NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Conviction Affirmed for Man Who Kidnapped, Murdered 80-year-old Horry County Woman

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RICHMOND, Va. — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2022 conviction of Dominique Devonah Brand for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder.

    In a written opinion, the court affirmed Brand’s convictions following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022. Evidence presented at trial established that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered the Nichols, South Carolina, home of Mary Ann Elvington, a retired elementary school teacher and stalwart in her church and community. In the days prior, Brand had burglarized another nearby residence, stealing a shotgun, in addition to burglarizing and vandalizing a local church. Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina. During this trip, Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with the shotgun before forcing her into the back seat and driving her to a remote crossroads in Marion County. Once there, he marched her behind an abandoned grocery store, held the shotgun to the back of her head, and pulled the trigger, executing her. Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club. Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening. During a post-arrest statement to authorities, Brand denied committing the murder, but his guilt was proven at trial with DNA evidence, cell phone analytics, and crime scene analysis.

    “We are pleased that the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the convictions we proved beyond a reasonable doubt in the senseless kidnapping and murder of Ms. Mary Ann Elvington,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This has been a painful ordeal for her loved ones, and we send our continued support to Ms. Elvington’s family.”

    United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and imposed two concurrent life sentences for the carjacking and kidnapping convictions, plus 10 consecutive years for using a firearm during the commission of these offenses. Brand, now 33, is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at USP Hazelton in West Virginia.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office with significant assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Horry County Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Lake View Police Department, and Nichols Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Kathleen Stoughton prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as the Deputy Solicitor for the 15th Judicial Circuit.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Murder Fugitive Captured Near Temple University

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Philadelphia, PA – Investigators from the U.S. Marshals task force in Philadelphia, along with Deputies from the New York/New Jersey Atlantic City Division, arrested Kenneth Tripline in the 1500 block of West Diamond Street. Tripline was wanted by the Bridgeton Police Department for murder in relation to an incident that took place March 11th. Tripline allegedly stabbed his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend multiple times and then fled the scene. A warrant was issued March 12th and immediately delegated to the U.S. Marshals in New Jersey.

    On March 20th, Marshals developed information Tripline was presently in a residence around Temple University. At 9 a.m. investigators from the Marshals Service in Philadelphia and Atlantic City Division, along with Temple Police Officers, surrounded a home in the 1500 block of West Diamond Street. After knocking at the property, Tripline immediately attempted to escape from a rear window but was forced back inside by police. Tripline eventually surrendered to Marshals in front of the residence and was placed into custody without incident. 

    “Upon determining a fugitive wanted for murder was hiding in close proximity to Temple University, it was imperative for us to capture him as expeditiously as possible,” said Robert Clark, Supervisory Deputy for the Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force.

    The Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force is a team of law enforcement officers led by U.S. Marshals in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent crime fugitives. Membership agencies include the Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania State Parole Officers, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Attorney General Agents, Immigration Customs Enforcement, Chester Police Department, the Bucks County Sheriff’s Office, and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Federal Prison

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

    A woman who worked with others to distribute a significant amount of methamphetamine was sentenced March 17, 2025, to more than 24 years in federal prison.

    Candace Sue Thein, age 42, from Dike, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 3, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.  

    Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, from December 2023 through May 22, 2024, Thein worked with others to receive numerous packages of ice methamphetamine and marijuana from a source of supply in California.  In total, the group received over 50 pounds of methamphetamine from the source of supply in California, which the group then redistributed to individuals in Waterloo, Dike, Reinbeck, and Hudson, Iowa.  Law enforcement searched several of the residences of individuals receiving these packages, including Thein’s residence in Dike, on May 22, 2024.  In the early morning hours of June 15, 2024, Thein and two other individuals went to the residence of one of Thein’s drug customers, demanding money.  The two other individuals threatened to kill Thein’s drug customer, while Thein broke into the drug customer’s residence and stole his cellphone.   

    Thein was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Thein was sentenced to 292 months’ imprisonment, and she must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Thein is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. 

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Postal Service; the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Mid‑Iowa Drug Trask Force; the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol; and the Santa Ana, California Police Department.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-00052-CJW.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Salt Lake City 2025 Citizens Academy Nominations Now Open

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

    SALT LAKE CITY, UT—The FBI Salt Lake City Division is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Citizens Academy through April 18, 2025.

    The Citizens Academy is a six to eight week class that gives business, religious, civic, and community leaders an inside look at the FBI, with a goal of creating partnerships to better understand and protect the communities we serve.

    Classes will meet Wednesday evenings for six weeks, starting August 6, 2025. Topics may include terrorism, cyber-enabled crime, public corruption, civil rights, and financial crimes, among others. Participants will also get a hands-on experience in evidence collection. The session culminates on September 13, 2025, with a “range day” at the FBI’s shooting range.

    Attendees must be at least 21 years of age, live and/or work in Utah and consent to a limited background check.

    To self-nominate or submit a nomination for someone else, visit the following link: — FBI Citizens Academy Nomination Form—Salt Lake City

    Questions can be directed to our Community Outreach Specialist at SU_Outreach@fbi.gov

    To learn about other outreach programs, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/saltlakecity/community-outreach

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brighton — Traffic stop leads to impaired driving and drug trafficking charges

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A traffic stop by the Digby RCMP Detachment has resulted in impaired driving and drug trafficking charges.

    On March 14, at approximately 10:30 p.m., an RCMP officer observed a vehicle driving erratically on Hwy. 101 in Brighton and conducted a traffic stop. The driver showed signs of impairment, failed a roadside sobriety test and was arrested.

    At the Digby RCMP Detachment, a qualified Drug Recognition Expert completed an evaluation of the driver, which indicated drug impairment.

    Jacob Netherton, 38, of Mount Uniacke, was charged with Impaired Operation by Drug. He was released from custody to attend Digby Provincial Court on May 12.

    After Netherton’s arrest and a subsequent search of his vehicle, officers located and seized:

    • More than 90 grams of cocaine
    • Over 300 prescription pills, pre-packaged in baggies
    • Unstamped cigarettes
    • Cell phones

    As a result of the vehicle search, Netherton was arrested on March 19 and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking and Failure to Comply with a Court Order.

    Netherton is due back in court today.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Five Defendants Charged in Connection With Alien in Possession Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictments of five individuals on charges related to illegal aliens in possession of firearms and ammunition and firearms trafficking.

    Vielman Cabrera Arevalo, 20, of Guatemala; Erick Lozano Colindrez, 23, of Honduras; and Ludwin Fuentes Lopez, 22, of El Salvador, were indicted on Alien in Possession of a Firearm and/or Ammunition charges. Lester Araely Ramos Perez, 28, and Milton Leon-Morales, 27 — both from Guatemala — are charged with Firearms Trafficking and Aliens in Possession of a Firearm offenses.

    The indictments announced today 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.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes made the announcement with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Baltimore Field Division (ATF); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD); and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department (FPD).

    According to the indictments, Ramos Perez, Leon-Morales, Arevalo, Lopez, and Colindrez are all illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States.  Ramos Perez and Leon-Morales are charged with conspiring with others to ship, transport, cause to be transported, and otherwise dispose of more than 35 firearms on January 22, 2025.  They are also charged with dealing firearms without a license, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and possessing firearms as illegal aliens unlawfully in the United States.

    Law enforcement found Arevalo in possession of two rounds of CBC 9mm Luger ammunition on December 14, 2023.  Similarly, authorities found Lopez in possession of a black Polymer 80 firearm and ammunition on July 20, 2024.   On November 15, 2024, authorities found Colindrez in possession of a Johnson Arms & Cycle Works .32 caliber revolver and one black 9mm polymer pistol along with approximately 23 rounds of ammunition. As a result, each of these defendants is charged in separate indictments for Alien in Possession of a Firearm and/or Ammunition.

    Upon a conviction, Ramos Perez and Leon-Morales face up to 15 years in prison on firearms trafficking charges, five years on dealing firearms without a license, 15 years in prison on the alien in possession charges, and 20 years on drug conspiracy charges. If Arevalo, Colindrez, and/or Lopez are convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison.

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

    This case is also 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.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI Baltimore; the FBI; ATF; DPSCS; BCoPD; and FPD for their work in connection with these investigations.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Kenneth Clark, Chief, Violent and Organized Crime, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Beim, Kim Hagan, and Jamie O’Donohue, who are prosecuting the federal cases.

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

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Violating Federal Gun Control Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANARD WALTON (“WALTON”), age 41, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to violating the Federal Gun Control Act, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

    According to court records, on March 19, 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at WALTON’s residence.  During the search, agents found a Springfield, nine-millimeter caliber semi-automatic pistol, in a kitchen cabinet wrapped in a towel.  In the kitchen, they also found approximately one and a half pounds of marijuana.  The agents located a hidden compartment under a set of stairs leading to the second story. In this hidden compartment, they found a Smith and Wesson, .40 caliber pistol, and approximately $37,941.00 of U.S. currency.  The Smith & Wesson firearm was confirmed to have been stolen.

    A records check showed that WALTON was a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms.  Court records confirmed that WALTON had at least five felony convictions, including a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    On March 12, 2025, WALTON pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of the two firearms found during the March 19, 2024 search.

    Judge Milazzo set sentencing for June 18, 2025. WALTON faces  up to fifteen years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.

    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.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Slidell Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operators Of Jacksonville Roofing Business Sentenced To Federal Prison For Payroll Tax Fraud And Workers’ Compensation Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Jacksonville residents Travis Morgan Slaughter and Tripp Charles Slaughter to 41 months and 21 months in federal prison, respectively, for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit tax fraud related to Jacksonville roofing businesses they operated. The Slaughters pled guilty on November 25, 2024.

    As part of their sentence, the court entered an order of forfeiture against Travis Slaughter in the amount of $2,780,947.56 and against Tripp Slaughter in the amount $416,799.66, which were proceeds traceable to the mail and wire fraud offenses. The court also ordered Travis Slaughter to pay restitution in the amount of $6,768,612.32 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for payroll tax losses, $2,780,947.56 to two insurance companies for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $271,217.39 to the same two companies for two paid workers’ compensation claims. The court ordered Tripp Slaughter to pay restitution of $623,269.64 to the IRS for payroll tax losses, $416,799.66 to an insurance company for unpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums, and $137,778.39 to the same company for a paid workers’ compensation claim.

    According to court documents, beginning in 2007, Travis Slaughter operated a roofing business in Jacksonville, first under the name Great White Construction and then under the name Florida Roofing Experts. In January 2020, the business began operating under the name 5 Star Roofing Services, which Tripp Slaughter incorporated. Although the name changed, each business operated in the same manner, banked at the same financial institutions, and employed the same employees.

    The company contracted with professional employer organizations (PEOs) to prepare payroll checks for employees, after making deductions for payroll taxes, and to file payroll tax returns and forward tax payments to governmental authorities. However, the company did not provide the PEOs with information about all the hours worked by, or all the wages due to, its employees. Instead, the company also paid the employees directly, with separate checks drawn on company bank accounts, and did not deduct payroll taxes from these checks. By paying employees with “split checks”—one from the PEO and one from the company—the company avoided paying the full amount of payroll taxes due to the IRS. For the period of October 2015 through June 2020, the company paid a total of approximately $23,079,680 in wages that were not reported to the IRS. The payroll taxes due to the IRS on this amount total approximately $4,292,429. The PEOs also secured workers’ compensation insurance coverage for the company. The premiums charged by the workers’ compensation insurers were based on the total amount of payroll that the company reported to the PEOs. If the company had reported the actual amount of payroll, the insurers would have charged additional premiums totaling approximately $2,780,947.

    In addition to causing the company to underreport their payroll to the IRS, the Slaughters also underreported their personal income to the IRS. For the tax years 2014 through 2019, the unpaid taxes due on Travis Slaughter’s unreported income totaled approximately $2,467,183. For the tax years 2015 through 2019, the unpaid taxes due on Tripp Slaughter’s unreported income totaled approximately $263,614.

    “The actions of these two defendants represent a blatant disregard for U.S. law and our financial systems. Despite operating successful construction businesses that generated millions of dollars in wealth, their greed drove them to lie and cheat for years,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tampa Field Office. “Their scheme to evade millions of dollars in taxes not only undermined the integrity of our tax system but also created an unfair advantage in which law-abiding competitors cannot compete for bids.  Our job is to make sure dishonest offenders like these two face the consequences of their criminal activities.”

    “The Slaughters defrauded insurance companies of millions in workers’ compensation insurance premiums and will be responsible for financial restitution for the loss of insurance premiums and death and injury claims,” said ICE HSI Tampa, Jacksonville office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “As part of this criminal enterprise, they also exploited the labor of hundreds of illegal aliens.”

    This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier. The asset forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Harrington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shelby County Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison for Multiple Robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –  A Shelby County man has been sentenced for multiple robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz.

    U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Dorian Blake Bivins, 20, of Alabaster, Alabama, to 180 months in prison. In September 2024, Bivins pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

    According to the plea agreement, Bivins attempted robberies of three businesses in Alabaster—Whataburger, Shell, and Chevron—over a span of 12 days in May and June 2023. Bivins committed two of the offenses while armed with a pistol and discharged the firearm during his final attempted robbery.

    The ATF investigated the case along with the Alabaster Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Madison County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Cyberstalking, Extortion, and Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala. –  A New Hope man was sentenced today for stalking and extorting a woman and producing child pornography involving two minor victims, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

    U.S. District Court Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Donald Wayne Carmody, 29, of New Hope, Alabama, to 480 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In December, Carmody pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, extortion, and production of child pornography. These convictions will require Carmody to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

    According to the plea agreement, Carmody used anonymous text messages to threaten to release pictures of the victim on the internet if she did not send him intimate photographs. Carmody also obtained the victim’s login credentials for her social media accounts and accessed their contents. After Carmody was arrested on cyberstalking and extortion charges for this conduct, investigators discovered a USB thumb drive belonging to him that contained images of child pornography involving two victims under the age of twelve. The FBI’s Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared the images from the thumb drive, which showed a person’s hand, to pictures of Carmody’s hands taken during the investigation. The Unit identified similar class and distinguishing characteristics between the images, demonstrating that the hand in the images on the thumb drive belonged to Carmody.    

    The FBI investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.

    If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

    The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former University of Michigan Football Quarterbacks Coach and Co-Offensive Coordinator Indicted on Charges of Unauthorized Access to Computers and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Former University of Michigan Co-Offensive Coordinator Matthew Weiss—age 42, of Ann Arbor—was charged today in a 24-count indictment alleging 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.

    Beck was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Detroit Field Office (Michigan)

    According to the indictment, between approximately 2015 and January 2023, Weiss gained unauthorized access to student athlete databases of more than 100 colleges and universities that were maintained by a third-party vendor. After gaining access to these databases, Weiss downloaded the personally identifiable information and medical data of more than 150,000 athletes.   Using the information that he obtained from the student athlete databases and his own internet research, Weiss was able to obtain access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 2,000 target athletes.   Weiss also illegally obtained access to the social media, email, and/or cloud storage accounts of more than 1,300 additional students and/or alumni from universities across the country.

    Once Weiss obtained access to these accounts, he downloaded personal, intimate digital photographs and videos that were never intended to be shared beyond intimate partners.

    “Our office will move aggressively to prosecute computer hacking to protect the private accounts of our citizens,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “We stand ready with our law enforcement partners to bring those who illegally invade the privacy of others to justice.” 

    “Today’s indictment of Matthew Weiss underscores the commitment and meticulous investigative efforts of our law enforcement professionals,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force, in close collaboration with the University of Michigan Police Department, worked relentlessly on this case to safeguard and protect our community.”

    If convicted, Weiss faces a maximum of five years imprisonment on each count of unauthorized access to computers and two years on each count of aggravated identity theft. Conviction on a count of aggravated identity theft triggers a two-year mandatory minimum sentence, to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the underlying offense.

    An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  It will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Wyse and Patrick Corbett. The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Controller Indicted for Embezzling Over $1 Million from Fresno Fruit Wholesaler

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — On Feb. 27, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, charging him with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The indictment was unsealed following his arrest today.

    According to court documents, between January 2016 and June 2023, Zacarias Lopez abused his position as the accounting supervisor and controller to defraud a family-run Fresno fruit wholesaler. Zacarias Lopez would write multiple company checks payable to “cash” and then deposit them into his own personal bank account through local ATMs. He signed the fraudulent checks using the signatures of other employees with signatory authority, including one of the founders of the company. Through this scheme, Zacarias Lopez embezzled more than $1 million before he was eventually detected by one of the banks and terminated by the company. To secure his accounting role in the first place, Zacarias Lopez stole a valid social security number and used that along with other falsified employment documents to conceal his lack of legal status. The indictment also states that Zacarias Lopez was previously removed from the United States in 2000 and has not been permitted to return to the United States.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted of bank fraud, Zacarias Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. If convicted of aggravated identity theft or illegal re-entry of a removed alien, he faces a penalty of two years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Department of Defense Civilian Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Documents

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    A civilian electrical engineer for the Department of Defense pleaded guilty in federal court today to unauthorized removal and retention of classified material.

    According to court documents, Gokhan Gun, 51, of Falls Church, Virginia, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a dual citizen of Turkey and the United States. Through his employment, Gun possessed a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and received training on the proper handling and storage of classified information.

    Beginning in May 2024, Gun, without permission, removed at least five classified documents from his Department of Defense workspace with the intent to retain them at his primary residence, which was not an approved facility for the storage of classified information.

    On Aug. 9, 2024, Gun was scheduled to depart the United States on a morning flight to Mexico. However, FBI agents observed a ride share service arrive at the defendant’s residence and approached Gun. Agents observed inside Gun’s residence a backpack inside which they located a Top Secret document and a notebook with handwritten notes that mirrored a Top Secret report. In the dining room, agents located additional classified documents, one of which Gun printed on Aug. 7, 2024, just two days before his scheduled departure.

    Gun is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip E. Bates of the FBI Washington Field Office and Executive Director Lee M. Russ of Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects (AFOSI) made the announcement.

    The FBI and AFOSI Office of Special Projects are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Gibbs for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Adam L. Small and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Over Twenty Years Federal Prison

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

    A woman who worked with others to distribute a significant amount of methamphetamine was sentenced March 17, 2025, to more than 24 years in federal prison.

    Candace Sue Thein, age 42, from Dike, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 3, 2024 guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance.  

    Evidence disclosed at sentencing showed that, from December 2023 through May 22, 2024, Thein worked with others to receive numerous packages of ice methamphetamine and marijuana from a source of supply in California.  In total, the group received over 50 pounds of methamphetamine from the source of supply in California, which the group then redistributed to individuals in Waterloo, Dike, Reinbeck, and Hudson, Iowa.  Law enforcement searched several of the residences of individuals receiving these packages, including Thein’s residence in Dike, on May 22, 2024.  In the early morning hours of June 15, 2024, Thein and two other individuals went to the residence of one of Thein’s drug customers, demanding money.  The two other individuals threatened to kill Thein’s drug customer, while Thein broke into the drug customer’s residence and stole his cellphone.   

    Thein was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Thein was sentenced to 292 months’ imprisonment, and she must also serve a three‑year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Thein is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. 

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Postal Service; the Tri‑County Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Department; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Mid‑Iowa Drug Trask Force; the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office; the Iowa State Patrol; and the Santa Ana, California Police Department.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-00052-CJW.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder investigation launched in Brixton

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A murder investigation is under way following a stabbing in Brixton.

    Police were called at approximately 05:10hrs on Thursday, 20 March to reports of a man suffering a stab injury in Brixton Road SW9.

    Officers and London Ambulance Service attended but despite their efforts the man sadly died at the scene.

    His next of kin are aware and are being supported by specialist officers.

    Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command and leading the investigation, said: “My thoughts are with the victim’s family and friends at this devastating time.

    “I understand the shock and concern this incident will have on the Brixton community. My team are already working diligently to gather evidence and establish what led to this tragedy. I would ask any local residents with concerns to speak to officers at the scene, or to their local neighbourhood policing teams.

    “If you have any information that could assist this investigation, I would urge you to get in contact immediately. I am particularly keen to speak to anyone who was in the area between 04.45hrs and 06.00hrs and may have seen something.”

    Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD843/20Mar. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Criminal Sentenced To 12+ Years For Fentanyl Trafficking And Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Tyrone Eugene Sitton a/k/a “Dirty,” 46, of Asheville, was sentenced to 151 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today for fentanyl trafficking and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, Sheriff Quentin Miller of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Michael Lamb of the Asheville Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, between November and December 2022, Sitton distributed 30.1 grams of fentanyl in the Asheville area. During the investigation, Sitton sold fentanyl at least three times to a confidential informant working with the ATF. In addition to selling fentanyl, on December 28, 2022, Sitton sold the informant three firearms: a shotgun, a rifle, and a pistol.

    On July 29, 2024, Sitton pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records indicate Sitton has multiple state convictions in North Carolina for drug distribution. Because of these prior criminal convictions, Sitton qualified for an increased sentence as a career offender.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the ATF, the DEA, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, and the Asheville Police Department for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Sentenced to 24 Months Imprisonment for Re-Entry of a Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS – ALEX SALOMON REYES-CHAVEZ, age 45, was sentenced on March 12, 2025 for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.  He was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Sarah D. Vance.

    According to court documents, ALEX SALOMON REYES-CHAVEZ, (“REYES-CHAVEZ”) reentered the United States after being previously deported on March 5, 2012.  On June 30, 2023, REYES-CHAVEZ was arrested by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana on two counts of theft and illegal possession of stolen things.  On October 24, 2023, federal authorities arrested REYES-CHAVEZ in Gretna, Louisiana as he was leaving the courthouse.  REYES-CHAVEZ has been previously removed two or more times for illegal reentry.  On July 14, 2010, REYES-CHAVEZ was sentenced to four years in the 190th District Court, in Bexar County, Texas, for Possession of Heroin, in violation of Texas State Law.  Additionally, on April 27, 2007, REYES-CHAVEZ was convicted of grand third-degree grand theft and was sentenced to nearly six months in jail in Miami, Florida.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

               

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Arrested for Role in Money Laundering Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Boston has been arrested for his involvement in a money laundering conspiracy. 

    Jose Miguel Pena de la Cruz, 32, was charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. He appeared in federal court on March 18, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, between April 17, 2020, and May 14, 2020, Pena de la Cruz delivered $340,080 on behalf of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Massachusetts so that the money could be laundered on behalf of a DTO based in Mexico.

    During the course of the conspiracy it is alleged that Pena de la Cruz laundered $340,080 by delivering bulk cash drug proceeds packaged in bundles to undercover law enforcement after DTO members communicated with the undercover officers to set up the transaction. Throughout the investigation more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl from the DTO for which Pena de la Cruz delivered the drug proceeds were seized.  

    The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds. The defendant will also be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Annapurna Balakrishna of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting this case.

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

    The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Utah Man Sentenced to 12 Years’ Imprisonment for Attempting to Receive Images of Child Sexual Abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. GEORGE, Utah –Todd Robert Michels, 54, of Washington City, Utah, was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervised release after he admitted that he attempted to receive images of child sexual abuse.

    According to court documents and statements made at Michel’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on November 3, 2023, Michels communicated via the internet with an individual he thought was the father of a seven-year-old boy. Michels was actually communicating with an undercover officer. During these communications, Michels said he wanted to sexually abuse the undercover officer’s seven-year-old son and that he had fantasized about such behavior for a long time. Michels also requested sexually explicit photographs of the child. The undercover officer and Michels ultimately agreed to meet for the purpose of Michels sexually assaulting the seven-year-old boy. Upon Michels’ arrival at the meeting location, he was taken into custody.

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

    The case was investigated jointly by The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.

    Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon extradited from Mexico pleads guilty to illegally acquiring multiple firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Laredo has entered a guilty plea for his role in a scheme to straw purchase multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Between the February 2021 and July 2021, Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias aided and abetted the straw purchasing of multiple rifles.

    In July 2021, authorities discovered the theft of approximately 10 AK-style and 20 AR-style rifles at a ranch Covarrubias owned. As a convicted felon, Covarrubias is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. 

    Further investigation led law enforcement to his residence in Laredo where they observed Covarrubias and others placing items into nearby vehicles. Covarrubias left the house with two others and went to a second home.

    At that location, authorities observed the movement of three rifles from a truck into the house and took Covarrubias and others into custody. 

    Covarrubias admitted to knowing he was a convicted felon and unable to possess firearms and ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, he acknowledged sending others to stores to purchase firearms on his behalf. 

    After his arrest in August 2021, Covarrubias was permitted release upon posting bond but fled to Mexico. Law enforcement eventually took him into custody. He was returned to U.S. authorities Feb. 21.  

    “This case is an important reminder to criminals that they may run from justice, but they can’t hide,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is appreciative of the efforts of all those, both in the United States and in Mexico, that made Mr. Corvarrubias’ extradition happen, so he could face justice.”

    “Straw purchasing is not only a direct violation of the law, but it also endangers our communities by enabling prohibited incidentals to gain access to firearms,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “These dangerous actions jeopardize public safety and undermine the trust that we place in our justice system. It is imperative that we hold accountable those who engage in straw purchasing, ensuring that our laws are enforced, and that justice is served to prevent the illegal flow of firearms into the wrong hands.”

    U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Covarrubias faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum find.

    Covarrubias will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Third Illegal Reentry into United States from Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, 35, of Mexico, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of an alien after deportation.

    According to court documents, on September 19, 2024, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deportation Officers were notified by the Indiana Department of Corrections that Pedro Zuniga-Lopez, an illegal alien, was in custody following a conviction for domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman and scheduled to be released on October 22, 2024.

    Zuniga-Lopez had previously been deported to Mexico several times, including once in 2018 and twice in 2020. He was prohibited from entering the United States at any time because he had been convicted of at least one aggravated felony. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, aliens found guilty of certain crimes may be excluded from legal reentry to the country.

    Zuniga-Lopez has a lengthy criminal history, including two previous federal convictions for illegal reentry, as well as two convictions for breaking and entering, and domestic battery with bodily injury to a pregnant woman.

    Most recently, in 2024, while in the United States unlawfully, Zuniga-Lopez viciously assaulted his own girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, after she stated she did not want his drugs in her home. He swung at her face with closed fists and continued to punch her after she fell to the ground.  The victim’s three young children witnessed the attack and screamed “hey mommy, stop!” The day after the victim made this report to police, Zuniga-Lopez broke a window to her home and forced himself inside. He then fled from police before he was arrested. Zuniga-Lopez was convicted and sentenced in Marion County for this offense.

    “While in the United States unlawfully, this defendant has repeatedly broken the law, demonstrating time and time again a fundamental lack of respect for this country” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Additionally, this defendant is a proven menace to society, including toward some of the most vulnerable individuals in our community—women and children. Our office is committed to working with our ICE partners to charge and convict aliens that illegally re-enter the country, especially if they are a risk to public safety.”

    “Our ICE Officers work tirelessly to protect the homeland through our efforts with border security, national security and our drive to keep the public safe,” said ERO Chicago’s Assistant Field Office Director Douglas Thompson. “Criminal aliens that continue to cross into our country need to face consequences to discourage them committing crimes that endanger our communities. We will continue to work with our federal partners at the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute violent felons like Zuniga-Lopez, who has multiple convictions and removals from the U.S.”

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former CEO Of Kubient, Inc. Sentenced To Prison In Connection With Accounting Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PAUL ROBERTS, the founder, former Chief Executive Officer, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kubient, Inc., a publicly traded digital advertising technology company, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison. ROBERTS previously pled guilty to securities fraud for his execution of a scheme to defraud investors and auditors of Kubient, during which he caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in financial statements at the time of Kubient’s initial public offering and made material misrepresentations about the efficacy of Kubient’s proprietary fraud detection tool, Kubient Artificial Intelligence (“KAI”). ROBERTS’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “Paul Roberts cooked the books. He lied to investors and auditors about his company’s revenue and about his company’s premier product: an AI-powered tool that, ironically, was supposed to detect fraud in the digital advertising industry. This Office is committed to holding corporate executives who defraud the investing public accountable for their crimes.”

    According to information in court filings:

    From October 2019 through March 2021, ROBERTS knowingly caused Kubient to improperly recognize more than $1.3 million in fraudulent revenue in Kubient’s financial statements, which was over 94% of Kubient’s reported revenue for 2020 at the time of its initial public offering (“IPO”) in August 2020. With his scheme, ROBERTS misled Kubient’s auditors and deceived the investing public about Kubient’s financial condition.

    At the core of ROBERTS’s accounting fraud scheme was a fraudulent $1.3 million transaction that ROBERTS arranged between Kubient and another digital advertising technology company (“Company-1”). Kubient and Company-1 agreed to provide certain services to the other for nearly identical fees. For its part, Kubient agreed to use its proprietary fraud detection tool, KAI, to scan data provided by Company-1 and an affiliate for instances of digital ad fraud and then deliver the results of KAI’s findings to Company-1 and its affiliate. Neither Kubient nor Company-1, however, provided the agreed-upon services, yet they still paid each other $1.3 million, which Kubient improperly recognized as revenue.

    To conceal his fraudulent scheme, ROBERTS directed Kubient employees to generate fake KAI reports based on made-up metrics and no underlying data at all. ROBERTS used the fake reports to mislead Kubient’s independent certified public accountants (the “Audit Firm”) into believing that Kubient had performed its contractual obligations when, in fact, Kubient had not, so that Kubient could recognize the associated revenue in its financial statements.

    ROBERTS repeatedly made material misrepresentations in U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings and in management representation letters submitted to the Audit Firm relating to Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition. ROBERTS also repeatedly made material misrepresentations in SEC filings about the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud, including in connection with Kubient’s initial and secondary public offerings when Kubient was touting KAI as one of the company’s premier products that would differentiate it from its competitors.

    Fueled by the misrepresentations about Kubient’s KAI revenue recognition and the efficacy of KAI in identifying and preventing digital ad fraud that ROBERTS made in Kubient’s SEC filings and elsewhere, Kubient raised more than $12.5 million in its IPO in August 2020, resulting in its shares being publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange, and more than $20 million in its secondary public offering in December 2020. Now, Kubient is in Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

    *               *                *

    In addition to the prison term, ROBERTS, 48, of Melville, New York, was sentenced to one year of supervised release.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the SEC, which filed a civil action against ROBERTS after he pled guilty, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin V. Rodriguez is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Victim of assault in Bromley has died

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who was assaulted in Bromley on Sunday, 16 March has died.

    Police were called to Upper Elmers End Road, Bromley at 20:24hrs. Officers attended the scene alongside the London Ambulance Service and treated a man for head injuries before taking him to hospital.

    Sadly, despite the efforts of the emergency services the man died from his injuries on Wednesday, 19 March.

    Today, the man has been named as Andrew Clark who was 43 at the time of his death.

    His family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

    Demiesh Williams, 29 (10.06.1995) of Fir Tree Gardens, Croydon was charged with grievous bodily harm with intent on Tuesday, 18 March.

    He appeared before Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 18 March and was remanded into custody.

    He will next appear at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 15 April.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Springdale — Springdale RCMP investigates suspicious fire in Triton

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Springdale RCMP is investigating a suspicious fire that occurred on a residential property on Ocean Drive in Triton on March 18, 2025.

    At approximately 7:45 a.m. on Monday, police received the report. Upon police arrival, the house was fully engulfed in flames. The blaze was extinguished by firefighters.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone having information about the fire or those responsible are asked to contact Springdale RCMP at 709-673-3864. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dublin Man Pleads Guilty to Three Armed Bank Robberies

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A central Ohio man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to federal crimes related to three separate armed bank robberies. 

    Hussein A. Mohamed, 27, of Dublin, pleaded guilty to three counts of committing bank robbery, three counts of conspiring to commit bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

    Mohamed admitted to committing three armed bank robberies in Columbus within a week in April 2024.

    According to court documents, on April 11, 2024, Mohamed robbed the Telhio Credit Union on North Hamilton Road. He wore a dark Patagonia sweatshirt, light ripped jeans, white covid mask and black winter hat. Mohamed showed the bank teller a note on his cell phone that demanded cash and indicated he had a gun.

    On April 16, 2024, Mohamed committed two separate armed robberies.

    First, at approximately 4pm, he robbed a Fifth Third Bank on Bethel Road. He wore a red sweatshirt, light jeans, blue covid mask and black New Balance shoes. Again, he showed the teller a note on his phone demanding money and indicating he had a gun.

    About 45 minutes later, he committed another bank robbery, this time at Huntington Bank on North High Street. Mohamed had changed clothes between the robberies.

    At this final robbery, Mohamed showed his phone to one bank teller, who provided him with cash. He then told another teller to empty her drawer. When that victim told Mohamed she did not have any money in her drawer, Mohamed pulled a black firearm from the waist area of his pants, racked the slide on the handgun, and forced the tellers into the vault room while making threats.

    For reach of the three robberies, Mohamed conspired with another individual who was present in the vehicle used to travel to and from the robberies.

    Law enforcement officials recovered the clothing that Mohamed wore at each robbery, a loaded handgun, Mohamed’s wallet and identification at an apartment on Merriwick Crossing Drive in Columbus.

    He was arrested in May 2024.

    Bank robbery is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Conspiring to commit bank robbery carries a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence is punishable by a mandatory seven years and up to life in prison, to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. Assistant United States Attorneys Damoun Delaviz and Elizabeth A. Geraghty are representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Crofton Pastor Sentenced to Over Two Years in Federal Prison for Fraud and Tax Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Paducah, KY – A Crofton, Kentucky, man was sentenced last week to 2 years and 3 months in prison for fraud and tax offenses.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Marvin Upton, 58, was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for 3 counts of bank fraud and 3 counts of filing false tax returns. Until recently, Upton was the pastor at Crofton Pentecostal Church in Crofton, Kentucky. The bank fraud charges arose from Upton’s scheme during the years 2013 to 2016 to defraud one of his elderly parishioners who suffered from dementia. During that same time period Upton also submitted multiple false tax returns which omitted income from the fraud scheme.  

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    Upton was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $500,000 to the victim’s estate and $222,037 in restitution to the IRS.

    The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Madison T. Sewell and Corinne E. Keel prosecuted the case.

    This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the National Elder Justice Task Force and the Kentucky Elder Justice Task Force. The Department of Justice’s mission of its Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults. In response to the growing need and targeting areas of greatest concern, the Department of Justice stood up 10 task forces made up of 11 federal districts to combat a variety of elder abuse, including elder financial exploitation. Kentucky’s federal districts make up two of the 11 districts under the Initiative. Kentucky’s task force is comprised of investigators, prosecutors, and others at the local, state, and federal level with a common objective of protecting seniors across Kentucky.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gulfport Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun

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

    Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for the illegal possession of a machinegun. 
     

    According to court documents, Elijah Antonio Porter, 23, was found in possession of an illegal machine gun during a traffic stop in Gautier, Mississippi. During the traffic stop, law enforcement located a Glock pistol inside the vehicle, and a machine gun device, also known as a switch, was attached to the pistol. 
     

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

    The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Gautier Police Department investigated the case.
     

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter McCreight prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: OIP Announces Additional FOIA Training Dates for Fiscal Year 2025

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the Office of Information Policy (OIP) announces new dates for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) training for April through July.  As part of its responsibility to encourage agency compliance with the FOIA, OIP offers numerous training opportunities throughout the year for agency FOIA professionals and individuals with FOIA responsibilities. 

    These courses are designed to offer training opportunities for personnel from all stages of the FOIA workforce, from new hires to the experienced FOIA professionals or FOIA managers.  OIP will continue to offer virtual training sessions that will be taught in real-time by OIP instructors.  As we move into the Spring of Fiscal Year 2025, we are pleased to announce these virtual training courses, which are also listed on OIP’s Training page.

    The courses and dates scheduled for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2025 are:

    Introduction to the Freedom of Information Act
    April 8, 2025

    Processing a Request from Start to Finish 
    April 16, 2025

    Procedural Requirements, and Fee and Fee Waivers Training
    May 6, 2025

    Litigation Training
    May 14, 2025

    Administrative Appeals, FOIA Compliance, and Customer Service Training
    May 21, 2025

    Exemption 1 and Exemption 7 Training
    June 4, 2025

    Exemption 4 and Exemption 5 Training
    June 19, 2025

    Privacy Considerations Training
    July 10, 2025

    Continuing FOIA Education Training
    July 15, 2025

    Training courses are open to all federal government employees.  Descriptions of each course and registration links are available on the Training page of OIP’s site.  OIP manages all training registration through WebEx.  Registration will open one month prior to the date of the training.  Once the registration period begins, you may register by providing your name and email address on WebEx for that course.  Each attendee must register separately using their own government email address.  Please note that these training sessions are open to government personnel and contractors only.  Once you are registered, you will be sent a confirmation email from WebEx.

    OIP is also always available to provide individualized training sessions to any interested agency, which can be tailored to fit training needs.

    For questions or more information regarding any of OIP’s training opportunities, please contact OIP’s Training Coordinator at DOJ.OIP.FOIA@usdoj.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Man Indicted for False Claim to U.S. Citizenship, False Statement in Application for a Passport, and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Arturo Perez Ramirez, age 33, a citizen of Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury for False Claim to U.S. Citizenship, making a False Statement in Application for Passport, and Aggravated Identity Theft. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that Perez Ramirez applied for a U.S. Passport using the name, date of birth, place of birth, and social security number of another person to represent that he was a U.S. Citizen.  It is further alleged that in furtherance of that offense, Perez Ramirez utilized multiple means of identification of another actual person, including a state issued identification card and birth certificate.

    The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DOS-DSS) and United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.

    The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations.  All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Public called on to help identify Summer Disorder suspects

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    A national policing operation is working with the BBC’s Crimewatch Live to help identify those suspected of committing criminal offences during last summer’s disorder. 

    ACC Ian Drummond-Smith of Operation Navette will appear today (Thursday 20 March) to highlight some of the worst cases of criminal behaviour caught on camera during these incidents, and to appeal to the public to help forces locate those involved. Specifically, this edition of the programme will examine incidents that occured in Manchester, Staffordshire, and Bristol.

    Anyone with information about any of these individuals can contact the police via a special crime reporting portal: https://www.police.uk/disorder-appeal. 

    ACC Ian Drummond-Smith of Operation Navette, the national policing response to the summer disorder, previously said:

    “I’m grateful for the support shown by everyone at BBC Crimewatch Live in seeing this appeal come to fruition. We have selected the most violent and serious offences to feature in the program, alongside a larger gallery of wanted people published today on our website. Partnership work like this is a great example of how the public can help us to progress investigations and ensure that offenders face justice.

    “I would urge everyone to watch these episodes of Crimewatch Live, and to carefully explore our website to see if you recognise any of the suspects.  We know some people travelled great distances to take part in the disorder, so I’d urge you to review the images even if there was no disorder in your area.

    “Working with the CPS, and others in the criminal justice system, we are committed to bringing these offenders to justice keep our communities kept safe”.

    Earlier this month, representatives from Operation Navette and policing featured on an episode of Crimewatch Live that kickstarted series 21 of the famous documentary programme. Their segment on that particular episode – which featured suspects from Merseyside, Humberside, Cleveland, and Northumbria – can be watched back here:

    As always, those who wish to remain anonymous can report information via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or give information online.

    MIL Security OSI –