JACKSON, MS – Two individuals with ties to the Venezuelan organized crime syndicate Tren de Araqua pleaded guilty to bank theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, Jesus Rene Cabrera Tobias, 25 and Darwin Javier Delgado, 46, pleaded guilty after being indicted by a federal grand jury for bank theft. On August 8, 2024, Tobias and Delgado stole $21,500 from an ATM machine in Enterprise, Mississippi by hacking the ATM operating system and disabling the ATM security features by installing a foreign device that allowed them to assume control of the ATM.
Surveillance footage recovered by FBI on the night of the theft captured Tobias unlock the ATM and open the machine to access the internal system that controlled the ATM operating system and security features. The footage showed that after manipulating the ATM, Tobias returned to their vehicle and retrieved a small electronic device to install within the ATM. After a brief period of manipulating the ATM using the small electronic device, the ATM then emptied by continuously producing United States currency from the cash tray. Tobias collected the cash as it was disbursed from the ATM and transferred it to another individual in the vehicle.
Investigators identified the suspect vehicle and its owner through the surveillance footage. The registered owner of the vehicle was Delgado. Surveillance footage from a nearby store captured Tobias and Delgado traveling in the suspect vehicle and shopping within the store.
The suspect vehicle was stopped the next day in Texas by officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Delgado and Cabrera were found in the vehicle and arrested. Two cell phones and clothing matching the clothing worn during the bank theft operation were recovered from the suspect vehicle upon execution of a search warrant. A forensic examination of the cellular phones contained photographs and videos from the instant offense, including multiple videos of the defendants manipulating other ATMs and withdrawing cash. The forensic examination also showed that the photographs and videos taken during the theft contained metadata placing the defendants at the scene of the crime. The ATM hard drive was forensically examined by FBI and was shown to have been compromised with malware that disabled the ATM security features.
Tobias and Delgado are citizens of Venezuela. During the investigation, Investigators discovered that Tobias and Delgado committed the theft in coordination with members of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Araqua from Venezuela.
“Today’s announcement sends a clear message: Tren de Aragua transnational criminal operations will not be tolerated and the FBI will aggressively pursue TdA’s scourge of criminal activity. Tobias and Delgado brazenly tampered with ATM machines defrauding banks and the American people,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff. “These guilty pleas underscore the FBI’s commitment in collaboration with our state and federal partners in identifying, pursuing, disrupting, and dismantling organized crime syndicates, ultimately eradicating TdA’s presence and influence in the U.S.”
Tobias is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2025. Delgado is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2025. Tobias and Delgado face a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment followed by possible deportation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, Meridian Police Department, Decatur Police Department, Enterprise Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Goff and Brett Grantham are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green Ohio)
Latta’s Bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act Now Law of the Land
Washington, July 16, 2025
Today, Congressman Bob Latta (OH-5) announced that President Donald Trump signed into law his bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act. Co-led by Congressman Latta and Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-9), this new law permanently classifies fentanyl-related substances (FRS) as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over the past five years, more than 324,000 fentanyl-related deaths have been recorded in the United States.
“Today marks a crucial day in the fight against the opioid epidemic as my bipartisan HALT Fentanyl legislation is now the law of the land to help protect American communities by cracking down on deadly fentanyl-related substances and saving lives,”said Latta.“With this law, we’re permanently classifying fentanyl-related substances as a Schedule I drug so that the penalties can be put in place to dissuade more hardworking Americans from falling victim to the poison and make our neighborhoods safer. I thank President Trump for signing this vital legislation into law to add another tool in our fight to keep dangerous drugs off our streets and out of the hands of our communities across Ohio and the country.”
Congressman Latta has consistently championed legislation to fight against the opioid epidemic. Last Congress, he led the HALT Fentanyl Act through the Energy and Commerce Committee and the House, demonstrating his leadership and commitment to combating the spread against deadly fentanyl-related substances.
In 2018, Congressman Latta along with the Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act, a comprehensive legislative package to tackle the opioid crisis. Included in this legislation was Congressman Latta’s Indexing Narcotics, Fentanyl, and Opioids (INFO) Act, a bill aimed to improve data collection and transparency regarding opioid treatment programs. This year, Congressman Latta played a crucial role in reauthorizing the SUPPORT Act with the same goal of continuing to support those battling substance abuse.
He has also penned multiple op-eds in support of this legislation including in the Washington Examiner and Washington Times, helping to raise national awareness and save lives.
MINNEAPOLIS – Vance Boelter, 57, has been indicted on six federal charges in connection with the stalking and murders of Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, the stalking and shooting of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, and the attempted shooting of their daughter Hope Hoffman, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “He carried out targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota. We grieve with the Hortman family and continue to pray for the recovery of the Hoffmans. Today, a grand jury indicted Boelter with the most serious of federal charges for these heinous political assassinations. Let me be clear: Boelter will see justice.”
According to court documents, after extensive research and planning, Boelter embarked on a murderous rampage targeting Minnesota’s elected officials and their families. On June 14, 2025, the defendant disguised himself as a member of law enforcement and traveled to the homes of Democratic elected officials with the intent to intimidate and murder. Early that morning, the defendant traveled to the Hoffmans home in Champlin, Minnesota. By posing as a police officer, Boelter compelled the Hoffmans to answer their door. He then repeatedly shot Senator Hoffman and Yvette Hoffman and he attempted to shoot their daughter, Hope Hoffman.
Boelter then traveled to the homes of two other Minnesota elected officials, only to find that no one at those locations was home. He next drove to the home of Speaker Emerita and Representative Melissa Hortman. There, Boelter repeatedly shot, and killed, Representative Hortman and her husband, Mark. Following a two-day manhunt, law enforcement arrested the defendant near his family residence in Green Isle, Minnesota.
The defendant is charged with numerous counts, including the stalking and murders of Melissa and Mark Hortman, the stalking and shooting of John and Yvette Hoffman, and the attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman. The defendant faces charges which include maximum penalties of up to life in prison or death.
“Last month, the State of Minnesota experienced fear and panic. Today, Vance Boelter was indicted by a federal grand jury, marking another step forward in our pursuit of justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “As alleged in the indictment, Boelter’s actions took the lives of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, both beloved members of our community. The indictment also alleges that Boelter seriously wounded Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. This targeted violence was an attack on the rule of law, resulting in a manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly until Boelter was apprehended. The FBI remains grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their dedication throughout this investigation. Together, we will ensure that justice is served and that a price is paid for the reign of terror and violence our community endured.”
“Vance Boelter’s evil acts did unspeakable harm and terrorized our entire state that night,” Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said. “A lot of work has been happening and we are glad to see these next steps taken toward holding Mr. Boelter accountable for his actions.”
“Political violence has no place in our society and Boelter will be held accountable for his crimes. Today’s indictment reflects the tireless efforts of the dedicated professionals who work every day to protect our communities,” said Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
“Today marks a significant milestone in our pursuit of justice. This case transcends headlines; it highlights the collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies who refused to rest until Vance Boelter was taken into custody, and it also captures the importance of due process in bringing justice,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt. “I’m grateful for everyone involved, including the HCSO staff who spent countless hours during the manhunt—responding to tips, conducting searches, offering intelligence and data support, and more to help bring accountability. As we move forward, our thoughts will remain with the victims and their families affected by this tragedy.”
“The path to justice for the lives torn apart by Vance Boelter’s actions is far from over, but this indictment is a powerful step forward,” said Travis Riddle, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF St. Paul Field Division. “What began as fear and chaos is now moving toward accountability thanks to the tireless work of so many law enforcement partners. ATF is honored to stand with them in pursuit of a prosecution that brings answers and a measure of peace to the communities impacted by this violence.”
“The harm caused by Boelter’s actions was not confined to any one place—it was felt widely, including here in Minneapolis. His conduct endangered the safety of our communities and undermined trust in police. We are thankful to our U.S. Attorney’s Office and all federal, state, and local law enforcement that have worked tirelessly to hold this killer accountable,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, ATF, Brooklyn Park Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Champlin Police Department, and New Hope Police Department, together with several other state and local partners. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also assisted in the investigation. This investigation has proceeded with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in strong partnership with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Bradley M. Endicott, Matthew D. Forbes, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat
WATCH: Padilla pushes for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the heels of another harsh heat wave across California, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.
Co-leads of the legislation include U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12).
To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.
The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.
“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”
“Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift. The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”
“From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”
“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”
“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”
“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.
From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.
The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.
“Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”
“Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”
“For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers.
“Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”
“It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”
“Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.
“Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Senator Padilla has acted urgently to address the threats posed by extreme heat as the climate crisis becomes more severe. Padilla successfully called on OSHA to establish the first-ever federal safety standard to protect workers from the severe risks of excessive heat, implementing key provisions from the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Padilla and his colleagues also led 112 members of Congress in calling on the Biden Administration to implement a workplace federal heat standard as quickly as possible. The letter urged OSHA to model the standard after the provisions in the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Additionally, Padilla and Markey’s Preventing Health Emergencies and Temperature-related (HEAT) Illness and Deaths Act advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last year.
Padilla previously joined union members and workers from UFW and the Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO in Forty Acres, California in 2023 to announce his legislation to implement an enforceable federal workplace heat standard.
A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.
A section-by-section of the bill is available here.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Lawmakers emphasize importance of emergency broadcasting funding to keep Americans safe amid natural disasters and emergencies
Washington, DC — On Wednesday, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), joined Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) in leading a letter alongside 45 bicameral Congressional colleagues to President Trump urging him to reconsider his decision to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The CPB supports America’s children with educational programming and ensures that emergency broadcasting keeps Americans safe amid natural disasters and emergencies. The proposed rescission to the CPB will force small stations around the country to close, leaving significant gaps in coverage for Americans who rely on these vital services for noncommercial, high-quality, localized content and telecommunications.
The letter comes amid Congressional Republicans’ attempt to pass President Trump’s proposal to rescind $10 Billion in federal funding that Congress approved four months ago on a bipartisan basis. Despite bipartisan opposition to the bill, the US Senate voted to move forward to debating and amending the legislation on Wednesday by the slimmest possible margin following a tie-breaking vote cast by Vice President JD Vance.
“We write to express our deep concern regarding the $1.1 Billion claw back of funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) included in the proposed recissions you sent to Congress on May 28, 2025,” said the lawmakers in their letter to the White House. “The package was passed through the House of Representatives on June 12, over the objections of all Democratic and four Republican Members. The cuts to CPB in the recission package undermine the public media that Americans rely on for unfettered access to information, educational programming for kids, cultural programming, and nationwide emergency alerting.
“Public media has received bipartisan support for the past 50 years because Congress has continuously recognized that access to public media is in the public’s best interest. The Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS) is the backbone of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Amber Alerts and plays a critical role in keeping Americans informed and safe during emergencies. As key local news providers, public radio stations leverage their reporting resources to offer live news and information on disasters and other emergencies, providing real-time information on where local audiences can access resources and safe locations.
“As our nation experiences increased instances of severe weather and climate shocks, this service is more important than ever. In Minnesota, Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) delivers programming and services across the state, and in some areas is the only local source for news and updates during an emergency. When the power goes out, and cell networks or the internet go down, MPR is the most reliable form of communication in an emergency and provides essential backstopping for all other emergency alerting services and activities across the public media system. This is true across all 50 states, and losing this important service in the middle of hurricane, flood, and tornado season will prove devastating nationwide.
“Of the $1.1 Billion included in the rescission proposal, 70% of these funds will be pulled out of local stations that are independently owned and operated in our communities. For many smaller stations in rural communities across the country, these cuts will prove utterly devastating, because they provide local, state, and regional news that is no longer provided through other outlets. These small stations will not survive, resulting in news deserts for these communities and putting thousands of American lives at risk.
“We ask your administration to withdraw this rescission proposal and protect the vital services that CPB provides. If the rescissions go ahead as planned, we will be requesting a report to Congress as to how your administration plans to fill the void left behind, particularly in the areas of emergency alerting and local news reporting.”
The letter is co-signed by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and 44 Democratic Representatives: Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Ami Bera (CA-06), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Shontel Brown (OH-11), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Danny Davis (IL-07), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), William Keating (MA-09), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), James McGovern (MA-02), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Dave Min (CA-47), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Richard Neal (MA-01), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Emily Randall (WA-06), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Adam Smith (WA-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05).
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Felisberto Lopes, also known as “Chee-B,” 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Lopes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and multiple counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2025. In May 2023, Lopes was one of 22 individuals named in a multi-count superseding indictment charging him and others with racketeering conspiracy, drug and firearms trafficking and other offenses.
Lopes was identified as a member of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in Dorchester that uses violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote fear and enhance its reputation. According to the charging documents, members use social media applications to promote Cameron Street, celebrate murders and other violent crimes committed by the gang, as well as denigrate rival gangs. Cameron Street members allegedly possess, carry and use firearms to murder and assault gang rivals as well as protect narcotics and drug proceeds. Cameron Street members also allegedly distribute controlled substances and firearms, commit armed robberies and engage in human trafficking in part to generate income for the Cameron Street enterprise.
During the investigation Lopes distributed several firearms as well as cocaine to a cooperating witness. On Feb. 26, 2022, law enforcement responded to a shooting that took place at Lopes’ residence in Dorchester. During a search of his residence, a half kilogram of cocaine, over $25,000, two plastic bags containing crack cocaine, two scales with cocaine residue, a bag of oxycodone pills and over 400 rounds of various calibers of ammunition were seized. Lopes was taken into custody nearby.
Lopes had previously been convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of aggravated assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury and served a four-year state prison sentence.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Scott Riordan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
TULSA, Okla. – A Mexican national was sentenced today for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Marcos Javier Suazo-Mancilla, 23, to 270 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
In October 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a drug trafficking organization believed to be responsible for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Tulsa area. When law enforcement conducted a search warrant at a residence, Suazo-Mancilla was present, and documentation showed that he was residing in the home. During a search of the residence, approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine, 41 grams of cocaine, seven firearms, and more than $9k in cash were found. The investigation further revealed that this organization rented an auto body shop. When law enforcement searched that business, they found an additional 39 pounds of methamphetamine.
Suazo-Mancilla was previously removed from the United States in August 2018. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Nasar prosecuted 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).
Legislation Would Help Businesses Bring On Mid-Career Workers Seeking To Return To Or Transition Into STEM Jobs
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) introduced the STEM Restoring Employment Skills through Targeted Assistance, Re-entry, and Training (RESTART) Act. This bipartisan legislation would provide funding to support mid-career internships, known as “returnships,” for workers seeking to return to or transition into the STEM workforce. Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) and Jim Baird (R-IN) have also introduced identical bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“When we invest in STEM education and workforce development, we can open the door to successful careers in some of the most in-demand industries,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad to introduce this bipartisan bill to help give workers the training and tools they need to enter new STEM careers. I’ll keep working across party lines to make sure all Nevadans have the skills needed to fill good-paying jobs.”
“Many skilled professionals step away from the workforce, but face significant barriers when trying to return, especially in technical fields where innovation moves fast,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “Our legislation equips small and mid-sized businesses with the tools to tap into this valuable talent pool. This will help hardworking Americans reconnect with meaningful careers while growing the STEM workforce in states like Mississippi and beyond.”
“Arizona’s 21st century economy depends on a strong STEM workforce, and that means making sure talented workers who’ve taken time away or are looking to transition into STEM fields have a real pathway back in,” said Senator Kelly. “This effort will help small businesses tap into an underutilized talent pool while giving Arizonans the support they need to reenter the workforce and succeed in high-paying careers.”
“As a former Air Force engineer and chemistry teacher, I know that building a strong STEM workforce is essential not only for creating good-paying jobs, but also for safeguarding our national security,” said Representative Houlahan. “Whether it’s biotechnology, quantum computing, or clean energy, the global race for innovation is accelerating, and we can’t afford to leave talent on the sidelines. The bipartisan STEM RESTART Act will help mid-career professionals and those returning to the workforce enter high-demand STEM fields so we can strengthen our economy, compete globally, and protect America’s leadership in emerging technologies. I’m proud to reintroduce this commonsense legislation, which is a win for both businesses and workers across our Commonwealth and country.”
“If we want to maintain our global competitive edge and continue to lead the world in innovation, we must ensure we have a well-equipped STEM workforce now and empower future generations in STEM fields,” said Congressman Baird. “A robust STEM workforce is also vital to our economic prosperity and national security, especially when up against the threat of Communist China. I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for their work on this bipartisan legislation to equip Hoosiers who want to return to the STEM workforce with the tools they need to fill job openings and build the greatest economy in history.”
“The STEM RESTART Act is a forward-thinking investment in our nation’s workforce,” said Chris Heavey, Interim President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “By supporting mid-career professionals reentering the STEM fields, this bill strengthens innovation, expands opportunity, and ensures that talent and experience are not left behind.”
“The Society of Women Engineers is thrilled to see the STEM RESTART Act reintroduced in 2025. As the nation continues to rebuild a strong and inclusive STEM workforce, this legislation is more critical than ever. Hundreds of thousands of STEM professionals have stepped away from technical careers in recent years, and research shows most want to return—but face steep barriers. Grants for structured ‘returnships’ give mid-career professionals real, paid pathways back into meaningful STEM roles,” said Karen Horting, Executive Director & CEO of the Society of Women Engineers. “SWE and our 50,000 plus members fully support this bipartisan, bicameral effort to bridge talent gaps, bolster small and midsize businesses, and drive innovation. We urge lawmakers to pass the STEM RESTART Act as soon as possible and reaffirm our collective commitment to supporting women and others who pause their careers, as well as the country’s economic growth and global competitiveness.”
The STEM RESTART Act has been endorsed by the Society of Women Engineers, STEM Education Coalition, AnitaB.org, Nevada System of Higher Education, College of Southern Nevada, Vegas Chamber, Henderson Chamber of Commerce, Nevada State University, and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Senator Rosen has been a leader in advocating for tech innovation and improving access to STEM careers. She helped pass the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which invests $52 billion in domestic computer chip manufacturing to help address the current shortage. Additionally, Rosen helped write the broadband section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is delivering $65 billion to make high-speed internet more available and affordable to Americans. In 2020, Senator Rosen’s bipartisan Building Blocks of STEM Act, which breaks down barriers to allow more young girls to study computer science, was signed into law.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Emil Bove requesting information relating to his involvement in the Department of Justice’s review of and decision making relating to public disclosures of the Epstein Files. Emil Bove is currently a nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
“You have held a key decision-making role at DOJ since the beginning of this Administration, first as Acting Deputy Attorney General through March 2025 and then in your current position as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, serving as a close adviser to Attorney General Pam Bondi. In light of the significant public interest in the Epstein files and the Trump DOJ and FBI’s shifting positions on transparency and public disclosure, records and information relating to your participation in this matter are relevant to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s ongoing review of your nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit,” wrote Senator Booker.
“Your involvement in the DOJ’s review of the Epstein files is a matter of significant public importance given the contradictory statements by Attorney General Bondi concerning the existence of an Epstein “client list” and DOJ’s stated commitment to transparency. Furthermore, it warrants scrutiny whether the DOJ intentionally withheld evidence related to the trafficking and sexual abuse of minors to protect certain individuals,” Senator Booker continued.
“As Acting Deputy Attorney General, you “advise[d] and assist[ed] the Attorney General in formulating and implementing Departmental policies and programs and [provided] overall supervision and direction to all organizational units of the Department” and were “authorized to exercise all the power and authority of the Attorney General.” By all accounts, you have continued to fulfill many of these responsibilities as Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General, closely advising Attorney General Pam Bondi,” SenatorBooker wrote.
“It is imperative that the Senate Judiciary Committee ascertain the scope and extent of your involvement in the handling of the Epstein files before voting on your nomination,” Senator Booker concluded.
Senator Booker demanded answers to the following questions no later than 9:00 AM on July 17, 2025:
Did you ever advise AG Bondi regarding the Epstein files?
Did you participate in the review of any documents, video, or other evidence contained in the Epstein files?
Did you participate in drafting or reviewing the letter Pam Bondi sent to Kash Patel on February 27, 2025 directing the FBI to produce “all records, documents, audio and video recordings, and materials related to Jeffrey Epstein and his clients”?
Did you ever participate in discussions about what evidence from the Epstein files the DOJ should release?
Did you participate in any discussions about whether to release video evidence from the Epstein files involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM)?
Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Pam Bondi?
Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Kash Patel?
Did you ever discuss the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Dan Bongino?
Did you participate in a discussion about the release of any evidence from the Epstein files with Pam Bondi, Kash Patel, and Dan Bongino?
Did you ever participate in a discussion in which Dan Bongino suggested releasing all the evidence in the Epstein files, including video, prior to July 7, 2025?
Did you ever express concerns to Kash Patel or Dan Bongino about releasing video evidence from the Epstein files because it could include CSAM prior to July 7, 2025?
Did you participate in any discussion in which Attorney General Bondi expressed concerns to Kash Patel or Dan Bongino about releasing video evidence from the Epstein files due to the presence of CSAM prior to July 7, 2025?
Did you participate in drafting or reviewing the undated and unsigned DOJ and FBI memo issued on July 7, 2025?
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Patty Murray (D-WA) led the reintroduction of the Access to Birth Control Act. The legislation would guarantee patients’ timely access to birth control at pharmacies nationwide—including by addressing pharmacies’ refusals of contraception that prevent patients from obtaining their preferred form of birth control medication. U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) introduced companion legislation in the House.
Contraception is an essential part of reproductive health care, and protecting access to contraception at the pharmacy is more important than ever given the relentless attacks on reproductive health care currently ongoing throughout the country. In addition to ensuring that patients have access to contraception at the pharmacy without delay, the bill would also ensure that pharmacies do not operate an environment where patients are intimidated, threatened, or harassed when seeking access to contraception or medication related to contraception. In the event that a pharmacy violates one of these requirements, the bill establishes liability for civil penalties for the pharmacy and a private cause of action for patients to seek relief.
“Three years ago, the Supreme Court unjustly overturned Roe v. Wade, and opened the door to attacks on contraception,” said Senator Booker. “Since then, Republicans have used every tool they can to undercut access to reproductive health care, and Congress must act to ensure everyone has the freedom to make their own decisions about contraception without fear of intimidation or threats. The Access to Birth Control Act will remove barriers to accessing birth control, and ensure Americans have full autonomy over their bodies and reproductive choices.”
“Birth control is essential health care—there is no reason it shouldn’t be available to every woman, without exception,” said Senator Murray. “As contraception comes under attack by Republican anti-abortion extremists, it is more important than ever that women can access birth control, free from fear and intimidation. Our bill ensures no one seeking birth control experiences harassment, denials, or delays from providers. I will never stop fighting to defend reproductive health care and make it more accessible and affordable for women everywhere.”
“Birth control is safe, effective, and essential for healthcare,” said Representative Kelly. “No pharmacy employee or politician should weigh into such a private decision as to if or when to start a family. My bill removes barriers that obstruct a patient’s right to birth control so everyone can access birth control without intimidation, harassment, or discrimination.”
Although Supreme Court precedent recognizes a protected right to contraception, conservatives on the Court have ignored precedent to undermine reproductive rights. In the radical Dobbs decision, the Court reversed the nearly 50-year precedent of Roe v. Wade that guaranteed a right to access abortion care. Access to contraception in the United States should not hinge on the Supreme Court’s ideological balance or the willingness of individual pharmacists to fill prescriptions. Providers, including pharmacists, play a key role in providing contraceptive services and important information about prescription and over-the-counter birth control options to people across the country.
According to the National Women’s Law Center, pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions for birth control or provide emergency contraception over the counter to patients in 24 states and the District of Columbia. These refusals are based on personal beliefs and can negatively impact a patient’s health. Additionally, these refusals disproportionately affect people of color, low-income people, LGBTQ+ people, and those who live in rural and other underserved areas.
The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The Access to Birth Control Act is endorsed by more than 20 organizations, listed here.
Remarks by Brad Callaghan, Associate Deputy Commissioner of the Policy, Planning and Advocacy Directorate; and Jonathan Fonberg, Senior Behavioural Scientist, Behavioural Insights Unit
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, Commissioners and Commission staff. Thank you for the opportunity to appear here today on unceded Algonquin Anishinabeg land just north of the Kichi Zibi.
My name is Brad Callaghan, and I am the Associate Deputy Commissioner of the Policy, Planning and Advocacy Directorate at the Competition Bureau of Canada.
Let me begin by introducing the members of our panel. To my right is:
Ben Klass: Competition Law Officer, Policy, Planning and Advocacy Directorate; and
Derek Leschinsky: Senior Counsel, Competition Bureau Legal Services.
To my left is:
Jonathan Fonberg, Senior Behavioural Scientist, Behavioural Insights Unit; and
Émilie-Ève Gravel, head of the Competition Bureau’s Behavioural Insights Unit.
The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that protects and promotes competition for the benefit of Canadian consumers and businesses. We are an evidence-based agency we’re not influenced by commercial interests, but by the public interest just like the CRTC.
We hope that our participation in this consultation will help to deliver outcomes that serve the public interest by creating the conditions for competition.
Telecommunications services like home internet and mobile connectivity have become an essential part of modern life. Since the pandemic, Canadians across the country have come to rely on their connections more than ever before to stay in touch with family and community, to learn, work, play, and to do business.
Policies promoting marketplace competition are helping get us to a place where most people have access to a range of innovative services that meet their needs at affordable prices.
At the same time, your consumer codes for wireless, internet, and television services have helped empower consumers to make choices between services and providers on their own terms.
Despite these positive steps, there are signs telling us there’s still work to be done and competition is key to achieving your policy objectives.
So, as technology, markets, and patterns of communication evolve, we see this consultation as an opportunity to build on past successes and keep the momentum going.
In oursubmission, we’ve shared several recommendationsthat we hope will help improve competitive dynamics and consumer choice in Canada’s telecom markets.
Our recommendations are grounded in the general principle that good information and freedom from barriers to switching are key ingredients in the recipe for competition. When either or both of these components are lacking, it makes room for the exercise of market power, which can be harmful for consumers and the economy more broadly.
To develop our input, we conducted desk research, consulted with stakeholders including other domestic and international regulators and engaged our behavioural insights experts, who are here with us today, to sharpen the focus on providing evidence-based best practices for empowering consumers.
So, with that in mind, I’ll now briefly outline our recommendations and some of the key ideas why we think adopting them will help.
First, we support the adoption of a ‘nutrition label’ format for providing customers with information.
Four out of five participants in the CRTC’s public opinion research felt that ‘standardized information in a recognizable format, like the nutrition label but for home Internet services’ would be beneficial.
We agree the label is a good idea and Canadians are already familiar with it: their experience in the food products sector shows that labels are an effective, adaptable tool for conveying complex yet crucial information about goods and services.
From a competition perspective, enabling people to more easily compare services and providers gives them the power to make choices based on their own specific needs and circumstances. When consumers have good information that they can act on to switch, providers will work harder to make sure people’s needs are being met.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already put in the legwork to adapt the nutrition label for the fixed and mobile broadband services. We believe that the record of their extensive rulemaking process represents a helpful resource to consult as the CRTC develops its own ‘made for Canada’ version of the label.
So what does a ‘made for Canada’ label look like?
For the most part, we think it should look a lot like the FCC’s label information about price, performance, and other important service characteristics is presented in a format that’s already familiar for Canadian consumers from their experience in the grocery aisle with just a few key differences.
In our view, the monthly price on a ‘made for Canada’ label should show an ‘all-in’ price that includes all fixed and obligatory charges or fees as opposed to the approach favoured by the FCC where a baseline monthly price is followed by additional monthly fees. The reason is that Canada’s Competition Act prohibits ‘drip pricing’. Keeping the label consistent with the drip pricing provisions means making sure that the carriers can not be permitted to display a price that is unattainable because of additional fixed and obligatory charges or fees that drive up the price consumers ultimately pay for their services.
Adopting an ‘all-in’ approach to pricing would help the label to work in harmony with the Competition Act’s provisions on drip pricing.
Similarly, all relevant ads and information contained in policies and disclaimers must be consistent with information in the label. To the extent that the label refers or links to disclaimers, they cannot be used or relied upon to restrict, contradict, or negate any marketing messages, or otherwise cure misleading or deceptive marketing practices.
Overall, this approach would help keep information simple, relevant, and it would facilitate apples-to-apples comparisons.
Second, we think the label would benefit wireless phone customers and competition in that market, too.
Like home internet services, wireless phones are essential for nearly all Canadians. CCTS and CRTC data show that Canadians have similar issues with both services, too.
Every Canadian wireless network operator also offers home Internet – meaning that they will already be developing labels as a result of this proceeding.
From our perspective, extending the labels’ application to wireless phone services could deliver significant benefits for minimal additional cost. Doing so would help to simplify and harmonize the consumer information environment in general while avoiding the need to duplicate efforts down the road.
Third, we think the labels would be especially beneficial for customers who are actively shopping, and for subscribers whose contracts are about to expire.
Dr. Fonberg will explain how we can think about making sure the labels are as useful for consumers as possible.
[Jonathan Fonberg, Senior Behavioural Scientist]
Thank you.
Consumers are less likely to engage with information if the effort required to identify and understand that information is high.
That means difficulties in accessing critical information about broadband plans and alternatives can create barriers to switching.
Our recommendations draw on key principles and best practises from behavioural science.
They aim to empower consumers by reducing the effort required to identify and understand critical information; thereby reducing barriers to switching.
To that end, these recommendations address both the format and availability of the label.
First, the label design should allow consumers to quickly grasp key information. It should be easily accessible and comprehensible.
This is intended to reduce the effort required by customers to interpret complex plan information.
But beyond what’s in the label, when and where it’s found is also important.
We recommend that it be widely available anywhere specific plan information is displayed. We are also asking that the label be included in notices sent to customers whose contracts are set to expire.
This will reduce the need for customers to search for key details buried in the fine print, making the process more convenient and increasing their chances of engaging with it.
These recommendations are intended to ensure that customers will be able to easily access the label when they need it the most, maximizing its benefit.
[Brad Callaghan, Associate Deputy Commissioner]
Thank you, Dr. Fonberg.
The CRTC has taken important steps in recent years to empower consumers in their relationships with their service providers. Ensuring that phone numbers are portable, placing limits on contract length, and unlocking devices are just some of the actions the CRTC has taken to foster competition in the marketplace for the benefit of consumers and the economy.
The Competition Bureau is pleased that the CRTC continues to build on these achievements. A broadband nutrition label can put consumers in the driver’s seat of the switching process and improve competition in telecommunication markets. With clear, standardized information to compare their options, consumers can take advantage of competition more easily, and companies will compete harder to keep them.
We’d like to thank the Commission for the opportunity to participate in these proceedings. We will endeavour to answer any questions you may have.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, Associate Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, PhD Candidate School of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University
American gospel singer and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar on stage in 1957.Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
I’ve been playing a 1963 Maton FyrByrd guitar since I was 14 years old. It’s Australian designed and made with the unique sharkbite body, and pickups named cool, midway and hi-fi.
With only 1,160 of this model produced between 1962 and 1965, it’s a rarity. But so too is its provenance. In lieu of jewellery, cabinet crystal or other family heirlooms, I inherited my mother’s electric guitar.
The electric guitar is synonymous with rock’n’roll genres emerging from the 1950s. It’s also become one of the most potent icons of masculine heroism in popular music culture. Stereotypical imagery circulates around riffs, shredding and posturing.
The wailing guitar solo has become a signature feature of virtuosity, a spotlight of grandeur setting the male guitarist apart from the band with a distinctive textural line.
These characteristics mean the electric guitar takes up space – something traditionally associated with masculine performance.
But the paradox about the gendering of “the axe” is that a leading, stylistic founder was a woman – and many follow in her footsteps today.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
The guitar has been an important instrument of music making for centuries, but the 1930s marked the invention of the electric guitar.
Amplifying the guitar produced its distinctive feature: the capacity for sustain. This enabled sounds to siren out, dive and waver – often at high volume.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe photographed in November 1957. Henry How/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Her style developed over four decades from the 1930s to 1960s with fluid fretboard prowess and a percussive right hand, leaning into the hover of distortion. Tharpe influenced big names of contemporary music such as Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.
Audiences loved her.
However, a woman (also queer, and a person of colour) “owning” the electric guitar challenged the patriarchal music industry who tended to frame her as a singer, rather than a prolific instrumentalist.
DIY learning systems
While stereotypes such as “masculine” taking up space might help to explain a lack of women and gender diverse electric guitarists (and indeed other instrumentalists in rock tropes), their absence also stems from the way that skills are developed and subsequently valued.
In rock and punk music, learning to play often comes via friendship groups where knowledge is passed around and learnt using do-it-yourself (DIY) methods.
These processes are often associated with rites of passage into adulthood.
But these social networks are also gendered. Women and gender diverse people are often excluded from informal channels that create opportunities, or relegated to support roles, a reflection of mainstream ideas that set “women’s roles” to passive. This starts from a young age.
My research (to be published) shows that, for those who do pick up a guitar, DIY (and punk sentiment) is an effective tool to circumvent social barriers to skill acquisition.
Yet women and gender diverse guitarists are constantly compared to a male cannon of music history, scrutinised as an exception, but rarely exceptional.
Gendered divisions of labour that see women carry a greater weight of unpaid labour further impact the time available to hone a craft. These are the double gates of sexism and ageism that make becoming a music legend a masculine, middle aged, luxury.
Despite this, a treasure trove of musical elders have distorted the way that guitar playing is historically and sentimentally wedded to masculine expertise.
The axe in different hands
When Joan Jett burst onto the punk scene in the 1970s with her low-slung electric guitar, she had the look and attitude of her male counterparts. But she carved a style centred on solid, rhythmic blocks, saturating accents with power chords in lieu of complex, single note techniques.
Joan Jett plays guitar for The Runaways, Chicago 1977. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In subcultural spaces, artists like Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama from Japanese cult band the 5, 6, 7, 8s, now in her mid 70s, shape-shifts her way through a range of genre bending musical statements that challenge stereotypical guitar playing with signature guitar pedals, and joyous virtuosity.
Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama performing during the The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival in 2004. Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images
On her recent album tour, Kim Gordon, one of the most recognisable women in punk, now also in her 70s, ditched her bass for the electric guitar.
She ended her shows standing on her amp holding her guitar overhead. She’s doing what she’s always done: querying the boundaries of culture tropes, cementing her iconic status.
These artists and countless others challenge expectations of gender via the symbolism projected through the electric guitar.
And they go a step further in rejecting pressures for older women to be sidelined.
Kim Gordon as a member of the super-group Free Kitten performs in concert in Milan, 2024. Elena Di Vincenzo/Archivio Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
The Australian soundscape
Australian music culture has a rich and diverse heritage. However, the same touchstones tend to be used to produce a particular narrative about musical connoisseurship that enables (mostly) men to be elevated through to legendary status.
It’s annoying. Because in the context of rock guitar playing, the local talent pool is extensive. Current stars Courtney Barnett, Erica Dunn, and emerging musicians like Jaybird Bryne represent a legacy to the work of artists such as Suze DeMarchi, Orianthi, Adalita, Barb Waters and Sarah McLeod, all sharing commercial success as guitarists.
They sit alongside well-established independent artists really stretching the sonic parameters of the electric guitar in DIY/punk traditions including Penny Ikinger, Lisa Mackinney, Sarah Hardiman, Claire Birchall, Bonnie Mercer and Sarah Blaby.
Moving past the musical bias of the great, white, male not only expands our sonic palettes – it might also help us to rethink the limitations of binary gender roles more broadly. This means querying cultural inheritances like the axe, re-imagining who an elder might be, and embracing what they sound like.
Janelle K Johnstone receives funding from Creative Victoria and the Australia Council.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, Associate Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, PhD Candidate School of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University
American gospel singer and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar on stage in 1957.Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
I’ve been playing a 1963 Maton FyrByrd guitar since I was 14 years old. It’s Australian designed and made with the unique sharkbite body, and pickups named cool, midway and hi-fi.
With only 1,160 of this model produced between 1962 and 1965, it’s a rarity. But so too is its provenance. In lieu of jewellery, cabinet crystal or other family heirlooms, I inherited my mother’s electric guitar.
The electric guitar is synonymous with rock’n’roll genres emerging from the 1950s. It’s also become one of the most potent icons of masculine heroism in popular music culture. Stereotypical imagery circulates around riffs, shredding and posturing.
The wailing guitar solo has become a signature feature of virtuosity, a spotlight of grandeur setting the male guitarist apart from the band with a distinctive textural line.
These characteristics mean the electric guitar takes up space – something traditionally associated with masculine performance.
But the paradox about the gendering of “the axe” is that a leading, stylistic founder was a woman – and many follow in her footsteps today.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe
The guitar has been an important instrument of music making for centuries, but the 1930s marked the invention of the electric guitar.
Amplifying the guitar produced its distinctive feature: the capacity for sustain. This enabled sounds to siren out, dive and waver – often at high volume.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe photographed in November 1957. Henry How/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Her style developed over four decades from the 1930s to 1960s with fluid fretboard prowess and a percussive right hand, leaning into the hover of distortion. Tharpe influenced big names of contemporary music such as Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards.
Audiences loved her.
However, a woman (also queer, and a person of colour) “owning” the electric guitar challenged the patriarchal music industry who tended to frame her as a singer, rather than a prolific instrumentalist.
DIY learning systems
While stereotypes such as “masculine” taking up space might help to explain a lack of women and gender diverse electric guitarists (and indeed other instrumentalists in rock tropes), their absence also stems from the way that skills are developed and subsequently valued.
In rock and punk music, learning to play often comes via friendship groups where knowledge is passed around and learnt using do-it-yourself (DIY) methods.
These processes are often associated with rites of passage into adulthood.
But these social networks are also gendered. Women and gender diverse people are often excluded from informal channels that create opportunities, or relegated to support roles, a reflection of mainstream ideas that set “women’s roles” to passive. This starts from a young age.
My research (to be published) shows that, for those who do pick up a guitar, DIY (and punk sentiment) is an effective tool to circumvent social barriers to skill acquisition.
Yet women and gender diverse guitarists are constantly compared to a male cannon of music history, scrutinised as an exception, but rarely exceptional.
Gendered divisions of labour that see women carry a greater weight of unpaid labour further impact the time available to hone a craft. These are the double gates of sexism and ageism that make becoming a music legend a masculine, middle aged, luxury.
Despite this, a treasure trove of musical elders have distorted the way that guitar playing is historically and sentimentally wedded to masculine expertise.
The axe in different hands
When Joan Jett burst onto the punk scene in the 1970s with her low-slung electric guitar, she had the look and attitude of her male counterparts. But she carved a style centred on solid, rhythmic blocks, saturating accents with power chords in lieu of complex, single note techniques.
Joan Jett plays guitar for The Runaways, Chicago 1977. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
In subcultural spaces, artists like Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama from Japanese cult band the 5, 6, 7, 8s, now in her mid 70s, shape-shifts her way through a range of genre bending musical statements that challenge stereotypical guitar playing with signature guitar pedals, and joyous virtuosity.
Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama performing during the The Carling Weekend: Reading Festival in 2004. Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty Images
On her recent album tour, Kim Gordon, one of the most recognisable women in punk, now also in her 70s, ditched her bass for the electric guitar.
She ended her shows standing on her amp holding her guitar overhead. She’s doing what she’s always done: querying the boundaries of culture tropes, cementing her iconic status.
These artists and countless others challenge expectations of gender via the symbolism projected through the electric guitar.
And they go a step further in rejecting pressures for older women to be sidelined.
Kim Gordon as a member of the super-group Free Kitten performs in concert in Milan, 2024. Elena Di Vincenzo/Archivio Elena Di Vincenzo/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
The Australian soundscape
Australian music culture has a rich and diverse heritage. However, the same touchstones tend to be used to produce a particular narrative about musical connoisseurship that enables (mostly) men to be elevated through to legendary status.
It’s annoying. Because in the context of rock guitar playing, the local talent pool is extensive. Current stars Courtney Barnett, Erica Dunn, and emerging musicians like Jaybird Bryne represent a legacy to the work of artists such as Suze DeMarchi, Orianthi, Adalita, Barb Waters and Sarah McLeod, all sharing commercial success as guitarists.
They sit alongside well-established independent artists really stretching the sonic parameters of the electric guitar in DIY/punk traditions including Penny Ikinger, Lisa Mackinney, Sarah Hardiman, Claire Birchall, Bonnie Mercer and Sarah Blaby.
Moving past the musical bias of the great, white, male not only expands our sonic palettes – it might also help us to rethink the limitations of binary gender roles more broadly. This means querying cultural inheritances like the axe, re-imagining who an elder might be, and embracing what they sound like.
Janelle K Johnstone receives funding from Creative Victoria and the Australia Council.
Justice, truth, and memory lie at the heart of what it means for a society to rebuild after suffering from genocide and mass atrocity. Justice that holds perpetrators accountable and attempts to repair the harm that was done to victims and their communities. Truth that establishes the facts of what occurred. Memory that is a faithful reflection of that truth. These are the tools we use to stabilize, heal, and rehabilitate a post-atrocity society. All require the courage to deal with, rather than ignore, a past legacy of massive human rights abuses.
Achieving justice, truth, and memory does not happen quickly or come easily. To deal with the past is to open a wound that may be more comfortably, at least in the short term, left ignored. Long term, however, to let the wound fester is to invite the recurrence of another, perhaps even more grievous, conflict-laden future.
This is precisely why UConn’s internationally recognized International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Digital Archives are such a rich and important resource. Established by the United Nations in 1993, the ICTY was the first international war crimes court of its kind since Nuremberg, and it focused extensively on investigating the atrocities committed during the Yugoslav Wars of 1992-95. The ICTY Digital Archives – the result of an ongoing collaboration between Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs, the UConn Libraries, the Connecticut Digital Archive, and individual scholars, witnesses, and others involved in the tribunal – seek to make the work of the tribunal accessible to researchers, educators, students, and others.
Under the leadership of Predrag Dojčinović, who formerly worked for the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY, and Aida Gradaščević, a graduate of UConn’s master’s program in human rights, a team of UConn student researchers have helped curate ten unique and diverse collections related to documents, translations, photographs, expert reports, records, and other materials from the ICTY.
For Dojčinović, the ICTY Digital Archive “stands as a powerful and enduring monument to justice, truth, and remembrance, a meticulously curated legacy uniting victims’ voices, expert insights, and judicial records into an unassailable historical testament. By opening this profound repository to the world, we affirm that justice transcends the courtroom: it lives in public memory, breathes through open dialogue, and endures in our shared commitment to truth, accountability, and reconciliation.”
Srebrenica Memorial Cemetery, July 11, 2007, James Waller
The newest addition to UConn’s ICTY Digital Archives, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection, is particularly timely as July 2025 marks 30 years since the genocide in Srebrenica occurred. Standing as the gravest crime committed on European soil since the Second World War, over 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslims) men and boys, despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers, were systematically murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. The bodies of the victims – three generations of males, including some as young as 10 years of age – were then dumped into mass graves or thrown into the Drina River. To conceal the extent of the massacre, Bosnian Serbs later scattered the remains of many of the victims in secondary or tertiary mass graves. To date, the remains of nearly 1,000 of the Srebrenica victims have yet to be found.
Alongside official court materials, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection includes a wider range of sources: scholarly articles, books, films, podcasts, images, and other media that continue to tell the story of Srebrenica and trace its enduring impact three decades later. The collection is designed to evolve over time, growing through continued research and contributions to ensure that the memory of Srebrenica remains active, accessible, and instructive for generations to come. This collection is particularly crucial as denial of the Srebrenica genocide, along with glorification of convicted war criminals, remains painfully prevalent in Serb political and social discourse throughout the region.
In reflecting on the events he survived in the former Yugoslavia, the late poet Goran Simic captured the importance of projects like the ICTY Digital Archives: “Dealing with the past will not be easy, but it is essential. Dealing with our own past by bringing closure and offering justice for all, perpetrators and victims, is the only right way. This path will not remove crimes from history. It will not repair souls that have been torn apart. But it will offer them the option to move on, and future generations will be able to live without the baggage of what went before.”
James Waller, Professor of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages & Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice at the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, UConn
Justice, truth, and memory lie at the heart of what it means for a society to rebuild after suffering from genocide and mass atrocity. Justice that holds perpetrators accountable and attempts to repair the harm that was done to victims and their communities. Truth that establishes the facts of what occurred. Memory that is a faithful reflection of that truth. These are the tools we use to stabilize, heal, and rehabilitate a post-atrocity society. All require the courage to deal with, rather than ignore, a past legacy of massive human rights abuses.
Achieving justice, truth, and memory does not happen quickly or come easily. To deal with the past is to open a wound that may be more comfortably, at least in the short term, left ignored. Long term, however, to let the wound fester is to invite the recurrence of another, perhaps even more grievous, conflict-laden future.
This is precisely why UConn’s internationally recognized International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Digital Archives are such a rich and important resource. Established by the United Nations in 1993, the ICTY was the first international war crimes court of its kind since Nuremberg, and it focused extensively on investigating the atrocities committed during the Yugoslav Wars of 1992-95. The ICTY Digital Archives – the result of an ongoing collaboration between Dodd Human Rights Impact Programs, the UConn Libraries, the Connecticut Digital Archive, and individual scholars, witnesses, and others involved in the tribunal – seek to make the work of the tribunal accessible to researchers, educators, students, and others.
Under the leadership of Predrag Dojčinović, who formerly worked for the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICTY, and Aida Gradaščević, a graduate of UConn’s master’s program in human rights, a team of UConn student researchers have helped curate ten unique and diverse collections related to documents, translations, photographs, expert reports, records, and other materials from the ICTY.
For Dojčinović, the ICTY Digital Archive “stands as a powerful and enduring monument to justice, truth, and remembrance, a meticulously curated legacy uniting victims’ voices, expert insights, and judicial records into an unassailable historical testament. By opening this profound repository to the world, we affirm that justice transcends the courtroom: it lives in public memory, breathes through open dialogue, and endures in our shared commitment to truth, accountability, and reconciliation.”
Srebrenica Memorial Cemetery, July 11, 2007, James Waller
The newest addition to UConn’s ICTY Digital Archives, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection, is particularly timely as July 2025 marks 30 years since the genocide in Srebrenica occurred. Standing as the gravest crime committed on European soil since the Second World War, over 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslims) men and boys, despite the presence of United Nations peacekeepers, were systematically murdered by Bosnian Serb forces in July 1995. The bodies of the victims – three generations of males, including some as young as 10 years of age – were then dumped into mass graves or thrown into the Drina River. To conceal the extent of the massacre, Bosnian Serbs later scattered the remains of many of the victims in secondary or tertiary mass graves. To date, the remains of nearly 1,000 of the Srebrenica victims have yet to be found.
Alongside official court materials, the Srebrenica Genocide Archives Collection includes a wider range of sources: scholarly articles, books, films, podcasts, images, and other media that continue to tell the story of Srebrenica and trace its enduring impact three decades later. The collection is designed to evolve over time, growing through continued research and contributions to ensure that the memory of Srebrenica remains active, accessible, and instructive for generations to come. This collection is particularly crucial as denial of the Srebrenica genocide, along with glorification of convicted war criminals, remains painfully prevalent in Serb political and social discourse throughout the region.
In reflecting on the events he survived in the former Yugoslavia, the late poet Goran Simic captured the importance of projects like the ICTY Digital Archives: “Dealing with the past will not be easy, but it is essential. Dealing with our own past by bringing closure and offering justice for all, perpetrators and victims, is the only right way. This path will not remove crimes from history. It will not repair souls that have been torn apart. But it will offer them the option to move on, and future generations will be able to live without the baggage of what went before.”
James Waller, Professor of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages & Dodd Chair in Human Rights Practice at the Gladstein Family Human Rights Institute, UConn
NoName057(16) has professed support for the Russian Federation since the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine. Since the start of the war, it has executed multiple DDoS attacks against critical infrastructure during high-level (political) events. The group has also exhibited anti-NATO and anti-U.S. sentiment. During a DDoS attack, a website or online service is flooded with traffic, overloading its capacity and thus making it unavailable. The hacktivist group has executed 14 attacks in Germany, some of them lasting multiple days and affecting around 230 organisations including arms factories, power suppliers and government organisations. Attacks were also executed across Europe during the European elections. In Sweden, authorities and bank websites were targeted, while in Switzerland multiple attacks were carried out during a video message given by the Ukrainian President to the Joint Parliament in June 2023, and during the Peace Summit for Ukraine in June 2024. Most recently, the Netherlands was targeted during the NATO Summit at the end of June.
To execute their attacks, the group recruited supporters through a messaging service. It is estimated that the hackers were able to mobilise around 4000 users who supported their operations by downloading malware that made it possible for them to participate in the DDoS attacks. The group also built its own botnet using hundreds of servers around the world that increased the attack load, causing more damage.
Coordination of the many international partners was crucial for the success of the operation. Through Eurojust, authorities were able to coordinate their findings and plan an action day to target the hacktivist group. The Agency ensured that multiple European Investigation Orders and Mutual Legal Assistance processes were executed. During the action day on 15 July, Eurojust coordinated any last-minute judicial requests that were needed during the operation.
Europol facilitated the information exchange, supported the coordination of the operational activities and provided extended operational analytical support, as well as crypto tracing and forensic support during the lent of the investigation, and coordinated the prevention and awareness raising campaign, released to unidentified yet offenders via messaging apps and social media channels. During the action day, Europol set-up a Command Post at Europol’s headquarters and made available a Virtual Command post for online connection with the in-person Command.
The investigation culminated in an action day on 15 July where actions targeting the group took place in eight countries. Authorities were able to disrupt of over 100 servers worldwide. Searches took place in Germany, Latvia, Spain, Italy, Czechia, Poland and France to gather evidence for the investigation. Additionally, authorities informed the group and 1100 supporters and 17 administrators about the measures taken and the criminal liability they bear for their actions. Seven international arrest warrants have been issued. Germany issued six warrants which are directed inter alia against suspects living in the Russian Federation. Two suspects are accused of being the main instigators responsible for the activities of NoName057(16). Photos and descriptions of some of the suspects can be found on the websites of Europol and Interpol.
The following authorities were involved in the actions:
Czechia: District Prosecutor’s Office of Prague 5; Police, National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK)
Estonia: Estonian Police and Border Guard Board
Germany: Prosecutor General’s Office Frankfurt am Main – Cyber Crime Centre; Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA)
Finland: Prosecution District of Southern Finland; National Bureau of Investigation – Cybercrime Investigation Unit
France: Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office – National Jurisdiction against Organised Crime (JUNALCO) ; National Cyber Unit of the Gendarmerie nationale
Latvia: State Police of Latvia – International Cooperation Department & Cybercrime Enforcement Department
Lithuania: Prosecutor General’s Office of Lithuania; Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau
Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Netherlands and Police of the Netherlands
Spain: Investigative Central Court nr. 1 Audiencia Nacional; Audiencia Nacional Prosecutor´s Offices; National Police; Guardia Civil
Sweden: Polisen
Switzerland: Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland; Federal Office of Police fedpol
United States: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
SATTAHIP, Thailand — In the Indo-Pacific, effective and secure communication forms the bedrock of strong alliances. This critical principle is at the forefront of Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Thailand 2025, where U.S. Navy personnel and their Royal Thai Navy (RTN) counterparts conducted subject matter expert exchanges on the Combined Enterprise Regional Information Exchange System (CENTRIX)
The 317th Airlift Wing completed the initial phase of its first-ever Combat Readiness Inspection, evaluated by Air Mobility Command at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.
The CRI measured the wing’s ability to rapidly deploy combat-ready forces in contested, degraded and operationally limited environments, directly supporting Air Force and Department of Defense objectives.
“Our wing’s number one priority is ‘mission execution upon notification’,” said Col. Justin Diehl, 317th AW commander. “317th Airmen continuously train to rapidly respond with precision to the most complex operating environments in the world, and this inspection offered another opportunity to validate their timelines.”
The inspection began with a mock 24-hour deployment notification. Airmen received scenario-based intelligence, a briefing from leadership and guidance on deployment expectations.
“When given a sudden notification to deploy, our team has the necessary skills to move out and lead at scale,” said Chief Master Sgt. Martin Castillo, 317th AW command chief. “This gives the wing the ability to execute the commander’s intent instantly.”
A loadmaster assigned to the 39th Airlift Squadron configures cargo rollers inside a C-130J Super Hercules during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. The inspection evaluated the 317th Airlift Wing’s ability to rapidly generate and deploy combat-ready airpower in support of global mobility operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran)
Airman 1st Class Christian Sanchez, 7th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance journeyman, checks an entry authorization list during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. The 317th Airlift Wing was evaluated by Air Mobility Command during its first graded CRI. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran)
Airmen assigned to the 317th Airlift Wing observe activity from the side hatch of a C-130J Super Hercules during a Combat Readiness Inspection at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, July 1, 2025. The Air Mobility Command inspection tested the wing’s ability to rapidly deploy mission-ready Airmen and equipment under realistic, time-constrained scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Adrien Tran)
Throughout the CRI, AMC inspectors general and wing inspection team members evaluated the 317th AW’s execution of deployment operations. Airmen were tasked to rapidly generate aircraft, process cargo and mission plan while also completing the associated administrative and medical requirements.
“The key to success in this CRI is our ‘we’re going’ mindset,” Castillo said. “Our Airmen understand that our culture is rooted in being prepared to deploy at a moment’s notice to execute high-end operations around the world.”
Upon receiving the CRI deployment order, Airmen staged pallets and equipment for transport, loaded C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and prepared aircrews for maximum endurance operations, ensuring the 317th AW performed mission execution upon notification.
“Our Airmen consistently meet and exceed our expectations,” Diehl said. “They think and move fast, maintaining the precision required to respond to global operations in contested environments. The CRI was another opportunity to highlight the effort they put in every day.”
The 317th AW used the CRI to prepare to participate in the Air Force’s Department Level Exercise, an initiative designed to demonstrate the service’s readiness for complex, large-scale military operations.
“This wing operates at the leading edge,” Diehl said. “Through the CRI, our Airmen demonstrated their ability through their advanced training to solve challenges in an increasingly complex global environment.
The completion of the initial phase of the CRI underscores the 317th AW’s ability to generate and employ combat-ready airpower at a moment’s notice. The milestone reinforces the wing’s ‘we’re going’ mindset and highlights its vital role in delivering rapid global mobility and ensuring U.S. and coalition forces can respond to known and emerging threats decisively and effectively.
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic – The Mercy-class hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) arrived in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic for the fourth mission stop of Continuing Promise 2025 (CP25), July 15, 2025.
16 July 2025
From Petty Officer 2nd Class Alfredo Marron – U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command / U.S. 4th Fleet
“It is an honor and a privilege to leave our footprint in the Dominican Republic,” said Capt. Grace Key, commanding officer, Medical Treatment Facility aboard Comfort. “From the medical site and community relations, to the repairs the Seabees will make to the facilities, we will strengthen our partnership with the people of the Dominican Republic.”
Comfort and Dominican medical professionals will work side-by-side to provide medical care to the community of Puerto Plata. By working together and exchanging knowledge, the Dominican Republic and partners in the region can maintain regional stability as a team and work collectively in the event of natural disasters, medical catastrophes, or regional conflict.
“Throughout Continuing Promise, the clinical staff and personnel have welcomed us with open arms at every port visit,” said Lt. j.g. Althea Caraballo, the Puerto Plata medical site assistant officer in charge. “I am excited to be in Dominican Republic and very inspired by our partnerships and the opportunity to expand our professional and cultural horizons.”
Medical care during the Dominican Republic mission stop will be provided at Polideportivo, Puerto Plata and will include services in adult medicine, pediatrics, dental, optometry, women’s health, dermatology, cardiology, physical therapy, nutrition, preventative medicine, radiology, and pharmacy.
“This mission is a valuable opportunity to deepen cooperation between the United States and the Dominican Republic, particularly in the areas of security and humanitarian assistance,” said Lt. Col. Lowell D. Krusinger, senior defense official/defense attaché, U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo. “We’re proud to see U.S. and Dominican medical professionals working shoulder to shoulder aboard the USNS Comfort, including seven Dominican providers who are lending their expertise to benefit communities across six countries on the ship’s tour.”
Additionally, Comfort’s medical personnel will conduct subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) with Dominican health professionals, to include tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) and round tables on preventative medicine, nutrition, and wound care. U.S. Army veterinarians embarked aboard Comfort from the 248th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support will conduct a dairy farming SMEE and K-9 tactical causality combat care.
This visit marks the sixth Continuing Promise visits the Dominican Republic and the fifth visit from Comfort. The last time Comfort visited the Dominican Republic was during Continuing Promise 2022, where the medical team treated 4,435 patients at sites in Santo Domingo and Azua, as well as conducted 87 surgeries aboard Comfort.
“I am excited to be here as we bring the same service offered to other countries to my home country,” said Dominican Republic 1st Lt. Luiz Rameriez, doctor of obstetrics and gynecology embarked aboard Comfort. “I am excited for the U.S. service members to tour our facilities and to see how we can improve and impact the overall health of the population.”
The CP25 mission in Dominican Republic also includes a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) SMEE and a table-top exercise with local responders. Sailors aboard Comfort will also support the region through a variety of community relations events to include a beach clean-up and performances from the U.S. Fleet Forces band “Unchartered Waters.”
“This mission is a blessing, there are people not as fortunate to receive advanced medical care and we are able to provide it while we are here,” said Hospitalman Joseclaudia Garcia, a food service associate assigned to Comfort with Dominican heritage. “The Dominican people will really feel very appreciated that we get to share these engagements with them. I am very excited my fellow service members will get to experience my culture first hand!”
CP25 marks the 16th mission to the region since 2007 and the eighth aboard Comfort. The mission will foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and encourage the establishment of new partnerships among countries, non-federal entities, and international organizations.
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region.
Learn more about USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet news and photos, visit facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/, X – @ NAVSOUS4THFLT, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-naval-forces-southern-command-u-s-4th-fleet
Defendants responsible for murder in Chelsea, Mass. in 2010
BOSTON – Two members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, were sentenced today in federal court in Boston for their roles in a previously-unsolved murder.
Jose Vasquez, a/k/a “Cholo,” a/k/a “Little Crazy,” 31, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 25 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Vasquez pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. Vasquez was already serving a 212-month prison sentence for a May 2018 federal conviction for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. In total, Vasquez will serve a total of 37 years for his MS-13-related crimes.
William Pineda Portillo, a/k/a “Humilde,” 31, a Salvadoran national who was unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced by Judge Young to 16 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. He is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2023, Pineda Portillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (RICO) conspiracy.
Pineda Portillo and Vazquez were indicted by a federal grand jury along with other MS-13 members in September 2024. Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea, Mass. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, the victim was found with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.
In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed the victim belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a vehicle registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea where Vasquez and the other gang members led the victim to an area under an on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed the victim with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood also was found on the knife.
An undercover recording obtained approximately six weeks after the murder, captured one MS-13 member acknowledging his participation in the murder and other gang members disciplining him for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission.
Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the United States, he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness, in exchange for money. On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man. . . . You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”
Pineda Portillo originally was indicted in 2017. Shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the United States, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico. According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated that there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts where he remained in custody.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; Chief Shumeane Benford of the Somerville Police Department; and Chief Keith Houghton of the Chelsea Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; United States Customs and Border Protection; United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl, Meghan C. Cleary and Brian A. Fogerty of the Office’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Inmate granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025 reducing 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution
BOSTON – A Bridgewater, Mass. woman and a federal inmate have been charged with providing and possessing a controlled substance in the form of a synthetic cannabinoid, also known as “K2,” at the federal prison FMC Devens. The inmate had been granted clemency on Jan. 17, 2025, reducing his 2022 federal prison sentence for drug distribution.
Tasha Hammock, 43, a former employee with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, is charged by Information with providing contraband to a prison inmate. Raymond Gaines, 45, an inmate at FMC Devens, has been indicted by a federal grand jury with possessing contraband by a prison inmate. In March 2025, Hammock and Gaines were charged by criminal complaint.
According to court documents, on Jan. 25, 2022, Gaines was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after pleading guilty in federal court in Boston to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. At the time he committed the offenses, he was on federal supervised release after serving a prison sentence resulting from a 2017 conviction for distributing cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. In both prior cases Gaines was alleged to be an associate of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, a street gang in Boston. On Jan. 17, 2025, Gaines received an Executive Grant of Clemency, reducing his current federal sentence to five years in prison.
It is alleged that on Aug. 18, 2024, Hammock, while visiting Gaines in the prison, surreptitiously passed K2-laced papers to Gaines, which he pocketed. At the time, Hammock was employed with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. Hammock also allegedly previously handled money connected with the distribution of K2 to Gaines in FMC Devens and she allegedly received K2 at her residence for distribution into the prison. Court records allege that law enforcement obtained a cellphone that had been smuggled to an inmate in the prison (“Inmate A”). In September 2023, Inmate A allegedly sent messages on the cell phone to another person (“Person 1”), discussing obtaining K2 in prison. Inmate A allegedly told Person 1 that the drugs could be delivered to a particular address in Bridgewater – later determined to be Hammock’s residence – and that Inmate A’s “co” would arrange for the drugs to be brought into the prison from there.
As described in court documents, K2 presents a health problem at FMC Devens, where inmates have become sick from smoking paper believed to contain K2, as well as prison staff who have been exposed to the secondary smoke.
The charges of providing a prohibited object to a prison inmate, and receiving a prohibited object by a prison inmate, each carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston; and Ryan Geach, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Regional Office of DOJ-OIG, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Investigative Services Unit at FMC Devens. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CONCORD – A Manchester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for bank robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.
Jesse Hippolite, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 60 months in federal prison. On April 22, 2025, Hippolite pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.
“The defendant is a prolific bank robber with a long history of victimizing bank employees to line his own pockets,” said Acting U.S. Attorney McCormack. “His choices have made him a danger to the public, and thanks to the efforts of law enforcement, he will spend the next five years in federal prison.”
“Jesse Hippolite was a crime spree unto himself, robbing a dozen banks before this one” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “This sentence nips his burgeoning bank robbery career in the bud and holds him accountable for menacing innocent people who are just trying to make an honest living. This case is just one example of how the FBI continues to support our partners in pulverizing violent crime to improve public safety.”
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, Hippolite has multiple state and federal convictions for robbery in New York. In 2011, he went on a bank robbery spree in New York City and was involved in multiple separate robberies. Each time, he was unarmed but passed a note threatening to kill people if his demands for money were not met. He was released from federal prison, in connection with those convictions, in February 2023. He then moved to New Hampshire, where he remained on federal supervised release.
In February 2025, Hippolite robbed a credit union in Manchester. He wore a disguise and was unarmed. Hippolite passed a note to three tellers reading:
$100,000
ALL $100 Bills
*No Dye Packs
Give Back Note
Hippolite stole $3,139 before fleeing. He was subsequently identified on nearby surveillance cameras.
The FBI and Manchester Police Department led the investigation. The U.S. Probation Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
The Commission proposal for termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with Liberia is based on a decade of dialogue and close monitoring through joint EU-Liberia management structures and five independent audits. These assessments consistently found deep-rooted issues in Liberia’s implementation of the VPA, especially the lack of a functional Legality Assurance System, weak institutional capacity, and limited law enforcement.
While the Boakai administration has renewed efforts to advance the VPA — reactivating joint committees, imposing a moratorium on carbon concessions, and resuming logging revenue payments — these steps have not addressed the deep-rooted structural and implementation issues.
As a result, the limited likelihood of Forest Law Enforcement Governance Trade licenses combined with low timber trade flows, reduce the relevance of the VPA. The Commission has explained the reasons behind this proposal, notably at the Joint Implementation Committee meeting in November 2024[1].
The termination of the VPA and the possible transition to a Forest Partnership (FP) open the door to a new phase of cooperation which will support Liberia in aligning with the EU Deforestation Regulation[2] and advancing broader forest governance reforms through more flexible support mechanisms.
The governance structures under the FPs build on those under the VPA, with participation of all stakeholders, including civil society. The EU Council and the European Parliament exercise scrutiny and provide consent on the conclusion and termination of VPAs. Whilst FPs are a more flexible agreement, they also require scrutiny.
The Commission proposal for termination of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with Liberia is based on a decade of dialogue and close monitoring through joint EU-Liberia management structures and five independent audits. These assessments consistently found deep-rooted issues in Liberia’s implementation of the VPA, especially the lack of a functional Legality Assurance System, weak institutional capacity, and limited law enforcement.
While the Boakai administration has renewed efforts to advance the VPA — reactivating joint committees, imposing a moratorium on carbon concessions, and resuming logging revenue payments — these steps have not addressed the deep-rooted structural and implementation issues.
As a result, the limited likelihood of Forest Law Enforcement Governance Trade licenses combined with low timber trade flows, reduce the relevance of the VPA. The Commission has explained the reasons behind this proposal, notably at the Joint Implementation Committee meeting in November 2024[1].
The termination of the VPA and the possible transition to a Forest Partnership (FP) open the door to a new phase of cooperation which will support Liberia in aligning with the EU Deforestation Regulation[2] and advancing broader forest governance reforms through more flexible support mechanisms.
The governance structures under the FPs build on those under the VPA, with participation of all stakeholders, including civil society. The EU Council and the European Parliament exercise scrutiny and provide consent on the conclusion and termination of VPAs. Whilst FPs are a more flexible agreement, they also require scrutiny.
The Commission has adopted the proposal to amend the European Climate Law to include the net 90% 2040 climate target on 2 July 2025, following substantial engagement with Member States, European Parliament Groups, stakeholders, civil society and citizens, launched with the Commission’s recommendation on the target in February 2024.
The proposal provides for a limited number of flexibilities and supports the creation of the right enabling environment to implement the target.
The flexibilities include a possible limited contribution towards the 2040 target of high-quality international credits starting from 2036, the use of domestic permanent removals in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and enhanced flexibility across sectors to help achieve targets in a cost-effective way.
It provides for the Commission to ensure that these flexibilities are appropriately reflected in designing the post-2030 legislation needed to achieve the 2040 target, and the future architecture should be based on robust impact assessments.
In February 2024, the Commission presented a recommended target for 2040, based on a detailed impact assessment[1]. The proposal is based on that impact assessment, which provided a detailed analysis of different levels of net greenhouse gas emissions in 2040 and the associated sectoral pathways bridging 2030 to climate neutrality by 2050.
Following the setting of the target for 2040, and in line with the foreseen reviews and based on impact assessments, the Commission will prepare a policy architecture beyond 2030.
The Commission’s work to promote and defend the rule of law is underpinned by equal treatment between Member States, the full respect of EU law and European standards, and a process embedded in dialogue and mutual understanding.
The Commission has a wide range of tools at its disposal to uphold the rule of law, with the same rules and principles applying to each Member State. These tools include the annual Rule of Law Report, the article 7 procedure, the general regime of conditionality and infringement proceedings.
The general regime of conditionality[1] is designed to protect against breaches of the principles of the rule of law that affect or seriously risk affecting the EU budget.
The conditions for its application are established by the Conditionality Regulation adopted by the co-legislators and upheld by the Court of Justice.
The European Parliament has recognised the effectiveness of the general regime of conditionality. The Commission makes its assessment in an objective, impartial and fair manner, in line with the regulation.
The Council is the institution that adopts the final decisions. The European Court of Auditors found that the measures taken by the Council in respect of one Member State so far were in line with the regulation.
Regarding infringement proceedings, Articles 258 and 260 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union allow the Commission to take action when a Member State fails to fulfil its obligations under EU law.
In its role as guardian of the Treaties, the Commission monitors the application and enforcement of EU law by the Member States and may decide to take appropriate action against a Member State. The Court of Justice is the final arbiter in matters of infringement.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Ronald Brown (24, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and brandishing a firearm during both those robberies. Brown faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the robbery counts. For each of the firearms counts, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and proceedings, in July 2024, Brown conspired with others to rob two convenience stores in Tampa. Two firearms were used in, and brandished, during the robberies. Law enforcement located the suspects a few days after the robberies at a hotel in Tampa. A review of surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown holding a rifle near the vehicle identified as being used in the robberies. Additional surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown carrying a long box to the trunk prior to the robbery. Search warrants for multiple hotel rooms were executed and the rifle was located. The rifle belongs to Brown.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Ronald Brown (24, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to two robberies, conspiracy to commit those robberies, and brandishing a firearm during both those robberies. Brown faces up to 20 years in prison on each of the robbery counts. For each of the firearms counts, he faces a minimum sentence of seven years, up to life, in federal prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents and proceedings, in July 2024, Brown conspired with others to rob two convenience stores in Tampa. Two firearms were used in, and brandished, during the robberies. Law enforcement located the suspects a few days after the robberies at a hotel in Tampa. A review of surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown holding a rifle near the vehicle identified as being used in the robberies. Additional surveillance footage from the hotel showed Brown carrying a long box to the trunk prior to the robbery. Search warrants for multiple hotel rooms were executed and the rifle was located. The rifle belongs to Brown.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Defendant Admitted to Four Additional Carjackings; He and Accomplices Lured Victims Through Dating Apps
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isiah Surzano-Glover, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for two gunpoint carjackings.
In March 2024, the defendant was charged by indictment, and he pleaded guilty in November to two counts of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on January 2, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., he and accomplices lured victim P.M. to the 5400 block of Walker Street in Philadelphia by posing as a female named “Mercedes” on a dating app. When P.M. arrived, Surzano-Glover and the others, all masked, approached the victim, brandished guns, and threatened to shoot P.M. if he moved. The carjackers took P.M.’s keys, wallet, and phone, and drove away in his 2011 Ford Crown Victoria.
On January 3, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the defendant and several others, again using an app and the “Mercedes” ruse, lured R.E. to the 1700 block of Brill Street in Philadelphia. Upon R.E.’s arrival, the masked carjackers pointed handguns at him, pistol-whipped R.E. in the head with a gun, and took his keys and phone. They ordered him to run, then drove away in his 2006 Toyota Tacoma.
Approximately 30 minutes after R.E. was carjacked, Philadelphia police officers located R.E.’s Tacoma parked unattended at 5000 Valley Street, approximately half a mile from the scene of the crime. Other officers then observed what proved to be P.M.’s Crown Victoria, parked in an alley near the intersection of Pratt and Hawthorne streets, about a quarter of a mile from 5000 Valley Street, and placed the car under surveillance.
Around 10:15 p.m., P.M.’s Crown Victoria drove off and officers followed. The vehicle made its way to 5000 Valley Street, where a police car was alongside R.E.’s Tacoma, and then sped off, initiating a police pursuit. Multiple individuals eventually bailed from P.M.’s vehicle at the intersection of Worth Street and Margaret Street, and the defendant was arrested, following a foot pursuit.
In addition to the above crimes with which he was charged, Surzano-Glover admitted to participating in four other Philadelphia carjackings.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Miller and Kwambina Coker.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Defendant Admitted to Four Additional Carjackings; He and Accomplices Lured Victims Through Dating Apps
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Isiah Surzano-Glover, 22, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 168 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston for two gunpoint carjackings.
In March 2024, the defendant was charged by indictment, and he pleaded guilty in November to two counts of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on January 2, 2024, at 7:30 p.m., he and accomplices lured victim P.M. to the 5400 block of Walker Street in Philadelphia by posing as a female named “Mercedes” on a dating app. When P.M. arrived, Surzano-Glover and the others, all masked, approached the victim, brandished guns, and threatened to shoot P.M. if he moved. The carjackers took P.M.’s keys, wallet, and phone, and drove away in his 2011 Ford Crown Victoria.
On January 3, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the defendant and several others, again using an app and the “Mercedes” ruse, lured R.E. to the 1700 block of Brill Street in Philadelphia. Upon R.E.’s arrival, the masked carjackers pointed handguns at him, pistol-whipped R.E. in the head with a gun, and took his keys and phone. They ordered him to run, then drove away in his 2006 Toyota Tacoma.
Approximately 30 minutes after R.E. was carjacked, Philadelphia police officers located R.E.’s Tacoma parked unattended at 5000 Valley Street, approximately half a mile from the scene of the crime. Other officers then observed what proved to be P.M.’s Crown Victoria, parked in an alley near the intersection of Pratt and Hawthorne streets, about a quarter of a mile from 5000 Valley Street, and placed the car under surveillance.
Around 10:15 p.m., P.M.’s Crown Victoria drove off and officers followed. The vehicle made its way to 5000 Valley Street, where a police car was alongside R.E.’s Tacoma, and then sped off, initiating a police pursuit. Multiple individuals eventually bailed from P.M.’s vehicle at the intersection of Worth Street and Margaret Street, and the defendant was arrested, following a foot pursuit.
In addition to the above crimes with which he was charged, Surzano-Glover admitted to participating in four other Philadelphia carjackings.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Miller and Kwambina Coker.
