NewzIntel.com

Category: Security Intelligence

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Honors Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program with National Award

    Source: US FBI

    CLARKSBURG, WV—On Tuesday, June 17, 2025, FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division Assistant Director Timothy A. Ferguson presented the Harrison County (West Virginia) Deputy Reserve Program with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award (DCLA) for its service to citizens in West Virginia. The Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program is dedicated to strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the community.

    The FBI established the DCLA in 1990 to publicly acknowledge the achievements of those working to make a difference in their communities through the promotion of education and the prevention of crime and violence.

    “The FBI’s successes are built on our connections with our law enforcement partners and our communities,” said CJIS Division Assistant Director Ferguson. “Having partner organizations such as the Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program that engage with the public ensures we are able to maintain public trust and accountability, crush violent crime, and defend the homeland.”

    The Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program is a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers who support law enforcement and the community in a myriad of ways. The organization’s members are trained to assist in missing persons’ searches and traffic incident management. They hold monthly meetings that provide opportunities to connect state, local, and federal law enforcement. They also provide platforms for the FBI’s CJIS Division to reach community members via the CJIS Community Outreach Program’s Child ID Fingerprinting—a service that gives parents and guardians copies of their children’s fingerprints. The family can then turn over the fingerprints and accompanying headshots, which are not stored in any FBI system, to police in the event a child goes missing. Inspired by the FBI CJIS Division’s Citizens Academy, the Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program created the Harrison County Citizens Academy to connect with, and better educate, community leaders about aspects of law enforcement and the judicial system. As with the FBI’s citizen academies, these opportunities enable frank discussion to enhance communities.

    Multiple members of the Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program attended the award ceremony.

    “I want to extend our sincere gratitude to the FBI for this tremendous honor,” said former Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny. “Thank you for your unwavering commitment to strengthening the bond between federal and local law enforcement and thank you recognizing the power of partnership in building safer communities. This award is a testament to what can be accomplished when ordinary citizens step forward to do extraordinary things. The men and women of our Reserve Unit have answered that call time and again, without hesitation and without expectation. We are honored to accept this award, not just as a unit, but as part of the greater law enforcement family—united by purpose, service, and the unwavering belief that communities are worth protecting.”

    “This award was totally unexpected, but I am proud of how our unit has come together to give back to the community and to assist the sheriff’s office and deputies as they fulfill their duties,” said Deputy Sheriff Reserve Michael Lambiotte.

    Learn more about the Director’s Community Leadership Award program, the FBI’s general outreach efforts, and the FBI’s CJIS Division online.

    Photo Courtesy: Federal Bureau of Investigation – CJIS Division Assistant Director Timothy A. Ferguson (far left) and CJIS Division Section Chief Scott E. Schubert (far right) are joined by Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny II (center left) and members of the Harrison County Deputy Reserve Program.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Who Attempted To Sell Assault Rifle Sentenced To 92 Months In Federal Prison For Unlawful Firearm Possession

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

    SAN FRANCISCO – Timothy Demetrius Jeffrey, aka “Boo,” 44, of Antioch, Calif., was sentenced today to 92 months in federal prison, following his conviction on March 12, 2025, by a federal jury on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Alsup handed down the sentence. Judge Alsup also sentenced Jeffrey to concurrent 24-month terms for violating the terms of his supervised release in two other federal cases.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on April 25, 2023, Jeffrey drove into a shopping plaza parking lot in Pittsburg, Calif., parked, and fled on foot from a pursuing police officer. Jeffrey threw a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine and 19 rounds of ammunition over a fence behind the shopping plaza before he was arrested.

    Jeffrey posted bond after his arrest but absconded soon thereafter. Following an investigation by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement officers located Jeffrey at a relative’s home in Antioch on March 27, 2024. After U.S. Marshals arrested Jeffrey, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the residence, where deputies located and seized an Aero Precision AR-style rifle with a magazine and 25 rounds of ammunition from under a couch in the living room. They also seized a cell phone that had been used by Jeffrey. The phone contained multiple text messages in which Jeffrey attempted to sell the AR rifle and sent a photo of it.

    At the time of his April 2023 and March 2024 arrests, Jeffrey was on federal supervised release following past felony convictions for being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, escape from custody, and conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

    Judge Alsup also found that enhancements were appropriate under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines (i) due to Jeffrey’s obstruction of justice resulting from perjury during his trial testimony; and (ii) because one of the guns Jeffrey possessed had previously been stolen.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura made the announcement.

    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 of Justice 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.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aseem Padukone prosecuted this case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop, Nina Burney, and Yenni Weinberg. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Pittsburg Police Department, and the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chesapeake cocaine trafficker sentenced to 18 years in prison

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

    NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

    According to court documents, on Feb. 10, 2024, Chesapeake Police officers were attempting to serve arrest warrants for assault and battery of a family or household member and destruction of property on Abdul-Wakeel Khabeer Qaabid, aka Kenneth Andrew Jordan, 39. Qaabid fled during a traffic stop, but crashed his vehicle and fled on foot. From Qaabid’s vehicle, investigators recovered two loaded handguns, five ounces of cocaine base, 43 grams of marijuana, $25,020, and three cellular devices. During a search of Qaabid’s residence, investigators recovered over six kilograms of cocaine, packaging materials, .45 caliber ammunition, and $26,900 in drug proceeds.

    Qaabid was arrested on March 13, 2024, at a residence in Chesapeake. During a search of that residence, CPD recovered an additional $11,850 in drug proceeds.

    Qaabid previously had been convicted for attempted capital murder, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and felony assault and battery. As a previously convicted felon, Qaabid cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin G. Bird prosecuted the case.

    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.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-68.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Witness appeal launched after murder in Camden

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for witnesses and information following the murder of a woman in Camden.

    Officers were called by the London Ambulance Service at 18:00hrs on Friday, 13 June to a report of an unresponsive woman at her home in Mornington Place, Camden.

    Officers attended and found a woman with stab injuries. She was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

    She has been identified as 69-year-old Jennifer Abbott. Known professionally as Sarah Steinberg, Jennifer was a popular member of the community. She was often seen walking her Corgi dog in the Camden area, including on Tuesday, 10 June when she was last seen by neighbours.

    A post-mortem examination took place on Sunday, 15 June and gave cause of death as sharp force trauma.

    Officers also carried out a number of enquiries alongside the PM. Details of which meant that it is now appropriate to issue information about the incident and the appeal.

    While detectives are keeping an open mind about the possible motive for the murder, they are appealing in particular for information about a Rolex watch which they believe is missing from Jennifer’s address.

    It has a distinctive diamond encrusted face.

    Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in Camden, said: “We are working closely with our colleagues in the homicide team to establish exactly what happened and it’s incredibly important that we hear from anyone who may have knowledge about how this awful death occurred.

    “Were you out in Camden on Friday? Perhaps you had been coming home from work, or at an event nearby? Did you see or hear anything around Mornington Place that struck you as being unusual?

    “Someone must have seen or heard something and no piece of information is too small. It could be the crucial clue that leads us to identify Jennifer’s murderer.

    “Extra patrols continue in the area while my officers remain at the crime scene. I would urge anyone who has any information, or who may be worried, to speak to them.”

    There have been no arrests at this stage.

    Anyone with information is urged to call 101 or message @MetCC on X, giving the reference 6470/13JUN. Information, including photos or videos, can also be easily uploaded to our dedicated appeal page.

    Alternatively you can speak anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Witness appeal launched after murder in Camden

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Police are appealing for witnesses and information following the murder of a woman in Camden.

    Officers were called by the London Ambulance Service at 18:00hrs on Friday, 13 June to a report of an unresponsive woman at her home in Mornington Place, Camden.

    Officers attended and found a woman with stab injuries. She was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.

    She has been identified as 69-year-old Jennifer Abbott. Known professionally as Sarah Steinberg, Jennifer was a popular member of the community. She was often seen walking her Corgi dog in the Camden area, including on Tuesday, 10 June when she was last seen by neighbours.

    A post-mortem examination took place on Sunday, 15 June and gave cause of death as sharp force trauma.

    Officers also carried out a number of enquiries alongside the PM. Details of which meant that it is now appropriate to issue information about the incident and the appeal.

    While detectives are keeping an open mind about the possible motive for the murder, they are appealing in particular for information about a Rolex watch which they believe is missing from Jennifer’s address.

    It has a distinctive diamond encrusted face.

    Chief Superintendent Jason Stewart, who leads policing in Camden, said: “We are working closely with our colleagues in the homicide team to establish exactly what happened and it’s incredibly important that we hear from anyone who may have knowledge about how this awful death occurred.

    “Were you out in Camden on Friday? Perhaps you had been coming home from work, or at an event nearby? Did you see or hear anything around Mornington Place that struck you as being unusual?

    “Someone must have seen or heard something and no piece of information is too small. It could be the crucial clue that leads us to identify Jennifer’s murderer.

    “Extra patrols continue in the area while my officers remain at the crime scene. I would urge anyone who has any information, or who may be worried, to speak to them.”

    There have been no arrests at this stage.

    Anyone with information is urged to call 101 or message @MetCC on X, giving the reference 6470/13JUN. Information, including photos or videos, can also be easily uploaded to our dedicated appeal page.

    Alternatively you can speak anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CSAF, CMSAF visit MacDill AFB

    Source: United States Air Force

    U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi hosted an all-call for Airmen at MacDill Air Force Base, highlighting the base’s vital contributions to force readiness, talent development and global power projection.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal for information after police car vandalised in Clapham

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Appeal after police vehicle damaged in Clapham

    Officers are appealing to the public for information after a Met police car was damaged in Clapham.

    The car was so badly damaged, with the windscreen smashed after somebody jumped on the bonnet and kicked the glass, that it cannot be used.

    Police were called to Rookery Road, by Clapham Common, at around 18:21 hrs on Saturday, 14 June to reports of an altercation.

    Once they attended one person started attacking the vehicle with others nearby joining in. Thankfully, no officers were injured and the group were dispersed at approximately 20:15hrs.

    Inspector Darren Watson, from the Local Neighbourhood Policing Team in Clapham, said:

    “One of our marked police vehicles, a vital asset in responding and protecting our community, was deliberately damaged. This has rendered the vehicle completely unusable and means there is one less police car available to respond to calls for help.

    “Those responsible have shown a complete disregard for the local community.

    “If you have any information regarding this incident or the identity of those responsible, I urge you to come forward. The information could be the crucial piece of the investigation that helps us identify the suspect and bring them to justice.”

    We’re aware of footage circulating on social media showing a teenage boy in a white top, black and orange shorts and white socks and trainers on the car.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact police by calling 101 or reporting online via our website, quoting reference 01/7614619/25.

    If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chair of the NATO Military Committee visits Türkiye

    Source: NATO

    Ankara, 16-17 June 2025 – The Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, visited Türkiye, upon the invitation of the Chief of the Turkish General Staff, General Metin Gürak.

    During his engagements with General Metin Gurak, the discussions focused on the road to the NATO Summit in The Hague, next week. Among other priorities, Admiral Cavo Dragone underscored in particular the importance for Allies to invest more in deterrence and defence. ​The CMC also praised Türkiye’s significant contributions within the Alliance, highlighting the country’s support and participation in NATO missions and exercise activities. Türkiye devotes more than 2 percent of its GDP in defence, and is channeling significant investment into its defence industrial base, working in close conjunction with countries across Europe and the United States.

    While in Ankara, the Chair paid his respects to the memory of Türkiye’s fallen soldiers, by participating in a wreath-laying ceremony in Antikabir. In addition, he took the opportunity to engage with Turkish defence industry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS Blue Ridge departs Guam following port visit

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    APRA HARBOR, Guam — The U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and embarked 7th Fleet staff departed Guam following a scheduled port visit, June 14-17. This port visit marked the first time the Blue Ridge has visited Guam since 2020.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS Blue Ridge departs Guam following port visit

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    APRA HARBOR, Guam — The U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and embarked 7th Fleet staff departed Guam following a scheduled port visit, June 14-17. This port visit marked the first time the Blue Ridge has visited Guam since 2020.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Flag-Alaska 25-2 begins, enhancing Indo-Pacific readiness

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Red Flag-Alaska 25-2 commenced June 12, bringing together approximately 1,500 participants and more than 70 aircraft from across the United States and allied nations for two weeks of multi-service, multi-platform, coordinated exercises.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Flag-Alaska 25-2 begins, enhancing Indo-Pacific readiness

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Red Flag-Alaska 25-2 commenced June 12, bringing together approximately 1,500 participants and more than 70 aircraft from across the United States and allied nations for two weeks of multi-service, multi-platform, coordinated exercises.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former SBA Employee from South Florida Headed to Federal Prison After Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs

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

    MIAMI – A former Small Business Administration (SBA) employee who fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief money to spend on luxury items was sentenced on June 13.

    United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced Malaina Chapman, 38, to 54 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Ruiz further ordered Chapman to pay $1,297,178 in restitution.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Chapman was employed as a Disaster Relief Specialist with the SBA from September 28, 2020 through March 18, 2021.   While employed by the SBA, Chapman became involved in multiple schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, as well as local credit unions and local and state programs designed to assist those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On February 10, 2021, Chapman submitted an online loan application in the name of Upscale Credit Lounge, LLC to a lender. In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Schedule C (Form 1040) that reported gross revenues of $103,674 and a tentative profit of $81,860 for 2020. The lender relied upon the representations in Chapman’s application to approve a loan in the amount of $17,052.50. 

    On February 19, 2021, Chapman submitted an online PPP loan application with the lender on behalf of DA TRAP, LLC. In her application, Chapman claimed that she had four employees and an average monthly payroll of $14,191.  In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Employers Quarterly Tax Return (Form 941), which purportedly documented the wages paid by DA TRAP.  Relying on the representations in the application, the lender approved a loan in the amount of $35,477.50.

    In total, Chapman received $230,246 for the loan applications she submitted on her own behalf.

    Chapman also conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. Six defendants were charged under case number 24-cr-20079. For that conspiracy, Chapman was held accountable for losses of $837,716.

    In addition to defrauding the PPP program, Chapman also took advantage of the State of Florida and the City of Miami’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs. 

    Chapman spent the money on luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, Goyard, Chanel, Fendi, as well as a designer teacup puppy. Chapman also spent over $7,500 on a stay at a Key Largo luxury resort.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG); Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region, made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by USPS-OIG, SBA-OIG, and DOL-OIG.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein prosecuted the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

    In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred.  EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  24-cr-20321.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former SBA Employee from South Florida Headed to Federal Prison After Defrauding COVID-19 Relief Programs

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

    MIAMI – A former Small Business Administration (SBA) employee who fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief money to spend on luxury items was sentenced on June 13.

    United States District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II sentenced Malaina Chapman, 38, to 54 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Ruiz further ordered Chapman to pay $1,297,178 in restitution.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Chapman was employed as a Disaster Relief Specialist with the SBA from September 28, 2020 through March 18, 2021.   While employed by the SBA, Chapman became involved in multiple schemes to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, as well as local credit unions and local and state programs designed to assist those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On February 10, 2021, Chapman submitted an online loan application in the name of Upscale Credit Lounge, LLC to a lender. In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Schedule C (Form 1040) that reported gross revenues of $103,674 and a tentative profit of $81,860 for 2020. The lender relied upon the representations in Chapman’s application to approve a loan in the amount of $17,052.50. 

    On February 19, 2021, Chapman submitted an online PPP loan application with the lender on behalf of DA TRAP, LLC. In her application, Chapman claimed that she had four employees and an average monthly payroll of $14,191.  In support of her application, Chapman submitted a false and fraudulent Employers Quarterly Tax Return (Form 941), which purportedly documented the wages paid by DA TRAP.  Relying on the representations in the application, the lender approved a loan in the amount of $35,477.50.

    In total, Chapman received $230,246 for the loan applications she submitted on her own behalf.

    Chapman also conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications on their behalf. Six defendants were charged under case number 24-cr-20079. For that conspiracy, Chapman was held accountable for losses of $837,716.

    In addition to defrauding the PPP program, Chapman also took advantage of the State of Florida and the City of Miami’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs. 

    Chapman spent the money on luxury items from Louis Vuitton, Nordstrom, Goyard, Chanel, Fendi, as well as a designer teacup puppy. Chapman also spent over $7,500 on a stay at a Key Largo luxury resort.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG); Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Investigations Division’s Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region, made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by USPS-OIG, SBA-OIG, and DOL-OIG.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bernstein prosecuted the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Gabrielle Charest-Turken is handling asset forfeiture.

    In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred.  EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number  24-cr-20321.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Support of City of Huntington Beach Lawsuit Against Unconstitutional California Immigration Law

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in support of the City of Huntington Beach which wishes to cooperate with federal immigration authorities but is prevented from doing so by an unconstitutional California law. On January 7, 2025, the City of Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach City Council, Police Chief, and Sherrif, sued the State of California, Governor Gavin Newsom, and California Attorney General Robert Bonta over the unconstitutional “California Values Act” (CVA).

    “California’s existing state law is designed to interfere with local jurisdictions that want to carry out immigration enforcement,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As this week’s violence in Los Angeles demonstrates, the safe administration of immigration enforcement is both paramount and under threat – laws that undermine immigration enforcement at great risk to agents and citizens must not stand.”

    California’s CVA violates the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution by prohibiting and obstructing federal immigration authorities from cooperating with local law enforcement authorities to carry out federal immigration law. Congress has specifically authorized the use of detainer requests which permit CBP and ICE to work with local law enforcement agencies. Contrary to law, the CVA prohibits local law enforcement agencies from honoring ICE detainer requests or from arresting, detaining, or holding individuals in custody based on civil immigration warrants.

    This is the latest Statement of Interest the Department of Justice has filed challenging state interference with immigration enforcement.

    Read the full Statement of Interest.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General attends G7 Summit, welcomes Canada’s commitment to defence spending

    Source: NATO

    The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, participated in the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on Tuesday (17 June 2025). The event was hosted by the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney.

    Speaking alongside Prime Minister Carney, Mr Rutte welcomed Canada’s decision to meet NATO’s defence investment target this year. “The fact that you decided to bring Canada to the 2% spending when it comes to NATO this year is really fantastic,” he said. He noted that, together with Portugal’s recent announcement to reach 2% of GDP this year, all NATO Allies will meet the benchmark in 2025. “That is really great news,” the Secretary General said.

    In addition to discussions with G7 leaders, Secretary General Rutte held a number of bilateral meetings ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, including with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General attends G7 Summit, welcomes Canada’s commitment to defence spending

    Source: NATO

    The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, participated in the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada, on Tuesday (17 June 2025). The event was hosted by the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney.

    Speaking alongside Prime Minister Carney, Mr Rutte welcomed Canada’s decision to meet NATO’s defence investment target this year. “The fact that you decided to bring Canada to the 2% spending when it comes to NATO this year is really fantastic,” he said. He noted that, together with Portugal’s recent announcement to reach 2% of GDP this year, all NATO Allies will meet the benchmark in 2025. “That is really great news,” the Secretary General said.

    In addition to discussions with G7 leaders, Secretary General Rutte held a number of bilateral meetings ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, including with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Western Balkan General and Special Chief Prosecutors meet in Tirana for the Second Consultative Forum

    Source: Eurojust

    17 June 2025|

    The second Regional Western Balkan Consultative Forum organised by the Western Balkans Criminal Justice Project in cooperation with the General Prosecution Office of Albania, took place on 17 June 2025 in Tirana. The Western Balkan General and Special Chief Prosecutors convened to discuss common experiences and challenges, and to highlight the importance of international cooperation in the fight against organised crime. 

    The Consultative Forum urged for stronger regional collaboration and promoted direct exchanges among Western Balkan partners. Participants reaffirmed their shared objectives in combating crime and emphasised the supportive roles that Eurojust and the WBCJ Project can provide to authorities in the region.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CSAF and CMSAF visit MacDill AFB

    Source: United States Air Force

    U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi hosted an all-call for Airmen at MacDill Air Force Base, highlighting the base’s vital contributions to force readiness, talent development and global power projection.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Former Fulton County Jail Sergeant Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violations and Falsifying Reports

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A six-count indictment was unsealed today in the Northern District of Georgia charging former Fulton County Jail Sergeant, Khadijah Solomon, 47, with using excessive force by repeatedly deploying tasers against compliant, non-resisting pretrial detainees on three separate occasions in January 2025 and writing false reports about each of the incidents.

    “The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”

    “Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”

    Solomon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each federal civil rights violation, and 20 years in prison for each false report. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case based on a referral from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret Hobson and Brent Gray for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Fulton County Jail Sergeant Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violations and Falsifying Reports

    Source: United States Attorneys General 5

    A six-count indictment was unsealed today in the Northern District of Georgia charging former Fulton County Jail Sergeant, Khadijah Solomon, 47, with using excessive force by repeatedly deploying tasers against compliant, non-resisting pretrial detainees on three separate occasions in January 2025 and writing false reports about each of the incidents.

    “The Civil Rights Division has zero tolerance for law enforcement officers who abuse public trust through excessive force and concealing their misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will vigorously safeguard the constitutional rights of all individuals, including those in custody, and ensure accountability in this case.”

    “Law enforcement officers in this district perform their duties professionally and honorably, but those who abuse their power will be held accountable for their unlawful conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia. “On three occasions, Khadijah Solomon allegedly tased Fulton County Jail detainees without a legitimate purpose, causing each of them pain and injury. Abuses of power of this kind are unconstitutional, erode our community’s trust, and will be prosecuted.”

    Solomon faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each federal civil rights violation, and 20 years in prison for each false report. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case based on a referral from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bret Hobson and Brent Gray for the Northern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Briana M. Clark of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spanish National Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Export U.S. Military-Grade Radios to Russian Government End Users

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Bence Horvath, 47, a Spanish national living in the United Arab Emirates, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with conspiring to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications technology to Russian end users without a license.

    Horvath pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to unlawfully export goods to Russia. U.S. District Court Judge John D. Bates scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30.

    According to court documents, beginning at least around January 2023, Horvath and others initiated discussions with a small U.S. radio distribution company about procuring and exporting to Russia U.S.-manufactured military-grade radios and related accessories. Over the next several months, Horvath continued his efforts to secure those items, which he intended to transship to Russia via a freight forwarder in Latvia.

    As part of the conspiracy, Horvath purchased 200 of the military-grade radios and intended to export them to Russia. But he was not successful, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained the shipment, preventing the radios from falling into the hands of prohibited Russian end users.

    Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia made the announcement.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service Southeast Field Office, and the Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Tortorice and Maeghan Mikorski for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Sean Heiden of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 5 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking 70,000 Fentanyl Pills from Mexico into Evansville

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EVANSVILLE— Javier Moreno-Garibaldi, 38, of Mexico has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of over 400 grams of fentanyl.

    According to court documents, in May of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in Mexicali, Mexico, trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine through California. During the investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted thousands of fentanyl pills shipped or transported by the drug traffickers into Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky.

    As part of the investigation, undercover law enforcement officers arranged to purchase 60,000 fentanyl pills from an unknown supplier based in Mexicali, Mexico. The source of supply sent a series of text messages discussing the arrival of the courier at an Evansville hotel, how to handle the money and counting of pills, and requiring $120,000 and a $2,500 delivery fee.

    On September 4, 2023, Javier Moreno-Garibaldi arrived at a Holiday Inn in Evansville, Indiana, driving a Honda SUV with California plates. The undercover officer met with Moreno-Garibaldi and agreed to go to a safehouse to count the pills and the $120,000 owed for the drugs. Moreno-Garibaldi put a dog kennel box full of pills into the undercover officer’s car and was arrested without incident. A search of the box revealed five separate bags containing a large amount of counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The field weight of the seized pills was 15.7 pounds (7.064 kilograms), or approximately 70,000 pills.

    At the time of his arrest, Moreno-Garibaldi was in the United States unlawfully.

    “Every overdose, addiction, and life lost to fentanyl is a tragedy that devastates our families, friends, and communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These dangerous drugs are pouring into our neighborhoods in staggering amounts, driven by Mexican cartels and enabled by traffickers and dealers across the country. Our office remains committed to working alongside the DEA, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department to aggressively investigate and prosecute those involved in these deadly networks.”

    “Without a doubt, lives were saved by this seizure of 70,000 fentanyl-laced M30 pills.  Every day we see the destruction and death caused by this illicit drug.  DEA is committed to targeting and destroying drug trafficking organizations who continue to attack our communities and distribute fentanyl in our streets,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Schmidt.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this 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.

    According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

    One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 5 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking 70,000 Fentanyl Pills from Mexico into Evansville

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EVANSVILLE— Javier Moreno-Garibaldi, 38, of Mexico has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of over 400 grams of fentanyl.

    According to court documents, in May of 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in Mexicali, Mexico, trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine through California. During the investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted thousands of fentanyl pills shipped or transported by the drug traffickers into Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky.

    As part of the investigation, undercover law enforcement officers arranged to purchase 60,000 fentanyl pills from an unknown supplier based in Mexicali, Mexico. The source of supply sent a series of text messages discussing the arrival of the courier at an Evansville hotel, how to handle the money and counting of pills, and requiring $120,000 and a $2,500 delivery fee.

    On September 4, 2023, Javier Moreno-Garibaldi arrived at a Holiday Inn in Evansville, Indiana, driving a Honda SUV with California plates. The undercover officer met with Moreno-Garibaldi and agreed to go to a safehouse to count the pills and the $120,000 owed for the drugs. Moreno-Garibaldi put a dog kennel box full of pills into the undercover officer’s car and was arrested without incident. A search of the box revealed five separate bags containing a large amount of counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The field weight of the seized pills was 15.7 pounds (7.064 kilograms), or approximately 70,000 pills.

    At the time of his arrest, Moreno-Garibaldi was in the United States unlawfully.

    “Every overdose, addiction, and life lost to fentanyl is a tragedy that devastates our families, friends, and communities,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These dangerous drugs are pouring into our neighborhoods in staggering amounts, driven by Mexican cartels and enabled by traffickers and dealers across the country. Our office remains committed to working alongside the DEA, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department to aggressively investigate and prosecute those involved in these deadly networks.”

    “Without a doubt, lives were saved by this seizure of 70,000 fentanyl-laced M30 pills.  Every day we see the destruction and death caused by this illicit drug.  DEA is committed to targeting and destroying drug trafficking organizations who continue to attack our communities and distribute fentanyl in our streets,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel J. Schmidt.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this 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.

    According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage—a tiny amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil. Seven out of ten illegal fentanyl tablets seized from U.S. streets and analyzed by the DEA have been found to contain a potentially lethal dose of the drug.

    One Pill Can Kill: Avoid pills bought on the street because One Pill Can Kill. Fentanyl has now become the leading cause of death for adults in the United States. Fentanyl is a highly potent opioid that drug dealers dilute with cutting agents to make counterfeit prescription pills that appear to be Oxycodone, Percocet, Xanax, and other drugs. Fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl are usually shaped and colored to look like pills sold at pharmacies. For example, fake prescription pills known as “M30s” imitate Oxycodone obtained from a pharmacy, but when sold on the street the pills routinely contain fentanyl. These pills are usually round tablets and often light blue in color, though they may be in different shapes and a rainbow of colors. They often have “M” and “30” imprinted on opposite sides of the pill. Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tulsan Sentenced for Assaulting and Strangling Ex-Girlfriend

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Nicholas Jarrod Weeden, 43, for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Weeden to serve 115 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, in April 2024, Weeden went to his ex-girlfriend’s house. They began arguing and Weeden strangled the victim. He then hit her head against the wall and door, grabbed a wooden club, and hit her over the head with it. The victim fought back enough to escape and called 911 for help.

    Weeden is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Melissa Weems prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tulsan Sentenced for Assaulting and Strangling Ex-Girlfriend

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Nicholas Jarrod Weeden, 43, for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country and Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country. Judge Russell ordered Weeden to serve 115 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, in April 2024, Weeden went to his ex-girlfriend’s house. They began arguing and Weeden strangled the victim. He then hit her head against the wall and door, grabbed a wooden club, and hit her over the head with it. The victim fought back enough to escape and called 911 for help.

    Weeden is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Melissa Weems prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bethel Park Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation and Prison Contraband Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors and possession of contraband in prison, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Seth Hollerich, 30, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge William S. Stickman, IV.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Hollerich distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors on two occasions—in March 2021 and September 2021. Further, in November 2024, while in prison for these crimes, Hollerich was found to be in possession of a prohibited object intended to be used as a weapon. Specifically, Hollerich possessed an 8.5-inch shank with a 3-inch sharpened plastic tip, and two additional 4-inch shanks with sharpened foil tips.

    Judge Stickman scheduled sentencing for October 14, 2025. As to the child sexual exploitation crimes, the law provides for a total sentence of not less than five (5) years and not more than twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, or both. As to the contraband matter, the law provides for a total sentence of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, Hollerich remains detained.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Kelly M. Locher are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Department of Homeland Security, United States Marshals Service, and Butler County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hollerich.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brothers-in-Law Indicted for Bank Takeover Scheme and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A 17-count indictment was unsealed today charging Ayman Alaaraj, 48, of Sacramento, and Ahmad Nassar, 38, of Elk Grove, with operating a scheme to defraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    The indictment charges the defendants with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and also charges Nassar with access device fraud. In 2019, Nassar was convicted of unlawfully possessing 15 or more access devices, aggravated ID theft; and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He served time in prison and was released on March 4, 2021. He is currently in custody after being arrested on Feb. 7, 2024, for allegedly violating the terms of his supervised release. Alaaraj was ordered to self-surrender on Wednesday morning.

    According to court documents, in May 2023, Nassar took over multiple bank accounts belonging to two elderly victims at two separate banks. Nassar employed sophisticated techniques to take over the victims’ accounts such as porting over the phone number belonging to one victim. This allowed him to gain access to the accounts and defeat the banks’ dual-factor authentication protections.

    Once Nassar established control over the victims’ bank accounts, he — occasionally assisted by Alaaraj — drained the accounts and ran up unpaid credit card debits that, in total, resulted in more than $794,000 in losses to the victims. The defendants funneled the stolen money through pass-through accounts Nassar created in the victims’ names. The defendants also funneled more than $100,000 through Alaaraj’s businesses, Balance Bookkeeping, Tax and Notary and Atheer Investments. They then ultimately disbursed the money to themselves using ATM cash withdrawals, personal checks, Western Union transactions, Zelle transactions, payments to credit cards, online gambling, and towards the purchase of a Mercedes.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice – Bureau of Gambling Control. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Nassar and Alaaraj face a maximum statutory penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each count of bank fraud, and a mandatory term of two years in prison and a statutory maximum fine of up to $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or gross loss for the aggravated identity theft count. Nassar also faces 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of access device fraud. 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wapato Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Three Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard Barker announced that Jose Antonio Saldana, age 43, of Wapato, Washington, was sentenced on three counts of Abusive Sexual Contact and of Aggravated Sexual Abuse. Saldana was found guilty on March 12, 2025, following a jury trial. United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Saldana to 45 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

    Based on court documents and evidence presented at trial and sentencing, beginning in August 1999, and continuing to January 2014, Saldana sexually abused three children under the age of 13 in Wapato, Washington. During trial, the victims recounted the abuse they suffered, which included Saldana touching them under their clothing and attempting to sexually abuse one of the victims.

    “Mr. Saldana’s significant sentence reflects the seriousness of his conduct.  I want to commend the brave victims who testified to the abuse they suffered and identified Mr. Saldana as their abuser,” stated Acting United States Attorney Barker. “My office will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and support survivors on their path to healing.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yakama Nation Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Murphy.

    1:24-cr-02040-MKD

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Postal worker indicted for mail fraud aimed at duping thousands with mass mailings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Used scam letters leading thousands of intended victims to believe they owed state filing fees for businesses – defendant allegedly pocketed nearly $100,000

    Seattle – A San Jose, California resident was arrested today on an indictment from the Western District of Washington for his scheme to steal from thousands of businesses and charities with scam letters that appeared to be from state agencies, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Johnny Q. Nguyen, 49, is charged in an eleven-count indictment with multiple counts of mail fraud and money laundering. Nguyen was indicted May 28, 2025, and will appear in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California today.

    According to the indictment, in the fall of 2024, Nguyen allegedly sent mass mailings on fake government letterhead to thousands of entities. The mailings were fraudulent billing statements directing the recipients to send checks to a post office box Nguyen had rented in Olympia, Washington. The letters instructed recipients to pay registration and filing fees for their businesses. Nguyen created a limited liability company called “Business Entities” and induced the victims to make their checks payable to that entity. 

    Thousands of Washington and California victims sent checks, cashier’s checks, and money orders. Nguyen deposited some 350 from Washington victims totaling $82,210.  He cashed 60 from California victims totaling $8,640.  Investigators were able to seize an additional 1,711 pieces of mail that contained checks and money orders totaling $395,295.

    Nguyen is charged with three different types of money laundering: concealment because he deposited the checks and money orders into accounts he controlled, transactions designed to conceal the source of the money; Promotion – because the deposits were to promote his mail fraud scheme; and spending because of his transfers of the money out for his personal use.

    The indictment calls for Nguyen to forfeit $90,851 that he profited from the scheme.

    Mail fraud and money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

    The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Nguyen is scheduled to appear in the Western District of Washington on July 1, 2025.

    As a helpful reminder, if you receive a communication in any form purporting to be from a government agency, the best way to verify the source is to call the agency directly using a publicly available phone number on the agency’s website.

    The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jehiel Baer. 

    MIL Security OSI –