NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: HAWTHORNE MAN CHARGED WITH DRUG AND FIREARM OFFENSES

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

    GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – William Hernandez, 27, of Hawthorne, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possessing with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.

    Hernandez is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida on July 29, 2025, at 2:15 p.m.

    If convicted, Hernandez faces up to life imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gainesville Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Adam Hapner.

    An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: HAWTHORNE MAN CHARGED WITH DRUG AND FIREARM OFFENSES

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

    GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – William Hernandez, 27, of Hawthorne, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possessing with the intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.

    Hernandez is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida on July 29, 2025, at 2:15 p.m.

    If convicted, Hernandez faces up to life imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gainesville Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Adam Hapner.

    An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Monmouth County, New Jersey, Man Admits to Armed Bank Robbery

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County man admitted to armed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Jeffrey L. Kniffin, 51, of Wall Township, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi on July 22, 2025, to a one-count Information charging him with armed bank robbery.

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

    On October 23, 2024, Kniffin entered a bank in Wall Township, New Jersey armed with a loaded handgun, approached a bank teller, and demanded cash from the teller. After demanding the money, Kniffin removed the handgun from his pocket and displayed it towards the teller. During his interaction with the teller, Kniffin instructed multiple times, “Don’t do anything stupid.” Kniffin received approximately $27,072 in cash from the teller and then fled the bank. He was apprehended and arrested by law enforcement several minutes later. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement recovered from Kniffin and his immediate surroundings a loaded firearm and more than $25,000 in cash.

    The count of armed bank robbery carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for November 24, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited task force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Wall Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean O’Halloran, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation.

    The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.

                                                                                       ###

    Defense counsel: John M. Holliday, Esq.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illinois Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    HAMMOND – Yesterday, Kareim J. Coverson, 37 years old, of Calumet City, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Phillip P. Simon after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.

    Coverson was sentenced to 41 months in prison, 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $614,597.50 in restitution to the victims of the offense.

    According to documents in the case, between approximately May 2019 and June 2020, Coverson participated in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $3.3 million from the proceeds of large business checks stolen out of the mail.  Coverson and his co-conspirators registered fictitious corporations with the Indiana and Illinois Secretaries of State, opened fraudulent corporate bank accounts, and deposited the stolen checks into the fraudulent accounts.  The actions of Coverson and his associates resulted in an unrecovered loss of over $1 million to the affected businesses and financial institutions.

    Coverson is the last of 10 defendants to be convicted and sentenced in this case and a related prosecution arising from the same scheme.   In April 2024, Coverson’s brother, Oliver Coverson, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for his role as the organizer of the scheme.  Earlier this year, Defendant Scott Vue received a prison sentence of 51 months for his role in the offense, which included opening fraudulent bank accounts, depositing stolen checks, and recruiting additional participants to the conspiracy.

    “The Coverson brothers and their associates assembled a large criminal conspiracy that caused millions of dollars of harm to businesses and banks throughout the United States.  These defendants stole from small and large businesses alike, disrupting the flow of commerce, and compromising the mail and financial systems on which everyday Americans rely to conduct their business,” said Proctor.  “As the court’s sentences in this case demonstrate, such conduct is not tolerated in the Northern District of Indiana and will be met with serious consequences.”   

    This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Swatting Charges

    Source: US FBI

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Evan Strauss, 27, of Moneta, Virginia, pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. 

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to the guilty plea, Strauss helped create and operate an online group known as “Purgatory.”  The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting and doxxing activities and to announce and brag about swats that they conducted.  

    “Swatting” is a term used to describe a criminal incident in which an individual contacts emergency services and falsely reports an emergency, often involving an act of violence that reportedly has or will occur at a particular location to elicit an armed law enforcement response to that location.  “Doxxing” is a term used to describe the practice of — searching for and publishing on the Internet — personal, private, or identifying information about an individual with malicious intent, such as providing the information for the purpose of facilitating the swatting of the individual.

    From December 10, 2023, through January 18, 2024, Strauss and his co-conspirators, including a co-conspirator who resided in Hagerstown, Maryland, and made calls from Maryland, placed swatting calls to police and other emergency response departments. One or more of the conspirators, acting with the intent to threaten, intimidate, and harass individuals and entities, falsely reported emergencies in the form of violent acts at particular locations to cause armed law enforcement responses.

    Strauss and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to plan and coordinate their conduct. They then called police departments using Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services to obscure their phone numbers and identities.

    As part of the scheme, Strauss called the Newark Delaware Police Department and falsely claimed that he heard a man firing shots in a school hallway. Moments later, the Maryland co-conspirator called the department again, threatening to shoot a specific Newark High School teacher and kill students. As a result of these calls, which occurred in the middle of the school day, authorities placed the school on lockdown as police officers rushed to respond. Later the same day, Strauss and other conspirators bragged about the incident and posted images from the resulting news coverage onto their group’s social media accounts.

    Strauss encouraged a Purgatory conspirator to “shut down” an airport. Following Strauss’ urging, the conspirator used a VOIP number to call the Albany Police Department in Albany, New York, stating he was going to the Albany International Airport to “shoot everybody up” and that his “friend” was going to set off bombs in the airport. Police units then rushed to respond to these threats.

    Additionally, as part of this scheme, the Maryland co-conspirator called the Houston County Sheriff’s Office in Dothan, Alabama, and threatened to burn down part of a residential trailer park and kill any law enforcement officers who arrived to respond to the threat.

    Strauss faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening to damage or destroy by fire or explosive and a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats.  Co-conspirators Brayden Grace, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, and Owen Jarboe, 19, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty earlier this year and are awaiting sentencing.

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, November 6, at 10 a.m.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Winner, South Dakota, Man Guilty of Sex Trafficking of Children and Production of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Richard Alan Kucera, age 67, of Winner, South Dakota, was found guilty of two counts of Sex Trafficking of a Child and two counts of Production of Child Pornography following a four-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on July 18, 2025.

    Each count of Sex Trafficking of a Child carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Each count of Production of Child Pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

    Kucera and co-defendant Ivy Heron, age 37, also of Winner, South Dakota, were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.

    At trial, the evidence established that between 2019 and 2021, Kucera and Heron entered into an agreement to recruit local girls to engage in sexual activity with Kucera in exchange for payment.  Heron received a fee for each girl she recruited whom Kucera selected. Between 2020 and 2021, Heron recruited two sixteen-year-old girls, each of whom Kucera paid to engage in sexual activity.  Kucera also created child pornography images and videos of both minor victims, which he uploaded to Facebook. The arrangement between Kucera and Heron was discovered in June 2022, when the minor victims were interviewed by law enforcement.

    Heron pleaded guilty on April 9, 2025, to Conspiracy to Engage in Sex Trafficking of a Child.  She is in custody awaiting sentencing.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.   

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

    A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not yet been set. Kucera was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Two teenagers jailed for the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa following a dedicated Met investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two teenagers, who brutally stabbed a 14-year-old boy, have been jailed after detectives from the Metropolitan Police Service conducted a thorough investigation. Following the sentencing hearing, the victim’s mother made a heart-rendering plea for young teenagers to stop carrying knives as she spoke of her immense grief.

    Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed by the pair as he was sat on a bus in Woolwich in January of this year. Despite the best efforts from officers and paramedics at the scene, Kelyan tragically lost his young life.

    Two 16-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were both sentenced at the Old Bailey to a minimum of 15 years, 10 months for murder. They received an additional 12-month sentence for possession of a knife which will run concurrent.

    The teenagers previously pleaded guilty to Keyan’s murder at the same court on Friday, 23 May.

    Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, whose team led the Met investigation, said: “This case has been deeply troubling for all involved and our thoughts remain with Kelyan’s family and loved ones.

    “The harsh reality in London is that violence disproportionately affects young black men and boys. The fact we’re seeing so many teenagers like Kelyan die should be at the forefront of the minds of every politician, every policy maker and everyone who wants better for children growing up in London. Without this collective effort, we won’t be able to tackle knife crime in its entirety.

    “And while I am pleased that Keylan’s mother, Marie, has been spared the emotional turmoil of a trial, I know that she still desperately seeks to understand why three young lives could be considered so disposable.

    “Finally, I would like to recognise the members of the public that comforted Kelyan in his final moments and the witnesses who entrusted my investigation team with their testimonies. It was your bravery that helped us secure justice. Thank you.”

    Marie Bokassa, Kelyan’s mother, said: “My child had a name, it was Kelyan, a future, a heartbeat full of hope. That life was not theirs to take. That moment of violence may have lasted seconds, but the consequences are eternal. They didn’t just take a life; they shattered an entire world. They broke a family, they buried a future, and they left me, a mother dead inside with wounds no justice can ever heal.

    “To the young people who carry knives, I beg you to stop, before you raise that blade, think of your own mother, think of the mothers who will cry every night like I do, who will scream into her pillow, who will walk past her child’s empty room and collapse with grief. Don’t let a moment of anger steal your future. Don’t let the streets raise you in a way your mother never would.

    “Knife crime is not just statistics to us, its caskets, flowers, funerals. Our children being buried before their parents.”

    On the afternoon of Tuesday, 7 January, passengers flagged down passing police officers after Kelyan was stabbed on bus travelling on Woolwich Church Street. These officers began performing emergency first-aid on Kelyan, before the arrival of paramedics. He sadly died a short while later.

    An investigation commenced and detectives quickly recovered bus CCTV and witnessed the two teenagers board the bus, making their way to the top deck.

    One of the 16-year-old boys could be seen smiling as he recognised Kelyan. Only seconds later both boys produced machetes and launched into a violent ambush.

    Kelyan has been stabbed more than eight times, although CCTV showed that they had made more than 27 attempts to wound him.

    Audio from the bus highlighted the terror of the incident as screams from members of the public could be heard, as many attempted to flea the frenzied attack.

    The pair then fled the scene. Officers traced their movements, with CCTV showing them discard the murder weapon into the river.

    Following a manhunt, both were arrested an address in Eltham during the early hours of Wednesday, 15 January.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts a Texas Man of Sexually Assaulting a Female Passenger Onboard a Commercial Airline Flight

    Source: US FBI

    Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict today against a Texas man after he grabbed and groped a female passenger multiple times without her consent while onboard a late-night flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City.

    Robert Sutherland MacLean, aka “Bobby,” 59, of Frisco, Texas, was charged by indictment on April 18, 2023, with abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft of the United States.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on March 1, 2022, while in flight, MacLean made calculated and sexually laced statements to a stranger seated next to him while he sexually assaulted her multiple times in the first-class cabin.

    “Mr. MacLean unlawfully and illegally imposed his will upon another person— sexually assaulting her over and over again on that late night flight,” said prosecuting attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, during the trial.

    MacLean’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 1, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. 

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and assisted by the Salt Lake City Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Kennedy and Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. 
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Officer dismissed for touching colleague in a sexual manner

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A serving Met police officer has been dismissed without notice after he touched a colleague in a sexual manner.

    Detective Sergeant Christopher Arnold, attached to Met Operations, appeared before a three-day hearing, which concluded on Wednesday, 23 July.

    It was found that DS Arnold had breached the standards of professional behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct.

    These breaches amounted to gross misconduct.

    The panel heard that on 22 July 2021 an allegation was made that DS Arnold had intentionally touched a female officer on her buttock.

    Commander Lou Pudefoot, who leads Met Operations said: “The actions of DS Arnold were completely inappropriate and his behaviour fell well below the standards expected of a Metropolitan Police officer. He has rightly been dismissed.”

    DS Christopher Arnold will now be added to the Barred List held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies, the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals and Memphis Police Arrest Fugitive Wanted for 2018 Murder

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Memphis, TN – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), assisted by the Memphis Police Department’s Fugitive Apprehension Team and TACT Unit, captured Dakarin Arnett, 23, who was wanted for First-Degree Murder.

    On September 23, 2018, Jerald Holiday, Jr., was found shot to death at the intersection of Kaye Road and White Station in Memphis, TN. After an investigation by MPD Detectives, on March 16, 2022, a First-Degree Murder warrant was issued for Arnett’s arrest, who was then 16 years old.

    Arnett also had outstanding warrants for Aggravated Assault and Domestic Assault. The fugitive case was adopted for investigation by the USMS Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Memphis.

    On July 24, 2025, the TRVFTF developed information that Arnett was at a residence in the 1800 block of Wessex in Memphis. Deputy marshals, task force officers, MPD’s Fugitive and TACT Unit went to the residence and took Arnett into custody without incident.

    The U.S. Marshals Service Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Gibson County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis and Jackson Police Officers, Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Since 2021, the TRVFTF has captured over 3,000 violent offenders and sexual predators.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo, Texas, Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Smuggling Over 100 Illegal Aliens in Locked Trailer

    Source: US FBI

    LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old resident of Laredo has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Juan Manuel Aguirre pleaded guilty Feb. 6.

    U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Aguirre to serve 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered Aguirre’s history of smuggling aliens on multiple occasions and the danger he posed by transporting them in a sealed, locked, dark and unventilated trailer that required authorities to open with a bolt cutter. 

    “Human smuggling is an incredibly dangerous enterprise, and it requires the trafficker to care absolutely nothing about the lives and safety of those they transport,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, there were no deaths in this case, but the underlying facts indicate that several of those transported had difficulty breathing and feared for their life. The Southern District of Texas will make sure that all human smugglers pay a serious price for their callousness.”

    On Dec. 2, 2024, law enforcement observed several individuals being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. Aguirre was the driver of the truck hauling it. After he departed the location, authorities conducted a traffic stop which resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, 13 of whom were children as young as 13 years old.

    Multiple illegal aliens reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer. They were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Honduras.

    Aguirre will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo, Texas, Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Smuggling Over 100 Illegal Aliens in Locked Trailer

    Source: US FBI

    LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old resident of Laredo has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Juan Manuel Aguirre pleaded guilty Feb. 6.

    U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Aguirre to serve 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered Aguirre’s history of smuggling aliens on multiple occasions and the danger he posed by transporting them in a sealed, locked, dark and unventilated trailer that required authorities to open with a bolt cutter. 

    “Human smuggling is an incredibly dangerous enterprise, and it requires the trafficker to care absolutely nothing about the lives and safety of those they transport,” said Ganjei. “Fortunately, there were no deaths in this case, but the underlying facts indicate that several of those transported had difficulty breathing and feared for their life. The Southern District of Texas will make sure that all human smugglers pay a serious price for their callousness.”

    On Dec. 2, 2024, law enforcement observed several individuals being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. Aguirre was the driver of the truck hauling it. After he departed the location, authorities conducted a traffic stop which resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, 13 of whom were children as young as 13 years old.

    Multiple illegal aliens reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer. They were from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba and Honduras.

    Aguirre will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Mafia and Tango Laredo Gang Members Sentenced to Decades for Prison Assault

    Source: US FBI

    LAREDO, Texas – Four gang members have been sentenced for their roles in an assault at the Rio Grande Detention Center, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Mexican national Jose Regalado-Solis, 47; and Ruben Salazar, 52, Javier Contreras, 48, and Jesus Guadalupe Ortega, 31, all of Laredo, pleaded guilty Aug. 24, 2024, to conspiracy to commit assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Regalado-Solis also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon.

    Senior U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Regalado-Solis to serve a total of 144 months in federal prison. Salazar and Contreras each received a 60-month sentence, while Ortega was sentenced to 72 months. At the hearing, the court considered written victim statements as well as in-court testimony from one of the victims. All detailed the extensive injuries and ongoing medical issues resulting from the assault. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ellison noted that he had been on the bench for 26 years called it the “most serious case of prison gang violence I have seen.” He also added that the case justified a maximum sentence, noting the serious nature of the injuries, the unprovoked assault and the gang motivation on the part of the defendants that fueled it.

    “Ensuring that criminals refrain from violent conduct while in custody is just as important as ensuring they refrain from violence outside prison walls,” said Ganjei. “Hopefully the defendants in this case are enjoying their time behind bars, because they just earned themselves many more years in the federal pen.”

    On Aug. 18, 2023, authorities were processing nine new inmates at the facility.

    Ortega approached the newly arrived inmates and asked their gang affiliation. Upon hearing their responses, he ordered them to line up along the back wall of the housing unit. Other inmates then ran back to their bunks and began putting on their shoes. Regalado-Solis obtained a “shank” from his bunk and walked back towards the new inmates. Salazar lined up behind Regalado-Solis, while Javier Contreras stood in a nearby row of bunk beds.

    As the lights went off in the unit, Regalado-Solis and others to assault eight of the new inmates who indicated alternative gang affiliations. He kicked, stomped and made stabbing gestures. While Salazar did not join the initial assault, he was later seen striking and kicking the new inmates on the ground. Contreras immediately rushed into the assault and was observed striking and kicking several as well.

    Authorities were able to quickly disperse the assault, but not before the eight victims sustained significant injuries, including puncture wounds. Two required emergency transportation to Laredo Medical Center.

    One new inmate who did not claim gang membership was unharmed.

    All have been and will remain in custody.

    The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation with the cooperation of The Geo Group. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Homero Ramirez and Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Volleyball Coach Sentenced to 33 Years for Using His Position to Sexually Abuse More Than a Dozen Victims

    Source: US FBI

    MINNEAPOLIS – Dorian Christopher Barrs, 33, was sentenced yesterday to 400 months in prison for production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

    “Barrs didn’t just break the law—he shattered the trust placed in him by parents, schools, and the girls he coached and was supposed protect,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “This was a deliberated and calculated abuse of power. And it is part of a broader crisis we are facing in Minnesota. Coaches, state troopers, daycare workers, federal agents, and state senators—case after case of people who hold positions of trust and authority preying on children. It is the ultimate betrayal of power and it demands the full force of federal prosecution. To be clear, while I am tired of seeing these cases, this office will not slow down. If you hold a position of trust or authority and harm a child: we will find you, we will expose you, and you will see federal justice.”

    According to court documents, for nearly a decade, Barrs used his position as a volleyball coach to prey on and sexually abuse his players and other victims, as young as 14-years-old.

    Barrs coached volleyball for Maple Grove High School and club volleyball programs and also coached players in private lessons. Barrs used social media to groom, sexually exploit, and abuse young, impressionable, and vulnerable girls for his sexual gratification. Often, Barrs used another minor’s identity to “catfish” his unsuspecting victims, wearing them down or removing their defenses. Barrs sent hundreds of messages to his victims, frequently steering conversations to sexualized topics in a short amount of time. Barrs was a master manipulator. His scheme was simple and horrible. He built relationships with his minor victims with one goal in mind: his sexual gratification. His gratification came in both the production and receipt of sexually explicit images and videos, as well as sexual acts with at least five of the minor victims. Unfortunately, as he took advantage of his position as a volleyball coach—and ultimately these girls—Barrs’s scheme was frighteningly successful. To date, the government has identified at least 19 minor victims who Barrs victimized in his scheme, 14 of whom were being coached by Barrs.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel sentenced the defendant to 400 months—33 years—of imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In handing down her sentenced, Judge Brasel said, “This case represents every parent’s nightmare.”  She noted that “The defendant abused a position of trust for both the victims and their families.”  Judge Brasel explained, “Sometimes sports are the only lifeline for a child with a bad situation at home, which is ironic because the defendant knows how important sports were in his own life, so it’s even more unfathomable what he did in this case.”

    “The 33-year prison sentence in this case serves as a stern warning to those who prey upon and sexually exploit children for their own gratification,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Dorian Barrs, a youth volleyball coach, egregiously abused his position of trust for over a decade, coercing vulnerable young girls into sexual activities. The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting children within our communities. We take great pride in our collaborative efforts with local authorities  throughout this investigation.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office commends the bravery of the victims in this case. In 2024, one victim told her parents what was happening and then contacted law enforcement. This was the first step in unraveling Barrs’s crimes. More victims then came forward, which allowed law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to piece together the scope of this horrifying scheme and bring Barrs to justice. To the survivors: your courage in coming forward is the reason this predator was held accountable. And your strength protected other girls from ever experiencing Barrs’s abuse.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Carver County’s Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Micheal Ward charged with rape and sexual assault by the Met Police

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the Metropolitan Police Service to charge a man following an investigation by detectives.

    The Met has charged Micheal Ward, 27 (18.11.1997) of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, with two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

    The offences relate to one woman and are reported to have taken place in January 2023.

    Detective Superintendent Scott Ware, whose team is leading the Met’s investigation, said: “Our specialist officers continue to support the woman who has come forward – we know investigations of this nature can have significant impact on those who make reports.”

    Micheal Ward will appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 28 August.

    We urge responsible reporting in line with guidance from the Attorney General’s Office. Editors, publishers, and social media users should take legal advice to ensure they are in a position to fully comply with the obligations to which they are subject under the common law and Contempt of Court Act 1981.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jonesboro Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine

    Source: US FBI

          JONESBORO—Thomas Demetrius Williams, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 216 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on Monday, July 21, 2025, by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall Jr.

          On April 29, 2024, Williams, 41, of Jonesboro, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Judge Marshall also sentenced Williams to five years’ supervised release. Williams was indicted on April 2, 2024, in a second superseding indictment, on two counts of felon in possession of a firearm, two counts of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

          On October 12, 2021, law enforcement officers received information that Williams was in possession of a large amount of methamphetamine. An investigation revealed that Williams was on parole with an active search waiver on file. As law enforcement officers approached Williams’ residence he shared with his girlfriend to conduct a parole search, they observed three vehicles in the driveway. While at the residence, law enforcement officers observed the girlfriend and a small child in the grey vehicle in the driveway. The girlfriend stated the vehicle belonged to Williams. At that time, law enforcement officers circled the block and when they arrived back at Williams’ residence, they observed the white vehicle that had previously been in the driveway was no longer there.

          During a parole search of Williams’ residence, law enforcement officers located a debit card in Williams’ name. While awaiting the arrival of a canine officer, Williams was observed driving by his residence in the white vehicle. Not long afterwards, Williams stopped his vehicle and made contact with the law enforcement officers at his residence. Upon arrival of the canine officer, it was deployed to search the area. The canine officer alerted to the presence of narcotics in the grey vehicle. Law enforcement officers searched the grey vehicle and located the bag the girlfriend had been carrying. During a search of the bag, it was revealed to contain 730.4 grams of pure methamphetamine, 299.5 grams of marijuana, 19.7651 grams of ecstasy pills, 4.7289 grams of oxycodone pills, $1,999 in cash, and a stolen Ruger, LCP .380 firearm.

          Williams was sentenced as a Career Offender on the drug conviction due to his criminal history that includes aggravated assault, three domestic battery convictions, a terroristic threatening conviction, three serious drug convictions, drug trafficking convictions, and felon in possession of firearm convictions. There is no parole in the federal system.

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

          The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Madera, California, School Executive Charged with Stealing Federal Funds From Charter School for Disadvantaged K–8th Graders

    Source: US FBI

    On July 17, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a sealed indictment charging Nicholas M. Retana, 67, of Madera, with one count of embezzling money from a program that received federal funding, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

    On Monday the indictment was unsealed and Retana was arraigned.

    According to court documents, Retana was the founder and executive director of a kindergarten through 8th grade charter school in Madera County until early 2020. As executive director, Retana used school funds on improper personal expenses for himself, his family, and associates. He concealed the misused funds by mislabeling the expenses in school accounting records and misrepresenting the expenses when asked. For example, Retana purchased new Ford F-150 Raptor pickup trucks for his two sons using school funds. He also had a personal relationship with a self-proclaimed sex worker turned relationship coach whom he paid $12,000 using school funds.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Retana faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former East Bay Financial Advisor Charged with Allegedly Operating Long-Running $9.5 Million Ponzi Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted Edwin Emmett Lickiss, Jr., on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering in connection with an alleged $9.5 million investment fraud scheme.  

    According to the indictment filed on July 17, 2025, and unsealed today, between 1998 and September 2024, Lickiss, 77, was a financial advisor based in Danville and Alamo, Calif., who owned and operated Foundation Financial Group, a firm that provided investment services to investors in the Northern District of California, Idaho, and throughout the United States.  Lickiss was a registered broker until 2014, when the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority suspended his broker’s license.  Despite the suspension and loss of his broker’s license, Lickiss allegedly continued to solicit and obtain investments from victim investors until around September 2024.  

    The indictment alleges that as part of his scheme, Lickiss falsely represented to investors that he would invest their funds in government bonds and other bonds.  To induce his victims to invest their money with him, Lickiss claimed he had exclusive access to fictitious bonds that paid very high rates of returns, including rates in excess of 20 percent.  Lickiss described the fictitious bonds as safe, secure, and tax-free, and falsely claimed, among other things, that they could be redeemed at any time.  

    In order to convince investors that he had invested their funds as promised, Lickiss allegedly gave fraudulent promissory notes that included the terms of the fake bond investments and purported to track investors’ total investment in the fake bonds.  Lickiss also occasionally made lulling payments to victim investors, falsely describing the payments as interest that had accrued on the nonexistent bonds, when, in fact, the payments were made with funds Lickiss fraudulently obtained from subsequent victim investors.  In addition to making the foregoing misrepresentations, Lickiss allegedly failed to disclose to victim investors that he had been suspended in 2014 from association with any broker-dealer and that he subsequently lost his broker’s license in 2016.

    Instead of investing the funds as promised, Lickiss allegedly used victim investors’ funds to pay earlier investors, in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and for his personal use, including cash withdrawals, home renovations, travel, and car, mortgage, and personal credit card payments.  In all, Lickiss allegedly obtained at least $9.5 million from no fewer than 50 victim investors.  

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.

    Lickiss is scheduled to make his initial appearance on July 22, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins in Courtroom F in San Francisco.

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.  Defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the wire fraud count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the money laundering count.  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has also filed a civil enforcement action against Lickiss in the Northern District of California.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Arash Rezaei and Benjamin J. Wolinsky are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the Atlanta Regional Office of the SEC for its assistance in the investigation.

    Lickiss Indictment
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Conspiracy Ringleader of $78 Million Diverted Prescription Drug Operation Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – Stephen Costa, 40, was sentenced to fourteen years in prison after pleading guilty to his leadership role in a conspiracy that distributed thousands of bottles of diverted pharmaceutical drugs, many intended for HIV and cancer patients, into the legitimate supply chain around the United States.

    According to court documents, Costa was the architect of a scheme, which resulted in the prosecution of 20 defendants in a series of superseding indictments issued between 2019 and 2024. The conspiracy originated in early 2013, when Costa began acquiring licensed pharmaceutical wholesale companies using the names of recruited associates, and established new corporations to distribute the drugs he acquired. Several of Costa’s accomplices were individuals he had previously conspired with in a similar scheme based in New York and others he had known from other businesses or high school.

    Once Costa had control of these companies, he purchased diverted drugs from suppliers he had worked with before and directed his co-conspirators on how to price, market, sell, and distribute the drugs. These diverted drugs were ultimately funneled to legitimate pharmacies around the country.

    Costa continued to expand the Miami-based conspiracy even after his conviction in the New York scheme. Before reporting to prison to serve his sentence, Costa facilitated the introduction of his primary supplier of diverted pharmaceuticals to a co-conspirator to perpetuate the operation during his imprisonment. Costa received several payments from the proceeds of his co-conspirator’s continuing operation.

    In total, approximately $78 million worth of diverted drugs were sold to unsuspecting patients, believing their medications had been shipped directly from legitimate manufacturers—not purchased on the streets and repackaged under false labeling. The criminal operation was shut down in May 2019 through a joint effort by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), and FBI Miami.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Maximillian Pagano of the FDA-OCI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Tamen prosecuted the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.

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

    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 19-cr-20674.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Deputy Charged with Receipt and Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US FBI

    MIAMI – Carle Miranda Blum, 51, a sworn uniformed deputy with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, was arrested today following the filing of a federal complaint charging her with receipt of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors and production of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors.

    According to the complaint, Blum received multiple videos and images of the victim, who was 17 years old at the time, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In the spring of 2025, Blum traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, where she recorded multiple videos of herself engaging in sex acts with the then-minor victim.

    The charge of production of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors carries a mandatory-minimum of 15 years in prison and a statutory maximum of up to 30 years. The charge of receipt of visual depictions involving the sexual exploitation of minors carries a mandatory-minimum of 5 years in prison and a statutory maximum of up to 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office provided assistance in the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and FBI Atlanta assisted in Blum’s apprehension and arrest.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilana R. Malkin and Major Crimes Deputy Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Astigarraga are prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate better, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org. The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration, or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential, and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously.

    “To report online child sexual exploitation, use the electronic Cyber Tip Line or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in partnership with the HSI and other law enforcement agencies.”

    To learn more about the National Resource Hotline, visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-mj-02786.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Major Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Supplier Sentenced to 145 Months

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

    Andora Smith Conspired with Others to Traffic Drugs From Kentucky into Southwest Virginia

    ABINGDON, Va. – A major supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl, who conspired with others to traffic over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl into Southwest Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 145 months in federal prison.

    Andora Lee Smith, 62, of Whitesburg, Kentucky, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

    Smith conspired with others, including Eric Coffey, Daniel Hafemeister, Michael Hicks, Cody Rose, and Ashley Beverly Jr., to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Southwest Virginia.

    Most of Smith’s distributions took place at her Kentucky residence, where she kept multiple pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl and distributed ounce-plus quantities at a time to her customers.  Smith also delivered drugs to Virginia and routinely traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, to obtain quantities of xylazine and fentanyl (“black”) for distribution.

    Smith worked as a teacher at Norton Elementary School and John I. Burton High School in Norton, Virginia, for 15 years prior to committing her crimes.

    C. Todd Gilbert, United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Southwest Drug Task Force, Kentucky State Police, and Wise County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Busscher prosecuted the case for the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mobile Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

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

    MOBILE, AL – Joseph Ambrose Wilburn, Jr., of Mobile, Alabama, was sentenced to 156 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. 

    According to court documents, on April 11, 2024, the Mobile Police Department received information about an active arrest warrant for Wilburn in connection to him using a firearm to kidnap and sexually assault a woman.  Later that day, Wilburn was stopped pursuant to a traffic stop where he was found to be in possession of two additional firearms.  Wilburn has multiple prior felony convictions including multiple convictions of Domestic Violence – Assault, and convictions of Criminal Trespass, Possession/Receipt of a Controlled Substance, and Reckless Endangerment, among others. As a convicted felon, Wilburn is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    Wilburn was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty to the charge.  United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moore sentenced Wilburn to 156 months in prison followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for illegally possessing the firearm.

    U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill and Jimmy L. Thomas prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harrold Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person

    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. Shulte has sentenced a man from Harrold, South Dakota, who was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.

    Jerrod Fallis, age 47, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture of the firearm and silencer was also ordered.

    Fallis was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 17, 2025.

    On December 8, 2023, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle driven by Fallis. During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered a Rock River Arms AR15 rifle, silencer, and methamphetamine paraphernalia. Fallis is prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior state felony drug convictions.

    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.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Hyde County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of Multi-State Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    ROME, Ga. – Wilfort Foster, III, 41, of El Monte, California, was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to narcotics and money laundering conspiracy charges.  Foster, a convicted felon serving a sentence of probation during a portion of the offense, led an operation that moved hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as significant quantities of fentanyl, from California to the North Georgia area and elsewhere, and then laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds. 

    “Our office partnered with a host of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle a significant, multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering network,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Foster’s 28-year prison sentence should serve as a robust warning to others who might consider trafficking deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine in North Georgia.”

    “DEA is committed to going after money laundering networks that move cash made from the sale of illegal drugs in the United States,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “We will continue to follow the money trail while working alongside our partners to hold those accountable who profit from the distribution of deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine.” 

    “This sentencing marks the end of a years-long effort to dismantle a dangerous drug trafficking network that was pushing lethal fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI remains focused on dismantling these dangerous organizations at every level—from supply to distribution to laundering the proceeds of their crimes.”

    “This significant sentence reflects the massive danger that fentanyl and illicit narcotics pose to our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of HSI and our law enforcement partners, Wilfort Foster, III, who led a major drug trafficking ring, will no longer be able to endanger lives with these deadly substances.”

    According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges and other information presented in court: Beginning in 2017 and continuing into 2022, Foster and others conspired to transport methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to Cartersville, Georgia and other areas. Foster ran a stash house and illegal gambling operation in his California barbershop, which he used to supply his network with large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine for sale. In one instance, Foster supplied a co-defendant with more than 22 kilograms of methamphetamine that law enforcement subsequently seized. 

    After Foster’s operation sold drugs, conspirators in Georgia laundered more than $600,000 in cash to Foster by using shell companies and flying with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to California. Foster maintained tight control of his network and once broke a co-defendant’s jaw during a feud over the co-defendant’s drug debt. 

    During the multi-agency investigation, law enforcement seized significant quantities of narcotics and more than a dozen firearms, including an AR-15. Foster continued his drug and money laundering operation in Georgia despite being on probation in California in a case involving the seizure of over nine kilograms of methamphetamine and two firearms. 

    Earlier today, United States District Judge William M. Ray II sentenced Foster to serve 28 years in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Foster was convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and conspiracy to commit money laundering on January 6, 2025, after he pleaded guilty. 

    Another member of Foster’s organization, Steven Ham, 43, of Cartersville, Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release on November 26, 2024, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

    Additionally, the following defendants have pleaded guilty as part of this case and are awaiting sentencing:

    • Clifford Alexander, 39, of Gadsden, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
    • Frank Miller, 47, of Cartersville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
    • Kenneth Antoine Scott, 41, of East Point, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
    • Lori Silvers, 46, of Rockmart, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
    • Nia Thomas, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, Cartersville Police Department, Cedartown Police Department, Polk County Police Department, Acworth Police Department, Kennesaw Police Department, El Monte (CA) Police Department, Los Angeles (CA) Sheriff’s Department, Rutherford County (TN) Sheriff’s Office, Sevier County (TN) Sheriff’s Office, Kansas City (KS) Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III, Matthew R. LaGrone, and Jeffrey Brown; former Assistant United States Attorneys Richard Beaulieu and Zachary Howard; and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lyons prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

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

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CENTCOM Forces Kill Senior ISIS Leader in Al-Bab, Syria

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    Early this morning in al-Bab, Aleppo Governate, Syria, CENTCOM Forces conducted a raid resulting in the death of senior ISIS Leader, Dhiya’ Zawba Muslih al-Hardani, and his two adult ISIS-affiliated sons, Abdallah Dhiya al-Hardani and Abd al-Rahman Dhiya Zawba al-Hardani.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FLORIDA MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF MACHINE GUNS AND ASSAULTING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

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

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – John Caleb Allen, 26, of Bristol, Florida, has been charged by federal criminal complaint for assault of a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal possession of a machine gun. The charges were announced today by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    Court documents allege that, on July 24, 2025, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives with the assistance of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, were executing a federal search warrant at the subject’s residence when Allen opened fire on law enforcement. After firing multiple rounds at the agents, Allen was arrested without the agents discharging their weapons. Agents suffered minor, non-critical injuries as a result of the assault.

    Allen is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick today, at 3:00 pm at the Federal Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida.

    If convicted, Allen faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment on the assault of a federal law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon count, a minimum of ten years up to life imprisonment on the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence count, and up to ten years’ imprisonment on the illegal possession of a machinegun count.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney James McCain is prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Violent Gang Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

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

    BOSTON – A Boston-area man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.

    Wilter Rodrigues, 39, was sentenced on July 22, 2025 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Rodrigues pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.

    According to court documents, Rodrigues was identified as member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation.

    Rodrigues worked with two co-defendants to allegedly distribute cocaine and cocaine base from an apartment in Somerville. Rodrigues has a lengthy criminal record, including a previous federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and two state court convictions for drug-distribution offenses.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Bryan DiGirolamo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Charged With Unlawful Possession Of A Firearm And Illegal Reentry

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

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the  return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Aristeo Ceron-Morales (48, Sarasota) with unlawful possession of a firearm and illegal reentry. If convicted on all counts, Ceron-Morales faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ceron-Morales that the United States intends to forfeit a Sig Sauer P226 firearm, a Savage 410 shotgun, Hornady 9 mm ammunition, and Remington .38 ammunition, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense.

    According to the indictment, Aristeo Ceron-Morales is a convicted felon and illegal alien. In 2002, he was convicted of “Sex Offense Against Child Fondling – Conduct by Person 18 Years of Age or Older.” Ceron-Morales possessed firearms and ammunition despite not being able to legally do so based on his status as a convicted felon and illegal alien. Additionally, Ceron-Morales was previously removed from the United States in 2003 and had returned to the United States illegally. 

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

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Bradenton Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms, Including Sawed-Off Shotgun, Lands Mustang Felon in Federal Prison for More Than Seven Years

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

    OKLAHOMA CITY – MICHAEL LOWELL BONJOUR, 39, of Mustang, has been sentenced to serve 87 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after previous felony conviction, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of an unregistered firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    According to public record, Bonjour was arrested on state charges by officers with the El Reno Police Department in March 2024 when he was discovered to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Six months later, in September 2024, officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department arrested him after he was stopped driving a stolen vehicle and found to be in possession of three stolen firearms – including a sawed-off shotgun. 

    Prior to these arrests, Bonjour had been convicted of multiple felonies, including convictions in Canadian County District Court for bringing contraband into a jail/penal institution in case number CF-2023-232; possession of a stolen vehicle in case number CF-2023-298; and stalking in case number CF-2023-325, as well as a total of four misdemeanor convictions for violations of a protective order.

    On November 6, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Bonjour with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of an unregistered firearm.  On February 28, 2025, Bonjour pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed stolen firearms despite his previous felony convictions, and further admitted that one of the firearms was not properly registered to him despite its modified barrel.

    At a sentencing hearing on July 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Bonjour to serve 87 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the need to deter additional criminal conduct and to protect the public.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Edmond Police Department, the Oklahoma City Police Department, and the El Reno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Bend Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

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

    SOUTH BEND – Terrence Dockery, 33 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.

    Dockery was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, police conducted a traffic stop as Dockery was riding his moped on a late summer night in South Bend. Police found Dockery in possession of two guns and about 30 grams of methamphetamine. Dockery has multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for dealing methamphetamine and arson, and as such, he is prohibited from possessing the firearm in this case.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.

    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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