NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Remarks as Delivered

    Good morning. Thank you, Jonathan, for that warm welcome.

    I am very happy to be here in Arkansas.

    In just a few moments, U.S. Attorney Ross and I will meet with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners about our shared work to protect communities here in Little Rock and across the district.

    I am grateful to have the chance to thank our law enforcement partners, in person, for the difficult and often dangerous work they do every single day.

    I am also grateful to have the chance to recognize the public servants of this office for their extraordinary work.

    This U.S. Attorney’s Office is the face of the Justice Department here in the Eastern District of Arkansas. When people in this District look to see what the Justice Department stands for, they look to this U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    I have been consistently impressed not only with the work you do, but with the way you do that work.

    Those efforts, in addition to the efforts of our state and local law enforcement partners, are making a difference.

    Three- and-a-half years ago, the Justice Department launched an ambitious strategy to combat violent crime. That strategy is rooted in exactly the kinds of partnerships that are represented in this room. While we know that progress in too many places is still uneven — and there is no acceptable level of violent crime — today we are seeing results.

    Just earlier this week, the FBI released a report showing an 11.6% drop in homicides last year and one of the lowest violent crime rates in 50 years nationwide.

    And recent data indicates this trend is continuing. Earlier this month, the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Reduction Steering Committee announced new data from across 88 cities that indicates that violent crime has continued to decline considerably in 2024. That included a further 16.9% drop in murders.

    But we know we have so much more work to do, here in Arkansas, and across the country.

    That is why this office, and our entire Department, are working in partnership with state and local law enforcement to arrest violent felons, seize and trace guns used in crimes, disrupt violent drug traffickers, and prosecute the individuals and gangs who are responsible for the most violence.

    For this office, that meant working with the DEA, the FBI, and the North Little Rock Police Department to secure a 25-year prison sentence last month for a Little Rock man for distributing fentanyl resulting in someone’s death.

    Also last month, this office worked with DEA, the Arkansas State Police, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, and the Little Rock Police Department to secure a 15-year prison sentence of a defendant on fentanyl and firearms charges.

    In July, this office, together with the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, secured the guilty plea of a man who threatened to assault and murder a United States judge and a federal law enforcement officer.

    Earlier this spring, this office worked with DEA, FBI, the second Judicial District Drug Task Force and seven other state and local partners as part of a large-scale enforcement action to charge and arrest 15 people on drug, money laundering, and firearm offenses related to the distribution of methamphetamine in Northeast Arkansas.

    In March, this office worked with the DEA, ATF, the Pine Bluff Police Department, and the Little Rock Police Department to secure a 30-year prison sentence for a man with a lengthy criminal record of domestic violence who was found guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition. In October of last year, the defendant shot his former girlfriend and then shot into an apartment where the victim and her young son were hiding.

    And in January, this office worked with ATF to secure a 20-year prison sentence against a man who had assaulted a victim after she ended their relationship. The defendant then set fire to her business after she changed the locks. During the sentencing, the victim told the Court how hard she worked to build her business as a single mother and spoke about the impact of the defendant’s violence against her.

    In addition to using our investigative and prosecutorial resources to protect communities in this district, we are also committed to using our grantmaking capabilities to invest in public safety.

    For example, today, the Justice Department is awarding more than a million dollars in funding to the state under the DNA Capacity Enhancement and Backlog Reduction Program, to enhance laboratories’ capacity to process DNA samples.

    And this week, we awarded more than $4 million to Arkansas under the National Criminal History Improvement Program, which provides funding to states and localities to improve the quality, timeliness, and immediate accessibility of criminal history records and related information.

    Today’s grants are part of the more than $26 million that the Department is awarding to organizations and government agencies in Arkansas this month to support law enforcement activities and community initiatives.

    These funds will, among other things, help law enforcement agencies in Arkansas hire more officers, help to prevent and combat violent crime and drug trafficking, and improve services for survivors of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other crimes.

    We remain committed to providing our law enforcement and community partners with the resources they need to protect people across this District.

    The examples I have shared today are just a snapshot of the work this office is doing every day to protect communities in the Eastern District of Arkansas, and to fulfill the Justice Department’s mission to keep our country safe, to protect civil rights, and to uphold the rule of law.

    I am very proud of the public servants who make up this office. And I am equally proud of the relationships they have nurtured with the people and the agencies around this table, who are the Justice Department’s indispensable partners.

    I look forward to our meeting. Thank you.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO’s scientific cooperation with Azerbaijan

    Source: NATO

    On 25 and 26 September, a team from the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme was in Baku, Azerbaijan to review practical scientific cooperation and kick off a new research project focused on protecting critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks.

    Through the new project, contributors will develop a cyber platform that will allow organizations to train staff, test new technologies, and assess processes under pressure from simulated cyber-attacks. Over the next two years, the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest (Romania) and the Special Communication and Information Security State Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan will work together to bring this initiative to life. The aim is to help cyber defence teams better understand the vulnerabilities of Operational Technology systems so they can be better protected. These systems are the backbone of critical infrastructure such as power grids, water treatment plants, and transportation systems. 

    While in Baku, the NATO team also organized an Information Day at ADA University. It focused on NATO’s scientific cooperation activities involving Azerbaijan, and on encouraging new ideas involving the local research community. Over 40 participants from academia, as well as from Azerbaijan’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Defence participated in the event.

    NATO’s SPS Programme has a history of cooperation with Azerbaijan. Over the years, this has included activities focused on neutralising toxic rocket fuel left behind from Soviet times, securing energy infrastructure against seismic hazards, protecting cyber networks, and developing sensors for the detection of landmines and explosives. 

    Through its activities, the SPS Programme provides opportunities for academics, experts and officials in Azerbaijan, as well as other partner countries, to develop proposals for innovative scientific projects to be implemented with peers in NATO countries. Through these activities, participants exchange knowledge on security-related topics and build relationships that expand international scientific networks. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Creator of tool to protect DV victims wins national award

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Stacey Rothwell, Network Director for the Eastern Region Innovation has been working on Rapid Video Response (RVR.)

    The creator of an innovative tool to tackle domestic abuse and protect victims has won a national award for her work.

    Stacey Rothwell, Network Director for the Eastern Region Innovation was instrumental in the development and roll out of Rapid Video Response (RVR) – a secure technology which gives domestic violence victims video-based officer response in as little as three minutes.

    In the pilot area of Kent, the tool has significantly increased victim satisfaction and reduced anxiety, while from a policing perspective it has led to an increase in arrests and cut down on investigation time. 

    RVR has been given the seal of approval from the national VAWG Taskforce, who will oversee its national roll out, under the leadership of Assistant Chief Constable Sam Millar and Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe.

    The technology aims to put victims at the forefront and offer them a consistent service and a more efficient response. It also wants policing to measure performance based on victim satisfaction levels, and encourage further reporting of Domestic Abuse.

    Praising Stacey’s work, Professor Paul Taylor, Chief Scientific Adviser said:

    “Few examples in the public sector so crisply capture the value of science-led innovation than Rapid Video Response (RVR).

    “It uses secure technology to give domestic violence victims an immediate video-based officer response rather than a delayed physical response. By doing so, RVR reduces policing’s response time from around 33 hours to just three minutes.

    “This massively increases trust and confidence in policing, and for victims, it reduces anxiety. RVR improves evidence collection, reduces the length of primary investigations by around 40 per cent and has increased arrests by around 50 per cent. It also has the potential to save forces money in transportation and other costs.”

    He added: “The idea of RVR may seem obvious, yet Stacey deserves credit for her breakthrough because she recognised the problem and stepped up to lead a solution.

    “She undertook two randomised-control trials in Kent Police, with support of the Chief Officers, to show the value of RVR and the absence of negative consequences and then developed a blueprint to across the Eastern region initially. 

    “RVR has helped tens of thousands of women and girls suffering from domestic violence. With overseas forces expressing interest, this innovation is on course to be an international success.”

    Comments from the judges echoed Professor Taylor, stating Stacey’s work was a worthy winner due to ‘the efficient and rigorous process’ which was undertaken as well as the ‘significant impact’ made not only to the area of research, but to people’s lives.

    Stacey’s hard work and determination was recognised at the Government Science and Engineering (GSE) Awards, held at the Science Museum in South Kensington on September 18, where she took home the Innovation Award.

    The category recognises those who utilise and embed innovation within their ways of working in the public sector.

    If you would like to learn more about RVR you can read a detailed case study here and also watch a short video about the innovative tool.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Participation by the NATO Secretary General in a conversation at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York

    Source: NATO

    On Thursday, 26 September, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg participated in a conversation and Q&A session at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) in New York. The event – moderated by CFR board member and MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin – gathered an audience of policy experts, government officials, scholars, business leaders, media practitioners, and non-governmental organizations.

    Read the full transcript of the conversation here.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NPCC response to stalking super-complaint

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills responds to HMICFRS, IPOC and College of Policing’s findings into a super-complaint on stalking.

    Today (27 September), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the Independent Office for Police Conduct and College of Policing have published their findings into a super-complaint on stalking. The report makes recommendations for policing and wider criminal justice agencies to improve the response to victims of stalking.

    In 2022, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, on behalf of the National Stalking Consortium, submitted a super-complaint that raised concerns around the police response to stalking in England and Wales, including identifying and investigating stalking behaviours and ensuring protections for victims. 

    Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for stalking, said: “We welcome the recommendations made in the super-complaint and remain committed to doing everything possible to improve the policing response for victims of stalking. 

    “Stalking and harassment can have a devastating impact on victims. Our criminal justice system must recognise the damage and harm perpetrators cause and protect victims at the earliest opportunity. 

    “To effectively do this, policing must respond as part of a wider system approach. As the report highlights, police forces that have integrated multi-agency models to respond to reports of stalking have seen the best success at disrupting perpetrator behaviour and safeguarding victims.  

    “We must continue to drive best practice nationally across forces and ensure that police officers and staff have the right skills and resources to identify and investigate reports and provide support for victims through the criminal justice process.  

    “We are carefully working through the recommendations made for policing and will work closely with our partners across the criminal justice system and beyond to further improve and standardise the service victims receive.” 

    Policing is working hard to improve its response to stalking and harassment, which accounts for 40% of all offences related to violence against women and girls.

    • Each force has a dedicated stalking lead, and many have specialist advisors to support victims through the reporting stage and investigative process. 
    • Updated training and guidance for officers and staff has been implemented nationally, which focuses on better understanding stalking and harassment behaviours, the impact on victims and maximising existing police powers to effectively pursue offenders and safeguard victims. 
    • The introduction of a national stalking screening tool for front line officers – following a period of trial in selected forces – this new tool has been designed to support police responders to better identify whether a stalking crime is being presented, as opposed to a harassment, coercive and controlling behaviour, or malicious communications, to initiate urgent investigative action, implement safeguarding measures and safety planning processes, and to ensure referrals to the most appropriate support services are offered. 
    • We have been working with the Home Office to further embed Stalking Protection Orders with updated statutory guidance in relation to the standard of proof thresholds and improve the access to official SPO data on a more regular basis.
    • Working with Chief Constables and PCC’s to share the learning from multi-agency perpetrator programmes. 
    • Working in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to improve prosecution rates by refreshing the joint protocol on the appropriate handling of stalking or harassment offences between the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the CPS and supporting the development of the Domestic Abuse Joint Justice Plan principles to improve the response to both domestic and non-domestic stalking. 
    • Improving the available data concerning the incidence of stalking, to help target further improvement activity. 
    • We are working closely with stalking charities to better understand the experience of victims and drive improvements in the police response. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard returns 60 migrants to Dominican Republic following 2 interdictions near Puerto Rico

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    09/27/2024 08:15 AM EDT

    The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore returned 60 migrants to the Dominican Republic between Wednesday and Thursday, following two separate interdictions of irregular, unlawful maritime migration voyages in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico. Two of the interdicted migrants remain in U.S. custody to face federal prosecution by the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico on separate charges including attempted reentry into the United States subsequent to an aggravated felony under 8 U.S.C. 1326(b)(2), and failure to heave to under 8 U.S.C. 2237.

    For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA Director General at UN Summit of the Future and General Assembly

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi attended the UN Summit of the Future with world leaders in New York this week and addressed its Plenary meeting. The Summit adopted a “Pact for the Future” designed to improve the present and build a better future. Mr Grossi’s speech outlined how the IAEA is a concrete instrument that can help fulfilling the goals of the Pact. While in New York, Mr Grossi also held multiple meetings with world leaders to expand the work of the IAEA in using nuclear science and technology to further peace and development.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Around the Air Force: Air Force Reoptimization Progress and Space Force Development

    Source: United States Air Force

    In this week’s look around the Air Force, CSAF Gen. Allvin praises Airmen for embracing and advancing efforts to reoptimize the force, and CSO Gen. Chance Saltzman reflects on historical lessons to guide the future of the Space Force.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: SIOP microgrid study by NAVFAC EXWC to enhance energy resilience, mission assurance at naval shipyards

    Source: United States Navy

    WASHINGTON — Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) awarded Jacobs Engineering CH2M Hill/Clark Nexsen Energy Partners Joint Venture a $3.7 million contract for an electrical microgrid study as part of the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP) Sept. 13.

    The study, expected to be completed in October 2025, will assess all four public shipyards and develop proposed courses of action for ensuring up to 14 days of electrical power in the event of a power grid or utility outage. It will include assessing the technical, economic, and environmental feasibility of implementing a microgrid system to enhance energy efficiency, reliability, and resilience within shipyard facilities.

    “This study is foundational to providing energy resilience at our naval shipyards,” said Capt. Luke Greene, SIOP program manager. “Off-grid survivability is critical to maintain the shipyards’ operations under adverse conditions and deliver ships and submarines back to the fleet on time.”

    The study is part of SIOP’s holistic recapitalization effort that integrates all infrastructure and industrial plant equipment investments at the Navy’s four public shipyards to meet nuclear fleet maintenance requirements, as well as improve Navy maintenance capabilities by expanding shipyard capacity and optimizing shipyard configuration.

    Leveraging the structure and rigor of the Department of Defense’s Major Defense Acquisition Program process — a first for an infrastructure program — SIOP established infrastructure performance criteria to evaluate potential solutions to facilities challenges at the shipyards. These criteria include the ability to operate independently of the electrical grid for up to 14 days.

    To date, SIOP has completed 30 facilities projects totaling $867 million, with an additional 40 projects worth a total of $6 billion under contract. This includes four dry docks under construction. SIOP work continues to strengthen the naval shipyards’ resiliency in the face of sea level rise and other adverse conditions.

    NAVFAC EXWC, the specialized engineering support and contracting activity for the study, provides research, development, testing and evaluation; in-service engineering; and life-cycle management for shore, oceans, and expeditionary domains to accelerate innovation enabling fleet lethality both at sea and ashore.

    “This microgrid study will support infrastructure modernization of our naval shipyards by providing a course of action to increase resilience and provide uninterrupted critical power,” said Andy Vasquez, NAVFAC EXWC program manager. “NAVFAC EXWC is proud to provide the required specialized engineering services to support SIOP.”

    For more information about the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program, visit https://www.navfac.navy.mil/PEO-Industrial-Infrastructure/PMO-555-SIOP/.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Stick The Landing: VT Aviators Complete Carrier Qualifications Aboard IKE

    Source: United States Navy

    ATLANTIC OCEAN– The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) hosted student naval aviators from Training Air Wing (TW) 1 composed of Training Squadron (VT) 7 and VT-9 from Naval Air Station Meridian and TW-2 composed of VT-21 and VT-22 from Naval Air Station Kingsville, as a part of carrier qualification (CQ) training, Sep. 24, off the coast of Florida.

    For the VT students, CQs represents an important milestone in their training as it is the first time the students will land on an operational aircraft carrier.

    During the evolution, students completed 256 recoveries aboard IKE in T-45C Goshawk training aircraft. This evolution is the culmination of the advanced phase of strike pilot training. The success of the students will earn them their wings of gold and designation as naval aviators, setting them up to fill operational commands across the fleet.

    Throughout CQs, safety and emergency preparedness were paramount to both the student naval aviators and IKE personnel, especially those operating on the flight deck.

    “In preparing for this CQ process, we have done numerous briefs and [simulations] of the T-45 models,” said Lt. j.g. Terrance Wever, IKE’s flight deck officer. “We planned for 20 aircraft but ended up with 14, so we knew how to manage the flight deck and the real estate available to us. Ultimately, it’s on all of us to make sure we stop anything that is unsafe. We are preventative and not reactive.”

    In the air, the students’ safety is carefully managed. From the tower to the ground, a network of IKE personnel and VT instructors keep a close eye on the performance of the students.

    Despite oversight at every level, the instructors have a high level of trust in their students and expect a high level of performance.

    “If they’re having difficulty, we’ll talk to them in plain English,” said Lt. Cory “Venus” Morgan, a VT-7 landing signal officer. “Otherwise, it’s usually pretty silent; there’s not much noise. We’re letting them cook, so-to-speak; letting them get reps and sets, because they don’t know what to expect until after the first couple [of recoveries]. Then, they start to loosen up a bit and think ‘I can do this.’”

    Although the students are nearing the end of their advanced training pipeline, nerves are inevitable ahead of their first CQ. This is something even the most experienced pilots in the fleet can attest to.

    “The first few passes from behind the ship, I barely remember,” said Cmdr. Tyler “McGruber” McQuiggan, IKE’s air department head, also known as “Air Boss.” “My nerves were there and I realized after my first arrested landing, when my feet and hands were shaking from the gravity of what I had just accomplished. Your nerves start to cool over time but I don’t think you ever really get comfortable as a student out there.”

    In addition to technical support, instructors play a key role in helping the students manage their nerves during the evolution.

    “I think everyone is nervous going to the boat, especially if they haven’t done it in a while,” said Morgan. “It’s a healthy nervousness but we meter their nerves by emphasizing their training will set them up properly for landing on the boat.”

    While the students set their sights on earning their wings of gold, IKE’s air department continues to practice their warrior tradecraft at a high level behind the scenes.

    “Carrier aviation is always going to have risk and our job is to minimize the risk out here,” said McQuiggan. “We have to keep our head on a swivel, be safe and look out for one another.”

    With CQs in the rearview mirror, IKE will return to Naval Station Norfolk and begin preparation for a scheduled maintenance period.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Crackdown to tackle phone theft and robbery in Croydon

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met officers are tackling robbery and theft as part of their commitment to making Croydon safer by using precision policing to target offenders.

    Local teams have stepped up efforts to protect people who live, work and visit Croydon, responding to community concerns around pick pocketing, robbery and theft.

    With a laser like focus on CCTV footage and a drum beat of operations in robbery hotspots, officers are intensifying efforts to tackle these issues head on and take more criminals off the streets.

    Neighbourhood officers in Croydon have been encouraging victims to report robberies as they happen to allow for a quick time investigation. This early reporting has enabled officers to get to the scene promptly and start collecting crucial evidence. This significantly increases the likelihood of apprehending a suspect.

    Across Croydon and London more widely, officers are being deployed to areas with higher robbery crime rates. This deters criminals and makes officers more visibly available to members of the community. Plain clothed officers also patrol areas to identify any suspicious behaviour and make arrests.

    Chief Inspector James Weston said: “We understand the impact that robbery has on victims – it is invasive and frightening. That’s why our teams are working so hard to deter and catch offenders to reassure our local community.

    “Thanks to the hard work of officers, our partners and community grassroots organisations, we are stepping up our efforts and tackling the issues that matter most to the people of Croydon.”

    Recent prosecutions in Croydon demonstrate officer’s success in bringing offenders to justice.

    Teens prosecuted for spree of Croydon robberies

    Two teenagers aged 16 and 17 – and who cannot be named for legal reasons – pleaded guilty to counts of robbery, attempted robbery and attempted grievous bodily harm.

    This followed an investigation into a spree of robberies across Croydon and Bromley on Monday, 5 August. A coordinated effort was undertaken to identify the teenagers following one report, where a victim was robbed at knifepoint. Officers immediately began to investigate, with officers recovering two discarded kitchen knives and analysing hours’ worth of CCTV.

    Once identified, detectives tracked back through recent robbery reports on the day of the original offence, as well as reports from previous days. This involved analysing phone records to show the pair were present at the locations of the reported robberies. Detectives used this evidence to prove that the pair were responsible for eight other robberies across the south London area.

    Phone snatcher brought to justice

    In a similar fast-time case concerning multiple victims, a man was arrested following a succession of robberies in Croydon and Lambeth

    On Wednesday, 6 March 2024 a woman in Croydon had her iPhone snatched out of her hands by an offender on a push bike. The woman reported the incident to Croydon Police Station.

    Less than an hour later, a report came into police that another victim had had their phone stolen while they waited for a bus.

    The man was arrested following a swift police response, with officers using real-time phone tracking data to locate him. Officers identified him the same day, where he was still in possession of the stolen phones.

    While arresting him, officers also recovered a stolen motorbike.

    Amari Scott, 20 (06.08.2004) of Wrythe Lane, Sutton was sentenced to four years in a Young Offender’s Institution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO boosts cooperation amongst Schools for Non-Commissioned Officers

    Source: NATO

    NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) organised the 3rd Annual Conference of Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) Academies and Schools, from 16 to 19 September 2024, in Batumi, Georgia. The event was held in cooperation with the Partnership for Peace Consortium of Defence Academies and Security Studies Institutes and the Defence Forces of Georgia, with well over 80 participants from more than 30 countries.

    Participants included high level officials, such as NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations, Burcu San, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia, Alexander Vinnikov, and the Deputy Chief of the Georgian General Staff, Major General Zaza Chkhaidze, as well as commandants and senior enlisted leaders, and senior instructors of Schools for Non-Commissioned Officers from both NATO Allies and partners. Representatives from Malawi and Columbia also participated for the first time.

    They discussed a range of issues, including the preparation of NCO specialists and the education of young generations of NCOs, as well as various initiatives run by NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme in the domain of NCOs’ development. They also received an update from representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the role performed by their NCOs corps in defending against Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

    Non-commissioned officers are vital to the effectiveness and resilience of modern militaries, as they provide critical role-models for service members and support the development of military education systems.

    This year’s conference in Georgia built on two previous conferences hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The Conference of NCO Academies and Schools was established by NATO’s DEEP Team as a platform to enable these institutions to communicate, synchronise curricula, and share best practices.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Digby — Digby RCMP charge man with sexual offences related to child pornography investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Digby RCMP has charged a man with multiple sexual offences targeting young people as part of an investigation related to suspected possession and distribution of child pornography.

    In March, investigators with Digby RCMP received a report of a device suspected to contain child pornography. The following investigation, led by Digby RCMP General Investigative Section (GIS), included the execution of multiple search warrants on phones and computers. Officers identified adult and youth victims and witnesses in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, British Columbia, and the United States.

    Keegan Hamilton, 25, of Port Lorne, has been charged with 19 offences, including Sexual Assault, Distribution of Child Pornography, Arrangement or Agreement to Commit Sexual Offence Against Child, Bestiality, and Failure to Comply with Probation Order.

    Hamilton most recently appeared at Digby Provincial Court on September 11. He was released on conditions pending an upcoming court appearance on November 6. His conditions include that he cannot possess a phone or other device capable of accessing the internet and he cannot communicate with or be in the presence of anyone known to be under age 16.

    Digby RCMP have appreciated partnership from other units and police agencies that supported this investigation. Since March, investigators from the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking units and the RCMP Interview Assistance Team in Nova Scotia have been engaged as well as Victim Services, Codiac RCMP Further Investigation Team in New Brunswick, Prince George RCMP GIS in BC, and the US Department of Homeland Security.

    If you are experiencing, or have experienced, gender-based violence, including sexual assault, you are not alone. The elimination of gender-based violence continues to be a priority for the Nova Scotia RCMP, and the RCMP employs a trauma-informed approach. Survivors of gender-based violence can contact us and discuss an incident before deciding to further participate in the investigation and court process. Survivor supports are available, including through the RCMP Victim Services program. The RCMP encourages citizens to be a voice for children who are victims of sexual exploitation by reporting suspected offences to their local police or by using Canada’s national tip line: www.cybertip.ca.

    Officers believe there are more victims associated to this investigation. Anybody with information is asked to contact Digby RCMP at 902-245-2579 or reach out to other supports and resources in the community. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

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