NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Romance scheme fraudster admits to $3 million conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 47-year-old Houston man has entered a guilty plea to wire fraud and conspiracy for a romance scheme targeting citizens nationwide, many of whom were elderly, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Darlington Akporugo admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scheme based in Houston that victimized citizens from Chicago to Kentucky. Akporugo worked with others to lure victims through online romances and then induce them to send money to various bank accounts he controlled.   

    To further the fraud, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake names to contact victims on social media, gain their confidence and then persuade them to invest in non-existent businesses or provide funds for invented personal circumstances.

    As part of his plea, Akporugo admitted to approaching potential victims, primarily on social media sites such as Facebook, and then directing them to send money to either his or his associates’ bank accounts. That money was often then directed overseas.

    In addition to collecting cash and wire transfers, Akpourgo also admitted to having victims open lines of credit in his name and, in one case, purchasing a luxury vehicle for his personal use.

    During the multi-year investigation, authorities were able to identify over 25 victims of the scheme, the majority either retired or of advanced age.     

    Losses from the fraud ring’s operation total more than $3 million.   

    “As we unfortunately have seen, victims of romance scams suffer tremendous financial loss, sometimes amounting to their entire life savings,” said Ganjei. “Those have fallen prey to such fraudsters are often too embarrassed to come forward and report the incident to law enforcement. Although this is an understandable reaction, we encourage victims to nonetheless come forward, as their story may help the future victimization of others.”

    U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing June 6. At that time, Akporugo faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Files Civil Complaint To Forfeit 9,000 Boys’ Suits Imported From China That Contained Unsafe Levels Of Lead

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil complaint today to forfeit more than 9,000 boys’ suits that were intercepted at the Port of New York/Newark after being imported from China, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    As alleged in the civil forfeiture complaint, the boys’ suits were seized by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in March 2020, after the buttons on the boys’ suits were tested by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and found to contain prohibited levels of lead. Further, and as alleged in the civil forfeiture complaint, this was at least the third instance in which the importer, Angels New York US, Inc., attempted to import children’s clothing that contained unsafe levels of lead.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, under the direction of Port Director Jeffrey Greene, and members of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit.

    The accusations in the complaint, and the description of the complaint, constitute only allegations.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Northborough Man Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzling Over $360,000 From Non-Profit

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Northborough man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for wire fraud and money laundering charges after embezzling approximately $366,477 from a non-profit organization in Sturbridge.

    Kyriakos Kapiris, a/k/a Rick Kapiris, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Kapiris was also ordered to pay $371, 088.97 in restitution. In June 2022, Kapiris pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

    From April 2015 to May 2020, Kapiris worked as the Information Technology Manager at Venture Community Services (VCS), a non-profit organization in Sturbridge, Mass. that services developmentally disabled members of the community. As part of his responsibilities, the organization provided Kapiris access to two company credit cards to purchase equipment and services as needed. Beginning in 2016, Kapiris used the two company credit cards to purportedly purchase equipment from two vendor accounts on the web app Square and one account on Amazon. In reality, Kapiris created the three vendor accounts to embezzle the funds and fabricated sales invoices for purportedly purchased equipment to conceal the scheme. Kapiris used the names of legitimate Massachusetts companies for the two Square accounts and created the Amazon account in the name of a company that he controlled, “NetworkingPlus.”  

    Kapiris linked the three vendor accounts to several of his own personal accounts at Bank of America into which he transferred the fraudulent proceeds. Kapiris then used the stolen funds for personal expenses, including to build a house. The house was forfeited by the government and sold.  

    At sentencing, the Court noted that the defendant had been previously convicted of stealing from a prior employer and was on probation for that offense at the time of his theft from VCS.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Sturbridge and Northborough Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office announces 4 defendants charged with violating immigration crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio announced today new immigration charges in four cases in the District.

    Task force agents arrested Alberto Caiceros-Cruz, 40, after observing him leave his residence in Columbus and drive a vehicle with no registration displayed. Caiceros-Cruz is a Mexican national and was most recently removed from the United States in 2022.

    On Tuesday, a federal grand jury in Columbus indicted an El Salvadoran national with illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of sex offenses and a Honduran national with illegally possessing firearms.

    Carlos Gonzales-Hernandez, 55, was detained in January 2025 following a traffic stop in Madison County. He was then transferred into ICE custody. The defendant had been removed from the United States following a local prison sentence for sex offenses. Gonzales-Hernandez was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of three counts of gross sexual imposition and received a prison sentence of six years.

    Elmer Edison Rodriguez-Guzman, 46, was in a vehicle that was stopped in Cambridge, Ohio, in July 2024 due to no taillights. Law enforcement officials discovered items including a handgun, a double-barrel shotgun and ammunition. Rodriguez-Guzman was arrested in Guernsey County and then transferred into federal custody.

    On Thursday, a federal grand jury in Columbus indicted Pedro Marquez, 34, who is also known as Peter Marquez, Pedro Ravas Rivas, Alex Rivas Vasquez and Alex Vasquez Rivas. In 2011, Marquez was convicted of participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy and illegally reentering the United States and was sentenced to federal prison. Marquez had conspired with others in the Eastern District of Oklahoma to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Marquez transported, delivered and distributed the drugs on behalf of the conspiracy. He was removed from the United States again in 2016 following his term of imprisonment. Law enforcement found and arrested Marquez in Bloomingburg, Ohio, on Feb. 13.

    Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has a prior felony conviction (or multiple prior misdemeanor convictions of certain types), the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler J. Aagard, Sheila G. Lafferty and David J. Twombly are representing the United States in these cases.

    Indictments and criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Newton Man Charged with Federal Firearm Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Newton man has been charged in federal court in Boston with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    James Welch, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Welch will appear in federal court at a later date.

    According to the charging documents, on Feb. 28, 2025, during a search of Newton’s residence, two firearms—a pistol and a rifle— and ammunition were recovered. Welch is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.

    The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah Foley and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Newton Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins 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: Alleged Member of Fraud Ring Targeting Elderly Arrested in Florida

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man indicted and accused of aiding a scam that cost at least four victims more than $550,000 was arrested Friday in Florida.

    Michael P. Garcia, 36, of the Miami area, was indicted on Dec. 18, 2024, in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    The conspirators contacted victims and made various false claims to induce victims to hand over cash or valuables, the indictment says.  In one instance, the conspirators claimed to be from a victim’s financial institution and told the victim that her accounts had been compromised and were being used for illegal activity and that the victim needed to give them money to stop that illegal activity. Couriers were then sent to pick up valuables from victims of the scam.

    Garcia is accused in the indictment of recruiting and paying a courier to pick up $20,000 in cash and gold bars from two victims in Brooklyn, New York on Oct. 30, 2023. The courier picked up another $30,000 in cash two days later, the indictment says. Garcia is also accused of sending that same courier to Summerfield, North Carolina in November of 2023 to pick up gold bars from a victim there. That same month, Garcia sent the courier to pick up about $200,000 in gold bars from a 76-year-old Fenton, Missouri victim who’d already supplied the conspirators with $20,000 in cryptocurrency, the indictment says. The courier has been arrested and charged.

    Garcia will be brought to St. Louis to face charges.

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

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnson County Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Debord, Ky., man, Dustin Newsome, 35, was sentenced on Friday to 35 years in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for production of child pornography. 

    According to his plea agreement, in August 2023, the parent of the minor victim called law enforcement and reported that she had located THC vape cartridges in her child’s room.  The minor victim stated that he received the cartridges and a cellphone from a mail carrier, later identified as Newsome, in exchange for nude images and sexually explicit videos.  Law enforcement discovered nine minor victims that reported having produced sexually explicit images and videos at Newsome’s request.

    A search of Newsome’s residence revealed devices that contained numerous sexually explicit images, videos, and recordings of live chats between Newsome and at least four of the minor victims. In addition to the images and videos he produced, there were several hundred images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that Newsome had obtained from the internet and stored on his electronic devices.  These images and videos were obtained over many years beginning in 2013. 

    Under federal law, Newsome must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Newsome was also ordered to pay $105,000 in restitution. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by FBI and KSP.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Committing International Child Exploitation Pleads Guilty in Miami Federal Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – An Italian national living in Miami who used social media and money to entice minors, including four United Kingdom girls ages 14 to 16, to make and send him sexually explicit images of themselves has pled guilty to producing child sexual abuse material and committing international promotional money laundering in furtherance of his child exploitation crimes.

    During a court hearing in the Southern District of Florida, Marco Pagano, 41, admitted the following: From about March 2023 to April 2024, Pagano engaged in illegal online exchanges with minors, including four girls living in the United Kingdom. As to those four minors, Pagano used his online payment system accounts more than 180 times to send thousands of dollars from the United States to the girls abroad. In exchange, Pagano demanded that the four minors produce illegal pornographic photographs and videos and send those to him through a social media application. These included images of the minor girls performing sexual acts on one another.

    Sentencing is set for June 9, at 9:00 a.m., in Miami before United States District Court Judge Robert N. Scola. Pagano faces up to life in prison.

    United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.

    FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting it.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    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 24-cr-20360.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Minneapolis Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan was arrested yesterday and charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

    As alleged in the criminal complaint, in December 2024, Hassan attempted to travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join ISIS on two occasions, neither of which were successful. Hassan attempted to disguise the purpose of his travel as visiting family despite having none in Somalia and was traveling with his birth certificate, naturalization certificate, and high school diploma. The FBI’s investigation established that Hassan publicly supported ISIS on social media through multiple posts and communicated with a Facebook account for the Manjaniq Media Center, which encouraged individuals to travel to join ISIS and touts itself as a media organization of the Islamic Caliphate. The investigation further revealed that Hassan praised Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the perpetrator of the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 1. On Feb. 21, Hassan also posted a video of himself driving while holding a small ISIS flag inside the vehicle, as well as another video of himself driving with an open knife on his lap. On Feb. 26, FBI observed Hassan driving while again holding the ISIS flag.

    Hassan was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. He made his initial appearance in the District of Minnesota today and was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing which will take place at a later date.

    The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorneys Ryan White and Charles Kovats Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A 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 –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fall River — Man wanted on province-wide arrest warrant

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is seeking information on the whereabouts of a man currently wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant.

    Aleksandr Chabinevitch, 33, from Fall River, is wanted and facing charges of Uttering Threats and Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Weapon.

    Chabinevitch is described as 5-foot-11, 165 pounds and has black hair.

    At this time investigators believe he may be driving a grey 2005 Acura TL bearing Ontario licence plate CXDD060.

    Police have made several attempts to locate Chabinevitch, and are requesting assistance from the public.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Aleksandr Chabinevitch is asked to refrain from approaching him and to call police at 902-490-5020. 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.

    File #: 23-117965

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Availability of Public Notice for highway bridge proposal over Petaluma River

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    02/28/2025 02:35 PM EST

    ALAMEDA, Calif, — All interested parties are herein notified that the commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, has received application materials dated Feb. 7, 2025, from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for approval of location and plans for the modification of a highway bridge across a navigable waterway of the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Upstate Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Rashaad Green, 31, of Union, and Shaquille Barber, 30, of Moore, have been sentenced to 15 years and seven years in federal prison for trafficking in marijuana, money laundering, and possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that from approximately 2020 to 2024 Green and Barber regularly flew to California and other western states obtaining pounds of marijuana for distribution in South Carolina. Green and Barber engaged in money exchanges at their respective financial institutions using cash from drug proceeds. Green and Barber’s financial records showed hundreds of thousands of dollars flowing through the associated accounts. During this time, Green and Barber were also found to have possessed firearms in connection with the marijuana trafficking.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Green to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court further ordered the forfeiture of jewelry, firearms, and cash and imposed a forfeiture judgment of $500,000 against Green.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Barber to 84 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court further ordered the forfeiture of jewelry, a Rolex watch, a 2019 Audi Q8, a firearm, and cash and imposed a forfeiture judgment of $250,000 against Barber.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and Union County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rafael Caro Quintero “Narco of Narcos” and Murderer of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, Former Leader of the Juarez Cartel, Expelled to the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Both Defendants Face Mandatory Life Imprisonment, and Could Face the Death Penalty, if Convicted

    Rafael Caro Quintero (Caro Quintero) and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes (Carrillo Fuentes), both citizens of Mexico, were arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn today for crimes committed as leaders of Mexican drug cartels, which were responsible for significant drug trafficking into the United States and acts of extreme violence—including, with respect to Caro Quintero, the 1985 kidnapping, torture, and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena—over a period of decades.  Caro Quintero was arraigned on a third superseding indictment charging him with four counts: one count of leading a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, which includes ten violations, including a murder conspiracy; two counts of international narcotics distribution conspiracy; and one count of unlawful use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Carrillo Fuentes was arraigned on a superseding indictment charging him with seven counts: one count of leading a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, which includes six violations, including a murder conspiracy; four counts of cocaine distribution conspiracy; one count of unlawful use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Both Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy after being expelled from Mexico to the Eastern District of New York.  

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI) announced the arraignments.

    “For decades, Rafael Caro Quintero and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes have flooded the United States and other countries with drugs, violence, and mayhem, killing so many in their quest for power and control, including in RCQ’s case the brutal torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Camarena,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Today the next step in the American legal proceedings against these two cartel leaders—Caro Quintero, the “Narco of Narcos,” and Carrillo Fuentes, the head of the Juarez Cartel—are finally underway, and we are one step closer to justice being served.  My Office continues to be steadfastly focused on the vital work of protecting people of this district, and of all of those in the United States, from the destruction that cartels wreak on our communities.”

    “Today marks a day which will be remembered in the history of the DEA. For nearly four decades, the men and women of the DEA have pursued Rafael Caro Quintero, the man responsible for the kidnapping, torture, and death of fallen DEA Special Agent Kiki Camarena, and the leader of one the most notorious and violent drug cartels. Today, Rafael Caro Quintero will finally face the consequences for the crimes he committed” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “No matter how long it takes, or where you hide, the DEA remains patient and committed in our global pursuit to targeting those individuals who have brought violence and destruction to our communities. The DEA will make sure justice is delivered.”

    “Make no mistake: the world is undoubtedly a safer place with these men in custody in the United States. Carrillo-Fuentes and Rafael Caro Quintero are merciless terrorists who used fear as a tactic to intimidate their rivals and the public. ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents and personnel with our El Dorado Task Force have dedicated years to investigating the alleged crimes and bloodshed at the hands of these defendants,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.

    Rafael Caro Quintero

    Caro Quintero was first indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2015, and a third superseding indictment was returned against him in 2018. As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, Caro Quintero’s involvement in drug trafficking and violence is extensive, ruthless, and notorious.  Known as the “Narco of Narcos,” Caro Quintero started cultivating marijuana as a teenager in Mexico in the 1960s and developed transportation and distribution networks and routes that enabled him to move that marijuana into the United States.  Caro Quintero also manufactured and trafficked heroin and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States.  Caro Quintero then joined with Colombian cocaine manufacturers to use his networks and routes to traffic cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, into the United States.  By the 1970s, Caro Quintero’s organization became known as the Guadalajara Cartel, which ultimately joined the syndicate known as the “Sinaloa Cartel” (or Mexican “Federation”), the largest drug trafficking organization in the world.

    In 1985, Caro Quintero ordered the kidnapping, torture, and murder of DEA Special Agent Camarena.  Caro Quintero believed Camarena was responsible for leading the Mexican government to seize Caro Quintero’s largest ranch in Chihuahua, Rancho Buffalo.  Caro Quintero’s men abducted Camarena and took him to a location where he was tortured and interrogated for approximately two days, after which Caro Quintero and his men killed Camarena.

    Later in 1985, Caro Quintero went to prison in Mexico. Nevertheless, from 1985 to 2013, while in prison, Caro Quintero continued operating his drug trafficking organization (the “Caro Quintero DTO”), using family members and associates on the outside to assist him.  The Caro Quintero DTO trafficked large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States.  After his release from prison in 2013, Caro Quintero went into hiding and continued running the Caro Quintero DTO from various locations in the mountains of Sinaloa.  The Sinaloa Cartel provided Caro Quintero with protection during this time.   

    Caro Quintero and the members and associates of his organization carried firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities, including pistols and AK-47s.  Caro Quintero himself carried a Colt .38 Super pistol with a diamond encrusted handle and “R-1” written in gold.

    Vincente Carrillo Fuentes

    Carrillo Fuentes was first indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2009, with superseding charges filed in 2019.  As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, Carrillo Fuentes and his brother, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, led the infamous Juarez Cartel for more than two decades.  Under the leadership of Carrillo Fuentes, the Juarez Cartel dominated and controlled drug trafficking through the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez corridor and used its control of the Texas-Mexico border to deliver multi-ton shipments of cocaine throughout the United States, including to locations in New York, Texas, California, and Illinois.

    Until approximately 2004, Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel were aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the largest transnational criminal organizations in the world.  The two organizations worked collectively, partnering in drug shipments and sharing infrastructure as they trafficked tons of cocaine into the United States.  Throughout this partnership, Carrillo Fuentes and his associates corrupted public officials and taxed other drug-trafficking organizations as they asserted their control over the all-important El Paso-Ciudad Juarez corridor.  When this partnership finally splintered—and Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel split from the Sinaloa Cartel and realigned with the rival drug traffickers such as the Zetas—Mexico was plunged into a decade of war and bloodshed.  Carrillo Fuentes was at the center of this chaos, initially as the commander of the Juarez Cartel’s sicarios (the Spanish term for contract killers) and soldiers, and then later as the leader of the entire Juarez Cartel.

    * * * * *

    The government’s cases against Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes are part of the operations of 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.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The charges in the indictments are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Both defendants face mandatory life sentences and, if convicted, could face the death penalty.

    The government’s cases against Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes are being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Francisco J. Navarro, Erin Reid, and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution of Caro Quintero, and Assistant United States Attorneys Erik D. Paulsen and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution of Carrillo Fuentes.  Asset forfeiture matters for both cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brendan King.  Paralegal Specialists Melissa Bennett and Huda Abouchaer provided assistance on both cases.  

    The Defendants:

    RAFAEL CARO QUINTERO
    Age: 72
    Sonora, Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-208 (FB)

    VICENTE CARRILLO FUENTES
    Age:  62
    Sinaloa, Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 09-CR-522 (JMA)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cayce Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug Trafficking Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kayla Martin, 34, of Cayce, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that Martin and Michael Tart were arrested in April 2022 after Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department investigators seized over a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle Tart was driving on I-77 North in Richland County. Martin had previously arranged for Tart to pick up the methamphetamine from her home. A subsequent search of Martin’s home uncovered a .380 pistol along with drug residue and other drug paraphernalia. At the time, Martin was a convicted felon and on supervised release from a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Martin’s conviction for the April 2022 incident was a violation of her supervised release. Martin also faces charges with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in another drug-related incident in 2020. Tart has pleaded guilty for his part in this incident and is awaiting sentencing.

    United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Social Security Administration Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Induce a Social Security Beneficiary for Prostitution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to persuade a Social Security beneficiary to cross state lines to engage in prostitution.

    Dae Sung Kim, 36, of Auburn, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. Kim was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2024 and subsequently charged by Information in December 2024.

    In March 2024, Kim handled an in-person visit at the Gardner SSA field office from an individual seeking Social Security benefits after losing her job. After redirecting the individual to another SSA field office near her residence in another state, Kim called the individual, using the phone number he obtained from SSA’s computer system. Kim indicated that he understood she was in a difficult situation and stated that maybe they could “work something out” that would benefit them both.  

    During a call monitored by law enforcement later that month, Kim again stated to the individual that they could “help each other out” and proposed giving the individual money in exchange for sex. In several subsequent text messages, Kim suggested that the individual travel to Massachusetts to meet him, offering to pay $100 to have sex in a car at a hotel parking lot. When Kim traveled to the hotel parking lot to meet the individual in October 2024, he was confronted by law enforcement.

    The charge of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and 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. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fitchburg and Gardner Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 909th ARS and 134th EFS soar in Cope North 25

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    For over four decades, Cope North has served as a cornerstone of U.S. military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. This trilateral exercise brings together American, Japanese, and Australian forces for realistic combat training, strengthening their ability to seamlessly operate together.

    This year’s exercise focused on enhancing teamwork capabilities and tactical skills in a complex and dynamic Indo-Pacific region. Participating assets included the F-35A/B Lighting II; F-16 Fighting Falcon; F-18C/D Hornet; EA-18G Growler; KC-46 Pegasus; Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker; KC-130J Hercules; Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules; E-3G Sentry; MH-60S Seahawk; and the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node.

    “Exercises like Cope North provide invaluable training for our Airmen,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Travis Epp, 909th ARS commander. “The significantly larger airspace around Guam permits larger exercises than our local airspace.”

    Epp continued to say this higher-level training allowed the 909th ARS to integrate with allies and partners in ways that they could not at their home -station, better preparing the joint and allied force for future challenges together.

    Rotational units – like the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which sent their F-35A Lightning II’s to CN 25 – regularly conduct missions to enhance Kadena Air Base’s operational readiness to defend Japan and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    Other rotational units currently stationed at Kadena include the 77th EFS from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the 525th EFS from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, operating the F-22 Raptor.

    CN25 showcased seamless collaboration and communication between the U.S., Japanese, and Australian air forces, by the integration of their F-35 fighters. This provided a platform for these nations to exchange knowledge and best practices on the effective deployment, maintenance, and command and control of these advanced fifth-generation aircraft.

    “When multiple nations operate the same advanced platforms, joint training becomes essential. It enables us to identify and understand the subtle differences in how each country deploys, maintains, and commands these aircraft,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Trevor Callens, 134th EFS commander.

    He also said the critical knowledge provided by combined and joint exercises would be difficult to acquire without forming partnerships with allies.

    CN-25 continues this legacy of partnership, emphasizing the importance of interoperability and advanced defense capabilities in maintaining regional stability.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: MULTIMEDIA RELEASE: Coast Guard, Port of Virginia Maritime Incident Response Team conclude search and rescue forum in Hampton

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    02/28/2025 01:53 PM EST

    The SAR Forum is an annual event which requires strong coordination across multiple agencies conducting training for a unified, rapid and effective response to emergencies that may impact maritime commerce, public safety, and coastal communities. Through collaborative exercises and events—similar to the SAR Forum—with local law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency services the Coast Guard enhances its ability to prevent, prepare for, and response to maritime emergencies.

    For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gulf Shore — Missing youth: Help the RCMP find Makenna Robichaud

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Cumberland County District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 15-year-old Makenna Robichaud, who was last seen February 26 at 6:30 p.m. on Mathesons Cove Rd. in Gulf Shore.

    Robichaud is described as 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds. She has black hair, blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black coat, jeans, and black shoes.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Makenna Robichaud is asked to contact the Cumberland County District RCMP at 902-667-3859. 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: Gulf Shore — Adolescente portée disparue : Aidez la GRC à retrouver Makenna Robichaud

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    La GRC dans le District du comté de Cumberland demande l’aide du public pour retrouver Makenna Robichaud, 15 ans, qui a été vue pour la dernière fois le 26 février à 18 h 30, sur le chemin Mathesons Cove, à Gulf Shore.

    Makenna Robichaud mesure 5 pi 3 po et pèse 110 lb. Elle a les cheveux noirs et les yeux bleus. La dernière fois qu’on l’a vue, elle portait un manteau noir, un jean et des souliers noirs.

    La disparition d’une personne a des conséquences profondes pour la personne concernée et pour ceux et celles qui la connaissent. Nous demandons à la population de diffuser l’avis de recherche dans les réseaux sociaux avec respect.

    On demande à toute personne qui sait où pourrait se trouver Makenna Robichaud de communiquer avec la GRC dans le District du comté de Cumberland au 902-667-3859. Pour conserver l’anonymat, communiquez avec Échec au crime N.-É. en composant le 1-800-222-8477, en allant dans son site Web à www.crimestoppers.ns.ca ou en utilisant l’application mobile « P3 Tips ».

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office collects nearly $2 million in civil and criminal actions in fiscal year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $1,996,578.60 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2024. Of this amount, $1,740,383.23 was collected in criminal actions and $256,195.37 was collected in civil actions.

    All U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting on civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, and for restitution owed to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid out to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    In the District of Wyoming, collection efforts are conducted through the U.S. Attorney’s Office Financial Litigation Program (FLP). The program is under the direct supervision of the Civil Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office; however, the Civil and Criminal Divisions work together to pursue effective recovery for crime victims.

    Civil Chief, Levi Martin, stated, “This office is committed to aggressive collection efforts for fraud committed against the United States and for restitution owed to the victims of criminal cases. The FLP is rather efficient in locating debtors and their assets in order to satisfy the judgment amounts they owe as a result of their unlawful actions.”

    One case example of a large recovery from 2024 is Defendant William Dean Decker (Case No. 1:24-cr-00028-SWS). Decker was convicted of one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Decker was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment, $139,701.55 in restitution, and a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act. As a result of the diligent efforts of the FLP and Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered the entire $144,901.55 owed under the judgment within fourteen days of its imposition.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Texan sent to prison for meth distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old Donna resident has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Rafael Leal pleaded guilty April 11, 2023.

    U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Leal to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.

    In October 2020, law enforcement conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was attempting to distribute a significant amount of liquid meth from the Rio Grande Valley area to Dallas. During that time, authorities conducted a traffic stop and apprehended Leal as he attempted to transport the narcotics.

    Leal will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs Border and Protection and Texas Department of Public Saftery. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney James Sturgis prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: USS San Diego Makes Port Visit to Ishigaki

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    This marks the third U.S. Navy ship to moor in Ishigaki, further strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance, which has served as the foundation for regional peace and security for nearly 75 years.

    During a ceremony aboard the ship, San Diego’s commanding officer, Capt. Timothy Carter, expressed his gratitude to the people of Ishigaki for their warm welcome and extended thanks to several key organizations, including the Yaeyama Defense Association, Ishigaki Port Authority, and the Japan Coast Guard for their support and assistance in ensuring the ship’s safe arrival.

    “It is truly an honor to be here today representing the United States Navy,” said Carter. “This visit stands as a testament to the deep, enduring friendship we share with Japan. Our presence in Ishigaki today underscores the strength and commitment of the U.S.-Japan alliance, a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

    San Diego operates in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners. The ship serves as a ready-response force for any type of contingency, from operational to humanitarian assistance missions.

    “Our military-to-military relationships have never been stronger,” he continued. “We look forward to engaging with the local community and deepening our understanding of each other’s cultures. Our partnership is not only important today, but will remain vital in the years to come.”

    While in Ishigaki, the crew will have the opportunity to engage with local residents, learn about the island’s rich history, and enjoy its unique culture and cuisine. This visit represents another milestone in the strong and enduring ties between the U.S. and Japan.

    San Diego, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is forward-deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

    U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    For more news from USS San Diego, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lpd22/
    On Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/LPD22

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commander, Naval Air Forces Concludes Visit to Japan and Guam, Reinforcing Warfighting Readiness and Sailor Quality of Service

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    During the visit, Cheever, the U.S. Navy’s “Air Boss,” engaged leadership and Sailors at Kadena Air Base, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. He also visited the forward-deployed Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and multiple forward-deployed squadrons, emphasizing the integral role of Naval Aviation in the Indo-Pacific.

    “Our forward-deployed aviation forces are the tip of the spear, and their ability to operate at the highest levels helps maintain a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” said Cheever. “It is critical that we provide them with the training, resources and support they need to maintain readiness and execute the mission.”

    Throughout the visit, the Air Boss and Force Master Chief met with command leadership to discuss key priorities, including sustaining warfighting excellence, improving the quality of life for Sailors and their families overseas and fostering a culture of trust and respect. They also took time to recognize outstanding Sailors for their hard work and contributions.

    “People are our most valuable asset,” said Kuers. “We must ensure every Sailor – whether on the flight line, in maintenance shops, onboard the ship or supporting operations – has what they need to succeed and thrive.”

    Air Boss also had the opportunity to see the U.S. Navy’s latest aviation capabilities in action, including the F-35C Lightning II, the CMV-22B Osprey and the MQ-4C Triton. These platforms enhance the U.S. Navy’s ability to strengthen deterrence to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    During engagements with squadron personnel, Air Boss flew with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, reinforcing his commitment to safe, effective operations and firsthand understanding of the challenges they face.

    “Our aviators and maintainers work around the clock to ensure our air wing is combat-ready, strong and lethal,” said Capt. Brian Kesselring, commander of CVW-5. “Having the Air Boss fly with our squadrons and engage with our teams underscores the importance of our mission and the trust he has in our warfighters.”

    While in Guam, Air Boss visited Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed MH-60S expeditionary squadron, which plays a critical role in search and rescue, logistics and fleet support operations across the Indo-Pacific.

    The visit marked the first time Cheever visited Japan and Guam as Air Boss, and reinforced morale, strengthened trust and underscored Naval Aviation as indispensable to operations around the world.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Digby — Digby RCMP assisting in fatal structure fire investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Digby RCMP is assisting in the investigation of a fire that occurred at an apartment in Digby.

    On February 28 at approximately 8:00 a.m., Digby RCMP, fire services, and EHS responded to a report of a fire on Birch St., at a home known to contain several apartments. Police officers on scene assisted in evacuating the building. Multiple occupants were able to leave the building safely.

    When the fire was extinguished, police learned that firefighters located one person deceased at the scene. The fire is under investigation and investigators will remain on scene to continue to gather information and evidence.

    The investigation is being assisted by the Office of the Fire Marshal and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.

    Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the deceased at this difficult time.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Central Coast Woman Arrested on Complaint Alleging She Created Hundreds of Bogus Medical Documents for Immigration Applicants

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging she created hundreds of fraudulent immigration documents by misusing physicians’ credentials to show compliance with medical examination requirements for immigrants to register for green cards or otherwise adjust their immigration status, the Justice Department announced today.

    Chantelle Lavergne Woods, 54, of Nipomo, is charged with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

    Woods was arrested on Wednesday made her initial appearance Thursday in United States District Court and a federal magistrate judge ordered her released on $10,000 bond. Her arraignment is scheduled for March 25.

    “The fraudulent conduct described in the criminal complaint undermined the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We commend our law enforcement partners for putting a stop to it.”

    United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires the submission of a medical examination and vaccination record that assess several physical and mental health factors to determine an applicant’s legal status. Federal law requires licensed physicians – or “civil surgeons” – to perform these examinations. 

    According to an affidavit filed on February 18 with the complaint, from February 2021 to April 2024, Woods, while operating an Arroyo Grande medical clinic, created hundreds of fraudulent documents pertaining to medical examination and vaccination requirements for individuals seeking to register for a lawful permanent resident (LPR) card – commonly known as a “green card” – or otherwise adjust their immigration status.

    Woods allegedly maintained a website that advertised itself as a “Medical Weight Loss and Immigration Services” clinic that, in part, purported to help applicants with immigration physicals. One of the doctors listed on that website as an “M.D. Board Certified Neurologist and Designated Civil Surgeon for USCIS” was in fact, according to the California Medical Board website, a pediatrician, not a neurologist.

    She allegedly forged several doctors’ signatures – including one doctor who died before Woods prepared the fraudulent immigration forms. 

    A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security are investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Elia Herrera of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Suburban Chicago Tax Professional Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Stealing Client and Investor Funds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago tax professional who fraudulently obtained more than $2.5 million from clients and investors under false pretenses has been sentenced to more than ten years in federal prison.

    ADAM R. OLIVA, 43, of Rolling Meadows, Ill., pleaded guilty last year in two federal fraud cases.  Oliva was sentenced in December to six years in federal prison for one of the cases, and on Wednesday he received an additional four-and-a-half-year sentence for the other case.  The prison terms must be served consecutively, for a total period of incarceration of ten and a half years.

    In one case, Oliva held himself out as a tax professional who did business under various names, including Oliva and Associates LLC and The Oliva Group LLC.  From 2015 to 2020, Oliva fraudulently induced clients to provide him with money for the purported purpose of paying their income taxes.  Oliva instead kept the money for himself.  Oliva also admitted that he filed false tax returns on behalf of some of those clients, reflecting no or lower tax liabilities in order to make it less likely that the IRS would contact the clients about their unpaid tax liabilities.

    In the other case, Oliva duped investors who had provided him with money to fund purported short-term loans to clients.  Oliva promised those investors that they would receive returns of 10-20% on their investments.  In reality, he never intended to make any short-term loans.  Instead, he pocketed the investors’ money and used it for personal expenses, including gambling, meals at restaurants, and retail purchases.

    The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, and Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick D. Young.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Transient Man Sentenced to Life Plus 10 Years After Murder Conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – A transient man was found guilty in October 2024 of First Degree Murder in Indian Country, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Brandishing and Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.

    Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Cameron Lynn, 34, to life imprisonment for first-degree murder, plus 120 months for discharging a weapon during a crime of violence. Lynn’s remaining counts of assault were sentenced concurrently as 120 months for each count.

    “Cameron Lynn maliciously took the life of Alcides Monroig and assaulted another,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “This life sentence, plus an additional ten years, will ensure Lynn is no longer a danger to anyone in the Northern District. This sentence would not be possible without the hard work of the detectives, agents, and prosecutors.”

    According to evidence presented at trial, on February 24, 2024, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched around midnight to a call where someone was shot. The caller was in a heavily wooded area near railroad tracks, flagged down officers and led them to the encampment. Officers found two victims in their tents that were shot. Medical personnel arrived on the scene and rendered aid to both victims. One victim was shot in the abdomen and transported to a local hospital. The other victim, Alcides Monroig, died at the scene.

    The caller and surviving victim told officers that they were asleep when Lynn approached their encampment. They explained that Lynn started going through their belongings, stating he was trying to find his stuff. They told officers they shined a flashlight, trying to see Lynn, and asked him to leave. Lynn refused and shot several times at both tents before fleeing.

    Several witnesses testified that they saw Lynn heading towards the encampment. After they heard several shots fired, Lynn ran toward the witnesses, telling them that they needed to leave the area and that he shot in self-defense.

    Lynn is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Tulsa Police Department and FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and Stephen Flynn prosecuted.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas resident sentenced for distributing child sexual assault material while in Laredo

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 44-year-old resident of Madison, Kansas, has been sentenced for distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Terry Lee Trower pleaded guilty Sept. 10, 2024.

    U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now sentenced Trower to serve 146 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison terms, the court the content of what Trower shared merited a significant sentence. Trower will also serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Trower will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

    “In order to completely eliminate this terrible industry of exploitation, authorities need to target not just the supply side of the equation, but also the demand side,” said Ganjei. “As the defendant learned, if you committed a federal offense in the Southern District, we’re going to find you, wherever you are, even if it’s out of state.”

    On Dec. 13, 2023, law enforcement had identified an online user, later identified as Trower, sharing multiple files containing child sexual assault material (CSAM) in a public Kik chat room. The videos and images depicted children under the age of 12 engaged in various sexual acts with adults and animals.

    Trower was in Laredo at the time of the distribution. He was eventually arrested at his residence in Kansas, at which time he admitted he had shared child pornography he found on Kik.

    Trower will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The FBI conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Vinton Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation, Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A federal grand jury in Roanoke returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a Vinton, Virginia man with sexual exploitation of a minor by producing child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and transmitting obscene material to a person under the age of 16.

    According to court documents, Alageon Jaytown Lee Gravely, a.k.a. “AJ”,  20, of Vinton, used at least three minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. In addition, Gravely received images of child pornography from another minor and transmitted obscenity to a minor as well.

    Gravely is charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of receipt of child pornography, and one count of transferring obscene materials. As charged, the case currently involves five separate minors.  If convicted of sexually exploiting a minor by producing child pornography, Gravely faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee, Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck made the announcement.

    The Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case with additional investigative assistance from the Roanoke County Police Department.

    The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

    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: Othello Man Indicted on 11 Criminal Counts for Threats, Extortion, and Production and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that on February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Andres Burgos-Silva, of Othello, Washington, with 11 criminal counts involving the production and receipt of child sexual abuse material, extortion, and making threats to his victims. Burgos-Silva was arraigned on February 26, 2025, at the U.S. District Court in Spokane, Washington.

    Detectives with the Othello Police department developed information that Burgos-Silva was allegedly in possession of child sexual abuse material involving children as young as 6-years-old. Detectives also learned Burgos-Silva had allegedly contacted several minors on social media and claimed to have sexually explicit photos of the minors and threatened to send the photos to others, unless the minors sent him more sexually explicit photos.

    When detectives executed a search warrant at Burgis-Silva’s home in Othello, they seized electronic devices that allegedly contained depictions of young children being sexually abused.

    This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Othello Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.

    2:25-cr-00021-TOR

    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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