NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sutter County Man Indicted for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Thomas Michael Davis, 39, of Yuba City, charging him with receipt of child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest.

    According to court documents, between May 2023 and January 2024, Davis used the internet to download child pornography. Davis has previously been convicted of having sex with a minor.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Yuba City Police Department, and the Sacramento Valley Hi Tech Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted of receipt of child sexual abuse material, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Deming, Washington man convicted at trial of receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant possessed some 90,000 files of child sexual abuse imagery on 21 different electronic devices

    Seattle – A 47-year-old resident of Deming, Whatcom County, Washington was convicted last week in U.S. District Court in Seattle of two federal felonies related to his receipt and possession of images of child sexual abuse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Robert J. Howell Jr. came to the attention of law enforcement in late 2019 when a foreign country police organization alerted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that an Ip address associated with Howell Jr’s residence had accessed a website devoted to images of child sexual abuse. Following a two-day jury trial, jurors deliberated about an hour before finding Howell Jr. guilty on April 1, 2025.  U.S District Judge John C. Coughenour scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2025.

    According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, after getting the tip from a foreign law enforcement organization, HSI agents sought information on the account associated with the IP address. The IP address was linked to Howell’s home in Deming. On September 15, 2020, federal agents executed a search warrant and seized several dozen electronic devices. A forensic review determined there were more than 90,000 files depicting child sexual abuse on some 21 electronic devices. Many of the images were of the sexual abuse of very young children and included depictions involving extreme violence.

    At trial prosecutors specifically proved that between 2016 and 2019, Howell Jr. received five specific files of child sexual abuse material and knowingly possessed many more.

    In all more than 75 electronic assets including computers, phones, tablets, hard drives, storage devices, gaming devices, and CDs were seized by law enforcement and have been forfeited to the government.

    Howell Jr. faces a mandatory 5 years in prison and up to twenty years in prison when sentenced by Judge Coughenour. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Coughenour after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Hampton and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Ly.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States 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.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: DOJ, ATF Repeal FFL Inspection Policy and Begin Review of Two Final Rules

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Justice and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced today the repeal of the Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy and the review of Final Rule 2021R-08F, related to stabilizing braces, and Final Rule 2022R-17F, related to the definition of “engaging in the business” of firearms dealing.

    The Enhanced Regulatory Enforcement Policy, aka the Zero Tolerance Policy, was a strategy announced in 2021 that set more stringent criteria for Industry Operations compliance inspections to identify licensees with certain qualifying violations. As of today, this policy will be repealed, and Industry Operations inspections will no longer be held to these previously set guidelines.

    Additionally, DOJ and ATF have plans to revisit the regulatory framework surrounding stabilizing braces (Final Rule 2021R-08F) and the definition of “engaged in the business” of firearms dealing (Final Rule 2022R-17F).

    “This Department of Justice believes that the 2nd Amendment is not a second-class right,” said U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The prior administration’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy unfairly targeted law-abiding gun owners and created an undue burden on Americans seeking to exercise their constitutional right to bear arms – it ends today.”

    “Today’s repeal of the Zero Tolerance Policy and the comprehensive review of stabilizing brace regulations and the definition of ‘engaged in the business’ marks a pivotal step toward restoring fairness and clarity in firearms regulation,” said Acting ATF Director Kash Patel. “We are committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure our policies are balanced, constitutional and protective of Americans’ Second Amendment rights.”

    The decision to review the Stabilizing Brace rule, which sought to reclassify certain firearms as short-barreled rifles, as well as revising the guidelines for determining who is considered “engaged in the business” of selling firearms, reiterates constitutional approaches to firearm regulations.

    The DOJ and ATF will conduct an in-depth review over the coming months and will engage in consultations with stakeholders, including gun rights organizations, industry leaders and legal experts. Further updates on the status of these reviews will be released in due course.

    ATF is the federal law enforcement agency with jurisdiction involving firearms and violent crimes and regulates the firearm industry. For more information about ATF, go to www.atf.gov or follow @ATFHQ on X.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rolla, ND, Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fargo – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl announced that Jace Fox, age 25, from Rolla, ND, appeared in United States District Court on April 4, 2025, and was sentenced by Chief Judge Peter Welte to serve 51 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release.  Fox was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee.

    As reflected in court documents, in or about February 2022, Jane Doe submitted to a forensic interview during which time she disclosed that Fox sexually abused her when she was 13 years of age.  At the time of the conduct, Fox was 20 years of age.  During a subsequent investigation, other minors made similar disclosures about having been sexually abused by Fox.

    Fox was later interviewed by the FBI in January 2023, during which he initially denied knowing Jane Doe.  Eventually, Fox admitted to knowing the victim, but he denied having sexually abused her.  Despite his denial, Fox plead guilty to the sexual abuse of Jane Doe on November 19, 2024.

    “This was a despicable crime committed against one of the most vulnerable members of our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The FBI and our partners are fully committed to protecting children from abuse and ensuring those who exploit or harm them face justice swiftly.”

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Haven Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Catalytic Converter Theft Ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MERVIN FIGUEROA, 27, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 14 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for offenses related to his participation in a stolen catalytic converter trafficking ring.

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

    The investigation revealed that Alexander Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford.  Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot purchased stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves, including Figueroa, and then transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey.  Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home in Wolcott late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.

    Starting in January 2022, Kolitsas maintained electronic invoices reflecting the purchase of stolen catalytic converters from Figueroa and other suppliers.  In several of the invoices, Kolitsas permitted his suppliers to use fictitious names or business names in order to create the appearance of proper recordkeeping while obscuring from his records the true source of the stolen converters.  The invoices show that between approximately January 26 and May 31, 2022, Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot paid approximately $3,345,675 to purchase stolen converters from his co-conspirators.

    The invoices reflect that Downpipe Depot paid Figueroa $169,840 for catalytic converters, including converters that were stolen in two separate incidents from vehicles at U-Haul Moving and Storage in Naugatuck.  In messages between Kolitsas and Figueroa, Kolitsas told Figueroa that he needed to remove anti-theft tags that U-Haul had placed on the converters before Kolitsas would take them.  The investigation revealed that Figueroa also stole converters from school buses.

    Figueroa was arrested on November 15, 2023.  On October 29, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

    Figueroa, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 2.

    Kolitsas pleaded guilty to related charges and awaits sentencing.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fox Island, Washington, man indicted for stealing more than $920,000 from an elderly financial advisory client

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The former financial advisor took advantage of his client’s trust to steal her life savings and inheritance

    Seattle – A 56-year-old Fox Island, Washington man was indicted late last month by a federal grand jury for four counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, four counts of money laundering, and four counts of making and subscribing a false tax return, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. John S. Winslow, a former financial advisor at a national financial services firm, allegedly stole over $920,000 in life savings and inheritance from a former client, a widow in her 70’s. 

    “Mr. Winslow took advantage of the victim’s trust to steal from her bank and brokerage accounts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “He used the victim’s funds to upgrade his lifestyle – buying an island home, installing a hot tub and new appliances, and purchasing a new car and a diamond necklace.”

    According to the indictment, Winslow moved funds out of the victim’s brokerage accounts with the financial services firm and into her outside bank account in multiple transactions. He did this to conceal his fraud by placing the victim’s funds outside of the firm’s surveillance system. From the victim’s outside bank account, the funds were transferred into Winslow’s bank accounts, again in multiple transactions. Winslow used his trusted status with the victim to further the fraud. He visited the victim at her home and instructed the victim to call the bank and put the call on speaker. He then told the victim what she should tell the bank. Winslow used the victim’s funds for his own benefit. He falsely claimed to the victim that if she transferred money to him, he would repay her at a higher interest rate than what she was getting from her banks.

    To hide the illicit nature of the funds, Winslow allegedly funneled the victim’s funds through extra layers of transactions. For example, Winslow purchased gold coins from an online gold retailer in multiple transactions. He then sold those gold coins to a local brick-and-mortal gold retailer before depositing the proceeds into his bank accounts.

    During the fraud-scheme period, Winslow allegedly failed to report the funds that he stole from the victim on his federal tax returns, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $254,000.

    Winslow was arraigned on the indictment and entered a ‘not guilty’ plea on March 31, 2025. Trial in front of U.S. District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright is scheduled for June 2, 2025.

    The wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering counts are representative acts of the alleged scheme and are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The false-tax-return counts are punishable by up to 3 years in prison.

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

    The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS – An Atlanta, Georgia man who defrauded banks in multiple states was sentenced today to 57 months in prison to be followed by 5 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.  The defendant was also ordered to pay $161,401.17 in restitution.

    Stanford Wilvin Lightfoot, 33, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that for approximately 5 months in 2023, Stanford Lightfoot was a member of a large fraud ring that had been defrauding banks in Montana, Maine and Missouri.  In each location, Lightfoot and other coconspirators would travel to the state from the base of operations in Atlanta, Georgia.  Once there, they would recruit local homeless individuals who possessed valid ID cards.  They would then take these homeless individuals to local banks and provide them with fraudulent checks from real accounts.  These checks all possessed forged signatures of real people and were, therefore, means of identification.  The homeless individuals would then attempt to cash the checks and, if successful, would provide the money to Lightfoot and his coconspirators.  If the homeless individuals were caught by police, they would be abandoned to take the blame.  In Montana, Lightfoot hit multiple banks in Belgrade, Bozeman, and Livingston utilizing local homeless individuals to forge checks in excess of $20,000.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI, Livingston Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, and Bozeman Police Department.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana Woman Who Provided a Child for Pornographic Photoshoot Pleads Guilty

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty today to receiving child sexual abuse material produced by a photographer she arranged to take the images.

    According to court documents, Hannah Kinchen, 40, of Gonzales, coordinated with a photographer, who self-identified as a “pedophile,” to conduct photoshoots for the minor victim’s modeling career. During the photoshoots, Kinchen allowed and assisted the photographer in posing the minor victim wearing scanty attire, including thongs and G-strings. The photographer sent and Kinchen received most of the images through a file-sharing website on the internet. Some of the resulting images qualified as child pornography and some were later sold.

    Kinchen pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Head of the Justic Department’s Criminal Division, Matthew R. Galeotti; Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon for the Middle District of Louisiana; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI New Orleans Division – Baton Rouge Resident Agency investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from CEOS Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Over 16 Years of Federal Imprisonment for Drug Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Timothy Edwards, 49, formerly of Memphis, to 197 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute drugs. Joseph C. Murphy, Jr., Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

    According to the information presented in court, on April 1, 2021, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) responded to a local UPS Store regarding a suspicious package which was found to contain 6,793.5 grams of marijuana and 1,247 grams of methamphetamine.  During the investigation, DEA was alerted to a second package being shipped to the UPS store.  This package was intercepted on June 3, 2021.  It contained 4.9 pounds of marijuana.  Both packages were shipped from California to Memphis, TN.  The first package had Edwards listed as the recipient, and the second was sent to a P.O. Box associated with Edwards.    

    In October 2024, a jury trial was held, and Edwards was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (marijuana and methamphetamine). On April 3, 2025, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Edwards to a total of 197 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the DEA and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO)-Memphis Division.  This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    Interim United States Attorney Murphy thanked Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks, who prosecuted this case, as well as the DEA and the SCSO-Memphis Division who investigated the case.

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    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Stamford Nurse Admits Stealing and Tampering with Hydromorphone and Fentanyl Vials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations New York Field Office, and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that KRISTEN CAROTENUTO, 35, of Pelham, New York, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to tampering with vials of hydromorphone and fentanyl at a surgical clinic in Stamford where she was employed as a nurse.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Carotenuto was employed as a nurse at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford.  As part of her employment, she was granted access to a secure location used by the surgical center to store controlled substances, including hydromorphone and fentanyl.  In December 2024, Carotenuto removed several vials, each containing hydromorphone or fentanyl, from the secure storage area.  She then took the vials home, removed the controlled substances using a syringe, and used the drugs.  She then refilled the vials with either saline or water and returned the tampered vials to the storage area in a location where they could be distributed for patient use.

    Carotenuto pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for June 30.

    Carotenuto is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.  She has surrendered her nursing license.

    This matter is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury convicts Marion County drug dealer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Following a two-day trial, a jury found a Centralia man guilty of federal charges for distributing cocaine and fentanyl in Marion County.

    A federal jury convicted Broderick K. Currie, also known as Broderick K. Wooters, 36, of one count of distribution of a controlled substance: cocaine and one count of distribution of a controlled substance: fentanyl.

    “As a career offender, this defendant has sold drugs in southern Illinois and caused irrevocable harm to families for many years,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The lethality of fentanyl cannot be understated, and another dealer off the streets is a win for our region.”

    The evidence presented at trial proved Broderick sold nearly 12 grams of cocaine and one gram of fentanyl to a confidential source in February 2024 in Marion County.

    “The conviction of the defendant provides an opportunity to remind everyone that the mission of the Springfield Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force is to relentlessly pursue and destroy drug trafficking organizations operating in the Southern Illinois region,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “If you are distributing controlled substances, especially deadly fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, we will find you and hold you accountable.”

    Currie’s distribution charges are punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment per count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 12.

    The FBI Springfield Field Office’s Southern Illinois TOC-West Task Force led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Carraway and Dan Kapsak prosecuted the case. The TOC-West Task Force has multiple members, this investigation was supported by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Carlyle Police Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to 65 Years in Prison for Child Sex Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Monday sentenced a former Phelps County Sheriff’s deputy to 65 years in prison for soliciting and/or receiving sex acts and child sexual abuse material from multiple minors and destroying evidence to impede the FBI.

    Judge Schelp also ordered Justin Bradley Durham, of Rolla, to pay $79,160 in restitution to victims. Durham pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in October to one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation.

    Durham admitted requesting and receiving a sexually explicit video from a 15-year-old in 2013. He later provided $200 to the victim after she engaged in sex acts with him. He also admitted engaging in sex acts multiple times with a 17-year-old victim, including in his patrol vehicle. He exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with her. Durham met the second victim in 2016 when her friend contacted the police and he responded to the call.

    The FBI interviewed Durham in 2023 after learning that his PayPal account had been used to send money to another account associated with the sale of child pornography. Durham denied purchasing child pornography and claimed that he hadn’t accessed his Dropbox account for years. He refused agents’ request to search his cell phone. Two days later, Durham bought a new phone, destroyed his old phone and deleted about 37 gigabytes of data in his Dropbox account before deactivating it. Among those files were hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, including files containing child sexual abuse material. Durham was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on Aug. 9, 2023, and arrested by them. In jail, he told FBI agents that he also destroyed a laptop computer, threw away his phone and conducted a “digital footprint scrub” of his online accounts, his plea agreement says.

    Durham also sent sexual letters to inmates at the Phelps County Jail, solicited sexually explicit images from other women, including a woman who was on parole, according to a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman.

    “Justin Durham avoided detection by exploiting what he knew about law enforcement. He often targeted vulnerable victims, some of whom suffered from mental health issues, poverty, or sexual abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “We applaud the bravery of the two victims who came forward to help end Durham’s disgraceful abuse.”

    Sheriff Michael P. Kirn expressed his firm belief that accountability and transparency are essential in maintaining public trust. “The actions of individuals like Justin Durham are not representative of our dedicated law enforcement community. We will continue to ensure that justice is served and that ethical standards are upheld,” he asserted.

    “This case serves as a reminder that the law applies equally to all, and the commitment to justice remains paramount. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to advocate for integrity and accountability within the law enforcement community and beyond,” Sheriff Kirk said.

    The FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: MEXICAN NATIONAL INDICTED FOR ILLEGAL RE-ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES BY A REMOVED ALIEN AND FALSE REPRESENTATION OF A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A federal grand jury recently returned a three-count indictment charging Edgar Javier Castillo-Rodriguez, age 53, of Mexico, with illegal re-entry into the United States by a removed alien and false representation of a Social Security number. Castillo-Rodriguez appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.

    According to court documents, Castillo-Rodriguez, an alien who had previously been removed from the United States on or about October 30, 1996, at or near Brownsville, Texas, and on or about November 6, 2000, at or near El Paso, Texas, was again found in the United States on or about October 29, 2024, without having obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or his successor, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

    On October 29, 2024, Castillo-Rodriguez knowingly and falsely represented to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office a Social Security number that had not been assigned to him by the Commissioner of Social Security.

    On April 21, 2023, Castillo-Rodriguez knowingly and falsely represented to a potential employer a false Social Security number that had not been assigned to him by the Commissioner of Social Security.

    This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.

    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.

    NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury.  The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Statement on Supreme Court Stay of Maryland District Court Order

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s temporary administrative stay blocking the district court’s order that Salvadoran national Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia must be returned to the United States by midnight tonight:

    “We welcome this stay from the Supreme Court as we continue to fight this case and protect the executive branch from judicial overreach.” 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ponte Vedra Man Indicted For Conspiracy To Traffic Firearms And Controlled Substances (DOJ)

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

    acksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Braden Huston Hobbs (27, Ponte Vedra) with conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, dealing firearms without a license, making a materially false statement to a licensed firearms dealer, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances—including 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, Hobbs faces a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 95 years, in federal prison.

    According to court documents and proceedings, law enforcement began investigating Hobbs when several firearms he had purchased were recovered during unrelated search warrant executions by law enforcement agencies. These firearms were recovered in the homes of drug distributors and a convicted felon. Additionally, during a series of controlled purchase operations conducted in the summer of 2024, agents purchased 11 firearms from two co-conspirators. Hobbs was the original purchaser of multiple firearms purchased from these two co-conspirators. Cellphone records later showed that at least one of the co-conspirators regularly purchased firearms from Hobbs.

    Through further investigation, agents discovered that between March 2022 and June 2024, Hobbs had purchased more than 120 firearms from 3 different federally licensed firearms dealers in Jacksonville, with 67 of those firearms being purchased between January and June 2024. Hobbs then sold those firearms to others. On multiple occasions, Hobbs advertised firearms for sale to potential customers before completing the purchase of the firearms from the federally licensed firearms dealer.

    Customers typically paid Hobbs in cash for the firearms or traded drugs for the firearms. Hobbs was aware that some of his customers intended to resell the firearms and were drug users or drug distributors. Furthermore, Hobbs asked his co-conspirators to assist him in finding buyers for the firearms and the co-conspirators advertised Hobbs’s firearms for sale. Although he engaged in the business of dealing firearms, Hobbs is not a federally licensed firearms dealer, as required by federal law.

    When Hobbs purchased the firearms from the federally licensed firearms dealers, he indicated on the required ATF Form 4473 that he was the actual buyer or transferee of the firearms. In addition, Hobbs indicated that he was not a user of or addicted to controlled substances. Both statements were false. Hobbs was not the actual buyer or transferee of the firearms, and he was a habitual user of controlled substances.

    In addition, Hobbs was distributing controlled substances, including over 500 grams of cocaine and Adderall. He routinely advertised controlled substances for sale and coordinated deals. Hobbs often sold the controlled substances to the same customers to whom he was selling firearms. On June 26, 2024, Hobbs was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for driving under the influence and trafficking in cocaine. During a search of Hobbs’s car, officers located approximately 330 grams of cocaine and 17 grams of Adderall, as well as various items used to package and distribute controlled substances.

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

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the North Florida HIDTA Tri-County Narcotics Task Force with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairbanks man guilty of firearms crimes

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

    FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A federal jury in Alaska convicted a Fairbanks man Wednesday of being a felon in possession of a firearm and violent felon in possession of body armor after a three-day trial.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in October 2006, George Moises Romero Jr, 37, was convicted of Murder in the Second Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree and Assault in the Third Degree in the Anchorage Superior Court. The Court sentenced Romero to 24 years imprisonment but he received discretionary parole and was released in 2019.

    On June 4, 2024, a parole violation warrant was issued for Romero’s arrest. The Fairbanks Area Criminal Suppression Unit was tasked with apprehending Mr. Romero. To find him, law enforcement obtained a warrant to obtain real-time location data for Romero’s phone. As the SWAT team got ready to execute a search warrant for the Romero’s location, Romero evaded surveillance and moved to a new location in the Goldstream Valley.

    On June 6, 2024, Alaska State Troopers launched a helicopter equipped with high powered cameras and located the vehicle Romero used to flee the original location. The helicopter monitored the vehicle and occupants while the SWAT team moved into their new position. The helicopter observed Romero getting dropped off at a wooded location with what appeared to be camping equipment.

    As Romero began to walk into the woods, Troopers contacted him and arrested him. The Troopers discovered Romero was wearing body armor and had two loaded firearms on his person, as well as loaded magazines and ammunition. Romero had a third firearm and additional ammunition in a duffle bag he was carrying. 

    U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes, Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Field Division made the announcement.

    The Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team (FANT), FBI Anchorage Field Office, Fairbanks Resident Agency and ATF Anchorage Field Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek and Trial Attorneys from the Antitrust Division, David Bernhardt and Lauren Weed are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard interdicts suspected smuggling vessel off San Diego coast

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    04/07/2025 03:22 PM EDT

    Coast Guard interdicts suspected smuggling vessel off San Diego coast SAN DIEGO — The Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne (WPC 1131), with support from the USS Spruance (DDG 111) and Department of Homeland Security partners interdicted a suspected maritime smuggling vessel carrying eight Mexican nationals approximately 27 miles west of San Diego, Saturday.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Eleven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced To Over Six Years In Prison For Unlawfully Possessing Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Bryan Jermaine Davis (37, Jacksonville) to six years and five months in federal prison for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon. Davis entered a guilty plea on December 3, 2024.

    According to court documents, on July 5, 2024, an officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop after seeing that Davis was not wearing a seatbelt. During questioning, Davis admitted to having marijuana in his possession. The officer conducted a search of Davis’s vehicle and recovered a bag containing assorted rounds of ammunition and a ghost gun under the driver’s seat. Ghost guns are firearms that have no serial number and are, therefore, often untraceable. When the officer found the ammunition and firearm, Davis attempted to flee on foot but was caught and detained by officers who had responded to the scene. At the time, Davis had multiple prior felony convictions including robbery, selling heroin, possession of cocaine, dealing in stolen property, and possession of a weapon by a state prisoner. As a convicted felon, Davis is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

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

    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: Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry of a Previously Removed Alien and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Cosme Marin-Ponce, age 41, of Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien and failure to register as a sex offender.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Marin-Ponce had previously been removed from the United States in 2019, after pleading guilty to indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old.  Marin-Ponce was subsequently found in the United States without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country. Marin-Ponce also failed to register as a sex offender, as his previous conviction required.

    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).

    This matter was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Lummi Nation charged federally with illegal firearms possession and killing protected bald eagles

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 38-year-old member of the Lummi Nation will appear in federal court this afternoon charged with illegal firearms possession and two violations of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Joel David Ridley was arrested by Lummi Nation Police on February 23, 2025. Police responded to reports of gunshots and encountered Ridley with a dead eagle in his SUV. 

    According to the criminal complaint, a witness on the Lummi Reservation was walking his dog when he heard a gunshot. As he walked home, the witness heard a second shot and saw a person pick up an eagle from the ground.  As the witness was on the phone with police, he saw another eagle fall from a tree on his property. The eagle was badly injured. Police captured the surviving eagle and later transported it to the Humane Society.

    Shortly after meeting with the witness, police encountered an SUV in the area that matched the description provided by the reporting party. The vehicle quickly turned into a driveway. A records check revealed the vehicle belonged to Ridley. When police responded to the residence, they observed a dead eagle in the back seat of Ridley’s vehicle. Officers subsequently spoke with Ridley in the driveway and arrested him. 

    Police obtained a search warrant for Ridley’s vehicle. Inside, officers found a dead eagle and a .22 caliber Savage rifle concealed between the rear seats. Ridely is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2003 conviction for Assault in the First Degree in Whatcom County Superior Court.

    Both eagles were taken to the Washington State Humane Society in Bellingham and found to have suffered gunshot wounds. The surviving eagle was too injured to recover and was euthanized. Both eagles were judged to be juvenile bald eagles.

    While the Lummi Tribe is permitted to possess, distribute, and transport bald or golden eagles found dead within Indian Country, the permit does not authorize the taking of eagles by gunshot, poison, or trapping.

    Unlawful Possession of a Firearm is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine.

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

    The case is being investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee. AUSA Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Non-profit entity settles False Claims Act allegations involving Paycheck Protection Loan

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association, Inc. of Woodbridge paid $695,000 to settle False Claims Act allegations that it certified that it was eligible to receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.

    The PPP offered loans to eligible small businesses for economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. PPP borrowers were required to provide their income and supporting documents to qualify for the loan amount and for later loan forgiveness.

    The United States alleged that Lake Ridge is a 501(c)(4) tax exempt entity and that such organizations were not eligible to receive funding through the PPP. The United States also alleged that Lake Ridge applied for a PPP loan and certified on its application that it was eligible to receive a loan under the rules in effect at the time the application was submitted.

    The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. Wade Riner v Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association, Inc., that was filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The whistleblower will receive a 10-percent share of the settlement.

    This resolution was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Small Business Administration.

    The matter was investigated by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina H. Kim.

    A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:24-cv-971.

    The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Individuals Face Federal Charges Following Multi-Agency Immigration Enforcement Operations (DOJ)

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

    TLANTA – Five individuals have been charged in the Northern District of Georgia with firearms-related offenses during a multi-agency immigration enforcement operation in metro-Atlanta during the past week. The operations involved coordinated investigations led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable support from several local law enforcement partners. In addition to the individuals charged federally, law enforcement seized more than a dozen firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in connection with the operations.

    “Our office is proud to support our law enforcement partners in this effort and other enforcement initiatives to protect our communities and safeguard our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “This initiative sends a strong message to those engaged in criminal activity, whether regarding immigration-related or firearms offenses, that the ongoing and determined coordinated efforts of our federal and local law enforcement partners will achieve measurable results in making our communities safer.”

    “The successful enforcement actions taken during this multi-agency operation underscore HSI’s unwavering commitment to upholding immigration laws and targeting illegal aliens allegedly possessing and trafficking in firearms,” said Steven N. Schrank, special agent in charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “By leveraging our partnerships and resources, we are identifying and apprehending those who exploit our immigration system to engage in criminal activities that threaten public safety and national security.”

    “ATF along with our federal law enforcement partners will utilize all resources to investigate firearms trafficking by transnational criminal organizations and cartels,” said Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons. “The success of these investigative efforts could not be accomplished without cohesive partnerships, which keep our communities safe.”

    “The DEA, along with our law enforcement partners, are sending a clear message to the Mexican drug cartels and their criminal associates, that keeping our communities safe is our highest priority,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. 

    “FBI Atlanta is dedicated to supporting our federal partners in achieving our mutual objective of ensuring the safety of our communities,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This case clearly illustrates the success that can be achieved when federal agencies unite their resources and expertise to combat violent criminals.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: From March 24 to April 2, 2025, federal law enforcement agencies conducted a series of enforcement operations targeting individuals allegedly committing firearms and other violations, including those illegally present in the United States.  During the operation, law enforcement seized 13 firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.  Significantly, resulting investigations revealed that many of the firearms were bound for Mexico.

    The following defendants have been charged in connection with the operations:

    Hernandez Mora made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda T. Walker on April 1, 2025.  Gonzales-Hoppo made her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John K. Larkins, III on March 28, 2025.  Vick, Macias Montes and Sambrano also made their initial appearances before Judge Larkins on March 27, 2025. 

    Members of the public are reminded that the Criminal Complaints and Indictment only contain charges.  The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, Georgia State Patrol, Sandy Springs Police Department, Doraville Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Clayton County Police Department, South Fulton Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Police Department, Clarkston Police Department and East Point Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys with the Northern District of Georgia, including those assigned to the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), provided valuable support for these operations.

    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 specific mission of the David G. Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force (Atlanta Strike Force) is to eliminate transnational organized crime syndicates and major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia. To accomplish this mission, the Atlanta Strike Force will target these organizations’ leaders, focusing on targets designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets, Regional Priority Organization Targets, and their associates.  The Atlanta Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, USMS, USPIS, and IRS, as well as numerous state and local agencies; and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dauphin County Man Charged With Violations of Clean Air Act and Conspiring to Defraud the United States and Violate the Clean Air Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ryan Spencer, age 33, of Harrisburg, PA, was charged by criminal information on April 4, 2025, for conspiracy to impede the lawful functions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to violate the Clean Air Act, and individual violations of the Clean Air Act.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, between 2013 and March 12, 2024, Spencer, a Service Manager at Pro Diesel Werks, LLC, doing business as Pro Diesel Werks, along with Pro Diesel Werks owner Roy Ladell Weaver and other co-conspirators, disabled the hardware emissions control systems on the diesel vehicles of Pro Diesel Werks customers (a practice referred to as a “delete” or “deleting”), defeating the systems’ ability to reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter being emitted to the atmosphere. The information further alleges that Spencer and his co-conspirators also tampered with the emissions diagnostic systems on the vehicles to prevent the diagnostic system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware deletes (a practice referred to as a ‘tune” or “tuning).

    On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Weaver and Pro Diesel Werks for conspiracy to impede the lawful functions of the EPA and to violate the Clean Air Act, and individual violations of the Clean Air Act. 

    The case was investigated by the EPA’s Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams, Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan, and Environmental Crimes Section Senior Trial Attorney Richard J. Powers are prosecuting the case.

    The maximum total penalty under federal law for these offenses is seven years of 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 and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pain Management Clinic Owners and Operators Indicted on Health Care Fraud Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – The owners and operators of a Warwick pain management clinic have been indicted by a federal grand jury on health care fraud charges for allegedly defrauding government and private health care insurers, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Brandon Nowak, 32, and Jason Simmons, 33, both of Foster, RI, and officers and operators of Alternative Integrative Medicine, LLC, d/b/a Aim Health, are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and fourteen counts of health care fraud.

    It is alleged that beginning in October 2020, Nowak and Simmons conspired to and did intentionally and repeatedly submit fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage, Medicaid Managed Care, and four private insurers in order to collect payments for certain purportedly “medically necessary” services that were not actually provided to patients.

    The indictment also alleges that patients were routinely informed that massage therapy was a service covered by their insurance, when in fact it was not. In order to receive insurance payment for massage therapy provided by a massage therapist, the defendants allegedly billed insurers for covered services such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and evaluation and management office visits, none of which the patients actually received.

    Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants submitted claims for services such as infrared therapy, hot and cold therapy, therapeutic activity, and self-care/home management training that were not provided to the patients and for which AIM Health did not employ appropriate providers.

    The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in U.S. District Court on April 11, 2025. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan, with the assistance of Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.

    The matter was investigated by the U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Andrew S. Boutros Takes Oath of Office As United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — Andrew S. Boutros, who served as a federal prosecutor in Chicago for nearly eight years before entering private law practice, took the Oath of Office today as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

    U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall administered the Oath of Office after Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed Mr. Boutros as the United States Attorney.  Mr. Boutros signed the Oath of Office this morning.

    “I am humbled and honored to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “I am grateful to President Donald J. Trump, Attorney General Bondi, as well as the many others involved in my selection for their trust and confidence in me.  As U.S. Attorney, I am committed to working alongside old and new colleagues to tackle the important problems that face our District.  In addition, I look forward to working with our law enforcement partners to continue the Office’s longstanding tradition of pursuing justice on behalf of the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois.”

    Mr. Boutros has selected Morris Pasqual, who for the past two years served as Acting United States Attorney, to be the Office’s First Assistant United States Attorney, a leadership role Mr. Pasqual previously held.

    As an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 2008 to 2015, U.S. Attorney Boutros investigated and prosecuted hundreds of cases, many of which involved matters of national and international significance.  U.S. Attorney Boutros’s notable convictions included the world’s largest online drug trafficker on the dark web, one of the country’s “Top Ten Most Wanted” mortgage fraud defendants, and the owner of a Chicago hospital who thwarted collection of more than $188 million in civil judgments. U.S. Attorney Boutros also successfully prosecuted a series of cases involving unprecedented criminal violations of international trade, customs, and anti-dumping laws.

    U.S. Attorney Boutros received numerous awards and accolades for his work as a federal prosecutor.  The Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association selected him as the National Prosecutor of the Year, presenting him with the National Prosecutorial Award.  The American Bar Association honored U.S. Attorney Boutros with the Criminal Justice Section’s Norm Maleng Minister of Justice Award for best exemplifying the prosecutor’s duty to seek justice.  U.S. Attorney Boutros also received honors from the FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

    From 2015 until his appointment as United States Attorney, U.S. Attorney Boutros worked in private law practice in Chicago, holding various leadership roles.  For 15 consecutive years, U.S. Attorney Boutros has taught an advanced criminal law course at the University of Chicago Law School.  While practicing law full time, Mr. Boutros has also written and spoken extensively on criminal law and criminal law adjacent topics, including publishing two books, authoring nearly 160 articles and book chapters, and presenting at 90 speaking engagements.

    U.S. Attorney Boutros earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Virginia Tech, and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Middleton — Annapolis District RCMP investigating armed robberies

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Annapolis District RCMP is investigating two armed robberies that occurred in Middleton.

    On April 5, at approximately 11 a.m., officers responded to a report of a robbery at a restaurant on Commercial St. And at approximately 2:25 p.m., officers received another report of a robbery at the same location.

    Investigators learned that in both instances, a man wearing a mask entered the property and demanded money while brandishing a knife.

    No physical injuries were reported.

    The man believed to be responsible for both robberies is approximately 5-foot-10 and left the area on foot. He was wearing several layers of clothing, including a black hooded sweatshirt, a light-coloured hooded sweatshirt, and a dark jacket. He was also wearing dark jeans and brown-grey Blundstones.

    RCMP Forensic Identification Services is assisting Annapolis District RCMP with the ongoing investigations. Officers are investigating possible links between these incidents and a robbery that occurred on April 3.

    Anyone who recognizes the man or who has information about these robberies is asked to contact Annapolis District RCMP at 902-825-2000. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two More Sentenced in Federal Pandemic Fraud Unemployment Benefit Scheme

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

    ABINGDON, Va. – Two more of the 17 defendants charged with conspiring to defraud the United States, commit program fraud, and commit mail fraud in connection to a scheme involving  filing  fraudulent claims for pandemic unemployment benefits, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Abingdon.

    Last week, Clinton Michael Altizer and Jeramy Blake Farmer were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day for their roles in the conspiracy.

    Previously sentenced as part of the conspiracy were:  Christopher Webb, 20 months; Russell Stiltner, 24 months; Jessica  Lester, 19 months; Cara Camille Bailey, 19 months; Justin Meadows, 18 months; Terrence Vilacha, 18 months; Joseph Hass, 27 months; Brian Addair, 24 months; and Stephanie Amber Barton and Hayleigh McKenzie Wolfe were each sentenced to 12 months and 1 day.

    Jonathan Webb, the individual charged with recruiting others to file fraudulent claims, mostly inmates at local jails, was sentenced to 48 months was ordered to pay $150,218 in restitution.

    All defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the Virginia Employment Commission for the amount of their individual fraudulent claims.

    According to court documents, between March 2020 and September 2021, Josef Brown, Jonathan Webb, and Crystal Shaw developed a scheme to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment befits via the Virginia Employment Commission website. The scheme involved the collection of personal identification information (PII) of inmates housed at SWVRJA-Haysi and Abingdon, as well as personal friends and acquaintances of Brown, Webb, and Shaw. The conspirators used that information to file fraudulent claims and recertifications for pandemic unemployment benefits for incarcerated individuals and others who were ineligible for the benefits.

    In all, the defendants stole $341,205 in pandemic relief to which they were not entitled.

    As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General were charged with identifying major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending. According to the United States Department of Labor, Virginia paid approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the sentences.

    Agencies that assisted with this investigation included the Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail Authority, the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, and the Virginia Employment Commission.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Senior Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case for the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Trenton Man Sentenced To 168 Months In Prison For Assaulting, Robbing And Discharging A Firearm At A Federal Agent (DOJ)

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

    RENTON, N.J. – A Trenton man was sentenced to 168 months in prison for assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Jabree Johnson, 30, of Trenton, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to a three-count indictment charging him with one count of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of robbery with a dangerous weapon of an individual with custody of federal property, and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence, in which the firearm was discharged. 

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

    On March 22, 2021, federal law enforcement officers were conducting an investigation of firearms trafficking and other illegal activities in and around Trenton and Hamilton, New Jersey. In connection with the investigation, a federal law enforcement agent, working in an undercover capacity, arranged to purchase multiple firearms from an individual later identified as Johnson.

    After arriving at an agreed-upon location for the firearms transaction, Johnson entered the undercover federal agent’s vehicle, and handed the agent a black, semi-automatic firearm. The undercover federal agent inspected the firearm and then returned it to Johnson and requested to see the other firearms that Johnson had agreed to sell. Instead, Johnson pointed the loaded firearm directly at the undercover federal agent and demanded money from the agent. In response, the undercover federal agent provided Johnson with an amount of U.S. currency that the agent had on him to purchase the guns. Johnson then ordered the undercover federal agent out of the vehicle at gunpoint. The agent exited the vehicle as ordered and immediately drew his/her service-issued firearm and fired at Johnson, striking Johnson in the shoulder. Johnson also fired his handgun multiple times at the undercover federal agent.  Johnson fled the area with the money. Johnson was later identified at a local hospital as the individual who had assaulted and robbed the undercover federal agent at gunpoint and placed under arrest.    

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Johnson to five years of supervised release and ordered him to forfeit the firearm using during the commission of the crimes.

    U.S. Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, Trenton Satellite Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge­­­­ Terence G. Reilly; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Steve E. Wilson; officers of the Hamilton Township Police Division, under the direction of Police Chief Kenneth DeBoskey; troopers of the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and detectives and prosecutors of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Janetta D. Marbrey, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

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    Defense Counsel: Mark Catanzaro, Esq.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: District Man Indicted for Possession of a Firearm as a Felon Following Arrest in Southwest

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Dajon Malloy, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted on a federal gun charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

              Malloy was indicted on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.  On April 1, U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Malloy detained pre-trial.

              According to court documents, on March 5, 2025, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) observed an individual, later identified as defendant Malloy, walking in the 100 block of M Street, Southwest. Officers engaged Malloy and observed a clearly defined “L” shaped object inside a crossbody satchel he was wearing, consistent with a concealed firearm. Upon questioning, Malloy initially denied having any contraband but later admitted to possessing marijuana and a scale. Malloy then removed from the satchel approximately nine bags of suspected marijuana.

              Court documents say that as officers moved to take him into custody, Malloy began behaving evasively and attempted to obscure the bag from view. Another MPD officer subsequently looked into the open satchel and allegedly observed the magazine of a handgun protruding from inside. It is alleged that officers recovered a firearm containing one round in the chamber and 14 additional rounds in the magazine. A database check confirmed Malloy did not possess a valid firearm license in the District of Columbia.

              A further investigation revealed that Malloy possessed prior felony convictions, including Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in D.C., and Burglary in Maryland, confirming that Malloy was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

              This case is being investigated by the ATF Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti.

              This case is part of Make D.C. Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

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

    View the Malloy indictment: 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Boone County Schools Maintenance Supervisor Pleads Guilty to $3.4 Million Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael David Barker, 47, of Foster, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Barker admitted to a scheme to defraud the Boone County Schools system by more than $3.4 million while employed as the maintenance director.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from about November 2019 through December 2023, Barker ordered custodial and janitorial supplies for Boone County Schools from Jesse Marks and his company, Rush Enterprises. These supplies included hand soap, trash can liners, face masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer.

    Barker admitted that he and Marks agreed that Rush Enterprises would overbill the Boone County Board of Education for these supplies. As part of this scheme, Barker approved invoices on behalf of Rush Enterprises that significantly inflated the number of products that were actually delivered to Boone County Schools. Barker submitted these fraudulent invoices to the Boone County Board of Education, which relied on them to mail checks to Rush Enterprises using the United States Mail.

    Marks deposited the checks from Boone County Schools into the business bank account for Rush Enterprises, wrote himself checks on that account that he cashed at various banks, and personally delivered some of that cash to Barker in manila envelopes. Barker admitted that he spent the cash delivered by Marks to buy vehicles and equipment and make substantial improvements to his residence in Foster.

    Marks deducted the cost of the products actually delivered to Boone County Schools from the proceeds of the overbilling scheme. Boone County Schools paid Rush Enterprises $4,310,714.82 from in or about November 2019 through in or about December 2023. Barker admitted that approximately 80 percent of the total payments received by Rush Enterprises, or $3,448,571.85, was based on fraudulent invoices.

    Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Barker also owes $3,400,000 in restitution.

    “Mr. Barker took advantage of COVID-19 pandemic relief funds and put his own greed above the interests of the Boone County School system and the children it serves,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “His actions caused serious reputable harm and diminished the trust in the Boone County School system.”

    Marks, 65, of Rush, Kentucky, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2025, to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2025.

    Barker’s parents, Michael P. Barker, 68, and Lana Barker, 66, both of Foster, pleaded guilty on March 3, 2025, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. They admitted to making 11 cash deposits to their bank accounts totaling $97,215 starting on or about November 7, 2023, through on or about November 28, 2023. Financial institutions are required to report cash deposits of more than $10,000, and federal law prohibits structuring multiple cash deposits to avoid this reporting requirement. The deposits were in amounts ranging from $8,000 to $9,500 specifically to avoid the currency reporting requirement. The structuring scheme was uncovered by the same investigation that resulted in the indictment of their son. Michael P. Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2025, and Lana Barker is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2025.

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Education-Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the West Virginia State Police, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Department of Education.

    “This case is a result of outstanding teamwork and reflects the tireless dedication of this office and its law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who stole from the American people during a national emergency,” Johnston said. “We will continue to pursue all available avenues to recover defrauded public funds and identify and prosecute those responsible.”

    United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-194.

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