NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: 18th Street Gang Member Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy and Two Murders

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Recorded Victim Being Stabbed More than 100 Times and Sent the Video to Other Gang Members as a Warning Not to Cooperate with Law Enforcement

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Yanki Misael Cruz-Mateo, a member of the 18th Street gang, a transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall to 45 years’ imprisonment for racketeering conspiracy in connection with his participation in two murders: the October 25, 2017 murder of 20-year-old Jonathan Figueroa in Saugerties, New York, and the February 2, 2018 murder of 20-year-old Oscar Antonio Blanco-Hernandez in Queens.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

    “Cruz-Mateo committed two horrific murders and boasted about the carnage in video and text messages to instill fear, exact retribution, and promote gang violence,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “The lengthy sentence imposed today delivers a powerful message that senseless violence carries serious consequences. My Office will continue our tireless efforts to investigate and prosecute violence carried out by the 18th Street and other transnational criminal organizations.  It is my sincere hope that the justice meted out today provides a measure of comfort and closure for the victims’ loved ones.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Police, the Kingston Police Department, and the New York City Police Department for their assistance on the case.

    “Yanki Misael Cruz-Mateo, an 18th Street gang member, lured two victims to their brutal murders as retribution for perceived disloyalty and affiliation with rival organizations,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “His actions mirror the gang’s depravity and its lawless prioritization of social status over human life.  May today’s sentencing offer a semblance of justice for the victims’ families and highlight the FBI’s continued determination to eradicate all brutal gang violence plaguing our communities.

    Today’s sentence is the latest achievement in a series of prosecutions by this Office and our law enforcement partners of the leaders, members, and associates of 18th Street.  According to court filings and proceedings, 18th Street is a transnational criminal organization and violent street gang with members and associates residing throughout New York State, including Queens and Long Island, elsewhere throughout the United States, including Houston, Texas, and Central America. Members of 18th Street regularly engage in murder, attempted murder, assault, extortion, illegal drug and firearms trafficking, false identification document production, witness tampering, and money laundering.

    October 25, 2017 Murder of Jonathan Figueroa

    As set forth in court filings, including the government’s sentencing memorandum, in the late evening hours of October 24, 2017, Cruz-Mateo lured and travelled with Figueroa from Queens to Kingston, New York. Upon their arrival in Kingston, they were met by Israel Mediola Flores and other 18th Street members and associates who, into the early morning hours the following day, brought Figueroa to Turkey Point State Forest, brutally stabbed him to death and buried him in a makeshift grave.  Cruz-Mateo ordered the murder to be video-recorded and captured multiple 18th Street members and associates repeatedly stabbing Figueroa, slashing his throat and severing his ear.  In the video, Cruz-Mateo stated that Figueroa was being murdered for “being a rat.” Cruz-Mateo then sent the video to other 18th Street members as a warning.  Figueroa’s body was discovered in February 2018 by the FBI, along with state and local law enforcement authorities, in a five-foot deep grave in Turkey Point State Forest.  The victim had sustained more than 100 stab wounds.

    Co-defendants Walter Fernando Alfaro Pineda, Israel Mediola Flores, and Jose Douglas Castellano pleaded guilty to Figueroa’s murder. Mediola Flores was sentenced to 425 months in prison; Pineda and Castellano are awaiting sentencing.

    February 2, 2018 Murder of Oscar Antonio Blanco-Hernandez

    On February 2, 2018, several gang members killed Blanco-Hernandez because they believed he was a member of the rival MS-13 gang.  Co-defendant Jose Chacon had met Blanco-Hernandez weeks earlier through their mutual employer, a New Jersey-based house painting company.  On the morning of the murder, co-defendant Carolina Cruz and Chacon picked up Blanco-Hernandez at his home in New Jersey under the guise of going to smoke marijuana as friends.  Cruz and Chacon drove Blanco-Hernandez to Queens where they met 18th Street gang members, including Cruz-Mateo and co-defendant Yoni Sierra, who entered the rear passenger seat of Cruz’s car on opposite sides, sandwiching Blanco-Hernandez between them.  Cruz drove Chacon, Cruz-Mateo, Sierra, and their victim about 1.6 miles away to a quiet residential neighborhood.  Cruz-Mateo, Sierra, and Blanco-Hernandez got out of the car and started walking eastbound, while Cruz and Chacon stayed behind with the car.  After walking for a few minutes, Cruz-Mateo drew a .380 caliber semiautomatic handgun and shot Blanco-Hernandez in the back of the head, killing him instantly. Blanco-Hernandez’s body was discovered on a residential street in the Jamaica Hills section of Queens.  He sustained three gunshot wounds: two gunshots to the torso and one to the head.

    Sierra, Chacon, and Cruz also pleaded guilty to Blanco-Hernandez’s murder.  Chacon was sentenced to 269 months in prison; Sierra to 204 months in prison; and Cruz to 150 months in prison.

    This case is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.  OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax, Erin Reid, Margaret Schierberl, Adam Amir, and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Tareva Torres and Samuel Ronchetti.

    The Defendant:

    YANKI MISAEL CRUZ-MATEO (also known as “Yenki Misael Cruz Mateo,” “Yankee Mateo,” “Doggy,” and “Wino”)
    Age: 25
    Jamaica, Queens

    Co-Defendants Previously Convicted:

    ERIC CHAVEZ (also known as “Lunatico”)
    Age: 25
    Jamaica, New York

    WALTER FERNANDO ALFARO PINEDA (also known as “Clever”)
    Age: 45
    Houston, Texas

    ISRAEL MEDIOLA FLORES (also known as “Chapito” and “Sinaloa”)
    Age: 29
    Kingston, New York

    YONI ALEXANDER SIERRA (also known as “Arca,” “Arc Angel” and “Wasson”)
    Age: 26
    Jamaica, Queens

    JOSE JIMENEZ CHACON (also known as “Little One”)
    Age: 26
    New Brunswick, New Jersey

    CAROLINA CRUZ (also known as “La Fiera”)
    Age: 31
    Elizabeth, New Jersey

    JOSE DOUGLAS CASTELLANO (also known as “Chino”)
    Age: 26
    Brooklyn, New York

    JUNIOR ZELAYA-CANALES (also known as “Terco”)
    Age: 28
    Jamaica, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-139 (S-7) (LDH)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FORT WAYNE – Neon L. Frazier, 50 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady following his conviction from a January 2025 jury trial for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.   

    Frazier was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, during a traffic stop on August 16. 2024, Frazier was found to be in possession of two firearms, one of which was stolen.  At the time, Frazier was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior Indiana state court felony robbery conviction. 

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Dawn Ransom.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Georgia Church Bookkeeper Sentenced to Prison for Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Florida Woman Stole $173,500 from Church’s Peanut Butter and Jesus Charitable Program

    ALBANY, Ga. – A Florida woman who served as the bookkeeper for an Alapaha, Georgia, church was sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay back $173,500 in restitution for falsely applying for and then stealing federal loan money designated for use by the church and the church’s Peanut Butter and Jesus (PB&J) charitable organization, which provides food and hope for the community.

    Judith Alane Chavis, 58, of Sorrento, Florida, was sentenced to serve 21 months in prison per count to run concurrently to be followed by three years of supervised release and $173,500 in restitution by U.S. District Judge Louis Sands on April 29, 2025. Chavis previously pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud in relation to a disaster benefit and ten counts of money laundering on Oct. 30, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Individuals who use places of worship and charitable organizations for their fraud and theft will be rooted out and face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “I want to express my gratitude to our FBI partners for their ongoing efforts to combat fraud and ensure accountability for these crimes.”

    “Chavis betrayed the confidence the church had placed in her by misappropriating funds intended to support its mission,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We hope that this federal prison sentence offers some measure of closure to the church and its congregation and serves as a warning to others who might exploit the trust of faith-based or charitable institutions for personal enrichment.”

    According to court documents, Chavis was a volunteer bookkeeper for both the Glory Church of Alapaha and its charity, the Peanut Butter and Jesus Outreach (PB&J), from 2018 until August 2022. Chavis was authorized to write checks; the Church’s and PB&J’s bank statements were only sent to her. Between August 2020 and March 2022, Chavis applied for and was granted $163,500 of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) on behalf of the Church and PB&J without the Church’s or PB&J’s authorization or knowledge and using the Church’s letterhead. Chavis also falsely designated herself as treasurer in the request for funds, signing the letter herself. On March 7, 2022, Chavis submitted a signed certification stating members of the Church’s finance committee approved the second modification of the loan. No such approval occurred. In June 2021, Chavis submitted requests for targeted advances on behalf of the Church without the Church’s authorization or knowledge. The SBA granted the requests and deposited $15,000 in the Church’s account. Chavis transferred almost all of the EIDL and advance funds from the Church’s and PB&J’s accounts, totaling $173,500, to her personal checking account using the Church’s and PB&J’s checks that she made out to herself and signed without the Church’s or PB&J’s authorization or knowledge. She used the money for personal expenses including travel and large purchases.

    FBI Atlanta’s Valdosta Resident Agency investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch Hostetler prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illinois Man Admits Trying to Arrange Florida Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – A man from Illinois on Wednesday admitted trying to have a business associate in Florida murdered.

    Ben Patrick Mullavey, 66, of Mechanicsburg, in Sangamon County, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one felony count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of attempted murder-for-hire. As part of his plea, Mullavey admitted offering cash to a former employee to commit the murder.

    On Jan. 3, 2024, Mullavey picked up the former employee in Missouri and took him to a McDonald’s restaurant. There, Mullavey flashed a stack of cash and said he wanted his business partner killed. On Jan.11, 2024, the employee drove to Mullavey’s house. During the next three days, the employee helped Mullavey with construction work as they discussed the murder. Mullavey said he had been planning the murder for months, had conducted surveillance of the victim in Florida and had stolen a Florida license plate in preparation for the murder. Mullavey suggested the best time and place to commit the murder and how to avoid being identified on surveillance cameras. He also discussed several possible ways of disposing of the victim’s body, including using lime to dissolve it. Many of the conversations were audio and video recorded.

    On Jan. 13, 2024, the employee left Mullavey’s home with orders to kill the victim. Mullavey also gave him a crossbow, arrows, the stolen Florida license plate, handwritten directions to a restaurant located next door to the victim’s business and $2,100 in cash, Mullavey’s plea agreement says.

    Mullavey is scheduled to be sentenced July 22. The attempted murder-for-hire charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Shelton is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Men Charged Following Largest Single Seizure of Machinegun Conversion Devices in the Middle District of Alabama

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Montgomery, AL. – Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that four men are facing federal charges in connection with the largest single seizure of machinegun conversion devices (MCDs) ever recorded in the Middle District of Alabama. A fifth individual is facing related state charges. Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Stankiewicz of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Division, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor joined Davidson in the announcement.

    Machinegun conversion devices are small, often easily concealed components that illegally convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons. These devices are classified as machineguns under federal law, even if not installed on a firearm.

    On April 23, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted 22-year-old Maceo Levar Edwards and 22-year-old Elliott Arjuna Turner, both of Montgomery, Alabama, charging them with the illegal possession of 53 machinegun conversion devices and the unlawful transfer of a federally regulated firearm. According to the indictment and other court records, the charges stem from an April 3, 2025, operation during which Edwards and Turner were allegedly found with the illegal devices after leaving a residence in Montgomery.

    Later that day, agents made contact with 24-year-old Jemarion Fe’Qon Lausane at the same residence. Lausane was arrested on site and now faces federal charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    On April 25, 2025, another individual connected to the investigation — 22-year-old Ke’Marcus Simmons of Selma, Alabama — was charged with the federal crime of illegal possession of a machinegun.

    In a related development, Jalen Rodgers is facing state charges for the possession of machinegun conversion devices following the execution of a search warrant at his home in Repton, Alabama, on April 18, 2025. The search of Rodgers home was part of the investigation that began on April 3, 2025.

    This investigation was led by the Metro Area Crime Suppression (MACS) Unit, a multi-agency task force that includes personnel from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Montgomery Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF.

    An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted on all charges, Edwards, Turner, and Simmons each face up to 10 years in federal prison. Lausane faces a sentence ranging from five years to life. There is no parole in the federal system.

    Assistant United States Attorney Christopher P. Moore is prosecuting the four federal cases.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The legal limits of Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities like Philadelphia

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer J. Lee, Associate Professor of Law, Temple University

    Immigrant rights advocates call on Philadelphia officials to strengthen the city’s sanctuary policies at a rally on Dec. 10, 2024. Manuel Vasquez/Juntos, CC BY-NC-SA

    President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 28, 2025, that demands the U.S. attorney general, in coordination with the secretary of Homeland Security, publish a list of cities and states that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws, with the purpose of protecting Americans from “criminal aliens.”

    Philadelphia will likely end up on the list.

    Philadelphia is what’s known as a sanctuary city. While the term has no fixed definition, it usually refers to a city that has declared its refusal to cooperate – or even works at odds – with federal immigration enforcement.

    As a law professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, where I supervise students who represent low-wage immigrant workers, I know that sanctuary policies can slow the federal immigration enforcement system.

    But the bottom line is that federal immigration officers – usually U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – can still carry out deportations in a sanctuary city.

    Further, there is no question that localities such as Philadelphia can legally decide not to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Cities, like states, have constitutional protections against being forced to administer or enforce federal programs. The Trump administration cannot force any state or local official to assist in enforcing federal immigration law.

    What remains to be seen is what, if any, action the administration will take against those jurisdictions that end up on their list of sanctuary cities.

    Philly’s sanctuary policies

    My work has involved researching sanctuary policies as well as how often ICE relies on local law enforcement to help identify and turn over immigrants.

    Philadelphia’s various sanctuary policies break that connection and leave ICE to its own devices. They also signal to immigrants that the city is not in the business of federal immigration enforcement. Research shows this helps immigrants feel safer to access public benefits and services such as getting care at a community health center or calling the police without fear of immigration consequences.

    Protestors participate in an ‘Abolish ICE’ march through downtown Philadelphia in 2018.
    Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Philadelphia’s most notable sanctuary policy, an executive order signed by then-Mayor Jim Kenney in January 2016, is its refusal to have its jails honor ICE detainers or requests for release dates. An ICE detainer is a voluntary request asking local officials to hold an immigrant, who is otherwise going to be released, for an additional 48 hours so ICE can pick them up.

    Failing to honor ICE detainers disrupts the deportation pipeline and makes ICE’s job more difficult.

    Another key Philadelphia sanctuary policy dates back to 2009 and was signed by then-Mayor Michael Nutter. It makes clear that city officials do not police immigration. Not only are all city workers – including police, firefighters and behavioral health workers – prohibited from asking about immigration status in most situations, but police are specifically directed not to stop, arrest or detain a person “solely because of perceived immigration status.”

    Yet there is no way to enforce these sanctuary policies. Under these laws, city officials who violate them do not face consequences. Compliance relies on a commitment from officials who believe that following these policies is the right thing to do.

    Philadelphia has also acted in other ways to break the link between the city and immigration enforcement.

    Since 2017, Philadelphia jails have had a protocol that discourages ICE from interviewing immigrants held in jail. Prior to providing ICE with access to such individuals, the jails must first send a consent form to an immigrant to inform them of their right to decline an ICE interview.

    In 2018, Philadelphia ended ICE’s access to the city’s preliminary arraignment reporting system used by the Philadelphia Police Department and district attorney’s office. The city said it terminated its database-sharing contract with ICE given the “unacceptable” way the agency used the system, which “could result in immigration enforcement action against Philadelphians who haven’t been arrested, accused of, or convicted of any crime.”

    While these policies cannot protect Philadelphia residents who have been arrested by ICE, the lack of help of local officials will make it more difficult for the administration to deliver on its promise to deport a record number of immigrants.

    ICE raided a car wash and arrested seven people in Philadelphia on Jan. 28, 2025.
    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images

    Sanctuary campuses and churches

    Apart from the city itself, other public and private institutions within Philadelphia have created sanctuary spaces.

    In June 2021, the School Board of Philadelphia adopted a sanctuary resolution as part of an effort to create welcoming schools for immigrant children. In January 2025, the Philadelphia School District reaffirmed its commitment.

    Under the first Trump presidency, religious institutions, such as the Germantown Mennonite Church in Northwest Philly and the Tabernacle United Church in West Philly, provided sanctuary inside their churches to immigrants who had received final orders of deportation from ICE.

    The University of Pennsylvania declared itself a sanctuary campus in 2016 but is currently shying away from that label while faculty, staff and students demand that the university clarify its policies on immigration enforcement.

    Since 2011, ICE has had a “sensitive locations” memo that disfavors but does not entirely prohibit immigration enforcement in places of worship, as well as hospitals and schools. The Biden administration strengthened the “sensitive locations” memo in 2021. Trump rescinded the memo during his first month in office.

    Activists want Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker to commit to defending Philadelphia’s sanctuary policies.
    AP Photo/Matt Rourke

    Retaliation against sanctuary cities

    From the viewpoint of the Trump administration, state and local officials who defy the enforcement of immigration law are engaged in “a lawless insurrection” that creates public safety and national security risks.

    Despite the administration’s strong rhetoric about the “criminal alien,” 46% of people currently held in immigration detention have no criminal record, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Many others have minor offenses, including traffic violations.

    The executive order vows to terminate federal grants and pursue all enforcement measures to bring such jurisdictions “into compliance with the laws of the United States.”

    Such terminations may not be legal.

    On April 24, 2025, a federal judge enjoined language in an earlier executive order directing the government to take action against sanctuary cities to ensure that they do not receive access to federal funds.

    Past instances to pull federal funding from Philadelphia because of its sanctuary city status have also failed. The first Trump administration was unsuccessful at terminating a US$1 million federal grant to Philadelphia after the city sued and won in federal court in 2017.

    The executive order also makes legally questionable claims that state and local officials who follow their sanctuary policies are engaging in criminal activity, such as the obstruction of justice, unlawful harboring or activities that violate federal RICO law. Regardless, the administration may still choose to pursue high-profile prosecutions of state and local officials.

    The federal government’s efforts to punish sanctuary cities will undoubtedly be mired in legal challenges across the country. Yet Philadelphia officials must still decide in this moment whether to stand strong with the city’s current sanctuary policies. City Council member Rue Landau has been outspoken about maintaining Philadelphia’s sanctuary status to ensure that public resources will never be used to support federal deportation efforts. But Mayor Cherelle Parker has not committed to strengthening or even ensuring the city’s sanctuary protections.

    According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the same day Trump signed the executive order, Parker reiterated that Philadelphia still operates under its 2016 sanctuary policy. However, she did not use the term “sanctuary city,” the Inquirer noted, and she “said she would not comment in more detail until Trump makes concrete moves that affect Philadelphia.”

    This is an updated version of a story originally published on December 18, 2024.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

    Jennifer J. Lee does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The legal limits of Trump’s crackdown on sanctuary cities like Philadelphia – https://theconversation.com/the-legal-limits-of-trumps-crackdown-on-sanctuary-cities-like-philadelphia-255580

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CE Los Angeles, multiagency case dismantles identity theft mill, organized retail scheme spanning 7 California counties

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LOS ANGELES — Felony charges were filed April 25 against three people involved in a suspected identity theft mill, where stolen identities were used in an organized retail crime scheme. The scheme involved suspects applying for store credit cards using stolen identities and credit lines to purchase merchandise. The fraud scheme was carried out in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement assisted the investigation led by the California Department of Justice based on a referral from a Signet Jeweler’s Corporate Fraud Investigator, in cooperation by Santa Maria Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol and Westminster Police department.

    “These arrests are the result of excellent collaboration between HSI, private industry, state and local law enforcement partners,” ICE Homeland Security Investigations Orange County Assistant Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bracken. “HSI will work tirelessly with our partners in California to ensure that those who commit fraud will be held accountable.”

    As a result of the investigation, a 34-count felony complaint was filed against three defendants by DOJ. The charges include organized retail theft, grand theft, and identity theft of 13 victims.

    “I am committed to using the full force of the California Department of Justice to fight organized retail crime both in the field and in the courtroom,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “This was not a one-off shoplifting offense, it was a malicious, coordinated scheme. These crimes hurt our businesses and pose a serious threat to our communities. I am thankful to Signet Jewelers as well as our local and state law enforcement partners for their collaboration in the battle against organized retail crime. We will not give up until we put a stop to this criminal activity all together.”

    From March 2023 to July 2023, the defendants fraudulently obtained over $100,000 worth of merchandise from high end retail stores and Harbor Freight retailers.

    “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is deeply committed to tackling organized retail crime through strategic multiagency collaboration, intelligence sharing, and targeted enforcement,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Division Chief Joe Mendoza. “By working closely with our local, state, and federal partners, we continue to strengthen our efforts, disrupt criminal networks, protect both businesses and our communities, while holding individuals accountable.”

    A copy of the criminal complaint in this case is available here. Photos related to this investigation can be found here, here and here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Weber Introduces Police Officers Protecting Children Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Randy Weber (14th District of Texas)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Randy Weber (TX-14) and August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the Police Officers Protecting Children Act to allow qualified law enforcement officers and retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm in a school zone. Senator Tim Sheehy (R- MT) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. Senate.

    “In Southeast Texas, we know that evil people do evil things, and in 2018 the unimaginable happened at Santa Fe High School, leaving ten people dead,” said Rep. Weber. “There is absolutely no reason we should prevent trained professionals—our law enforcement heroes—from stepping up to protect our children. This bill is about empowering those who are ready and able to respond in a crisis.”

    “Our children deserve to feel safe every time they step into a classroom,” said Rep. Pfluger. “The Police Officers Protecting Children Act would empower qualified law enforcement officers to carry concealed firearms within school zones, ensuring they can act quickly to safeguard students during emergencies. As a father of three school-aged daughters, I send my girls to school each morning with the hope that they are protected and secure, and this legislation will help me and parents across the country have greater peace of mind. I am honored to partner with Congressman Weber and Senator Sheehy to reintroduce this commonsense legislation.”

    Read the bill here.

    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Representatives: Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02), Rep. Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Rep. Jim Baird (IN-04), and Andrew Clyde (GA-09).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Southeast Texas man convicted of distributing child sexual abuse materials following multi-national investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Angel Valdez, a 19-year-old Corpus Christi resident, was convicted April 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas of distributing child sexual abuse materials following a multi-national investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Corpus Christi Police Department, and law enforcement authorities in Australia.

    Valdez came to the attention of authorities in December 2023 after he posted a comment to social media supporting the work of an individual who had recently been sentenced to prison in Australia for animal cruelty.

    Australian authorities launched an investigation and began conversations with Valdez in an undercover capacity. During those communications, Valdez spoke about his interest in animal cruelty and his interest in child sexual abuse materials. On Feb. 14, 2024, Valdez sent a video of child sexual abuse materials depicting a prepubescent girl being forced to perform sex acts on an adult female.

    Authorities executed a search warrant at Valdez’ residence in Corpus Christi June 28, 2024, and discovered a laptop containing child sexual abuse materials. Following the discovery, Valdez admitted that he had participated in the online conversations and distributed the video containing a minor being sexually abused.

    “As a direct result of multi-national cooperation between Homeland Security Investigations special agents, officers from the Corpus Christi Police Department and our law enforcement partners in Australia, we have successfully removed a dangerous predator from the local community who preyed on two of our most innocent and vulnerable populations – children and animals,” said ICE HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Vile criminals like this individual will find no refuge, as law enforcement agencies across the globe stand united in their commitment to pursue justice relentlessly and remove dangerous threats from our society.”

    Valdez is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 12. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case.

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to investigate child exploitation in Southeast Texas follow us on X @HSIHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pinehill Man Receives 27 and a Half Year Prison Sentence for Fatal Family Shooting

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Pinehill man was sentenced today to 27and a half years in prison for a fatal family shooting.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on the morning of December 22, 2023, Ellery Brent Yazzie, 38, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, fatally shot his father and brother, shot and seriously injured his sister, and tried to shoot his mother in their family home. Yazzie then attempted to take his own life, but he survived.

    Upon his release from prison, Yazzie will be subject to five years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Jena Ritchey are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Orders Capitol Dome Lighted Blue in Honor of Fallen Law Enforcement Officers

    Source: US State of Missouri

    APRIL 30, 2025

    Jefferson City — In honor of Missouri’s fallen law enforcement officers, Governor Mike Kehoe ordered the Missouri State Capitol dome and Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial to shine blue beginning at sunset on Friday, May 2, 2025, until sunrise on Sunday, May 4, 2025.

    “The Missouri Capitol dome will shine blue this weekend as we honor and remember the law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice,” Governor Kehoe said. “It takes great courage, strength, and commitment for law enforcement officers to put on their uniform each day knowing that their duty requires them to run toward the dangers that others flee. We have a responsibility to honor the fallen and ensure they are never forgotten.”

    The annual ceremonies honoring fallen Missouri law enforcement officers will be held at the Missouri Law Enforcement Memorial on the north side of the State Capitol. The 2025 Candlelight Vigil will be held on Friday, May 2, and the Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, May 3.

    The names of four law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty during 2024 have been added to the memorial’s Wall of Honor in advance of this year’s ceremonies, as well as two  historical officer deaths for which the line of duty circumstances have recently been confirmed through research. The Wall of Honor now includes 752 fallen officers.

    Line-of-Duty Deaths

    • Cody R. Allen – On Feb. 29, 2024, Independence Police Department Officer Cody Allen was shot and killed while responding to the shooting of Jackson County Civil Process Server Drexel Mack, who had been serving an eviction notice.
    • Stephen A. Singer – Early on the morning of April 8, 2024, Lake Lafayette Police Department Chief Steven Singer died in his home as a result of a heart attack. The evening before, he had pursued several suspects who were trespassing with utility task vehicles (UTV) near the dam at Lake Lafayette.
    • Phylicia Carson – On Aug. 31, 2024, Osage Beach Police Department Officer Phylicia Carson was killed in a vehicle crash while responding to assist another officer involved in a vehicle pursuit.
    • David Lee III – On Sept. 22, 2024, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Officer David Lee III was struck by a vehicle and killed while assisting at the scene of a motor vehicle crash on eastbound I-70. Officer Lee was setting out flares when a speeding drunk driver lost control of his vehicle and struck him.
    • Noah Bowles – On Feb. 8, 1904, Lewistown Marshal Noah Bowles was attempting to arrest a man for public intoxication on a railway platform in Lewistown. The suspect, who had allegedly been harassing passengers on a recently arrived train, fatally shot Marshal Bowles with a revolver.
    • George D. Hooper – On March 17, 1918, Webb City Police Department Chief George Hooper was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire. He had approached a gunman who had been firing a handgun and pursuing a woman on foot near railroad tracks. The gunman shot Chief Hooper, who returned fire. A deputy sheriff shot and killed the gunman.

    The families of the fallen and representatives of law enforcement agencies from across Missouri will participate in the ceremonies.

    Friday May 2, 2025

    Candlelight vigil honoring Missouri law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty

    When: 8:00 p.m.

    Where: Law Enforcement Memorial at the Missouri State Capitol, located on North Capitol Drive

    Media: Open

    Saturday, May 3, 2025

    Governor Kehoe and Attorney General Bailey to deliver remarks at memorial service honoring Missouri law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty

    When: 10:00 a.m.

    Where: Law Enforcement Memorial at the Missouri State Capitol, located on North Capitol Drive

    Media: Open (Saturday’s service will be livestreamed on the Missouri Department of Public Safety Facebook page)

    Photos of the Capitol lighted blue will be available on Governor Kehoe’s Flickr Page.

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: My weekly column: 100 days of promises kept under President Trump

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    April 30th marked 100 days of promises kept under President Trump. Like he pledged on the campaign trail, he has mobilized every tool at his disposal to make America strong again and reverse the failed policies pushed by the Biden administration. From border security and energy dominance to government efficiency and economic investment, President Trump has delivered real results for the American people and has worked around the clock to put our families, farmers, workers, and small businesses first.

    The clearest example of President Trump’s decisive leadership is his complete and total lockdown of our southern border. Illegal border crossings have plummeted by 95% and illegal immigrant “gotaways” have fallen by 99%. Drug traffickers, criminals, sex traffickers, and violent MS-13 and Tren de Aragua gang members have been quickly removed from our country. After Biden halted construction of the border wall, President Trump immediately restarted this vital national security initiative and reiterated his unwavering support for our border patrol agents who were treated so poorly under the Biden administration. President Trump was absolutely right when he remarked during his joint address to Congress on March 4th that “it turned out that all we really needed was a new President” to secure our border.

    Strengthening his work to close the border, President Trump honored families who have lost loved ones to illegal immigrant crime by signing the Laken Riley Act – the first piece of legislation to become law this year. The Laken Riley Act also included Sarah’s Law, in honor of 21-year-old Iowan Sarah Root, who was senselessly killed by a drunk driving illegal immigrant in 2016. Instead of answering for his crimes, this criminal posted bail, was released from jail, and fled our country never to be seen again. Sarah’s Law – now the law of the land thanks to President Trump – ensures that illegal immigrants who murder or seriously injure American citizens are detained without bail and held accountable for their actions. Fortunately, the illegal immigrant who killed Sarah Root was recently arrested in Honduras and the Trump administration worked quickly with Honduran authorities to extradite this criminal back to the United States to face justice. This is the action that the American people wanted to see, and President Trump is delivering.

    Upon his return to the White House, President Trump also announced that he would do everything in his power to restore American energy dominance – and that he did. He created the National Energy Dominance Council to determine every avenue available to increase energy production, lower gas prices, and make the United States the world’s energy powerhouse. He rescinded countless Biden executive orders that promoted the Green New Deal over affordable gas and electricity prices and cut needless red tape that prevented American energy producers from reaching their full production capacity. He overturned the Biden administration’s ban on liquefied natural gas exports, signed a resolution – that I voted for – to completely repeal Biden’s costly tax on natural gas production, and stopped the Biden administration’s ridiculous electric-vehicle mandates on American families. Under President Trump’s watch, we will use the energy resources abundantly available in our own country and reduce our dependence on our foreign adversaries for our energy needs.

    Government efficiency is another bright spot of President Trump’s America First agenda. The Biden administration exploded our national debt with trillions of dollars of wasteful spending that fueled inflation and made life more expensive for Americans. As promised, the Trump administration uncovered example after example of waste, fraud, and abuse in our federal government. DEI positions in federal agencies have been cut, spending on liberal initiatives has been slashed, and welfare for illegal immigrants has been suspended. Eliminating this type of waste ensures that programs like Medicare and Social Security – intended for American citizens only – can remain solvent now and well into the future. With President Trump in the White House, taxpayer dollars are being treated with the care that they deserve.

    Additionally, because of President Trump’s mission to hold our trading partners accountable to our laws and protect our farmers, workers, manufacturers, and businesses from unfair and unlawful trade practices, business investment is accelerating in our country. More than $5 trillion in new investments in America have been announced, which will create over 451,000 new jobs in American communities. This impressive figure does not even include pledges that other countries have made to bring manufacturing and jobs to the United States, spurring additional economic growth. To complement these investments, my Republican colleagues and I are working hard to extend President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to deliver tax relief for our families, farmers, workers, and businesses. While Democrats want Americans to see the highest tax hike in U.S. history, President Trump and Republicans are committed to lowering taxes and unleashing U.S. economic prosperity. The American workforce and American industry will no longer be taken advantage of by foreign nations, and American citizens will rightfully keep more of their hard-earned money.

    This is not an exhaustive list of the amazing achievements that President Trump has delivered in just 100 days, but it does prove that he is working harder than ever to serve the American people. I know that President Trump will take this same aggressive and results-oriented approach to his next four years in office.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Declines Prosecution of Company That Self-Disclosed Export Control Offenses Committed by Employee

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Company’s Prompt Self-Disclosure and Extraordinary Cooperation Led to Employee’s Successful Prosecution for Unlawfully Exporting Software to a Restricted Chinese University

    Note: View the declination letter here.

    The Justice Department today announced that it has declined the prosecution of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) after it self-disclosed to the Department’s National Security Division (NSD) criminal violations of U.S. export control laws committed by its former employee, Jonathan Soong. Soong pleaded guilty to willfully violating the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by exporting U.S. Army-developed aviation software to a university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that had been placed on the Commerce Department’s Entity List and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

    “If we stay vigilant, all of us — including our citizens, small businesses, and large corporations — can play a critical role in protecting our country,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “A criminal who compromised our national security was brought to justice because his employer caught him and immediately turned him in. We decline to prosecute his employer and are ready to work together with such responsible corporate actors who are committed to joining us in this fight to protect our country from foreign adversaries.”

    “USRA discovered that one of its employees was funneling sensitive aeronautics software to a Beijing university in violation of export control laws and at risk to our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins for the Northern District of California. “What the company did next made all the difference in the Government’s decision not to prosecute it: the company took swift and proactive measures to disclose the employee’s wrongdoing, provide all known facts, and cooperate – and continue to cooperate – with the government’s investigation.”

    According to court documents, in April 2016, USRA contracted with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to, among other things, license and distribute for a fee aeronautics-related and U.S. Army-owned flight control software. Soong was employed by USRA as a program administrator under the contract and was responsible for performing due diligence on prospective purchasers to ensure that the sale or transfer of software licenses complied with applicable law, including by checking the Entity List. Soong willfully exported software subject to the EAR to Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, also known as Beihang University (Beihang), a university in the PRC, knowing that an export control license was required for the export to Beihang because it was on the Entity List. Beihang was on the Commerce Department’s Entity List due to its involvement in the development of military rocket systems and unmanned air vehicle systems. Soong further used an intermediary to complete the transfer and export of the software to Beihang to avoid detection, and embezzled tens of thousands of dollars in software license sales by directing purchasers to make payment to an account he personally owned and controlled.

    This scheme continued until NASA inquired about the sales of software licenses to PRC-based purchasers and USRA began to investigate. Soong initially lied to USRA and fabricated evidence that he had conducted due diligence on the purchasers and provided it to USRA’s counsel to provide to NASA, but after USRA’s counsel investigated further and confronted Soong with evidence that contradicted his statements, he admitted to knowing that Beihang was on the Entity List when he exported the software to Beihang and that a license had been required for the export.

    Within days of learning that Soong had willfully violated U.S. export control laws, and before USRA had completed its own investigation to understand the scope of the misconduct, USRA self-disclosed the crime to NSD and fully cooperated with the ensuing criminal investigation, which eventually established that Soong had acted alone at USRA. USRA’s cooperation included proactively identifying, collecting, and disclosing relevant evidence to investigators, including foreign language evidence and evidence located overseas, and providing detailed and timely responses to the government’s requests for information and evidence. USRA remediated the root cause of the misconduct by disciplining a supervisory employee who failed appropriately to supervise Soong, and by significantly improving its internal controls and compliance program. USRA also compensated the government both for the funds Soong embezzled, and for the time Soong had spent embezzling funds instead of performing his duties under USRA’s contract with NASA.

    The Justice Department declined USRA’s prosecution after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy). The NSD Enforcement Policy creates a presumption that companies that (1) voluntarily self-disclose to NSD potentially criminal violations arising out of or relating to the enforcement of export control or sanctions laws, (2) fully cooperate, and (3) timely and appropriately remediate will generally receive a non-prosecution agreement, unless aggravating factors are present.  In appropriate cases, the NSD Enforcement Policy authorizes prosecutors to go further, and exercise discretion to decline a company’s prosecution. This is the second time that NSD has exercised its discretion to decline the prosecution of a company under the NSD Enforcement Policy.

    The case was investigated by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the FBI. The NASA Office of Inspector General; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable assistance.

    Trial Attorney Rachel Craft of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Valliere for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Highlights Proactive Steps Connecticut Is Taking To Address ‘The Link’ Between Child Abuse and Animal Cruelty

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (NEWINGTON, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today joined other state officials and animal welfare advocates for a news conference at the headquarters of the Connecticut Humane Society in Newington to commemorate Child Abuse Awareness Month and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month and highlight the proactive work being done among Connecticut state agencies to cross report accounts of animal cruelty for assessment and possible investigation to determine the safety of children in households where these reports have occurred.

    Numerous studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between instances of animal abuse, child maltreatment, and other forms of interpersonal violence, including domestic violence and elder abuse. Professionals refer to this correlation as “The Link.”

    Over the last several years, staff from Connecticut state agencies, including the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DOAG), have been strengthening their partnerships to respond to “The Link” by cross reporting these instances to each other. Upon receiving reports of reasonable suspicion of animal cruelty from state, regional, and municipal animal control officers, DOAG staff are mandated to forward that information to staff from DCF, who then review whether any children in those homes could be impacted.

    “It’s clear that in homes where animal cruelty has occurred, child abuse or other forms of domestic violence may be present,” Governor Lamont said. “By cross reporting this information between state agencies, our staff can proactively investigate whether other forms of violence are occurring in a home and take measures to protect any children, adults, or animals who may be impacted.”

    “Our continued collaboration with DCF and other state and local partners is essential to increasing education and outreach around the link between child abuse and animal cruelty,” Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said. “Through training and education, animal control officers are key partners in recognizing and responding to signs of cruelty and sharing that information appropriately to protect the safety and wellbeing of both children and animals.”

    “Our animals, like our children, are vulnerable to abuse and neglect in every community and deserve our full protection,” Connecticut Children and Families Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly said. “That’s why we’re increasing staff support, improving data collection, and strengthening our cross-reporting partnership with the Department of Agriculture to address The Link between animal abuse and other forms of child abuse and neglect. This includes mandatory training for frontline staff to identify signs of abuse during home visits. We’re grateful to Governor Lamont, the Department of Agriculture, and our advocacy partners for their support in protecting our most vulnerable.”

    Connecticut has seen demonstrated increases in animal cruelty reports over the past several years, due in part to increased education and outreach efforts by both DCF and DOAG. For example, DCF has made cross reporting a part of the agency’s mandated reporter training. More recently, across its 14 offices, DCF has also more than doubled the number of cross-reporting liaisons who are responsible for helping to triage cases between DCF social workers and animal control officers and provide monthly training and educational support to teams of staff.

    In 2024, DOAG sent DCF 90 reports, while in that same year DCF sent a total of 107 reports to DOAG. Last year, “The Link” was apparent in 16 reports that met the standard for an abuse/neglect investigation based on the initial information provided in the written report. Of those 90 reports, 13 were made on families that were already involved with and receiving supports from DCF.

    The partnership between DOAG and the DCF Child Abuse and Neglect Careline continues to be strengthened to ensure reports are received immediately, allowing DCF to proceed as necessary and DOAG to close the loop with local animal control officers.

    “The Connecticut Humane Society has and will always stand as a voice for the voiceless,” James Bias, executive director of the Connecticut Humane Society, said. “We recognize that acts of animal cruelty are rarely isolated and are too often linked to cases of child abuse. It is so important that every report is taken seriously, and every investigation is pursued with urgency. Accountability is essential to ending the cycles of both animal cruelty and child abuse. These are the most vulnerable of our community, and they deserve more.”

    A review of research studies shows that:

    • Animals were harmed in 88% of homes where a child was physically abused.
    • 75% of female survivors of domestic violence report their pets were threatened or intentionally harmed by their partner.
    • Children exposed to domestic violence are three times more likely to be cruel to animals.
    • 45% of caseworkers working with the elderly encountered animal abuse or neglect co-occurring with elder abuse.

    “There is a well-documented link between animal cruelty and child abuse, with studies consistently showing that violence toward animals often occurs with domestic violence, including abuse of children,” Robin “Zilla” Cannamela, president and co-founder of Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates, said. “As Desmond’s Army often sees in court, abusers may harm or threaten pets as a mean of controlling victims making it more difficult for them to seek help or leave unsafe situations. Recognizing this critical connection, Desmond’s Army Animal Law Advocates has expanded its mission to support not only animals but also help the people who love them. As part of this effort, our organization now offers to pay up to $300 for the first month of boarding cost for pets of domestic violence victims entering a licensed safe facility. This compassionate initiative helps remove a significant barrier for survivors, giving them the freedom to escape abuse without the fear of abandoning their pets. This initiative also teaches children that pets are important family members deserving protection from harm.”

    Anyone can make a report of animal cruelty by contacting their local animal control department in the town where those concerns have been noted or by contacting DOAG’s Animal Control Office at 860-713-2506 or AGR.AnimalControl@ct.gov. Those making a report can remain anonymous.

    A reasonable suspicion of child maltreatment can be made to DCF’s Child Abuse and Neglect Careline by dialing 1-800-842-2288. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Callers can remain anonymous.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Declines Prosecution of Company That Self-Disclosed Export Control Offenses Committed by Employee

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Company’s Prompt Self-Disclosure and Extraordinary Cooperation Led to Employee’s Successful Prosecution for Unlawfully Exporting Software to a Restricted Chinese University

    Note: View the declination letter here.

    The Justice Department today announced that it has declined the prosecution of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) after it self-disclosed to the Department’s National Security Division (NSD) criminal violations of U.S. export control laws committed by its former employee, Jonathan Soong. Soong pleaded guilty to willfully violating the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by exporting U.S. Army-developed aviation software to a university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that had been placed on the Commerce Department’s Entity List and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

    “If we stay vigilant, all of us — including our citizens, small businesses, and large corporations — can play a critical role in protecting our country,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “A criminal who compromised our national security was brought to justice because his employer caught him and immediately turned him in. We decline to prosecute his employer and are ready to work together with such responsible corporate actors who are committed to joining us in this fight to protect our country from foreign adversaries.”

    “USRA discovered that one of its employees was funneling sensitive aeronautics software to a Beijing university in violation of export control laws and at risk to our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins for the Northern District of California. “What the company did next made all the difference in the Government’s decision not to prosecute it: the company took swift and proactive measures to disclose the employee’s wrongdoing, provide all known facts, and cooperate – and continue to cooperate – with the government’s investigation.”

    According to court documents, in April 2016, USRA contracted with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to, among other things, license and distribute for a fee aeronautics-related and U.S. Army-owned flight control software. Soong was employed by USRA as a program administrator under the contract and was responsible for performing due diligence on prospective purchasers to ensure that the sale or transfer of software licenses complied with applicable law, including by checking the Entity List. Soong willfully exported software subject to the EAR to Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, also known as Beihang University (Beihang), a university in the PRC, knowing that an export control license was required for the export to Beihang because it was on the Entity List. Beihang was on the Commerce Department’s Entity List due to its involvement in the development of military rocket systems and unmanned air vehicle systems. Soong further used an intermediary to complete the transfer and export of the software to Beihang to avoid detection, and embezzled tens of thousands of dollars in software license sales by directing purchasers to make payment to an account he personally owned and controlled.

    This scheme continued until NASA inquired about the sales of software licenses to PRC-based purchasers and USRA began to investigate. Soong initially lied to USRA and fabricated evidence that he had conducted due diligence on the purchasers and provided it to USRA’s counsel to provide to NASA, but after USRA’s counsel investigated further and confronted Soong with evidence that contradicted his statements, he admitted to knowing that Beihang was on the Entity List when he exported the software to Beihang and that a license had been required for the export.

    Within days of learning that Soong had willfully violated U.S. export control laws, and before USRA had completed its own investigation to understand the scope of the misconduct, USRA self-disclosed the crime to NSD and fully cooperated with the ensuing criminal investigation, which eventually established that Soong had acted alone at USRA. USRA’s cooperation included proactively identifying, collecting, and disclosing relevant evidence to investigators, including foreign language evidence and evidence located overseas, and providing detailed and timely responses to the government’s requests for information and evidence. USRA remediated the root cause of the misconduct by disciplining a supervisory employee who failed appropriately to supervise Soong, and by significantly improving its internal controls and compliance program. USRA also compensated the government both for the funds Soong embezzled, and for the time Soong had spent embezzling funds instead of performing his duties under USRA’s contract with NASA.

    The Justice Department declined USRA’s prosecution after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy). The NSD Enforcement Policy creates a presumption that companies that (1) voluntarily self-disclose to NSD potentially criminal violations arising out of or relating to the enforcement of export control or sanctions laws, (2) fully cooperate, and (3) timely and appropriately remediate will generally receive a non-prosecution agreement, unless aggravating factors are present.  In appropriate cases, the NSD Enforcement Policy authorizes prosecutors to go further, and exercise discretion to decline a company’s prosecution. This is the second time that NSD has exercised its discretion to decline the prosecution of a company under the NSD Enforcement Policy.

    The case was investigated by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the FBI. The NASA Office of Inspector General; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable assistance.

    Trial Attorney Rachel Craft of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Valliere for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Martin Encourages Staff to Attend May 14 Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – President Donald J. Trump’s U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia said he hoped his staff and partners with his office would participate with him at the 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program.

    “This year’s theme is ‘Courage Cannot Be Silenced,’ and the keynote speaker is Holocaust survivor Eugene Bergman, whose personal story is a compelling reminder of the horrors of the Shoah.

    “In 1939, Bergman, a native of Poznan, Poland, was moved with his family to Lodz, as part of the Nazi ghetto policies, and there a German soldier struck him with the butt of his rifle as he was in the street with other children,” Martin said.

    “Five days later, Bergman woke up from a coma completely deaf,” he said.

    “For the rest of the war, Bergman was shuttled between ghettos and camps as the Nazis pursued their so-called ‘final solution,” he said.

    After the war, Bergman threw himself into his education, becoming a master of five languages and the first deaf individual to earn a PhD in English.

    “Bergman’s life story is full of sorrow and survival, but always in the context of his own courage that could not be silenced,” Martin said.

    The program will be held Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Main Building.

    The Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program started at the U.S. Department of Education in 1994 to commemorate the Congressional Days of Remembrance—an annual, national, and civic commemoration of the Holocaust. This year’s program also coincides with both Jewish American Heritage Month and the 80th anniversary of U.S. troops liberating Nazi concentration camps.

    For more information, please visit the Federal Inter-Agency Holocaust Remembrance Program. Sign-language interpretation will be provided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Chicago-Area Convenience Stores Convicted of Defrauding Low-Income Food Program for Women and Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted the owner of several Chicago-area convenience stores of scheming to defraud a low-income food program for women and children.

    HASSAN ABDELLATIF, also known as “Eric,” 36, of Chicago, was convicted of all five counts against him, including two counts of wire fraud, one count of fraudulently obtaining government benefits, and two counts of willfully failing to file corporate tax returns. The jury returned its verdicts on Monday after a week-long trial in federal court in Chicago.  U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso set sentencing for Aug. 26, 2025.

    Evidence at trial revealed that Abdellatif, who owned or operated El Milagro Mini Market, Supermercado El Grande, Star Mini Market, In & Out Grocery, and Harding Grocery, schemed with eight other store owners or workers to fraudulently redeem checks from the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) program, a federally funded initiative designed to provide a nutritious diet to moderate and low-income infants, children up to five years of age, and pregnant, breastfeeding, and post-partum women. Over a period of several years, Abdellatif and the others knowingly allowed customers to provide their WIC checks as payment for ineligible items at the stores, often at inflated prices. Abdellatif and a co-defendant redeemed more than $6.5 million in WIC checks at two of the stores alone, before law enforcement searched those premises and shut down the fraud scheme.

    The evidence established that ten stores involved in the scheme redeemed more than $19 million in WIC checks over an eight-year period.  All eight of Abdellatif’s co-defendants pleaded guilty prior to his trial.

    The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Shantel R. Robinson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Midwest Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kartik Raman, Rick Young, and Matthew Moyer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Canonsburg Resident Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Minors

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

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Justin Darby, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about October 28, 2021, Darby knowingly altered and destroyed records associated with an application on his cellular telephone with the intent to impede and obstruct an investigation of him for offenses involving the sexual exploitation of children. The Court also was advised that, on February 6, 2024, as well as on three additional occasions with three additional minor victims, Darby attempted to and did induce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.

    Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, Darby remained detained.

    Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Darby.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dulce Woman Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Child Abuse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce woman has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abandonment of a child after an FBI investigation revealed allegations that she repeatedly sexually and physically abused minors over several years.

    According to court documents, the investigation began on April 4, 2025, when the Jicarilla Apache Police Department alerted the FBI that a minor disclosed to their father that Lory Muniz-a police officer with the Jicarilla Apache Nation-had sexually assaulted them repeatedly from the age of 7 to 11. Further investigation revealed that Muniz had previously been charged with child abuse in 2023 in Jicarilla Apache Tribal Court and had not been permitted to see the minors since that incident. She returned to duty as a police officer on March 31, 2025.

    On April 14, 2025, a second victim reported during a forensic interview that they suffered physical abuse from Muniz from ages 5 to 16, including a severe incident at age 5 that resulted in a broken arm. A witness corroborated the accounts of abuse against both victims and described additional incidents of physical and sexual abuse.

    Munizis charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abandonment of a child and will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Munizfaces up to life in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Englanders Report Over $446 Million in Losses According to Annual Internet Crime Report

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

    Victims reported a 42 percent increase in losses from 2023

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has released its latest annual report. The 2024 Internet Crime Report combines information from 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and details reported losses exceeding $16 billion—a 33 percent increase in losses from 2023.

    In the Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s area of responsibility—which includes all of Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island—20,373 people reported $446,736,666 in losses.

    • 14,254 victims in Massachusetts reported $338,872,378 in losses
    • 2,137 victims in Maine reported $31,455,797 in losses
    • 2,340 victims in New Hampshire reported $52,811,455 in losses
    • 1,642 victims in Rhode Island reported $23,597,036 in losses

    The top three cybercrimes in all four states by number of complaints in 2024 (9,324), were phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches.

    The top three cybercrimes in all four states that cost victims the most money ($339.8 million) were investment fraud, business email compromise, and tech support scams.

    “What we are seeing here in New England tracks with the trends we’re seeing nationwide. More and more folks are suffering staggering financial losses, including senior citizens, small businesses, and people whose entire livelihoods have been wiped out by scammers,” said James Crowley, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division. “While we recognize that it may be embarrassing for victims to report these crimes, it’s important to do so so that the FBI and our law enforcement partners can do everything in our power to ensure these fraudsters are brought to justice.”

    To promote public awareness, the IC3 produces an annual report to aggregate and highlight the data provided by the public. The quality of the data is a direct reflection of the information the public provides through the IC3 website. The IC3 standardizes the data by categorizing each complaint and analyzes the data to identify and forecast trends in internet crime. The annual report helps the FBI develop effective relationships with industry partners and share information for investigative and intelligence purposes for law enforcement and public awareness.

    The IC3, which was established in May 2000, houses nine million complaints from the public in its database and continues to encourage anyone who thinks they’ve been the victim of a cyber-enabled crime, regardless of dollar loss, to file a complaint through the IC3 website. The more comprehensive complaints the FBI receives, the more effective it will be in helping law enforcement gain a more accurate picture of the extent and nature of internet-facilitated crimes.

    The FBI recommends that everyone frequently review consumer and industry alerts published by the IC3. If you or your business are a victim of an internet crime, immediately notify all financial institutions involved in the relevant transactions, submit a complaint to www.ic3.gov, contact your nearest FBI field office, and contact local law enforcement.

    The full 2024 Internet Crime Report can be found here: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf

    Additional resources are located here: https://www.ic3.gov/Outreach/Resources

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: No criminal charges over death of ice hockey player during game – what this means for sport and the law

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Victoria Silverwood, Lecturer in Criminology, Director of Swansea Centre of Research in Sport & Society (SCORSS), Swansea University

    The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced that no criminal charges will be brought against Canadian ice hockey player Matt Petgrave in relation to the death of American player Adam Johnson during a British Elite League match in October 2023.

    Petgrave had been arrested in November 2023 on suspicion of manslaughter after his skate blade struck Johnson’s neck during open play in a game between Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers. Johnson was taken to hospital but later died. Thousands of fans had been watching the match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.

    Petgrave was released and bailed seven times over the following 17 months while South Yorkshire Police continued their investigation. He had denied the allegations and called the incident a “tragic accident”.

    The decision ends a case that has gripped the ice hockey community. It has also raised difficult legal questions about violence in sport, degrees of responsibility, and how far criminal law should intervene in such incidents.

    Deaths in professional sport are rare, and criminal investigations following them are even rarer. Johnson’s death occurred in an extremely fast and physical game where players wear blades on their feet and routinely engage in full-contact play.

    Although this was a workplace incident, since both men were employees of their respective clubs, it was not handled by the Health and Safety Executive, as many fatal incidents in other professions would be. Instead, the case was investigated by Sheffield Council and South Yorkshire Police.

    The decision to arrest Petgrave surprised many in the sport. It is understood that all parties voluntarily cooperated with the investigation. What is often overlooked is that an arrest can help protect the rights of the person under investigation, ensuring legal representation and placing time limits on police questioning.

    Still, many questioned the length of the process, particularly the 17-month delay and repeated bail extensions. For the families of both Johnson and Petgrave, the uncertainty has been long and painful.

    What does the law saw about violence in sport?

    Sport enjoys a special relationship with the law, as my research has explored. Players are generally considered to have given “implied consent” to physical contact that would otherwise be unlawful – as long as that contact stays within the normal rules of the game.

    Ice hockey, with its high-speed collisions and culture of on-ice fighting, clearly tests the limits of that consent. But where is the line between a legal part of the game and criminal behaviour?

    To bring a criminal charge, the CPS must be satisfied of two things. First, that there is enough evidence to provide a realistic chance of conviction. And second, that a prosecution would be in the public interest. In this case, neither threshold was met.

    Criminal convictions in sport are extremely rare. In one of the few UK cases, a recreational ice hockey player, Macauley Stones, received a suspended jail sentence for grievous bodily harm during an on-ice brawl in 2017. In the trial, the judge criticised the “legal vacuum” that exists in contact sports such as ice hockey.

    This grey area affects the public interest test, as all criminal cases risk complication by the confused nature of consent. So, it is not surprising that investigations into Johnson’s death took such a long time, or that the decision was ultimately made not to charge Petgrave with a crime.

    Safety reforms

    Johnson’s death has already led to some promising changes to ice hockey player safety. Shortly after the incident, the coroner called for neck protection to be compulsory for players.

    Neck guards, which help prevent skate blade injuries, were immediately enforced by governing body England Ice Hockey, and later adopted by the Elite Ice Hockey League in which Petgrave and Johnson played. They have also been adopted by the International Ice Hockey Federation and the American Hockey League.

    This rapid response was perhaps surprising in a sport that has often been slow to bring in new safety measures. Helmets only became compulsory in North America’s National Hockey League in the late 1970s, and face visors even later.



    Read more:
    Hockey’s wake-up call: Neck guards should be mandatory following Adam Johnson’s death

    The tragedy has also united the ice hockey community globally in raising awareness of, and funds to support, player safety. Campaigns like Adam’s Angels have raised money for player safety initiatives, including providing bleed kits to teams across the UK.

    Although the criminal investigation is now closed, the broader legal questions are far from settled. Without charges being brought, the courts will not have the chance to examine the role of implied consent in this case. So, no new legal precedent will be set. That task will probably fall to the sport’s governing bodies.

    Some may assume that because ice hockey is a minority sport in the UK, this case has few wider effects. But legal precedent doesn’t always stay within its original context. A ruling about consent to violence in ice hockey could have had ripple effects across other high-contact and combat sports, from rugby to boxing and beyond.

    Johnson’s death shocked not only ice hockey fans but the wider sporting public. And while no criminal case will be heard, the conversation about safety in high-risk sport is far from over.

    Dr Victoria Silverwood has previously received PhD funding from The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). She is affiliated with Progressive Rugby.

    – ref. No criminal charges over death of ice hockey player during game – what this means for sport and the law – https://theconversation.com/no-criminal-charges-over-death-of-ice-hockey-player-during-game-what-this-means-for-sport-and-the-law-255552

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: SIRT Investigating Death in RCMP Custody on James Smith Cree Nation

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 30, 2025

    On Monday April 28, 2025 at approximately 10:18 a.m., the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding an in-custody death on the James Smith Cree Nation. 

    SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed an investigation by SIRT.

    On April 28 at approximately 7:55 a.m., the Melfort RCMP received the first of several calls reporting that a male on the James Smith Cree Nation had discharged bear spray within an occupied residence. Three RCMP members as well as James Smith Cree Nation community peacekeepers responded and located a 29-year-old male within the residence. The RCMP members spoke with the man and attempted de-escalation tactics while the man remained inside the residence. A short time later the man was informed that he would be taken into custody under the Mental Health Services Act and fled from the residence through the rear door. After a short foot pursuit, the man was taken into custody without the use of force and was handcuffed. A conducted energy weapon (CEW) was drawn during the pursuit but was not discharged during the encounter. 

    Shortly after being handcuffed, the male went into medical distress. RCMP members immediately contacted EMS for assistance and commenced first aid. While awaiting the arrival of EMS, RCMP and community peacekeepers from James Smith Cree Nation continued first aid, performing CPR and administering naloxone several times. At approximately 9:43 a.m., EMS arrived at the scene and assumed responsibility for the man’s care. Shortly thereafter, the man was pronounced deceased by EMS.

    Following the notification, a SIRT team consisting of the Civilian Executive Director and six SIRT investigators was deployed to Melfort and the James Smith Cree Nation to begin their investigation. A community liaison was also appointed pursuant to S.91.12 (1) (a) of The Police Act, 1990. SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s arrest and the cause of his death. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for any investigation into the original incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

    SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody.

    For updates on SIRT investigations, follow SIRT on X, formerly known as Twitter, at https://twitter.com/SIRT_SK. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson, legislators, and sheriffs urge swift passage of Administrative Subpoena Bill to protect childrenRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today joined leading legislators and sheriffs from across the state at the Statehouse to call on the General Assembly to pass S.74, a critical bill that would expedite investigations into child sexual abuse material. 

    Speaking alongside Senator Greg Hembree (R-Horry), Representative Travis Moore (R-Spartanburg), and Sheriffs Carl Ritchie (Charleston County), Jay Koon (Lexington County), and Tony Breeden (York County), Wilson emphasized that time is critical when it comes to protecting children and catching predators. 

    “Every day that passes without S.74 becoming law is another day we risk leaving children vulnerable and giving child predators a head start,” Attorney General Wilson said. “This bill gives law enforcement the tools we need to act faster, protect more kids, and bring offenders to justice.” 

    Currently, the Attorney General’s Office must request subpoenas through the U.S. Attorney’s Office to access vital electronic records, a process that can take days or even months. S.74 would allow the Attorney General to issue administrative subpoenas directly, significantly speeding up the early stages of investigations while still requiring judicial approval for any subsequent search warrants. 

    “We’re talking about saving lives and preventing unimaginable harm,” Attorney General Wilson added. ”This is not about cutting corners; it’s about cutting red tape.” 

    S.74 has already passed in the Senate and the House in different forms. Attorney General Wilson and today’s coalition of leaders are urging lawmakers to work quickly to agree on the Senate’s version before the legislative session ends. 

    Senator Hembree, the bill’s lead sponsor, said, ”We have overwhelming bipartisan support. Now we need urgent action. Our children are counting on us.” 

    Representative Moore added, ”Law enforcement needs every lawful tool available to stay ahead of predators who are using technology to victimize the innocent. S.74 provides that, and we must finish the job.” 

    Sheriffs from across South Carolina echoed that sentiment, stressing the importance of faster access to electronic records to intervene before more harm is done. Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie said, “The more time that goes by, the more we delay, the more harm that’s happening to our children, the more targets that these predators can identify. So, I would encourage everyone to make sure we get this passed.”

    Attorney General Wilson closed by thanking the General Assembly for its work so far, but made clear: ”The mission isn’t finished until this bill is on the Governor’s desk. Let’s get it done, for the children of South Carolina.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three ATF Agents Awarded for Victim Support during Jury Trial in Northern Mississippi

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OXFORD, MS – Multiple agents in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were recognized yesterday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Mississippi for their dedication to supporting victims during a jury trial last month.

    Special Agent David Erhart, Special Agent Jackson Price, and acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Stephen Bridgmon with the ATF were awarded the Carolyn Clayton Victims’ Service Award in observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week for going above and beyond with assisting victims throughout the prosecution of Korea McKay and forming relationships to build trust between the victim’s family and the government. This award is named for longtime victim’s rights advocate Carolyn Clayton.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Korea McKay, 44, shot and killed Davao Thomas on February 18, 2023. McKay killed Mr. Thomas after Mr. Thomas told him to slow down in the Kirby Estates apartment complex. Two shell casings were recovered at the scene.

    A federal jury convicted McKay on March 26, 2025, for felon-in-possession of ammunition stemming from the homicide. He is set for sentencing on July 17, 2025. At the time McKay possessed the ammunition, he had multiple prior felony convictions, including convictions for assault of a police officer and a federal drug conviction. He faces up to 15-years imprisonment.

    Soon after Mr. Thomas was shot and killed in Tunica County, SA David Erhart established a relationship with the victim’s family and maintained that relationship throughout the case.

    SA Jackson Price and acting ASAC Stephen Bridgmon ensured that the victim’s family was able to attend the trial in Oxford and maintained a presence with the victims throughout the trial.

    “These agents would be worthy of commendation just for their outstanding work in putting a violent killer behind bars, but their efforts went much further than that,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “These agents exemplified a victim-centered approach, ensuring that the victim’s family was treated with dignity and respect while providing a sense of security when attending the trial.”

    “A federal investigation can be both complex and lengthy, especially if the crime is very devastating to the victims and their families, but safety of the victim is of utmost importance for ATF,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “We are very proud of our Special Agents for their excellent investigatory work, but also for their compassion for these victims. We also congratulate them on being honored with this award.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Stringfellow and Julie Addison are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Yakima Man Subject to a Domestic Violence No Contact Order Sentenced to Prison for Possessing More Than a Dozen Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Benjamin D. Cliett, age 44, of Yakima, Washington, to 2 years in federal prison on one count of Person Subject to a Court Order in Possession of Firearms. Judge Dimke also imposed 3 years of supervised release.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on July 23, 2022, officers with the Yakima Police Department (YPD) were dispatched to Cliett’s residence in Yakima. Dispatch told the YPD that neighbors had called to report screaming and other loud noises coming from the residence.

    Aware that Cliett was subject to a domestic violence no-contact order, and fearing that a domestic violence incident was occurring inside, YPD entered the residence. Cliett’s partner was in the house, and YPD conducted a protective sweep of the residence.  Inside, offices located Cliett hiding in a doghouse in the backyard. Cliett was arrested for violating the no-contact order.

    While conducting the sweep, YPD observed a tall gun safe in the bedroom. Officers later returned with a search warrant and found ammunition and magazines spread throughout the home and eighteen firearms in the gun safe.

    “Victims of domestic violence often feel trapped in abusive relationships, where they face higher risks of being shot or killed by their abuser than the general public,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “This is why it is so important to enforce laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers—it really can save lives.”

    “Mr. Cliett made many wrong choices that day,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “He knew that he had a no-contact order and that prohibited him from having access to firearms.  We hope that this prison sentence will give Mr. Cliett time to think about his actions and turn his life around.”

    This case was investigated by the ATF and the Yakima Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Ellis.

    1:22-cr-02111-MKD

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former religious services assistant admits to smuggling contraband into federal prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Beeville woman has entered a guilty plea to smuggling contraband into a federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    Ashley Priscilla Garza worked as a religious services assistant with the Federal Correctional Institution in Three Rivers.

    As part of her plea, Garza admitted she used her access to the prison to smuggle contraband to an inmate in 2022 and 2023. The items included cigarettes, an MP3 player and papers laced with synthetic opioids and other drugs.

    In return, she received 13 payments totaling approximately $11,400. She was terminated following the discovery of the smuggling scheme.

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At that time, Garza will face up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000.

    Garza was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. 

    The Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Chu and Robert Thorpe are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PRAIRIEVILLE MAN SENTENCED TO 121 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ATTEMPTED COERCION AND ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Darryl Felder, age 43, of Prairieville, Louisiana, to 121 months in federal prison following his conviction for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Felder must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered Felder to register as a sex offender upon his release.

    In announcing the sentence, the Court stated that the conduct for which Felder was convicted after a trial in September 2024 warranted the lengthy term of imprisonment imposed. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, over an 8-day period in January 2023, Felder enticed an undercover agent whom he believed to be 15 years old, to engage in sexual activity using cell phones and the internet.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation for the Office of the Attorney General and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul L. Pugliese and Stephen Vick. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Charged with Possession of Child Pornography While Attempting to Enter the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Alan Xavier Cabrera, 27, of Mexico, was arrested on April 25, 2025, and charged by criminal complaint for Possession of Child Pornography.

    According to the complaint, on April 25, 2025, Cabrera applied for entry into the United States at the port of entry in San Luis, Arizona with a B1/B2 travel visa. Based on Cabrera’s behavior, agents examined his cell phone and identified numerous images of child pornography, also known as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The material included images and videos that appeared to depict minors under the age of ten years old engaged in sexual acts on adult males.

    A conviction for Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, and a term of supervised release up to life.

    A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           25-01524MJ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-066_Cabrera

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Sentenced To Prison For His Role In Multi-Million Dollar Bank Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a multi-million dollar bank fraud scheme, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bruce Howard Marko, 66, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1.5 million. Marko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.

    Marko’s three co-defendants, Kotto Yaphet Paul, 50, of Waxhaw, N.C., Latoya Tamieka Ford, 50, of Covington, Georgia, and Love Norman, 50, of West Palm Beach, Florida, have each pleaded guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. Paul also pleaded guilty to money laundering.

    According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, beginning in 2018, Marko conspired with Peebles, Paul and Ford to orchestrate a fraudulent loan scheme that defrauded at least 17 federally insured financial institutions of more than $17 million. Marko participated directly in at least five of these fraudulent loans totaling over $2.8 million. To execute the scheme, Marko and his co-defendants submitted loan applications to financial institutions that contained fraudulent information, including false employment and income information, false tax returns, and misrepresentations regarding the applicants’ assets, liabilities, and the intended use the loan proceeds. Based on the fraudulent loan applications, Marko and his co-defendants secured at least 42 loans from the victim financial institutions. Contrary to information provided on the loan applications about the purposes of the loans, the defendants used the loan proceeds to purchase real estate, cover unrelated business expenses, make investments, make payments toward earlier loans, and pay for personal expenditures. Court documents show that the defendants defaulted on most of the loans, causing substantial losses to the victim financial institutions that issued the loans.

    Four additional defendants were previously convicted of bank fraud conspiracy for their involvement in the scheme. Amrish D. Patel was sentenced to 15 months in prison, Dwight A. Peebles, Jr. was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Denise Woodard was ordered to serve 36 months in prison, and Derrick L. Harrison, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. The defendants were also ordered to pay restitution ranging from $620,000 to more than $3.1 million.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the Office of the Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Office of the Inspector General for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Charlotte, and the Charlotte Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation, for the investigation of this case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Justice Department Declines Prosecution of Company That Self-Disclosed Export Control Offenses Committed by Employee

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Note: View the declination letter here.

    The Justice Department today announced that it has declined the prosecution of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) after it self-disclosed to the Department’s National Security Division (NSD) criminal violations of U.S. export control laws committed by its former employee, Jonathan Soong. Soong pleaded guilty to willfully violating the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by exporting U.S. Army-developed aviation software to a university in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) that had been placed on the Commerce Department’s Entity List and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

    “If we stay vigilant, all of us — including our citizens, small businesses, and large corporations — can play a critical role in protecting our country,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “A criminal who compromised our national security was brought to justice because his employer caught him and immediately turned him in. We decline to prosecute his employer and are ready to work together with such responsible corporate actors who are committed to joining us in this fight to protect our country from foreign adversaries.”

    “USRA discovered that one of its employees was funneling sensitive aeronautics software to a Beijing university in violation of export control laws and at risk to our national security,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins for the Northern District of California. “What the company did next made all the difference in the Government’s decision not to prosecute it: the company took swift and proactive measures to disclose the employee’s wrongdoing, provide all known facts, and cooperate – and continue to cooperate – with the government’s investigation.”

    According to court documents, in April 2016, USRA contracted with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to, among other things, license and distribute for a fee aeronautics-related and U.S. Army-owned flight control software. Soong was employed by USRA as a program administrator under the contract and was responsible for performing due diligence on prospective purchasers to ensure that the sale or transfer of software licenses complied with applicable law, including by checking the Entity List. Soong willfully exported software subject to the EAR to Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, also known as Beihang University (Beihang), a university in the PRC, knowing that an export control license was required for the export to Beihang because it was on the Entity List. Beihang was on the Commerce Department’s Entity List due to its involvement in the development of military rocket systems and unmanned air vehicle systems. Soong further used an intermediary to complete the transfer and export of the software to Beihang to avoid detection, and embezzled tens of thousands of dollars in software license sales by directing purchasers to make payment to an account he personally owned and controlled.

    This scheme continued until NASA inquired about the sales of software licenses to PRC-based purchasers and USRA began to investigate. Soong initially lied to USRA and fabricated evidence that he had conducted due diligence on the purchasers and provided it to USRA’s counsel to provide to NASA, but after USRA’s counsel investigated further and confronted Soong with evidence that contradicted his statements, he admitted to knowing that Beihang was on the Entity List when he exported the software to Beihang and that a license had been required for the export.

    Within days of learning that Soong had willfully violated U.S. export control laws, and before USRA had completed its own investigation to understand the scope of the misconduct, USRA self-disclosed the crime to NSD and fully cooperated with the ensuing criminal investigation, which eventually established that Soong had acted alone at USRA. USRA’s cooperation included proactively identifying, collecting, and disclosing relevant evidence to investigators, including foreign language evidence and evidence located overseas, and providing detailed and timely responses to the government’s requests for information and evidence. USRA remediated the root cause of the misconduct by disciplining a supervisory employee who failed appropriately to supervise Soong, and by significantly improving its internal controls and compliance program. USRA also compensated the government both for the funds Soong embezzled, and for the time Soong had spent embezzling funds instead of performing his duties under USRA’s contract with NASA.

    The Justice Department declined USRA’s prosecution after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy). The NSD Enforcement Policy creates a presumption that companies that (1) voluntarily self-disclose to NSD potentially criminal violations arising out of or relating to the enforcement of export control or sanctions laws, (2) fully cooperate, and (3) timely and appropriately remediate will generally receive a non-prosecution agreement, unless aggravating factors are present.  In appropriate cases, the NSD Enforcement Policy authorizes prosecutors to go further, and exercise discretion to decline a company’s prosecution. This is the second time that NSD has exercised its discretion to decline the prosecution of a company under the NSD Enforcement Policy.

    The case was investigated by the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the FBI. The NASA Office of Inspector General; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Army Counterintelligence; and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations provided valuable assistance.

    Trial Attorney Rachel Craft of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Valliere for the Northern District of California prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –