NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI China: New York City helicopter crash kills 6 on board

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A helicopter crashed into the Hudson River around Pier 40 in Manhattan, New York City, on Thursday afternoon killing all the six people on board, said New York City Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference.

    Included were one pilot, two adults and three children, according to Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). She said four people were announced deceased on scene and another two didn’t survive at hospital.

    It’s reported that the five passengers were tourists from Spain.

    The helicopter lost control shortly after turning at the George Washington Bridge to move along the New Jersey shoreline, and an investigation is underway for the cause of the crash, according to Tisch.

    The chopper, a Bell 206, a model widely used in commercial and government aviation, split into two before it went down around 3:15 p.m. local time, local media reported.

    This is the deadliest helicopter crash in the New York City area since 2018.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Cornyn Introduce Bill to Aid Law Enforcement Who Have Suffered from Brain Injuries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced their Public Safety Officer Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Health Act, which would increase awareness of concussions and brain injuries among public safety officers. This legislation is being led in the House of Representatives by Congressmembers Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.).
    Traumatic brain injuries can lead to serious issues, including difficulties with memory, concentration, and communication. Concussions are considered a mild traumatic brain injury, which is usually temporary but can take months to heal.
    “When law enforcement officers get a concussion or traumatic brain injury on the job, it is our responsibility to come together and care for them,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “These public servants put themselves in harm’s way every single day. I’m working to ensure the men and women who keep our communities safe get the treatment and support they deserve.”
    “Law enforcement officers do not shy away from danger and risk their own health and safety to protect our communities,” said Senator Cornyn. “We need to do everything we can to support these heroes when they sustain a traumatic brain injury in the line of duty, and this legislation would help them identify signs of a concussion and seek swift treatment before it leads to more serious complications.”
    The Public Safety Officer Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Health Act would require the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to collect and make publicly available information on traumatic brain injuries specifically for public safety officers and provide recommendations and protocols for identifying, diagnosing, and treating concussions. It would also have the CDC share information with mental health professionals on the connection between concussions and traumatic brain injuries with acute stress disorders and suicidal inclinations.   
    As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers and is part of the Senate Law Enforcement Caucus. The Senator recently reintroduced the Invest to Protect Act to set aside $250 million to help local police invest in training, mental health support, and recruitment and retention, as well as the Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act to ensure the families of retired law enforcement officers who were killed as a result of their service are not unjustly denied benefits. She has repeatedly secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program, the leading source of criminal justice funding in the country. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Joins Bipartisan Effort to Help More American Households Save Energy and Money Through Weatherization

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Chris Coons (D-DE) in introducing the Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act. The bipartisan legislation seeks to improve public health and lower household energy costs by bolstering the federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which covers home weatherization, window replacement, sealing air leaks, ventilation improvements and other key energy-saving measures.
    “Weatherizing homes is one of the most effective tools we have to help Granite State families save money on their monthly utility bills while also reducing emissions,” said Senator Shaheen. “By expanding access to the Weatherization Assistance Program, this commonsense bipartisan legislation would allow more households to implement cost-saving energy efficiency measures that create new jobs and boost New Hampshire’s economy.”
    “This bipartisan, cost-effective bill is about saving families and taxpayers money, cutting air pollution, and generating good-paying clean-energy jobs.  Passing the Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act will help save families in need real money on their energy bills while also benefitting the U.S. economy, environment, and public health.  It would help reduce demand on energy grids nationwide which helps keep utility rates lower and frees up financial resources for family essentials, like groceries and medicine.  By expanding the program to include critical home repairs, we can alleviate economic hardship, address healthy housing disparities, and improve energy efficiency for those households who need it most,” said Senator Reed.
    “The Weatherization Assistance Program is a proven, cost-effective way to permanently decrease energy usage while reducing low-income Americans’ energy bills,” said Senator Collins.  “This bipartisan bill would help build on the significant investments we have secured for the Weatherization Assistance Program so that more Americans are able to make improvements that will allow them to affordably heat their homes.”
    “During the baking heat of summer and the freezing winds of winter, too many families across this country struggle to pay their heating and cooling bills,” said Senator Coons. “The Weatherization Assistance Program has already helped thousands of Delawareans trying to make ends meet, and this legislation lowers rising energy bills for thousands more by giving low-income families support to make their homes more energy efficient while creating new clean energy jobs and reducing the impact of climate change. 
    Specifically, the bill would serve more low-income households that are currently unable to receive weatherization services because their homes are in need of significant repairs. The bill would authorize a Weatherization Readiness Fund, providing $30 million a year for five years to help those in need repair structural issues and prepare homes for weatherization assistance, increasing the number of homes the program is able to serve. It also seeks to raise the amount of funding allowed to be spent on each home to keep up with current labor and material costs and would raise the cap on the amount of funding allowed to be spent on renewable energy upgrades in each home. These provisions are essential updates to a program that has helped so many families over the past few decades.
    The Weatherization Assistance Program helps homes become more energy efficient through measures like installing insulation, updating heating and cooling systems and updating electrical appliances. For every dollar invested by WAP, $4.50 is generated in combined energy savings and non-energy benefits such as improved health and job creation, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Since 1976, the Weatherization Assistance Program has helped more than seven million low-income families reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. The U.S Department of Energy estimates that these upgrades help each household save $283 in energy bills annually. In addition to saving families money, energy efficient homes also help cut down on our carbon footprint, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.
    As a lead negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Shaheen helped secure $3.5 billion in additional funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program, including $18 million for New Hampshire. Shaheen has long-championed the Weatherization Assistance Program to lower energy costs for low-income families in New Hampshire, as well as the State Energy Program, which assists states with the development of energy efficiency renewable projects. In the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding bills, Shaheen helped defend key efficiency programs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) from cuts, including securing $366 million for weatherization efforts and $66 million for the State Energy Program, which work to bring down energy bills for families and communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New High Court Judge appointed

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Simon Mount KC as a High Court Judge. 
    Justice Mount graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Laws in 1996 and a Master of Laws in 2000, having been a High Court judges’ clerk from 1995-1996. 
    From 1997-1999 Justice Mount was a Teaching Associate with Columbia Law School in New York, also graduating with a Master of Laws from Columbia Law School in 1999. Between 2001 and 2015 Justice Mount was a Teaching Fellow with the University of Auckland. 
    Justice Mount joined Auckland firm Meredith Connell as a Crown prosecutor in 2000, and was seconded to Crown Law as a Crown Counsel from2008-2009. 
    Justice Mount has practised out of Bankside Chambers in Auckland as a Barrister sole since 2010, specialising in public law, criminal and regulatory law, including health and safety, professional discipline and public inquiries. He was a Visiting Justice from 2011 to 2018, a District Inspector of Mental Health from 2012 to 2018, and the Senior Advisory District Inspector from 2023 until present. 
    He is admitted to practise law in the Cook Islands and has been Attorney-General of the Pitcairn Islands since 2015, serving as the principal legal adviser to the Governor of Pitcairn. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 2017. 
    Justice Mount’s appointment as a High Court Judge will take effect on 1 June 2025, and he will sit in Auckland. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Lummi Nation sentenced to prison for strangulation attack on intimate partner

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A member of Lummi Nation was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 51 months in prison for Assault by Strangulation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Joseph Michael Quincy Jefferson, 36, was found guilty in January 2025, following a seven-day jury trial. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Lauren King noted that Jefferson had multiple domestic violence related convictions in tribal court, saying “your abuse of others has become a pattern… You return to strangulation again and again.”

    “This case is testament to the importance of our work in tribal communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “Studies reveal that being a victim of strangulation significantly increases the risk the victim will be killed at the hands of their abuser. Holding Mr. Jefferson accountable now is the best way to protect future victims.”

    According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, on the night of April 8, 2023, Jefferson punched, pushed, and strangled his live-in partner. Sitting on her back he used the crook of his elbow to apply pressure to her neck, strangling her and causing her to black out twice. When the victim regained consciousness, she ran from the home barefoot and in her underwear, calling a friend and a neighbor requesting help. The victim went to the Lummi Nation Police Department and to the hospital where she made consistent statements to police and medical care providers. She was found to have a broken nose and other injuries consistent with strangulation. 

    At trial, Jefferson claimed he acted in self-defense. During her testimony, the victim minimized Jefferson’s conduct.

    In asking for a high-end 57-month sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Celia Lee recounted Jefferson’s history of domestic violence with his two romantic partners and noted that shorter sentences handed down by the Lummi Tribal Court have not changed his behavior. “Given Jefferson’s history, his conduct, and his behavior while under supervision, the Court is frankly left with no viable alternatives to a lengthy term of imprisonment. Thus, a significant custodial sentence at this juncture is appropriate, just, and would promote respect for the law. The government certainly hopes that such a sentence would also provide specific deterrence to Jefferson who has thus far not been dissuaded from violence by his prior terms of incarceration for domestic violence.”

    Jefferson has been in custody since his bond was revoked in late October 2024 due to his ongoing contact with the victim in violation of his conditions of pretrial release. He remains in custody pending sentencing.

    The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Celia Lee. Ms. Lee serves as a Tribal Liaison for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Ensuring public safety on tribal lands is a critical responsibility of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man caught three times with dealer quantities of fentanyl indicted federally

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    In one encounter police and medics saved the life of an infant suffering from opioid overdose

    Seattle – A 37-year-old man who was living in a Des Moines, Washington, hotel, is charged federally with four counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and one count of money laundering announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Dennis Aguilar Huisa was placed under arrest twice last fall when he was found to have possession of fentanyl pills and/or powder, methamphetamine, cocaine and a firearm. Huisa has been in state custody since his final encounter with law enforcement on November 1, 2024.

    According to the criminal complaint, Puyallup Police first contacted Huisa on the side of the road in the early hours of August 15, 2023. Huisa said his car had overheated and he and a passenger were waiting for the engine to cool down. The police officer noticed that the license plate on the car did not match the type of vehicle listed in the registration. Huisa was removed from the car while law enforcement determined whether the car or the license plates were stolen. A second officer noticed blue pills in the car. Ultimately the car was impounded. A search revealed about 1,000 fentanyl pills as well as some suspected fentanyl powder. There was also a scale with drug residue in the car.

    On September 7, 2024, Puyallup Police responded to a report of a nine-month-old infant who had stopped breathing. Huisa and a woman met the officers outside a box truck the infant in their arms. Law enforcement worked to get the child to respond and breath, medics responded and continued to work on reviving the child.

    The law enforcement investigation found evidence that Huisa and the child’s mother has given the infant two doses of Narcan suspecting that the child had been exposed to fentanyl or other drugs. Huisa gave permission to search the box truck. Law enforcement located approximately 115 blue fentanyl pills. On Huisa they found fentanyl powder and over $16,000 in cash.

    The infant was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital. The child was given additional dose of Narcan, and the child’s blood tested positive for fentanyl, amphetamine, and oxycodone. The child survived and was temporarily released to Child Protective Services.

    Finally, on November 1, 2024, Auburn Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit served a search warrant on the Des Moines motel where Huisa had been living. In the hotel room they found small packages of fentanyl powder packaged for sale in the toilet. They found additional fentanyl powder, methamphetamine, and cocaine in other places around the room. Officers once again searched the box truck Huisa had been driving and found two kilograms of fentanyl powder and a Polymer 80 ‘ghost gun’ – a gun made without a serial number.

    Huisa was charged by criminal complaint on March 12, 2025, and was brought into federal custody today. He was indicted by the grand jury on March 26, 2025, for four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and money laundering. Huisa is making his initial appearance at 2:00 today.

    Possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute is punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison and up to life in prison to run consecutive to the other sentence imposed in the case. Money laundering is punishable by up to twenty years in prison.

    The charges contained in the criminal complaint and the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case is being investigated by the Puyallup Police Department, the Auburn Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Conzatti.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Philadelphia Correctional Officer Convicted at Trial of Violating the Constitutional Rights of an Inmate, Filing a False Report

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Ivory S. Cousins, 35, of Glassboro, New Jersey, was convicted today at trial of three counts of depriving an inmate of his civil rights under color of law and one count of filing a false report about the incident, arising from her conduct while employed as a Philadelphia correctional officer. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons provided substantial assistance with this case.

    Cousins was charged by indictment in August 2024 with violating the inmate’s constitutional rights for ignoring his significant injuries from an assault by other inmates, pepper spraying him, helping another inmate to steal from him, and obstructing the investigation of what happened to him.

    As proven at trial, while on duty at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, the defendant became aware that an inmate had been assaulted by other inmates and had serious injuries, but she was deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs, failed to get him medical attention, and prevented a superior officer from discovering the inmate’s injuries.

    After her partner discovered the injured inmate and called for medical attention, but before assistance arrived to escort him to the medical unit, Cousins subjected the injured inmate to excessive force, unreasonably pepper spraying him.

    When the injured inmate had been escorted out of the area for medical attention, Cousins further violated the injured inmate’s constitutional rights by helping one of the inmates involved in his assault to steal the injured inmate’s personal belongings from his cell.

    When she later completed a report about the incident, Cousins provided false information about the injured inmate being aggressive, engaging in a fight, and using a weapon.

    The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 41 years in prison.

    “Prisoners still have civil rights, and we will prosecute all violations committed by officials entrusted with their security,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf.

    The case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everett Witherell and Jessica Rice.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Francisco Resident Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Distribution Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Dale Jetton was sentenced today to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison for distribution of child pornography announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.  Senior U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen handed down the sentence.

    Jetton pleaded guilty on August 22, 2024, to one count of distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2). Jetton was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on August 29, 2023. According to the plea agreement, beginning in March 2023, Jetton began exchanging email messages with an individual who, unbeknownst to him, was an undercover law enforcement officer.  Jetton sent the undercover officer an invitation and link to a cloud service that Jetton boasted contained over 700+ megabytes of child exploitation materials.  The link included thirty-eight videos containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  Jetton, a registered sex offender, admitted he knew the visual depictions in these videos included prepubescent minors or minors under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including at least one video that depicted a minor being subjected to sexual bondage.

    Jetton has been in custody since his arrest in 2023.  He will begin serving his prison term immediately.  In addition to the prison term, Judge Chen also ordered Jetton to serve 15 years of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roland Chang and Sophia Cooper.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the San Francisco Police Department.    
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 04/10/2025 Blackburn, Klobuchar Introduce Bill to Help Rescue More Victims of Human Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act, which would give states flexibility with federal funding to post human trafficking awareness signage at rest stops and welcome centers along the Interstate System, helping to educate the public and better support survivors of human trafficking:

    “As human traffickers move their victims across the country, they travel on the same highways and visit the same rest stops and gas stations as everyone else, which creates multiple opportunities to identify these victims,” said Senator Blackburn. “This bipartisan legislation would give all states the flexibility to take advantage of signage campaigns that have been proven effective to rescue more men, women, and children from this heinous crime.”

    “We must do everything in our power to stop human trafficking, and public awareness campaigns are a proven, effective tool to combat this issue,” said Senator Klobuchar. “That is why we are introducing bipartisan legislation to provide more information about signs of trafficking and how to help victims. This bill will give law enforcement crucial information to take on criminals and get more victims to safety.”

    BACKGROUND

    • Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar industry, generating over $250 billion in profits each year. Individuals trafficked in the United States, whether through labor or sex trafficking, are transported on our nation’s interstate system. 
    • Victim identification is essential to disrupting transnational trafficking rings, and public awareness is key to these efforts. Signage campaigns detailing ways to recognize and report human trafficking have been extremely successful. 
    • One public awareness signage campaign in Texas led to a 30 percent increase in calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, ultimately resulting in over 1,000 survivors being identified.

    COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN TRANSPORTATION ACT

    Specifically, the Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act would: 

    • Amend the list of eligible projects under the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program and the RAISE Discretionary Grant Program to include the procurement and installation of human trafficking awareness signage at rest stops and welcome centers along the Interstate System; and
    • Add a 16th seat to the Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking specifically for a representative from state departments of transportation.

    Click here to read the bill text.

    ENDORSEMENTS

    This legislation is supported by Truckers Against Trafficking, Engage Together, Street Grace, A21, 3Strands Global Foundation, Raven, Polaris Project, Pearl at the Mailbox, Lynn’s Warriors, Empowered Network, Love Never Fails, Compassion First, Survivor Led Solutions, SK Sultana, Bridge 2 Future, There is Hope for Me, Mentari, Resiliency Foundation, World Without Exploitation, Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force, Wealth Management Ministries-Prevention Works Joint Task Force and Coalition, Chains Interrupted, One More Child, Campaign Against Human Trafficking, and Hope for Justice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police acknowledge sentence of Jimmy Heremaia

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Dave De Lange:

    Police acknowledge the sentence handed down to Jimmy Heremaia in the High Court at Napier today.

    We are pleased to see justice done for Ariki’s family, who have been such fierce advocates for her since her death.

    We know no sentence could ever make up for her loss, however we hope today’s result offers some comfort to them.

    I would also like to acknowledge the investigation team, who put in many months of hard work to achieve this result.

    This was a meticulous, difficult and complex investigation spanning multiple Police districts and requiring many specialist skillsets.

    I thank you for your unwavering dedication to making an arrest and ensuring Ariki’s killer could be held to account.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    Note to media:

    Jimmy Heremaia was sentenced to life imprisonment, with 12 years non parole, for murder and arson.

    Ropine Robin Paul was sentenced to 12 months of home detention for being a party to arson.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baker to Vegas 2025: Running to Compete, Running to Honor.

    Source: US Marshals Service

    The United State Marshals Service (USMS) is proud to announce the successful completion of the 2025 Baker to Vegas (B2V) Challenge Cup Relay by three agency teams: USMS Elite Running Team, USMS Women’s Running Team Silver, and USMS Women’s Running Team Blue. Each team represented the best of who the agency is: committed, resilient, and united in purpose.

    B2V is no ordinary relay race. It’s a 120-mile, 20-stage relay through the Mojave Desert, finishing in Las Vegas. The course pushes runners to their limits with punishing terrain, extreme temperature swings, long, steep mountain climbs, and miles of isolation. This year, runners battled sustained 25-mph headwinds – a brutal new layer of difficulty. Each team met it head-on with grit, heart, and determination.

    But this race wasn’t just about time – it was about tribute. This year our teams ran in honor of Deputy Tommy Weeks, TFO William Alden Elliott, TFO Sam Poloche, and Honorary Special Deputy Joshua Eyer – four fallen officers whose memory continues to guide and inspire us. The teams were incredibly honored to be joined on the racecourse by Kelly Weeks, whose presence brought powerful meaning to the journey and reminded everyone of the deep personal connections behind every name.

    Our tribute was woven into every step:

    • We wore red bandannas (Tommy’s favorite color) and wristbands with Tommy’s name and badge number.
    • Each runner had the names of all four of our fallen, and their end of watch dates on memorial shoe tags to ensure every footfall had meaning.  
    • Each runner carried photos of the fallen on their race bibs.
    • A memorial candle was lit for each fallen officer at the start of the race and burned until the final USMS runner crossed the finish line.
    • Tommy’s favorite songs were incorporated into our playlists, and we ran our hardest miles dedicated to our four fallen.
    • At the finish line, we handed the team batons to Kelly Weeks, a symbolic gesture that carried the memory of our heroes across 120-miles of grueling desert.

    For all three teams, this achievement did not come without personal sacrifice. Each runner, alternate, and support team member gave generously of their personal time, energy, and financial resources to represent the USMS and carry the memory of our heroes. Travel, lodging, training, gear, equipment, annual leave, and rental vehicles came out of their own pockets – which was done in service of something bigger than themselves. They did it to stand for the USMS, and to honor our fallen.

    We could not be prouder of these teams. B2V is a powerful reflection of who we are as an agency – strong, unified, selfless, and driven by purpose. It showcases our people at their best – working together to support one another and doing whatever it takes to rise to the challenge. Together we ran to compete. Together we ran to remember.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Employee Charged With Possession Of A Firearm By An Unlawful Drug User

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

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Bryan Roger Byers (57, Jacksonville), a United States Postal Service employee, with possessing a firearm as an unlawful drug user. If convicted, Byers faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

    According to court documents and proceedings, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Byers after a firearm he had purchased was recovered during a drug trafficking investigation. During that investigation, a felon was found to be in possession of a firearm and admitted purchasing the firearm from Byers in exchange for crack cocaine.

    Investigators located text messages, which reflected that Byers used sex workers to find buyers for his firearms and those buyers then exchanged drugs for the firearms. Records reflect Byers purchased at least 10 firearms over the last four years.

    On April 2, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Byers’s home. Law enforcement officers located seven firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition, and two suspected crack pipes, all of which were seized by ATF. The next day, Byers attempted to purchase another firearm and was arrested by ATF agents.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Falzetta.

    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). 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, local agencies, responding to helicopter crash in Hudson River

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    04/10/2025 07:18 PM EDT

    NEW YORK — The Coast Guard is coordinating with local, state and federal agencies in response to the helicopter crash in the Hudson River that occurred Thursday afternoon in New York City near the Holland Tunnel. Click the link to read the full release.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Arturo Contreras Soto, 37, of Tucson, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 60 months in prison. Soto was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon following a bench trial on January 28, 2025.

    On April 3, 2024, Tucson Police Department officers arrested Soto while he was riding an electric bicycle and carrying an open container of alcohol near downtown Tucson. The officers searched the satchel that Soto was wearing across his chest and found a 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine. Soto also had approximately 500 fentanyl pills and approximately $250 in cash in his pockets. Further investigation revealed that Soto had numerous prior felony convictions, including a conviction for motor vehicle theft, two separate convictions for drug-related felonies, and two separate convictions for aggravated robbery. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) then assumed responsibility for the case in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department as part of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).

    The National PSP was established by the U.S. Department of Justice to provide an innovative framework to enhance federal support of state, local, and tribal law enforcement and prosecution authorities in enhancing public safety. PSP began as a pilot program, the Violence Reduction Network, in 2014 and is designed to promote interagency coordination by leveraging specialized law enforcement expertise with dedicated prosecutorial resources to promote public and community safety. PSP serves as a DOJ-wide program that enables participating sites to consult with and receive expedited, coordinated training and technical assistance, and an array of resources from DOJ to enhance local public safety strategies. This model enables DOJ to provide jurisdictions of different sizes and diverse needs with data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to the unique local needs of participating cities to build their capacities to address violent crime challenges. PSP has engaged with more than 60 sites since the program’s inception.

    The ATF and Tucson Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer H. Berman and Alessandra Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-02929-TUC-JGZ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-054_Soto

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tucson Woman Indicted for Attempting to Smuggle Rifle Ammunition from the United States Into Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a one-count indictment against Andrea Villalva, 32, of Tucson, Arizona, for Smuggling Goods from the United States.

    The complaint filed in this case alleges that, on March 7, 2024, Villalva attempted to exit the United States through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. During a physical inspection of Villalva’s vehicle, Customs and Border Protection Officers discovered 8 sealed cases of 5.56 XP193 rifle ammunition hidden behind the rear wall of the trunk. In total, 8,000 rounds of ammunition were recovered. Villalva admitted being paid $150 per box of ammunition that she successfully smuggled into Mexico. She also admitted to having smuggled ammunition into Mexico on three previous occasions.

    A conviction for Smuggling Goods from the United States carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

    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.

    Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie A. Sottosanti, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:            25-CR-01724-TUC-AMM
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-053_Villalva

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

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

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno County Podiatrist and Sales Representative Indicted for Conspiracy to Submit Millions of Dollars in False Claims Related to Skin Grafts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Felipe Ruiz, 51, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 52, of Clovis, charging them with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist at West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties.

    Aguirre was a sales representative for several companies that sold skin grafts. Aguirre used his name, his wife’s name, and the name of a corporation registered to his wife to sell the skin grafts.

    Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre, who was not a licensed health care provider, to apply the skin grafts to Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries without Ruiz being present. Ruiz and Aguirre also allowed beneficiaries to refer to Aguirre as “Dr. Gabe,” though he was not a doctor.

    Ruiz and Aguirre subsequently submitted claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz had applied the skin grafts to the beneficiaries, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services. As a result, Medicare and Medi-Cal paid Ruiz millions of dollars for the false claims. Ruiz then made payments to Aguirre. Ruiz and Aguirre used the money for their own benefit and for personal expenditures.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Ruiz and Aguirre face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albion man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Norman Kelly, 68, of Albion, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that between March 12 and September 20, 2023, Kelly used his laptop computer to entice minors to engage in sexually explicit behavior for the purpose of producing images, which he would receive via the internet. On March 12, 2023, Kelly received a sexually explicit image of a female child, approximately 10-12 years old. On July 20, 2023, he received a sexually explicit video file of an infant female, approximately 1.5 to three years old. Kelly possessed approximately 475 image files and 377 video files of child sexual abuse material. Some of the images included depictions of violence against children.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge

    # # # #

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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Have your say on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill

    Source: New Zealand ParliamentThe Justice Committee is calling for submissions on the Sale and Supply of Alcohol (Sales on Anzac Day Morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day) Amendment Bill with a closing date of 11:59pm on 22 May 2025.
    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Man arrested after Kawerau station damaged

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Kawerau Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Al Fenwick:

    A 30-year-old man has been taken into custody following an incident in Kawerau this morning.

    About 2.50am, a person attempted to gain entry to the Kawerau Police Station, where an officer was inside, by smashing windows and attempting to smash a glass door.

    The offender did not gain entry to the station and left the area in a vehicle.

    A pickaxe was located nearby.

    After making a number of enquiries, Police identified a suspect, whom they located at an address in the Cobham Drive area.

    Police cordoned the area, and the Armed Offenders Squad took the man into custody without further incident, just after 6.25am.

    All cordons in the area have been lifted.

    A 30-year-old local man appeared in the Whakatāne District Court today, charged with intentional damage, and possession of an offensive weapon.

    I would like to commend our attending staff for their rapid response to this incident, and for taking the alleged offender into custody quickly.

    We would like to thank the Kawerau community for their cooperation and understanding while we resolved this incident.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder and Top Executive for Fresno-Based Business American Labor Alliance Receive Multi-Year Prison Sentences Following Fraud Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresno residents Marcus Asay, 69, and Antonio Gastelum, 53, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years in prison and two years in prison, respectively, for committing a long-running pension fraud scheme through their company, Agricultural Contracting Services Association dba American Labor Alliance (ALA), Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. 

    ALA also received a corporate fine of $2.5 million. Asay and ALA were each ordered to pay $69,250 in restitution.

    On June 18, 2024, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA were convicted of the pension fraud scheme following a five-week jury trial. Asay and ALA were also convicted of committing a worker’s compensation fraud scheme, a hardship exemption fraud scheme, and money laundering. The hardship exemption fraud scheme involved a supposed exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that people obtain health insurance or pay a significant shared responsibility payment when they file their taxes.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Asay was the founder and chairman of ALA, and Gastelum was the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Compliance Officer. From 2011 through 2019, the defendants offered three sham products: retirement plan, worker’s compensation coverage, and hardship exemption.

    Pension Fraud Scheme

    For the pension fraud scheme, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA falsely represented to more than 3,000 people that they would protect and invest their retirement money through a 401(k) Plan when, in fact, they used the money for improper business and personal expenses. The improper expenses included restaurants, travel, credit cards, rare coins, transfers to Asay’s personal retirement account, online companion websites, and rent for Asay’s lakefront mansion in Fresno. Asay, Gastelum, and ALA then covered up the fact that the retirement money was gone by taking money the company received from the worker’s compensation fraud scheme and holding those funds out as pension funds. The loss caused by the pension fraud scheme was more than $620,000.

    Asay’s money laundering conviction resulted from this scheme because he moved pension funds through multiple bank accounts to conceal the source of the funds before using them for improper expenses.

    Workers’ Compensation Fraud Scheme

    For the worker’s compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that national insurers backed the worker’s compensation coverage that the company offered in several states, including California. Asay and ALA did so by listing the national insurers on the certificates of insurance and policy declarations that the company issued to customers. The accuracy of the certificates of insurance and policy declarations was important to the customers because they needed to present these items to their own customers and regulators as proof of having worker’s compensation coverage in order to continue doing business. When government authorities began investigating the workers’ compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA sent letters to customers telling them not to cooperate. The worker’s compensation fraud scheme generated $2.25 million in premiums.

    Hardship Exemption Fraud Scheme

    For the hardship exemption fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that for a few hundred dollars they could provide people with an exemption that would protect them from the Affordable Care Act’s shared responsibility payment for not having health insurance when, in fact, only government agencies could issue such exemptions. Moreover, the exemptions were free to those who qualified.

    Asay and Gastelum received enhanced sentences because they both testified in their own defense at trial and were found to have perjured themselves.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Labor-Management Standards, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Tierney, Joseph Barton, and Stephanie Stokman prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: HSI ARRESTS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED, VIOLENT FELON FUGITIVE WANTED FOR HOMICIDE IN MEXICO

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on Illegal Re-Entry charges on Tuesday during a Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) operation led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. Renteria-Cruz was charged by Criminal Complaint for violation of Title 8, U.S.C. 1326(a) and (b)(1).

    On October 11, 2006, Renteria-Cruz, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of Aggravated Assault, a class 3 felony, in the Maricopa County Superior Court and sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Renteria-Cruz was deported to Mexico on April 8, 2008.

    After his deportation, Mexican authorities charged Renteria-Cruz with homicide for events that occurred on July 20, 2009, in Mexico. Since that time, he has been a fugitive.

    Pursuant to a tip in January 2025, HSI learned that Renteria-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States. Agents were able to locate and identify Renteria-Cruz, and on April 8, 2025, Renteria-Cruz was arrested during an Immigration Operation.

    This investigation 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.

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

    Homeland Security Investigations in Phoenix, Arizona conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           25-3128MJ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-052_Renteria-Cruz

    # # #

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Enhanced Second-Degree Theft Charges Filed for CVS Retail Store Theft in Northwest

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Ramon Randall, 37, of Washington, D.C., was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on one count of felony second-degree theft stemming from events occurring on March 12, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

               A grand jury indicted Randall on April 9, 2025. Arraignment is scheduled for on April 29.. 

               According to the government’s evidence, on March 12, 2025, the defendant entered the CVS located at 2009 8th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 with a reusable bag. The manager of the CVS saw him place several items in his bag and called the police. MPD officers arrived on the scene and observed the defendant walking furtively throughout the store. The officers observed Randall attempt to leave the store without paying for the items. One officer, who was familiar with the defendant, stopped him as he was leaving the store. Randall exclaimed, “I ain’t left the premises!” The officer then delivered the stolen items to the manager, which consisted of several bottles of toothpaste, socks, and other merchandise valued at $133.27. 

               Randall has two or more prior theft convictions, though not from the same occasion, and therefore is subject to enhanced penalties for his alleged theft, including a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in jail for each count of theft for which he is indicted.

               This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Liss.

               An indictment is 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 Security: Cut Bank man sentenced to two years in prison for assault

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Cut Bank man who assaulted a 17-year-old girl was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Elijah John Bullcalf, 21, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that on May 25, 2023, Bullcalf assaulted Jane Doe in her bedroom at her parents’ home. They got into an argument after Bullcalf saw a text message he didn’t like on Doe’s cell phone. Bullcalf bit Doe’s hand and then punched her one time in the face, breaking her jaw.

    Bullcalf didn’t want her to go to the hospital and took her to his house instead. After several hours, Doe was in so much pain that Bullcalf relented and took her to the hospital. He told Doe to tell everyone she slipped and fell on the porch. Doe had to have two metal plates surgically placed in her jaw, one of which is permanent. Doe told law enforcement that one month after the assault, Bullcalf hit her again in the same part of the jaw, causing pain and bleeding. During a recorded interview with law enforcement in March 2024, Bullcalf admitted the assault.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and the investigation was conducted by the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Scarborough Resident Sentenced for Assaulting Federal Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A former Scarborough resident was sentenced Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Portland for assaulting a federal officer.

    U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Garrett McDonald, 28, to two years of probation. McDonald pleaded guilty on October 22, 2024.

    According to court records, on August 6, 2023, an airline crew at the Portland International Jetport requested that law enforcement remove McDonald from a flight due to his behavior. A Portland police officer and a security officer with the Federal Air Marshal Service escorted McDonald from the plane. McDonald began yelling and arguing about being removed from the flight. Once inside the exit port, McDonald pushed one officer and then resisted the officer’s efforts to restrain him. The officers secured a handcuff on McDonald’s left wrist but were unable to secure a handcuff on his right wrist. McDonald freed his right arm from underneath his person and struck the federal officer with his fist.

    The FBI, Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Portland Police Department investigated the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and Security – Nurses call for immediate halt to police withdrawal

    Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

    Police withdrawal from mental health call outs should be stopped until Te Whatu Ora makes critical resources available, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
    Phase Two of the changes come into effect on Monday (14 April) but police have delayed the starting date in all but five districts, saying other areas are not ready. The new phased roll out is the second time police have rescheduled the changes.
    NZNO Mental Health College chair Helen Garrick says the health sector is not ready for the police withdrawal either.
    “This is a matter of safety for everyone, including the people who need mental health support, their whānau and the mental health workforce.”
    The first phase of the changes officially came into effect last November, but Helen Garrick says NZNO mental health nurses report the police withdrawal actually started long before that.
    NZNO agrees with the Mental Health Foundation there is no adequate plan to support the transition away from police attending mental health call outs, she says.
    “The police withdrawal should be stopped until the following resources and agreements are in place:
    • Resourcing
    for new crisis hubs to be staffed by a qualified mental health workforce
    24/7.
    • Purpose
    built safe spaces attached to hospitals or community centres, staffed 24/7
    and suitable for people experiencing mental distress, and their whānau, to
    wait for mental health assessment. Emergency Department waiting rooms are
    completely unsuitable.
    3. Resourcing for nationwide co-response teams – consisting of a minimum of a mental health nurse and police officer – to transport people under the Mental Health Act.
    • Increased
    staff for mental health crisis teams and a commitment to workforce
    development and filling current vacancies, without the creation of an
    associate psychologist qualification.
    • Leaving
    decisions about mental health risk and the need for police assistance in
    the hands of mental health staff, not police communications.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Stilwell Resident Of Voluntary Manslaughter

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Mose Adam Smith, age 43, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.00.

    The jury trial began with testimony on April 7, 2025, and concluded on April 10, 2025, with the guilty verdict.

    During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on or about July 17, 2023, Smith unlawfully killed an individual during an altercation at the victim’s Sallisaw, Oklahoma residence.  The Government presented evidence that during the altercation, Smith inflicted blunt-force trauma on the victim, and that Smith caused extensive injuries resulting in the death of the victim.  Smith attempted to conceal the victim’s death and fled the state.  The crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    On March 19, 2025, Co-defendant Kimberly Dawn Ball-Gilbert, age 42, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter.  At the plea hearing, Ball-Gilbert admitted to aiding and abetting Smith’s actions in causing the victim’s death.

    The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  The sentencings for Smith and Ball-Gilbert will be scheduled following completion of the presentence reports. The Court will sentence the defendants after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Smith and Ball-Gilbert will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The “SAVE Act” as a Modern-Day Poll Tax and an Attack on Voting Rights

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Condemns the “SAVE Act” as a Modern-Day Poll Tax and an Attack on Voting Rights

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Condemns the “SAVE Act” as a Modern-Day Poll Tax and an Attack on Voting Rights

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 10, 2025 – Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson today issued a strong statement denouncing the so-called “SAVE Act,” labeling it a thinly veiled attempt at voter suppression that echoes the discriminatory practices of the Jim Crow era. In a forceful address, Congressman Jackson vowed to vehemently oppose the legislation, asserting that it undermines the fundamental right to vote and threatens to disenfranchise millions of Americans.

    “Let us be unequivocally clear: the ‘SAVE Act’ is not about safeguarding our democracy; it is about restricting it,” stated Congressman Jackson. “This legislation, masquerading as a measure to protect elections, is in reality a modern-day poll tax dressed in bureaucratic hurdles. It is a calculated assault on the ballot box and a dangerous step backward for our nation.”

    Congressman Jackson highlighted the bill’s mandate for proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, despite overwhelming evidence that non-citizen voting is virtually non-existent. He argued that this requirement would create unnecessary barriers for numerous eligible voters, disproportionately impacting Black, Brown, Indigenous, immigrant, low-income, and elderly communities.

    “The ‘SAVE Act’ is a direct descendant of the Jim Crow laws that sought to suppress the Black vote in the post-Reconstruction South,” Congressman Jackson asserted. “While the language may differ, the intent remains the same: to intimidate, confuse, and ultimately block marginalized communities from exercising their fundamental right to vote. This bill seeks to enshrine inequality and consolidate power by keeping millions of eligible Americans away from the polls.”

    Drawing on data from the Brennan Center for Justice, Congressman Jackson pointed out that an estimated 21 million eligible Americans lack government-issued photo ID, and Black Americans are three times more likely than white Americans to be without such identification. “The ‘SAVE Act’ weaponizes this existing inequality, placing an undue burden on those already underserved by our institutions,” he explained.

    Congressman Jackson underscored the historical struggle for voting rights in America, referencing the sacrifices made by civil rights icons and the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He lamented the erosion of these protections following the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder (2013), which has paved the way for a surge of restrictive voting laws at the state level. “The ‘SAVE Act’ is not a defense of democracy; it is the culmination of efforts to suppress the vote and undermine the progress we have fought so hard to achieve,” he declared.

    Dismissing claims of widespread non-citizen voting as baseless, Congressman Jackson cited findings from the Trump-era Department of Justice, Republican-led election audits, and independent studies that have consistently debunked such assertions. He also referenced data from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Democracy Docket, highlighting the numerous ongoing legal challenges related to voting rights and election administration.

    “The right to vote is the bedrock of our democracy, and every expansion of that right has strengthened our nation,” Congressman Jackson concluded. “The ‘SAVE Act’ would reverse a century of hard-fought progress and move us further away from the ideal of a multiracial democracy. I will not stand idly by while this body considers legislation designed to silence the voices of those who have struggled longest for their right to be heard. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this disgraceful bill and stand with the American people in defense of true democracy.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Joins 178 Colleagues In Introducing Bill To Raise Federal Minimum Wage To $17 By 2030

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the Raise the Wage Act alongside 32 of her colleagues in the Senate and 146 members of the House of Representatives. This bicameral legislation would raise the minimum wage to $17 for all workers and gradually eliminate subminimum wages for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers.

    Last year, nearly one in four workers in the U.S. made less than $17 per hour. In New York, the minimum wage is currently $15.50 in most parts of the state and $16.50 on Long Island and in New York City, and Westchester. According to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), passing the Raise the Wage Act would provide raises to 213,000 New Yorkers.

    “A living wage is critical to make sure that Americans can pay their bills, feed their families, and put a roof over their heads,” said Senator Gillibrand. “No one working full-time in the United States should be living in poverty. This legislation will help lift workers out of poverty, drive economic growth, and reduce income inequality, and I am committed to working with my colleagues to get it passed.”

    Today, the value of the current federal minimum wage – $7.25 per hour – is the lowest it has been since 1956 and has declined significantly since it was last increased in 2009. Black and Hispanic workers disproportionately feel the burden of these low wages as compared to their white counterparts, and that disparity is even worse for women of color. Nearly 40 percent of Hispanic women and 35 percent of Black women make less than $17 per hour.

    Gillibrand is joined on the Raise the Wage Act by 32 senators: Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Additionally, over 85 organizations endorsed the legislation, including Service Employees International Union (SEIU), AFL-CIO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Equal Pay Today, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP), The National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), One Fair Wage, Oxfam America, Patriotic Millionaires, UNITE HERE, United Autoworkers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United for Respect, and United Steelworkers (USW).

    The text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Road blocked, SH1, Paekākāriki

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Wellington Police are advising motorists to be aware of the traffic delays on SH1 following an incident earlier this morning.

    At around 6.30am, Police were notified of debris on the Southbound lanes between the Paekākāriki off-ramp and the Paremata Haywards Road off-ramp.

    Traffic management is in place and motorists are advised to plan ahead and expect delays.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, locals rescue overdue boater near Barnegat Bay

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    04/10/2025 05:37 PM EDT

    The Coast Guard, local law enforcement and commercial salvage crews rescued an overdue man Thursday, near Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Rescued was John Mazzy, 72, from an aids to navigation dayboard in the vicinity of Oyster Creek Channel.

    For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    MIL Security OSI –