NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Headed Back To Federal Prison For Possessing Multiple Firearms

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

    Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Juan Gonzalez-Diaz (46, Cuba) to two years and six months in federal prison for possessing firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Gonzalez-Diaz to forfeit the firearms and ammunition possessed during the offense. Gonzalez-Diaz entered a guilty plea on December 18, 2024.

    According to court documents, on June 19, 2024, deputies from the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at an industrial park in Labelle. During the search of the property, deputies located a stolen recreational vehicle (RV) and discovered Gonzalez-Diaz, a convicted felon, inside. The RV was subsequently searched, and deputies recovered multiple firearms and ammunition. At the time, Gonzalez-Diaz had a previous federal felony conviction for conspiracy to receive, possess, conceal, store, sell, and dispose of stolen goods. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

    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: Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Crime

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

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Semaj Markes Leondre Figg, 33, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 9, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to reports of shots fired at an 11th Avenue residence in Huntington, encountered Figg, and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and seized approximately 30 grams of crack, 54 grams of fentanyl, a Glock 22C pistol and a Ruger-5.7 pistol. Figg admitted that he intended to sell the seized controlled substances.

    Figg is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.

    This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-180.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Announces Plans to Extradite Three Tren de Aragua Members, Who Have Been Declared Alien Enemies, Wanted by Chile for Homicide and Kidnapping Offenses

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Earlier today, the United States declared three members of Tren de Aragua (TdA) Alien Enemies and announced plans to extradite them to Chile, where they are wanted for violent crimes including homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and other offenses.

    TdA is a foreign terrorist organization with thousands of members, many of whom have unlawfully entered the United States to commit brutal crimes, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, and human and drug trafficking. Three known TdA members, Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol, Miguel Oyola Jimenez, and Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, illegally entered the United States after allegedly committing horrific crimes in Chile.  Recognizing the grave threat that TdA poses to the nations it infiltrates, Chile has asked the United States to help return these men to Chile to face justice. Today, the Department of Justice announced that it will take swift action to grant these requests and send these Alien Enemies to Chile.   

    “These three Tren de Aragua members pose a grave risk to the public safety and national security of the United States, just as they allegedly did in Chile,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Based on their membership in TdA, they have been declared Alien Enemies. We will not tolerate violent illegal aliens in our country. The Justice Department is taking every step within the bounds of the law to ensure these individuals are promptly sent to Chile to face justice for their abhorrent crimes. In fact, we would have already removed these violent gang members to Chile to face justice were it not for the nationwide injunction imposed by a single judge in Washington D.C., which we are challenging today in the D.C. Circuit,” he added.  “We hope common sense and justice will prevail.”

    The three TdA members are:

    • Adrian Rafael Gamez Finol, also known as Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, 38, a dual Venezuelan and Colombian citizen, is wanted in Chile for extortion, kidnapping resulting in homicide, kidnapping for extortion, unjustified firearm discharge, and criminal association. Gamez Finol was removed from the United States to Venezuela in August 2023, and allegedly subsequently illegally re-entered the United States. On Feb. 18, Gamez Finol was indicted in the Southern District of Texas for illegally reentering the United States, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326. Gamez Finol is currently in Texas county prison serving a sentence for human smuggling;
    • Miguel Oyola Jimenez, 37, a dual Venezuelan and Ecuadorian citizen, is wanted in Chile for two counts of kidnapping for ransom. Oyola Jimenez is currently in federal custody in the Western District of Washington, having been arrested on a provisional arrest request submitted by Chilean authorities seeking his return to Chile to stand trial on the kidnapping charges; and
    • Edgar Javier Benitez Rubio, 37, a Venezuelan citizen, is wanted in Chile for kidnapping with homicide, kidnapping for ransom, and criminal association. Benitez Rubio is in immigration custody in the Southern District of Indiana, pending removal.

    The Justice Department will work expeditiously to return these Alien Enemies to Chile to face justice.

    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: South Carolina Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Trafficking More Than Two Dozen Illegal Firearms into Boston

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Columbia, S.C. man was sentenced on March 21, 2025 in federal court in Boston for conspiring to traffic more than two dozen illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston. 

    Trevon Brunson, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Brunson pleaded guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and conspiracy to do so. In January 2024, Brunson was charged along with co-conspirator Aizavier Roache. 

    The investigation arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Brunson and Roache conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. The two would then meet and Roache would provide Brunson with the cash to purchase the firearms. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms. Roache traveled between Massachusetts and South Carolina numerous times to obtain the firearms.

    Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache’s credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn’t have enough cash on hand, during which Roache texted Brunson the pin number for the card. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache’s phone showed him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponded with Roache’s trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023.

    In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime.

    In February 2025, Roache was sentenced to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley, James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Washakie Man Sentenced to 29 Years of Imprisonment for Second-Degree Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Conrad Troy Tillman, 38, of Fort Washakie, Wyoming, was sentenced to 348 months and 23 days in federal prison with five years of supervised release for second-degree murder. U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on March 21, 2025, in Casper. The federal sentence considered the fact Tillman had been serving a related tribal sentence for nearly a year. The court also ordered Tillman to pay $6,998.10 in restitution and a $100 special assessment.

    On April 14, 2024, the Wind River Police Department was dispatched to a vehicle located on Highway 287 within the Wind River Indian Reservation. The 911 call indicated that a man had shot his wife. According to court documents and witness testimony, Tillman, his wife, and their adolescent daughter were traveling on Highway 287 when an argument ensued between the couple. It culminated in Tillman firing a semi-automatic pistol, striking his wife in the head, and killing her. Tillman flagged down a passing motorist to call 911. EMS and law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.

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

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    Case No. 24-CR-00086

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Extortion Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant involved in Massachusetts State Police Commercial Driver’s License bribery scheme

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025 to his role in an extortion conspiracy involving former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) troopers who allegedly conspired to give false passing scores to certain Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants who had failed or had taken only partial CDL skills test, in exchange for bribes.

    Eric Mathison, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit extortion. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2025. In January 2024, Mathison was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the alleged conspiracy and related schemes.

    Mathison, who worked for a water company that employed drivers who needed CDLs to drive their delivery vehicles, admitted to his role in an alleged conspiracy with others including former MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist, then in charge of MSP’s CDL Unit, to give false passing scores to certain CDL applicants affiliated with the water company. It is alleged that Cederquist gave passing scores to multiple applicants who actually failed the CDL skills test, as well as others who took only a partial test, in exchange for bribes of free inventory from the water company, such as cases of bottled Fiji, VOSS and Essentia water, cases of bottled Arizona Iced Tea and coffee and tea products, all of which Mathison delivered to an office trailer at the CDL test site in Stoughton. Mathison admitted to his alleged communications with Cederquist about particular CDL applicants, their performance on the skills test, and inventory from the water company that Cederquist allegedly requested and that Mathison delivered. For example, Mathison admitted that he received texts, allegedly from Cederquist, describing one water company applicant as “an idiot,” who had “no idea what he’s doing,” and “should have failed about 10 times already.” It is alleged that Cederquist then gave this applicant a passing score. On another occasion, Mathison admitted that he asked Cederquist, “Hows the trailer holding,” to which Cederquist allegedly responded, “In desperate need of restocking,” along with a specific request for, among other things, premium bottled water, tea, energy drinks and a “truckload of large water.”

    The charge of conspiracy to commit extortion provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Davenport Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as an Armed Career Criminal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced on March 18, 2025 to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and Armed Career Criminal.

    According to public court documents, Dontae Lamonte Burrage, 36, had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. Members of a bail bond company attempted to arrest Burrage on February 26, 2022. Burrage ran and threw a loaded pistol. Burrage has six prior state felony drug convictions. Therefore, Burrage is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law and, as an Armed Career Criminal, faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Burrage will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.

    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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Mailing Methamphetamine to Northern Alabama

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – An Arizona man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division. 

    United States District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Jeremiah Warren, 42, of Vail, Arizona, to 180 months in prison. On October 4, 2023, Warren pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine. 

    According to the plea agreement, Warren supplied Isaiah Oneal Rice, who lived in Athens, Alabama, with controlled substances for several years. Warren would send Rice drugs—including crystal methamphetamine—through the United States mail. From February to May 2022, Warren mailed over 34 pounds of packages containing controlled substances into the Northern District of Alabama.

    Rice was also prosecuted and sentenced to 176 months in prison on January 10, 2024. On July 27, 2022, Rice pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, two counts of Unlawful Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 grams or More of Methamphetamine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

    The FBI’s North Alabama Safe Streets Task Force investigated the cases. The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and Athens Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a Loaded Semi-Automatic Pistol and Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to being a felon in possession of a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol.  

    Brevin Dossantos-Wellington, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine and oxycodone. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Sept. 15, 2025. In August 2024, Dossantos-Wellington was indicted by a federal grand jury.

    On May 5, 2024, law enforcement conducted a motor vehicle stop of Dossantos-Wellington, during which time Dossantos-Wellington tried to flee. Subsequently, a loaded Springfield Armory XD-9 9mm pistol, along with 8 baggies of cocaine base, methamphetamine and oxycodone were found in his pants. Dossantos-Wellington recently completed a sentence for a prior federal drug trafficking conviction and is therefore prohibited from possessing firearms.

    The charge of felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, methamphetamine and oxycodone provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Belgium National and Utah Business Owner Charged After Allegedly Running a $5 Million Ponzi Scheme

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

    $3M of investor funds allegedly used on real estate, a personal chef, Chevrolet Corvette & more

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A Belgium national and the owner of K & K Strategies is facing federal charges after he allegedly operated a $5 million Ponzi scheme.  The Utah investment owner, who was not licensed to sell securities, allegedly defrauded approximately 75 investors, and used at least $3 million on real estate purchases, investor payouts, a personal chef, a 2002 Chevrolet Corvette, and other personal expenses.

    Kenny Dirk Van Der Spek, aka Kenny Vanderspek, 35, of South Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 12, 2025. He was charged by way of felony information on March 19, 2025.

    According to court documents, Van Der Spek, who was the owner and manager of K & K Strategies, LLC, defrauded at least 75 investors in his company between December 2017 and December 2023. K & K Strategies was a Utah limited liability company with a principal address in Salt Lake County and had investors in Utah and across the country. The stated purpose of the business was to help people who were not wealthy invest and teach about stock trading. However, Van Der Spek was not licensed to sell securities.

    As part of the scheme to defraud, Van Der Spek lied and manipulated clients to convince them to invest with K & K Strategies. He told them that K & K Strategies was legally operating a hedge fund and that he was licensed to do so. He represented to investors that their investments with K & K Strategies LLC were succeeding, showing them fabricated financial records, when in reality, investors were suffering losses. He also displayed an alleged “live stream” of trades on knkstrategies.com so that investors could “watch [their] money grow.”

    Van Der Spek is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. His initial appearance on the felony information is scheduled for March 20, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 7.1 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office, and the Utah Division of Securities.

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Sachiko J. Jepson and Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien charged in gift card fraud, identity theft scheme in Glen Carbon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Chilean national is facing federal charges for using a stolen credit card to purchase gift cards at the Sam’s Club in Glen Carbon.

    Maryorie Fernandez-Ormeno, also known as Guadalupe Maldanado Salinas, 36, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, attempted access device fraud and illegal entry after deportation and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

    “Individuals who enter the U.S. illegally and steal from our communities will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.

    According to court documents, Fernandez-Ormeno is accused of stealing a credit card out of another woman’s purse while she shopped at the Schnucks in Edwardsville. She then used the stolen credit card to purchase $2,684.24 in gift cards at the Sam’s Club in Glen Carbon on Feb. 18, 2024. Fernandez-Ormeno is also accused of using the same stolen credit card to attempt to make a $2,477.76 purchase at the same Sam’s Club.

    Fernandez-Ormeno was previously deported from the U.S. on Oct. 2, 2023, and she is facing a charge for reentering the country unlawfully. She was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service in Philadelphia.

    A co-conspirator is also facing charges.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

    Convictions for attempted access device fraud and access device fraud are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment, aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two years in federal prison, conspiracy to commit access device fraud can earn five years’ imprisonment and illegal reentry after deportation is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment.

    The Edwardsville Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations are contributing to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Goldsboro Gang Member Sentenced to 21 Years for Armed Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Goldsboro man was sentenced today to 258 months in prison for armed robbery. Fremandeus Connell Williams, age 45, pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence on December 20, 2024.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Wilson Police Department (WPD) responded to a call of a robbery at the Hot Spot Internet Café Sweepstakes on Ward Boulevard in Wilson on December 7, 2021. The investigation revealed that Williams entered the establishment wearing a surgical mask and appeared to play a game machine. As a Hot Spot employee unlocked the office door to assist a customer in cashing out, Williams walked up behind the employee, placed the barrel of a firearm against the back of her head, and pushed her to the ground.  Williams then threatened the employee and said, “where’s the money and you better not lie, or I’ll kill you.” Williams stole $7,039 in cash from the register and counter drawers while the employee remained in the back corner of the office.  The incident was captured on video surveillance. Williams, a known member of the United Blood Nation gang, was arrested a few days later on December 10, 2021.

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, interagency coordination, and intelligence-led policing.

    Daniel Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  The WPD, Goldsboro Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard Champaign 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. 5:23-CR-87-D-RJ-1.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Man Found Guilty Of Conspiring To Distribute Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man was found guilty of conspiring to distribute cocaine, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

    Marvin Murphy, 48, of Camden, New Jersey, was convicted on March 18, 2025 after a two-day bench trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb. Murphy was remanded into custody after the verdict.  

    According to documents filed in this case and evidence at trial:

    From June 2021 through July 13, 2021, Murphy conspired with Carl Lee Holloway, Lavinston Lamar, and others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On June 23, 2021, Holloway traveled to San Diego, California, to meet with an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer.  Holloway and the undercover agent discussed arranging a drug deal in New Jersey during which the undercover agent would deliver at least 10 kilograms of cocaine for Holloway and his associates.  During the meeting, Holloway called Murphy, and the two proceeded to communicate about the drug deal during the subsequent weeks.

    On July 13, 2021, Holloway, Murphy, and Lamar separately arrived at a hotel in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, each with bags containing U.S. currency collectively totaling over $340,000.  They met with undercover agents inside a hotel room at the hotel. They briefly inspected one of the kilograms of cocaine previously brought into the room by undercover agents, after which agents entered the room and arrested Holloway, Lamar, and Murphy.

    Chief Judge Bumb previously sentenced Holloway to 120 months in prison after Holloway pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy.  Chief Judge Bumb also previously sentenced Lamar to 114 months in prison, which was later reduced to 100 months, after Lamar pleaded guilty to his involvement in the same conspiracy and to violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine.

    The count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 17, 2025.  

    U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel in Newark and Special Agent in Charge Shawn S. Gibson in San Diego; and the Mount Laurel Police, under the direction of Chief Timothy Hudnall, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Waegener of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pictou — Pictou County District RCMP investigating theft of plaques

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Pictou County District RCMP is investigating the theft of three plaques in the community.

    On March 20, RCMP officers received a report that a large brass plaque had been stolen from a building on Haliburton Rd. during the overnight hours. And on March 23, officers responded to a report of two bronze plaques being taken from a stone monument at the intersection of Churchville Loop and Churchville Rd.; the plaques were removed from the monument sometime last week.

    The investigations are ongoing. Anyone with information about these thefts is asked to contact Pictou County District RCMP at 902-485-4333. 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Port Saunders — Port Saunders RCMP responds to disturbance; suspect fled from police, crashed vehicle and arrested for impaired operation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Forty-seven-year-old Chad Sinnicks of Hawke’s Bay was arrested for impaired operation and a number of other offences by Port Saunders RCMP on March 22, 2025, after crashing a vehicle on Route 430 near Port Saunders.

    At approximately 11:30 p.m., police received a report of a disturbance at a commercial property in Reef’s Harbour involving an assault, threats and property damage. Sinnicks, who was identified as the involved suspect, left the area in a vehicle prior to police arrival and was suspected to be driving while impaired.

    A short time, later, officers located the described vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The vehicle fled from police and became out of sight. Police continued south on Route 430 looking for the suspect vehicle which was located a few minutes later in a ditch on the side of the highway. Sinnicks was arrested for impaired operation and was transported to the detachment. He provided breath samples that were above the legal limit.

    Chad Sinnicks is set to appear in court at a later date to face the following criminal charges:

    • Impaired operation
    • Impaired operation with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs%
    • Flight from police
    • Assault
    • Uttering Threats
    • Mischief under $5000.00 – property damage
    • Various offences of the Highway Traffic Act

    The investigation is ongoing with additional charges pending.

    RCMP NL continues to fulfill its mandate to protect public safety, enforce the law, and ensure the delivery of priority policing services in Newfoundland and Labrador.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cuban National Sentenced To Over Five Years In $7.6 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, FL – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Fernando Espinosa Leon (60) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. Espinosa Leon was also ordered to forfeit $4,013,148.76, the proceeds of his offenses. Espinosa Leon pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, Espinosa Leon engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare using his company, Global Medical Supply Inc. To carry out the scheme, stole the personally identifiable information of Medicare beneficiaries and medical practitioners. Espinosa Leon fraudulently billed Medicare for durable medical equipment that he falsely claimed had been prescribed and supplied. From June 2020 through September 2020, Espinosa Leon utilized the services of a third-party biller and fraudulently submitted for billing more than $7.6 million in claims for reimbursement. As a result, over $4 million in fraudulently obtained Medicare fraud proceeds were deposited into a bank account that Espinosa Leon managed and controlled.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lee County Man Sentenced For Drug And Gun Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Pascual Francisco, Jr. (26, Fort Myers) to nine years and three months in federal prison for distributing a controlled substance, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a machinegun. Francisco pleaded guilty on September 16, 2024.

    According to court records, over the course of several transactions in late-2023 and early-2024, Francisco sold an undercover law enforcement agent cocaine, fake Percocet pills laced with p-fluorofentanyl, an illegal machinegun, and an illegal machinegun conversion device. Francisco used a social media application to facilitate his drug and gun transactions prior to his arrest in this case. 

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Council Bluffs Women Sentenced to 210 Months on Methamphetamine Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Tracy Gulzow, 56, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced on March 20, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Gulzow to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.

    As part of a long-term Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation, Gulzow was identified as a distributor for a Mexican-based meth drug trafficking organization (DTO).  DEA first identified Gulzow as a customer of the DTO in March of 2022.  In the fall of 2023, DEA became aware that Gulzow had stepped into a distributor role for the DTO.  On January 24, 2023, the Omaha Police Department stopped Gulzow for a traffic violation.  During the traffic stop, nine pounds of meth were seized.  Gulzow admitted to law enforcement that more meth was located at her residence.  Gulzow also admitted to receiving more than 50 pounds of meth from the DTO since she became a distributor.  Law enforcement went to her residence where they recovered two more pounds of meth, a firearm, and $19,563 which was derived from the sale of methamphetamine.

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

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Police Department, and Bellevue Police Department.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced that Jonathan Ovalle Solis, 33, of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, was sentenced on March 21, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Solis to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Solis is released from prison, he will be subject to deportation to Mexico as he is not a United States citizen.

    Solis was charged as a result of his involvement as a local courier with a Mexico Source of Supply (SOS) of meth who supplies the Omaha and Council Bluffs areas. On July 20, 2023, special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation utilized a cooperating witness who purchased one pound of meth from Solis at an Omaha location. During the course of the conspiracy, surveillance officers observed Solis meet with other co-conspirators and conduct suspected drug deals, including a delivery of 174 grams of meth on August 23, 2023.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney Matthew R. Molsen announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned an Indictment charging six defendants with offenses related to human trafficking. The indictment was unsealed on Friday, March 21. Eduardo Jose Perdomo, Michel Martinez-Gonzalez and Alfredo Zambrano-Hurtado are all charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit human trafficking from December 16, 2024, through January 7, 2025. The same three defendants are also charged with two counts of sex trafficking minors or by force, fraud, and/or coercion. Sumit Chaudhari, Kavankumar Patel, and Vishal Goswami are all charged with two counts of sex trafficking minors or by the use of force, fraud, or coercion relating to events alleged to have occurred January 3 through January 6, 2025. All charges related to human trafficking carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, a term of supervised release of up to life, and special assessments of $100 and $5,000. Eduardo Jose Perdomo and Michel Martinez-Gonzalez are further charged with two counts of child enticement from December 16, 2024, through January 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty for each child enticement count is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and special assessments of $100 and $50,000.

    The prosecution of major cases, such as this case, always requires collaboration with multiple agencies. The Douglas County Attorney’s Office has been a significant contributor to the team effort to move this case forward. We thank them for their assistance in furthering the investigation, and in taking swift action in bringing initial charges.

    Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest East Cleveland Murder Suspect

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Cleveland, OH – The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) arrested David Wayne Garner (40) for aggravated murder. Garner was wanted by the East Cleveland Police Department after a shooting that took place on January 20, 2025, in the 1700 block of Shaw Ave. in East Cleveland. 

    It is alleged that Garner fatally shot Rashawn Brinkley twice in the head while Brinkley was sitting in a vehicle. Garner has since evaded police on multiple occasions while on the run. The NOVFTF adopted the case on February 19, 2025, and began to search for Garner.
    This morning, the NOVFTF was able to locate and arrest Garner in the 2200 block of Brockway in Cleveland Heights, OH. 

    U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said “This type of violence has no place in our community, and it’s a top priority to make sure violent criminals such as this are taken off the streets as quickly as possible. We are proud of the work of our team today.”

    Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.  Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.  

    The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies:  U.S. Marshals Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Independence Police Department, Parma Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Solon Police Department, Cleveland RTA Police Department, Westlake Police Department, Bedford Police Department, Middleburg Heights Police Department, Newburgh Heights Police Department and the Metrohealth Police Department. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Bronx Man Pleads Guilty In Connection With Shooting Of Five-Year-Old Girl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that AUSTIN MORRISHOW pled guilty today to illegally possessing multiple rounds of ammunition in connection with a June 30, 2023, shooting in which MORRISHOW and his co-defendant, CURTIS WHITE, fired multiple shots on a residential street in the Bronx, striking and seriously injuring a five-year-old girl.  MORRISHOW pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who also presided over WHITE’s guilty plea on February 5, 2025.  

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “On June 30, 2023, Austin Morrishow and his co-defendant, Curtis White, engaged in a brazen act of violence by firing several shots onto a busy residential street in the Bronx. As these shots rang out, panicked bystanders rushed for cover, and one child—a five-year-old girl—was struck by a bullet and seriously injured. Morrishow then tried to evade arrest, but he was tracked down by our law enforcement partners, and now faces time in prison for endangering our city with senseless gun violence.”

    According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:

    On June 30, 2023, MORRISHOW, WHITE, and several others were gathered on a residential sidewalk in the Bronx.  After a car engine backfired, MORRISHOW took cover behind a parked vehicle, assumed a shooting stance, and fired several shots from a .40 caliber pistol at three cars idling nearby, which began fleeing from the gunfire.  WHITE ran after the fleeing cars, firing shots from a .380 caliber pistol.

    The shots fired by MORRISHOW and WHITE left at least seven .40 caliber shell casings, two .380 caliber shell casings, and two fired bullets in the street, as well as two bullet fragments, bullet holes, and shattered windows in vehicles parked on the street.  One of these shots hit the five-year-old girl sitting in the back of a car, and she was rushed to the hospital.

    MORRISHOW was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his prior federal conviction for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a narcotics conspiracy, and WHITE was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his prior state conviction for attempted first-degree assault with intent to cause serious injury with a weapon.

    *                *                *

    MORRISHOW, 27, and WHITE, 27, both of the Bronx, New York, each pled guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.  MORRISHOW is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2025, and WHITE is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2025.   

    The statutory maximum penalty is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, and also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance with the investigation.

    The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry J. Fang is in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 840 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Third week in March as part of Operation Take Back America

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    President Trump has been clear that securing the Southwestern Border of the United States is a priority of the absolute highest level. To that end, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transitional criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from 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).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Western Texas, Southern Texas, New Mexico, Southern California, and Central California charged more than 840 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 217 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 91 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 103 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 15 cases against 23 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.

    The Central District of California filed charges against 17 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States after being removed. Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felony offenses before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include assault with bodily injury. One of the defendants is suspected of murder while another was arrested on suspicion of committing assault with intent to rape. The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base penalty of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    The Southern District of California filed more than 90 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The District of New Mexico brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 46 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation, four individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 27 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325).

    The Southern District of Texas filed a total of 246 cases related to immigration and border security. Of those, 91 face allegations of illegally re-entering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 145 face charges of illegally entering the country, eight cases involve various instances of human smuggling, and the remainder relate to other immigration matters and making false statements.

    The Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 210 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases.

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Minneapolis Man Pleads Guilty; Forty-Fifth Conviction in the $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, a Minneapolis man, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from September 2020 through January 2022, Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, 40, claimed to be operating a child nutrition site in St. Paul, Minnesota. As part of the scheme, on or about September 4, 2020, Ahmed registered ASA Limited LLC with the Minnesota Secretary of State. Four days later, Ahmed applied for ASA Limited to operate a purported food site in the Federal Children Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future at the Gurey Deli, a small market located in a St. Paul strip mall.  Ahmed submitted his application together with Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s executive director. Within just three weeks of creating the ASA Limited site, Ahmed and his co-conspirators falsely claimed to be serving meals to 2,000 or 3,000 children each day, seven days a week. During the one-year period from September 2020 to September 2021, Ahmed his co-conspirators fraudulently claimed to have served more than 1.6 million meals at the ASA Limited site.

    To accomplish his scheme, Ahmed submitted multiple fake attendance rosters that purported to identify both the names and ages of approximately 2,000 children who attended the ASA Limited site’s “after-school program” in September through December 2021. The lists of names and ages were fake, and Ahmed’s roster spreadsheets contained a formula that inserted a random number between 7 and 17 in the age column for each “child” on the list.

    According to court documents, rather than use fraudulently obtained money to serve meals or feed children, Ahmed and his co-conspirators misappropriated much of it. Ahmed transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to himself and other co-conspirators, which included transferring fraud proceeds to a shell company he created called 1130 Holdings Inc. He and his co-conspirators also created another shell company called Five A’s Projects LLC, where they transferred more than $1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Ahmed used these proceeds to purchase the former location of Kelly’s 19th Hole, a bar and restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, which will be now forfeited to the United States. Ahmed used more fraudulent proceeds to purchase a 2022 Mini Cooper vehicle, which has been seized and will be forfeited to the United States.

    According to court documents, Ahmed paid more than $49,000 in bribes and kickbacks to Abdikerm Eidleh, a Feeding Our Future employee, in exchange for sponsoring and facilitating ASA Limited’s fraudulent participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program. In exchange, Feeding Our Future received nearly $400,000 in administrative fees for sponsoring ASA Limited’s participation in the program.  

    In total, Ahmed and his co-conspirators caused a loss of $7.3 million to Federal Child Nutrition Programs based on fraudulent claims submitted through Feeding Our Future.  

    “I am proud of the unrelenting efforts of our prosecution team to hold the defendants—who engaged in a massive pay-to-play fraud scheme that exploited Minnesota and the Federal Child Nutrition Program—accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.  

    Ahmed pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew S. Ebert, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo man charged with distributing fentanyl that caused the death of another individual

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Kenneth G. Shoemaker, II a/k/a Kenny, 50, of Buffalo, NY, with distribution of fentanyl causing death, distribution of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, maintaining a drug involved premises, and money laundering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis A. Testani and Melanie J. Bailey, who are handling the case, stated that according to the superseding indictment, on September 23, 2023, Shoemaker possessed fentanyl, which resulted in the death of an individual identified as E.I. The superseding indictment also states that between August 28 and October 18, 2024, Shoemaker sold fentanyl, crack cocaine, and cocaine, using a Sweet Avenue residence in Buffalo for his drug trafficking activities. In addition, Shoemaker is accused of structuring financial transactions at area banks, to include transferring funds from one bank to another,  to disguise the proceeds of his drug trafficking activities.

    The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Alphonse Wright.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Charged in Danbury Kidnapping Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Anish Shukla, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that JAMES SCHWAB, 22, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, has been federally charged for his alleged involvement in a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date.  The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who is suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.  Schwab, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging.

    Schwab was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on January 29, 2025, at Los Angeles International Airport after he returned to the U.S. from a trip to Bali.  On February 25, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Schwab with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  Schwab appeared in Bridgeport federal court on March 12, 2025, and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.

    Schwab has been detained since his arrest.

    Five of the six individuals charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

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

    This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force and the Danbury Police Department.  The Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Apprehend Fugitive in Belize Wanted on Charges of Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: US Marshals Service

    San Antonio, TX – The U.S. Marshals-led Lone Star Fugitive Task Force apprehended a fugitive sought by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office on 11 charges of possession of child pornography. Gregory Roth, 67, was apprehended in Belize after fleeing the United States to evade criminal prosecution.

    The arrest followed a coordinated international operation led by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF), in partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service Office of International Operations (OIO), the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and law enforcement partners in Belize.

    In 2022, the Texas Attorney General’s Office (TXAGO) conducted a series of residential search warrants as part of a criminal investigation involving Dr. Gregory Scott Roth, who was suspected of possessing child pornography. At the time, Roth held multiple positions within the healthcare sector, including Regional Medical Director for Envision Healthcare, part-time physician at Christus Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, and Regional Health Authority and Medical Director for La Salle County.

    Roth was arrested in November 2022 and indicted in 2023 by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office on 11 counts of possession of child pornography. He was scheduled to appear for sentencing in December 2024. However, he failed to appear before the court as ordered and a bench warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.

    In January 2025, following Roth’s failure to appear, the TXAGO requested the assistance of the LSFTF to aid in locating and apprehending the fugitive. The investigation revealed that Roth had fled the country in a rented motorhome, traveling through areas near the southern borders of Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.

    Through a collaborative, multi-agency effort involving the LSFTF, OIO, and Belizean law enforcement, authorities confirmed Roth’s presence in Placencia, Belize. Following extensive intelligence operations and sustained surveillance, Roth was apprehended March 21, 2025, without incident.

    Roth was removed from Belize and brought back to the United States, on March 22, 2025.

    “This operation’s success is a testament to the strength and effectiveness of international cooperation between the United States and foreign law enforcement agencies,” said Susan Pamerleau, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas. “It clearly demonstrates how cross-border partnerships strengthen our ability to apprehend fugitives, no matter where they attempt to hide.”

    The LSFTF acknowledges the critical support of the USMS Office of International Operations (OIO), the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security, and the Belize Police Department in the successful apprehension and return of a fugitive to the Alamo City.

    The U.S. Marshals Service encourages the community to continue to collaborate with our deputies on tips that help find the whereabouts of a fugitive by contacting our local office at (210) 657-8500 or calling the U.S. Marshals Service Communication Center at 1 (800) 336-0102. You can also submit tips online via the USMS Tips App.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force – San Antonio:

    Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO)
    Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS)
    Texas Attorney General’s Office (TXAGO)
    Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS)
    New Braunfels Police Department (NBPD)
    Texas Board of Criminal Justice OIG (TBCJ)
    Bexar County District Attorney’s Office (BCDA)
    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
    U.S. Marshal Service (USMS)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed More than 90 Border-Related Cases This Week

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

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed more than 90 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week, includes:

    • Mexican nationals Eleazar Mozqueda Simental and Manuel Antonio Mozqueda Simental were arrested and charged on March 20, 2025, in connection with a maritime smuggling incident. They were accused of illegally transporting 14 undocumented immigrants from Mexico, Vietnam and China – all of whom were forced to wear large black trash bags over their heads and bodies during the four-hour trip. They were brought into the United States on a panga boat traveling at high speed across rough seas. According to interviews with the undocumented immigrants on the boat, at one point, the panga caught air, broke apart and capsized, sending terrified passengers into the water. The passengers, including a deaf/mute woman, were rescued.
    • Mexican national Osvaldo Reyes-Virgen was arrested on March 17, 2025, by San Diego- based U.S. Border Patrol agents and charged after he was found in the United States hiding behind brush near Imperial Beach after agents observed a jet ski traveling north.  Reyes-Virgen was previously deported on March 6, 2025, after entering the United States illegally.
    • On March 17, 2025, Sarah Beth Schatz, a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with alien smuggling after she was caught attempting to smuggle two citizens of China into the United States in the trunk of the vehicle she was driving.  The two Chinese citizens she was arrested with admitted that they are citizens of China without lawful documents allowing them to enter the United States and that they were going to pay $30,000 and $15,000 if successfully smuggled into the United States.
    • Joshua Nicolas Sanchez Lopez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested on March 15, 2025, when he attempted to cross into the U.S. from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on drug importation charges. According to a federal complaint, he was the driver and registered owner of a vehicle where Customs and Border Protection officials found 108 packages consisting of over 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 22 pounds of fentanyl, and more than four pounds of heroin hidden in the doors, quarters panels, and seats of his vehicle.
    • On March 16, 2025, Baudelio Escalante-Orozco, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested after he was found by San Diego-based U.S. Border Patrol Agents attempting to hide in brush seven miles north of the U.S./Mexico International Boundary Line and charged with being a deported alien found in the United States.  He is currently on probation in the District of Oregon for the same crime.   

    Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations 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: Oglala Man Sentenced to 17 and One Half Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

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

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man following his conviction for two counts of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 17, 2025.

    Johnathan Morrison, 34, was sentenced to eight years and nine months in federal prison on each count for a total of 210 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release on each count with the time to run concurrently, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Morrison was also ordered to pay $95 in restitution to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Investigation Fund and to forfeit his interest in a smartphone. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

    A federal grand jury indicted Morrison in February of 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2025.

    In August 2023, Morrison solicited a 10-year old female to engage in sexually explicit conduct over social media. Shortly thereafter, an adult learned that Morrison had enticed the child and reported Morrison’s criminal actions to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Morrison was immediately apprehended and arrested. His smartphone was seized as evidence. An extraction of his smartphone revealed that prior to August 2023, Morrison downloaded and installed multiple social media platforms, including KIK, Telegram, and Snapchat onto his cellular device. Through these platforms, Morrison solicited, sent, and received images and videos containing child pornography. Some of the images recovered involved prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts. Through his chats, investigators learned that Morrison had an interest in 10-14 year old females. The search also revealed that Morrison had made sexual advances to his girlfriend’s teenage daughter and that he had covertly photographed her over 130 times with his smartphone.

    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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

    Morrison was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ferryland — Ferryland RCMP looks to complete wellness check on two unknown individuals

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Ferryland RCMP is looking to conduct a wellness check on an unknown man and woman who were walking in Mobile on Saturday evening.

    At approximately 6:40 p.m., police received a report of the two individuals, who were walking in the area of Riverhead Road and Route 10 in Mobile. The woman, who was described as being approximately 5 feet, 5 inches tall with shoulder-length straight hair and wearing a blue shirt, was possibly injured and appeared to have difficulty walking unassisted. The man, who was described as being tall, of a medium build with wavy blonde hair, was wearing dark-colored clothing.

    Ferryland RCMP is looking to identify and speak to both individuals to confirm their wellbeing.

    Anyone having information that could assist in identifying the two individuals, including surveillance or dash cam footage, is asked to contact Ferryland RCMP at 709-432-2440. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

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