NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Pennsylvania Residents Sentenced to Prison for Narcotics Trafficking

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

    One of the defendants also sentenced on unlawful possession of a firearm conviction

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Three residents of Pennsylvania have been sentenced in federal court on their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of crack cocaine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and/or methamphetamine, with one of the defendants also being sentenced for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The sentences imposed by United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan were:

    Defendant Age Residence Sentence
    Azheem Ellis 49 Philadelphia, Pa. 96 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release
    James Dotson 47 Johnstown, Pa. 180 months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release
    Sandra Box 59 East Conemaugh, Pa. 33 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release

    According to information presented to the Court, from in and around April 2019 to in and around July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ellis conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, and quantities of heroin, cocaine, and crack. During this same timeframe, Dotson conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack, 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, and quantities of heroin and cocaine. Additionally, in and around June 2021, Dotson—who had been previously convicted of a felony—unlawfully possessed a firearm. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Further, from in and around February 2021 to in and around April 2021, Box conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin and crack. The  defendants were intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that they distributed to others, with Ellis and Dotson as two of the main targets of the wiretap investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of the defendants. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Colleagues Call For Investigations Into Deaths of Americans in Gaza

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    07.25.25
    Cantwell, Colleagues Call For Investigations Into Deaths of Americans in Gaza
    Lawmakers seeking accountability for the July 11 death of Saifulla Kamel Musallet, as well as updates into the deaths of 6 other Americans
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined 28 of her Democratic colleagues in the Senate in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi calling for an investigation into the death of Palestinian-American Saifullah Kamel Musallet in the West Bank earlier this month, as well as updates into the investigations of other deaths in Gaza, including 26-year-old Aysenur Ezgi Eygi from Washington state.
    “The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths. These failures have made it more likely that more Americans and other civilians will be killed in the West Bank by Israeli security forces or violent settlers who can act with impunity,” the senators wrote.
    “Following the Trump Administration’s sudden revocation of all U.S. sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, the first five months of 2025 have seen the highest rate of settler attacks in years and the killing of another American. We urge you to pursue a different approach.”
    Saifullah Kamel Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian American from Florida, was visiting family near the West Bank town of Sinjil on July 11 when he was beaten to death by extremist Israeli settlers. He is the seventh American killed in the region since Jan. 1, 2022 – a list that also includes University of Washington student Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot and killed by Israeli military during a peaceful protest against illegal settlements in September.
    Following Aysenur Ezgi Eygi’s death, Sen. Cantwell sent a solo letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for a full and independent investigation.
    “The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and a pattern of indifference by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to killing of civilians in the West Bank, including Americans,” the senators wrote yesterday. “It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans.”
    The letter was led by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and is cosigned by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Chris Murphy (D-CN).
    Full text of the letter is HERE and below.
    Dear Secretary Rubio and Attorney General Bondi,
    We write with grave concern regarding the brutal killing of a Palestinian-American, Saifullah Kamel Musallet, near the West Bank town of Sinjil, on July 11, 2025. The U.S. government must conduct a credible and independent investigation into his beating death and hold all perpetrators accountable. Protecting and supporting U.S. citizens abroad is one of the foremost responsibilities of the U.S. government. The Biden Administration failed to secure accountability for the killing of respected Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, or any of the other four American citizens – Omar Assad, Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour, and Aysenur Ezgi Eygi – killed in the West Bank while they were in office.[1] Following the Trump Administration’s sudden revocation of all U.S. sanctions against extremist settlers in the West Bank, the first five months of 2025 have seen the highest rate of settler attacks in years and the killing of another American. We urge you to pursue a different approach.
    Saifullah Kamal Musallet is the seventh American citizen killed in the West Bank since January 2022 — and the fifth in just the last nineteen months. The killings of these Americans in the West Bank have been met by a lack of accountability from the Netanyahu government and a pattern of indifference by the U.S. government. These failures have contributed to an unacceptable culture of impunity when it comes to killing of civilians in the West Bank, including Americans.
    Saifullah Kamel Musallet, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen from Florida, was visiting family in the West Bank when he was beaten to death by extremist Israeli settlers during a settler attack on the town of Sinjil. Reports indicate that ambulances could not reach the injured for more than two hours because settlers were blocking the area and the Israeli military refused to allow ambulances to pass.[2] In April of this year, a 14-year-old boy from New Jersey, Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee, was also killed in the West Bank. Amer was reportedly shot at the entrance to Turmus Ayya and the Israeli army pronounced him dead after detaining him. Reports suggest that Amer was shot a total of 11 times and two other Americans were also shot in the incident.[3]
    Last year, three other U.S. citizens were killed in the West Bank, including two teenagers. Tawfic Abdel Jabbar and Mohammad Ahmed Mohammad Khdour were both 17-year-old U.S. citizens visiting their families in the West Bank when they were shot and killed in separate incidents. In both cases they were shot in the head while they were traveling in vehicles.[4] The third U.S. citizen gunned down in the West Bank last year was Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old American citizen raised in Seattle who was shot in the head by an Israeli soldier from a distance of 200 meters.[5]
    The Netanyahu government has failed to hold anyone accountable for any of these seven killings of Americans and the United States government has failed in its responsibility to protect American citizens overseas and demand justice for their deaths. These failures have made it more likely that more Americans and other civilians will be killed in the West Bank by Israeli security forces or violent settlers who can act with impunity.
    It is long past time for the U.S. government to demand accountability in these killings of Americans. To that end, we urge you to immediately launch an independent investigation into the brutal killing of Saifullah Kamel Musallet, including the circumstances that blocked ambulances from reaching him. We also ask that you provide us with an update on the status of any investigations into the killings of the six other Americans who have been killed since January 2022, and provide us with a briefing on actions you are taking to ensure accountability for their deaths and to prevent future killings of Americans in the West Bank.
    We respectfully ask for a response within two weeks.

    [1] Lucas, Ryan. “DOJ Silent as Families of Americans Killed in West Bank, Gaza Demand It Investigate.” NPR, 10 Oct. 2024, www.npr.org/2024/10/10/nx-s1-5106059/west-bank-gaza-israel-justice-department/.
    [2] Levine, Heidi, et al. “Palestinian American from Florida Killed in the West Bank, Family Says.” The Washington Post, 12 July 2025, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/07/11/palestinian-american-west-bank-death-tampa/.
    [3]Ott, Haley. “American Teen Fatally Shot in Israeli-Occupied West Bank as Netanyahu Visits Trump.” Cbsnews.com, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2025, www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-west-bank-palestinian-american-amir-mohammed-rabee-killed/.
    [4] Yahya Abou-Ghazala, and Alex Marquardt. “Families of Killed Palestinian-Americans Demand Answers of US, Israel.” CNN, 23 Feb. 2024, www.cnn.com/2024/02/23/world/palestinian-americans-demand-answers-invs.
    [5] Hubbard, Ben, and Gulsin Harman. “At Funeral in Turkey, Family Mourns American Activist Aysenur Eygi.” The New York Times, 14 Sept. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/09/14/world/middleeast/turkey-us-activist-killed-israel-west-bank.html.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Tribal Support for Newhouse Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Tribal Support for Newhouse Legislation

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act alongside Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) to improve hiring and retention for tribal law enforcement officers in Central Washington and across the United States.  

    Here is what they are saying about the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act: 

    Jarred-Michael Erickson, Chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, said, “The Colville Tribes strongly supports the ‘Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act. The bill would implement long overdue reforms and remove administrative barriers to tribal law officers enforcing federal laws on their reservation lands. It will also assist the Colville Tribes and other tribes in recruiting and retaining officers, which is critical for rural tribes that have large land bases and not enough officers to adequately patrol.” 

    Jeremy Takala, Law & Order Committee Chairman, Yakama Nation Tribal Council, said, “Bolstering support for Tribal law enforcement recruitment and retention is crucial to addressing the many serious and systemic public safety issues in Indian Country. The issue is particularly pressing for the Yakama Nation and other tribes with large-land bases and a severe lack of resources to adequately patrol such a vast area. At Yakama we are facing an overwhelming confluence of public safety crises. We have experienced a surge in violent and property crimes, the highest rate of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People in the region, and a terrifying rise in outside gang and cartel-related drug activity coming onto our lands, including the pervasive and deadly fentanyl epidemic. The recent coordinated, multi-agency drug trafficking interdiction “Operation Overdrive” that dismantled a large drug distribution network operating on the Yakama Reservation shows what is possible when all levels of government work together to make our communities safer. The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act will help give the Yakama Nation and other tribes the tools and funding necessary to protect our communities and people who live, work, and raise their families on our lands. The Yakama Nation appreciates Congressman Newhouse’s partnership with us and his continued work to address long-standing impediments to Tribal sovereignty and our public safety efforts.” 

    Dustin Klatush, Chairman, Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, said, “The Chehalis Tribe strongly supports the bill. Our Tribe is fortunate in that we are able to pay our law enforcement officers competitive salaries but competitive retirement benefits are currently out of reach for Chehalis and most other tribes around the country. If enacted, this will allow Chehalis and other tribes to take care of the officers that patrol and keep our communities safe.” 

    Glen Nenema, Chairman, Kalispel Tribe of Indians, said, “Many tribal police departments are chronically understaffed and massively underfunded. The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act would level the playing field for tribal police benefits, retirement, and pension, allowing tribes to improve retention and recruitment of officers on tribal lands. Ultimately, passage of the act would help improve overall safety in tribal communities. We are grateful to Congressman Newhouse, Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez, and their colleagues for championing this act and hope the overwhelming tribal support will ensure its approval.” 

    Everett Ekdahl, Jr., Vice President, Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, said, “As a tribal law enforcement officer and an elected tribal leader, I know firsthand how hard it is to recruit and retain law enforcement officers. This bill will make it so much easier to achieve that objective by ensuring tribal law enforcement officers have access to proper retirement benefits. This bill will make our community safer.” 

    Leonard Forsman, Chairman, Suquamish Tribe, said, “The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act will provide tribal nations with the tools necessary to recruit and retain law enforcements officers. It shows Congress’s commitment to public safety on tribal lands and the fair treatment of tribal law enforcement officers. We are grateful for Senator Cantwell, Congressman Newhouse, and Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez for their leadership on this important issue.” 

    Timothy Nuvangyaoma, Chairman, Hopi Tribe, said, “The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act represents a crucial advancement in ensuring that tribal law enforcement agencies, such as Hopi Law Enforcement Services, have the support they need to protect those that live and work on the Hopi Reservation. The Hopi Tribe is grateful to Senator Cantwell, Congressman Newhouse, Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez, and their colleagues for their leadership strengthening recruitment, retention, and public safety across tribal nations.” 

    Teri Gobin, Chair, Tulalip Tribes, said, “The Tulalip Tribes strongly and unequivocally support the Tribal Law Enforcement Parity Act. Our tribal law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, and they deserve the same retirement and benefits as their federal counterparts. This legislation is about parity and public safety. We are losing dedicated, highly trained officers because we can’t offer competitive retirement benefits. Passing the Parity Act is critical to keeping our officers on the force and ensuring the safety and security of everyone—tribal and non-tribal—who lives, works, and visits our lands.” 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa: Correctional Services Committee Expresses Concern Over Low Success Rate of Legislation to Address Overcrowding

    Source: APO


    .

    The Portfolio Committee on Correctional Services today expressed concern over the low success rate of the current legislation in reducing overcrowding in correctional facilities in the country.

    The committee received a briefing from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) on the use of Section 49G of the Correctional Services Act (CSA) and Section 62F of the Criminal Procedures Act (CPA) applications. Both sections are about strategies to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities.

    Committee Chairperson, Ms Kgomotso Anthea Ramolobeng, encouraged the executive of the DCS and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJ&CD) to continue working together in order to strive for better ways to implement these pieces of legislation effectively to increase the success rate of matters referred.

    Section 49G of the CSA refers to the maximum period of incarceration and provides that the period of incarceration of a Remand Detainee (RD) must not exceed two years from the initial date of admission into the remand detention facility without such matter having been brought to the attention of the court concerned in the manner set out in this section: provided that no RD shall be brought before a court in terms of this section, if such RD appeared before a court three months immediately prior to the expiry of such two year period and the court during that appearance considered the continued detention of such detainee.

    Whilst Section 62F of CPA provides that any court before a charge is pending in respect of which bail was granted, may at any stage, whether bail was granted by court or any other, on application by the Prosecutor, add any further condition of bail. The section further provides that the accused shall be placed under the supervision of a probation officer or Correctional Official. The committee heard that both strategies are driven by the DCS and may result in the reduction of the inmates.

    The committee heard that the success rate under Section 49G of the CSA for the 2022/23 financial year is 1.25% of 12 283 court referrals nationally with the Eastern Cape and Western Cape both indicating a 0% success rate. In terms of 2023/24, the Eastern Cape once again showed a 0% success rate. In the 2024/25 financial year the province had 142 court referrals and only one was successful and in the current financial year it has had two successful court referrals.

    The committee also heard that approximately 40% of the total sentenced offender population are serving sentences above 15 years, inclusive of those serving life sentences. Lifers will typically remain incarcerated for longer periods of time and are sentenced/ convicted of serious crimes. This means that bed spaces will not become readily available, which places more pressure on already overcrowded correctional facilities.

    Ms Ramolobeng said the DCS needs to capacitate and improve the functioning of community corrections so that the courts can have confidence in the system and place more remand detainees under correctional supervision.

    “In terms of the outcomes of Section 49G application, especially relating to the Eastern Cape, it’s a very serious concern. The committee will raise this with the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development that deals with referrals,” said Ms Ramolobeng.

    She said the committee will continue the implementation of both the sections that can address overcrowding in facilities if implemented efficiently and effectively.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: SecAF visits Asia-Pacific to strengthen alliances, assess readiness

    Source: United States Spaceforce

    Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink departed July 24 on his first international trip as SecAF, traveling throughout the U.S. Asia-Pacific area of responsibility to reinforce international partnerships and meet with Airmen and Guardians supporting the 2025 Department-Level Exercise. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: SecAF visits Asia-Pacific to strengthen alliances, assess readiness

    Source: United States Air Force

    Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink departed July 24 on his first international trip as SecAF, traveling throughout the U.S. Asia-Pacific area of responsibility to reinforce international partnerships and meet with Airmen and Guardians supporting the 2025 Department-Level Exercise. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Participates in 30th Session of ISA Assembly

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Kingston, July 25

    The State of Qatar participated in the 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Assembly, held in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, from Jul. 21 to 25.

    Representing Qatar at the session was Assistant Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Law of the Sea Omar Ali Al Ali.

    During Qatar’s statement under item (8) of the agenda, concerning the annual report of the Secretary-General of the ISA, Al Ali reaffirmed Qatar’s support for the Authority in fulfilling its duties under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982, and the 1994 Agreement relating to the implementation of Part XI of the Convention.

    He emphasized the importance of balancing the mining regime in the area being developed by the Authority with adequate protection of the marine environment, and adhering to a rigorous scientific approach in this regard, in order to preserve marine ecological diversity and ensure a healthy marine environment for future generations in the interest of sustainable development.

    The Assistant Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Law of the Sea welcomed the adoption by the ISA Assembly of the draft resolution to designate a world deep-sea day, to be observed annually on the first day of November. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Civil Rights Division Moves to Dismiss Court-Ordered Agreement Regarding Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has moved to dismiss a 2015 Court-Ordered Settlement Agreement regarding the Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center (the Center) in Greenwood, Mississippi because the Center has achieved sustained substantial compliance with all areas of the Settlement Agreement.  

    The Center implemented reforms to ensure that children are not subjected to undue restraint use; children who feel suicidal or need to talk to mental health are connected to a mental health provider within hours; children are not punished with isolation and instead receive programs and activities that include cooking and robotics classes; sleeping rooms are clean and have appropriate beds. Additionally, the Center implemented an outstanding compliance review system and staff misconduct is taken seriously and handled professionally.

    “All children deserve to be protected from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank the Center’s leadership and staff for their commitment over the years to ensuring safety for these children and for the community of Leflore County.”

    “The counties and municipalities that this center serves can now move forward, knowing that when they make use of this facility to hold juveniles, that they can do so with the knowledge that these youths are held safely in a constitutionally compliant manner,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Civil Rights Division Moves to Dismiss Court-Ordered Agreement Regarding Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has moved to dismiss a 2015 Court-Ordered Settlement Agreement regarding the Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center (the Center) in Greenwood, Mississippi because the Center has achieved sustained substantial compliance with all areas of the Settlement Agreement.  

    The Center implemented reforms to ensure that children are not subjected to undue restraint use; children who feel suicidal or need to talk to mental health are connected to a mental health provider within hours; children are not punished with isolation and instead receive programs and activities that include cooking and robotics classes; sleeping rooms are clean and have appropriate beds. Additionally, the Center implemented an outstanding compliance review system and staff misconduct is taken seriously and handled professionally.

    “All children deserve to be protected from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank the Center’s leadership and staff for their commitment over the years to ensuring safety for these children and for the community of Leflore County.”

    “The counties and municipalities that this center serves can now move forward, knowing that when they make use of this facility to hold juveniles, that they can do so with the knowledge that these youths are held safely in a constitutionally compliant manner,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PRESS RELEASE: Barragán, Salinas, Padilla, Gallego Introduce Mental Health for Latinos Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    July 24, 2025

    CONTACT: Jin Choi 

    Barragán, Salinas, Padilla, Gallego Introduce Mental Health for Latinos Act

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the nation observes Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, Representatives Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.-44) and Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.-02), along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), introduced the Mental Health for Latinos Act, legislation to improve mental health outcomes among Latino and Hispanic communities. 

    Barriers to mental health care within Latino communities cause far too many individuals to suffer in silence. Only 47.4 percent of Hispanic adults ages 18 or older with any mental illness received services in 2023. Between 2010 and 2020, the suicide rate among male Hispanic adults (ages 20 to 64) increased by 35.7 percent, and the rate among women specifically increased by 40.6 percent. Even those who can access services rarely receive the effective, culturally competent care they need.

     “This legislation is a first step to breaking down the unique barriers that prevent our Latino communities from receiving the help they need. Mental health is a challenge that many Americans bear silently — but they shouldn’t have to,” said Representative Barragán. “Ensuring that our communities in need receive specialized resources and outreach will help break down cultural stigmas and language barriers that prevent Americans from accessing mental health care that is essential to their overall health and well-being.”

    “As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Mental Health Caucus and a proud Latina, I know how crucial it is to end the stigma around mental health care and improve outcomes and access to care among Latino communities,” said Representative Salinas. “I’ve been on the other end of a phone call with someone who is having a mental health crisis. I see how important it is for people not only to have access to mental health care, but also to be able to get the culturally competent care that meets them where they are.”

    “No one should suffer in silence,” said Senator Padilla. “We need to break down the barriers that keep Latinos from getting the mental health care they need, when stigma and language access can make it even harder to ask for help. The Mental Health for Latinos Act would improve mental health outcomes by reducing stigma in the Latino community and encouraging people to reach out for help. As we tackle the rise in mental health challenges, it’s critical that we acknowledge the distinct needs of our diverse communities and develop solutions that meet people where they are.”

    “Too many Latinos, especially men, shy away from seeking help because they’re afraid of being judged, and that only makes the problem worse. This issue is personal to me. This bill would help break the stigma around mental health and make it easier to get care from people who actually understand our community. I want everyone to know that they’re not alone and that getting help is not a weakness,” said Senator Gallego.

    Informed and culturally competent resources, education materials, and outreach programs are vital to addressing the mental health crisis. The Mental Health for Latinos Act recognizes the unique mental health challenges of the Latino community, aiming to reduce cultural stigma and rectify health care disparities that prevent people from receiving lifesaving mental health services. As our nation confronts a worsening mental health crisis, this critical legislation reinforces the message that there is zero shame in asking for help and that seeking support is a sign of strength.

    Specifically, the bill would:

    • Require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to develop and implement an outreach and education strategy to promote behavioral and mental health among the Latino and Hispanic populations that:
    • Meets diverse cultural and language needs and is developmentally and age-appropriate, 
    • Increases awareness of symptoms of mental illnesses, 
    • Provides information on evidence-based, culturally and linguistically appropriate adapted interventions and treatments, 
    • Ensures full participation of community members, and 
    • Uses a comprehensive public health approach to promoting behavioral health by focusing on the intersection between behavioral and physical health.
    • Require SAMHSA to report annually to Congress on the extent to which the strategy improved behavioral and mental health outcomes among these populations.

    The Mental Health for Latinos Act is endorsed by organizations including American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Alliance on Mental Illness, UnidosUS, American Mental Health Counselors Association, Inseparable, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), Global Alliance for Behavioral Health & Social Justice, American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP), American Group Psychotherapy Association, Epilepsy Foundation of America, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the International Society for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses (ISPN), and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF).

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Recent Speaking Engagements

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    Over the past several months, I have spoken with a variety of audiences about the recent and ongoing work of the Congressional Budget Office.

    The conversations have allowed me to share insights about CBO’s role in the legislative process—including the reconciliation process—while reiterating the agency’s commitment to providing objective, nonpartisan, and transparent analysis.

    From March through July 2025, I participated in the following events:

    • March 3: Discussed the U.S. macroeconomic and fiscal outlook during the 41st Annual Economic Policy Conference of the National Association for Business Economics.
    • March 5: Spoke at the Milken Institute’s 2025 Finance Forum about the state of the U.S. budget and economy.
    • March 27: Took part in a “fireside chat” at the ERISA Industry Committee’s (ERIC’s) Spring Policy Conference, where I discussed CBO’s role and ongoing work.
    • April 8: Met virtually with a class at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School to talk about the outlook for the U.S. budget.
    • April 16: Joined the Hoover Institution’s Jon Hartley for a podcast in which we discussed, among other things, CBO’s role and the value that the agency places on accuracy and transparency.
    • April 22: Participated in a discussion about the fiscal impact of the Trump Administration’s policies during a J.P. Morgan investor seminar.
    • May 5: Engaged in a panel discussion at the Milken Institute’s 2025 Global Conference in Los Angeles about the federal budget and national debt.
    • June 11: Delivered remarks and answered questions during the Committee for Economic Development’s Biannual Trustee Policy Summit.
    • July 15: Participated in a discussion about the fiscal implications of the 2025 reconciliation act (Public Law 119-21) during a J.P. Morgan investor roundtable.
    • July 15: Delivered remarks and participated in a Q&A session at the 22nd Annual Economic Measurement Seminar of the National Association for Business Economics.

    I have also discussed CBO’s role in the legislative process more generally and emphasized our commitment to transparency and analytical rigor in recent interviews. (Those interviews appeared in the Wall Street Journal, on Bloomberg’s Big Take podcast, and on Bloomberg TV’s Wall Street Week.) As part of those discussions, I outlined the distinctions between CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation, explaining how the two agencies differ and how we often work collaboratively to support the Congress.

    I look forward to engaging with other audiences and topics in the months ahead.

    Phillip L. Swagel is CBO’s Director.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Civil Rights Division Moves to Dismiss Court-Ordered Agreement Regarding Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has moved to dismiss a 2015 Court-Ordered Settlement Agreement regarding the Leflore County Juvenile Detention Center (the Center) in Greenwood, Mississippi because the Center has achieved sustained substantial compliance with all areas of the Settlement Agreement.  

    The Center implemented reforms to ensure that children are not subjected to undue restraint use; children who feel suicidal or need to talk to mental health are connected to a mental health provider within hours; children are not punished with isolation and instead receive programs and activities that include cooking and robotics classes; sleeping rooms are clean and have appropriate beds. Additionally, the Center implemented an outstanding compliance review system and staff misconduct is taken seriously and handled professionally.

    “All children deserve to be protected from harm,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank the Center’s leadership and staff for their commitment over the years to ensuring safety for these children and for the community of Leflore County.”

    “The counties and municipalities that this center serves can now move forward, knowing that when they make use of this facility to hold juveniles, that they can do so with the knowledge that these youths are held safely in a constitutionally compliant manner,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner for the Northern District of Mississippi.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the heels of a heat advisory issued this week and extreme heat conditions rising across Wisconsin, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined her colleagues in introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace.

    “Far too many of our workers are being pushed to the brink in dangerous heat conditions – it’s wrong, and they deserve the dignity to be protected,” said Senator Baldwin. “As we continue to face record-breaking heat waves, we have to stand up for these workers and give them the protections that they need and deserve – and I am proud to work with my colleagues to introduce this bill that will do just that.”

    The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The legislation is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

    A new analysis by the nonprofit group Climate Central finds extreme heat streaks are becoming more common across the state. In Wisconsin, the city of Milwaukee has warmed 3.4 degrees in the last 55 years and other cities like Wausau, Green Bay, Madison, La Crosse and Eau Claire have seen temperatures increase between 1.6 to 2.8 degrees during the same timeframe.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers.

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

    The legislation is led by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and co-sponsored by 21 of their Senate colleagues.

    Full text of the legislation is here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: In hard-hitting human rights address, Guterres calls for urgent action on Gaza, authoritarianism and climate justice

    Source: United Nations 2

    Recalling his own experience living under dictatorship in Portugal, Mr. Guterres told participants at the Global Assembly of the international rights charity Amnesty International on Friday that the fight for human rights is “more important than ever.”

    He called on states to uphold international law and defend human rights “consistently and universally, even – or especially – when inconvenient,” urging collective action to restore global trust, dignity and justice.

    ‘A moral crisis’

    Mr. Guterres painted a stark picture of a world in turmoil, citing multiple ongoing crises – foremost among them, the war in Gaza.

    While reiterating his condemnation of the 7 October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel, the Secretary-General said that “nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since.”

    “The scale and scope is beyond anything we have seen in recent times,” he said.

    “I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community. The lack of compassion. The lack of truth. The lack of humanity.”

    Key takeaways from the address

    • Gaza – “A moral crisis that challenges the global conscience”
    • Ukraine – Call for a “just and lasting peace” based on the UN Charter, international law and resolutions
    • Authoritarianism – A “global contagion”, with political repression, scapegoating of minorities and shrinking civic space
    • Climate Justice – Bold action needed to cut emissions; transition to clean energy must uphold human rights
    • Digital Threats – Concern over algorithm-driven disinformation, hate speech and manipulation on social media
    • Call to Action – “Human rights are the solution, foundation of peace and engine of progress”

    UN staff ‘neither dead nor alive’

    He described UN staff in Gaza as working in “unimaginable conditions,” many of them so depleted they “say they feel neither dead nor alive.”

    Since late May, he noted, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed trying to access food – not in combat, but “in desperation – while the entire population starves.”

    “This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that challenges the global conscience.”

    Ready to scale up aid

    Mr. Guterres said the UN stands ready to dramatically scale up humanitarian operations “as we successfully did during the previous pause in fighting,” but called for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire,” the unconditional release of all hostages and full humanitarian access.

    “At the same time, we need urgent, concrete and irreversible steps towards a two-State solution,” he stressed.

    He also spoke about other conflicts, including Sudan as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where he called for a “just and lasting peace” based on the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Secretary-General Guterres (left) addresses Amnesty International’s Global Assembly via video link.

    Rising authoritarianism

    The Secretary-General warned that authoritarian tactics are on the rise globally.

    “We are witnessing a surge in repressive tactics aiming at corroding respect for human rights,” he said. “And these are contaminating some democracies.”

    Political opposition movements are being crushed, accountability mechanisms dismantled, journalists and activists silenced, civic space strangled, and minorities scapegoated.

    Rights of women and girls in particular are being rolled back – most starkly, he said, in Afghanistan.

    “This is not a series of isolated events. It is a global contagion.”

    Weaponization of technology

    He decried the growing weaponization of digital platforms, saying algorithms are “boosting the worst of humanity – rewarding falsehoods, fuelling racism and misogyny, and deepening division.”

    He called on governments to uphold the Global Digital Compact adopted by countries at the UN General Assembly last September, and to take stronger action to combat online hate and disinformation.

    © ICJ-CIJ/Frank van Beek

    Activists outside the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague as the Court delivers its advisory opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change.

    Climate justice is human rights

    Turning to climate, Mr. Guterres described the environmental emergency as a “human rights catastrophe,” with the poorest and most vulnerable communities suffering most.

    He welcomed the International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s advisory opinion this week, affirming that climate change is a human rights issue and that states have obligations under international law to protect the global climate system.

    But he cautioned against a transition to clean energy that sacrifices human rights.

    “We cannot accept a clean energy future built on dirty practices…We cannot accept enormous violations of human rights – many of them against children – in the name of climate progress.”

    He called for urgent emissions cuts, a just transition away from fossil fuels and real financing for developing countries to adapt, build resilience, and recover from loss and damage.

    A legacy of activism

    The Secretary-General concluded by praising Amnesty International’s decades of activism, calling its work “indispensable” to the global human rights movement.

    “When you stand for human rights, you stand with what is right,” he told delegates.

    “Your courage continues to change lives. Your persistence is shifting the course of history. Let’s keep going. Let’s meet this moment with the urgency it demands. And let’s never, ever give up.”

    Founded in 1961, Amnesty International is a global human rights movement that campaigns to end abuses and promote justice. The organization has long worked in collaboration with the United Nations, participating actively in the development of international human rights law and mechanisms.

    Today’s speech by Mr. Guterres is first-ever address by a UN Secretary-General to Amnesty International’s Global Assembly – the charity’s highest decision-making body. The UN chief spoke via a video link to the event in Prague.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

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

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

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

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

    If convicted, Hernandez faces up to life imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

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

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

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

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

    If convicted, Hernandez faces up to life imprisonment.

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

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Sorensen Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Keep Schools Safe for Kids

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    Congressmen Eric Sorensen (IL-17) and Zach Nunn (IA-03) reintroduced their bipartisan Safe Schools and Communities Act aimed at improving school safety programs in our communities. The legislation creates competitive grants at the Department of Education for school districts to prevent human trafficking, raise awareness about drug abuse, reduce gang activity, and eliminate community violence.

    “When parents send their kids to school, they want to know they are going to return home safely,” said Congressman Sorensen. “We can make our schools and communities safer by equipping our teachers with the tools they need to raise awareness about keeping kids safe, preventing drug abuse, and eliminating violence among students. Too many of our neighbors across Central and Northwestern Illinois have lost a loved one to violence or addiction, and this bipartisan legislation will help put a stop to generational cycles of trauma and addiction.”

    “I’m proud of the work we’ve done to crack down on traffickers through smart legislation like the HALT Fentanyl Act—but that’s only half the battle,” said Congressman Nunn. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill puts resources to work in our schools to give educators the tools to intervene early, support students, and prevent drug use, exploitation, and gang involvement before it starts.”

    “Keeping our young people safe is a shared responsibility, and the Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) is proud to work with more than 140 schools throughout Central Illinois to stop abuse before it begins through comprehensive, age appropriate, evidence-based prevention education,” said Carol Merna, CEO of Center for Prevention of Abuse. “We should all work together to arrive at the day when no young person will be lost to human trafficking and other forms of violence and abuse. The Safe Schools and Communities Act will equip schools with important prevention education resources.  It is more than policy, it’s a bold affirmation that safety isn’t a privilege, it’s a right.”

    “This legislation is critically important to begin to address the root cause issues that lead to long term trauma for our children,” said Demario Boone, Director of School Safety at Peoria Public Schools. “Minimalizing these traumas early on not only helps our schools, but our communities. It combats the traumas of human trafficking, drug abuse, gang activity and community violence. Prevention instead of reaction should be the primary goal of any legislation. This is it.”

    According to the U.S. Department of Justice, crimes like human trafficking and drug use often stem from gang activity. Gang-involved youth are more likely to abuse substances and face long-term challenges such as dropping out of school, family instability, and difficulty finding steady employment.

    Over 70,000 drug related deaths in 2021 were attributed to synthetic opioids other than methadone—primarily fentanyl. Fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18-45.  
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Sorensen Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Re-Establish Federal Program to Help Working Families Afford Clean Drinking Water

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    Representatives Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Rob Bresnahan (PA-08), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Mike Lawler (NY-17), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), and Sharice Davids (KS-03) introduced their bipartisan Low-Income Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Establishment Act. The legislation would re-establish LIHWAP, the first-ever federal water assistance program, after funding for the program expired in 2022.

    “The number one issue worrying my neighbors in Central and Northwestern Illinois is affordability – whether it’s putting food on the table for their kids or covering their high-water bill,” said Congressman Sorensen. “Here in Washington, we have the power to help families in Illinois-17 and across the country who are feeling the squeeze from higher prices by ensuring they have access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water. The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program was an incredibly successful program that supported tens of thousands of families in Illinois at-risk of having their access to drinking water cut-off. My bipartisan legislation will help make it a permanent lifeline for those who need a helping hand.”

    “Access to clean, safe water is not a luxury, it is a basic necessity,” said Congressman Bresnahan. “With water bills rising faster than inflation, more than 33% of Americans are struggling to pay their water bills. We have seen great success with energy assistance through LIHEAP, and it only makes sense to adapt it to water assistance for our most vulnerable. The LIHWAP Establishment Act will keep low-income households connected to clear water, ensure local utilities have the resources to maintain critical infrastructure, and invest in the long-term strength of our communities.”

    “Every family, regardless of financial status, should have reliable access to clean water,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) provided vital support to hardworking families in the Eighth District and across the country. That’s why I’m happy to join my colleagues in this bipartisan effort to restore LIHWAP assistance and help lower the cost of water and wastewater utility bills for those in need.”

    “In the richest country in the world, every hardworking family should have access to clean drinking water,” said Congresswoman Kelly. “Too many families in Illinois and across the country, though, have to choose between higher grocery prices, higher rent and higher utility bills. I’m proud to help alleviate the burden of water costs and introduce a bill that would reestablish the successful Low-Income Assistance Program.”

    “No one should have to choose between paying for water and putting food on the table,” said Congresswoman Davids. “I’m proud to support this legislation to help Kansas families stay safe and financially stable — because when folks can count on basic utilities, it makes it easier to care for their families and contribute to their communities. Simply, reliable access to water shouldn’t depend on your income or ZIP code.”

    “Drinking water service is an essential lifeline, regardless of a person’s income,” said Tom Dobbins, CEO of the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA). “Just as the federal government has long-established programs to support nutrition assistance and home heating and cooling service for households in need, the LIHWAP Establishment Act would appropriately provide water assistance to low-income families nationwide. AMWA appreciates the leadership of Reps. Sorensen and Bresnahan to advance water affordability, and looks forward to building additional support for this critical legislation.”

    “LIHWAP proved to be an essential lifeline, serving more than 1.6 million households who could not afford clean and safe water services,” said Adam Krantz, CEO of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). “NACWA applauds the leadership of Representatives Sorensen and Bresnahan in recognizing the need for a permanent federal water assistance program. This investment would help public clean water agencies make necessary infrastructure investments for their communities while protecting households in need. We look forward to working with these Congressional water champions to get this critical program enacted.”

    LIHWAP supported more than 1.5 million households, preventing nearly 1 million disconnections of water service and reducing over 1.1 million water bills before it was shuttered. In Illinois, the program served 84,759 households, prevented 19,233 water disconnections, and helped 4,889 families have their water restored.

    This bill would re-establish LIHWAP to continue helping working families afford clean drinking water and other wastewater services by subsidizing their utility bills. Funding will go from the state to the utility and be deducted from the household’s bill. The program will originate with the Department of Health and Human Services and then transition to the Environmental Protection Agency.

    States may also use up to fifteen percent of funds to offset the cost of administering, determining eligibility of, and conducting outreach to low-income households.

    In addition to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the bill is supported by the American Water Works Association,  National Association of Counties, National Association of Water, National League of Cities, Rural Community Assistance Partnership, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Water Environment Federation. 

    You can read the full text of the bill HERE and additional background HERE. 
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd Joins Cornyn, Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Hold Illegal Aliens Accountable for Committing Murder

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) in introducing the Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act, which would create a new federal offense for an illegal alien or deportable alien who commits murder in the United States.

    “Under the Biden administration’s reckless open border policies, far too many innocent Americans tragically lost their lives at the hands of violent criminals who should not have been in the country. Now that President Trump has secured our border, I am committed to putting ironclad policies in place to hold illegal aliens accountable for heinous crimes committed on U.S. soil. I am proud to join Senator Cornyn and my colleagues to bring justice to victims by making an act of murder committed by an illegal or deportable alien a federal offense,” said Senator Budd.

    “Joe Biden rolled out the red carpet for illegal immigrants to come into this country and brutally murder innocent Americans. I’m proud to join with my GOP colleagues to deliver justice for the victims who were tragically ripped from their families at the hands of the criminal aliens by holding these perpetrators accountable for their heinous actions and subjecting them to the death penalty,” said Senator Cornyn.

    U.S. Senators Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also co-sponsored the legislation.

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas-08) is leading this legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Read the full bill text HERE.

    BACKGROUND

    The Justice for Victims of Illegal Alien Murders Act would:

    • Allow the federal government to prosecute illegal aliens who commit murder in the United States, and if convicted of first-degree murder under this statute, offenders could face the death penalty or life in prison;
    • Close a dangerous loophole by enabling the federal government to step in and vigorously prosecute an illegal alien murder in certain jurisdictions where a prosecutor may fail to seek an adequate penalty due to a lack of resources or partisan views;
    • And ensure those who are unlawfully in the U.S. and commit these heinous crimes do not slip through the cracks of the legal system due to jurisdictional challenges.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Announces Agreement by License Plate Surveillance Tech Company to Protect Oregonians’ Data from Immigration and Abortion-Related Abuses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    July 25, 2025

    Senator says commitment he sought from Flock will protect Oregonians from abusive queries of data by out-of-state law enforcement agencies of data collected from cameras in Oregon

    Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced that Flock, a license plate surveillance technology company, has agreed to his request that it protect Oregonians’ data from abusive access by out-of-state law enforcement agencies as part of their states’ anti-abortion investigations, and to assist federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    “Oregonians should never be driving in fear that automatic license plate reader cameras installed by police departments could be abused by anti-abortion forces in other states, or by Donald Trump’s authoritarian deployment of immigration agents,” Wyden said. “When I learned that Flock had adopted stronger privacy protections for other states, I demanded that Oregonians get the same protections too. I’ll keep watchdogging this company’s commitment to make sure it’s carried out throughout our state.”

    Wyden said he contacted Flock after confirming with Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and Oregon State Police that there is no statewide policy on license plate reader technology nor a statewide policy requiring Oregon police departments contracting with Flock to lock down their sharing settings so as to prevent out-of-state abuses covered by this new policy.

    The senator’s staff then asked Flock officials to implement in Oregon similar privacy filters that the company has already adopted in Illinois to prevent out-of-state police searches related to abortion or immigration. The company agreed to his request, and confirmed that Oregonians’ license plate data will be protected from such abusive queries as of July 25, 2025.

    Police departments in other states will still be able to search license plate data that Oregon police departments have chosen to share for other legitimate law enforcement purposes. The new policy by Flock will not affect searches conducted by police departments in Oregon.

    “I want to thank Senator Wyden for his work to get these additional privacy protections in place for Oregonians,” Rayfield said. “This change helps ensure that data collected here can’t be used to target people for things that are legal in Oregon, like accessing reproductive health care or simply living here without fear. It’s a meaningful step in the right direction, and as we continue looking at how to strengthen Oregon’s own data privacy laws, this gives us a stronger foundation to build on.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: US FBI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

                                                                                       ###

    Defense counsel: John M. Holliday, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    Source: US FBI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Source: US FBI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Source: US FBI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ivey Announces Appointment of Deborah Tillman as Mobile County District Judge

    Source: US State of Alabama

    MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Friday announced the appointment of Deborah Denise Tillman as Mobile County District Judge.

    “Deborah Tillman possesses a tremendous background in the law spanning 35 years, beginning with her service as a Staff Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force to subsequent decades of experience in the Mobile County District Attorney’s office,” said Governor Ivey. “As a former state, federal and military prosecutor, her legal knowledge will serve the Court and the people of Mobile County well.”

    “I am extremely honored, humbled and grateful to Governor Ivey for appointing me to be the next District Court Judge in Mobile County,” said Tillman. “While my role will change in the courtroom, my commitment to the rule of law and to serve the great people of Mobile County with honor and integrity will not. I look forward to joining the distinguished group of Judges who comprise the 13th Judicial Circuit of Mobile County.”

    Tillman will fill the vacancy on the Court left after the resignation of District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis.

    Tillman began her legal career in the U.S. Air Force rising to the rank of Captain and was Honorably Discharged in 1995. Afterward, she devoted several decades as Assistant District Attorney and Chief District Attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Mobile County. She also held the position of Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Florida. Over her extensive career, she prosecuted thousands of felony and misdemeanor cases in state and federal courts. Additionally, she taught criminal law, contracts and civil procedure as an adjunct professor in the paralegal studies division at the University of South Alabama.

    A Mobile native, Tillman is a 1985 graduate of Spring Hill College. She received her Juris Doctorate from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in Macon, Georgia in 1989.

    Tillman’s appointment is effective immediately.

    Tillman’s official photo is attached.

    Governor Ivey made 36 other appointments. A list of those appointments is attached.

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

    Source: US FBI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

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

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

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

    These breaches amounted to gross misconduct.

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

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

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

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

    Source: US Marshals Service

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

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

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

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

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

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sen. Markey Lead Push to End Solitary Confinement in Federal Detention Facilities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    WASHINGTON, DC  – Yesterday, Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37)and Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) reintroduced the End Solitary Confinement Act, legislation that would end solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails, and detention centers, with limited exceptions. This bill would create minimum standards for incarceration, including by requiring that facilities give detainees access to out-of-cell interaction and recreation and by capping the length of solitary confinement at four hours. 

    Individuals held in solitary confinement can be isolated in a small, concrete, windowless cell for 22 hours or longer. Placement in solitary for any length of time, whether days or even hours, can cause severe, long-term harm. Individuals held in solitary confinement may suffer serious adverse effects on their mental and physical health, including an increased risk of suicide, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. Solitary confinement is also disproportionately inflicted on Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as on vulnerable populations, including persons with preexisting mental health illnesses.   

    “Solitary confinement is torture, period,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “This outdated practice, dating back to the 1800s, does nothing to promote rehabilitation. Research consistently shows it causes severe mental health issues, intensifies existing barriers to recovery, and disproportionately harms incarcerated Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ individuals. We must abolish solitary confinement entirely—and I’m proud to lead the charge with this bill that will finally end its use in the United States.” 

    “Solitary confinement is a cruel and unnecessary practice that has no place in our country. This practice isn’t rehabilitation, it’s torture,” said Senator Markey. “Forcing people, including those from vulnerable groups, into small, cramped, concrete prison cells without human interaction for hours, days, weeks, and even months on end is inhumane. I am proud to introduce this legislation, alongside Representative Kamlager-Dove, to move us closer to ending solitary confinement, once and for all.”  

    “Solitary confinement is torture and should never be used,” said Congresswoman Tlaib.“It takes a devastating toll on mental health, heightens the risk of self-harm and suicide, increases recidivism, and can lead to severe psychological trauma. It is disproportionately inflicted on Black and brown people and other marginalized communities. We need to lead with restorative justice and recognize the human dignity of incarcerated people by abolishing this inhumane practice once and for all.”

    “Solitary confinement causes irreversible harm to individuals, yet we continue to use this form of torture across the American criminal justice system,” said Congressman Espaillat. “These harms, while well documented, have been shown to lead to increased mental health risks and heightened rates of suicide. Solitary confinement is inhumane and a form of torture that should never be used, period. I am proud to join my colleagues to reintroduce the End Solitary Confinement Act during the 119th Congress to ban this practice across our justice system in its entirety.”

    “Most Americans agree that the extensive use of solitary confinement is morally indefensible,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. The use of solitary confinement has been shown to significantly harm to the incarcerated individual’s mental health leading to self-mutilation, anxiety, depression, psychosis, mental deterioration, and suicide. The United States is currently going through a significant mental health crisis to which the Federal government should not be contributing through its extensive use of solitary confinement. Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove’s bill to end the extended use of solitary confinement is a step in the right direction towards our goal of rehabilitation and mental health.”

    “Solitary confinement is a cruel, inhumane punishment that is detrimental to a person’s mental health and does nothing to promote rehabilitation,” said Congresswoman Lee.“This legislation is about protecting human rights, upholding accountability, and ending a practice rooted in systemic racism and trauma. I fully support Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove’s End Solitary Confinement Act. We must choose care and compassion over punishment and isolation.” 

    Specifically, the End Solitary Confinement Act would:   

    • End solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails and other detention settings with limited exceptions, including a 4-hour maximum for emergency de-escalation;
    • Protect vulnerable populations, including elderly individuals and pregnant persons, from placement in solitary confinement;
    • Ensure detainees have meaningful access to out-of-cell time, group programming, and basic needs and services;
    • Impose strict due process protections, including access to representation and neutral decision-makers;
    • Create oversight and enforcement mechanisms, including mandatory reporting, a private cause of action, oversight by a community monitoring body, and enhanced media access; and 
    • Incentivize states and municipalities to adopt similar bans on solitary confinement. 

    In the House, the End Solitary Confinement Act was co-led by Representatives Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Summer Lee (PA-12). Cosponsors in the Senate include Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore).  

    This legislation is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Constitutional Rights, Vera Institute of Justice, National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Unlock the Box Campaign, the #HALTsolitary Campaign, and Zealous.  

    Bill Text (PDF)

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