NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Rochester Area Teacher Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charge

    Source: US FBI

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kevin Burns, 45, of Irondequoit, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on November 5, 2024, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at the Burns’ residence in Irondequoit, because of a child pornography file he uploaded to Bing Image. During the search, electronic devices were seized, including a computer. More than 450 images of child pornography were found on the computer. Some of the images depicted violence against children and the sexual exploitation of an infant or toddler.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.

    Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vacca.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: District of South Dakota Seizes 230 Illegally Possessed Firearms in 2024

    Source: US FBI

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that over the course of 2024, federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies seized 230 firearms that were possessed in violation of federal law. In the same year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota charged approximately 112 defendants with illegally owning, possessing, using, or obtaining one or more such firearms.

    “By seizing firearms from individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms, law enforcement agencies prevented countless violent and drug-related crimes from occurring in communities across South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful for the strong law enforcement partnerships in South Dakota, which allow us to combine federal, state, and tribal resources to target some of the most dangerous individuals in our state and remove illegal firearms from our streets.”

    Efforts to seize illegal firearms are the result of close cooperation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), South Dakota State Highway Patrol, and numerous sheriff’s offices and police departments across the state, including Sioux Falls and Rapid City.

    Examples of the types of firearms-related cases resolved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2024 include the following:

    • United States v. Bryan Louis Archambeau—In the evening of November 2, 2023, Archambeau went to the 49’er Marathon C-Store in Sioux Falls wearing a medical mask. He entered the store and took two cases of Twisted Tea and exited the store without paying for the items. When confronted about the theft, Archambeau lifted his shirt, brandished a pistol, and then left the scene. Then, in the evening of November 3, 2023, Archambeau went to the Freedom Valu Center in Sioux Falls. He placed two-12 packs of Twisted Tea on the counter and pulled out a pistol from his waistband. He pointed it at the clerk, racked the slide of the pistol, and demanded money. Archambeau then left the scene. Archambeau was later convicted of Interference with Commerce by Means of Robbery and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. He was sentenced to nearly 11 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the ATF and the Sioux Falls Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb.
       
    • United States v. Charles Colhoff—On November 4, 2023, Colhoff was involved in a shooting in Rapid City where he and another individual exchanged gunfire following an argument. Colhoff was uninjured but the other individual sustained two gunshot wounds and required surgery. Officers processing the scene located three 9mm cartridge casings related to the shooting. Colhoff was located by law enforcement on November 11, 2023, and found to be in possession of a Browning 9mm semi-automatic pistol believed to be the same pistol Colhoff used in the shooting. Ballistics testing was conducted, which confirmed the three 9mm casings recovered at the shooting scene were fired from the pistol recovered from Colhoff. Colhoff knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior federal felony offense, which also involved a firearm. Colhoff was sentenced to nine years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the ATF, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson prosecuted the case.
       
    • United States v. Jerel Running Bear—On the evening of November 8, 2023, Running Bear and two other individuals, including a 21-year-old female victim, went to Wounded Knee to obtain fentanyl pills from a drug source. When the source did not show up, Running Bear, who was under the influence of controlled substances, grabbed a rifle from the trunk of the vehicle and shot the female who was seated in the backseat. The other female took off running and alerted law enforcement. Running Bear then picked up Fast Horse, his girlfriend at the time. Running Bear removed the victim from the vehicle and left her on the side of the road, while Fast Horse watched. The next day, the two fled to Nebraska after being spotted by law enforcement. Fast Horse threw out items from the vehicle, including controlled substances. The two were eventually apprehended. After Running Bear was placed into custody, Fast Horse did not tell law enforcement about watching Running Bear dispose of the victim’s body on the side of the road. Running Bear was convicted of Second Degree Murder and Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence. He was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
       
    • United States v. Justin James Schneider—On June 20, 2023, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office received credible information that Schneider had discharged a revolver earlier that day and was armed and dangerous. The Corson County Sheriff requested and received assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services to detain and arrest Schneider. A BIA officer found Schneider in Bullhead, South Dakota, in the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. When the officer attempted to arrest him, Schneider fled in his pickup to a nearby pasture and engaged in an armed stand-off with Corson County deputies and BIA police officers. Schneider eventually got back into his pickup and fled to the Bullhead Community Center, striking a police squad car en route. Schneider then exited his pickup, brandishing a revolver, gesturing wildly towards nearby civilians and disregarding repeated police commands to drop his gun. As Schneider moved quickly towards unarmed children, a police officer shot him to protect the public. Schneider was taken into custody without further incident. Schneider was convicted of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm and Simple Assault on a Federal Officer. He was sentenced to over 13 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the FBI, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
       
    • United States v. Antoine Ray Thomas, et al.—Thomas was part of a large methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution organization operating in South Dakota, which was obtaining drugs from Mexico. The conspiracy involved fifty pounds of methamphetamine, hundreds of pills containing fentanyl, and several firearms and ammunition. Thomas was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Ebert-Webb  and Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

      The District of South Dakota’s prosecution of illegal firearms is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Shatters Nationwide Border Records, Once Again Delivering the Most Secure Border in American History 

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Under President Trump, June Preliminary Numbers Show Encounters and Apprehensions at Record Lows

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the lowest nationwide encounters and apprehensions in history—shattering record lows set earlier this year under the Trump Administration.   

    In June, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) had the lowest number of nationwide encounters in CBP history at 25,243. This is 12% lower than the previous record set by President Trump in February 2025. That is 89% lower than the monthly average for years 2021-2024.  

    • Nationwide U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) apprehensions were at 8,039, breaking the previous record from March 2025. This is a dramatic decrease from last June when there 11,414 apprehensions made in just the first 3 days of the month.
    • Along the Southwest Border, USBP apprehensions dropped to 6,070, a 15% decline from March 2025. Last year, in just the first two days of June, Border Patrol had more than 7,000 Southwest Border apprehensions.
    • Notably, on June 28, Border Patrol recorded only 137 apprehensions across the entire Southwest Border—the lowest single-day total in a quarter of a century.
    • Gotaways fell 90% compared to June 2024. And for the second month in a row, USBP reported zero releases—reinforcing the Administration’s commitment to ending catch-and-release policies.

    “The numbers don’tlie—under President Trump’s leadership, DHS and CBP have shattered records and delivered the most secure border in American history. The world is hearing our message:the border is closed to law breakers,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “Under President Trump, our Border Patrol agents are empowered to do their job once again, secure our border and protect the American people.”  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Care work is not a cost – it’s an $11 trillion investment waiting to transform societies

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The world stands at a historic crossroads. Global economies can either continue sidelining the $11 trillion worth of unpaid care work that sustains societies or choose to invest in it as the foundation of inclusive growth, job creation, and long-term economic resilience.

    This was the urgent call issued by Dr Basani Baloyi, Programme Director at the Institute for Economic Justice, at the Third Technical Meeting of the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) underway at the Skukuza Conference Centre in Mpumalanga. 

    “The care economy is not a woman’s issue. It’s an economic imperative. It’s not a burden to be managed. It’s an opportunity to be seized. It is not a cost to be minimised. It’s an investment that will transform societies,” Baloyi said on Wednesday. 

    Her remarks drove home the message that investing in the care economy has far-reaching, proven returns. In Canada, a $10-per-day childcare programme created over 40 000 new jobs in the early childhood care sector, while expanding women’s participation in the workforce. 

    In Nordic countries, decades of investment in comprehensive care systems have led to some of the world’s highest levels of gender equality and economic competitiveness.

    “With our collective economic power, our diverse experiences and our shared commitment to sustainable development, the G20 has an unprecedented opportunity to scale these successes globally,” Baloyi said. 

    Framing the conversation around care as central to economic and social planning, Baloyi said this is the moment to shift from a model where care is invisible and undervalued, to one where it is measured, invested in, and integrated into policy design.

    “We have the evidence from Brazil’s groundbreaking National Caregiving Policy. We have the framework from South Africa’s comprehensive approach to women’s economic empowerment. What we need now is the collective will to act,” she said. 

    Throughout her keynote, Baloyi painted a vivid picture of care work’s current invisibility, and the toll it takes on women’s economic lives.

    “Picture this. It’s 3am and Maria, a nurse in São Paulo, finishes her shift caring for kids. She drives home not to rest, but to care for her mother and prepare breakfast for her children before they wake up.” 

    She said similar stories echoed across the globe. “Nomsa in Johannesburg juggles a teaching job and caring for a disabled sibling, and Sarah in Chicago reduces her engineering hours to care for her ailing father.”

    Baloyi said these are the women whose sacrifices are excluded from GDP, undervalued in policy, and absent in economic planning. 

    “What they call love, we call unpaid work,” Baloyi quoted philosopher Silvia Federici. 

    Globally, she explained that unpaid care work by women amounts to 9% of global GDP – equivalent to $11 trillion. In Brazil alone, it’s estimated that women subsidise the economy by at least $10.8 trillion annually. Yet, this work remains uncounted, unrecognised and unsupported.

    “We measure the production of cars and computers, but not the production of healthy, educated, capable human beings, who drive those cars and operate those computers,” she said. 

    This invisibility, Baloyi warned, has profound economic consequences, reinforcing gender roles, excluding millions of women from the labour market, and weakening economic resilience.

    However, Brazil’s pioneering move in 2024 to introduce a National Caregiving Policy – a collaborative effort across 20 ministries, municipalities and academia – signals a turning point. 

    South Africa’s G20 Presidency builds on this foundation, with three key priorities that will shape the future of care economies globally. 

    “These priorities recognise that care economy transformation requires addressing the full spectrum of challenges that women face. What makes this moment extraordinary is not just the ambition, but the methodology. 

    “South Africa is facilitating policy discourse and collaboration based on evidence, based research across G20 countries, they are creating platforms for sharing cross-country experiences, learning from both successes and challenges, and developing context sensitive recommendations that respect the diversity of G20 nations, while advancing common goals,” she said. 

    The data, Baloyi explained, is on South Africa’s side. According to the World Economic Forum, a $1.3 trillion investment in social jobs, particularly in the care economy, would generate $3.1 trillion in GDP and create over 10 million jobs in the United States alone. 

    The International Labour Organisation projects that invest in childcare and long-term care could result in 203 million jobs globally by 2035.

    “These aren’t just numbers. They represent millions of families lifted out of poverty, and millions of women able to participate fully in economic life,” Baloyi said. 

    She also urged G20 nations to adopt the ILO’s 5R Framework:

    • Recognise care work in policy and planning.
    • Reduce the burden through services and infrastructure.
    • Redistribute responsibilities between genders and institutions.
    • Represent care workers in decision-making.
    • Reward care work with fair wages and social protections.

    “Imagine Maria in São Paulo able to focus on her career, knowing her family is well cared for… Nomsa in Johannesburg receiving community support services… Sarah in Chicago returning to full-time work, thanks to elder care support… This is achievable policy implementation. When countries invest in care infrastructure, the ripple effects are profound,” she said. 

    Baloyi further told delegates that by 2030, over 2.3 billion adults will require care services. By 2050, 80% of the world’s elderly population will live in low- and middle-income countries, many lacking adequate care systems.

    “We can either prepare for this demographic transition through strategic investment or allow it to become a crisis that overwhelms families and destabilises economies. 

    “The 708 million women worldwide, who are outside the labour force due to care responsibilities, are counting on us. The future generations, who will inherit the economic and social systems we build today, are counting on us,” she said. – SAnews.gov.za 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Member of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials in Connection with Hit List

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Member of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials in Connection with Hit List

    The Justice Department today announced that Noah Lamb, 24, was charged in the Eastern District of California in an eight-count indictment for conspiracy, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and other offenses in connection with his work on a hit list of “high value targets” for assassination.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials in Connection with Hit List

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department announced today that Noah Lamb, 24, was charged in the Eastern District of California in an eight-count indictment for conspiracy, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and other offenses in connection with his work on a hit list of “high value targets” for assassination.

    “Transnational criminal networks that promote extremist ideology and seek to commit targeted assassinations and cause terror obviously have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “These criminal charges reflect the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to using the full force of the law to disrupt and prosecute those who use hate-driven violence to threaten public safety and national security.”

    “The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is committed to aggressively pursuing those who engage in hate-fueled conspiracies and terrorist threats,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will use every tool available to protect the civil rights of all Americans and ensure justice for those targeted by such heinous acts.”

    “The defendant collaborated with members of the online Terrorgram Collective to create a list of targets for assassination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “Individuals on the list were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, including federal officials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law.”

    “The FBI stands vigilant, protecting our homeland against individuals who seek to use violence to target the American people, our democracy, and the freedoms we stand for,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “These charges send a clear message of zero tolerance to anyone who advocates the use of violence to promote their ideology.”

    According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Lamb was a member of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism. Members of the Terrorgram Collective believe the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate.

    The indictment alleges that Lamb conspired with other members of the Terrorgram Collective to create and disseminate a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination that includes U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

    The indictment charges Lamb with a total of eight federal crimes, including one count of conspiracy, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, and one count of threatening communications. If convicted, Lamb faces a maximum penalty of 85 years in prison.

    The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Transnational Terrorist Group Charged with Soliciting the Murder of Federal Officials in Connection with Hit List

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department announced today that Noah Lamb, 24, was charged in the Eastern District of California in an eight-count indictment for conspiracy, soliciting the murder of federal officials, and other offenses in connection with his work on a hit list of “high value targets” for assassination.

    “Transnational criminal networks that promote extremist ideology and seek to commit targeted assassinations and cause terror obviously have no place in our society,” said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “These criminal charges reflect the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to using the full force of the law to disrupt and prosecute those who use hate-driven violence to threaten public safety and national security.”

    “The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is committed to aggressively pursuing those who engage in hate-fueled conspiracies and terrorist threats,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will use every tool available to protect the civil rights of all Americans and ensure justice for those targeted by such heinous acts.”

    “The defendant collaborated with members of the online Terrorgram Collective to create a list of targets for assassination,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “Individuals on the list were targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, including federal officials. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will work tirelessly with our partners in law enforcement and in the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute those who commit such violations of federal criminal law.”

    “The FBI stands vigilant, protecting our homeland against individuals who seek to use violence to target the American people, our democracy, and the freedoms we stand for,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “These charges send a clear message of zero tolerance to anyone who advocates the use of violence to promote their ideology.”

    According to the indictment, which was unsealed today, Lamb was a member of the Terrorgram Collective, a transnational terrorist group that operates on the digital messaging platform Telegram, where it promotes racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism. Members of the Terrorgram Collective believe the white race is superior; that society is irreparably corrupt and cannot be saved by political action; and that violence and terrorism are necessary to ignite a race war and accelerate the collapse of the government and the rise of a white ethnostate.

    The indictment alleges that Lamb conspired with other members of the Terrorgram Collective to create and disseminate a hit list of “high-value targets” for assassination that includes U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, targeted because of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

    The indictment charges Lamb with a total of eight federal crimes, including one count of conspiracy, three counts of soliciting the murder of federal officials, three counts of doxing federal officials, and one count of threatening communications. If convicted, Lamb faces a maximum penalty of 85 years in prison.

    The FBI Sacramento Field Office investigated the case.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: JACKSON MAN SENTENCED TO 103 MONTHS FOR BEING A FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

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

    JACKSON, MS – A Jackson, Mississippi man was sentenced on Monday, June 23rd to 103 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm to be served consecutively to 11 years remaining on a state sentence for armed robbery.

    According to court documents, Romelo Walker, 27, was found by Capitol Police officers to be in possession of a firearm on August 9, 2024, in Hinds County. Court records indicate that Walker fled a traffic stop in his vehicle at a high rate of speed through a neighborhood before being arrested after a foot chase. Walker had previous state convictions for armed robbery and domestic violence as recently as 2022. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Walker was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 24, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

    The ATF investigated the case with the assistance of the Capitol Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    Source: US FBI

    The FBI and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) on July 1 announced the selection of the Ronald Reagan Building complex in Washington, D.C., as the new location for FBI Headquarters.

    The announcement follows nearly two decades of attempts to find the needed space to meet the FBI’s mission and workforce requirements. Previous efforts focused on constructing a new suburban campus, which would have cost the taxpayers billions of dollars and would have taken years to construct. In support of the administration’s goal to optimize the federal real-estate portfolio, the GSA and FBI identified an existing federal property. The Ronald Reagan Building complex provides a world-class facility that supports the FBI’s critical mission and saves money for taxpayers.

    “FBI’s existing headquarters at the Hoover building is a great example of a government building that has accumulated years of deferred maintenance, suffering from an aging water system to concrete falling off the structure,” said GSA Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian. “I am proud of the GSA’s commitment to working with Director Patel and his FBI team to find a building that best supports their mission and their people.”

    “This is a historic moment for the FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Through our strong partnerships with members of Congress and GSA, we are ushering FBI Headquarters into a new era and providing our agents of justice a safer place to work. Moving to the Ronald Reagan Building is the most cost effective and resource efficient way to carry out our mission to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution.”

    “This move not only provides a world-class location for the FBI’s public servants, but it also saves Americans billions of dollars on new construction and avoids more than $300 million in deferred maintenance costs at the J. Edgar Hoover facility,” said GSA Public Buildings Service Commissioner Michael Peters. “We are proud to partner with Director Patel to drive efficiency and improve the quality of space for a productive workforce in service to national security and taxpayers.”

    The Reagan Building complex is currently home to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and other tenants. The GSA will continue to support and work with CBP on space that allows them to fulfill their mission while the transition of the FBI to the Reagan Building commences.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The international community needs to support the Haitian government’s efforts to re-establish security and stability: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    The international community needs to support the Haitian government’s efforts to re-establish security and stability: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on Haiti.

    Mr President, the UK condemns, without reservation, the violence that continues to undermine efforts to restore democratic rule in Haiti. 

    Coordinated gang attacks on civilian communities, public buildings and the security services continue to destabilise the Haitian state. 

    The gangs’ use of sexual and gender-based violence as a tool to control the population is abhorrent.

    We stand with the survivors, and we fully support efforts by BINUH and OHCHR to strengthen law enforcement efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

    The international community, including this Council, need to support the Haitian government’s efforts to re-establish security and stability. 

    We thank the pen holders for their efforts, and we stand ready to renew the mandate of the Special Political Mission to Haiti. 

    It is clear that more is needed, and the Haitian security forces and the Multinational Security Support mission should be adequately supported in order to stabilise the security situation.

    The UK pays tribute to Kenya for its continued leadership of the MSS mission in support of the Haitian Police. 

    It is important now for this Council to agree a process to consider the Secretary-General’s recommendations to deliver enhanced UN security support to Haiti, as a matter of urgency. 

    This action must be matched by Haitian efforts to advance the restoration of democratic rule.

    We note the recent publication of decrees to facilitate constitutional reform and the establishment of an electoral framework. 

    This is a positive step, but more action is needed to lay the groundwork for inclusive and credible elections. 

    We recognise the complex security environment and the considerable pressures facing the Transitional Presidential Council, and we encourage Haitian authorities to continue this work, while prioritising security and justice efforts to stabilise the country.

    The UK firmly rejects those seeking to undermine such a transition and is committed to maintaining accountability, including through the implementation of sanctions on those who seek to destabilise Haiti.

    Mr President, the people of Haiti deserve stability and a lasting peace.

    Collectively, we must find a way to deliver that.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crime in California drops again — state records second-lowest homicide rate since 1966

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 2, 2025

    What you need to know: California is delivering on its promises – significant investments in public safety help ensure safety in communities statewide with lower crime rates in 2024.

    Sacramento, California – As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Betrayal” that would slash public safety funding across the country, California continues to chart a different path — investing in real solutions that are delivering real results.

    New data released by the California Department of Justice shows that in 2024, nearly every major crime category declined, including violent crime, property crime, homicides, aggravated assaults, motor vehicle theft, burglary, and robbery. In addition, total full-time criminal justice personnel increased 1.9% from 2023 to 2024.

    In the wake of a nationwide spike in crime during the pandemic, California made the choice to invest — not abandon — our communities. While Republicans in Congress push a bill that would gut law enforcement funding and the President focuses on arresting farmworkers, California is showing what real public safety looks like: serious investments, strong enforcement, and real results.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Homicide rates

    The 2024 homicide rate is now the second lowest since at least 1966. The overall number of homicides decreased by nearly 12% since 2023. 

    California’s homicide rates have historically been lower than many other states. According to CDC data from 2022, the latest year available for all states, Alabama’s homicide rate was 152% higher than California’s, Oklahoma’s was 41% higher and Arkansas’ was 100% higher.

    • Louisiana = 2nd worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Alabama = 3rd worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Arkansas = 6th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022
    • Tennessee = 10th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022 
    • Oklahoma = 20th worst homicide rate of any state in 2022

    California Trends: 2023 and 2024

    • Violent Crime Rate: ↓ Decreased 6%
    • Property Crime Rate: ↓ Decreased 8.4%
    • Homicide Rate: ↓ Decreased 10.4% 
    • Aggravated Assault Rate: ↓ Decreased 6.5% 
    • Motor Vehicle Theft Rate: ↓ Decreased 15.2% 
    • Burglary Rate: ↓ Decreased 9.1% 
    • Robbery Rate: ↓ Decreased 6.3% 

    Trends over time 

    Since 2019, property crime, arson, burglary, and robbery have all decreased in California. Burglary rate decreased 18.8% from 2019 to 2024, the largest decrease of all categories. During that same time period, property crime rate decreased 9.1%, arson rate decreased 8.7%, and robbery rate decreased 9.6%. 

    Firearms vs. public safety 

    According to the Homicide in California report, firearms were still the most common weapon used in a homicide when a weapon was identified. Of all crime-linked guns recovered in 2024, 65% were not associated with a California sale, meaning that they likely originated out of state, in jurisdictions with weaker gun safety laws. Year after year, California is ranked as the #1 state in the country for its strong gun safety laws — along with some of the lowest rates of gun deaths — by Giffords Law Center and Everytown for Gun Safety. 

    The data points are based on crimes reported to local law enforcement, which are then reported to CADOJ. The underlying data associated with the annual reports is available on OpenJustice here.

    Stronger enforcement. Serious penalties. Real consequences.

    California has invested $1.6 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

    Last August, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history. Building on the state’s robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California’s crime rate remains at near historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

    As part of the state’s largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime, Governor Newsom announced last year the state distributed $267 million to 55 communities to help local communities combat organized retail crime. These funds have enabled cities and counties to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects. 

    Saturating key areas 

    Working collaboratively to heighten public safety, the Governor tasked the California Highway Patrol to work with local law enforcement areas in key areas to saturate high-crime areas, aiming to reduce roadway violence and criminal activity in the area, specifically vehicle theft and organized retail crime. Since the inception of this regional initiative, there have been over 7,300 arrests, more than 5,000 stolen vehicles recovered and over 350 firearms confiscated across Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Oakland.

    Press releases

    Recent news

    Jul 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: After weeks of pressure from Governor Newsom, President Trump finally allowed California’s wildfire crews to return to the frontlines — but nearly 5,000 soldiers, including California National Guard members, remain sidelined in Los Angeles,…

    Jul 1, 2025

    News What you need to know: California has invested billions of dollars to fight fires and treated millions of acres to reduce wildfire risk, while the Trump administration continues to cut resources and neglect its responsibility to manage the 57% of the state’s…

    Jun 30, 2025

    News PLACER COUNTY — As California enters peak fire season, Governor Gavin Newsom will make an announcement with the potential to help prevent wildfires on over half of forest lands in the state.WHEN: Tuesday, July 1, at approximately 10 a.m.LIVESTREAM: Governor’s…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Legislation considered under suspension of the Rules of the House of Representatives during the week of July 7, 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. Under suspension, floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, points of order against the bill are waived, and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote.

    At the request of the Majority Leader and the House Committee on the Budget, CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues. CBO has limited time to review the legislation before consideration. Although it is possible in most cases to determine whether the legislation would affect direct spending or revenues, time may be insufficient to estimate the magnitude of those effects. If CBO has prepared estimates for similar or identical legislation, a more detailed assessment of budgetary effects, including effects on spending subject to appropriation, may be included.

    CBO’s estimates of the bills that have been posted for possible consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of July 7, 2025, include:

    • H.R. 900, Sinkhole Mapping Act of 2025, as amended
    • H.R. 1043, La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act
    • H.R. 1044, To amend Public Law 99-338 with respect to Kaweah Project permits
    • H.R. 1455, ITS Codification Act
    • H.R. 1709, Understanding Cybersecurity of Mobile Networks Act
    • H.R. 1766, NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act
    • H.R. 1770, Consumer Safety Technology Act
    • H.R. 2037, Open RAN Outreach Act, as amended
    • S. 1596, Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge Act

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action Results in 324 Defendants Charged and Over $14.6 Billion in Intended Fraud Loss Charged

    Source: US FBI

    DETROIT – Today, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced criminal charges and civil resolutions in three cases in connection with alleged schemes to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and defraud federal health care programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. The charges were filed in federal court and are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action. The criminal charges stem from the sale of controlled substance prescriptions in exchange for cash. The civil cases resolve alleged violations of the False Claims Act by several health care providers.

    “Today’s record-setting Health Care Fraud Takedown sends a crystal-clear message to criminal actors, both foreign and domestic, intent on preying upon our most vulnerable citizens and stealing from hardworking American taxpayers: we will find you; we will prosecute you, and we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

    All the cases are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets.  The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other assets in connection with the takedown.

    The criminal defendants charged in the Eastern District of Michigan were involved in a conspiracy to unlawfully distribute over 1.9 million commonly diverted controlled substance prescriptions for Oxycodone, Percocet, and Norco. The civil resolutions target $6 million in fraud on Medicare and Medicaid, returning much of those funds to the impacted federal programs.

    The Eastern District of Michigan, in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division, Civil Frauds, and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate, prosecute, and resolve the cases included as part of the Department’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and FBI.

    In addition, the Fraud Section’s Midwest Strike Force charged four defendants in the Eastern District of Michigan. In particular, law enforcement and prosecutors in the Eastern District of Michigan were involved in Operation Gold Rush, which targeted the attempt by foreign actors to steal more than $10 billion from the Medicare program. Click on the following link for more information about the charged cases:  https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2025-national-hcf-case-summaries

    United States Attorney Gorgon said, “We are proud to partner with the Fraud Section Healthcare Fraud Strike Force to protect patients and preserve the integrity of our healthcare system. This collaboration strengthens our ability to identify and stop fraudulent activity so that resources are used to support care for Americans—not exploitation. Healthcare fraud will not be tolerated.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged and resolved the following matters:

    Usman Ahmad, R.Ph. 66 of Lake, Orion, Michigan; Durand Bynum, 46 of Canton, Michigan; Ebony Daniels, 33 of Eastpointe, Michigan; and Allen Satawhite, 37 of Detroit, were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances in connection with their roles in an unlawful scheme to distribute Schedule II controlled substances Oxycodone, Oxycodone-Acetaminophen (Percocet); and Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (Norco). As alleged in the indictment, the owner of P & A Aftercare, located in Southfield, Michigan, hired several doctors to issue controlled substance prescriptions for a cadre of “fake” patients, without medical necessity and outside the scope of professional medical practice, in exchange for cash payments. The “fake” patients were recruited by Bynum, Daniels, Satawhite and others. Ahmad owned and operated Detroit Hoover Pharmacy, in Detroit, Michigan. He used the pharmacy to engage in a scheme and pattern of illegal conduct involving the unlawful distribution of prescription drug-controlled substances issued by the doctors at P & A Aftercare. Specifically, Ahmad distributed prescription drugs from the pharmacy illegally, outside the course of usual professional pharmacy practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Michigan Regina R. McCullough and Philip A. Ross.   

    “The indictment of four individuals for their alleged roles in conspiracy to illegally distribute prescription drugs reflects the FBI’s unyielding efforts to investigate and disrupt those who violate federal law,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Exploiting the well-being of our community and the healthcare system for personal gain will not be tolerated. The alleged actions betray public trust and divert critical resources. I also want to thank the members from our FBI Detroit Field Office and federal partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General for their continued work to uncover and dismantle these illegal schemes.”

    “The illegal prescribing and distribution of controlled substances—particularly opioids—by health care professionals puts the health and safety of our communities at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these egregious allegations.”

    Villa Financial Services LLC, Villa Olympia Investment LLC, and six southeast Michigan Villa nursing homes – The Ambassador, Father Murray, Imperial, Regency, St. Joseph’s and Westland – have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Michigan a total of $4,500,000, to resolve a civil qui tam lawsuit alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by systematically failing to provide services to nursing home residents and/or providing materially and grossly substandard services to nursing home residents. Among other things, the United States alleged that the facilities failed to have a sufficient number of appropriately trained staff possessing satisfactory skill levels to adequately care for the residents. The United States also alleged that the facilities failed to take adequate measures to prevent, control, and provide care related to infections. In addition, the United States alleged that the facilities failed to take adequate measures to prevent and follow appropriate protocols related to resident falls. In connection with the settlement, Villa Financial Services LLC, Villa Olympia Investment LLC, and the six nursing homes will enter into a five-year quality-of-care Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with HHS-OIG. Under the CIA, the settling companies are required to retain an independent quality monitor to review the companies’ delivery of care and evaluate their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to patient care problems. The case is being jointly prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wizner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Kelly McAuliffe of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Commercial Litigation Branch – Fraud Section, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division.

    Wahid Makki, 62, and his spouse, Zainab (aka Zeinab) Makki, 62, of Dearborn Heights, together with the two pharmacies they operated, Kirtland Corp. aka New Millennium Drugs and Western Wayne Pharmacy, LLC, have agreed to pay the United States and the State of Michigan $1,500,000 to resolve a civil qui tam lawsuit alleging that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Medicare and Medicaid Programs for prescription drugs that New Millenium Drugs and Western Wayne Pharmacy billed to the Programs, but never dispensed. In addition, Wahid Makki has agreed to his exclusion from the Medicare, Medicaid, and all other federal health care programs for 10 years. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Wizner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division.

    The investigation, prosecution and resolution of these matters illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    A complaint, information, or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saginaw Man Sentenced for Unlawful Imprisonment, Strangulation, Suffocation, Interstate Domestic Violence, and Witness Tampering Committed on the Isabella Reservation

    Source: US FBI

    BAY CITY – A Saginaw, Michigan man was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for unlawful imprisonment, strangulation of an intimate or dating partner, suffocation of an intimate or dating partner, interstate domestic violence, and six counts of witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.

    Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

    Michael Lee Johnson, 45, was sentenced by United States District Judge Linda Parker in Detroit.  Johnson was convicted by a jury on November 1, 2024.

    The evidence presented at trial established that the victim, Johnson’s girlfriend, broke up with him prior to returning home from work. Rather than leave the home as he was ordered to do by his parole agent, Johnson stayed at the residence and moments before the victim arrived home Johnson sent a Facebook message which said “I wanna do something evil.” When the victim arrived home, Johnson approached her from behind, grabbed her and repeatedly threw her into a wall.  Johnson then strangled and suffocated the victim to the point she had trouble breathing. Later, Johnson assaulted the victim again, this time in front of her children. Johnson also held the victim against her will in a bedroom the evening before the assaults. In an effort to conceal his crimes, Johnson witness tampered in various ways. These incidents occurred on the Isabella Reservation in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The victim is an Indian.

    The case was investigated by the Saginaw Chippewa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz and former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Turkelson.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 16 ‘Anti-Tren’ Members and Associates Charged with Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: US FBI

    HOUSTON – Several foreign nationals illegally residing in the Houston area are now in custody for drug trafficking and weapons charges following a law enforcement operation targeting Venezuelan nationals and alleged members or associates of the Anti-Tren transnational criminal organization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Most are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray at 2 p.m.

    The charges allege Anti-Tren is a criminal organization almost exclusively comprised of former members and associates of Tren de Aragua (TdA). Similar to TdA, purposes of Anti-Tren allegedly include preserving and protecting the power and territory of the organization and its members and associates through attempted murder, other acts of violence and threats of such. This includes targeting members and associates of TdA and enriching the members and associates of Anti-Tren through, among other things, the trafficking of firearms and controlled substances, according to the charges.

    Two criminal complaints charge 14 Anti-Tren members and associates with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. These include Luis Miguel Claros Sarmiento, 26, Dany E. Rojas, 28, Ismael Leon Belbin, 24, Andy Luis Alvarez Herrera, 28, Cesar Oskeiber Cabezas Pacheco, 26, and Cesar Mauricio Velasquez, 27; Venezuelan nationals Raul Armando Ramirez Correa, 24, Darwin Martinez, 37, Peter Davila, 34, Otis Jose Rodriguez Garcia, 31, Pedro Hernandez Delgado, 19, Jesus F. Fernandez Troconiz, 26, Embeer J. Gutierrez Ternawskyj, 24, as well as Raul Antonio Claros Sarmiento, 30, Honduras.

    According to the allegations, two groups of individuals agreed to transport kilogram quantities of cocaine in exchange for $15,000 for each load with each group accepting half as payment in advance.

    “The Southern District’s twin priorities are securing our border and the eradication of violent crime. This case implicates both,” said Ganjei. “Operation Take Back America means going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure that they cannot take root in our community and endanger public safety. SDTX is going to be unapologetic in carrying out that mission.”

    “These arrests are the largest takedown of suspected Anti-Tren members and associates by the FBI, so far, and they happened right here in Houston,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “These individuals are accused of engaging in a turf war with TdA members and carrying out numerous violent crimes throughout our city, including a mass shooting at a local sports bar that left six people wounded. Fortunately, for the good and safety of our community, these individuals are now in federal custody facing U.S.  justice.”

    If convicted, they face up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine.

    Correa, Ternawskyj, Garcia, Delgado and Pedro Jose Ramirez Delgado, 26, are also charged separately with various weapons offenses based on their alleged possession and sale of firearms. If convicted of those charges, they could receive up to 15 years in prison.

    Jose Miguel Briceno, 25, a Venzuelan national who resided in Houston illegally, is charged separately with unlawful possession of ammunition by an alien. The criminal complaint alleges he was involved in a mass shooting at the Latinas Sports Bar club in Houston in March where six people were wounded, four of whom were in critical condition. According to the complaint, Briceno used a firearm to shoot inside the doorway of the bar and then discarded the firearm which law enforcement never located. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.

    The FBI Houston field office conducted this investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Jason Harley from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). 

    JTFV, which was created to combat MS-13 and now expanded to TdA under Attorney General Bondi, has been comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Ohio; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; District of Columbia and Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security and Criminal Divisions. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; ICE-Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.

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

    A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nearly 50 Charged in Southern District of Texas as Part of National Health Care Fraud Takedown

    Source: US FBI

    Combined efforts have resulted in charges against 18 medical professionals after nearly 12 million pills distributed and over $360 million fraudulently billed to Medicare

    HOUSTON – A total of 22 cases are being announced as part of local efforts targeting health care fraud and include various schemes alleging unlawful distribution of controlled substances, some of which were diverted onto the black market, hospice fraud, kickbacks and other Medicare/Medicaid fraud schemes involving medically unnecessary genetic tests, durable medical equipment and more.  

    The charges filed in Southern District of Texas (SDTX) federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 national health care fraud takedown.

    “Americans rely on Medicare for needed treatments and living-saving care. Those that bilk this fund to unlawfully enrich themselves are ultimately stealing from the taxpayer and damaging public confidence in our health system,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Today’s takedown is a reminder to would-be medical fraudsters that the Department of Justice is always standing guard over the public fisc.”

    “This record-setting health care fraud takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

    One of the largest cases include three individuals for their alleged roles in a $110 million hospice fraud and kickback scheme. The charges allege Dera Ogudo, 39, and Victoria Martinez, 35, both of Richmond, operated hospice company United Palliative & Hospice Company (UPHC) that misled vulnerable elderly adults about what services were being billed to their Medicare and Medicaid plans. According to court documents, UPHC Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries and/or their family members believed they would be receiving palliative or home health services. In truth, these patients were enrolled in hospice services but were not actually terminally ill as Medicare and Medicaid requires, according to the charges. Ogudo allegedly paid kickbacks to several group homeowners in exchange for enrolling their beneficiaries in hospice with UPHC and bribed a physician to certify and re-certify UPHC patients as terminally ill when they were not. Ogudo also allegedly paid kickbacks to Evelyn Shaw, 52, Houston, in exchange for referrals from a local psychiatric hospital where Shaw was employed as discharge coordinator.

    In relation to the scheme, Carlos Munoz, 57, Richmond, is charged by information. Ogudo allegedly paid Munoz, a medical doctor, kickbacks and bribes to certify and re-certify Medicare and Medicaid patients for hospices services.

    In a separate case, Keilan Peterson aka Young Jay or Jay, 38, and Kimberly Martinez, 47, Houston, have been charged for their alleged participation in a scheme to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances in exchange for cash through Relief Medical Center and GroveCare clinics in Houston. As alleged in their indictment, Peterson paid three doctors to allow Peterson, Martinez and others at the clinics to use the doctors’ electronic prescribing credentials to issue prescriptions for significant amounts of hydrocodone, carisoprodol and oxycodone. Peterson also allegedly sent some of these illegitimate prescriptions to his own pharmacy, Next Level Pharmacy, and took possession of the controlled substances to sell on the black market. In total, the indictment alleges Peterson and others issued over 2 million controlled substance pills, the vast majority of which were unauthorized, issued without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice.

    A podiatrist and the self-proclaimed CEO of a local medical clinic were also charged in another $90 million Medicare fraud scheme. The 15-count superseding indictment alleges David Jenson, 57, and Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes, 29, both of Spring, conspired to fraudulently bill Medicare for over $90 million for skin substitute products-often for patients who did not have qualifying wounds. They allegedly submitted claims for patients who did not have qualifying wounds, or any wounds at all, and continued billing even after a 2023 audit denied all their claims and flagged the conduct as improper. The indictment further alleges Jenson and Romero falsified medical records to make it appear patients had chronic wounds and manipulated documentation to show those wounds were improving despite no such existing conditions. 

    Charged with wire fraud, Tyneza P. Mitchell, 43, Spring, was allegedly involved in a scheme to bill the COVID-19 Claims Reimbursement to Health Care Providers and Facilities for Testing, Treatment and Vaccine Administration for the Uninsured Program. The charges allege billing included in-office consultations regarding COVID diagnosis and treatment she never provided. As alleged in the indictment, Mitchell is a licensed nurse practitioner who received $9.9 million as a result of her fraudulent scheme.

    Daphne Johnson, 60, Stafford, was allegedly involved in a scheme to bill Medicaid $793,804 for mental health therapy services she never provided. As alleged in the information, Johnson received $331,112 as a result of her fraudulent scheme.

    Prosecutors with the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force also filed charges against several more individuals in this district with assistance from SDTX.

    Chad Harper, 49, Pearland, is facing numerous charges in connection with a $115 Medicare fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Harper owned multiple laboratories through which he billed Medicare for genetic and other diagnostic testing induced by kickbacks and bribes which were medically unnecessary or otherwise ineligible for Medicare. The indictment alleges Harper generated business through a nationwide network of marketers who directed referrals to the laboratories in exchange for illegal kickbacks that Harper paid through shell companies. Harper allegedly funded his operation through, among other ways, obtaining a fraudulent equipment loan from a local credit union. Harper allegedly laundered the proceeds of his schemes through other shell companies, which purchased and held real properties and assets and passed profits on to Harper.

    Dr. Maryam “Meg” Qayum, 67, New Caney, is charged with multiple counts of illegally distributing a controlled substance along with Jared Williams, 48, Pearland; and Tomi-Ko Bowers, 70, Lester “Lay” Stokes, 37, and Melvin Sampson, 55, all of Houston. The charges stem from their alleged roles in diverting more than three million opioids onto the black market. As alleged in the indictment, Qayum is a medical doctor and Bowers an advanced practice registered nurse who operated Recare Clinic in Kingwood along with Stokes. They allegedly sold oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions to drug traffickers in exchange for cash. Sampson is alleged to be one such individual who recruited others to pose as patients, paid cash for the prescriptions from Qayum, filled Qayum’s prescriptions at complicit pharmacies and resold the drugs on the black market.

    Other Strike Force cases include one charging Sacha Lashun Betts, 47, Houston, and Nicholas Aguillard, 49, Rosenberg; Lisa Darlene Durden, 60, and Jordan O. Williams, 56, both of Missouri City; Quincy Guillory, 51, Richmond; Mykel Walker, 42, Cypress, and Kaeita Rankin, 48, Houston. The indictment alleges they participated in a conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances in connection with the establishment, oversight and operation of a drug trafficking organization that controlled more than a dozen “front” pharmacies used to sell opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs, often in bulk, to street-level drug dealers on Houston’s black market. From 2015 through 2022, the defendants’ pharmacies unlawfully distributed and dispensed more than 4.4 million doses of opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs, with an estimated street value exceeding $75 million, according to the charges. The co-conspirators allegedly sold opioids and other commonly abused prescription drugs to street-level drug traffickers in exchange for cash.

    Other cases involve fraudulent schemes for kickbacks or billing Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests or footbath drugs, durable medical equipment, conspiracies to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances, some involving diversion onto the black market or in connection to the operation of pill-mill pharmacies. Those charged in this district also include residents of Houston, Richmond, League City, Rosharon, Sugar Land, Katy, Pearland and Manvel as well as U.S. citizens from Florida, Indiana and Georgia.

    All the cases are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown.

    Descriptions of each SDTX case and others involved in the enforcement actions are available on the Department of Justice’s website.

    Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG), FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Federal Housing Finance Agency – OIG and U.S. Postal Service – OIG conducted the various investigations with assistance of police departments in Conroe, Dickinson and Houston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Brad Gray, Kathryn Olson, Christine Lu, Alexander Alum and Thomas Carter are prosecting the SDTX cases with assistance from AUSAs Kristine Rollinson and Brandon Fyffe who are handling forfeiture matters. Counsel to the Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit Alexis Gregorian, Acting Assistant Chief Devon Helfmeyer, Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner and Trial Attorneys Adam Tisdall, Andrew Tamayo, Monica Cooper, Benjamin Smith, Yael Mash, Erika V. Suhr, Ethan Womble, Claire Horrell and Gary A. Crosby are prosecuting the Strike Force matters.

    SDTX and The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Rapid Response, Texas, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England and Northeast Strike Forces are prosecuting the cases as well as U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Districts of Columbia, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont; Northern and Western Districts of Texas; Central, Northern and Southern Districts of California; Middle, Northern and Southern Districts of Florida; Middle District of Georgia; Northern District of Illinois; Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky; Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana; Eastern District of Michigan; Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi; Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio; Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma; Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Middle and Western Districts of Tennessee; Eastern District of Virginia; Western District of Washington; Northern District of West Virginia; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team.

    A complaint, information or indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Louisiana felon sentenced to federal prison for Shelby County firearms violation

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

    BEAUMONT, Texas –A Bourg, Louisiana man has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

    Brad Michael Broussard, 44, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 1, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on January 1, 2024, Broussard was stopped by law enforcement in Shelby County after he struck several construction barrels while traveling down the highway.  The smell of marijuana was evident during the traffic stop prompting a search of the vehicle.  A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of four firearms, including a pistol equipped with a homemade silencer.  Broussard was also in possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana, numerous prescription pills, a methamphetamine pipe, and assorted other drug paraphernalia.  

    Further investigation revealed Broussard has five felony convictions, all for burglary.  Federal law prohibits convicted felons from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

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

    This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Tennessee Gang Member Sentenced for Possession of a Machinegun

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

    Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Mekevin Woods, 23, of Bolivar, Tennessee, to 38 months in federal prison for possessing a machinegun conversion device, also known as a “switch.” Interim U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy, Jr. announced the sentence today.

    According to evidence presented in court, on December 23, 2023, an officer with the Bolivar Police Department (BPD) attempted a traffic stop of a gray 2022 Infiniti Q60.  When the driver refused to stop, he led the BPD officer on a high-speed pursuit reaching speeds of 80 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone. Finally, Woods, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, traveled into oncoming traffic, jumped from the vehicle, and fled on foot. While fleeing, the officer observed Woods with a firearm in his right hand.

    Officers with the Bolivar Police Department ultimately arrested Woods with the assistance of a K-9 unit and located a Glock handgun loaded with 32 rounds in an extended magazine with a machinegun conversion device attached to the firearm. Officers also determined the vehicle was stolen out of Memphis. Woods was identified as a member of the TMO 45 gang, a hybrid street gang comprised of both adult and juvenile members, that is involved in firearms and narcotics trafficking and is responsible for several shooting incidents in the Fayette and Hardeman County area.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Resident Agency; and the Bolivar Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Christie Hopper prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dan Goldman Introduces Amendment to GOP Budget Barring ICE From Obstructing Congressional Oversight of Immigration Facilities

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Goldman and Numerous Other Congressmembers Have Been Illegally Denied Access to ICE Field Offices Used to House Immigrants in Inhumane Conditions 

    Administration’s Crackdown on Law-Abiding, Non-Violent Immigrants Has Led to Widespread Reports of Overcrowding, Inhumane Conditions at ICE Detention Facilities Nationwide 

    Watch Goldman’s Rules Committee Testimony Here 
    Read the Reconciliation Amendment Here 

    Washington, D.C. — Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) introduced an amendment to the Republican reconciliation bill forbidding any of its funds from being used to prevent or impede Members of Congress from conducting their statutorily authorized oversight of immigration enforcement and detention facilities.  

    “Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill for Billionaires doesn’t just slash health care and food assistance programs by over a trillion dollars, it increases funding by tens of billions of dollars to expand and accelerate this administration’s authoritarian crackdown on law-abiding, non-violent immigrants”, Congressman Dan Goldman said. “It is Congress’ responsibility to ensure this money is used appropriately, and that requires us to do our constitutional and statutory oversight. This administration is not above the law, and I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment reaffirming Congress’ constitutional authority as an independent and co-equal branch of government.”  

    Goldman’s amendment would ensure that none of the funding in the GOP’s reconciliation bill could be used to prevent congressional oversight of any location or facility related to civil enforcement of immigration law. The prohibition would include temporarily modifying locations before congressional visits or requiring members of Congress to provide prior notice before being allowed into the facility, as the administration has recently demanded in direct violation of Section 527(a) of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024. 

    Congressman Goldman has made combating the Trump administration’s lawless immigration enforcement tactics a top priority since the start of Donald Trump’s second term. 

    Last week, Goldman and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Adriano Espaillat introduced the ‘No Secret Police Act,’ which would require law enforcement officers and agents of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) engaged in border security and civil immigration enforcement to clearly display identification and insignia when detaining or arresting individuals and to ban them from using home-made, non-tactical masks.    
    Last month, Goldman led 8 of his New York City House Democratic colleagues in sending an oversight letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons demanding ICE comply with Section 527(a) of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and stop denying members of Congress access to facilities that ICE is using to house immigrants. 
    Days before, Goldman and Congressman Nadler hosted a press conference after observing court proceedings at 26 Federal Plaza and being denied access to the federal building’s 10th floor, where immigrants are being detained for days and sleeping on the floor and benches in inhumane conditions.  

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met release footage of man wanted in connection with a sexual assault

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives have released CCTV footage of a man they need to trace following a sexual assault in May.

    A woman in her 20s reported that a man sexually assaulted her in Park Road, W7 at around 23:50hrs on Wednesday, 21 May. She is currently being supported by specialist officers.

    The man followed the woman off the E1 bus, which takes a route from Ealing Broadway Station to Greenford Broadway.

    As the bus approached Browning Avenue, W7, he sexually assaulted the woman as he alighted. He then followed her down Park Road, W7 where he assaulted her.

    The man was seen on CCTV running north on Park Road following the incident, towards Browning Avenue and the E1 bus stop.

    He is described as Black, in his late 20s or early 30s, and approximately 5ft 11in tall, with a slim build. He has dark, curly hair and was captured on CCTV wearing a black jacket and navy blue, Nike t-shirt.

    Detective Constable Teresa Moore, leading the Met’s investigation, said: “Women and girls should be safe to travel on public transport – and walk the streets of London – without being attacked.

    “This incident highlights the opportunistic behaviour of the offender so it is really important we locate him as soon as possible.”

    If you have any relevant information to share – particularly if you were on the E1 bus on Wednesday, 21 May between 23:45hrs and 23:58hrs – please contact us on 101 immediately and quote 697/21MAY.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight arrests for conspiracy to destroy ULEZ cameras

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Eight people have been arrested in a coordinated Met Police operation targeting those conspiring to destroy ULEZ cameras.

    In the early hours of Wednesday, 2 July officers executed warrants at addresses in London, Windsor and on the Isle of Sheppey.

    The London arrests took place in Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northwood, Sutton and Eltham.

    Six men and two women were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

    One of the men is also alleged to have been involved in threatening and harassing the team sent to repair a damaged camera.

    Those arrested remain in custody. Searches are ongoing at their addresses but officers have already recovered items related to the alleged offending.

    Superintendent Paul Thomas, of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “There is a big difference between lawful protest and plotting to destroy or seriously damage property.

    “Some may think of this sort of behaviour as a victimless crime, but when cameras are damaged or destroyed it creates dangerous hazards, risking collisions on the road in addition to disruption for motorists and residents.

    “We take these offences very seriously and officers will continue working closely with Transport for London and other partners to identify and build a case against those responsible.

    “Today’s arrests are a significant development in what has been a long and complex investigation that is not yet over.

    “I would appeal to anyone who has information about plans to target ULEZ cameras to come forward.”

    If you have information, please call the police on 101, or the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nuclear Energy Education Gets a Boost from the IAEA

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The IAEA conducted its first INEAS university mission in April in Ust Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, a country that is looking to restart its nuclear power programme. The mission — which engaged more than 90 participants from academia, government and industry — laid the ground for the development of a new bachelor’s degree programme in the ‘Operation of Nuclear Power Plants’ at the D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University. It included curriculum workshops, technical visits and stakeholder consultations.

    The IAEA also participated in an international forum with 14 expert presentations from Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia, highlighting international best practices in nuclear education. Key outcomes included recommendations for planning national human resources development, curriculum enhancement, and expansion of cooperation through IAEA technical projects and STAR-NET, a regional network that promotes education and training in nuclear technologies.

    “We are grateful to the IAEA for sending experts to our university to support the development of nuclear energy infrastructure. Their assistance also proved very helpful in designing the educational programme,” said Aizhan Baidildina, an associate professor at the the D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University.

    Kazakhstan, which is working with the IAEA to develop the infrastructure to reintroduce nuclear power, aims to complete its first nuclear power reactor in the next eight years. Its construction is expected to provide clean, reliable energy to the Central Asian country of 19 million people. Scientific and technical personnel are also being trained to operate the plant. Kazakhstan has the second largest uranium reserves in the world, accounting for 14 per cent of the global total. The country currently operates research reactors as well as several other nuclear installations related to the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Single-use vapes ban in effect from 1 August02 July 2025 The Minister for Infrastructure has signed a Commencement Order which means it will be illegal to import and supply single-use vapes in Jersey from Friday 1 August 2025. Retailers have until 1 February… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    02 July 2025

    The Minister for Infrastructure has signed a Commencement Order which means it will be illegal to import and supply single-use vapes in Jersey from Friday 1 August 2025.

    Retailers have until 1 February 2026 to sell existing stocks of single-use vapes. This only applies to single-use vapes that were imported prior to the law coming into force and retailers may be asked to provide evidence of this. After the six-month sell-through period, it will be illegal for retailers to sell any single-use vapes. 

    If an individual bought one or more single-use vapes before the ban, they are still permitted to use them. 

    The ban follows amendments made to the Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) (Jersey) Amendment Law 2025 approved by the States Assembly in December 2024. This is because of their damaging impact on the environment. The change aims to help tackle the climate emergency and reduce Jersey’s waste. 

    A vape is considered single-use if it meets one or more of the following: 

    • It cannot be reused 
    • It cannot be refilled 
    • Its battery cannot be recharged 
    • Its coil cannot be replaced.

    Vapes that are permitted must be designed to allow all of the above functions. 

    England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland banned the sale and supply of single use vapes from 1 June 2025 with no selling through period. 

    For more information, visit: gov.je/singleuseplastics.​​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Debates Multifaceted Crisis in Haiti

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Meetings Coverage

    9953rd Meting (AM)

    The Security Council will discuss the situation in Haiti, which faces a multifaceted crisis amid ongoing gang violence.  Members will hear a briefing by Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, on the activities of a United Nations’ support mission.  Ghada Fathy Waly, Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is also expected to brief the 15-member organ..

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Monitoring for Sharks Along Long Island Beaches

    Source: US State of New York

    head of Fourth of July weekend and in preparation for beach and swimming season, Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on measures to watch out for sharks and other potentially dangerous marine life at Long Island State Parks this summer. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), expanded and updated surveillance capability, including new drones and drone operators, at Long Island State Park beaches.

    “Our Long Island State Park beaches are cherished by New Yorkers and visitors alike — perfect places to get offline, get outside and enjoy the outdoors.” Governor Hochul said. “We are continuing to strengthen our shark surveillance capabilities and safety tactics at these beaches to help protect these treasured summertime traditions. I encourage all beachgoers to stay safe, stay alert and always follow the direction of lifeguards and park staff.”

    New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) lifeguards continuously scan and patrol the waters from shore and by surfboat and personal watercraft for any dangerous marine life, such as sharks. Park Police and Park staff actively patrol the beachfront as well, using drones to search the water for dangerous marine life or large schools of fish that may attract them. State Parks’ expanded surveillance capabilities this summer include: 

    • Added 6 drones to its 22 currently in operation for a total of 28 drones;
    • Trained 8 new drone pilots for a total of 48 drone operators among operations staff, lifeguards and Park Police; and
    • Assigned one large enterprise drone to Park Police with thermal imaging, laser range finding, and high-quality cameras to allow for night-time surveillance and patrols in adverse weather conditions. This drone can also drop personal flotation devices in emergencies. 

    When there are shark sightings and/or interactions in State Parks beaches, swimming is suspended, and all swimmers are cleared from the water. State Parks works with the DEC to confirm potential shark sightings. Swimming is allowed to resume at least one hour after the last confirmed sighting. State Park lifeguards, Park Police and park staff stay on high alert and patrol the waters for dangerous marine life. In addition, the Long Island Coastal Awareness Group, composed of more than 200 individuals from municipalities, agencies, and private beach operators stretching from Queens through Long Island, is notified so they may take appropriate action in their respective jurisdictions.

    New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tem Randy Simons said, “Our staff is well prepared to safeguard beachgoers this summer season, and we’re excited to adopt the latest technology to be even more effective. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation for their continued support and partnership in keeping these beaches as safe as possible. I encourage beachgoers to follow guidance and directions from parks staff and be shark smart while enjoying their summer fun.” 

    Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Visits to Long Island’s ocean beaches are a treasured part of summer plans for New Yorkers and out-of-state visitors alike. Being aware of rip currents, following the State’s shark safety guidance, and keeping in mind that our coastal areas are part of a wild and natural marine ecosystem will help swimmers avoid danger while enjoying some fun in the sun. Thanks to Governor Hochul, DEC and our partners at State Parks have the necessary tools to keep an eye on the water and help ensure all beachgoers recreate safely.”

    New Yorkers are encouraged to follow shark safety guidance: 

    • Avoid areas with schools of fish, splashing fish, or diving seabirds;
    • Avoid swimming at dusk, night, and dawn;
    • Avoid murky water;
    • Swim, paddle and surf in groups;
    • Stay close to shore, where your feet can touch the bottom; and
    • Always follow the instructions of lifeguards and Parks’ staff.

    Humans assume risk whenever they enter any wild environment, whether on land or in the water. Although it is impossible to eliminate risk altogether, ocean users can modify their behavior to minimize potential interactions with sharks and reduce overall risk. When in the ocean, follow DEC’s shark safety guidelines to minimize the potential for negative interactions with sharks.

    New Technology Helps Improve Awareness of Rip Currents
    In the Long Island Region of New York, State Parks purchased two virtual reality headsets to improve public awareness and understanding of the dangers of rip currents. Members of the public can use these headsets at water safety outreach events at New York State Parks’ beaches, May 31-September 6, 2025. The technology is bilingual, with instruction available in both English and Spanish. The headsets employ technology developed by Hofstra University Professor Jase Bernhardt and developer Frank Martin, funded by New York Sea Grant.

    Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along coastlines. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that 100 people are killed by rip currents annually.

    Rip currents usually form near a shallow point in the water, and can happen at any beach with breaking waves, including the beaches on the Great Lakes. If you are caught in a rip current, remain calm and don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, and float or tread water if you begin to tire.  Learn more about rip currents.

    The Long Island Region Water Safety Education Program initiative started at Robert Moses Field 5 last year. For summer 2025, programming has been expanded to other parks in the region, including:

    • July 12, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunken Meadow State Park: Field 1 Boardwalk
    • July 25 , 4-8 p.m., Robert Moses State Park: Field 5
    • August 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Heckscher State Park
    • August 16, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wildwood State Park: Beachfront
    • August 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sunken Meadow State Park: Field 1 Boardwalk
    • September 6, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Captree State Park: Dockside Festival

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Climate Law: new way to reach 2040 targets

    Source: European Union 2

    The Commission has proposed an amendment to the EU’s Climate Law that would see a 2040 EU climate target of a 90% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions, compared to 1990 levels. The proposal also sets out a more pragmatic and flexible way to reach the 2040 target.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester Man Who Lured Minor to Hotel for Sex Pleads Guilty

    Source: US FBI

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jonathan Woody, 31, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, maximum penalty of life and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2024, Woody engaged in sexually explicit online and text communications with a 13-year-old child that he met on social media. On January 2, 2024, Woody paid for an Uber to transport the child to a hotel in Greece, NY, where he rented a room. While at the hotel, Woody provided alcohol and marijuana and engaged in sexual acts with the child. After realizing that the child was missing from home, the child’s family called 911 to initiate a missing person investigation. The child returned home, at which time law enforcement learned of Woody’s interactions with the child. Subsequent investigation resulted in the identification and arrest of Woody.       

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm.

    Sentencing is scheduled for October 30, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.  

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Admits Continuing to Sell Counterfeit Xanax on Dark Web

    Source: US FBI

    ST. LOUIS – A man from New York state on Tuesday admitted continuing to sell counterfeit Xanax on the dark web while out on bond after pleading guilty in a similar case.

    John Cruz, 31, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs and sell counterfeit drugs.

    On Nov. 29, 2023, Cruz pleaded guilty to the same charge and admitted purchasing counterfeit Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, on the darknet and then reselling it from at least October 2019 through May 2021.

    As part of his guilty plea Tuesday, Cruz admitted that after pleading guilty and while out on bond, he continued the same conduct, operating a darknet website where he offered four different types of counterfeit/misbranded pills. An FBI Special Agent, acting in an undercover capacity, made several purchases from Cruz using cryptocurrency.

    The U.S. Postal Inspection Service made an undercover purchase from Cruz’ co-defendant, Jared James. On April 9, 2024, investigators conducted a court-approved search of James’ home and found pills in four colors. The day before, officers observed James take five packages to a post office that were addressed to locations in Little Rock, Arkansas; Burien, Washington; St. Paul, Minnesota; Richmond, Virginia; and Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Each package contained a bag with about 1,000 counterfeit or misbranded pills.

    Investigators also seized $145,502 from an account Cruz held in the cryptocurrency Monero, representing the proceeds of his illegal pill sales.

    Cruz is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7. Each count Cruz is facing is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine.

    James, 48, of Lexington, Kentucky, was sentenced in May to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to the same charge.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Kyle Bateman are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stop the senseless vandalism in our play parks this summer

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Throughout the year, play parks across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon borough have experienced incidents of vandalism that not only cost the ratepayer money but also prevent children from enjoying vital play time and outdoor activities.

    These acts of damage – ranging from broken swings and burned slides to graffiti and smashed glass – often lead to the temporary closure of parks until repairs can be made.

    This means children across the borough miss out on safe, local spaces to play, exercise and socialise with friends – particularly during the school holidays when these parks are needed most. Vandalism discourages families from using the parks leading to less physical activity and community interaction.

    “This senseless vandalism in our parks has got to stop,” commented Chair of the Policing and Community Safety Partnership, Councillor Julie Flaherty. “Many of our play parks have been heavily invested in and completely refurbished recently – yet these acts of destruction are causing unnecessary inconvenience to our communities, costing the ratepayer money and leaving our children without local play parks.

    “Council investment has ensured that 43 of our 95 parks have been upgraded with inclusive features such as sensory equipment, wheelchair-accessible play items and communication boards.  Some parks even have braille panels and quiet areas.  The cost of damage to these isn’t just financial but causes emotional distress too.

    “Unfortunately, a lot of this vandalism is caused by young people and anti-social behaviour, therefore during the summer months we would urge parents and carers to be aware of their children’s whereabouts. Know who they are with and tell them about the serious consequences of anti-social behaviour. If they are unsupervised, they may get into trouble whether acting intentionally or through association with others.”

    The Council is encouraging local residents to help look after and protect these valued community spaces. Preventing vandalism requires a combination of community engagement, surveillance, education and regular maintenance.  If you witness any acts of vandalism or anti-social behaviour in a local play park, please report it by calling 101 or report online: https://www.psni.police.uk/report

    Together, we can keep our play parks safe, welcoming, and fun for all.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Sets Election Date to Fill Vacancy on International Court of Justice

    Source: United Nations 4

    Meetings Coverage

    9952nd Meeting (AM)

    The Security Council meets today to take up a note by the Secretary-General titled “Date of an election to fill a vacancy in the International Court of Justice”.

    The election will be to fill the seat of Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf (Somalia), who informed the President of the International Court of Justice, pursuant to Article 13, of his resignation as a member of the Court, effective 30 September 2025.

    Article 14 of the Statute of the Court provides that vacancies shall be filled by the same method as that laid down for the first election, subject to the following provision:  the Secretary-General shall, within one month of the occurrence of the vacancy, proceed to issue the invitations provided for in Article 5, and the date of the election shall be fixed by the Security Council.

    International Court of Justice

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –