Source: Europol
At the end of 2022, the French Gendarmerie in Strasbourg initiated an investigation against a criminal network involved in the smuggling of migrants from Serbia into the EU. The criminal network was mainly active across the Serbian-Hungarian and Greek-Turkish borders. However, smuggling operations linked to this network were also detected at intra-Schengen borders, notably at the Austrian-Hungarian and the Austrian-Croatian…
Source: Eurojust
By sending fake emails from legitimate enterprises, the scammers managed to defraud both individual customers and entire companies. This was mainly done by sending them genuine-looking emails with falsified invoiced that led the victims to pay into the perpetrators’ accounts. Currently there are 113 victims identified from several European countries, in particular from the United Kingdom.
To launder the profits of this fraudulent scheme, the Romanian-based criminal group recruited hundreds of money mules. The recruits were sent to the United Kingdom to open bank accounts and further launder money by transferring the proceeds of the online fraud to the newly opened accounts. Some of the proceeds were also laundered remotely from Romania through the use of UK SIM cards, VPN connections and forged UK residence documents.
From the UK accounts, the illegal proceeds were transferred to accounts in other countries or used for fake payments to UK companies. The money was also used to buy jewellery and other luxury items.
Romanian authorities began investigating the criminal group in 2020, after noticing the online fraud, which dated back to 2018. Given the criminals’ connection to the United Kingdom, collaboration with the UK authorities was necessary.
Through Eurojust, a cross-border investigation was initiated and a joint investigation team was set up. By organising coordination meetings with the authorities and providing financial support, Eurojust ensured that the cross-border investigation progressed smoothly. Europol provided extensive analytical, organisational and financial support in hosting several operational meetings at Europol’s headquarters. Experts from the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre (EFECC) also facilitated the exchange of information and participated in the JIT at Eurojust.
The Romanian, British and French authorities, together with Eurojust and Europol, started planning the action day to take down the criminal group. The action day took place on 9 April. Authorities took preventative measures against 13 suspects, searched 31 places and took freezing measures on several properties in Romania. In the United Kingdom, seven suspects were arrested and five houses were searched. The investigation into the criminal group continues. On the action day, a Europol analyst was deployed on the spot in Romania to provide forensic and analytical support.
The actions were carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:
Source: NATO
Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska welcomed the EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas to the NATO Headquarters on Thursday (10 April 2025) for a meeting with Allies in the North Atlantic Council.
They discussed practical ways to step up NATO-EU cooperation, focusing on military mobility. The Deputy Secretary General highlighted the important role that the EU can play in making sure that NATO Allies can deploy and sustain their forces rapidly to and throughout the whole of Europe.
Ms Shekerinska thanked Commissioner Tzitzikostas for an insightful presentation to the North Atlantic Council. She stressed that exchanges with the EU are essential to foster transparency on issues of common interest between both organisations and to explore what more NATO and the EU can do together.
The meeting was part of NATO’s close cooperation with EU counterparts. At the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on 3-4 April NATO Allies met with EU High Represenative Kaja Kallas and on 26 March NATO Allies received a briefing by Andrius Kubilius, the EU Commissioner for Defence and Space.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) experts have confirmed that the tritium concentration in the 12th batch of diluted ALPS treated water, which the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began discharging on 10 April, is far below Japan’s operational limit.
IAEA experts stationed at the Agency’s office at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) conduct independent on-site analysis of samples of the treated water prior to the release of each new batch. The IAEA confirmed today that the tritium concentration in the diluted water for the 12th batch is far below the operational limit of 1500 becquerels per litre and is in line with international safety standards.
In line with Japan’s plans, the ALPS-treated water is being released from FDNPS in a series of batches over the next decades, following the start of the discharge in August 2023. The IAEA confirmed that the tritium concentrations in the previous eleven batches, totalling approximately 86.000 cubic meters of water, were also far below operational limits.
In a comprehensive report issued on 4 July 2023 before the discharge began, the IAEA’s safety review found that Japan’s plan for handling the treated water was consistent with international safety standards and that the release as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.
Reports on sampling, independent analysis, data evaluation, as well as timeline, are available on the IAEA website.
Source: Europol
The Working Arrangement provides for a structured and enhanced exchange of information (non-personal data) on transnational, serious and organised crime. Following the signing of the Working Arrangement, Egypt’s Ministry of Interior will be able to deploy a liaison officer to join Europol’s liaison officer community at its headquarters in The Hague. The Working Arrangement does not provide a legal basis…
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
JINHAE NAVAL BASE, Republic of Korea (April 8, 2025) Chief Navy Diver Mark Barnes, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1, goes over a dive plan with Republic of Korea navy divers during a joint dive and salvage exercise at Jinhae Naval Base, Republic of Korea, April 8, 2025. Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 sustains the U.S. Navy’s maritime forces and is responsible for all diving and salvage operations in the Western Pacific in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2025 03:37 |
| Photo ID: | 8964407 |
| VIRIN: | 250408-N-YV347-1391 |
| Resolution: | 4898×7347 |
| Size: | 13.45 MB |
| Location: | JINHAE, KR |
| Web Views: | 3 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
JINHAE NAVAL BASE, Republic of Korea (April 8, 2025) Navy Diver 1st Class Kevin Diaz, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1, receives a gear check before diving with Republic of Korea navy divers during a joint dive and salvage exercise at Jinhae Naval Base, Republic of Korea, April 8, 2025. Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 sustains the U.S. Navy’s maritime forces and is responsible for all diving and salvage operations in the Western Pacific in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2025 03:37 |
| Photo ID: | 8964413 |
| VIRIN: | 250408-N-YV347-1638 |
| Resolution: | 8256×5504 |
| Size: | 19.22 MB |
| Location: | JINHAE, KR |
| Web Views: | 2 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Source: NATO
NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, made his first trip to the Indo-Pacific in this capacity this week (8-9 April 2025) where he was hosted by the Prime Minister of Japan, Shigeru Ishiba, in Tokyo, on Wednesday. They took stock of the long-standing partnership between NATO and Japan, agreeing a joint statement that aims to boost this relationship even further.
“Japan is one of NATO’s most valued partners, and today we set out our vision on how to further strengthen our cooperation,” the Secretary General said. “Russia continues to wage war against Ukraine, and its economy is on war footing. And it has not given up its ambitions to reshape European security. Meanwhile, China is pursuing a major military build-up, and seeks to control key technologies, critical infrastructure, and supply chains. It continues to carry out destabilising activities in the Indo-Pacific, and we also see North Korean troops and weapons being used against Ukraine – in return for Russia’s support to North Korea’s illegal weapons programmes.” He highlighted that “in a more dangerous world, NATO and Japan stand strong, to protect our values, our freedom and the peace.”
Secretary General Rutte hailed Japan’s plan to invest 2% of its GDP in defence by 2027 and the country’s continued investments, which he believes will “make Japan’s already capable forces even stronger.” Furthermore, he underscored the value of Japan’s multifaceted support to Ukraine, including through the imposition of sanctions against Russia, the signature of a security agreement between Japan and Ukraine, and substantial contributions to NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package Trust Fund for Ukraine. The NATO Secretary General also highlighted the importance to bolster NATO’s collaboration with Japan on key areas including defence industrial production, cyber defence and maritime security.
During his two-day visit to Japan, the Secretary General also met with the Minister of Defence of Japan, Gen Nakatani, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Investment, Yogi Muto, and with Members of the Japanese Diet Council for Comprehensive Security.
Mr Rutte visited Yokosuka Naval Base on Tuesday, where he was briefed by Japan’s Maritime Self Defense Forces aboard a Mogami-class frigate. He also visited Mitsubishi Electric’s Kamakura Works and took part in a roundtable discussion with Japanese dual use start-ups.
Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
SINGAPORE (April, 01 2025) Sailors from the Singapore Chief Petty Officer Mess pose for a group photo during a celebration commemorating the 132nd Navy Chief Birthday at Sembawang Naval Installation (SNI), Apr. 01, 2025. COMLOGWESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings/Released)
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2025 23:13 |
| Photo ID: | 8950873 |
| VIRIN: | 250401-N-YV347-1034 |
| Resolution: | 7532×5380 |
| Size: | 7.68 MB |
| Location: | SG |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)
Issued by: on
JINHAE NAVAL BASE, Republic of Korea (April 7, 2025) Rear Adm. Todd F. Cimicata, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73), conducts staff talks with the leadership of the Republic of Korea Navy’s Sea Salvage and Rescue Unit during a joint dive and salvage exercise at Jinhae Naval Base, Republic of Korea, April 7, 2025. COMLOG WESTPAC/CTF-73 sustains the U.S. Navy’s maritime forces and is responsible for all diving and salvage operations in the Western Pacific in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings)
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2025 02:52 |
| Photo ID: | 8964378 |
| VIRIN: | 250407-N-YV347-1048 |
| Resolution: | 8012×5341 |
| Size: | 20.35 MB |
| Location: | JINHAE, KR |
| Web Views: | 0 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Rear Adm. Todd Cimicata Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 visits the Republic of Korea Navy’s Sea Salvage and Rescue Unit during SALVEX Korea 2025 [Image 7 of 7], by PO2 Jordan Jennings, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
OSAN AIR BASE, GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], South Korea — U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 51st Fighter Wing, Osan AB, ROK, and the 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan, along with Republic of Korea Air Force personnel, will conduct Combined Search and Rescue Training Event 25-2, at Osan AB, April 7-18.
Source: United States Navy Pacific Fleet 1
NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Landing and Recovery team and the Department of Defense successfully completed the third recovery test for the crewed Artemis II mission aboard amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) off the coast of San Diego, March 31.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Christopher Gil, age 48, of Schenectady, pled guilty today to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute a controlled substance.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
Gil admitted to distributing hundreds of pills containing methamphetamine on three occasions in 2024 and coordinating with his methamphetamine supplier to distribute additional methamphetamine pills.
At sentencing scheduled for August 7, 2025, Gil faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a maximum fine of $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
HSI and DEA investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
EUGENE, Ore.—A known, high-volume Central Oregon drug trafficker was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison today following a multi-agency investigation led by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.
Ricky Fontaine, 32, of Bend, Oregon, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This case is the result of excellent collaboration among the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon,” said William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We thank the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office for partnering with us to prosecute this case in federal court.”
According to court documents, on April 1, 2023, after obtaining information that Fontaine was actively selling drugs—including fentanyl—in Deschutes County, detectives from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Fontaine. Fontaine, who at the time of the stop had an unrelated active felony arrest warrant, attempted to walk away from the traffic stop on foot, but was quickly apprehended by the detectives.
The detectives searched Fontaine’s vehicle and found more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl, a .22 caliber handgun, scales and drug packaging materials. The detectives also found several photographs of Fontaine posing with large quantities of packaged fentanyl pills. A few hours later, the detectives executed a second search warrant on Fontaine’s residence and found additional fentanyl pills, scales and packaging materials.
On January 18, 2024, Fontaine was charged by superseding indictment with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On December 4, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Street Crimes Unit with assistance from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) and Redmond Police Department. It was prosecuted by Andrew R. Doyle, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 3-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Live phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant convicted after trial on drug and firearms offenses and thereafter pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Ryan E. Dales, 36, of Baltimore, to 26 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Dales, a previously convicted felon, was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
“Mr. Dales’s criminal activity was callous, dangerous, and with complete disregard for his victims,” Hayes said. “Thanks to our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners, we’re showing Mr. Dales and others that engaging in criminal activity comes with a price. We’re serious about holding those accountable who commit illegal acts and terrorize our community with fentanyl, firearms, and fraud. Fortunately, Mr. Dales will have plenty of time to think about his actions while in prison.”
“This sentence of 26 years reflects the seriousness of Dales’ actions which include drug and weapon offenses as well as identity theft and fraud schemes. As a repeat offender, Dales knew the consequences of his wrongdoing yet chose to continue dealing drugs and committing crimes,” DelBagno said. “The FBI has no tolerance for repeat offenders who threaten the safety and security of our communities.”
“Ryan Dales engaged in a multi-faceted pandemic-relief fraud scheme by filing fraudulent UI claims in the names of identity theft victims. Dales stole benefits intended for unemployed American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Springer said. “The significant prison sentence imposed today is the direct result of outstanding collaboration with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the FBI in ensuring the integrity of these critical benefit programs. This is particularly true when it involves firearms and drug trafficking as well as other violent crimes in our communities.”
On December 9, 2024, a federal jury found Dales guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Additionally, Dales faced a second trial on wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, but on January 10, 2025, Dales pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 20, 2023, authorities arrested Dales pursuant to a federal arrest warrant, and law enforcement executed a federal search warrant the same day at Dales’s residence. Dales resided in a luxury apartment building in Locust Point. During the search, law enforcement located and seized, among other things, various items used in connection Dales’s illegal business selling drugs, including two loaded firearms, specifically, a stolen Smith & Wesson firearm, and one which was a privately made “ghost gun” Polymer80 9mm firearm with no serial number, and a box containing 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition, including hollow point ammunition. In addition, law enforcement seized numerous packages of controlled dangerous substances, including hundreds of grams of fentanyl packaged for street level distribution, multiple digital scales, sifters, a heat sealer, a bag containing 10,000 empty capsules meant to package drugs, other drug packing materials, various cutting agents, a respirator, and six cell phones.
Later, Dales voluntarily waived his Miranda rights and admitted to living in his apartment alone and that the firearms seized in his apartment were his. He also told law enforcement that he was a “very resourceful person,” referring to his livelihood as a drug dealer. Dales’ DNA was later determined to be present on both firearms and their magazines.
Law enforcement’s later review of Dales’s cell phones revealed the existence of numerous Telegram chats where he negotiated purchasing drugs and cutting agents from multiple people, including mass producers of fentanyl in China. Investigators further found evidence that about a month before the execution of the search warrant, Dales traveled to Boston with a firearm (identical in appearance to the ghost gun found in his apartment) and a bag full of cash to purchase drugs. Dales’s device search history included searches for where fentanyl is produced in China, how to dye powders, and how many bullets a Smith and Wesson M&P 9c firearm — the same type seized from his apartment — can hold.
After his conviction at trial on the drug and firearms offenses, Dales pled guilty to a fraud scheme in which he used victims’ identities to obtain various high-end lawnmowers on credit and received fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. From December 2020 through September 2022 — while serving a federal sentence for bank-fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft — and living in a halfway house while on federal supervised release in the District of Maryland, Dales engaged in various fraudulent schemes. Dales attempted to defraud the State of Maryland, Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), the Small Business Administration, and various businesses and financial institutions to obtain more than $25,000 in unlawful COVID-19 benefits funds though the submission of fraudulent claims for UI benefits; more than $95,000 worth of high-end riding lawn mowers on credit using the stolen personal identifiable information (PII) of seven victims information —such as names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and addresses of real persons — and attempting to fraudulently obtain an $8,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
During the execution of the residential search warrant, law enforcement seized various items used in connection with Dales’s fraud and identity theft schemes, including multiple computers, an embosser and ID card printer, laminate sheets with security holograms, gift cards in various denominations, a card printer and card reader, bulk packages of shrink-wrapped white PVC cards; and multiple fraudulent and fabricated South Carolina driver’s licenses made by Dales containing PII of various victims, but which displayed Dales’s photograph.
Dales used the fabricated driver’s licenses in connection with the fraudulent purchases of riding mowers and other impermissible uses. He also obtained the identity theft victims’ PII on the dark web. The total amount obtained by Dales from the UI fraud scheme, as well as the fraudulent purchase of the lawnmowers on credit was $121,242.51.
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.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DOL-OIG for their work in connection with the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Reema Sood, who prosecuted the federal case. She also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley woman pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for stalking a victim then impersonating him and his wife to further stalk government employees at a United States consulate in Vietnam, which she threatened to bomb.
Natalie Nguyen, 39, of Pasadena, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking and one count of threat by interstate commerce to kill another person and to damage and destroy buildings by fire and explosives.
Nguyen has been in federal custody since February 2024.
According to her plea agreement, Nguyen stalked a victim – identified in court documents as “T.H.” – from April 2023 to February 2024, sending emails threatening to kill him and his wife. One of the emails contained screenshots of a text conversation about paying a hitman $15,000 to kill the victim’s wife.
Nguyen also began stalking five employees at the U.S. consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At times, she impersonated T.H.’s wife, including in an August 2023 email in which she threatened to “bomb the [expletive] consular in Ho Chi Minh City.”
In October 2023, Nguyen – impersonating T.H. and using T.H.’s email account without permission – sent an email to three government employees at the U.S. consulate stating, “i wil [sic] kill every [expletive] one of you who has been delaying issuing my wife visa.”
In January 2024, Nguyen – impersonating T.H.’s wife – sent a message to U.S. officials through an online portal stating, “Device will be detonated at America consular in Saigon and in San Francisco. All of you will be exploded for causing my separation with my husband for this last year. Everything will be exploded around new year or after.”
The following month, Nguyen impersonated T.H. and sent an inquiry to a U.S. Embassy online portal threatening to explode grenades around the time of the lunar new year at the consulate. Several minutes later, Nguyen, impersonating T.H., sent an email to the Vietnamese consulate stating, “i have a grenade set to be exploded this lunar new year at the consulate. my wife is ready.”
United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett scheduled a June 18 sentencing hearing, at which time Nguyen will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the stalking count and up to 10 years in federal prison for the threats count.
The FBI investigated this matter with assistance from the Diplomatic Security Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Diane Roldán of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted two Henderson, Nev., men today of damaging ancient rock formations at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Nevada.
According to evidence presented and statements made at trial, on April 7, 2024, Wyatt Clifford Fain and Payden David Guy Cosper pushed ancient rock formations over a cliff onto the ground below while on or near the Redstone Dunes Trail at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Following a two-day jury trial, Fain and Cosper were each found guilty of one count of injury and depredation of government property.
United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025. Fain and Cosper each face a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a $100,000 fine, or both. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Lake Mead National Recreation Area Superintendent Mike Gauthier made the announcement.
The National Park Service investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Skyler Pearson is prosecuting the case.
If you see something suspicious or if you have information that could help an investigation, call the National Park Service Tip Line at 1-888-653-0009 or submit a tip online to nps_isb@nps.gov.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
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RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Theft of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2025. Zachary Coats, age 28, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison on each count to be served concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $10,277.67 in restitution. Coats was indicted on three counts of Theft of a Firearm and one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm in February 2024. He pleaded guilty to two counts of Theft of a Firearm on January 29, 2025. In August 2023, at Rapid City, Zachary Coats broke into several local federally licensed firearms dealerships and stole multiple firearms, including a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun, a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun, a USA Military Surplus .30 caliber rifle, and a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun. When law enforcement identified Zachary Coats as the suspect in the thefts, Coats directed his spouse, Danielle Coats, to remove the firearms from their residence to another family member’s home to prevent law enforcement from finding them in their home. Subsequently, Danielle Coats directed others to again move or dispose of the firearms to prevent law enforcement from recovering them. Danielle Coats pleaded guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm and was sentenced in July 2024 to two years and six months in federal prison. 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Zachary Coats was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Theft of a Firearm. The sentencing took place on April 7, 2025. Zachary Coats, age 28, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison on each count to be served concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $10,277.67 in restitution. Coats was indicted on three counts of Theft of a Firearm and one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm in February 2024. He pleaded guilty to two counts of Theft of a Firearm on January 29, 2025. In August 2023, at Rapid City, Zachary Coats broke into several local federally licensed firearms dealerships and stole multiple firearms, including a Beretta 12-gauge shotgun, a Benelli 12-gauge shotgun, a USA Military Surplus .30 caliber rifle, and a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun. When law enforcement identified Zachary Coats as the suspect in the thefts, Coats directed his spouse, Danielle Coats, to remove the firearms from their residence to another family member’s home to prevent law enforcement from finding them in their home. Subsequently, Danielle Coats directed others to again move or dispose of the firearms to prevent law enforcement from recovering them. Danielle Coats pleaded guilty to Possession of a Stolen Firearm and was sentenced in July 2024 to two years and six months in federal prison. 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. [use if applicable] Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. Zachary Coats was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, also known as “Umm Nutella,” Initially Cooperated with Law Enforcement, but then Secretly Contacted ISIS Supporters, Deleted Evidence, Lied to Investigators, and Tried to Flee the Country Rather than Face Prison
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced to a total term of 230 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto for three separately charged crimes: conspiring to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization; obstructing justice while released on bail pending sentencing; and failing to appear before the court as required when she attempted to flee the United States. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the material support charge in February 2017, to the obstruction charge in March 2019, and to the failure to appear charge in October 2022.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“With today’s sentence, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, an unrepentant ISIS recruiter, will be incarcerated for a significant period of time to protect Americans here and abroad from her violent extremism,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “Even after pleading guilty to providing material support to ISIS, the defendant continued to support terrorists, obstructed justice and fled from prosecution. This Office, together with the FBI, the NYPD, and all the members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, work tirelessly to pursue and hold accountable all those who support terrorism.”
“Today’s re-sentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” stated Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Terrorist organizations like ISIS rely on recruiters like Ceasar to attract, indoctrinate, and enlist new followers. The Department is committed to holding accountable those who seek to follow a similar path. Today was made possible by our prosecutors, staff, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We are grateful for their tireless pursuit of justice in this case.”
“Sinmyah Amera Ceasar flagrantly ignored conditions of her prior arrest by rekindling former relationships with ISIS members and implementing a plan to personally abscond the country to join their cause,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “Her actions demonstrate little remorse for radicalizing other United States citizens and promoting ISIS’s heinous ideologies. May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI JTTF’s relentless pursuit of any individual conspiring to participate in terrorist organizations.”
“This sentence is a fitting and meaningful outcome for a woman who assisted ISIS in recruiting, squandered the chance for redemption by exposing herself as cooperating with the U.S. government, and persisted in promoting extremist ideologies to potential new recruits online,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “I commend our diligent NYPD investigators and all members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force for their unwavering commitment to public safety. The level of teamwork they demonstrate each day is crucial in ensuring the security of New York City and our nation.”
Between January 2016 and November 2016, Ceasar used numerous social media accounts to praise, promote, and support ISIS and violent jihad and to disseminate ISIS propaganda. Ceasar posted under a variety of names, including her nom de guerre, or war name, “Umm Nutella,” which translates to “Mother of Nutella.” Ceasar developed contacts with ISIS members overseas, recruited individuals in the United States to travel overseas to join and fight for ISIS, and used her contacts with ISIS facilitators to attempt to help at least five people from the United States join ISIS abroad. Ceasar also expressed her own desire to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to join the group and die as a martyr.
In November 2016, Ceasar was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as she prepared to board an international flight, which was to be the first leg of her journey to join ISIS. Ceasar pleaded guilty in February 2017 to conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS, and agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigations of ISIS members and supporters.
In April 2018, Ceasar was released on bail, subject to court-ordered conditions of release. However, she violated those conditions, and her cooperation agreement with the government, by reconnecting with individuals she had identified to the government as supporters of ISIS. Ceasar attempted to conceal these communications from the government and from the court, attempted to delete more than 1,000 of her electronic communications, and lied to the government about her conduct. The court revoked Ceasar’s bail in July 2018. Ceasar pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in March 2019.
In June 2019, the late United States District Judge Jack B. Weinstein sentenced Ceasar to 48 months’ imprisonment for the material support and obstruction offenses, and the government appealed. In August 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the sentence imposed by Judge Weinstein, calling it “shockingly low, and unsupportable as a matter of law,” and sent the case back to the district court for resentencing.
While the appeal was pending, however, Ceasar completed serving the 48-month sentence in July 2020, and began serving an eight-year term of supervised release. Almost immediately after her release, Ceasar began to repeatedly violate the conditions of her supervision by downloading and using phone apps that she failed to report to the Probation Department, recontacting and communicating with ISIS supporters, soliciting funds from ISIS supporters, communicating with convicted felons, using extremist language, and deleting the evidence of her violations of these conditions of supervision.
In August 2021, after the Second Circuit issued its decision remanding her case for resentencing, Ceasar fled. On the day she was scheduled to appear before the Court, Ceasar removed her ankle bracelet location monitoring device, and fled New York City on a cross-country bus trip to New Mexico, setting off a nationwide fugitive investigation that led to her arrest in New Mexico two days later. The evidence established that Ceasar intended to escape the United States and travel to Russia, and that while fleeing, she used an Internet-based messaging application to contact an individual in Afghanistan to seek assistance to travel there. She sought assistance from the individual in Afghanistan in the hours after ISIS Khorasan carried out a bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that killed hundreds, including 13 members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In connection with her flight from prosecution, Ceasar ultimately pleaded guilty to her third separate felony offense, a charge of failing to appear before the Court as required, in October 2022.
After being returned to custody at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to await sentencing, Ceasar routinely violated Bureau of Prisons institutional rules, circumvented telephone and email monitoring and use restrictions, and continued to communicate and associate with other ISIS supporters.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Special Assistant United States Attorney Ian C. Richardson and Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Reich are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
SINMYAH AMERA CEASAR (also known as “Rita Daoudii,” “Qeuz,” “Umm Nutella,” “Amera Dawah Shakir,” “Bint Dawah Muslimah,” and “Qulli Allahu Akbar”)
Age: 30
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 17-CR-48 (KAM), 19-CR-117 (KAM), and 22-CR-459 (KAM)
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Baltimore, Maryland – Mehul Ramesh Khatiwala, aka “Mike Khatiwala,” 43, of Voorhees, New Jersey, Rajendra G. Parikh, 64, of Monroe, New Jersey, and Jennifer H. Watkins, 48, of Marlton, New Jersey, pled guilty in federal court for their roles in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy. According to their plea agreements, Khatiwala, Parikh, Watkins, and their co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than $35 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) loans from financial institutions that they used to purchase hotels.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region.
Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins each pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
According to the factual stipulations in the guilty pleas, Khatiwala was the owner and managing member of Delaware Hotel Group LLC (DHG), and an operator of GMK Consulting LLC (GMK) and KPG Hotel Mgmt. LLC (KPG). These LLCs were hotel management and loan brokerage companies located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Watkins served as a project coordinator for DHG and managing member of Forza Consulting LLC (Forza), a hotel consulting and loan brokerage company located in Marlton, New Jersey. Parkih was an owner of KPG. Co-defendant Rebecca Marie Cohn a/k/a Rebecca Marie Stanton, 38, was a settlement and title processor for Residential Title & Escrow Company, a real estate title company located in Owings Mills, Maryland, that offered escrow and loan-settlement services.
The guilty pleas outline how from August 2018 through February 2020, Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins conspired to obtain loan proceeds to buy and sell hotels in connection with a hotel flipping scheme. “Flipping” is a real estate investment strategy that involves purchasing property to hold for a short period before selling it to make a quick profit. During the SBA-loan application process, the co-conspirators made and caused others to make material misrepresentations and omissions to financial institutions regarding the sellers’ identity, familial relationships between parties, and the nature and amount of the equity injected by the borrowers. The defendants sought loans through the SBA’s Section 7(a) Program, which guaranteed and insured approximately 75-85 percent of these loans, and required that the small business owner/borrower invest a certain amount of their own money into the business to qualify for the loan.
In their guilty pleas, Khatiwala and Parikh admitted that they acted as managers or supervisors in connection with the scheme. Additionally, Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins admitted that they created shell companies using co-conspirators as straw owners of the entities. These straw owners had no actual ownership interest in the entities as Khatiwala and Parikh were the true owners. The straw owners signed purchase contracts, operating agreements, and related documents to buy hotel properties in the name of the shell companies.
Co-conspirators then created a second company to purchase the hotels from the shell companies at substantially higher prices. After the co-conspirators formed the companies to control both sides of the flip transaction, they solicited banks for small-business loans to finance the buying company’s purchase of the hotel from the straw companies. The co-conspirators helped the buying companies qualify for the loans by falsely representing investors’ equity injections to the banks, among other material false statements, misrepresentations, and omissions. The financial institutions extending the loans relied on the false statements and misrepresentations.
Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins are each facing a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FHFA-OIG and FDIC-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Evelyn L. Cusson, and Ari D. Evans, who are prosecuting the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialists Joanna B.N. Huber and Zharde Todman.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict today against Joseph Perkins, 32, of Pekin, Illinois, for attempted enticement of a minor. Sentencing for Perkins has been scheduled for August 13, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that from January 2023 to March 2024, Perkins communicated on an internet-based social media platform with an individual he believed to be a thirteen-year-old female, expressing multiple times that he wanted to engage in sex with her. In March 2024, Perkins drove to a location in Peoria to meet the girl for the purpose of having sexual relations. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him when he arrived at the location.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are a minimum of ten years to life imprisonment, followed by a minimum five-year to life term of supervised release. Perkins remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa P. Ortiz and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government at trial.
The case against Perkins was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council
NPCC response following announcement on neighbourhood policing.
Chief Constable Rachel Bacon, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for the Local Policing Coordination Committee said: “We welcome the government’s investment into neighbourhood policing. Neighbourhood policing and officers on the street are crucial so that we can connect with the communities we serve. It is a vital part of how we prevent crime and has suffered during prolonged periods of austerity.
“Visibility and engagement with local communities has always been central to the British policing model and police leaders are in agreement that it must always remain at the heart of what we do.
“Forces continue to develop plans to tackle crime in their local neighbourhoods, which will vary depending on various factors such as population, urban or rural and the needs of the local community. Chiefs across England and Wales will take these factors into account, work with partner agencies to ensure communities receive the level of service they expect from policing.
“In every town, village and city across the UK, people want to feel safe where they live, work and raise their families. Safe from anti-social behaviour, safe from shoplifting, and safe from personal robbery. Neighbourhood policing is at the heart of that helping tackle that.
“We welcome the continued investment in hotspot policing and visible targeted patrols, which are the bedrock of community policing, and effective deterrents in detecting and preventing anti-social behaviour and serious violent crime, as well as improving feelings of safety.
“People have a right to live their lives free from intimidation and harassment in their own communities. We know anti-social behaviour has the power to wreck people’s lives and therefore it is important to have a multi-agency approach to tackling anti-social behaviour.
“Effective investment in neighbourhood policing and the whole system means investment in stronger communities and safer streets.”
Source: United States Attorneys General 11
A German national, who worked in an IT position for the German military’s United States outpost in northern Virginia, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Peter Markus Kuttke, 49, a German national residing in Reston, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to receiving CSAM. According to court documents, law enforcement learned that CSAM files were available for download on Bit-Torrent, a file-sharing network, from a user with an IP address associated with Kuttke’s residence. On Dec. 1, 2023, federal agents executed a search warrant at Kuttke’s home and recovered electronic devices that contained evidence of Kuttke’s offenses, including a device with numerous CSAM videos and images. Forensic analysis further confirmed that Kuttke had downloaded CSAM from BitTorrent, including videos depicting adults sexually assaulting prepubescent children.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck, of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C made the announcement.
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano for the Eastern District of Virginia 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Source: United States Attorneys General 7
Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, also known as ‘Umm Nutella,’ Initially Cooperated with Law Enforcement, but then Secretly Contacted ISIS Supporters, Deleted Evidence, Lied to Investigators, and Tried to Flee the Country Rather than Face Prison
A Brooklyn woman, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, 30, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced today to serve 230 months in prison for three separately charged crimes: conspiring to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization; obstructing justice while released on bail pending sentencing; and failing to appear for court as required when she attempted to flee the United States. Ceasar pleaded guilty to the material support charge in February 2017, to the obstruction of justice charge in March 2019, and to the failure to appear charge in October 2022.
“Today’s re-sentencing marks the end of a righteous journey that began a decade ago,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Terrorist organizations like ISIS rely on recruiters like Ceasar to attract, indoctrinate, and enlist new followers. The Department is committed to holding accountable those who seek to follow a similar path. Today was made possible by our prosecutors, staff, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We are grateful for their tireless pursuit of justice in this case.”
“With today’s sentence, Sinmyah Amera Ceasar, an unrepentant ISIS recruiter, will be incarcerated for a significant period of time to protect Americans here and abroad from her violent extremism,” said U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. “Even after pleading guilty to providing material support to ISIS, the defendant continued to support terrorists, obstructed justice and fled from prosecution. This office, together with the FBI, the NYPD, and all the members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, works tirelessly to pursue and hold accountable all those who support terrorism.”
“Ceasar pleaded guilty to helping ISIS, yet she continued on the same path by communicating with other ISIS supporters, “said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Her actions demonstrate a failure to truly accept responsibility for her actions, and she ultimately cut off her electronic monitoring device and went on the run. Ceasar’s efforts failed and with today’s sentencing she is being held accountable for her criminal actions.”
Between January 2016 and November 2016, Ceasar used numerous social media accounts to praise, promote, and support ISIS and violent jihad and to disseminate ISIS propaganda. Ceasar posted under a variety of names, including her nom de guerre, or war name, “Umm Nutella,” which translates to “Mother of Nutella.” Ceasar developed contacts with ISIS members overseas, recruited individuals in the United States to travel overseas to join and fight for ISIS, and used her contacts with ISIS facilitators to attempt to help at least five people from the United States join ISIS abroad. Ceasar also expressed her own desire to travel to ISIS-controlled territory to join the group and die as a martyr.
In November 2016, Ceasar was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport as she prepared to board an international flight, which was to be the first leg of her journey to join ISIS. Ceasar pleaded guilty in February 2017 to conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS and agreed to cooperate with the government’s investigations of ISIS members and supporters.
In April 2018, Ceasar was released on bail, subject to court-ordered conditions of release. However, she violated those conditions, and her cooperation agreement with the government, by reconnecting with individuals she had identified to the government as supporters of ISIS. Ceasar attempted to conceal these communications from the government and the court, attempted to delete more than 1,000 electronic communications, and lied to the government about her conduct. The court revoked Ceasar’s bail in July 2018. Ceasar pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding in March 2019.
In June 2019, the late U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein sentenced Ceasar to 48 months in prison for the material support and obstruction offenses, and the government appealed. In August 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the sentence imposed by Judge Weinstein, calling it “shockingly low, and unsupportable as a matter of law,” and sent the case back to the district court for resentencing.
While the appeal was pending, however, Ceasar completed serving this 48-month sentence in July 2020, and began serving an eight-year term of supervised release. Almost immediately after her release, Ceasar began to repeatedly violate the conditions of her supervision by downloading and using phone apps that she failed to report to the Probation Department, recontacting and communicating with ISIS supporters, soliciting funds from ISIS supporters, communicating with convicted felons, using extremist language, and deleting the evidence of her violations of these conditions of supervision.
In August 2021, after the Second Circuit issued its decision remanding her case for resentencing, Ceasar fled. On the day she was scheduled to appear before the Court, Ceasar removed her ankle bracelet location monitoring device, and fled New York City on a cross-country bus trip to New Mexico, setting off a nationwide fugitive investigation that led to her arrest in New Mexico two days later. The evidence established that Ceasar intended to escape the United States and travel to Russia, and that, while fleeing, she used an internet-based messaging application to contact an individual in Afghanistan to seek assistance to travel there. She sought assistance from the individual in Afghanistan in the hours after ISIS Khorasan carried out a bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul that killed hundreds, including 13 members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In connection with her flight from prosecution, Ceasar ultimately pleaded guilty to her third separate felony offense, a charge of failing to appear before the court as required, in October 2022.
After being returned to custody at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to await sentencing, Ceasar routinely violated Bureau of Prisons institutional rules, circumvented telephone and email monitoring and use restrictions, and continued to communicate and associate with other ISIS supporters.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian C. Richardson, currently of the National Security Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew D. Reich of the Eastern District of New York’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Eric Michael Robinson, 33, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit mail theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in October 2024, Robinson conspired with co-defendants Lamor Runell Bolden and Antonio Jones, Jr. to steal mail from mail receptacles in Cheektowaga, NY. In addition, the defendants also possessed a key used to open authorized mail receptacles. Robinson drove Bolden and Jones to a mail facility in Cheektowaga at approximately 1:00 a.m. on the morning of October 2, 2024. Robinson parked behind a row of blue collection mailboxes outside the postal facility. Bolden and Jones got out of the car, while Robinson remained in the driver’s seat and kept watch. Jones opened the mailboxes with the stolen key and stole mail from the mailboxes. Bolden and Jones got back into the car and Robinson drove away from the mail facility. A short time later, their car was stopped by law enforcement. At the time the car was stopped, various opened and unopened pieces of mail were found inside. Robinson admits that he and his co-conspirators used the stolen key to open mailboxes at other locations around the Western District of New York.
Charges remain pending against Lamor Runell Bolden and Antonio Jones, Jr.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ketty Larco-Ward, Boston Division, and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 7, 2025, before Judge Sinatra.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BEAUMONT, Texas – An Orange, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for violations related to a kidnapping in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Putnam Darwin Richardson, 79, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and brandishing a firearm and was sentenced to 294 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 9, 2025.
“Thanks to the quick and outstanding work of the FBI, in concert with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Orange Police Department, an innocent victim was rescued from the clutches of a gun-wielding kidnapper and returned safely home to his family, and a now-twice convicted armed kidnapper is returned home to prison,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “This case serves as a reminder that violent predators come in all shapes, sizes and age-ranges, and to always stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings.”
“Putnam Richardson clearly failed to learn from his previous imprisonment for kidnapping, and he definitely underestimated FBI Houston’s capacity to mobilize critical resources when a life is at risk,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “We are in the business of saving lives, and cases like this are why we exist. I’m especially grateful to the FBI Beaumont investigators, crisis negotiators, and special surveillance teams who swiftly deployed and worked tirelessly for days to rescue and reunite the victim with his family.”
According to information presented in court, on July 15, 2024, a kidnapping for ransom was reported to the FBI. The victim, a local attorney, was kidnapped at gunpoint that morning after arriving at his law office in Beaumont. The victim’s wife received a call from the victim’s cell phone, during which the kidnapper indicated the victim was being held hostage in exchange for $1 million ransom. The kidnapper also indicated he would kill the victim if the ransom was not met. Richardson, a former client of the victim, was identified as a suspect during the investigation. Richardson had previously been convicted of kidnapping in 1984 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. On July 17, 2024, Richardson was arrested at a gas station and the victim was rescued by law enforcement authorities.
This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Beaumont Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin.
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Source: United States Attorneys General 1
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, with the final three months to be served in community confinement, after pleading guilty to nine counts of possessing animals for use in an animal fighting venture, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
John D. Murphy, of Hanson, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $10,000 fine. He was indicted by a federal grand jury last year after being identified on recorded calls discussing dog fighting and subsequent court-authorized searches of his Facebook accounts which revealed a long involvement in dog fighting. Law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Murphy’s Hanson residence in June 2023 and seized numerous items — like various breeding and training devices and literature and medical and veterinary supplies — associated with dog fighting.
“Dog fighting is a brutal and inhumane form of entertainment and is associated with other organized criminal activity, including illegal gambling,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to holding violators accountable. We commend the collaboration between federal and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
“Dogfighting is a blood sport rooted in cruelty and greed. For years, Mr. Murphy brutalized defenseless animals for profit and sport – training them to fight, suffer and die for his own financial gain. His actions were not only illegal but deeply disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “This sentencing marks a historic moment in the first federal dogfighting conviction in Massachusetts and serves as a stark warning: those who engage in this barbaric practice will be exposed, prosecuted and punished. We will not tolerate animal cruelty in our communities.”
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Office of Inspector General.
To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the USDA’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The USDA’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; USMS; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the police departments of Hanson, Boston and Acton.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennett and Kaitlin J. Brown for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
A male who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl pills after previously being convicted of a federal firearms crime was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison.
Ian Michael Bonnette, age 45, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 30, 2024 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Evidence at the sentencing hearing demonstrated that in addition to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, defendant had many woman over to his home and provided them free methamphetamine in exchange for sex. Many of these women were homeless and with limited resources and defendant took advantage of them due to his financial position. The evidence also showed that defendant threatened a female with a knife over drugs he believes were stolen from him.
Bonnette was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bonnette was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a four-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Bonnette is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 24-CR-01012.
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Source: United States Department of Justice 2
A Massachusetts man was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, with the final three months to be served in community confinement, after pleading guilty to nine counts of possessing animals for use in an animal fighting venture, in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act.
John D. Murphy, of Hanson, was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay a $10,000 fine. He was indicted by a federal grand jury last year after being identified on recorded calls discussing dog fighting and subsequent court-authorized searches of his Facebook accounts which revealed a long involvement in dog fighting. Law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Murphy’s Hanson residence in June 2023 and seized numerous items — like various breeding and training devices and literature and medical and veterinary supplies — associated with dog fighting.
“Dog fighting is a brutal and inhumane form of entertainment and is associated with other organized criminal activity, including illegal gambling,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “We are committed to holding violators accountable. We commend the collaboration between federal and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
“Dogfighting is a blood sport rooted in cruelty and greed. For years, Mr. Murphy brutalized defenseless animals for profit and sport – training them to fight, suffer and die for his own financial gain. His actions were not only illegal but deeply disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “This sentencing marks a historic moment in the first federal dogfighting conviction in Massachusetts and serves as a stark warning: those who engage in this barbaric practice will be exposed, prosecuted and punished. We will not tolerate animal cruelty in our communities.”
“The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Office of Inspector General.
To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the USDA’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The USDA’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; USMS; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the police departments of Hanson, Boston and Acton.
Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennett and Kaitlin J. Brown for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
RCMPNS is looking for public assistance to identify and locate a man in relation to an armed robbery involving a knife that occurred earlier this afternoon at a grocery store on Commercial St. in #Middleton. During the robbery, an employee of the store was assaulted and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The man fled the store on foot.
The man is described as being in his 20s and was wearing a blue plaid jacket, light coloured sweatpants, black Addidas sneakers, and a mask at the time of the incident. The blue jacket and sneakers have been recovered.
Anyone who sees this man is asked to call 911 and to not approach him. Anyone who can identify the man or who has information about this incident is asked to contact Annapolis County District RCMP at 902-825-2000.
RCMPNS is actively searching for the man and investigating the incident. RCMP Police Dog Services and an RCMP drone operator are engaged in addition to general duty officers. Residents can expect to see a heavy police presence. There are no road closures at this time, however, the public is asked to avoid Commercial St. to allow officers to do their work.