NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seattle man who carjacked a BMW near Lumen Field pleads guilty in federal court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 32-year-old Seattle man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to carjacking and using a firearm during a crime of violence, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Louis Montel De’Andre Dowers was arrested June 9, 2024, hours after he carjacked a BMW outside the Seattle Team Shop on Occidental Avenue South in the Pioneer Square neighborhood. Dowers faces a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to life in prison when sentenced by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on August 4, 2025.

    According to the plea agreement, a man was waiting for his wife, sitting in the driver’s seat of his car outside a business on Occidental Avenue South. Dowers approached the car from behind, pulled out a distinctive firearm, pointed it at the victim, and ordered him out of the car saying “It’s mine now. Get out.”  The victim was able to get his dog out of the car before Dowers drove off. The victim’s wife came out of the store and was nearly hit by the car as it raced away.

    Police were able to track the car to Auburn, Washington – near a middle school. Working with a description of the alleged carjacker, a King County Sheriff’s deputy located Dowers walking nearby. When searched, Dowers possessed a semi-automatic firearm that had been privately manufactured – a so-called ‘ghost gun.’ The firearm was fully loaded with a round in the chamber. In his plea agreement Dowers admits he used the gun in the carjacking

    Carjacking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Using a firearm during a crime of violence, as described in the plea agreement, is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to life in prison. Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend no more than seven years in prison. The defense can recommend no less than five years and a day in prison.  Judge Chun is not bound by the recommendations and can impose any sentence allowed by law after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case was investigated by the federal carjacking task force made up of the Seattle Police Department, the Kent Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg who leads the Western District of Washington Carjacking Task Force.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ashland Man Charged with Transportation of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – An Ashland man has been arrested and charged with transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Brent Vreeland, 36, was arrested and charged yesterday with one count of transportation of child pornography. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, Vreeland was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for this afternoon.

    According to the charging documents, Vreeland was flagged for secondary screening at Boston’s Logan Airport upon arrival from Reykjavik, Iceland in October 2024. It is alleged that during a review of Vreeland’s cell phone, images and videos depicting CSAM were found in his Telegram Messenger app. A subsequent forensic examination of the device allegedly revealed approximately 30 media files depicting CSAM in direct messages with other unknown Telegram users. It is further alleged that Vreeland received and distributed three such videos in October 2021, depicting the abuse of minor victims between the ages of four and 10 years old. In one exchange, Vreeland allegedly asked another user to trade CSAM files for “the youngest [they] hve [sic].”

    The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Patrol, Boston Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes 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: Grand jury indicts former Whitehall car dealership owner for odometer fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man has been charged with altering the odometers on vehicles he sold at his former Whitehall car dealership.

    Simon C. Nwaru, Jr., 38, who owned and operated S. Automotive Ltd., was indicted by a federal grand jury today. 

    According to the eight-count indictment, between November 2020 and May 2022, Nwaru knowingly disconnected, reset and altered the mileage registered by the odometer on vehicles, changing them from high mileage to lower mileage, before selling them to customers.

    The charging document details eight vehicles that allegedly had their mileage illegally reduced by approximately 80,000 to 100,000 miles.

    Odometer fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to three years in prison.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the charges returned today. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Prichard is representing the United States. This case was investigated by the United States Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation and the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Investigations Section. 

    NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States costs consumers more than $1 billion annually.  NHTSA encourages the public to report odometer fraud by emailing odometerfraud@dot.gov or calling 800-424-9393.

    An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Savannah Resident Convicted at Trial of Machinegun and Drug Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAVANNAH, GA:  A Savannah resident has been found guilty at trial of drug trafficking and weapons charges.

    Malik Javier McKenzie, 27, of Savannah, was convicted after a two-day trial in U.S. District Court on charges of Possession of Controlled Substances With Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The convictions subject McKenzie to a statutory minimum penalty of 30 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, followed by a period of supervised release upon completion of any prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

    As described at trial, McKenzie was the driver of a motor vehicle that recklessly avoided police after an attempted traffic stop. Following a crash of McKenzie’s vehicle, McKenzie led law enforcement on a foot chase that resulted in a physical struggle. A search of McKenzie’s person following the struggle revealed a Glock handgun in his pants pocket and a fanny pack containing distributable quantities of Cocaine, Fentanyl, Carfentanil, and Methamphetamine. 

    Later testing by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confirmed the presence of the various controlled substances. Testimony at trial noted that Carfentanil is a more potent, and dangerous, version of Fentanyl. Testing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revealed that the recovered handgun bore a “machinegun conversion device” (commonly referred to as a “Glock switch”) which illegally allowed the firearm to function as a machinegun in that it expelled multiple rounds of ammunition with one sustained pull of the trigger.

    McKenzie was prohibited from possessing any firearm because of previous convictions in both the U.S. District Court and the Superior Court for the Eastern Judicial Circuit of Georgia.

    “I am extremely proud of our officers, investigators, and our federal partners involved in this case,” said Tracey Howard, Hinesville Chief of Police. “Due to their hard work and expertise, Mr. McKenzie is being held accountable for his actions.”

    “Machinegun conversion kits are turning up more and more in our streets and at crime scenes,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “These conversion devices are illegal, dangerous, and pose a serious threat to the community. ATF is working closely with our law enforcement partners to keep these devices off our streets.”

    “Guns, drugs, and violence are unfortunately all too common tools of the drug traffickers operating in our communities,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates DEA’s emphatic commitment to attacking the drug dealers responsible for the devastation.”

    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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

    This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. 

    The case was being investigated by the ATF, DEA, and the Hinesville Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley R. Thompson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah N. Brettin.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Saudi Arabia: Families fear imminent execution of loved ones amid surge in drug-related executions

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Dozens of men on death row in Saudi Arabia for drug -related crimes are terrified for their lives amid a dramatic surge in executions for drug offences in the country over recent months, Amnesty International said today, based on information from family members of detainees on death row.

    Between January and April 2025, the Saudi Arabian authorities executed at least 88 people including 52 for drug-related crimes. This is a dramatic increase from 2024, which saw record executions, and when a total of 46 people were executed during the same period, none of them for drug-related crimes. Just this week, in one day on 22 April, the Saudi Press Agency announced the execution of three people, two Saudi nationals for “promoting hashish” and one Pakistani national for “trafficking heroin”. 

    “Despite Saudi Arabia’s repeated claims that it is limiting its use of the death penalty for crimes not mandated under sharia, the alarming surge in executions for drug-related offences exposes the stark reality: Saudi Arabia is blatantly disregarding international law and standards, which restrict the use of the death penalty to only ‘the most serious crimes’ involving intentional killing,” said Kristine Beckerle, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International.

    “Saudi Arabia’s authorities must immediately stop this execution spree, establish an official moratorium on all executions, and move towards abolishing the death penalty for all crimes.”

    Saudi Arabia is blatantly disregarding international law and standards, which restrict the use of the death penalty to only ‘the most serious crimes’ involving intentional killing

    Kristine Beckerle, MENA Deputy Regional Director

    Pending these changes, Saudi Arabia must urgently revise its laws to eliminate provisions that allow for the death penalty to be imposed and ensure that any penal code adopted abolishes the death penalty, including for crimes that do not meet the threshold of ‘most serious crimes’ under international standards, such as drug-related offences, and ensuring that all individuals have access to fair trials and adequate legal representation.

    While Saudi authorities do not publish or share figures of individuals on death row, arrests for drug-related offences are routinely reported in state-aligned media, indicating that a large number of people are in detention and on death row for such offences.

    In November 2024, prison authorities in Tabuk transferred 35 Egyptian nationals convicted of drug-related offences to a single ward, a move widely feared to signal their impending executions. Since November 2024, at least 10 foreign nationals and two Saudi nationals have been executed for drug-related offences in the same prison, raising fears of the imminent executions of the remaining men.

    In addition, as of March 2025, at least 44 Somali nationals, all men, are on death row in Najran Prison, southwestern Saudi Arabia, for drug-related crimes, according to the Somali Consulate in Saudi Arabia. On 16 February 2025, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced an execution in Najran of Mohamed Nur Hussein, a Somali national, for “smuggling hashish”, also raising fears for the fate of dozens of others on death row.

    One Egyptian man on death row told his family in April: “A few days ago, a Sudanese man was taken in the middle of the night, as we were sleeping.”

    Another deeply distressed family member told Amnesty International: “There is no time left to save them, time is running out.”

    Following a pause, between 20 February to 6 April, a few weeks before and during Ramadan, executions resumed with alarming speed in April and have included a startling surge in drug-related executions of foreign nationals. Between 6 and 24 April 2025, Saudi Arabia executed 22 individuals, more than one per day on average. Of these, 17 were foreign nationals from eight Arab, sub-Saharan African and Asian, including South Asian, countries, all convicted of drug-related crimes. Three Saudi nationals were also executed for drug-related offences, while three other Saudi nationals were put to death for murder and terrorism-related charges.

    Grossly unfair trials

    Amnesty International has documented a pattern of serious fair trial violations preceding executions, including of foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia.

    At least five Egyptian men currently held on death row were unable to afford legal representation due to financial constraints and were not provided with a court-appointed lawyer during investigation nor trial.

    In another case, also of an Egyptian national currently on death row, the individual had a court-appointed lawyer, but the lawyer failed to share crucial case information during the trial to support his defence.

    Several of the Egyptian nationals currently at risk of execution told their families and their judge that they were tortured during their interrogations to extract “confessions”. None of these torture complaints were investigated, according to court documents reviewed by Amnesty International and the torture-tainted “confessions” used as evidence against them.

    Issam Shazly, an Egyptian national convicted and sentenced to death under Article 37 of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Law in 2022, had no legal representation during his arrest and investigation. His family told Amnesty International that the court later appointed a legal representative to support his defence, but the lawyer was uncooperative and failed to inform them about crucial details including the possibility of clemency, the deadline to appeal or when to expect the Supreme Court ruling.

    “We knew absolutely nothing because it’s a foreign country and we don’t know its laws. We expected the lawyer to inform us,” they said.

    A Saudi court convicted Rami al-Najjar in 2019 of bringing controlled drugs into Saudi Arabia to sell and eight grams of hashish for personal consumption, according to court documents analyzed by Amnesty International. He did not receive the support of an appointed lawyer. He told Amnesty International that during his appeal session, the judge said that he could not argue against his conviction “because you don’t have a lawyer.” He submitted an appeal himself to the Supreme Judicial Council but received no response. Rami’s family were finally able to appoint a lawyer in early 2025, but they said that, as of March 2025, the lawyer had not taken any action because he was waiting for updates in the case. They said: “I don’t understand what updates other than Rami’s imminent execution there need to be for the lawyer to re-open the case”.

    Mohamed Ahmed Saad and Omar Ahmad Ibrahim were arrested in May 2017 and accused of trafficking the synthetic drug Captagon. They weredetained incommunicado for a year and a half after arrest. They have been on death row for almost eight years. Both men were denied access to legal representation and, according to court documents, “confessed” to the charge after being subjected to severe beatings. On October 9, 2019, the Court of Appeal upheld their death sentence.

    Background

    Saudi Arabia has consistently been one of the world’s countries with the highest number of recorded executions. In 2024, authorities announced the execution of 122 people for drug-related crimes, a significant proportion of the total 345 executions known to have been carried out that year. This sharp rise occurred after a nearly three-year hiatus in such executions, following a moratorium announced by the Saudi Human Rights Commission in January 2021. Last year, Saudi Arabia was one of four countries known to have carried out executions for drug-related offences.

    Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Amherst — Cumberland County District RCMP charge Ontario man, seize cocaine and firearm

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Cumberland County District RCMP has charged a man with drug trafficking and firearms offences after receiving information from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) regarding an ongoing investigation in its area.

    On April 5, Eastern Region Federal Policing (Nova Scotia) received information from the OPP-led Biker Enforcement Unit about a possible suspect in an investigation into suspected drug trafficking activity by outlaw motorcycle gang (OMG) members in St. Catharines, Ontario. The suspect was believed to be travelling into Nova Scotia in a black Kia Sorento.

    At approximately 9:20 a.m. on April 5 Cumberland County District RCMP located the vehicle travelling east on Hwy. 104 near Amherst. Officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop and safely arrested the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Officers searched the vehicle and seized 5 kg of cocaine, a firearm modified to look like an AK47, ammunition and a quantity of cash.

    Scott Rempel, 37, of Welland, Ontario, has been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine), Unauthorized Possession of Firearm, and Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized.

    “This serves as an excellent example of cooperation among and within police agencies to address organized crime networks across inter-provincial boundaries,” says Supt. Dave Chubbs, Eastern Region Federal Policing (Nova Scotia). “The quick action of frontline officers in Cumberland was instrumental to ensuring the cocaine and firearm didn’t reach our communities.”

    “The OPP is grateful for the support from the RCMP on this significant investigation,” says Detective Insp. Scott Wade, OPP Biker Enforcement Unit. “It takes national collaboration across jurisdictions to disrupt drug trafficking networks and protect our respective communities.”

    Rempel was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Amherst Provincial Court on April 25.

    Nova Scotians are encouraged to contact their nearest RCMP detachment or local police to report crime, including the illegal sale of drugs, in their communities. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.

    File #2025-442045

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – EU competences in forest matters – E-000936/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU has a variety of competences shared with Member States that have an impact on forest protection and forestry, including climate, environment, energy and agriculture, which the Union has exercised respecting the principle of subsidiarity[1].

    The EU has exercised these competences through the adoption of legislation using the appropriate legal basis. As forests are natural resources and an integral part of the environment, the Habitats[2] and Wild Birds Directive[3], the Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF) Regulation[4], the Deforestation Regulation[5], the Nature Restoration Law[6], the Carbon Removal Certification Framework[7] are based on Article 192(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and so is the proposal for a regulation on a Forest Monitoring Framework[8], currently in the co-decision procedure.

    The Renewable Energy Directive[9] has multiple legal bases under TFEU (Article 114 — internal market, Article 192(1) — environment and Article 194(2) — energy), while the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development[10] is based on Articles 42 and 43(2).

    EU action on climate, biodiversity and circular economy as well as their benefits inherently relate to natural ecosystems, including forests.

    The mentioned Commission proposal for a Forest Monitoring Framework aims at having accurate, timely and comparable data on forests across the EU, in view of increasing pressures and stressors, and their cross-border impacts.

    • [1] Court of Justice of the European Union judgment of 25 February 1999 in Joined Cases C-164/97 and C-165/97, EU:C:1999:99.
    • [2] Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7-50.
    • [3] Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds, OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7-25.
    • [4] Regulation (EU) 2018/841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2018 on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry in the 2030 climate and energy framework and amending Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 and Decision No 529/2013/EU, OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 1-25.
    • [5] Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010, OJ L 150, 9.6.2023, p. 206-247.
    • [6] Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869, OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024.
    • [7] Regulation (EU) 2024/3012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 establishing a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removals, carbon farming and carbon storage in products, OJ L, 2024/3012, 6.12.2024.
    • [8] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/proposal-regulation-forest-monitoring-framework_en
    • [9] Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, as amended, OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82-209.
    • [10] https://commission.europa.eu/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/european-agricultural-fund-rural-development-eafrd_en

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Members of an International Money Laundering Organization Charged with Laundering Millions of Dollars in Drug Proceeds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury in Florence, South Carolina returned an indictment on Tuesday, April 22, charging Nasir Ullah, 28, and Naim Ullah, 32, both of Sumter, South Carolina, and Puquan Huang, 49, of Buford, Georgia, with conspiring to launder millions of dollars of proceeds derived from drug trafficking.

    “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants laundered tens of millions of dollars in drug proceeds from the United States through China and the Middle East, enabling a continuous flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our country from Mexico,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Dismantling transnational criminal organizations and Chinese Money Laundering Organizations that support them is a critical priority for the Department. Alongside DEA and our local law enforcement partners, we will continue to prosecute the financial networks that fuel illegal drug trade and profit from the sale of deadly substances.”

    “We are committed to dismantling criminal organizations that seek to profit through the distribution of dangerous drugs like cocaine and fentanyl across South Carolina and beyond,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This $30 million money laundering operation, which has international ties, was conducted in multiple communities in our state. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to trace these illicit funds, disrupt these networks, and hold those involved accountable for the harm they present.”

    “Cases like this exemplify the value of partnerships,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “The volume of dangerous drugs, including deadly fentanyl, impacts our communities beyond comprehension. This investigation and subsequent arrests demonstrate DEA’s commitment to protecting our community by destroying these drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.”

    According to court documents, unsealed today, Ullah, Ullah, and Huang allegedly worked for a money laundering organization that laundered at least $30 million in proceeds related to the distribution of illegal drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, which were unlawfully imported into the United States, typically through Mexico. Ullah, Ullah, Huang, and their co-conspirators allegedly traveled throughout the United States to collect drug proceeds. They communicated with co-conspirators in China to arrange for the laundering of these proceeds through transactions designed to conceal the illegal source of the proceeds, including disguising the source of the drug proceeds by moving money through the shipment of electronic goods to China and the Middle East.

    Ullah, Ullah, and Huang are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    The DEA’s Charleston, South Carolina Resident Office is investigating the case, with assistance from the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; DEA’s Office of Special Intelligence, Document and Media Exploitation Unit; DEA’s offices in Columbia, South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia; the FBI’s offices in Charleston and Columbia, South Carolina; the U.S. Air Force, Office of Special Investigations; the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office; the South Carolina Highway Patrol; the Fort Mill Police Department; the York County Sheriff’s Office; the North Charleston Police Department; the Mount Pleasant Police Department; and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.

    Trial Attorneys Mary K. Daly and Jasmin Salehi Fashami of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett E. McMillian for the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.

    The Third and Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Offices of South Carolina provided assistance in this case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas woman pleads guilty to arson that destroyed Snohomish County church

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 38-year-old Temple, Texas, woman pleaded guilty today in U.S, District Court in Seattle to three felonies related to the arson at Seattle Laestadian Lutheran Church (SLLC) in Snohomish County, Washington, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Natasha Marie O’Dell has been in custody since her arrest in Texas in August 2024. O’Dell pleaded guilty to Arson, Damage to Religious Property and Obstruction of Persons in the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs. She is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead on August 7, 2025.

    According to the plea agreement and the federal indictment, O’Dell was linked via cell phone records, credit card records and surveillance video to the fire that destroyed the Maltby, Washington, church on August 25, 2023.  Travel records indicate that over the time period of the fire, Odell was visiting relatives in Woodinville, Washington.

    Even though the church was destroyed, part of the security system video surveillance survived the fire and depicted O’Dell, moving around the church with the red gasoline container. In the video O’Dell empties the container on the exterior walls of the church and items around the church. O’Dell moves out of camera range and fire is seen growing on the areas where she poured gasoline.  Ultimately the video system stops functioning due to the fire.

    The investigation tied O’Dell to credit card purchases at an area service station when she purchased just over a gallon of gasoline in a container and some lighters. O’Dell took an Uber to the church to commit the arson.

    In the plea agreement O’Dell admits that she told various acquaintances that she was angry about churches and specifically with SLLC. Later she told another acquaintance that she planned to burn a nearby church.

    One firefighter was injured fighting the blaze and was transported to an emergency room.

    The fire did more than $3.2 million in damage to the church. The church has incurred additional costs renting a nearby middle school to hold their services two to three times a week.

    Damage to religious property, and obstruction of persons in the free exercise of religion are punishable by up to 40 years in prison. Arson is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to twenty years in prison. The actual sentence will be determined by Judge Whitehead after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case was investigated by the Snohomish County Fire Marshall’s Office and the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 2025 San Diego Law Enforcement Memorial.

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Three names will be added to the Memorial – San Diego Police Department (SDPD) Officer Austin Machitar (EOW 8/26/2024), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air Marine Operations (AMO) Agent Jeffrey Kanas (EOW 12/16/2024), and San Diego Sheriff’s Office (SDSO) Deputy Herbert Sibert (EOW 7/13/1949).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJtvRPh9I2U

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ICC From Sudan to The Hague: A Stakeholder Visit to the ICC

    Source: International Criminal Court (video statements)

    #AccessToJustice
    A group of stakeholders from Sudan visited the ICC headquarters in The Hague last December, gaining insights into the Court’s work and attending the closing statements in the Abd-Al-Rahman trial.

    The stakeholders had the opportunity to engage with ICC Judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh, ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC, Lead Defence Counsel of Mr Abd-Al Rahman Cyril Laucci, Legal Representative of Victims Natalie von Wistinghausen, other Court representatives, and Executive Director of the Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC Deborah Ruiz Verduzco.

    The visit is part of the ICC’s ongoing efforts to engage with stakeholders in the situation countries.

    The trial of Mr Abd-Al-Rahman entered its final stages, with closing statements made on 11-13 December 2024 by the Office of the Prosecutor, the Legal Representatives of Victims and the Defence, as well as an unsworn statement by Mr Abd-Al-Rahman. The judgment will be pronounced in due course. Mr Abd-Al-Rahman is accused of 31 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity allegedly committed in Darfur, Sudan, between August 2003 and at least April 2004.

    Learn more:
    https://www.icc-cpi.int/darfur/abd-al-rahman

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Ny4xr3tVQ

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: National Commission for Scheduled Tribes takes suo motu cognizance of the incident of Barkani village in Sundargarh district of Odisha

    Source: Government of India

    National Commission for Scheduled Tribes takes suo motu cognizance of the incident of Barkani village in Sundargarh district of Odisha

     Commission has sought action taken report from the District Collector and Superintendent of Police, Sundargarh and the concerned officials of Steel Authority of India

    Posted On: 24 APR 2025 5:39PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has taken suomotu cognizance of a tragic incident that occurred on April 19, 2025, in Barkani village, Sundargarh district, Odisha. The incident took place during a protest by the local tribal community against the proposed construction of a railway line by Rourkela Steel Plant, extending up to Dumertha. During the protest, an unfortunate event led to the death of a tribal villager who was run over by a JCB machine. Subsequent unrest was also reported in the area.

    Taking serious note of the matter, the Commission has issued notices to the District Collector, Superintendent of Police, and concerned officials of the Steel Authority of India, seeking a detailed factual report and an account of the action taken in response to the incident.

    ****

    RN

    (Release ID: 2124105) Visitor Counter : 101

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LegCo Panel on Security conducts duty visit to Guangzhou (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
     
    The Legislative Council Panel on Security conducted a duty visit to Guangzhou today (April 24) to learn about the work experience in areas related to enhancing crime prevention and law enforcement efficiency. The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, also led government officials to join the visit.
     
    Members went to Tianhe District of Guangzhou in the morning to observe a minimum emergency unit drill in Tianhe City Central Business District. Minimum emergency units are formed by various entities or premises in the city, and under the supervision of local police stations. They are responsible for taking initial actions in response to emergencies that endanger public safety, as well as assisting public security authorities in maintaining daily law and order. Members noted from the drill that minimum emergency units help prevent and curb illegal and criminal acts at an early stage and effectively enhance community safety. Members also exchanged views with representatives of relevant Mainland authorities on, among others, ways to consolidate and leverage community resources and forces to ensure public safety.
     
    Members then visited the Huale Police Station of the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau. The Police Station has received numerous national and provincial honours, including the title of People’s Satisfaction Police Station awarded by the State Council. During the visit, Members exchanged views with representatives of the Police Station on enhancing public satisfaction with police work, leveraging technology to enhance crime prevention and law enforcement efficiency, etc.
     
    Members visited the integrated service hall of the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau in the afternoon to better understand the “one service window” arrangements provided therein and the measures to offer convenient services to the public through the use of technology and self-service facilities, as well as to receive a briefing on the city’s experience in providing facilitation to citizens by streamlining workflows and leveraging technology. Members also toured the police history museum of the Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau to gain further insight into the development of public security services.
     
    Through the duty visit, Members obtained first-hand knowledge of Guangzhou’s effort in crime prevention, law enforcement and facilitation measures for citizens, and exchanged views with representatives of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department on related issues. The experience and information obtained through the duty visit will facilitate the Panel in performing duties pursuant to its terms of reference for building a safer and more liveable community together.
     
    A total of 14 members and non-members of the Panel on Security participated in the duty visit and they returned to Hong Kong in the afternoon.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Spartanburg County man arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material* chargesRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Charlie Jay Pettigrew,  34, of Duncan, S.C., on three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Attorney General’s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Secret Service, all also members of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with this investigation.

     

    Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led them to Pettigrew. Investigators state Pettigrew distributed files of child sexual abuse material.

     

    Pettigrew was arrested on April 22, 2025. He is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

     

    The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

     

    Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

     

     

     

    * Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant.  Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Citizen Of Mexico Indicted On Illegal Reentry, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Document Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Herminio Lopez-Gervacio, age 50, a citizen of Mexico, illegally residing in Loganton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on April 23, 2025, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien, possession of a fraudulent document, and aggravated identity theft.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about February 17, 2025, Lopez-Gervacio was encountered in Clinton County after previously being removed from the United States.  The indictment also alleges that Lopez-Gervacio had been removed from the United States on May 5, 2011, through El Paso, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so.

    This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger is prosecuting the case.

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

    The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense of aggravated identity theft is 2 years mandatory minimum and a fine.  A sentence for this offense may also include a period of supervised release following imprisonment.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: York County Man Charged With Production Of Child Pornography And Related Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Haley, age 41, of York County, Pennsylvania, was charged on April 23, 2025, by a federal grand jury with producing and possessing child pornography. 

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on March 29, 2021, in York County, Haley enticed an 11-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing four videos.  It is further alleged that on March 20, 2025, Haley possessed a SanDisk 64 GB micro-SD card that contained images of child pornography involving a minor who had not attained 12-years of age.

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

    This case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant United States Attorney Christian Haugsby is prosecuting the case.      

    The total maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is up to 140 years’ imprisonment, a term of up to lifetime supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Wolf hunting in Asturias, Cantabria and Galicia and possible non-compliance with EU law – E-001526/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001526/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Irene Montero (The Left)

    The Spanish autonomous communities of Asturias and Cantabria have publicly announced plans to allow wolf hunting. Specifically, 53 individuals will be culled in Asturias and another 41 in Cantabria (between 15% and 20% of the estimated population). Galicia, for its part, has allowed wolf hunting since 14 April 2025.

    This action – following on from the decision to remove the wolf from the Spanish List of Wild Species in the Special Protection Scheme (LESRPE) – runs counter to the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Case C-436/22. According to the latter, wolves cannot be declared as a huntable species at regional level if their conservation status at national level is unfavourable. Nor can it be designated as such where it is not afforded strict protection in the region concerned under the Habitats Directive, since any species management measures, including hunting, must in all cases aim to maintain those species at – or restore them to – a favourable conservation status.

    In light of the above:

    Does the European Commission consider the decision by Asturias, Galicia and Cantabria to allow the hunting of wolves to be in accordance with the law?

    Submitted: 14.4.2025

    Last updated: 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Organised crime’s involvement in sporting events and its infiltration of supporter groups – E-000063/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission is aware of the risks of criminal infiltration in sports, which is a sector at a particularly high risk of corruption[1], and is targeting this phenomenon through several initiatives.

    In particular the Commission proposed a new Directive on combatting corruption[2] which is now being negotiated by the co-legislators.

    The Commission has also requested a study to examine what measures Member States have been taken at national level to mitigate this risk.

    In addition, in its European Internal Security Strategy the Commission has set out a whole-of-society approach to security and will propose new measures to tackle organised crime.

    At European level , the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) is already working closely with sport bodies such as the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the International Olympic Committee to tackle corruption in sports and supports national law enforcement units in operational actions in this area[3].

    • [1] High-risk areas of corruption in the EU: A mapping and in-depth analysis, 4 November 2023 ; https://op.europa.eu/fr/publication-detail/-/publication/5c0730b2-9769-11ef-a130-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
    • [2] Proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council on combating corruption, COM (2023) 234 final.
    • [3] https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/time-out-for-match-fixers-manipulating-livestreams
    Last updated: 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Tackling drug trafficking in America – E-000632/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Boosting EU cooperation with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against organised crime is a priority of the Commission[1]. It is also a priority of the EU cooperation with Mexico.

    The EU closely monitors Mexico’s security strategy and remains committed to supporting Mexico in security and drug trafficking efforts through programmes like the Europe Latin America Programme of Assistance against Transnational Organised Crime[2] and the Cooperation Program between Latin America, the Caribbean and the EU on drug policy[3].

    The Commission ensures effective fund management through strict monitoring, evaluation, and financial controls, involving the Court of Auditors and the European Anti-Fraud Office.

    The EU applies a constructive engagement policy while safeguarding financial interests, using the early detection and exclusion system as per Article 138 of the Financial Regulation[4].

    EU support in Mexico funds civil society organisations focused on democratic, social, and economic development. Assistance also extends to inclusive and green reforms via Member States and United Nations agencies, emphasising capacity building, best practice exchanges, and policy support.

    Key intervention areas include decent work, green transport, migration, health, public finance reform, in the framework of the Global Gateway strategy[5].

    Civil society plays a crucial role in Mexico’s development, achieving successes in migration, human rights, transparency, and public accountability. This participatory approach strengthens reforms and the rule of law.

    The EU also actively cooperated with the United States and other partners in the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.

    • [1] A ction 15 of the communication on the EU roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime, COM(2023) 641 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52023DC0641
    • [2] https://elpaccto.eu/en/
    • [3] https://copolad.eu/en/
    • [4] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202402509
    • [5] https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/stronger-europe-world/global-gateway_en

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Davis, DelBene, and Sánchez Champion Bill to Reduce the Cost of Child Care for Working Families through Tax Credits

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    In contrast to GOP effort to slash child care funding, this bill increases the maximum child care credit from $1,200 to $4,000 for one child or from $2,100 to $8,000 for two or more children.

     

    Washington, D.C.- April 24, 2025, Representatives Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Linda Sánchez (D-CA) introduced the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act to permanently expand the child care tax credit to raise the maximum credit from $1,050 to $4,000 for 1 child and from $2,100 to $8,000 for 2 or more children.  This bill is led by Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Patty Murray (D-WA) in the Senate.

    The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) is the only tax credit that helps working parents offset the rising cost of child care.  In 2021, Democrats successfully enhanced both the CDCTC and the Child Tax Credit because both credits are essential to support parents’ ability to provide for their families.  While 100% of the CDCTC reimburses parents for actual child care costs paid to work, parents mostly use the Child Tax Credit to defray other significant costs of caring for a child, such as food, rent, and clothing. 

    Unfortunately, as currently structured, the CDCTC fails to meet the needs of tens of millions of working families. Very few families receive meaningful benefit from the credit due to the extremely low phase-out level of $15,000, the low expense limits, the non-refundable nature, and the loss of benefit due to inflation.  For example, the Tax Policy Center estimates that only 13% of families with children claimed the CDCTC in 2022.  The Child Care and Dependent Credit Enhancement Act will increase the maximum credit amount to $4,000 per child up to $8,000 for two or more children, expand eligibility to low-income families, make the credit available to married couples who file separately due to high student loan debt, and retain the credit’s value over time by indexing it to inflation.  Compared to 2019, low-income working parents quadrupled their credit received in 2021. 

    High-quality, affordable child care is essential to the economic well-being of families, businesses, and our country. Yet, child care places a major financial burden on American families. The price of child care can range from $5,357 to $17,171 per year depending on location and type of care.  Astoundingly, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average mortgage in 41 states and more than the average annual rent in all 50 states plus DC.  Households under the poverty line spend nearly one third of their income on child care, and increases in median child care prices are connected to lower maternal employment rates. Further, the child care crisis hits families of color disproportionately hard. For a single parent who has never been married who is Black, Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native, child care can cost 36%, 41%, or 49% of the median income, respectively, compared to only 31% for single White parents.  Further, Latino and American Indian and Alaska Native parents disproportionately live in child care deserts.

    “High-quality, affordable child care is essential to the economic well-being of families, businesses, and our country,” said Rep. Davis.  “I am proud to lead the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act that would restore the 2021 credit so that families can receive up to $4,000 for child care for one child or up to $8,000 for two or more children, much better than the almost $600 that the typical family receives currently.  This bill would strengthen the financial well-being of families and grow our economy.  It is critical that Congress acts now to help working families.”

    “Access to affordable child care is one of the biggest barriers families face. Enhancing the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit will give parents the relief they need by supporting both families and care providers,” said DelBene. “This bill is a commonsense step toward making child care more accessible and affordable for every family.” 

    “Working parents shouldn’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and caring for their kids,” said Sánchez. “Expanding the child care tax credit will make child care more affordable and accessible, so parents can focus on their work knowing their kids are being cared for.”

    The bill is endorsed by state and national child and worker advocates, including:  Center for Law and Social Policy; Child Care Aware of America; Early Care and Education Consortium; First Five Years Fund; First Focus Campaign for Children; MomsRising; National Association for the Education of Young Children; National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; Save the Children; Start Early; Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM); and ZERO TO THREE.

    Example Statements from Supporting Organizations

    “Often conflated with the child tax credit, the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit is one of the only tax incentives that helps working families with their child care expenses.  As the cost of care increases, many families must contend with whether their current job pays enough to justify their child care expenses,” said Radha Mohan, Executive Director, Early Care & Education Consortium.  “For families where one parent must leave the workforce because they cannot afford the cost of care, this often hurts the family from an economic standpoint in the long run.  The CDCTC Enhancement Act helps ensure that families do not have to make this choice by providing a credit to offset the cost of care.  When paired with programs such as the Child Care and Development Block Grant, this bill will ensure that many families will have reduced their child care costs by over 50%.”

    “As almost any working family with young children will tell you, the cost of child care is a major source of financial stress, putting immense pressure on already tight budgets,” First Five Years Fund Executive Director Sarah Rittling. “The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act would make essential updates to the CDCTC to ensure more parents are able to keep more of what they earn to offset the high cost of care. We are grateful to Reps. Danny Davis, Suzan DelBene, and Linda Sanchez for their leadership and commitment to supporting families with young children.” 

    “For families with young children, the cost of childcare is often unaffordable and impacts their economic opportunity—the cornerstone of child and family well-being. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC) Enhancement Act of 2025 is an important effort to update the CDCTC to ensure that more families can offset their child care costs. We are grateful to Rep. Danny Davis and his longstanding efforts to support children and families in his district and across the country, and also extend that appreciation to Reps. Suzan DelBene and Linda Sanchez.” Diana Rauner, President, Start Early

    “Affordable child care isn’t a luxury—it’s the backbone of our economy,” said Yelena Tsilker, Senior Government Relations and Advocacy Director at ZERO TO THREE, a national nonprofit that focuses on the healthy development of babies and toddlers. “Parents of infants now face child care bills that top $16,000 a year—higher than in-state college tuition in many states. The Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Enhancement Act tackles that crisis head-on by making the CDCTC fully refundable and increasing the maximum credit, so families of every income can choose the high-quality care their babies need. This relief will keep parents in the workforce and help millions of children thrive. We applaud Representatives Davis, DelBene, and Sánchez for championing legislation that hard-working families have long awaited.” 

    The text of the bill is available HERE; a summary of the bill is available HERE.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Law Enforcement Officer Arrested for Allegedly Fraudulently Obtaining COVID-19 Business-Relief Funds for Shell Companies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been arrested on a five-count federal grand jury indictment alleging he fraudulently obtained nearly $150,000 in COVID-19 pandemic business-relief loan funds for two of his sham businesses, the Justice Department announced today.

    Amer Aldarawsheh, 45, of Moreno Valley, is charged with five counts of wire fraud.

    He was arrested Wednesday morning and pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him at his arraignment Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. A federal magistrate judge ordered Aldarawsheh released on $30,000 bond and scheduled a June 16 in U.S. District Court in Riverside.

    According to the indictment unsealed Wednesday, Aldarawsheh owned and purportedly operated two businesses:  Nahar Enterprises Inc., a San Bernardino based business he described as a trucking and freight company, and Ameral, which he described as an automotive repair company.

    From July 2020 to December 2021, Aldarawsheh made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) to fraudulently obtain a loan under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), which provided low-interest financing to small businesses, renters, and homeowners in regions affected by declared disasters.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 authorized the SBA to provide EIDL loans of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Aldarawsheh applied to the SBA for EIDL loans on behalf of his two companies, neither of which had substantial business or employees. EIDL loans were supposed to be used by the recipient to only pay certain authorized business expenses.   Instead, Aldarawsheh knowingly misappropriated and misused the EIDL funds he received from the SBA for his own personal benefit, including in December 2020, causing the transfer of $149,900 in SBA COVID-19 EIDL loan funds to be wired from the SBA to a bank account under his control.

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

    If convicted, Aldarawsheh would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.

    The United States Custom and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Laura A. Alexander and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Box Elder woman sentenced for trafficking fentanyl on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder woman who distributed fentanyl in northern Montana and on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced today to time served to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Dai Shawn Whitford, 33, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement received information that Whitford’s co-defendants were working together to bring drugs from Washington to distribute on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation and nearby locations. On at least one occasion, Dai Shawn Whitford helped distribute on behalf of the co-defendants.

    In May 2023, a confidential source paid a co-defendant $800 for 30 fentanyl pills. The co-defendant directed the confidential source to pick up the fentanyl at a residence on Rocky Boy’s. The informant went to the house and was provided approximately 30 fentanyl pills from Dai Shawn Whitford.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Tri-Agency Task Force.

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charges Filed for Vandalizing Tesla Vehicles in the District

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Justin Fisher, 49, of the District, was charged in Superior Court with four counts of defacing public or private property stemming from offenses committed between Mar. 1 and Mar. 21, 2025, involving multiple Tesla vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

    Fisher made an appearance in court today and was released on personal recognizance. His misdemeanor initial status hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2025, in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. 

    “The so-called ‘Tesla Takedown’ is domestic terrorism, and my team is taking it on front and center,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “These attacks are not just an attack on someone’s property. They are meant to intimidate and suppress political speech and shut down the marketplace of ideas,” Martin said.

    “If you target Tesla and break the law, then you can expect consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate such criminal acts.”

    According to documents filed with the court, between the dates of Mar. 1 and Mar. 21, 2025, in Northeast D.C., Fisher defaced private property on Tesla vehicles, owned by multiple victims. The offenses were committed as follows:

    • On Saturday, March 1, 2025, at approximately 10:11 a.m., in the 200 block of K Street, Northeast.
    • On Sunday, March 2, 2025, at approximately 6:15 p.m., in the 200 block of 11th Street, Northeast.
    • On Saturday, March 8, 2025, at approximately 8:05 a.m., in the 600- 700 blocks of F Street, Northeast.
    • On Friday, March 21, 2025, at approximately 5:15 p.m., in the 600 block of G Street, Northeast.

    Fisher was arrested on April 1, 2025.

    This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. 

    This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

    Charges are merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Moore, Gottheimer, Kim Lead Letter Calling on the Administration to Protect Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Today, U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), and Young Kim (CA-40) are leading a bipartisan group of more than 100 Members of Congress urging the Trump Administration to reverse its decision to halt funding opportunities through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This move by the Administration threatens the safety and well-being of survivors of domestic and sexual violence across the country.

    “OVW administers critical grant programs that provide lifesaving support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The sudden withdrawal of these funding opportunities threatens to disrupt essential services, jeopardize the stability of victim assistance programs, and undermine the bipartisan commitment to combating these forms of violence,” the lawmakers wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi. “We respectfully urge the Department of Justice to clarify the status of these grants as soon as possible and take swift action to ensure funding remains available to support survivors and the organizations that serve them.”

    “A delay or reduction in OVW funding will have devastating consequences for the countless individuals who rely on these resources for safety, legal protection, and recovery. This abrupt withdrawal of funding has created severe uncertainty that threatens the well-being of survivors who cannot afford these delays. We ask that the Department clarify its plans to rectify this situation and ensure that OVW grant funding is fully restored without further delay to continue providing care to survivors of domestic violence,” the lawmakers continued.

    The OVW, established through the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), administers critical grant programs that provide lifesaving support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. For decades, OVW grants have helped law enforcement agencies, legal service providers, crisis centers, and local organizations protect survivors and prevent abuse.

    The full letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Selling Firearms Without a License and Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Brazilian national, who was living in Massachusetts, pleaded guilty on April 18, 2025 in federal court in Boston to conspiracy and dealing firearms without a license.  

    Gideoni De Oliveira Moutinho, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for May 22, 2025. De Oliveira Moutinho was arrested and charged on Sept. 17, 2024.

    Between Jan. 2, 2024 and Aug. 30, 2024, De Oliveira Moutinho sold seven firearms on different six dates in exchange for cash. In February 2024, he also conspired with another to secure the sale of one of these firearms.    

    The charge of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and conspiracy to engage in the same each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Weymouth and Malden Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Crowley and John J. Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democrats urge Social Security Administration to keep field offices open

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 24, 2025

    Democratic lawmakers, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), are urging the Social Security Administration to keep open its field offices and demanding transparency about potential closures in a new letter.
    In addition to Warren, 65 House members and 40 senators signed the letter to acting Social Security commissioner Leland Dudek on Wednesday, requesting that he commit to keeping open the field offices and tell them if the agency intends to close any. The request came after the General Services Administration, which leases and manages commercial real estate for the federal government, identified offices that could be closed or sold in a list that was later deleted. The agency previously denied reports that field offices were closing.

    “Given SSA’s recent attempts to close field offices — only to reverse course after public outcry and claim it never had plans to close offices — will you commit to keeping each one of these offices open?” the lawmakers said in the letter to Dudek, which included a list of the agency’s field offices.
    According Alex Lawson, the executive director of Social Security Works, the letter sent to Dudek will also be delivered to those field offices Thursday by thousands of volunteers set to protest sweeping cuts to the agency by the U.S. DOGE Service. Demonstrations are planned at 58 Social Security offices in 23 states.
    Lawson, one of the organizers of the effort, said the action is aimed at showing the administration that Americans rely on those field offices for necessary services, such as applying for benefits and obtaining Social Security cards. More than 73 million people receive Social Security benefits.
    “We are ringing the alarm bell,” Lawson said. “This is about real people who will be hurt.”
    Social Security said in a statement that it has not announced the closure of any local field offices, adding that it found “underutilized office space,” mostly “small hearing rooms with no assigned employees,” that is no longer needed.
    Although the letter was signed only by Democratic lawmakers, the offices that GSA had suggested could close included ones in Republican-held districts, causing some GOP lawmakers to scramble to prevent the closures. Democrats have continued to demand answers about offices in their districts.
    Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Michigan) held a news conference with beneficiaries outside the Saginaw field office in her district on Tuesday to highlight the stories of her constituents who use the office.
    Questions about the elimination of field offices come as a rapid downsizing of the agency has led to long wait times, website crashes and confusion among beneficiaries. DOGE eliminated 7,000 jobs at Social Security, with thousands more employees expected to be laid off.
    Staffing cuts to the agency have led to instances in which office managers answered calls typically handled by receptionists.
    By:  Meryl KornfieldSource: Washington Post

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn, NY Woman Sentenced to 4 Years for Aiding and Abetting Armed Robbery of Hyde County Family Dollar Store

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW BERN, N.C. – A Brooklyn, NY woman was sentenced Wednesday to 4 years in prison for aiding and abetting in the armed robbery of a Family Dollar in Swan Quarter. On November 13, 2024, Victoria Michelle Cyren Clarke, 32, pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at approximately 9:00 p.m., Hyde County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) received a call about an armed robbery at the Family Dollar, located at 13065 US Highway 264 in Swan Quarter. Two individuals entered the store brandishing firearms while demanding money. After retrieving over $2000 in cash from the store, the two individuals left and got into a car being driven by Clarke. A deputy with HCSO attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle after it was observed leaving the area at a high rate of speed. A high-speed chase ensued for approximately 18 miles with speeds in excess of 100 mph before the vehicle was finally stopped. In addition to the two armed robbers and Clarke, two children were unrestrained in the vehicle. Subsequent investigation revealed that Clarke bought both firearms used in the robbery and rented the get-away car.

    “The Hyde County Sheriff’s Office is committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and businesses,” said Sheriff Guire Cahoon. “The armed robbery at the Family Dollar in Swan Quarter was a serious crime that put innocent lives at risk, and we are grateful for the quick response of our deputies which resulted in the apprehension of the individuals involved, and we are grateful for the assistance of the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work on the case. Violent crime has no place in our community, and we will continue working tirelessly to protect the people of Hyde County.”

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. Hyde County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Childress  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-12-FL-RJ-3.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Against Department of Education’s Unlawful Directive

    Source: US National Education Union

    CONCORD, N.H. – In a victory for students, parents, and educators, a federal judge has granted a request for a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) February 14, 2025, “Dear Colleague” letter against the plaintiffs, their members, and any entity that employs, contracts with, or works with one or more of Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs’ member. The court’s ruling blocks ED’s unprecedented and unlawful attempt to restrict discussions and programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion in educational institutions, and its threat to withhold federal funding for engaging in such efforts. 

    The Dear Colleague Letter’s directive contradicts long-standing legal protections for academic freedom and violates the constitutional rights of students and educators by imposing vague and coercive restrictions on curriculums and programs. The preliminary injunction prevents ED from enforcing the directive while litigation continues, ensuring that schools can continue their educational mission without fear of federal retaliation. 

     “Across the country educators do everything in their power to support every student, ensuring each feels safe, seen, and is prepared for the future. Today’s ruling allows educators and schools to continue to be guided by what’s best for students, not by the threat of illegal restrictions and punishment. The fact is that Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Linda McMahon are using politically motivated attacks and harmful and vague directives to stifle speech and erase critical lessons to attack public education, as they work to dismantle public schools. This is why educators, parents, and community leaders are organizing, mobilizing, and using every tool available to protect our students and their futures,” said National Education Association President Becky Pringle.  

    “While this interim agreement does not confirm the Department’s motives, we believe it should mark the beginning of a permanent withdrawal from the assault on teaching and learning. The Department’s attempt to punish schools for acknowledging diversity, equity and inclusion is not only unconstitutional, but it’s also extremely dangerous — and functions as a direct misalignment with what we know to be just and future forward. Today’s decision is a critical step toward protecting the freedom to teach, and the freedom to learn,” said Sharif El-Mekki, Center for Black Educator Development CEO & founder.  

    “Today’s ruling is a victory for students, educators, and the fundamental principles of academic freedom. Every student deserves an education that reflects the full diversity of our society, free from political interference,” said Sarah Hinger, deputy director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program. “The federal government has no authority to dictate what schools can and cannot teach to serve its own agenda, and this ruling is an important step in reaffirming that.”  

    Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, said, “The court’s ruling today is a victory for academic freedom, the free speech rights of educators, and for New Hampshire students who have a right to an inclusive education free from censorship. Every student, both in the Granite State and across the country, deserves to feel seen, heard, and connected in school – and that can’t happen when classroom censorship laws and policies are allowed to stand.” 

    On March 5, the National Education Association (NEA), the National Education Association–New Hampshire, the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of New Hampshire, and the ACLU of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire, against ED. Also joining the case as plaintiff is the Center for Black Educator Development. 

    Plaintiffs represented in the lawsuit against ED have said they’ve felt like the “Dear Colleague Letter” instigated a “witch hunt” against them. Teachers who have dedicated their lives to helping every student grow to their full potential have been in fear of losing their jobs and teaching licenses if they do not severely restrict what they and their students say and do in their classrooms. 

    The lawsuit challenges ED’s directive on multiple legal grounds. Specifically, the lawsuit argues that ED has overstepped its authority by imposing unfounded and vague legal restrictions that violate due process and the First Amendment; limiting academic freedom and restricting educators’ ability to teach and students’ right to learn; and unlawfully dictating curriculum and educational programs, exceeding its legal mandate.  

    The case will now proceed as the court considers whether to permanently block the Department’s directive.  

    The court’s decision can be found here.  

    A copy of the lawsuit can be found here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Attorney General’s Office launches new reporting web site

    Source: Washington State News

    OLYMPIA — In recognition of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Attorney General’s Office today announced the launch of a new reporting tool for survivors of sexual assault.

    Understanding the many barriers experienced by survivors of sexual violence — crimes that remain the most underreported acts of violence nationwide — the Attorney General’s Office, in partnership with End Violence Against Women International and the statewide Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Best Practices Advisory Group, created a new web site: www.seekthenspeakwa.com. The web site is a tool for survivors of sexual assault and other community members to learn about what to do following a sexual assault, connect to local resources, and allow people to report sexual assaults to law enforcement in a setting they prefer.

    “Our work to eliminate the backlog of sexual assault kits statewide means more evidence has been tested and more crimes have been solved,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “People who experience sexual assault are not alone in Washington. We are launching the Seek Then Speak website to make sure survivors of sexual assault can access local resources and reporting tools as they seek justice.”

    “There are many reasons that survivors may be afraid to disclose a sexual assault, Seek Then Speak offers an additional opportunity to learn about resources and report their experience to law enforcement,” said Sergeant Ryan Yates, Special Assault Unit Supervisor at the Yakima Police Department. “One size does not fit all; we need to offer new ways for survivors to reach out so that every person can report in a way that helps them feel safe.”

    The Attorney General’s Office has two criminal justice division units and one policy team dedicated to aiding investigations and prosecutions into allegations of sexual assault. Much of the funding for this work comes through the Legislature’s general fund.

    Attorneys and staff that support sexual assault prosecutions include:

    Sexual Assault Support Team

    Launched in 2017, the Sexual Assault Support Team assisted law enforcement agencies across the state in a yearslong project to test more than 10,000 sexual assault kits that had never been submitted for DNA analysis. The samples collected and added to the national DNA database are critical to identifying perpetrators of unsolved rapes, murders, and other violent crimes — here in Washington and across the country.

    The team also uses federal grant funds to help local law enforcement agencies pay for forensic genetic genealogy analysis. This testing has led to new leads, arrests, and convictions in unsolved cases of sexual assault. The team helped solve numerous cold case sexual assaults and homicides — some decades old — inside and outside of Washington state.

    More information about the team is here.

    Sexually Violent Predator Unit

    In 1990, Washington was the first state in the nation to pass a law permitting the involuntary civil commitment of sex offenders after they serve their criminal sentences. The Sexually Violent Predator Unit was founded inside the Attorney General’s Office with the law’s passage.

    Washington law allows the Attorney General’s Office to petition for the civil commitment of violent sex offenders who, because of a mental abnormality and/or personality disorder, are proven likely to engage in predatory acts of sexual violence if released. The unit prosecutes sex predator cases for 38 of Washington’s 39 counties, with King County being the exception.

    The Legislature this session passed and the governor signed a bipartisan bill, HB 1133, the Attorney General’s Office requested to ensure that upon release from the McNeil Island Special Commitment Center, offenders go through a more thorough supervision process by the Department of Corrections. The department can provide support for reentry, hold people on supervision accountable to their imposed supervision conditions, and collaborate with communities to ensure a successful transition into community.

    Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations Best Practices Advisory Group

    The Attorney General’s Office also facilitates the statewide Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Best Practices Advisory Group, which the Legislature founded in 2015. It is meant to bring justice to sexual assault survivors, reduce the number of untested sexual assault kits, and to review best practice models for managing all aspects of sexual assault investigations.

    The office’s policy division staffs the advisory group and group members include survivors, legislators, community-based advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, and medical providers. The public can read the advisory group’s most recent report here.

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    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Fugitives Arrested in San Juan and Carolina, PR

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Three individuals who were fugitives since December 2024 were arrested today in the municipalities of San Juan and Carolina, PR, on criminal charges related to their alleged participation on drug trafficking and violent crimes associated to a drug trafficking organization that operated in San Juan, Carolina, and other areas nearby, from in or about 2021 through December 2024, when the arrest operation took place. The three fugitives had been charged in the case of United States v. Victor J. Pérez-Fernández, a.k.a. “La Cone/Vitu/Vitikin/Enano,” et al., Case No. 24-453 (MAJ).

    Defendants [10] Gerald O. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Patrón;” [18] Ángel L. Sanjurjo, a.k.a. “Vaca;” and [33] Ramsell Maldonado-Tatis, a.k.a. “R” were arrested by FBI special agents, Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Carolina Municipal Police Department. They are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession and distribution of heroin, cocaine base (crack), cocaine, marijuana, and fentanyl; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Defendant Maldonado-Tatis is also facing one count for possession of a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    “As alleged in the indictment, these individuals were engaged in violent crime and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow.  “Today’s arrests make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of Puerto Rico safe and hold accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”

    “The arrests carried out this morning reaffirm our unwavering commitment to dismantling criminal organizations. The message is clear: if you’re part of a violent criminal enterprise, the FBI will work relentlessly to find you and bring you to justice,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The residents of Puerto Rico deserve safe communities, and through close collaboration with our local and federal partners, we will continue to bring fugitives to justice and restore peace where it is most needed.”

    According to the charging documents, the drug trafficking organization distributed heroin, fentanyl, crack, cocaine, marijuana, Tramadol, and Clonazepam within 1,000 feet of the Sabana Abajo Public Housing Project (PHP), the Luis Lloréns Torres PHP, the Los Mirtos PHP, the Lagos de Blasina PHP, the La Esmeralda PHP, the El Coral PHP, the Monte Hatillo PHP, and other areas near those locations, all for significant financial gain and profit. The drug trafficking organizations that operated in and around these areas (known as The Alliance) reached an agreement to conduct their drug trafficking operations as allies, which they referred to as “La Paz” (The Peace). At that time, each housing project organization was controlled by their own leadership and structure. As part of The Alliance, there would not be war between these organizations and members would be able to rely on each other for protection, drugs, and weapons.

    Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort; Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares; and AUSAs Laura Díaz-González, R. Vance Eaton, and Joseph Russell are prosecuting the case.

    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).

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