NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illinois Murder Suspect on U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted Fugitive List Arrested in Mexico

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Washington, DC – The manhunt for an Illinois murder suspect placed on the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted fugitives list in 2020 ended Oct. 21, 2024, when Mexican law enforcement officers arrested John Panaligan in Tepic, Mexico. The fugitive is not a national of the country and was turned over to Mexican immigration authorities who deported him to the United States Oct. 22.

    Panaligan, 57, was wanted for allegedly murdering attorney Victor Jigar Patel, who was found strangled to death in his Northbrook, Illinois, office Dec. 7, 2016. At the time of his death, Patel, 36, was representing plaintiffs suing Panaligan in civil court. 

    “I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the men and women of the Marshals Service, as well as to the officials from the Government of Mexico,” said Director Ronald L. Davis. “I hope this arrest brings some measure of comfort to the Patel family and serves as a stark reminder to fugitives from justice that there is no place to hide.”

    “The collaborative work of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Northbrook Police Department in the apprehension of this international fugitive is a testament to our strong regional relationships and the value it brings to our community,” said U.S. Marshal LaDon Reynolds of the Northern District of Illinois. 

    “The United States Marshal’s Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force worked tirelessly in collaboration with the Northbrook Police and other agencies to apprehend the fugitive.  The relentless efforts by law enforcement for the past 8 years are a clear reminder that you cannot hide from justice. The Northbrook Police Department remains committed to providing closure for the family of the victim, Jigar Patel,” said Interim Chief John Ustich of the Northbrook Police Department.

    Panaligan allegedly lured Patel to his law office by scheduling an appointment using an alias. Authorities believe Panaligan showed up wearing a disguise, which was captured on nearby security cameras, and then killed the victim in his office. 

    Two days later, Panaligan was detained at the Canadian border for allegedly smuggling a firearm into Canada but was eventually allowed to return to the U.S. where he was interviewed by Northbrook Police in relation to Patel’s death. During the investigation, authorities executed multiple search warrants of Panaligan’s belongings and property. Evidence collected gave authorities reason to believe Panaligan was the prime suspect in Patel’s murder. 

    Panaligan is believed to have fled to Mexico before he could be arrested. An arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Panaligan Feb. 8, 2017. The USMS placed him on its 15 Most Wanted list Nov. 23, 2020, and offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his capture. Due to Panaligan’s international ties and dual citizenship between the U.S. and the Republic of the Philippines, authorities believed he could have traveled anywhere with assistance from acquaintances to elude capture.

    Created in 1983, the USMS 15 Most Wanted (15MW) fugitive program draws attention to some of the country’s most dangerous and high-profile fugitives. These fugitives tend to be career criminals with histories of violence who pose a significant threat to public safety. 

    Generally, 15MW fugitives are considered the “worst of the worst” and can include murderers, sex offenders, major drug kingpins, organized crime figures and individuals wanted for high-profile financial crimes. Since the program began in 1983, more than 250 15MW fugitive cases have been closed. 

    The USMS has a long history of providing assistance and expertise to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations. Working with authorities at the federal, state, tribal, and local levels, USMS-led fugitive task forces arrested more than 73,000 fugitives and cleared nearly 86,000 warrants in FY 2023.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 41st Surface Line Week Kicks Off in San Diego

    Source: United States Navy Pacific Fleet 1

    by Joseph Millar

    21 October 2024

    SAN DIEGO (Oct. 21, 2024) – Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (CNSP) kicked off the 41st Surface Line Week (SLW) Pacific competition at Naval Base San Diego, Oct. 21.

    The two-week competition highlights professional and athletic skills while enhancing camaraderie and team building among the Surface Force. About 1,000 Sailors, Marines and Department of the Navy civilians are expected to participate.

    “This year’s motto is Stronger Together – Fight and Win! Surface Line Week provides an opportunity for our sailors to showcase their skills and training while building bonds and relationships across the waterfront,” said Lt. Jazzmine Ennals, SLW coordinator.

    SLW consists of seven athletic, five professional, and two additional events, such as Damage Control Olympics, Marksmanship, Navigation Olympics, and Shiphandling. Activities culminate with an awards ceremony, Friday, October 25.

    Participants are active duty, regularly assigned Navy Reserve or other military personnel and government civilians formally attached to a Navy command. Commands earn points as they compete in the different events to determine large, medium and small unit winners.

    The mission of CNSP is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.

    CNSP will post highlights and updates on Facebook at https://facebook.com/surfacewarriors

    For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/ and www.dvidshub.net/unit/COMNAVSURFPAC.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Laws Extend Red Light Cameras Across the State

    Source: US State of New York

    Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Red light camera programs save lives by enhancing road safety and reducing traffic violations. I gladly sponsored S.9305A in response to a clear need in the Town of Greenburgh, particularly at the intersections of Ardsley and Old Army Roads, where red light-related accidents have occurred. This initiative will protect pedestrians and promote responsible driving. I thank Governor Hochul for signing this legislation into law and for her commitment to making our streets safer.”

    State Senator Neil Breslin said, “The Red Light Camera program has proven to be a strong deterrent for drivers from running red lights. Simply put, these cameras make our streets safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists alike. I applaud Governor Hochul for signing this and these other traffic safety measures into law.”

    State Senator Jamaal Bailey said, “Today marks a monumental day for the safety of all New Yorkers from redlight cameras to other rules and regulations ensuring the safety of drivers and pedestrians alike. I am especially pleased to see the signing of Bill S9735, which I sponsored along with Assembly Member Gary Pretlow on behalf of the City of Mount Vernon expanding these traffic regulations. Thanks to the Mayor of Mount Vernon, Shawyn Patterson-Howard and City Council President, Cathlin Gleason, for their dedicated efforts to ensure the safety of Mount Vernon’s citizens. I extend my gratitude to the many legislative leaders whose tireless efforts ensure a better quality of life for all. And always, thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for her continued leadership and resolve.”

    State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Speeding is a serious danger, especially around our schools, and speed camera programs have proven to make a real difference in preventing fatalities, keeping both students and the wider community safe. I’m proud to sponsor this legislation allowing the City of Kingston to launch a speed camera pilot program in select school zones to better protect our residents. Tragically, we’ve lost too many lives in Ulster County to traffic-related accidents, and this new law is a critical measure that will help make our streets safer within Kingston school zones.”

    State Senator Nathalia Fernandez said, “With the signing of this legislation, we are taking significant steps to keep our roads safer for everyone. Extending New Rochelle’s red light camera program will reduce dangerous driving behavior at critical intersections, protecting pedestrians and drivers alike. This expansion demonstrates our continued commitment to utilizing technology to enhance public safety across New York State. I thank Governor Hochul for keeping New Yorker’s safety a priority.”

    Assemblymember J. Gary Pretlow said, “I fully support Governor Hochul’s legislation to increase red light cameras across New York State and to strengthen penalties for those who illegally pass school buses. These measures are essential to protecting New Yorkers from dangerous drivers and, most importantly, safeguarding our students. By prioritizing public safety and holding reckless drivers accountable, we are creating safer streets for all and ensuring our children can travel to school without fear.”

    Assemblymember Pat Fahy said, “Red light cameras save lives. Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists are all less likely to be involved in crashes at intersections when red light cameras are present. Ultimately, they save lives and help to correct dangerous driving behavior, keeping everyone on our streets safe.”

    Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul for signing this piece of legislation. I also want to thank Assemblymember Fahy and Senator Breslin for their tireless efforts in advocating for keeping our streets safe. These cameras work to ensure drivers are slowing down and being more careful. Legislation like this helps us move toward keeping our roads safe for other drivers, pedestrians bicyclists, and those using alternative methods of transportation.”

    Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson Howard said, “Thank you, Governor Hochul, for signing the legislation to extend the red-light camera program. Mount Vernon is deeply committed to ensuring safe streets for all. This legislation plays a critical role in our road safety action plan, and these traffic-calming measures will enhance the quality of life, mobility, and accessibility for our youth and seniors as they walk, drive, and bike throughout our community.”

    White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach said, “I am greatly appreciative of Governor Hochul’s support for our efforts to make the streets of White Plains safer. We have seen a reduction in accidents at the intersections covered by the legislation and the extension of the program will help us continue that positive trend.”

    New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, “Red-light cameras save lives. Red-light running is a major contributing factor to traffic fatalities and the data speaks for itself: where we’ve installed these cameras, red-light running and related crashes have dropped 73 percent. In the coming months, we will be analyzing crash data to determine the most effective and equitable way to expand the use of this critical safety tool. We thank Mayor Adams, Governor Hochul, Assemblymember Dinowitz, Senator Gounardes, and elected officials at both the city and state levels for their support to make our streets safer.”

    Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said, “Today we get it right on red! Thanks to Governor Hochul, sponsors Senator Gournardes and Assemblymember Dinowitz, plus all the advocates who showed up in force, New York City is able to expand its red-light camera four-fold—changing traffic behaviors and catching the worst violators red-handed. We are getting vehicular menaces off the road and keeping New Yorkers safe—a true win.”

    Legislation S2812A/A5259A extends authorization for New York City’s existing red light camera program until 2027 and increases the maximum number of intersections with a red light camera from 150 to 600.

    State Senator Andrew Gounardes said, “The logic is simple: most drivers don’t run red lights. And those drivers, along with everyone else, are safer when the ones who do are held accountable,” said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. That’s why I passed legislation to increase the number of cameras to 600 intersections citywide. Three decades of data makes it clear: red light cameras reduce crashes and save lives. Thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for signing this important expansion into law so more New Yorkers are safe on our streets, however they get around.”

    Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz said, “Today’s signing of A.5259A is a monumental step forward for the safety of New Yorkers. By expanding the number of intersections with red light cameras in New York City from 150 to 600, we are taking strong action to curb reckless driving and reduce traffic fatalities. This legislation reinforces our commitment to using proven technology to protect pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. I am proud to work with Governor Hochul and State Senator Gounardes to make our roads safer and hold dangerous drivers accountable. With these additional cameras, we will help save lives, prevent tragedies across our city, and reduce the number of interactions between police and motorists.”

    This legislative package also focuses on protecting students by establishing a new speed camera program in Kingston, increasing penalties for passing stopped school buses, and mandating seatbelt requirements for charter buses. These new laws reaffirm New York State’s commitment to protecting students across New York State.

    Legislation S.8607A/A.9359A authorizes the City of Kingston to establish a speed camera program for up to three school zones, protecting children on their way to and from school.

    Legislation S.9504A/A.3120A increases penalties for overtaking and passing a school bus. The fine for a third or subsequent violation within three years will rise from $1,000 to $1,500. This targets repeat offenders specifically.

    Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “Improving safety on the roads is a constant battle. The bills signed today are our most recent efforts in that regard. This package includes two important bills regarding bus safety. A.3120-A increases the maximum penalty for those that illegally pass a stopped school bus and builds on our successful camera enforcement law. A.8557 requires the use of seatbelts on charter buses introduced in response to last year’s fatal crash in Orange County. It is critical that everyone use seatbelts and safety equipment on every form of transportation. These bills will help save lives. I thank the Governor for signing them into law.”

    Legislation S9361/A8557 requires all passengers on charter buses over the age of 8 to use the seatbelts provided.

    Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky said, “Today marks a monumental day for the safety of all New Yorkers from redlight cameras to other rules and regulations ensuring the safety of drivers and pedestrians alike. I am especially pleased to see the signing of Bill S9735, which I sponsored along with Assembly Member Gary Pretlow on behalf of the City of Mount Vernon expanding these traffic regulations. Thanks to the Mayor of Mount Vernon, Shawyn Patterson-Howard and City Council President, Cathlin Gleason, for their dedicated efforts to ensure the safety of Mount Vernon’s citizens. I extend my gratitude to the many legislative leaders whose tireless efforts ensure a better quality of life for all. And always, thank you to Governor Kathy Hochul for her continued leadership and resolve.”

    Lastly, Legislation S760B/A402B expands the reckless driving statute to include parking lots. Parking lots will be defined as private property with capacity for four or more cars, contiguous to premises and a roadway, parking lots adjacent to one- or two-family residences are exempt.

    State Senator John Liu said, “Car takeovers in parking lots, where drivers engage in reckless speeding, donuts and burnouts, has long plagued residents of New York. Our bill gives law enforcement greater ability to react quickly and decisively when these dangerous popup takeovers arise so that those responsible face consequences for endangering public safety. Many thanks to Governor Hochul for addressing this important community concern by signing our legislation into law.”

    Assemblymember Nily Rozic said, “No one should get away with driving in a way that endangers others. Our neighborhoods deserve to be safe for everyone,” said Assemblywoman Nily Rozic. “With the signing of this law, law enforcement will be able to hold reckless drivers accountable in these often-overlooked spaces. Thank you Governor Hochul for continuously ensuring the safety of our communities.”

    State Senator Iwen Chu said, “Many residents have raised concerns about reckless driving in our neighborhoods. I am proud to support this important legislation to provide the city with the necessary tools to curb dangerous driving behaviors and enhance safety for seniors, children, cyclists, and pedestrians. It’s a vital step in protecting everyone on the streets in our community.”

    State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “The data is clear, automated enforcement works. But it works best when paired with legislation to combat ghost cars, speeding and other traffic violations. Thanks to the Governor for signing these bills into law, and to my colleagues for championing legislation to protect New Yorkers from reckless drivers.”

    Assemblymember Fred Thiele said, “The package of legislation signed by the Governor is an important step to improve public safety on our highways. As a sponsor of legislation to provide greater protections to riders on school and charter buses, I applaud the Governor’s actions today. These safety measures are important initiatives to avoid the kind of tragic accidents that have occurred too often in the past.”

    Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick said, “This package of legislation is critical for keeping New Yorkers safe from the dangers of reckless and unsafe driving. Red light cameras are a proven technology that has significantly reduced crashes in New York City and it is crucial that this life saving tool is used in municipalities across the state. I look forward to the continued growth and success of this and other proven traffic safety programs to put an end to traffic violence. I applaud Governor Hochul for signing these life saving bills into law, and extend my sincere thanks to Families For Safe Streets and the many advocates who have taken their personal pain and used it to create change.”

    Assemblymember Angelo Santabarbara said, “These new laws are important steps to keep our kids safe. By increasing penalties for drivers who pass stopped school buses, we’re tackling a serious issue that puts children in danger every day. This new law, along with the requirement of seatbelts for kids on charter buses, puts safety first. I’m proud to support these measures that will help prevent accidents and save lives. Together, we’re sending a clear message: our children’s safety comes first.”

    Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre said, “One year ago, a tragic bus crash claimed two lives and injured numerous Farmingdale High School students en route to a band camp. Federal law requires that charter buses be equipped with seatbelts but state laws have not required their use–until now. This new law prevents future tragedies by mandating seatbelt use for passengers over eight years old. I applaud my colleague Assemblymember Magnarelli and Governor Hochul for taking action after this tragic incident to help save lives. We will continue to work towards enhancing safety in all forms of transportation.”

    Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas said, “It will be a year in January since I experienced a traumatic car crash, as a pedestrian, that left me with a broken arm. I walked away from the crash with my life, but so many others are not as fortunate. Every New Yorker that is killed from a traffic crash is a loved one who will never return home. This year, 88 pedestrians have been killed, 24 of them in Queens. Many of these victims are small children like 8-year-old Bayron Palomino Arroyo of East Elmhurst and 7-year-old Dolma Naadhun from Astoria, both of whom lost their lives. We have to do better. Renewing and expanding the Red Light Camera program across New York City will reinforce the necessary work we are doing to keep everyone safe. I’m proud to join today’s event and to do my part in moving us closer to safer streets for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Safer streets save lives.”

    Assemblymember Eddie Gibbs said, “I am proud to stand with my colleagues in ensuring our roads are safe for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers alike. New York City started this first-in-the-nation program 30 years ago. Since then, red-light cameras have become a standard enforcement tool across the country and world because of their effectiveness. Intersections that have had red-light cameras installed have seen a 58% decrease in the number of severe injuries caused by collisions compared to prior to the camera’s installation, according to NYC DOT. I want to thank everyone who came together to reauthorize the program including DOT Commissioner Rodriguez, who traveled to Albany to push the bill, Senator Gounardes & Assemblymember Dinowitz, the prime sponsors of the bill, and Governor Hochul for signing the bill today. The reauthorization of the Red-Light Camera program signed today will guarantee a consistent reduction in automotive collisions and prevent further casualties.”

    Assemblymember Manny De Los Santos said, “I applaud the leadership in both chambers and Governor Hochul for prioritizing safer streets this past legislative session, from Sammy’s Law to reduce speed limits to today’s bill sponsored by Assemblymember Dinowitz and Senator Gounardes to expand New York City’s red light camera program. Red light cameras are proven to foster safer driving conditions. Expanding the program from 150 to 600 intersections throughout the city will undoubtedly make our streets safer for pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and others who use alternative transport on our streets.”

    Assemblymember Grace Lee said, “These bills are critically important for enhancing safety in our neighborhoods. In Lower Manhattan, where heavy traffic and busy pedestrian areas meet daily, these expanded and newly established programs will reduce accidents and hold reckless drivers accountable. Thank you to Governor Hochul for signing these bills into law. Together, we are building safer streets for all New Yorkers by protecting lives and preventing tragedies.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Scammers undeterred: 9 in 10 NZers targeted, but reporting surges

    Source: BNZ statements

    New research from BNZ highlights the unrelenting onslaught of criminal scammers facing New Zealanders, with nearly nine in ten Kiwis reporting they’ve been targeted by scammers in the past year. 

    BNZ’s annual Scam Savvy survey found that 87% of New Zealanders were targeted by scams in the past 12 months, virtually unchanged from 2023 (88%).  

    However, in a positive shift, New Zealanders are fighting back: despite persistent attacks, the proportion of people reporting scams to organisations like banks, police, and Netsafe, has jumped to 70%, up from 62% in 2023 and a mere 46% in 2022. 

    BNZ Head of Financial Crime, Ashley Kai Fong, says, “While it’s concerning that scammers continue to target Kiwis at such a high rate, we’re pleased to see a significant increase in scam reporting.  

    “This shift suggests that our efforts to raise awareness and encourage action are paying off. However, it’s crucial to remember that if you suspect you’ve been scammed, you should always call your bank immediately. Quick action can often help prevent or limit financial losses.” 

    Key findings from BNZ’s 2024 Scam Savvy survey include: 

    • Government impersonation scams have increased, with 52% of respondents targeted by this type of scam in the last 12 months, up from 45% in 2023 
    • Email remains the most common scam channel, with 34% of scam victims targeted this way. 
    • Website-based scams have more than doubled, with 22% of scam victims being contacted this way, up from 9% in 2023 
    • Social media remains a significant channel for scammers, with 22% of respondents encountering scams on these platforms 
    • 1 in 8 respondents fell victim to a scam in the last 12 months, with 7% losing money 

    “The tactics used by scammers are constantly evolving, so the increase in reporting is a crucial step in our collective fight against fraud – every report makes it harder for scammers to operate. We’re seeing a real shift in attitudes, with more people recognising the importance of speaking up,” Kai Fong says. 

    In response to the evolving scam landscape, BNZ recently launched another anti-scam tool. The ‘online banking lock’ feature gives customers the ability to disable all online banking activity and lock access to their online banking if they suspect a scammer has gained access to their accounts. 

    “This new tool – available in the BNZ app – gives customers the ability to lock their online banking while they’re contacting us, potentially speeding up the process to lock their accounts and shut scammers out,” says Kai Fong. 

    The online banking lock is just one of a number of new features BNZ has introduced, including: 

    • Introducing a way for customers to verify their identity through the BNZ app when prompted by a BNZ staff member to confirm it is the bank calling. 
    • Introducing additional two-factor authentication (2FA) within internet banking for high-risk actions such as changing personal contact details, creating a new payee, editing an existing payee, or making payments to unsaved payees. This is required regardless of whether a customer has already completed 2FA in their current session. 
    • Deploying ID readers in branch to help identify fraudulent documents. 

    “While we’re making progress and introducing new protective measures, our research underscores the need for continued vigilance and education. We urge all New Zealanders to stay informed about the latest scam tactics and to report any suspicious activity immediately.  

    “Remember, reporting a scam isn’t just about your own protection—it could prevent someone else from becoming a victim too,” says Kai Fong. 

    Keeping account details, passwords and pin numbers safe 

    • never click on links or attachments sent by someone you don’t know or that seem out of character for someone you do know 
    • keep your computer and phone security software up to date 
    • contact your bank as soon as possible if you think you’ve been scammed 

    Top tips to get scam savvy – BNZ will never: 

    • email or text you links to online banking and ask you to log in 
    • send you a text message with a link to a website, or link to call us 
    • ask you for information about your PIN number, bank account number, or password 
    • ask you to verbally share the authentication codes sent to you by text or email, even with a BNZ staff member 
    • ask you to transfer money to help catch a scammer or a bank employee who is scamming customers send you a text message about account issues with a link to log in 
    • ask you to download software to access your Internet Banking remotely 
    • use international phone numbers to call or send you notifications.

    The BNZ Scam Savvy research was commissioned by BNZ using the Insights HQ my2cents online research panel. Responses were collected between July 30 and August 16, 2024, with a sample size of 1,263 New Zealanders. The sample was weighted to be nationally representative on region, age and gender.

    The post Scammers undeterred: 9 in 10 NZers targeted, but reporting surges appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Manchin Announces $428 Million for Manufacturing Projects in Coal Communities in West Virginia and Across the Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    October 23, 2024
    Charleston, WV- Today, Senator Joe Manchin III (I-WV), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, announced nearly $430 million to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing in coal communities in West Virginia and across the country. This award from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains is a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s direct investments in coal communities that were secured by Chairman Manchin. Today’s funding announcement includes $9.8 million for Sparkz, a battery material producer in Bridgeport, West Virginia, who will partner with the United Mine Workers of America to train former coal miners to become a part of their workforce.
    “Our nation’s coal communities have stepped forward and served as the backbone of our economy time and time again, said Chairman Manchin. “That’s why ensuring our coal communities have the resources they need to develop new industries has remained a top priority for me during my time in the United States Senate.
    “I am proud to have secured this funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to revitalize these communities throughout West Virginia and across the country,” Chairman Manchin continued. “This investment will stimulate economic growth and create thousands of good paying jobs in these critical communities that have too often been overlooked and undervalued.”
    For information on the 14 selected projects, click here.
    To learn more about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI’s Operation Not Forgotten 2024

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

    FBI dedicates investigative resources to address violent crime in Indian country

    In its second year, Operation Not Forgotten, a joint operation between the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services (BIA) surged more than 50 personnel to assist with unresolved investigations in Indian country. From June to September 2024, dedicated resources included FBI special agents and intelligence personnel who deployed to support 10 FBI field offices whose regions include Tribal communities that too often are impacted by a crisis of violence. 

    In the past four months, as a result of Operation Not Forgotten, more than 300 cases received increased investigative, intelligence, and victim assistance. The majority of that assistance was surged to cases involving the most vulnerable victims, including investigations of child physical and sexual abuse, child sexual abuse material, serious violent assaults, domestic violence, and death investigations. 

    “We want our Native American communities to know we are committed to combating criminal activity on Tribal land,” said FBI Criminal Investigative Division Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough. “Unfortunately, Native Americans face some of the highest levels of violence. Combating that is among the most important work we do. With the help our partners at BIA and our dedicated agents, analysts and professional staff, we will continue to bring expertise and insight that’s critical to protecting these communities and victims and helping them heal and thrive.” 

    FBI and BIA efforts have currently led to over 40 arrests, over 40 search warrants being executed, 11 violent offenders were indicted, and nine child victims were identified and recovered from situations of abuse or neglect. Additionally, FBI Victim Services Division personnel provided direct support and services to approximately 440 victims and next-of-kin, including, but not limited to, crisis intervention, case status updates, child/adolescent forensic interviews, support during investigative interviews, assistance with Crime Victims Compensation applications, resource referrals, transportation assistance, Child Protective Services coordination, and Emergency Victim Assistance Funding for lodging and other immediate expenses. 

    “The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services was pleased to have been apart of Operation Not Forgotten,” said Richard Melville, Office of Justice Services director. “Joint investigative efforts between the FBI and BIA increase investigative resources and strengthens our ability to bring closure and justice for families and victims of violent crimes committed in Indian country. This partnership is an effective tool our agencies leveraged throughout Operation Not Forgotten to achieve that important goal.”   

    This joint operation between the two agencies recognizes the importance of an inclusive approach to combating violent crime in Indian country. By working closely with BIA and Tribal law enforcement agencies, the FBI is establishing trusted partnerships with Tribal communities to address crime in Indian country. The FBI has more than 200 dedicated agents and 26 Safe Trails Task Forces consisting of federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners investigating crimes in roughly 200 Tribal communities nationwide. By expanding our presence in Indian country and working closely with our partner law enforcement agencies and community advocates, the FBI is committed to bringing closure to unresolved cases and bringing justice to victims and their families. 

    Operation Not Forgotten, along with the FBI’s broader violent crime mission, emphasizes the FBI’s continued dedication to address violence impacting Indian country, including Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP). The FBI is committed to maintaining close collaboration with our federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies, Tribal governments, and community members to build safer communities and protect the rights of all people.   

    Individuals with any relevant information about crimes or crimes in Indian country, are encouraged to visit tips.fbi.gov to submit an online tip or contact their local FBI office.   

    The following FBI field offices received dedicated personnel for Operation Not Forgotten 2024: 

    • Albuquerque
    • Denver
    • Detroit
    • Minneapolis
    • Oklahoma City
    • Omaha
    • Phoenix
    • Portland
    • Salt Lake City
    • Seattle

    Additional resources related to the FBI’s work in Indian country can be found on fbi.gov. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deer Lake — Human remains of missing man found at fire scene in Deer Lake, investigation continuing

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP West District General Investigation Section has confirmed the presence of human remains at the scene of a recent fire at the Driftwood Motel in Deer Lake. The fire occurred on October 19, 2024.

    On October 19, police received a report of a missing elderly man who was a guest of the Driftwood Motel. The man was unaccounted for and had not been seen since the time of the fire. This morning, October 23, 2024, during a search of the fire scene, human remains were located and have been identified as those of the missing man.

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is engaged. The fire scene is being held and processed by the RCMP as part of an ongoing investigation.

    RCMP NL extends condolences to the family and friends of the missing man.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson Appoints Election Officer for the Middle District of Alabama

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that an Assistant United States Attorney will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Alabama and lead the efforts of his office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

                “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson. “In addition, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

                The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

                Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English). 

                The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, the DEO will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. The DEO can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (334) 223-7280.

                In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 251-438-3674.

                Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

                Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson added, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

                Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Denham Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Barry Paul Vining, age 56, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to distribution of child pornography.

    According to admissions made during his plea, on November 27, 2022, Vining knowingly distributed the two images of child pornography when he uploaded them to a file sharing service accessed via the internet, and that allowed other users of the service around the world to download and share the images.  In addition, at the time Vining distributed the child pornography, he possessed files that contained numerous images and videos of child pornography.

    U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe stated, “Our office will remain steadfast in the prosecution of the horrific crime of child pornography, a crime that preys on the most vulnerable, our youth.  I want to thank our Project Safe Childhood Partners, especially the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency for their hard work in investigating this illegal act.”

    This matter was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.

    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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Casar Leads 60+ Members of Congress Calling for the Release of Political Prisoners in Pakistan, Including Former Prime Minister Imran Khan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas)

    Pakistan’s 2024 National Assembly elections saw an historic level of irregularities

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (D-Texas), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), and Summer Lee (D-Penn.), along with 59 other Members of Congress, are calling on President Joe Biden to center human rights in U.S. policy towards Pakistan following the country’s Feb. 2024 National Assembly elections, and on Pakistani authorities to release political prisoners, including former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.

    This is the first letter from U.S. Members of Congress calling for political prisoners in Pakistan, including Khan, to be released. Casar authored the letter as a follow-up to the nearly unanimous passage of H.Res. 901, which called for the U.S. to support democracy and human rights in Pakistan.

    In February 2024, the Pakistani elections saw a historic level of irregularities, including widespread electoral fraud, state-led efforts to disenfranchise voters, the arrest and detention of political leaders, journalists, and activists, and the continued imprisonment of Khan. That month, Casar and 30 other members urgedBiden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to investigate pre- and post-poll rigging in Pakistan’s parliamentary elections. Many of those concerns are reiterated in today’s letter.

    “We echo the calls for Khan’s immediate release and for an end to widespread arbitrary detention of party members and activists in Pakistan,” the members wrote. “We ask your Administration to urgently secure the guarantees from the Pakistani government for Khan’s safety and well-being and urge U.S. embassy officials to visit him in prison.”

    “More broadly, developments since the February vote point to a clear turn towards authoritarianism in the country,” the members continued. “The government has intensified its crackdown on social media and the internet as part of a broader effort to suppress political activism, which it deems to be ‘anti-state propaganda’ and ‘digital terrorism.’ These repressive measures [are] an attack on fundamental human rights… In addition, Pakistani authorities are increasingly engaging in transnational repression… We join our Pakistani American constituents, as well as community leaders and elected officials throughout our country and around the world, in standing in solidarity with the people of Pakistan and their struggle to rebuild a genuinely representative democracy.”

    The letter is authored by U.S. Representative Greg Casar (TX-35), co-led by U.S. RepresentativesJim McGovern (MA-02) and Summer Lee (PA-12), and signed by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Cori Bush (MO-01), André Carson (IN-07), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Dan Kildee (MI-08), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Greg Landsman (OH-01), John Larson (CT-01), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jaime Raskin (MD-08), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Dina Titus (NV-20), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), David Trone (MD-06), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12),and Susan Wild (PA-07). 

    It is supported by First Pakistan Global, Democracy And Human Rights Alliance, Community Alliance for Peace and Justice – Pakistan Democracy Campaign, and The Coalition to Change U.S. Policy on Pakistan (CUSP).

    The full letter can be viewed here.

    ###

    Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio.  A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Southeastern New Brunswick — RCMP issue 236 tickets during traffic enforcement operation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A recent RCMP traffic enforcement operation in Southeastern New Brunswick has resulted in 75 vehicles being towed, and 236 tickets being issued.

    Between October 17 and 19, 2024, members of the New Brunswick RCMP’s Tactical Traffic Enforcement Unit (TTEU) and Motor Vehicle Inspectors from the Highway Safety Enforcement Branch of the Department of Justice and Public Safety, worked together to conduct a traffic enforcement operation in the Greater Moncton area, Sussex, Petitcodiac, and Salisbury.

    The operation focused on unsafe vehicles and modified vehicles, as well as distracted driving, speeding, and proper use of seatbelts. During the operation, 125 vehicles were escorted to a specific site to be assessed, 66 were towed at the owner’s expense, and 48 were deemed unsafe.

    Several inspection stations will be investigated for not following the motor vehicle inspection procedures as per the New Brunswick – Motor vehicle Act.

    A total of 236 traffic violations were issued under the New Brunswick Motor Vehicle Act, including 81 for speeding, 18 unsafe vehicles, 31 tickets for not wearing a seatbelt and 28 tickets for using a hand-held electronic device while driving.

    Additionally, three individuals were issued a court date for driving while suspended, two other individuals were issued short-term roadside suspensions, and five individuals were arrested for warrants of arrest and committal. Three vehicles were also intercepted for speeding in excess of 50 km/hr of the posted speed limit were towed and impounded for seven days. A number of warnings were also issued.

    The New Brunswick RCMP’s TTEU conducts regular, targeted traffic enforcement on roadways throughout the province with the goals of improving road safety, educating motorists about traffic laws and to reduce serious injury and fatal collisions.

    “It is important to recognize that each individual has a role to play in ensuring the safety of our roads and communities,” says Sgt. Ghislain David with the Tactical Traffic Enforcement Unit. “Our primary objective is to safeguard the public by reducing the number of unsafe vehicles on our roadways.”

    The public can assist in keeping dangerous drivers off the road by reporting them to police. If you see a dangerous or a suspected impaired driver, call 911. Your description of the driver, vehicle, licence plate number and direction of travel can assist police in making New Brunswick roads safer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tripoli Sailors Enlist Future Sailors

    Source: United States Navy Pacific Fleet 1

    SAN FRANCISCO – Sailors assigned to amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) received a Flag Letter of Commendation (FLOC) for helping future Sailors enlist in the Navy as part of the ‘Every Sailor a Recruiter’ (ESAR) program, Oct. 11, 2024.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: BOYLE, CASEY, FETTERMAN, EVANS, SCANLON AND PARKER ANNOUNCE $27.5 MILLION INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING FOR PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brendan Boyle (13th District of Pennsylvania)

    Funding will be used to upgrade terminals, including modernizing HVAC and electrical systems. With this funding, PHL has received more than $347 million in federal funding since the start of 2021

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA-02), along with U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced that Philadelphia International Airport is receiving $27,500,000 in new federal infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). This funding comes from the Airport Terminal Program (ATP), which was created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to revitalize the Nation’s aging airports. 

    “The IIJA funding award, which I supported, is more than just an investment in infrastructure”, said Congressman Boyle. “It strengthens one of our region’s key economic drivers. By improving the efficiency of the internal infrastructures of the airport facility, we create smoother operations, draw more visitors, and deliver a top-tier experience for global travelers. This funding reaffirms my dedication to keeping Philadelphia International Airport a vital hub, fueling growth and prosperity for our community and beyond.”

    “Philadelphia International Airport serves as a vital transportation and economic gateway to the rest of the Commonwealth and the world,” said Senator Casey. “This investment from the infrastructure law will help modernize the airport by upgrading HVAC and electrical systems in Terminals D and E. I will always fight for investments that boost Southeastern Pennsylvania’s economy and keep the region moving.”

    “It’s investments like this that help keep Philadelphia a world-class city with world-class infrastructure. This $27.5 million for terminal energy upgrades guarantees that the commonwealth’s largest airport stays efficient, resilient, and ready for the future. That’s how we keep Philly competitive and connected,” said Senator Fetterman.

    “I’m pleased to see another $27.5 million in federal funding that I voted for coming to Philadelphia! The airport has also received other federal funding for improvements through the Biden-Harris administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and this will all benefit people traveling from and to our area, along with our local economy,” said Congressman Evans.

    “I’m proud to see PHL earning the competitive grants we authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bringing good jobs to our region as PHL upgrades its terminals.” said Congresswoman Scanlon. “Modernizing our region’s airport infrastructure will improve air travel for passengers and position our local economy for success in an increasingly competitive global economy.”

    “It is tremendous news that our Philadelphia International Airport will be receiving $27.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to help with important HVAC and energy efficiency projects,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “Every single federal grant or funding allocation coming into Philadelphia is because of the hard work of all our federal partners, including Senator Casey and every member of our delegation, along with the support of the Biden-Harris administration.  It’s another step forward for Philadelphia, and we are profoundly grateful.”

    The funding for Philadelphia International Airport will support improvements to the existing upper levels of portions of Terminals D & E that have reached the end of their useful lives, including HVAC and electrical efficiency upgrades and improvements. PHL has received a total of $374,545,577 in federal investments since the start of 2021. 
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clarenville — Clarenville RCMP investigates fatal moose vehicle collision on TCH near Goobies

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 64-year-old man is deceased following a moose-vehicle collision that occurred on the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) near Goobies on the evening of October 22, 2024.

    Shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Clarenville RCMP received the report of the collision involving a moose and two vehicles. A vehicle collided with a moose, crossed into the oncoming lane of travel and collided with another vehicle. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle that collided with the moose died at the scene. The driver and lone occupant of the second vehicle was transported to Dr. G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital in Clarenville with non-life-threatening injuries.

    The TCH was impassable for a number of hours. A Collision Reconstructionist with RCMP Traffic Services attended the scene and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is engaged.

    The investigation is continuing.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Woman Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine in Trunk of Car when Traveling Through Acadiana Area

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Sarah Rose Cea, 34, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, has been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on drug trafficking charges. 

    On June 8, 2023, Cea was stopped while traveling on Interstate 10 near Lafayette, Louisiana by troopers with the Louisiana State Police. Cea was the sole occupant of the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.  A Louisiana State Police K-9 conducted an open air sniff of the vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics in Cea’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and law enforcement agents located approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine in the trunk of her vehicle. The seized substance was sent to the criminalistics laboratory for testing, and it was confirmed to be approximately 19,943 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride with a substance purity of 100%. 

    At the guilty plea hearing on July 31, 2024, Cea admitted to possessing the methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it to another individual. 

    The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cortez Man Pleads Guilty To Making Threats Against Election Official

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Teak Ty Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, pleaded guilty today to one count of transmitting interstate threats.

    According to the plea agreement, Brockbank made a series of online threats toward elections officials in Colorado and Arizona, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and August 2022. On September 21, 2021, for example, Brockbank posted on a social media account: “I live in Communist Colorado and this Crazed liberal [referring to Election Official-1] and many others in Communist Colorado needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.”

    In the plea agreement, Brockbank also admitted that, during that time, he used that account, as well as another social media account to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials. Brockbank admitted to other threats as well. On August 4, 2022, for example, Brockbank posted a message referring to separate election officials in Arizona and Colorado and then stated: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”

    Brockbank also posted a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”

    Finally, Brockbank allegedly threatened federal law enforcement on July 20, 2022, posting: “ATF CIA FBI show up to my house I am shooting them peace’s of shit first No Warning!! Then I will call the sheriff!!! With everything that these piece of shit agencies have done I am completely justified to just start dropping them as soon as they step on my property! justified.”

    United States District Judge S. Kato Crews presided over the change of plea hearing. The FBI Denver Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Jonathan E. Jacobson of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant United States Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution.

    Sentencing will be held on February 3, 2025.

    This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. A year after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the Task Force has begun.

    Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the Task Force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Criminal Division, the Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division, and the FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

    To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

    Case Number: 24-cr-00291-SKC

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Distributing Meth, PCP, Fentanyl, and Other Narcotics

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Diane Gillard, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John M. Gallagher to 192 months in prison, 10 years of supervised release, and $2,100 in restitution for drug trafficking and gun offenses.

    On July 18, 2023, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned a 54-count superseding indictment charging Gillard, brother Phillip Gillard, and seven other codefendants with their participation in a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, in the immediate vicinity of the Memphis Street Academy, a charter school located at 2950 Memphis Street.

    In November 2023, Diane Gillard pleaded guilty to all charges in the superseding indictment.

    Those charges arose from the FBI’s two-year investigation into the Gillard drug trafficking organization, which supplied other drug traffickers with wholesale quantities of methamphetamine, phencyclidine (“PCP”), fentanyl, and other narcotics.

    Throughout the course of the investigation, law enforcement agents conducted surveillance and undercover sting operations, during which drugs were purchased from the defendants. The group maintained three separate properties in connection with their drug trafficking organization, all of which were less than 1,000 feet away from the Memphis Street Academy.

    In total, the FBI confiscated over 20 pounds of pure methamphetamine, three gallons of PCP, one and a half kilograms of cocaine, 900 grams of crack cocaine, 400 grams of fentanyl, and 11 firearms.

    Codefendants Sharif Jackson, Amin Whitehead, Cesar Maldonado, Terrence Maxwell, Raphael Sanchez, Melvin Dreher, and Arron Preno previously pleaded guilty and received prison sentences in this case. Jackson was sentenced to 180 months in prison, Whitehead to 138 months, Maldonado to 96 months, Maxwell to 93 months, Sanchez to 90 months, Dreher to 60 months, and Preno to six months. Phillip Gillard, who was convicted at trial in February, is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

    “Diane Gillard was a central participant in the Gillard Street Gang’s trafficking, caught red-handed selling large amounts of drugs on multiple occasions,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “This is a group that helped flood Philly’s streets with meth, PCP, fentanyl, and more. My office and our partners will continue to target those fueling our city’s drug epidemic and callously profiting from people’s pain and addiction.”

    “Drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine devastate communities across our nation and have no place in our city,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Today’s sentence is a culmination of a years-long investigation, and the tireless dedication of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in pursuit of those who bring these harmful drugs into our communities.”

    “The interagency cooperation on this case has been truly outstanding,” said Edward V. Owens, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia. “I commend the special agents and prosecutors who worked to ensure that these criminals and the dangerous drugs that they were trafficking will no longer threaten the American public.”

    The case was investigated by the FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, with extraordinary cooperation from the Memphis Street Academy, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Robert W. Schopf.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Names District Election Officer to Oversee the Handling of Complaints of Election Fraud and Voting Rights Abuses in the November 2024 General Election

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Khasigian will serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Eastern District of California in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5 general election. The DEO is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of Election Day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington, DC.

    The 34 counties in the Eastern District are: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba.

    “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

    In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Khasigian will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 916-554-2723.

    U.S. Attorney Talbert stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

    In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Election Day. The local FBI field office can be reached by phone at 916-746-7000.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC, by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Bern Man Pleads Guilty for Posing as Landlord to Fraudulently Collect Nearly $150,000 in COVID-19 Rental Assistance

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – New Bern resident Anthony Lynch, 35, pled guilty to charges that he defrauded a program designed to help struggling North Carolina residents stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Mr. Lynch exploited a taxpayer-funded program meant to support struggling families and individuals trying to stay in their homes during an unprecedented global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “Lynch sought nearly $400,000 in emergency federal funds in 25 separate relief applications. His ill-gotten profits have now landed him a federal conviction.”

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, Lynch pled guilty to one count of mail fraud for falsely claiming to be the landlord of properties in Craven, Pamlico and Onslow Counties with renters who were unable to pay rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Lynch submitted 25 applications to the North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions Program (NC HOPE), which was established during the pandemic to provide emergency rental assistance to tenants who struggled to pay rent and therefore faced eviction due to financial difficulties caused by the pandemic.

    Despite having no ownership or management responsibilities for any of the properties listed in the 25 applications he submitted, Lynch requested nearly $400,000 in emergency federal funding.  His fraudulent applications resulted in 11 checks, totaling $144,000 being mailed to Lynch at his home in New Bern.  He faces up to 27 months in prison, if convicted.     

    The NC HOPE Program administered federal COVID-19 relief funds and provided emergency rental assistance to North Carolina renters who faced eviction and homelessness during the pandemic.  The program allowed renters to submit an online application to apply for rental assistance.  If approved, the program paid the tenant’s rent, in checks sent directly to the landlord, for up to 15 months of overdue or future rent payments.

    Michael F. Easley, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the guilty plea was accepted by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers.  The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; the United States Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General; and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and it is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton.

    Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-00061.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Martin City man charged with producing, distributing child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A Martin City man accused of producing and distributing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct appeared on Oct. 22 for arraignment on charges, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

    The defendant, Raymond Owen Bonner, Jr., 39, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. If convicted, Bonner faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release on the production charge, and a mandatory minimum of five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release on the distribution charge.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Bonner was detained pending further proceedings.

    The indictment alleges that between about June 2024 and Sept. 5, 2024 in Martin City, in Flathead County, Bonner coerced a minor, identified as Jane Doe, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual images and that he distributed visual images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct using a computer.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the Case. The FBI and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    Charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    PACER case reference. 24-57.

    The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

    XXX

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  • MIL-OSI USA: October 22nd, 2024 Heinrich Highlights New Ballistics Testing Machine in Las Cruces to Help Tackle Gun Violence & Solve Violent Crime in Southern New Mexico

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, highlighted recent funding he’s secured for law enforcement to tackle gun violence, solve crimes, and hold criminals accountable in Southern New Mexico, including a new ballistics testing machine, known as a National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) machine, for Las Cruces.
    Currently, there are only four NIBIN machines in New Mexico: two in Albuquerque, one in Santa Fe, and one on loan in Las Cruces, which the Las Cruces Police Department demonstrated today. Over $1 million Heinrich secured through the Appropriations process will add four new NIBIN machines for Las Cruces, Farmington, Gallup, and Roswell.
    CAPTION: Heinrich visits with the Las Cruces Police Department to discuss funding he’s secured for a new NIBIN machine in Las Cruces, October 22, 2024.
    “A permanent NIBIN machine in Las Cruces will make a real difference in helping to solve violent crime in the region, allowing law enforcement to trace firearms used in crimes and hold criminals accountable, all while saving officers valuable time and resources,” said Heinrich. “When it comes to crime, my focus is on preventing what we can and solving it when we can’t. These machines will help us do both – solving the crimes that happen before those same criminals can do more harm. I will continue to deliver investments to support and better equip our law enforcement with the tools needed to keep New Mexicans safe.”
    NIBIN machines are vital to assisting law enforcement in identifying and prosecuting crimes involving firearms through ballistic intelligence.  
    The intelligence gathered by these NIBIN machines will go to the New Mexico Attorney General’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center, where dedicated and trained analysts will use the information to trace and network firearms used in crimes across the state. The Center will then be able to feed that information back to law enforcement agencies to improve identification of suspects and support successful prosecutions. In addition to securing funding for the NIBIN machines, Heinrich secured language in the 2024 Appropriations Bill directing the expanded use of NIBIN for state and local agencies in the Southwest Border region.     
    Heinrich-secured funding for the Las Cruces Police Department
    Heinrich secured $194,000 in the 2024 Appropriations Bills for the Las Cruces Police Department to purchase equipment to safely analyze fentanyl and other illicit narcotics and create a community engagement effort to educate youth on the dangers of illicit drugs. 
    In the 2o23 Appropriations Bills, Heinrich secured $1,750,000 for the Las Cruces Police Department’s Regional Critical Response Team to purchase emergency response equipment to keep New Mexicans safe. The legislation also included $450,000 Heinrich secured for the Las Cruces Police Department to purchase camera trailers, drones, automatic license plate readers, and auto-activated car and body cameras to improve public safety and accountability. 
    For a list of Heinrich’s actions to support law enforcement and first responders across New Mexico, click here. 
    Heinrich’s longtime leadership to tackle gun violence:     
    A gun owner and father, Heinrich has long worked to advance and pass bipartisan policies that save lives, protect public safety, and reduce gun violence. 
    The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) was the first significant federal gun safety legislation to become law in 30 years. During the bill negotiations, Heinrich specifically worked with U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) to increase criminal penalties for straw purchases and stop illegal gun trafficking out of our country.  
    Heinrich-led gun trafficking and straw purchase provisions:
    Heinrich-led provisions in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act increased criminal penalties for straw purchasers and made it a crime, for the first time ever, to traffic firearms out of the United States. Straw purchasers are people who buy guns for those who cannot buy them directly themselves due to their age, felony criminal convictions, or other limitations. By increasing penalties for straw purchasing, Heinrich’s provision is helping to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who would use them against our communities. By making it illegal to traffic firearms out of the country, Heinrich’s provision gave law enforcement the tools needed to prosecute and disrupt the flow of firearms to Mexico and the Northern Triangle, fueling the violence that has driven so many to flee their home countries.  
    To date, the Department of Justice has charged more than 600 defendants using BSCA’s gun trafficking and straw purchasing laws, removing hundreds of firearms off the streets in the process. These cases are significant, often preventing and prosecuting highly dangerous activity, such as crimes linked to organized trafficking rings and transnational criminal organizations.  
    For example, in March 2024, the Justice Department charged several defendants with trafficking and straw purchasing over 100 firearms, including many military-grade weapons, that were allegedly intended to be smuggled to a Mexican drug cartel. In April, a defendant was sentenced to 276 months in prison for firearms trafficking and straw purchasing, as well as distribution of fentanyl, where the evidence showed that two of the trafficked firearms had been used in gang-related shootings. Late last year, a defendant was sentenced to two years in prison for running an illegal gun trafficking enterprise, repeatedly taking money to lie on firearm purchase forms and obtain weapons for convicted felons. 
    In New Mexico, the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico has charged 11 defendants with BSCA violations.  
    In June, Heinrich brought his Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, bipartisan legislation to ban bump stocks, to the Senate floor through a unanimous consent (UC) request. The effort directly followed a recent Supreme Court ruling to overturn a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, devices designed to indiscriminately kill the highest number of people in the shortest amount of time. U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), objected to Heinrich’s UC request, blocking passage of the legislation. Since the Supreme Court ruling, over 20 senators have signed onto Heinrich’s BUMP Act, bringing support up to over a quarter of the Senate.  
    Heinrich, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and former Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) initially introduced the BUMP Act in the 115th Congress, following the October 1, 2017, mass shooting in which a bump stock was used to fire more than 1,000 bullets into a crowd in just 10 minutes, killing 60 people. U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) also cosponsored that legislation.  
    Last November, Heinrich introduced the Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act, legislation to protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes. In addition to regulating the sale, transfer, and manufacture of gas-operated semi-automatic weapons, the GOSAFE Act would prevent unlawful modifications of permissible firearms, including bump stocks. Earlier this summer, Heinrich announced that his GOSAFE Act has been introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Lucy McBath (D-Ga.).       
    In July 2023, Heinrich cosponsored the bicameral Ghost Guns and Untraceable Firearms Act, led by Blumenthal, to require online and other sellers of gun-making kits to comply with federal firearm safety regulations.      
    In 2017, Heinrich cosponsored the bipartisan Fix NICS Act, which now requires federal and state authorities to produce background check implementation plans and holds federal agencies accountable for reporting relevant criminal records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). He also led the successful call to repeal the Dickey Amendment, which had previously prevented the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from funding research on gun violence and its effects on public health. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Over $11 Million In Federal Funding For Airports Across New York State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $11,195,520 in federal funding to strengthen infrastructure and rehabilitate facilities at four airports across New York State. The funding, granted through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Airport Terminal Program, will finance projects that address reconstruction and expansion at New York’s airports. The projects include constructing and rehabilitating air traffic control towers, expanding airport terminals and roadways, and upgrading HVAC and security systems.

    “When I became majority leader, I promised to deliver the federal funding needed to support much-needed infrastructure improvements at New York’s airports, and that is just what we delivered when created the Airport Terminal Program in our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law. With this $11+ million in federal funding, long overdue upgrades such as new control towers and expanded terminals at airports from Long Island to Western NY are now ready for take-off!” said Senator Schumer. “Upgrading terminals means more jobs, increased safety, and smoother travel experiences, and I’m proud that the program is continuing to help New York reach new heights.”

    “This significant federal investment of more than $11 million through the Airport Terminal Program will bring much-needed infrastructure modernization to airports across New York State,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Funding like this is vital for the safety and security of passengers and airport employees. I am proud to announce these awards and will continue fighting to deliver critical funding to airports across New York State.”

    A full list of funding recipients can be found below:

    Region Awardee Project Description Federal Funding
    Long Island Francis S. Gabreski Airport Air traffic control tower construction $1,000,000
    Mohawk Valley Griffiss International Airport Air traffic control tower rehabilitation $1,750,000
    North Country Adirondack Regional Airport Terminal expansion and reconstruction $500,000
    Western NY Buffalo Niagara International Airport Airport terminal roadway rehabilitation $7,945,520

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Money to Advance Zero-Emission Homes in New York

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $10 million is now available to advance new zero-emission homes in New York State. The Building Better Homes – Zero Emission Homes for Healthier Communities program incentivizes the design, construction and marketing of new clean and resilient single-family homes and townhomes and provides training and technical support to builders and developers. Advancing zero-emission new construction across the state will reduce emissions, improve indoor air quality, and create healthy, comfortable and resilient living environments for all New Yorkers.

    “New homes built to the latest clean energy and efficiency standards will ensure greener, healthier housing is available to all New Yorkers while helping pave the way toward a more sustainable future,” Governor Hochul said. “This investment is another part of the State’s comprehensive strategy to transform the new construction market, curb emissions, and ensure fewer homes and buildings rely on fossil fuels.”

    The Building Better Homes – Zero Emission Homes for Healthier Communities Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), provides funding on a first come, first served basis to builders and developers that commit to designing, constructing and growing market awareness and demand for new zero emission single-family homes and townhomes. Projects must meet performance requirements and third-party certification criteria that address clean energy, above code energy efficiency, and resiliency, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that remain operable during power outages or include backup power sources that can be used in the event of a power outage.

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Bringing builders and developers resources to advance zero-emission new construction is at the heart of Governor Hochul’s commitment to build homes that are healthy, comfortable, and maximize consumer control over energy use. This program continues NYSERDA’s long history of working with the market to bring the latest in energy and efficiency measures to more New Yorkers.”

    The base incentive per home is up to $7,000 and up to $4,000 for townhomes. Homes located in disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Climate Justice Working Group, will be eligible for the higher incentive amount with an additional $1,000 offered per project in these areas. Funding is also available for Passive House training of staff and contractors to help develop the expertise needed to effectively incorporate these standards into new homes.

    Applications for a single home, townhome or multiple homes and townhomes within a housing subdivision will be accepted through December 31, 2025, by 3 p.m. ET or until funds have been exhausted. For more information on this opportunity, including eligibility requirements, please visit NYSERDA’s website.

    This program is part of the Building Better Homes Initiative, which is designed to advance market awareness of zero-emission building practices and provide resources that can be distributed to consumers about the benefits of them. Benefits to consumers include improved indoor air quality, reducing the potential for asthma and allergies, and more comfortable living, all resulting from modern, high-performance appliances, such as induction cooktops, convection ovens, and clothes washers with integrated heat pump dryers.

    Zero-emission homes are also more likely to operate seamlessly during power outages due to incorporating passive resiliency and survivability measures. With more than 10,000 new homes being built per year in New York State, working with the home building market to reduce emissions is critical to making progress toward the State’s climate and energy goals, including the Governor’s goal to achieve two million climate-friendly homes by 2030.

    Buildings are one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions in New York State, and through NYSERDA and utility programs, more than $6.8 billion is being invested to decarbonize buildings. By improving energy efficiency in buildings and advancing statewide installations of onsite storage, renewables, and electric vehicle charging equipment, the State will reduce its carbon emissions and advance toward the ambitious target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 TBtu by 2025, the equivalent of powering 1.8 million homes.

    This program is funded through the State’s Clean Energy Fund (CEF).

    New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan

    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments, are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts – including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels. New York is also on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 400 registered and more than 130 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Commissioner responds to Government’s accountability announcement

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A statement from Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley following the Government’s announcement on police accountability:

    “We welcome today’s announcement from the Government introducing important reforms to strengthen the police accountability system.

    “These measures represent positive progress toward a system that is both fairer and faster, supporting the vast majority of officers who serve with integrity every day. The importance of these changes couldn’t have been demonstrated more clearly than by the acquittal of our firearms officer Sergeant Martyn Blake. He was a brave officer who acted in line with his training and faced immense danger to protect the public.

    “Accountability of the law is critical, but the current system is protracted and unbalanced and fails to secure the confidence of the public and officers. Over many years this has created a culture where our officers are increasingly more worried about a skewed, imbalanced system than they are the dangerous criminals they face on the streets. If this continues, it risks making the public less safe.

    “These reforms are a crucial and welcome step forward and we will now work with Government to deliver them at pace.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Response from NPCC lead for Armed Policing

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    The NPCC will continue to work with Government to ensure police accountability.

    Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Armed Policing, said:

    “Our thoughts remain with Mr Kaba’s family and friends, and the wider community who we know have experienced the most terrible trauma after losing him. 

    “My thoughts also go to Sergeant Martyn Blake, his family, and colleagues, I do not underestimate the pressure and distress they all must have endured.

    “The court case reflects the complex and difficult situations armed officers face and the decisions they have to make in a split second, under immense pressure.  In the UK it is rare that firearms officers discharge their weapons and even rarer that someone dies as a result.  When this happens, there must be proper investigation, accountability.”

    “Police officers are not above the law, and nobody expects them to be, but the system that holds officers to account when they use force to protect the public, their colleagues and themselves, has become broken.

    “We are supportive of the Home Secretary’s announcement and welcome their commitment to getting it right for officers and the public they serve and improving overall policing standards for communities.

    “The ongoing work on the Accountability Review now has momentum to continue and is a real opportunity to get the balance right in the interests of the public we are here to protect.

    “We are proud have the most restrained and professional armed officers in the world, but increasingly they are more afraid of going to prison for doing their jobs, than facing the violent and dangerous individuals we rely on them to protect us from.

    “Good police officers need to know that if they do what they are trained to do, they will be supported by the leaders of the police service, Government and most importantly the public.

    “We remain determined to get police accountability right and we will support Government to address concerns about the current accountability system to restore the confidence of police officers and the public.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Evolving challenges of admissibility of e-evidence addressed at annual JITs Network meeting

    Source: Eurojust

    As organised crime groups increasingly exploit emerging technologies to facilitate their illicit activities, the need for effective and efficient collection of electronic evidence has become paramount. The meeting aimed to tackle the new legal challenges arising from the shift towards virtual evidence, and to identify best practices for Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) to support judicial and law enforcement authorities in obtaining electronic evidence across the EU and beyond.

    Eurojust has been actively involved in supporting the gathering of electronic evidence and ensuring its admissibility in courts. The Agency, alongside Europol, has co-implemented the SIRIUS Project, which aims to enhance cooperation between judicial and law enforcement authorities, as well as service providers, to expedite access to electronic evidence across borders.

    The meeting was opened by Eurojust President Mr Ladislav Hamran and Europol Executive Director Ms Catherine De Bolle.

    In his opening remarks, President Hamran said, “The effective collection of electronic evidence is a crucial component of nearly all criminal investigations and prosecutions today. Through collaboration and knowledge-sharing among JIT Experts, I’m confident we can develop innovative solutions to overcome the challenges of gathering, preserving, and exchanging electronic evidence, and ultimately strengthen our collective ability to bring criminals to justice.”

    More than 85 participants attended the event, including 36 JIT National Experts from 23 EU Member States alongside representatives from the European Commission, eu-LISA, EJTN, ICC-OTP and OLAF.

    For two decades, the JITs Network has been instrumental in facilitating the work of practitioners, encouraging the use of JITs, and promoting the exchange of experience and best practices. On this occasion, the JITs Network marked its 20th annual meeting. These annual meetings are a vital forum for JIT National Experts to discuss issues related to JITs and international cooperation; laying the foundation for trust and understanding that is essential for efficient cross-border collaboration.

    Mr Piotr Radomski, one of the longest-standing JIT National Experts in the Network, stated: “The outstanding commitment of both past and present JIT National Experts, alongside the role the colleagues of the JITs Network Secretariat play, is evident to all practitioners fighting transnational crime. All of them are working with passion and dedication to further promote the idea of cooperation in the form of JITs.”

    The JITs Network of National Experts on Joint Investigation Teams was established in 2005 to facilitate the work of practitioners, as well as to encourage the use of JITs and contribute to the sharing of experiences and best practices. The JITs Network Secretariat has been hosted by Eurojust since 2011.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: F-35B test jet begins sea trials with Japanese multi-functional destroyer in eastern Pacific Ocean

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    PACIFIC OCEAN  –  

    A U.S. F-35 Lightning II aircraft landed aboard Japan’s Izumo-class multi-functional destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) for the first time Oct. 20 off the southern coast of California to begin developmental test aboard the allies’ largest ship.

    Royal Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nick Baker, a test pilot with the F-35 Patuxent River Integrated Test Force (Pax ITF), flew a specially instrumented F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the 5th generation air system and touched down about 3:15 p.m.

    Sea trials will leverage the ship’s recent modifications to conduct fixed-wing aircraft operations. Changes to the Kaga included painting its flight deck with heat-resistant material that tolerates the F-35B’s vectored-thrust engines, installing lights for nighttime operations, and reshaping the flight deck’s bow from a trapezoid to a rectangular shape.

    The trials will also pave the way for allies’ increased ability to operate in conjunction with each other.

    “This test is essential for strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities and is of utmost importance. We will do our best to achieve good test results together with the ITF,” said Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Capt. Shusaku Takeuchi, commanding officer, JS Kaga. “This test does not merely enhance the capabilities of the Maritime Self-Defense Force. It also improves the interoperability between Japan and the U.S., strengthening the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. alliance, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

    The F-35 is detached from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23), Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS Pax River), Maryland. It joins a test team from the Pax ITF, who embarked the ship in San Diego.

    In addition to F-35 test pilots, the Pax ITF team includes aircraft maintainers, flight test engineers, flight test control engineers, flight deck personnel, logisticians, and others, with support from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

    “We are proud to be part of this joint effort to test the compatibility of F-35B aboard JS Kaga,” said Seth Dion, Pax ITF team lead. “Our team has prepared meticulously for this mission, and we are committed to working closely with our allies to achieve our shared goals and strengthen our partnership.”

    The sea trials are scheduled to take approximately three weeks.

    JS Kaga set sail from its homeport at Kure Naval Base, Japan, in early September.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Coffeewood Prison Guard Sentenced to 40 Years on Child Exploitation, Child Pornography Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A former prison officer at Coffeewood Correctional Center in Mitchells, Virginia, was sentenced this week to 40 years in federal prison on a series of federal charges related to child sexual exploitation and child pornography.

    Davey Jonathan Sisk, 30, of Culpeper, Virginia, pled guilty in June to two counts of sexually exploiting and attempting to sexually exploit a child as well as one count of receiving child pornography.

    According to court documents, Sisk used the social media application “Telegram” to engage another individual, Anna Layher, to create videos and photos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and then send to him. These videos and photos involved victims as young as three years old.  Anna Layher, who was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia for her role in sexually exploiting these victims, also received a 40-year sentence in September 2024.

    In addition, from 2021 through 2022, a 12-year-old minor living in Texas engaged in sexual intercourse with another minor child and then sold videos and images of these sexual encounters on the internet through various social media applications, including Snapchat. Sisk admitted to using the Snapchat username “JAKESMOOT2021” and to paying over $450 through Cash App to the 12-year-old minor in exchange for multiple sexually explicit images and videos.

    United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations in Harrisonburg, VA and Washington, D.C. investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.

    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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Postal Worker Sentenced to Probation for Mail Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that DAVID RAYFORD (“RAYFORD”), age 40, of Kenner, La., was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on October 17, 2024, to one year probation, payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee and three hundred dollars in restitution, for Mail Theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.

    According to court records, on June 14, 2021, a Postal Service customer, contacted the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General to report non-delivery of a greeting card that was sent to his address.  The card was sent by a family member, in early May, 2021.  The family member advised that she mailed a Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card and cash to the victim and was able to provide a receipt for the purchase of the gift card.

    RAYFORD, an employee of the United States Postal Service, was the postman on the delivery route on which the card was stolen.  RAYFORD used the stolen Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card at Walmart.  Walmart Global Investigations identified two purchases made by RAYFORD utilizing the Navy Federal Credit Union Visa gift card. 

    The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Introduces Stand with Israel Act to Combat Israel’s Persecution at UN

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Jim Risch (R-ID) announced their intent to introduce the Stand with Israel Act when the Senate and House reconvene in November. This legislation would cut off US funding to United Nations (UN) agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel.
    “Israel deserves to have the world’s full support in their defense against unspeakable terrorism,” said Lankford. “Our greatest ally in the Middle East has faced vicious attacks since their founding in 1948, but the latest all-out assault from the Iranian regime and their terrorist proxies intends to wipe Israel off the map. I will not walk away from Israel as the world tries to justify terrorism.”
    “Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic,” said Risch. “That said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the US must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all we can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences.”
    Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Barrasso (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Kennedy (R-LA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ted Budd (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tim Scott (R-SC), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Thune (R-SD), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) also joined in support of this bill. This is companion legislation to bipartisan House bill HR 9394 led by Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY).
    BACKGROUND:
    Reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will attempt to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN.
    The PA is able to do this after the UN General Assembly passed a biased resolution which enhanced the PA’s status at the United Nations on May 10, 2024.
    The Stand with Israel Act would cut off US funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. The bill is modeled after the current prohibition of funding to any UN entities that elevate the status of the Palestinian Authority to a member state.

    MIL OSI USA News –