NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Statement of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Investigation into Intelligence Leak

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made the following statement today regarding an investigation into the leak of intelligence information.

    “The Justice Department is opening a criminal investigation relating to the selective leak of inaccurate, but nevertheless classified, information from the Intelligence Community relating to Tren de Aragua (TDA). We will not tolerate politically motivated efforts by the Deep State to undercut President Trump’s agenda by leaking false information onto the pages of their allies at the New York Times. The Alien Enemies Proclamation is supported by fact, law, and common sense, which we will establish in court and then expel the TDA terrorists from this country.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cleveland Man Sentenced to 147 months for Fentanyl and Gun Convictions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Oxford, MS – Jarvis Wright, 46, was sentenced today to 147 months in prison following his guilty plea to distribution of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense in Bolivar County, Mississippi.

    Wright was sentenced following a guilty plea to a multicount indictment which charged him for the sale of a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in Cleveland, Mississippi in 2022. Wright also pled guilty to a separate possession of fentanyl with intent charge. In that instance, Wright possessed a handgun at the time of his arrest. He admitted as part of his plea that he possessed the handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.

    Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Wright to 147 total months imprisonment followed by a 60-month term of supervised release. 60 months of the total sentence imposed was for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. That charge requires that a mandatory minimum sentence be imposed.

    “The distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs has had a devastating impact on the Mississippi Delta region and our country. The risks that these poisons hold is amplified when drug dealers carry firearms.” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This prosecution and sentence should send a message that those who distribute poison into the community will be held to account and punished accordingly. Fentanyl cannot be tolerated in our state.”

    “This sentence sends a clear message: those who peddle deadly fentanyl in our communities, especially while armed, will face severe consequences,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “We are dedicated to protecting the citizens of Mississippi from the devastating impact of these narcotics. This lengthy sentence reflects our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and restoring safety to our neighborhoods.”

    The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotic and the Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this matter.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 11 Charged in Twin Cities Drug Trafficking, Kidnapping Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against 11 individuals associated with a transnational Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) tied to a Mexican cartel in a drug trafficking and kidnapping conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. 

    As alleged in the indictment, beginning in July 2023 through January 2025, 11 defendants conspired to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. The DTO leaders arranged for large quantities of methamphetamine to be delivered from Mexico to the Twin Cities area, via the mail and driven by cars and trucks. Once delivered, the Minnesota-based defendants broke large quantities of methamphetamine down into smaller, distributable quantities and sold it to customers throughout the Twin Cities region.  In January 2025, an individual owed a DTO leader in Mexico a substantial amount of money, which they could not pay. Four of the co-defendants lured this individual to a location in St. Paul, Minnesota. They kidnaped the victim, beat the victim, chained the victim to a pole, and the held the victim against their will.  During the kidnaping and beating, a DTO leader instructed one of the defendants over a messaging application, “you are breaking his hands. Break them good.” 

    “This case highlights the inherent danger that transnational drug cartels bring to our country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “This mob-style violence has no place in America, it has no place in Minnesota, and those who engage in it will be charged federally.”  

    The following individuals have been indicted for the following crimes and have made their initial appearance in federal court:
    •    Richar Sanchez Mujica, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to kidnap, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 
    •    Donovan Rey Lopez, 21, of Minneapolis is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 
    •    Erling Soren Holdahl, 48, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap. 
    •    Dostin Elizander Ortiz-Garcia, 29, of Burnsville, Minnesota, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
    •    Jonathan Salvador Juarez-Ferrer, 25, of Minneapolis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
    •    Timothy Duane Ripley, 45, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.
    •    Kendra Sue Johnson, 39, is charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to kidnap.

    Four other members of the conspiracy have not yet made their initial appearances.

    This case is the result of cooperation between Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the St. Paul Police Department’s Violent Crime Enforcement Team, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Minneapolis Police Department, Ramsey County, and the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force.  It is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and to 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). 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. McBride is prosecuting the case. 

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Duluth Climbing Coach Sentenced to Over Six Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DULUTH, Minn. – Lucas Matthew Kramer, a Duluth man, was sentenced to 78 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possessing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. He also was ordered to pay restitution to his victims and a $7,500 assessment pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act of 2018. 

    “Few crimes are as heinous as the sexual exploitation of minors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick. “My office will continue to prioritize charging predators who hold positions of trust in our community.  Coaches, daycare providers, and others in positions of trust who prey on children will face federal justice.”  

    “The sentencing of Lucas Mathew Kramer concludes a successful investigation focused on those who seek to exploit our children. HSI will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who target our young people,” said ICE HSI Saint Paul Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt. “We appreciate the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and stand by our commitment to protecting our communities and securing our homeland.”

    According to court documents, on September 23, 2022, law enforcement received a tip that an online individual with the username “northernboy35” had used the Kik messenger application to upload 19 videos of child pornography to the internet. Less than a week later, the same username uploaded five additional child pornography videos to the internet. Law enforcement quickly determined that the uploaded files originated from Duluth, Minnesota, and linked the email and IP address for the “nothernboy35” moniker directly to Lucas Mathew Kramer, 45, a longtime collegiate climbing coach. 

    Law enforcement proceeded to execute a search warrant at Kramer’s residence and discovered that he had knowingly possessed over 600 images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on numerous electronic devices. His CSAM collection included the graphic sexual abuse of prepubescent children—some as young as toddlers—and included videos depicting children being physically forced into sexual compliance. Kramer admitted that he downloaded and traded his CSAM collection with others on the internet. Law enforcement also discovered evidence of sexually explicit chats between Kramer and self-identified prepubescent minors, where he engaged the self-identified minors in sexually explicit conversations and encouraged them to take and send nude images of themselves.    

    Kramer pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on October 11, 2024. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge Eric C. Tostrud on March 19, 2024. When handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud remarked that Kramer’s conduct was “deeply troubling” and that his collection of CSAM materials “reflected depravity” and showed a “callous indifference” to the humanity of his victims.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Duluth Police Department. “The Duluth Police Department appreciates its partnership with Homeland Security Investigations in holding this offender accountable to the highest standards,” commented Duluth Police Chief Mike Ceynowa.

    The 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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan L. Sing prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Suboxone Into Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Talia Hicks, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty yesterday before United States District Court Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge to a one-count information charging Hicks with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.

    As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from at least December 2019 through November of 2024, Hicks conspired with multiple individuals, including T.T., to smuggle Suboxone into the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (“CFCF”).

    A review of video tablet calls, a recorded form of communication available to inmates at CFCF, showed that T.T., on various occasions, discussed inmates sending CashApp and Apple payments to both T.T. and Hicks. A review of CashApp and Green Dot records showed that T.T. and Hicks sent and received CashApp payments on behalf of T.T. from and to various individuals. There were multiple transactions for which Hicks either facilitated the payment for Suboxone or provided the drugs to an unidentified co-conspirator to smuggle the substance into CFCF.

    Hicks is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason D. Grenell.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduras Man Sentenced for Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Honduras pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of illegal reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served and removal from the U.S. on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Saul Enrique Padilla-Mejia, 38.

    According to information presented to the Court, Padilla-Mejia was previously removed from the United States on August 13, 2019, and returned to Honduras. On February 4, 2024, the Pennsylvania State Police charged Padilla-Mejia in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County with various traffic offenses as well as driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol content of .16% and greater. Those charges remain pending, according to the public docket. Immigration authorities determined that Padilla-Mejia was illegally present in the United States and took him into immigration custody on October 30, 2024. Padilla-Mejia will remain detained until his deportation from the United States.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Padilla-Mejia.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Hampshire Man Arrested for Trafficking Multiple High-Powered Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly sold three rifles including two semiautomatic, six handguns, nine magazines and multiple rounds of ammunition

    BOSTON – A Nashua, N.H. man has been arrested for allegedly trafficking nine firearms, including two semiautomatic rifles, into Massachusetts in over a one-month period. 

    Dennis T. Michaud, Jr., 22, was charged with one count of trafficking in firearms. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Michaud was detained pending a hearing scheduled for March 25, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, beginning in or around February 2025, Michaud was identified as an illegal firearms dealer. It is alleged that, from Feb. 7 through Feb. 11, 2025, undercover law enforcement contacted Michaud through Snapchat to arrange for the purchase of a semiautomatic rifle. During those communications, Michaud allegedly stated that he was located in New Hampshire and that he could bring the firearm to Massachusetts. On Feb. 11, 2025, in Pepperell, Michaud allegedly met with a confidential source operating at the direction of law enforcement to conduct the transaction. There, it is alleged that Michaud provided the confidential source with a Good Time Outdoors CXV Core 15 .223/5.56 caliber semiautomatic rifle and a 30-round .223/5.56 caliber magazine in exchange for $900.
     

    On Feb. 18, 2025, Michaud allegedly agreed to sell three additional firearms. It is alleged that, later that day, Michaud met the source at an agreed upon location in Pepperell, where he provided the following three firearms as well as accompanying ammunition and accessories in exchange for $2,100: a Taurus Raging Hunter .454 Casull Revolver and approximately five rounds of .454 Casull ammunition; a Rossi Interarms M68 .38 Special Revolver and approximately five rounds of .38 Special ammunition; and a Walther PPS 9mm Pistol with approximately six Walther PPS 9mm magazines and various firearm parts and/or accessories.
     

    It is further alleged that, on Feb. 27, 2025, Michaud agreed to sell two more firearms: a Radical Firearms RF-15 .223/5.56 caliber semiautomatic short-barreled rifle along with a 30-round .223/5.56 caliber magazine; and a Sig Sauer P227 Equinox .45 caliber pistol along with a 10-round Sig Sauer P227 .45 caliber magazine. During the transaction in Pepperell, Michaud allegedly provided the confidential source the two agreed-upon firearms and ammunition. Michaud also allegedly stated that possessing the semiautomatic short-barreled rifle would constitute “three felonies” due to the stock and 30-round magazine affixed to the firearm. 
     

    On March 20, 2025, in Pepperell, Michaud allegedly sold three more firearms, two magazines and ammunition to the confidential source in exchange for $2,250: a  Century Arms 7.62x39mm YSKA AK Rifle; a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm Pistol; and a Taurus PT-22 .22 caliber Pistol. The defendant was immediately taken into custody following the transaction.

    Michaud does not possess a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction in New Hampshire for possession of marijuana.

    The charge of trafficking in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $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 and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; and the Nashua (N.H.) and Pepperell Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ellenton Man Pleads Guilty For His Role In Fentanyl And Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Alexis Soto Escalante (20, Ellenton) has pleaded guilty to conspiring to, and possessing with the intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl and 500 grams of cocaine. Soto Escalante faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, on May 22, 2024, Soto Escalante sourced 55.9 grams of fentanyl to his co-defendant, Traveous Anderson, that was recovered by agents upon Anderson’s arrest. Later the same day, Soto Escalante traveled to Anderson’s apartment to collect payment for the fentanyl delivery where he was also arrested. Agents recovered 641 grams of cocaine and 3.7 grams fentanyl in the vehicle Soto Escalante was driving. Agents subsequently executed a search warrant at Soto Escalante’s residence and found an additional 14.03 grams of cocaine in his bedroom.

    Anderson’s case is still pending trial. 

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Physician Guilty of Operating a Pill Mill from His D.C. Medical Practice

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, M.D., 65, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was found guilty today by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in connection with illegally distributing prescriptions for narcotics in exchange for cash from his Northwest Washington D.C. medical clinic.

                The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.

                The jury found Okafor guilty of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (outside the practice of medicine), maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 23 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances (oxycodone and promethazine with codeine). U.S. District Judge John D. Bates scheduled a sentencing hearing for June 20, 2025. 

               According to court documents and evidence at trial, between May 2021 and April of 2023, Okafor was the sole practitioner and owner of Okafor Medical Associates, an internal medicine clinic in Northwest, Washington, D.C. The USAO and FBI began investigating Okafor for illegal distribution of controlled substances after it received information from law enforcement agencies nationwide regarding prescriptions from Okafor being connected to local drug trafficking networks.

                Between February 18, 2022, and November 30, 2022, the FBI sent confidential sources and undercover agents into Okafor’s medical practice for walk-in appointments. Each individual was prescribed opioids by Okafor after minimal examination. Further investigation revealed that Okafor was operating a nationwide drug distribution scheme, whereby he would prescribe opioids to numerous individuals using false identities, whom Okafor knew to be diverting the medication.

                Okafor’s conduct spanned at least 45 states and resulted in hundreds of thousands of units of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine liquid prescribed nationwide. Okafor was convicted of distribution of opioids to undercover sources, numerous uncharged co-conspirators, and to a civilian patient J.V. Okafor was also convicted of conspiracy and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Evidence at trial further established that, after Okafor was notified by the D.C. Board of Health that J.V.’s family member filed a complaint against him, he created backdated medical records for J.V. in an attempt to justify his prescribing.

                The investigation also resulted in the immediate suspension of Okafor’s DEA registration number in September 2023 as he was deemed to be a threat to public health and safety.

                The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations with valuable assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division.

                The U.S. Attorney’s Office and Justice Department gratefully acknowledge the Apex, North Carolina Police Department, the Warsaw, New York, Police Department, the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the Noble County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office for their extraordinary efforts, support, and cooperation during the investigation and trial.

                The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey, Trial Attorney Kathryn Furtado and paralegals Rebecca Walton, Dillon Clark, and Matthew McClarnon of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. The team also extends its deep appreciation to Michael Goodrich, Lead Travel Analyst of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. 

    23cr116

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Starkville Man Sentenced to Five Years for Possession and Sale of Illegal Glock Device

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Oxford, MS – A Starkville man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for possession and transfer of a “Glock switch,” which is a device that converts a semi-automatic handgun to fully automatic.

    According to court documents, Austin Hudson, also known as “Mop Sossa,” 23, previously pled guilty to possession and transfer of a “Glock switch” which constitutes a machinegun under federal law. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Hudson yesterday to 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Hudson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.

    “Illegal machine guns make criminals more lethal, and criminal possession of them will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “We and our partners at the FBI, ATF, and the Starkville PD will continue to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals.”

    “The illegal possession of handgun conversion devices is a significant threat to our communities,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed yesterday sends a message to anyone who possesses a switch that we will continue to focus efforts on prohibited individuals who unlawfully possess these devices, remove another violent criminal from our streets, and keep our neighborhoods safe as the top priority for ATF.”

    “Mr. Hudson’s sentencing should serve as a warning to those bad actors who unlawfully possess and perpetrate the transfer of a Glock switch,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Field Office of the FBI Robert Eikhoff. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners, through impactful programs such as Project Safe Neighborhood, will continue to identify, investigate, and deliver justice to anyone violating federal laws designed to protect our communities.”

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Starkville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    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 Louisville Middle School Teacher Sentenced to Over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Child Pornography Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – A former middle school teacher in Louisville, Kentucky was sentenced today to 19 years and 7 months in federal prison for multiple child pornography charges. 

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.

    “I commend the FBI’s outstanding work during the investigation of this case and that of AUSA McKiness for his tireless effort in prosecuting it,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Combatting the sexual exploitation of our children is a priority of this office and working with our law enforcement partners we will continue to identify, arrest, and aggressively prosecute those who victimize our most vulnerable citizens.”   

    “Jordan Fautz chose to abuse his position of trust by egregiously violating the privacy of innocent children. His sentencing marks a critical step in our efforts to combat the exploitation of children,” said Special Agent in Charge Stansbury. “With the emergence of offenders using cutting-edge technology to inflict harm and pain on one of our most vulnerable populations, law enforcement will exhaust all of its available resources and expertise to ensure those who choose to abuse children in any way face justice.”

    According to court documents, Jordan Fautz, 40, was sentenced to 19 years and 7 months in prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release, for three counts of distribution of child pornography, two counts of distribution of the obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse, one count of production of the obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse, and one count of possession of child pornography. Fautz used an online chatting application to distribute child sexual abuse material to an undercover law enforcement officer. Fautz also produced and distributed photoshopped images depicting minors’ faces on the bodies of people engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Fautz also possessed material depicting child sexual abuse on his computers and cell phone.

    Fautz was also ordered to pay $28,130 in restitution to victims.

    There is no parole in the federal system.     

    This case was investigated by the FBI.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Spencer McKiness prosecuted the case.

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

    ### 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 14 Charged in Federal Indictment Following Takedown of Violent Indianapolis Drug Trafficking Ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— 14 individuals have been charged in a federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in Indianapolis, Lafayette, and surrounding communities. The charges follow a successful law enforcement operation in which 13 total individuals have been arrested and are in federal custody. Eight individuals were arrested on March 21, 2025. The following lists the individuals indicted and the charges they face:

    Defendant Charge(s)
    Tanesha M. Turner, 39
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Kidnapping
    • Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime
    • Accessory to a crime after the fact
    • Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
    Charles T. Dunson, 44
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
    • Distribution of methamphetamine
    • Possession of a machinegun
    • Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
    Tre J. Dunn, 27
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
    • Causing Death by Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
    • Possessing, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
    Nahamani I. Sargent, 34
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Retaliating against a witness
    • Use of fire or explosives
    • Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
    Byron A. Mason, 38
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Unlawful use of a cell phone
    Adrian J. Bullock, 34
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
    Avery J. Bullock, 27
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
    John M. Whitfield, 37
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
    Aaliyah Hackett, 23
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    • Unlawful use of a cell phone
    Emorrie J. Dunn, 26
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    Chancelor R. Walker, 38
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    D’Ericka Lee, 30
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    Lamar T. Browning, 39
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
    Mark C. Marshall, 57
    • Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances

    This was a multi-agency operation, involving ten agencies who assisted with the investigation and the arrests on the morning of March 21, 2025. Law enforcement has asked the public for assistance in locating fugitive Lamar T. Browning. He should be considered armed and dangerous. Those with information are asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    According to the indictment, all 14 defendants allegedly operated a drug trafficking conspiracy, selling meth, fentanyl, cocaine and heroin out of several trap houses in Indianapolis.

    Some members of the conspiracy allegedly committed multiple acts of violence, including murder, firing gunshots, throwing Molotov cocktails at a home, kidnapping, and pistol-whipping in order to intimidate drug customers and rival drug dealers The violence was used as a tool to collect money owed to them by their drug customers, to protect the locations that they used to distribute drugs, and to retaliate against potential witnesses.

    Specifically, Nahamani Sargent allegedly fired gunshots and threw Molotov cocktails at the home of a customer, believing that the victim had provided information about the conspiracy to law enforcement.

    Additionally, Tanesha Turner allegedly kidnapped a victim at gunpoint and held them for ransom because they owed $40. Tre Dunn then allegedly shot the same victim for owing money and providing information to law enforcement.

    Tre Dunn also allegedly aided and abetted the murder of a man because he disrespected him and his associate during a failed drug deal. Tanesha Turner then allegedly aided Dunn by driving him to another location following the murder to prevent his arrest.

    If convicted, each defendant faces up to life in federal prison.

    The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:

    • Federal Bureau of Investigation (Indianapolis, Chicago, and Cincinnati SWAT)
    • Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, SWAT
    • Fishers Police Department, SWAT
    • Drug Enforcement Administration
    • United States Department of Agriculture
    • Indiana Capitol Police Department
    • Indiana Department of Homeland Security
    • Johnson County Sheriff’s Department

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and Kelsey Massa, who are prosecuting this case.

    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) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). This operation is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.

    An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rome-Area Fentanyl Dealer Receives Federal Prison Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROME, Ga. – Deaja Simone Clemons has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.                                                                                                                                        

    “Clemons admits to selling thousands of fentanyl pills at a time that the illegal distribution and use of this drug continues to ravage communities within and outside our district,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office is grateful for the collaboration among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners which makes it possible to combat the threat of drug traffickers like Clemons.”

    “Illicit drugs like fentanyl has destroyed countless lives,”  said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: In February 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Rome, Georgia, Field Office received information that Deaja Clemons was dealing fentanyl in the Rome area. A subsequent investigation revealed that in the month of February, Clemons sold 121 blue pills marked with M30 (counterfeit pills made to resemble oxycodone 30 mg pills) that contained fentanyl. Clemons had sold 60 of those fentanyl pills in Rome, and 61 in Cedartown, Georgia. 

    In early April 2024, DEA special agents and Polk County police officers followed Clemons from Rome to Polk County. Polk County officers stopped Clemons en route back to Rome and, during a search of her car, recovered 124 blue, counterfeit “M30” pills containing fentanyl and $3,922 in cash. Clemons was arrested and, during the investigation that followed, DEA special agents discovered that Clemons had been selling about 300 fentanyl pills a week for approximately three months.

    United States District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced Deaja Simone Clemons, 29, of Rome, Ga., to 63 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Clemons was convicted of the charges on December 13, 2024, after she pleaded guilty.          

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AC-HIDTA), and the Polk County Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Calvin A. Leipold, III prosecuted the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strategic Initiative focused on combatting the fentanyl crisis in northwest Georgia. OCDETF identifies and eliminates 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.

    Anyone with information about drug sales/trafficking in their area can report it to the GBI at1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or DEA’s Atlanta Division Office at (404) 893-7000. Online tips can be submitted at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.

    The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia encourages parents and children to learn about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.operationprevention.com/, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov/onepill.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 17 Previously Removed Defendants – Including Convicted Felons – Charged with Being Illegal Aliens Found in U.S. After Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal law enforcement partners, federal prosecutors in the last week filed charges against 17 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States after being removed, the Justice Department announced today.    

    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 sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

    Some of the recently filed cases are summarized below with information contained in court documents.

    • Jescar Amarzca-Olgiuen, 51, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Amarzca was charged after he was arrested in Orange County on March 19 as a suspect in the 2023 murder of a man who died from multiple gunshot wounds. His criminal history includes a felony conviction in 2013 in San Diego federal court for fraud and misuse of visas and permits, for which he was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison.
    • Marvin Campos Cerna, 29, of El Salvador, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Campos was charged after he was arrested in West Hollywood on March 7 for allegedly committing assault with intent to rape, false imprisonment, sodomy, and kidnapping. Prior to this arrest, Campos was convicted in 2014 for assault with bodily injury, for which he was sentenced to six years in California state prison.
    • Victor Navarro-Cota, 23, and Tereso Guadalupe Martinez-Reyes, 20, both of Mexico, were arrested near Barstow on March 13 while driving a black Chevrolet Suburban filled with 478 pairs of Nike Jordan 6 Rings shoes, which retail for approximately $170 per pair, totaling $81,260. Both Martinez-Reyes and Navarro-Cota were in the U.S. illegally and each previously was deported in February 2025. Navarro-Cota’s arraignment is scheduled for April 22. Martinez-Reyes’ arraignment is scheduled for April 1.

    Criminal complaints contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters.

    The criminal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys in the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section and the General Crimes Section.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Tompkinsville, Kentucky Man For Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green, KY – A federal grand jury in Bowling Green returned an indictment on March 12, 2025, charging a Tompkinsville, Kentucky man with distributing methamphetamine.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, and Director Ron Lafferty of the Barren River Drug Task Force made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, Brandon Gearlds, 41, was charged with distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine on October 23, 2023. Gearlds was also charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on October 26, 2023, and April 24, 2024.

    The defendant made his initial court appearance on March 18, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Gearlds faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and 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.   

    This case is being investigated by the DEA – Paducah Post of Duty and the Barren River Drug Task Force.

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

    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: Third week of March sees another nearly 250 cases in border security-related matters in Southern District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A total of 246 cases have been filed related to immigration and border security from March 14-20, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    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.

    Among those charged include Rogelio Jaimes-Rodriguez – a Mexican male who was allegedly found in the United States near Roma having previously been removed Feb. 12. The charges allege he had been previously convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted of this illegal reentry charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Onesimo Salazar-Torres is also a Mexican citizen charged with illegal reentry. The criminal complaint alleges he was found in the United States near Edinburg having previously been removed in 2018 and has a conviction of indecency with child sexual contact. 

    Other relevant cases include two more illegal aliens with significant criminal histories that were sentenced in McAllen this week after being previously removed and unlawfully reentered again. Jose Eduardo Soto-Hernandez has prior felony convictions for sexual assault of a child and possession of a controlled substance. He has been removed from the United States two previous times, most recently in 2019. He will serve 27 months, while Salvador Eduardo Gonzalez-Ledezma was ordered to serve 46 months. He has prior felony convictions for assault family violence impeding breath and harboring aliens. Authorities removed him most recently in 2022, but he has a total of four prior removals.

    In Houston, Carlos Bedolla Sanchez pleaded guilty to using the identity of a U.S. citizen to fraudulently obtain a passport and identification. As part of the identity theft, he provided the name, Social Security number, date of birth and birthplace on the passport applications and fraudulently certified he was a citizen or non-citizen national of the United States. Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in approximately March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other U.S. identification.

    On Feb. 17, a Corpus Christi federal jury returned a guilty verdict against a South Texas man for transporting illegal aliens. They deliberated for less than 45 minutes before convicting Alberto Chavez Jr. following a one-day trial Feb. 17. Chavez had claimed his two passengers were his cousins, but evidence proved they were not related to him and were actually Honduran citizens illegally present in the United States. Testimony further revealed Chavez bought them clothes to make them appear more “American” and coached them on what to say when trying to pass through the checkpoint. 

    Another illegal alien was indicted in Laredo in a multi-year human smuggling conspiracy. The charges allege Giovana Lozano Hernandez used multiple cellular devices that had numerous digital images of paper ledgers regarding the scheme. Voice messages with co-conspirators also allegedly detailed the smuggling activity including the many illegal aliens who had already been transported and housed for whom there needed to be financial accountability. Law enforcement also found video messages depicting the transportation of illegal aliens, according to the allegations.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

    An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Croix Woman Sentenced in $372,000.00 Embezzlement Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    St. Croix, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Nicole Morales, 48, a California native and resident of St. Croix, was sentenced by District Judge Wilma A. Lewis to 16 months incarceration following her guilty plea in November 2024, to three counts of wire fraud. Judge Lewis also ordered Morales to pay restitution in the amount of $372,496.34, and a special assessment in the amount of $300.00. 

    According to court records, in November 2015, Morales was employed by Nichols, Newman, Logan, Grey, and Lockwood, P.C., in St. Croix as the office manager where her duties included processing payroll through Banco Popular. In December 2015, Morales began fraudulently inflating her payroll using QuickBooks accounting software. Thereafter, Morales wired unauthorized funds from her employer’s Banco Popular account into three separate personal bank accounts owned by Morales. After transferring the funds to her personal accounts, Morales would change the inflated amounts in QuickBooks to reflect her correct income and payroll figures. Morales would later generate reports in QuickBooks with the correct payroll figures which were approved by her employer. Morales continued this conduct until January 2019, after having embezzled a total of $372,496.34 from her employer. 

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston and Rhonda Williams-Henry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Quad Cities Man Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison for Racketeering and Cocaine Base Charges

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

    DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Quad Cities Man was sentenced on March 13, 2025 to 235 months in federal prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy and possession of a distribution quantity of cocaine base.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented at trials and sentencing, Timothy Justin Beaver, 30, was a Fifth Street gang member. The Fifth Street gang is also known as the Arsenal Courts Posse, Zone Fifth, Fifth Street Mafia, Rock Town Money Getters (RTMG), and Money Team.” The Fifth Street gang engaged in a years-long pattern of violence, including murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking in the Davenport and Rock Island area. Evidence at trial demonstrated the criminal enterprise was connected to dozens of shooting investigations and at least seven homicides over the course of two decades.

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

    On January 23, 2025, co-defendant Ricky Lee Childs, Jr., 40, of Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced for his role in the racketeering conspiracy. He received a 160-month prison sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

    On February 10, 2025, co-defendant Rasheem Damonte Bogan, 33, of the Quad Cities, also known as “Sheem,” plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm. Bogan is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025. Bogan faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

    On February 20, 2025, following a six-day jury trial, a jury found co-defendant Kylea Dapri Cartwright Jr., 28, of the Quad Cities, guilty of racketeering conspiracy and possessing ammunition as a felon. Cartwright is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the United States sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport and Rock Island Police Departments, with assistance from the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety—Division of Criminal Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Davenport Man Sentenced to 114 Months in Federal Prison for Charges Related to Cocaine Distribution

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

    DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Davenport man was sentenced yesterday to 114 months in federal prison for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, while on federal supervised release.

    According to public court documents, Terrance Lamont Mason, 49, conspired with others to obtain cocaine in Rockford, Illinois and bring it to Iowa for distribution. Law enforcement stopped Mason returning to Iowa and stopped a car trailing Mason’s vehicle. In the trail car, officers located more than a quarter pound of cocaine inside of a black stocking cap. Surveillance video from a Rockford gas station showed Mason met with another person, received the black stocking cap, and placed the black stocking cap inside the trail car.

    Mason was serving a term of federal supervised release at the time he committed these crimes. He had been released from federal prison in February 2023, after serving a 108-month sentence for possessing a firearm as a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Due to the violation of his federal supervised release terms, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa ordered Mason to serve an additional two‑year prison term, consecutive with his 90-month prison sentence, for a total prison term of 114 months.

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

    In July 2024, a co-conspirator, Dedrick Montez Jones, 44 of Davenport, was sentenced to a 162-month prison term for selling cocaine. Jones was also on federal supervised release.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Quad City Metropolitan Enforcement Group.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Service Operation “Cold Pursuit” Results in the Arrest of Over 20 Non-Compliant Sex Offenders From NJ

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Newark, NJ – The U.S. Marshals Service has concluded a month-long enforcement initiative focusing on the location and arrest of non-compliant sex offenders with active warrants for failure to register. This enforcement initiative, named Operation “Cold Pursuit,” resulted in the arrest of over 20 convicted sex offenders in Union and Essex counites and included several offenders located out-of-state.

    “Registration laws exist to protect communities, and failing to comply is a serious risk to public safety,” said Juan Mattos Jr., U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey.

    “Unregistered sex offenders operate in the shadows, and our job is to bring them into the light before they can do more harm.”

    During Operation “Cold Pursuit,” the District of New Jersey and the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force focused on a specific group of offenders with older warrants, who failed to comply with registration requirements.  In addition, Operation “Cold Pursuit” generated leads for sex offenders who traveled out-of-state and are in possible violation of the Adam Walsh Act and facing new charges.

    “Sex offender registration isn’t optional – it’s the law,” said Mattos. “Those who fail to comply aren’t just slipping through the cracks; they’re deliberately hiding and putting communities at risk.  The U.S. Marshals Service will find them, hold them accountable, and continue to serve and protect the innocent at all costs.”

    The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, provides that the Attorney General shall use the resources of Federal law enforcement, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist jurisdictions in locating and apprehending sex offenders who violate sex offender registration requirements. Operation “Cold Pursuit” has continued this tradition by serving this mission.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Queens Man Charged With Perpetrating Visa Fraud Scheme By Pretending to Be a Federal Agent

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Drove a Red Hummer Bearing a Vanity License Plate with the Acronym “ICE”

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Tommy Aijie Da Silva Weng, also known as “Tommy Weng Da Silva” and “Jacky,” with wire fraud, mail fraud and impersonating a federal law enforcement officer in connection with a scheme to defraud an individual by claiming that he could assist her in obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program (the EB-5 Program).  Weng was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Leslie Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.

    “As alleged, Weng falsely represented himself as a member of federal law enforcement to gain the trust of an unsuspecting victim,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “The defendant preyed on the victim’s desire to become a United States citizen and pursue the American dream, then stole not only that dream, but also hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Today, real law enforcement agents put the handcuffs on this fraudster and he will now have to answer for his crimes.”

    “For nearly eight years, Tommy Weng allegedly curated a false persona of a federal law enforcement officer with flashy props and empty assurances of guaranteed lawful status to swindle a vulnerable victim of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “This alleged imposter twisted a respected profession into an elaborate scheme while violating the public’s trust in law enforcement. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who exploits an authoritative position to garner illicit profits.”

    According to court filings, the fraud scheme began in April 2016, shortly thereafter Weng falsely claimed to the victim (Jane Doe) that he was a federal law enforcement agent, explaining that he was able to use his law enforcement connections to assist her with obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Program on an expedited basis if she invested $500,000 with him.  Weng showed Jane Doe a law enforcement badge and gave her a business card from the “Federal Officers Police Association” bearing his name.  On another occasion, Weng told Jane Doe that he worked for the United States Department of Homeland Security and that he was transferring to a new law enforcement position with INTERPOL in Italy. Weng drove a red Hummer vehicle with the vanity license plate that included the acronym “ICE,” an apparent reference to the federal law enforcement agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    Based on Weng’s representations, Jane Doe provided Weng with $500,000 for a visa. Instead of investing the money that Jane Doe provided him, or submitting a visa application on her behalf, Weng pocketed the money and strung the victim along with a series of lies about why the process was delayed for approximately eight years.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 43 years’ imprisonment.

    Anyone with information about crimes committed by Weng should contact the FBI at NY_WengTips@fbi.gov

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States  Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Daniel J. Marcus.

    The Defendant:

    TOMMY AIJIE DA SILVA WENG
    Age:  49
    Queens, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-94 (NGG)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Christopher Reese Convicted Of Fraud And Unauthorized Practice Of Law

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury convicted CHRISTOPHER REESE, a/k/a “Christopher Eugene Thomas,” yesterday for his participation in a scheme to defraud criminal defendants and their family members out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees paid to REESE, who is not a lawyer, to perform unlicensed legal services in federal court. REESE, who is already in federal custody in connection with a separate case, will be sentenced on June 26, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Christopher Reese committed fraud through his bogus legal practice. He promised his victims that he would get their family members out of prison when he knew he had no way to guarantee that outcome, and induced them into paying him for legal services he knew he wasn’t authorized to provide. As a unanimous jury has now found, Reese’s promises were lies designed to enrich Reese at the expense of his victims. Running an unlicensed law business is a crime, and Reese now faces serious federal prison time for his fraudulent conduct.”

    According to the Indictment and the evidence at trial:

    For years, REESE ran a scam targeting federal inmates, their family members, and friends. To carry out his fraud scheme, REESE promised favorable results in criminal cases that he could not actually obtain, rendering legal services he was not authorized to provide in exchange for hefty fees. REESE styled himself as a “legal assistant” or “paralegal,” but worked without the supervision of a licensed lawyer and offers services that only a lawyer is authorized to provide, including drafting and submitting legal filings in federal courts. REESE brought in business by promising beneficial outcomes to prisoners and their family members that he cannot guarantee, while knowing—but failing to disclose—that his unlicensed legal practice was illegal.

    REESE induced victims—criminal defendants and their family members—to pay him thousands of dollars per legal filing. He did this, for example, by promising that defendants would be “immediately released” based on motions REESE would file in exchange for fees in the thousands of dollars. Sometimes REESE also offered to provide a refund if his motions were unsuccessful; but when they failed, REESE kept the money. And when his fraud succeeded, and inmates or their family members paid REESE his fees, REESE engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, by making a business of drafting and filing legal motions and briefs in federal cases, including cases heard by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at 40 Foley Square in Manhattan, a federal enclave where New York State’s prohibition on the unauthorized practice of law applies via the Assimilative Crimes Act. 

    REESE earned hundreds of thousands of dollars from this scheme. And REESE committed additional crimes in connection with these fraud proceeds. First, REESE was on supervised release in connection with a separate federal criminal case in this District during most of the scheme. And in connection with his supervision, and in order to avoid paying criminal restitution that he owed, REESE made false statements to the U.S. Probation Office. Second, REESE laundered the proceeds of his scheme by using a co-conspirator to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the source and movement of the fees REESE collected from his victims.

    *               *                *

    REESE, 57, of East Meadow, New York, was convicted of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; unauthorized practice of law in a federal enclave, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison; making false statements to the U.S. Probation Office, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. REESE was found not guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. 

    The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz, Kingdar Prussien and James McMahon are in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Files 200 New Immigration Cases This Week in the Western District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 210 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 14 through March 20.

    Among the new cases, Mexican national Carlos Alberto Santoyo Holguin and Guatemalan national Bielman Alexander PU-Ruiz were arrested on March 16 and March 18, respectively, during Greyhound bus inspections at the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol checkpoint. Both defendants allegedly did not have any immigration documents that would allow them to be or remain in the United States legally. Records checks revealed prior removal orders by immigration judges. Criminal complaints allege that agents found fraudulent Social Security cards and fraudulent Lawful Permanent Resident Alien cards in the belongings of both Holguin and PU-Ruiz. The defendants are alleged to have purchased the fraudulent documents in California.

    A convicted felon who is a citizen and national of Guatemala was arrested by Marfa Border Patrol Agents. A criminal complaint alleges that Marvin Miguel US-Mendoza was not in possession of immigration documents allowing him to legally be or remain in the U.S. and he had been previously removed from the U.S. four times—the first being Feb. 19, 2016 through Brownsville/Gateway, and the most recent deportation through Laredo on Dec. 9, 2024.

    Manuel Andres-Miguel was also arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents and charged with transporting illegal aliens after he was allegedly guiding a group of illegal aliens through the desert to a pick-up location in Marfa. Records revealed that Andres-Miguel had been apprehended three times before for illegal entry and was last charged with illegal reentry after removal in March 2023. For that offense, he was sentenced to 90 days in federal prison. 

    In Del Rio, Ashley Nicole Dronenberg and Zachery Lee Justus were arrested for allegedly trafficking two illegal aliens further into the U.S. A criminal complaint alleges that Dronenberg was the driver of a vehicle, and was discovered at a Border Patrol checkpoint to have concealed a mother and child in the rear cargo area of the vehicle.

    Jose Manuel Medellin-Guerrero was arrested in San Antonio March 20 and charged with one count of illegal re-entry. A Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office deputy dispatched Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) during a traffic stop after Medellin-Guerrero allegedly revealed he was a Mexican national with no legal status to enter, pass through, or remain in the country. Medellin-Guerrero has been previously convicted three times for illegal re-entry into the U.S.

    Mexican national Reymundo Criado-Cruz was transferred to federal custody in Austin, where he had been convicted in state court for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was serving a 700-day sentence. Criado-Cruz had been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, most recently in December 2007, and has an extensive record of criminal convictions, including burglary of a vehicle, theft of property, possession of a controlled substance, and evading arrest.

    Also in Austin, Ezequiel Borja-Jaimes was arrested March 19 when he was encountered by the ICE Austin Fugitive Operations team. Borja-Jaimes had been previously removed from the U.S. in January 2021. He has been convicted of driving while intoxicated on three separate occasions between 2013 and 2021.

    These 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), 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 additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

    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.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Citizen Sentenced for Alien Smuggling Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK – Pedro Solano-Azamar, age 27, and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 36 months in prison for his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy.

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia of United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.

    As part of his prior guilty plea, Solano-Azamar – an illegal alien himself who entered the United States in 2020 – admitted that on May 15, 2023, he traveled from North Carolina to Northern New York, along with four co-conspirators, and smuggled 16 citizens of Mexico who had illegally entered the United States from Canada.  Following Solano Azamar’s service of his term of imprisonment, he faces deportation to Mexico. 

    The United States Border Patrol investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — Whitehorse RCMP have charged a youth in relation to a disturbance on Main Street

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Whitehorse RCMP have charged a youth for pointing a firearm and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

    On March 15, 2025, Whitehorse RCMP responded to multiple reports of a disturbance between a large group of young adults and youth on Main Street in Whitehorse where weapons were involved. As a result of the investigation, a youth was charged on March 20, 2025 and cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. This matter is before the courts, and no further information will be released at this time.

    Whitehorse RCMP are aware that several videos and photographs of the incident are still circulating on social media. Whitehorse RCMP urge anyone with any additional information or anyone who witnessed the disturbance, to come forward by contacting the Whitehorse RCMP at 867-667-5555. To remain anonymous, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

    See: RCMP investigate disturbance on Main Street in Whitehorse | Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Individuals Sentenced in Sophisticated, Wide-Spread Fraud Schemes

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

    The defendants defrauded CARES Act and other programs out of more than $4.8 million

    PROVIDENCE – Four Florida residents convicted in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for executing one of the largest schemes in the country to defraud Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act programs, including in Rhode Island, have been sentenced to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Court documents illustrate that the defendants defrauded various federally funded programs of more than $4.8 million.

    Each of the defendants pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.  The schemes involved obtaining and using stolen personal identifying information to submit fraudulent applications to multiple state unemployment agencies, including the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, and to submit fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications, for pandemic-related benefits made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

    Additionally, the defendants submitted fraudulent applications in the names of other persons to federal and state agencies to obtain tax refunds, stimulus payments, and disaster relief funds and loans.

    The scheme also involved using the stolen personal identifying information to open bank accounts that were used to receive, deposit, and transfer fraudulently obtained government benefits and payments and to obtain debit cards for the fraudulently opened bank that were used to withdraw the fraudulently obtained funds. 

    U.S. District Court Judge Mellisa R. DuBose sentenced

    • Tony Mertile 33, of Miramar, FL, identified in court documents as the leader of the conspiracy, to a term of 72 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release;
    • Junior Mertile, 35,of Pembroke Pines, FL, to a term of 54 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release.
    • Allen Bien-Aime, 33, of Lehigh Acres, FL, to a term of imprisonment of 48 months to be followed by three years of supervised release;
    • James Legerme, 33, of Sunrise, FL, to a term of imprisonment of 48 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release; and

    In accordance with signed plea agreements filed with the court, the government moved to forfeit a total of $4,857,191 in funds, or $1,214,294.75 from each defendant, that constitutes proceeds of the conspiracy. The defendants have also forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of Rolex watches and assorted jewelry, and over $1.1 million dollar in cash seized from the residences of Tony Mertile, Junior Mertile, and James Legerme at the time of their arrests. Each defendant is also jointly and several liable for $4,456,927.36 in restitution to be paid to agencies and financial intuitions that were defrauded.

    The case was jointly prosecuted in U.S. District Court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Denise M. Barton and Stacey A. Erickson and Special Assistant United States Attorney and Rhode Island Assistant Attorney General John M. Moreira, Chief of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Public Integrity Unit.

    The investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Rhode Island State Police, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, with substantial assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General/Office of Investigations.

     Acting United States Attorney Bloom, FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen, and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General thank the Miami Division of the FBI, the Fort Myers Resident Agency of the FBI Tampa Division, the FBI’s Complex Financial Crimes Unit, and the U.S. Marshal Service in Florida for their assistance at the time the defendants were arrested and detained in Florida.

    Acting United States Attorney Bloom also extends her gratitude to prosecutors in the Middle District of Florida and the Southern District of Florida for their assistance.

    Rhode Islanders who believe their personal identification has been stolen and used to fraudulently obtain unemployment benefits from the RIDLT are urged to contact the Rhode Island State Police at financialcrimes@risp.gov or the FBI Providence office at (401) 272-8310.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Birmingham Heroin Supplier Sentenced To 365 Months

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Court documents showed that Harding was a heroin supplier in Birmingham who was introduced to a conspirator from Baldwin County, Alabama, by another conspirator in Birmingham.  As a result of the introduction, ounces of heroin were transported from Birmingham to Daphne, Alabama, where they were distributed to local heroin dealers.  The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) obtained a court-authorized wiretap on two of the local conspirators and identified Harding as the primary supplier for heroin. One of the drug shipments being discussed by the conspirators in the monitored phone calls was intercepted on I-65 in Baldwin County by Baldwin County sheriff’s deputies.  The deputies seized approximately 205 grams of heroin hidden in the trunk of a rental car.  The driver of the car, identified as Quantis Clark, was arrested and indicted separately.  Clark pled guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances during June of 2019.  He was sentenced on August 30, 2022, to five years imprisonment.

    When FBI agents involved in the Baldwin County investigation were preparing to arrest Harding in Birmingham, they discovered that Homeland Security agents and Alabama Law Enforcement agents were also investigating Harding on drug charges.  In September of 2019, a search warrant was executed on Harding’s Birmingham residence and agents seized eight firearms, two kilograms of heroin, and additional amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine.  In October of 2019, Harding was arrested on the indictment returned in the Southern District of Alabama.

    Court documents also showed that Harding occupied a leadership role in the drug conspiracy.  Court documents further showed that Harding had a long and significant criminal history with prior felony convictions spanning four decades.  United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed the 365-month sentence at the sentencing hearing on March 19.  The judge ordered that the prison sentence will be followed by a four-year term of supervised release.  Harding will undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse. The judge also imposed a special condition that the probation office may search Harding’s person or property upon a showing of reasonable suspicion that he is in violation of any of the conditions of his supervision.  No fine was imposed but the judge ordered that Harding pay $100 in special mandatory assessments.

    The FBI, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, the Foley Police Department, the Daphne Police Department, Gulf Shores Police Department and the Bay Minette Police Department, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office all participated in the  investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Gloria Bedwell prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)  operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organization 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.     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Who Coordinated Drug Deals From State Prison Sentenced to Federal Prison

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

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    George Gomez aka Quick is a confirmed Texas Syndicate gang member. He pleaded guilty Dec. 19, 2024.

    U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has ordered Gomez to serve 300 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered his federal prison sentence run consecutively to his current state prison sentence. He will begin serving the 25-year sentence following completion of his state prison term of incarceration.

    At the hearing, the court heard about Gomez’s extensive criminal history that began at age 17 when he was convicted of unlawful carrying of a weapon and cocaine possession. He was later convicted of possession of cocaine two more times as well as aggravated assault. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales emphasized that Gomez had committed this current offense while in prison for a drug possession charge. Furthermore, he noted that his crimes seemed be getting worse as he was now possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute and no longer simply possessing them.

    Gomez was serving a 17-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for cocaine possession when he obtained a contraband cell phone and began coordinating narcotics deals for other Texas Syndicate gang members while incarcerated.

    The investigation into the Texas Syndicate led to the discovery that Gomez was facilitating the distribution of methamphetamine to local drug dealers in Corpus Christi.

    Gomez was brought over from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to answer for his federal charges. 

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the National Guard and Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara J. De Pena and Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Culpeper Sheriff Sentenced to 10 Years on Federal Bribery Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Scott Jenkins Received Over $75,000 in Cash Payments in Exchange for Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff Appointments

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The former sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for accepting over $75,000 in bribes in exchange for appointing numerous Northern Virginia businessmen as auxiliary deputy sheriffs within his department.

    In December 2024, a jury convicted Scott Howard Jenkins, 53, of Culpeper, Virginia, of one count of conspiracy, four counts of honest services fraud, and seven counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.

    “Scott Jenkins violated his oath of office and the faith the citizens of Culpeper County placed in him when he engaged in a cash-for-badges scheme,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “We hold our elected law enforcement officials to a higher standard of conduct and this case proves that when those officials use their authority for unjust personal enrichment, the Department of Justice will hold them accountable. I am grateful to the FBI for their tireless work on this investigation.”

    “Every law enforcement officer takes an oath to serve and protect the community– that includes following the law they’ve sworn to uphold.  I am proud of the diligent work our investigative team did on this case to bring Jenkins to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Stanley M. Meador.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jenkins accepted cash bribes and bribes in the form of campaign contributions from co-defendants Rick Rahim, Fredric Gumbinner, and James Metcalf, as well as at least five others, including two FBI undercover agents.

    Rahim, Gumbinner, and Metcalf have all pled guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.

    In return for the bribes, Jenkins appointed each of the bribe payors as auxiliary deputy sheriffs, a sworn law-enforcement position, and issued them official Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office badges and credentials. The bribe payors were not trained or vetted and did not render any legitimate services to the Sheriff’s Office or the citizens of Culpeper County.

    In addition, Jenkins pressured other local officials to approve a petition filed in Culpeper County Circuit Court by Rahim, a convicted felon, to restore his right to possess a firearm and which falsely stated that Rahim resided in Culpeper County.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith for the Western District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Celia Choy and Lina Peng of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Law Enforcement in Chicago Seizes $214 Million in Alleged “Pump and Dump” Investment Fraud Investigation; Seven Defendants Indicted

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — Seven individuals have been indicted on criminal charges as part of a federal investigation that disrupted an alleged “pump-and-dump” investment fraud scheme and resulted in government seizures of approximately $214 million.

    From November 2024 to February 2025, the defendants engaged in misleading promotion and coordinated trading of shares of China Liberal Education Holdings, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands that purported to provide educational services in China, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  The scheme, known as a “pump-and-dump,” allegedly involved individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms and falsely promising significant returns from investments in the company.  The misleading promotion and coordinated trading caused the stock price to artificially rise, at which point the defendants sold thousands of shares and made millions of dollars in profits, the indictment states.  The stock price ultimately decreased significantly, at the expense of other investors, some of whom lost almost the entirety of their investment.

    Charged with wire fraud and securities fraud are LIM XIANG JIE CEDRIC, 50, of Malaysia, MING-SHEN CHENG, 36, of Taiwan, KO SEN CHAI, 57, of Malaysia, KING SUNG WONG, 39, of Malaysia, SIONG WEE VUN, 37, of Malaysia, CHIEN LUNG MA, 54, of Taiwan, and KOK WAH WONG, 56, of Malaysia.  The defendants are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests.

    During the investigation, federal law enforcement seized approximately $214 million in alleged proceeds from the fraud scheme. The funds are currently in U.S. custody. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago on Thursday filed a civil complaint seeking to have the money permanently forfeited to the United States, which would allow the government to return the money to victim investors.

    The indictment and forfeiture complaint 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 Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the SEC’s Office of Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten represents the government.

    Each count of securities fraud is punishable by up to 25 years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence for each count of wire fraud is 20 years.  The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    If you believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by the fraud scheme charged in the indictment, you are encouraged to notify the FBI by completing this online form or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

    MIL Security OSI –