NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Naples Man Sentenced To 9 Years In Federal Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl And Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, Florida – United States District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Jadyn Howard Loman (22, Naples) to 9 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Loman entered a guilty plea on October 30, 2024.

    According to court documents, deputies from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Loman after he failed to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of 20th Place Southwest and 41st Street Southwest in Naples. A subsequent chase ensued with Loman driving in excess of 100 miles per hour – eventually crashing his vehicle. Loman then fled the crash scene on foot before being apprehended. Inside his vehicle, deputies located 2 handguns, ammunition, and various baggies containing fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

    This case was investigated by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.

    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 out 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 first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oviedo Man Sentenced To Over Five Years For Receiving And Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Carl Vecchione (62, Oviedo) to five years and nine months in federal prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Vecchione pleaded guilty on August 12, 2024.

    According to the plea agreement, on June 9, 2022, HSI executed a search warrant at Vecchione’s home after determining that the residence’s IP address was sharing CSAM online. Agents located more than 900 images and videos of CSAM on Vecchione’s laptop.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dartmouth — Nova Scotia RCMP release provincial stunting statistics for October to December 2024

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    As Nova Scotia’s Provincial Police, road safety is a top priority. In an effort to keep citizens informed about enforcement on our roadways, the RCMP is releasing statistics on stunting charges for the months of October to December 2024.

    During this three-month period, Nova Scotia RCMP charged 55 drivers with stunting on a number of highways across the province. This includes 25 in October, 12 in November, and 18 in December. The following are examples of these offences:

    • 182 Km/h in a 100 Km/h zone on Hwy. 105 in South Haven
    • 197 Km/h while driving in Yarmouth (the newly licensed driver was drinking alcohol behind the wheel)
    • 166 Km/h in a 100 Km/h zone on Hwy. 125 in Point Edward (newly licensed driver)

    Anyone driving a motor vehicle 50 Km/hr or more over the speed limit may be charged with stunting.

    The fine for stunting in Nova Scotia is $2,422.50 for a first offence, six points on your licence and an immediate seven-day roadside licence suspension.

    Speed is one of the major causes of serious injury and fatal collisions on our roads. Road safety is a priority for the RCMP and drivers are reminded to make it their priority as well. If you see someone driving unsafely on our roads, please report it by calling the RCMP at 1-800-803-RCMP (7267). If you believe it’s an emergency, call 911.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard rescues 5 boaters from vessel taking on water off Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    02/03/2025 01:45 PM EST

    Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier rescued five boaters from a disabled vessel 13 nautical miles off Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Saturday afternoon.  Rescued are four men and a woman, who came into distress after their 18-foot recreational vessel Michelle Marie II became disabled in eight-foot seas and started taking on water.   “The situation and conditions on-scene could have caused this vessel to capsize at any given moment,” said Capt. Robert E. Stiles, Coast Guard Sector San Juan Search and Rescue mission coordinator for the case. “Thanks to the quick response and swift coordination between Coast Guard watchstanders and the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier crew all five lives were saved, and a tragic outcome was averted. Although we are very glad everyone aboard the Michelle Marie II is safe, we can’t overemphasize the importance heeding small craft advisories and paying close attention to projected sea-states and weather conditions before going out to sea.” 

    For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP-RNC IICE charges St. John’s man with online child exploitation offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Following a lengthy investigation conducted by the RCMP-RNC Integrated Internet Child Exploitation (IICE) Unit, 48-year-old Dennis Oliver was arrested on January 31, 2025, and is charged with online child exploitation offences.

    In November of 2024, IICE executed a search warrant at a St. John’s home in relation to a report of online child exploitation activity. Electronics were seized and subsequently analyzed.

    The results of the forensic analysis, as well as other evidence collected, led to Oliver’s arrest on Friday. He is charged with the following criminal offences:

    • Transmitting child pornography – one count
    • Possession of child pornography – one count
    • Accessing child pornography – one count

    In accordance with arrest and release procedures, Oliver was released on conditions designed to protect the general public. He is scheduled to appear in Provincial Court in St. John’s on March 20, 2025.

    Child pornography cases require complex forensic examination of seized electronics followed, by additional investigation actions. Consequently, criminal charges in these cases are often laid up to 9-12 months after the execution of a search warrant.

    The RCMP-RNC IICE team encourages caregivers and youth to learn about current online threats and safety practices at cybertip.ca, protectchildren.ca, kidsintheknow.ca and dontgetsextorted.ca.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Halifax Regional Municipality — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment seizes drugs and arrests two people

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment’s Street Crime Enforcement Unit has seized drugs and arrested two people in relation to search warrants executed in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

    On the morning of January 24, the RCMP Street Crime Enforcement Unit, assisted by the RCMP and Halifax Regional Police emergency response teams, executed simultaneous search warrants in Halifax and East Preston in relation to an ongoing firearms and drugs investigation.

    At a residence on Upper Partridge Rd., near Hwy. 7 in East Preston, officers safely arrested a man and a woman. During a search of the property, officers seized a quantity of cocaine, scales, drug paraphernalia and two replica firearms.

    The 21-year-old Lower Sackville woman was later released on conditions. She’s scheduled to appear in Dartmouth Provincial Court on March 19, at 9:30 a.m., to face a charge of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking.

    Roman Elroy Thompson, 35, from East Preston, has been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking. He was held in custody and released on conditions by the courts. He’s due to return in Dartmouth Provincial Court on February 28 at 9:30 a.m.

    File #: 25-3234

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Monaca Resident Pleads Guilty to Charges of Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Obstructing Justice

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Monaca, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors and obstructing justice, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Nicholas Sittig, 28, pleaded guilty on January 30, 2025, to two counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2023 until in and around April 2024, Sittig employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor, who resided in California, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. In and around December 2023, when Sittig became aware that federal law enforcement officers were investigating him, Sittig induced the minor to aid him in destroying records and documents related to his sexual offenses against the minor—namely, his contact information within the minor’s cellular telephone and Snapchat messages between himself and the minor—with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation. The Court was further advised that agents with Homeland Security Investigations had identified a second minor, residing in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, whom Sittig similarly exploited online from December 2023 through March 2024.

    Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 50 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, the defendant remains detained.

    Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (San Francisco and Pittsburgh), the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the Monaca Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Sittig.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Russellton Resident Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Russellton, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The two-count Indictment named Michael Rearick, 43, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, from April 21, 2023, until April 23, 2023, Rearick traveled and transported a minor from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to Canada, with the intent that the minor engage in criminal activity and illicit sexual activity.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    Homeland Security Investigations-Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and the West Deer Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spencer, Iowa Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Meth and Gun Convictions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Oscar Navarro-Zepeda, 43, from Spencer, Iowa, was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to 204 months’ imprisonment.  Navarro-Zepeda was convicted by a jury on August 22, 2024, after a 3 ½ day trial in federal court in Sioux City.  Navarro-Zepeda was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of firearm by prohibited person; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Evidence at the trial showed that between April 2021 and April 2023, in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere Navarro-Zepeda was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 31 kilograms of methamphetamine.  Evidence also showed that on April 18, 2023, during a search warrant at Navarro-Zepeda’s residence in Spencer, Iowa, law enforcement seized approximately 33 pounds of methamphetamine in separate one-pound packages, which he intended to distribute to others in the Spencer, Iowa, area.  Officers also seized $17,932; an AR-15 style .223 caliber rifle, two loaded magazines, other .223 ammunition, as well as various items of drug distribution and use paraphernalia.  Navarro-Zepeda was prohibited from possessing firearms and possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, to protect himself, his drugs and drug proceeds from others.  

    Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Navarro-Zepeda was sentenced to 204 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of five years of supervised release following imprisonment.­ There is no parole in the federal system.  Navarro-Zepeda remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.  

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

    The case file number is 23-4029.  Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Defendant to Federal Prison for Webster County Firearm Thefts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A woman who stole firearms during two burglaries she committed with a wanted fugitive was sentenced on January 31, 2025, to more than four years in federal prison.

    Madison Diane Kidd, age 26, from Stratford, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 16, 2024 guilty plea to possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person.

    Information from a plea agreement showed that in late 2022 and early 2023, Kidd harbored Michael Ackerson, a federal fugitive who had a warrant for his arrest, at her residence in Stratford.  On January 11, and January 13, 2023, Kidd and Ackerson burglarized two homes on Brushy Creek Road in Webster County, Iowa.  During these burglaries, they stole five firearms, a safe containing coins and jewelry, and a compound bow, among other items.  Kidd hid four of the stolen firearms and the stolen bow in a crawl space in her residence in Stratford.  On January 25, 2023, law enforcement officers searched Kidd’s home.  During the search, they located and arrested Ackerson.  They also found the firearms, the bow, other property stolen during the burglaries, methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia. 

    In January 2023, Kidd was a methamphetamine user who had at least three prior felony convictions.  After Ackerson’s arrest, Kidd and Ackerson discussed who would take responsibility for the firearms on recorded jail calls.  Ackerson gave Kidd login information for a Google account, and Kidd logged into the account, changed the password, and deleted information from the account to conceal evidence of their crimes.  On December 6, 2023, Ackerson was sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment after he pled guilty to escape from custody and possession of firearms by a felon. 

    Kidd was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Kidd was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment.  She was ordered to make $865.34 in restitution to the victims.  She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the United States Marshals Service, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.  

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

    The case file number is 24-CR-3021.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canadian Man Charged in $65M Cryptocurrency Hacking Schemes

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Note: View the indictment here.

    A five-count criminal indictment was unsealed today in federal court in New York charging a Canadian man with exploiting vulnerabilities in two decentralized finance protocols to fraudulently obtain about $65 million from the protocols’ investors.

    According to court documents, from 2021 to 2023, Andean Medjedovic, 22, allegedly exploited vulnerabilities in the automated smart contracts used by the KyberSwap and Indexed Finance decentralized finance protocols. Medjedovic borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars in digital tokens, which he used to engage in deceptive trading that he knew would cause the protocols’ smart contracts to falsely calculate key variables. Through his deceptive trades, Medjedovic was able to, and ultimately did, withdraw millions of dollars of investor funds from the protocols at artificial prices, rendering the victims’ investments essentially worthless.

    Medjedovic also allegedly laundered the proceeds of his fraudulent schemes through a series of transactions designed to conceal the source and ownership of the funds, including through swap transactions, “bridging transactions,” and the use of a digital assets “mixer.” With others, Medjedovic also allegedly schemed to open accounts with digital assets exchanges using false and borrowed identifying information to conceal the source and true ownership of the proceeds. In around November 2023, after executing the KyberSwap exploit, Medjedovic also allegedly attempted to extort the victims of the KyberSwap exploit through a sham settlement proposal, in which he demanded complete control of the KyberSwap protocol and the decentralized autonomous organization that oversaw the KyberSwap protocol in exchange for returning 50 percent of the digital assets that he fraudulently obtained through his scheme.

    Medjedovic is charged with one count of wire fraud, one count of unauthorized damage to a protected computer, one count of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and one count of money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the unauthorized damage to a protected computer count and 20 years in prison on each of the other counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York, Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, and Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement.

    IRS-CI, HSI, and the FBI New York Field Office are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s New York Field Office and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department also thanks the Netherlands’ Public Prosecution Service and Cybercrime Unit — the Hague of the Dutch National Police for their significant assistance with the investigation.

    Trial Attorney Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who is a member of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Axelrod and Andrew Reich for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case. SEC Enforcement Attorney Daphna A. Waxman, formerly a member of the NCET, provided significant assistance.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saulnierville — Meteghan RCMP charge three men following threats investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Meteghan RCMP Detachment has charged three people after responding to a report of threats.

    On January 30, at approximately 7:40 p.m., RCMP officers learned that two men approached a man at his Saulnierville home and threatened violence.

    On February 2, in response to information gathered through the investigation, officers from the Meteghan RCMP, with assistance from the RCMP Emergency Response Team and Yarmouth Town RCMP, located and safely arrested 32-year old Zacharie David Jovitt Thibault of Digby; 65-year-old Eric David Thibault of Little Brook; and 32-year-old Kevin Eric Langford of Church Point.

    All three men, who were remanded into custody, are charged with:

    • Uttering Threats (three counts)
    • Intimidation
    • Extortion without Firearm

    In addition, Zacharie Thibault and Eric Thibault are both charged with Failure to Comply with a Court Order.

    The men are due to appear in Digby Provincial Court today.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    Anyone with information on this incident or any other incident of violence in the Meteghan area is asked to contact Meteghan RCMP at 902-645-2326. 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Officer charged with assault and controlling and coercive behaviour

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A police officer will appear in court after being charged with offences including assault.

    Sgt Rajdeep Jhala, attached to Met Operations, will appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 4 February charged with two counts of assault and one count of controlling/coercive behaviour.

    The charges relate to an allegation reported to police in May 2024 and offences that took place while the officer was off duty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: World Cancer Day: Bringing Life-saving Care to Those Who Need it Most

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Through our fast-growing programmes and the Rays of Hope initiative, the IAEA is expanding access to nuclear medicine and cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries, supporting care to patients around the world with little or no access to treatment. Learn more about the IAEA’s work to close the global cancer care gap: #CancerCare4All

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Japan’s Reports on Conditions at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, 1 February 2025

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    On 1 February 2025, Japan provided the IAEA with a copy of a report on the discharge record and the seawater monitoring results at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station during September, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent to all international Missions in Japan.

    The report contains information on discharges from the subdrain and groundwater drain systems, as well as on groundwater bypassing conducted during the month of September. In both cases, in advance of the action, TEPCO analyzes the quality of the groundwater to be discharged and announces the results. These results confirm that the radiation level of sampled water are substantially below the operational targets set by TEPCO.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bookkeeper Sentenced To Prison For Stealing More Than $1.6 Million From Two Small Businesses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Marc Weiss, 50, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for embezzling approximately $1.6 million from two small businesses, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. In addition to the prison term imposed, Weiss was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,644,235.77.

    Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Sheriff Darren Campbell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, from 2016 to 2022, Weiss engaged in a scheme to defraud two Mooresville, N.C. small businesses that employed him as a bookkeeper. Over the course of the scheme, Weiss, who was a trusted employee, abused his position and access to the companies’ financial accounts to make more than 100 fraudulent transfers totaling $1.6 million from the companies’ accounts into bank accounts under Weiss’s control. Court documents show that Weiss began to embezzle from the second company while he was already stealing from the first one. To disguise the fraud, Weiss created fake entries in the victim companies’ books and records, categorizing the fraudulent transfers as payments to existing vendors for software development, and advertising and marketing expenses.

    According to court records, Weiss used the embezzled funds, in part, to pay for his personal lifestyle, including rent payments for a luxury apartment uptown; payments for high-end vehicles, including an Audi and a Mercedes-Benz; purchases at luxury retail stores, including Luis Vuitton, Gucci, Neiman Marcus, and Tiffany, among others; and luxury vacations, including multiple stays in The Ritz Carlton hotel.

    In October 2023, Weiss pleaded guilty to wire fraud. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the U.S. Secret Service and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hartford Substance Abuse Counselor Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Health Care Fraud Schemes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on January 31, 2025, THELMA “WENDY” EPPS, 60, of Hartford, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for health care fraud.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Epps was a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LADC) with an office located at 330 Main Street in Hartford.  In April 2013, she enrolled as a participating provider in the Connecticut Medicaid  program along with an entity affiliated with Epps called Miracles to Destiny LLC.  In July 2018, the Medicaid program suspended Epps from participating as a provider in the program based on a finding of a credible allegation of fraud.  Medicaid told Epps that any attempt to circumvent her suspension by submitting claims for services performed by Epps or Miracles to Destiny LLC through other agencies or other billing numbers would result in termination of her provider agreement.

    In 2019, Epps entered into an agreement with Dennis Tomczak, a Connecticut LADC who was a participating provider in Medicaid.  Epps and Tomczak agreed that Tomczak would bill Medicaid using his Medicaid provider number for psychotherapy counseling services purportedly provided by Epps.  These claims falsely represented that Tomczak had personally provided the services.  In return for Tomczak billing the services, Epps agreed to pay Tomczak 25 percent of the amount Medicaid paid Tomczak.  Between approximately April 2019 and November 2022, Medicaid paid Tomczak $330,547.71 for fraudulent claims for services purportedly provided by Epps that were billed under Tomczak’s provider number.

    At some point during their scheme, Tomczak expressed concerns to Epps about the number and frequency of services that Epps told Tomczak she was providing.  At about this time, Epps entered into a similar agreement with Shawn Tyson, a LADC in Connecticut, whereby Tyson would use his Medicaid provider number to submit claims to Medicaid for services Epps purportedly provided to Medicaid clients.

    In November 2019, Epps assisted Tyson with the process of enrolling Tyson as a participating provider in Medicaid.  Tyson’s provider application listed the location at which Tyson would provide services as 330 Main Street, Third Floor, in Hartford, the location of Epps’s and Miracles to Destiny LLC’s office.  Once Tyson was enrolled as a Medicaid provider, Tyson provided Epps with his login information to the online portal for submitting claims to Medicaid, which Epps then used to submit claims.  For a brief period before Tyson was enrolled as a Medicaid provider, unbeknownst to Tomczak, Epps submitted claims through Tomczak’s provider number for services purportedly provided by Tyson, by representing to Tomczak that she had performed these services.  Medicaid paid Tomczak a total of $7,879.40 for these services.

    During the scheme involving Epps and Tyson, Tyson would provide Epps the names of Medicaid patients and dates that Tyson purportedly provided psychotherapy counseling services to the patients, and Epps would then bill Medicaid for these services using Tyson’s provider number.  Epps would also submit claims using Tyson’s provider number for services she purportedly provided to Medicaid patients.  These claims falsely represented that Tyson had personally provided the services to the patients.

    Epps and Tyson submitted and caused to be submitted claims for hundreds of thousands of dollars of psychotherapy services that neither Epps nor Tyson had actually provided to Medicaid clients.  When Epps warned Tyson that he should not bill Medicaid for having provided psychotherapy to patients on holidays, such as July 4 and Thanksgiving, Tyson would typically change the dates of services and resubmit the list of services to Epps.

    Medicaid paid Tyson $663,081.32 for claims that falsely represented that Tyson had personally provided services, or falsely represented that services had been provided when, in fact, they were not provided at all.

    Judge Dooley ordered Epps to pay $1,001,058.43 in restitution to the Connecticut Medicaid program.

    On November 8, 2024, Epps pleaded guilty to health care fraud.  Epps, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prion on March 3.

    Tomczak and Tyson pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.

    This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Social Services.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon and Auditor Susan Spiegel.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, and Connecticut Attorney General’s Office meet regularly as part of The Medicaid Fraud Working Group.  The Working Group also includes representatives from the Connecticut Department of Social Services; the Connecticut Department of Public Health; the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the FBI.  The Working Group reviews pending issues and cases, identifies trends that might indicate fraudulent activity, and coordinates efforts for maximum results.

    People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Serial Fraudster Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Nearly $3 Million and Five Indianapolis Homes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EVANSVILLE— James Henley, 35, of Greenwood, Indiana, has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, two counts of money laundering, and eight counts of wire fraud. Henley has also been ordered to pay $1,887,426.63 in restitution.

    According to court documents, over the course of three years, Henley orchestrated multiple large and complex fraud schemes, resulting in a total loss of $2,927,758.95 to individual homeowners, an Indiana attorney, a bank, and ten state governments. As part of his fraud schemes, Henley registered five fake businesses (OnTrack Real Estate Solutions, LDI Investments Corp, Lucario Investments, 317 Traffic, and Henley Real Estate Solutions) with the states of Indiana and Kentucky, claiming to serve as the Chief Executive Officer for most of them. None of the businesses were legitimate. Instead, Henley used the businesses to mask his identity, make his schemes appear more credible, and launder the stolen money.

    Henley’s schemes are broken down as follows:

    COVID-19 Fraud:

    Between May 2020 and March 2021, James Henley, his wife Jameka Henley, and his associate Jimmie Bickers used the stolen personally identifiable information of 76 real individuals to submit 120 unemployment insurance applications to ten states during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the applications were approved, the trio used 65 unemployment insurance debit cards to make purchases at retailers and withdraw cash at ATMs in the Evansville and Indianapolis areas. The states paid a total of $1,119,426.63 in unemployment benefits in connection with the group’s fraudulent applications.  In July 2020, Henley used funds withdrawn from ATMs to buy a Chevrolet Camaro for $22,801.

    Bickers and Jameka Henley have been formally charged for their roles in this scheme but have not pleaded guilty.

    Home Title Fraud:

    Between December 2021 and May 2023, Henley stole five homes in Indianapolis by filing fraudulent deeds with the Marion County Recorder’s Office. Through the filings, Henley claimed that the homeowners had sold their homes to his fake businesses, but, in reality, he had never even spoken with the homeowners.  Unbeknownst to the victims, Henley filed these fraudulent deeds and then sold the homes for significantly less than their market value, pocketing more than $260,000 in profits.

    Henley also attempted to steal and sell an additional 14 homes in Indianapolis and Evansville.  With one exception, the individuals who bought the homes from Henley took possession and ultimately kept the homes.

    For one homeowner, the property Henley stole was her childhood home. She purchased the home while her mother was in the hospital with the hope that, when her mother’s condition improved, her mother would be able to live out her remaining years in the house.

    Mortgage Fraud:

    In November 2021, an associate of Henley’s purchased a home in Indianapolis, using a mortgage loan from a bank.  In April 2022, Henley filed a fraudulent document with the Marion County Recorder’s Office to make it seem as if the mortgage loan had been paid off, when it had not been paid. Henley then filed a deed naming himself a joint owner of the home. Henley and his associate subsequently sold the property for $255,000, pocketing all the proceeds, even though the bank should have received the majority of the funds.

    Auto Loan Fraud:

    In March 2023, Henley purchased a Dodge Durango in Indianapolis for $71,479, using an auto loan from Everwise Credit Union. A few months later, in June 2023, Henley purchased a Chevrolet Silverado in Plainfield for $54,270, using a second loan from Everwise Credit Union.

    In October 2023, Henley connected a JPMorgan Chase bank account to his auto loans, via Everwise’s online payment portal.  Henley falsely represented that the Chase account belonged to Jimmie Bickers, and that he had authority to make payments on his loans using funds from the Chase account.

    The Chase account was actually an Indiana attorney’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA), which is a highly regulated bank account used by lawyers to hold client funds.  The interest earned on IOLTA accounts is used to fund grants for nonprofit groups that promote pro bono and access to justice programs. Henley did not have the attorney’s permission to access or withdraw funds from the IOLTA account.

    Between October and November 2023, Henley used the IOLTA account to make two payments, totaling $98,000, toward his auto loans.

    Henley has prior felony convictions for financial crimes, including theft, forgery, and fraud.

    “James Henley went to great lengths to coordinate exceptionally greedy, complex schemes that exploited hard-working families and state government programs,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Undeterred by prior felony convictions for the same conduct, this defendant stole over a million dollars, wreaking financial and logistical havoc on hundreds of victims. The Department of Justice will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of fraud and seek prosecution as appropriate.”

    “James Henley filed fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims in the names of identity theft victims in order to receive UI benefits to which he was not entitled. He enriched himself by defrauding a program that was intended to assist struggling American workers during an unprecedented global pandemic,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “We and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of the UI system from those who seek to exploit this critical benefit program.”

    “This lengthy prison sentence sends a clear message: individuals who attempt to exploit and commit financial crime and identity theft will be brought to justice,” said Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation and our fellow law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the integrity of our financial institutions and will continue to hold criminals like James Henley accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “This case should serve as a powerful reminder that individuals with a history of financial crimes will face significant consequences when they demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and continue to exploit and deceive others for personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton. “The FBI, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to hold those who perpetuate such offenses accountable and protect the public from those who manipulate the system for their own benefit.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor-Office of the Inspector General, and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office Homeowner Protection Unit investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew B. Brookman.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Miller, who prosecuted this case.

    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 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.

    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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lake County Man Indicted For Attempting To Entice A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

     Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Jared Menendez (25, Fruitland Park) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. If convicted of the attempted enticement offense, Menendez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The attempted transfer of obscene material offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Menendez is currently detained pending the resolution of the case. 

    According to the indictment, between November 14 and December 20, 2024, Menendez attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

    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.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Methamphetamine With The Intent To Distribute

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jessie Wooden (36, Miami) has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Wooden faces a minimum of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court records, on March 10, 2024, Wooden was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex (FCC Coleman) in Sumter County. During a visitation session, surveillance footage captured Wooden being thrown a bag containing contraband that had been smuggled into the prison. Correctional officers confiscated the bag, which contained 78 grams of methamphetamine. When interviewed by law enforcement, Wooden admitted to having visitors bring contraband into the prison for him. He also confirmed that he was going to distribute the methamphetamine inside FCC Coleman.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of a United States Department of Justice task force aimed at rooting out contraband and misconduct in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The task force was led by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Shakopee Woman Pleads Guilty in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A Shakopee woman pleaded guilty for her role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, at times between October 2020 and January 2022, Mekfira Hussein knowingly and willfully conspired with others to participate in a fraudulent scheme to obtain and misappropriate millions in federal child nutrition funds. Specifically, Hussein and her husband, Abduljabar Hussein, fraudulently obtained millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds by falsely claiming to have served meals to thousands of children per day.

    According to court documents, in October 2020, the defendant enrolled her non-profit, Shamsia Hopes, in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future, at the direction of one of its employees, Abdikerm Eidleh. The defendant submitted her application to Aimee Bock, Feeding Our Future’s executive director. In December 2020, and also at the direction of Abdikerm Eidleh, the defendant’s husband registered his company, Oromia Feeds LLC, with the State of Minnesota as a food vendor. Abduljabar Hussein’s company, Oromia Feeds, had a contract to prepare meals to be served by Shamsia Hopes sites run by Mekfira Hussein.

    According to the plea agreement entered today, Hussein submitted fraudulently inflated invoices for reimbursement—including inflated meal counts and false attendance rosters. As part of their scheme, the defendant and her husband paid at least $140,000 in kickbacks to Eidleh and least $12,000 in kickbacks to Aimee Bock.  In some instances, these kickback payments were disguised as “consulting fees,” when, in fact, neither Eidleh nor Aimee Bock provided any service to justify these payments.  In other instances, Feeding Our Future billed hundreds of thousands of dollars in Federal Child Nutrition Program claims under the name of the defendant’s organization, Shamsia Hopes, without the defendant’s knowledge or authorization, and Feeding Our Future siphoned those funds to others involved in the conspiracy.

    Throughout the fraudulent conspiracy, the Husseins obtained up to $8.8 million in federal child nutrition program funds some of which they used to pay for personal expenditures unrelated to feeing children. For instance, the defendant and her husband used $173,438 of their proceeds to pay off the mortgage on their home in Shakopee, Minnesota, and also purchased a 2021 Porsche for $93,250, a 2022 GMC truck for $61,722.

    Hussein pleaded guilty last Friday in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Her sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lackawanna County Woman Sentenced To 27 Years’ Imprisonment For Production Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Julia K. Munley, sentenced Mykayliah Hevener, age 26, of Carbondale, Pennsylvania, on January 30, 2025, to 27 years in prison for her production of child pornography.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, for an approximate nine-month period in 2023, Hevener engaged in sexual contact with a toddler and used the toddler to create images and videos of child pornography which were either viewed live or sent over the internet to a co-conspirator, Benjamin Egli, of Iowa. Mr. Egli is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa. He has entered a guilty plea and awaits sentencing in that matter. 

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.) and the Tipton, Iowa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Arrested For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Antonio Candia-Bautista (45, Mexico) with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Candia-Bautista faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison.

    According to the complaint, Candia-Bautista was deported from the United States on October 4, 2016. At some time thereafter, he unlawfully reentered the United States. He was recently arrested during a state investigation into an automobile accident in Sumter County on January 28, 2025. A records check confirmed that Candia-Bautista was a citizen of Mexico with no lawful permission to be present in the United States.

    A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tyrie K. Boyer. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Palm Beach County drug dealer sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – On Jan. 30, a federal district judge in West Palm Beach, Florida sentenced Anthony Raul Del Valle, 29, of Lake Worth Beach, Florida, to 120 months in federal prison. The sentence comes after a federal jury found Del Valle guilty of distributing acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in November 2024.

    On April 8, 2024, Del Valle distributed pills that appeared to be oxycodone, but in fact were fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, to three family members in Lantana, Florida. All three family members immediately ingested the pills after the distribution. Two of the family members died less than two hours after the distribution.

    On April 10, 2024, law enforcement agents identified and arrested Del Valle as the source of the pills after conducting a controlled purchase from Del Valle. Law enforcement agents recovered a loaded firearm from Del Valle during the arrest.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announced the sentence.

    The DEA, Miami Field Division investigated the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, Lantana Police Department, Boynton Beach Police Department and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon O’Shea Darsch and Alexandra Chase prosecuted it.

    According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment, synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, are poisoning our nation. Fentanyl has proven to be a deadly poison that does not discriminate. Its victims include every gender, race, age, and economic background, and its debilitating effects are the same across all demographics. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Just one fentanyl pill can kill, as noted in DEA’s One Pill Can Kill campaign. As little as two milligrams, about the size of 5 grains of salt, can be fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The State of Florida has also seen an exponential increase in overdoses associated with fentanyl. In 2022, more than 5,622 people died from overdoses involving fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in Florida.

    For more information visit: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MEC/Publications-and-Forms/Documents/Drugs-in-Deceased-Persons/2022-Annual-Drug-Report-FINAL-(1).aspx; https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/fentanyl.html#; and https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80062.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican National Charged With False Statement To Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Eugenio Gonzalez-Paredes (53, Dominican Republic) with making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. If convicted, Gonzalez-Paredes faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Paredes made a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 stating that he had not previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison. At the time Gonzalez-Paredes made the statement, he had previously been convicted twice in the United States District Court in the District of Puerto Rico for illegal reentry by a previously deported alien.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman.

    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: Convicted Felon Sentenced To 7 Years For Possession Of Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Sherron Gary (41, Tampa) to seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Gary pleaded guilty in October 2024.

    According to court documents, on April 9, 2023, officers with the Tampa Police Department (TPD) attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Gary after observing the vehicle had a broken taillight. Gary failed to pull over and instead fled from the officers at a high rate of speed. A police helicopter followed Gary. After Gary’s vehicle was boxed in by law enforcement, Gary fled from the officers on foot, which the helicopter was also able to capture.

    As Gary fled, the helicopter crew observed Gary discard an item as he was running that resembled a firearm. TPD officers apprehended Gary. After the arrest, the helicopter crew directed officers back to the location where they had observed Gary discard the firearm. Officers located a 9mm Walther Creed semiautomatic pistol at the location.

    At the time, Gary had four prior felony convictions, including aggravated battery and armed burglary of a dwelling, trafficking of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and delivery of cocaine within 1,000 feet of church. As a convicted felon, Gary is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Tampa Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. The forfeiture was 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lakeland Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl And Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Jermaine Jerome Campbell (35, Lakeland) to 12 years in federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. Campbell pleaded guilty on June 25, 2024.

    According to court documents, on September 15, 2023, Campbell distributed fentanyl pills to another individual from his mother’s residence. Upon searching Campbell’s home on September 21, 2023, law enforcement recovered bulk quantities of methamphetamine hidden inside of a tool bag.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lakeland Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Pardo.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Indicted For Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alex Rafael Gonzalez-Morales (35, Honduras) with illegal reentry by a deported alien. If convicted, Gonzalez-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. His trial is set for March 3, 2025.   

    According to the indictment, Gonzalez-Morales was previously convicted of of unlawful reentry of a removed alien and was subsequently removed from the United States in November 2019. Following his removal, Gonzalez-Morales did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On or about January 14, 2025, Gonzalez-Morales was found to be voluntarily in the United States.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Miami – Jacksonville sub-office It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New evidence following appeal for information

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the death of 48-year-old Ian Airlie have received new evidence following a media appeal for information.

    On Wednesday, 22 January, officers were alerted to additional CCTV footage.

    Having viewed the clip, investigating officers are satisfied the footage shows Mr Airlie accidently falling down the escalator at Waterloo Station. There is no evidence he was pushed.

    Detective Inspector Chris Rogers, who is leading the investigation, said:

    “This new evidence means we have been able to rule out that Mr Airlie was pushed. His fall down the escalator was a very sad and unfortunate accident.

    “His death, however, remains unexplained and we will continue to investigate all avenues until we can build a full picture.

    “We continue to offer support to Mr Airlie’s family. They have been updated by officers and we request that they receive privacy at this difficult time.”

    A post-mortem examination on Tuesday, 29 October 2024 was inconclusive and officers await the result of further tests.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the police via 101 – quoting 01/942310/24.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Mexican Nationals Sentenced for $4.7 Million Methamphetamine, Heroin Conspiracy

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

    Mexican Drug-Trafficking Organization Distributed Over 335 Kilos of Meth, 22 Kilos of Heroin

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three Mexican nationals were sentenced in federal court this week for their roles in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine and 22 kilograms of heroin.

    Jesus Morales-Garcia, also known as “Don Jesus,” 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips on Wednesday, Jan. 29, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendant Santiago Raul Mendieta-Sanchez, 43, also was sentenced to seven years in federal prison without parole.

    On Tuesday, Jan. 28, co-defendant Baltazar Flores-Norzagaray, 53, was sentenced to 16 years and three months in federal prison without parole.

    On Aug. 28, 2024, Morales-Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of participating in a continuing criminal enterprise, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, and one count of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. Mendieta-Sanchez and Flores-Norzagaray also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy that continued from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Flores-Norzagaray also pleaded guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

    Morales-Garcia admitted that he was a chief local operative of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs sourced from Mexico into the Kansas City region.

    Morales-Garcia also admitted that he was found in the United States after having been deported twice in 2016.

    Flores-Norzagaray also admitted that he was in possession of a Hammerli .22-LRcaliber rifle, a Taurus 9mm handgun, and a Taurus .38-caliber revolver when he was arrested on Oct. 7, 2021. Flores-Norzagaray sold hundreds of grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on at least four separate occasions.

    The conspiracy involved the distribution of more than 335.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, with an average street price of $300 per ounce, and more than 22.1 kilograms of heroin, with an average street price of $1,500 per ounce.

    On June 8, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led an operation that involved 140 officers and agents from 14 state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. On the day of the takedown, officers executed 16 search warrants and seized 84.4 kilograms of methamphetamine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, 10.4 kilograms of fentanyl, 7.6 kilograms of cocaine, 10.5 kilograms of marijuana, 687 Xanax pills, 3.1 kilograms of unknown pills, a quantity of bulk cash, five firearms, a 3D printer with manufactured ghost gun parts, and a liquid methamphetamine conversion lab.

    With these sentencings, 24 defendants have now been sentenced in this case in which 44 defendants were indicted.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Baker. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Jackson County Drug Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olmsted County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the FBI, the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

    Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

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

    KC Metro Strike Force

    This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

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