NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Convicted At Trial Of Illegal Firearm Possession Is Sentenced To Prison

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

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Daniel Wood, 48, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to evidence presented at Wood’s trial, witness testimony, and filed court documents, on May 1, 2022, Wood attempted to enter a Charlotte nightclub with a loaded firearm in his pants pocket. The security of the nightclub found the firearm when they patted down Wood prior to entering the club. Security removed the firearm and turned it over to an off-duty CMPD officer. While the CMPD officer was in his patrol vehicle examining the firearm, Wood spoke to the officer and explained that he received the gun from someone else and that he had forgotten it was in the pocket of his pants. Court records show that Wood has prior felony convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    Wood will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to a facility designated by the Federal Bureau of Prison.

    The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    The 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. For more information about PSN in the Western District, please visit our website. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thirteen Individuals Charged As Part Of International Ring Targeting Cell Phone Shipments For Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – Thirteen members of an international network that stole thousands of shipments of iPhones and other electronic devices around the United States were charged today, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna, District of New Jersey, announced.

    Demetrio Reyes Martinez, a/k/a “CookieNerd,” 37, of the Dominican Republic, Andrickson Jerez, 28, of Bronx, NY, Edickson Lora Castillo, 24, of New York, NY, Raimond Cabrera De Leon, 31, of New York, NY, Luis Marte Tavares, 33, of Brooklyn, NY, Frederick Duverge Guzman, 26, of New York, NY, Julio Vasquez Sanchez, a/k/a “BotTrack,” 30, of Brooklyn, NY, Alejandro Then Castillo, 45, of Paterson, NJ, Wilson Peralta Tavarez, 28, of Belleville, NJ, Ecker Montero Hernandez, 25, of Paterson, NJ, Jean Luis Diaz Dominguez, a/k/a “Botija,” 24, of Paterson, NJ, Luis Nunez, 23, of Paterson, NJ, and Joel Suriel, a/k/a “La Melma,” 31, of Brooklyn, NY, were each charged in Count One of the Criminal Complaint unsealed today with conspiracy to transport and receive stolen property.

    In addition, Then Castillo and Peralta Tavares were charged in Count Two of the Criminal Complaint with wire fraud conspiracy.  Finally, Jerez (Count Three) and Lora Castillo (Count Four) were each charged with one count transportation of stolen property.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    The defendants were part of an international and nationwide ring involved in the widespread theft of electronic device shipments from FedEx and other carriers.  The ring identified valuable packages to steal through two primary means:  (1) the creation and use of automated computer scripts, developed by Reyes Martinez and others, to scrape data from the public and customer-facing tracking systems of FedEx and Victim-1, a major U.S. cellular provider; and (2) bribing corrupt Victim-1 employees such as Then Castillo and Peralta Tavares to provide confidential information about Victim-1 customers, including orders, names, tracking numbers, and delivery addresses.

    This criminal network operated in layers with some members, referred to as “dispatchers,” obtaining and selling the delivery information and others, referred to as “runners,” purchasing this delivery information and stealing the packages.

    Jerez, Cabrera De Leon, and Marte Tavares operated a major “fence” location out of a residential building in the Bronx, where an almost constant stream of people brought stolen devices for sale.  Suriel ran a fence location in Brooklyn where he received bulk deliveries of devices stolen across the country, including by Ecker Montero, Nunez, and Diaz Dominguez, who traveled around the country stealing iPhones, iPads, Samsung phones and other electronic devices.  On one occasion where FedEx security seized stolen iPhones from a shipment sent by Nunez and Diaz Dominguez, Nunez complained to FedEx customer service that his iPhones had been stolen.

    Then Castillo and Peralta Tavarez were Victim-1 retail store employees who accepted bribe payments in exchange for providing confidential customer information from Victim-1’s order tracking system.

    Lora Castillo, Duverge Guzman, and Vasquez Sanchez were dispatchers who sold and provided runners with delivery addresses, tracking numbers and customer names.  They also directed runners to fence locations to sell the stolen devices.

    Count One carries a maximum prison sentence of 5 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense.  Count Two carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense.  Counts Three and Four each carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross amount of gain or loss resulting from the offense.

    “These defendants are alleged to have worked together as part of an international ring to steal thousands of expensive electronic devices, which caused millions of dollars of losses to the victims. They are alleged to have done so by harnessing technology through the use of computer scripts which gave them access to shipping information, including individuals’ names and their home addresses.  My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue these types of criminals no matter where in the world they are and seek justice for their victims.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna

    “As alleged, the defendants, both here and abroad, victimized American customers and businesses alike by targeting, tracking, and stealing their valuable electronic shipments. The new-age ‘porch pirates,’ these accused criminals tailored their alleged scheme to the modern times, but were stopped short of doing so successfully. HSI New York and our law enforcement partners continue to adapt as brazen bad actors relentlessly try — and fail — to find new illicit money-making methods. I thank HSI Newark, the NYPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the FBI, and our many counterparts for their unified and unwavering support,” stated Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), New York Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.

    “These alleged members of this international crime ring traveled the country stealing goods, for monetary profit; compromising customers’ privacy and hijacking the cellular providers’ business flow.”  FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly warns that “No matter how elaborate or invasive a criminal ring may be, we will break the chain of criminality and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office, under the direction Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the New York City Police Department under the direction of Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Prosecutor William Daniel and Chief Harvey Barnwell with the investigation leading to these charges.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna also thanked the Dominican Republic’s Procuraduría Especializada Contra los Crímenes y Delitos de Alta Tecnología (PEDATEC), (Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for High Technology Crimes and Offenses) and HSI’s Newark Field Office for their collaboration in this matter.

    In 2024 New Jersey experienced a surge of over 400 identified package thefts targeting cellular devices.  To combat this threat, Union County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ) partnered with New Jersey State Police Real Time Crime Center North and FBI Newark to spearhead a task force of investigators from impacted jurisdictions along with federal, state, and county agencies to collaborate on emerging intelligence. Through private sector partnerships, collusive employees were identified. Prospective delivery information was also shared amongst the task force to proactively identify, surveil, and arrest individuals involved in package theft within New Jersey. The following agencies are credited with contributing:

    Cranford Police Department, Sparta Police Department, Moorestown Police Department, Barnegat Police Department,  Paterson Police Department, Belleville Police Department, Department of Homeland Security-U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations, Port Authority Police Department, Edison Police Department, Woodbridge Police Department, Rahway Police Department, Elizabeth Police Department, Kenilworth Police Department, Plainfield Police Department, Westfield Police Department, Summit Police Department, Linden Police Department, Scotch Plains Police Department, Berkeley Heights Police Department, Union County Police Department, Mountainside Police Department, Hillside Police Department, Fanwood Police Department, Clark Police Department, New Providence Police Department, Roselle Police Department, Roselle Park Police Department, Springfield Police Department, Union Police Department, Wayne Police Department, South Amboy Police Department, Brick Police Department, Wyckoff Police Department, Rutherford Police Department, Carlstadt Police Department, Oakland Police Department, Glen Rock Police Department, Fort Lee Police Department, Montvale Police Department, Little Falls Police Department, Wallington Police Department, Englewood Police Department, Leonia Police Department, Bloomfield Police Department, Fair Lawn Police Department, Closter Police Department, Verona Police Department, Elmwood Park Police Department, Clifton Police Department,  Woodcliff Lakes Police Department, Cresskill Police Department, Palisades Park Police Department, Hillsdale Police Department, Franklin Lakes Police Department, Warren Township Police Department, Caldwell Police Department, Fairview Police Department, New Milford Police Department, Bergenfield Police Department, Branchburg Police Department, Wayne Police Department, Paramus Police Department, Jersey City Police Department, Secaucus Police Department, Randolph Police Department, Teaneck Police Department, Middlesex Police Department, Montvale Police Department, Manalapan Police Department, Toms River Police Department, Riverdale Police Department, Morristown Police Department, Dover Police Department, Roxbury Police Department, Montville Police Department, Parsippany Police Department, Denville Police Department, Chatham Township Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, North Brunswick Police Department, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.

    Defendants Andrickson Jerez, Edickson Lora Castillo, Luis Marte Tavares, Raimond Cabrera De Leon, Alejandro Then Castillo, Wilson Peralta Tavares, Ecker Montero Hernandez, and Joel Suriel, a/k/a “La Melma,” are scheduled to appear before Hon. José R. Almonte, U.S.M.J. this afternoon at the U.S. District Court in Newark.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David E. Malagold of the Cybercrime Unit and Trevor A. Chenoweth of the OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    25-057                        

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredoan and two illegals charged in firearms and related conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned a 14-count indictment against three people on various federal firearms, drug trafficking and immigration offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Fernando Patinio, 31, Laredo, and Albert Garcia-Guajardo, 32, and Jose Hernandez-Garza, 25, both illegal aliens unlawfully residing in the country, were previously in custody on charges originally filed in a criminal complaint. They are expected to make an appearance on the allegations in the indictment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

    The charges allege Patinio and Garcia-Guarjardo had allegedly sold cocaine and a large number of weapons, to include several machine guns, over the course of an approximately month-long undercover investigation.   

    During the initial transaction involving a pistol, Garcia-Guajardo had also indicated he and Patinio could also offer drugs for sale, according to the charges.

    On Jan. 2, Patinio and Garcia Guajardo allegedly sold the first of two machine guns – a model 22 Glock equipped with a machine gun conversion device. The charges further allege that in the following weeks, Patinio and Garcia-Guajardo arranged to sell cocaine and another machine guns.

    On Jan. 31, authorities executed a search warrant on the 3000 block of Monterrey Street in Laredo where they found Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza, according to the charges. Law enforcement also allegedly discovered several more firearms, various narcotics, a scale and many more rounds of ammunition.

    The charges allege Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza were both determined to be illegally present in the United States. Garcia-Guajardo was allegedly ordered removed from the country two times, most recently in July 2024. According to the allegations, Hernandez-Garza originally had a B1/B2 visa issued to him, but it had expired. Both not lawfully in the United States, they are not permitted to possess any firearms per the charges.

    Over the course of the undercover investigation, law enforcement has allegedly seized two machine guns, eight pistols – one of which had a filed-off serial number – drum-style magazines, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and several rounds of .40 S&W caliber and 9 mm caliber rounds.

    If convicted, Garcia-Guajardo and Patino face a mandatory minimum of 30 years and up to life in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic machines guns in the course of drug trafficking offenses and use of a machine gun in drug trafficking, while Hernandez-Garza faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. All could also be ordered to pay up to a $250,000 fine.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory R. Sailer and Brandon Scott Bowling are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A repeat convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing a firearm, multiple rounds of ammunition and fentanyl intended for distribution while on federal supervised release.

    Francisco Gabriel Diaz, 33, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In July 2024, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Diaz was charged by criminal complaint in December 2021.

    On June 24, 2021, a search of the residence where Diaz was staying resulted in the recovery of a black Taurus G2S 9mm firearm, a 9mm magazine containing seven live 9mm rounds, a 9mm magazine containing one live 9mm round, over 40 grams of fentanyl, several plastic bags containing crack cocaine, a box of sandwich bags and a digital scale. Diaz was on federal supervised release at the time of the search.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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 Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Indicted In Connection With 2023 Shooting Using “Ghost Gun”

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Michael Alfonso, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging TERRY BROOKS with three counts of possessing firearms and ammunition after a felony conviction. The charges relate to a November 12, 2023, shooting and the subsequent seizures of the defendant’s firearms and ammunition on August 14 and August 21, 2024. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Margaret M. Garnett.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, on November 12, 2023, while on a public sidewalk in the Bronx, Terry Brooks reached into his waistband, pulled out a gun, and began shooting. Brooks missed his target but struck a nearby bystander, causing serious injury. Brooks had purchased more than 50 firearm components online and possessed privately manufactured and unregistered ‘ghost guns,’ but this did not stop law enforcement from catching him. Thanks to the work of the career prosecutors in this Office and our partners at HSI and the NYPD, Brooks has been arrested and will face trial.”

    HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso said: “The defendant’s indictment today underscores the HSI New York El Dorado Task Force’s ability to aggressively pursue investigative leads in whatever forms they take. Violent crime precursors no longer fit one specific mold, and HSI, alongside the NYPD, continues to adapt to target alleged bad actors and predicate felons determined to commit crimes.  New York City is a safer place with Terry Brooks off the streets.”

    NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “This indictment makes one thing clear: Untraceable ghost guns will not be tolerated in our city. Thanks to the meticulous work of the NYPD investigators, along with our law enforcement partners at HSI and the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, this armed perpetrator—who terrorized our streets and injured an innocent bystander—will be held fully accountable. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe, and removing every illegal firearm, whether trackable or disguised, brings us one step closer to achieving that goal.”

    As alleged in the Indictment returned today and the Complaint unsealed on January 30, 2025:[1]

    On November 12, 2023, a man—subsequently identified as BROOKS—fired a gun in the Bronx, New York, near the corner of E. 180th St. and Bathgate Ave.  The bullet struck a bystander, who was rushed to a hospital, received medical treatment, and survived.  Approximately three minutes after the shooting, officers responded.  Officers immediately found a shell casing at the scene of the crime.

    After obtaining surveillance video footage from several sources, officers were able to track the shooter, together with a female companion, from a particular hotel room to the scene of the shooting and back to the same hotel room.  Hotel records identify BROOKS as someone who was staying in the hotel room at that time.  BROOKS drove a red Toyota Corolla to and from the scene of the shooting, and the license plate is visible in some of the surveillance footage.  BROOKS has received moving violations while driving that Corolla, which is registered to a woman with whom BROOKS sometimes resides.

    Officers obtained search warrants for two premises where BROOKS sometimes resides.  On August 14, 2024, while executing the warrants, officers encountered guns, firearm parts, and ammunition in close proximity to objects and documents bearing BROOKS’s name and likeness.  Ballistics testing established that the shell casing found immediately after the shooting in November 2023 had been fired by one of the ghost guns recovered pursuant to these warrants. 

    Finally, on August 21, 2024, officers arrested BROOKS in the same hotel where he had been staying on the night of the shooting. The officers recovered yet another firearm, which was in plain view on a nightstand.

    *                *                *

    BROOKS, 58, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of possessing ammunition on or about November 12, 2023; one count of possessing firearms and ammunition on or about August 14, 2024; and one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition on or about August 21, 2024.  Each count carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

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

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD. 

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Grossinger and James Mandilk are in charge of the prosecution.

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pitt County Man Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme that Defrauded Eastern North Carolina Investors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – Willard Timothy Sutton, age 64, pled guilty to one count of mail fraud today for running a Ponzi scheme that resulted in more than 60 investors suffering net losses in excess of $8 million.  At sentencing later this year, Sutton faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.  Sutton will also be required to pay restitution to victims.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2019 and 2023, Sutton operated a largescale Ponzi scheme in connection with an investment program offered through Greenville Auto World, LLC (GAW), a car dealership located in Greenville.  GAW was a “buy here pay here” (BHPH) dealership.  BHPH dealerships enable customers with poor or no credit history to finance the purchase of a vehicle directly through the dealership, rather than through a bank or credit union.  Such loans typically carry significantly higher interest rates than traditional car loans.  Between approximately 2012 and 2023, as part of an investment program sponsored, promoted, and administered by GAW, Sutton sold BHPH finance contracts to outside investors through direct solicitation, referrals, and word-of-mouth advertisement.

    Beginning in approximately 2019, Sutton falsely and fraudulently led BHPH investors to believe that their investments were safe and secure, and that GAW was collecting sufficient repayments from loan customers to be able to fully pay the principal and interest owed to them.  In truth, GAW was collecting millions from investors, but it did not have the means to service the debt through BHPH revenue or any legitimate business income.  Between approximately October 2018 and August 2023, the FBI estimates that GAW collected investor funds in excess of $60 million.  However, GAW’s gross receipts were a small fraction of the total.

    In order to conceal GAW’s financial condition, and avoid the collapse of the business, Sutton operated the BHPH program as a Ponzi scheme in which he would (in a typical transaction) sell a legitimate loan contract to one investor and then sell one or more false and fabricated versions of that same contract to other investors without their knowledge.  Sutton then used the proceeds of the fraudulent sales to pay off earlier investors.  Among other things, Sutton forged loan customer signatures to the fake contracts and, in some instances, provided fake title documents to investors to convince them that their investments were appropriately secured.   

    In approximately 2022, in order to generate additional funds to meet GAW’s mounting debts to investors, Sutton solicited some BHPH investors to help finance GAW’s vehicle inventory.  Sutton falsely and fraudulently represented to these investors that he was using their funds to purchase vehicles when, in fact, Sutton was using their funds to conceal and perpetuate the Ponzi scheme.

    “Over the course of years, instead of helping so-called investors, this defendant bilked his victims out of millions of dollars of their hard earned money,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “Fraudsters should know that they will be held accountable for their crimes in the Eastern District of North Carolina.”

    “Mr. Sutton ran a local business for many years, purporting to help those with poor or no credit get much needed vehicle loans. When he ran into financial trouble, rather than admitting his business was failing, he resold those loans over and over again to outside investors to protect his own reputation at the expense those who trusted he was legitimately investing their hard earned money,” said Robert M. DeWitt the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.    

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief Judge Richard E. Myers, II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Field Office, investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-83-M.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Student Loan Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Shelbra Long Admitted to Fraudulently Causing the Award of Over $466,000 in Education Benefits

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Shelbra Long, age 58, of Edinburg, Texas, pled guilty today to conspiring to commit mail fraud and wire fraud.  Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Acting Special Agent in Charge Isabel Douroupis, of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (ED OIG) – Eastern Regional Office, made the announcement.

    Long admitted to engaging in a decade-long scheme to apply for admission and financial aid to online colleges in the names of purported students who had their identities stolen.  After the Department of Education disbursed the financial aid to a school, Long and her coconspirators withdrew the purported student from enrollment. The schools refunded the balance of the financial aid that had not been used to bank accounts controlled by the conspirators.  The Department of Education awarded $466,430 in aid based on the scheme, of which it disbursed $211,820.

    Long faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years, when she is sentenced on June 26, 2025. Long has agreed to pay $211,820 in restitution to the Department of Education and to forfeit an additional $52,304.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

    ED OIG investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Reiner is prosecuting.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seventeen OMB Gang Defendants Sentenced to a Total of 2,538 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DES MOINES, Iowa – On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, the final defendant in a multi-Indictment, 17-defendant gang investigation involving the Only My Brothers (OMB) street gang was sentenced to federal prison. All 17 defendants had previously pled guilty or been found guilty following a jury trial. The defendants were charged with various crimes in federal court, including RICO conspiracy, fentanyl distribution, possessing machineguns, straw purchasing firearms, firearms trafficking, and illegally possessing firearms.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented in court, the charged defendants were members and associates of a criminal organization or Enterprise known as “Only My Brothers” or “OMB.” OMB originated in early- to mid-2021. Prior to that, some members and associates of OMB referred to themselves as various other names, including C-Block, 600, East Side Crips, Crips, and Gangster Disciples. From at least 2021, and continuing until their arrests, OMB’s members and associates engaged in a plethora of criminal activity in an attempt to earn and maintain respect in the neighborhood. This included attempted murders, including at least 30 gang-related shootings, the distribution of over 22 kilograms of fentanyl, as well as a number of convenience store armed robberies in the Des Moines metro.

    Some of the shootings OMB has been held responsible for include a November 2021 shooting at a celebration of life party being held at a residence in Des Moines, Iowa; a second November 2021 shooting at a residence on Southeast 9th Street in Des Moines, during which over 20 shots were fired; a February 2022 shooting in and around Good Park in Des Moines; an April 2022 shooting at a rival gang member’s home in Des Moines, during which over 70 shots were fired; a July 2022 shooting at an apartment complex in Sixth Avenue in Des Moines, during which at least 40 shots were fired; an August 2022 shooting at a residence on 23rd Street in Des Moines; and an August 2022 shooting at an apartment complex on Southeast 22nd Street in Des Moines, during which over 36 shots were fired.

    In order to obtain the firearms used to commit their criminal activity, OMB utilized a network of firearms straw purchasers, most of whom were drug customers or family members of the OMB members. This included Dawn Ellease Robinson, who purchased guns for her son, OMB member Santiz Langford. Langford then either personally used the guns himself to conduct OMB activity, or he trafficked the guns to other OMB members. One of those guns was later found in the possession of a victim in the January 2023 Starts Right Here double homicide in Des Moines. Deon Cooper, Langford’s sister, also straw purchased firearms for Langford, and Johnetta Strode, OMB member Deadrian Nelson’s mother, straw purchased firearms for Nelson.

    The straw purchasers purchased guns for the OMB members, who then used those guns to commit violent acts against rival gang members and other victims. OMB members and associates were also prolific possessors of machinegun conversion devices (also known as automatic selector switches). These devices convert semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic firearms and are considered machineguns under federal law. During the investigation, law enforcement was able to identify over 90 guns involved in the OMB-involved shootings, with over 70 of the involved guns seized.

    The defendants involved in this investigation include:

    • Awot Tsegaye Baliho, 23, pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.
    • Armani Eugene Gates, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl, unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, two counts of conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to straw purchase firearms, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and was sentenced to 276 months’ imprisonment.
    • Bakier Mohamd Esmaeil, 20, pled guilty to one count of being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 63 months’ imprisonment.
    • Dontavius Rashaun Sharkey, 28, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of straw purchasing conspiracy, two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a machinegun, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and supervised release violations, and was sentenced to 384 months’ imprisonment.
    • Deadrian Maurice Nelson, 20, pled guilty to two counts of being a felon and unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment.
    • Johnetta Marie Strode, 37, pled guilty to straw purchasing conspiracy, and two counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 54 months’ imprisonment.
    • Christopher Scott Eason, 43, pled guilty to false statement during purchase of a firearm, and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
    • Raleigh John Potter, 30, pled guilty to false statement during purchase of a firearm and unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment.
    • Deon Ellease Cooper, 28, pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy, false statement during purchase of a firearm, straw purchasing conspiracy, and straw purchasing of a firearm, and was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment.
    • Dawn Ellease Robinson, 45, pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy, straw purchasing conspiracy, straw purchasing of a firearm, and two counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment.
    • Avontae Lamar Tucker, 21, pled guilty in two federal cases to racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, two counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm and ammunition, two counts of interference with commerce through robbery, and two counts of brandishing and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He was sentenced to 444 months’ imprisonment.
    • Santiz Cortez Langford, 21, pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, two counts of straw purchasing conspiracy, two counts of firearms trafficking, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, illegal possession of a machinegun, and two counts of unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced to 295 months’ imprisonment.
    • Semaj Johnson, 20, pled guilty under two separate cases to illegal possession of a machinegun, racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, firearms trafficking conspiracy, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and was sentenced to 211 months’ imprisonment.
    • Majok Majok, 20, pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, firearms trafficking conspiracy, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and illegal possession of a machinegun, and was sentenced to 195 months’ imprisonment.
    • Trent Douglas Brown Jr., 20, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment.
    • Dahaba Bahari Lula, 20, pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment.
    • Derrick Dwayne Smith, 41, pled guilty to four counts of false statement during purchase of a firearm, and was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Kristin Herrera and Mallory Weiser prosecuted the case.

    This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Des Moines Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center.

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

    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 Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Alien Smuggling

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Moore, age 42, of New Jersey, was sentenced yesterday to serve 3 years in prison after being convicted at trial of two counts of alien smuggling for private financial gain. Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.

    At trial in October 2024, the government established that on June 20, 2023, Moore traveled from New Jersey to an area just south of the border in Clinton County, New York, to pick up several aliens who had illegally crossed into the United States at a place other than a Port of Entry. Moore anticipated being paid $3,000 for his services but was quickly apprehended by agents from the United States Border Patrol.

    Jurors could not reach a verdict on one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling, and that count was dismissed at sentencing.

    In addition to the 36-month prison term, Moore was sentenced to a 3-year term of supervised release.

    United States Border Patrol investigated this case with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allen J. Vickey and Joseph S. Hartunian prosecuted this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DES MOINES, Iowa – A Honduran citizen was sentenced today to six months in federal prison for illegally returning to the United States after being deported.

    According to public court documents, Francisco Antonio Santos Martinez, 35, had previously been deported three times from the United States. In February 2024, Minnesota law enforcement encountered Santos Martinez when he was arrested for disorderly conduct. He was released from Minnesota state custody. In August 2024, Santos Martinez was encountered by Iowa law enforcement and later convicted for public intoxication in the Iowa District Court for Polk County.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Santos Martinez will be surrendered to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings and will also be required to serve a one-year term of supervised release.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Executive Director Is Sentenced For Stealing Thousands of Dollars From Gastonia Non-Profit

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stephanie L. Roberts, 55, of Gastonia, N.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for stealing thousands of dollars from a non-profit corporation for cancer patients, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Roberts was ordered to serve two years under court supervision, and to pay $157,722.69 in restitution to the non-profit victim and $62,612 to the Internal Revenue Service.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron is joined by Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), Jason Krizmanich, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Trent Conard of the Gastonia Police Department in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and court proceedings, Roberts was the executive director of Cancer Services of Gaston County, a non-profit corporation that provides support and resources for cancer patients. Beginning no later than January 8, 2016, through January 21, 2022, Roberts embezzled more than $136,000 from the non-profit corporation. Roberts also admitted that she failed to pay more than $200,000 withheld from the paychecks of the non-profit corporation’s employees for federal income, Medicare, and Social Security taxes to the IRS. In addition to the embezzlement scheme, Roberts made and subscribed, under penalty of perjury, U.S. Income Tax Returns that falsely stated the amount of tax withheld from her wages, and falsely claimed that amount was paid to the IRS.

    On March 22, 2024, Roberts pleaded guilty to theft in connection with health care; failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes; and making and subscribing a false tax return. Roberts will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron commended IRS-CI, USPIS, and the Gastonia Police Department for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Savage of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rhode Island Man Admits to Possessing Multiple Machine Guns and Unregistered Firearms

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

    PROVIDENCE – A Florida man who frequently resided in Coventry, RI admitted to a federal judge today that he illegally possessed a semi-automatic weapon modified to function as a fully automatic machine gun, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Joshua Pavao, 44, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence to a charge of possession of a machine gun and a charge of possession of an unregistered firearm. The unregistered firearm was also modified to be a machine gun and had a barrel length of 10 and 5/8 inches, substantially less than the 16 inches required by law.

    In December 2023, Pavao engaged East Providence Police in a high-speed car chase that resulted in multiple motor vehicle crashes as they were investigating a report of shots fired. Pavao fled on foot from his vehicle but was quickly apprehended. During the chase officers discovered a total of three loaded firearms and a multitude of ammunition and loaded pistol magazines from inside the vehicle, spilled out onto the roadway, and in a bag Pavao stashed near a residence.

    Shortly after Pavao’s arrest, Coventry Police Department and East Providence Police Department Detectives and ATF agents executed a court-authorized search of a duffle bag belonging to Pavao that was stored inside a garage at the Coventry residence where Pavao was staying. From inside the duffle bag, law enforcement seized eight long guns, four of which were outfitted with  an auto sear machine gun conversion device rendering them machine guns.

    Pavao is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2025.  The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.

    The matter was investigated by the East Providence Police with valuable assistance from Coventry Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Further person charged with murder of Jason Romeo in Clapton

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A further person has been charged with the murder of 20-year-old Jason Romeo who died following a stabbing in Clapton.

    Renaldo Roberts – 25 (20.02.99) of Hobbs Place Estate, E1 will appear in custody at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 27 February charged with murder. He was arrested on Tuesday, 25 February.

    Three other men have been charged with Jason’s murder.

    Raynolph Asante, 22 (13.03.02) of Pembury Road, Hackney, Travis Mitchell, 22 (23.07.02) of Bodney Road, Hackney and Rhamyah Bailey-Edwards, 21 (21.08.03) of Williams Avenue, Walthamstow have been charged with murder and appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 24 February. They have been remanded in custody to next appear at the Old Bailey on 3 November.

    Detectives have also made a further arrest. A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday, 26 February and remains in custody.

    Another 19-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday, 25 February has been bailed pending further enquiries.

    An investigation was launched after Jason died after being stabbed outside an address in Bodney Road, E5 at 17:59hrs on Tuesday, 18 February. Enquiries remain ongoing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and SSA OIG Charge Decades-Long Fugitive with Fraud Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A fugitive wanted for over four decades on attempted first-degree murder charges was apprehended in Weed, New Mexico, on February 19, 2025, following an investigation that uncovered his decades-long use of a deceased man’s identity to evade authorities and fraudulently obtain government benefits.

    According to court documents, Stephen Craig Campbell, 76, allegedly assumed the identity of Walter Lee Coffman, who died in 1975 at the age of 22. Coffman had graduated from the University of Arkansas just two months before his death. University records showed Campbell attended the same institution during that period, where both he and Coffman pursued engineering degrees, suggesting a likely connection between the two.

    It is alleged that Campbell first applied for a passport under Coffman’s name in 1984 and renewed it multiple times, always providing a photograph of himself and his current address.

    Campbell also obtained a replacement Social Security card in Coffman’s name in 1995, using an Oklahoma driver’s license in Coffman’s name.

    In approximately 2003, Campbell relocated to Weed, New Mexico where he allegedly purchased property in Coffman’s name. Campbell continued renewing the fraudulent passport under Coffman’s name in 2005 and 2015. Each time, he submitted an updated photograph and listed his current address in Weed, New Mexico.

    The scheme began to unravel when, in September 2019, Campbell visited the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department in Cloudcroft, presenting fraudulent documents to renew his driver’s license. He submitted a previously issued New Mexico driver’s license with his photograph bearing the name “Walter L Coffman,” Coffman’s birthdate, and a Weed, New Mexico address. Campbell also provided a Social Security card and a U.S. passport, both in Coffman’s name.

    After a renewed New Mexico license was issued to Campbell under Coffman’s name, agents from the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit discovered Coffman’s death and the suspected decades-long fraudulent use of his identity.

    The resulting investigation revealed that Campbell allegedly applied for and was awarded Social Security Title II Retirement Insurance Benefits under Coffman’s identity. As a result of the alleged scheme, Campbell is suspected of receiving approximately $140,000 in U.S. government funds administered by the Social Security Administration in Coffman’s name.

    Investigators uncovered that Campbell was arrested in Wyoming in 1982 for attempted first degree murder. He allegedly planted an explosive device at the doorstep of his estranged wife’s boyfriend. When his wife opened the toolbox containing the bomb, it exploded, causing her to lose a finger and suffer other injuries. The blast also set fire to the residence and a neighboring unit. Campbell was reportedly released on bond in 1983 but failed to appear in court, resulting in an active warrant for Attempted First Degree Murder.

    On February 14, 2025, authorities obtained warrants to arrest Campbell for and search the 44-acre property in Weed, New Mexico registered under Coffman’s name. The arrest operation involved a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies.

    During the arrest, Campbell allegedly greeted law enforcement armed with a scoped rifle, positioning himself in an elevated, partially concealed spot.

    After repeated orders and the deployment of flashbangs, Campbell emerged from the wood line and was detained. When recovered, the rifle was loaded with high-powered ammunition capable of piercing standard body armor and ready to fire, with the scope caps flipped open, the selector lever set to fire, and a round chambered.

    After Campbell‘s arrest, agents fingerprinted him, confirming his true identity and fugitive status, including the active attempted first-degree murder warrant from Wyoming. Prior to his arrest, Campbell had remained on the United States Marshals Most Wanted List for over four decades.

    A subsequent search of the property yielded 57 firearms and large quantities of ammunition. As a fugitive, Campbell is prohibited from possessing firearms.

    Campbell was charged by criminal complaint with misuse of a passport and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charge, Campbell faces up to 10 years in prison.

    Law enforcement officials are conducting a thorough review of evidence collected during the execution of a search warrant at the subject’s residence. Based on these findings, investigators are evaluating the possibility of additional charges.

    Following Campbell’s arrest, the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office in Green River, Wyoming, notified the U.S. Marshals and requested a detainer be placed on him in connection with the pending attempted first-degree murder charges.

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

    This case was co-investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office and the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General. It was originally initiated by the Diplomatic Security’s El Paso Resident Office and the National Passport Center’s Fraud Prevention Unit. Enforcement assistance was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, as well as the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clara Nevarez Cobos.

    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: Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Delaware corporation with a manufacturing facility in Ohio pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio to a charge of willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule. The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.

    Fabcon Precast LLC (Fabcon) operates several facilities in the United States, including one in Grove City, Ohio, that manufactures precast concrete panels. At Fabcon, employees known as batch operators were responsible for the operation and cleaning of the facility’s only concrete mixer. Concrete was discharged from the bottom of the mixer through a pneumatic door. By design, the mixer had an exhaust valve that released the pneumatic energy powering the discharge door, rendering it inoperable. Some months prior to June 6, 2020, the handle that operated the valve broke off and was not replaced.

    On June 6, 2020, Zachary Ledbetter, 20, a batch operator since January 2020, was on duty when the discharge door failed to close after releasing a batch of concrete. Because the valve was broken, Ledbetter could not perform the proper procedure to make the door safe to work around. When he attempted to free the door it closed on his head, trapping him. Eventually, Ledbetter was freed and transported to a hospital where he died five days later.

    Federal law makes it a class B misdemeanor to willfully fail to follow an OSHA safety standard, where the failure causes the death of an employee. The class B misdemeanor is the only federal criminal charge covering such workplace safety violations.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Norris for the Southern District of Ohio, and Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Megan Howell of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Great Lakes Region, made the announcement.

    The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

    Senior Trial Attorney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Cullman, of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and for the Southern District of Ohio respectively, prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sex Predator Sentenced to 15 Years for Sexually Abusing a Minor Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Damon Michael Dozier, 41, for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country. Judge Hill ordered Dozier imprisoned for 180 months, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender.

    In June 2023, Dozier took a minor child behind a shopping mall to engage in sexually explicit activity. Dozier admitted that he knew the child was only 13 years old.

    Dozier is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Scaife and Steve Briden prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. 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: Farrell Resident Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Armed Cocaine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Farrell, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for committing firearm and drug trafficking crimes, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Tylon Cousin, 39, who previously pleaded guilty in this case to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Judge Stickman also ordered Cousin to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    According to information presented to the Court, in January and February 2023, Cousin engaged in armed cocaine dealing from his Farrell residence. Cousin previously served a 60-month federal prison sentence on a 2012 conviction for similar cocaine dealing that took place between 2009 and 2011.

    Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Mercer County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Cousin.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan Citizen Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry into U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of Guatemala has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of illegal re-entry of a removed alien, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Anastacio Hernandez-Us, 46, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, on February 7, 2025, Hernandez-Us was found in western Pennsylvania after having been removed from the United States in September 2010.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Missoula credit union employee sentenced to prison for embezzling $389,000 by swapping real money for fake currency

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A former Missoula credit union employee who admitted to embezzling approximately $389,000 from the vault by swapping real money with fake funds was sentenced yesterday to six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $389,000 restitution, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.

    The defendant, Edward Arthur Nurse, 35, of Missoula, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to an indictment charging him with theft from a credit union.

    U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court also sentenced Nurse to six months of home confinement and to perform 600 hours of community service. The court allowed Nurse to self-report to prison.

    In court documents, the government alleged that from about July 2023 to June 2024, Nurse embezzled from his employer, Park Side Credit Union in Missoula. In June 2024, an employee discovered $340,000 in cash in the credit union’s vault had been replaced with fake funds from a company that provides fake currency as props for movies and entertainment productions. Nurse used his position as “team lead” for the vault to swap the credit union’s cash with fake money he purchased specifically for this purpose. Nurse hid his conduct from security cameras, auditors and his colleagues by putting real money at the front and back of bundles of fake money. Nurse made multiple purchases of fake money and stole the real cash from his work at different times over a seven-month period.

    After the credit union discovered the thefts, Nurse claimed to an FBI special agent that he did not usually carry much cash and, aside from a vacation to Las Vegas, Nevada, he had not made any recent large purchases or cash deposits. However, records show that Nurse made at least nine cash deposits of over $10,000 each in 2024 into his personal account.  The investigation also determined that during the first six months of 2024, Nurse had purchased $410,000 in fake currency from a prop money company. The credit union was later informed that approximately $50,000 in fake money had been received by the Federal Reserve in July 2024. Those funds were returned and determined to be fake bills from the prop money company.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, with assistance from the Missoula Police Department, conducted the investigation.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Indicted for Violations of Federal Controlled Substances Act, Federal Gun Control Act, and Reentry of Removed Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on February 14, 2025, MIGUEL ANGEL SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ (“SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ”), age 37, was indicted for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in Count One of the indictment, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in Count Two, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon in Count Three and, reentry of a removed alien in Count Four, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c),924(a)(2), 922(g), and Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1326(a), and 1326(b)(2), respectively.

    According to the indictment, on or about January 29, 2025 SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ  possessed a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine; possessed a firearm, a Taurus Model G2C, nine-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; knowingly, unlawfully possessed a firearm, having been previously convicted of a felony in the State of Mississippi, and was officially deported and removed from the United States on or about July 9, 2010.

    If convicted of Count One, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces up to twenty years imprisonment , a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  If convicted of Count Two, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces a minimum term of five years up to life imprisonment, to run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release.  If convicted of Count Three, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces up to fifteen years imprisonment , a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. If convicted of Count Four, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ faces  up to twenty years imprisonment , a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release.  As to each count, SOLORZANO-DOMINGUEZ also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

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

    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 prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Border Patrol, Kenner Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Gretna Major Crimes Task Force.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten Time Convicted Felon and Sureno “Mexican Pride” Gang Member Indicted for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and Ammunition After High-Speed Chase

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Richland, 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 for Victor Amezcua-Garcia with Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Amezcua-Garcia was arraigned on February 25, 2025, at the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.

    According to Pasco Police, Amezcua-Garcia was on Washington State Department of Corrections supervision with an active felony warrant for escape and the Pasco Police Department had probable cause to arrest Amezcua-Garcia for a series of armed robberies and shootings in Pasco.

    Knowing Amezcua-Garcia to be an active Sureno gang member with the set “Mexican Pride”, on January 24, 2025, Detectives with the Pasco Police Department contacted Amezcua-Garcia by phone pretending to be a rival gang member and arranged a time and location to meet up that day to “fight”.  Amezcua-Garcia and another Sureno gang member arrived at the agreed location in a stolen vehicle.  They were both seated low in the vehicle and their faces covered by bandanas.

    After Amezcua-Garcia was positively identified, a traffic stop was attempted; however, Amezcua-Garcia fled, attempting to elude law enforcement, and traveling at very high rates of speed through several Pasco residential neighborhoods before Pasco Police were able to safely perform a “pit” maneuver, bringing Amezcua-Garcia’s vehicle to a stop. Amezcua-Garcia and his passenger attempted to flee on foot; however, Pasco Police were able to block in the vehicle to prevent the escape.  In plain view in the vehicle, Pasco Police observed a loaded, and chambered, firearm which had Sureno gang indica carved into it.  A search of Amezcua-Garcia’s person revealed the same caliber ammunition in his pocket.

    “I am honored to work with such brave federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement officers, who frequently are called upon to put themselves in harm’s way to protect Eastern Washington communities,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Rich Barker. “I also am honored to lead an office with such talented attorneys and support staff. I stand in awe of their professionalism and dedication to ensuring justice in Eastern Washington.”

    This case is being investigated by the ATF, Washington Department of Corrections, and Pasco Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin Baunsgard is prosecuting the case.

    4:25-cr-06006-MKD

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Collected More Than $100 Million in Civil, Criminal, and Asset Forfeiture Actions in Fiscal Year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois collected more than $100 million in criminal, civil, and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2024, Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced today.

    The 2024 collections included approximately $23.9 million in criminal actions, $6.4 million in civil actions, and $70.4 million in asset forfeiture actions.  Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and Department of Justice components across the country to collect another $62.2 million in cases pursued jointly with those offices.

    “Our attorneys and staff place a high priority on recovering funds for the federal treasury and victims of federal crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual.  “Our office will continue to responsibly safeguard taxpayer resources while delivering a valuable return to the citizens of our district.”

    U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Justice Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.  Federal law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss.  While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims Fund, which then distributes the money to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Sentenced for Possessing Firearms and Transporting Stolen Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man with fifteen prior felony convictions who used a stolen motorcycle to drive from Minnesota to Iowa and broke into a Winneshiek County home to steal firearms and other items was sentenced February 24, 2025, to more than seven years in federal prison.

    Steven Michael Current, age 58, from Canton, Minnesota, received the prison term after an October 15, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of firearms as a felon and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle.

    In a plea agreement, Current admitted that he had fifteen prior felony convictions, and on September 26, 2022, he broke into a rural Winneshiek County home and stole eight firearms.  Current also admitted that he drove a stolen 2004 Harley Davidson Motorcycle from Canton, Minnesota, to the burglary scene in Iowa on September 26, 2022.  This motorcycle was stolen from a home in Rochester, Minnesota, on June 9, 2022.  Current admitted that, during the burglary, he dropped two unscratched Minnesota lottery tickets from his pocket.  Current was identified by images captured on a home camera system, and by images from the Minnesota store where Current purchased the lottery tickets.

    Current was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Current was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $500 in restitution to the original owner of the motorcycle and $6,031.31 to the insurance company that paid for the loss of the vehicle.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  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.

    Current is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by Winneshiek County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office, Fillmore County, Minnesota, Sheriff’s Office, and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

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

    The case file number is 23-CR-02050.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Kokomo Woman Ordered by Federal Court to Repay over $200,000 in Stolen Retirement Benefits from Deceased Husband’s Account

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    INDIANAPOLIS— Rebecca Fields, 70, of Kokomo, has been sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to making a false statement to illegally receive Social Security benefits. Fields has also been ordered to pay $231,203.10 in restitution.

    According to court documents, beginning around July 1985, Rebecca Fields’ husband, “L.F.” began receiving Social Security retirement benefits. On December 4, 2002, Rebecca requested to be added as L.F.’s representative payee, which the Social Security Administration (SSA) ultimately approved.

    When a qualified retirement beneficiary lacks the capacity to manage his or her own benefits, the SSA may approve a “representative payee” to receive the beneficiary’s benefits and to use them for the beneficiary. In such an instance, the SSA requires the representative payee to annually certify a continuing relationship with the beneficiary and how the representative used the beneficiary’s program benefits on his or her behalf.

    On April 10, 2006, L.F. died. Nonetheless, not only did Fields fail to report that fact to the SSA, but she also completed at least 13 Representative Payee Reports between 2007 and 2022 on which she falsely claimed that L.F continued to live with her. These reports also contained false claims that she had spent his retirement benefits on his behalf to maintain his health and well-being. The lies were aimed at deceiving the SSA into continuing to pay her money that she was not owed. As a result, Rebecca Fields received approximately $231,203.10 in L.F.’s social security benefits- of which she was not entitled after he passed away.

    “For over a decade, Fields brazenly stole not only from the United States government, but also indirectly from taxpayers who diligently pay into the Social Security retirement fund. Fields’ conduct also indirectly preyed on the vulnerable, elderly beneficiaries who ultimately depend on the program’s payments upon their retirement from the workforce,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence should serve as a stark warning to potential fraudsters who may believe they can cheat the system- you will pay the price.”

    The Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James P. Hanlon.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Corbin D. Houston, who prosecuted this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Check Fraudster Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Kenyata Wilson, 36, of Memphis, has been sentenced to federal prison for leading a check fraud ring in Memphis from 2022 to 2023.  Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

    According to information presented in court, between May 2022 and February 2023, Wilson obtained stolen checks and deposited them into the bank accounts of his co-conspirators.  His co-conspirators would transfer most of the funds back to Wilson and retain a small portion as their payment. Wilson was seen in surveillance footage at different ATM locations in Memphis depositing the stolen checks into an account used to receive the stolen funds. Wilson was responsible for passing over $42,000 in stolen checks.

    On November 18, 2024, Wilson pled guilty before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and eleven counts of bank fraud.  He was sentenced on February 20, 2025 to 24 months in federal prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, Memphis Resident Agency.

    Acting United States Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney William Bateman, who prosecuted this case on behalf of the government, and the law enforcement partners who assisted in the investigation of the case.

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    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Urges States to Comply with Federal Law by Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued letters to officials in California, Maine, and Minnesota warning them to comply with federal antidiscrimination laws that require them to keep men out of women’s sports.

    “This Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will leverage every legal option necessary to ensure state compliance with federal law and President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports.”

    As President Trump’s recent executive order on this subject explains, allowing men and boys to compete in women’s and girls’ sports “is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls.” The practice is also illegal under federal law: it denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports, in violation of Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican Felon Facing Federal Charges in El Paso for Illegal Re-Entry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EL PASO, Texas – A Jamaican national with multiple felonies was arrested at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry.

    According to court documents, Dwight Donovan Moulton, 43, allegedly presented a Texas identification card to a Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) and claimed that he was a United States citizen traveling to El Paso after visiting his girlfriend in Mexico. The CBPO recognized facial discrepancies between Moulton and the photo ID, and escorted Moulton to the Passport Control Secondary (PCS) office for further inspection. At the PCS, he allegedly stated his true identity and admitted to being a citizen of Jamaica. A criminal complaint also alleges that Moulton admitted to finding the ID card he had presented and intended to use it to travel to El Paso.

    Further investigation revealed that Moulton had been previously removed to Jamaica from Houston, most recently on or about Sept. 22, 2005. Additionally, his criminal record included three felonies, including a firearm offense and sale of a controlled substance.

    If convicted, Moulton faces up to 10 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 Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    Customs and Border Protection is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Aguayo is prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint 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: Honduran National With Three Violent Crime Convictions Arrested for Illegal Re-Entry in Del Rio

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – A Honduran national was arrested near Eagle Pass on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal re-entry.

    According to court documents, Daniel Antonio Borjas-Flores, 29, was previously removed from the United States through Alexandria, Louisiana on Nov. 4, 2024. Borjas-Flores has three prior convictions—two for assault, including one domestic violence charge, and a third for cruelty toward a child.

    If convicted, Borjas-Flores faces up to 20 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 Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner is prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint 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: Wausau Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Leading Methamphetamine and Cocaine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tommie L. Haney, 44, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced February 20 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 14 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Haney pleaded guilty to this charge on December 2, 2024.

    In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.

    Haney was identified as a local leader of the drug trafficking organization. He worked closely with sources of supply, he arranged bulk purchases, and he accompanied others traveling to obtain drugs. He also helped set drug prices and recruited additional members to the organization. Haney supplied and directed the activities of several regional drug distributors. He also distributed drugs himself. He sold 226 grams of methamphetamine on February 24, 2022, 29 grams of cocaine on January 19, 2023, and 115 grams of methamphetamine on March 16, 2023.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley said Haney was part of a substantial drug conspiracy that caused harm to the Wausau community. Judge Conley also said that the quantity of drugs involved in the case warranted a lengthy sentence.

    Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Quo Vadis Lewis was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of both methamphetamine and cocaine and possessing firearms as a felon and was sentenced to 12 ½ years in federal prison. Shelby Gutch pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine on January 7, 2025, and entered into a 24-month diversion agreement. Troy C. Olsen was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison. Craig C. Gates was convicted of possessing cocaine intended for distribution and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 106 months in federal prison. Edwin Lewis and Samuel A. Teague have pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months.

    The charges against Haney and the others in his organization were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.

    This case has also been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

    In addition, this operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Stephenville — RCMP NL’s MCU searches home in Port au Port as part of injured snowmobiler investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL’s Major Crime Unit (MCU) is continuing its investigation into a snowmobiler who was left with serious injuries following an incident in Port au Port on February 21, 2025. Police executed a search warrant at a home in Port au Port yesterday.

    At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025, Bay St. George RCMP responded to the report of an injured snowmobiler on Gravel’s Pond in Port au Port. The operator of the snowmobile fell from the machine after it came to a stop and sustained serious injuries that do not appear to be consistent with the fall from the snowmobile. The cause of the injury sustained remains under investigation by the RCMP MCU.

    Yesterday, February 25, 2025, as part of this investigation, a warrant to search a residential property, authorized under the Criminal Code, was obtained and executed by RCMP NL’s MCU at a home on Front Road in Port au Port West. A number of items were seized from the property.

    Police are continuing to ask for the public’s assistance, looking to speak with anyone who travelled along the isthmus, an area commonly known as the gravels, in Port au Port between the hours of 3:57 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on Friday February 21, 2025. Motorists are asked to check for possible dash cam surveillance during that time and to provide the surveillance footage to police.

    The investigation is continuing. Anyone having information about the incident is asked to contact RCMP NL’s MCU by calling Bay St. George RCMP at 709-643-2118.

    Background:

    https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2025/rcmp-mcu-west-continues-investigation-injured-snowmobiler-port-au-port-seeks-publics

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