NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arapahoe Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor

    Source: US FBI

    Kendall Joseph Moss III, 35, of Arapahoe, Wyoming, was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for abusive sexual contact with a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence in Casper on July 10.

    Moss was convicted by a federal jury on March 20, after a four-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, an investigation began in connection with a minor witness’s disclosure to a student advocate and school resource officer at her elementary school of sexual abuse by the defendant in 2021. Dr. Gail S. Goodman, PH.D., a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis, testified at trial on the dynamics of child sexual abuse, including that victims often delay disclosing the sexual abuse or make piecemeal disclosures of the abuse over time. The victim was interviewed twice over two years and provided more details of the sexual abuse in her second interview. The defendant made statements to law enforcement indicating the victim was not lying in her allegations against him. The jury’s verdict found the defendant guilty of touching the minor victim in her genital area over her clothing with the intent of sexual gratification.

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry J. Jacobson prosecuted the case.

    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.

    Case No. 24-CR-00165

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dropout of White Supremacist Gang Sentenced for Drug and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A key figure in a Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug and firearms trafficking ring tied to white supremacist gangs was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his role in distributing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and illegal firearms in Albuquerque.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court records, an 18-month FBI investigation initiated in 2021 targeted a drug trafficking and firearms conspiracy linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and racially motivated violent extremist groups in Albuquerque, New Mexico. James Casady Cangro, 45, a former member of the Soldiers of Aryan Culture prison gang, was previously identified as a key figure in the white supremacist network before dropping out of the gang. The investigation revealed Cangro’s involvement in trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl sourced from Arizona, as well as illegal firearms possession and trafficking.

    Cangro selfie displaying tattoos

    In September 2021, a search of Cangro’s residence in southeast Albuquerque by U.S. Probation Officers uncovered a ballistic vest, methamphetamine pipes, anabolic steroids and handcuffs. Cell phone evidence further corroborated his drug and firearms activities. In April 2022, the FBI executed multiple search warrants, seizing over 35,000 fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, nine firearms, and other contraband, though Cangro evaded an initial warrant by relocating. Surveillance later tracked him to northeast Albuquerque, where he continued to offer firearms and fentanyl for sale.

    On April 19, 2022, Cangro was arrested in California, where corrections officials discovered 45 fentanyl pills and methamphetamine in his possession during a strip search. A subsequent search of his Albuquerque residence uncovered 11 firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun, additional drugs, and a ballistic vest. Cangro was subsequently charged with and pled guilty to two counts of possession of body armor by a violent felon, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, two counts of possession of unregistered firearms, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    Upon his release from prison, Cangro will be subject to five years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Mysliwiec prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shiprock Man Charged with Assault and Kidnapping on Navajo Nation

    Source: US FBI

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged in federal court for allegedly carrying out a series of violent assaults and a kidnapping that resulted in serious injuries to the victim.

    According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2025, Darrin Begay, 33, allegedly assaulted the victim at a residence in within the exterior boundaries of Navajo Nation in New Mexico. The assault included punching, kicking, and strangulation, resulting in visible injuries to the victim’s face, neck, and arms.

    On or about July 2, 2025, Begay allegedly returned to the victim’s home, threatened to harm the victim’s family members, and forced the victim into a vehicle. Begay then drove the victim away from her residence. He reportedly assaulted the victim again before pushing her out of the vehicle and leaving her on the roadside.

    Begay is charged with assault on an intimate partner by strangling, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, and kidnapping. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Begay faces up to life in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Costa Rica Resident Sentenced for Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar International Telemarketing Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    A Costa Rica resident was sentenced today to more than 15 years in prison for carrying out a years-long telemarketing scheme that defrauded victims in the United States from a call center in Costa Rica.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Roger Roger, 41, of Costa Rica, led a fraudulent telemarketing scheme in which co-conspirators, who falsely posed as U.S. government officials, contacted victims in the United States to tell them that they had won a substantial “sweepstakes” prize. After convincing victims, many of whom were elderly, that they stood to receive a significant financial reward, the victims were told that they needed to make a series of up-front payments before collecting their supposed prize. Co-conspirators used a variety of means to conceal their true identities, including Voice Over Internet Protocol technology, which made it appear as though they were calling from Washington, D.C., and other locations in the United States. Roger recruited and taught others how to mislead victims on the phone and convince them to send money from the United States to Costa Rica for non-existent prizes. The evidence at trial showed that Roger and his co-conspirators stole over $4 million from their hundreds of victims.

    In September 2024, Roger was convicted at trial of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and two counts of international money laundering. At sentencing, Roger was ordered to pay more than $3.3 million in restitution and to forfeit more than $4.2 million.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina; Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s (USPIS) Atlanta Division; Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Detroit Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.

    The USPIS, IRS-CI, and FBI investigated the case.  

    Trial Attorneys Andrew Jaco and Amanda Lingwood of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Costa Rica to secure the arrest and February 2023 extradition of Roger.

    If you or someone you know is aged 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim, and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seventeen Individuals Charged for Smuggling Kilogram Quantities of Cocaine Through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned three separate indictments charging 17 individuals with drug trafficking through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Two defendants are also charged with money laundering.

    First Indictment

    On June 26, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

    As alleged in the indictment, beginning on a date unknown, but not later than in or about 2023, to the date of the indictment,

    [1] Kristian Yadiel Falcón-López

    [2] Chazz David Carter-Justiniano

    [3] Natalia Díaz-García

    knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with each other and with other individuals to possess with intent to distribute and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

    Falcón-López and Charter-Justiniano are also charged with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments which involved the proceeds of their drug trafficking activities.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan R. McCabe and María Cristina Semanaz-Ojeda from the Transnational Organized Crime Section are in charge of the prosecution of the case.

    Second Indictment

    The second indictment charges the following individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport:

    [1] Jonathan Ramírez-Colón, a.k.a. “Momia”

    [2] Ivelisse García-Osorio

    [3] Stephanie L. Suárez-Vélez

    [4] Francheska Muriel-Quintana

    [5] Estephanie Torres-Bosa, a.k.a. “Fany”

    [6] Charitty M. Hernández-Reyes

    The alleged period of the conspiracy is from a date unknown, but no later than in or about 2018, to the date of the indictment. Documents filed in the case also allege that Defendant Ramírez-Colón recruited couriers (commonly known as “mules”) and sent them with cocaine-filled suitcases to be checked in at the airport and transported to the continental United States where the cocaine would be delivered to other persons.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. López-Rivera from the Transnational Organized Crime Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

    Third Indictment

    The third indictment unsealed today charges eight individuals with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine through the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Those defendants are:

    [1] Sandy L. Guardiola-Bermúdez, a.k.a. “Guny/Mario”

    [2] Carlos Alberto Cruz-Bonilla, a.k.a. “Huesito”

    [3] Onix Negrón-Guerrido

    [4] Jomar Maldonado-Ríos

    [5] Tanyshkaliz Archilla-Rivera, a.k.a. “Tany”

    [6] Yarauni Nieves-Rivera

    [7] Yairaliz Arzuaga-Díaz

    [8] Patricia Ayala-Otero

    According to the indictment, the conspiracy began on a date unknown, but not later than in or about 2023 and lasted through the date of the indictment. Documents filed in the case allege that the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization comprised of a network of recruiters, coordinators, and transporters who traveled from Puerto Rico to the continental United States via commercial flights with cocaine for wholesale distribution, all for significant financial gain.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. López-Rivera from the Transnational Organized Crime Section is in charge of the prosecution of the case.

    “These drug trafficking organizations were using the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport to smuggle large quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico to several destinations throughout the continental United States. Today, federal agencies dismantled these organizations by arresting leaders, organizers and travelers who made their distribution network possible,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in Puerto Rico and the Continental United States to gather the evidence necessary to bring the leaders and other members of these criminal organizations to justice.”

    “These investigations demonstrate the DEA’s unwavering commitment to protecting our airports and the communities from the impact of drug trafficking. These criminal organizations believed they could operate with impunity out of Puerto Rico, but today, they are facing the swift hand of justice. I am deeply grateful for the tireless work of our agents, analysts, local and federal partners,” said Michael Miranda, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency Caribbean Division.

    If convicted on the drug conspiracy charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Those defendants charged with money laundering face a maximum sentence 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.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration is in charge of the investigations with the assistance of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and their respective Airport Investigations and Tactical Teams (AirTAT). The San Juan Municipal Police, the Carolina Municipal Police and the Puerto Rico Department of Treasury also collaborated during the investigations and arrests.

    AirTAT identifies, locates, disrupts, dismantles, and prosecutes transnational crime organizations using the airports in Puerto Rico to smuggle narcotics, weapons, human cargo, counterfeit documents, illegal proceeds, and other contraband.

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

    An indictment is 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 Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: $4 million electricity fraud scheme sends Texan to prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Daniel Rodriguez Martinez pleaded guilty May 1.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez to serve 54 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Martinez directly benefited from the scheme by personally receiving $1.4 million and that he played an integral role by creating a fraudulent company to conceal payments.

    From March 2021 to May 2024, Martinez and others ran the scheme by creating a fake utility company to conceal profits. They used stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to open electricity accounts with real providers. The stolen identities were linked to actual service addresses, allowing customers to receive power while the billing responsibility fell on unsuspecting victims.

    When providers shut off service for nonpayment, the group reopened accounts under new fake identities. In exchange for uninterrupted electricity, customers paid a flat fee of $80 per month to the fraudulent company. The operation allowed participants to avoid legitimate charges while the organizers profited from the deception.

    Martinez admitted to creating a fake electricity services company solely to conceal the theft scheme. He received payments from clients through peer-to-peer apps such as CashApp and Zelle, then transferred the funds into a business account to mask their origin.

    As a part of his plea, he agreed to forfeit $456,859.76 in U.S. currency as well as his interest in multiple properties.

    He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: $4 million electricity fraud scheme sends Texan to prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Daniel Rodriguez Martinez pleaded guilty May 1.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Martinez to serve 54 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Martinez directly benefited from the scheme by personally receiving $1.4 million and that he played an integral role by creating a fraudulent company to conceal payments.

    From March 2021 to May 2024, Martinez and others ran the scheme by creating a fake utility company to conceal profits. They used stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to open electricity accounts with real providers. The stolen identities were linked to actual service addresses, allowing customers to receive power while the billing responsibility fell on unsuspecting victims.

    When providers shut off service for nonpayment, the group reopened accounts under new fake identities. In exchange for uninterrupted electricity, customers paid a flat fee of $80 per month to the fraudulent company. The operation allowed participants to avoid legitimate charges while the organizers profited from the deception.

    Martinez admitted to creating a fake electricity services company solely to conceal the theft scheme. He received payments from clients through peer-to-peer apps such as CashApp and Zelle, then transferred the funds into a business account to mask their origin.

    As a part of his plea, he agreed to forfeit $456,859.76 in U.S. currency as well as his interest in multiple properties.

    He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Urgent Care Operator Pays $3 Million Dollars to Resolve Alleged Violations of the False Claims Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Urgent Care Operator Bloom Care LLC and its owners have paid $3,000,000 to resolve allegations that they billed for unnecessary testing and inflated the extent of services performed.

    BOISE – Bloom Care LLC and its owners have paid $3,000,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Federal healthcare programs for medically unnecessary testing and for inflating the extent of services performed. Bloom operated Urgent Care centers in Idaho and New Mexico throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The United States alleged that Bloom knowingly used the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse for billing for medically unnecessary streptococcus and influenza tests for asymptomatic patients. Additionally, the United States contends that Bloom submitted claims for high-level evaluation and management services for COVID-19 patients when Bloom knew that the services should have been billed at a lower level of service that would have been reimbursed at a lower rate. To justify these high reimbursement claims, the United States contends that Bloom exaggerated the time spent with COVID-19 patients and/or the complexity of the evaluation required to care for these patients.

    “The Department of Justice is committed to identifying waste, fraud, and abuse in federal programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott. “I commend the federal and state agencies that investigated this case, as their important efforts protect taxpayer dollars.”

    “Healthcare providers participating in federal health care programs must follow all relevant laws and rules when submitting claims – and certainly not order medically unnecessary services to boost their profits,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey McIntosh of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This settlement shows HHS-OIG’s enduring commitment to protecting the integrity of federal health care programs and the people who rely on them. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations brought under the False Claims Act.”

    “Companies that provide services to veterans will be held to the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Dimitriana Nikolov with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “Submitting claims for medically unnecessary services will not be tolerated, and the VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold wrongdoers accountable and ensure veterans receive the quality healthcare they deserve.”

    This matter was investigated jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General. Additional assistance was provided by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Wertheim handled this case.

    The claims resolved by the settlement against Bloom Care LLC are allegations only and there has been no admission or determination of liability.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.  The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866‑720‑5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pakistani Leader of International Alien Smuggling Organization Extradited from Mexico

    Source: United States Attorneys General 11

    A Pakistani man made his initial appearance in court in Tucson, Arizona, today after being extradited from Mexico to face charges relating to his role in leading an international alien smuggling organization.

    In May 2024, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned an indictment against Abbas Ali Haider, 48, of Sialkot, Pakistan, for conspiring to smuggle Pakistani nationals into the United States.

    Haider allegedly operated two sham film production companies, Diamond TV World Productions and Multimedia Advertising Ltd., which were fronts for his alien smuggling organization. According to court documents, Haider used those Pakistan-based companies to contract with film companies in Ecuador, Cuba, and Colombia. He then had those companies sponsor visas for Pakistani nationals purporting to work for Haider’s companies under the guise that they were working on a joint filming project in Latin America. Haider provided the Pakistani nationals with phony paperwork indicating that they worked for his companies, which they used at ports of entry in Panama, Brazil, and Colombia. Haider coached the aliens to say they worked in the film industry to deceive and thwart customs and border officials. Haider’s network of smugglers then assisted the Pakistani nationals in traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border, where they illegally crossed into California, Texas, and Arizona. Haider charged the aliens up to $40,000 for the trip.  

    Haider travelled from Pakistan to Mexico in late 2024 and was arrested in Mexico in January 2025 at the request of the U.S. government. Extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities resulted in Haider’s timely extradition.

    Haider is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring illegal aliens to the United States and four counts of bringing in illegal aliens for profit. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona, and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego, made the announcement.

    HSI Calexico led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI’s Brasilia, Quito, Tijuana, and Caribbean attaché offices and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Border Patrol; the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Miami, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Detroit provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Haider. 

    Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Kreamer Hope and Evan Wesley for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

    The indictment and extradition are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

    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 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CENTCOM Introduces Cyrus Jabbari as New Chief Data Officer

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    In May, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) hired Mr. Cyrus Jabbari to serve as the organization’s Chief Data Officer (CDO). As the CDO, Mr. Jabbari succeeds Dr. Michael Foster, who departed CENTCOM in December 2024, and will oversee the strategic integration of data-driven solutions to enhance operational effectiveness across CENTCOM’s area of responsibility.

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    Source: US FBI

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

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

    Kennedy Antonio Ramirez Acosta. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute. Ramirez Acosta, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-239

    Ventura Rivera Arteaga; Ruben Amadow Meza Medina. Drug Conspiracy (Count 1); Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute (Counts 2 & 4); Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien (Count 3); Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises (Counts 5 & 6). Rivera Arteaga, 40, a Mexican national, and Meza Medina, 20, a Mexican national, are charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl. They are separately charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and maintaining two separate residences for fentanyl distribution. Additionally, Rivera Arteaga is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2024. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-229

    Elijah Lee Chandler, Jr.  Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Chandler, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to possess more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and with possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He is further charged with maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-231

    Douglas Eugene Chaney.Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Chaney, 50, of Tulsa, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from April to May 2025. The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-230

    Daniel Contreras-Martinez.Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Contreras-Martinez, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2008. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-244

    Ramey Joe-Don Dill. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Dill, 38, of Ochelata, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender in May 2025. The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-232

    Luis Flores-Rodriguez.Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute. Flores-Rodriguez, 34, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-245

    Franklin Francisco Gioani-Arubio. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gioani-Arubio, 31, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Richard is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-246

    Jarod Wade Jenkins. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Jenkins, 26, of Hominy, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-247

    Thomas William Martin.Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Martin, 42, of Mannford, is charged with coercing a minor child to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct. He is additionally charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. The FBI, the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Heign and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-233

    Felecia Martinez. Attempted Bulk Cash Smuggling Out of the United States. Martinez, 40, of Tulsa and a member of the Potawatomi Nation Tribe, is charged with concealing $32,950 in cash and attempting to transport it to Mexico. At the time of the offense, Martinez was on pre-trial release in the Northern District of Oklahoma related to a case charging her with drug conspiracy, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and maintaining a drug-involved premises. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the U.S. Probation Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma, the Department of Homeland Security Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team, and the Laredo Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McConney and Matthew Cyran are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-234

    Sebastain Quino-Velasco. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Quino-Velasco, 51, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2010. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valeria Luster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-248

    Rebecca Dawn Quintero Torres. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Use of a Communication Facility in Committing, Causing, and Facilitating the Commission of a Drug Trafficking Felony. Quintero-Torres, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in June 2025. She is further charged with using the United Parcel Service and knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-240

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

    Luciano Vasquez, Jr. Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Varquez, 58, of Sand Springs, is charged with conspiring with others to launder more than $16 million, including depositing two fraudulent United States Treasury tax refund checks totaling more than $727,800. The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-242

    John Edgar Williams, IV; Jeremy Mindez Ruff; Savannah D’naisha May Gage; Nevaeh Charise Cox; Trinity Rinique Goudeau; Shavari Shantell Melton; Vanessa Lashay Bell; Ashley Elaine Charles. Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking (Count 1); Transporting an Individual for Prostitution (Counts 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, and 13); Interstate Travel to Aid Racketeering (Count 4); Distribution of Child Pornography (Count 5); Sex Trafficking (Counts 6 & 12); Sex Trafficking a Minor (Counts 8, 11, and 14) (superseding). Williams, 38, Gage, 25, Cox, 39, Goudeau, 24, Melton, 20, Bell, 20, Charles, 37, of Tulsa, and Ruff, 39, of Dallas, Texas, are charged with conspiring with each other to recruit, entice, and harbor a person by threats of force to engage in a commercial sex act for payment. Williams, Gage, Ruff, and Goudeau are charged separately for transporting people to engage in prostitution and other sexual activities. Williams, Ruff, Gage, Cox, Goudeau, Melton, and Charles are further charged with using interstate and foreign commerce to promote and manage a business enterprise involving prostitution. Ruff, Cox, Gage, Goudeau, and Melton are charged with recruiting and enticing minor children, between 14 and 18 years old, to engage in sexually explicit acts. Additionally, Williams, Gage, and Goudeau are charged with benefiting financially from recruiting, harboring, and providing transportation to an individual to engage in commercial sex acts. Lastly, Cox is further charged with knowingly distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore, John Brasher, and John W. Dowdell are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-197

    Allan Ray Wright; Jamie Lynn Wright. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Allan Wright, 30, and Jamie Wright, 32, of Tulsa are charged with attempting to coerce a minor child they believed to be under 18 years old to engage in sexually explicit activity. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Owasso Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-241

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Washington State Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Sexual Relationship With Child And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Images

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Allen Blakney (35, Seattle, WA) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images. Blakney pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025.

    According to court documents, in October 2024, Blakney, a registered sex offender from Washington, absconded from community control causing an escape warrant to be issued. Blakney traveled by bus to Jacksonville to meet a child he had met online. While in Florida, Blakney engaged in sexual activity with the child. The Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Jacksonville Office located Blakney and arrested him on his outstanding warrants. 

    Following his arrest, when the child was located with Blakney, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into Blakney. A search warrant was obtained for Blakney’s phone revealing that it contained child sexual abuse materials. 

    This case was investigated by the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Jacksonville Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Washington State Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Sexual Relationship With Child And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Images

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Allen Blakney (35, Seattle, WA) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images. Blakney pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025.

    According to court documents, in October 2024, Blakney, a registered sex offender from Washington, absconded from community control causing an escape warrant to be issued. Blakney traveled by bus to Jacksonville to meet a child he had met online. While in Florida, Blakney engaged in sexual activity with the child. The Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Jacksonville Office located Blakney and arrested him on his outstanding warrants. 

    Following his arrest, when the child was located with Blakney, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into Blakney. A search warrant was obtained for Blakney’s phone revealing that it contained child sexual abuse materials. 

    This case was investigated by the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Jacksonville Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Washington State Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Sexual Relationship With Child And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Images

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Allen Blakney (35, Seattle, WA) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images. Blakney pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025.

    According to court documents, in October 2024, Blakney, a registered sex offender from Washington, absconded from community control causing an escape warrant to be issued. Blakney traveled by bus to Jacksonville to meet a child he had met online. While in Florida, Blakney engaged in sexual activity with the child. The Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Jacksonville Office located Blakney and arrested him on his outstanding warrants. 

    Following his arrest, when the child was located with Blakney, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into Blakney. A search warrant was obtained for Blakney’s phone revealing that it contained child sexual abuse materials. 

    This case was investigated by the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Jacksonville Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Washington State Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Sexual Relationship With Child And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Images

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Allen Blakney (35, Seattle, WA) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images. Blakney pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025.

    According to court documents, in October 2024, Blakney, a registered sex offender from Washington, absconded from community control causing an escape warrant to be issued. Blakney traveled by bus to Jacksonville to meet a child he had met online. While in Florida, Blakney engaged in sexual activity with the child. The Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Jacksonville Office located Blakney and arrested him on his outstanding warrants. 

    Following his arrest, when the child was located with Blakney, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into Blakney. A search warrant was obtained for Blakney’s phone revealing that it contained child sexual abuse materials. 

    This case was investigated by the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Jacksonville Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Washington State Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years In Federal Prison For Sexual Relationship With Child And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Images

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Chief U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Andrew Allen Blakney (35, Seattle, WA) to 15 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse images. Blakney pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025.

    According to court documents, in October 2024, Blakney, a registered sex offender from Washington, absconded from community control causing an escape warrant to be issued. Blakney traveled by bus to Jacksonville to meet a child he had met online. While in Florida, Blakney engaged in sexual activity with the child. The Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force’s Jacksonville Office located Blakney and arrested him on his outstanding warrants. 

    Following his arrest, when the child was located with Blakney, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation into Blakney. A search warrant was obtained for Blakney’s phone revealing that it contained child sexual abuse materials. 

    This case was investigated by the Florida Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force Jacksonville Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the United States Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Federal Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Smuggle Contraband into Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Stashed Marijuana and Cigarettes Inside Government-Issued Protective Vest

    Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, former federal correctional officer Najee Jackson pleaded guilty to attempted provision of contraband in prison.  In January 2025, while working as a correctional officer at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC-Brooklyn), the defendant attempted to smuggle vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana and cigarettes into the facility inside his Bureau of Prisons-issued protective vest.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Orelia E. Merchant.  When sentenced, Jackson faces up to five years in prison.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ryan T. Geach, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), announced the guilty plea.

    “The defendant admitted to bringing contraband into the very jail he was charged with protecting,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “His actions undermined the safety and security of his fellow correctional officers and the inmates at MDC-Brooklyn.  As today’s conviction demonstrates, my Office will ensure that anyone who would abuse their position of trust at a federal prison is brought to justice.”

    “The Office of the Inspector General remains committed to rooting out corruption within our federal prisons,” stated DOJ OIG Special Agent in Charge Geach.  “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that those who betray the trust and jeopardize the safety of their fellow correctional officers and citizens will face consequences for doing so.”

    As set forth in court filings and on the record at today’s plea proceeding, Jackson became a correctional officer at MDC-Brooklyn in November 2023.  On January 21, 2025, Jackson arrived at the jail around 12:15 a.m. to begin working a night shift.  As with all staff members at MDC-Brooklyn, Jackson was required to pass through a metal detector and place his belongings on a conveyor belt that passes through an x-ray machine.  Jackson made several failed attempts to clear the metal detector and eventually removed his Bureau of Prisons-issued protective vest, which was found to contain vacuum‑sealed bags of marijuana and cigarettes.  Two days later, Jackson resigned from the Bureau of Prisons.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States  Attorney Russell Noble is in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    NAJEE JACKSON
    Age:  32
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-67 (OEM)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly Victims

    Source: US FBI

    WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that eight Chinese nationals who obtained student visas to attend college in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Those indicated include: Yankun Jiang, 24, of State College, PA, Hanlin Yang, 24, of State College; Chenhao Chen, 25, of California; Xiaoqing Tu, 24, of California; Dongjie Lu, 35, of California; Lei Bao, 22, of New York; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning in or about August of 2023 and continuing until on or about February 22, 2024, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale computer “pop-up” scam targeting elderly victims falsely claiming that their computer or bank accounts had been compromised.  The indictment further alleges that members of the conspiracy traveled to victims’ homes and posed as federal law enforcement officers to collect large sums of cash from the victims claiming that the assets would be protected, among other falsehoods.  It is alleged that more than 50 victims across 19 states were defrauded of more than $10,000,000.

    “These indictments highlight the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguard our elderly population from complex fraud operations,” stated Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of HSI Philadelphia. “Schemes like these cause significant emotional and financial harm to elderly victims across the country. HSI, in partnership with the FBI, remains steadfast in our commitment to securing justice for the victims and ensuring that those responsible are held fully accountable.”

    “As outlined in the indictment, this criminal enterprise not only exploited elderly victims but did so by impersonating federal law enforcement—an egregious abuse of trust,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We urge older Americans and their families to remain alert to these kinds of scams. The FBI will never ask for money or payment of any kind. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their dedicated work in bringing this case forward.”

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 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.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly Victims

    Source: US FBI

    WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that eight Chinese nationals who obtained student visas to attend college in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Those indicated include: Yankun Jiang, 24, of State College, PA, Hanlin Yang, 24, of State College; Chenhao Chen, 25, of California; Xiaoqing Tu, 24, of California; Dongjie Lu, 35, of California; Lei Bao, 22, of New York; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning in or about August of 2023 and continuing until on or about February 22, 2024, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale computer “pop-up” scam targeting elderly victims falsely claiming that their computer or bank accounts had been compromised.  The indictment further alleges that members of the conspiracy traveled to victims’ homes and posed as federal law enforcement officers to collect large sums of cash from the victims claiming that the assets would be protected, among other falsehoods.  It is alleged that more than 50 victims across 19 states were defrauded of more than $10,000,000.

    “These indictments highlight the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations to safeguard our elderly population from complex fraud operations,” stated Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of HSI Philadelphia. “Schemes like these cause significant emotional and financial harm to elderly victims across the country. HSI, in partnership with the FBI, remains steadfast in our commitment to securing justice for the victims and ensuring that those responsible are held fully accountable.”

    “As outlined in the indictment, this criminal enterprise not only exploited elderly victims but did so by impersonating federal law enforcement—an egregious abuse of trust,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “We urge older Americans and their families to remain alert to these kinds of scams. The FBI will never ask for money or payment of any kind. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations for their dedicated work in bringing this case forward.”

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 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.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment on Drug Trafficking and Firearms Charges

    Source: US FBI

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christopher Essameddin Birry, age 43, of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 9, 2025, to 15 years’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley on drug trafficking and firearms charges.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, between May 31, 2023, and July 27, 2023, Birry distributed methamphetamine on multiple occasions in the Wilkes-Barre area within Luzerne County. On September 11, 2023, Birry was involved in a motor vehicle stop in Olyphant, Lackawanna County. Birry attempted to flee on foot from law enforcement but was apprehended and found to be in possession of distribution amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessed a loaded handgun. Birry was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony drug trafficking convictions. At the time of this offense, Birry was on probation for a prior drug trafficking conviction.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiate 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 case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police and Olyphant Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Patrick Bannon prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Debtors Who Failed to Disclose Foreign Assets Lose Bankruptcy Discharge After U.S. Trustee Program Investigation

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Texas couple who failed to disclose assets in Dubai and Pakistan waived their bankruptcy discharge of more than $14.6 million in unsecured debt after an investigation by the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP).

    On May 30, the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas approved a waiver of discharge by chapter 7 debtors Hasan Farid Hashmi and Umme Salma Hashmi. As a result, the Hashmis remain personally liable for their debts, and creditors are free to pursue payment from them after the case is closed.

    “The bankruptcy system depends on transparency,” said Lisa Lambert, U.S. Trustee for Region 6, which includes the Northern District of Texas. “Debtors who intentionally undermine that system should not receive the benefit of a fresh start.”

    The Hashmis filed for bankruptcy in September 2023 after the closure of several Texas hospitals owned by Hasan Hashmi, a physician. Among their assets, the couple listed a $2 million Dallas home as their only real estate and two American bank accounts with small balances. They also disclosed that they had established a trust for their descendants — which Dr. Hashmi managed as trustee — but claimed no interest in the trust’s assets as owners or beneficiaries. An investigation by the USTP’s Dallas office, however, revealed that the Hashmis owned several other properties and bank accounts in Dubai and Pakistan and that they used funds from the trust to pay personal expenses.

    In February 2024, the USTP filed a complaint seeking to bar the Hashmis’ bankruptcy discharge for making false oaths; concealing assets; failing to maintain financial records; failing to cooperate with the chapter 7 trustee’s document requests; and refusing to obey a court order requiring the Hashmis to comply with the U.S. Trustee’s document requests. One day before trial, the Hashmis agreed to waive their discharge.

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Coast Guard, Mexican Navy collaborate to disrupt suspected maritime smuggling venture off the coast of San Diego

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    07/15/2025 12:55 PM EDT

    SAN DIEGO — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Robert Ward (WPC 1130) and the Mexican Navy vessel ARM Revolución successfully collaborated to deter a suspected maritime smuggling attempt approximately 11 miles southwest of Point Loma, Sunday. At approximately 4 p.m., the crew of Robert Ward detected a vessel transiting north from Mexican waters into U.S. territorial waters. As the cutter prepared to deploy its small boat to conduct a boarding, the suspected smuggling vessel suddenly reversed course and fled south at a high rate of speed.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: One Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Charged, Another Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Civil Rights While Providing Off-Duty Security for Clients

    Source: US FBI

    LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors today secured a guilty plea from a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) deputy and charged and filed a plea agreement with another LASD deputy – both of whom used their positions in law enforcement while acting as private security for their off-duty clients, including a now-jailed cryptocurrency businessman who proclaimed himself “The Godfather.” 

    David Anthony Rodriguez, 43, of La Verne, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy against rights.

    Relatedly, Christopher Michael Cadman, 33, of Fullerton, agreed to plead guilty to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy against rights and subscribing to a false tax return. Cadman, who will face up to 13 years in federal prison at his sentencing hearing after he pleads guilty, is expected to make his initial appearance in United States District Court in the coming days.

    Rodriguez and Cadman formerly were employed by Adam Iza, 24, who resided in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, a cryptocurrency businessman who has been in federal custody since September 2024. Iza pleaded guilty on January 30 to one count of conspiracy against rights, one count of wire fraud, and one count of tax evasion. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 15.

    According to court documents, in August 2021, Cadman and a law enforcement officer identified as “LASD Deputy 6” intimidated and threatened a victim who was one of Iza’s adversaries. LASD Deputy 6 held the victim at gunpoint during a meeting at Iza’s office inside his Bel Air mansion. Immediately afterward, the victim transferred approximately $25,000 from his bank account to Iza’s bank account in response to the threat and demand.

    In September 2021, Cadman and other law enforcement officers orchestrated a traffic stop in Paramount to arrest the same victim. Cadman admitted in his plea agreement to helping organize the traffic stop and arrest on Iza’s behalf and to receiving cash payments while he worked for Iza.

    Cadman also received income he knowingly failed to report – at least $40,500 – on his 2021 federal tax return, which he signed and filed with the IRS in February 2022. Cadman admitted to owing approximately $11,000 in federal taxes for that year.

    In a separate plea agreement, Rodriguez admitted to using his powers as a law enforcement officer in July 2022 to improperly obtain a court-authorized search warrant, lying to a judge that it was related to a robbery investigation, to obtain GPS location information associated with another victim’s cellular phone on behalf of a client – other than Iza – who hired Rodriguez as a private security guard. 

    After securing the GPS location information for the victim’s phone, Rodriguez shared the coordinates with co-conspirators, including Eric Chase Saavedra, 42, of Chino, an LASD deputy and former federal task force officer who ran a private security company, who pleaded guilty on February 6 to one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of subscribing to a false tax return. LASD deputies and other co-conspirators would use information obtained from the court-authorized search warrant to harass, threaten, and intimidate the victim.

    Saavedra, who is free on $50,000 bond, is expected to be sentenced in the coming months.

    United States District Judge Percy Anderson scheduled a November 10 sentencing hearing for Rodriguez, who faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

    The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has assisted.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maxwell K. Coll of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section is prosecuting these cases.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General meets President Trump to bolster support for Ukraine

    Source: NATO

    NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte met U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House yesterday (14 July 2025) to advance critical efforts in support of Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression. Speaking to press in the Oval Office, Rutte hailed President Trump’s pivotal decision to ensure Ukraine receives essential military resources, with NATO coordinating the effort with funding from Allies in Europe and Canada.

    Mr. Rutte highlighted the momentum from the recent NATO Summit in The Hague, where Allies agreed to a 5% GDP defence spending target and increased defence industrial production as well as continued support to Ukraine. He underscored how this effort brings all three together just weeks after the historic decisions were made. NATO is now working on substantial military equipment packages, including air defence systems, missiles, and ammunition. Rather than a single, finite package, the announcement yesterday marks new impetus, focused on rapid, substantial equipment transfers to Ukraine. “This is Europe stepping up,” he stated, noting commitments from Germany, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada, with more expected to follow. 

    While in Washington, the Secretary General also had meetings with the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, as well as Members of Congress. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grove Man Sentenced for Possessing and Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – A Grove man was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country and Production of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Dakota Austin Clark, 24, to 240 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Clark will also be required to register as a sex offender.

    In February 2023, Clark began communicating with a 14-year-old through social media. The investigation revealed that Clark coerced and enticed the minor child to produce sexually explicit photos. Law enforcement further discovered that Clark possessed hundreds of images that contained the sexual abuse of minor children.

    Clark is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. 

    The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Grove Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris prosecuted 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 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Multiple Defendants Charged in Cockfighting and Illegal Gambling Operation

    Source: US FBI

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury charged multiple defendants for conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and operate an illegal gambling business, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. 

    A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges James Shawn Murphree, 48, of Blountsville, Alabama, Denny Gonzalez-Guzman, 30, of Albertville, Alabama, Kasten Finis Murphree, 22, of Blountsville, Alabama, Kelby Shawn Murphree, 27, of Blountsville, Alabama, and Kimberly Ann Evans, 48, of Hayden, Alabama, with conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and the Prohibition on Illegal Gambling Businesses. 

    According to the indictment, a cockfight is a contest where roosters fight each other. The fights are supervised by a referee, and the fight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue fighting. Typical cockfights employ weapons that are attached to the backs of the roosters’ legs.  Owners and operators of cockfighting arenas, called “pits,” hold organized fights where people can fight their trained roosters against other roosters in cockfighting tournaments called “derbies.” In a derby, large numbers of cockfighters pit their roosters against one another for entertainment.  Spectators gamble on the outcomes of the cockfights, and the owners of the roosters stand to gain financially through their own wager, an arrangement where the derby winners receive a pre-determined portion of the derby entry fees, or through the enhanced value of their winning roosters.

    The indictment alleges that between March 2025 and June 2025, Kimberly Evans, James Murphree, Kasten Murphree, and Kelby Murphree conspired to organize multiple cockfighting derbies in Blountsville, Alabama. Attendees paid $40 to watch the fight. Competitors who entered roosters in the derbies paid an entry fee between $700 and $1,000. The winner of the derby would receive a share of the prize pool money.  

    The Gulf of America (“GoA”) Homeland Security Task Force, in partnership with United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, conducted this long-term investigation. The GoA Homeland Security Task Force is comprised of authorities from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This investigation and operation received significant support from the United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Jonathan S. Cross are prosecuting the case.  

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

    An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Multiple Defendants Charged in Cockfighting and Illegal Gambling Operation

    Source: US FBI

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury charged multiple defendants for conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and operate an illegal gambling business, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. 

    A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges James Shawn Murphree, 48, of Blountsville, Alabama, Denny Gonzalez-Guzman, 30, of Albertville, Alabama, Kasten Finis Murphree, 22, of Blountsville, Alabama, Kelby Shawn Murphree, 27, of Blountsville, Alabama, and Kimberly Ann Evans, 48, of Hayden, Alabama, with conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act and the Prohibition on Illegal Gambling Businesses. 

    According to the indictment, a cockfight is a contest where roosters fight each other. The fights are supervised by a referee, and the fight ends when one rooster is dead or refuses to continue fighting. Typical cockfights employ weapons that are attached to the backs of the roosters’ legs.  Owners and operators of cockfighting arenas, called “pits,” hold organized fights where people can fight their trained roosters against other roosters in cockfighting tournaments called “derbies.” In a derby, large numbers of cockfighters pit their roosters against one another for entertainment.  Spectators gamble on the outcomes of the cockfights, and the owners of the roosters stand to gain financially through their own wager, an arrangement where the derby winners receive a pre-determined portion of the derby entry fees, or through the enhanced value of their winning roosters.

    The indictment alleges that between March 2025 and June 2025, Kimberly Evans, James Murphree, Kasten Murphree, and Kelby Murphree conspired to organize multiple cockfighting derbies in Blountsville, Alabama. Attendees paid $40 to watch the fight. Competitors who entered roosters in the derbies paid an entry fee between $700 and $1,000. The winner of the derby would receive a share of the prize pool money.  

    The Gulf of America (“GoA”) Homeland Security Task Force, in partnership with United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, conducted this long-term investigation. The GoA Homeland Security Task Force is comprised of authorities from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. This investigation and operation received significant support from the United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John M. Hundscheid and Jonathan S. Cross are prosecuting the case.  

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

    An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Madison County Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children

    Source: US FBI

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A Madison County man has been indicted on child sexual exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.

    A four-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Randy Steven Smith, 48, of Huntsville, Alabama, with one count of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of transfer of obscene matter to a minor.  These incidents occurred between 2023 and 2024 in Madison County.

    The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case with the assistance of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), U.S. Marshal Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office, and Huntsville Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney R. Leann White is prosecuting the case.

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

    An indictment contains only charges.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.    

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sixteen Members of a Violent Gang in San Germán, Puerto Rico, Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: US FBI

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 2, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 16 violent gang members from the municipality of San Germán with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) Ponce and Mayagüez Strike Force were in charge of the investigation of the case, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The Guaynabo Municipal Police SRT collaborated during the arrests.

    “As alleged in the indictment, the members of this drug trafficking organization conducted their criminal activities in the presence of minors, in complete disregard to the detriment of the children,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to protect our children, make Puerto Rico neighborhoods safe, and bring criminals to justice.”

    “The FBI’s commitment to public safety is unwavering. I want to thank the men and women of the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Office, the Police of Puerto Rico and local partners that worked tirelessly to disrupt this violent criminal enterprise,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “This group thought they were above the law and our message is simple: if you choose to operate like a street army, then you’re choosing to face the FBI—rest assured your days terrorizing our communities are numbered.”

    The indictment alleges that from in or about the year 2023 through the present, the drug trafficking organization distributed cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”),cocaine, fentanyl or a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, and marihuana within 1,000 feet of Manuel F. Rossy Public Housing Project (PHP), and other areas nearby the municipality of San Germán, all for significant financial gain and profit.

    The object of the conspiracy was the large-scale distribution of controlled substances at the Manuel F. Rossy PHP, and other areas nearby in the Municipality of San Germán, all for significant financial gain and profit. It was part of the manner and means of the conspiracy that there were at least two (2) drug points operating within the inside of two (2) apartments inside the PHP, and that sellers would sell drugs through a window to avoid being seen and/or detected by law enforcement.

    As part of the conspiracy the defendants would secure the entrance to the apartments that were utilized as drug points, with two (2) by four (4) wooden studs, to allow time for them to dispose of the drugs in the event of an unexpected law enforcement search and seizure.

    In preserving power and protecting territory, the members of the organization would use intimidation, force, and violence in order to maintain control of the drug trafficking operations and intimidate rival drug trafficking organizations. Moreover, they would give beatings to other co-conspirators and/or residents of the housing projects, with different weapons, including horse whips, as discipline for violating certain rules.

    The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, to include leaders, enforcers, runners, sellers, facilitators, andlookouts. The defendants charged in the drug trafficking conspiracy are:

    [1] Jonathan Humberto Peraza-Rosa, a.k.a. “El Negro”

    [2] Jesed Natan Pagán-Ríos, a.k.a. “J”

    [3] Karvinson Javier Medina-Figueroa, a.k.a. “Champi/Jampi”

    [4] Giancarlo Robles-Pérez, a.k.a. “Gps/Penuelas/Jp”

    [5] Kelvin Torres-Alvarado, a.k.a. “Pito Ciribillo/Ciribi”

    [6] Eliezer Mikael Cruz-Molinary, a.k.a. “Mikael”

    [7] Yafet Omar Alameda-Torres

    [8] Anabel Tina Rodríguez

    [9] Jan Louis García-Franqui

    [10] Joe Armando Cotte-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Chevy”

    [11] Katiushcka Angelis Toro-Flores, a.k.a. “Katy/Angie”

    [12] John Eric Javier Cintrón-Massanet, a.k.a. “Budah”

    [13] Yadiel Omar Ponce De Leon-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Koby/Kobe”

    [14] Joel Rivera-Medina, a.k.a. “Fugitivo”

    [15] Melvin Jermaine Mitchel-Pérez, a.k.a. “JM/El Padrino”

    [16] Justin Daniel Nieves

    Nine defendants are charged in Count Six with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    The FBI thanks the PRPB Ponce and Mayagüez Strike Force for their assistance in this investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, and FBI Special AUSA Frank M. Norris are prosecuting the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Six, the defendants face a minimum sentence of 15 years, and up to life in prison. All defendants charged in the drug conspiracy are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $2,850,900.

    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 take-down is part of the FBI’s Summer Heat initiative, which is taking place across the country during the summer months.  Summer Heat is targeting violent offenders and gang members who terrorize our communities and is part of Director Patel’s commitment to the American people to Crush Crime.

    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: Delta Air Lines Agrees to Pay $8.1M to Settle Alleged False Claims Act Violations Related to Payroll Support Program

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Delta Air Lines Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has agreed to pay $8,100,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by awarding compensation to certain corporate officers and employees that exceeded the compensation limits Delta agreed to as part of its participation in the Department of the Treasury’s Payroll Support Program (PSP).

    The PSP was established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act to provide payroll support to passenger and cargo air carriers and certain contractors for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries, and benefits. The program was administered by the Department of Treasury (Treasury), and participating air carriers were required to enter into written agreements with Treasury that imposed certain conditions in exchange for the receipt of PSP funds. Among other program requirements, PSP agreements included limitations on the amount of compensation that PSP participants could pay to certain corporate officers and employees earning annual compensation in excess of $425,000. 

    Delta entered into PSP agreements with Treasury in 2020 and 2021, under which Delta agreed to the PSP compensation limits. The settlement resolves allegations that, between March 2020 and April 2023, Delta awarded compensation to some corporate officers and employees that exceeded the limits set by the PSP agreements. Delta allegedly violated the False Claims Act by inaccurately certifying compliance with PSP requirements in quarterly reports submitted to Treasury, as well as by not notifying Treasury of the breach once it was discovered by Delta, which would have given the government the right to demand the return of funds.

    “The PSP was intended to provide critical assistance to the airline industry during the pandemic,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those who failed to abide by the terms and conditions governing their receipt and use of federal funds.” 

    “When companies accept federal assistance, especially generous pandemic-relief funds like those at issue here, they owe a duty to the American people to respect the conditions placed on those funds,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “We will continue to enforce all available laws to punish the misuse of taxpayers’ money.”

    “Our criminal investigators have been at the center of this investigation as a core part of our responsibility to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of Treasury programs and operations, and we remain steadfast in our determination to hold recipients of public funds to the highest standards,” said Treasury Deputy Inspector General Loren Sciurba.

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by H. Remidez LLC. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. H Remidez LLC  v. Delta Air Lines Inc., No. 1-23-cv-01116 (N.D. Ga.). The whistleblower will receive $850,500 in connection with the settlement.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General.

    The matter was handled by Trial Attorney James Nealon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony DeCinque for the Northern District of Georgia.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

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