900 in EIDL funds. As part of the application process, Perez certified he would use all the EIDL proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate the economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Contrary to this certification, Perez fraudulently spent more than $300,000 of his EIDL on personal expenses, including the purchase of a house.  

    In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 

    This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer.

    To report a COVID-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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