NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Members of methamphetamine drug ring in Casper are sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A drug trafficking case involving three people from Casper and their source of supply from Thornton, Colorado, was recently closed after all the parties involved were sentenced.

    William J. Varney, 57 of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Varney pleaded guilty on Dec. 23, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 14 in Cheyenne.

    Jolyn K. Furley, 50, of Thornton, Colorado, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Furley pleaded guilty on Dec. 23, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 28 in Cheyenne.

    Julia Carlene Deshaw, 56, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting. Deshaw pleaded guilty on Dec. 23, 2024. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 14 in Cheyenne.

    Gerald Dehnert, 65, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting. Dehnert pleaded guilty on Jan. 8, and  U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 1 in Cheyenne.

    According to court documents, in August and September of 2023, Special Agents of the Central Enforcement Team of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation received information that Julia Deshaw and William Varney were suspected of distributing large amounts of methamphetamine within the Natrona County area. Through the investigation, they learned that Deshaw, Varney, and Dehnert took turns driving to Colorado up to two times a week, bringing back approximately one to five pounds of methamphetamine each time for redistribution. Through surveillance and other investigative tactics, agents determined their supplier was Jolyn Furley.

    The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and the Mills Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case.

    Case No. 24-CR-00064

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Protestor Sentenced in Damaging U.S. Government Property at Union Station Following a Protest Rally

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Zaid Mohammed Mahdawi, 26, of Richmond, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in connection with spray-painting the monument at Columbus Circle in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C., on July 24, 2024, following a protest rally.

                The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Special Agent in Charge Courtland Rae of the FBI Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, and Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police (USPP).

                Mahdawi received 10 days in federal prison, followed by six months of supervision. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg also ordered Mahdawi to serve 80 hours of community service and to pay $1,500 in restitution. Mahdawi pleaded guilty January 23, 2025, to destruction of government property, a misdemeanor.

                According to court documents, on July 24, 2024, an organization was granted a permit to demonstrate in the area of Columbus Circle, located at Massachusetts Ave. NE, and E St. NE, directly in front of Union Station. From about 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., demonstrators who had gathered in Columbus Circle pulled down flags affixed to the flagpoles; burned flags and objects; sprayed graffiti on multiple statutes and structures; and interfered with law enforcement’s ability to place individuals under arrest.

                Between approximately 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Mahdawi lowered a United States flag from one of the flagpoles in Columbus Circle. The flag was subsequently stolen by another individual. Between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., Mahdawi climbed the monument located in the center of Columbus Circle. His actions were captured on video footage filmed by USPP from an observation post looking down at Columbus Circle. The same event was captured in open-source video and photos later posted to various internet platforms. After climbing to a ledge, Mahdawi began to spray paint the monument.

                Footage obtained from a review of open-source videos posted to X (formerly Twitter) showed Mahdawi using red spray paint to write “HAMAS IS COMIN” on the Columbus statue. After completing the phrase, Mahdawi spray-painted an inverted red triangle above the slogan.

                The flags that were pulled down from the flag poles, and the statues and structures in Columbus Circle, are all property of the federal government. The National Park Service estimated that the cost to clean and repair the site at about $11,282.23.

                This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with invaluable assistance from the USPP’s Intelligence and Counterterrorism Unit, the FBI Richmond Field Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office – Eastern District of Virginia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Martin and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan.

    24cr535

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison For Illegally Reentering the United States After Three Prior Removals

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green, KY – An illegal alien man was sentenced yesterday to 2 years and 6 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported or removed.

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

    According to court documents, David Lopez-Guillen, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison, followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported or removed. On April 14, 2022, in Russell County, Kentucky, Lopez-Guillen was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States three previous times, on or about January 19, 2001, April 25, 2005, and August 31, 2020. This is Lopez-Guillen’s second conviction in the Western District of Kentucky for illegal reentry.  

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by HSI Bowling Green and ICE ERO.

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

    This case was sentenced under 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: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice Announce Title IX Special Investigations Team

    Source: United States Attorneys General 4

    Today, amid a staggering volume of Title IX complaints, the U.S Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announce the Title IX Special Investigations Team (SIT) to ensure timely, consistent resolutions to protect students, and especially female athletes, from the pernicious effects of gender ideology in school programs and activities.

    The Title IX SIT will streamline Title IX investigations by creating a specialized team of investigators from across ED and Department of Justice offices. The establishment of the Title IX SIT will allow personnel to apply a rapid resolution investigation process to the increasing volume of Title IX cases and also enable ED and the Justice Department to work together to conduct investigations that are fully prepared for ultimate Justice Department enforcement.

    “Protecting women and women’s sports is a key priority for this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This collaborative effort with the Department of Education will enable our attorneys to take comprehensive action when women’s sports or spaces are threatened and use the full power of the law to remedy any violation of women’s civil rights.”

    “Today’s establishment of the Title IX SIT will benefit women and girls across this nation who have been subjected to discrimination and indignity in their educational activities,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “From day one, the Trump Administration has prioritized enforcing Title IX to protect female students and athletes. Traditionally, our Office for Civil Rights (OCR) takes months, even years, to complete Title IX investigations. OCR under this Administration has moved faster than it ever has, and the Title IX SIT will ensure even more rapid and consistent investigations. To all the entities that continue to allow men to compete in women’s sports and use women’s intimate facilities: there’s a new sheriff in town. We will not allow you to get away with denying women’s civil rights any longer.”

    The Title IX SIT includes:

    • ED Office for Civil Rights investigators and attorneys
    • DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys
    • ED Office of General Counsel attorneys
    • ED Student Privacy and Protection Office case workers and an FSA Enforcement investigator

    Background:

    President Trump’s Executive Order Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports articulates United States policy, consistent with Title IX, to protect female student athletes from having “to compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males.” President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism states the truth that “The erasure of sex in language and policy has a corrosive impact not just on women but on the validity of the entire American system.” 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice Announce Title IX Special Investigations Team

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Today, amid a staggering volume of Title IX complaints, the U.S Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announce the Title IX Special Investigations Team (SIT) to ensure timely, consistent resolutions to protect students, and especially female athletes, from the pernicious effects of gender ideology in school programs and activities.

    The Title IX SIT will streamline Title IX investigations by creating a specialized team of investigators from across ED and Department of Justice offices. The establishment of the Title IX SIT will allow personnel to apply a rapid resolution investigation process to the increasing volume of Title IX cases and also enable ED and the Justice Department to work together to conduct investigations that are fully prepared for ultimate Justice Department enforcement.

    “Protecting women and women’s sports is a key priority for this Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This collaborative effort with the Department of Education will enable our attorneys to take comprehensive action when women’s sports or spaces are threatened and use the full power of the law to remedy any violation of women’s civil rights.”

    “Today’s establishment of the Title IX SIT will benefit women and girls across this nation who have been subjected to discrimination and indignity in their educational activities,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “From day one, the Trump Administration has prioritized enforcing Title IX to protect female students and athletes. Traditionally, our Office for Civil Rights (OCR) takes months, even years, to complete Title IX investigations. OCR under this Administration has moved faster than it ever has, and the Title IX SIT will ensure even more rapid and consistent investigations. To all the entities that continue to allow men to compete in women’s sports and use women’s intimate facilities: there’s a new sheriff in town. We will not allow you to get away with denying women’s civil rights any longer.”

    The Title IX SIT includes:

    • ED Office for Civil Rights investigators and attorneys
    • DOJ Civil Rights Division attorneys
    • ED Office of General Counsel attorneys
    • ED Student Privacy and Protection Office case workers and an FSA Enforcement investigator

    Background:

    President Trump’s Executive Order Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports articulates United States policy, consistent with Title IX, to protect female student athletes from having “to compete with or against or having to appear unclothed before males.” President Trump’s Executive Order Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism states the truth that “The erasure of sex in language and policy has a corrosive impact not just on women but on the validity of the entire American system.” 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Possessing Firearm and Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant was on federal supervised release when he attempted to enter casino with a firearm

    BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    Tarik Muhammad, 30, of Boston, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 51 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Muhammad pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    On the evening of Feb. 4, 2023, Muhammad was denied entry to the Encore Casino in Everett when security detected that he was carrying a firearm. Casino security alerted law enforcement, but Muhammad left before they arrived. Security cameras at the casino show Muhammad leaving in a blue Toyota Rav 4. The following day, a notice was dispatched to law enforcement about the incident and with photos of Muhammad, the vehicle and license plate.

    On Feb. 6, 2023, Muhammad was spotted driving the Rav 4 in Roxbury. When law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Muhammad fled, leading to a high-speed chase that ended when Muhammad crashed into a parked vehicle. Muhammad tried to flee on foot but was apprehended. A loaded semi-automatic pistol was found in Muhammad’s waistband.

    Muhammad is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to several felony convictions including a June 2022 conviction in U.S. District Court in Boston of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. Muhammad was on federal supervised release at the time of the offenses.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Tolkoff of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Yarmouth — Yarmouth Town RCMP charge woman with sexual offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Yarmouth Town RCMP has charged an employee of the Tri-County Regional Centre for Education with sexual offences.

    On March 4, RCMP officers received a report of a sexual assault involving a teacher and a youth victim. Officers learned that in February, a teacher who was on staff at Maple Grove Education Centre had inappropriate contact with a former student. The teacher was on leave at the time of the incident.

    As a result of the investigation, on April 1, officers arrested 52-year-old Tina Lee Cottreau of Yarmouth. She has been charged with:

    • Sexual Assault
    • Sexual Interference
    • Sexual Exploitation

    Cottreau was released on conditions and will appear at Yarmouth Provincial Court on May 12.

    The investigation is ongoing. At this time, investigators do not believe there are other victims.

    Officers have confirmed that Cottreau remains on leave from work.

    The Nova Scotia RCMP encourages anyone who may be a survivor of sexual assault to come forward by contacting their local RCMP detachment or police of jurisdiction. Survivors can discuss incidents with officers before deciding to participate in an investigation and court process. To offer an anonymous tip, contact 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: Assistant United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. Appointed as Interim United States Attorney of the Western District of Tennessee

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MEMPHIS, TN – Assistant United States Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. was appointed as the Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee by the United States Attorney General on March 28, 2025.

    Mr. Murphy began his career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Memphis office in 1989. He was appointed as the Acting U.S. Attorney by the District Court and served in that position from 2021-2023. He was named as First Assistant U.S. Attorney in 2018 and served in that role until his appointment as Acting U.S. Attorney. In 2011, Mr. Murphy served as Criminal Chief, where he supervised Assistant U.S. Attorneys who investigated and prosecuted criminal cases. He also served three years as Deputy Chief of the office’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. Prior to becoming Deputy Chief, Mr. Murphy served as a line Assistant U.S. Attorney in both the criminal division and drug task force unit.

    During his career with the Department of Justice, Mr. Murphy has tried more than 125 felony cases to verdict in the U.S. District Court. These cases included prosecutions of health care professionals for illegally distributing controlled substances; mail and wire fraud cases; and theft cases involving pension funds and interstate shipments. Mr. Murphy has also represented the government in more than 200 cases litigated before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and argued numerous appeals before the court.

    Mr. Murphy is married and has two adult children. He is a native Memphian, a graduate of Lambuth College and the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis and is very active in community and legal affairs.

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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: Clearwater Man Indicted For Transportation Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Brian Francis McArdle (34, Clearwater) with transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possession of CSAM. If convicted on all counts, McArdle faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    According to the indictment, from January 1, 2023, through April 2, 2024, McArdle transported and shipped a visual depiction, the production of which involved the sexual abuse of a minor. McArdle also knowingly possessed a visual depiction of the sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.

    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 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and 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: Guatemalan National Indicted For Illegal Reentry Into The United States After Being Previously Deported

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Samuel Ortiz-Ordonez (24, Guatemala) with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Ortiz-Ordonez faces up to two years in federal prison and subsequent deportation and removal from the United States.

    According to court documents, Ortiz-Ordonez was previously removed from the United States on June 15, 2023. Ortiz-Ordonez has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to lawfully reenter the United States. On March 13, 2025, Ortiz-Ordonez was found voluntarily back in the United States in Jacksonville, where he was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. After being approached by ICE officers, Ortiz-Ordonez abandoned the vehicle that he was driving and fled on foot through a local residential neighborhood. After a brief chase, he was apprehended by ICE officers.

    This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

    An indictment is only an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    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: Ohio Woman Sentenced on Drug, Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Betty Ann Rosenbeck to Serve 98 Months for Trafficking Methamphetamine into SW Virginia

    ABINGDON, Va. – An Ohio woman, who trafficked ice methamphetamine from the Buckeye State into Southwest Virginia and carried a firearm while doing so, was sentenced yesterday to 98 months in federal prison.

    Betty Ann Rosenbeck, 42, of Huber Heights, Ohio, previously pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

    According to court documents, on July 17, 2023, a traffic stop was conducted on Rosenbeck’s vehicle in Bristol, Virginia. At the time of the traffic stop, a K9 officer alerted to the presence of narcotics and officers seized two sets of digital scales, multiple plastic baggies, and a handgun magazine.

    Approximately ten days later, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of approximately one ounce of methamphetamine for $350 from Rosenbeck at a residence in Bristol, Virginia.

    Shortly thereafter, on August 11, 2023, investigators learned that Rosenbeck would be traveling back to Virginia after obtaining methamphetamine from a source in Dayton, Ohio. Federal search warrants were obtained and on August 12, 2023, officers stopped Rosenbeck’s vehicle in Abingdon, Virginia and executed warrants on her person and vehicle. During that search, officers located 441.8 grams of 84 percent pure methamphetamine concealed inside four plastic bags hidden in Rosenbeck’s under garments, and a loaded 9 mm handgun hidden in her tights. Officers also found a glass pipe, clear baggy with residue, and a ledger with names and dollar amounts.  

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Washington Division made the announcement.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, Virginia State Police, Holston River Drug Task Force, and Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant United States Attorney Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Florida Federal, State, Local Law Enforcement Cooperation Leads to Murder Charges, Convictions Against MS-13 Gang Members

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, FBI Miami, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and other law enforcement worked in partnership to solve four local homicides connected to the MS-13 gang, a transnational criminal organization and recognized terrorist group. So far, the law enforcement collaboration has led to federal indictments in the Southern District of Florida charging murder in aid of racketeering activity (22-cr-60078 and 25-cr-20102); convictions that carry mandatory life sentences for six MS-13 members and associates; and pending charges against three defendants facing the death penalty.  

    The Investigation:

    Beginning in 2015, BSO Homicide Unit detectives investigated two murders that took place in a small area of Oakland Park, Florida, appeared to be gang related, and were carried out using knives or machetes:

    O.G., 18. On January 7, 2015, BSO detectives found the body of O.G. in Oakland Park, Florida. O.G. was 18 years old when he was killed by machete strikes to his head and neck.    

    C.O., 25. On October 19, 2015, BSO detectives responded to the scene of a stabbing in Oakland Park, Florida. They found 25-year-old C.O. in an alleyway. He had been stabbed many times in the neck and chest. C.O. was taken to the hospital but died soon after getting there. 

    Investigative leads on the two cases went cold in about 2016. In 2020, the BSO Cold Case Unit reopened the unsolved homicides and partnered with FBI Miami and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (the investigative team). They learned of two additional murders with similarities to the ones BSO had reopened: 

    G.V.P., 22. On May 3, 2015, the body of G.V.P. was discovered in a vacant lot in Palm Beach, Florida. G.V.P. was 22 years old when he was stabbed repeatedly in the face, neck, torso, and groin. He was also shot in the head. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, which was handling that case, collaborated with the investigative team.       

    J.C.L., 18. In May 2021, the investigative team discovered the body of victim J.C.L.  after an extensive, multi-day excavation in Oakland Park, Florida. He had been punched, kicked, stabbed to death, and buried in a makeshift grave. J.C.L. was 18 years old when his family reported him missing. 

    Through investigative techniques and modern technologies, the team pieced together evidence showing that MS-13 was responsible for the four homicides.     

    The Federal Prosecutions:

    The team secured federal indictments in two cases in the Southern District of Florida related to these MS-13 murders: the July 2022 federal criminal case against six defendants (22-cr-60078) and the March 2025 federal criminal case against three defendants (25-cr-20102).   

    In the 2022 case, all six defendants have been convicted of murder in aid of racketeering activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C.§1959:  

    Andy Tovar (a/k/a “Fearless”) pled guilty to two counts of murder in aid of racketeering activity. Tovar, an MS-13 gang leader, approved the murder of victim O.G., and participated in victim G.V.P.’s murder in 2015 – including shooting him in the eye.

    Tovar has been sentenced to life in prison. 

    Wilson Tirado-Silva (a/k/a “Sombra”) pled guilty to four charges of murder in aid of racketeering activity for his role in: the 2014 stabbing murder of victim J.C.L., the 2015 murder by machete of victim O.G., the 2015 stabbing and gunshot murder of victim G.V.P., and the 2015 stabbing murder of victim C.O. Tirado-Silva was a local MS-13 leader responsible for growing the gang in South Florida. He took MS-13 recruits on kills as part of gang initiation.  

    Tirado-Silva faces a mandatory life sentence.  

    Miguel Angel Cabrera-Granados (a/k/a “Mariachi”) pled guilty to one count of murder in aid of racketeering activity. He participated in the 2014 stabbing murder of victim J.C.L. to gain gang membership credit.  

    Cabrera-Granados faces a mandatory life sentence.  

    Melvin David Cruz-Ortiz (a/k/a “Bigfoot”) pled guilty to three counts of murder in aid of racketeering activity for his role in the 2014 stabbing murder of victim J.C.L., the 2015 stabbing and gunshot murder of victim G.V.P., and the 2015 stabbing murder of victim C.O. Cruz-Ortiz committed the murders to gain gang membership credit. 

    Cruz-Ortiz faces a mandatory life sentence.

    Kevin Ricardo Gamez-Melendez (a/k/a “Ardilla”) pled guilty to one count of murder in aid of racketeering activity for his role in the 2015 stabbing and gunshot murder of victim G.V.P. 

    Gamez-Melendez faces a mandatory life sentence.

    Wilber Geovanni Vigil-Benitez (a/k/a “Solitario”) was convicted by a federal jury in the Southern District of Florida earlier this year for murder in aid of racketeering. The jury found Vigil-Benitez guilty for his role in the 2015 stabbing and gunshot murder of victim G.V.P. 

    Vigil-Benitez faces a mandatory life sentence.     

    In the March 2025 case (25-cr-20102), three defendants are charged with murder in aid of racketeering activity in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1959, in connection with the MS-13 stabbing and gunshot killing of victim G.V.P. They are all in federal custody:  

    • Jose Ezequiel Gamez-Maravilla (a/k/a “Chango”) 

    • Hugo Adiel Bermudez-Martinez (a/k/a “Blue”) 

    • Wilber Rosendo Navarro-Escobar (a/k/a “Power”)   

    The three defendants, whose cases are pending, face a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum sentence of death. The indictment against them is an accusation and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

    “These vicious and callous acts by MS-13 not only shattered lives but also undermined the safety and security of South Florida communities,” said Hayden P. O’Byrne, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. “Through my office’s unwavering partnership with other federal, state, and local law enforcement, we are sending a clear message to those who inflict violence, feed drug addiction, or cause other harm to the people of our district: We will find you; we will prosecute you; and we will apply the full force of American justice.”  

    “Nine MS-13 terrorists have been taken off our streets and four cold murder cases have been solved thanks to the great investigative work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Let this be a lesson: no matter how long it takes, we will never give up in our pursuit of justice.”

    “This investigation reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to arrest dangerous criminals who threaten the safety of our citizens and our communities. Combating violent crime continues to be a top priority for the FBI and the Miami Field Office,” said Brett Skiles, acting Special Agent in Charge FBI Miami. “The FBI is grateful for its close collaboration with numerous local, state, federal, and international law enforcement partners, whose combined efforts were essential to track down these violent suspects in South Florida, Central Florida, Kearney, Nebraska, Saint Paul, Minnesota, and Mexico City, Mexico. We commend our partners on their professionalism, diligence, and dedication to keeping our nation safe. However, the FBI and our law enforcement partners cannot do it alone. We ask the public to contact law enforcement if they have information about cold cases or any criminal activity. Two-way communication with our communities is vital to our work, and often holds the answers to solving crimes. Together, we will use all tools available and go to farthest reaches of the globe to bring to justice those who seek to endanger our citizens and society. We will not relent.”

    “The heartless and brutal actions of these ruthless and violent criminals demonstrate a complete disregard for human life,” Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony said. “BSO’s Cold Case Homicide investigators, who worked closely with our federal partners, proved once again that justice has no expiration date. We owe it to the families of the victims and to this community to make sure the people who committed these heinous crimes are held accountable.”

    Southern District of Florida Special Prosecutions Chief Brian Dobbins and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elena Smukler are prosecuting these cases. FBI Miami and BSO investigated, with valuable assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Miami, Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office, NCIS Southeast Field Office, and Florida Department of Corrections.

    The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that MS-13 is a violent transnational gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador that operates throughout parts of the United States. MS-13 is a recognized terrorist organization.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.

    This matter is also 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).

    FBI and HSI have nationwide tip lines for individuals who wish to share information about the MS-13 gang and its activities. The FBI tipline is 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), and the HSI tipline is 1-866-DHS-2423

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 22-cr-60078 and 25-cr-20102.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Arrest of Kenneth DiGiorgio

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

    SAN JUAN, PR—Acting Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), San Juan Field Office, announced today the arrest of Kenneth DeGiorgio (DeGiorgio).

    DeGiorgio was charged under a Federal Criminal Complaint with violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 113(a)(4) (Assault within Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction of the United States) for events which took place aboard a cruise ship en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico on or about March 31, 2025. Cruise ship authorities alerted the FBI of the incident.

    “Violent crimes committed aboard cruise ships fall under federal jurisdiction and we take them very seriously,” said Kowalski. “If you break the law at sea, expect to face consequences on land.”

    This case is being investigated by the FBI San Juan Field Office and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

    Tips and information assist the FBI and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. The FBI reminds the public that anyone with information on this case should contact the FBI San Juan Field Office by calling 787-987-6500 or submit tips through the FBI’s Internet complaint portal at Tips.FBI.Gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

    The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty by a court of law. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Bridgeport Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that ONAI KEDAR WILBUR WRIGHT, 25, of Bridgeport, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.

    Wright appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford.  He has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 14, 2025.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on March 14, 2025, an Online Covert Employee (OCE) with the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Cleveland, Ohio, monitored a live video stream on the internet application “Fambase” and observed Wright engaging in sexually explicit activity with a 16-year-old female (“minor victim”).  Analysis of mobile communications and geo-location data, and information from AirBnB, led investigators to a residence located in Norwich, Connecticut, where they took Wright into custody.  The minor victim and two adult females were also present in the residence.

    The complaint charges Wright with sexual exploitation of children, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years of imprisonment, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This investigation is being conducted by the FBI in New Haven and Cleveland, with the assistance of the Norwich Police Department, the New London State’s Attorney’s Office, the Vermilion (Ohio) Police Department, and the Norwalk (Ohio) Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.

    Acting U.S Attorney also acknowledged the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.

    This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Pleads Guilty To Attempting To Entice A Child Into Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that William Isaak Sparks (24, Kalamazoo, Michigan) has pleaded guilty to attempted online enticement of an 11-year-old child to engage in sex acts. Sparks faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Following any imposed prison sentence, he will be required to serve at least 5 years’ supervised release and register as a sex offender. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Sparks has also agreed to forfeit a cellphone that was used to facilitate the offense.

    According to court documents, an FBI special agent was conducting an online undercover investigation designed to identify and target adults who were seeking sexual activity with children. The undercover agent, posing as the parent of an 11-year-old girl, made contact with Sparks in a chat group on a social media app. Sparks offered to travel from Michigan to Florida for the purpose of sexually exploiting the “child.” Sparks provided his cellphone number to the undercover agent, distributed to the undercover agent two videos of children being sexually abused, and offered to send an explicit video of himself. Via text message, Sparks continued to make arrangements to travel to Florida.

    The undercover agent again encountered Sparks in a chat room on May 21, 2024. During that conversation, Sparks again offered to travel to Florida to sexually abuse the 11-year-old “child.” Sparks provided his true name to the undercover agent so that the agent could book a bus ticket from Michigan to Florida for Sparks. The agent later learned that on May 24, 2024, Sparks had been arrested by the Michigan State Police after information was provided by a private citizen that Sparks was attempting to engage in sex acts with a purported 11-year-old child in Michigan. Sparks was arrested after he showed up with a condom and $45 in cash expecting to sexually abuse the purported 11-year-old child in Michigan.

    While he was detained pending trial in this case, Sparks was found to be possessing in his jail cell drawings depicting children being sexually abused.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Michigan State Police, and the Township of Kalamazoo Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.

    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 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and 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: Indictment Returned for February 2024 Shooting of Metropolitan Police Department Officers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Accused of Daylight Shooting of Police Officers Executing Arrest Warrant for Animal Cruelty Offense

                WASHINGTON – Stephen Rattigan, also known as Julius James, 49, of Washington, D.C., was indicted April 2, 2025, on assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges stemming from the February 14, 2024, shooting of Metropolitan Police Department Officers, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”). 

               Rattigan was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of six counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, six counts of assault on a police officer while armed, three counts of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, fifteen counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of endangerment with a firearm, five counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, four counts of possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, and one count of cruelty to animals. 

               Rattigan is scheduled to be arraigned on April 4, 2025, at a hearing before the Honorable Michael Ryan.  Rattigan faces a mandatory minimum of five years of incarceration for each count of assault with intent to kill while armed, each count of assault on a police officer while armed, and each count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed. Rattigan faces a mandatory minimum of one year for each firearm in his possession.  

               According to the government’s evidence, at about 7:30 a.m., on February 14, 2024, members of MPD went to 5032 Hanna Place SE in Washington, D.C. to arrest Rattigan, then known as Julius James. MPD officers, in full uniform, repeatedly announced that they were with MPD and that they were at the residence to arrest Rattigan. After several minutes of no response, MPD officers observed Rattigan inside the house, and he began speaking to the officers. Despite attempting to have Rattigan open the door, MPD officers were forced to use tools to force open the front door. While six members of MPD were outside the front door, Rattigan fired several shots through the front door, striking three of the officers. An hours-long standoff then ensued, with Rattigan communicating with MPD negotiators for several hours. At one point during the standoff, Rattigan, upset that he wasn’t getting cigarettes quickly enough, fired three additional rounds through the front door.

                After several hours, Rattigan surrendered to MPD officers, and he was arrested. After Rattigan was arrested, MPD executed a court-authorized search warrant inside the home. Inside, Rattigan had thirty-one dogs, three handguns, two AR-style rifles, two full drum magazines, and additional large-capacity magazines. 

               This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Goldstein of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Orlando Residents Plead Guilty To Scheme That Facilitated Evasion Of Payroll Taxes And Workers’ Compensation Requirements In Construction Industry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Eduardo Anibal Escobar (44), Carlos Alberto Rodriguez (35), and Adelmy Tejada (57), all residents of Orlando, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud. Each are legal permanent residents from El Salvador. Each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud offense and up to 5 years in federal prison for the tax fraud offense. These individuals are subject to an order requiring them to forfeit at least $8,764,652 in proceeds which they obtained as a result of the wire fraud offense and two houses in Orlando that were purchased with those proceeds.

    The defendants are also subject to an order requiring them to pay restitution in the amounts of $12,992,908 to four insurance companies for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, $397,895 to two of the companies for workers’ compensation claims that the companies paid, and $36,957,616 for unpaid employment taxes on approximately $146,077,535 in payroll that was not reported to the IRS. The sentencing dates have not yet been set.

    According to court documents, over the period of approximately January 2015 through August 2024, the defendants engaged in a scheme to defraud involving misrepresentations concerning workers’ compensation insurance. The purposes of the scheme were to facilitate the employment of workers who were not legally authorized to work in the United States, to avoid paying for adequate workers’ compensation insurance, and to avoid paying required payroll taxes.

    To carry out the scheme, Escobar, Rodriguez, and Tejada obtained workers’ compensation insurance policies in the names of companies they registered with the State of Florida. The policies covered a handful of employees and a minimal payroll. They then reached agreements with hundreds of construction subcontractors to represent to construction contractors that the subcontractors were employed by the defendants’ companies. The subcontractors provided the defendants with the names of the contractors for whom they wanted to perform work, and the defendants sent the contractors documents representing that the subcontractors worked for the defendants’ companies and that they were covered by the companies’ workers’ compensation insurance. This representation allowed the subcontractors to obtain contracts with, and perform work for, the construction contractors. The contractors wrote payroll checks to the defendants’ companies for work performed by the subcontractors and the defendants distributed the payroll to the workers, after keeping 6% to 8% as a fee. Most of the workers were undocumented aliens working illegally in the United States. Over the course of the scheme, approximately $146,077,535 in payroll flowed through the companies, on which the defendants were paid fees totaling at least $8,764,652.

    Although the workers’ compensation insurers believed they were providing coverage for the limited payroll reflected in the insurance applications and reported by the defendants, the insurers unknowingly provided coverage for the approximately $146,077,535 in payroll that flowed through the defendants’ companies. If the insurers had known the amount of payroll they were in fact covering, they would have charged additional annual premiums totaling at least $12,992,908. Neither the defendants nor the contractors nor the subcontractors reported to the IRS the payroll that flowed through the defendants’ companies, and no one paid either the employees’ portion or the employers’ portion of payroll taxes due. If the total payroll of approximately $146,077,535 had been properly reported to the IRS, the total payroll taxes due would have been approximately $36,957,616.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It is part of a continuing investigation by those agencies of the use of shell companies and “ghost” employees in the construction industry. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby Speaks at Australian, US, UK Naval Capabilities and Science and Technology Talks

    Source: United States Navy

    Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby spoke to leaders from the Royal Australian Navy, the British Royal Navy, and the U.S. Navy to discuss the long-standing partnership between the three navies and the continued integration and interoperability of their forces, at the inaugural tri-lateral Naval Capabilities and Science and Technology Talks, April 3.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Secretary General reaffirms security through strength and support to Ukraine, as NATO Foreign Ministers lay groundwork for The Hague Summit

    Source: NATO

    NATO Foreign Ministers wrapped up two days of meetings in Brussels on Friday (4 April 2025), focusing on preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, defence investment, burden sharing, Allied support to Ukraine, and cooperation with partners.

    On the anniversary of the foundation of the Alliance, the Secretary General said that “as the world grows more dangerous,” the need for NATO has never been greater: “And we are united in our commitment to each other in this Alliance.” 
     
    On Thursday, Mr Rutte commended “the biggest increase in defence spending on the European side of NATO since the end of the Cold War.” He welcomed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to his first ministerial, thanking him for his tireless diplomacy and support for NATO. The North Atlantic Council then met for a working lunch, focused on defence investment and preparations for the Summit in The Hague. 
     
    This was followed by a meeting with partners from the Indo-Pacific; Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand. “The security of the Indo-Pacific and the Euro-Atlantic is more connected than ever before. The war in Ukraine is but one example of this as China, North Korea, and Iran continue to support Russia’s war machine,” said Mr Rutte. “This poses risks to us all.”

    On Thursday evening, ministers met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, in the NATO-Ukraine Council format, where they were also joined by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. “We have to make sure that whenever a ceasefire or a peace deal is reached, that it is enduring, that it is lasting,” Secretary General Rutte said. He reaffirmed NATO’s support for Ukraine, and welcomed that Allies have pledged more than 20 billion euros in military assistance in the first quarter of 2025. 
     
    The ministerial concluded on Friday morning with a meeting of the North Atlantic Council with the High Representative Kallas where they discussed NATO-EU cooperation, building defence industrial capacity, the situation in the Western Balkans, and support for Ukraine.

    The Secretary General concluded his press conference on Friday by underlining that NATO remains the cornerstone of transatlantic security and global stability: “Through the years, working together, Allies have delivered security through strength. From all I heard during the last two days, we are well on track to continue delivering well into the future.”

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

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

    ATLANTA – 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: Around the Air Force: Meink Confirmation Hearing, Aircrew Engagement Survey, Red Flag Expands International Collaboration

    Source: United States Air Force

    In this week’s look around the Air Force, Dr. Troy Meink testifies before a Senate committee regarding nomination to be Air Force secretary; aircrew members can take the annual Aircrew Engagement Survey; and Red Flag 25-2 provides realistic, high-end training for Airmen and partner nations.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NAVFAC Leaders Attend SAME Capital Week Conference

    Source: United States Navy

    WASHINGTON NAVY YARD, District of Columbia — Rear Adm. Dean VanderLey, commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) and chief of Civil Engineers emphasized the importance of industry partnerships, alternative construction methods, and engaging with Congress during an executive leadership panel at the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Capital Week conference last week in Rockville, Maryland.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: CCTV still issued of man sought following vicious assault in Plaistow

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating a vicious assault in Plaistow have released an image of a man they want to identify.

    The incident happened at approximately 19:20hrs on Wednesday, 26 February as the victim – a man aged in his 50s – was waiting at a bus stop in Barking Road, near the junction with Tunmarsh Lane, E13.

    The male suspect walked up behind him and slashed him across the face with a knife before walking off. No words were exchanged prior to the incident and the victim did not recognise his attacker.

    The victim was taken to hospital for treatment but has been left with a large scar.

    Detective Constable Karen Barker leads the investigation and said:

    “This appears to have been a completely unprovoked attack which could easily have had far more serious consequences. We are appealing to anyone who was in this area of Barking Road around the time of the incident, or any road users with camera footage who may have captured the suspect or the incident, to come forward and speak to us. This person is extremely dangerous and needs to be caught.”

    Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote ref: 01/7208073/25. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Russell Brand charged by the Metropolitan Police Service

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the Metropolitan Police Service to charge a man following an investigation by detectives.

    The Met has issued a charge and requisition to Russell Brand, 50 (04.02.1975), of Oxfordshire, in connection with the following offences –

    • One count of rape
    • One count of indecent assault
    • One count of oral rape
    • Two counts of sexual assault

    Detectives began investigating in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations, which followed reporting by Channel 4’s Dispatches and The Sunday Times.

    It is alleged that –

    • In 1999 a woman was raped in the Bournemouth area
    • In 2001 a woman was indecently assaulted in the Westminster area of London
    • In 2004 a woman was orally raped and sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London
    • Between 2004 and 2005, a woman was sexually assaulted in the Westminster area of London

    Russell Brand will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 2 May.

    Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy from the Metropolitan Police who is leading the investigation said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

    “The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police. A dedicated team of investigators is available via email at CIT@met.police.uk.

    “Support is also available by contacting the independent charity, Rape Crisis at 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line.”

    We urge responsible reporting in line with guidance from the Attorney General’s Office. Editors, publishers, and social media users should take legal advice to ensure they are in a position to fully comply with the obligations to which they are subject under the common law and Contempt of Court Act 1981.

    The charges relate to four separate women.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP NL warns of phishing scam on Facebook Marketplace

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL is warning residents of a type of scam currently in circulation where scammers are using Facebook Marketplace to target users selling items and sending them fake email money transfers (EMT).

    Recently, reports have been made about residents being defrauded through a phishing scam on Facebook. Here is how the scam is conducted:

    1. The scammer contacts the victim through Facebook Marketplace place, willing to buy items that they had for sale.
    2. The scammer informs the victim that they can send an EMT as payment to secure the product.
    3. The scammer sends a fake interact transfer email to the seller for the seller to click on to access the deposited funds by inputting their banking information.
    4. The scammer obtains the banking account number, password, and two-factor authentication as inputted by the victim.
    5. The scammer obtains access to the victim’s bank account and sends themselves an EMT.
    6. The victim receives an email confirmation, stating that the amount sent as a deposit will be placed in the victim’s bank account in a day or so.
    7. The victim receives notification from their bank (email/text message) that an interact transfer was made from their account to the scammer.
    8. The victim realizes that they have been scammed.

    Here are some red flags to watch out for:

    • The fake Interac transfer email comes from an email service provider, such as gmail.
    • The fake Interac transfer email link re-directs you to an internet page instead of your banking app.
    • The Facebook profile of the scammer is usually associated with a common local name and has very little information available on the page.
    • The Facebook profile was recently created. You can scroll through their timeline and look at the earliest posting date, if there is nothing on the timeline be suspicious.
    • The scammer controls the conversation and selects the method of payment.
    • The scammer will never want to meet in person and will always have an excuse.

    How can you protect yourself?

    • Do not accept EMT payment. The scammer will push for this option. Use the cash only option and never accept a cheque.
    • If you decide to accept EMT then be aware of the process. The buyer sends you money which should go directly to your bank. There should be no steps in between.
    • Never provide banking information (Interac already has access to this) nor provide any personal information.
    • Set up alerts with your bank to alert you that an EMT has been made using your account. Contact your bank immediately if you did not authorize the transfer. The bank may be able to retrieve the funds.
    • Check to see what email address the EMT is coming from. If it is coming from Interac, the email domain will be @payments.interac.ca
    • If you click on the link to deposit the funds, make sure it opens to your banking app or the official banking website. If possible, select the banking app option. The banking website may be fake but look real.
    • Register for autodeposit with your bank. This way, any legitimate funds will be automatically deposited into your account.

    Remember, if it seems too good to be true, it is. If you are unsure whether who you are speaking with on the phone, online, or even in person is legitimate or not, don’t be afraid to say no, leave the conversation, or get a second opinion.

    RCMP NL encourages the public to discuss financial and digital safety with elders and vulnerable adults in their family or community. For more information on phishing, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/scams-fraudes/phishing-hameconnage-eng.htm

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Decommissioning – Restoring Former Nuclear Sites

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Planning and innovation play crucial roles when it comes to the end of a nuclear reactor’s life. Decommissioning activities, set to increase in the coming years as ageing nuclear power plants are retired, include decontamination and dismantling of structures, leading to the removal of regulatory controls so that a facility and site may be reused. In this video, you will learn how decommissioning activities are carried out effectively and safely, including the example of one such project currently underway in the French town of La Hague, where a former fuel processing plant is being decommissioned.

    This video was first published in 2023 for the International Conference on Nuclear Decommissioning.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Sentenced for Roles in Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Four people have been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Berkeley, Morgan, and Hampshire Counties.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, 26 people were charged in 2023 in connection with the drug trafficking organization, led by Dorian Scott Burks and Andrew Ross Hose. The conspirators worked together to sell large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The investigation recovered drugs, firearms, and thousands of dollars.

    Those sentenced this week are:

    • Alexis Walsh, 30, of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, sentenced to 123 months in prison for the distribution of cocaine hydrochloride;
    • Michael Ramsbottom, age 68, of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, sentenced to 84 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine hydrochloride, fentanyl, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base;
    • Sathira Lynn Ewers, age 42, of Romney, West Virginia, sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine hydrochloride, fentanyl, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base;
    • Eric Turner, age 38, of Winchester, Virginia, sentenced to three years of probation for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine hydrochloride, fentanyl, cocaine hydrochloride, and cocaine base.

    All defendants in the case have been convicted. Burks, age 29, of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 262 months in prison in January 2025. Hose, age 40, of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, will be sentenced on May 5, 2025.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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.

    U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Clarenville — Clarenville RCMP investigates theft at Shoppers Drug Mart, seeks assistance identifying woman (UPDATED)

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Update: Thanks to information received from the public, the woman has been identified.

    Clarenville RCMP is investigating a theft at Shoppers Drug Mart in Clarenville that occurred on March 25, 2025. A significant quantity of cosmetic products was stolen.

    On Tuesday, Clarenville RCMP received the report of the theft. An unknown woman entered the store and departed without paying for various cosmetic items. The items are valued between $2000.00-$3000.00.

    Clarenville RCMP is seeking assistance from the public in identifying the woman, who was captured on the store’s surveillance. An image is attached.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone who can identify the woman or who has information about this crime or the current location of the stolen property is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP at 709-466-3211. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP-RNC JFO West conducts traffic stop in Corner Brook and seizes cocaine, cash, and pills; four individuals arrested

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP-RNC Joint Forces Operation (JFO) West seized a quantity of cocaine, cash, and pills at a recent traffic stop in Corner Brook. Four individuals were arrested for possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine.

    As part of an ongoing investigation, on April 2, 2025, JFO West, with the assistance of RCMP NL’s General Investigation Section and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary’s Patrol Services, stopped the vehicle within the city of Corner Brook.

    The driver of the vehicle, 45-year-old Sandra Callahan of Corner Brook, showed signs of alcohol impairment and refused to comply with a breath demand provided as part of an impaired driving investigation. An occupant of the vehicle, 25-year-old Bobby Sheppard of Deer Lake, resisted arrest and was found in breach of a probation order.

    Inside the vehicle, officers located and seized approximately 1.5 ounces of cocaine, a large quantity of various pills, a quantity of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), cash and other items consistent with possession for the purpose of drug trafficking.

    Callahan and Sheppard appear in court today both charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Callahan is additionally charged with refusal of a breath demand. Sheppard is additionally charged with resisting arrest and breach of probation.

    Two other individuals were released from custody and are set to appear in court at a later date to answer to charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine.

    The investigation is continuing with further charges possible.

    JFO West, which includes dedicated police officers from both the RCMP and RNC, targets drug trafficking and organized crime on the west coast of the province.

    If you are a resident on the province’s west coast and you suspect there is drug trafficking in your neighbourhood, JFO West wants to talk with you. You can remain anonymous while speaking directly with a police officer by contacting the JFO West designated drug line at (709) 637-4221.

    Residents in other areas of the province are encouraged to contact their local police detachment to report illegal drug activities.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Africa Command 2025 Posture Statement to Senate Armed Services Committee

    Source: United States AFRICOM

    U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command, testified yesterday before the Senate Armed Services Committee, delivering the command’s 2025 posture statement and highlighting the strategic importance of the African continent.

    “Everything we do has one overarching goal in mind: achieving peace through strength,” Langley said during his opening remarks. “This requires three things – a clear understanding of national security threats, a robust and dependable network of like-minded allies and partners, and appropriate resourcing to match military requirements.”

    Providing his assessment of the terrorist threat in the region to committee members, Langley discussed the persistent and growing risk to regional and global security from violent extremists including ISIS, which he said is directing global operations from Somalia and al Shabaab. 

    “Left unchecked, they will have a direct effect on the homeland.” 

    Addressing the intent and goals of the strategic competitors in Africa, Langley described the Chinese Communist Party intent on using Africa to become the global hegemon and a Russian Federation that seizes opportunity created by chaos and instability.

    “In order to protect our homeland and United States interests. We must deter these nations and their malign actors from their goals on the African continent,” he said.

    Asked about tools the command needs to be effective, Langley explained that USAFRICOM continues to leverage security cooperation as a primary tool to build operational independence among African partners; and that exercises such as FLINTLOCK, AFRICAN LION, and OBANGAME EXPRESS enhance military readiness, promote interoperability, and reinforce strong bilateral and multilateral relationships across all domains.

    “As a posture-limited theater, we establish strength and work towards peace by enhancing the security capabilities of our African partners through a robust system of alliances. Exercises, training events, security cooperation, and foreign military sales programs are the backbone of our military activities on the continent,” Langley said.  

    Langley wrapped up his testimony by underscoring the importance of capabilities such as airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and counter-unmanned aerial systems in counterterrorism efforts. The command, he said, “seeks to match these capabilities against current and emerging threats to ensure the security of our forces while advancing American interests.”

    The full statement and hearing can be viewed on the U.S. Africa Command website.

    U.S. Africa Command, one of 11 U.S. Department of Defense combatant commands with an area of responsibility covering 53 African states, more than 800 ethnic groups, over 1,000 languages, vast natural resources, a land mass that is three-and-a-half times the size of the U.S., and nearly 19,000 miles of coastland. Working alongside its partners, AFRICOM counters transnational threats and malign actors, strengthens security forces and responds to crises.

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