NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady County Man Arrested for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Gregory Magin, age 44, of Glenville, New York, was arrested on Friday on a criminal complaint charging him with distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    The criminal complaint alleges that from on or about July 18 through July 20, 2024, Magin distributed CSAM videos over the internet.  Magin sent CSAM videos to other users on an online chat application in order to get access to certain groups.  The charges in the complaint are merely accusations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Magin initially appeared Friday in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, March 18.

    The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case, with assistance from the New York State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Allen J. Vickey is prosecuting the case as Part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, and led by the 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, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in California Religious Land Use Lawsuit Brought by Small Christian Church

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SANTA ANA, California – The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in federal district court supporting a small Christian church’s claim that the City of Santa Ana violated its rights under the under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied the church’s zoning application to use space in the city’s professional district as a house of worship.            

    The statement of interest was filed in Anchor Stone Christian Church v. City of Santa Ana, a private lawsuit alleging that the City violated RLUIPA by enacting and enforcing zoning provisions that treat religious uses less favorably than secular places of assembly. The lawsuit alleges that the city’s professional district allows, as of right, nonreligious assembly uses like museums and art galleries, but only allows religious assembly uses with the city’s discretionary approval of a conditional use permit (CUP). 

    “Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Municipalities cannot create zoning districts that treat houses of worship worse than comparable secular assemblies. The Justice Department will vigorously protect the right of religious institutions to receive equal treatment under the law.”

    “RLUIPA prohibits local governments from treating religious assembly uses like the Anchor Stone Church worse than comparable nonreligious assemblies,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Zoning codes violate RLUIPA when they make it more difficult for people to gather for religious worship than for secular purposes. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigilantly enforce RLUIPA’s protections and ensure that religious groups have equal access to places to worship as a community.” 

    The lawsuit alleges that Anchor Stone is a small Christian church of first-generation Chinese and Taiwanese Americans. It obtained space within the city’s professional district and applied for a CUP to operate a Church but was denied by the city. The Church filed a motion for preliminary injunction, seeking an order allowing it to worship at its property. The Department’s statement of interest supports the Church’s argument that the zoning code, on its face, treats religious uses less favorably than nonreligious assembly uses, in violation of RLUIPA’s equal terms provision, and that the city has failed to justify this unequal treatment.

    RLUIPA is a federal law that protects persons and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s efforts to enforce it can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage.

    As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Additionally, as part of a series on combating religious discrimination and promoting awareness of RLUIPA, the department hosted an outreach forum last year with land use practitioners and religious leaders at Fowler School of Law at Chapman University in Orange County, California.

    Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section at (213) 894-2879 or the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal. More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Airman Stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base Charged with Murder of Missing Woman

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged an airman stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, with Second Degree Murder.

    Quinterius Charles Chappelle, age 24, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann on March 17, 2025, and pleaded not guilty to a federal Criminal Complaint.

    The maximum penalty upon conviction is life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Restitution may also be ordered.

    The complaint charges Chappelle with killing Sahela Toka Win Sangrait on Ellsworth Air Force Base in August 2024. Sangrait’s body was found earlier this month in a wooded area near Hill City, South Dakota.

    “This charge, filed just ten days after the victim’s remains were discovered, reflects the dogged work of federal, state, and local law enforcement professionals who seamlessly collaborated to run down every lead with absolute expediency and care,” said Alison Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “Under the criminal justice system, this charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty; the facts and evidence in this case will be litigated before a federal judge and jury. At this time, our hearts are with the victim’s family and friends, who after many agonizing months of searching for answers, are now grieving the tragic death of their loved one.”

    The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Benjamin Schroeder are prosecuting the case. 

    Chappelle was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Indicted for Re-Entry of Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, age 27, a native of Honduras, was indicted on March 13, 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.

    According to the filed indictment, on or about March 7  2025, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the defendant, EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ, was found in the United States, after having been officially deported and removed therefrom, on or about June 8, 2018.

    EDGARDO AMADOR-RODRIGUEZ faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, if convicted of re-entry of a removed alien.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge, and the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    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).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Utah Man Admits to Defrauding his Employer of Approximately $1.7M

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Davis County man pleaded guilty in court today to embezzling approximately $1.7 million from his employer for his own benefit.

    Timothy Sean Edgar, 44, of Farmington, Utah, was charged by felony information March 11, 2025, for wire fraud and money laundering.

    According to court documents and admissions made at the change of plea hearing, beginning in 2021 and continuing until October 2024, Edgar defrauded his employer to obtain money and property by stealing and lying. As part of Edgar’s scheme, he fraudulently opened a sales channel through a popular online marketplace and used his employment credentials to access the vendor portal and redirect Automated Clearing House payments to his personal bank account. Edgar then made payments back to his employer using his personal credit card.  Edgar embezzled approximately $1,778,251 from his employer.

    Edgar is scheduled to be sentenced August 7, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

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

    The case is being investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the North Salt Lake City Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf and Jacob J. Strain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Britain Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDDIE LIMAS, 35, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force received information that Limas and others were receiving kilogram quantities of fentanyl from sources in the Dominican Republic, storing the drug at a stash house in the Bronx, New York, and distributing it in central Connecticut.  Between January and April 2022, investigators made five controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Limas.

    On May 13, 2022, Connecticut State Police stopped a vehicle driven by Limas’ uncle, Hector Limas, on I-84 in Danbury after investigators suspected that he had delivered narcotics to Eddie Limas’ residence on Chapman Street in New Britain.  A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 700 grams of fentanyl and approximately $19,000 in cash.

    Also on May 13, 2022, law enforcement attempted to arrest Eddie Limas in Hartford, but he crashed his vehicle into a Hartford police cruiser and fled at a high rate of speed.  At the same time, investigators maintaining surveillance at Eddie Limas’ residence saw a neighbor remove bags and boxes from the residence, lock them in a car that was parked in front, and give the key fob to Carmen Hernandez, who had also exited the residence.  A search of the car revealed more than two kilograms of fentanyl, more than 300 grams of cocaine, approximately one kilogram of marijuana, items used to process and package narcotics, and a .380 caliber pistol.  Hernandez also possessed a quantity of fentanyl, and a search of Limas’ residence revealed a loaded .40 caliber pistol and additional narcotics.

    Eddie Limas eluded capture until May 9, 2023, when he was arrested in New Britain after conducting additional drug sales.  He has been detained since his arrest.  On September 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Hector Limas, 59, of the Bronx, and Hernandez, 61, of Hartford, pleaded guilty to related charges.  On November 8, 2023, Hector Limas was sentenced to 90 months of imprisonment, and on January 14, 2025, Hernandez was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.

    This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, the Hartford Police Department, the East Hartford Police Department, the New Britain Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Woman Accused of $177,000 Pandemic-Era Tax Credit Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A woman from St. Louis, Missouri has been accused of fraudulently obtaining $177,000 in pandemic-era tax refunds.

    Ayana J. Brown, 33, was indicted February 20 on two felony counts of theft of government property. She turned herself in Monday and pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

    The indictment says that on Dec. 22, 2022, Brown filed two fraudulent quarterly employment tax returns (IRS Form 941s) with the IRS on behalf of Yaya Flowtiques LLC. Brown falsely claimed the company had five employees and paid approximately $177,321 in wages for the first quarter of 2021 and $145,098 in wages for the second quarter, the indictment says.  In fact, Yaya Flowtiques had no employees during this time, the indictment says.  Brown fraudulently claimed credits under the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERC) program, resulting in two U.S. Treasury checks totaling $177,000 in refunds that were mailed to Brown, the indictment says.

    The ERC was a tax credit designed to encourage businesses to retain employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Generally, businesses qualified for the ERC if they were shut down by a government order, experienced a 50% decline in gross receipts or qualified as a recovery startup business and if they paid qualified wages to employees during the pandemic.

    Each theft of government property charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and fine

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison for Federal Gun and Drug Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Antonio Sorondo Jr., 52, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 12 years and seven months in prison for conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and cocaine as well as illegally possessing firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, in January and February 2022, Sorondo conspired with others to possess and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. On Feb. 1, 2022, when law enforcement officers tried to contact Sorondo, he fled and tossed a firearm over a chain-link fence. The officers apprehended Sorondo and then recovered the abandoned, loaded firearm. Two weeks later, a police officer arrested Sorondo in possession of another two firearms and about 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Sorondo is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior felony convictions.

    This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.

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

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Lawsuit Seeking Permanent Injunction Against Two Tax Preparers Based in Koreatown and Reseda

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against two defendants who allegedly prepared false federal tax returns under the names of a business with storefronts in the San Fernando Valley and the Koreatown area of Los Angeles.

    Luis Alberto Mijangos and George Louis Montalvan are the defendants named in the lawsuit, which seeks to permanently stop them from preparing or filing federal tax returns.

    According to the lawsuit, Mijangos and Montalvan prepared false tax returns under several business names, including Luismi Services Inc., Luismi Services, Luismi Income Tax Services, and CYL Professional Services. Mijangos and Montalvan allegedly used that business, which has storefronts in Koreatown and Reseda, to perpetuate an unlawful tax scheme in which they filed fraudulent tax returns that reported deductions, credits, exemptions, or other tax items for which their customers were not qualified to receive. From 2019 to 2022, the defendants filed at least 1,800 federal income tax returns with the IRS.

    The IRS issued tax refunds based on the fabricated tax items, but customers did not receive the refunds. Instead, Mijangos and Montalvan allegedly diverted the refunds into bank accounts they owned or controlled.

    For example, one customer paid $300 to the defendants to prepare and file her 2019 federal income tax return. The defendants provided this customer with a copy of a federal income tax return that reported a balance due in the amount of $364. The defendants indicated that version of the return would be filed with the IRS.

    Instead, the defendants allegedly filed a tax return that reported a refund in the amount of $3,965. The claimed refund was based upon dependents and education credits that the defendants fabricated and falsely reported on the return. The customer never received the refund reported on the IRS version of her return. Instead, the defendants diverted the entire refund to a bank account owned or controlled by the defendants.

    The claims mentioned in the lawsuit are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $79,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website and the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page.

    Assistant United States Attorney John D. Ellis of the Civil Division’s Tax Section is representing the United States in this matter.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Indicted for Re-Entry of Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” age 39, a native of Mexico, was indicted on March 13, 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.

    According to the filed indictment, on or about October 26, 2024, in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the defendant, ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,”, was found in the United States, after having been officially deported and removed therefrom, on or about December 26, 2018

    ENRIQUE TORRES-BEIZA, a/k/a “Enrique B. Torres,” faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, if convicted of  re-entry of a removed alien.

    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).

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Southern Utah Man Facing Sex Trafficking Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. GEORGE, Utah – A man accused of forcing a victim to engage in commercial sex acts and forcing the victim to provide him with the proceeds while he was behind bars for an unrelated state offense appeared in court today for federal sex trafficking charges.

    Aaron Kern, 27, most recently of St. George, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 11, 2025. During his initial appearance on the indictment, he was ordered detained by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Kohler in St. George.

    According to court documents, from November 2023 to December 2024, Kern allegedly recruited and violently threatened a victim to engage in commercial sex acts and provide him with a large portion of the proceeds.  Kern’s illegal acts to traffic an individual for sex acts were allegedly committed while Kern was incarcerated for an unrelated state offense. Kern also forced the victim to attempt to smuggle suboxone, a controlled substance, into the correctional facility where he was housed. When the victim demonstrated any resistance to Kern’s attempts to have her engage in commercial sex acts, he would threaten her. On one occasion, he told the victim, “obviously the only thing that is going to work is me breaking your face when you don’t want to listen,” and “you are going to have a lot of days where you are drinking through a straw.”

    Kern also made threats to the victim regarding her family members’ safety. During the investigation, law enforcement found online prostitution advertisements that Kern dictated and ordered the victim to place. Investigators also found in Kern’s jail cell a handwritten contract that he wanted the victim to sign as well as handwritten notes and journal entries describing how he needed to break the victim down.

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

    The case is being investigated by the Washington County Drug/Gang Task Force.

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 750 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Second week in March.

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    President Trump has been clear that securing the Southwestern Border of the United States is a priority of the absolute highest level. To that end, the Department of Justice is prosecuting every possible immigration violation, including first-time illegal entry cases, and is seeking a meaningful prison sentence in every possible case.

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Western Texas, Southern Texas, New Mexico, and Central California charged more than 750 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    “The District of Arizona has brought immigration-related criminal charges against 232 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 92 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 124 aliens for illegally entering the United States.”

    “The Western District of Texas announced [Friday], that federal prosecutors in the district filed 215 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases. Several individuals were charged with illegal reentry after deportation, after being found in local area jails.”

    The Southern District of Texas announced Friday “A total of 245 new cases have been filed. Of those, 115 are charged with illegally re-entering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses. A total 118 face charges of illegally entering the country, 10 cases involve various instances of human smuggling, and the remainder relate to firearms and assault of federal officers.”

    The Central District of California “filed charges against 16 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States after being removed. Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felony offenses before they were removed from the U.S., offenses that include sexual abuse of children. One of the defendants is charged in state court with a murder in Inglewood last month.”

    The District of New Mexico “brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 38 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), 5 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 22 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325).”

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Upgraded FOIA.gov Search Tool Delivers Improved Results

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The FOIA.gov Search Tool was recently upgraded to leverage advancements in machine learning. This upgrade is expected to significantly improve the results and resources it delivers to the public.  Initially launched in October 2023, the Search Tool helps users locate already-public information or the correct agency to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

    The Search Tool contains guided journeys for users seeking commonly-requested records, such as travel or military records, as well as a search box for custom queries.  Since launch, users have submitted almost 200,000 common topic or custom query searches.  In response to custom queries, the Search Tool recommends federal agencies likely to have responsive records and directs users to documents already posted by agencies on their agency websites that may satisfy the query.  Previously, the Search Tool generated these results based on agency mission statements, FOIA logs, and the titles of agencies’ posted frequently requested records.

    Since October 2023, advancements in machine learning technology have made significant improvement to the Search Tool possible.  After ingesting over 40,000 documents from over 3,500 publicly available FOIA Libraries using a new data ingestion tool and extensive testing and refining of the model, the improved Search Tool delivers document results based on the complete contents of published documents (not only the title, as was done previously), in addition to mission statements and FOIA logs.  This improves the accuracy of both the agencies it recommends and the documents it suggests.  Moving forward, the Search Tool will be updated quarterly with newly published material from agency FOIA Libraries to keep the results current.

    We encourage agencies and the public to engage with the improved Search Tool and provide feedback.  To learn more about the Search Tool and to provide suggestions, visit the How it Works page.  OIP is always interested in improving the usability of FOIA.gov and will continue to monitor and improve the performance of the Search Tool to make it easier for the public to locate government information. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Drug and Machinegun Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –LOVON WHITE (“WHITE”), age 22, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to possession with the intent to distribute tapentadol and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 841(b)(1)(D); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).

    According to court documents, WHITE used social media to sell drugs and machinegun conversion devices. These are devices that turn a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic firearm.  In June of 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at WHITE’s residence and recovered an Anderson Manufacturing Model AM-15 pistol and a Glock Model 21, .45 caliber pistol, both equipped with machinegun conversion devices; tapentadol and marijuana that WHITE intended to sell; drug trafficking supplies; and hundreds of dollars in drug sale proceeds.

    Pursuant to the plea agreement, WHITE will serve 10 years in prison. WHITE also faces a term of supervised release of at least three years up to life.  Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee 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.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced to More than 3 Years in Federal Prison for Resisting Arrest During Alien Smuggling Attempt

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – A Texas man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 41 months in prison for resisting arrest and endangering a United States Border Patrol agent in 2022.

    According to court documents, Draylon Floyd, 25, was driving on Highway 277 near Del Rio on May 26, 2022. A USBP agent noticed several passengers in the back seat, crouched down in an attempt to conceal themselves. The agent conducted a traffic stop and, instead of pulling onto the road’s shoulder, Floyd simply stopped in the righthand lane. The USBP agent conducted an immigration inspection on three backseat passengers, determining that they were Guatemalan nationals without any legal authority or documentation to have entered or remain in the U.S.

    The agent instructed Floyd to turn off the engine and informed him that he was under arrest. Floyd opened his door just partially, and when the agent grabbed his wrist to remove him from the vehicle, Floyd pushed away, turned on the car’s ignition and shifted the car into drive. The vehicle moved several feet as the agent struggled with Floyd over control of the steering wheel and gear shift. He succeeded in shifting the vehicle into neutral just as Floyd slammed his foot on the gas pedal. The agent then turned off the vehicle, drew his service weapon, and arrested Floyd. During the arrest of Floyd’s passenger, Ryan Matthew Brashier, who is also a U.S. citizen, the agent discovered a cell phone that displayed their GPS route back home.

    The three illegal aliens in the backseat were lawfully arrested and transported to the Border Patrol station for further investigation and processing. A plea agreement states that Floyd and Brashier had picked up the three aliens at a church around 11pm on May 25, honking four times per a pre-arranged signal. Each of the migrants had traveled for more than two weeks from Guatemala after their families paid at least $10,000 each to an alien smuggling organization. 

    Brashier was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on July 10, 2024.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    USBP investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Memphis Man Sentenced to 220 Months Imprisonment for Trafficking 14-Year-Old Girl to New Orleans for Commercial Sex

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JEREMY TALBERT (a/k/a “J-Nasty,” a/k/a “Jay Nastie”) (“TALBERT”), age 29, from Memphis, Tenn., was sentenced on March 12, 2025, after previously pleading guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), 1591(b)(2), 1594(a), and 2, by  U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk to 220 months in prison.  TALBERT was also sentenced to ten (10) years of supervised release after  release from prison. Judge Africk further ordered TALBERT to pay $47,000 in restitution to the victim, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  TALBERT will also have to register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, TALBERT brought a fourteen-year-old female (“Minor Victim”) from Memphis to New Orleans to have  her engage in commercial sex acts between in or about October 2020 and on or about December 17, 2020.  During this time, TALBERT was aware of Minor Victim’s age from her mother, who informed TALBERT that Minor Victim was missing.  TALBERT falsely told Minor Victim’s mother that he would help locate Minor Victim and bring her home.

    Instead, TALBERT advertised Minor Victim on websites commonly used to advertise sexual services in exchange for money.  TALBERT directed and supervised Minor Victim when she  performed commercial sex acts including, setting the fee  sexual acts, waiting in a nearby vehicle while Minor Victim solicited “dates,” requiring Minor Victim to share her location via phone with him, and providing  condoms for her use during commercial sex dates.  TALBERT required Minor Victim to earn approximately $1,000 per day from commercial sex acts and, kept all or most of the money she earned.

    TALBERT trafficked Minor Victim until December 17, 2020, when law enforcement officers encountered them during the execution of a search warrant at a hotel in New Orleans. During the search warrant, agents seized approximately $1,223 in United States currency, a black handgun, and TALBERT’s Phone, which connected him to the trafficking of Minor Victim.

    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.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Memphis Police Department, in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit and Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, are in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Sentenced for Illegal Use of Social Security Number to Obtain Employment

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE DAVID SANCHEZ (“SANCHEZ”), age 28, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on March 13, 2025 for illegally using a social security number to qualify for employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).

    United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced SANCHEZ to time served (approximately 4 months), 1 year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, SANCHEZ used the Social Security number of a United States citizen in an initial application to obtain employment.  On September 30, 2020, SANCHEZ arrived at the Gulf Coast Safety Council office in St. Rose, Louisiana to complete the safety course to finalize his employment with Company “A.”  On that day, SANCHEZ presented a fraudulent United States Social Security card bearing the name and United States Social Security number of a United States citizen, which he represented to be his own, in order to obtain employment.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

     

                                

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Indicted for Drug and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On March 13, 2025, a federal grand jury returned four separate indictments against Brown Brotherhood Gang Members Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina, 32, of Vallejo; Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa, 22, of Vallejo; Doroteo Suastegui, 47, of Vallejo; and Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana, 22, of Dixon, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, the Brown Brotherhood gang is a subset of the Sureño gang and has been a frequent target of investigations of the Vallejo Police Department and the Solano County Violent Crime Task Force. The primary criminal activities of this gang have included murder, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, burglary, and stolen vehicles. The current investigation began in February 2024 and led to searches and arrests on Feb. 27, 2025. FBI agents and task force officers arrested these four members of the Brown Brotherhood gang on that day for federal drug trafficking and firearms charges.

    Contraband seized from search warrants executed on Feb. 27, 2025.

    The indictment against Leo Alphonzo Alonso-Medina charges counts of distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, unlawful dealing in firearms, and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted, Alonso-Medina faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

    The indictment against Jeremiah I’amafana Salanoa charges three counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Salanoa faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

    The indictment against Doroteo Suastegui charges counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawful dealing in firearms. If convicted, Suastegui faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. 

    Finally, the indictment against Carlos Osvaldo Higuera-Aldana charges three counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. If convicted, Higuera-Aldana faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

    These cases are the product of investigations by the FBI Violent Crime Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fairfield Police Department, the Vacaville Police Department, the Vallejo Police Department, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, R. Alex Cárdenas, and Adrian Kinsella are prosecuting these four federal cases.

    Any sentence imposed 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Slidell Man Pleads Guilty of 10,593 Gram Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy, Firearm Possession by Felon, and Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that GREGORY SMITH (“SMITH”), age 41, of Slidell, pled guilty on March 13, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, over 400 grams of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846 (Count 1).  SMITH also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8) (Count 2).  Finally, SMITH pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1957 (Counts 3-5).

    According to court documents, SMITH conspired with others to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana and elsewhere.  On May 4, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) searched SMITH’s residence and seized approximately 10,593.572 grams of fentanyl, 3.76 grams of cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, including two digital scales with fentanyl residue, a rectangle cake pan with fentanyl residue, multiple blenders with fentanyl residue, and a vacuum sealer with fentanyl residue.  Law enforcement also seized $15,520 in United States currency and a loaded Masterpiece Arms MPA Defender, nine-millimeter semi-automatic submachine gun, with an extended magazine.  In July and August of 2021, SMITH structured cash deposits of his illegal narcotics proceeds into an account at a bank, then sent a wire to a credit union account using the funds to pay-off the balance on a car and purchase a $27,617.55 official check payable to a title company.  This official check was used at the closing for the purchase of SMITH’s residence.  SMITH also used $48,931 in illegal drug proceeds to purchase a 2018 Maserati Levante.

    SMITH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least 5 years of supervised release for Count 1.  SMITH also faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  SMITH faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for each count of engaging in monetary transactions derived from specified unlawful activity.  He also faces a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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.

    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.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Louisiana State Police.  Assistant United States Attorneys Rachal Cassagne and André Jones of the Narcotics Unit are in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Colombian Man Illegally in the United States Pleads Guilty to Participating in Armed Robbery at Hotel in Beverly Hills Last Year

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – An illegal alien from Colombia pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for participating in the armed robbery of a victim at a Beverly Hills hotel and belonging to a robbery crew that possessed a firearm once registered to the late former Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Dorner.

    Jamer Mauricio Sepulveda Salazar, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). Sepulveda has been in federal custody since August 2024.

    According to his plea agreement, Sepulveda was the getaway driver during the August 7, 2024, armed robbery of a victim identified in court documents as “T.A.” On that date during dinnertime, two unidentified robbers held the victim at gunpoint inside the patio of “THE Blvd,” a restaurant located within the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. The robbers stole a Patek Philippe Nautilus wristwatch from T.A. at gunpoint. T.A. reported that his watch was valued at approximately $1 million. 

    Sepulveda and his co-defendant, Jesus Eduardo Bryan Padron Rojas, 20, an illegal alien from Venezuela, cased the area two day before the robbery trying to find T.A.’s watch, which they and their co-conspirators valued at $1.3 million.

    The crew coincidentally stumbled upon another victim walking in Beverly Hills wearing a $30,000 Rolex wristwatch. A member of Sepulveda’s crew stole that wristwatch at gunpoint.

    During this time, the robbery crew stayed at an Airbnb and possessed multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber handgun loaded with 12 rounds of .45-caliber ammunition. The gun previously was registered to Dorner, known for committing a series of murders before dying in a standoff with law enforcement in February 2013. 

    United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled a July 14 sentencing hearing, at which time Sepulveda will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. 

    Criminal charges are still pending against Padron.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the Beverly Hills Police Department, and the Blythe (California) Police Department investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Jena A. MacCabe and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this matter.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Maryland Unemployment Insurance Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Defendant obtained people’s personal information to file false and fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Devante Smith, 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with his role in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme. Through the conspiracy, victims lost at least $298,685. 

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the guilty plea, beginning in June of 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Smith engaged in a conspiracy to defraud and obtain money under fraudulent pretenses in connection with an unemployment insurance scheme.  Smith obtained personal identifiable information of identity victims to fraudulently file claims for unemployment insurance with the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL).

    Smith and his co-conspirators used the unemployment insurance benefits, which were designated to assist persons who were unemployed or underemployed due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal use. Additionally, Smith and co-defendant Tiia Woods, 47, of Jacksonville, Florida, stole identification cards, social security cards, and/or birth certificates from identity victims, to submit with fraudulent UI applications to MD-DOL.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized increased unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits.  UI benefits have historically been a state and federal program that provided monetary benefits to eligible workers.  The CARES Act expanded states’ ability to provide UI benefits for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including self-employed workers or independent contractors, who would not normally be eligible for UI benefits. 

    The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

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

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI, along with Bank of America – Detection and Complex Investigations Fraud Rings and Analytics, for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evelyn Lombardo Cusson and Harry M. Gruber who prosecuted the federal case

    For more information on 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –BRYAN SPEARS (“SPEARS”) , age 21, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on March 12, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court documents, on September 1, 2023, SPEARS was in the front passenger seat of a stolen car in Joe Brown Park in New Orleans.  After he was ordered out of the car, New Orleans Police Department officers recovered a Glock Model 17 firearm that was partially hidden underneath SPEARS’s seat.  The firearm was equipped with an extended magazine and loaded with 29 live rounds.

    SPEARS faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee 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 New Orleans Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fresno, California, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for receipt of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Alberto Padilla, 23.

    According to information presented to the Court, between June and October of 2021, Padilla, while in California, communicated with a 13-year-old minor located in the Western District of Pennsylvania. During his communications with the minor, Padilla sought and received materials depicting the sexual exploitation of the minor.

    During the imposition of sentence, Judge Hardy noted both the serious nature of Padilla’s conduct and the ongoing harm that such activity can have on children who are victims of such crimes.

    Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Department of Homeland Security and Peters Township Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Padilla.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: ‘Bearded Bandit’ Bank Robber Sentenced for New Year’s Eve 2019 Robbery

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

    PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cranston man, previously referred to as the “Bearded Bandit,” and who served more than six years in federal prison for robbing nine banks in 2012, was sentenced on Friday to time served (62 months) for robbing an East Providence bank on New Year’s Eve in December 2019, and for violating the terms of his supervised release related to his previous convictions, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Justin Worley, 44, was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Court Senior Judge William E. Smith. In addition to the imposition of a sentence of times served, Worley is ordered to serve a term of three years of supervised release, the first six months in a residential reentry center. Additionally, he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $11,569.

    Worley pleaded guilty on October 30, 2024, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. He has been detained since his arrest on January 21, 2020.

    In pleading guilty, Worley admitted to the court that on New Year’s Eve Day in December 2019,  he and a co-defendant approached bank tellers inside an East Providence bank branch and demanded that they empty their money drawers. The second man, Nicholas Lage, 39, brandished a knife during the robbery. Between them, the two men fled the bank with approximately $11,569. They were located and arrested later that evening at Twin River casino.

    The court found that Worley violated the terms of his federal supervised release imposed at sentencing related to his conviction for robbing nine banks in 2012.

    Nicholas Lage pleaded guilty on April 1, 2021, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery.  He was sentenced on August 6, 2021, to 36 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of federal supervised release.

    The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.

    The matter was investigated by the East Providence Police Department and the FBI.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced To 45 Months’ Imprisonment For Illegally Reentering And Unlawfully Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara has sentenced Horus Samuel Marquez Villatoro (31) to three years and nine months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a removed alien, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by an alien illegally in the United States. The court also ordered the defendant to forfeit the firearm and ammunition that he illegally possessed. Marquez Villatoro pled guilty on December 18, 2024.

    According to court documents, Marquez Villatoro, a citizen of Mexico with no legal status in the United States, was removed from the United States on three previous occasions before reentering unlawfully sometime after 2019. On January 23, 2024, the defendant was found in Hillsborough County driving a car that contained a black Glock 17 9mm pistol, an extended magazine, and over 100 rounds of ammunition. Marquez Villatoro knew that the firearm and ammunition were in the car, and that he was an alien and unlawfully in the United States.

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey N. Schmidt.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Sentenced To Two Years In Federal Prison For Trafficking Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Jonen Castillo (24, Orlando) to two years in federal prison for smuggling goods from the United States. The court also ordered Castillo to forfeit two Glock pistols, which were involved in the offense. Castillo entered a guilty plea on November 25, 2024.

    According to court records, in June 2023, Castillo concealed five firearms and nine firearm magazines inside record players and mailed them to a friend residing in Canada.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Arkansas Man Convicted of Armed Bank Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted BRIAN KEITH MAYS, 58, of Arkansas, of committing armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On January 21, 2025, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Superseding Indictment, charging Mays with armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On March 13, 2025, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found Mays guilty of both counts.

    According to evidence presented at trial, on July 5, 2024, Mays brandished a pistol at the FNB Community Bank in Harrah, Oklahoma, and demanded money from the tellers. The tellers complied, and Mays left the bank with $12,123.00. Agents with the FBI reviewed surveillance footage from the bank and an adjoining store, where they viewed Mays flee the scene. An eyewitness was able to obtain the tag number of the get-away vehicle, and an investigation into that car led authorities to Mays. Location data from Mays’s cell phone showed that Mays was in the area of the bank at the time of the robbery and visited a Walmart shortly after the robbery. While at Walmart, Mays transferred approximately $3,000.00 dollars to a person in Arkansas and could be seen on surveillance video pulling a large amount of cash from his pocket to pay for an item.

    At sentencing, Mays faces up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000.00.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City and Fort Smith Field Offices, Harrah Police Department, Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Drew E. Davis are prosecuting the case.

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

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Fentanyl Using a Rideshare

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A Lawrence, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord in connection to his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Hamet Badia, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for June 30, 2025.

    According to the court documents and statements made in court, between February 9, 2022, and June 2, 2022, Badia was a drug runner for his co-defendant. The co-defendant negotiated with an undercover agent to sell fentanyl powder and pressed oxycodone pills and directed Badia to deliver the drugs. For example, on June 2, 2022, the undercover agent arranged to purchase 400 grams of fentanyl, and 200 oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl from the co-defendant. Badia met the co-defendant and the undercover agent at the designated meeting spot, arriving by rideshare, to deliver a green shoebox containing fentanyl powder and oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Overall, Badia personally delivered 466.7 grams of fentanyl during the conspiracy.

    The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. 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.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Hampton Police Department provided valuable assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Chinese Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison in Scheme Targeting Hundreds of U.S. Consumers and Multiple U.S. Retailers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Four Chinese nationals were sentenced to federal prison today for their participation in a complex scheme that involved the theft of hundreds of identities to defraud multiple domestic retailers out of at least $1.2 million.

    A fifth co-conspirator was previously sentenced to more than four years in prison, and a sixth is awaiting sentencing following a guilty plea.

    As part of the scheme, these six defendants stole the victims’ identities – including their Social Security numbers, dates of birth and home addresses – and used that information to make fake driver’s licenses that were used to access credit in the victims’ names at large national retailers, including Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Williams-Sonoma, Dillard’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

    The four defendants, all Chinese nationals who entered the country under false pretenses, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson. All four pleaded guilty on January 6. They are:

    • Kar Kee “Steven” Cheung, 36, of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of visa fraud, one count of possession of equipment used to manufacture false identification documents, and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud;
    • Qian Guo, 37, of Chino Hills, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for one count of possession of equipment used to manufacture false identification documents and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud;
    • Chongming “Ming” Wang, 28, of Temple City, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aiding and abetting access device fraud in excess of $1,000; and
    • Jiaozhu “Yanny” Yan, 30, of Alhambra, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison for one count of visa fraud.

    Previously in this case, Sizhen “Rachel” Liu, 35, also a Chinese national and a resident of Chino Hills, was sentenced on January 6 to 50 months in federal prison for one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of access device fraud in excess of $1,000.

    The sixth defendant in the case, Hyun Woo “Scott” Jung, 30, of Ontario, pleaded guilty on February 10 to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of possession with intent to use unlawfully five or more false identification documents. Jung is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Wilson on May 5.

    The ongoing investigation in this matter is being conducted by the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The DSS Los Angeles Field Office has created a tipline to solicit information confidentially from sources with information about this scheme. Security and loss prevention personnel from large national retailers, particularly those identified above, are encouraged to contact the DSS LA Retail Fraud Tipline if they have information about Los Angeles-area transactions closely matching this scheme. Suspects using fake driver’s licenses as part of this scheme may also be opening retail-branded credit accounts in the victims’ names.

    During this investigation, DSS has received substantial assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, with additional support coming from the Alhambra Police Department, the Arcadia Police Department, and the Bel Air, Maryland Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kim Meyer of the Violent and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Santa Teresa Man Charged with Assaulting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Employees

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Santa Teresa man faces federal charges for multiple incidents involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

    According to court documents, on February 11, 2025, Andrew Josiah Segura, 28, allegedly verbally threatened a U.S. Border Patrol agent at a Love’s Travel Stop, calling him a “traitor” and saying, “I will smack the shit out of you.” This confrontation was followed by another incident on February 19, 2025, when Segura allegedly confronted two CBP employees wearing CBP-issued uniforms at a post office. He verbally threatened one employee, calling him a “traitor” and saying, “You better watch your back,” before physically assaulting a second employee by pushing him and engaging in a physical altercation that left bruises on the employee’s arm.

    Witnesses reported that Segura‘s actions appeared unprovoked and were specifically targeted at the CBP employees because of their employment, as he did not bother anyone else at the post office.

    Segura will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Segura faces eight years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard C. Williams and Grant Gardner are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –