NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Monroe County Men Charged With Drug Trafficking And Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Eli Valentine Calero, age 43, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and John Charles Ehrhard, Jr., age 56, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were indicted yesterday, April 8, 2025, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the superseding indictment alleges that between May 2024 and March 2025, Calero and Ehrhard, Jr. conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, in Monroe County, Pennsylvania.  The indictment alleges that during that time Ehrhard, Jr. distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions and possessed a firearm and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking, when he was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. The indictment further alleges that on March 12, 2025, Calero possessed over 500 grams of methamphetamine and cocaine for distribution.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

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

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is lifetime imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement By U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley Regarding Lowell Sun Editorial on Injection Sites

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    “The April 6th Editorial by the Lowell Sun suggested that the “Feds’ blind eye would give safe inject sites a try.” The Editorial began by asking if the time has arrived to challenge prevailing federal law that criminalizes so-called “safe injection sites”; it ended with the hope that the time would come when the federal government would turn a blind eye to any such sites in Massachusetts.

    I have a one-word answer to the Editorial’s opening question: No.  

    As to the hope for a blind eye, I guarantee that such a time will never come during this Administration. “Safe injections sites,” “harm reduction sites,” or however they are branded by advocates, are categorically illegal and do nothing to help people overcome their addictions. To the contrary, they facilitate destructive behavior that ruins lives, consumes families and devastates communities.

    Not too long ago, the open-air drug market operating with impunity along “Methadone Mile” in Boston was shut down because of skyrocketing increases in drug trafficking, sex trafficking and violence, which were the direct result of the ill-conceived experiment allowing drug users to flout the law. Businesses left and have not come back. Creating environments that assist people with pumping poisons into their bodies is neither compassionate nor constructive. We should continue to direct all our resources to the prevention efforts that steer people, especially our youth, away from drug use and treatment protocols that truly save peoples’ lives from their addictions.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Honduran National for Illegally Possessing Firearm and Illegal Re-Entry After Having Been Removed from the U.S. on 2 Prior Occasions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green, Kentucky, returned an indictment today charging a Honduran national with illegally re-entering the United States and possessing a firearm.   

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement, and Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, Alexis Pinto-Mejia, age 38, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possessing a firearm on February 25, 2024, in Warren County, Kentucky, knowing he was illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Pinto-Mejia was also charged with illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 4, 2006, and July 6, 2016.

    The defendant previously made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on a federal complaint and arrest warrant. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is being investigated by HSI Bowling Green, ATF Bowling Green, and ICE ERO.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Salvadoran nation sentenced to over a year in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a previous conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to a year and six months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed following an aggravated felony conviction.

    According to court documents, José Luis Romero Lopez, 47, was previously convicted of larceny, sexual battery, assault, driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving with a suspended license, and reckless driving before his 2010 conviction for brandishing a knife and stabbing a victim. In 2017, Romero Lopez was removed from the United States to El Salvador.

    Romero Lopez illegally reentered the United States before being arrested in 2023 for assault and battery. On Jan. 22, Romero Lopez pled guilty to illegal reentry after removal subsequent to a felony conviction. Romero Lopez remains subject to his previous order of removal.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.

    Former Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul III, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Max Willner-Giwerc and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary H. Ray prosecuted the case.

    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. 1:24-cr-267.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Man Guilty in Shooting at Social Club Which Left an NFL Prospect Paralyzed

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Roger Lee Jones, 42, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury, on April 7, 2025, of one count of assault with intent to kill while armed and other related charges, for shooting a man in retaliation for an earlier dispute at a social club. The verdict was announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and followed a two week trial.

                The jury also found Jones guilty of three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of aggravated assault while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, one count of simple assault, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of threats. Superior Court Judge Danya A. Dayson scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025.

                According to the evidence presented at trial, on January 22, 2022, Victim 1 was working as a security guard at Kick Axe Throw Social located in Northeast, DC. Jones was a patron there with his ex-girlfriend and child’s mother, Victim 2. At the establishment, Jones got into an argument with Victim 2, took the keys to Victim 2’s vehicle, and left the bar with the keys.  After Jones left the bar, Victim 2 called Jones to ask for the return of her vehicle. 

                At approximately 12:10 a.m., Jones returned to the front of Kick Axe Throw Social where Victim 2 was waiting. Jones refused to return the keys or the vehicle, and then violently attacked Victim 2 by punching her multiple times in the face.  Security staff intervened and stopped Jones’s assault.  In response, Jones made threatening statements to the security staff, then left the scene in Victim 2’s vehicle. Victim 1 was not one of the security staff who broke up the fight.

                After leaving Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones called an accomplice, who drove to the defendant’s location. Jones and the accomplice then drove back to Kick Axe using the accomplice’s vehicle. 

                Meanwhile, Victim 2 traveled to her home and called Jones to again ask him to return her vehicle. Jones replied by telling Victim 2 to stay where she was and that he was coming to kill her. 

                At 1:07 a.m., as Victim 1 was standing by the trunk of his car preparing to leave Kick Axe Throw Social, Jones approached Victim 1 from behind and fired seven shots at him from close range. Victim 1 suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and back and was paralyzed immediately from the waist down. Prior to the incident, Victim 1 was a National Football League (NFL) prospect. The defendant and the accomplice then fled the scene in the accomplice’s vehicle.

                At approximately 1:54 a.m., as police officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were assisting Victim 2 by her residence, Victim 2 and the officers spotted her vehicle being operated with its headlights off.  Officers immediately began to follow the vehicle with emergency equipment activated, but Jones refused to comply with officer commands to stop the vehicle. Jones was able to make good his escape.

                Jones was identified through surveillance footage, cell phone tracking data, vehicle data, and ballistics evidence linking the gun used in this incident to a shooting committed on February 19, 2022, by the accomplice.

                In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of officers and detectives of the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Dunn and Benjamin Helfand, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Miller and Travis Wolf, who prosecuted the case at trial. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Guilty at Trial of Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MACON, Ga. – A Baldwin County man with a prior aggravated assault conviction, who had a pistol with an extended magazine during a tense standoff with deputies, was found guilty by a federal jury of illegally possessing a firearm this week.

    Dormaine Mitchell, 39, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 8, following a two-day trial that began on April 7. Mitchell faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal is presiding over the case. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court.

    “We are relieved that no one was injured in this incident and thankful to the officers who effectively managed a tense and dangerous situation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously pursue justice against repeat offenders who disregard federal law and illegally possess firearms.”

    “A prohibited person in possession of stolen firearms is a clear and present danger to our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka of the Atlanta Field Division. “We are incredibly grateful for the courage and quick action of our law enforcement partners who responded to this high-risk situation. Their dedication ensured a safe outcome for everyone involved. ATF is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners as we work together to protect the public and pursue justice.”

    “Law enforcement has a strong footprint in Baldwin County, and this case demonstrates the positive outcomes resulting from the collaboration between the Sheriff’s Department and our federal partners,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, a Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy observed the defendant driving erratically by running off the side of the road and into oncoming traffic on Vinson Highway near Laboratory Road on Oct. 13, 2022. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed the driver, Mitchell, had a strong smell of alcohol and slurred speech. Mitchell told the officer he did not have weapons in the car. However, when Mitchell reached for his wallet, the officer saw the extended magazine of a Glock 22 pistol sticking out from between the driver’s seat and the center console. The officer pulled her weapon and commanded Mitchell to put his hands on the steering wheel. The officer then saw Mitchell lower his right hand. The officer called for backup, took cover and gave verbal commands. At some point during their encounter, Mitchell moved the firearm and placed it on the passenger seat of the vehicle. More officers arrived, and Mitchell was taken into custody. While Mitchell was escorted to the police car, he told the officer, “You better be glad it didn’t go bad.” Mitchell has a lengthy criminal history, including a prior aggravated assault conviction in Baldwin County, Georgia, Superior Court. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.

    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).

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with assistance from the Milledgeville Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, are investigating the case.

    Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julius Jefferson are prosecuting the case for the Government.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 98-year-old pilot sees Skyraider legacy live on in AFSOC’s OA-1K Skyraider II

    Source: United States Air Force

    Joined by his family and members of AFSOC, retired Lt. Col. Bill Buice watched as the first missionized OA-1K Skyraider II arrived at Hurlburt Field. That moment brought back a wave of memories during his time piloting the Skyraider in the Vietnam War 60 years ago.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Ship Harbour — Update: RCMP arrests woman involved in hate motivated crime in Lower Ship Harbour

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has arrested a woman involved in a hate motived crime that occurred in Lower Ship Harbour.

    On March 25, at approximately 11:10 a.m., RCMP officers received a report of mischief at a residential property on West Ship Harbour Rd. The mischief is considered to be motivated by hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

    As a result of the investigation and information from the pubic, a 64-year-old woman from Dartmouth was identified as being involved in the incident. She was arrested on April 6 and will be facing a charge of Mischief.

    The woman was later released and is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on May 12 at 9:30 a.m.

    File #: 25-40728

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Natuashish — Natuashish RCMP investigates residential arson, seeks public’s assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Natuashish RCMP is investigating a residential arson that occurred on April 9, 2025. Police are seeking information from the public.

    Shortly after 2:15 a.m. today, Natuashish RCMP received a report of a residence on fire on Pokue Street in Natuashish and attended the scene to find the home fully engulfed in flames. The owner was not at home when the fire started. Evidence gathered as part of the investigation suggests that the fire was intentionally set.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Natuashish RCMP asks the public to check for any available surveillance footage in the area of Pokue Street around the time of the fire and to report any suspicious activity or information about this incident to the detachment by calling (709)-478-8900. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants Charged Following Armed Coup Attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Three defendants transferred from the DRC to the U.S. and one other arrested in Utah after Armed Coup Attack to overthrow the DRC government

    Note: View the criminal complaint.

    A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.

    Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah, for further legal proceedings.

    As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (Armed Coup Attack) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (Kamerhe), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.

    Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.

    Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.

    The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.

    Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.

    If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life in prison for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief, National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chicago Real Estate Broker Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Prison for Bilking Investors out of More Than $3 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A Chicago real estate broker has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for orchestrating a fraud scheme that bilked at least four investors out of more than $3 million.

    STANISLAV SANNIKOV, also known as “Steve Sannikov,” owned and operated Chestnut Realty Group, a real estate company in Chicago.  From 2016 to 2020, Sannikov fraudulently claimed to investors that certain properties were for sale and that he could negotiate the purchase on their behalf.  Sannikov further claimed that the properties could be re-sold or leased for a substantial profit.  In reality, Sannikov knew that the properties were not available for sale or lease. Sannikov induced the victim investors to deposit earnest money into what he told them was an escrow account maintained by Chestnut Realty.  In fact, Sannikov knew that Chestnut Realty was not licensed to act as an escrow agent and that the account was actually a checking account controlled by Sannikov.

    Sannikov withdrew the investor funds and spent the money on his own lavish lifestyle.  One victim, who is now in his 70s, had to put off retirement so that he could pay off his losses.

    Sannikov, 42, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge.  On Friday, U.S. District Joan Humphrey Lefkow ordered Sannikov to pay $2.19 million in remaining restitution to four victims.  Judge Lefkow in February sentenced Sannikov to four years and two months in prison.

    The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office.  

    “This was not a one-time lapse in judgment,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri H. Mecklenburg argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant, over the course of at least four years, designed and engaged in a calculated, sustained, multi-faceted scheme to defraud multiple individuals.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Missouri Individuals Charged with Dealing Firearms without a License and Other Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Two individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in separate cases this week for dealing in firearms without a license and other offense.

    A California, Missouri Man Indicted for Dealing Firearms without a License and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm

    According to an indictment returned this week, Aubrey Foxworthy, 81, of California, Missouri, was charged with dealing firearms in Morgan and Moniteau Counties from approximately June 2, 2023 through September 9, 2024.  He did not have a federal firearms license to deal firearms.  Foxworthy was also charged with possession of a rifle with a barrel length less than 16 inches and that rifle was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

    A Popular Bluff, Missouri Man Indicted for Dealing Firearms without a License

    According to an indictment returned this week, Philip Leroy Rains, 75, of Popular Bluff, Missouri, was charged with dealing firearms in Morgan County from approximately April 1, 2023 through April 4, 2024.  He did not have a federal firearms license to deal firearms.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    Under federal statutes, if convicted of dealing in firearms without a license, a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of up to $250,000 is authorized.  Under federal statutes, if convicted of possession of an unregistered firearm, a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000 is authorized.  The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness. These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Jefferson City Police Department, and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Allston Man Charged with Allegedly Trafficking “Date Rape” Drug and Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – An Allston man has been indicted for trafficking methamphetamine and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO), an analogue of Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) – more commonly known as the “date rape drug” – out of his Allston home.

    Peter Schiepers, 32, is charged with one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute Butanediol (an analogue of GHB); and two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Schiepers was arraigned yesterday.

    According to the charging documents, in November 2024, law enforcement received information that Schiepers was supplying methamphetamine in and around the Boston area. Between November 2024 and February 2025, a cooperating source conducted multiple controlled purchases allegedly from Schiepers.

    Specifically, in January 2025, it is alleged that Schiepers conducted a transaction for one ounce of methamphetamine. In February 2025 he allegedly sold four ounces of methamphetamine and a liter of BDO. Schiepers allegedly told an undercover officer that he received the BDO in Chinese shampoo bottles and that he also used an application that allowed him to anonymously send some shipments to hotels and convenience stores nearby.
     
    The charge of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen D. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John O. Wray of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Calumet Township Trustee Sentenced for Wire Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HAMMOND – Kimberly Robinson, age 57, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to a single count of wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Robinson was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay $11,200 in restitution. Robinson had previously resigned her position as  Calumet Township Trustee.  

    According to documents in the case, Robinson served as the elected Calumet Township Trustee from 2015 to 2024. The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office is a local governmental entity whose primary mission is to provide public assistance to individuals and families in need. In her position as Trustee, Robinson illegally used approximately $11,200 of Township assistance funds, to pay rent for her own personal residence from funds that were meant to be disbursed to aid people in need.

    Robinson pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement to resolve the criminal charges. By resigning and entering into a plea agreement before being indicted, Robinson demonstrated that she accepted responsibility for her criminal conduct

    The public is reminded it may contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (usainn.pctips@usdoj.gov) or the FBI in Merrillville, Indiana at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) if they have information to report related to public corruption within the Northern District of Indiana.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Wolff and Philip C. Benson.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Worcester Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Drug Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his involvement in a cocaine distribution conspiracy.

    Luis Torres, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. The Court also entered a judgement of forfeiture of $26,480 in cash. In June 2024, Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony. Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2022.

    Torres conspired with others to coordinate delivery of a package from Puerto Rico known by him to contain 4 – 6 kilograms of cocaine and to take possession of the cocaine with the intent to distribute it. In June 2022, law enforcement intercepted the package and executed a controlled delivery during which another individual accepted the package while Torres sat in a nearby car. Torres was arrested at the scene and $26,480 in cash was recovered.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED TO 46 MONTHS’ FEDERAL PRISON FOR REENTRY OFFENSE

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Rafael Sanchez-De La Rosa, 51, a Mexican citizen, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry by Removed Alien.  The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Enforcing immigration laws is a priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven.  “This sentence reflects the seriousness of committing crimes while being in our country illegally.  The Northern District of Florida and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping our communities safe.”

    “This case highlights the serious public safety risks posed by individuals who repeatedly violate our laws, both criminal and immigration,” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE-ERO) Miami Acting Field Office Director Juan Agudelo. “Despite being removed from the United States on multiple occasions, Mr. Sanchez-De La Rosa unlawfully re-entered the country and continued to endanger lives through repeated DUI offenses. ICE remains committed to working with local law enforcement partners to identify and remove those who present a threat to our communities.”

    On May 5, 2024, at around 1:30 a.m., Sanchez-De La Rosa was arrested by the Pensacola Police Department (PPD) and charged with his third driving under the influence (DUI) within ten years, amongst other offenses.  Sanchez-De La Rosa had been speeding nearly twenty miles over the speed limit.  PPD located two open containers in the center console of his vehicle, and Sanchez-De La Rosa admitted to consuming at least eight beers.  Federal officers with ICE subsequently determined Sanchez-De La Rosa was present in the United States illegally.  Sanchez-De La Rosa had been previously removed from the United States to Mexico in 2017 and again in 2018.  Sanchez-De La Rosa has now been convicted of DUI in Escambia County three times, in 2014, 2015, and 2024, two of which cases were felony convictions.  During his first DUI offense, Sanchez-De La Rosa seriously injured his passenger, requiring hospitalization.

    Sanchez-De La Rosa has an ICE detainer lodged against him and will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his federal prison term.  Sanchez-De La Rosa’s imprisonment will be followed by three years of supervised release, meaning if he returns to the United States during such timeframe, he will potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.

    This conviction was the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) Pensacola.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Callahan prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted for fatal stabbing of mother at Notting Hill Carnival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who was caught on camera stabbing a mother in front of her three-year old daughter at last year’s Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of murder.

    Cher Maximen, who was 32, was with friends and her daughter just off the Carnival parade route on Sunday, 25 August 2024 when she was caught up in a fight involving multiple men. She was stabbed and died in hospital six days later.

    On Wednesday, 9 April at the Old Bailey, Shakeil Thibou, 20 (29.05.04), of Masbro’ Road, Hammersmith and Fulham, was convicted of Cher’s murder, attempted GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.

    Detective Chief Inspector Alex Gammampila, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “My heart goes out to Cher’s family and friends. She was a loving mother who went to Notting Hill Carnival to enjoy what should have been a carefree day in the company of friends and her young daughter. Her life was ended in the most senseless way.

    “In stark contrast, Shakeil Thibou went to Carnival not to be part of the celebration, but to engage in violence. Why else would he have arrived armed with a large knife and seeking confrontation?

    “His reckless and dangerous actions took Cher’s life and narrowly avoided killing a second man too.

    “The investigation team has worked diligently and tirelessly to build a case against him. Their work has made sure Cher’s family and friends have been able to get justice.

    “They had to go through the pain of witnessing her final moments throughout the trial. I commend their bravery and the dignified way they have handled this tragedy. I hope that today’s result brings some small amount of closure for them.”

    Vyleen Maximen, Cher’s grandmother, said: “Cher, my first born grandchild, my friend. I held you in my arms when you were born. 32 years of loving, of laughing, playing, crying and holidaying with you. I will no longer have that pleasure ever again. Not seeing you get married or have more children.

    “Life will never be the same. Ever. We just have to live life, the best that we can and I will raise your daughter Cher, until my last breath. I will never hear your key opening my front door and shouting ‘Hello Nanny’.”

    TJ Jacobs, relative of Cher and Godmother to Cher’s daughter, said: “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the jury for helping ensure justice is served for our beloved Cher Maximen – affectionately known to us as Princess Cher, Ri Ri, Churbs, Churburt, Cher Bear and Bear.

    “What happened to us has completely turned our lives upside down. Losing Cher has filled our hearts with immeasurable sadness.

    “Cher was pure magic – radiant, loving, passionate, and kind. She brought creativity, style and flawless flair to everything she did. She was a dedicated mother, a devoted granddaughter, niece, sister, and friend. This senseless act of violence has cut short a life that had so much more to offer the world and was only just beginning to blossom. Like many young adults, life hadn’t always been easy for Cher, but she was just discovering who she was and who she could become.

    “Even when life felt unfair, Cher remained kind, caring, and a fierce protector of those she loved – qualities that were evident even in her final moments. Her smile lit up every corner of every room, and her laugh echoed through hallways. Her journey was an example of resilience against the odds, showing that no matter the challenges, young people can emerge with strength, determination, and the will to strive for better.

    “We will never recover from this loss, but we are determined to ensure that Cher’s daughter – now being raised by her beloved great-grandmother (Cher’s much-loved grandmother), along with her village of aunties, uncles, and Godparents – receives the love, support, and care she needs as we navigate life without her. Cher’s four-year-old daughter was her everything – her reason, her drive, and now her legacy. Cher’s unwavering devotion to her role as a mother was evident to all who knew her.

    “Our family is devastated, but we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the emergency responders, medical professionals, and law enforcement officers involved in this case.

    “Knife crime continues to devastate communities across the UK. The government must urgently address the root causes – the systemic failures in education, children’s services, youth services, mental health services impacting the many disengaged and disenfranchised young people. Offering them the tools to overcome challenges rather than fall victim to them. This is not just about reducing crime; it’s about saving lives, restoring hope, and building safer, stronger communities.”

    The court heard that Cher had spent the afternoon with her daughter and her friends among a crowd in Golborne Road which was just off the parade route.

    Just before 18:00hrs, a fight broke out in the crowd. CCTV and police officers’ body worn video footage shown during the trial shows Shakeil attempting to stab a man in the abdomen. Cher was caught up in the melee and knocked to the floor, grabbing onto Shakeil’s coat as she tried to get back to her feet.

    In an effort to defend herself and her daughter, Cher kicked out and was stabbed in the groin as she did so, falling to the ground.

    Officers rushed to her aid and provided emergency medical treatment until the arrival of paramedics. She was transported to hospital in a critical condition but despite the efforts of medical teams she died on Saturday, 31 August.

    Video footage showed that moments before Cher was stabbed, Shakeil’s brothers – Sheldon Thibou and Shaeim Thibou, along with an unidentified male, fought with one man. Sheldon can be seen wielding an illegal stun gun. An officer who intervened to try to break up the fight was assaulted by both brothers.

    The three brothers and an associate fled the scene, but CCTV footage recovered during the investigation showed that Shakeil, when leaving carnival was captured on CCTV changing his outer clothing with an associate and calmly making his way out of the area.

    An investigation started immediately after the incident, with officers running images captured on bodyworn video cameras through facial recognition software, revealing a match for Sheldon and Shaeim Thibou. Further research identified Shakeil.

    A significant manhunt was launched which saw officers search a number of addresses across west London.

    Shakeil was found lying on the floor under a sleeping bag when officers found him in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 August. During a search of the address they found a distinctive bag he’d been seen wearing on footage captured at Carnival.

    His jacket had been discarded at the scene after it came off in the struggle. It was sent for forensic testing and DNA found on it was a 1 in a billion match for Shakeil – further proof that he had committed the stabbing.

    Detectives would also spend weeks trawling through hundreds of additional hours of CCTV and body worn video footage, as well as messages on mobile phones recovered at the time of the brothers’ arrest.

    This helped to further establish a watertight case that Shakeil and his brothers were at Carnival at the time of Cher’s murder.

    Sheldon Thibou, 25 (23.01.00), of Star Road, Hammersmith and Fulham and Shaeim Thibou, 22 (20.02.03), of Charleville Road, Hammersmith and Fulham stood trial alongside their brother.

    Sheldon was found guilty of violent disorder. He had also previously pleaded guilty to the possession of an illegal stun gun.

    Sheldon and Shaeim were both found guilty of assaulting an emergency worker. 

    Shakeil and Shaeim will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 16 May.

    Sheldon will be sentenced in due course at a court that is yet to be confirmed.

    TJ Jacobs and Vyleen Maximen added:

    “We would also like to say a special thank you to:

    “Police officers Alex Gammampila, Charlotte Carter, Andy Miller, Kevin Newton, Dan Hobbs and Dave Davies.

    “Emma Currie and Peter Hutton from the Crown Prosecution Service.

    “Prosecuting Counsel Edward Brown KC and Phillip McGhee.

    “Sharon Macaulay, Ravandeep Khela and Wendy Rixon from Taylor Rose Solicitors.

    “Barrister Oliver Wooding from St John’s Chambers.

    “Gulizar Candemir from the Children’s Team at Freeman Solicitors.

    “Barrister Alison Brooks from Staple Inn Chambers.

    “These individuals have supported us tirelessly throughout this unimaginable experience. Their efforts and dedication have been a source of comfort during this dark and painful time.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: A Jefferson City Man Charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Jefferson City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Robert Michael Matthews, 42, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.

    The indictment charges Matthews with possessing a Ruger model American, 9-millimeter pistol on March 13, 2025. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. According to the indictment, Matthews has prior violent felony convictions to include a 2000 conviction for robbery in the second degree, a 2015 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon, and a 2024 conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Maness It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Jefferson City Police Department.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Sentenced for $300,000 Romance Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Georgia man was sentenced in federal court for his role in an online romance scam with elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey.

    Badetito O. Obafemi, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 24 months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Obafemi to three years of supervised release following incarceration and ordered him to pay restitution of $311,520 to the victims of his crime.

    On April 18, 2024, Obafemi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Obafemi admitted to his participation in a romance scam which targeted victims in Taney County, Mo., Northfield, Minn., and Bergen County, N.J., from June 2016 through at least March 2018.

    The perpetrators of the romance scams used online communications to develop relationships with the victims. The scammers then began to request money from the victims for a variety of reasons, including business expenses, medical expenses, travel expenses, and food.

    According to court records, the Taney County victim was contacted via Facebook by an individual claiming to be “Kevin Condon” in May 2016. Following several conversations by email, phone, and Facebook, “Condon” convinced the victim to send him money for expenses related to his overseas business project and various medical issues. Conspirators stole a total of $27,460 from the Taney County victim. “Condon” also attempted to convince the victim to deposit $40,000 into an account controlled by Obafemi, purportedly to pay a court in South Africa for his release from jail.

    Obafemi conspired with the perpetrators to receive wire transfers from the victims, coordinating the necessary bank account information, the timing of transfers, and the transfer of funds across accounts. Obafemi received funds in his personal accounts as well as those of two businesses, EasyTickets, LLC, and Goeasy Logistics, LLC, which he owned and operated out of his Georgia residence.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and the Northfield, Minn., Police Department.

    Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its elder fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Indicted for Role in Romance Scam and Money Laundering Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly tricked a Massachusetts resident into wiring more than $2.5 million abroad

    BOSTON – A Nigerian national has been charged for his alleged role in allegedly stealing more than $2.5 million from six romance scam victims and transferring their money to cryptocurrency accounts that he controlled.  

    Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, 34, of Abuja, Nigeria, was arrested on April 7, 2025 after arriving on a flight from the United Kingdom to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. In January 2024, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nwadavid on charges of mail fraud and money laundering. Nwadavid appeared in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas on April 8, 2025 and was detained pending further proceedings. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

    According to the charging documents, “romance scams” recruit victims through advertisements for online relationships on dating or social media websites. Individuals perpetuating romance scams create fictitious profiles and then use them to gain victims’ trust through a purported romantic relationship. Perpetrators then direct their victims to send money or to conduct financial transactions involving other victims’ money under false pretenses, such as an urgent need for money to secure a multi-million dollar inheritance or to pay for an unexpected hospitalization.  

    Between in or about 2016 and September 2019, Nwadavid allegedly participated in romance scams that tricked victims into sending money abroad. In an effort to conceal his role as the recipient of the victims’ funds, Nwadavid allegedly used a victim from Massachusetts (Victim 1) to receive funds from five other victims around the United States. Nwadavid then allegedly tricked Victim 1 in to passing her own and the other victims’ money to him through cryptocurrency transactions, and allegedly accessed accounts in Victim 1’s name from overseas, to transfer the victims’ funds to accounts he controlled at LocalBitcoins, an online cryptocurrency platform.  

    The mail fraud charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the loss to the victim, restitution and forfeiture. The money laundering charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the laundering transactions, restitution and forfeiture. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

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

    Defendant accelerated moped at law enforcement before being arrested in possession of a loaded firearm

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    Kyvon Ross, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for July 16, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, on Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross violently resisted arrest and was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number.  

    Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.
     

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

    Source: NATO

    On Wednesday 9th April, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, visited Albania and met with the highest political and military leadership. Admiral Cavo Dragone’s visit followed the 16th anniversary of the country joining the Alliance. He also delivered a lecture to the Defence Security College in Tirana.

    CMC met with the Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Arben Kingji, where the discussions focused on Albania’s valuable contribution to Alliance’s shared security. CMC took the opportunity to praise Albania for “its steadfast contribution to NATO’s multinational forces in Latvia and Bulgaria, to NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, and to NATO’s mission in Iraq.” CMC highlighted that Albania has continuously expanded its role within the Alliance, increased its contributions, and trained officers and NCOs capable of operating in multinational environments.

    Afterwards, Admiral Cavo Dragone met with Minister of Defence Pirro Vengu. CMC welcomed Albania’s efforts to invest more in defence and its continued support for Ukraine, including pledges of humanitarian and military aid.

    During his visit, the CMC met with President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama. The conversations revolved around Albania’s commitment to invest more in defence, its engagement to promoting stability and cooperation across the Western Balkans; a region of strategic importance to NATO. Preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague were also discussed.

    Speaking at the Defence Security College in Tirana, Admiral Cavo Dragone also thanked Albania for its politico-military role in NATO: “The Alliance needs leaders capable of taking difficult, but bold decisions in challenging times” and “Albania is no stranger to this kind of leadership.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Homecoming: Emory S. Land returns to Guam

    Source: United States Navy

    NAVAL BASE GUAM – The submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) returned to its homeport in Apra Harbor, Guam, April 9th, 2025. Emory S. Land’s arrival marked the completion of its expeditionary submarine tender deployment, which began May 17th, 2024.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Man Admits Fraudulently Obtaining Mortgages Worth More Than $1.2 Million

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

    ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday admitted fraudulently obtaining home mortgages totaling more than $1.2 million.

    Edward James Mitchell Jr., also known as Musa Muhammad, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of bank fraud. He admitted participating in four fraudulent home mortgages from October 2021 through November 2023 totaling $1,225,550. Three of the homes are in St. Louis and one is in Florissant. Mitchell’s company, Home Team Solutions LLC, originally purchased the homes. Mitchell pretended to be one of his relatives to purchase two of the homes from his own company, submitting fraudulent mortgage loan applications and false employment and financial information and using his relative’s Social Security number and birthdate, Mitchell’s plea agreement says. He bought another home himself and sold another to his paramour, again submitting false or fraudulent documentation. 

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office believes lending institutions lost $490,946 when Fannie Mae purchased the four home loans. Mitchell’s position is that only two of the loans incurred losses, with a loss amount of $226,950.

    Mitchell, 37, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8. Each bank fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both prison and a fine.

    In October 2023, Mitchell legally changed his name to Musa Muhammad.

    The FBI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: North Andover Man Sentenced for Multistate Fentanyl and Cocaine Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A former North Andover man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his participation in a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances that spanned across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Puerto Rico.

    Elvis DeJesus, 34, formerly of North Andover, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 15 years in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In June 2024, DeJesus pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 500 grams or more of cocaine and other controlled substances. In December 2021, DeJesus was charged along with 20 other individuals.

    In May 2020, an investigation began into a network of Lawrence-based drug traffickers. From December 2020 through December 2021, intercepted communications between targets of the investigation and their associates revealed that the defendants distributed fentanyl and cocaine in and around the Lawrence area. Some of the cocaine was obtained from suppliers in Puerto Rico and shipped to Massachusetts in the U.S. mail.

    Together with other co-defendants, DeJesus operated a wholesale fentanyl and cocaine distribution businesses until approximately August 2021, when he was arrested on state firearms charges. In February 2021, $75,930 was seized from co-defendant Luis Martinez after Martinez had collected drug proceeds from DeJesus outside of DeJesus’s residence. In April 2021, a package sent from Puerto Rico to DeJesus’s residence that contained 978 grams of cocaine was also seized. In March 2021, 200 grams of cocaine supplied by DeJesus from co-defendant Othoniel Lara Gonzalez was also seized.  

    After DeJesus’s arrest on the state firearms charges, he was detained in state custody. DeJesus continued to operate his drug distribution business from jail. In November 2021, over 500 grams of fentanyl and over 100 grams of cocaine that co-defendant William Rivadeneira was transporting on DeJesus’s behalf was seized. Prior to the seizure, DeJesus was intercepted chastising Rivadeneira for not having taken adequate precautions while preparing the fentanyl for distribution, telling him, “[Y]ou can get an overdose.”

    In November 2021, DeJesus and his co-conspirators paid co-defendant Gregorit Sanchez, a former Corrections Officer at Middleton House of Corrections where DeJesus was then detained, to smuggle a package containing fentanyl, cocaine, Suboxone and other contraband into the jail. The package was seized from Sanchez when he attempted to enter the jail.

    In February 2025, Luis Martinez was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In January 2023, Othoniel Lara Gonzalez was sentenced to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. William Rivadeneira pleaded guilty in March 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 22, 2025. In June 2024, Gregorit Sanchez was sentenced to five years’ probation with the first year to be served on home detention.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and J. Mackenzie Duane prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: What is Food Irradiation and Why is it Important?

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    (Graphic: A. Barber Huescar/IAEA)

    Food irradiation is a gentle, non-invasive technique that uses radiation to keep food fresh and safe to eat. It eliminates microbes and controls insects and other pests while preserving the nutritional content, flavour and overall quality of food. It can also be used to stop the spread of insect pests. This technique uses radiation to transfer energy into food without changing its temperature or leaving residues. It is typically used to preserve the quality of high-value food items like spices, fish and meat, and now it is also applied to exotic fruits and vegetables.

    Ensuring that food is available in adequate amounts but also nutritious and safe to eat is essential to food security. However, food is not just sustenance and nutrition; it is also part of our cultural heritage and identity. It is important that many techniques are available for making food safe to eat and wholesome while making sure it tastes, feels, smells, and looks good.

    Food irradiation effectively extends the useful shelf life of food, reduces waste and ensures that consumers have access to fresh, top-quality products. For example, it can help fresh strawberries stored in a fridge last up to seven days longer.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A Florida man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for evading more than $5.5 million in taxes, interest, and penalties that he owed the IRS.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated furniture liquidations businesses, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay the taxes he owed. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest, and penalties against him.

    To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income by several million dollars, and when an IRS special agent interviewed him, Fletcher falsely represented the amount of income he earned.

    In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger for the Middle District of Florida ordered Fletcher to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $7,112,689 in restitution to the United States.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Delco Man Who Committed Six Armed Robberies of Area Hotels Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison

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

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Naim-Shahid Jumah Austin, 28, of Yeadon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on Monday to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release for a spate of armed robberies targeting local hotels in late 2022.

    In January 2023, Austin was charged by indictment with six counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), and firearms offenses. In December of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to all the robberies, and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, between September 2022 and December 2022, Austin targeted the hotels in the early morning hours, when one employee was usually working alone at the front desk. He terrorized his victims at gunpoint, demanding that they hand over cash from the registers.

    Austin was armed with a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and drove his mother’s car to all six robberies, which occurred at hotels in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties:

    • September 16, 2022, 3:23 a.m. – Courtyard by Marriott, Tredyffrin Township, Pa.
    • September 18, 2022, 4:02 a.m. – Holiday Inn & Suites, Drexel Hill, Pa. (also robbed hotel guest)
    • October 10, 2022, 2:05 a.m. – Fairfield Inn & Suites, Broomall, Pa. (fled empty-handed)
    • November 21, 2022, 3:35 a.m. – Home2 Suites by Hilton, Glen Mills, Pa.
    • December 2, 2022, 4:04 a.m. – Marriott Philadelphia West, West Conshohocken, Pa.
    • December 12, 2022, 4:41 a.m. – Holiday Inn Express & Suites, West Chester, Pa.

    West Goshen Township Police located and arrested Austin minutes after the December 12, 2022, hotel robbery.

    “Naim Austin was on a one-man crime spree, committing six armed robberies in less than three months,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He threatened the hotel employees he victimized at gunpoint, to terrify them into compliance. This sentence keeps him off the street and holds him accountable for what he’s done. My office and our partners are committed to making our communities safer by bringing violent offenders like this to justice.”

    “Brazen violent criminals like Austin terrorize our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, FBI Philadelphia’s Special Agent in Charge. “This sentencing is a testament to the coordinated efforts between all of law enforcement. The FBI and our partners will never stop working to crush violent crime and ensure our citizens have a safe place to work and live in.”

    This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Newtown Square Resident Agency and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Tredyffrin Township Police Department, Upper Darby Township Police Department, Marple Township Police Department, Newtown Township Police Department, West Conshohocken Police Department, Birmingham Township Police Department, West Goshen Township Police Department, and Chester County Detectives. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Sandra Urban.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Money Laundering Connected to Stolen Federal Funds

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

    Xing Zheng, 35, of Queens, New York, has been sentenced to 28 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to launder approximately $2.98 million of fraud proceeds.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FCI Allenwood Inmate Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Possessing a Weapon

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

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Evans, age 28, a federal inmate at the Federal Correction Institution Allenwood (FCI Allenwood), Allenwood, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann for possession of a weapon.   

    According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on July 15, 2024, while an inmate at FCI Allenwood, Evans possessed an inmate manufactured weapon commonly referred to as a “shank.”  The manufactured weapon, which was a piece of metal sharpened to a point with a cloth handle measuring six inches in length, was discovered by a correctional officer during a search of Evans.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case.

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