NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Greensboro Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREENSBORO – A Greensboro, North Carolina man was sentenced yesterday in Winston-Salem to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon of the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC).   

    MICHAELL HUMBERTO GUTIERREZ, age 31, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment plus 5 years of supervised release by the Honorable Loretta C. Biggs, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the MDNC. In addition to prison and supervision, GUTIERREZ was ordered to forfeit a Glock 9mm handgun, a Romarm Micro Draco 7.62x39mm handgun, a Romarm 5.45x39mm AK-style rifle, and a Hi-Point .380 handgun.

    According to court records, GUTIERREZ was a member of a California-based drug trafficking organization and distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in North Carolina. From December 2023 through February 2024, he and his co-defendant coordinated the shipment of large amounts of narcotics from California to Greensboro for GUTIERREZ to sell. Unbeknownst to GUTIERREZ, he was regularly communicating with an undercover agent about the sale of these drugs, as well as firearms. On January 24, 2024, GUTIERREZ was involved in a single-car accident after which law enforcement found a bag containing 980 grams of methamphetamine GUTIERREZ had hidden as he ran from the scene. On February 23, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on GUTIERREZ’s residence and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, as well as a loaded assault-style pistol, a loaded semi-automatic handgun, and a loaded semi-automatic rifle, among other contraband.

    GUTIERREZ pleaded guilty on October 8, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B).

    “Fentanyl and methamphetamine continue to devastate communities in the Middle District of North Carolina,” said Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon. “We are dedicated to holding those responsible for distributing these drugs accountable in the court of law.”

    “This sentencing is another step forward in our ongoing mission to protect our communities from the devastating impact of drug trafficking,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte, which oversees North and South Carolina. “By dismantling this criminal network and seizing dangerous drugs like methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine, along with numerous firearms, HSI and its partners are making our neighborhoods safer and sending a clear message that these illegal activities will not be allowed to thrive.”

    The case was investigated by Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Greensboro Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by MDNC Assistant United States Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former EDD Employee Sentenced to 66 Months for Mail Fraud and Bribery Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Regina Brice, a former employee of the California Employment Development Department, was sentenced in federal court today to 66 months in prison for using her position to file $858,339 in fraudulent unemployment claims, effectively stealing money that was intended to give economic relief to people impacted by the pandemic.

    According to court documents, Brice was employed by the EDD since 2010. During the pandemic, she was responsible for processing COVID-related unemployment claims. However, between July 2020 and May 2021, Brice exploited her employee access at EDD to manipulate and file fraudulent unemployment claims for her co-conspirators in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes. These co-conspirators included California prison inmates whom she instructed on how to bypass the system’s fraud checking software to obtain the money.

    “This defendant turned her back on the oath of her office and those she was supposed to help during a once-in-a-century pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Today she is being held accountable for her greed.”

    “Former California Employment Development Department (EDD) Employment Program Representative Regina Brice filed fraudulent and manipulated unemployment insurance (UI) claims in exchange for kickbacks, diverting vital taxpayer resources away from unemployed American workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). “Brice violated the public trust afforded to her as an EDD employee to enrich herself and others. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of the UI program for those who need it. This sentencing demonstrates DOL-OIG’s commitment to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in DOL programs.”

    DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., said, “Regina Brice defrauded government programs meant to help Americans at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. DHS OIG will continue to prioritize pandemic-related fraud investigations and work with our law enforcement partners to bring perpetrators to justice. I appreciate the continued partnership between DHS OIG and the Department of Labor OIG in bringing this case to a close.”

    “Today’s sentencing marks a significant victory for justice and accountability,” said Matt Shields, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Los Angeles Division. “The exploitation of vulnerable individuals’ personal information for nearly a million dollars in fraudulent gains, facilitated by an EDD employee’s corruption, is a betrayal of public trust. I commend the relentless efforts of our inspectors and collaboration with the Department of Labor OIG and Department of Homeland Security OIG in bringing this case to a close and ensuring that such misconduct results in severe consequences.”

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Sou.

    DEFENDANT                                   Case Number 23-CR-2082-RBM                          

    Regina Brice                                       Age: 43                                   San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Mail Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1341

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    U.S. Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General

    Department of Homeland Security – Office of the Inspector General

    United States Postal Inspector Service

    California Employment Development Department – Investigation Division

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced To Over 11 Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore,Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Querida Moran, age 53, of Owings Mills, to 135 months’ imprisonment in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.  Moran pled guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl and over 50 kilograms of cocaine recovered from a storage unit and from her purse in August 2023.  Moran was on federal supervised release at the time.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, made the announcement with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (“DEA”) Washington Division.

    According to the guilty plea, in 2023, the DEA identified Moran as a source of supply for numerous drug traffickers in the Baltimore region.  During the investigation, agents watched Moran conduct numerous drug transactions.  For example, on July 26, 2023, Moran drove her SUV to a restaurant parking lot in Arundel Mills, Maryland.  While in the parking lot, a Subaru arrived and parked.  Moran walked over to the Subaru, gave the driver a bag, and returned to her SUV.  Both vehicles drove away in different directions.  Agents followed the Subaru and initiated a traffic stop.  A probable cause search followed, and they recovered 100 grams of fentanyl from the driver.

    A week later, on August 1, 2023, agents were monitoring the GPS tracking device on Moran’s SUV as she drove to a Travel Plaza and parked near the area where tractor trailers park.  From there, Moran drove directly to a storage center.  Agents watched the video footage from the storage center and saw Moran transport two large duffle bags and a cardboard box to her storage unit.     

    The next day, Moran returned to her storage unit and left with a black suitcase.  After leaving the storage unit, agents watched Moran conduct multiple drug transactions.  In response, they obtained search warrants, which included Moran’s storage unit and her residence.

    On August 3, 2023, agents searched Moran’s storage unit and recovered fifty kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of fentanyl.  After the search, Moran was arrested at a separate location from the storage unit.  Agents searched Moran’s purse and recovered two additional kilograms of cocaine.  A forensic analysis of the drugs recovered confirmed two kilograms of fentanyl and fifty kilograms of cocaine was in Moran’s storage unit and two kilograms of cocaine was in her purse.  On the same date, agents searched Moran’s residence, located in Owings Mills, Maryland.  Agents seized approximately $56,000 in U.S. currency from the apartment. The seized currency constituted proceeds of Moran’s drug trafficking activity or was used, or intended to be used, to facilitate Moran’s drug offense.   

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Calvin C. Miner, who is prosecuting the case.

    For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 23 Lubbock-Area Defendants Charged in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking Cases

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Twenty-three alleged methamphetamine and fentanyl traffickers in Lubbock, Texas, have been federally charged with drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    The defendants, charged in nine indictments, were apprehended on Wednesday, March 26th.  Initial appearances began today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch.

    This investigation began in March 2023.  Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 43 kilograms of methamphetamine, 285.4 grams of fentanyl (approx. 1,902 pills), 335.5 grams of cocaine, 2,296.7 grams of marijuana, and six firearms.  The 285.4 grams of seized fentanyl equals potentially 21,662 lethal doses of fentanyl.

    Those charged in the indictments include:

    •    Vida Tamor Overstreet, 49, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Patrick Wayne Frazier aka Pat Pat, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Juantay Dewayne Frazier aka Broadway, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    David Wayne Frazier aka Dinky, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Santiago Daniel Baltazar aka Chago, 26, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    •    Walter Wood, 36, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    •    Santos Moncada aka Tos, 28, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Jessie Franco, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Shondra Christine Walker, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Orian Emanuel Garcia, 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Rudolfo Luna aka Roy Luna, 43, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Adam Lee Arredondo, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Justin Lee Dominguez, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Anthony James Lockett, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, distribution of     methamphetamine

    •    Rita Adelita Castillo, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Paul Wayne Frazier, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Charles Andre Sykes, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Heather Jane Whitehead, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Henry Tienda, Jr., 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Gary Dewayne Bolton aka Bay Bay, 36, charged with distribution of fentanyl

    •    Arhmad Rashad Fountain aka Ra Ra, 47, charged with distribution of methamphetamine

    •    Rubith Diaz Rodriguez, age 24, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    •    Tyler Kristian Piseno, 37, charged with distribution of fentanyl.

    “Cooperation of local, state and federal law enforcement led to success in disrupting a drug trafficking organization,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “These arrests will have a considerable impact on the distribution of methamphetamine in the greater-Lubbock area, and law enforcement will continue work together to ensure the safety and security of our communities.”

    “This operation sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the flow of illegal drugs into our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA.  “By working together at every level of law enforcement, we are leveraging all available resources to destroy these criminal networks and commit to safeguard our communities from drug trafficking and violent crime.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted, some of the defendants face up to life in federal prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Office, the Caprock HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Anti-Gang Center, the Levelland Police Department, and the Hockley County Sheriff’s Office.  The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

    This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.  

    This investigation 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).
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Memphis Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Tennessee man was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Memphis area.

    According to court documents, Courtney Davis, 28, of Memphis, also known as Geo and Geo Grape, conspired with co-defendant Brian Lackland, also known as Stupid Duke, Spooky Duke, Duke, and Homework, and others, in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This investigation targeted a Memphis-based gang Young Mob, also known as Young Mob Military, and its involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024, investigators and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit began court-authorized wiretaps in which Davis was intercepted multiple times discussing with Lackland the acquisition and distribution of “blues,” which are fentanyl pills that resembled blue 30mg oxycodone pills. Davis was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of approximately 90 grams of fentanyl and 1360 grams of methamphetamine.

    Davis is one of 18 defendants charged as part of this ongoing investigation and the first to be sentenced. In December 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement.

    The ATF and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Memphis Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A Tennessee man was sentenced today to over seven years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Memphis area.

    According to court documents, Courtney Davis, 28, of Memphis, also known as Geo and Geo Grape, conspired with co-defendant Brian Lackland, also known as Stupid Duke, Spooky Duke, Duke, and Homework, and others, in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This investigation targeted a Memphis-based gang Young Mob, also known as Young Mob Military, and its involvement in the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024, investigators and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit began court-authorized wiretaps in which Davis was intercepted multiple times discussing with Lackland the acquisition and distribution of “blues,” which are fentanyl pills that resembled blue 30mg oxycodone pills. Davis was responsible for the acquisition and distribution of approximately 90 grams of fentanyl and 1360 grams of methamphetamine.

    Davis is one of 18 defendants charged as part of this ongoing investigation and the first to be sentenced. In December 2024, Davis pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute fentanyl.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement.

    The ATF and the Memphis Multiagency Gang Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Brian P. Leaming and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham for the Western District of Tennessee prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative in Memphis conducted in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Tennessee and local, state, and federal law enforcement. The joint effort addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members and their associates in Memphis. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 20 Years For Illegally Possessing A Pistol And Ammunition Used In Two Murders

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

    Savannah, Georgia – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney for the Middle District of Florida and Acting United States Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia announce that Chief U.S. District Judge R. Stan Baker has sentenced Victor McMillar (33, Savannah) to 20 years in prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Judge Baker also recommended that McMillar serve his prison sentence at a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility as far from Savannah as possible. A federal jury found McMillar guilty on October 24, 2024. 

    According to court documents and trial testimony, on November 3, 2018, McMillar fired eleven .40 caliber rounds from a Smith & Wesson pistol into the vehicle driven by a husband and wife down a residential street in Savannah. The couple was shot multiple times, and both were both transported to a hospital. The husband died from his gunshot wounds. His wife survived but suffered permanent injury. Two days later, McMillar shot and killed an acquaintance who had witnessed the first murder. This time McMillar used a Glock .40 caliber pistol and fired eleven times. The acquaintance was found dead in the street, struck by at least three bullets to his head. McMillar planted the Smith & Wesson pistol on the body of the second victim. DNA swabs taken from the Smith & Wesson pistol would later match to McMillar. 

    Following the murders, McMillar was arrested by the Savannah Police Department and later indicted for the murders. McMillar was acquitted in Chatham County Superior Court on October 17, 2023. Following the acquittal, McMillar was indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. 

    Prosecutors from the Middle District of Florida were assigned as Special Assistant United States Attorneys to prosecute McMillar. During preparation for trial, special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discovered that McMillar had attempted to erase a cellphone left at the first murder scene. The ATF agents obtained a search warrant for McMillar’s iCloud account, which McMillar failed to delete. McMillar’s iCloud account had several pictures of firearms taken on October 22, 2018, including a photograph of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol, identical to the murder weapon. Additional cellphone forensic evidence placed McMillar at the scene of both murders.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Savannah Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Frank Talbot.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Colombian Navy Lieutenant Sentenced to 15 Years for Helping Sell Locations of Navy Drug Interdiction Vessels to International Drug Traffickers

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    On Wednesday, Cesar Augusto Romero Caballero, of Colombia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Court Judge James Moody Jr. for conspiracy to distribute cocaine having reasonable cause to believe it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Romero Caballero pleaded guilty on April 8, 2024.

    According to court documents, Caballero, 35, was a former member of the Colombian Navy. In exchange for money, he recruited active-duty members of the Colombian Navy to secretly plant global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices in Colombian Navy vessels. Transnational Criminal Organizations used the location data derived from these tracking devices to direct vessels filled with cocaine bound for the United States around Colombian Navy ships and patrols.

    “This foreign national committed serious crimes to enable the flow of drugs into our country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This sentencing reflects the Department of Justice’s ironclad commitment to not only hunting down criminals, but ensuring that they suffer severe legal consequences following their apprehension.”

    “Our teams focus on sophisticated and violent drug trafficking organizations and work countless investigative hours,” said Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division. “I am proud of our team’s efforts and thankful for our law enforcement partners who brought this case to conclusion.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Stoia for the Middle District of Florida prosecuted this case.

    The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.

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

    The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP NL warn of scammers sharing missing persons posts on Facebook to gain personal information

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL is warning residents of a type of scam currently in circulation where scammers are using Facebook to share fake missing persons posts in the hopes of gaining access to personal information.

    These posts are commonly circulated through various buy and sell Facebook pages and often say that there is a missing person, specifically a child or a police officer, in the area where the buy and sell group is located. These types of fake posts are very common around North America and have been appearing in many buy and sell groups in the province. An image of a recent such post is attached.

    These fake posts are often used to collect Facebook users’ information. Every time you share the post or comment on it the scammer may gain access to your Facebook account information, including your friends list. This information can then be used for other ill-intended purposes such as cloning an account and attempting to scam your friends.

    These types of posts can be reported to Facebook. The three small ‘…’ up in the right-hand corner of the post will provide this opportunity. Do not even comment on it that it is fake!

    Valid missing persons investigations will be posted on legitimate law enforcement social media platforms by your local police.

    Please help us spread the word on by speaking with family and friends, especially seniors, who may not be aware of these types of scams.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rocky Mount Man Sentenced to More Than 18 Years for Armed Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was sentenced today to 218 months in prison for robbing a Dollar General and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of multiple crimes of violence.  Kaleb Joseph Coppage, age 23, pled guilty to the charges on September 30, 2024.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on November 30, 2023, Coppage entered the Dollar General at 2800 W. Raleigh Blvd. in Rocky Mount wearing a facemask.  He pointed an AR-style pistol at an employee and demanded money.  After stealing more than $2,800 from the store’s safe and cash registers, Coppage fled on foot.  

    On December 8, 2023, Coppage entered the Circle K at 5102 Dortches Blvd. in Rocky Mount, again wearing a facemask, and pointed an AR-style pistol at an employee and demanded cash.  The employee gave Coppage approximately $60 in a shopping bag which also contained a GPS tracker.  The Nash County Sheriff’s Office followed the coordinates on the tracker and located Coppage in a stolen car.  When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Coppage fled.  He led law enforcement on a chase that exceeded 120 mph in a 45-mph zone.  Coppage ultimately collided with another car and then fled the scene on foot.  Law enforcement found the AR-style pistol, which was stolen, in the car Coppage had been driving.  

    Upon further investigation, the sheriff’s office discovered that Coppage was on probation and monitored by an ankle bracelet. Through the ankle monitor, officers confirmed that Coppage was present at both the Dollar General and Circle K  at the times of these robberies.  Upon arrest, Coppage admitted to the robberies, and admitted that he stole the vehicle in which he fled from the Circle K.

    “Violently robbing our places of business terrorizes our communities and is a serious federal offense with significant consequences,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today.  “Today’s sentence demonstrates that we will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to stamp out gun violence.  I commend the excellent work in this case by ATF, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rocky Mount Police Department.”

    “Our Office has strived to take every available action to combat violent repeat offenders from wreaking havoc in our communities. We have focused our attention on illegal guns, gangs, and drugs that have found their way into Nash County,” said Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone.  “Our partnerships with our local agencies, the District Attorney’s Office, federal partners, North Carolina Probation and Parole, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, has greatly increased our ability to remove defendants, that engage in these types of crimes away from our citizens. Mr. Coppage not only robbed our local convenience stores, but he also used a firearm to terrorize the clerks and lead our deputies on a pursuit that placed everyone’s life in danger. I am thankful for the hard work, dedication, and professionalism that the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, ATF, North Carolina Probation and Parole, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrated in this case. The Nash County Sheriff’s Office will continue its relentless pursuit to stop violent crime and drug trafficking in our county.” 

    “A firearm in the hands of a prohibited individual is illegal and extremely dangerous,” said ATF’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Rogers.  “ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend those who try to undermine public safety and threaten our communities.”
    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rocky Mount Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Lori Warlick prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-84-BO-RJ.
     

    ###
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Revolutionizing Plastic Recycling Through Irradiation

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The IAEA is harnessing the power of radiation technologies, through its NUTEC Plastics initiative, to assist countries in dealing with plastic pollution on two fronts: at the point of source, by introducing new technologies to improve plastic recycling; and in the ocean, where the bulk of plastic waste ends up.

    “The focus on the first front is on reducing plastic waste volumes through innovative upcycling, increasing the re-purposing of hard-to-recycle plastics into valuable products and developing bio-based plastics,” said Celina Horak, Head of the IAEA Radiochemistry and Radiation Technology Section. “With the help of the NUTEC Plastics initiative, nine countries across Asia, Latin America and Africa are in the process of establishing radiation-assisted pilot plants.”

    The role of irradiation in helping beat plastic pollution will be discussed during the IAEA’s upcoming Third International Conference on Applications of Radiation Science and Technology. Gathering hundreds of experts from radiation-related physics, chemistry, materials science, biology and engineering fields in Vienna, Austria, from 7 to 11 April 2025, #ICARST2025 will be accessible to anyone interested via livestreaming.

    International events will also be held in October 2025 in the Republic of Korea, featuring IAEA tools for circular economy assessment and for technological maturity level, and in November 2025 in the Philippines, the first international high level forum on NUTEC Plastics. Both events will include the other aspect of the NUTEC Plastics initiative, the marine monitoring component, where nuclear science is used to identify, trace and monitor plastics in the ocean, particularly microplastics.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 283 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team based at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) visited the site’s diesel storage tanks today and saw no signs of damage or spillage, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

    The IAEA team requested access to the storage tanks to assess the situation there first-hand following an unconfirmed report this week about a significant leak of diesel fuel.

    During their visit to the fuel storage area located outside the ZNPP perimeter, the IAEA team reported that the levels in the storage tanks were normal, there were no traces of spilled fuel and no evidence of any repair work being carried out.

    The status of the ZNPP’s three storage tanks is important for nuclear safety and security as the plant relies on diesel emergency generators for power if all access to electricity from the grid is lost, as has happened eight times during the military conflict. The ZNPP needs power to cool its six reactors and for other essential safety functions.

    “As the IAEA is continuously present at the ZNPP, we were able to quickly examine the storage tanks ourselves and provide independent and reliable information about the situation there to the international community. This is another example underlining the importance of the IAEA’s presence at the nuclear facilities in Ukraine. We will remain at these sites for as long as it is needed to help prevent a nuclear accident,” Director General Grossi said.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Japan, Philippines and United States Conduct Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity

    Source: United States Navy

    SOUTH CHINA SEA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force and the United States Navy, demonstrating a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, conducted a multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MCA) within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone, March 28, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Normandy and GDFS Shahoud conduct Maritime Exercise

    Source: United States Navy

    CARIBBEAN SEA — U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) conducted a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the Guyana Defence Force Defiant-class patrol vessel GDFS Shahoud (1039) on Mar. 27. The two ships conducted formation-maneuvering events supported by Normandy’s embarked MH-60R Seahawk helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 50; the aircrew conducted a photo exercise as the final event of the maneuvers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former federal officer sentenced for smuggling aliens and receiving bribes from cartel

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been sentenced to federal prison in two separate cases for allowing aliens and cocaine across the border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Emanuel Isac Celedon, 37, Laredo, pleaded guilty March 11, 2024, for his role in illegally smuggling illegal aliens into the United States through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry (POE) in Laredo. He also admitted to bribery and attempted importation of cocaine for accepting money to allow what he thought was cocaine to cross into the United States from Mexico. 

    U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now imposed a total of 117 months in prison for both cases to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a money judgment of $17,980. At the hearing, the court noted Celedon’s job was to protect the United States from introduction of controlled substances and people not authorized to be in the country, and that he had failed in both regards. Judge Saldana added that Celedon was deeply involved in the organization and appeared to want to go even deeper.

    “Anybody who aids or works for the cartel is going to find themselves on the wrong end of a federal indictment,” said Ganjei. “This case was especially troubling given the position of trust the defendant held. His criminal conduct stands in stark contrast to the heroic work the men and women of CBP are doing every day to keep our border and ports secure.”

    While employed as a CBP Officer in Laredo in 2023, Celedon sought contacts within the Mexican criminal organization known as the Cartel del Noreste in order to smuggle drugs and aliens through his inspection lane in exchange for monetary payment.

    During an undercover operation, Celedon expressed his interest in smuggling cocaine for payment, provided his duty schedule and gave instructions directing a loaded vehicle to his inspection lane at the port of entry. He then allowed the vehicle to safely cross into the United States. 

    Using his position as a CBP officer, Celedon allowed several kilograms of what he believed to be cocaine into the United States on two separate occasions in October 2023. In exchange, he received $6,000.

    Further investigation revealed Celedon also conspired with at least three others to bring illegal aliens into the United States without inspection. Celedon provided his daily lane assignment to Mexican national Homero Romero-Hernandez, 32, who passed the information to Jose Osvaldo Zapata-Vasquez, 25, another Mexican national with ties to the cartel. Zapata-Vasquez hired Cotulla resident Beatris Guadalupe Martinez, 22, to act as the driver.

    Zapata-Vasquez relayed instructions to Martinez based on information Celadon provided regarding when to pick up the aliens in Mexico and which lane to approach when making entry to the United States.

    The investigation revealed Martinez transported people through Celedon’s lane on at least nine separate occasions between September and November 2023. Each time, Celedon permitted entry without inspecting any of Martinez’s passengers. Additionally, on at least two of those dates, Celedon falsely inputted information into a CBP database in order to avoid sending Martinez to a mandatory secondary inspection.

    Celedon then asked Zapata-Vasquez and Romero-Hernandez to relay this to smugglers in Mexico in order to reassure them that he was doing his part to facilitate the cartel’s smuggling efforts. Law enforcement seized $1,980 in cash from Celedon at the time of his arrest, which he admitted were proceeds from human smuggling.

    Judge Saldana previously sentenced Zapata-Vasquez, Romero-Hernandez and Martinez to 46, 36, and 42 months in prison, respectively.

    Celedon has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and CBP – Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, Webb County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office and CBP Laredo Joint Forensic Center.

    The case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation and coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

    JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section 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, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling, more than 320 U.S. convictions, more than 265 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.

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

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Arthur R. Jones prosecuted the cases.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Chicago Man of Sex Trafficking and Kidnapping Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a Chicago man of violently sex trafficking five young victims, including a 15-year-old girl, and kidnapping two of them.

    The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago on Tuesday convicted DENNIS WILLIAMS, 33, on all seven sex trafficking and kidnapping counts against him.  Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life.  U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland set sentencing for Oct. 7, 2025.

    The convictions were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department and the Lansing, Ill. Police Department. The government has been represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Totten, Sushma Raju, and Michelle Parthum.

    According to evidence presented at the week-long trial, Williams used threats, violence, drugs, and other coercive means to force five victims to engage in commercial sex.  Williams often restrained or assaulted the victims to force them to comply and turn over the proceeds to him.  Williams also caused a 17-year-old girl, whom he also assaulted repeatedly, to assist him in trafficking the victims.  Williams operated his sex trafficking operation in 2022 and 2023 out of his Chicago residence and motels in Lansing, Ill.

    On Aug. 2, 2022, Williams kidnapped one of his victims by luring her inside his truck and abruptly driving away.  The victim escaped by leaping from the moving vehicle.

    On Jan. 10, 2023, Williams kidnapped another of his victims by confining her to his closet overnight and then forcing her to engage in commercial sex with strangers.  The victim escaped by jumping out of a second-floor window and running a quarter mile to a Chicago Public Library branch.

    All five of Williams’ victims, including both of the kidnapping victims, testified about their ordeals at trial.

    If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.  The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Midland Felon Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced in federal court to 360 months in prison for child pornography production and drug and firearm offenses.

    According to court documents, Job Jasso Jr., 27, led a Midland County Sheriff’s Office deputy on a high-speed chase following an attempted traffic stop on March 13, 2024. Jasso crashed the vehicle and fled on foot, leaving a 17-year-old female in the passenger seat. A search of her phone revealed multiple sexually explicit photos of Jasso and the minor female.

    On March 25, 2024, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and other partnered agencies executed an arrest warrant at a hotel where Jasso was staying. Inside the room, Jasso and the minor victim from the March 13 incident were naked and taken into custody. Two firearms were seized during the arrest. An executed search warrant also revealed additional firearms, along with firearm accessories and ammunition, drug paraphernalia, 63.2 grams of fentanyl pills, and other related items. Review of a recovered smartphone found approximately 44 images and two videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and child exploitative material (CEM) depicting the minor victim. A search warrant return for a cloud storage account also uncovered 12 videos of CSAM and CEM of the minor victim.

    Jasso had previously been convicted in the 142nd District Court in Midland for aggravated kidnapping and received a sentence of five years’ confinement.

    On Aug. 28, 2024, Jasso was indicted for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime; and one count of possession of stolen firearms. A federal jury found him guilty of all four counts Nov. 6, 2024.

    A second indictment was filed Sept. 25, 2024, for two counts of production of child pornography. Jasso was also found guilty on both of those counts in a federal trial Dec. 10, 2024. U.S. District Judge David Counts sentenced Jasso to 360 months in prison for both child pornography charges, as well as a concurrent 300 months in prison for the other four counts. Judge Counts also ordered Jasso pay $55,000 in restitution.

    “Jasso has amassed a troubling criminal record over the years, carelessly placing others—including minors—in grave danger through his illicit actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “The 30-year sentence that he will now serve in federal prison is a significant penalty that appropriately fits the multiple offenses for which he was found guilty by a jury.”

    “This sentence serves as a reminder to all predators. We will not allow crimes against children to go unpunished,” said John Morales, FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge. “While this significant sentence cannot repair the damage done, it is a warning to those who engage in this behavior: FBI and our law enforcement partners will be relentless in our pursuit of child predators.”

    The FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, Odessa Police Department, and Midland County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Sloane 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Deputy Director at District Office of Neighborhood and Safety Engagement Pleads Guilty to Bribery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Official Accepted at Least $10,000 in Cash to Direct Contracts and Grants to Company

                WASHINGTON – Dana McDaniel, 44, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today to bribery for accepting at least $10,000 in exchange for agreeing to use her position as Deputy Director at the District’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) to benefit another.

                The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Washington DC Field Office, and District of Columbia Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas.

                U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras set a sentencing date for August 6, 2025.

                According to court documents, from January 2020 to April 2023, McDaniel served as the Deputy Director of ONSE. In that role, McDaniel managed agency programming and community-based services focused on providing resources and interventions for at-risk individuals in at-risk communities impacted by violence in the District, including the Violence Intervention (VI) Initiative, a collaborative community engagement strategy designed to support D.C. residents in reducing gun-related violence in their communities.

                Court documents show that, prior to September 2022 and continuing through at least August 2024, McDaniel accepted at least $10,000 in cash from a Maryland resident to direct contracts and grants to two different District of Columbia-based businesses associated with the Maryland resident. Those companies included a company that represented itself as a community-based initiative to serve high-risk youths and adults and operated throughout the District, and a company that provided VI services as part of ONSE’s VI initiative in Ward 5.

                McDaniel faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with substantial assistance from Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General.

                It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca G. Ross, John Crabb, and Joshua Rothstein.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for killing man in Harlesden

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been jailed for stabbing another to death, following an investigation by Met Police detectives.

    Osman Abshir, 30 (25.01.1995), of Church Road, Willesden, was sentenced to 12 years in prison at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 27 March. A jury at the same court found him guilty of manslaughter on Friday, 14 February.

    Abshir killed 40-year-old Fuad Saman on Thursday, 10 August, 2023. Fuad was found dead at his home in Casselden Road, Harlesden, on the same afternoon.

    Detective Superintendent Kelly Allen, from Specialist Crime, said: “Abshir carried out a brutal killing, and displayed complete disregard for Fuad, leaving him with over 100 separate injuries. Whatever his excuses, this was a horrific attack.

    “We express our deepest sympathies for Fuad’s loved ones. While Abshir has received a lengthy prison sentence, we are all too aware that no verdict can bring him back.”

    After discovering Fuad’s body, investigators made enquiries. They learned that Mr Saman had been in the company of Fuad earlier that afternoon. He was found at a nearby park and placed under arrest, before being remanded in custody.

    At the crime scene, officers found that Abshir had cleaned up the property, stripped Fuad and stuffed his clothes into a rucksack.

    Abshir claimed that he killed Fuad in an altercation. He was charged with murder on Wednesday, 16 August, 2023. At trial, the jury found him guilty of manslaughter.

    In a statement, Fuad’s family said: “Our family experienced a profound loss with the passing of our brother, cousin, son and father Fuad.

    “His departure has left a deep void in our lives, and it’s been incredibly difficult to come to terms with the reality that he’s no longer with us.

    “We find comfort in remembering the beautiful moments we shared with Fuad – the stories, the jokes, and the countless ways he made life better for those around him. It’s these memories that keep his spirit alive in our hearts.

    “We have also found some relief knowing that Fuad’s killer has been caught and has been sentenced.

    “While nothing can truly make up for the loss we’ve endured, we are grateful that justice has been served.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Halifax Regional Municipality — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment seizes two handguns, drugs and cash

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment (HRD) Street Crime Enforcement Unit (SCEU) has charged a man after executing two search warrants.

    Yesterday, in relation to an ongoing firearms and drug trafficking investigation, RCMP HRD SCEU officers, with the assistance of RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment and the RCMP Emergency Response Team, safely arrested a 42-year-old man at a residence on Willis Ln. in North Preston.

    Investigators then executed search warrants at that home and at a second residence on Paris Ln. in Westphal. During the searches, officers seized two handguns, magazines, ammunition, methamphetamines, drug paraphernalia, cash and cell phones.

    Judson Lamar Thompson, from North Preston, has been charged with:

    • Possession of Methamphetamines for the Purpose of Trafficking
    • Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose (two counts)
    • Careless use of a Firearm (two counts)
    • Contravention of Storage Regulations (two counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (two counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Weapon (two counts)
    • Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession if Unauthorized (two counts)
    • Possession of a Device knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (two counts)
    • Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition (two counts)
    • Possession of a Weapon Obtained by the Commission of an Offence (two counts)

    Thompson appeared in court yesterday and was remanded into custody. He will return in Dartmouth Provincial Court today.

    Anyone with information about illicit drugs or other criminal activity in the Halifax Regional Municipality is encouraged to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File: 25-13271

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Sentenced to Just Over 2 Years in Federal Prison For Firing Gun on Crowded Sidewalk

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – A man from Detroit, Michigan was sentenced today for a July 2024 shooting near Grand Circus Park announced Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck.

    Beck was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Detroit Field Division and Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison.

    Christopher Wade, 30, was sentenced to 25 months in prison by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman.

    According to court records, following a dispute, Wade opened fire at the busy intersection of Woodward Avenue and Adams Avenue, firing nine rounds into the air. Thankfully, no one was injured, but a witness who was driving in the area reported that one of the rounds struck her vehicle. Officers quickly responded to the scene and apprehended Wade without further incident. Security cameras captured the shooting on video. This was the second time within a month that Wade opened fire in public and the fourth time in the last 10 years.

    Wade pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm in November of 2024.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Philip M. Jacques. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Detroit Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Covert Agent, NCMEC CyberTips Lead to 30-Month Sentence for Cornville Man Who Accessed Child Sexual Abuse Material

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

    BANGOR, Maine: A Cornville man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for accessing child sexual abuse material.

    U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Wade Willette, 46, to 30 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Willette pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024.

    According to court records, in August 2020, an individual using the Kik Messenger app contacted an FBI online covert employee (OCE) after the OCE posted on an online bulletin board known to be frequented by people with a sexual interest in children and/or child pornography. The username for the Kik account and associated email address were traced to Willette. In January 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from Kik revealing that the same username had uploaded three videos containing child sexual abuse material the previous month.

    In March 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Willette’s residence, and FBI agents interviewed him. In the interview, he confirmed the Kik account was his, that he had searched for and viewed child sexual abuse material on his phone, and that he had engaged in online conversations about child pornography in the past. Two images of young children being sexually abused were recovered from his phone.

    The FBI investigated the case.

    To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – in legal terms, “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with NCMEC at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Revere Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Two Local Convenience Stores

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

    BOSTON – A Revere man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the armed robberies of two Boston-area convenience stores in less than one week.

    Jaquan Barrows, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In December 2024, Barrows pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery, and one count of using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence. In April 2024, Barrows was charged by criminal complaint.

    On the morning of March 29, 2024, a male wearing a mask, dark clothing and an orange safety vest entered a Revere convenience store brandishing a handgun. The suspect walked behind the counter, demanded cash from the cash register drawer, additional cash and a cell phone from the store clerk. The suspect struck the clerk in the head with the firearm, took an ice cream bar from a store freezer and fled the scene.  

    Less than one week later, on the morning of April 4, 2024, a male wearing a black mask and dark clothing entered an Everett convenience store and appeared to be shopping. After being asked to pay for his items, the suspect brandished a handgun, pointed it at the store clerk and demanded cash from the cash register drawer and fled the scene.  

    A subsequent investigation identified a Honda Pilot captured in the vicinity of the Revere convenience store. The vehicle was registered to an individual who resided with Barrows. Surveillance footage obtained from the Revere convenience store and from Barrows’ residence showed Barrows wearing clothing similar to the robber. During a search of Barrows’ residence on April 4, 2024, clothing items matching the robber from the Revere robbery, as well as a handgun were found. Barrows was immediately taken into custody.    

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere and Everett Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Seeks Civil Forfeiture of Approximately $23 Million in Cryptocurrency Seized from Gotbit

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

    BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover approximately $23 million in cryptocurrency alleged to be proceeds of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud and property involved in a transaction or attempted transaction in violation of one or more specified statutory offenses.

    The government seized USDT (Tether) and USDC (Circle) from un-hosted cryptocurrency wallets controlled by Gotbit Consulting LLC (Gotbit). Tether and Circle are stablecoins, meaning their value is tied to the U.S. dollar.

    On March 21, 2025, Gotbit, a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” and its founder, Aleksei Andriunin, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to criminal charges relating to Gotbit’s fraudulent manipulation of cryptocurrency trading volume on behalf of client cryptocurrency companies. As part of Gotbit’s plea agreement, it admitted the cryptocurrency was subject to civil forfeiture and agreed to consent to civil forfeiture of the cryptocurrency.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is handling the forfeiture matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the criminal case.

    The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against 5 Louisville Residents – Charges Include Fentanyl and Firearms Offenses

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

    Louisville, KY – On March 19, 2025, a federal grand jury in Louisville charged 5 Louisville residents in an indictment involving fentanyl and firearms offenses.    

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, Abdulkadir Malindo, 21, Abdulkadir Ali, 21, Hussein Hussein, 19, Henry Martinez, 20, and Bilal Malindo, 19, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl between October 28, 2024, and March 5, 2025.

    Abdulkadir Malindo is also charged with twelve counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, seven counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, and one count of firearms trafficking. On the following dates, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed the listed firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    On November 9, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Plumcrazy Firearms, Gen II, multi-caliber pistol.

    On December 3, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a P80, 9-millimeter pistol.

    On December 5, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed an American Tactical Imports, Omni Hybrid, multi-caliber pistol.

    On December 12, 2024, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Glock Switch. A Glock Switch device allows a semi-automatic handgun to function as an automatic and is defined as a machine gun under federal law.

    On January 2, 2025, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Glock, Model 19X, 9-millimeter pistol.

    On January 17, 2025, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Bear Creek Arsenal, Model BCA19, multi-caliber pistol and a Canik55, Model TP-9SF, 9-millimeter pistol.

    On March 5, 2025, Abdulkadir Malindo possessed a Palmetto, multi-caliber rifle, a Sig Sauer, Model P226, .40 caliber pistol, a Canik, 9-millimeter pistol, and a Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber pistol.

    Abdulkadir Ali is also charged with one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Hussein Hussein is also charged with one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On November 21, 2024, Hussein possessed a Radical Firearms, Model RF-15, multi-caliber pistol.

    Henry Martinez is also charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl.

    Bilal Malindo is also charged with two counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Abdulkadir Malindo, Ali, Hussein, and Martinez have been arrested and made their initial court appearances this week before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Bilal Malindo is in state custody and will make an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on a later date. 

    If convicted, Abdulkadir Malindo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, Abdulkadir Ali faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, Hussein Hussein faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, Henry Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and Bilal Malindo faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. All the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    The cases are being investigated by the ATF, DEA, HSI, KSP, and LMPD. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Erwin Roberts is prosecuting the cases.

    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 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: Vicksburg Man Convicted of Falsifying Firearms Documents, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Obstruction of Justice

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

    JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – A federal jury convicted Zaid Khalaf, 42, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, a former Federal Firearms Licensee (“FFL”) on Thursday, March 27, 2025, for two counts of falsifying records, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of obstruction of justice. The convictions followed a two-day trial.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Khalaf was a Federal Firearms Licensee at a gun shop in Vicksburg, Mississippi since 2022. On April 24, 2024, an ATF firearms compliance inspection found that Khalaf falsified multiple firearms transaction records. Khalaf used the identities including social security numbers of two of his previous customers to forge firearm transaction records in their names. Khalaf presented the forged documents to the ATF investigator during the inspection. It is against federal law to falsify ATF records and to use the identities and private information of citizens without their consent. Khalaf is no longer a Federal Firearms Licensee. 

    Khalaf is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft consecutive with any other term of imprisonment imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Latin Music Talent Agency and Its CEO Found Guilty of Violating U.S. Sanctions by Doing Business with Cartel-Linked Concert Promoter

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

    LOS ANGELES – The CEO of a Latin music conglomerate and his talent agency were found guilty by a jury today of conspiring to violate the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act by conducting business with a Guadalajara-based concert promoter with ties to Mexican drug cartels.

    José Ángel Del Villar, 44, of Huntington Beach, the CEO of Del Records and its related talent agency Del Entertainment Inc., was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to transact in property of specially designated narcotics traffickers in violation of the Kingpin Act and 10 counts of violating the Kingpin Act.

    Co-defendant Del Entertainment also was found guilty of all 11 counts of which Del Villar was convicted.

    According to evidence presented at a nine-day trial, in April 2018, the defendants did business with Jesús Pérez Alvear, a.k.a. “Chucho,” of Guadalajara, Mexico, a music promoter who controlled Gallistica Diamante, a.k.a. Ticket Premier. Pérez promoted concerts for Del Entertainment in Mexico until March 2019.

    The U.S. Treasury Department listed Pérez and his company as “specially designated narcotics traffickers” under the Kingpin Act on April 6, 2018, after concluding he facilitated money laundering for the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) and the Los Cuinis drug trafficking organization. The Kingpin Act prevents people in the United States from conducting business with sanctioned persons and entities.

    Even though Del Villar and Del Entertainment were aware that it was illegal to engage in transactions or dealings with Pérez, they willfully did business with him by continuing to have a Del Entertainment musical artist perform at concerts in which Pérez and Del Entertainment had a financial interest.

    For example, on April 19, 2018, FBI agents approached a well-known musician and explicitly told him about Pérez’s designation under the Kingpin Act and how that prohibited him from conducting business with Pérez and performing concerts that Pérez promoted.

    On April 28, 2018, the musician performed at a music concert which Pérez organized. Del Villar’s credit card was used to pay for a private jet that brought the musician from Van Nuys Airport to the performance in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

    On multiple other occasions in 2018 and 2019, Pérez and Del Villar continued to do business by arranging for the musician to perform at concerts in Mexico – including Mexicali and San José Iturbide, Guanajuato.

    “The defendants here chose to get into business with an individual they knew had ties to the CJNG and had been designated a narcotics trafficker under the Kingpin Act,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Cartels and transnational criminal organizations cause immeasurable harm to our country. We are using every tool to eliminate these organizations and will prosecute those that do business with cartels.”

    “Doing business with government-sanctioned individuals is illegal and can have very serious consequences,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “Today’s guilty verdict sends a message to music industry associates and others who engage in business with those sanctioned for laundering money for Mexican drug cartels will not be tolerated by the FBI, nor our partners at the IRS and the United States Attorney’s Office.”

    United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong scheduled an August 15 sentencing hearing, at which time Del Villar will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count. Del Entertainment will face a sentence of five years of probation and a fine of $10 million for each count.

    Co-defendant Luca Scalisi, 58, of West Hollywood, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in this case and is scheduled to be tried separately in July 2025.

    Co-defendant Pérez, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transact in property of specially designated narcotics traffickers, was murdered in Mexico in December 2024. 

    The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated this matter. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control provided significant assistance in this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Benedetto L. Balding and Alexander B. Schwab of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force, and Kathrynne N. Seiden of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, prosecuted this case, with substantial assistance from the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bay Roberts — Bay Roberts RCMP investigates stabbing, man charged

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Thirty-six-year-old Kelvin Coombs is charged with aggravated assault by RCMP NL following a disturbance in Bay Roberts that occurred on March 27, 2025.

    At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Bay Roberts RCMP received the report of a stabbing that occurred on a residential property in Bay Roberts. A man was transported to Carbonear General Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained.

    RCMP officers from Bay Roberts and Harbour Grace detachments immediately responded and attended the home. The suspect, Coombs, who initially refused to exit the residence for police, eventually exited the home and was arrested without further incident. He was held in police custody overnight.

    RCMP NL’s East District General Investigation Section was engaged and obtained a warrant to search the property. Last evening, a search was conducted with items seized in support of the charges laid.

    Coombs attends court today and is charged with aggravated assault and breach of probation. The victim is recovering from injuries sustained.

    The investigation is continuing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albuquerque Man Sentenced for Armed Robberies Targeting Ross Stores

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a string of violent armed robberies targeting multiple Ross Dress for Less stores in 2022.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jason Pete Roper, 46, committed three armed robberies at Ross Dress for Less stores on August 14, August 15, and September 8, 2022. Each time, Roper would approach the register with a small item for purchase, wait for the cashier to open the till, and then brandish a firearm and demand money from multiple registers. At trial, the victims, most of whom were teenagers, testified to the fear and emotional distress they continue to suffer, with some forced to leave their jobs and withdraw from school due to the psychological impact.

    Evidence further revealed that Roper not only committed these robberies himself but also perpetuated the cycle of violence by involving his 12-year-old nephew in his criminal activities. Surveillance footage, witness testimony, and a CrimeStoppers tip linked Roper to additional robberies committed by his nephew at a Ross store, a Walgreens, and an attempted robbery at a Taco Bell.

    Upon his release, Roper will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jon Stanford and Samuel Hurtado prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Indicted for Fentanyl, Firearm, and Immigration-Related Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Sarah Maud Jess, 61, of Capitol Heights, Maryland. Jess is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien, and reentry of an alien removed after conviction for an aggravated felony.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge William DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Police Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGCPD).

    According to the indictment, Jess engaged in a conspiracy to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl between November 2023 and October 2024. She also distributed 40 grams or more of fentanyl on specific dates in June and September 2024.  Additionally, Jess is charged with possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl on October 2, 2024; illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition on the same date; and as an alien who was previously removed from the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony.  Jess was found in the United States without receiving permission to reapply for admission into the country as required by law.

    If convicted, Jess faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years for the drug charges; up to 15 years for the firearm charge; and up to 20 years for the aggravated illegal reentry charge.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.

    A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, DEA, FBI, MCPD, and PGCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who are prosecuting the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –