NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Turkey Leg Hut owner indicted for arson

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 42-year-old Houston man has been taken into custody on charges of conspiracy to commit arson of a commercial building and conspiracy to use an interstate facility to commit arson of a vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Lyndell “Lynn” Price, former owner of the Turkey Leg Hut who now owns The Oyster Hut, is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Also in custody and set to appear are Armani Williams, 27, and John Lee Price, 39, both also of Houston.

    The indictment, returned April 8 and unsealed upon the arrests, alleges Price and others conspired to set fire to Bar 5015. The charges allege the owner of that bar was a former co-owner of the Turkey Leg Hut and Price’s business partner. 

    In early June 12, 2020, Price had allegedly recruited a group which included Williams, John Price and others. The charges allege Williams, John Price and others were involved in pouring gasoline at the entrance ramp before igniting a fire at Bar 5015. Lynn Price later provided payment to them, according to the charges. 

    Prior to the arson, the indictment alleges that in April 2020, Lynn Price also paid John Price and others to set fire to a stolen blue 1975 Chevy Nova.

    Lynn Price and the others are charged with conspiracy to commit arson and arson and face up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.   

    Lynn Price and John Price are also charged with conspiracy to use an interstate facility to commit arson of a vehicle and could receive another five years as possible punishment, upon conviction.   

    The indictment remains sealed to those charged but not as yet in custody. 

    FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Harris County Constable’s Office – Precinct 4. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Keri Fuller are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Indicted on Firearm and Immigration Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – On Wednesday, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 5-count indictment against Teodoro Diaz-Ochoa, 44, of Mexico, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and Reentry of a Removed Alien. 

    The charging documents filed in the case allege that Diaz-Ochoa is an alien, illegally present in the United States, who was previously convicted of felony Attempted Sexual Assault and last removed from the United State on April 22, 2016. On January 22, 2025, Arizona Game and Fish Officers encountered Diaz-Ochoa while conducting a hunting without a license investigation. Diaz-Ochoa was found in possession of a Savage bolt action rifle and 80 rounds of various ammunition. On March 26, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a federal search warrant at Diaz-Ochoa’s residence, where they discovered a Remington semi-automatic shotgun and 18 rounds of various ammunition.  

    A conviction for the firearm and ammunition charges carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A conviction for the reentry of a removed alien charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 

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

    An indictment 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. 

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.  

    CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01989-TUC-JCH 
    RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-062_Diaz-Ochoa

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news. 

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CDCA Federal Prosecutors This Week Charge 32 Defendants with Being Illegal Aliens Reentering the United States Following Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Working alongside law enforcement partners at United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal prosecutors in the Central District of California this week filed criminal charges against 32 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States after being removed, the Justice Department announced today.   

    Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felonies before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include committing lewd and lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14 years.

    The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

    The recently filed cases include the following:

    • Misael Alberto Feliciano, 29, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Feliciano, who was removed from the U.S. in 2018, was charged after he was recently arrested by the West Covina Police Department on suspicion of possessing of a controlled substance and unlawful paraphernalia. Feliciano was on parole at time of his arrest. Feliciano was previously convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2016 for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, for which he was sentenced to three years in California state prison. Assistant United States Attorney MiRi Song of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    Federal prosecutors also announced their intent to prosecute Oscar Eduardo Ortega, 43, of Mexico, who was federally charged in 2022 in a one-count indictment with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. Ortega was removed from the United States in 2016 and 2018. Ortega was charged after he was arrested in Orange County for killing two teenagers in a fatal DUI accident in 2021. His criminal history includes two felony convictions in 2005 in Los Angeles Superior Court for grand theft of personal property, for which he received a sentence of one year in California state prison, and for unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle, for which he was sentenced to 19 days in state custody. Ortega also was convicted in Orange County Superior Court in 2014 of false imprisonment by violence/deceit. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 16 months in state prison. Ortega is set for release after serving 3.5 years of a 10-year sentence in California state prison for the fatal DUI accident. Ortega faces up to an additional 20 years in federal prison if convicted on felony immigration charges.

    Criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    These cases 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 Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests illegally present Salvadoran alien in Maryland after detainer not honored by local authorities

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BALTIMORE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested illegal Salvadoran national Brayan Eleazar Angulo-Barrios, 26, in Hyattsville, Maryland, April 22, after the Prince Georges County Department of Corrections failed to honor another ICE immigration detainer.

    Angulo is a validated 18th street gang member and has been convicted of possession of a loaded handgun and possession with intent to distribute.

    “Once again, Prince George’s County — a non-cooperative jurisdiction has chosen to release a criminal alien back into the community, ignoring an ICE detainer and putting public safety at risk,” said ICE Baltimore Deputy Field Office Director Vernon Liggins. “This decision reflects a policy that prioritizes non-cooperation over addressing public safety threats while individuals are in custody with the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections. Consequently, ICE is forced to expand our at-large operations within Prince George’s County. Angulo was convicted of serious crimes that threaten the well-being of law-abiding citizens. We’re asking local law enforcement to help us protect our communities by honoring detainers and standing with ICE in prioritizing the safety of American citizens.”

    Angulo entered the United States on an unknown date at an unknown location without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by an immigration officer.

    The Prince George’s County Police Department arrested and charged Angulo Nov. 17, 2021, with possession with intent to distribute and possession of a loaded handgun. The Circuit Court for Prince George’s County convicted Angulo of possession with intent to distribute and possession of a loaded handgun Aug. 18, 2023, and sentenced him to one year in prison with three years’ supervised probation.

    The Maryland State Police arrested and charged Angulo with possessing a loaded handgun in his vehicle July 29, 2022. The District Court for Montgomery County in Silver Spring, Maryland, convicted Angulo of possessing a loaded handgun in his vehicle Nov. 14, 2022, and sentenced him to 110 days in jail.

    The PGCPD arrested and charged Angulo April 18, 2024, with violation of probation.

    ICE lodged an immigration detainer on Angulo with the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections April 19, 2024. The PGCDOC declined to honor ICE’s immigration detainer and released Angulo from custody April 23, 2024.

    ICE issued Angulo a final order of removal April 22, and he will remain in ICE custody pending removal from the United States to El Salvador.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBaltimore.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests illegal Guatemalan national charged with assaulting police officer in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    CHELSEA, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Guatemalan national charged with assault and battery on a police officer and assault with a dangerous weapon. Officers with ICE Boston arrested Luis Javier Chavez-Galiego, 20, in Chelsea Feb. 8.

    “Luis Javier Chavez-Galiego illegally came to this country and apparently assaulted members of our Massachusetts community to include an officer of the law,” said ICE Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He represents a threat to our community that ICE Boston will not tolerate. We will continue to prioritize the safety of our public by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders.”

    USBP arrested Chavez after he illegally entered the United States near El Paso, Texas, Feb. 24, 2019. USBP served Chavez with a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.

    The Chelsea, MA District Court arraigned Chavez Sept. 20, 2024, for two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and three counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

    The Chelsea District Court arraigned Chavez Feb. 5 for default warrants, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer and three counts of assault and battery dangerous weapon – shod foot. Later that day, ICE Boston lodged an immigration detainer against Chavez with the Chelsea District Court; however, the court refused to honor the detainer and released Chavez from custody.  

    Officers from ICE Boston arrested Chavez in Chelsea Feb. 8. Chavez remains in ICE custody.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WEEK 14 WINS: President Trump Drives Economic Growth and Strengthens National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    This week, President Donald J. Trump and his administration delivered another series of bold victories for the American people, advancing economic prosperity, enhancing national security, and restoring common sense to government. From unleashing American energy dominance to cracking down on illicit foreign activities, the Trump Administration continues its relentless pursuit of policies that prioritize American workers, families, and communities.
    Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 14:
    President Trump’s unrelenting commitment to revitalizing American manufacturing delivered more results, driving job creation and economic growth nationwide.
    Roche, a Swiss drug and diagnostics company, announced a $50 billion investment in its U.S.-based manufacturing and R&D, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
    Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced a $3 billion agreement with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to produce drugs at its North Carolina manufacturing facility.
    NorthMark Strategies, a multi-strategy investment firm, announced a $2.8 billion investment to build a supercomputing facility in South Carolina.
    Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., announced a $2 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and innovation.
    Chobani announced a $1.2 billion investment to build its third U.S. dairy processing plant in New York, which is expected to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs.
    Fiserv, Inc. announced a $175 million investment to open a new strategic fintech hub in Kansas, which is expected to create 2,000 new high-paying jobs.
    Toyota Motor Corporation announced an $88 million investment to boost hybrid vehicle production at its West Virginia factory, securing employment for the factory’s 2,000 workers.
    Hyundai Motor Group secured an equity investment and agreement from Posco Holdings, South Korea’s top steel maker, for the automaker’s planned steel plant in Louisiana.
    Hitachi Energy announced a $22.5 million investment to expand its facilities in Virginia, which is expected to add 120 new jobs.
    Cyclic Materials, a Canadian advanced recycling company for rare earth elements, announced a $20 million investment in its first U.S.-based commercial facility, located in Mesa, Arizona.
    GM announced it will increase production at its Ohio transmission facility.
    Coinbase announced plans to add more than 130 new jobs and open a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    President Trump continued to secure our border and rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals.
    The Swanton sector of the U.S.-Canada border — previously overrun by illegal immigrants — saw illegal border crossings decline from 1,109 in March 2024 to just 54 in March 2025.
    New York Post: Northern border sector previously overrun by illegal migrants sees dramatic drop in crossings: ‘We haven’t seen anyone since November’

    The Washington Times: Under Trump, border catch-and-release has dropped 99.99% from worst Biden month
    CBS: ICE partnerships with local law enforcement triple as Trump continues deportation crackdown
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation apprehended Harpreet Singh, an alleged member of a foreign terrorist gang who was planning multiple attacks on law enforcement in the U.S. and India.
    Five suspected Tren de Aragua gang members were arrested in Fresno County, California.

    President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
    The Trump Administration has directed attacks that have killed at least 74 terrorists seeking to attack the U.S. so far.

    The Trump Administration forged ahead on its unprecedented effort to secure American energy dominance.
    The Department of the Interior announced it will accelerate the onerous permitting process for energy and critical minerals, slashing approval times from years to just 28 days, at most.
    Chevron announced a massive oil and natural gas project in the Gulf of America, with 75,000 gross barrels of oil expected to be produced daily.

    The Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from medications and the nation’s food supply by the end of 2026.
    President Trump took a series of executive actions to enhance educational and workforce opportunities for the American people.
    President Trump signed an executive order modernizing American workforce programs to prepare citizens for the high-paying skilled trade jobs of the future.
    Association of Equipment Manufacturers: “Our industry faces a persistent and growing shortage of skilled workers, and this action reflects the leadership needed to build a strong pipeline of talent for the jobs of the future. By aligning workforce programs with the realities of today’s labor market, the administration is taking a smart, strategic step to bolster U.S. manufacturing. We support the President’s continued focus on reshoring American manufacturing and ensuring our workforce is filled with the brightest and best talent in the world.”

    President Trump signed an executive order creating new educational and workforce development opportunities in artificial intelligence technology for America’s youth.
    President Trump signed an executive order revoking flawed Obama-Biden guidance that pressured schools to impose discipline based on “racial equity” and gives teachers the ability to ensure order in their classrooms.

    President Trump took action to further reform and enhance higher education in America.
    President Trump signed an executive order overhauling the nation’s higher education accreditation system to ensure colleges and universities deliver high-quality, high-value education free from unlawful discrimination and ideological bias.
    President Trump signed an executive order enhancing the capacity of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities to deliver high-quality education and innovation.
    President Trump signed an executive order requiring higher education institutions to promptly disclose foreign gifts and funding.

    President Trump signed a landmark executive order eliminating the use of so-called “disparate-impact liability,” which undermines civil rights by mandating discrimination to achieve predetermined, race-oriented outcomes.
    President Trump ordered an investigation into illegal “straw donor” and foreign contributions in American elections.
    President Trump signed an executive order strengthening probationary periods in the federal service — ensuring a merit-based federal workforce that serves the American people.
    President Trump signed an executive order to develop domestic capabilities for exploration, characterization, collection, and processing of critical deep seabed minerals.
    President Trump announced he will personally fund the installation of two beautiful 100-foot flagpoles flying the American flag on the North Lawn of the White House.
    Small business sentiment remained near its historic high in March, according to a new survey from the Job Creators Network Foundation.
    The Department of State launched an unprecedented reorganization to reverse decades of bloat and bureaucracy that rendered it unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission.
    The Department of Justice launched the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias as part of President Trump’s directive to end unlawful anti-Christian discrimination by the federal government.
    The Department of Education announced it will resume collections on defaulted federal student loans after a five-year pause, ending the Biden-era practice of zero-interest, zero-accountability student borrowing.
    The Department of the Interior officially unveiled the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge, honoring the memory of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was savagely murdered by illegal immigrants in Texas.
    Secretary of the Navy John Phelan rescinded the Biden-era Navy Climate Action 2030 program, which prioritized ideologically motivated regulations over the Navy’s core mission of warfighting.
    The Department of Education returned oversight of higher education foreign funding disclosures to the Office of General Counsel, making clear that the Trump Administration will prioritize enforcement of federal law.
    The Department of Education initiated an investigation and records request into University of California, Berkeley, after a review of the university’s foreign funding disclosures found they may be incomplete or inaccurate.
    The Department of the Treasury sanctioned an Iranian liquefied petroleum gas magnate and his network as part of President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign.
    The Department of Agriculture announced $340.6 million in disaster assistance for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities impacted by natural disasters across the country.
    The Department of the Interior disbursed $13 million to revitalize coal communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spree of Armed Carjackings in 2023 Nets District Man 10 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Junious Plummer, 36, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison in connection with a firearms offense and a spree of three armed carjackings in late 2023.

    The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Plummer pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2025, to one count of brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Plummer to serve three years of supervised release.

    According to court documents, on Aug. 11, 2023, about 7:30 a.m., Plummer approached two men sleeping in a blue Hyundai Elantra parked in a lot on the 3900 block of Dix Street NE. Plummer, holding a black handgun, opened the driver’s side door and demanded that the person get out of the vehicle. The victim tried to close the door. Plummer struck him with the handgun and ordered the person in the passenger seat to get out. Plummer then took the car and drove away with the driver’s phone still in the vehicle.

    On Oct.18, 2023, Plummer, brandishing a silver revolver, approached the owner of a white 2007 Toyota Camry as the owner refueled at a gas station on the 4100 block of Hunt Place, NE. Plummer demanded the keys, and when the owner hesitated, Plummer hit the owner in the head with the revolver, causing the owner to drop his keys, iPhone, and headphones. Plummer scooped up the items and fled in the Camry.

    On Dec. 18, 2023, Plummer and another man approached a woman in the parking garage of her apartment building on the 400 block of Minnesota Ave., NE. The woman was getting into her block 2014 Chrysler 300. One of the men was armed with a rifle-style firearm. Plummer and his accomplice demanded the woman’s keys, forced her to the ground, and placed the gun against the side of her head. The woman told the men the cars were in the vehicle. Plummer and his accomplice took the Chrysler 300 and fled to Maryland. Shortly after, Plummer and the man used the woman’s credit cards to make purchases.

    Between the last two known carjackings, on Oct. 30, 2023, Plummer was found to be in possession of a black Charter Arms .357 firearm loaded with five rounds.

    This investigation was conducted by the MPD and the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Tepfer with valuable assistance from Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate MacLure Toth.

    24cr294

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Woman Pleads Guilty To Her Role In Two Convenience Store Robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Leanna Bryant (28, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and aiding and abetting the brandishing a firearm during those robberies. Bryant faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the robbery counts. For each of the firearms counts, she faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison—consecutive to any other sentence. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2023, Bryant conspired with others to rob two convenience stores. A firearm was used and brandished during both robberies. During the investigation, officers discovered a vehicle’s license plate registering on license plate readers near both robbery locations, close in time to when each of the robberies had occurred. Bryant’s fingerprints were found in the vehicle.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Tampa Police Department, the Temple Terrace Police Department, the Lakeland Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Postal carrier sentenced to two years in prison for stealing mail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – A Hampton woman was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for mail theft.

    According to court documents, Kiesha L. Brown, 32, worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a city carrier assistant at the LC Page Post Office in Norfolk. Beginning in June 2023, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (OIG) began receiving complaints regarding mail theft and check fraud from customers utilizing the LC Page Postal Station.

    In June 2023, a victim whose business was on Brown’s delivery route reported that 16 checks had been stolen from the mail. The victim reported that one check in the amount of $146.64 did not reach the intended recipient, but was altered and deposited in a bank account in the amount of $4,890.02. Numerous customers on Brown’s postal route complained of similar frauds occurring with checks they had mailed through the LC Page Post Office.

    Brown was observed in her postal vehicle using drugs and rummaging through and stealing mail. Brown provided mail to an accomplice in exchange for cash to support her daughter and her drug habit. Investigators identified 37 people victimized by Brown. Brown’s theft caused an intended loss of approximately $245,000 and an actual loss of $155,297.91.

    In addition to her term of imprisonment, the Court ordered that Brown is to pay restitution in the total amount of $155,297.91.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kathleen Woodson, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-117.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cherry Creek Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Cherry Creek, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on April 22, 2025.

    Pacer Hayes, age 27, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Hayes was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 24, 2025.

    The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in November 2023 in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. On November 10, 2023, the victim agreed to give Hayes a ride from a bar after he had been drinking. After convincing the victim to let him sleep on her couch because he was locked out of his home, Hayes entered the victim’s bedroom during the night and sexually assaulted her. Hayes used his phone to photograph and video the victim’s body during the assault. The offense occurred in the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

    This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.

    Hayes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty To Illegal Reentry Into The United States By A Previously Deported Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Samuel Ortiz-Ordonez (24, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. Ortiz-Ordonez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison and subsequent deportation and removal from the United States. His sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

    According to court documents, Ortiz-Ordonez was previously ordered to be removed from the United States on August 28, 2019. He was deported from the back to Guatemala on June 15, 2023. Ortiz-Ordonez has never applied to the Attorney General of the United States and/or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security for permission to lawfully reenter the United States. On March 13, 2025, Ortiz-Ordonez was found voluntarily back in the United States in Jacksonville, where he was encountered by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. After being approached by ICE officers, Ortiz-Ordonez abandoned the vehicle that he was driving and fled on foot through a local residential neighborhood. After a brief chase, he was apprehended.

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the United States Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and human trafficking.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oak Grove Man Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Committing Arson at a Federally Contracted Rehabilitation Center

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

          LITTLE ROCK—Nathan James Hester will spend the next 71 months in federal prison after intentionally starting multiple fires at a federally contracted rehabilitation center in Searcy, Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down on April 24, 2025, by Chief United States District Kristine G. Baker.

          An investigation revealed that Hester, 39, of Oak Grove, was suspected of setting fire to several residences in the Oak Grove community in North Little Rock between September 2022 and October 2022. On October 20, 2022, Hester set fire to a business located in North Little Rock, for which he was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 2, 2022. While under indictment, Hester was released on pretrial supervision and resided at a federally contracted rehabilitation center. On November 27, 2022, while at the rehabilitation center, Hester set multiple fires inside of his assigned room while the center was occupied.

          On October 3, 2023, in a superseding indictment, Hester was charged with arson relating to the fires at the federally contracted rehabilitation center. Hester pleaded guilty to the arson charge on August 8, 2024.

          “Nathan James Hester is a serial arsonist who endangered others and caused property damage,” Ross said. “These crimes deserve federal attention, and if there are others who make the choice to endanger others and set fire to destroy properties and endanger others, this office will ensure you are held accountable.”

          “ATF is dedicated to preventing and reducing violent crime involving the criminal misuse of arson like the kind Nathan James Hester inflicted on the residents of a rehabilitation center,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “ATF remains vigilant about working fire investigations with our partners to solve these crimes and hold those accountable who use this dangerous violent tactic to harm the public.”

          Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Hester to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

          The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Maumelle Police Department, Maumelle Fire Department, Oak Grove Fire Department, Arkansas State Police, Searcy Police Department, and the Searcy Fire Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cameroonian Man Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Armed Separatist Fighters to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon and For Making Threats

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Cameroonian Man Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Armed Separatist Fighters to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon and For Making Threats

    A federal grand jury in Baltimore returned an indictment yesterday charging a Cameroonian national residing in Maryland, Eric Tataw, also known as “the Garri Master,” 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist militias in Cameroon and threatening violence against Cameroonian civilians.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Infrastructure Improvements in Onondaga & Oswego Counties

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that work has begun on two significant infrastructure improvement projects that will enhance safety and improve mobility along a major corridor in northern Onondaga County and a heavily traveled route in southern Oswego County.

    The projects, supported by federal and state funds, represent a $5 million investment in the region’s transportation network that will provide necessary upgrades to the exit ramp from State Route 481 to East Circle Drive in the Town of Cicero, Onondaga County, and replace the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek in the Town of West Monroe, Oswego County. These undertakings illustrate Governor Hochul’s unparalleled commitment to modernize transportation infrastructure statewide and support the growth of communities through projects that prioritize safety, improve connectivity, and bolster economic opportunity for residents and visitors.

    “As we all bear witness to the extraordinary transformation of Central New York through the Interstate 81 Viaduct Project, it is imperative that we continue to shore up our infrastructure in surrounding areas,” Governor Hochul said. “These projects on State Route 481 and State Route 49 are critical to improving traffic flow, bolstering economic vitality and enhancing public safety. By modernizing aging infrastructure and reducing congestion, we are helping to ensure safer, more efficient travel for everyone who lives, works, and visits the region.”

    State Route 481 serves as vital corridor, connecting two of Central New York’s largest counties, Onondaga, and Oswego, and accommodating commuters headed to work, school and activities, along with patrons exploring local establishments or destined for a picturesque lakeside getaway along the shores of Oneida Lake or Lake Ontario.

    The Town of Cicero and Village of North Syracuse are the first stops along the heavily traveled route with high-traffic hotspots lining East Circle Drive and U.S. Route 11. Nearly 12,000 vehicles a day utilize the off-ramp from State Route 481 northbound to Exit 1B. During peak hours, particularly during the evening commute, motorists attempting to exit often experience heavy traffic and congestion.

    While temporary improvements were implemented last year to accommodate a detour associated with the I-81 Viaduct Project, permanent construction on the $3 million safety improvement project will help mitigate traffic by decreasing congestion from State Route 481 northbound to East Circle Drive. Reconstruction of the ramp includes a two lane exit that widens to three lanes, two permanent dedicated left turn lanes and a designated right turn lane onto East Circle Drive to improve traffic flow. Additionally, the traffic signal at the intersection will be modified to include a new signal head and will incorporate an overhead sign directing motorists’ attention to the “Right Turn Only,” lane, along with an upgrade to the video detection system.

    A new concrete median barrier along the northbound left shoulder of State Route 481 between the bridges over U.S. Route 11 and South Bay Road is also included in the safety improvement project, while the shoulder adjacent to the barrier will be widened to six feet. The new barrier and increased shoulder width will help reduce median crossovers along State Route 481 and further enhance safety and resiliency.

    The project is anticipated to be completed by fall 2025.

    The $2 million replacement of the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek in the Town of West Monroe, Oswego County, includes the construction of new bridge abutments with cast-in-place concrete piles, pre-stressed concrete beams, a new concrete bridge deck and new concrete approach slabs.

    The existing timber bridge, constructed in 1941, closed in June 2024 after a NYSDOT inspection raised safety concerns. The installation of a temporary bridge, planned as part of the replacement project was expedited and opened to traffic in November 2024, reducing the short-term and long-term impacts to the traveling public.

    An estimated 10,000 vehicles traverse the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek every day. The two-lane roadway meets Interstate 81 at Exit 32 in Central Square, with the eastern portion of State Route 49 providing access to residences, restaurants, local vendors, and water-based recreation along the north shore of Oneida Lake. This vital route also serves as a main thoroughfare for people bound for popular destinations like Sylvan Beach and Verona Beach in Oneida County.

    Traffic is expected to be moved from the temporary bridge to the newly constructed bridge in October.

    The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

    New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Governor Hochul understands that by investing in transportation infrastructure is an investment in our communities and statewide, we are prioritizing the needs of the people who rely on these roadways and bridges each and every day. The improvements to the exit ramp from State Route 481 to East Circle Drive will add important safety upgrades and improve traffic flow, helping to ensure this bustling area is equipped to handle continued growth, while the modernization of the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek will strengthen the safety of this important route for the residents of Oswego County.”

    Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said, “Thanks to millions in federal funding from my Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Law, we are paving the way for a safer future in Central New York. This will upgrade the State Route 481 exit ramp in Cicero and replace the State Route 49 bridge over Big Bay Creek in West Monroe, improving traffic flow along this vital corridor and helping connect residents and visitors to Oneida Lake and Lake Ontario all while creating jobs, jobs, jobs. I’m grateful that Governor Hochul is putting these dollars to good use to improve safety and connectivity for Central New Yorkers.”

    Representative John W. Mannion said, “I’m committed to keeping Central New York’s roads and bridges smooth, safe, modern, and resilient for everyone who lives and travels in our region. The improvements to 481, including the Exit 1B ramp to East Circle Drive in the Town of Cicero, are important upgrades to our transportation infrastructure. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s continued commitment to building a stronger and more connected Central New York.”

    State Senator Christopher Ryan said, “These infrastructure investments are a win for Central New York. By easing congestion in Cicero and replacing a critical bridge in West Monroe, we’re making daily commutes safer and more efficient while supporting economic growth across Onondaga and Oswego Counties. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for prioritizing projects that strengthen our communities and keep people moving.”

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “The reconstruction of the on-ramp leading to Cicero will relieve everyday congestion and improve commutes for thousands of drivers. Looking at the long-term, our community will be safer, more connected, and better prepared to take on Central New York’s growing potential as an economic hub.”

    Assemblymember William Barclay said, “With thousands of motorists relying on State Route 481 and the Route 49 bridge, I’m pleased to see necessary infrastructure improvements underway. These upgrades are crucial investments in safety and efficiency, making daily commutes easier and more reliable. Modernizing key routes in Onondaga and Oswego counties will improve traffic flow and reinforce the connections that drive local growth and support vibrant communities.”

    Oswego County Legislature Chairperson James Weatherup said, “We are thrilled to hear about the $2 million replacement of the State Route 49 Bridge in West Monroe. The bridge has been closed since 2024 after a NYSDOT inspection deemed it unsafe. A temporary bridge was installed which helped with the flow of traffic; however, it was temporary, and this infrastructure investment will reopen the bridge that provides access to residences, restaurants, local vendors and water-based recreation that is vital to residents and tourists alike.”

    About the Department of Transportation
    It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment, and supports the economic well-being of New York State.

    Lives are on the line; slow down and move over for highway workers!

    For more information, find them on Facebook, follow them on X or Instagram, or visit their website. For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cameroonian Man Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Armed Separatist Fighters to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon and For Making Threats

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A federal grand jury in Baltimore returned an indictment yesterday charging a Cameroonian national residing in Maryland, Eric Tataw, also known as “the Garri Master,” 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist militias in Cameroon and threatening violence against Cameroonian civilians. He surrendered and will make his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson today.

    According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist militias sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon in an attempt to force the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

    “The defendant is alleged to have ordered horrific acts of violence, including severing limbs, against Cameroonian civilians in support of a violent secessionist movement,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable human rights violators who direct brutal political violence and fundraise for armed militias from the comfort of the United States.”

    “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who help murder, maim, and kidnap,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who aim to turn American soil into a staging ground for political violence abroad.”

    “Tataw and his co-conspirators masterminded and financially supported a vicious scheme to overthrow a foreign government. They resorted to an unthinkable level of violence while instilling fear in innocent victims to advance their political agenda,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who attempts to inflict mayhem on others. Tataw and his co-conspirators demonstrated a total disregard for human life so now they must pay the price.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning in April 2018, Tataw and others sought to raise funds for the Amba Boys to finance violent attacks in Cameroon. Tataw also allegedly called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of civilians and the destruction of public, educational, and cultural property in Cameroon. Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw allegedly used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people. Additionally, Tataw allegedly referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a public company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the government of Cameroon. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

    Tataw is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support and four counts of interstate communication of a threat to harm. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the material support count and five years in prison on each count of communication of a threat to harm. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Maryland made the announcement.

    HSI and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the FBI, are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman and Joseph Wenner for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Michael Dittoe and Andrew Briggs of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gaffney Woman Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Ashley Nicole Cromer, 39, of Gaffney, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl.

    Evidence before the court established that in the fall of 2023, Cromer conspired with Jonathan Willingham, another man charged in this conspiracy, to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Specifically, on Oct. 27, 2023, law enforcement conducted surveillance on Cromer during a trip to Atlanta, Georgia. Law enforcement stopped Cromer and searched her car, recovering approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Cromer’s phone was searched, connecting the drug trafficking conspiracy with Willingham. Cromer additionally collected fentanyl for the conspiracy.

    Cromer faces a maximum of life in federal prison, a $10 million fine, and a maximum of lifetime supervision.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins, Jr., accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the defendant after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

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

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, South Carolina Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General, Greenville County Drug Enforcement Unit, and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Doctor Agrees to Plead Guilty to $35.5 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant allegedly billed Medicare for genetic testing of patients she never communicated with for over three years

    BOSTON – A doctor from Boston has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a multi-million-dollar health care fraud scheme in which she allegedly defrauded Medicare for genetic testing services she never provided.

    Le Thu, 69, is charged and has agreed to plead guilty to two counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.

    According to the charging documents, from in or about March 2017 through in November 2020, Thu knowingly and willfully engaged in a scheme to deceive the Medicare Program in connection with payments for genetic testing for beneficiaries. Specifically, Thu allegedly signed and/or caused other individuals who had no medical training to sign and submit false medical documentation and orders for beneficiaries’ genetic testing – which was generally not covered by Medicare – therefore making it appear that Thu was providing legitimate services. Thu allegedly signed or caused these orders to be signed that falsely claimed she had consulted with beneficiaries, conducted examinations prior to ordering genetic testing, obtained consent, and/or would use the testing results to treat the beneficiaries.

    However, it is alleged that Thu did not see, speak to, or otherwise communicate, examine or provide any medical services to Medicare beneficiaries in connection with any of the false orders submitted, without regard to whether the beneficiaries needed the genetic testing. It is alleged that in one of the orders, Thu stated, among other things that the test results would “assist [Thu] in making patient-specific clinical decisions” and would “directly impact [Thu’s] patient’s medical management.” In connection with that alleged false order, a third-party laboratory billed Medicare approximately $5,368, for which Medicare paid approximately $2,886. Thu allegedly falsely stated in another order for genetic testing that the results of the testing would “determine [a] patient’s medical management and treatment decision.” In connection with that alleged false order, a third-party laboratory billed Medicare for over $24,052.

    It is alleged that, as a result of the orders submitted on false medical documentation, Thu caused laboratories to submit approximately $35.3 million in claims to Medicare based on doctors’ orders containing materially false representations, for which Medicare paid approximately $25.3 million.

    The charges of making false statements relating to health care matters each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mesa Man Arrested for Bank Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Terrell Maurice Mars, 47, of Mesa, Arizona, was arrested on April 18, 2025, and charged by criminal complaint for bank robbery.

    The complaint filed in this case alleges that, on April 18, 2025, Mars entered a credit union in Mesa, Arizona, waving what appeared to be a handgun, and directing the employees and customers to get down. Mars then demanded money from the tellers, and later the bank manager, who complied. After leaving the credit union with the stolen cash, witnesses observed Mars flee on an electric scooter.

    Mesa Police Department patrol officers responded to a dispatch about the bank robbery and located Mars hiding under a truck in a nearby apartment parking lot. He was taken into custody without incident and was found in possession of the same amount of cash that was stolen from the credit union. Police officers also found a hot glue gun near Mars that looked like the ostensible handgun he was seen carrying in credit union surveillance video.

    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.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the Mesa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Schesnol, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           25-MJ-05233-PHX-DMF
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-061_Mars

    # # #

    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 Asia-Pac: Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2025 gazetted today

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government published the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Gazette today (April 25) to make amendments to the existing legislation for the implementation of the new phase of tobacco control measures. The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council (LegCo) for first and second readings on April 30.

         The Health Bureau (HHB) announced the overall tobacco control strategy in June last year, setting out the directions under the strategy and short, medium and long-term measures to reduce the social hazards posed by smoking products and safeguard public health. These measures are formulated around four directions under the tobacco control strategy, namely, Regulate Supply, Suppress Demand: reducing the demand for and supply of smoking products; Ban Promotion, Reduce Attractiveness: minimising the attractiveness of smoking products; Expand No Smoking Areas, Mitigate Harm: protecting the public from the hazard of second-hand smoke; and Enhance education, Support Cessation: strengthening the provision of smoking cessation services, with a view to taking forward the tobacco control process in a multipronged and progressive approach. Among the 10 short-term tobacco control measures announced, eight of them require legislative amendments.  

         The Bill seeks to amend Ordinances including the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) and the Fixed Penalty (Smoking Offences) Ordinance (Cap. 600) to provide a legal basis for the implementation of the eight short-term measures as follows:

    (1) Implement a duty stamp system for cigarettes

    • Require importers/local manufacturers to ensure that each package of duty-paid cigarettes is affixed with a duty stamp when put on the market for sale 
    • Ban the sale or supply of cigarettes whose packages are not affixed with a duty stamp
    • Require that cigarettes sold at a price lower than the tobacco duty be proved to be duty-paid 
    • Plan to roll out a pilot scheme in the third quarter of 2025
    • The official launch date will be separately specified. The transitional phase is planned to commence in the fourth quarter of 2026, and the full implementation is targeted for the second quarter of 2027. 

    (2) Increase penalties for duty-not-paid tobacco 

    • Raise the maximum penalty for relevant offences from a $1 million fine and two-year imprisonment to a $2 million fine and seven-year imprisonment
    • List the relevant offences under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 455) to enable the Customs and Excise Department to freeze assets associated with illicit tobacco activities
    • Increase the penalty for offences of failing to declare to Customs Officers compoundable under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance from $2,000 to $5,000 
    • Plan to take immediate effect upon gazettal of the amended Ordinance

    (3) Prohibit the possession of alternative smoking products (ASPs) 

    • Ban the possession of ASP substances (i.e. capsules, heat sticks and herbal cigarettes) in public places
    • Smoking or using ASP in public places will be considered possession and a contravention of the requirement
    • Introduce a fixed penalty of $3,000 for incompliant cases involving possession of small quantities of ASP substances for non-commercial purposes
    • Plan to take effect on April 30, 2026

    (4) Implement plain packaging requirement 

    • Require that the packaging of conventional smoking products be uniformly designed, restricting or prohibiting the display of any logos, colours, brand images or promotional information on the packaging other than brand names and product names displayed in standard colour and font style, thereby dampening promotion effects 
    • The official launch date will be separately specified. It is targeted to take effect in tandem with the duty stamp system in the second quarter of 2027

    (5) Prohibit smoking while queuing 
         1. Prohibit smoking while queuing for public transport

    • Prohibit doing a smoking act while queuing in a line of two or more persons to board a public transport carrier (such as queuing for buses, minibuses, taxis and trams) at a designated boarding location
    • Prohibit smoking while staying in the delineated area of a designated boarding location (such as areas underneath bus shelters or inside areas where queuing positions are clearly indicated at ground level)

         2. Prohibit smoking while queuing to enter specified places  

    • Specified places include areas with high pedestrian flow, where queues may easily form, such as hospitals, designated clinics or health centres, public pleasure grounds, swimming pools and stadiums.
    • Prohibit smoking while queuing in a line of two or more persons to enter specified places, or queuing within the specified places.  

         3. Any person who contravenes the ban is liable to a fixed penalty, and the penalty level is on par with illegal smoking in a statutory no-smoking area (NSA)

    • Plan to take effect on January 1, 2026

    (6) Extend statutory NSAs  

    • Expand statutory NSAs to public areas that lie within 3 metres from entrances/exits exclusively used for the specified premises (i.e. child care centres, residential care homes, schools, hospitals and designated clinics or health centres)
    • Empower the Secretary for Health to designate a large area as NSAs with specifications and exemptions having regard to circumstances in districts and actual needs.
    • Raise the fixed penalty level for smoking offences to $3,000
    • Plan to take effect on January 1, 2026

    (7) Prohibit the provision of smoking products to persons aged below 18 

    • Cases involving the provision of small quantities of conventional smoking products will be liable to a fixed penalty of $3,000, while cases exceeding the specified quantities will be liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 
    • Provision of ASPs will be liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment. 
    • Plan to take effect on January 1, 2026

    (8) Ban flavoured conventional smoking products

    • Prohibit the sale of conventional smoking products that contain specified additives to counteract the intention of tobacco companies to use flavourings to disguise the toxicity of conventional smoking products and attract young people to smoke
    • Ban conventional smoking products containing specified additives other than menthol in the first stage
    • Introduce a Certification regime, requiring that suppliers needs to obtain a “certificate of compliance” issued by the Director of Health for distributing conventional smoking products.
    • Maximum penalty of relevant offences will be a fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment 
    • The official launch date will be separately specified. It is targeted to officially commence after the full implementation of the duty stamp system (i.e. around the second quarter of 2027)

         The other two short-term measures, namely “continuously reviewing the effectiveness of increasing tobacco duty and the pace of future adjustments” and “strengthening smoking cessation services as well as publicity and education”, are ongoing and do not involve legislative amendments. 

         A spokesman for the HHB said, “The Government is committed to further reducing Hong Kong’s smoking prevalence and mitigating the impact of second-hand smoke on the public through various measures in a progressive manner, thereby safeguarding public health. To further alleviate the threat posed by tobacco to public health, the Government needs to put in place more proactive measures to curb tobacco use and minimise its harmful effects on society. After factors such as the effectiveness, practicability and public receptiveness of these measures were weighed, the HHB put forward these measures last year and has further refined the details of the proposed legislative amendments after considering the views of various stakeholders in the community.”

         According to figures of the Census and Statistics Department, the proportion of persons aged 15 and above with a daily smoking habit of conventional cigarettes in Hong Kong was 9.1 per cent in 2023, meaning there are still about 580 000 people in Hong Kong who are daily smokers of conventional cigarettes.  

         A spokesman for the HHB said, “The various smoking-induced diseases among smokers will pose a heavy burden on the healthcare system and society as a whole. A local study revealed that the economic loss resulting from tobacco-induced health problems in 2021 was estimated to be about $8.2 billion per year in Hong Kong. The Government will fully work with the LegCo to scrutinise the Bill, with a view to seeking the LegCo’s support and passage of the Bill, thereby building a legal framework to curb smoking hazards and stepping towards a ‘tobacco-free Hong Kong’ through concerted efforts.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DoSJE and The World Bank Host Seminar to brainstorm on issues affecting Beggars, the Homeless, and the Destitute Population

    Source: Government of India

    DoSJE and The World Bank Host Seminar to brainstorm on issues affecting Beggars, the Homeless, and the Destitute Population

    Need to hear directly from  those who have transitioned out of begging, to understand the root causes and impact of support systems: Secretary DEPwD

    Such events provide valuable grassroots insights and authentic data from the field, essential to identifying and supporting individuals in vulnerable conditions: Lead Economist, World Bank

    Posted On: 25 APR 2025 8:22PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE), Government of India, in collaboration with the World Bank, organized a powerful and thought-provoking seminar with the theme –  ‘Population Out of Reach – SMILE (Beggary)’ – on 25th April, 2025, in New Delhi.

    The objective of the seminar was to deliberate on strategies and share knowledge regarding the rehabilitation of beggars, the homeless, and the destitute population, with participation from both national and international experts. This event formed part of an ongoing knowledge seminar series aimed at deepening dialogue and action to strengthen social protection systems for the most vulnerable sections of society in India.

    Addressing the Seminar as the Chief Guest, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, shared his vision on inclusive development and disability-friendly outreach. He emphasized the need to hear directly from real stakeholders — those who have transitioned out of begging — to understand the root causes and impact of support systems. He also acknowledged the complexity of the issue, touching upon its social, religious, and economic dimensions.

    On the other hand, the keynote address by Ms. Benedicte Leroy De La Briere, Lead Economist, World Bank, brought a global lens to the discussion on beggary rehabilitation. She highlighted the significance of the partnership between the World Bank and the Ministry of Social Justice, noting that such events provide valuable grassroots insights and authentic data from the field. They emphasized the importance of foundational documentation—such as having a registered address, a bank account, and access to healthcare—as essential to identifying and supporting individuals in vulnerable conditions. The representative concluded by stressing the need to focus today’s discussion on targeted interventions and actionable solutions.

    Key Highlights of the Seminar:

    Shri Ajay Srivastava, Economic Advisor (MoSJ&E), shared that approximately 18,000 individuals have been identified under the SMILE initiative, of which 1,612 have already been rehabilitated. He assured that efforts are underway to accelerate the rehabilitation of the remaining individuals. Ms. Debolina Thakur, Joint Secretary and Economic Advisor (DoSJ&E), also addressed the gathering, highlighting that many social challenges are shared globally. She noted that several international organizations are actively working to address these issues, and India too has many institutions making commendable efforts.

    Global Best Practices:

    Mr. Alemseged W Yohannes Bedane, Senior Social Protection Consultant, Ethiopia, shared the success story of the Urban Destitute Support Programme, which has led to the rehabilitation of thousands of homeless individuals. From Brazil, Ms. Beatriz Oliani and Ms. Camila Cabral presented São Paulo city’s progressive policies and urban social welfare strategies.

    Initiatives from across India:

    The seminar featured compelling presentations by nodal officers and grassroots organizations. Notable contributions came from Ms. Anuradha Chagti (Secretary, Social Welfare, Chandigarh Administration), Shri Snehil Kumar Singh (District Collector, Kozhikode). Partner organizations including Atchayam Trust (Tamil Nadu), PRAWES Rehabilitation Centre (Madhya Pradesh), UMMEED (Uttar Pradesh), and Udayam Homes (Kerala), also shared on-the-ground realities, challenges, and success stories in engaging with hard-to-reach populations. Further, Ms. Neena Pandey, Head of the Department of Social Work, and Dr. Tarique, Founder of Koshish Trust, delivered insightful presentations focusing on policy frameworks, ethical aspects, and the importance of community-based rehabilitation models.

    The event was held in a hybrid format, ensuring inclusive participation from a broad spectrum of practitioners, policy-makers, international delegates, officials from the World Bank and students of social development across the country. Lively discussions, experience sharing, and actionable insights made this seminar a meaningful step towards building a more inclusive and responsive social protection system in India. Detailed discussions were held on creating structured frameworks to address social issues systematically.

    The Department of Social Justice reaffirmed its commitment to continuing such knowledge-sharing platforms in the future, to promote innovation, foster collaborations, and work toward building a just and inclusive society.

    *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2124413) Visitor Counter : 95

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CS chairs interdepartmental working group meeting on festival arrangements (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (April 25) chaired a meeting of the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements to holistically co-ordinate and steer the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk, and representatives from other relevant government departments also attended. 

         Mr Chan said, “We estimate a notable increase in visitor arrivals during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will make good preparations for receiving visitors, as well as maintaining close liaison with relevant organisations and the travel trade to prepare well for crowd management, information dissemination and arrangements of public transportation and boundary control points (BCPs), with a view to responding promptly to various kinds of emergencies and ensure the smooth operation of various aspects in receiving visitors and offering a high-quality experience to them.”

    Estimated visitor flow and preparatory work 

         According to the Immigration Department (ImmD)’s estimate, around 5.71 million passengers (including Hong Kong residents and visitors) will pass through Hong Kong’s sea, land and air control points during this year’s Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland (i.e. from May 1 to 5), among which 4.90 million passengers will pass through land control points.

         The ImmD estimates that the peak period of outbound passengers using land BCPs is expected to be May 3 (Saturday) with around 590 000 passengers; whilst the peak period of inbound passengers using land BCPs is expected to be May 5 (Monday) with around 580 000 passengers. Passengers are advised to plan in advance, avoid making their journeys during busy periods and keep track of radio and TV broadcasts on traffic conditions at various control points. The busy times at BCPs are available on the ImmD website at www.immd.gov.hk. Furthermore, residents and passengers may also check the estimated waiting times at each land BCP at any time or place via the Immigration mobile app. They can then plan their trips effectively and save time queuing at control points. 

         In terms of Mainland inbound visitors, it is estimated that around 840 000 passengers will visit Hong Kong via various sea, land and air control points during the five-day Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. Compared with last year’s Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland and this year’s Chinese New Year Golden Week of the Mainland, the daily average visitor arrivals are expected to increase by 10 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Major tourist spots have formulated special arrangements to handle the estimated increase of people flows. The Hong Kong community is expected to become more vibrant and highly patronised during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, bringing opportunities to various sectors.

    The Travel Industry Authority (TIA) has also reminded travel agents receiving Mainland inbound tour groups to adopt appropriate diversion measures to enable proper management of visitor flows and tour buses, with a view to offering a pleasant travel experience to visitors. In addition, District Offices will closely monitor the flow of visitors within their respective districts and notify relevant departments having regard to the actual circumstances with a view to strengthening management of the relevant spots.

    Co-ordinate control points, traffic and public transport facilities

         Relevant departments have minimised leave for frontline officers to enable flexible deployment of manpower and operation of additional counters and channels, with a view to diverting passenger and vehicular flows. The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by the Police, the ImmD, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED), and other relevant departments will be activated from May 1 (Thursday) to May 5 (Monday) to monitor the real-time situations at various control points. The Joint Command Centre will maintain close liaison with the Mainland port authorities through the established port hotlines and real-time notification mechanisms, and take timely contingency actions as necessary to flexibly deploy manpower at BCPs to ensure smooth operation of the land control points. 

         For transport arrangements, the Transport Department (TD) has co-ordinated with relevant operators to enhance transportation services connecting various BCPs, including increasing the frequency of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus (Gold Bus) to less than one minute during peak hours, and the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) to about two minutes at its highest frequency, as well as increasing the quota of cross-boundary coaches to strengthen services; and formulating a contingency plan by providing a dedicated passage for public transport vehicles at the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port and the Shenzhen Bay Port when necessary to ensure smooth public transport services. In addition, Zhuhai’s traffic management department will also arrange a dedicated lane at the HZMB for the use of the Gold Bus, cross-boundary coaches and large vehicles when necessary. Regarding local public transport services, the TD has approached various public transport operators proactively to enhance their capacity, and reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet the travel needs of visitors. The MTR Corporation Limited will enhance the train services of the East Rail Line between Admiralty and Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau at different times from May 1 to May 5 to provide convenience for the travelling public and visitors. During these periods, the train frequencies to and from Lok Ma Chau will increase to approximately every 7.5 to 10 minutes, while services to Lo Wu will be enhanced to approximately every five minutes. The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the TD will continue to operate 24 hours a day to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services in all districts, BCPs, and major stations across Hong Kong, and take prompt measures to address service demands and disseminate the latest traffic updates through various channels. 

    Protection of visitors

         The TIA will conduct inspections in districts where relatively more registered shops for inbound tour groups are located during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, and offer assistance to visitors and tourist guides to protect inbound tour group visitors’ rights. Additionally, the Police will continue to step up enforcement actions against any illegal acts of taxi drivers including overcharging and refusing hires. The C&ED will also step up inspections of shops serving visitors to combat unfair trade practices. 

    Weather forecast

         It is expected that the weather will be hot from May 1 to May 4 with sunny periods apart from isolated showers. The weather may become more unstable, with more showers towards the latter part of the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The chances of being affected by tropical cyclones are relatively low. The above forecast is a preliminary assessment, and the Hong Kong Observatory will update the forecast depending on the latest change in weather. 

    Information dissemination

         To assist visitors in planning their itineraries, the Government will strengthen information dissemination including the latest inbound visitor arrivals, the situation at various BCPs, transport arrangements, latest weather forecasts, etc to enable residents and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.

         The Hong Kong Tourism Board has also launched a dedicated webpage (www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/plan/traveller-info/goldenweek-special-info.html ) to consolidate useful information during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland. The webpage includes information about the opening hours of major sightseeing attractions, public transportation, boundary-crossing services, and other events during the period, including the drone show at the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade to enable residents and visitors to plan their itineraries more conveniently.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Al Green Holds Press Conference to Address Controversial Slur by a Colleague Calling Him “Boy,” and Referring to His Cane as a Weapon, along with the Use of an LGBTQ+ Slur

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)

    (Houston, TX)—On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, Congressman Al Green will host a press conference after receiving multiple requests for an interview concerning his cane and his colleague referring to him as “boy” and the LGBTQ+ community as “fairies.” Congressman Green will address these issues at a press conference today because he believes that these slurs merit a response. 

    The following will be in attendance Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, Houston City Councilwoman – District D, Tiffany Thomas, Houston City Councilwoman – District F, Jeffrey Boney, Missouri City Councilman – District B, Alice Chen, Stafford City Councilwoman, Mayor Pro Tem, Erica Lee Carter, Representative from Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis’s Office Pct. 1, Dr. Sergio Lira, President, Greater Houston LULAC 4967, Judson Robinson, President, Houston Area Urban League, Bishop James Dixon, President, NAACP Houston Branch, Josh Mica, The Caucus Trustee, Dr. James Douglas, Thurgood Marshall School of Law Professor/Former Dean, Former President of Texas Southern University, Nabila Mansoor, President, Texas Multicultural Advocacy Coalition (TMAC), Dr. Sergio Lira, President, Greater Houston LULAC 4967, Representative from FIEL Houston, Representative from The Normal Anomaly, and others. 

    Click here to watch the Facebook live stream of the event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Dismantles Active Identity Theft Mill and Organized Retail Scheme Spanning Seven California Counties

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced filing of felony charges against three people involved in a suspected identity theft mill, where stolen identities were utilized in an organized retail crime scheme. The scheme involved suspects applying for store credit cards using stolen identities, then using those credit lines to purchase merchandise with no intention to pay them back. The scheme was carried out in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.

    “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.”

    “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.”

    “These arrests are the result of excellent collaboration between HSI, private industry, state and local law enforcement partners,” said HSI 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.”

    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. This investigation began with a referral from a Signet Jeweler’s Corporate Fraud Investigator, and was led by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) with collaboration form Homeland Security Investigations, Santa Maria Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, California Highway Patrol and Westminster Police department.  
     
    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. The Attorney General has made fighting organized retail crime a top priority and asks the public to submit complaints and tips at https://oag.ca.gov/bi/retail-crime.
     
    A copy of the criminal complaint in today’s case is available here.

    Photos related to this investigation can be found here, here and here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General visits United States in preparation for The Hague Summit

    Source: NATO

    NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte concluded a visit to the United States on Friday (25 April) focused on talks with senior US officials, including a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.

    On Thursday morning, the Secretary General met with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. He also took part in a roundtable discussion hosted by The Heritage Foundation on transatlantic security, burden sharing, and the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague. Later in the day, Mr Rutte met with President Trump at the White House, as well as with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

    Speaking to media afterwards, Mr Rutte described a very good meeting focused primarily on the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague as well as ongoing efforts to bring a just and lasting end to the war against Ukraine. He noted the growing consensus around a significant increase in defence spending from European Allies and Canada. “This is necessary to make sure that we stay safe. So this is really a NATO which is stronger, which is fairer, which is also more lethal in terms of being able to defend NATO territory,” he said.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s tariffs: poor workers in countries like Cambodia will be among the biggest losers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sabina Lawreniuk, Principal Research Fellow, University of Nottingham

    I Love Coffee dot Today/Shutterstock

    Politicians and economists have been pretty vocal in their response to the ongoing saga of Donald Trump’s tariffs. But much less has been heard from the world’s poorest workers about how they will be affected.

    For when the US president first set out his reciprocal tariffs – later paused for 90 days – some of the highest rates were for countries like Vietnam (46%), Bangladesh (37%) and Cambodia (49%).

    These are places that make huge amounts of the clothes we wear, and even the reduced 10% tariff could be a big blow to their economies – and the people who depend on them.

    Because aside from the well known sweatshop conditions suffered by many workers in these places, brands and manufacturers often offset new costs by passing them on to workers in the form of lower wages and higher demands.

    This phenomenon, sometimes referred to as “social downgrading”, was seen during the pandemic, when garment workers around the world faced mass layoffs and even worse working conditions to protect corporate profits when consumer demand decreased.

    And those working conditions are already challenging. The minimum wage for one of Cambodia’s 1 million garment workers (from a total population of 16 million) is just US$208 (£155.50) per month.

    Around 80% of those workers are women, whose wages often support children and elderly parents, who don’t have the security of a state pension safety net.

    It is these workers and their families who may end losing the most in Trump’s trade war. But they are used to geopolitics affecting their everyday lives, having suffered the impact of tariffs fairly recently – from the EU.

    In 2020, Cambodia’s duty-free, quota-free access to the EU market (usually granted to developing countries) was partially revoked as a punitive response to human rights concerns. Tariffs averaging 11% were added to some product lines, mostly clothing and footwear, which covered about 20% of Cambodia’s total exports to the EU.

    The Cambodian government immediately responded by cutting public holidays and workplace benefits to try offset any increase in costs.

    It has since slowed the rate of minimum wage growth to below inflation. Both actions slashed real wages and made the challenge of economic survival even harder for those who depend on the industry.

    Now, as Trump’s latest tariffs take hold – even at the lower rate of 10% – many garment and footwear industry workers will fear for their jobs.

    But even those “lucky” enough to keep them will face mounting pressures to produce more, and more quickly, to offset rising costs – at the direct expense of their own financial security and wellbeing.

    The idea that tariffs will ultimately bring jobs back to the US ignores that fact that these jobs – precarious, underpaid and frequently dangerous – are not the kind of jobs that any American would want.

    International supply chains are deeply embedded.
    PX Media/Shutterstock

    Supply chained

    And the evidence suggests that if even if they did want them, international manufacturing supply chains are more deeply embedded than people might think.

    After the EU imposed its tariffs on Cambodia for example, brands could have looked to circumvent those added costs by relocating production. As it turned out, the volume of trade between Cambodia and the EU has remained steady since – because sometimes there’s no alternative.

    With Cambodia, companies have not been willing or able to shift production to competitors like Bangladesh, Myanmar or Sri Lanka, partly due to the political volatility in those countries.

    Added to this is the fact that clothes production has become highly specialised geographically. Cambodia’s distance from the EU means it focuses mainly on seasonal fashion “basics” such as T-shirts and knitwear.

    Closer countries like Turkey and Morocco concentrate on the latest fast fashion trends, as their shorter shipping routes mean they can be quicker to respond to changing tastes.

    It is not that easy to unsettle the systems and markets that are already in place.

    As a result, in the global garment industry at least, Trump’s tariffs may not trigger a complete restructuring of the world’s supply chains. In the short term, they are instead likely to cause great uncertainty, reducing investors’ appetite for long-term planning, and reducing their confidence.

    Orders may slow and prices may rise. And Cambodians making the world’s T-shirts and trainers will face even more pressure on their wages and working conditions.

    Sabina Lawreniuk receives funding from UKRI through a Future Leaders Fellowship (grant ref MR/ W013797/1).

    – ref. Trump’s tariffs: poor workers in countries like Cambodia will be among the biggest losers – https://theconversation.com/trumps-tariffs-poor-workers-in-countries-like-cambodia-will-be-among-the-biggest-losers-254408

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Indiana Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by March Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON –The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Indiana small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents affected by the severe storms and tornadoes occurring March 15. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Mike Braun on April 10.

    The disaster declaration covers the primary counties of Harrison and Orange, which are eligible for both physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs). The declaration covers the adjacent counties of Crawford, Dubois, Floyd, Lawrence, Martin and Washington in Indiana, and as well as Hardin, Jefferson, Meade in Kentucky.

    Small businesses and private nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.  

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.  

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”

    SBA’s EIDL program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for PNPs, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Beginning Monday, April 28, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Harrison and Orange counties to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.  

    The DLOC hours of operation are listed below:

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)

    Harrison County

    Harrison Government Center  

    245 Atwood St.  

    Corydon, IN 47112

    Opening: Monday – April 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

    Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Permanently Closing: Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m.

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)

     Orange County

     Orleans Town Hall

    161 E Price Ave.  

    Orleans, IN 47452

    Opening: Monday – April 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Permanently Closing: Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m.

    Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical damage is June 23, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 22, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Newtonville — Update: Kings District RCMP charge Newtonville man with additional firearms offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Kings District RCMP has charged a man with additional firearms offences following the execution of a search warrant in Newtonville.

    On April 19, RCMP officers responded to a report of unsecured firearms at a property on Jehill Davidson Rd. Upon arrival, officers also observed chemicals and materials consistent with the manufacturing of explosives at the scene. To ensure their safety and that of the public, the officers exited the residence, and the large rural property was secured.

    A methodical search of the area began later that day. Investigators from the Kings District General Investigation Section were assisted by the RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit (EDU), the Valley Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (SCEU), Shelburne RCMP SCEU, Yarmouth RCMP SCEU, West Hants District RCMP, Annapolis County District RCMP, RCMP Federal Policing investigators, and RCMP Forensic Identification Services. Out of precaution, due to potentially volatile substances being stored at the scene, fire services were on standby.

    During the search, RCMP officers seized three rifles, four shotguns, ammunition, and components that could be used to make explosives. Samples of the chemicals were seized for analysis before a third party contractor safely disposed of the substances.

    The search of the property was concluded on April 23.

    “At the scene, officers were faced with a complex situation involving unidentified chemicals that could be dangerous,” says Supt. Jason Popik, District Policing Officer, Southwest Nova RCMP District. “However, with the assistance of specialized policing services and our interoperability with our partners, a safe and thorough search of the property was completed.”

    Shawn Bradley, 53, has been charged with:

    • Possession of Explosive
    • Careless Use of Firearm (7 counts)
    • Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose (7 counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of Firearm (7 counts)
    • Unauthorized Possession of Prohibited Weapon or Restricted Weapon (3 counts)
    • Possession of Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (7 counts)
    • Possession of Prohibited Device Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (3 counts)
    • Possession of Prohibited or Restricted Firearm with Ammunition

    Bradley was remanded into custody on April 22. He appeared in Windsor Provincial Court today and remains in custody.

    The investigation led by the Kings District General Investigation Section is ongoing.

    Anyone with information that may assist in this investigation is asked to call Kings District RCMP at 902-542-3817. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 2025-514892

    Note: The Valley Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit is comprised of members of the Kings District RCMP and the Kentville Police Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Jordan joins regional push to sideline Islamist opposition

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rory McCarthy, Associate Professor in Politics and Islam, Durham University

    The Jordanian authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition movement in the kingdom, in a major new crackdown. On Wednesday April 23, security forces raided Brotherhood offices, confiscating assets and property, and outlawed all of the group’s activities.

    One week earlier, 16 Brotherhood members were arrested for allegedly plotting attacks on targets inside Jordan using rockets and drones. The Brotherhood, whose members Jordanian interior minister Mazen al-Faraya says “operate in the shadows and engage in activities that could undermine stability and security”, has denied any links to the attack plots.

    The ban on the Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that wants a greater role for religion in public life, comes at a time when the Jordanian government is facing intense pressure over the war in Gaza.

    The Brotherhood organised months of demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians. It has also been vocal in its support for the Palestinian armed group Hamas, and has demanded the cancellation of Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel.

    At the same time, Jordan’s King Abdullah II has come under heavy pressure from the Donald Trump administration in the US to resettle Palestinians from the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank. If he were to agree, the move would risk being seen as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

    The Jordanian authorities have had an uneasy relationship with the Brotherhood since the late 1980s, when the kingdom’s political system opened up. They have looked to curb its influence.

    In 2016, the Brotherhood’s headquarters in the capital, Amman, was closed and its assets were transferred to a new organisation called the Association of the Society of the Muslim Brotherhood, known as the “permitted” Muslim Brotherhood. As ideological splits emerged in the movement, the authorities have tried to exploit internal divisions.

    The latest crackdown represents a striking repressive turn. It marks a shift away from containing the movement to excluding it from public life.

    Yet the Brotherhood remains popular. In September 2024, the Islamic Action Front, the political party affiliated with the movement, surprised observers by winning parliamentary elections. It took 31 seats in the 138-seat parliament, securing victory in constituencies across the country in its best election performance in more than three decades.

    Its success was largely down to the Brotherhood’s demonstrations in support of Palestinians. These demonstrations resonated in Jordan, where around half the population is of Palestinian origin. The party also benefited from changes in the electoral laws prior to the election, which gave more weight to political parties and less to independent candidates.

    But under Jordan’s authoritarian system, the king holds most of the power, especially in internal security and foreign affairs. The palace tightly controls political life. So the Islamic Action Front was not invited to join the new government, which is made up of pro-monarchy parties.

    The key question now is whether the authorities will also ban the Islamic Action Front, despite its electoral gains.

    Conflict with the crown

    Even before the latest crackdown, Islamists in Jordan feared a confrontation with the authorities. Many suspected the palace wanted to close the Brotherhood movement and leave a weakened party that might be more easily contained.

    During a visit to Jordan shortly after the elections in September, one senior Islamic Action Front figure told me: “They [the monarchy] just want a party in a superficial form. A party without any presence.”

    Although the Brotherhood had been under pressure, it was still able to operate most of its activities. Senior party members even took part in a royal committee on “political modernisation” in 2021, which drew up reforms to change the electoral laws to strengthen political parties.

    Yet many in the Brotherhood feared a confrontation with the palace was coming. One senior Brotherhood figure told me in October 2024: “The Brotherhood is a vast, widespread organisation with a social and a political presence. A clash between the state and the Brotherhood would have negative effects on society and on the legitimacy of the political system.”

    Jordan’s Brotherhood is not alone in facing a crisis. Other Islamist organisations across the region are experiencing political setbacks, more than a decade after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings seemed to offer them new opportunities.

    In Tunisia, where a democratic transition has been sharply reversed since 2021, dozens of leaders from the Islamist Ennahda party have been jailed.

    The arrests were part of a broad wave of repression against regime critics, including politicians, judges, lawyers and human rights activists. Ennahda, which spent a decade in government between 2011 and 2021, has suffered internal splits.

    In Morocco, the Justice and Development party, an Islamist party which also spent a decade in government from 2011, suffered a heavy defeat in the most recent elections in 2021.

    The party’s losses were partly a result of restrictions at the time of the vote. These included new rules about how seats were apportioned and the fact that some party candidates were disqualified from running.

    But the losses were also because of internal disputes after Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani signed a normalisation agreement with Israel in 2020 to avoid a confrontation with the monarchy, which controls foreign affairs.

    In Kuwait, parliament was suspended in 2024 because the ruling emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, complained about political gridlock. This kept all opposition parties, including Islamists, out of the political process. And in Algeria, Islamist parties have been co-opted or marginalised since the bitter civil war of the 1990s.

    Opinion polls show that many people in the Middle East want to see a significant role for religion in public life. But rulers across the region are increasingly wary of Islamist parties, which want not only to introduce a more conservative social agenda but to challenge undemocratic regimes.

    Rory McCarthy receives funding for his academic research from the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Jordan joins regional push to sideline Islamist opposition – https://theconversation.com/jordan-joins-regional-push-to-sideline-islamist-opposition-255243

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Project 2025 became the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in US politics and international security, University of Portsmouth

    Throughout the 2024 presidential election campaign, Donald Trump denied claims he intended to shape his second administration’s policies around Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s blueprint for a renewed conservative America. But despite his repeated denials, Trump 2.0 has adopted much of Project 2025 into the White House’s agenda.

    The Heritage Foundation, the right-wing Washington think tank which published Project 2025, has provided policy guidance for Republican presidents since the Reagan administration. Despite the foundation’s longevity, Project 2025 has met with opposition from many quarters.

    The 900-page publication, Mandate for Leadership: the Conservative Promise, was published in 2023. It went largely under the radar until Democrats and civil liberty champions established Stop Project 2025 during the presidential campaign. Essentially, Project 2025 consists of policy recommendations for each department of the executive branch.

    The project has several broad objectives. It aims to reassert presidential power by removing federal agencies’ independence and appointing political loyalists rather than career civil servants. It sets out to dismantle the administrative state by cancelling initiatives and projects that do not match conservative aims.

    It reinforces traditional conservative family values and rolls back on LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights. It removes regulatory constraints aligned with climate and environmental protections and weakens consumer protection laws. And it calls for increased deportations of illegal aliens and the imposition of harsh immigration restrictions.

    Even before he had taken office, Trump and his team sought to replace career-long specialists in federal agencies with those that matched his own beliefs. His transition team used Project 2025 to guide its appointment of officials for the forthcoming administration. Reports quoting insiders within Trump’s team say that the team consulted a database of Trump loyalists created by the Heritage Foundation to fill vacancies.

    Contributors to Project 2025 were also appointed to key roles. These have included including border tsar, Tom Homan, and CIA director John Ratcliffe. Brendan Carr, the Trump-appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Committee, wrote a chapter of Project 2025 on the committee.

    The principal author of Project 2025, Russ Vought, has been appointed as director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) – the nerve centre of the federal government’s expenditure. Vought’s influence within the administration has led one journalist to call him “the real mastermind behind Trump’s imperial presidency”.


    How is Donald Trump’s presidency shaping up after 100 days? Here’s what the experts think. If you like what you see, sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter.

    The alignment of Trump’s policy decisions and Project 2025’s objectives continued after he was inaugurated on January 20. The raft of executive orders issued by Trump during the first few weeks reflected many of Project 2025’s ambitions.

    CNN analysed the 53 executive orders signed by Trump in his first week as president and concluded that 36 of those orders mirrored proposals within the Heritage Foundation’s brief. The alignment spread across numerous departments.

    Trump’s controversial reciprocal tariffs on US imported goods match Project 2025’s desire for free trade and its belief that the World Trade Organization’s most favoured nation principle is unfair. Although both Trump tariffs and Project 2025 have a foundation in economic nationalism, Trump has favoured a broad and aggressive approach compared to Project 2025’s more targeted aims.

    The savings to federal expenditure proposed by Doge, the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk, are also broadly covered within the paper. A theme running throughout Project 2025 is ensuring value for taxpayers by reducing unnecessary government expenditure.

    But while a large amount of Project 2025 has already been incorporated into the administration’s policies, there is still a significant number of recommendations and initiatives that remain to be implemented.

    What’s still to come?

    While Trump has already ended the use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund or promote elective abortion through Executive Order 14182, Project 2025 calls for stronger initiatives to support a pro-life position by threatening to withhold funding to states if they fail to adhere to new guidelines. These penalties could be incurred through states failing to report to the Center for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) data on how many abortions take place within the state, for example.

    The administration has also not yet matched Project 2025’s calls for increasing the defence budget to 5% of GDP. Earlier this month, however, Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, promised that their next budget proposal would include a $1 trillion defence budget. Hegseth posted on X that the money would be spent on ‘lethality and readiness.’

    Trump’s recent criticisms of the refusal by Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, to lower interest rates might suggest that he agrees with Project 2025’s criticism of the Federal Reserve and its recommendation that it be abolished. But the market’s negative reaction to Trump’s attack on Powell looks likely to end any prospect of eradicating the Fed.

    Perhaps a greater concern to Americans is Project 2025’s designs for social security. As part of the focus on fiscal stability, the authors of Project 2025 have recommended that the retirement age be increased from 67 to 69. Social security reforms have been discussed by the administration but yet to be put into place.

    When questioned, Republican legislators have stopped short of telling constituents that Social Security is safe from change. After all, Trump maintained that he has no plans to either reduce social security payments or increase the retirement age.

    However, just this week, Trump and Doge have announced cuts to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the body that administers payments. This has led to concerns for the former SSA director, Martin O’Malley, who suggested that the cuts would mean that future payments of vital benefits might be delayed.

    Where the administration turns next is unclear. There are hundreds of policy recommendations within the 900-page document, some of which have been implemented in full, others only in part.

    Nonetheless, Project 2025 has acted as a blueprint for much of the new Trump administration’s policies, even though the White House has shown some reluctance to incorporate all of the recommendations within the project.

    There are signs, however, that the administration has not yet finished with Project 2025 and that the conservative wishlist continues to influence the administration’s policymaking decisions.

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

    – ref. How Project 2025 became the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term – https://theconversation.com/how-project-2025-became-the-blueprint-for-donald-trumps-second-term-255149

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Announces 2025 Women of Excellence Award Winners

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. –Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) announced the winners of the Second Annual Women of Excellence Awards. The awards recognize outstanding women or women’s organizations residing, studying, working, or serving Virginia’s Fourth District that have made a profound impact on the district and have meaningfully contributed to their communities. 

    “I am excited to recognize the work these incredible women have done to make Virginia’s Fourth District a better place,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “Women shaped our Commonwealth — and our nation — from the beginning, even when they have gone unseen and unnoticed. This year’s award recipients uplift our communities every day. They inspire me and remind us all that women can achieve.”

    Businesswoman of the Year – Monica Mueller

    Monica Mueller is Chief Strategy Officer of Softensity, a leading provider of software development and IT consulting services. As Softensity’s EVP, she spent five years transforming multiple departments, leveraging technology to streamline operations and improve performance.

    Non-Profit of the Year – Little Hands VA

    Little Hands Virginia’s mission is to ensure children in Central Virginia have essentials from birth to improve outcomes for life. They support families by providing items, like diapers, pack n’ plays for safe sleep, and strollers, to children newborn to three years old in need in Central Virginia.

    The Women of Impact in Education Award – Kayla Diaz

    Kayla Diaz is a Spanish-language interpreter for Colonial Heights Public Schools. While serving as a family resource coordinator at Colonial Heights Public Schools, she successfully advocated for the creation of a dedicated interpreter position translating conversations between school staff and families with developing English skills.        

    Women in Action Volunteer Award – Fatima Smith

    Fatima M. Smith is the founder of FMS Speaks, LLC, a platform through which she facilitates crucial conversations within institutions, government, and educational settings. She has committed herself to interpersonal violence prevention, child advocacy and more.

    The Dr. Gladys West Women in STEM Award – Pamela Bingham

    Pamela R. Bingham is a “social impact” environmental engineer and currently the Operations Manager for The Health, Environmental, and Economic Justice Lab in the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

    Law and Government Champion Award – Gray Montrose

    Gray Montrose is currently the Deputy Director of Land Conservation with the Capital Region Land Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust currently stewarding over fifteen thousand acres of priority forest, farm, and park land in central Virginia. Her role involves providing legal counsel to the organization and providing critical support to the development of new projects.

    Media and Communications Champion Award – Claudia Massey

    Claudia R. Massey is the co-founder of Patience for Patients, LLC, a non-medical homecare agency that provides personal care and companionship services to the geriatric population. She is a columnist for Diva Dynasty Magazine, a best-selling author, a radio host, and a TV host at Preach the Word Worldwide Network where she serves as their brand ambassador.

    MIL OSI USA News –