NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment seizes loaded handgun

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment (HRD) Street Crime Enforcement Unit has charged a man with multiple firearms offences following the execution of a search warrant in Dartmouth.

    Yesterday afternoon, in relation to an ongoing investigation, RCMP officers, with the assistance of the HRD Community Action Response Team and the Halifax Regional Police Emergency Response Team, safely arrested a 35-year-old man outside a Main St. business.

    Investigators then executed a search warrant at a residence on Garnett St., where they seized a loaded handgun.

    Jarrem Gallant, of Toronto and formerly of Dartmouth, has been charged with:

    • Careless Use of a Firearm
    • Contravention of Storage Regulations
    • Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
    • Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Device (Over Capacity Magazine)
    • Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized
    • Possession of a Prohibited Device Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (Over Capacity Magazine)
    • Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition
    • Possession of a Firearm Obtained by the Commission of an Offence
    • Possession Contrary to Firearm Prohibition Order (four counts)

    Gallant was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court today.

    The investigation is continuing with the assistance of the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team – Eastern Region.

    Anyone with information about illegal firearms or other criminal activity in the Halifax Regional Municipality is encouraged to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File: 25-21778

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Straw purchaser sentenced for unlawfully supplying firearms to illegal aliens

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 54-year-old Baytown resident has been ordered to prison for his role in firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Eduardo Hernandez pleaded guilty Oct. 31, 2024. 

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Hernandez to serve 151 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Hernandez’ activities, including his purchase of several firearms from a licensed dealer in the Houston area. He had also sent photos of the firearms to an individual in Michoacan, Mexico, to provide confirmation of the transaction. During his allocution, Hernandez apologized for his offense against the United States. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane responded by commenting that the victim of this offense is really Mexico and how the people of that country suffer at the hands of cartel violence.

    “Illegal aliens are prohibited from possessing firearms, period,” said Ganjei. “Hopefully Hernandez’s conviction and sentence will serve as a warning to others would consider supplying guns to those illegally in the country.”

    On Nov. 1, 2023, as part of an on-going criminal investigation involving the unlawful purchase, transfer and exportation of firearms and ammunition, authorities conducted a search of a residence. At that time, they discovered and seized multiple firearms from an individual unlawfully present in the United States who admitted the firearms were intended to be transported into Mexico.

    The investigation revealed Hernandez had purchased two of the seized weapons – both rifles.

    At the time of his arrest, Hernandez admitted to purchasing approximately 50 firearms from licensed dealers and private sellers and transferring those firearms to aliens unlawfully present within the United States. Hernandez also admitted having transported tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition to a home near the U.S.-Mexico border.

    Hernandez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the OCDETF operation with the assistance of the Baytown Police Department. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien sentenced for drug trafficking in South Texas

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Mission has been ordered to prison for trafficking cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jorge Alberto Galindo-Vargas pleaded guilty June 28, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Galindo-Vargas to serve 210 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. During the hearing, Galindo-Vargas spoke to the court noting that he had previously received a large sentence for drug trafficking at the age of 17. In handing down the sentence, in response to Galindo-Vargas statements, Judge Crane stated “Unfortunately, you’re in the cocaine business again, and that’s going to cost you another chunk of your life.”  

    “Illegally entering the United States is bad enough; illegally entering the United States in order to traffic drugs is even worse,” said Ganjei. “Galindo-Vargas will now have 17 years to think about his poor choices as he awaits his eventual deportation.”

    On Nov. 1, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Upon inspection, authorities discovered 12 kilograms of cocaine inside an ice chest inside the vehicle. 

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

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.

    Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the OCDETF operation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Mission and Alton police departments. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lemoore Navy Clinic Honors Departing Ombudsman

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Lemoore bid farewell to ombudsman Patricia Chambers who was recognized for her service to the command with a commemorative plaque.

    Chambers, a retired Navy senior chief with 26 years of military service, served the command as a vital link between the clinic’s leadership and military families for nine months. During her tenure, she worked directly with the command to address any family concerns and spoke at the monthly command orientation. Chambers also provided resources from Fleet and Family Support Center and other community support programs.

    The ombudsman program, established in 1970, has served as a cornerstone of Navy family support. Navy ombudsmen play an important role in military communities as volunteers who bridge the gap between commands and service members’ families as official liaisons between command leadership and family members. To become an ombudsmen, spouses or command approved members are trained in coordinating crisis response and emergency preparedness efforts.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Okfuskee County Resident Pleads Guilty to Armed Felony Assault

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Gregory Dwayne Guinn, a/k/a Gregory Dewayne Guinn, age 23, of Okemah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, and one count of Use, Carry, Brandish, and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence.

    The Indictment alleged that on January 15, 2024, Guinn assaulted an individual with a dangerous weapon, with intent to do bodily harm.  The Indictment also alleged that on that day, Guinn knowingly used, carried, brandished, and discharged a firearm during and in relation to that crime of violence.

    The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Guinn will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Patrick M. Flanigan represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lawton Man Sentenced to Serve Life in Federal Prison for Murder After Woman’s Body is Found in Wildlife Refuge

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Co-Defendant Previously Sentenced to Serve 96 Months for Accessory After the Fact to Murder

    OKLAHOMA CITY – TEVIN TERRELL SEMIEN, 30, of Lawton, has been sentenced to serve life in federal prison for second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    According to public record, on May 17, 2023, Karon “Dinkers” Conneywerdy Smith, 68, was found dead in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Investigators searched Smith’s home, which was within Indian Country, and observed blood consistent with a violent struggle. Smith’s vehicle was missing as well. On May 21, 2023, Texas law enforcement observed Smith’s vehicle driving south of Dallas, Texas. Officers attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the vehicle fled at a high speed and eventually crashed into a lake. The two occupants of the vehicle, later identified as Semien and Nicole Leigh Logsdon, attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended.

    On October 17, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a four-count Indictment against Semien and co-defendant Nicole Leigh Logsdon, 25, also of Lawton. The Indictment charged Semien with one count of first-degree premeditated murder, one alternative count of second-degree murder, and one count of illegally possessing a firearm after a previous felony conviction. Logsdon was separately charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

    On April 22, 2024, Semien pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of his plea, Semien admitted to deliberately and intentionally killing Smith.

    On January 10, 2024, Logsdon pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder and admitted to helping Semien in his attempt to avoid arrest and prosecution. On July 15, 2024, Logsdon was sentenced to serve 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

    At the sentencing hearing on February 3, 2025, U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot sentenced Semien to serve life in federal prison. In announcing his sentence, Judge Friot noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, pointing out that Semien’s choices and conduct amounted to an “unfathomably cruel and depraved murder.” Judge Friot also noted Semien’s criminal history.  Public record further reflects that Semien has previous felony convictions which include burglary in Jefferson County, Texas, and conspiracy to commit second degree burglary in Comanche County District Court case number CF-2022-292.

    This case is in federal court because Smith and Logsdon are enrolled members of the Comanche Nation and the murder occurred within Indian Country.

    This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City, Dallas, and New Orleans field offices; the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Comanche Nation Police Department; the Comanche County Sheriff’s Office; the Lawton Police Department; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Rice, Texas Police Department; and the Navarro County, Texas Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaleigh Blackwell and Trial Attorney Mark Stoneman with DOJ’s Criminal Division (former AUSA with the Western District of Oklahoma) prosecuted the case.

    The case furthers the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons efforts to address violence against Native American individuals. More information about this initiative is at https://www.justice.gov/tribal/mmip.

    Reference is made to public filings for more information. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sipekne’katik — RCMP charge two people for drug trafficking

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP has charged two people following the execution of a search warrant in Sipekne’katik (Indian Brook).

    Yesterday, in relation to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, the Street Crime Enforcement Unit (SCEU) of East Hants District RCMP assisted by Sipekne’katik RCMP, executed a search warrant at a residence on Church St.

    At the scene, officers safely arrested a man and a woman then located and seized a variety of prescription pills, drug paraphernalia and cash.

    Kevin Dewolfe, 67, of Truro and Kaylyn Brooks, 36, of Sipekne’katik, have both been charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking. They were released on conditions and are scheduled to appear in Shubenacadie Provincial Court on April 28 at 9:30 a.m.

    Nova Scotians are encouraged to contact their nearest RCMP detachment or local police to report crime, including the illegal sale of drugs, in their communities. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 20 Years For Possessing With The Intent To Distribute Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, And Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – Acting U.S. Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Emmanuel Dourthe (26, Deltona) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Dourthe pleaded guilty in November 2024.

    According to court documents, on February 14, 2023, law enforcement officers searched a storage unit that Dourthe, along with his co-conspirator Brendan Wells, utilized to store narcotics they were selling and intending to sell. Inside the storage unit, officers located 408 grams of methamphetamine, 399.7 grams of fentanyl, and 27.7 grams of cocaine. In addition, numerous bottles and baggies with various powders suspected to be cutting agents, as well as mixing tools, were found. A Smith & Wesson M&P semiautomatic rifle, along with numerous gun cases, magazines, and ammunition were also seized from the storage unit.

    A search of Dourthe’s phone had initially alerted law enforcement to the existence of the storage unit. Dourthe’s phone contained messages that showed that Dourthe and his associates were trafficking narcotics and that Wells, as well as others, were also involved in this trafficking.

    The firearm retrieved from the storage unit was swabbed for DNA, and testing revealed the presence of Douthe’s DNA on the firearm. Dourthe is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    Earlier in the day on February 14, 2023, law enforcement searched a backpack belonging to Wells, recovered from a residential search. Inside the backpack, law enforcement found what the Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory later confirmed to be 143.98 grams of methamphetamine.

    Wells pleaded guilty in November 2024. His sentencing is scheduled for March 26, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Nebesky.

    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: Chatham County man sentenced to prison for stalking woman, exploding a bomb at her home

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAVANNAH, GA:  A Chatham County man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges that include planting and exploding a bomb that badly damaged a woman’s home.

    Stephen Glosser, 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty to Stalking and Use of an Explosive to Commit Another Felony Offense, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also ordered Glosser to pay $507,781 in restitution to two victims in the case, and to serve three years of supervised release up completion of his prison term.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    “The level of malevolent violence in this case is astounding, and it’s truly fortunate that there were no deaths as a result of this horrific crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “This successful prosecution is a credit to the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and our state and local law enforcement partners.”

    As described in court documents and testimony, Bryan County emergency services personnel responded Jan. 13, 2023, to a reported explosion that extensively damaged a Richmond Hill home with two people inside. A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Glosser and a co-conspirator, and to a March 2024 federal indictment.

    Glosser’s guilty plea in the case describes his efforts to communicate with his co-conspirator to “create a plan to kill, intimidate, harass, or injure” the owner of the home. “This included conspiring to acquire and shoot arrows into the victim’s front door, acquire and release a large python into the victim’s home to eat the victim’s daughter, acquire and mail dog feces to the victim’s home, acquire and mail dead rats to the victim’s home, to scalp the victim, and to blow up the victim’s home,” as spelled out in the guilty plea.

    Glosser located the victim’s residence using internet searches on his cell phone based on an image the victim had previously shared with Glosser. His co-conspirator purchased exploding targets online, and the two used the explosive material to construct a bomb that Glosser and his co-conspirator used to blow up the victim’s home. After the bombing, Glosser hired a cleaning service to clean the carpets in his residence to hide traces of the bomb-making materials.

    Glosser’s co-conspirator, who was taken into custody in Louisiana on unrelated charges, is awaiting prosecution in the Southern District of Georgia. He is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

    “This case demonstrates the devastating impact of violent criminals who stop at nothing to terrorize their victims. ATF, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue and bring to justice those who use explosive devices as tools of destruction,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    “This case serves as a stark reminder that those who use terror and threats to intimidate others will face the full force of the law,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey. “We are fortunate that no lives were lost, and I commend the tireless efforts of the ATF and our local partners for their dedication in bringing this dangerous individual to justice. Our commitment to ensuring public safety remains steadfast, and we will continue to work together to protect our communities from such acts of violence.”  

    The case is being investigated by Bryan County Fire and Emergency Services, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and its K-9 unit, the Savannah Fire Department, and the Grant Parish (Louisiana) Sheriff’s Office, and Prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Alexander Hamner.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug distributor caught with massive amounts of fentanyl and meth as well as firearms, body armor, and silencer sentenced to 13 years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tacoma – A 32-year-old Renton, Washington resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 13 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking ring connected to Aryan prison gangs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Shawn Ellis was arrested in March 2023, when federal agents moved in following a two-year investigation of drug trafficking activities. A search of Ellis’ car turned up buckets filled with fentanyl pills and kilos of methamphetamine, as well as four firearms – including a machine gun. At today’s sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge David G. Estudillo said, “We’re talking about a significant amount of controlled substances,” and added, “What is really significant and obviously scary for the community is the firearms.”

    According to records filed in the case, Ellis was a prolific drug redistributor. He obtained drugs from one branch of the drug conspiracy and sold the drugs to other customers for profit. Ellis would order as much as 30 pounds of methamphetamine at a time. When Ellis was arrested, agents seized the buckets of fentanyl and methamphetamine as well as cocaine and fake Xanax pills. Ellis carried four guns in the car to protect his drugs – a loaded pistol between the driver’s seat and center console, an SK-15 rifle hidden in a violin case, a shotgun and a second loaded pistol. He also had body armor in the vehicle.

    In a storage shed Ellis controlled were five additional firearms, a large amount of ammunition, additional body armor and a homemade silencer. Ellis also stored cash, jewelry, precious metals, coins and other collectibles in the shed – proceeds of his drug trafficking.

    Ellis has two prior felony drug convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.

    In asking for a 15-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “But the danger Ellis posed to the community does not stop (with his possession of a silencer). He carried guns in his car along with his drugs, including a pistol which he kept close at hand near the driver’s seat. Ellis also kept in the car a second pistol, a shotgun, and an AR-15 type rifle that he hid in a violin case. This rifle proved to be a machinegun that fires fully automatically. As a felon, Ellis could not legally possess any firearms, much less a silencer or a machinegun.”

    Law enforcement made two dozen arrests on federal charges on March 22, 2023. The coordinated takedown involved ten swat teams and more than 350 law enforcement officers. On that day law enforcement seized 177 firearms, more than ten kilos of methamphetamine, 11 kilos of fentanyl pills and more than a kilo of fentanyl powder, three kilos of heroin, and more than $330,000 in cash from eighteen locations in Washington and Arizona. Earlier in the investigation law enforcement seized 830,000 fentanyl pills, 5.5 pounds of fentanyl powder, 223 pounds of methamphetamine, 3.5 pounds of heroin, 5 pounds of cocaine, $388,000 in cash, and 48 firearms.

    The top-level leader of the drug trafficking ring, Jesse Bailey, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, 2025, and his wife and co-conspirator Candace Bailey, is scheduled for sentencing on May 16, 2025.

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

    This investigation was led by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Washington State Department of Corrections and significant local assistance from the Tacoma Police Department, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, and the Thurston County Narcotics Task Force, led by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout this investigation the following agencies assisted the primary investigators: Washington State Patrol, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office, Lakewood Police Department, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: International Maritime Exercise 2025 concludes

    Source: United States Navy

    IMX 2025 brought together 5,000 personnel from over 30 nations and international organizations committed to preserving the rules-based international order and strengthening regional maritime security cooperation.

    The 12-day exercise took participants through several exercise serials across multiple locations at sea in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, as well as ashore and in the air. Some of the serials included diving, harbor security, mine countermeasures, unmanned systems and artificial intelligence integration, visit, board, search and seizure procedures, and global health management events.

    “It’s inspiring to see so many nations working together. The incredible level of international representation is pivotal to our success of safeguarding regional waterways and enabling the free flow of commerce,” said U.S. Navy Vice Adm. George Wikoff, Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, in his remarks at the closing ceremony. “IMX 2025 was truly about partnering to strengthen and expand our capabilities.”

    “[The] exercise brought forward many viewpoints [about how] to handle a single situation in various different ways. I am confident that the takeaways of this exercise will serve all the participants in planning and executing various exercises in their respective countries,” said Pakistan Navy Commodore Rashid Mahmood Sheikh, who led the CPX exercise for IMX 2025, in his remarks.

    IMX 2025 ran in conjunction with a U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa exercise, Cutlass Express 25, with each exercise’s respective maritime operations centers exercising their information sharing capabilities to improve theater-to-theater coordination, reduce regional seams, and strengthen interoperability.

    The ninth iteration of the series, IMX began in 2012 as the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise, before changing its name to reflect a more expansive mission set.

    The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.

    For imagery, photos and information on IMX, visit the feature page at: https://www.cusnc.navy.mil/IMX/.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Western Balkan and Latin American Prosecutors meet in Peru to strengthen cross-border cooperation against organised crime

    Source: Eurojust

    20 February 2025|

    Prosecutors from the Western Balkans and Latin America gathered in Lima (Peru) for a meeting aimed at enhancing international cooperation in the fight against organised crime. The event, ‘’Networking for Impact: Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation Between Western Balkan and Latin American Prosecutors in the Area of Organised Crime’’, took place between 18 – 20 February 2025 and marked a significant step towards advancing joint efforts to dismantle international criminal networks.

    The event, co-organised between the Western Balkans Criminal Justice (WBCJ) Project and EL PACCTO 2.0, focused on addressing pressing challenges in combating organised crime and ways to enhance cooperation. Leading prosecutors in charge of cross-border cases gathered together to exchange information and strengthen judicial ties.

    The event featured a series of discussions on crime trends, international cooperation, and strategies for enhancing cross-border efforts. Sessions included expert presentations on emerging threats, roundtable discussions on legal and operational challenges, and bilateral meetings aimed at fostering direct cooperation between countries.

    The meeting underscores the critical need for stronger international partnerships between the Western Balkans and Latin America to effectively tackle cross-border crime. By bringing judicial practitioners together, the event helped to create a platform to build a more coordinated and effective response against organised crime in the regions involved.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Luis Soto

    Source: US Marshals Service

    NOTICE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT: Before arrest, verify warrant through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). If subject is arrested or whereabouts known, contact the nearest U.S. Marshals Service office, American Embassy/Consulate, call the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit a tip using U.S. Marshals Service Tips.

    For More Information Scan Code Above.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Wanted for Killing Cleveland Mother in March of 2024 Arrested in Houston

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Houston, TX – This afternoon, members of the U.S. Marshals led Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force (GCVOFTF) arrested John Booth, 47.  Booth was wanted by the Cleveland Division of Police for aggravated murder.  

    On March 13, 2024, officers from the Cleveland Division of Police, 5th District, responded to an address in the 5800 block of Prosser Ave., Cleveland, Ohio for a non-responsive female. When officers arrived, they discovered Tosha Williams, 45, deceased in her bed with a gunshot wound to the neck. According to police, she was discovered by her 9-year-old child. John Booth was later identified as being involved in the deadly shooting incident and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

    An investigation into the whereabouts of Booth was initiated by the U.S. Marshals led – Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), and this week information was developed that indicated Booth had fled Ohio to the Houston, Texas area. This afternoon, members of the GCVOFTF in Houston arrested Booth at an address located in the 8200 block of Koman Road, Houston, Texas.

    U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “Sadly, the senseless incident this fugitive is being accused of left a child without a mother. Hopefully the arrest today will bring her one step closer to receiving justice for her mother’s death.”

    Anyone with information concerning a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833), or you can submit a web tip. Reward money is available, and tipsters may remain anonymous.  Follow the U.S. Marshals on Twitter @USMSCleveland.  

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  • MIL-OSI Security: A Snapshot of Trump’s First Month: Making America Safe Again

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    “President Trump said from the start: criminal illegals have no place in our homeland. He is keeping his promise.” – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

    WASHINGTON – In a single month, President Trump and Secretary Noem have made massive strides to address the crisis at the southern border and remove violent criminal aliens from American communities. This is just the beginning of the golden age of America. 

    PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT:   

    • On day one, President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border and restarted construction of the border wall.   
    • President Trump instantly reinstated “Remain in Mexico” and ended catch and release.   
    • The Trump administration has empowered our brave men and women in ICE, Border Patrol, and Coast Guard to use common sense to do their jobs effectively.   
    • DHS has repealed Biden Era rules that allowed criminal aliens to hide from law enforcement in places like schools and churches to avoid arrest.    
    • DHS returned to using the term “illegal alien” to use statutory language and stop political correctness from hindering law enforcement.   
    • ICE arrests of criminal aliens have doubled and arrests of fugitives at large has tripled.   
    • Daily border encounters have plunged 93% since President Trump took office.  
    • To fulfill President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations, the administration is detaining illegal aliens, including violent criminals, at Guantanamo Bay.    
    • President Trump designated international cartels and other criminal gangs, such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.    
    • President Trump signed the Laken Riley Act which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.    
    • President Trump stopped the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returned the program to a case-by-case basis.  
    • Secretary Noem ended the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status.   
    • DHS froze all grants to non-profit organizations that facilitate illegal immigration.   
    • DHS deputized  the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, members of the State Department and the IRS to help with immigration operations.   
    • Secretary Noem clawed back $80 million that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to put illegal aliens up in luxury New York City hotels. 

    Bottom Line: Since President Trump was inaugurated, he’s made it clear there is a new sheriff in town. The President and Secretary Noem will continue fighting every day to secure our borders and keep American communities safe.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Commanding Officer of USS Harry S. Truman Relieved

    Source: United States Navy

    Snowden was relieved by Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8, after serving as the aircraft carrier’s commanding officer since December 2023. Snowden will be temporarily assigned to Naval Air Forces Atlantic.

    The relief occurred after Truman was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M on Feb. 12, while operating in the Mediterranean Sea in the vicinity of Port Said, Egypt.

    The U.S. Navy holds commanding officers to the highest standard and takes action to hold them accountable when those standards are not met. Naval leaders are entrusted with significant responsibilities to their Sailors and their ships.

    Capt. Christopher Hill, commanding officer of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), will temporarily serve as Harry S. Truman’s interim commanding officer.

    Dwight D. Eisenhower is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard after completing a nine-month deployment to U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command in July 2024.

    There is no impact to Harry S. Truman’s mission or schedule due to the relief. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is currently deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

    For questions related to this release, contact U.S. Sixth Fleet / Task Force SIX Public Affairs at cne_cna_c6fpao@us.navy.mil

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s Meeting with Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi

    Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

    Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Public Affairs

    February 20, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., met with Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi at the Pentagon on Tuesday where they discussed a range of security topics.

    Gen. Brown thanked Lt. Gen. Halevi for their excellent working relationship during his time as chairman and congratulated him on a distinguished career. As part of his formal counterpart visit, Lt. Gen. Halevi participated in an Armed Forces Full Honor Arrival ceremony hosted by Gen. Brown at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

    For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
    Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
    Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
    LinkedIn and Flickr.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation — Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes: youth charged in relation to homicides on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Saskatchewan RCMP has charged a 15-year-old male youth with four counts of first-degree murder, Section 235(1), Criminal Code in relation to the deaths of Tracey Hotomani, Sheldon Quewezance, Shauna Fay and Terry Jack.

    The male youth was arrested by Saskatchewan RCMP on February 18, 2025 on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation, SK.

    We will not be able to identify the youth as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

    The youth is scheduled to appear via phone in Regina Provincial Court this morning at 9:30 a.m.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Adds Murder and Other Charges Against Maryland Man Accused of Shooting a DCHA Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Victor Scott Terrill, 41, of Landover, Maryland, was charged in a 10-count superseding indictment, filed yesterday in U.S. District Court, with first-degree murder while armed and related counts, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                The new charges stem from the February 23, 2024, fatal shooting of a man identified as R.C., and the nonfatal shooting of another man, while Terrill was on pre-trial release in a D.C. Superior Court matter.

                Terrill was initially arrested on February 29, 2024, for the shooting of a District Housing Authority Police Officer at a Southeast apartment building in Washington’s Navy Yard neighborhood. He was subsequently charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer (felony) while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and related offenses for that conduct. A Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, recovered in a trashcan following his arrest, was also linked to the February 23 murder and nonfatal shooting. 

                With respect to the fatal shooting, Terrill is charged with one count of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. With respect to the nonfatal shooting of the other man, Terrill is charged with one count of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Terrill is further charged with committing these offenses while on pretrial release in a Superior Court matter.

                This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the MPD. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean, Justin Song, Meredith Mayer-Dempsey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Horan for the District of Columbia.

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

    24cr145

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Mailing Threats to Federal Officials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Charles Morice Gilmore, 52, of Missouri, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to concurrent statutory maximum sentences of 10 years in prison for Mailing Threatening Communications, and six years for Influencing Federal Official by Threat. Gilmore pleaded guilty to these crimes on October 1, 2024.

    Between February 28, 2023, and March 27, 2023, while an inmate at the United States Penitentiary in Tucson, Gilmore mailed letters to a federal judge claiming there were bombs in the courthouse where the victim worked and that the bombs could be remotely detonated. The letters to the judge contained religious slurs and asserted ties to the Hells Angels and the Ku Klux Klan. Gilmore also sent a threatening letter to a federal prosecutor who had previously handled one of his cases. Gilmore attached pipe bomb instructions to that letter. He claimed he had mailed the instructions to others outside the prison to carry out his orders. A third letter from Gilmore to a former cellmate with instructions for making pipe bombs and listing locations where the pipe bombs should be placed was also intercepted.

    Gilmore has a lengthy criminal history for violent offenses and is a career offender. Judge Martinez imposed concurrent stipulated sentences of 10 years for each mailing of threatening communications and six years for threatening a federal judge. The sentences will be consecutive to Gilmore’s 10-year federal sentence for mailing threatening communications in 2017; a 10-year sentence for threatening federal officials in 2014; a 90-month sentence in 2013 for mailing threatening communications to a different federal judge; and a 20-year prison sentence for stabbing an inmate in Jefferson City, Missouri in 2018. A separate case against Gilmore for mailing a hoax bomb threat to a state courthouse in Missouri was dismissed as part of the stipulated agreement in this case.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-2122-TUC-AMM
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-020_Gilmore

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine

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

    PROVIDENCE – A 49-year-old former Rhode Island man whom court records reflect is a career offender who has spent nearly half of his life incarcerated, has been sentenced to a further ten years in federal prison for trafficking multiple kilos of methamphetamine into Rhode Island, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

    Carl Sharp, 49, of Peoria, Arizona, who formerly resided in Rhode Island, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 120 months of incarceration to be followed by five years of federal supervised release. Sharp pleaded guilty on October 15, 2024, to a charge of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

    Court records reflect that Sharp was previously convicted and incarcerated on unrelated charges involving, among other things: drug trafficking, domestic violence, and assault. Sharp also previously faced a murder charge, but was acquitted of that charge after a key witness in the case died.

    According to court documents and information provided to the court in the current federal case, during an investigation into drugs being shipped through the U.S. Mail to Rhode Island from Western states, the United States Postal Inspection Service identified thirteen packages, six of which were mailed by Sharp. Court-authorized searches of three packages, two of which were mailed by Sharp, resulted in the seizure of a total of 4.44 kilograms of methamphetamine and 249 grams of cocaine.

    One of the packages shipped by Sharp was sent to a Rhode Island residence that he had used previously for his drug trafficking activities, and another parcel was mailed to the residence of an unsuspecting 85-year-old woman who lived alone. After opening the package and finding nearly two kilos of meth wrapped in clothing inside the package, a man knocked on her back door looking for the package.  The woman told the man that she did not have the package, and he left. She then brought the package to the post office.

    A financial investigation into Sharp’s assets determined that between January 2022 and May 2024, he deposited over $320,000 in unexplained cash into his personal bank account.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sandra R. Hebert.

    The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with the assistance of the FBI.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Hartford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Participating in Catalytic Converter Theft Ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that YANQUEE RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Yankster Rodriguez,” 28, of West Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in a catalytic converter theft conspiracy.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement has been investigating the theft of catalytic converters from motor vehicles across Connecticut.  A catalytic converter contains precious metals, can easily be removed from its vehicle, and is difficult to trace, making it a desirable target for thieves.  The average scrap price for catalytic converters currently varies between $300 and $1,500, depending on the model and type of precious metal component.

    The investigation revealed that Alexander Kolitsas owned and operated Downpipe Depot & Recycling LLC (“Downpipe Depot”), which had a warehouse on Park Avenue in East Hartford.  Kolitsas and Downpipe Depot purchased stolen catalytic converters from a network of thieves, including Rodriguez, and then transported and sold the catalytic converters to recycling businesses in New York and New Jersey.  Kolitsas instructed his suppliers on the types of converters that would obtain the most profit upon resale, and he would often meet with them and transact business at his home in Wolcott late at night or behind a family member’s restaurant in Middlebury after hours.

    Business records seized during the investigation revealed that Rodriguez was one of Downpipe Depot’s largest suppliers of stolen catalytic converters.  Between January 2021 and May 2022, Downpipe Depot paid Rodriguez $411,845 for catalytic converters.  Kolitsas paid Rodriguez and his other catalytic converter suppliers a total of more than $3.3 million during that time.

    Rodriguez was arrested on November 15, 2023.  On June 26, 2024, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen property and one count of interstate transportation of stolen property.

    Rodriguez, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 19.

    Kolitsas pleaded guilty to related charges and awaits sentencing.

    This investigation is being led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI), and the East Hartford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren C. Clark and A. Reed Durham.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Big River First Nation — Update #3: Saskatchewan RCMP: stabbing incidents reported on Big River First Nation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    February 19, 2025
    Big River First Nation, Saskatchewan

    News release

    On February 19, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., Saskatchewan RCMP located and arrested 29-year-old Ryan Lachance at a residence on Big River First Nation.

    Ryan Lachance was wanted by Big River RCMP for charges including aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

    As a result of additional investigation, Ryan Lachance has also been charged with:

    • four counts possession of ammunition contrary to prohibition order section 117.01(1), Criminal Code; and
    • one count of failing to comply with a release order section 145(5)(a), Criminal Code.

    Ryan Lachance is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on February 20, 2025.

    –30–

    Backgrounder

    As a result of further investigation, Saskatchewan RCMP determined the third stabbing victim, an adult male, to be a suspect in the first two stabbings that occurred on February 15 on Big River First Nation. Once released from hospital, the adult male was arrested.

    25-year-old Jacky Lachance from Big River First Nation is charged with:
    • two counts, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;
    • one count, robbery with a weapon, Section 344(1)(b), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, break and enter, Section 348(1)(b), Criminal Code.
    Jacky Lachance is scheduled to appear in Prince Albert Provincial Court on February 18, 2025 (Information #90564732).
    Saskatchewan RCMP continue to look for 29-year-old Ryan Lachance. As a result of continued investigation into the February 15 incidents, Ryan Lachance has been charged with:
    • two counts, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;
    • two counts, robbery, Section 344(1)(b), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, Section 88, Criminal Code;
    • one count, mischief under $5000 – damage to property, Section 430(4), Criminal Code;
    • one count, break, enter and commit, Section 348(1)(b), Criminal Code; and
    • two counts, fail to comply with release order condition, Section 145(5), Criminal Code.

    He has also been charged for failing to attend court, Section 145(2)(b), Criminal Code in relation to a missed court date earlier in February.

    Ryan is also wanted on warrant from Big River RCMP in relation to an unrelated aggravated assault that occurred in November 2024.

    Ryan Lachance is described as approximately 5’6″ tall and 150 lbs. He has brown eyes and brown hair. Ryan has a teardrop tattoo under his left eye. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with a large white logo on it, and black pants. If you see Ryan Lachance, do not approach him. He is considered armed and dangerous.

    Ryan Lachance may be in a stolen black KIA Optima with Saskatchewan license plate 649 NPP. This is not confirmed and Ryan’s whereabouts are currently unknown. On February 17, 2025, Big River RCMP located and seized the grey BMW SUV.

    If you see Ryan Lachance, the black Kia Optima, or if you have information about this investigation, please call police immediately. In an emergency call 911, and in a non-emergency call 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate.

    ————————

    Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate three stabbing incidents on Big River First Nation.

    On February 15, 2025 at approximately 3:50 p.m., Big River RCMP received a report of a stabbing at a residence on Big River First Nation. Investigation determined an altercation occurred between a male and a female. As a result, the female was injured. The female victim was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening.

    At approximately 4:00 p.m., Big River RCMP received a report that a stabbing had occurred at a second residence on Big River First Nation. Investigation determined a group of people entered the residence and stabbed a male. The injured male was taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening.

    At approximately 4:20 p.m., Big River RCMP received a report of a male who was stabbed on Big River First Nation. Officers responded and located the male at a third residence on Big River First Nation. The male was transported by STARS to hospital for treatment of his injuries.

    While officers were responding to the third stabbing, they received a report of an attempted armed robbery with a machete in Victoire, SK. Investigation determined a male approached a vehicle and threatened the driver. The driver exited the vehicle and fled. The male suspect was unable to steal the vehicle and fled on foot in an unknown direction.
    Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate.

    The Saskatchewan RCMP continue to look for a male suspect in relation to the stabbings. 29-year-old Ryan Lachance is wanted by Big River RCMP in relation to an unrelated aggravated assault that occurred in November 2024. Ryan Lachance is described as approximately 5’6″ tall and 150 lbs. He has brown eyes and brown hair. Ryan has a teardrop tattoo under his left eye. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with a large white logo on it, and black pants.

    The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, and should not be approached. If you see him, call police immediately by dialling 911 in the case of an emergency, or 310-RCMP in a non-emergency.

    The last confirmed sighting of Ryan Lachance was around 5:30 p.m. on February 15, in the Victoire, SK area. Ryan may be in a stolen black KIA Optima with Saskatchewan license plate 649 NPP OR a grey BMW SUV, but this is not confirmed.

    If you see Ryan Lachance, the black KIA Optima, or the grey BMW SUV, call your local police immediately. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    Residents in the Big River First Nation area will note an increased police presence while this investigation continues. People are asked to avoid the areas where police officers are present and follow any police direction provided.

    Saskatchewan RCMP is not currently asking the public’s assistance in locating the second male, Kenneth Joseph, from the initial Crime Watch Advisory. Please remove his name from your reporting.

    ———————

    The Saskatchewan RCMP is investigating three stabbing incidents in the Big River First Nation. Investigators are trying to determine if the incidents are random. Two victims were taken to hospital for treatment.

    The Saskatchewan RCMP is asking members of the public to contact the police if they see Ryan Lachance, 29, who is wanted by the Big River RCMP detachment under an arrest warrant. Ryan Lachance is approximately 1.68 m tall and weighs 68 kg. He has brown eyes and hair. Ryan has a teardrop tattoo under his left eye. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a large white logo and black pants.

    The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, and should not be approached. If you see him, call the police immediately by dialing 911 in case of emergency, or 310-RCMP if the situation is not urgent.

    The last confirmed sighting of the suspect was at approximately 5:30 p.m. in the Victoire neighborhood of Saskatchewan. The suspect may be driving a black KIA with Saskatchewan license plate 649 NPP or a gray BMW SUV.

    The Saskatchewan RCMP has indicated that an increased police presence has been deployed in the Big River First Nation as part of this investigation. People are asked to avoid areas where police officers are present and to follow all instructions given by the police.

    We will provide an update on this investigation as soon as possible.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Providence Woman Sentenced in Conspiracy to Smuggle Contraband Inside the Wyatt Detention Center

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – A Providence woman who previously admitted to a federal judge that she provided contraband that made its way into the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, RI, was sentenced today to two years of federal supervised release, the first six months to be served in home detention with GPS monitoring, and fined $1,500, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    Yahaira Cristina Contreras, 32, admitted that in early 2021, she conspired with others to provide 201 suboxone strips containing buprenorphine that made its way to a Wyatt Detention Center correctional officer and into the facility. Contreras admitted that she provided the contraband and that she transferred $3,000 from her bank account to another person’s account to facilitate getting the suboxone strips inside the Wyatt Detention Center.

    Contreras’ sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose.

    Former Wyatt Detention Center correctional officer Kaii Almeida-Falcones, 30, of Smithfield, pleaded guilty on June 10, 2024, to a charge of providing contraband to an inmate. He was sentenced on November 19, 2024, to six months in federal prison to be followed by twenty-four months of federal supervised release – the first six months to be served on home confinement.

    The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ly T. Chin.

    The matter was investigated by the FBI, the United States Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and the Professional Standards Unit at the Wyatt Detention Center.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 29 Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in $5M COVID Fraud Investigation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. —Twenty-Nine out of 31 indicted defendants have pleaded guilty in a five-year investigation into a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits led by SCDC inmates along with family members and friends outside the prison system.

    Evidence presented in court revealed that incarcerated inmates harvested personal information, such as social security numbers and dates of birth, from other inmates and used the information to apply for COVID unemployment benefits in the names of those inmates as well as themselves. Some inmates provided their details willingly to the named defendants in exchange for a portion of the proceeds derived from the unemployment benefits. Other inmates had no knowledge that unemployment benefits were being applied for on their behalf. The incarcerated defendants also obtained the information of unwitting individuals outside of the Department of Corrections using various extortion schemes.

    One of the primary schemes utilized by the defendants was known as “Johning.” Using contraband cellphones within the Department of Corrections, inmates posed as younger males or females and lured individuals to send them nude or compromising photos. After obtaining the photos, the inmates used a second line feature on their contraband cell phones and contacted the victim posing as law enforcement. The inmates then extorted the victims into sending them money and/or photos of their social security cards and driver’s license.

    After the defendants applied for unemployment benefits in the names of the extortion victims and Department of Corrections inmates, the benefits were diverted to the incarcerated defendants with the assistances of the non-incarcerated defendants. The non-incarcerated defendants received government checks and prepaid Visa debit cards in the mail. The non-incarcerated defendants then utilized ATM withdrawals, wire transfers, and mobile banking applications such as Zelle, Venmo, Green Dot, and Cash App to make the proceeds available to the incarcerated defendants.

    The indictment alleges the named defendants submitted COVID-19 unemployment applications in multiple states. Fraudulent benefit applications were filed in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, Missouri, Arizona, and California. In total, the fraudulent scheme resulted in a loss of approximately $4,996,673.00 to the United States Government. 

    “This extensive fraud scheme exploited and misused individuals’ personal information, some unknowingly, for financial gain at the expense of American taxpayers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “The individuals involved showed a complete disregard for the law and used deception, manipulation, and extortion to unlawfully obtain nearly $5 million in unemployment benefits. Our agencies remain committed to holding those responsible accountable and ensuring that such fraudulent schemes do not undermine public trust in vital government programs.”

    “Inmates using this brazen scheme stole millions of dollars from an effort to help everyday Americans survive the COVID-19 pandemic,” SCDC Director Bryan Stirling said. “It is shameful, and the taxpayers deserve better. I am grateful to everyone involved in bringing these defendants to justice.”

    Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  United States District Sherri A. Lydon has accepted 29 guilty pleas and handed down sentences for 14 of the defendants thus far. The remaining defendants will be sentenced after the court receives and reviews a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. One defendant, Jessica Ann Howell, passed away and another defendant, Christine Hankins, remains at large as a fugitive.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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

    This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Winston Holliday and Scott Matthews are prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mission man sent to prison for drug trafficking, again

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 56-year-old convicted felon has been ordered to prison for drug trafficking while on federal supervision, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Salvador Noyola pleaded guilty May 3, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Noyola to serve 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. On supervised release when he committed the crime, the court included 18 months as part of the sentence for violating that term. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane warned Noyola, stating “You’ve got to get out of this business… I hope hat you will find another way to make money.”

    In December 2023, authorities arrested Noyola following a search at his residence.

    At the time of the search, law enforcement seized over a kilogram of powdered cocaine.

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

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the OCDETF operation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Sheriffs Office and the Mission and Alton police departments. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tempe Man Sentenced to 47 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Animal Crushing

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eric Thomas Scionti, 36, of Tempe, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 47 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Scionti pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person and Animal Crushing in two separate cases on October 3, 2024. 

    On January 18, 2023, pursuant to a search warrant, federal agents seized six firearms and 1,826 rounds of ammunition from areas of a residence controlled by the defendant. Scionti had previously been convicted of multiple Arizona state felonies and was consequently prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    On September 29, 2023, federal agents received authorization to search records and information associated with Scionti’s email account. During that search, agents seized approximately 168 videos and 89 digital photographs depicting Scionti torturing and mutilating live pigeons.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations in these cases. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.
     

    CASE NUMBER:            CR-23-00600-PHX-JJT
                                           CR-24-00890-PHX-JJT
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-019_Scionti

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Meadow Lake — Update – Meadow Lake RCMP: two charged after shooting on Waterhen Lake First Nation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    February 11, 2025
    Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan

    News release

    On February 8, 2025 at approximately 6:15 p.m., Meadow Lake RCMP received a report of a shooting on Waterhen Lake First Nation.

    Officers responded immediately and located an adult male with injuries described as serious in nature. He was transported to hospital for treatment. Investigators were notified he passed away in hospital on February 13.

    Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes, Meadow Lake RCMP, Saskatchewan RCMP’s General Investigation Section and Forensic Identification Services have continued to investigate. As a result, on February 16, Logan Lapratt was charged with: one count, second-degree murder, Section 235(1), Criminal Code and Derek Lasas was charged with: one count, manslaughter with a firearm, Section 236(a), Criminal Code in relation to the death of 29-year old Antoine Hamm from Waterhen Lake First Nation.

    Logan Lapratt and Derek Lasas are scheduled to appear in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on February 18, 2025 (Information #90468305 and #90468306).

    Previously released information:

    Meadow Lake RCMP: two charged after shooting on Waterhen Lake First Nation | Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    –30–

    Backgrounder

    Around 6:15 p.m. February 8, 2025, Meadow Lake RCMP received a report of a shooting at a residence on Waterhen Lake First Nation. One male was reportedly injured and was transported to hospital for treatment of injuries. We do not have an update on their condition.

    As a result of continued investigation by Meadow Lake RCMP, Saskatchewan RCMP’s General Investigation Section and Forensic Identification Services, two 42-year-old males were arrested on Waterhen Lake First Nation without incident on February 8, 2025.

    42-year-old Logan Lapratt from Waterhen Lake First Nation is charged with:

    one count, attempted murder, Section 239, Criminal Code;
    one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;
    one count, discharge firearm with intent, Section 244, Criminal Code
    42-year-old Derek Lasas from Waterhen Lake First Nation is also charged with:

    one count, aggravated assault, Section 268(2), Criminal Code;
    one count, possession of a firearm in motor vehicle, Section 94(1), Criminal Code
    Both accused appeared in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on Monday, February 10, 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Houston Resident Pleads Guilty to Laundering Proceeds From $40 Million Fraud Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    HOUSTON – A 43-year-old man has admitted to laundering proceeds from a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Bun Khath admitted that from 2016 to 2021, he conspired with others in a bank fraud scheme involving dozens of loans totaling at least $40 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.  

    As part of the plea, Khath acknowledged opening and maintaining shell companies and bank accounts to collect money from the scheme and then laundering the fraud proceeds by wiring them to bank accounts other co-conspirators controlled.

    Khath and others accomplished the bank fraud by preparing loan applications that contained false and fraudulent information and documents, including fake equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.

    U.S. District Keith Ellison will impose sentencing April 29. At that time, Khath faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 possible fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction.  

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

    Another Houston resident charged in the case – Hugo Villanueva, 70, – is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

    The Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation — Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes: two arrested in relation to homicides on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Saskatchewan RCMP has arrested two suspects in relation to four homicides on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation, SK.

    On February 4, 2025 at approximately 11:15 a.m., File Hills First Nations Police Service received a report of sudden deaths at a residence on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation.

    Officers immediately responded. They located four deceased persons in the residence. Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes took carriage of the investigation and investigated the deaths as homicides. Initial investigation suggested the residence may have been targeted.

    As a result of continued investigation, Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes located and arrested 18-year-old Darrius Racette in Yorkton, SK on February 18, 2025.

    A youth has also been arrested. We anticipate charges will be laid against them later today. Further details will be provided as we are able to. We will not be able to identify the youth as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

    Darrius Racette is facing four counts, first-degree murder, Section 235(1), Criminal Code in relation to the deaths of Tracey Hotomani, Sheldon Quewezance, Shauna Fay and Terry Jack.

    “We thank the public for their cooperation and patience as these investigations were conducted. Officers rely on witnesses and members of the community to come forward with information to further investigations,” says Inspector Ashley St. Germaine, Senior Investigative Officer with the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Major Crimes Branch.

    “We also share our condolences with the families and community members impacted by this tragedy.”

    The Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Family Liaison team and Victim Services continue to communicate with the victims’ families.

    File Hills First Nations Police Service, Regina Police Services and Saskatchewan RCMP’s General Investigation Section, Forensic Identification Services, Historical Case Unit, Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams, Indigenous Policing Services, and local RCMP detachments all assisted with this investigation.

    Darrius Racette is scheduled to appear in Yorkton Provincial Court on February 20, 2025.

    To our media partners: We understand there were audio issues with our livestream. We have attached the statements to media, as prepared for delivery.

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