NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man who Provided Guns to Shooter of Two Jewish Community Members in California Sentenced to Prison

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eric Celaya, 30, of Phoenix, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi to eight months in prison, followed by 36 months of supervised release. On May 15, 2024, Celaya pleaded guilty to making a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm.

    On January 19, 2023, Celaya purchased two firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) in Tempe. Celaya completed the Firearms Transaction Record, known as ATF Form 4473, and stated that he was the actual purchaser. However, Celaya knew he was purchasing the firearms on behalf of Jamie Tran. After Celaya submitted the ATF Form 4473 to the FFL, he purchased and left with the two firearms. Subsequently, Celaya provided the firearms to Tran. On February 15, 2023, and February 16, 2023, Tran used the firearms to shoot two Jewish community members in California, offenses charged as hate crimes in the United States District Court, Central District of California, Case Number 2:23-CR-00098-GW. Celaya had no prior criminal history and there was no evidence to show that Celaya was aware of Tran’s intentions or beliefs.

    This case was 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:                  CR-23-01456-PHX-MTL
    RELEASE NUMBER:           2024-149_Celaya

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Failure to Appear in Federal Court

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

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Failure to Appear. The sentencing took place on August 5, 2024.

    Ethan Blue Bird, age 35, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Blue Bird was indicted for failure to appear in April of 2023 and later, in January of 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He pleaded guilty on May 6, 2024.

    From January of 2021 through April of 2023, Blue Bird was involved in a conspiracy with several others in the distribution of methamphetamine on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. As part of the conspiracy, Blue Bird was responsible for distributing over 50 grams of methamphetamine. On April 24, 2022, Blue Bird was found in possession of a firearm. He admitted to law enforcement to being a daily user of methamphetamine. Following his initial indictment, Blue Bird was released on bond conditions. On March 28, 2023, Blue Bird failed to appear for the jury trial previously scheduled relating to the firearm offense.  

    These cases were investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Dilges and Kirk Albertson prosecuted the cases.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Amherst — Public assistance to locate man wanted on arrest warrants

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Cumberland Street Crime Enforcement Unit (SCEU) is seeking information on the whereabouts of a man currently wanted on an arrest warrant in relation to an incident in Amherst.

    On October 30, at approximately 8:40 a.m., members of the Cumberland SCEU initiated a traffic stop on a black Lincoln Nautilus in relation to an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. As members exited their vehicles, the driver reversed the Nautilus in the direction of officers, striking one of the police vehicles. The Nautilus then fled toward New Brunswick at a high rate of speed. In the interest of public safety, officers did not pursue the vehicle.

    Adam Joseph Hie, 30, of Moncton, is wanted and facing charges of:

    • Assault Peace Officer (3 counts)
    • Assault with a Weapon
    • Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance
    • Flight from Police
    • Obstruct Police Officer

    Hie is described as 6-foot-0, 170 lbs with very short black hair and blue eyes. He was last seen October 30 in Sackville, New Brunswick, and may be driving a Ford Explorer. Hie is also wanted in New Brunswick for Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking and Escape Lawful Custody.

    Police have made several attempts to locate Hie, and are requesting assistance from the public.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Adam Joseph Hie is asked to refrain from approaching him and to contact their local police. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 2024-1447920

    Note: The Cumberland Street Crime Enforcement Unit includes members of the Cumberland County District RCMP and the Amherst Police Department.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Haskell Resident Sentenced for Robbery

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Keith Wyatt Underwood, age 32, of Haskell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 77 months in prison for one count of Robbery in Indian Country.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    On July 10, 2023, Underwood pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, on July 24, 2022, Underwood was discovered by a property owner stealing copper cables from a Muskogee County property.  Underwood then pulled a revolver on the resident before driving away with the stolen cables.  The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Underwood will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Stilwell Resident Sentenced to 24 Years for Murder and Federal Firearms Offense

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jerry Lee Matlock, Jr., age 41, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 168 months in prison for one count of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.  The sentences are set to be served consecutively for a total of 288 months in prison.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

    On February 12, 2024, Matlock pleaded guilty to the charges.  According to investigators, on the evening of September 14, 2021, Matlock intentionally fired his rifle at an individual from inside a pickup truck, then drove from the scene of the crime.  Adair County deputies responding to a shooting discovered a Stilwell resident deceased from a gunshot wound to the chest.  Law enforcement apprehended Matlock less than a mile away, parked in his pickup truck, with a Remington 700 bolt action rifle and ammunition.  The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable John C. Coughenour, Senior U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Matlock will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Randall England, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for the 2023 murder of a Stilwell resident.

    The charge arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On April 30, 2024, England pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.   According to investigators, on February 7, 2023, England traveled to a Stilwell residence, waited outside for the resident to arrive, then fired upon the victim eight times with a 7.62×39 rifle before fleeing the scene.  Three of the shots struck the victim, who died at the scene.  England was later apprehended by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service in Tahlequah and arrested without incident.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  England will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at sentencing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gore Resident Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Child Abuse and Neglect

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Mason Anthony Wilson, age 28, of Gore, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country and 120 months in prison for one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country.  The terms are set to be served concurrently.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On June 5, 2024, a federal jury found Wilson guilty at trial on both counts.  According to investigators, in April 2022, Wilson caused injuries to a 2-month-old baby in his care, including multiple fractured bones, and failed to provide medical care for the child.  The crimes occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Wilson will remain it the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah McAmis and Jessica Bove represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Coal County Resident Sentenced for Manslaughter

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

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronald Wayne Yarbrough Jr., age 54, of Lehigh, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 115 months in prison for voluntary manslaughter.

    The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On August 31, 2023, Yarbrough pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on November 24, 2022, Yarbrough instigated a fight outside the family home.  During the fight, Yarbrough stabbed the victim in the neck.  The victim was later declared dead at an area hospital.  The crime occurred in Coal County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Kea W. Riggs, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court of New Mexico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.  Yarbrough will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S.  Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Transporting and Possessing Child Pornography Nets District Man More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison

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

                WASHINGTON – Stephen Rattley Johnson, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 7.5 years in prison for uploading and possessing videos in 2020 depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls.

                The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Johnson was found guilty by a federal jury on April 17, 2024, of five counts of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. On the possession count, the jury further found that the child pornography involved minors under 12 years of age, an aggravating circumstance that doubles the statutory maximum sentence. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols ordered Johnson to pay $52,600 in restitution and special assessments. Upon release from his prison term, Johnson will be required to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.

                According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, on September 21, 2020, and October 1, 2020, Johnson uploaded hundreds of child pornography files to his Google Drive cloud storage account. Google identified 220 of the files as known child pornography and closed Johnson’s account. Consistent with its statutory obligations, Google reported the material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which in turn referred the matter to law enforcement. As part of its investigation, investigators obtained the contents of Johnson’s Google account, which included hundreds of child pornography files.

                Law enforcement arrested Johnson on October 7, 2021, and searched his then-residence in the H Street Corridor of Northeast Washington. Among other evidence, law enforcement seized his cellphone and the laptop Johnson had used to upload the child pornography. Although Johnson deleted the child pornography from his computer after Google closed his account, digital forensics experts were able to recover artifacts showing that Johnson had downloaded many of the files as early as April 2020 and that he had opened and watched them. Many of the files are videos depicting the rape and sadistic sexual abuse of prepubescent girls. In addition, Johnson’s web browser history showed that he had navigated to child pornography online—including several of the files he later uploaded to Google—and evidence from his cellphone showed that he continued to seek out child pornography even after Google closed his account.

                The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force; the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS).

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

                Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Lipes prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janani Iyengar and Jocelyn Bond.

    22cr176

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Miami-Dade Corrections Officer Pled Guilty to $150,000 COVID-19 Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    MIAMI – Yesterday, Daniel Fleureme, 56, of Miami-Dade County, a former Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCRD) Corrections Officer, pled guilty to wire fraud for defrauding a COVID-19 relief program by fraudulently obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan from the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act were Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions. These EIDLs were provided directly to borrowers by the SBA.

    On July 27, 2020, Fleureme, while he was employed full-time by MDCRD as a Corrections Officer, submitted to the SBA a false and fraudulent EIDL application claiming to be the 100% owner of a sole proprietorship operating under the company legal and DBA names of “Daniel Fleureme.” In this fraudulent application, Fleureme claimed that he had owned the business since its creation on Feb. 15, 2017, and stated that the business had three employees as of Jan. 31, 2020. Fleureme’s EIDL application also falsely certified that for the 12-month period prior to Jan. 31, 2020, his sole proprietorship had gross revenues of $450,000 and a cost of goods sold of only $97,000. As a result of this fraudulent EIDL application, Fleureme received approximately $150,000 in EIDL proceeds from the SBA.

    He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez in Miami. Fleureme faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conviction. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI, Miami Field Office, Inspector General Felix Jimenez of the Miami-Dade County Office of Inspector General (M-DC OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region, made the announcement.

    The FBI’s Miami Area Corruption Task Force, which includes task force officers from the M-DC OIG, working in conjunction with SBA OIG, investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm 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, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    On Sept. 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud.  The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. Additional information regarding the Strike Force may be found at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-covid-19-fraud-strike-force-teams.

    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.

    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-20407.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Sumter Man of Gun Trafficking

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

    COLUMBIA, S.C. —A federal jury in Columbia has convicted Kelsey Antonio McCallum, 27, of Sumter, of illegally trafficking firearms.

    Evidence presented at trial revealed that McCallum and his sister, Daeja Hodge, conspired to purchase firearms and resale those firearms for profit. At least 13 times from 2020-2022, McCallum made false statements to acquire firearms at dealers in Columbia, Sumter, and the Upstate. McCallum also purchased firearms from Georgia. During each purchase, McCallum falsely stated that the firearms were intended for his personal use, knowing that he intended to sell them. McCallum would then illegally transport the firearms to Maryland and sell them there. McCallum and Hodge acquired over 100 firearms during this scheme. Most of those firearms ended up in the hands of felons prohibited from possessing firearms or at crime scenes in the Baltimore area. A few firearms were also sold in North Carolina. At trial, the Government introduced more than 30 firearms and ammunition found by law enforcement in the Baltimore area.  

    Hodge pleaded guilty to her role in the offense prior to McCallum’s trial.

    McCallum faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis will sentence McCallum after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin

    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.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in South Carolina and Maryland, investigated the case along with assistance from numerous local agencies in South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and North Carolina. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals-led Operation Safe Haven Arrests More Than 53 Fugitives in Southern District of Ohio

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Columbus, OH – The U.S. Marshals Service Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) arrested 53 violent Felony Domestic Violence and Felony Family Violence fugitives during a fugitive apprehension initiative called Operation Safe Haven.

    Enforcement activities covered 31 operational days, from Oct 1 to Oct 31, and targeted fugitives with Felony Domestic Violence and Felony Family Violence arrest warrants, prioritizing those who used firearms in the commission of crimes or signaled high-risk factors for violence. Operation Safe Haven resulted in the arrest of fugitives on charges to include homicide, forcible sexual assault, domestic violence, aggravated assault, and child abuse.

    Notable arrests included: On 10/17/2024, Columbus SOFAST arrested Justin Woolum. Woolum was wanted by the Kenova Police Department (WV) for Rape of a Minor. Columbus SOFAST arrested Woolum in Lancaster, OH.

    On 10/30/2024, Dayton SOFAST arrested James Wilson. Wilson was wanted by Dayton Police Department for Felony Domestic Violence and Strangulation. The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio also issued an arrest warrant for Wilson charging him with a Supervised Release Violation.

    On 10/01/2024, Columbus SOFAST and FCSO (Franklin County Sheriff’s Office) SWAT arrested Aaron Rice. Rice was wanted by the Springfield Police Division for Felonious Assault and Weapons Offenses. Rice was indicted for Abduction and Kidnapping. An investigation indicated that, while Rice was a fugitive for the Felonious Assault case, he kidnapped the victim and a small child. Rice drove the victims from Ohio to Tennessee where they escaped. Rice was also facing Felony Domestic Violence charges in the State of Tennessee at the time of his arrest.

    On 10/18/2024, Cincinnati SOFAST arrested Timothy Cromwell. Cromwell was wanted by the Colerain Township Police Department for the Abduction and Kidnapping of the victim at gun point.

    On 10/25/2024, Cincinnati SOFAST arrested Jurabek Sherov. Sherov was wanted by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office for kidnapping the victim and holding her hostage for several days at gun point. Sherov was also charged with Rape, and Strangulation.

    “Every day our Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force officers are out locating and apprehending our most violent offenders. As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the U.S. Marshals and our law enforcement partners focused on locating those suspects accused of violent crimes relating to domestic violence. Removing these dangerous fugitives from our community can hopefully bring some peace to the victims and serve as a deterrent to others to not commit these sorts of crimes”. – Michael D. Black, U.S. Marshal, Southern District of Ohio.

    Columbus SOFAST is a fugitive-focused, U.S. Marshals Service-led task force consisting of local, state and federal authorities including the Columbus Division of Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Bexley Police Department, Capital University Police Department, Delaware County Probation Office, Groveport Police Department, Hocking County Sheriff’s Office, Lancaster Police Department, Ohio Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal, Office of Inspector General Social Security Administration, United States Attorney’s Office, Utica Police Department, Whitehall Police Department, and Zanesville Police Department.

    Dayton SOFAST is a multi-jurisdictional, U.S. Marshals Service- led task force comprised of the Dayton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Division of Police, Greene County Prosecutor’s Office, Miami County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, Perry Township Police Department, Greenville Police Department, Springboro Police Department, Franklin Police Department, United States Secret Service, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, West Carrollton Police Department, and the Xenia Police Department.

    Cincinnati SOFAST is a U.S. Marshals Service-led task force consisting of local, state, and federal authorities including the Adult Parole Authority, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Probation Office, Colerain Township Police Department, Department of Homeland Security/ Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Golf Manor Police Department, Harrison Police Department, Mount Orab Police Department, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Trenton Police Department, Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office.

    Anyone with information on any fugitive may submit an anonymous web tip.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Director Wray Visits FBI Offices in Burlington, Bedford, and Providence

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

    Wray discussed the region’s biggest challenges and emphasized that a continued focus on partnerships was critical to staying ahead of the threat

    FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks with law enforcement partners during a meeting at the FBI Boston Division’s Bedford Resident Agency in New Hampshire during an October 2024 visit to New England.

    This week, FBI Director Christopher Wray visited the Burlington, Vermont; Bedford, New Hampshire; and Providence, Rhode Island, resident agencies. He met with employees, U.S. attorneys, and a number of key law enforcement, private sector, and community partners from across the region.

    During these partner meetings, Director Wray talked about the Bureau’s work in the region and reaffirmed our commitment to supporting our state and local partners on issues such as violent crime, election security, threats to critical infrastructure, national security at the northern border, and emerging challenges, such as the impact of artificial intelligence on elder fraud and scams.

    “As a country and as a profession, we’re dealing with all sorts of challenges,” Director Wray said. “But our partnerships—with law enforcement, the private sector, and the communities we serve—give me confidence that we can stay ahead of the threats out there.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Perry County Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Soliciting Pornography From Hundreds of Minors While Pretending to be Teen Girl on Snapchat

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Junction City, Ohio, man was sentenced in federal court in Columbus today to 276 months in prison for sexually exploiting minors and possessing child pornography.

    Since 2018, Clay Thomas Wolfe, 28, solicited child pornography from more than 300 victims via the mobile application Snapchat. Approximately 100 exploitation victims who provided sexual content to Wolfe have been identified by law enforcement as minors thus far from across multiple states including Ohio, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

    Wolfe pretended on Snapchat to be a 15-year-old female named “Ally” who lived in Ohio and used this persona to solicit child pornography from primarily middle school and high school aged boys. Wolfe’s Snapchat account also contained sexually explicit photographs and videos of minor males as young as 10 and 11 years old.

    The investigation was initiated in April 2022, when law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania learned that a sixth-grade student was sharing a nude photograph of a classmate that he had received from Wolfe while Wolfe was pretending to be “Ally.”

    As part of his online persona, Wolfe sent the male victims photos and videos of pubescent female’s naked breasts and genitalia that he found on adult pornography sites or public social media accounts.   He would use that content to entice the minors he chatted with to send content of their own including image and video files of primarily minor males, some as young as twelve-years-old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct such as bestiality, masturbation, and sexual acts including oral and anal penetration.  Wolfe would also extort the victims by threatening to send the nude images of his victims to their friends and family unless they sent him additional images.

    In total, Wolfe received approximately 850 images and 570 videos depicting child pornography.

    Wolfe was arrested and charged federally in June 2023 and pleaded guilty in April 2024.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. U.S. Attorney Parker and Special Agent in Charge Iatarola commended the cooperation of the Perry County Sheriff’s Office and Perry County Prosecutor. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch and are representing the United States in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Resident Pleads Guilty to Helping Russia’s Defense Sector Evade U.S. Export Controls

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

    Defendant Facilitated Russia’s Acquisition of Millions of Dollars of U.S.-Made Dual-Use Electronics Used in Radar, Surveillance, and Military Research and Development

    Vadim Yermolenko, 43, a dual U.S.-Russian national and resident of New Jersey, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States for his role in a transnational procurement and money laundering network that sought to acquire sensitive dual-use electronics for Russian military and intelligence services.

    “This defendant joins the nearly two dozen other criminals that our Task Force KleptoCapture has brought to justice in American courtrooms over the past two and a half years for enabling Russia’s military aggression,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This defendant admitted to playing a central role in a now-disrupted scheme with Russian intelligence services to smuggle sniper rifle ammunition and U.S. military grade equipment into Russia. The Justice Department will never stop working to aggressively disrupt and prosecute both the criminal networks and the individuals responsible for bolstering the Russian war machine.”

    “The illegal export of sensitive, dual-use technologies in support of Russia’s war effort poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies and must not be tolerated,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The defendant in this case played a key role in exporting U.S. technology that in the hands of our adversaries could pose great danger to our national security. The FBI and its partners will continue to focus on protecting strategic innovation at home and hold accountable anyone who facilitates illegal transfers to hostile nations like Russia.”

    “To facilitate the Russian war machine, the defendant played a critical role in exporting sensitive, dual-use technologies to Russia, facilitating shipping and the movement of millions of dollars through U.S. financial institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This plea highlights my Office and our law enforcement partners continued commitment to use all tools available to prosecute those who unlawfully procure U.S. technology to send to Russia.”

    According to court documents, the defendant was affiliated with Serniya Engineering and Sertal LLC, Moscow-based companies that operate under the direction of Russian intelligence services to procure advanced electronics and sophisticated testing equipment for Russia’s military industrial complex and research and development sector. Serniya and Sertal operated a vast network of shell companies and bank accounts throughout the world, including the United States, that were used in furtherance of the scheme to conceal the involvement of the Russian government and the true Russian end users of U.S.-origin equipment.

    The defendant and his co-conspirators unlawfully purchased and exported highly sensitive, export controlled electronic components, some of which can be used in the development of nuclear and hypersonic weapons, quantum computing and other military applications. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) levied sanctions and imposed additional export restrictions on Serniya, Sertal, and several individuals and companies used in the scheme, calling them “instrumental to the Russian Federation’s war machine.”

    Sertal was licensed to conduct highly sensitive and classified procurement activities by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s principal security agency and the main successor agency to the Soviet Union’s KGB. The Serniya network’s Russian clients included State Corporation Rostec, the state-owned defense conglomerate; State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom); the Ministry of Defense; the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR); and various components of the FSB, including the Department of Military Counterintelligence and the Directorate for Scientific and Technological Intelligence, commonly known as “Directorate T.”

    To carry out the scheme, the defendant helped set up numerous shell companies and dozens of bank accounts in the U.S. to illicitly move money and export-controlled goods. During the period charged in the indictment, more than $12 million passed through accounts owned or controlled by the defendant. These funds were used in part to purchase sensitive equipment used in radar, surveillance and military research and development. In one instance, money from one of the defendant’s accounts was used to purchase export-controlled sniper bullets, which were intercepted in Estonia before they could be smuggled into Russia.

    Co-defendant Alexey Brayman previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and is awaiting sentence. The case against co-defendant Vadim Konoshchenok, a suspected FSB operative, was dismissed after Konoshchenok was removed from the United States as part of a prisoner exchange negotiated between the United States and Russia. Defendant Nikolaos Bogonikolos’ case remains pending. Defendants Boris Livshits, Alexey Ippolitov, Svetlana Skvortsova, and Yevgeniy Grinin remain at large.        

    The FBI, BIS, and IRS are investigating the case.

    The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and Estonian authorities provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Artie McConnell, Andrew D. Reich, and Matthew Skurnik for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

    Today’s actions were coordinated through the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture and the Justice and Commerce Departments’ Disruptive Technology Strike Force. Task Force KleptoCapture is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export restrictions and economic countermeasures that the United States has imposed, along with its allies and partners, in response to Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine. The Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an interagency law enforcement strike force co-led by the Departments of Justice and Commerce designed to target illicit actors, protect supply chains and prevent critical technology from being acquired by authoritarian regimes and hostile nation states.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Unified Command concludes Marina del Rey Vessel Fire 2024

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    11/01/2024 04:36 PM EDT

    The Unified Command concluded its diesel fuel recovery efforts Thursday after a yacht, The Admiral, caught fire in Marina del Rey Sept. 18, 2024. Coast Guard Incident Management Division responders boarded the vessel on Thursday and confirmed there was no remaining pollution threat from the vessel. Crews worked to recover the diesel, raise the sunken vessel, and remove any pollution threat from the vessel over the last several weeks.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Allvin continues drumbeat for integrating, reshaping Air Force at think tank

    Source: United States Air Force

    Carrying fresh insights from a recent tour of the Pacific, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin re-emphasized Oct. 31 the need to aggressively integrate and reshape the service to confront China’s rising threat, as well as the malign actions of other adversaries.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. aircraft slated to deploy to Europe for latest bomber task force

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    RAMSTEIN, Germany  –  

    The next Bomber Task Force-Europe deployment is scheduled to begin in the coming days with U.S. strategic bombers transiting from the continental U.S. to the U.S. European Command area of responsibility.

    The long-planned deployment is slated to kick-off with the U.S. Air Force bombers flying on a pre-filed flight plan through international airspace and with the appropriate diplomatic clearances in place for times when aircraft are transiting through a sovereign nation’s airspace.

    During the deployment, U.S. bomber aircrews will train and operate alongside NATO Allies and partners for several weeks demonstrating the U.S. commitment to global security and stability. 

    For more information, contact the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Office by calling +49 (0) 6371-47-6558 or e-mailing usafepao.pao@us.af.mil. If after duty hours, please call +49 (0) 1624-25-5428 or e-mail usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Resident Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Loan Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    Walter Holt III, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about March 12 and May 27, 2021, Holt prepared and submitted falsified Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loan applications for Charleroi, Pennsylvania, borrowers, for which he took a fee.

    Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for January 31, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, 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.

    Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Holt.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal to identify man in connection with murder of Jason Diallo

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Four years on from a fatal shooting in Ilford, detectives are releasing footage of a man they would like to identify.

    An investigation was launched on 1 November 2020 when officers were called to Balfour Road, Ilford at 22:14hrs following reports of a disturbance.

    Officers arrived at the scene and located Jason Diallo, 30 with multiple injuries. He sadly died at the scene.

    A witness told officers that they had seen Jason cycling along the road, when he was knocked off his bike by a car. Two occupants of the car got out and shot Jason in the head before driving away.

    Fifteen minutes after Jason Diallo was shot, at 22:29hrs, police were called to a shooting around five miles away in Garvary Road, E16. A 27-year-old man was found with a gunshot injury to his shoulder.

    He was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds which were determined not to be life-threatening. When providing a statement to officers, he told them he had been followed by three men driving a car who began shooting at him.

    A complex investigation was launched within Specialist Crime North and two men were convicted and sentenced for their involvement.

    On Tuesday, 14 June 2022, Mushin Mohamed, 28 (06.04.1996) of Leytonstone Road, E15 was found guilty of murder and attempted murder at the Old Bailey and sentenced to life in prison to serve a minimum of 35 years.

    Tyrelle Joseph, 24 (16.09.2000) of Banks Way, E12 was found guilty of assisting an offender and jailed for seven years after being identified as someone who had helped Mohamed and the unidentified suspects leave the scene.

    Enquiries have remained ongoing to identify two more suspects believed to be involved in the shootings that night.

    Investigating officers are now in a position to release this footage of a man they would like to speak with in connection with this investigation and a financial reward for information is available.

    The Metropolitan Police Service is offering a substantial reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person responsible for the murder of Jason Diallo and the non-fatal shooting of a 27-year-old man on 1 November 2020.

    Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, the senior investigating officer, said:

    “We have continued our momentum behind this investigation to ensure that those responsible for killing Jason Diallo and seriously injuring another man are held accountable.

    “Our enquiries have found no evidence to suggest that Jason Diallo or the attempted murder victim were known to one another or those convicted, suggesting that this was a completely unprovoked and violent incident.

    “Jason Diallo was described by his family as a devoted father of two who had the softest heart. Our thoughts have remained with his family and friends throughout a difficult four years and we are determined that they see justice.

    “We are now in a position to release an image of this man, who we would like to speak with in connection with this ongoing investigation.

    “If you know who he is or have any information which could help us, please get in contact.”

    Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to call 101 quoting Operation Shenley. You can also report information anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives investigating a violent watch robbery in Greenwich are appealing for witnesses

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating a high value watch robbery in SE10 are appealing for witnesses or anyone with footage to come forward.

    At around 22:30hrs on Sunday, 27 October, three men, aged 20s, were walking on Millennium Way, Greenwich, when they were attacked from behind by a man armed with a heavy object – possibly a gas cannister.

    Two of the victims suffered head injuries while the third managed to escape unharmed and called police.

    A Rolex watch was stolen from one of the victims.

    The attacker is described as a white man with a beard. At the time of the attack he was wearing a white Nike T-shirt.

    Anyone who witnessed this incident or has information or footage should call police on 101 or post on X @MetCC quoting 8042/27OCT.

    To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder investigation launched following fatal stabbing in Harrow

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A murder investigation has been launched after a man assaulted in Harrow has died from his injuries.

    Detective Inspector Luke Hampton of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said: “This is a complex scene with multiple people living inside the address. We have made an arrest and our enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.

    “At this early stage we believe this to have been an isolated incident and there is no apparent risk to the public.

    “A man has lost his life and a family has received the worst possible news. If you have information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”

    Police were called by the London Ambulance Service just before 16:40hrs on Wednesday, 30 October to reports of an injured man at an address on Sussex Road, Harrow.

    Officers attended. At the scene, a 48-year-old man was found with knife injuries. He was taken to hospital where, despite the efforts of medical professionals, he sadly died at 14:35hrs.

    The victim’s family has been notified. A post-mortem examination will be scheduled in due course.

    A 37-year-old man was arrested later that evening on suspicion of attempted murder. He was taken to hospital for treatment to minor injuries before being taken into custody at a north London police station where he remains at this time.

    Superintendent Chris Clarke leading local policing for Harrow, Barnet and Brent said: “We are supporting our Specialist Crime colleagues as they make their enquiries and local people will notice a more visible police presence in the area to provide reassurance.

    “If you feel worried or if you have information please don’t hesitate to approach officers or get in touch with your local Neighbourhood policing team.”

    Anyone with information that may assist the investigation team is asked to call 101 and quote CAD reference 5281/30OCT24.

    To remain 100 per cent anonymous call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington man sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for trafficking eagles, hawks killed on the Flathead Indian Reservation and sold on black market

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A Washington man who conspired to hunt and kill bald and golden eagles and hawks on the Flathead Indian Reservation to sell on the black market was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $777,250 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington, and formerly of the Flathead Reservation, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy, two counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of federal or state law. The Lacey Act also prohibits any person from making or submitting any false record, account, label for or identification of wildlife that has been or was intended to be transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

    U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court ordered Branson to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons.

    “The bald eagle, adopted as America’s national symbol in 1782, represents our country’s core ideals of freedom, strength, and justice. Once on the brink of extinction, eagles recovered only because of conservation efforts by the American people and federal laws protecting them. None of that mattered to Travis Branson. Instead, Branson went on self-described ‘killing sprees’ for thousands of eagles and hawks, butchered them, and sold the parts and feathers for profit on the black market. He knew he was committing felonies and even joked his cost to kill them was the price of a bullet. But his conduct was no laughing matter. With today’s sentence, the cost to Branson was more than a bunch of bullets – he forfeited the very freedom the bald eagle symbolizes,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.  

    “The unlawful killing of these majestic birds violates federal law and is a profound offense against our nation’s cherished natural heritage,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Travis Branson’s blatant disregard for the law and the sanctity of these protected species highlights the urgent need for stringent enforcement and greater public awareness regarding wildlife trafficking. His actions are particularly egregious, considering the significant number of bald and golden eagles he killed for personal profit, and such behavior will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect America’s wildlife and hold accountable all who are engaged in these illicit activities.”

    “We are going to feel the impacts of the Flathead Reservation’s raptor loss for years to come,” said Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson. “We hope this helps put a stop to illegal poaching on our homelands and gives these birds a chance to recover. Eagles are not only a treasured and important part of the Reservation’s ecosystem, but they also have a profound place in CSKT cultural and spiritual practices.”

    In court documents, the government alleged that from about January 2015 until about March 2021, Branson and others hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Reservation. Branson then sold the eagles on the black market across the United States and elsewhere. Brandon traveled from Washington to the Flathead Reservation, where he met co-defendant, Simon Paul. Branson and Paul would then shoot, transport and ship bald and golden eagles for future black-market sales. Co-defendant Paul remains a fugitive.

    The government sought restitution values of $5,000 per eagle and $1,750 per hawk.

    The government estimated that from 2009 until 2021, Branson made between $180,000 and $360,000 by selling eagles feathers and parts for profit on the black market.

    The government’s investigation showed that Branson and others killed approximately 3,600 birds during the conspiracy. At least 118 eagles and 107 hawks killed were directly traceable to Branson and documented through his own text messages. Branson had taken up to nine eagles at a time. The photograph below shows nine sets of feathers, with one set stacked on top of the other in the upper left corner.

    Law enforcement also recovered text messages from Branson stating he was specifically looking to shoot a baby eagle.

    Not only did Branson kill eagles, but he also butchered them into pieces to sell. On March 13, 2021, Branson shot and killed a golden eagle near Polson. Law enforcement stopped Branson and recovered from Branson’s vehicle the feet and feathers of the golden eagle and later recovered the remainder of the carcass in a field. The claws are identified here:

    Branson knew killing and selling eagles was illegal and that he did not have a permit for any of the activities. When negotiating a purchase price for eagle feathers with a potential buyer, Branson said:

    “I don’t get em for free though ..out hear committing felonies”

    Branson told another potential buyer he would obtain other eagle tails by “[g]oing on a killing spree.”

    Further, Branson acknowledged that international shipping was illegal:

    “International is still illegal ..I just get em for 99 cents ..price of a bullet..lol”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Fish and Game Department conducted the investigation.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Media Invited to Inaugural Ministerial Meeting of the IAEA World Fusion Energy Group in Rome

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    On Wednesday, 6 November 2024, the inaugural ministerial meeting of the IAEA World Fusion Energy Group (WFEG) will be held at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome. Co-organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Italy, the meeting will see governments, executives from public and private institutions, and investors join forces in paving the way for this promising technology to provide the abundant clean energy the world needs to meet its growing development needs.

    The meeting will begin at 10:00 CET with welcome remarks by Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, followed with opening remarks by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

    A family photo will be taken at 09:45 in the Mosaic Room (across from the International Conference Room) before the meeting.

    Statements from the Head of Delegation of each invited country will follow. Director General Grossi and Minister Fratin are expected to hold a joint press conference at 13:30.

    The meeting and press conference will be livestreamed on the Farnesina YouTube channel.

    At the event, the IAEA will launch two publications, Fusion Key Elements and the World Fusion Outlook 2024. The WFEG meeting will also feature three panel discussions on the status of fusion energy; global collaboration and public-private partnerships; and sustaining resources and exploring alternative business opportunities. The tentative programme is available here.

    All media representatives wishing to attend the meeting must submit their accreditation request to Italy. Please see this page for more details.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: A man convicted of the manslaughter of Dragos Carabineanu has been jailed

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man convicted of the manslaughter of Dragos Carabineanu has appeared in court for sentencing.

    Gabriel Silvera, 20 (13.09.04) of Uxbridge Road, Pinner appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 31 October where he was sentenced to eight years imprisonment, plus a further four years on licence.

    He has previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the same court on Monday, 3 June. The plea had been accepted by the court and Silvera was remanded in custody to await sentencing.

    Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley leading the investigation said: “Nothing can bring Dragos back to his loved ones, however, I was pleased that Silvera’s guilty plea spared them the experience of a trial, where they would have once again heard the details of the incident that took Dragos from them. Our thoughts are with them.”

    Shortly after 05:00hrs on Saturday, 28 October, police were alerted by hospital staff when Dragos Carabineanu, aged 46, was brought into a central London hospital for treatment.

    Dragos, who was from Burnt Oak, remained at St Mary’s Hospital in a critical condition before he sadly died from his injuries on Wednesday, 1 November 2023.

    An investigation found he suffered his injuries just before midnight on Friday, 27 October 2023 outside Burnt Oak Underground Station on Watling Road in Edgware.

    Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command arrested Gabriel Silvera on Monday, 6 November 2023 on suspicion of murder. He was charged on Tuesday, 7 November 2023 and was remanded in custody.

    +

    Two other people were arrested in connection with this incident:

    On Thursday, 2 November 2023 a 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of theft. He received a caution.

    A 38-year-old woman was arrested on Friday, 3 November 2023 on suspicion of theft. Following enquiries she was released with no further action.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa and Expeditionary Medical Facility Bravo are Rendering Assistance

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Camp Foster, Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Bravo Okinawa, Japan, 29 October 2024. In November 2021, BUMED adopted the “Charlie Mike” signal flags to convey our posture of “Rendering Assistance” to our warfighters. These flags convey that we are keeping our warfighters in the fight and ensuring they are operationally ready for that next mission. In Semaphore, Rendering Assistance is communicated by an Answer Pennant and two Flags — “Charlie” and “Mike.” These signal flags will help guide us forward as we continue to deliver operational medical capabilities to our Sailors and Marines. – Navy Medicine

    Navy Medicine was one of the critical lines of effort for the Keen Sword 25 Exercise. Keen Sword is the latest in a series of joint-bilateral field training exercises designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of JSDF and U.S. forces. The U.S.-Japan alliance is built on shared interests and values and a commitment to freedom and human rights. Both countries are focused on ensuring regional peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, including building new partnerships, and strengthening multilateral cooperation. Service members from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard will conduct training with their JSDF counterparts alongside Australian and Canadian partners throughout mainland Japan, Okinawa prefecture, and its surrounding waters. U.S. Pacific Fleet

    An EMF is designed to be a mobile medical facility that can conduct medical operations like an actual hospital. They have operating rooms, lab capabilities, radiology, and ICUs. The EMF Bravo Triad is made up of the Commanding Officer, Capt. Ian Fowler, Executive Officer Capt. Shannan Rotruck, and Command Master Chief Shannon Bia. EMF Bravo’s deployment for Keen Sword 2025 reinforces the commitment to operational readiness and the enduring U.S.-Japan alliance, which is crucial to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. EMF Bravo provides medical support to the warfighter. EMF Bravo ensures that U.S. forces are medically ready and can provide care in any environment, from combat casualty care to humanitarian assistance. EMF Bravos’ role enhances interoperability with Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and other allied forces, ensuring seamless medical support in joint operations.

    EMF Bravo is a Combat-Ready Medical Force. The unit is a critical asset, ready to support military operations by providing medical support anytime, anywhere, ensuring the health and readiness of our forces. EMF Bravo provides support for Joint and Multinational Exercises. The team’s participation in Keen Sword 2025 demonstrates the ability to operate alongside Japanese and other allied medical teams, showcasing the ability to provide seamless care in joint operations. EMF Bravo is prepared for a wide range of contingencies, including combat medical support, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

    The exercise generated a lot of media interest. Local Japanese news outlets were eager to be involved in a media event that gave both Japanese and U.S. reporters and broadcasters unfettered access to the EMF leadership and subject matter experts responsible for coordinating the efforts. The press asked many questions, and everyone who witnessed the seamless integration of the JSDF and U.S. health services knew that in the event of an emergency, natural disaster, or other contingencies, the Japanese and U.S. military and civilian population would receive the most advanced and capable military healthcare delivery in the world!

    The continuum of care brought the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa into the exercise, which simulated a mass casualty scenario incorporating planning to move injured personnel from Role 2 to Role 3. A prolonged mass casualty scenario then opens up third—and fourth-order effects that lead to a bed expansion plan that transforms the Multi-Service Ward. The constant demand for blood products triggers a blood request, activating a walking blood bank.

    These combined exercises allow multiple organizations to come together, and each apply practice to purpose pointing out areas that work well and teams excel, as well as finding areas of concern that can then be targeted for training and reassessment long before the real-world need occurs. The Japanese Self-Defense Force (JSDF) did just that throughout the Keen Sword event. When you walked through the controlled chaos of EMF Bravo you quickly noticed that there were more than one group working together in complete unison. The JSDF and U.S. personnel were working together elbow to elbow to save lives. It did not matter what force or nationality they came from once Navy Medicine received them at EMF Bravo the patient would then begin to transition through the patient triage and diagnostic process. EMF Bravos’ deployment for Keen Sword 2025 reinforces the commitment to operational readiness and the enduring U.S.-Japan alliance, which is crucial to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

    The U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa (USNMRTCO) supports the Defense Health Agency’s U.S. Naval Hospital, Okinawa (USNHO) as the largest OCONUS Navy Medicine medical treatment facility and stands at the ready to respond to contingency operations to support the INDOPACOM region. It is a critical regional asset for direct care delivery, regional referrals, and medical contingency operations. The staff of USNHO understands their vital role as pre-positioned, forward-deployed naval forces within the first island chain, aligned and in support of the joint military commands and operations.

    Trey Savitz, Public Affairs Officer
    U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan
    Comm: 011-81-971-7024
    DSN: (315) 646-7024
    isaac.s.savitz.civ@health.mil

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Violent Sex Traffickers Sentenced to Combined 39 Years

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    RALEIGH, N.C. – D’Angelo Taborn, of Durham, was sentenced today to 27 years in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Following an FBI sting operation in Jacksonville, NC, Taborn and his co-defendant, Imani Franco, were arrested for using threats to coerce women into sex trafficking. Taborn, 31, pled guilty to the charge on July 24, 2024. Franco, 30, pled guilty on April 25, 2024, and was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to 12 years.

    “Our Human Trafficking Task Force brings agencies together to expose traffickers, rescue victims, and dismantle the illicit networks that traffic in human beings for sex or labor,” said U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. “These defendants treated their victims like animals, deprived them of food, and threatened them with violence if they did not comply.  Thankfully the FBI, NCIS, and local law enforcement acted swiftly, to hold the traffickers accountable and help put the survivors on their path of healing.”

    “It is difficult to hear these victims literally felt “caged” by these offenders. To be forced into sex trafficking, to have to ask for food, those are deplorable conditions for any human being to endure,” said Robert M. DeWitt the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “The FBI and our local law enforcement partners will never stop working to combat human trafficking.”

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 12, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Human Trafficking Task Force conducted a proactive sting operation in Jacksonville, based on online advertisements for commercial sex. An undercover officer responded to an advertisement and was directed to a hotel in Jacksonville. The undercover officer encountered a young female depicted in the advertisement, later identified as Victim 1.

    A short time later, law enforcement observed the defendants step out of a hotel room just down the hall. When they saw law enforcement, Taborn and Franco attempted to leave, but they were detained while officers obtained search warrants for their hotel room and vehicle.  Taborn and Franco carried three phones between them, and when officers called the number listed in the commercial sex advertisement for Victim 1, one of the phones rang.

    When Taborn and Franco were arrested, Victim 1 became visibly relieved. She explained that Taborn and Franco had recruited her a month earlier and that they expected her to engage in commercial sex to make money for them. Taborn required Victim 1 to perform oral sex on him twice to ensure she was a “good product.”  Taborn and Franco controlled all aspects of the commercial sex operation and took all the money that Victim 1 earned.  They transported Victim 1 to different cities—Jacksonville, Charlotte, Durham, and Danville, Virginia—to find additional customers for commercial sex.  Investigators located numerous commercial sex advertisements and obtained hotel receipts and surveillance footage that confirmed Victim 1’s account.

    Victim 1 described how she feared Taborn and felt “like an animal in a cage.”  She was not allowed to leave her room and had to request food and water from Taborn and Franco. When officers recovered her, it had been more than 24 hours since she had last eaten—a meal that consisted of four leftover chicken wings from Taborn’s and Franco’s dinner.  On one occasion, Victim 1 witnessed Taborn and Franco recruit another female victim, Victim 2, who they picked up in South Carolina and transported back to North Carolina.  Victim 2 had not known they wanted her to engage in commercial sex in North Carolina. When Victim 2 said she did not want to participate, Taborn threatened her with his black handgun in front of Victim 1.  Officers found a firearm with an extended magazine and laser matching the description in the glovebox of Taborn’s car.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) undertook this investigation as part of “Operation Cross Country,” a nationwide sex-trafficking enforcement campaign, with assistance from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Police Department, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS).  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake D. Pugh prosecuted the case.

    This case was part of our Human Trafficking Task Force created to expose and prosecute anyone who exploits North Carolinians for sex or forced labor. Our victim-centric approach focuses on stabilizing victims, getting them resources, and helping them through the court process.  If you have a tip about trafficking, text 233733.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-0092-D.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten-Time Convicted Felon, Who Fled From Girlfriend’s Violent Death, Sentenced To 14 Years In Federal Prison

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

    Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Albert Ayala (34, Orlando) to 14 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Ayala entered a guilty plea on May 21, 2024.

    According to court records, Ayala was driving a vehicle on I-4 when his girlfriend, the sole passenger in the vehicle, was ejected from the car. The woman was struck by multiple vehicles, causing her death. Ayala continued driving and crashed the vehicle at the base of an I-4 exit. Ayala then fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. Ayala’s DNA was located on the firearm and airbag that had deployed during the crash. Prior to possessing the firearm, Ayala had been convicted of 10 felonies. As a convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    “We’re proud to have helped put this heartless suspect behind bars for a long time,” said ATF Tampa Field Division’s Special Agent in Charge Kirk Howard.      

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie A. McNeff.

    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: Secretary Hegseth’s Message to the Force

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    It is the privilege of a lifetime to lead the warriors of the Department of Defense, under the leadership of our Commander in Chief Donald J. Trump. We will put America First, and we will never back down.

    The President gave us a clear mission: achieve Peace through Strength. We will do this in three ways — by restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence.

    o We will revive the warrior ethos and restore trust in our military. We are American warriors. We will defend our country. Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear. The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose.

    o We will rebuild our military by matching threats to capabilities. This means reviving our defense industrial base, reforming our acquisition process, passing a financial audit, and rapidly fielding emerging technologies. We will remain the strongest and most lethal force in the world.

    o We will reestablish deterrence by defending our homeland — on the ground and in the sky. We will work with allies and partners to deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by Communist China, as well as supporting the President’s priority to end wars responsibly and reorient to key threats. We will stand by our allies — and our enemies are on notice.

    All of this will be done with a focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness.

    I have committed my life to warfighters and their families. Just as my fellow soldiers had my back on the battlefield, know that I will always have your back. We serve together at a dangerous time. Our enemies will neither rest nor relent. And neither will we. We will stand shoulder to shoulder to meet the urgency of this moment.

    Like each of you, I love my country and swore an oath to defend the Constitution. We will do that each and every day, as one team. Together we will accomplish the President’s mission to deter war, and if necessary, defeat and destroy our enemies. Godspeed!

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  • MIL-OSI Security: US Senate Confirms Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Today, the United States Senate voted overwhelmingly to confirm Kristi Noem as the 8th Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in a vote of 59- 34.

    A statement from Secretary Noem on her confirmation is below: 

    “As the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, I will work every day to keep all Americans safe and secure. One of my top priorities is achieving President Trump’s mandate from the American people to secure our southern border and fix our broken immigration system. 

    “The Trump Administration will once-again empower our brave men and women in law enforcement to do their jobs and remove criminal aliens and illegal gangs from our country. We will fully equip our intelligence and law enforcement to detect and prevent terror threats and will deliver rapid assistance and disaster relief to Americans in crisis. 

    “I thank President Trump and the US Senate for their trust in me. Together, we will ensure that the United States, once again, is a beacon of freedom, safety, and security for generations to come.” 

    Prior to her confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Noem served as South Dakota’s 33rd Governor and first ever female governor.  A rancher, farmer, and small business owner, Noem served in the South Dakota legislature for years and was later elected to serve as South Dakota’s sole member of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

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