NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Inmate Sentenced to More than Four Years in Prison on Assault Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge sentenced a federal inmate for assaulting a corrections officer, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and FBI Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples.

    U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Christopher McCallum to 51 months in prison based on his September 2024 guilty plea to assault of an officer.

    According to the plea agreement, McCallum was a federal inmate of the Bureau of Prisons at FCI Talladega, serving a sentence for a previous federal conviction.  On February 29, 2024, McCallum became disruptive, walked toward the staff with clinched fists, and ultimately assaulted a female corrections officer.  McCallum punched her in the head and upper torso area. The corrections officer sustained multiple injuries.

    FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Felton prosecuted the case.  

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    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. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Charged with Transportation, Distribution, and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal complaint has been unsealed charging GUSTAVO GORDILLO, 41, of Guatemala, with transportation, distribution, and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, in July 2020, investigators with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) received a cyber tip after files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) were uploaded to a Google Photos account. The affidavit alleges that the suspect who uploaded the photos, later determined to be Gordillo, lived in Oklahoma City. OCPD detectives investigated the tip, as well as additional tips from Facebook, and learned that Gordillo had communicated with a child living out of state. The affidavit further alleges Gordillo provided CSAM to and received CSAM from the child. In December 2024, additional investigation led law enforcement to a residence in the Oklahoma City metro that was connected with Gordillo. Gordillo was charged by Complaint on January 27, 2025, and was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and OCPD on January 29, 2025.

    Public records show Gordillo had entered into the United States on a temporary visa that had expired.

    If found guilty as charged in the Complaint, Gordillo faces up to sixty years in federal prison. The public is reminded these charges are merely allegations, and that Gordillo is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is the result of an investigation by HSI and OCPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon is prosecuting the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Palm Bay Man Sentenced To More Than 11 Years In Federal Prison For Receipt Of Child Sex Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Erik Bjorndal (49, Palm Bay) to 11 years and 4 months in federal prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Bjorndal previously pled guilty on August 21, 2024.

    According to court documents, Bjorndal downloaded multiple videos depicting the violent sexual abuse of children. Some of the videos included sadistic and masochistic conduct and bestiality. Thereafter, the FBI executed a search warrant at Bjorndal’s home and discovered hundreds of CSAM images on his devices. During an interview with FBI agents, Bjorndal admitted to viewing CSAM for “a while,” perhaps since his late 20s.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.

    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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran Man Pleads Guilty to Immigration Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Nolvin Alfredo-Diaz, also known as “Alfredo Diaz” and “Nolvin Alfredo Diaz,” 42, a Honduran national, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 21, 2024, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Alfredo-Diaz in Lewisburg. Alfredo-Diaz admitted that he was a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States. Alfredo-Diaz had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.

    Fingerprints matched Alfredo-Diaz to two prior removals from the United States to Honduras. On December 27, 2006, Alfredo-Diaz was removed from the United States to Honduras following his felony conviction for controlled substance-possession Schedule I, to wit, heroin, in Denver County, Colorado, District Court on September 25, 2006. On September 6, 2007, Alfredo-Diaz was found in Denver, Colorado, and convicted of controlled substance-possession Schedule II, to wit, cocaine, in Denver County, Colorado, District Court on December 20, 2007. On July 21, 2010, Alfredo-Diaz was found in Canon City, Colorado, and was removed from the United States to Honduras on August 5, 2010.

    Alfredo-Diaz never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.

    Alfredo-Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. Alfredo-Diaz will be subject to deportation proceedings at the conclusion of any sentence.

    “This federal criminal case underscores our office’s commitment to pursuing illegal reentry cases, especially in circumstances where the offender has a criminal history,” said United States Attorney Will Thompson. “Here, Mr. Diaz has two felony convictions for drug offenses and has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions. This will be Mr. Diaz’s third felony conviction. Our office will diligently and aggressively pursue these types of immigration cases.”

    Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-146.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan man sentenced to 20 years in prison for traveling to sexually abuse a minor who he removed from home in Washington and took back to Michigan

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 31-year-old South Haven, Michigan, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 20-years in prison for traveling with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Keith Daniel Freerksen was arrested in South Haven Township on January 31, 2024, following an investigation that stretched from western Washington to Michigan.

    At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin noted the trauma inflicted on the victim and the victim’s family. For 30 days they searched for the victim, even calling every morgue in Washington State with fear their child was dead. Judge Lin said the victim, “Will continue to suffer trauma and pain.”

    “What happened in this case is every parent’s nightmare – a predator comes into the home via social media and computer screens and manipulates your child to run away,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “This defendant secreted a child away, leaving a distraught family searching desperately for their loved one. When the victim should have been involved in normal teenage activities, the teen was instead manipulated and ensnared by the defendant.”

    According to records filed in the case, the 14-year-old went missing on January 5, 2024. A local police detective requested help from the FBI. An agent who specializes in Violent Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking investigations occurring in Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, and San Juan counties quickly assisted.

    By analyzing information on Uber rides that had been purchased for the victim by an unknown person, law enforcement was able to identify Freerksen, a registered sex offender in Michigan, as a potential suspect. Using information on Freerksen’s registered vehicle, they were able to trace his movement across the northern tier of states using license plate readers. The readers also captured Freerksen’s return trip through Idaho and Illinois in the days after the teen went missing.

    When the police in South Haven Township served a search warrant at the request of the FBI, they recovered the victim and arrested Freerksen. He was ultimately transported to Western Washington and has been detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac.

    In asking for the 20-year sentence Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson wrote to the court, “It is very alarming that neither of Freerksen’s family members intervened when he returned home with the then fourteen-year-old victim in tow. Freerksen was undeterred by his previous sex offense conviction, corresponding imprisonment, and registration obligation. The rapid recidivism between Freerksen’s release from prison following child pornography offenses and the dedicated months he spent manipulating and enticing (the victim) is evidence he is either unwilling or unable to refrain from sexually abusing minors.”

    The victim’s parents thanked law enforcement for finding and rescuing their child. The victim’s mother said, “I never imagined a predator would travel across the country to steal (my child).”

    The twenty-year sentence will run concurrent with a fifteen-to-seventy-year indeterminate state sentence in Michigan. Freerksen will serve his time in the federal prison system. Judge Lin ordered twenty years of supervised release to follow prison. Freerksen will once again have to register as a sex offender.

    The case was investigated by the Mount Vernon Police Department, FBI Seattle, and the Van Buren County, Michigan Sheriff’s Office and Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cecelia Gregson.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Carrizo Springs Business Owner Indicted for 7 Counts of Tax Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A federal grand jury in San Antonio returned an indictment charging a Carrizo Springs man with seven counts of failure to account for and pay over withholding taxes.

    According to court documents, Mark Douglass Plocek, 60, handled the day-to-day operations, including payroll, as an owner, operator and vice president of Production Lease Operating Services Oil & Gas Services LP (PLOS). The indictment alleges that, from the second quarter of 2016 through the third quarter of 2019, Plocek used PLOS to make hundreds of thousands of dollars for his personal benefit while, at the same time, failing to truthfully account for and pay over to the IRS payroll tax withheld from PLOS’s employees’ paychecks. Plocek allegedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on discretionary living expenditures including but not limited to gambling, purchasing real estate and investing in an unrelated restaurant business.

    Plocek made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard B. Farrer of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney William Harris is prosecuting the case.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: International Arms Dealer Charged with Exporting U.S. Firearms to Russia

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Unlawfully Exported Semi-Automatic Rifle-Pistols from U.S. Company Through JFK International Airport

    Earlier today, an indictment was filed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Sergei Zharnovnikov, an arms dealer and citizen of Kyrgyzstan, with conspiring to export firearms from the United States to Russia without the necessary licenses and with illegal smuggling.  Zharnovnikov traveled from Kyrgyzstan to the United States last month and was arrested on January 24, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was attending the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show to meet with U.S. arms dealers.  Zharnovnikov has been detained pending trial and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (BIS-OEE), announced the arrest and charges.

    “As alleged, the defendant operated a sophisticated scheme to circumvent export controls and to export semi-automatic firearms and send them to Russia,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Today’s indictment sends a message to the world that we will vigorously enforce statutes that control and restrict the export of items that could be detrimental to the foreign policy or national security of the United States, in this case, preventing U.S.-made firearms from getting into the wrong hands.”

    Mr. Durham thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada for its assistance with the case.

    “Violations of export control laws carry significant consequences for perpetrators in the U.S. and abroad,” said DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.  “The Department of Justice is committed to working with our partners to hold accountable those who violate our laws to smuggle firearms to prohibited destinations such as Russia.”

    “Attempting to illegally sell arms to Russia using multiple companies may seem like a method to evade United States sanctions, it is however a definite way to end up under arrest.  Sergei Zharnovnikov is alleged to have knowingly conspired with others to violate the export control laws of the United States to provide U.S made firearms to Russian companies.  The FBI will continue to enforce the export control laws enacted to safeguard our national security.”

    “The Bureau of Industry and Security is committed to aggressively investigating the illegal transshipment of US firearms to adversaries like Russia through third countries,” said BIS-OEE Special Agent in Charge Carson.  “Companies that provide false information to BIS to obtain export authorizations to circumvent our controls will be found out and held accountable.”

    As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, since at least March 2020, the defendant, together with others, conspired to export firearms on the United States DOC Control List from the U.S. to Russia.  The defendant, the General Director and owner of an arms dealer located in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyzstan Company-1), entered into a five-year, $900,000 contract with a company located in Chesapeake, Virginia (U.S. Company‑1) to purchase and export U.S. Company-1 firearms to Kyrgyzstan.  DOC issued a license for U.S. Company-1 to export firearms to Kyrgyzstan Company-1, but the license prohibited the export or re-export of the firearms to Russia.  Nevertheless, the defendant exported and re-exported U.S. Company‑1 firearms to Russia via Kyrgyzstan.  These illegally exported firearms included semi‑automatic hybrid rifle-pistols from U.S. Company-1.

    As alleged, after Kyrgyzstan Company-1 entered into a contract with U.S. Company-1, a second arms dealer company in Bishkek associated with the defendant (Kyrgyzstan Company-2) entered a contract with a Russian arms dealer (Russian Company-1) located in Moscow.  The contract between Russian Company-1 and Kyrgyzstan Company-2 provided that Kyrgyzstan Company‑2 would export “Goods” to Russian Company-1 in the amount of $10 million and noted that the “Goods” could be delivered in batches.  In correspondence in 2018, Russian Company-1 described the defendant’s company, Kyrgyzstan Company-1, as its “partner company.” 

    On or about February 3, 2021, U.S. Company-1 received an export license from DOC to export over $800,000 worth of firearms and parts to Kyrgyzstan Company-1.  The license stated that items within the scope of the license “may not be reexported or transferred (in-country),” subject to certain exceptions not applicable here.

    On or about July 2, 2022, the defendant emailed his banker: “Make payment according to the invoice attached to the letter,” and attached a commercial invoice from U.S. Company-1, which listed, among other things, 25 semi-automatic rifle-pistols with 25 unique serial numbers.  Two days later, on or about July 4, 2022, Kyrgyzstan Company‑2, sent $67,000 to Kyrgyzstan Company-1.  The next day, on or about July 5, 2022, Kyrgyzstan Company‑1 paid U.S. Company-1 $65,564—the full amount listed in the invoice from U.S. Company-1.

    According to an Electronic Export Information (EEI) made on July 7, 2022, Company-1 exported semi-automatic rifles from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Kyrgyzstan Company-1 pursuant to its February 3, 2021 export license on or about July 10, 2022. According to the EEI filing, the value of the export from U.S. Company-1 to Kyrgyzstan Company-1 was over $59,000.  The EEI filing’s corresponding license application indicated that the firearms were for “commercial resale in Kyrgyzstan.”

    On or about August 8, 2022, the defendant received a spreadsheet titled “Supply [U.S. Company-1] ([Russian Company-1]) weapon numbers.”  Russian Company-1 is a Russian company, and the DOC license did not authorize the export or re-export of the U.S. Company-1 firearms to Russia.  The spreadsheet listed the same semi-automatic rifle-pistol the defendant purchased from U.S. Company-1 and serial numbers matching the U.S. Company‑1 Invoice.

    On or about November 14, 2022, the General Director of Russian Company‑1 executed a form used by tax authorities of the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union, which includes both Kyrgyzstan and Russia.  The form listed the seller as Kyrgyzstan Company‑2 and the buyer as Russian Company-1 with an address in Moscow, Russia, and identified the goods as the same semi‑automatic rifle‑pistols that U.S. Company-1 exported to Kyrgyzstan Company‑1, the defendant’s company.  The defendant did not apply for, obtain or possess a license to export or re-export the semi‑automatic pistol-rifles to Russia.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the charges, the defendant faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States  Attorney Ellen H. Sise is in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section (CES), with assistance from Litigation Analyst Rebecca Roth and CES Trial Attorney Scott Claffee.

    The case was coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that, beginning in 2014, the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.  Announced by the Attorney General on March 2, 2022, and under the leadership of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the task force will continue to leverage all of the Department’s tools and authorities to combat efforts to evade or undermine the collective actions taken by the U.S. government in response to Russian military aggression.

    The Defendant:

    SERGEI ZHARNOVNIKOV
    Age:  46
    Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-45 (ENV)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to entering the United States after a prior removal.

    According to court records, in November 2024, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent conducted a records check on Jorge Martinez-Urizar, 50. The check showed that he had been removed from the country on three prior occasions, most recently in July 2005, and that he had not filed any applications or petitions granting him permission to reenter or remain in the United States lawfully. Martinez was removed in 2005 after serving a 70-month sentence in Oregon for a 1999 conviction for assault in the second degree and unlawful use of a weapon.

    Martinez-Urizar faces a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

    ICE investigated the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Raleigh County Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Melanie E. Hussain, 25, of Crab Orchard, pleaded guilty today to distribution of a quantity of fentanyl.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 2, 2022, Hussain sold approximately 4.2 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $300. Hussain admitted to the transaction and to selling 2.3 grams of methamphetamine to the confidential informant in exchange for $300 on November 3, 2022. Hussain conducted both transactions at her Crab Orchard residence.

    Hussain is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-137.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Air Force Member Sentenced to 96 Months for Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Susan T. Lehr announced that Kyle J. Logan, age 25, of Safety Harbor, Florida was sentenced on January 30, 2025, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska for possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Logan to 96 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Logan will be placed on a 5-year term of supervised release. Logan was also ordered to pay special assessments of $5,000.00 under each of the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (JVTA) and the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act (AVAA).

    This investigation began in April 2023, when a minor victim living in West Virginia, contacted her local police to report she met an Air Force member, Logan, while playing Call of Duty online. The minor reported she had been in a relationship with Logan, which started after meeting him on the gaming platform and communicating with him on Discord. The minor reported being twelve years old at the time she began speaking to Logan. During the communication with Logan, their conversations turned sexual, and the minor disclosed Logan requested she send sexually explicit pictures of herself to Logan, which she did. 

    The United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) opened an investigation into Logan who was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, and ultimately interviewed Logan about his conduct with the minor. Logan admitted to knowing the minor was fifteen years old and requesting and receiving sexually explicit photos of the minor. AFOSI obtained search warrants for Logan’s Discord account and electronic devices. The searches revealed Logan possessed videos and images of the minor who initially reported Logan, as well as images and videos of a second victim. Ultimately, Logan was held accountable for possessing a total of 14 videos and 119 images of child pornography.

    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 United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    This case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, False Use of Passport, and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A New York woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to bank fraud, false use of a passport, and aggravated identity theft.

    According to court records, in February 2024, Theresa Hartung, 62, entered a credit union in Gray and attempted to use a falsified passport card to withdraw money from an account. The falsified passport card presented by Hartung bore her picture with the personal information of an account holder. She also presented the victim’s Social Security number.

    Hartung faces up to 30 years in federal prison, a maximum fine of $1 million, and up to five years of supervised release on the bank fraud charge. She faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years supervised release on the false use of a passport charge. On the aggravated identity theft charge, she faces a mandatory prison term of two years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed; a $250,000 fine; and up to one year of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty to Committing Bank Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – AARON D. JOHNSON, 42, of Oklahoma City, has pleaded guilty to defrauding Farmers Bank, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On January 3, 2025, Johnson was charged by Information with bank fraud. Between September 2017 and November 6, 2018, Johnson was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Farmers Bank (the Bank), with branches in Carnegie and Oklahoma City, and had access to the Bank’s operating account credit card. According to the Information, between September 2017 and July 30, 2018, Johnson used the Bank’s card to pay his personal expenses, causing an overdraft in the Bank’s operating account of approximately $200,000. On July 30, 2018, Johnson approved a modification to a loan, without approval from the Bank’s board of directors, that renewed the loan in an increased amount. The Information further alleges that Johnson caused a $200,000 advance on the loan, wired the money into an account he controlled, and used the $200,000 to repay the overdraft that he caused.

    On February 4, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty, and admitted he knowingly executed a scheme to obtain money from the Bank by means of false or fraudulent pretenses. At sentencing, Johnson faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 3 men believed to be part of South American Theft Group indicted for federal crimes related to burglary of NFL player’s Cincinnati home

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury in Cincinnati has charged defendants believed to be operating as part of a South American Theft Group with transporting stolen goods interstate and falsifying records in a federal investigation. The three men allegedly committed the Dec. 9, 2024, burglary at the home of a local NFL player.

    A federal complaint was filed on Feb. 3 and the indictment was returned today, charging Jordan Francisco Quiroga Sanchez, 22, Bastian Alejandro Orellana Morales, 23, and Sergio Andres Ortega Cabello, 38, all of Chile.

    “Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the alleged tip of the iceberg of South American Theft Groups committing crimes throughout our district and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “We owe it to the victims, whether they are or are not professional athletes, to follow the evidence into these alleged criminal networks and hold the law-breakers accountable. I cannot thank our law enforcement partners enough for their commitment to working together to track down these perpetrators. Today is a day that law enforcement scored and spiked the ball.”

    “South American Theft Groups have been a major concern in the Cincinnati area,” said FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “We appreciate the partnerships of all the agencies involved in the Southwest Ohio South American Theft Group Task Force for their hard work on this investigation.”

    “The Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission was created for – and excels at – these types of complex, multi-jurisdictional cases,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “I’m proud of the work done so far, and look forward to more results as our task force continues its work.” 

    According to charging documents, law enforcement responded to the NFL player’s home around 8:14pm on Dec. 9, 2024, in reference to a reported burglary. An associate of the homeowner had been dropped off at the residence shortly after 8pm and discovered rooms were unusually messy and a primary bedroom window on the back side of the home had been broken.

    It is believed the burglary likely occurred between 6pm and 8pm. The homeowner was away from his residence playing in an NFL game in Dallas. During a security detail shift change at the home at approximately 6pm, security personnel walked the perimeter of the house and no windows appeared to be broken at that time.

    Continued investigation at the Cincinnati home led investigators to discover a trail camera image of a man carrying luggage and walking through the wooded area behind the home.

    Law enforcement tracked the subjects in various states following the burglary, and subsequently located the vehicle at the La Quinta hotel on University Boulevard in Fairborn. The Ohio State Highway Patrol later stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation.

    Phone analysis shows Cabello allegedly deleted photographs of the stolen goods and the back of the victim’s home during the traffic stop with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, thus falsifying records in a federal investigation. Additional cell phone analysis revealed other photos of the defendants in southeast Florida days after the burglary with luxury luggage and wearing the stolen jewelry.

    Also in the car with the defendants were punch tools to break glass, as well as an old Louisiana State University shirt and a Cincinnati Bengals hat believed to be taken from the victim’s home.

    The men were taken into local custody at the time of the traffic stop.

    Interstate transportation of stolen property is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Falsification of records in a federal investigation carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The three men were previously charged locally and those state charges remain pending.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Southwest Ohio Burglary Task Force; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey; Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones; Clark County Sheriff Christopher D. Clark; and Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit; announced the charges.

    Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.

    Charging documents merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: B-1B Lancers conduct training mission in support of BTF 25-1

    Source: United States Air Force

    B-1B Lancers assigned to the 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron participated in support of Bomber Task Force 25-1, at Andersen Air force Base, Guam, Feb. 4. BTF missions demonstrate lethality and interoperability in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard Cutter Campbell returns home after interdicting $91M in illicit narcotics during Eastern Pacific Ocean patrol

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 02/05/2025 04:00 PM EST

     

    02/05/2025 03:31 PM EST

    NEWPORT, R.I.  — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (WMEC 909) returned to their home port in Newport, Monday, following a 63-day multi-mission patrol to the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific Ocean. Campbell deployed in support of Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATF-S) to advance the primary mission of interdicting illegal narcotics in known drug trafficking zones. Campbell’s crew conducted maritime safety and security missions while working to detect, deter and intercept drug-smuggling vessels.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation — Saskatchewan RCMP continues to investigate homicides; arrest made in firearm incident

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Saskatchewan RCMP continues to investigate two incidents that occurred in southeast Saskatchewan on February 4, 2025.

    Update on suspicious deaths on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation:

    Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes investigators remain on the scene of the suspicious deaths of four individuals on Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation. Residents will continue to notice an increased police presence in relation to the investigation.

    We are investigating the deaths as homicides. Initial investigation suggests the residence may have been targeted.

    We are working with the Saskatchewan Coroners Service to formally identify the victims and are still limited in what we are able to share. What we are able to confirm is that the victims are two adult males and two adult females.

    Though formal identification is pending, our family liaison team is providing investigational updates to loved ones we believe may be impacted by these homicides. We are also actively referring them to Victim Services for support.

    Update on pointing firearm incident on Zagime Anishinabek:

    As noted early this morning, Keagan Panipekeesick was arrested by Regina Police Service at a residence on Mathieu Crescent in Regina.

    He has been charged with one count of pointing a firearm, Section 87(2), Criminal Code and one count of possession of a firearm contrary to order, Section 117.01(1), Criminal Code.

    He will appear before a Justice of the Peace today; details of his first court appearance are not yet available.

    Two other individuals were also taken into custody at the residence. Officers continue to investigate their involvement, if any, with the firearm pointing incident.

    At this time, investigators are examining into whether the firearm pointing incident and the homicides are connected. We are unable to confirm a link at this time.

    We are committed to continuing to provide updates as they become available. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Bible Hill — Bible Hill man charged with child pornography offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP’s Provincial Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit has charged a Bible Hill man with child pornography offences.

    On December 12, 2024, the ICE Unit and Digital Forensic Services, assisted by Colchester County District RCMP, searched a home on Pictou Rd. and seized electronic evidence.

    Investigators were directed to the residence after an electronic service provider notified law enforcement that child pornography was being shared using their service.

    As a result of the search and subsequent investigation, 48-year-old Adam Franklin was arrested on February 4. He’s been charged with Transmitting Child Pornography and Possessing Child Pornography (two counts).

    Franklin, who’s also facing a previous charge of Invitation to Sexual Touching, was released by the courts on conditions. He’s scheduled to appear in Truro Provincial Court on March 12.

    In Nova Scotia, it’s mandatory for citizens to report suspected child pornography; anyone who comes across child pornography material or recordings must report it to the police. Failure to report could result in penalties similar to those for failure to report child abuse under the Child and Family Services Act. Be a voice for children who are victims of sexual exploitation by reporting suspected offences to your local police or to Canada’s national tip line: www.cybertip.ca.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Army Major Sentenced to 70 Months for Smuggling Firearms to Ghana

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – Kojo Owuso Dartey, age 42, of Fort Liberty, was sentenced to 70 months  in prison and three years of supervised release for false statements made to an agency of the United States, false declarations before the court, conspiracy, dealing in firearms without a license, delivering firearms without notice to the carrier, smuggling goods from the United States, and illegally exporting firearms without a license.  On April 23, 2024, Dartey was found guilty by a jury after trial.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kojo Owusu Dartey, 42, provided a tip that resulted in a 16-defendant marriage fraud scheme between soldiers on Fort Liberty and foreign nationals from Ghana.  In preparation for and at the trial of U.S. v. Agyapong held between June 28 and July 2, 2021, Dartey lied to federal law enforcement about his sexual relationship with a defense witness and lied on the stand and under oath about the relationship.  During that trial, Dartey purchased seven firearms in the Fort Liberty area and tasked a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to purchase three firearms there and send them to Dartey in North Carolina.  Dartey then hid all the firearms inside blue barrels underneath rice and household goods and with assistance from an Army Chief Warrant Officer smuggled the barrels out of the Port of Baltimore, Maryland, on a container ship to the Port of Tema in Ghana.  The Ghana Revenue Authority recovered the firearms and reported the seizure to the DEA attaché in Ghana and the ATF Baltimore Field Division.

    Daniel Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms (ATF), Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabriel J. Diaz prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:23-cr-00165-M-RJ-1.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: February Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2024-A Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Derrick Adams. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Adams, 45, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony.  He is further charged with knowingly possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence for the purpose of drug distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-036

    Odon Ambros-Cagan. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ambros-Cagan, 24, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2020. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-023

    Christopher Ray Barrett. Carjacking; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Barrett, 40, of Tulsa, is charged with taking a vehicle by force and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Further, Barrett is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Flesher and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-024

    Brandon Allen Boone. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country; Attempted Witness Tampering by Corrupt Persuasion. Boone, 25, of Bristow and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with breaking into an occupied home and strangling an intimate dating partner. Further, Boone attempted to prevent the victim from speaking with law enforcement officials. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Bristow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Emily Dewhurst are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-025

    Dylan Lee Boyd. Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force and Threat in Indian Country; Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender (superseding). Boyd, 27, of Quapaw and a member of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, is charged with knowingly engaging in a sexual act by force and threat with a minor victim under 16 years old in Nov. 2020.  He allegedly knowingly engaged in sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact with the minor victim. Boyd is further charged with committing a felony offense with a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. The Quapaw Nation Marshals Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey P. Todd is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-114

    Luis Fernando Contreras-Luviano. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Contreras-Luviano, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2022. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-026

    Jose Guadalupe Franco-Colchado. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Franco-Colchado, 27, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2019. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-027

    Steven Leon Gibbs, Jr. First Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Gibbs, 34, of Glenpool and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with breaking into a home, and assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Weems and Stephen Flynn are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-035

    Santiago Lopez Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Gonzalez, 43, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jan. 2023. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-028

    Jason Lynn. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Lynn, 31, transient and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with unlawfully killing Alan Underwood in Jan. 2025. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore and Stephen Flynn are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-038

    Simon Martinez-Gonzales. Kidnapping of a Child. Martinez-Gonzales, 44, a Mexican National, is charged with kidnapping a minor child in Dec. 2024. The Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, Webb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-029

    Terry Lee Roland, Jr. Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition After a Misdemeanor Conviction of Domestic Violence. Roland, 33, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is charged with assaulting a victim with a firearm and brandishing that firearm during a crime of violence. He is further charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of felonies and a domestic violence misdemeanor. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen N. Scaife and Valeria Luster are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-037

    Zakkary Shawn Wayne Romannose. Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Maiming in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Romannose, 32, of Vinita and a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe, is charged with attempting to commit murder. He is further charged with torturing the victim by maiming him, which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Brandon is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-034

    Luis Ubense Ulloa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ulloa, 33, a Honduras national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2023. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-030

    Benigno Villezcas-Alcantar. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Villezcas-Alcantar, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2015. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-031

    Price Grayson Wasson. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Wasson, 22, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-022

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A Honduran national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 262 months in prison for his role as a leader of a drug trafficking organization.

    According to court documents, Marco Antonio Morales-Perez, 51, along with Pablo Torres-Zaragoza aka Jose Juan Zaragoza-Cardenas, 42, of Mexico, continued to lead an organization that trafficked methamphetamine and heroin to San Antonio and other areas of south Texas while they were both incarcerated at the Great Plains Correctional Institution in Hinton, Oklahoma on prior federal charges. Morales-Perez and Torres-Zaragoza used contraband cell phones that had been smuggled into the facility by drone to facilitate, broker and coordinate narcotics deliveries, relying on various contacts, acquaintances and intermediaries to ultimately accomplish the deliveries. Ultimately, more than 160 kgs of methamphetamine and 12 kgs of heroin was seized as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s investigative efforts.

    “The significant sentences of these two leaders of this sophisticated drug trafficking organization sends a strong message that we are equipped to investigate and infiltrate complex organizations to hold accountable those at the highest levels who are having dangerous drugs delivered to our community,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I’d also like to thank the many local law enforcement agencies along with state and federal partners who have provided the essential investigative support to help prosecute these drug traffickers.”

    Torres-Zaragoza was sentenced Dec. 4, 2024 to 262 months in federal prison. Five additional co-defendants indicted alongside Morales-Perez have also been sentenced. Jesus Alfredo Palacios was sentenced to 150 months in prison; Juan Del Hoyo was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment; Manuel Montoya received a 34-month prison sentence; Jose Adam Alejandre-Navarro was sentenced to 108 months; and Israel Villegas Alcantar received a federal prison sentence of 47 months.

    The DEA investigated the case with valuable assistance from San Antonio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Great Plains Correctional Facility, Hollywood Park Police Department, Castle Hills Police Department, Live Oak Police Department, Leon Valley Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Houston Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Fuchs prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: USS St. Louis (LCS-19) Supports Operation Southern Guard at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba   –  

    The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS St. Louis (LCS 19) is moored at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB) and the crew is supporting the expansion of the base’s Migrant Operations Center as part of Operation Southern Guard.

    At the direction of the President of the United States to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. military service members are supporting removal operations led by DHS at NGSB. U.S. Southern Command has set up a Joint Task Force Migrant Operations (JTF-MIGOPS) at the Naval Station to execute the directive.

    The USS St. Louis is currently deployed to the Caribbean conducting counter-illicit drug trafficking operations in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South), and participating in operations with partner nations in support of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet. USS St. Louis arrived at NSGB on January 30, and the crew has been steadily assisting ever since.
     
    “As a forward-deployed asset, our crew is ready to respond to emerging tasks and missions at a moment’s notice,” said Cmdr. Timothy J. Orth, commanding officer of the USS St. Louis. “We’re honored to work alongside our joint task force partners and play a role in this important effort, which reflects U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. Fourth Fleet’s commitment to security and cooperation.”

    While USS St. Louis is moored at NSGB, the Sailors are helping to set up tents and participating in other logistics activities in expanding the Migrant Operations Center. The first phase of expansion will increase the center’s capacity to approximately 2,000 migrants, with additional phases to follow at NSGB.

    U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is a critical forward-operating base that enables the United States to maintain persistent presence in the Caribbean, support regional security objectives, and defend the Homeland.
     
    “In support of DHS, we often practice our migrant contingency plan at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet. “The naval station routinely provides support to joint and interagency operations like this.”

    U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet integrates and deploys all-domain combat power to expose, deter, degrade malign influences and activities, prevent and to respond to crises, and, if necessary, conduct decisive operations to prevail in conflict in the USSOUTHCOM AOR to protect the Homeland, ensure freedom of action in the maritime domain, protect U.S. interests throughout the region and enhance U.S. Alliances and partnerships.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Army South leads joint task force in support of illegal alien holding operation in Guantanamo Bay

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba  –  

    At the direction of the President of the United States, and in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, U.S. Army South has assumed responsibility as the lead Joint Task Force for ongoing illegal alien holding operations at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

    Under the command of Maj. Gen. Phil Ryan, USARSOUTH will oversee the establishment and management of facilities supporting DHS-led operations.

    More than 300 U.S. military personnel are currently deployed to support the mission, including elements from USARSOUTH, U.S. Southern Command, and U.S. Marine Corps units. These forces will provide operational support, security, and logistical assistance as part of the broader interagency effort.

    As the land component of USSOUTHCOM, USARSOUTH remains committed to executing its mission in support of national security objectives while working alongside DHS and other federal agencies.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Akron, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Charles Woods, 67, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that investigators identified Woods as a methamphetamine supplier for a drug trafficking operation between Akron, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Investigators searched Woods’ residence and obtained approximately 294 grams of methamphetamine. During his hearing, Woods admitted that he conspired to distribute and distributed between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine over a five-month period.

    Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for June 12, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Woods.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Philadelphia Store Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Defrauding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Jenny Espinal Tejada, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson to 18 months in prison, $1,841,402 in restitution, and forfeiture of the proceeds of her offenses, for defrauding the U.S. government.

    The defendant was charged in July of last year by superseding indictment and pleaded guilty in October to one count of wire fraud and one count of defrauding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”).

    Espinal Tejada admitted that she used her small corner grocery store in Philadelphia to redeem SNAP benefits, even though she knew the store had not been approved to participate in SNAP as a merchant. She gained access to the program by misappropriating merchant identification numbers that had been assigned to stores that participated in the program legitimately. By using the misappropriated numbers, she was able to work around the rules of SNAP, and she further abused the program by trading benefits for cash in her store.

    “Espinal Tejada sought to profit illicitly from the SNAP program, diverting nearly $2 million of the USDA’s money,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “On behalf of the folks who rely on these resources every day — and the taxpayers who fund the programs — we and our partners will continue to prosecute abuses like this and ensure that those who commit them are held appropriately accountable.”

    “SNAP was created to provide food and nutrition to those who truly need this assistance,” said Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG). “This joint investigation identified those who sought to profit from SNAP through illegal schemes. We are thankful to our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners and will continue to dedicate investigative resources in order to protect the integrity of these programs and bring those who commit fraud to justice.”

    The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Abrams. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Unlawful Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – An El Salvadoran man living in Chelsea, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawful reentry.

    Benancio Martinez-Diaz, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to four months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Martinez-Diaz will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In October 2024, Martinez-Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry. In July 2024, Martinez-Diaz was indicted by a federal grand jury in this case.

    Between 2006 and 2014, Martinez-Diaz was deported/removed from the United States on five separate occasions. He was most recently removed on or about May 30, 2014. On or about Oct. 8, 2023, Martinez-Diaz was arrested on state charges and Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified and a detainer was lodged.  

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Madison Carrig Imprisoned For Employer Embezzlements

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Madison Carrig, 30, of Whitehall, New York, was sentenced yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington to four months of imprisonment following her guilty plea to charges of access device fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that Carrig pay restitution in the amount of $141,000 and serve three years of supervised release following completion of her prison term. The court ordered Carrig to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on March 18 to begin serving her sentence.

    Last July, the United States Attorney filed an information charging Carrig with two counts of access device fraud. Carrig pleaded guilty to the information this past August. According to the information, beginning in September 2022 and continuing until February 2023, Carrig was employed as the office manager of two automobile dealerships located in central Vermont. In that capacity, Carrig supervised all accounting activities at both dealerships. Among other things, she had authority to sign checks, initiate wire transfers and make deposits to the dealerships’ bank account. She also possessed a company credit card and was authorized to use the credit card to make business-related purchases. Between February 2023 and November 27, 2023, Carrig was employed as the controller of a third Vermont automobile dealership, in Rutland. She had authority to sign checks, initiate wire transfers and make deposits to the dealership’s bank account. She also possessed a company credit card and was authorized to use the credit card to make business-related purchases.

    In the course of her employment, Carrig defrauded the three dealerships of approximately $140,000. She did this by embezzling cash receipts received from customers of the dealerships. She also misused company credit cards to purchase goods and services for her own use and benefit.

    This case was investigated by the Vermont State Police.

    Carrig is represented by Natasha Sen, Esq. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Man Guilty of Travelling to Louisiana for Illicit Sexual Conduct with Twelve-Year-Old Girl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS –  U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERIC CHARLES FULLER (“FULLER”), age 54, from Springfield, Missouri, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before United States District Judge Greg Gerard Guidry, to interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b).

    According to court documents, on or about December 7, 2023, law enforcement personnel, operating undercover online and pretending to be a twenty-nine-year-old mother with a twelve-year-old daughter, met FULLER on a social network and messaging application. Over approximately the next month, on numerous occasions, FULLER discussed his interest in engaging in various sexual acts with the “mother” and daughter.”  These discussions culminated in FULLER making arrangements to travel from his residence in Springfield, Missouri, to the New Orleans, Louisiana area to engage in sexual contact, individually and collectively, with the ”mother” and “daughter.” During his conversations, FULLER described the contact he anticipated as “highly taboo,” “highly illegal,” “risky,” “not the worst way to be,” and “a way to have a happier life.” FULLER drove from Springfield, Missouri on about January 11, 2024, and arrived at a predetermined location in Mandeville, Louisiana, on January 12, 2024, in order to engage in sexual conduct with the individual FULLER believed to be a twelve-year-old female.

    FULLER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of  thirty (30) years.  FULLER also faces at least five (5) years, and up to a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  FULLER may also be required to register as a sex offender.  Sentencing before Judge Guidry has been scheduled for May 13, 2025.

    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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Philadelphia Continues Search for Wanted Fugitive Justin Smith

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

    The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force continues to assist the Philadelphia Police Department with the search for Justin Smith, a convicted felon, wanted for his alleged involvement in the murder of his pregnant 21-year-old girlfriend.  

    She disappeared on March 30, 2021, and her body was found on April 5, 2021. He is alleged to have shot her in the head multiple times, causing her death and the death of her unborn child.   

    On April 9, 2021, Smith was charged with murder and related offenses in the 1st Judicial District in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, and a state warrant was issued for his arrest.   

    On August 10, 2023, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Smith in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. 

    Justin Smith is known to have connections to Greensboro, North Carolina, and New Castle, Delaware. After fleeing Philadelphia in 2021, he was seen in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Florida, and in Atlanta, Georgia. 

    The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to Smith’s location and arrest. 

    Anyone with information on Smith’s whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 215-418-4000 or tips.fbi.gov. Tipsters can remain anonymous.

    Link to poster: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/murders/justin-smith

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Holyrood — RCMP East District GIS continues to investigate break, enter, and theft at RBC in Holyrood, three more individuals charged

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    In continuing its investigation into a recent break, enter, and theft at the RBC bank branch in Holyrood, RCMP East District General Investigation Section (GIS) arrested and charged three more suspects, 33 -year-old Ryan Tobin, 38-year-old Matthew Scott, and 49-year-old Jodi Lewis.

    At approximately 3:45 a.m. on December 16, 2024, suspects used a stolen back hoe to break into the bank, causing extensive damage. An ATM was stolen from inside and loaded into a dump truck which was stopped by police a short time later on the Trans-Canada Highway heading east and the ATM was recovered. A second vehicle, a pickup truck, was also pulled over. This vehicle was believed to be involved in the breaking and entering and all three occupants were arrested but later released.

    As a result of further investigation, on January 29, 2025, Matthew Scott, Jodi Lewis, and Ryan Tobin, the occupants of the pickup truck, were charged and are set to appear in court on March 4, 2025, for the following offences:

    • Break and enter
    • Theft over $5000
    • Mischief over $5000

    Two other individuals, Jason Weir and Jamie Kennedy, were previously arrested and charged as part of this investigation.

    The investigation is continuing. Anyone having information about this crime is asked to contact Holyrood RCMP at 709-229-3892 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

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