NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Davidson and Davie County Men Sentenced for Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREENSBORO, NC – Two North Carolina man have recently been sentenced to more than ten years in prison each for possession of child pornography by the Honorable Catherine C. Eagles, Senior United States District Judge in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina (MDNC) in unrelated cases, announced Randall S. Galyon, Acting United States Attorney for the MDNC. 

    DAVID ARNOLD SHARPE, 41, of Davidson County, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison plus 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography. The sentence will run consecutive to a 24-month sentence for the revocation of supervised release in a prior case.

    According to court documents, SHARPE, a registered sex offender, was on federal supervised release when he admitted to his probation officer that he possessed an unauthorized device and child pornography. United States Probation Officers searched SHARPE’s residence where they located a cell phone that contained child pornography. Less than three weeks later, SHARPE was identified by investigators from the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) after a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) tip revealed that a Facebook user in Davidson County was suspected of uploading images of suspected child pornography to the platform. After going to Sharpe’s residence, investigators discovered SHARPE’s unauthorized phone had already been seized and they contacted the United States Probation Office and took over the investigation. Further investigation revealed SHARPE had been trading child pornography in groups online.    

    On March 14, 2025, LUIGI CARCIATI, age 49, of Davie County, was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for possessing child pornography in October 2023. He was also ordered to pay $74,000 in restitution. According to court documents, multiple tips from NCMEC led to the execution of a search warrant at CARCIATI’s Mocksville residence where investigators located a tablet and cell phone containing child pornography. A review of the devices also revealed CARCIATI had secretly recorded minors in the bathroom at La Vita e Bella, a Mocksville restaurant CARCIATI owned and operated. During execution of a search warrant at the restaurant, investigators located two hidden cameras in the women’s restroom, and a third one in a drawer under the cash register.

    The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), the United States Probation Office, and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) assisted with the SHARPE investigation. The Davie County Sheriff’s Office, NCSBI, and HSI assisted in the CARCIATI investigation. Both cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kennedy Gates and Karla Painter.

    The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Beckley Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Beckley Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kimberly Rosetta Logan, 48, of Beckley, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl. Logan admitted to her role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine base, also known as “crack,” in Beckley and elsewhere within the Southern District of West Virginia.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2024, Logan sold a quantity of fentanyl to a confidential informant at her residence in Beckley. Logan admitted to the transaction and to distributing additional amounts of fentanyl and cocaine to other individuals while using some herself throughout May 2024. Logan ordered an average of 8 grams of fentanyl and 4 grams of cocaine per week from her Beckley-based supplier by phone during that time period, receiving the controlled substances at her residence.

    Logan has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions including for battery, obstruction of an officer, numerous shoplifting offenses, and controlled substances offenses.

    Logan is among 12 individuals indicted on charges alleging the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine base within the Southern District of West Virginia from in or about June 2023 to in or about May 2024. All 12 have pleaded guilty, including two defendants who pleaded guilty to separate charges in lieu of the offenses alleged in the indictment.

    Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

    Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-90.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Broward Man Pleads Guilty to Impersonating U.S. Citizen to Vote in Federal Election

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

    MIAMI – Carlos Abreu, 36, of Sunrise, Fla., has pleaded guilty in two consolidated federal cases (24cr60155 and 25cr60015) to the following charges: (1) falsely claiming United States citizenship to register to vote; (2) using a United States citizen’s name to vote; (3) possessing firearms as an alien without lawful status; (4) making false statements in support of a passport application; and (5) aggravated identity theft.

    According to the two factual proffers, Abreu entered the United States without inspection and, in 2007, assumed the identity of the victim, “C.R.V.” Between 2007 and his August 2024 arrest, Abreu held himself out as “C.R.V.” to Federal, state, and local government agencies. The victim, “C.R.V.,” is a United States citizen living in Puerto Rico who did not know Abreu.

    Abreu obtained a Florida driver’s license in 2007.  He registered to vote under the name “C.R.V.” in 2016, and renewed his registration in 2020. He admitted to voting in federal elections in 2016 and 2022. Abreu also admitted to obtaining a Florida concealed carry permit in “C.R.V.’s” name and purchasing four firearms. Abreu also conceded that, in 2021, he had attempted to obtain U.S. passports for his two minor daughters as well as himself, using “C.R.V.’s” name and personal identifying information, all without lawful authorization.

    Abreu is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10, 2025, before U.S. District Judge David S. Leibowitz.  Abreu faces up to fifteen years on the gun possession count, ten years on the passport counts, five years on the voting counts, and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Conklin of the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    DSS’ Miami Field Office investigated the case.  The DSS San Juan Resident Office in Puerto Rico and ATF Miami provided invaluable assistance.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brianna Coakley and Daniel Rosenfeld are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadya Z. Cheatham is handling asset forfeiture.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case numbers 24-cr-60155 and 25-cr-60015.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Woman who Possessed “Sawed-Off” Shotgun and Shared Guns with Felon-Husband Sentenced to Federal Prison

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

    An Iowa woman who illegally possessed a sawed-off shotgun and shared multiple guns with her husband, a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was sentenced March 14, 2025, to 42 months’ imprisonment.

    Sarah Kay Johnson, age 38, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2024 guilty plea to possession of a national firearms destructive device not registered to possessor.

    In October 2023, law enforcement officers traffic stopped Ian Jon Duffy, Johnson’s then boyfriend, due to concerns about his wellbeing.  At that time, he possessed multiple loaded firearms.  Duffy had a prior domestic abuse conviction which prohibited him from possessing firearms.  After the traffic stop, Duffy had Johnson obtain a Glock handgun for him.  At this time, Duffy was also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a felony conviction.  Johnson obtained several firearms that she shared with Duffy in their residence, including a sawed-off shotgun.

    Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Johnson was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Waterloo Police Department, and the Cedar Falls Police Department.

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

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

    The case file number is 24-CR- 02031-1.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Executives of Louisiana Compounding Pharmacy Convicted of Defrauding TRICARE and New Jersey State Health Benefits Programs, Identity Theft, and Money Laundering

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

    CAMDEN, N.J. – Two former executives of a Louisiana compounding pharmacy were found guilty of conspiring to use the pharmacy to defraud New Jersey and military health benefits programs of approximately $100 million, conspiring to commit identity theft in connection with the fraud, and conspiring to transact in the criminal proceeds, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

    Christopher Kyle Johnston, 46, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Trent Brockmeier, 62, of The Villages, Florida, were convicted on March 10, 2025 of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, one count of conspiring to commit identity theft by fraudulently using a means of identification, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering by transacting in criminal proceeds following a six-week trial before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel.

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

    Central Rexall Drugs was a pharmacy in Louisiana that prepared compounded medications, which are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient.  In 2013, Johnston and Brockmeier entered into an agreement to take over the management of the pharmacy and expand the compounding business in exchange for 90 percent of the profits.  Brockmeier became chief operating officer of Central Rexall and Johnston became general counsel. 

    Johnston and Brockmeier learned that certain insurance plans would reimburse thousands of dollars for a one-month supply of certain compounded medications – including pain, scar, and antifungal creams, as well as vitamin combinations.  The health plans for New Jersey state and local government and education employees, including teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers, and state troopers, covered these medications, as did TRICARE, which insures current and former members of the U.S. military and their families.

    Johnston and Brockmeier designed compounded medications and manipulated the ingredients in the medications in order to obtain high insurance reimbursements rather than serve the medical needs of patients.  To determine which ingredients and combinations resulted in high insurance reimbursements, Johnston and Brockmeier directed Central Rexall employees to submit false prescription claims to test out different combinations of ingredients, but they did not have a valid prescription signed by a doctor for these formulas.   Central Rexall submitted these false claims using, without their consent, individuals’ names, dates of birth, and identifying information (including insurance information) from pre-existing Central Rexall prescriptions.

    By use of these false claims, Johnston and Brockmeier designed compounded medications with combinations of ingredients that were chosen solely based on the amount of money that insurance would pay rather than on the medications’ ability to serve the medical needs of patients.

    Johnston and Brockmeier retained and directed an outside sales force that used various methods to get doctors to prescribe these medications and patients to accept them, including having prescriptions signed without the patient seeing a doctor or knowing about the medications, having medications or refills ordered without the patients’ knowledge, paying patients to accept the medications, and paying doctors to prescribe them.

    Johnston and Brockmeier caused approximately $100 million in fraudulent insurance claims for compounded medications that were not medically necessary.  Johnston received approximately $34 million and Brockmeier received approximately $5 million in illicit profits.

    50 people have been convicted or pled guilty in the overarching conspiracy.

    The health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.  The conspiracy to commit identity theft count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.  The conspiracy to commit money laundering charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense or not more than twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transactions.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 21, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan  in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. David Walk, Jr. and Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division.

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    Defense counsel:

    Johnston: Lawrence S. Lustberg, Anne Collart, and Andrew Marino, Esqs. (Newark, NJ)

    Brockmeier: Marc Agnifilo and David Gelfand, Esqs. (New York, NY)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant was on probation for armed robbery when he sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer

    BOSTON – A Lynn, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug offenses relating to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl distribution. 

    Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Bratini-Perez pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog and methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024. 

    According to court papers, Bratini-Perez is a member of the Trinitarios gang and was on probation following his release in 2023 from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on state probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. A search of Bratini-Perez’s residence resulted in the recovery of over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. 
               
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Fairfax District Resident Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Public Assistance Benefits via Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A former resident of the Fairfax District of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison his role in a scheme that involved using illegal skimmers on ATMs to harvest data, creating counterfeit debit cards using the stolen account holders’ information, and then using the cards to make cash withdrawals from numerous victims’ accounts.

    Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who will schedule a restitution hearing to occur in the coming months.

    Ghiorghe pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of possession of device-making equipment.

    Ghiorghe – a Romanian national whom prosecutors believe illegally entered the United States – admitted that he and his accomplices used counterfeit cards to fraudulently make withdrawals from the accounts of numerous victims, and that he specifically used the counterfeit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from victims’ accounts.

    The skimming ring focused on illegally accessing funds administered by the California Department of Social Services to low-income California residents through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts, including CalFresh and CalWorks benefits.  When law enforcement searched the apartment Ghiorghe was living in, they located ATM-skimming equipment and EBT account numbers in other peoples’ names.

    The United States Secret Service investigated this case and received significant assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sikeston Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United States Attorney’s Office announced Monday that Steven K. Townsend, 33, of Sikeston, Missouri, was sentenced Friday to serve 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl.

    At his guilty plea hearing in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau last year, Townsend admitted that he sold a quantity of fentanyl to an individual in Sikeston in July 2023. Unbeknownst to Townsend at the time, the individual purchasing the fentanyl was working as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to court documents, Townsend was on parole supervision through the State of Missouri for a prior drug trafficking conviction when he sold the fentanyl. After his release from prison, Townsend will be placed on a three-year term of supervised release.

    This case was investigated by the DEA and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Spencer Woman Charged with Bank Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Spencer woman was charged today in federal court in Worcester with scheming to fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits.

    Gina Llerena-Donohue, 62, was charged with one count of bank fraud. Llerena-Donohue will make an appearance in federal court in Worcester at a later date.

    The charging document alleges that from February 2006 through May 2021, Llerena-Donohue, fraudulently obtained approximately $41,954.20 in Social Security benefits. Llerena-Donohue is alleged to have held a power of attorney (POA) for a Social Security beneficiary that died in January 2006. She is further alleged to have not reported the beneficiary’s death to either the Social Security Administration or the bank where the benefits were deposited. Instead, Llerena-Donohue allegedly accessed the improperly paid benefits through several counter cash withdrawals. Further, she is alleged to have submitted four false affidavits to the bank in 2018 and 2019 stating that the POA was still in effect because it had not been terminated by the death of the beneficiary.

    The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami Inspector Pleads Guilty in a Scheme to Obstruct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Oversight of the Medicare Program

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

    MIAMI – Manuel Delgado, 64, has pleaded guilty to accepting cash bribes and self-dealing as part of a conspiracy to impede and obstruct the lawful functions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) in their administration and oversight of the Medicare program. 

    According to court documents, Manuel Delgado was a contractor for the Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (“BOC”), who performed inspections of durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies to determine if they complied with CMS quality standards.  BOC accreditation was required before CMS would approve a company to bill Medicare for supplying durable medical equipment to Medicare patients.

    Delgado accepted cash bribes from numerous owners of DME companies to facilitate and expedite the accreditation process so those companies could be enrolled with and bill Medicare.  Delgado also formed DME companies in the names of family members in order to conceal his own personal interest in the companies.  Delgado himself inspected these companies and obtained BOC accreditation and CMS approval for the companies. Delgado then sold the companies to others, having made them valuable as Medicare-enrolled suppliers of durable medical equipment.  The estimated value of the fraudulently accredited DME companies that Delgado inspected was over $1.4 million.  

    Delgado entered his guilty plea during a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen D’ Angelo, who will prepare a report and recommendation pursuant to a referral and instructions from U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore.      

    Delgado faces up to five years in prison. Any further proceedings will be set by the court.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    FBI Miami and HHS-OIG investigated the case. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee C. Jimenez and Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling the asset forfeiture.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20006.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — RCMP investigate disturbance on Main Street in Whitehorse

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On March 15, 2025 at approximately 4:45 p.m., Whitehorse RCMP responded to multiple reports of a disturbance between a large group of young adults and youths on Main Street in Whitehorse involving weapons.

    Whitehorse RCMP member responded immediately to the incident and learned that some of the individuals involved in the disturbance had left the area in a vehicle. The vehicle that left the area during the disturbance was later located by RCMP members. Responding officers spoke with witnesses and obtained statements, photographs and videos of the incident. Further video surveillance canvassing of local businesses in the area is on-going as part of the investigation.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Alien Smuggling Resulting in Death

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

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Steven Beltran-Lugo, 19, of Glendale, was sentenced on March 11, 2025, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 38 months in prison for his role in transporting two illegal aliens in March 2024, one of whom suffered fatal injuries after jumping out of the vehicle while it was moving. Beltran-Lugo pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person and Resulting in Death on October 1, 2024.

    On March 6, 2024, Beltran-Lugo and his co-defendant, Cesar Velazquez-Munoz, picked up two illegal aliens near the border to transport them further into the United States. Beltran-Lugo was riding as a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and he was on the phone with a Phoenix-based smuggling coordinator throughout the event. When law enforcement began to follow the vehicle, the victim aliens were told to get out of the vehicle. One of the victims then jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving at about 45 miles per hour. The driver accelerated as the second victim exited the moving vehicle and hit the pavement, causing a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding. The victim eventually succumbed to these injuries and passed away at the hospital two days later. Cesar Velazquez-Munoz is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025.

    The sentencing is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 300 U.S. convictions; more than 250 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-01674-TUC-AMM
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-035_Beltran-Lugo

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison

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

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mexican man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation. The sentencing took place on March 10, 2025.

    Jose Jimenez, a/k/a Jose Lidio Chavez Flores, 42, was sentenced to two months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Jimenez was also ordered to be removed from the United States.

    Jimenez was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Reentry after Deportation by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 11, 2025.

    On November 8, 2024, in Rapid City, South Dakota, law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle Jimenez was driving. Instead of stopping, Jimenez led law enforcement on a pursuit. Once stopped, law enforcement located a semi-automatic rifle in a rear seat of the vehicle.  Jimenez is not a United States citizen, and he has been removed from the United States to Mexico on two previous occasions. Jimenez had not obtained consent to reenter the United States from the U.S. Attorney General or the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: First-Degree Murder Suspect Arrested by U.S. Marshals

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Memphis, TN – Luck ran out today for Anntenika Brown as she was arrested for first-degree murder by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in Memphis.

    On January 13, 2025, Jeffery Washington was shot to death at a residence in the 4200 block of Cottonwood in Memphis. The next day, an arrest warrant was issued charging Anntenika Brown, 45, with first-degree murder. The fugitive investigation was adopted by the USMS Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Memphis.

    Today, March 17, 2025, Investigators with the USMS TRVFTF tracked Brown to a residence in the 3300 block of McCorkle Road in Memphis. She initially made false statements about her identity; however, Deputy marshals and task force officers positively identified her as the wanted person, Anntenika Brown. She was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Shelby County Detention Center.

    The U.S. Marshals Service Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Gibson County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis and Jackson Police Officers, Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Since 2021, the TRVFTF has captured over 3,000 violent offenders and sexual predators.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — Whitehorse RCMP continue to search for missing man

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Whitehorse RCMP continue to search for missing 79 year old David Eric Godfrey who went missing the evening of March 16, 2025 .

    Yukon Search and Rescue has been engaged and is assisting in the search. Police ask that the Whitehorse public check around their properties for signs of footprints that are out of place and to check any outbuildings, vehicles and recreational vehicles like campers. Police are very concerned for the missing person’s wellbeing.

    Mr. David Eric Godfrey was last seen between 6:00pm and 7:00 pm on Sunday, March 16 in the area of Porter Creek. Mr. Godfrey was not wearing clothes suitable for cold weather and may not have shoes on. Mr. Godfrey may appear disoriented. He is described as 5′ 6″, of average build with a big white beard. He walks slowly and normally with a cane, but is not believed to have it with him. Last wearing a red jacket, black and red toque and brown pants.

    If anyone has information about Mr. Godfrey’s whereabouts, please contact Whitehorse RCMP immediately at 867-667-5555.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hopedale — Hopedale RCMP Constable experiences unique opportunity to mush a dog sled team

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    What other career would open up an experience like this!?! Hopedale RCMP Constable (Cst) Krista Reid was recently afforded the unique opportunity of mushing a local dog sled team in Hopedale.

    While out enjoying her time off on her snowmobile, Cst. Reid happened upon a local dog sled team. Amazed by what she was seeing, Cst. Reid approached the owner and asked if she could give it a try. Without hesitation, the owner proudly obliged and handed over the reins. Cst. Reid jumped on the komatik and away they went!

    A career with the RCMP is only limited to the employee’s imagination. Rural policing, especially in some of our Labrador communities, offers such great cultural experiences that create memories to last a lifetime.

    Cst. Reid surely won’t forget this incredible experience!

    We’re Hiring!!!

    To find out more on a career with the RCMP, please click here: https://www.rcmpcareers.ca

    Video

      Text description

      A dog sled team is seen travelling across a snow and ice covered landscape.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Shiprock Duo Sentenced for Violent Carjacking and High-Speed Chase

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – Two individuals from Shiprock have been sentenced for their roles in a violent carjacking and high-speed police chase that occurred on the Navajo Nation in 2022.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022, Jane Doe was driving on the Navajo Nation in the area of Nenahnezad, NM. As Jane Doe approached the area, Lindsey Yazzie, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, threw a large rock at her windshield, forcing her to stop. Brandon Barber, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, then attacked the vehicle with a machete and hatchet, shattering windows. Yazzie attempted to pull Jane Doe out of the vehicle by her hair, and Barber then held the sharp edge of a machete against the back of Doe’s head.  Barber then tried to strike Jane Doe with a hatchet.

    After forcibly removing Jane Doe from her Jeep, Yazzie and Barber fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, nearly hitting Doe as they drove away. They led Navajo Nation police on a high-speed chase before abandoning the vehicle. Yazzie was found hiding nearby, while Barber was apprehended later.

    Yazzie was sentenced to 46 months in prison and Barber was sentenced to 90 months in prison.   Upon their release, both Barber and Yazzie will be subject to three years of supervised release.

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

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Las Cruces Teen Charged with Possessing Machine Gun and Stolen Firearm After Instagram Posts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces teenager is facing charges in federal court for possessing a machine gun and a stolen firearm, after authorities discovered Instagram posts allegedly showing him with the illegal weapons.

    According to court documents,on August 18, 2024, law enforcement became aware of an Instagram post depicting Jonathan Daniel Martinez, 18, an alleged member of the “East Side Locos” gang, holding a black handgun with the serial number visible. A subsequent check revealed that the firearm had been reported stolen to the Las Cruces Police Department on April 14, 2024. The handgun also had an aftermarket attachment, known as a machinegun conversion device (MCD), designed to convert the firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.

    Further investigation of the Instagram account linked to Martinez revealed numerous posts featuring the same firearm, as well as other firearms.

    A search warrant was executed on Martinez‘s residence on September 15, 2024, where the stolen black Glock 19 handgun with the Glock switch attached was found in his bedroom.

    Martinez will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Martinez faces 20 years in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo is 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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Davonta D. Brogdon, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine as a part of a larger drug trafficking operation in Harrison County.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Brogdon, also known as “Zone” and “Tay,” was one of the main conspirators, transporting large quantities of controlled substances from Detroit to Clarksburg, West Virginia. During one of Brogdon’s trips, a traffic stop recovered 443 grams of methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of fentanyl. Brogdon also recruited others to assist in the operation.

    Brogdon will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: John A. Sarcone III’s Remarks Upon his Swearing-In as United States Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III made these remarks today upon his swearing-in at the James T. Foley U.S. Courthouse:

    Thank you, Chief Judge Sannes. Thank you to the Judges of the Northern District of New York, to Clerk of the Court John Domurad, and to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Hanlon, who has ably assisted me with the onboarding process.

    I would like to first thank my family for the support and love throughout my life and career, My Wife Cecilia and Children who could not join us today, John Anthony (a Junior at Penn State) and Francesca (a freshman at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina) and Juliet, a sophomore at Croton Harmon High School who is missing school to be here.

    Also present are my Mom Deann, my sister Jennifer Genes, Aunt Jane Fiorito and cousins Bill and Janet Tuttle, Cousin Bruce Fiorito and his wife Lorraine, thank you for your steadfast support.

    To my brothers Michael and Raymond and their families who could not join us today and extended Sarcone, Fiorito and Hickey families and my wife Cecilia’s family, thank you for your love and support.

    Thanks, and a big shout out to my close confidante and friend Ola Hawatmeh.

    My dear friends Father Douglas Crawford and Rabbi Abraham Klein. Thank you for joining me today.

    Thank you, Governor George Pataki, for all your support throughout the years.

    I would like to recognize Senate Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Bill Weber, Assembly Leader Will Barclay, Assemblyman Robert Smullen, my dear friends Chairman Douglas Colety and Chairman Don Minichino, who took time out of their busy schedules to join me today.

    Thank you, Ambassador Elise Stefanik, for your support of my appointment.

    Also joining me are my Dear friend, mentor and former law partner, NYS Appellate Division 2nd Department Justice Mark Dillon and his wife Michelle, my longtime friend and colleague Maury Heller, Al Buonamici, and mentor in everything election law John Ciampoli.

    Thanks to some very special friends who believed in me and fought with me in the political trenches for the past 10 years, Former Congressman John Sweeney, White House Counsel David Warrington, First Deputy White House Counsel Gineen Bresso, Deputy White House Counsel Stuart McCommas.

    And to all friends and colleagues who traveled to Albany today to witness my swearing-in on this most sacred and blessed day, THANK YOU.

    Incidentally, the family bible that I swore my oath on was passed down from my great grandmother Jennie Curtis Hickey to my grandmother Dorothy “Dot” Hickey Fiorito and to my mom Deann Sarcone. I chose today to be sworn in to honor my late grandmother Dot! I was also spiritually moved when my brother Raymond pointed out the date Attorney General Bondi signed the Order appointing me to this most prestigious position, February 28. That day would have been my father’s 87th birthday, whom we lost 35 years ago.

    During the first Trump Administration, I had the privilege and honor of serving as the 14th Regional Administrator for the United States General Services Administration, Northeast Caribbean Region. My jurisdiction included the Northern District of New York and this historic courthouse.

    These federal courthouses mean something – they project the majesty and authority of our government. Everyone knows that important work is going on inside.

    I am honored to be welcomed again into this building, this time as U.S. Attorney, to lead the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, who are doing the important work of representing the United States in enforcing its laws both civil and criminal.

    Since I was appointed U.S. Attorney two weeks ago, here are just some of the great results this office has achieved:

    • A Nigerian citizen, who has been illegally present in this country for decades and living under stolen identities, pled guilty to bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies that caused $1.7 million in losses;
    • A North Country woman pled guilty to her role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that left a Romanian family of four dead in the St. Lawrence River; and
    • A former music teacher was convicted after trial of transporting students across state lines, and raping and sexually abusing them.

    These cases are each the result of close collaboration between AUSAs and our law enforcement partners. My goal is to continue this great work, and to implement the mandate by President Trump and task of Attorney General Pam Bondi to restore public confidence in our justice system. I am humbled and honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their faith and trust in me to carry forth that mandate as the chief federal law enforcement officer in this district.

    Which leads me to this subject – what makes a good prosecutor? It’s not what college or law school you went to, or whether you have been a career prosecutor, as recent events show. What matters is judgment.

    A good prosecutor has wisdom, common sense, a strong moral and ethical compass, a sense of fairness and empathy, coupled with legal skills and acumen honed over time and from a diversity of representations and matters. As recent events have also shown, there’s just no substitute for common sense. For instance, we recently witnessed the heads of Ivy League institutions equivocate on whether calling for the genocide of Jews by a minority of its students and others violates their own rules.

    I believe the prosecutorial power, and discretion, is best entrusted to those with the full breath of professional and life experiences, from which common sense, wisdom and informed judgment emerge. With these values in mind, I look forward to working together with everyone at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our dedicated Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies, in pursuit of honest, transparent, non-political enforcement of federal laws and to restore public confidence in our federal government and our Justice Department.

    As United States Attorney leading this office, I will prioritize our resources to keep our northern border secure; to work with federal, state and local authorities to maintain safe communities; root out public corruption; protect our seniors from being victimized by endless scams and consumer fraud; to end lawlessness and willful disregard for Federal laws; keep our kids safe from illegal drugs; and combat human trafficking.

    I pledge to dedicate steadfast resources to root out hate crimes of all kinds and will not tolerate violations of college students’ rights to be free from harassment or threats because of their religious beliefs and I give fair warning to university leaders that our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who choose to violate our laws but also those who knowingly support any violations in any way, shape or form.

    In conclusion, I am honored and humbled to be standing here before you, my family, friends, colleagues, distinguished guests and our amazing Judges of the Northern District of New York. Thank you all for honoring me with your presence.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Slingerlands Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Victim Reported Abuse After Attending Elementary School Presentation on Inappropriate Touching

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 75, of Slingerlands, New York, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child who was 6 years old during the abuse.  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.

    Last year, Fuino pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and admitted that between the summer of 2022 and April 2023, he babysat a female child born in 2016 and used the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.  According to statements previously made in court, the victim reported the abuse in May 2023 after attending an elementary school presentation on inappropriate touching and sexual contact.  During the execution of a federal search warrant at Fuino’s residence in Slingerlands shortly after the child’s report, Fuino admitted having touched the victim’s genitals.  Fuino has been incarcerated in pretrial detention since that time.

    Today, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Fuino to 15 years’ incarceration, followed by 15 years of supervised release.  Judge D’Agostino also ordered Fuino to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $36,962.25 and imposed special assessments totaling $5,100.  Fuino will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. 

    The FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s 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: Convicted Felon was Recruited over Social Media to Smuggle Aliens, will now Spend More than 2 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – Alexzander JM Bisbee, 20, of Bryan, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.

    According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of an SUV traveling south on U.S. Route 377. The driver, Mark Anthony Sanchez, Jr., 22, accompanied by Bisbee, stopped the vehicle to let three undocumented noncitizens exit and run into the brush. As the agent approached the vehicle, Sanchez quickly accelerated and fled from the immigration stop. The agent returned to his vehicle and gave pursuit before ultimately terminating the pursuit for safety reasons.

    Sanchez and Bisbee were later pulled over by the Sonora Police Department for speeding and ordered to exit the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle uncovered two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, including an AR-15–style pistol. Agents canvassed the area where the passengers were observed fleeing and apprehended two of the undocumented noncitizens that were being transported by Sanchez and Bisbee.

    Bisbee admitted that an unindicted coconspirator contacted him on Instagram and offered to pay him to transport undocumented noncitizens and that he would be paid $2,000 per person. Bisbee was a convicted felon at the time of the offense, having previously been convicted of burglary of a building.

    Bisbee pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2024. Sanchez pleaded guilty to the same charge Dec. 18. His sentence hearing is scheduled for May 13.

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

    USBP investigated the case with support from the Sutton County Sheriff’s Office and Sonora Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayvee Rhoda and Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gander — Gander RCMP investigates fatal ATV crash, one youth deceased

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Gander RCMP is investigating an off-road vehicle crash that occurred on the Newfoundland T’Railway on March 10, 2025. A youth is deceased.

    At approximately 5:30 p.m. on Monday, police received the report of the crash involving two youth under the age of 16. A side-by-side all-terrain vehicle (ATV) was traveling on the trail near Joe Batts Pond, approximately 15 kilometers west of Gander. The ATV lost control, departed the trail and came to rest on its side. The operator died at the scene and a second youth was transported to the James Paton Memorial Regional Health Centre in Gander for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was engaged. The investigation is continuing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Clarenville — Arrest warrant issued for Samantha Piercey

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    An arrest warrant has been issued for 43-year-old Samantha Piercey of Glovertown. Piercey, who is known to frequent St. John’s, failed to attend a recent court date in Clarenville in relation to charges of causing a disturbance and theft under $5000.00.

    An image of Samantha Piercey is attached. The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone with information about the current location of Samantha Piercey is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP at 709-466-3211. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Launch of Joint Task Force October 7

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department today announced the leadership team and membership of Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), an initiative that will seek justice for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel and address the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates.

    “The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win—and there will be consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As Attorney General, I have had the solemn honor of meeting with several families of U.S. citizens whose loved ones were kidnapped by Hamas on that dark day. This task force will strengthen the Department’s resolve to achieve justice for these families and their loved ones as we continue to fight antisemitism in all its forms.”

    The Attorney General established JTF 10-7 on her first day in office, demonstrating the high priority the Justice Department is placing on honoring the memories of the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas in the attack, including 47 U.S. citizens, and supporting the approximately 250 additional people that Hamas abducted, including 8 U.S. citizens.

    JTF 10-7 will focus on targeting, charging, and securing for prosecution in the United States the direct perpetrators of the October 7 attack — the terrorists on the ground that day who murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians. JTF 10-7 will also assume responsibility for the pending charges against Hamas leadership relating to the October 7 attack and other acts of terrorism, and to bring those criminals to the United States to face justice for their reprehensible role in these atrocities. Finally, JTF 10-7 will investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations by individuals and entities providing support and financing to Hamas, related Iran proxies, and their affiliates, as well as acts of antisemitism by these groups.

    “The victims of Hamas’s decades-long violent campaign of terrorism against Israel will always have the support of the U.S. government, and the Department will no longer permit illegal support of Hamas on our campuses and elsewhere in the homeland,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Antisemitic acts of terrorism – whether here or abroad – will never go unpunished. This task force represents our unyielding commitment to those who have suffered at the hands of these brutal terrorists.”

    “The FBI is committed to establishing the Joint Task Force October 7 to continue the FBI’s investigative and victim assistance efforts related to the horrific acts of terror committed by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Working with our federal and international partners, this task force is a collaborative initiative between agencies, and together we will work to accomplish our vital counterterrorism mission.”

    JTF 10-7 will be led by a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD), a senior FBI Special Agent as the Task Force Commander, and an FBI Intelligence Analyst as Deputy Task Force Commander, all under the supervision of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. JTF 10-7 will also include trial attorneys from NSD, the Civil Rights Division, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and other detailees, with additional dedicated support from the Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    JTF 10-7 will be supported by dedicated FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, data scientists, and linguists who are mostly co-located in Virginia. These professionals will contribute to JTF 10‑7’s expertise in investigating and prosecuting domestic and extraterritorial terrorism cases, including terrorism-financing matters, and serve as points of contact with the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and Victim Services Division.

    The FBI will coordinate with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies on JTF 10-7 activities, as well as foreign counterparts through the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Israel. FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau of Counter Terror Finance, which has already been a tremendous partner in the ongoing investigations.

    These efforts will build on the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of these heinous acts and demonstrate the Department’s commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Focus on Safe Management of Spent Fuel and Radioactive Waste at Eighth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    You can see the livestream of the meeting here.

    The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management – or Joint Convention – is a legally binding instrument that seeks to achieve and maintain a high level of worldwide safety in spent fuel and radioactive waste management. Over the next two weeks, from 17 to 28 March, Contracting Parties to the Joint Convention will present and discuss their National Reports on implementation of the Convention’s obligations.

    Jean-Luc Lachaume, Acting President of the Eighth Review Meeting, from France, welcomed more than 1000 delegates from 77 Contracting Parties and a Signatory State, Lebanon.

     “The challenges before us demand collective resolve. By achieving consensus we demonstrate to the public we serve and to the future generations that together we will continue to advance the principles and goals that bring us together under the banner of the safe management of nuclear waste for generations to come,” said Lachaume on behalf of President Ramzi Jammal.

    Delegates will also share their experiences and lessons learned during a topical session on knowledge management in relation to long term management of disused sealed radioactive sources, radioactive waste and spent fuel. In addition, during open-ended working group sessions, delegates will discuss seven proposals submitted by Contracting Parties for improving the Joint Convention procedural mechanisms.  

    Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

    With growing interest from IAEA Member States in Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, the Eighth Review Meeting also offers a timely and crucial opportunity to reflect on lessons learned from the past and reiterate the importance of early planning and implementation of policies and strategies for the safe management of radioactive waste and spent fuel for the future.

    “Joining and adhering to the Joint Convention acknowledges the importance of thinking early about the full lifecycle of a nuclear facility and planning early to ensure the necessary infrastructure, competence and capacity exists for the safe management of spent fuel, radioactive waste, and decommissioning of facilities,” said Nelli Aghajanyan, coordinator of the Joint Convention.

    Review Meetings are held every three years, staring from the entry into force of the Joint Convention in 2001. More information, including meeting summary reports as well as the national reports of Contracting Parties from previous review cycles, are available on the Joint Convention public website.

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

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The Justice Department filed a statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California 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).  

    “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.” 

    “Zoning practices that unfairly limit assemblies by faith-based groups violate federal law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph McNally for the Central District of California. “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.”

    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: Falmouth — West Hants RCMP Detachment charges youth after Hwy. 101 crash

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A youth is facing multiple charges after a crash on Hwy. 101 near Windsor.

    On March 13, at approximately 8:00 am, West Hants RCMP Detachment received a report of a car driving erratically and unsafely on Hwy. 101. Police located the car twice – once in motion on the highway, and a second time when it was parked off the road. Both times, the driver fled from police. The officers also learned upon observing the car that the licence plate had been reported stolen.

    At approximately 9:00 am, the car, a 2004 Honda Accord, attempted to pass a marked RCMP vehicle on Hwy. 101. The officer observed the car approaching, and activated emergency lights to signal for the vehicle to stop. Immediately after overtaking the police vehicle, the car hit the median concrete divider and the guard rail, then stopped after hitting the median a second time.

    The driver, identified as a 17-year-old from Dartmouth, was safely arrested for Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance. The youth was assessed by EHS and transported to hospital for treatment of injuries from the crash.

    Officers searched the vehicle and located a quantity of cocaine and a knife. The investigation, which included assistance of the RCMP Drug Recognition Expert, led to further charges for the youth, including Operation while Impaired by Drug, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine).

    The youth had a first court appearance on March 14 at Windsor Provincial Court and was remanded into custody, pending future court appearances.

    There were no other vehicles involved in this crash and no reports of collisions with other vehicles. Police appreciated cooperation from the public while a portion of Hwy. 101 was reduced to one lane as officers were on scene after the crash.

    Anyone with dashcam footage or surveillance video showing the crash or the actions leading up to it are asked to contact West Hants RCMP Detachment at 902-798-2207. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Zuni Man Pleads Guilty to Assault Resulting in Finger Amputations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon after he bit the victim multiple times, resulting in severe injuries that required the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.

    According to court documents, between December 16, 2021, and December 17, 2021, Darold Zuniefeathers, 28, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, and John Doe had been hanging out with friends when they decided to buy more cigarettes before the gas station closed. Instead of driving to the gas station, Zuniefeathers turned down a side dirt road and assaulted John Doe in the car.

    During the assault, Zuniefeathers struck John Doe repeatedly and bit him multiple times on the torso, arm, and hand. The bites caused severe damage to John Doe’s hand, resulting in the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.

    According to the plea agreement, Zuniefeathers faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing followed by three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin made the announcement today.

    The Zuni Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Wapato Man Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Three Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that a jury returned a verdict in the trial of Jose Antonio Saldana, age 43 of Wapato, Washington. Saldana was found guilty of three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact and of Aggravated Sexual Abuse.

    Based on court documents and evidence presented at trial, beginning in August 1999, and continuing to January 2014, Saldana sexually abused three children under the age of 13 in Wapato, Washington. During trial, the victims recounted the abuse they suffered, which included Saldana touching them under their clothing and attempting to sexually abuse one of the victims.  

    United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke presided over the trial for Saldana, which began March 10, 2024. Sentencing in this matter is set for June 16, 2025, in Yakima, Washington.

    “The victims who came forward in this case demonstrated tremendous courage and bravery,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker.  “Many victims who experience childhood sexual abuse do not disclose the events to others soon after they occur. At the trial in this case, three young victims testified years after the abuse they had suffered and identified Mr. Saldana as their abuser. The jury heard their voices and found Mr. Saldana guilty of the abuse he inflicted for more than two decades.  For his horrific crimes, Mr. Saldana will face a sentence of thirty years to life.”

    “In this devastating case, Mr. Saldana abused multiple children for more than a decade on the Yakama Nation Reservation, even though he was not a tribal member himself,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “The FBI is committed to enforcing federal laws to protect our tribal communities, and all our communities, from abuse and violence, especially the most vulnerable members of our society: our children.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yakama Nation Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.

    1:24-cr-02040-MKD

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