NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deputy Commissioner, Dame Lynne Owens, announces her retirement

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Dame Lynne Owens, is to retire from policing after a distinguished career spanning more than 35 years.

    It’s a career that began in the Met in 1989 as a constable in Catford before taking in an array of high-profile roles, including as the first female Chief Constable of Surrey Police and Director General of the National Crime Agency.

    She retired from that role in 2021 for health reasons before returning to the Met in 2022 as Deputy to support the then newly appointed Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley.

    Dame Lynne leaves shortly after Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) acknowledged the major progress made by the force in improving its service to Londoners. As a result, the Met was moved out of enhanced monitoring status, known as ‘Engage’, or more informally ‘special measures’, in January.

    Dame Lynne, who will retire in late May, said: “It has been an honour and privilege to return to the Met to support Sir Mark in making the changes that were needed, and which crucially were wanted by our officers and staff.

    “I am proud of the progress we have made and our people deserve so much credit for their role in identifying what needed to be done and then delivering that for Londoners.

    “Of course, there remains much, much more to do and I know my successor, once appointed, will build on what we have achieved so far.”

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “Dame Lynne Owens is one of the most talented and dedicated police officers of her generation. Her commitment to communities, officers and staff is unwavering and illustrated by her determination to step back into policing months after recovering from cancer, when the Met was at a critical moment. 

    “Her contribution to policing is astonishing and cannot be underestimated. Dame Lynne has achieved so much in public life, particularly as Director General of the National Crime Agency and as Chief Constable of Surrey. 

    “She has shown her relentless passion for policing by playing a pivotal role in leading the officers and staff of the Met to improve our service to Londoners. This has culminated in our exit from ‘special measures’ as accredited by HMICFRS. Dame Lynne is unique in having both an unparalleled eye for detail and an ability to exude compassion and empathy for all colleagues. 

    “I hugely admire Dame Lynne, and I am profoundly grateful personally and professionally for her immense support working together over the past two-and-a-half years. London has a far better police service because of her.” 

    The process to appoint the next Deputy Commissioner will be discussed by the Commissioner, Home Secretary and Mayor. Details will be provided once agreed.

    Career

    The Deputy Commissioner’s remarkable career began in the Met in 1989 as a constable in Catford, before a move to Kent Police as a sergeant and progression to detective chief inspector in Kent’s major crime department as a senior investigating officer.

    In 2002 Dame Lynne moved to Surrey Police, where she served as Divisional Commander of North Surrey before being promoted to Assistant Chief Constable. Awarded the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in the 2008 New Year’s Honours for distinguished service, she went on to become temporary Deputy Chief Constable the same year – the youngest person to hold that rank at the time.

    Dame Lynne returned to the Met in 2009 as a Deputy Assistant Commissioner responsible for operations within territorial policing. She gained promotion to Assistant Commissioner in 2010, only the second woman to hold that rank in the Met’s history.

    When Sir Mark Rowley left as Chief Constable of Surrey to become Assistant Commissioner at the Met in October 2011, Dame Lynne was selected to succeed him and took up the position a few months later as Surrey Police’s first woman Chief Constable.

    In 2015 Dame Lynne became the most senior woman in British policing when she was appointed as Director General of the National Crime Agency by then Home Secretary Theresa May, beating a field of international candidates.

    While she retired from that role in 2021 for health reasons, Dame Lynne returned to the Met over two-and-a-half years ago as Deputy Commissioner to support the then newly appointed Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley.

    Honours

    • Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in the 2008 New Year Honours for distinguished service.
    • Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours for services to policing and criminal justice

    Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB) in the 2021 New Year Honours for service to law enforcement

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fatal collision in Harrow

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses and any road users with footage following a fatal collision in Harrow.

    Police were called at 21:19hrs on Monday 24 February to reports of a collision on Bessborough Road, Harrow involving a car, a bus and pedestrians.

    Offices, London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance all attended. Despite the best efforts of emergency services one of the pedestrians, a woman aged in her 40s, sadly died at the scene.

    The two other pedestrians were taken to hospital for treatment – their conditions are not life threatening.

    The driver of the car stopped at scene and he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He remains in custody.

    Road closures were put in place while the scene was dealt with but have since been lifted.

    Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with footage of this incident, including drivers with dashcam footage, to contact police on 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC quoting CAD 7193/24FEB25. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Citizen from the People’s Republic of China Sentenced for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Saipan – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that Kangle Jiang, age 22, citizen of the People’s Republic of China, was sentenced to 30 days imprisonment by the District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (v)(I) and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, in violation of 18 § U.S.C. 37.  The court also ordered one year of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a $100 special assessment fee.

    On December 9, 2024, Kangle Jiang conspired with a man in Saipan to transport himself and seven other Chinese nationals to the Territory of Guam by boat. They intended to avoid detection by law enforcement to further their unlawful presence in the United States. Jiang, who had only been in the CNMI since October 31, 2024, paid $6,000 for the illegal trip to Guam.  As the boat approached the shore, the boat’s operators pushed and threatened the passengers to jump into the water, even though some of them could not swim.  Most of the passengers were later encountered in or near sensitive military installations.

    “Combatting unlawful immigration is the top priority of the Department of Justice,” stated United States Attorney Anderson.  “The defendant took advantage of unique federal immigration regulations that permit certain foreign nationals to visit the CNMI as tourists.  Any local economic benefits from these provisions are lost when those persons later attempt to unlawfully enter another part of the United States.  The defendant and his co-conspirators also placed themselves and others at great risk of personal harm due to the nature of their travel at sea.  Our enforcement efforts will continue to focus on safety, deterrence, and maintaining the integrity of our immigration system in the Western Pacific.”

    “The arrest of Mr. Jiang exemplifies HSI’s commitment to enforcing federal immigration laws in an effort to prevent human smuggling,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucy Cabral-DeArmas.  “By going after violators like Mr. Jiang, we protect our communities by trying to prevent the inherent dangers posed by smuggling.”

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Eric S. O’Malley, Assistant United States Attorney in the District of the Northern Mariana Islands.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. and ROK Deepen Defense Cooperation for Regional Stability

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    HONOLULU, Hawaii – The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) convened the 2nd Annual Regional Security Cooperation Board (RSCB) from February 19-21, 2025. Co-hosted by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) and the ROK Ministry of National Defense (MND), this pivotal forum brought together senior defense officials and security cooperation professionals from across the Indo-Pacific region to advance bilateral and multilateral security cooperation initiatives. The U.S. Embassy Seoul’s Deputy Chief of Mission Joy Sakurai and ROK MND’s International Policy Bureau Director General Lee Seung Buhm delivered opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of strengthening regional alliances and partnerships to address shared security challenges.

    The RSCB reflects a growing commitment to foster alignment on security cooperation efforts, identifying new opportunities for defense collaboration with like-minded partners across the Indo-Pacific region. The event directly supports the Regional Cooperation Framework, endorsed by U.S.-ROK Defense Chiefs during the 54th Security Consultative Meeting.

    The outcomes of this year’s discussions will feed into future engagements, reinforcing the shared commitment to regional peace and stability.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hawaii ANG, Indonesian Air Force Advance Partnership with Second Year of Air-To-Air Refueling Engagement

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    This engagement was part of the Hawaii National Guard’s State Partnership Program (SPP), which has played a critical role in advancing air-to-air refueling capabilities between Hawaii ANG and the Indonesian Air Force.

    In this training cycle, five new and 21 IDAF F-16 pilots successfully earned their air-refueling qualifications. The 203rd Air Refueling Squadron (ARS) directly supported over 40 F-16 sorties, demonstrating the increasing complexity and operational integration of these joint capabilities.

    “For many of us, this mission isn’t just about fuel transfers—it’s about trust, adaptability, and building a foundation for future interoperability,” said 1st Lt. Alison Bowman, a pilot with the 203rd ARS. “Through pre- and post-mission briefings, we are exchanging air refueling tactics, techniques, and procedures to enhance operational efficiency.”

    For the 203rd ARS, this mission extended beyond technical proficiency—it was an engagement in adaptability and cross-cultural collaboration in a region with unique airspace and logistical challenges.

    “Air refueling engagements in this region gives us a great opportunity to fine-tune our skills while working closely with our partners in a dynamic environment,” said Tech. Sgt. Angellica Amian, 203rd ARS inflight refueler. “By staying in constant communication and giving each other real-time feedback, we were able to work together more smoothly. It’s all about building that trust and understanding so we can operate effectively as a team.”

    As the engagement progressed, both air forces refined their air domain awareness capabilities, reinforcing their commitment to regional stability.

    “This opportunity not only strengthens our operational readiness but also ensures we have the capabilities to secure our territorial integrity,” said Lt. Col Ripdho ‘Mohawk’ Utomo, IDAF exercise planner. “We want to thank the Hawaii Air National Guard for their support to maintain our currency and certifications. I’m looking forward to continuing this cooperation.”

    The Hawaii National Guard State Partnership Program (SPP) – Indonesia Military Bilateral Partnership, established in 2006 through the National Guard Bureau (NGB), continues to serve as a key initiative supporting USINDOPACOM’s goal of enhancing defense relations and strengthening Indonesia’s military capabilities.

    As the training concluded, the Hawaii Air National Guard reaffirmed its commitment to fostering international partnerships through high-level military operations, activities, and investments. Working alongside allies such as Indonesia, Hawaii ANG continues to support global stability and operational excellence in air mobility and aerial refueling capabilities.

    Looking ahead, future training opportunities will build upon the progress achieved during this exercise, further advancing U.S.-Indonesia defense cooperation. With continued collaboration and shared training objectives, both air forces are committed to strengthening regional security, enhancing readiness, and improving interoperational capabilities for future missions.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts St. Louis Man of Drug Trafficking and Charges Connected to Nine Murders

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Monday found a St. Louis man guilty of a cocaine trafficking charge and charges related to the death of nine people during a nearly six-year period.

    Evidence and testimony presented at trial showed that Anthony “TT” Jordan, 38, was the leader of a cocaine trafficking ring. Jordan committed murders to protect that organization and hinder any investigation by law enforcement. He later committed additional murders to retaliate against a St. Louis gang he held responsible for the murder of a friend, gathering information and targeting gang members with the help of associates. Jordan and his co-conspirators also killed several bystanders, to include Clara Walker, a 51-year-old mother of nine, and Keairrah Johnson. Among those who testified were direct witnesses to the murders.

    Jordan was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and nine counts of use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime resulting in death. Those counts relate to the following fatal shootings, with details according to trial testimony:

    •    The April 19, 2008, deaths of Al Walters, Linnie Jackson, and Keith Burks. Walters was Jordan’s target.
    •    The Feb. 3, 2010, deaths of Marquis Jones and Keairrah Johnson. Jones was the target.
    •    The June 25, 2013, death of Anthony “Blinky” Clark.
    •    The Dec. 29, 2013, deaths of Robert “Parker G” Parker and Clara Walker. Parker was the target.
    •    The Jan. 21, 2014, death of Michail “Yellow Mack” Gridiron.

    Jordan was also convicted of a nonfatal shooting on Dec. 23, 2013.  

    “I would like to thank the jury for their service over the last few weeks and commend all of our law enforcement partners, the Assistant United States Attorneys, and the support staff who worked tirelessly over the years to investigate and prosecute this case,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “With today’s guilty verdict, justice was served.  The evidence proved without a doubt that Anthony Jordan is a violent drug-trafficker and serial murderer who needed to be removed from the streets of St. Louis. Our office remains dedicated to working with our local, state, and federal counterparts to bring at least some measure of comfort and resolution to the families of the victims of such violence, as they deserve nothing less.”

    “These murders were committed to benefit a large-scale drug trafficking organization that flooded our communities with poison directly sourced from cartels in Mexico. Anthony Jordan is not only a drug trafficker, but a serial murderer whose job was to eliminate competition from other drug dealers,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “St. Louis is a safer place with Jordan and his associates off the streets.”

    “Today’s verdict is the culmination of countless hours of investigative work,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Over a span of several years, we uncovered the extent of Anthony Jordan’s reach into our St. Louis neighborhoods. His acts of violence instilled fear in our communities, while the drugs he pushed destroyed lives. Let this serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. The DEA, in partnership with our fellow law enforcement agencies, will go to great lengths to bring justice to the families impacted by those who inflict pain and suffering in our neighborhoods.”

    The trial began with jury selection on January 31. Jordan is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, and faces up to life in prison.

    Jordan’s cocaine was supplied by Adrian Lemons, who obtained cocaine in bulk from representatives of a Mexican cartel. Lemons, now 46, of St. Louis, was sentenced in 2020 to 20 years in prison. Lemons, Jordan and 32 others were indicted as part of a long-running investigation by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Granger and Donald Boyce are prosecuting the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Stanford Research Coordinator Convicted For Unlawfully Accessing And Altering Breast Cancer Study Database Hours After She Was Fired

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JOSE – A federal jury convicted Naheed Mangi, 66, a former employee of Stanford University, of accessing a clinical research database for a multisite breast cancer study after her authorization was revoked and altering patient records in the database.  The jury reached its verdict late afternoon on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, following a two-week trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Davila.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mangi was employed as a clinical research coordinator in the Cancer Clinical Trials Office at Stanford’s National Cancer Institute from September 2012 until August 2013.  Mangi worked with doctors and patients in the clinical research program, reporting significant patient events, monitoring research, assisting with scheduling patient appointments, and entering data into clinical dataset.

    Mangi was assigned to a Genentech-sponsored study being conducted at Stanford for breast cancer patients that was referred to as the “Velvet Breast Cancer MO27782 Study.”  The study sought to determine the safety and efficacy of a new, experimental pharmaceutical treatment for patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer. Among other duties, Mangi was responsible for reporting any serious adverse events that a patient may experience during the course of the study and accurately entering patient medical data into the study database.  

    On Aug. 19, 2013, Mangi was terminated from her employment with Stanford and Mangi’s supervisor attempted to revoke her Stanford-related computer access and privileges.  The supervisor emailed Genentech to terminate Mangi’s access to the clinical database, but Mangi’s credentials were not disabled until the following day.  

    The jury found that later in the evening on Aug. 19, after Stanford had revoked her access, Mangi logged into the clinical database and altered data in the Velvet Breast Cancer MO27782 Study, replacing patient medical data with erroneous information and insults about her former supervisor.  As a result of Mangi’s unauthorized actions, Stanford undertook an internal investigation, reentered all of the data about its participants in the study from source documents into the study database, and reported the incident to local and federal regulatory authorities, including the FDA.  In addition, Mangi’s criminal conduct caused thousands of dollars in financial loss to Stanford University and the Stanford School of Medicine.  

    “Naheed Mangi intentionally tampered with a breast cancer research database by entering false information and personal insults.  Her senseless actions undermined a study into the safety and efficacy of a new treatment for breast cancer patients,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “The jury’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for her crimes.”

    “Naheed Mangi’s actions jeopardized important cancer research and caused thousands in financial loss to Stanford University. The U.S. Secret Service continues to work diligently to investigate these types of crimes to ensure those responsible are held accountable,” said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet.

    Mangi, who was convicted of two counts of Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(5)(A) and one count of Accessing a Protected Computer Without Authorization in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2)(C), will be sentenced on July 21, 2025.  She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison as to each conviction for Intentional Damage to a Protected Computer and one year in prison as to the conviction for Accessing a Protected Computer Without Authorization.  Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nikhil Bhagat and Matthew Chang are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Nina Burney, Mimi Lam, Susan Kreider, Sahib Kaur, Fernanda Gonzalez, Maureen French, and Bella Schou. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Secret Service. 
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Japan Self-Defense Forces and U.S. participate in Fleet Synthetic Training-Joint 25-71 (Resilient Shield)

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    FST-J 25-71 (Resilient Shield) will provide computer-generated training to commands ashore and ships at sea. This training provides the opportunity for ships, Patriot batteries, and command centers to integrate and hone warfighting skills collectively in a tactically demanding environment. The annual exercise focuses on testing and refining U.S.-Japan forces’ ballistic missile defense (BMD) tactics, techniques and procedures, pre-planned responses, and warfighting concepts.

    “With this year’s Resilient Shield 25, our joint and combined U.S.-Japan team continues to advance our collective ballistic missile defense,” said Vice Adm. Fred Kacher, commander, U.S. 7 Fleet. “This exercise presents our teams with dynamic, realistic BMD scenarios meant to sharpen our reflexes and harden our defenses as we provide an all-domain missile defense capability to the Indo-Pacific theater.”

    FST-J 71 (Resilient Shield) series is focused on strengthening the integrated operational capabilities of the joint U.S. forces and Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to improve proficiency in warfighting and joint operations for ballistic missile defense.

    Participating units include the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Higgins (DDG 76), USS Benfold (DDG 65) and USS Shoup (DDG 86), the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Atago-class guided-missile destroyer JS Ashigara (DDG 178) and the Kongo-class guided-missile destroyer JS Kongo (DDG 173). Additional participants include the 613th Air Operations Center, 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, E-3 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery, 1st Battalion 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. The coordination across U.S. joint forces is key to planning and executing missions to fortify a bilateral all-domain missile defense capability that supports regional security and stability.

    The successful defense of the U.S. and our allies from ballistic missile threats requires detailed planning, precision ship stationing and quick defensive reactions. In turn, the BMD mission is one of many that the U.S. and its allies and partners practice routinely to maintain maximum proficiency and interoperability.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Eighth Army commemorates 74th anniversary of the Battle of Hill 180

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    The annual ceremony pays tribute to the Soldiers’ heroic actions during the Korean War, highlighting the enduring strength of the Republic of Korea-U.S. alliance and the commitment to defending South Korea. This event underscored Eighth Army’s dedication to fostering strong alliances and partnerships, emphasizing the importance of unity between the United States and the ROK.

    “The Battle of Hill 180 is a testament to the indomitable warrior spirit of the American and Korean Soldiers who fought side by side throughout the Korean War, forging the strong bonds and Katchi Kapshida spirit that remain alive and well today,” said Brig. Gen. Sean Crockett, Eighth Army deputy commanding general, operations, who served as the event’s guest speaker. “Not only did these Soldiers answer the call to serve their nation, but they also had the courage to charge the hill when they were needed most.”

    On Feb. 7, 1951, during the Korean War, Millett and his soldiers of Easy Company, 27th Infantry Regiment, launched a daring uphill bayonet charge against entrenched Chinese forces. Under relentless enemy fire, Millett led his men forward, famously shouting, “We’re going up the hill. Fix bayonets. Charge! Everyone goes with me!”

    Despite sustaining multiple injuries from grenade shrapnel, Millett fought fiercely, reached the summit of Hill 180, and secured the position. The attack cost the lives of nine American soldiers but marked a critical victory. The battle became one of the last major bayonet charges in American military history and a defining moment in the Korean War. Millett later received the Medal of Honor for his leadership and valor.

    The ceremony, held at Osan Air Base, included the playing of the ROK and U.S. national anthems, an invocation led by the 35th Air Defense Artillery chaplain, and remarks commemorating the historical significance of the battle. Crockett’s address emphasized the lasting lessons of Hill 180, drawing parallels to modern challenges.

    “In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment, we must remember the hard-fought lessons of the Korean War,” Crockett said. “At the operational and tactical level, it is imperative to sustain consistent, tough, realistic, standards-based training in all conditions, both day and night. Training under these conditions forges cohesive teams that can fight and win. It also develops effective leaders who possess the courage, audacity, discipline, and tenacity to lead the charge shouting, ‘Fix bayonets and follow me!’ when the situation demands it.”

    Following Crockett’s remarks, the ceremony featured a wreath-laying tribute, a 21-gun salute by the 35th Air Defense Artillery firing party and the playing of “Taps” by the Eighth Army Band.

    Eighth Army Soldiers, leaders, and members of the local community attended the event to honor the legacy of the brave men who fought on Hill 180. The ceremony also emphasized the strength of the community, recognizing the shared history and unity among American service members, South Korean allies and the local populace.

    For more information, please contact the Eighth Army Public Affairs Office at usarmy.humphreys.8-army.mbx.public-affairs-office@army.mil.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Companies That Own and Operate Bulk Carrier Guilty, Sentenced For Environmental Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that two companies that owned and operated the bulk carrier M/V ASL Singapore—ASL Singapore Shipping Limited and Jia Feng Shipping (Fuzhou) Limited — pled guilty on February 20, 2025 to knowingly violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS), and obstruction of justice related to the falsification of the vessel’s Oil Record Book, a required log.

    The guilty pleas occurred before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey. The companies were sentenced during the same proceeding.  Pursuant to the court approved plea agreement, the companies were fined a total of $1.85 million and are banned from operating in the United States in the future.  Separate charges were filed against Fei Wang, a Chinese national who was the ship’s Chief Engineer.  Wang pled guilty and was sentenced on January 24, 2025.

    The criminal case stems from a routine U.S. Coast Guard inspection, which revealed that the crew had been using a portable pump and flexible hose—a so-called magic pipe—to dispose of oily bilge water.  This action constituted a violation of MARPOL, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, coupled with the vessel’s failure to use the appropriate pollution prevention equipment and monitoring.  Crew members presented the vessel’s Oil Record Books to the Coast Guard knowing they contained fraudulent entries and omitted information about discharging oily bilge water directly overboard before arriving in the United States.  The falsified logs were intended to conceal that since at least June 2023, the crew had dumped oily bilge water overboard directly from the bilge holding tank and was non- compliant with international treaties regulating oil pollution from ships.

    ASL Singapore Shipping Limited is based in The Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Jia Feng is based in China.  The corporations were each charged with two felonies: an APPS violation and obstruction of justice.

    The Coast Guard Investigative Service and the EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine M. Calogero and G. Dall Kammer of the General Crimes Unit  are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno County Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Lakota Tehya Wakley, 21, of Clovis, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between Nov. 18, 2024, and Dec. 9, 2024, Wakley conspired with Austin Lloyd Kerns, 53, of Fresno, and others to distribute fentanyl. The investigation began after a fentanyl‑overdose death in Fresno. On Nov. 23, 2024, Wakley connected the overdose victim with Kerns to buy fentanyl pills. Over the next 48 hours, the victim bought fentanyl pills multiple times from Kerns and died soon after of a fentanyl overdose. Wakley received fees for connecting the victim with Kerns.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (FORT), a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Fresno and Clovis Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin Lee and Arin C. Heinz are prosecuting the case.

    Charges are pending against Kerns. He is scheduled for a status conference on March 26, 2025, before Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe. The charges are only allegations; Kerns is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Wakley is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. Wakley faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Hard Money Lender Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors Out of $20 Million in Loans Made to Failed Fresno Company Bitwise Industries

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud when he defrauded investors out of $20 million in loans made to the failed Fresno-based, start-up company Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court records, between December 2022 and May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans through their special purpose entity Startop Investments LLC. Adler and Hardcastle used a syndicate of investors to fund the loans. In order to mislead the investors, Adler and Hardcastle altered the original loan documents to make it appear as though Bitwise was obligated to pay significantly less interest on the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of Bitwise’s Co-CEO, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and, therefore, more appealing to the investors.

    Adler and Hardcastle received tens of thousands of dollars in origination fees for the loans and stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Bitwise, however, did not repay the loans before collapsing, and the investors in the loans lost nearly all of their money. On Feb. 3, 2025, Hardcastle was arrested and arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph D. Barton and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

    Adler is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on June 2, 2025. Adler faces maximum statutory penalties of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge. If convicted, Hardcastle faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for each of the substantive wire fraud charges. Sentences are determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

    Hardcastle is charged in a separate indictment and those charges remain pending. Those charges are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Eureka Chiropractor Convicted of Defrauding Medicare, Insurance Companies Out of More Than $1.5 Million

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict late Friday evening against Carrie Musselman, 48, of Eureka, Illinois, for defrauding Medicare and other insurance companies out of more than $1.5 million dollars and for five counts of wire fraud in furtherance of her scheme to defraud. Sentencing for Musselman has been scheduled for June 24, 2025, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.

    Over 13 days of testimony, the government presented evidence establishing that Musselman, a chiropractor in Eureka, engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare and other insurance companies. As part of the scheme, Musselman disguised the identity of the people providing services and misrepresented the nature of the services that had actually been provided.

    For instance, Musselman falsely claimed services were being provided by physicians when they were actually being provided by nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants. This resulted in an automatic pay increase for Musselman and her practice. In addition, one of Musselman’s highest reimbursement services, the placement of an electroacupuncture (which she was falsely billing as a surgically implanted neurostimulator), would not have qualified for any payment but for her deception. Musselman also billed for services that were not actually rendered. This included not only billing for neurostimulators that were never provided, but also for purportedly providing patients with allergy injections when, in reality, no such injections were given. Instead, patients were sent home with oral drops that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, were considered “experimental,” and had not been proven to be effective.

    Musselman remains released on bond. At sentencing, Musselman faces statutory penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the healthcare fraud charge and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each of the wire fraud charges, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release on each of the counts. Each of the six convictions could also incur up to a $250,000 fine.

    The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer, Bryan D. Freres, and Grace J. Hitzeman represented the government at trial. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Charge Pojoaque Man with Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Pojoaque man has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse of a minor.

    According to the indictment, between December 21, 2021, and February 23, 2022, Alexander John Duran, 30, an enrolled member of Pojoaque Pueblo, allegedly engaged in and attempted to engage in sexual acts with a child under the age of 12.

    Duran will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Duran faces no less than 30 years and up to life imprisonment.

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

    The Albuquerque-Santa Fe Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Eldon Sex Offender Sentenced to 20 Years for Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – An Eldon, Mo., man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced in federal court today for possessing child pornography.

    David Arabie, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 20 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum sentence for this offense. The court also sentenced Arabie to 25 years of supervised release following incarceration.

    Arabie is a registered sex offender with prior felony convictions for statutory sodomy involving a 6-year-old victim and criminal sexual conduct involving the sexual abuse of three children ages 7 to 12.

    On Oct. 26, 2023, Arabie pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. The court found him in breach of his plea agreement at today’s hearing, however, after Arabie filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea and recanted his previous statements made under oath during the change of plea hearing, claiming to be innocent of the charged conduct. On Dec. 20, 2024, the court denied Arabie’s motion to withdraw his guilty plea.

    Arabie admitted that, while visiting his in-laws, he used a peer-to-peer file-sharing network on his computer to share images of child sexual abuse material with an undercover law enforcement officer. Arabie shared a video of the sexual abuse of a child victim approximately 3 to 6 years old.

    Arabie also admitted that he possessed more than 600 images of child sexual abuse material on his computer.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

    Project Safe Childhood

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for a Series of Vehicle Pipe-Bombings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — Paul New, 57, of Fresno, was sentenced today to three years in prison for conspiracy to destroy property and malicious destruction by means of an explosive device, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between November 2022 and February 2023, New committed a series of pipe-bombings on unoccupied vehicles and property in Fresno. The bombings damaged vehicles belonging to two auto-related businesses on Clinton Avenue. On Feb. 19, 2023, a bomb heavily damaged a vehicle used by a home health care business on Fallbrook Avenue.

    On October 9, 2024, co-defendant Scott Eric Anderson was sentenced to three years in prison.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Tierney prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Pleads Guilty to Selling Fentanyl that Caused Fatal Overdose

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Danny Nunez pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he supplied the fentanyl that caused the death of a 25-year-old San Diego woman identified in court records as “L.P.” on September 11, 2024.

    According to the plea agreement, on September 12, 2024, the young woman’s parents found her deceased in her bedroom. Cell phone evidence and witness statements show that the victim purchased fentanyl from the defendant on September 11, 2024, which she later consumed, resulting in her death.

    On October 3, 2024, members of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego – Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST), in conjunction with the Escondido Police Department, conducted an enforcement operation resulting in the arrest of the defendant after he attempted to sell two baggies of fentanyl, weighing 7.67 grams and 1.23 grams, to undercover agents.

    Nunez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Van Demark.

    HSI San Diego FAST is a multiagency task force comprising state, local, and federal partners and was first established in August 2022 focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 24-CR-2295-W                                  

    Danny Nunez                                                 Age: 25                                   San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Attempted Distribution of Fentanyl

    21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison (per count)

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Homeland Security Investigations

    Escondido Police Department

    *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Helena man admits unlawful possession of firearm in school zone

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HELENA — A Helena man accused of carrying a firearm on the campus of the Jim Darcy Elementary School in Helena admitted to a firearm charge today, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.

    The defendant, Bryant Nicholas Espinoza, 37, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. Espinoza faces a maximum of five years in prison, consecutive to any other count of conviction, a $100,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 9. Espinoza was released pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that on Feb. 7, 2024, the principal of Jim Darcy Elementary School contacted the Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Office and advised the responding deputy that a staff member had notified her that the day prior, the parent of a student was on campus and was carrying a firearm. The staff member observed Espinoza standing in front of the school with a small dog. The staffer approached to assist Espinoza, and he informed the staffer he was there to pick up his daughter, who was a student. During the conversation, the staffer observed Espinoza was carrying a firearm. The staffer identified Espinoza in a photo, and   surveillance video showed Espinoza on school property with a small dog and what appeared to be a pistol in a holster on his hip. On April 9, 2024, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the sheriff’s office executed a federal search warrant at Espinoza’s residence and seized a 9mm pistol, two rifles and ammunition. In an interview, Espinoza identified himself in still photos taken from the surveillance video and said that the item on his hip looked like a firearm. Espinoza told agents where the pistol was located at his residence. Agents asked if there was a reason he had the gun at the school, and Espinoza responded that Montana was an “open carry state.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    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.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: McAllen man enters plea to illegally pointing laser at law enforcement aircraft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old local resident has admitted he pointed a laser at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    George Anthony Garza pointed the laser multiple times on the evening of Dec. 29, 2024.

    On that date, a CBP aircrew in an official Air and Marine Operations helicopter observed a green laser beam being pointed at the helicopter multiple times during flight, impeding the vision of a pilot. Authorities were able to determine the source originated from Garza’s backyard.

    Law enforcement approached Garza at his residence, at which time he surrendered the laser pointer and admitted to aiming the beam at the aircraft that night. 

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing June 3. At that time, Garza faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

    The FBI, CBP and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration and the McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard suspends search for person missing near the entrance to the Ambrose Channel

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    02/24/2025 06:46 PM EST

    NEW YORK — The Coast Guard suspended its search Monday at approximately 6 p.m. for a man who went missing after a boat capsized and five people were recovered near the entrance to the Ambrose Channel Sunday afternoon. Click the link to read the full release.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $2.8M Wire Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Daniel Criswell Lee, 55, of Sumter, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay $2.8 million in restitution.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Lee worked as project manager for Agile Infrastructure Service, LLC. As project manager, Lee represented Agile in the bidding process to obtain government contracts. Once Agile was awarded a project, Lee diverted money paid by the government for work on the project to corporations under his control. Lee was then used the funds for his own benefit. The illegally obtained funds totaled at least $2.8 million.

    United States District Court Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Lee to 33 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. He was also ordered to pay $2.8 million in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID) and Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Charleston Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potterfield is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced After Setting Off Explosive Devices in a Mailbox

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Patrick Nile Starkey, 57, for Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device and Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Judge Arias-Marxuach ordered Starkey to 108 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

    “With the help of the FLOCK camera system, agents were able to identify the defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Starkey was a threat to public safety, and I commend law enforcement for working together swiftly to detain him.”

    According to court documents, on June 12, 2024, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a device that exploded in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The investigation revealed that Starkey placed two explosive devices and notes inside a mailbox on the private property of an innocent third-party, in an attempt to harass his ex-wife. FLOCK cameras located within the area helped aided law enforcement in initially identifying Starkey as the subject. A search warrant executed on Starkey’s home revealed ammunition and several homemade explosive devices that matched the devices used on the mailbox.

    When agents spoke with Starkey, he admitted to setting off the devices and unlawfully possessing ammunition. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Joshua M. Carmel 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 violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Tribal Officer Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual Contact

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child. The sentencing took place on February 20, 2025.

    Oscar Hudspeth, Sr., age 54, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for each count to run concurrently, followed by five years of supervised release on each count to run concurrently, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Upon Hudspeth’s release from federal prison, he must register as a sex offender.

    Hudspeth was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in October 2024.

    The conviction stemmed from disclosures in 2023 by a female juvenile who reported that Hudspeth had sexually abused her while her mother was married to him in the early to mid-2000s. The child was forensically interviewed and disclosed that Hudspeth touched her in a sexual manner on more than one occasion while he was her stepfather. The abuse occurred at their home in Oglala and while the child’s mother was working. At the time, Hudspeth worked as a law enforcement officer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.

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

    This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince Albert — Prince Albert RCMP investigating structure fire

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Prince Albert RCMP are investigating a suspicious structure fire in the Rural Municipality of Garden River, SK.

    On February 21, 2025 at approximately 11:00 p.m., Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a fire at a church that is no longer in use in the RM of Garden River. The church is located approximately five kilometres south of Highway #55.

    The Garden River Fire Department responded to the fire and Prince Albert RCMP attended the scene. The building was destroyed. No one was in the church at the time and no injuries have been reported to police. Prince Albert RCMP are investigating.

    Prince Albert RCMP are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area of the church on the evening of February 21, or who has information about the fire, to report it to police by calling 310-RCMP.

    Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee Admits Embezzling At Least $300,000 from St. Louis County Company

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from Charlotte, North Carolina has admitted embezzling at least $300,000 from a St. Louis County company, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Monday.

    Scott H. Foster, 48, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of wire fraud. He admitted as part of his plea that he committed the crime from January 2018 to December 2022, while employed as a mid-level executive of the company. Foster manipulated the human resources systems to create an employee account for his paramour, triggering wages and benefits totaling more than $273,000.00 to be paid to his paramour over nearly five years, despite this individual performing little or no actual work for the company. Foster also used a corporate American Express card to pay for more than $33,000 in personal travel for himself, his paramour and other friends and acquaintances.

    Foster is scheduled to be sentenced May 22.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Old Dutch Mustard Co. Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act by Polluting the Souhegan River

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A New York man and Old Dutch Mustard Co., a mustard and vinegar manufacturing company, pleaded guilty in federal court to knowingly discharging acidic water into the Souhegan River, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announce.

    Charles Santich, 59, of New York, and Old Dutch Mustard Co., Inc., d/b/a Pilgrim Foods, Inc. (“Old Dutch Mustard”) pleaded guilty to knowing discharging a pollutant without a permit. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2025.

    The Clean Water Act “CWA” prohibits the discharge of any pollutant into navigable waters of the United States without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Due to a long history of CWA non-compliance dating back to the 1980s, Old Dutch Mustard has been subject to several enforcement actions by the EPA, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (“NH DES”), and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. As a result of these actions, EPA and NH DES have required continuous monitoring of an Unnamed Brook that flows underneath and in front of the facility, eventually flowing into the Souhegan River. The Souhegan River is one of nineteen New Hampshire rivers that the State of New Hampshire has designated as an important natural resource.

    Charles Santich is the president and owner of Old Dutch Mustard, a New York corporation with a manufacturing facility in Greenville, New Hampshire. Old Dutch Mustard manufactures vinegar and mustard products, which generates acidic wastewater. In addition, stormwater flows through the property, including an outdoor area where the company stores their product in large tanks. Both the wastewater and stormwater at Old Dutch Mustard becomes acidic and is categorized as a pollutant under the CWA, and Old Dutch Mustard did not have the necessary permit to discharge the acidic wastewater or stormwater into the environment. Instead, Old Dutch was required to store the polluted water in tanks and pay a trucking company to haul all the wastewater off-site to a publicly owned treatment plant.

    Beginning in the spring of 2015, Santich hired an excavation company to bury a pipe from the Old Dutch Mustard facility to discharge the acidic wastewater and stormwater in the general direction of the Souhegan River along an abandoned railroad bed. This discharge point was downstream of, and not detectible by, the continuous environmental monitoring required by the EPA and State of New Hampshire.

    Santich directed Old Dutch Mustard employees to repeatedly pump acidic wastewater and stormwater through the underground pipe to the abandoned railroad bed. Santich also directed employees not to tell anyone about the pipe.

    In May of 2023, state inspectors from NH DES discovered wastewater from the facility, with low pH and smelling of vinegar, flowing from a manmade ditch at the top of the hill on the Old Dutch Mustard property into the Souhegan River. In August 2023, EPA agents executed a search warrant at the Old Dutch Mustard facility and observed liquid that smelled like vinegar discharging from the end of the underground pipe into the ditch. The wastewater discharge had a low pH of 3.6. The agents then conducted a dye test. The dye discharged from the underground pipe at the top of the hill and flowed along the drainage ditch and down to the river.

    EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting the case with the assistance of EPA Senior Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Dianne G. Chabot.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Silver Spring Man Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted David Alain Schmidt, 43, of Silver Spring, Maryland, charging him with producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

    Phil Selden, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department.

    According to the indictment, in October 2024, Schmidt enticed a minor to produce child sexual abuse material and he also possessed sexually explicit images of a minor victim.

    If convicted, Schmidt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

    An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Selden commended HSI and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Selden also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.  Learn about Internet safety education by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page. 

    Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters.  Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Deported Mexican National with Prior Convictions Arrested for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was arrested in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents, Sergio Lopez Rodriguez, 48, was arrested during a surveillance operation conducted by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF) on Feb. 20. Federal law enforcement agencies had learned that Rodriguez was in the United States illegally and had previously been removed from the country in 2015. In addition to the deportation, Rodriguez was convicted of theft in 2009, of forgery in 2013, and also had been arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. A state arrest warrant was issued for Rodriguez on Jan. 28.

    A filed criminal complaint alleges that, on Feb. 20, LSFTF members surrounded Rodriguez’s vehicle while he was parked a gas station pump. During the arrest, officers allegedly located a handgun, a magazine and .40 caliber ammunition, along with a glass pipe, torch lighter and .9 grams of a crystal-like substance. The complaint also alleges that Rodriguez informed officers that he possessed an AK-47 magazine inside a bag located in the vehicle.

    Rodriguez was booked into the Bexar County Jail for his outstanding warrant and, due to his immigration status, Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer. He is federally charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.

    The U.S. Marshals Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case, along with the Office of the Texas Attorney General, Bexar County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Fidel Esparza III is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    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.

    A handgun, magazine, and .40 caliber ammunition allegedly seized during the arrest in San Antonio, Feb. 20, 2025.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Men Sentenced to Prison for Carjackings and Armed Robberies in Chicago

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — Three men who committed multiple carjackings and robberies in Chicago, including carjacking a vehicle with an infant in the back seat and pistol-whipping a convenience store clerk, have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 15 to 22 years.

    DAMANDRE HENLEY, DWIGHT HASBERRY, TYLER OATES-NELSON, and DAVARIO MCDOWELL engaged in a series of carjackings and robberies in Chicago in the overnight hours of Sept. 28 and 29, 2022.  The four defendants pleaded guilty last year to federal carjacking, armed robbery, and firearm charges. 

    On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Manish Shah sentenced Oates-Nelson, 29, of Chicago, to 15 years in federal prison. On Wednesday, Judge Shah sentenced McDowell, 25, of Chicago, to 18 years.  On Feb. 11, 2025, Judge Shah sentenced Henley, 28, of Chicago, to 22 years. Hasberry, 31, of Chicago, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Shah on March 20, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

    Four of the carjackings occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 28, 2022.  The carjacking involving the infant occurred late that evening, when the four men carjacked a Volkswagen Tiguan in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. After the men drove to the neighborhood in Oates-Nelson’s vehicle, Henley, Hansberry, and McDowell pointed guns at the driver and the infant in a rear car seat and ordered them out of the vehicle.  One of the carjackers patted down the driver and removed a registered handgun from his pocket.  The driver removed the infant from the car before Henley, Hansberry, and McDowell got into the Tiguan and drove away.

    A short time later, the four men, now all traveling in the stolen Tiguan, drove to Chicago’s Ravenswood Manor neighborhood, where Henley, McDowell, and Hansberry robbed one victim at gunpoint of their cell phone, wallet, and keys, and another victim of their backpack.

    The four men then robbed a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store.  With Oates-Nelson waiting in the stolen Tiguan, Henley, McDowell, and Hansberry entered the store carrying guns.  Henley used his gun to strike a store clerk in the head while forcing him to open the cash register.  The defendants fled the store with cash, cigarettes, and liquor bottles.

    The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Sentenced to 26 and 20 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed Business Robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – Two men were sentenced last week after previously pleading guilty to multiple counts of armed robberies that occurred at Louisville and Bullitt County, Kentucky businesses.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Demarcus Page, 31, of Bullitt County was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Page was convicted of eight counts of interference with commerce by robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Joseph Campbell, 29, of Louisville was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Campbell was convicted of five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. All the robberies occurred between June 12, 2023, and September 12, 2023.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The case was investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Lantz 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 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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