NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Massive Amount of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Gilberto Contreras has pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute nearly 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine. 

    “Contreras distributed massive quantities of dangerous drugs that posed a significant threat to the health and safety of our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr.  “Our office is grateful for the diligent work of our federal and local law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to remove these poisons from our streets and to hold accountable those who peddle them.”

    “This case represents the continued commitment of the DEA to identify and hold accountable those who engage in the distribution of dangerous drugs, such as methamphetamine,” said Jae Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges and other information presented in court: On July 2, 2024, DEA special agents received information about a local methamphetamine trafficker with multiple kilograms of methamphetamine for sale.  The investigation led agents to a parking lot in Clayton County, Georgia, where the agents encountered Contreras.  Law enforcement stopped Contreras’s vehicle a short time later and located a black trash bag containing approximately 44 pounds of methamphetamine.  Agents then searched Contreras’s residence and backyard in Ellenwood, Georgia and located approximately 915 pounds of methamphetamine and $40,000 in cash.

    Gilberto Contreras, 54, of Ellenwood, Georgia, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Clayton County Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwayne A. Brown, Jr. is prosecuting the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterford Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Stealing from Addiction and Mental Health Services Nonprofit

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHELE DEVINE, 51, of Waterford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling from the Southeastern Regional Action Council on Substance Abuse, Inc. (“SERAC”), where she was employed as its executive director.  Judge Underhill also ordered Devine to pay a $2,000 fine and perform 300 hours of community service while on supervised release.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, SERAC, headquartered in Norwich, is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves 41 towns in southeastern and northeastern Connecticut with substance abuse, problem gambling, and mental health related services.  SERAC is primarily funded through hundreds of thousands of dollars in state and federal grants from the State of Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

    Devine was the executive director of SERAC until July 2022.  Beginning in approximately 2008, Devine spent thousands of dollars on purchases that did not relate SERAC but instead were personal expenses for Devine and her family, including thousands of dollars spent on home appliances; travel; timeshare fees at a Connecticut resort; stays at the Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires, Massachusetts; and private school donations.

    Judge Underhill ordered Devine to pay $397,064.93 in restitution.

    Devine was arrested on August 3, 2023.  On October 21, 2024, she pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

    Devine, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 12.

    This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the New London State’s Attorney’s Office and the State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted of murdering former girlfriend in Croydon

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been convicted of the murder of his ex-girlfriend in Croydon.

    Hussain Haron, 24 (17.09.00) of London Road, Mitcham was found guilty of the murder of Felecia Cadore on Wednesday, 29 January at Snaresbrook Crown Court, following a six-day trial.

    Police were called to a report of an altercation at an address in Grenaby Avenue, Croydon on 9 June 2023.

    Felecia, aged 29, was found with stab wounds and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. She sadly died from her injuries on 14 June 2023.

    The court heard that Haron climbed through the window of the address in the search of Felecia. Following an altercation between the two, Haron grabbed a knife and violently stabbed her.

    He was arrested later that afternoon and was found in possession of the knife he used to attack Felecia.

    Despite claiming he was acting in self-defence, Haron was found guilty of murder by the jury.

    He is due to be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 31 January.

    Detective Chief Inspector Craig Magee, from Specialist Crime, said: “Today, justice has been served following the conviction of Hussain Haron for the murder of Felecia Cadore in June 2023. It is an example of the devastating impact violence against women and girls can have.

    “The verdict is a result of officers working meticulously and tirelessly to secure evidence. It is also testament to the courage of the witnesses who helped establish the facts, and bravely stood in the court room to give their evidence.

    “It has been 18 months since Felecia was killed. I hope that today’s verdict provides her family with some comfort and allows them to begin to process the effect this brutal crime has had. We will continue to support the family of Felecia following this horrific attack.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Extradited To Face Charges Related To International Bank Fraud And Money Laundering Ring That Caused Over $60 Million In Losses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Members of the Charged Conspiracy Opened Bank Accounts for Over 1,000 Fake Businesses to Receive and Launder the Proceeds of Fraudulent Schemes, Causing Actual Losses of Over $60 Million and Intended Losses of Over $150 Million

    Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Patrick J. Freaney, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service (“USSS”), announced today that ERICK JASON VICTORIA-BRTIO was extradited from the Dominican Republic and will appear in a federal courtroom in Manhattan later today.  VICTORIA-BRITO is charged in a two-count Indictment with conspiring to commit bank fraud and money laundering from December 2017 through November 2022.  In connection with the scheme, VICTORIA-BRITO and other members of the charged conspiracy registered over 1,000 fake businesses, used those fake businesses to open bank accounts to receive money stolen through business e-mail compromise schemes, and then laundered that money.  Members of the conspiracy caused over $60 million in actual losses and attempted to steal over $150 million.

    U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “As we allege, Erick Jason Victoria-Brito and his co-conspirators ran an international bank fraud and money laundering scheme designed to help carry out business email compromise scams. These scams cause significant harm to businesses, nonprofits, and even local governments.  As the successful extradition of Erick Jason Victoria-Brito shows, this Office and our partners will not rest until every individual responsible is held accountable.” 

    USSS Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney said: “This alleged scheme rained down financial ruin upon unwitting businesses and individuals. While the suspects operated with impunity across the nation and beyond, the U.S. Secret Service and its partners remained steadfast in building a strong case — no matter where the evidence took them. I commend the investigators and prosecutors for their commitment to  disrupting this type of insidious fraud on behalf of all those victimized by it.”

    As alleged in the Indictment, Superseding Indictments, and court filings:[1]

    From at least December 2017 through at least November 2022, a group of individuals perpetrated a massive, international bank-fraud and money-laundering scheme (the “Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme”) designed to obtain and launder the proceeds of business e-mail compromise schemes.  In a business email compromise scheme, a scheme member fraudulently induces a company or individual to send money to a bank account controlled by that scheme member or the scheme member’s compatriots. 

    The Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme operated across borders and preyed on businesses large and small. Between 2020 and 2021 alone, participants in the scheme stole tens of millions of dollars, targeting victims that included a major American sports organization, a publicly traded healthcare company, and a prominent international nonprofit organization, along with multiple city governments, law firms, construction companies, and investment funds. Participants in the Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme registered over 1,000 fake businesses, then used those businesses to open bank accounts. Those bank accounts then received the proceeds of business email compromise schemes. Once the stolen funds reached those fraudulent bank accounts, participants in the Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme worked quickly to take advantage of the international banking system by either withdrawing the money or helping to launder it by wiring it to overseas banks, thereby preventing victims from recouping their losses. The co-conspirators accomplished that primarily by wiring stolen money to banks in China, outside the reach of American banks. During the course of the charged conduct, members of the conspiracy participated in inflicting over $60 million in actual losses and attempted to inflict losses of over $150 million.

    *                *                *

    VICTORIA-BRITO, 30, of Hollywood, Florida, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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

    Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, USSS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.  Ms. Sassoon further thanked the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations for their assistance.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Burnett and Amanda C. Weingarten are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Pleads Guilty To Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Alberto Ismael Salinas Valencia (20, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Salinas Valencia, who is present illegally in the United States, faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, between August 2023 and August 2024, Salinas Valencia ran an online business selling firearms, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Orlando area. An undercover law enforcement officer found Salinas Valencia’s online store and set up several undercover transactions. Over the course of the investigation, Salinas Valencia sold the undercover officer several firearms, including two machineguns, fentanyl pills, and cocaine.

        

    Examples of firearms and pills Salinas Valencia sold to the undercover officer

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

    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: ‘Keeping America Left-of-Boom Safe’

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

    The FBI is the lead federal agency for responding to WMD threats. The Bureau’s program has existed since 1995, but in 2006 it shifted to a more operational posture as the Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate inside the Bureau’s National Security Branch. The directorate, located at FBI Headquarters, develops the overall policy, guidance, and countermeasures for operators in the field. In FBI field offices across the U.S., WMD coordinators put it all into action.

    “We’re the boots on the ground,” said Caviggiola.

    Their primary roles include training first responders, partners, and even fellow agents and task force officers on the different modalities of WMD investigations—chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive, often referred to as CBRNE. They are subject matter experts who coordinate the tactical responses when WMDs are suspected.

    In the Vermont case, for example, WMD coordinator Tom Stewart led all the responding agencies through the FBI’s Threat Credibility Evaluation (TCE) to determine the gravity of the threat and develop a plan of action. While the TCE process follows strict guidelines established by national policy for interagency responses, the FBI also developed a 14-point checklist—available on an FBI phone application—that helps WMD coordinators and first responders evaluate and process scenes that may not rise to the level of Headquarters involvement.

    “We’re constantly in a state of being an investigator and being an educator,” Stewart said. Indeed, many WMD coordinators wear multiple hats: the full cadre includes SWAT operators, special agent bomb technicians, and members of evidence response teams (ERT) and hazardous evidence response teams (HERT). Like each of those disciplines, WMD coordinators receive extensive training and certifications before stepping into the uniquely dangerous role.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Just Stop Oil protesters charged

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two Just Stop Oil protesters have been charged, after they allegedly disrupted a theatre performance in central London.

    Richard Weir, 60, (05.12.1964), of Hotspur Street, Tynemouth, Nottinghamshire and Hayley Walsh, 42 (01.05.1982), of Grantham Road, Radcliffe on Trent, Nottinghamshire were charged with aggravated trespass on Tuesday, 28 January.

    The charges relate to an incident at Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, WC2, where at around 20:00hrs two Just Stop Oil protesters entered the stage area.

    They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 February.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Arrest made in Wimbledon school fatal collision investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the fatal collision at the Study Prep School in Wimbledon in July 2023 have arrested the driver as part of their ongoing investigation, as they appeal for further potential witnesses to come forward.

    The 48-year-old female driver was arrested on Tuesday 28 January, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving – she has been bailed pending further enquiries to a date in late April. This is the second time she has been arrested for this offence, the first time being at the scene of the collision on 6 July 2023.

    Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau – both eight years old – died when a car crashed through a fence and collided with a building at the school.

    An initial investigation by the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC) resulted in a direction from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in June 2024 that the driver should face no further action.

    After concerns were raised by the families of Nuria and Selena regarding this outcome, it was agreed the Specialist Crime Review Group (SCRG) would carry out a review of the investigation. That review identified lines of enquiry which required further examination.

    In October the investigation was moved to the Specialist Crime Command, under Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford. He leads a team who have since been pursuing new lines of enquiry identified by the review.

    Detective Superintendent Basford said: “I would like to take this opportunity to appeal to any witnesses or individuals with information who are yet to speak to police to please come forward.

    “Were you attending the local golf course or driving in or around the area of the Study Prep School in Wimbledon at the time of the collision? Did you see the vehicle – a distinctive gold Land Rover Defender – in the lead up to the collision? We believe there were people in the local area who have not been spoken to by police and remain unidentified. I would ask those individuals to please contact us.

    “Our main priority is to ensure the lines of enquiry identified by the review are progressed. This is a live investigation and in order to maintain its integrity I can’t go into further detail at this stage. I would urge people to avoid speculation.”

    + To provide information you can contact the major incident room on 0207 175 0793, call 101 quoting CAD 6528/27Jan, or message @MetCC on X providing the CAD reference. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan RCMP concerned as fatal collisions on the rise for 2025

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Eleven lives are already lost on Saskatchewan roadways this year. There have been eight fatal collisions on roads in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction between January 1 and 29. These collisions have resulted in 11 people’s deaths.

    This is a dramatic increase from the two fatal collisions and three deaths from the same time period in 2024.

    “These numbers are extremely concerning to see,” says Supt. Grant St. Germaine, Officer in Charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Services. “We must all do our part and ask ourselves, ‘What can be done to make Saskatchewan roads safer?’ We all have a part to play in reversing this tragic trend.”

    What are the causes?

    Eleven lives are already lost on Saskatchewan roadways this year. There have been eight fatal collisions on roads in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction between January 1 and 29. These collisions have resulted in 11 people’s deaths.

    This is a dramatic increase from the two fatal collisions and three deaths from the same time period in 2024.

    Collisions impact everyone

    “We have had 11 people die on roads in Saskatchewan RCMP jurisdiction the first month of 2024 – think of how many people are impacted by these tragedies. There are family and friends grieving and our thoughts are with everyone who has been affected,” Supt. St. Germaine says. “It also impacts first responders. These incidents can be traumatic and nothing can prepare you for these types of calls where loss of life occurs.”

    More work to do

    “We’ve all heard basic driving safety tips hundreds of times,” Supt. St. Germaine says. “I may sound like a broken record, but I’ll keep repeating myself. Please remember the basics, drive to road conditions, obey speed limits, never drive while distracted or impaired by alcohol or drugs and always wear your seatbelt, because choosing to wear one can make the difference between life and death in a collision.”

    He also strongly urges motorists to take things slow if they’re driving on icy or snowy roads and to always check hotline.gov.sk.ca/map (English only) for road conditions and to monitor what roads have been recently plowed, salted, and or/sanded.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Charleston Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Dale Cain, 49, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Cain admitted to a role in a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine in the Charleston area.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, from in or about January 2024 to in or about May 2024, Cain conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in Charleston and within the Southern District of West Virginia. On May 5, 2024, co-conspirator Anthony Michael Mowery arranged for Cain to travel to Charleston for the purpose of picking up approximately 3 pounds of methamphetamine from another co-conspirator, Kirt Ray King, that Cain intended to transport to Parkersburg and distribute to others. After Cain acquired the methamphetamine, he was stopped by law enforcement officers who searched his vehicle, seized the methamphetamine, and arrested Cain.

    King, 48, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. Anthony Michael Mowery, 48, of Parkersburg, also pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. King and Mowery are scheduled to be sentenced on April 21, 2025.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. 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.

    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. 2:24-cr-95.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: California Food Distributor Settles False Claims Act Liability Relating to Self-Disclosure of Small Business Contracting Violations

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    GS Foods Group Inc. (GS Foods), headquartered in Ontario, California, has agreed to pay $949,696.90 to resolve False Claims Act liability in connection with bidding on contracts reserved for small businesses when GS Foods did not qualify as a small business. The contracts involved supplying food to facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that GS Foods took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. 

    “Businesses that participate in federal small business contracting programs must ensure that they comply with applicable rules and regulations relating to eligibility,” said Acting  Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When businesses run afoul of small business contracting requirements, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with investigations, and taking appropriate remedial measures.”

    The settlement resolves allegations that, between Oct. 1, 2018 and March 8, 2024, GS Foods did not qualify as a small business because of its affiliation with certain other companies. The United States alleged that subsidiaries of GS Foods, GoodSource Solutions Inc., and Dori Foods Inc., bid on contracts and orders that had been expressly reserved, or set-aside, exclusively for small businesses. As a result, GoodSource Solutions and Dori Foods allegedly obtained contracts for which they were not eligible. GS Foods timely self-reported the conduct to the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), and cooperated with the Justice Department’s investigation, including, for example, by identifying key witnesses and documents and making employees available for interviews. The company also took remedial measures, including updating its code of conduct, establishing an Ethics and Compliance Management Committee, establishing the position of Chief Compliance Officer, and developing and implementing additional employee training.

    “It is a disservice to small businesses when contracts that were expressly set aside to create opportunities for small businesses are awarded to ineligible organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrew Hartwell of DOJ-OIG, Fraud Detection Office. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to playing our part to maintain the integrity of small business contracts.”  

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and DOJ-OIG. Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel Jonathan H. Gold handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: E-scooter shooter convicted of shooting gang rival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been jailed following a violent shooting in Southwark.

    Kemar Edwards, 25 (14.10.1999), of Manthorp Road, Plumstead, and Amari Bailey, 23 (16.04.2001), of Hastings Close, Peckham were sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 29 January after being found guilty of Section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent.

    Edwards was also found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm when prohibited,

    Edwards received a sentence of 18 years’ imprisonment and three years’ extended licence. Bailey was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and three years’ extended licence.

    On Saturday, 24 June 2023, a man was shot at three times in Bradenham Close, Walworth while sitting in a vehicle by Edwards, who was riding an e-scooter. This caused serious injuries to his arm and knee.

    The court heard that Bailey spotted the victim, aged 24 at the time of the incident, who was alleged to be a ‘rival gang member’, and pursued him on a stolen moped for 20 minutes.

    Bailey contacted Edwards and told him where to find the victim. Edwards then rode an e-scooter to the victim’s location in Bradenham Close, Walworth and shot at him three times using a hand gun.

    The gun was never recovered.

    Following an extensive investigation, and meticulous CCTV enquiries, the two suspects were identified as Edwards and Bailey.

    Edwards and Bailey were wearing a balaclava and motorbike helmet respectively during their offending, making it more difficult for detectives to identify and prosecute them.

    Detective Constable John Davis, of the Trident South Specialist Crime Command team, said:

    “We would like to thank members of the public who informed police on hearing the shooting, their evidence assisted in proving that Edwards fired the shots in a CCTV blind spot.

    “Edwards and Bailey are extremely dangerous individuals, who had the arrogance to brazenly carry out a targeted shooting in the street in broad daylight on a summer’s afternoon.

    “This posed a significant risk to the wider public. They are now safely behind bars for a substantial amount of time for their offending.

    “Trident will investigate all shootings to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.”

    A warrant was executed at an address in Greenwich on Friday, 15 December 2023, where Edwards was arrested and later charged.

    Bailey was interviewed on Monday, 5 February 2024, and later charged.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — RCMP participation in fundraiser events for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Yukon

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Yukon RCMP recently supported the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) 2024 Polar Plunge held on December 21, 2024. Out of the 25 total “plungers”, 7 were from the Whitehorse RCMP Detachment. They collectively raised more than $2, 900 towards to grand total of $19,000 for Special Olympics Yukon.

    The Yukon RCMP are also happy to participate in another event, this time involving ice instead of water.

    A charity hockey game between the RCMP and Whitehorse Fire Department is being hosted by the Yukon Chapter of the Law Enforcement Torch Run as a fundraiser for Special Olympics Yukon. Admission is by donation and there will other fundraiser activities during the game.

    Game on!

    Date: Saturday, February 1

    Time: Doors open at 12:30 pm, game starts at 1:00 pm

    Location: Takhini Arena, Whitehorse, YT

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former FBI Employee Sentenced for Paycheck Protection Program Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A former FBI employee was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to three months of home confinement and five years of probation for one count of wire fraud related to fraudulent use of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

    According to court documents, Christopher James Phillips, 41, of Schertz, formed Phillips Global Realty LLC on Dec. 20, 2019 and submitted a PPP application on May 29, 2020, using his FBI-issued credentials to confirm his identity. In his application, Phillips represented that he employed two individuals and had an average monthly payroll of $15,000. Additionally, he submitted an IRS Form 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return) for the fourth quarter of 2019, claiming a payroll of $50,000 over the three-month period. IRS records indicate that Phillips did not file such a form any time between 2019 and 2022, meaning the Form 941 he submitted as part of his PPP loan application was fraudulent and the representations were false.

    Phillips also certified that PPP funds would be spent only on authorized expenses, to include payroll, utilities, rent and mortgage interest. On June 2, 2020, he received $37,500 in PPP funds. Six days later, on June 8, Phillips wired $25,000 to a personal trading account and subsequently lost all of it due to trading activities. On June 9, 2020, he made a $5,117 payment toward his personal auto loan. On June 16, 2020, he paid approximately $8,500 toward his home mortgage.

    Phillips was indicted Jan. 3, 2024 for one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transaction over $10,000 using criminally derived proceeds. He was arrested Jan. 5, 2024 and released that day on a $30,000 bond. Phillips pleaded guilty to the wire fraud charge Sept. 18, 2024. In addition to his home confinement and probation, Phillips was ordered to pay $39,771 in restitution.

    “The United States government will aggressively prosecute criminals, even if those individuals work within our own ranks,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “As a result of his actions, Phillips is now a convicted felon and will spend the next five years under the watchful eye of the United States Probation Department. This sentencing should send a message to all government personnel who would consider using their position for personal gain. This office will carry out its duty and seek to hold you accountable for betraying the invaluable trust of the American people.”

    The FBI investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Bridgewater Man Sentenced to More than Six Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    More than a kilo of cocaine found in apartment of previously convicted cocaine trafficker

    BOSTON – A Bridgewater man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possessing and distributing cocaine.

    Kevin Mercado, 38, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 78 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Mercado pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.

    In 2019, an investigation began into a drug trafficking organization selling cocaine and fentanyl in the southeastern part of Massachusetts, including Brockton. From March 2020 through November 2023, 11 controlled purchases of drugs were made from Mercado. In November 2023, a search was conducted at Mercado’s apartment in Bridgewater where nearly a kilogram and a half of cocaine and cocaine base, three digital scales, a money counter and $16,086 in drug proceeds were found. An additional search of Mercado’s SnapChat account showed communications evincing regular access to large quantities of cocaine and willingness to cook cocaine into crack cocaine. In 2010, Mercado was sentenced to 48-months in federal prison after being convicted of two counts of distribution of cocaine base.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Massachusetts State Police and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force 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 to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.   
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty for Trafficking Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A man from Puerto Rico, formerly living in Manchester, pleaded guilty today in federal court for leading a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Lewistone Baez Miranda, age 50, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, cocaine. Baez Miranda is the third of six defendants charged in this conspiracy to plead guilty. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025. The defendant was indicted on December 20, 2023.

    According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, the defendant was the leader a drug trafficking organization that shipped cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. The defendant’s son, based in Puerto Rico, used fictitious information to send packages of cocaine through the United States Postal Service to Manchester at the direction of the defendant. The cocaine was often packaged in 500-gram or 1,000-gram bundles and hidden inside children’s games. The defendant employed co-conspirators to retrieve the packages of cocaine for him in Manchester. The defendant also sent suspected drug proceeds to his son in Puerto Rico, in one instance sending him a parcel containing $11,000. Between September 2020 and December 2021, the defendant’s drug trafficking organization shipped over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester for redistribution.

    The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NAS JRB Fort Worth to Support Border Security Efforts

    Source: United States Navy

    NAS JRB Fort Worth is supporting the deployment of the Texas Tactical Border Force to the Rio Grande Valley. On Jan. 27, 2025, 400 troops from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Houston were mobilized using Ch-47 Chinook helicopters and C-130J aircrafts of the 136th Airlift Wing, a unit of the Texas Air National Guard stationed at the base. This deployment aims to bolster border security and support U.S. Border Patrol agents.

    According to a press release from Gov. Abbott’s office, the deployment of the Texas Tactical Border Force is an integral component of Abbott’s border security initiative, Operation Lone Star.

    Deputy operations officer Lt. Cmdr. William Husky detailed the operation from NAS JRB Fort Worth.

    “Our base facilitated the transport of 200 Texas National Guard personnel using four Chinooks and two C-130Js to the southern border in compliance with Gov. Abbott’s directive,” Husky stated.

    The deployment reinforces ongoing efforts to address the border situation and collaborate with federal authorities to safeguard American communities.

    NAS JRB Fort Worth is the first and finest joint reserve base, known for training and equipping air crews and aviation ground support personnel, while supporting missions such as airlift, aerial refueling, and global mobility, making it an integral part of national defense infrastructure.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: NAVFAC Southeast Awards $72.4 Million Contract for Airfield Repairs at NAS Key West

    Source: United States Navy

    The project will include critical repairs to airfield runway and taxiway pavement surfaces, including milling, resurfacing, joint sealing, and full-depth repairs as needed.

    “The comprehensive airfield pavement project will restore runways and taxiways used in support of the Chief of Naval Operations’ 2024 Navigation Plan—focusing on readiness for the possibility of war and enhancing the Navy’s long-term advantage by training warfighters,” said Lt. Cmdr. Aaron Buren, public works officer for Public Works Department Key West.

    NAS Key West is a vital hub for military aviation, supporting 79,000 flight hours for 1,220 aircraft in fiscal year 2024. It enables both readiness and advanced training for U.S. and coalition forces. The planned repairs will significantly extend the airfield’s operational life, ensuring its capability to support mission readiness, training, and national security operations for years to come.

    The scope of work includes milling and resurfacing of runways 4-22, 08-26, and 14-32, including overruns, blast pavements, and shoulders. Repairs to Taxiways A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and M will address milling, resurfacing, shoulder corrections, and pavement slope drop-offs where required.

    The contract includes two unexercised options which, if awarded, would increase the total contract value to $96.9 million.

    The contract was competitively procured using the Best Value Trade-Off Source Selection method, which evaluates technical factors alongside price to determine the best overall value to the government. Three offers were received, with Head/Diaz 2022 selected based on superior technical capability and competitive pricing.

    Work will be performed at NAS Key West, Florida, with an expected completion date of January 2027.

    NAVFAC Southeast, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, provides planning, design, construction, contracting, environmental services, public works, real estate, and facility maintenance for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and other federal agencies across the Southeast. Its area of responsibility covers installations from Charleston, South Carolina, to Corpus Christi, Texas, and extends south to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentencing of Las Cruces Man for Carjacking and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for carjacking and firearms offenses stemming from a violent incident in February 2023.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on February 19, 2023, officers from the Las Cruces Police Department attempted to stop a black Cadillac sedan with no visible license plate. The vehicle refused to pull over and was later located parked in front of the Rack Room Shoes store on E. Lohman Ave.

    Officers observed Sergio Ivan Enriquez, 41, walking towards the Cadillac. Upon seeing the officers, Enriquez fled on foot. Shortly after, officers heard on the radio that an individual matching Enriquez‘s description had stolen a vehicle at gunpoint in the same parking lot.

    During the carjacking, Enriquez entered the victim’s vehicle through the front passenger door, demanding that the victim “get out or drive.” When the victim refused, Enriquez pulled out a gray handgun, forcing the victim to exit the vehicle. Enriquez then drove off in the car with the victim’s dog still inside.

    Later that day, authorities located the stolen Volkswagen, the dog, and Enriquez at a residence in Las Cruces. A search of the residence uncovered a gray handgun in the kitchen oven. Additionally, a shotgun was found in the Cadillac from which Enriquez had initially fled.

    At the time of the incident, Enriquez, previously convicted of child abuse in 2014, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

    Upon his release from prison, Enriquez will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, made the announcement today.

    The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Ry Ellison prosecuted the case.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Greenfield Man Sentenced to 15 Months’ Imprisonment for Paying Health Care Kickbacks

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

    Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that, on January 24, 2025, Mohammed Kazim Ali was sentenced to 15 months’ incarceration for paying healthcare kickbacks in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.  Ali was also ordered to pay over $2.2 million in restitution to Medicaid and Medicare as well as a $75,000 fine.

    Ali and his co-defendant, Justin Hanson, owned a Milwaukee-area clinical laboratory called Noah Associates.  According to court records, beginning in 2017, Ali and Hanson engaged in a three-year-long scheme to pay kickbacks to the owner of a Milwaukee substance use treatment clinic in exchange for referrals of Medicaid and Medicare patients for urine drug testing performed by Noah Associates.  Ali and Hanson paid over $400,000 in kickbacks to procure the tests.  The tests, however, were not ordered by any physician and were not medically necessary for the treatment of patients.  After one physician learned that his credentials were being used without his authorization to order the tests, the physician told Ali to stop.  Ali nonetheless continued to have Noah Associates accept and bill the government for tests falsely ordered under that physician’s credentials for months.  As a result of the scheme, Medicaid and Medicare paid Noah Associates over $2.2 million for the unnecessary tests.  Ali personally received over $800,000 from Noah Associates during the scheme.

    At sentencing, United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller emphasized the seriousness of Ali’s crime, including Ali’s manipulation and breach of trust of the Medicaid and Medicare programs to receive millions of dollars that were not truly earned.  Judge Stadtmueller further noted that Ali knew that his conduct was criminal yet still engaged in a long-running, creative fraud scheme—a decision that Judge Stadtmueller criticized as “beyond belief.”

    In addition to his sentence, Ali will also be excluded from participation in the Medicaid and Medicare programs and has shut down Noah Associates.  His co-defendant, Hanson, has also pleaded guilty for paying healthcare kickbacks and will be sentenced on March 21, 2025.

    “Paying kickbacks for patient referrals is illegal because, as this case demonstrates, kickbacks result in Medicaid and Medicare paying for unnecessary services,” said United States Attorney Haanstad.  “Rather than bill the government for tests that patients actually needed, Ali abused the Medicaid and Medicare programs for ill-gotten gains.  The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prevent frauds against Medicaid and Medicare.”

    “This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating individuals like Mr. Ali who erode the public’s trust in our healthcare systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those responsible for healthcare fraud are exposed and brought to justice. The safety and well-being of Wisconsin residents remains our highest priority.”

    “Individuals and medical providers who accept kickbacks in exchange for the referral of patients covered under a Federal health care program place personal profit ahead of patient care, which can ultimately lead to the delivery of costly, medically unnecessary services,” said Mario M. Pinto, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Region.  “Our agency is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring those who violate laws intended to protect patients, and our Federal health care programs, to justice.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Carter and Julie Stewart handled the prosecution.   

    # # #

    For further information contact:

    Public Information Officer

    Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov

    (414) 297-1700

    Follow us on Twitter  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Deer — Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrest three for stolen vehicle and weapons

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Nov. 13, 2024, at approximately 3:46 p.m., the Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team located an unoccupied vehicle that had been reported stolen at a business in north Red Deer. Officers established surveillance on the vehicle leading to the arrest of three individuals. Fentanyl and multiple weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun, were also located in the vehicle.

    A 53-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
    • Possession of a controlled substance
    • Possession of a prohibited weapon with ammo without licence/registration
    • Possession of firearm in motor vehicle
    • Possession of a firearm when known possession unauthorized
    • Unsafe storage of firearms
    • Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
    • Alter a vehicle identification number

    The 53-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was released on a release order and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 26, 2024 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

    A 33-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
    • Possession for the purpose of trafficking
    • Possession of a controlled substance
    • Possession of a prohibited weapon with ammo without licence/registration
    • Possession of firearm in motor vehicle
    • Possession of a firearm when known possession unauthorized
    • Unsafe storage of firearms
    • Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
    • Weapon possession contrary to order
    • Alter a vehicle identification number

    The 33-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 19, 2024 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

    A 25-year-old individual, a resident of O’Chiese First Nation, Alta., has been charged with the following offences:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
    • Possession of a controlled substance
    • Possession of a prohibited weapon with ammo without licence/registration
    • Possession of firearm in motor vehicle
    • Possession of a firearm when known possession unauthorized
    • Unsafe storage of firearms
    • Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
    • Alter a vehicle identification number
    • Failure or refusal to comply with demand
    • Additional TSA charges

    The 25-year-old individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 15, 2024 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

    If you have any information regarding illegal activity within the city of Red Deer, please contact Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Convicted for Conspiring to Traffic Fentanyl-Related Substances and Launder Money

    Source: United States Attorneys General 4

    A federal jury in Newark convicted a New Jersey man on Jan. 27 for conspiring to traffic fentanyl-related substances and launder money.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from approximately January 2014 through September 2020, William Panzera, 51, of North Haledon, and other members of a drug trafficking organization, agreed to import and distribute controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl analogues, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylone, and ketamine. Co-conspirators ordered controlled substances and analogues from a source in China and paid those sources hundreds of thousands of dollars via wire transfer and cryptocurrency. The conspirators distributed the substances throughout New Jersey in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. Eight other defendants have pleaded guilty in the case.

    The jury convicted Panzera of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of furanyl fentanyl and 100 grams or more of 4 fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl and conspiracy to commit international promotional money laundering. Panzera faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million for the drug trafficking conspiracy charge, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for the money laundering conspiracy charge. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. 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, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey, and Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark made the announcement.

    HSI Newark is investigating the case. HSI Philadelphia, the FBI Newark Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Newark Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office provided valuable assistance.

    Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit Chief Stephen Sola of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of the MLARS Special Financial Investigations Unit supported the investigation.

    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 www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Deer — Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrest two for stolen firearm and property

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Red Deer RCMP with the assistance of the Emergency Response Team and Police Dog Services, have arrested two individuals and seized multiple firearms and stolen property following their investigation.

    On Nov. 13, 2024, officers observed an individual driving a vehicle, while they were prohibited from doing so. Out of concern for public safety police did not pursue the driver. The following day, the same individual was located again by police. Officers conducted surveillance, which ultimately led to the coordinated arrests of two individuals.

    A subsequent search warrant was executed on a vehicle, a hotel room and a residence connected to the suspects. As a result of the search, Red Deer RCMP recovered various items including a loaded stolen handgun, a long gun and a stolen licence plate.

    A 31-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Operate conveyance while prohibited from doing so x2
    • Careless transportation of a firearm
    • Knowing unauthorized possession of a firearm
    • Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle
    • Possess prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
    • Possess weapon obtained by crime
    • Possess firearm contrary to order x6

    A 33-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Careless transportation of a firearm
    • Unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle
    • Possess prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
    • Possess weapon obtained by crime
    • Breach of release order x2

    Both were taken before a justice of the peace and were remanded into custody. Their last court date was on Nov. 18, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

    The cooperation of all units involved was instrumental in ensuring the safe apprehension of the suspects and the recovery of these dangerous items. These arrests highlight the ongoing commitment of Red Deer RCMP to protect the community.

    If you have any information regarding this incident or other suspicious activity please contact Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Passaic County Man Convicted Of Fentanyl Analogue Distribution And Money Laundering Conspiracies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County man was convicted by a jury in connection with his role in a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Defendant William Panzera, 51, of North Haledon, New Jersey was convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy and international promotional money laundering conspiracy by a jury in Newark, New Jersey. Eight other defendants have previously pleaded guilty in related cases.

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

    From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, William Panzera and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl analogues, MDMA, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. In total, they imported over a metric ton of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States. They also sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs.

    The charge of drug trafficking conspiracy of which Panzera was found guilty carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of international promotional money laundering conspiracy of which Panzera was found guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey, New York, and Kentucky, HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of the MLARS Special Financial Investigations Unit supported the investigation. The case is being prosecuted jointly by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the United States Department of Justice.

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

                                                              ###

    Defense counsel: Jeffrey G. Garrigan, Esq.; Christopher L. Patella, Esq.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River Opens Acute Care Clinic Hours

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River (NHCPR) opened an acute care clinic to align with the Defense Health Agency’s new model of care and meeting patients “where they are”.

    The “Sick Call for All” clinic offers acute care for all Tricare Prime beneficiaries and is open from 7:40 a.m. through noon on Mondays and Fridays. The acute care clinic opened January 10, 2025, and has experienced significant early success.

    The decision to consider the acute care clinic walk-in model was driven by high patient demand and the clinic’s limited capacity to handle weekend emergency room (ER) and urgent care (UC) visit follow-ups for patients.

    Chief Medical Officer for NHCPR U.S. Navy Cdr. Steven Elek explained, “The clinic hours effectively addressed a critical gap in acute care services. On Mondays and Fridays our facility consistently demonstrated the highest volume of patients making these days crucial for accessibility. By operating on Mondays and Fridays, the goal is to mitigate the impact of weekend ER and UC visits, improve patient satisfaction by offering timely access to care, and optimize resource allocation.”

    The acute care clinic was organized by Director of Health Services, U.S. Navy Cdr. Erica Arnold; U.S. Navy Lt. Moises Calero; and Allan McDaniel.

    The addition of “Sick Call for All” has not only increased patient traffic but has resulted in significant upticks in laboratory, radiology and pharmacy services. The care team established a direct communication link from the clinic staff to pharmacy staff to expedite pharmacy requests.

    “It has been a good experience. It is fast paced, efficient and we have received very positive feedback from the patients regarding manageable wait times and timely care,” said Hospitalman Daniel Ibarra.

    Patient feedback is encouraged through the Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) web-based program which allows patients to quickly and easily provide important feedback to the clinic. NHCPR will incorporate patient and staff feedback along with utilization to identify areas for improvement and possible expansion.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Deer County — Innisfail RCMP seize drugs and guns during assault investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Nov 9, 2024, Innisfail RCMP were called to a rural property west of Dickson, Alta. for an assault. While at the property investigating the assault, RCMP officers developed grounds to believe the suspect was in possession of drugs and illegal weapons. RCMP officers obtained a search warrant for the property.

    Search of the property resulted in the seizure of:

    • Suspected Cocaine;
    • Suspected Fentanyl;
    • Suspected Methamphetamine;
    • Suspected GHB;
    • Drug trafficking paraphernalia;
    • .22 Caliber Handgun;
    • Sawed off Shotgun (prohibited Firearm);
    • Long Barrel Rifles(x3);
    • Shotguns (x3);
    • Hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

    A 39-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer County, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Assault;
    • Possession for the purpose of trafficking;
    • Unauthorized possession of firearms;
    • Possession of firearms w/o holding licence;
    • Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose.

    The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and release with his net court date set for Nov. 28, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lloydminster — Lloydminster RCMP execute search warrant after break and enter to local business

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    In the early morning hours of Nov. 26, 2024, Lloydminster RCMP responded to an alarm at a local cannabis store on the city’s south side. Upon arrival, officers discovered the business had been broken into and approximately $15,000.00 worth of items were stolen.

    Later that day, Lloydminster RCMP General Investigation Section, Crime Reduction Unit and General Duty members executed a search warrant at a residence in the 1800 block of 49 Avenue and took a male youth into custody as well as recovered items taken during the break and enter.

    The 17-year-old male youth, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, has been charged with the following:

    • Break and Enter
    • Possession of Stolen property over $5000
    • Fail to comply with release order x3
    • Fail to comply with probation order x5

    The male youth was taken before a justice of the peace and was released on a release order. He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 3, 2024 at the Alberta Court of Justice in Lloydminster.

    This investigation saw a collaboration between several units of the Lloydminster RCMP which resulted swift conclusion of this investigation and a recovery of thousands of dollars worth of property.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Charged with Drug Distribution and Loan Fraud

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

    BOSTON – A Michigan man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a conspiracy to import and sell illegal pharmaceuticals, including opioids, and to fund the operation of the scheme by fraudulently obtaining a Covid pandemic relief loan.

    Donald Nchamukong, 37, was charged by Information with conspiracy to smuggle goods into the United States, to commit loan fraud and to distribute controlled substances.  Nchamukong will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on a date to be scheduled by the Court.

    According to the charging documents, starting in 2019 and continuing to 2022, Nchamukong and a co-conspirator, Doyal Kalita, conspired to distribute drugs to persons in the United States over the internet and using call centers in India. Nchamukong allegedly used shell companies, including a purported dietary supplements company and an auto parts supplier, and associated bank and merchant accounts to process sales of illegal foreign drugs, including the Schedule IV opioid, tramadol. Nchamukong and Kalita also received shipments of tramadol from India and reshipped the drug to customers across the United States, including in Massachusetts. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Nchamukong and Kalita allegedly fraudulently obtained a $200,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan to fund their illegal drug scheme.  

    Kalita was convicted in 2024 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating the online drug distribution scheme and a technical support fraud scheme and related money laundering.

    The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the monetary gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Fernando P. McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New York, Small Business Administration and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial, and Cyber Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the 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. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, pleasehttps://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.

    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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Criminal Complaint Charges Baltimore City Man with Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

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

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland filed a federal criminal complaint charging Dazhon Darien, 32, of Baltimore, with sexual exploitation of a child and receiving child sexual abuse material.

    Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the complaint with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department. 

    According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, investigators obtained search warrants for Darien’s phones and online accounts which contained child sexual abuse material.  Additionally, the affidavit further describes how Darien used CashApp to pay a minor victim to send videos of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  Darien paid the victim for the videos between December 2023 and March 2024.  The affidavit also shows that Darien received other child-sexual-abuse-material files, including some that depicted prepubescent minors.

    A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by a criminal complaint is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

    If convicted, Darien faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years or a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child. Additionally, Darien could receive a mandatory minimum sentence of five years or a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    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.

    U.S. Attorney Barron commended the Baltimore FBI Field Office and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Goo and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case.

    For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left of the page for more information about Internet safety education.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor — Motorists ticketed in Central NL by RCMP for operating uninsured vehicles

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Three motorists were recently stopped and ticketed between Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor by RCMP NL for operating vehicles without insurance.

    On January 28, 2025, RCMP Traffic Services Central stopped a vehicle with expired registration on Roe Avenue in Gander. The driver, a 25-year-old man, had a suspended licence and was operating a vehicle without insurance.

    Later in the evening, shortly before 11:30 p.m., Gander RCMP stopped a vehicle on Byrd Avenue in Gander. The driver, a 40-year-old woman, was operating without a driver’s licence and without insurance.

    At approximately 3:30 p.m. on January 29, 2025, Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP stopped a vehicle on Lincoln Road in Grand Falls-Windsor. The driver, a 25-year-old man, was operating an uninsured vehicle without a valid driver’s licence.

    All three drivers were ticketed and the vehicles were seized and impounded.

    RCMP NL has the ability to confirm a vehicle’s current registration and insurance status by checking a vehicle’s licence plate. The information is electronically readily available. Although a driver is required to provide proof of insurance, police do not rely solely upon the information contained within the “pink slip” as proof of insurance.

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