NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal action filed against aircraft operator for sham dry lease scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A civil penalty action has been filed under the False Claims Act against Walter Benjamin Bius and his solely owned company, Prairie Flower Air Asset Company LLC, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The complaint alleges Bius knowingly operated Prairie Flower, based in Huntsville, as a direct air carrier without the required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. A direct air carrier is one who provides, or offers to provide, air transportation and who maintains control over the operational aspects of those flights. To operate as a direct air carrier, one must hold an FAA-issued certificate after demonstrating they meet the requisite requirements. 

    The complaint alleges Bius uses what is known in the industry as a “dry lease” to circumvent the FAA requirements for direct air carriers, which purportedly creates an illegal charter service. 

    Between 2019 and 2023, Bius and Prairie Flower allegedly chartered at least 237 flights for various clients under dry leases. The civil complaint alleges each flight violated at least 16 FFA regulations.

    Of the alleged regulation violations, the most serious include pilots operating the aircraft without passing competency checks or instrument proficiency checks required under FAA regulations. The complaint also alleges there were instances in which Bius illegally flew the plane himself.

    “When people choose to book private charter travel, they need to feel confident that the company transporting them meets all applicable safety and regulatory standards,” said Ganjei. “This action will help ensure the safety of air transportation and safeguard the public from carriers that might endanger passengers by cutting corners.”

    “Today’s announcement should cause people to think twice before choosing to intentionally ignore federal aviation regulations and requirements,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris, Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Southern Region. “We will continue to partner with law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue those whose actions jeopardize the safety and integrity of the nation’s airspace.”

    DOT-OIG conducted the investigation with the FAA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Wiley is handling the matter. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tallassee, Alabama Woman Sentenced to Nine and a Half Years in Prison for Federal Program Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

                MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On April 2, 2025, a federal judge ordered that 34-year-old Michelle Denise McIntyre, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, receive a sentence of 114 months in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges related to grants received through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund program, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson. Following her prison sentence, McIntyre will be on supervised release for three years. Federal inmates are not eligible for parole. 

               The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), which was directly administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA), was established in March 2021 by the American Rescue Plan Act.  The RRF was a financial assistance program designed to provide eligible restaurants with funding equal to their COVID-19 pandemic-related revenue losses. RRF recipients were not required to repay the funding as long as they used the funds for eligible expenses.

               According to her plea agreement, McIntyre admitted that, in May of 2021, she applied for RRF grants falsely claiming she began operating a catering business on December 16, 2019. In the application, McIntyre included false receipts and documents purporting to show food orders for the business. McIntyre’s false representations in her application and in supporting documents caused the SBA to award her grants totaling $131,478.76. Court documents indicate McIntyre did not use the funds for eligible expenses. Instead, McIntyre used the illegal proceeds to purchase a vehicle, among other unauthorized personal expenses.

                According to court records and statements made during her sentencing hearing, McIntyre was also responsible for fraudulently applying for Paycheck Protection Program Loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Advances, and additional RRF money on behalf of herself and others. All of these funds were intended to help struggling small businesses amidst the COVID-19 disaster. McIntyre operated a business where she charged up-front fees to file pandemic relief applications on others’ behalf, regardless of their eligibility. If an application was successful, she required her clients to pay her a portion of the money they received. All told, McIntyre caused losses to the Small Business Administration exceeding $700,000; and if all of her false applications had been funded, the SBA would have suffered additional losses exceeding $14 million. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

                “Fraud committed against federal programs is fraud against the American taxpayer,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “I commend the investigative agencies for their diligent work in this case. My office will continue to do its part in prosecuting those who seek easy profit at the expense of every hard-working United States citizen.”

                “Exploiting SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund and COVID relief programs for personal gain is a serious offense that diverts critical resources away from legitimate small businesses in need,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”

                “Five years after the enactment of the CARES Act, individuals who defrauded the programs intended to help Americans are still being held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents, law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s office will continue their aggressive pursuit of those who defrauded the programs under the CARES Act.”

                The Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, U.S. Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and the FBI Mobile Field Office investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick prosecuted. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for Seven Years

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

    OKLAHOMA CITY – DANGELO MAURICE WINDHAM, 26, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of trafficking cocaine base and, separately, illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On May 21, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Indictment against Windham, charging him with possession of cocaine base with intent to distribute, two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, all stemming from two separate contacts with law enforcement in 2023. According to public record, on March 8, 2023, an Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) officer attempted to perform a traffic stop on a vehicle after he observed the driver – later identified as Windham – commit a traffic violation. When the officer attempted to stop Windham, he failed to comply, continuing to drive before jumping out and running away. Windham was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit and found to have been transporting a distribution amount of crack cocaine in his vehicle and a firearm in a backpack that he threw as he fled from officers. Later that year, on December 23, 2023, OCPD officers recovered another firearm from Windham during a subsequent traffic stop.

    On October 7, 2024, Windham pleaded guilty, and admitted he possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense and that on another occasion he possessed a firearm despite his status as a convicted felon.

    At the sentencing hearing on March 25, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Windham to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the need to deter further criminal conduct, promote respect for the law, and Windham’s history and characteristics, including his repeated acquisition of firearms despite his felony conviction and prior prosecutions. Public record reflects that Windham was previously convicted in Oklahoma County District Court of attempted third-degree burglary in case number CF-2019-1635.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and OCPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Connolly prosecuted the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Demand POTUS Rescind Executive Order Requiring a Passport to Easily Register to Vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Demand POTUS Rescind Executive Order Requiring a Passport to Easily Register to Vote

    The Executive Order puts onerous requirements that restrict the ability of US citizens to access the ballot, requiring a passport to easily register to vote
    Less than half of Georgians have a current U.S. passport necessary for easily registering to vote under this new executive order
    Noncitizen voting is virtually nonexistent; 2024 audit by Georgia Secretary of State found only 9 instances of noncitizen voting out of 8,200,000 registered voters 
    Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers: “Requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters […] places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color”
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) , and 14 of his Senate colleagues urged President Trump to revoke his illegal anti-voter executive order that would disenfranchise millions of Americans.
    Under this Executive Order, military IDs or driver’s licenses would not be sufficient in registering to vote in Georgia through the federal voter registration form. Following the announcement of the Executive Order, Senator Warnock issued a statement responding to the unlawful order.
    “This unlawful directive exceeds your authority over an independent agency and would likely disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by creating barriers to voting, while also inviting chaos into state voter registration processes – including by inappropriately sharing Americans’ data with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),” wrote the Senators. “Under the Constitution and existing law, this Executive Order cannot be implemented. Sadly, we are not surprised at your continued efforts to undermine our free and fair elections. From welcoming foreign election interference in our elections, to supporting the January 6 insurrection, to promoting baseless election conspiracy theories, your dangerous rhetoric has undermined public confidence in our election system.”
    The proof of citizenship requirements in the executive order would restrict the right to vote for millions of Americans given the burden it creates to obtain these documents. Nearly half of all American citizens do not have valid passports, and millions more have a legal name that differs from other government-issued documents, including up to 69 million married women whose birth certificates no longer match their legal name.
    The Senators emphasized that the order runs counter to the constitutional foundation that elections are to be primarily administered by the states. They also sounded the alarm on the order’s attempt to empower the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to review state voter registration lists, other state records, and various federal databases, with the power of subpoena.
    “Voting by noncitizens is already a federal crime and, despite unsubstantiated claims to the contrary, is extremely rare. By interjecting DOGE into the process, this order would interfere with states’ maintenance of voter registration lists, compromising voters’ personal information,” continued the Senators.
    “The new federal voter registration requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters. Millions of Americans do not have passports and many face challenges obtaining other documents that would be required by this order, if it was ever implemented,” concluded the Senators. “This order also places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.”
    Senator Warnock has a long history of supporting voting rights efforts and defending the sacred right to vote. Since coming to the Senate, Senator Warnock has championed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, two vital pieces of voting rights legislation that expand on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and help secure voting rights for future generations.
    In addition to Senator Warnock, the letter was authored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and is also signed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The letter can be viewed HERE and below:
    Dear President Trump,
    We write to demand that you immediately rescind your recent Executive Order “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” This unlawful directive exceeds your authority over an independent agency and would likely disenfranchise millions of eligible American voters by creating barriers to voting, while also inviting chaos into state voter registration processes – including by inappropriately sharing Americans’ data with the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    Under the Constitution and existing law, this Executive Order cannot be implemented. Sadly, we are not surprised at your continued efforts to undermine our free and fair elections. From welcoming foreign election interference in our elections, to supporting the January 6 insurrection, to promoting baseless election conspiracy theories, your dangerous rhetoric has undermined public confidence in our election system.
    This order runs counter to the constitutional foundation that elections are to be primarily administered by the states. The Federal role in elections is focused on helping states with the costs and technical challenges and ensuring that the right to vote is appropriately protected. This order places new mandates on the states and inserts new federal interference in state voter registration processes by federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. We expect state and local election administrators of both parties to have significant legal and operational concerns about this order.
    One of the most disturbing aspects of this illegal order is Sec. 2(b)(iii), which attempts to empower DHS and the DOGE Administrator to review state voter registration lists, other state records and various federal databases, with the power of subpoena. Voting by noncitizens is already a federal crime and, despite unsubstantiated claims to the contrary, is extremely rare. By interjecting DOGE into the process, this order would interfere with states’ maintenance of voter registration lists, compromising voters’ personal information. This effort by DOGE is similar to your 2017 Executive Order that established the “Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity” that sought voter files from states and was rejected by 44 states and the District of Columbia. If this provision were implemented, it would allow Elon Musk and DOGE to recreate this effort to purge state voter databases, preventing the participation of eligible American voters.
    The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) was created as an independent, evenly balanced agency in the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which was enacted on an overwhelming bipartisan basis. The EAC receives appropriations from Congress to support states with the growing financial and technical challenges of administering elections in thousands of jurisdictions across the nation on a nonpartisan basis. This order lacks the authority to place new conditions on Congressionally appropriated funding or order the EAC require documents that many eligible Americans do not have in order to register to vote in federal elections.
    The new federal voter registration requirements in this illegal order would likely disenfranchise millions of American voters. Millions of Americans do not have passports and many face challenges obtaining other documents that would be required by this order, if it was ever implemented. This order also places a variety of other process burdens on voters, especially married women, rural residents, and low-income voters, and communities of color.
    For these reasons, we must urge you to rescind this illegal order.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Cosponsors Legislation to Improve Access to Quality, Affordable Child Care for American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Cosponsors Legislation to Improve Access to Quality, Affordable Child Care for American Families

    Republican-proposed funding cuts to pay for tax breaks for billionaires would eliminate child care for 40,000 children, according to recent CLASP analysis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined his colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation to help American families get access to the quality, affordable child care they need. The bill comes as Republicans are acting on their plan to eliminate child care for 40,000 children to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires.
    The need to rebuild a stronger, more robust, and more equitable child care system is greater than ever as working families across America struggle to access affordable, quality child care. But in addition to cuts to child care, the Trump Administration is conducting mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including the offices at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) that administer child care and Head Start programs. These layoffs will make child care even less accessible, less affordable, and less safe.
    Earlier this week, Padilla and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) led 25 Senators in condemning the Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal employees at the Office of Head Start (OHS) and the Office of Child Care (OCC) and demanding HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. immediately reinstate these employees to full work status.
    “As a father to three boys, I understand that having access to child care isn’t a luxury, it’s a critical necessity,” said Senator Padilla. “No parent should have to miss work because they don’t have access to child care, yet too many Californians either do not live near a caregiver or cannot afford it. As President Trump and his Administration wage a war on American families and intensify our child care crisis, we must fight to ensure every family, regardless of zip code, has access to reliable, high-quality child care.”
    “At a time when families are struggling to find affordable child care so they can work and pay their bills, Republicans in Congress are making their priorities clear with 40,000 kids about to lose their child care to pay for another handout to billionaires. Taken together with the absolute gutting of HHS and the offices responsible for Head Start and child care, America’s child care crisis is on track to only grow worse,” said Senator Wyden. “It doesn’t have to be this way. Our bill invests in working families by making sure more families can get child care and new child care centers can be built to increase slots, while also guaranteeing a living wage for the essential workers who staff them. That is where priorities should lie.”
    “Parents shouldn’t have to choose between breaking the budget, cutting back their work hours, or settling for lower-quality care to make sure their kids have child care,” said Senator Warren. “I am grateful for Senator Wyden’s partnership and commitment to investing in child care so working parents have a fighting chance in our economy.”
    The price of child care continues to place a major financial burden on American families, with costs ranging from $5,357 to $17,171 per year depending on location and type of care. Additionally, the cost of center-based care for two children is more than the average mortgage in 45 states and more than the average annual rent in all 50 states plus D.C. The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would address the child care crisis by providing new, permanent funding so states, tribes, and territories have the critical resources they need to develop a child care infrastructure that better serves all families.
    The legislation would expand guaranteed child care funding by increasing annual funding for the Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES) to $20 billion per year (a $16.45 billion increase per year). It also would appropriate $5 billion to the CCES annually to provide new grants to improve child care workforce, supply, quality, and access in areas of particular need, including rural communities. Specifically, the funding can be used for Child Care and Development Block Grant purposes, including:
    Increasing child care slots in child care facilities and family child care homes;
    Establishing or expanding the operation of community or neighborhood-based family child care networks;
    Providing funding for construction and renovation of child care facilities and family child care homes;
    Providing start-up funding, technical assistance, support for improving business practices, and support navigating real estate financing and development processes;
    Providing guidance to child care providers on negotiating with landlords or applying for land or home ownership;
    Recruiting child care providers and staff;
    Supporting professional development and training for the child care workforce, including through apprenticeships, partnerships with labor unions or labor-management partnerships, and partnerships with public and nonprofit institutions of higher education;
    Contracting with an intermediary with experience securing private sources of capital financing for child care facilities or other low-income community development projects to provide technical support; and
    Maintaining an effective and diverse early care workforce by increasing total compensation, providing wage supplements or bonuses, or offering wage and retention rewards and ensuring adequate wages for staff of child care providers, including sole proprietors and independent contractors, that, at a minimum:
    Provide a living wage for all staff of such child care providers and
    Are adjusted on an annual basis or cost of living increases.

    U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) lead the legislation. In addition to Senator Padilla, the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is cosponsored by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-Ill.-07) introduced companion legislation in the House.
    A one-page summary of the legislation is here.
    Ful text of the bill is available here.
    The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is endorsed by: AFL-CIO, AFSCME, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Federation of Teachers, Caring Across Generations, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Child Care Aware of America, Child Care for Every Family Network, Community Change Action, Early Care & Education Consortium (ECEC), Family Values at Work, First Five Years Fund, First Focus Campaign for Children, KinderCare, MomsRising, National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Education Association, National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA), National Women’s Law Center, Save the Children, SEIU, Small Business Majority, ZERO TO THREE, Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Family Forward Oregon, First Children’s Finance, Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children, Little Miracles Early Development Center, Massachusetts Association for the Education of Young Children (MAAEYC), Maine Association for the Education of Young Children, Maine People’s Alliance, Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children (MDAEYC), Montana Family Childcare Network, New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children, NJ Communities United, Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children, Oregon Association for the Education of Young Children (ORAEYC), Our Children Oregon, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Prevent Child Abuse America, Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children, South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children (SCAEYC), Southwest Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children, Trying Together, Virginia Association for the Education of Young Children, Virginia Organizing, and Wisconsin Early Childhood Association.
    “Right now, this country is facing a serious child care crisis–parents are struggling to find or afford child care, child care workers are making poverty wages, and child care providers are struggling to keep their doors open and make ends meet. Republicans’ only proposal is to make this crisis even worse by cutting child care funding and putting more wealth in the hands of billionaires over supporting our families,” said Andrea Paluso and Erica Gallegos, Executive Directors of the Child Care for Every Family Network. “But there is another way. Senator Wyden and Warren’s Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will boost child care funding, instead of taking a hatchet to it. We are proud to endorse this critical bill that will invest in our child care supply, support the child care workforce, and help make child care easier to find and afford. The contrast couldn’t be clearer: support for care or support for cuts. Instead of non-stop Republican threats to cut child care, Congress must pass the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act.”
    “Families across the country are sending us a clear message that child care prices are too high and they need help,” said Julie Kashen, Senior Fellow and Director of Women’s Economic Justice at the Century Foundation. “Instead of tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations, we should work towards child care solutions that give parents room to breathe, providers wages they deserve, and children the opportunity to grow and flourish. The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act would be a big step in the right direction walking the walk for families and workers, not just talking the talk.”
    “America’s moms support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, and applaud its sponsors, cosponsors and champions,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, Executive Director and CEO of MomsRising Together. “Millions of young families simply can’t access quality, affordable child care in our country today. Without it, children miss opportunities to learn, moms are pushed out of the workforce, businesses go without the workers they need, families can’t contribute and make ends meet, and our economy suffers terribly. Moms want Congress to support this bill to stabilize the child care infrastructure and improve wages for educators – not give even more tax breaks to billionaires and wealthy corporations.” 
    “At a time when President Trump and congressional Republicans are proposing dramatic cuts to child care, the Building Child Care for A Better Future Act provides meaningful investments that would make a real dent in addressing the child care crisis,” said Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center. “With families at a breaking point with the soaring costs of child care, we need real, sustained investment to make care more affordable and to invest in the early learning workforce. If Congress is serious about lowering child care costs, they’ll pass this bill instead of pretending that small tax credits—which provide only a fraction of relief that families need—are a real solution.”
    “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will make child care more affordable for families and invest in the workforce that makes it all possible. By ensuring sustainable and reliable funding and bolstering the supply of child care, we can build a stronger, more equitable child care sector,” said Stephanie Schmit, Director of Child Care and Early Education at Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP). “This legislation is an essential step toward a much-needed child care system that meets the diverse needs of all children and families.”
    “Child care is essential for parents who are continuing to struggle with long waitlists and skyrocketing costs. Providers are barely scraping by due to the ever-rising costs of providing safe and quality care,” said Samantha Cadet, Legislative Director for ZERO TO THREE. “ZERO TO THREE is proud to support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act, which addresses the root issue of chronic underinvestment by increasing mandatory funding for child care so that states, tribes, and territories have the resources they need to build a child care infrastructure that works for everyone.”
    “The Building Child Care for a Better Future Act is a powerful step forward in ensuring that Tribal Nations have meaningful access to the resources needed to strengthen child care in our communities. By increasing dedicated funding and continuing the flexibility in how those funds are used, this bill honors the sovereignty of Tribal Nations to lead the development of early care and education systems that reflect our unique cultures, needs, and priorities,” said Jennifer Rackliff, Executive Director of National Indian Child Care Association (Cherokee Nation — Anisahoni Clan). “We commend this legislation for recognizing that lasting solutions come from within the community—and for giving Tribes the tools to build the systems our children and families deserve.”
    “As a national coalition of child care providers, education service providers, and state child care associations, ECEC is pleased to endorse the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act. This legislation recognizes that the child care workforce is the workforce behind the workforce—without well-qualified and compensated child care educators and staff, many parents cannot go to work with the comfort that their children are being educated and cared for in safe and healthy environments. Furthermore, the legislation takes needed steps to help provide support to providers that serve communities that are most in need of high-quality early education,” said Radha Mohan, Executive Director of ECEC. “The long-term investments proposed in the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act will better equip our nation’s child care system to serve all who rely on it every day, and support the continued growth of the American economy.”
    “Virtually every segment of our population is struggling with access to childcare, and small businesses are no exception. In fact, Small Business Majority’s research found that most small business owners said a lack of access to quality, affordable childcare for their own children made it difficult to start and grow their business. These business owners also said childcare challenges are an ongoing problem that have forced many to take time away from work, miss out on opportunities or hire additional help,” said John Arensmeyer, Founder and CEO of Small Business Majority. “We support the Building Child Care for a Better Future Act because it will improve our nation’s childcare infrastructure to more effectively address the needs of America’s small businesses.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cornyn Lead Reauthorization of Violent Crime Reduction Program

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in introducing the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Reauthorization Act. The bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to identify, address and prevent violent crime. 

    “For over two decades, Project Safe Neighborhoods has worked to combat violent crime by fostering collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies,” Grassley said. “I’m proud to back the blue and support Project Safe Neighborhoods’ comprehensive approach to crime fighting, which includes a provision in honor of fallen Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Jim Smith.”

    “For more than two decades, the Project Safe Neighborhoods program has successfully implemented data-backed solutions to lower the rate of violent crime and help keep dangerous criminals off our streets,” Cornyn said. “This legislation would build on this impressive track record and foster greater collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make America safe again.”

    “Building trust and partnerships between local law enforcement and the people they serve is absolutely essential to strengthening our communities,” Peters said. “Project Safe Neighborhoods is proven to be an effective tool for reducing violent crime, including drug and gun violence, so I’m proud to again lead this bipartisan legislation to ensure this important program can continue making a difference in the years to come.”  

    Additional cosponsors include Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

    The legislation is endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Major County Sheriffs of America, the National District Attorneys Association, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies and the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition.

    Full bill text is available HERE.

    Background:

    Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors. Under this program, law enforcement agencies focus enforcement efforts on organized criminal networks and repeat offenders that drive crime rates in a particular region. The program also works to build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve through outreach, awareness, intervention and collaboration.

    Since its inception in 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods has been successfully deployed by both Democrat and Republican administrations to reduce violent crime across the country. A Department of Justice-funded survey found that Project Safe Neighborhoods was associated with a 13.1 percent decrease in violent crime in cities with a high rate of program participation.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Q&A: Courts, Congress and the Constitution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    Q: What are “universal injunctions?”

    A: An injunction is a court order requiring someone to do or stop doing a specific action. Temporary restraining orders (TRO) are similar to injunctions but are short term, unappealable orders from the court directing someone to take or not take some action until the court can review more fully. Historically, injunctions and TROs were limited to the parties before the court. But in recent years, we’ve seen an eruption of court orders that apply far beyond the parties directly before the court — sometimes even the entire country. These universal injunctions, commonly referred to as “nationwide” injunctions, are an unconstitutional abuse of judicial power because they exceed Article III’s limitation whereby the judiciary may only resolve “cases” or “controversies” before the court.

    President Trump’s return to the White House has hit Washington like a hurricane. He’s keeping promises he made during the election that won a historic, decisive comeback victory. And yet, the lower courts are undermining the president’s work on behalf of the American people: the surge of universal injunctions are unilaterally derailing public policies being implemented by the executive branch.

    Universal injunctions have been used disproportionately to stop President Trump’s agenda, in both his first and second terms. Over two-thirds of all universal injunctions issued over the past 25 years were levied against the first Trump administration. And in the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, the lower courts have issued more universal injunctions than President Biden faced in four years. Among the numerous Justices who have voiced concern, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has voiced disapproval of this precedent-breaking legal phenomenon, whereby individual district court judges are blocking federal government policies nationwide. It sidesteps the process of representative government by short-circuiting the implementation of policies made by elected leaders. Instead, it emboldens unelected judges who are sitting on the federal bench with lifetime appointments to make policy. Judges aren’t policymakers – that’s Congress’ job. And it’s the president’s job to execute laws. President Trump is carrying out the promises he made on the campaign trail. His opponents are misusing the lower courts to blunt the constitutional authority vested in the president.

    Q: Does Congress have the authority to rein in the lower courts?

    A: The founders enshrined the separation of powers in the Constitution and ensured one branch would not supersede the authority of the others by establishing our system of checks and balances. For example, Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution ordains Congress as the sole creator and organizer of the lower courts. The Judiciary Act of 1789 established the three-tiered hierarchy of the federal judiciary. So, the answer is yes, Congress has a constitutional responsibility to require the federal judiciary to stay in its constitutional lane.

    The recent spate of universal injunctions tells me things have gotten out of whack. The orders being handed down from district court judges undermine the authority of the executive branch and overstep the authority of the lower courts. These rapid decisions also place undue stress on the judicial system by inserting political calculation into the selection of the judges and the resolution of legal disputes. Put more simply, litigants are judge-shopping and forum-shopping for a particular outcome. The judicial process is supposed to involve careful and deliberative review. Instead, it’s being used as an expedited means to a political end. Article III of the Constitution tasks the judicial branch with settling “cases” and “controversies.” Judges are meant to only resolve the dispute before them. So, it’s imperative to rein in this unconstitutional overreach once and for all. The Supreme Court could fix this problem. If it won’t, Congress must.

    As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I’m urging lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to join me to put a check on this breach of authority. I convened a hearing to examine the bipartisan problem of universal injunctions and legislative solutions to fix it. After all, both Republicans and Democrats have cheered or criticized the policy implications from universal injunctions, including this senator. Now, we should all band together to fix the problem.

    I introduced the Judicial Relief Clarification Act to restore the constitutional role of lower courts by restraining their ability to issue universal injunctions. My bill would make temporary restraining orders against the government immediately appealable. The appellate process guarantees our judicial system retains its deliberative nature. What’s more, it would help prevent rash, biased decisions handed down in the heat of the political moment. It’s time to rein in unchecked authority from the lower courts that damages the separation of powers and undermines public confidence in the courts.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman Joins Push to Expand Telehealth Access

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined a bipartisan group of 60 senators led by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) to introduce the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act would expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors. Current flexibilities are set to expire on September 30 without an extension from Congress. 

    “Telehealth keeps access to care within reach for Arkansans, especially those in rural and underserved communities. It is a proven tool that continues to transform the delivery of medical care and enhance patients’ well-being. There is widespread agreement that we should make this 21st century option a permanent tool to maximize and expand its positive impact,” Boozman said.

    “While telehealth use has rapidly increased in recent years, our laws have not kept up,” said Schatz. “Telehealth is helping people get the care they need, and it’s here to stay. Our comprehensive bill makes it easier for more people to see their doctors no matter where they live.”

    “We live in a digital world, and our health services should reflect that. In the past decade, telehealth has made medical care more accessible for patients across the state and country,” said Wicker. “It is time to make telehealth coverage permanent for Medicare recipients so that more Americans, especially those in rural Mississippi, have access to health care.” 

    Telehealth provides essential access to care with nearly a quarter of Americans accessing telehealth in a month, according to the most recent available data.

    The CONNECT for Health Act would:

    • Permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to the location of the patient, including homes;
    • Permanently allow health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services;
    • Allow more eligible health care professionals to utilize telehealth services;
    • Remove the unnecessary in-person visit requirement for telemental health services;
    • Allow for the waiver of telehealth restrictions during public health emergencies; and
    • Require more published data to learn more about how telehealth is being used, impacts of quality of care and how it can be improved to support patients and health care providers.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Peter Welch (D-VT) John Barrasso (R-WY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), James Lankford (R-OK), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Fetterman (D-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Angus King (I-ME), Jim Justice (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Todd Young (R-IN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Susan Collins (R-ME), Gary Peters (D-MI), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) have cosponsored the bill.

    The CONNECT for Health Act also has the support of more than 150 organizations including the American Medical Association, AARP, American Hospital Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Rural Health Clinics and American Telemedicine Association.

    Click here for full text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, federal partners arrest alien fugitive wanted for homicide in Dominican Republic

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LAWRENCE, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners from the FBI, and Drug Enforcement Administration arrested a Dominican fugitive wanted in his native country for homicide. Officers with ICE Boston working with agents from FBI Boston and DEA New England arrested the individual, April 3, in Lawrence.

    “This Dominican fugitive hoped to escape the law in his native country by hiding out in Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “We will now return him to the Dominican Republic to face the justice system there. We refuse to allow New England to become a safe haven for the world’s criminal elements. ICE Boston will continue to arrest and remove criminal alien offenders from our communities.”

    The alien illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    Dominican officials issued a criminal arrest warrant for him April 30, 2018, for homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

    Officers with ICE Boston, working with agents from FBI Boston and DEA New England, made the arrest.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments and Nominations

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments and Nominations

    Governor Stein Announces Boards and Commissions Appointments and Nominations
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced Boards and Commissions appointments and nominations.

    Governor Stein has nominated the following to the Governor’s Crime Commission: 

    • The Honorable Erin S. Hucks of Union County as a Chief District Court Judge. Hucks is the Chief District Court Judge for Judicial District 30, where she created the Union County Family Drug Treatment Court and serves as a member of the Union County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council and the Union County Child Fatality Prevention Team.
    • Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough of Forsyth County in a Sheriff’s seat. Kimbrough has been serving as the Sheriff of Forsyth County since 2018. His career in law enforcement began in the Winston-Salem Police Department, where he served as a Police Officer and Arson Investigator. He also served as a Special Agent in the Drug Enforcement Administration in the US. Department of Justice
    • Nisha G. Williams of Durham County as a representative from a domestic or sexual assault program. Williams is the Legal Director of the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Historic Hillsborough Commission:

    • Joseph (Joe) Petrizzi of Orange County as an At-large member. Petrizzi is the Vice President of the Chapel Hill Historical Society and serves as the Associate Director of Development of the Office of University Development at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
    • Laura Juel of Orange County as an At-large member. Juel is currently the Lead Clinical Evaluator of Rare Disease Research and is an Occupational Therapist at Duke University Medical Center. She is also an active member of the Association of Driver Rehabilitation Specialists. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners: 

    • Dr. Kenneth Brown of Durham County as a Chiropractor. Brown has successfully owned and operated Back to Health Chiropractic Medical Center in Durham for over 25 years. Dr. Brown is an active member of the American Chiropractic Association, North Carolina Chiropractic Association, and a Lifetime Member of the American Black Chiropractic Association
    • Dr. Chad Robertson of Mecklenburg County as a Chiropractor. Robertson is the Co-Owner and Clinical Director of Queen City Chiropractic & Sports Performance and the Official Team Chiropractic Provider of the Charlotte Checkers Hockey Club. He is also a member of the National Athletic Training Association, the North Carolina Chiropractic Association, and the North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Board of Transportation: 

    • Graham Bennett of Forsyth County as a Representative of NCDOT District 9. Bennett was previously the Chairman and CEO of the Quality Oil Company in Winston-Salem. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Piedmont Triad Partnership and the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority.
    • Theresa (Tess) Judge of Dare County as a Representative of NCDOT District 1. Judge’s career has been dedicated to hospitality management and development. She serves on the Outer Banks Hospital Board of directors and is Vice Chair of the East Carolina University Health Foundation. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina College Foundation Incorporated Board of Trustees:

    • Shannon Trapp of Durham County as an At-large member. Trapp serves as the Chief of Staff at the Durham County Government. She also serves on the Leadership Triangle Alumni Board, the Museum of Life + Science Board of Directors, and the Durham Homeless Services Advisory Committee. Trapp is also a member of the International City/County Management Association, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the National Association of Counties. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Emergency Response Commission: 

    • Sheriff Willie Rowe of Wake County in a Sheriff’s seat. Rowe is a 30-year veteran of the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. He also serves on the Governor’s Crime Commission and the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association Legislative and Audit Committees and as a board member of the Wake County ABC Board, the Raleigh Inter-Church Housing Corporation, and the Foundation Board of the Fellowship Home of Raleigh.
    • Chief Robert Hassell of Nash County in a Chief of Police seat. Hassell currently serves as the Chief of Police at the City of Rocky Mount and is an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Mount Olive.

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System Board: 

    • Commissioner Shinica Thomas of Wake County in a County Commissioner seat. Thomas currently serves as Chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners. Before Thomas was elected as Wake County Commissioner, she was the Director of Advocacy and Educational Partnership for the Girl Scouts North Carolina Coastal Pines. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission: 

    • Raquel Painter of Onslow County as a retired servicemember residing near Camp Lejeune. Painter is a retired Marine Corps Sergeant with more than 26 years of military service. She is currently serving as the President/Chief Professional Officer for United Way of Onslow County. After retiring from the Marine Corps in 2016, Painter began working with Hope For The Warriors as its Community Development Manager and subsequently as the Director of Community Development.

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Respiratory Care Board: 

    • Felita Livingston of Mecklenburg County as a public/at-large member. Livingston is a Professor of Management and Business Technologies at Sandhills Community College, where she also serves as an Academic Advisor and on the Student Success Committee.

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners: 

    • The Honorable Teresa H. Vincent of Guilford County as an at-large member. Vincent previously served as the District Court Judge of the 24th Judicial District serving Guilford County and has approximately 31 years of experience in the legal profession. 

    Governor Stein has nominated the following to the North State Board of Education: 

    • Dr. Janet Mason of Rutherford County as a Representative from the 8th Educational District. Dr. Mason currently serves as the Town Manager of the Town of Forest City and previously served as the Superintendent of Rutherford County Schools. She also serves as Chair of the Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation Board.

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Respiratory State Board of Examiners for Plumbing, Heating and Fire: 

    • Tommy Dean Rowland of Cleveland County as a Municipal Plumbing or Mechanical Inspector. Rowland serves as the Director of Building Inspections at the Town of Mooresville, a role he has served in since 2023. 

    Governor Stein has nominated the following to the North Carolina Utilities Commission: 

    • Michael Hawkins of Transylvania County as an at-large member. Hawkins currently works as a Business Officer in the Public Protection Section of the North Carolina Department of Justice. He is a former Transylvania County Commissioner. Hawkins also serves as a Trustee of Blue Ridge Community College, as a Board Member of the Transylvania Economic Alliance, and was a member of the Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice from 2020-2024. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Veterans Affairs Commission: 

    • Louis D. Harvin-Ravin of Durham County as a representative of the 4th Congressional District. Harvin-Ravin serves as the Director of Veteran Services at the Curham County Department of Veterans Services. She also serves as the chair of the VA Greater Durham Community Veteran Engagement Board and as Vice President of the North Carolina Association of County Veteran Service Officers. Havin-Ravin served in the United States Army in multiple roles, finishing as a Non-commissioner Officer In-Charge of Security Plans and Operation.
    • The Honorable David Grier Martin III of Wake County as a representative of the 2nd Congressional District. Grier most recently served as the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and previously as the Assistant United States Secretary of Defense for Manpower & Reserve Affairs and as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Martin also served as a judge advocate and field artillery officer in the United States Army Reserve.
    • Pastor Charles Thomas Dudley of Craven County as a representative of the 3rd Congressional District. Pastor Dudley founded and currently serves as Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Ministry of Faith church and was consecrated to Bishop in 2009. He previously served in the United States Marine Corps, having been awarded the Meritorious Service, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement, Marine Corps Good Conduct, National Defense Service, Kuwait Liberation (Kuwait and Saudi Arabia), Southwest Asia Service and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medals.
    • Jeff Joyner of Durham County of Durham County as a representative of the 8th Congressional District. Jeff served aboard the USS James Monroe in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea as a launcher technician in the US Navy. Joyner has been a member of Rockingham American Legion Post 147 since 1970. He retired as a salesman in the fertilizer and chemical industry. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the Underground Damage Prevention Review Board: 

    • Daryl Larimore of Forsyth County as a representative from a hazardous liquid transmission pipeline company. Larimore is the Right of Way Supervisor at the Colonial Pipeline Company. Larimore previously served as a CH-46 & MV-22 Crew Chief, Mechanic, and Shop Supervisor in the United States Marine Corps. 

    Governor Stein has appointed the following to the North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame Board of Directors: 

    • Larry Wooten of Wake County as an at-large member. Wooten joined the staff of North Carolina Farm Bureau in March of 1994, serving as Assistant to the President until his election as President in December 1999. He served as President of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, the North Carolina Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, and all affiliated corporations, until his retirement in December 2019. Wooten actively farmed for 21 years in partnership with his brother in a diversified tobacco and grain operation. 
    Apr 4, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Man Sentenced to Seventeen Years in Prison for Murder on the Colville Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Steven Joseph Zacherle, age 38, to 204 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and Threats in Interstate Commerce. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release and restitution payable to the Colville Confederated Tribes for the murder victim’s funeral expenses.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing, on the evening of October 18, 2022, Zacherle was in a domestic dispute with his intimate partner (Victim 1) near a gas station on the Colville Indian Reservation. During the dispute, Victim 1 drove away from the area without Zacherle, who had gone inside a nearby store.

    When Zacherle realized Victim 1 had left him, he began calling and texting her, demanding she return, or he was going to “kill” and “hurt people.” About the same time as Zacherle was making these threats to Victim 1, Dion Boyd, an elder within the Colville Tribe, exited the nearby gas station. Zacherle and Mr. Boyd walked the same direction for a short distance. Zacherle then attacked Mr. Boyd, striking him in the head.

    Within minutes of that attack, Zacherle called Victim 1 and referenced the assault, bragging that he had knocked someone out.  He then asked Victim 1 whether she wanted to see what Zacherle had done.  Victim 1 reported that she could hear garbled breathing and snorting on the phone line.

    Shortly after the assault, Omak Police and first responders located Mr. Boyd, who was unresponsive and face down, bleeding from his head. Medical providers later determined Mr. Boyd was braindead and that Mr. Boyd would never recover from the injuries Zacherle inflicted. Mr. Boyd’s family spent the next twenty days at Mr. Boyd’s bedside in the hospital hoping for a miracle, but Mr. Boyd ultimately died as a result of the injuries sustained in the assault.  The Medical Examiner determined Mr. Boyd suffered a severe brain hematoma and cracked skull because of the unprovoked attack.

    “My heart goes out to the Boyd family, who have suffered so much pain as a result of Mr. Zacherle’s unprovoked attack,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “My office is fully committed to working federal, state, local, and Tribal leaders to fully prosecuting violent crimes on Tribal land. The victims and survivors of these terrible crimes deserve nothing less.”

    At sentencing, MMIP AUSA Bree Black Horse explained “Mr. Boyd’s family and friends have uniformly described Mr. Boyd as a kind, generous person who helped raise his younger siblings and later his own children. Mr. Boyd also served his Tribe as an IT technician, ensuring Colville Tribal members living in rural areas could have cell service.”

    In recommending the Court impose a 17-year sentence, MMIP AUSA Black Horse explained “Mr. Boyd’s violent and senseless death at the hands of Zacherle has severely impacted the large family Mr. Boyd has left behind. And, Mr. Boyd is now among the disproportionate number of murdered Indigenous people and Mr. Boyd’s family has joined the ranks of too many other MMIP families throughout Eastern Washington and elsewhere.”

    “This appalling attack was truly senseless.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Mr. Zacherle displayed a shocking disregard for the value of human life when he took his frustrations out on an innocent bystander, recklessly costing that person his life.  The Colville Indian Reservation is a safer place with him off the streets.”

    This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components.  Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker and Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse.

    2:23-cr-00007-TOR

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio woman arrested on meth charges in Cattaraugus County

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Celina Serva aka “Ce Ce,” 26, of Akron, OH, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that on March 28, 2025, the DEA, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, and the Jamestown Metro Drug Task Force began investigating the sale and distribution of narcotics in the Town of Ellicott. The investigation included surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics. On April 3, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in Ellicott, seizing multiple controlled substances, a shotgun, and a large quantity of cash. Subsequent investigation identified Serva as the source of supply. Later in the day on April 3, investigators arrested Serva as she attempted to deliver methamphetamine to the residence. She was found with a total of 975 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine in her possession.

    Serva made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was held pending a detention hearing.

    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).

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Eric Butler, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Lakewood-Busti Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher DePonceau, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.   

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man arrested after recklessly pointing light at aircraft

    Source: New South Wales – News

    A man has been arrested after he allegedly pointed a high-powered torch at a aircraft last night.

    At 7.30pm Friday 4 April, police attended at Copas Drive Salisbury after reports from a pilot that he had just had a bright light internationally shinned at his aircraft causing issues with visibility.

    Northern District patrols attended at the address and caught the man in the front yard of the address shining the light in the direction of the plane.

    Police searched the property and located a high-powered torch and a taser.

    The 58- year-old man was arrested and has been charged with prejudice safe operation of an aircraft and possess dangerous article.

    He has been bailed to appear at the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on 16 May.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Secures the Extradition from Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain and Thailand of Fugitives Wanted for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Cybercrime in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minne

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the United States Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailandresulted in the extraditions last week of individuals alleged to have committed murder child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and fraud.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Roberto Avina-Casillas, 30, a Mexican citizen, was extradited from Mexico to stand trial in Franklin County, Ohio for murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Avina-Casillas evaded arrest for more than 11 years after he was accused of the Aug. 7, 2013 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.
    • Justin David Lanoue, 44, a Canadian citizen, was extradited from Canada to stand trial in Washington County, Utah, on charges filed against him in 2015 related to child rape and felony sexual abuse of a minor. The Washington County Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
    • Dominik Rydz, 24, a Polish national, was extradited from Germany to stand trial in the state of Michigan, where he faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment. On the night of Sept. 3, 2023, Rydz allegedly lured a woman away from her friends at a social gathering and proceeded to sexually assault the victim and would not let her leave. Rydz’s extradition was first sought from Poland, where he resided. While out on release from the Polish proceedings, Rydz travelled to Germany and was arrested there on an INTERPOL Red Notice.
    • Olof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” 31, a Swedish national, was extradited from Spain to face conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering charges in a 115-count federal indictment filed in the Central District of California alleging that he licensed the rights to use the name and persona of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors around the world by marketing and selling products — including flamethrowers and cellphones — that did not exist and that he never delivered to paying customers.
    • Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, both Kosovo nationals, were extradited from Kosovo to face identity theft, access device fraud, and money laundering charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their roles as the alleged administrators of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, an illicit website dedicated to selling stolen personal information, access devices, and other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the prosecution.
    • Rene Javier Santos Alfaro, 53, a Honduran citizen, was extradited from Honduras to stand trial in the Southern District of Florida for drug trafficking offenses. Santos Alfaro is an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Honduras that was allegedly responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into Miami via commercial aircraft.
    • Cristian Eduardo Garcia Jerez, 36, a Colombian national, was extradited from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of Georgia. Garcia Jerez is alleged to have owned two cocaine processing laboratories and coordinated the manufacturing of cocaine in Colombia and the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
    • Jose Guillermo Granja Rojas, 36, a Mexican national, was extradited from Colombia to face a money laundering conspiracy charge in the Northern District of Georgia. Granja Rojas was allegedly a money launderer for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the United States and transferred them to Mexico. DTO members directed the deposit of drug proceeds into accounts allegedly controlled by Granja Rojas, and Granja Rojas also allegedly traveled from Mexico to the United States to receive cash drug proceeds in person.
    • Tien Vy Tai Truong, 46, an alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy to export methamphetamine charges in a 2024 indictment filed in the Central District of California. Truong is alleged to have engaged in negotiations with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential human source to export about 200 pounds of methamphetamine from the United States to Australia for sale.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Secures the Extradition from Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain and Thailand of Fugitives Wanted for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Cybercrime in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minne

    Source: United States Attorneys General 11

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the United States Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailandresulted in the extraditions last week of individuals alleged to have committed murder child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and fraud.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Roberto Avina-Casillas, 30, a Mexican citizen, was extradited from Mexico to stand trial in Franklin County, Ohio for murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Avina-Casillas evaded arrest for more than 11 years after he was accused of the Aug. 7, 2013 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.
    • Justin David Lanoue, 44, a Canadian citizen, was extradited from Canada to stand trial in Washington County, Utah, on charges filed against him in 2015 related to child rape and felony sexual abuse of a minor. The Washington County Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
    • Dominik Rydz, 24, a Polish national, was extradited from Germany to stand trial in the state of Michigan, where he faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment. On the night of Sept. 3, 2023, Rydz allegedly lured a woman away from her friends at a social gathering and proceeded to sexually assault the victim and would not let her leave. Rydz’s extradition was first sought from Poland, where he resided. While out on release from the Polish proceedings, Rydz travelled to Germany and was arrested there on an INTERPOL Red Notice.
    • Olof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” 31, a Swedish national, was extradited from Spain to face conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering charges in a 115-count federal indictment filed in the Central District of California alleging that he licensed the rights to use the name and persona of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors around the world by marketing and selling products — including flamethrowers and cellphones — that did not exist and that he never delivered to paying customers.
    • Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, both Kosovo nationals, were extradited from Kosovo to face identity theft, access device fraud, and money laundering charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their roles as the alleged administrators of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, an illicit website dedicated to selling stolen personal information, access devices, and other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the prosecution.
    • Rene Javier Santos Alfaro, 53, a Honduran citizen, was extradited from Honduras to stand trial in the Southern District of Florida for drug trafficking offenses. Santos Alfaro is an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Honduras that was allegedly responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into Miami via commercial aircraft.
    • Cristian Eduardo Garcia Jerez, 36, a Colombian national, was extradited from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of Georgia. Garcia Jerez is alleged to have owned two cocaine processing laboratories and coordinated the manufacturing of cocaine in Colombia and the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
    • Jose Guillermo Granja Rojas, 36, a Mexican national, was extradited from Colombia to face a money laundering conspiracy charge in the Northern District of Georgia. Granja Rojas was allegedly a money launderer for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the United States and transferred them to Mexico. DTO members directed the deposit of drug proceeds into accounts allegedly controlled by Granja Rojas, and Granja Rojas also allegedly traveled from Mexico to the United States to receive cash drug proceeds in person.
    • Tien Vy Tai Truong, 46, an alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy to export methamphetamine charges in a 2024 indictment filed in the Central District of California. Truong is alleged to have engaged in negotiations with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential human source to export about 200 pounds of methamphetamine from the United States to Australia for sale.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Second fatality following crash, Christchurch Akaroa Road, Little River

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

     A second person has died following a single-vehicle crash near Little River on Thursday 3 April.

    Emergency services were called to Christchurch Akaroa Road, Little River at around 10.40am.

    One person died in hospital a short time later and a second person transported in a critical condition has died in hospital overnight.

    A crash investigation is underway.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Homicide investigation launched, Manurewa

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Hayward:

    Police have launched a homicide investigation following an incident in Marr Road, Manurewa overnight.

    Shortly after 12 midnight Police responded to a report that a person had been injured at a property on Marr Road.

    Police and Ambulance attended and located a man with critical injuries consistent with stab wounds who, despite medical attention, died at the scene.

    Enquiries are underway to determine the circumstances of the incident. Residents in the area can expect to see an increased Police presence today.

    The investigation team would like to hear from anyone who witnessed this event or has any information that could assist with enquiries.

    Please contact Police on 105 online or over the phone, quoting file number 250405/8696.

    Information can also be provided to via Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: WEEK 11 WINS: President Trump Unleashes Economic Prosperity

    Source: The White House

    It was another highly successful week for the American people as President Donald J. Trump continues his relentless pursuit of strength, prosperity, and peace — and lays the foundation for America to be the global powerhouse for generations to come.

    Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 11:

    • Illegal crossings hit a stunning new record low — down 95% over last year.
      • The number of unaccompanied illegal immigrant children also reached a record low.
      • Los Angeles Times: “California-Mexico border, once overwhelmed, now nearly empty”
      • Bloomberg: “US-Bound Migration Plunges 99% Along Panama Jungle Route”
    • President Trump continued to rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals.
      • The Trump Administration directed the successful arrests of three illegal immigrant MS-13 gang members in Florida, wanted on first-degree murder charges, and another high-ranking MS-13 member in New York, linked to 11 murders.
      • The Trump Administration directed the transfer of 17 violent illegal immigrant terrorists from the U.S. to El Salvador.
      • The Trump Administration, with state and local law enforcement, successfully arrested more than 40 individuals in a Texas operation targeting the brutal Tren de Aragua gang.
      • The Trump Administration deported an illegal immigrant “influencer” who infamously encouraged fellow illegal immigrants to become squatters.
      • Since taking office, the Trump Administration has arrested 113,000+ illegal immigrants, deported 100,000+ illegal immigrants, and released just nine illegal immigrants into the U.S. — a staggering 99.995% decrease over the same period last year under Biden.
    • President Trump implemented his bold plan for reciprocal trade as he seeks to reverse the decades of globalization that has decimated our industrial base.
      • Coalition for a Prosperous America: “A permanent, universal baseline tariff resets the global trade environment and finally addresses the destructive legacy of decades of misguided free-trade policies. President Trump’s decision to implement a baseline tariff is a game-changing shift that prioritizes American manufacturing, protects working-class jobs, and safeguards our economic security from adversaries like China. This is exactly the type of bold action America needs to restore its industrial leadership.”
      • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “For too long, America’s family farmers and ranchers have been mistreated by certain trading partners around the world. President Trump is taking action to address numerous trade barriers that prevent consumers overseas from enjoying high-quality, wholesome American beef.”
    • Americans saw early results of President Trump’s declaration that the days of economic surrender are over.
      • Nissan abandoned plans to eliminate a shift at its Tennessee production facility.
      • General Motors announced it will increase truck production at its Indiana assembly plant.
      • Guardian Bikes announced it will expand its production capacity and grow its U.S.-based investment.
      • Equipment giant JCB committed to doubling the size of its new U.S. manufacturing facility.
      • Ford Motor Company and Stellantis both announced they will offer U.S. consumers employee pricing on their vehicles.
    • President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
      • President Trump deployed additional military assets to the Middle East as a warning to the Iranian regime.
      • The Trump Administration inked a $2 billion air defense deal with Poland.
      • President Trump secured a pledge from Finland to raise its defense spending to 3% of its GDP.
      • President Trump held a successful call with Egyptian President El-Sisi to discuss the immense progress the U.S. has made in eliminating Houthi terrorists.
      • President Trump had a “productive call” with Vietnamese leader To Lam, who expressed willingness to cut the country’s tariffs on U.S. imports.
    • President Trump’s economic agenda delivered more relief for Americans.
      • The latest jobs report shattered expectations for the second straight month — highlighted by massive private sector job growth, a spike in full-time employment, wage growth, and an expanding labor market.
      • CNBC: “Private companies added 155,000 jobs in March, more than expected”
      • Wholesale egg prices continued to drop, falling to an average price of $3 per dozen — or nearly 60% since January amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the avian bird flu and repopulate the chicken supply.
    • President Trump secured the release of two U.S. citizens detained in Mexico.
    • President Trump signed an executive order to crack down on price gouging and ticket scalping in the entertainment industry.
    • President Trump established the United States Investment Accelerator to attract and facilitate billion-dollar investments in the U.S.
    • The Department of Energy unveiled plans to use thousands of acres of its land — including national laboratory campuses, nuclear sites, and former enrichment plants — to quickly develop data centers that will power the artificial intelligence revolution.
    • The Department of Energy removed additional regulatory barriers on liquefied natural gas exports.
    • The Department of the Treasury launched a new public-private partnership to safeguard the financial system against illicit activities by the Iranian regime and announced additional sanctions against Iran as part of the Trump Administration’s maximum pressure strategy.
    • The Department of the Treasury leveled new sanctions against financiers of the Sinaloa drug cartel, which has flooded our country with deadly fentanyl.
    • The Department of the Treasury announced additional sanctions against a network of Houthi terrorist facilitators.
    • The Department of the Treasury withdrew burdensome, duplicative climate-based financial risk guidelines from the banking industry.
    • The Department of the Interior announced its next oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of America, fulfilling President Trump’s pledge to unleash American energy.
    • The Department of the Interior implemented President Trump’s executive order to enhance public safety, clean up lands, protect federal parks, and preserve historic monuments in the District of Columbia.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services launched a department-wide restructuring to realign with its core mission and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services announced states can bar welfare recipients from using taxpayer dollars to purchase unhealthy soft drinks.
    • The Department of Labor announced it will return $1.4 billion in unused COVID funds back to the U.S. Treasury.
    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced a record number of new agent applications under its new leadership.
    • The Department of Justice dismissed a Biden-era lawsuit against common-sense, effective Georgia election law reforms.
    • The Department of Justice launched investigations into DEI initiatives at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine.
    • The Department of Justice said it will pursue the death penalty for the accused cold-blooded killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency continued cutting wasteful spending, shuttering a politicized museum erected by the Biden Administration, consolidating office space, and eliminating duplicative grants and contracts — saving taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.
    • The Department of Defense directed a review of the military’s physical fitness standards to ensure it remains the strongest, most lethal fighting force on the planet.
    • The Department of Education and the Department of Justice launched a joint effort to ensure rapid investigations into violations of women’s civil rights.
    • The Department of Education issued a final warning to Maine over its ongoing refusal to comply with Title IX by forcing women to compete against men in athletics.
    • The Department of Education warned states with unlawful K-12 “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs that they are at risk of losing federal funding.
    • The Department of Education encouraged state education officials to leverage federal funds to support school choice initiatives — a key part of President Trump’s education agenda.
    • The Department of Agriculture paused federal funding to Maine over its unlawful policies forcing women to compete against men in athletics.
    • The Department of Agriculture announced sweeping reforms to protect forests and boost domestic timber production.
    • The Department of Transportation announced an updated Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program, eliminating DEI and environmental justice requirements that prevented money from getting where it is needed.
    • The Department of Transportation continued making progress on the unprecedented backlog of unfulfilled grants left over by the Biden Administration.
    • The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a streamlined website that efficiently provides vital information to Americans and saves taxpayers in the long run.
    • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services formally removed the option of a third gender on immigration paperwork, further restoring common sense to government.
    • Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Matthew Whittaker was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to NATO — continuing the rapid pace at which President Trump’s nominees receive final approval.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Washington, D.C. investigation results in 14-year prison sentence for Jamaican national drug trafficking case

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    RICHMOND, Va. – An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; along with the Virginia State Police; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office ​for the Eastern District of Virginia, led to the sentencing of Jamaican national Kirkville Virgo, 47, March 28, to 14 years in prison for attempting to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

    “This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic dangerous drugs like methamphetamine will be held accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “This case would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of our state law enforcement partners and prosecutors. Together, we are making our communities safer by stopping the flow of drugs and ensuring those responsible face the consequences of their actions.”

    According to the investigation, Virgo and another person shipped methamphetamine from California to a hotel in Richmond, purportedly for “Christoper Jackson.” Law enforcement intercepted a package that contained 10 heat-sealed bundles of methamphetamine weighing approximately 9,080 grams March 23, 2024. Agents replaced approximately 18 pounds of methamphetamine with “sham” rock salt, leaving approximately two pounds of meth in the parcel, and performed a controlled delivery to the hotel.

    Virgo later entered the hotel, using the name Delbert Dujon, and took custody of the package from the front desk. Law enforcement then took custody of Virgo.

    Virgo was previously permanently removed from the United States Feb. 5, 2013, and was in the United States illegally at the time of the offense.

    ICE HSI Washington, D.C., and VSP investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.

    Members of the public with information about criminal activity in your community are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 877-347-2423.

    Learn more about HSI’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X at @HSI_DC.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Irish national charged in multistate home repair fraud scheme

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PROVIDENCE, R.I. – An Irish national illegally residing the United States and initially arrested for immigration violations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been ordered detained on criminal wire fraud and conspiracy charges related to an alleged scheme to defraud homeowners in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

    Prior to making an initial appearance April 3 for criminal charges in U.S. District Court on a federal criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, John O’Brien, 28, was arrested for immigration violations on March 28 for violating the terms of his admission and failing to depart the United States as required by October 2021.

    Charging documents allege that O’Brien and others defrauded property owners by inducing them to pay for home repairs that were not needed and often not completed. O’Brien misrepresented the need for the repairs and services, as well as the qualifications of his purported construction business, Traditional Masonry & Construction.

    O’Brien’s alleged fraud scheme came to the attention of law enforcement when an 83-year-old Warwick resident, identified in court documents as Victim 1, contacted the Warwick Police Department to complain that he had been defrauded by a contractor. Victim 1 reported that O’Brien told him that, while doing work in the neighborhood, he observed cracks in Victim 1’s foundation. O’Brien offered to professionally repair the damage to the foundation. O’Brien collected $9,500 from Victim 1. As work proceeded, O’Brien allegedly claimed that further damage was discovered. O’Brien allegedly revised the costs for repairs and sought an additional $80,000 from the victim. A home inspector hired by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island later reviewed the property and found no evidence of a need for these extensive foundation repairs.

    As described in court documents, other alleged victims have been identified who described similar interactions with O’Brien that began with initial, unsolicited recommendations for small home repairs, followed by O’Brien’s purported discovery of major repairs needed, and often a representation that the homeowner’s foundation was in urgent need of repairs. It is estimated that this scheme has defrauded homeowners out of over $1,000,000.

    At the time of O’Brien’s arrest, investigators allegedly seized from his vehicle hundreds of Traditional Masonry & Construction flyers, identical to the ones handed out to the victims in this case, and four binders containing quotes, contracts, and invoices for Traditional Masonry & Construction. The documents and contracts are dated between April 2024 through March 2025, and range from $300 to $205,000. The approximate value of the contracts contained within the binders totaled $1,987,650.00.

    The scheme O’Brien is alleged to have been executing is becoming increasingly common throughout the United States. It has come to be known as Traveling Conman Fraud. According to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, Conmen Travelers are groups of Irish or U.K. nationals who entered the United States on pleasure or tourist visas and overstayed their visits or, more commonly, entered the United States illegally. Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work. The members often quote a low price and after further inspection, demand much more money and convince the homeowner that their property is in need of major repairs. The fraudsters often hire day laborers; do not have work authorization documents or pull permits; and do low quality, unnecessary, or incomplete work, sometimes damaging homeowners’ residences.

    A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case was investigated by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Providence and the Warwick and East Providence Departments.

    ICE HSI and the United States Attorney’s Office recommend consumers follow a few simple rules to lessen the likelihood of being defrauded by this organization or others:

    • Be very cautious with offers from contractors who visit unsolicited saying they noticed a problem that needs to be fixed.
    • Don’t fall victim to high pressure scare tactics. Proceed cautiously before you commit to allowing work to be done.
    • Get at least one second opinion and cost estimate.
    • Check that contractors have a legitimate business address and consider visiting to verify that the business does exist.
    • Verify that the contractor is licensed before agreeing to have any work started. In Rhode Island, confirm licensing information on the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board website; in Massachusetts check the website of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
    • Ensure that the contractor obtains permits to do the work from your local city or town before work begins. Ask to see the permit and verify its authenticity with your city or town.
    • Beware of schemes where work is begun with a relatively small job and then the contractor claims to have found far greater damage that will cost significantly more money to repair
    • Don’t leave new or unfamiliar contractors alone at your house, even if they’re working outside. Bad actors may intentionally cause damage. Keep a close eye on work being done.

    If you or someone you know believes they may have fallen victim to the Traveling Conman Fraud scheme, you are urged to contact ICE HSI via email at HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@hsi.dhs.gov or via the ICE Tipline by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout: Justice Department Hosts Roundtables to Address Competition Issues in the Entertainment Industry and Unfair Practices in the Labor Market

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division hosted two roundtables today to meet with key stakeholders and market participants to discuss competition issues in the entertainment industry and to identify harmful labor market conduct and how these impact American workers.

    In the first roundtable discussion, Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater convened members of Teamsters Local 25 and Local 804 and legal experts. Roundtable participants shared their personal stories and detailed ways that non-compete agreements, no poach agreements and other forms of unfair practices impact their livelihood. Legal experts, worker advocates and labor economists provided their insightful perspective and strategies to protect American workers.

    In the second roundtable discussion, Assistant Attorney General Slater heard from market participants, advocates and policymakers about unfair practices in the live entertainment market.  

    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater meets with members of Teamsters Local 25 and Local 804
    Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater meets with market participants, advocates, and policymakers in the live entertainment market

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Marches into April with 259 New Immigration Cases

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 259 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 28 through April 3.

    Among the new cases, Mexican national Miguel Angel Torres-Segura resided illegally in San Antonio and was arrested March 28 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Torres-Segura participated in a human smuggling organization (HSO) that transported illegal aliens using tractor trailers, carrying out at least 19 human smuggling events and leading to the apprehension of more than 900 aliens between May 2021 and June 2022. Torres-Segura allegedly communicated with high-level leaders and organizers and assisted the HSO by transporting aliens and preparing tractor trailers for transport. Torres-Segura has multiple convictions, including two illegal entries in 2009 and 2010 and an illegal re-entry in 2011. He was convicted again for illegal re-entry on March 26 following an October 2024 arrest and has now been charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

    On March 26, 2025, in Presidio County, Texas, Miguel Andres Aguilar, a citizen and national of Mexico, was found in the United States illegally after having been preciously deported. Aguilar was removed in February 2017 through San Ysidro California. Border Patrol Agents had determined Aguilar had been deported from the US on four prior occasions.

    On March 31, 2025, at the Camino Real International Bridge II in Eagle Pass, Texas, Customs and Border Protection Officers conducting outbound operations observed a black semi-automatic pistol in the luggage being carried by Roman Lagunas-Nazario.  Lagunas, a permanent resident alien, advised officers that he lives in Mexico and was in the US to visit family in Houston.  He admitted being hired to transport the firearm to Mexico for $100. Lagunas was charged with smuggling goods from the United States and faces imprisonment for up to 10 years.

    On March 27, 2025, Victor Alfonso Cruz-Garcia was charged with illegal reentry after deportation in Del Rio, Texas, after being arrested by US Border Patrol Agents.  Cruz had been previously removed from the US on two occasions and was previously convicted of second degree murder.

    Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry arrested Juan Sebastian Cortez-Calzada on March 26, 2025. Cortez was taken to Passport Control Secondary where record checks confirmed that he is a native and citizen of Mexico with no legal right to enter the United States. Record checks further revealed that Cortez was deported to Mexico on February 22, 2012, through the Port of Laredo, Texas. Additionally, Cortez has a felony conviction for a controlled substance prior to his removal.

    Ronald Keith Henderson Jr. was arrested near Eagle Pass, Texas on Sunday, March 27, 2025. The driver of a gray Chevrolet Malibu, he was stopped near the Kickapoo Reservation in Eagle Pass. Three subjects in the vehicle were determined to be illegally present in the United States and freely admitted to had just crossed the Rio Grande River. Henderson admitted to conspiring with unknown subjects to transport aliens further into the United Staes.

    Carlos Heliberto Solares y Solares, a Guatemalan citizen, traveling in a Chevrolet Malibu with California plates entered a checkpoint in Hudspeth County Texas on March 28, 2025. Solares told agents he was traveling from Los Angeles to Houston to visit his daughter. From Statements made by Solares, it was determined he was without immigration documents allowing him to remain in the United States legally. During an interview with Border Patrol Agents, Solares was asked if he knew he had been ordered removed by a judge and needed to leave the United States in which Solares stated “yes.”  Solares was ordered removed by an immigration judge on December 05, 2007.  Solares had been previously convicted for cruelty to the elderly and domestic violence in 2021 and 2022.

    In an area known as Rusty’s Canyon approximately 31 miles east of Fort Hancock Texas, LeonelaAlejandra Prado-Sanchez was apprehended attempting to conceal herself in the brush.  Prado was determined to be a native and citizen of Honduras without immigration documents allowing her to be in the United States legally. Prado had previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on February 5, 2025 through Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

    On April 1, 2025, Mexican national Gabriel Gonzalez Carillo was arrested in Hudspeth County 31 miles from Fort Hancock Texas Point of Entry. Gonzalez told agents that he would be paid to be a foot guide and that he was obtaining routes and other information via messages from an unknown smuggler in Mexico. Gonzalez and other illegal aliens were found attempting to conceal themselves in the brush in an area known as Rusty’s Canyon.

    Kelvin Sauceda-Reyes, a passenger on a Greyhound Bus that entered an immigration inspection lane in Hudspeth County was placed under arrest on March 30, 2025. Sauceda, a citizen of Honduras, handed Border Patrol Agents and expired immigration document. Further search by agents revealed fraudulent Social Security Card and a fraudulent Lawfully Permanent Resident card in his wallet. After questions, Sauceda admitted he purchased the documents for $70 USD.

    Luis Alberto Escobedo-Duenas was found approximately 2.8 miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry in Fort Hancock, Texas.  Escobedo is a citizen and national of Mexico who had previously been removed from the US on seven prior convictions and had been previously convicted of illegal entry in El Paso, Texas in 2008, on federal drug trafficking charges in Alpine, Texas in 2012 for which he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, on Indiana state marijuana dealing charges in 2015 for which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2017, on Indiana state resisting law enforcement charges for which he was sentenced to one year imprisonment also in 2017, and was sentenced in 2018 to 13 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release after his 2012 supervised release was revoked.  Escobedo was arrested and charged in federal court in El Paso with illegal reentry after deportation.

    Eduardo Garcia-Gutierrez will face illegal reentry after deportation charges in El Paso, Texas, after he was arrested at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry.  Garcia presented himself for entry indicating he wanted to travel to California.  Garcia admitted that he did not have entry documents and was a citizen of Mexico who had previously been removed from the US.  Records checks revealed that Garcia had been previously removed on nine prior occasions, with the last being in 2023.  Criminal records check revealed Garcia had been convicted of transportation/sale of narcotics in 1994 for which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment, possession of narcotics and use of false citizenship documents in 1996 for which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment and was sentenced on four occasions for probation violations from 2018 to 2023.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cedar Rapids Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A convicted felon who illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to more than nine years in federal prison.

    Trajuan Laroy West, age 28, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2024 guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

    On January 3, 2024, Iowa State Patrol Troopers stopped a vehicle that West was driving for speeding.  During the traffic stop, a Trooper located marijuana and a gun in the vehicle.  The slide of the gun had been reported stolen out of Arkansas.  West was prohibited from possessing firearms based on three prior felony drug-related convictions as well as a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence. 

    West was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  West was sentenced to 112 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    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

    West is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Iowa State Patrol, the Waterloo Police Department, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-2029.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Traveling Nurse Sentenced to Prison for Tampering with Morphine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A former traveling nurse was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for tampering with morphine at a local rehabilitation facility.

    Loralie LaBroad, 55, of Hampton, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick to three months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release during which she is prohibited from practicing as a registered nurse or any other work with access to prescription medication or other controlled substances. In November 2024, LaBroad pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product. LaBroad was charged by an Information in September 2024.

    LaBroad worked as a registered nurse for over 30 years, licensed in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2021, LaBroad voluntarily surrendered her New Hampshire nursing license following an investigation by the New Hampshire Board of Nursing after being fired from a rehabilitation center in Derry, N.H. as a result of allegations that she had tampered with morphine bottles.

    After surrendering her New Hampshire license, LaBroad continued to practice under her Massachusetts license. From December 2021 through at least May 12, 2022, LaBroad was employed as a traveling nurse through a healthcare staffing company and was assigned to various nursing and rehabilitation facilities throughout Massachusetts. Several of these Massachusetts facilities also began to suspect that LaBroad was diverting morphine from patients because of her consistent access to the bottles of morphine and evidence of tampering (i.e. bottles that were leaking or appearing to be the wrong color). Several of these bottles were tested and came back at significantly diluted concentrations.

    In the spring of 2022, LaBroad was assigned to work at a nursing and rehabilitation center in Danvers. LaBroad had access to morphine because she was charged with treating multiple patients who had been prescribed morphine for relief of their pain. In April 2022, the rehabilitation center contacted law enforcement after a nurse noticed a bottle of morphine was wet and leaking. Administrators at the facility reviewed other bottles of morphine on other medicine carts and identified three additional bottles that appeared to have been tampered with because the color of the bottle was lighter than expected or the bottle had puncture holes in the seal. Laboratory tests confirmed all bottles were diluted to varying degrees. LaBroad had been assigned to the medicine carts containing these bottles of morphine approximately two days before they were discovered.

    Following these suspected incidents of tampering, law enforcement undertook a “controlled operation” to determine whether LaBroad was tampering with the bottles of morphine. On May 12, 2022, prior to LaBroad’s next shift, law enforcement worked with the Danvers rehabilitation center administrators to review and photograph the bottles of morphine on the cart to be assigned to LaBroad. The cart included two bottles of morphine assigned to the same patient – one of which was fully sealed before LaBroad’s shift and the other was opened, from which investigators took a control sample. LaBroad was the only individual with access to the medicine cart for the duration of her shift.

    At the end of LaBroad’s shift, law enforcement seized the two bottles of morphine before they could be dispensed to the assigned patient. It was discovered that the previously sealed bottle was a different color, leaking and showed evidence of multiple puncture holes. Laboratory testing results confirmed that both bottles of morphine had been tampered with and diluted.
            
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; and Robert H. Goldstein, MD, PhD, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Sun Prairie Teacher Sentenced to 14 Years for Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Matthew Quaglieri, 37, formerly of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 14 years in prison for possessing child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Quaglieri pleaded guilty to this charge on January 13, 2025.

    In October 2022, law enforcement responded to a middle school in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, regarding a complaint that Quaglieri was recording students as they were using the urinals in the school bathrooms. Agents searched Quaglieri’s iPad and found videos of at least 39 minors using the urinals. Quaglieri admitted that he had been recording boys in the school bathrooms at the middle school for four to five years.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley characterized Quaglieri’s conduct as predatory and abhorrent and further found it was a profound violation of Quaglieri’s position of trust at the school. Judge Conley also found that nothing Quaglieri said at sentencing showed that Quaglieri had an understanding about his conduct.

    The charge against Quaglieri was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sun Prairie Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Glinzak and Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.

    This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Westminster Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms Crimes in Federal Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury has found Rodney Gaines, 35, of Westminster, Maryland, guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of distribution of cocaine. 

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MDSP); Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Thomas Ledwell, Westminster Police Department.

    During the two-and-a-half-week trial, the Government presented evidence of Gaines’s cocaine and crack-cocaine distribution activities in Westminster, Maryland.   Investigative methods included wiretaps, initially approved in state court and later federal court, in which law enforcement recorded and monitored Gaines’s phone conversations and text messages. 

    Wiretapped calls revealed Gaines arranging sales of cocaine to various customers.  During the conversations, the cocaine was referred to in coded phrases such as “powder,” “8-balls,” “balls,” and the “sister,” among other terms.  Law enforcement also seized quantities of cocaine from Gaines’s customers after sales were conducted. 

    The wiretaps also showed that Gaines sold cocaine in conspiracy with numerous accomplices, including people who he directed to deliver cocaine to customers; prepared the crack cocaine by “cooking” powder cocaine into crack; and hid drugs at various locations including burying the drugs in wooded areas around Westminster.  Near the end of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than $250,000 in cash in apparent drug proceeds from a storage unit that was acquired by another member of the conspiracy.  The jury found that the conspiracy involved 280 grams or more of cocaine base.

    Evidence at trial also proved that Gaines’s activities and the activities of his conspiracy involved firearms.  During late January 2022, the wiretap showed that Gaines attempted to acquire two firearms — a 9mm handgun and a 40-caliber handgun — from an accomplice.  However, law enforcement intercepted the firearms, along with ammunition and ammunition clips, from the accomplice before the guns found their way to Gaines.   

    Gaines is facing up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum term of 10 years for the narcotics conspiracy offense.  The other counts are each punishable by up to 20 years.

    Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MDSP, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Westminster Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and Michael C. Hanlon who are prosecuting the federal case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Pleads Guilty to November 2024 Armed Carjacking and August 2022 Armed Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Demonta King, 18, of Chevy Chase, MD, pleaded guilty today for carjacking a taxicab driver at knifepoint in November 2024 and robbing another victim at gunpoint in August 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                King pleaded guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed carjacking and one count of armed robbery. The Honorable Jennifer Di Toro scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2025.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:50 a.m., on November 18, 2024, in the 5000 block of Fort Totten Drive, NE, King, while armed with a knife, approached the victim, a taxicab driver, who was standing approximately five feet from his taxicab. King announced a robbery and said, “Give me everything,” and ordered the victim to hand over his keys. King then stabbed the victim in the hand causing him to drop the keys. The defendant picked up the keys and took the victim’s taxicab, along with his phone, driver’s license, bank cards and other personal items. Officers later spotted the victim’s vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed, in the 500 block of Chillum Road in Hyattsville, MD, when the defendant crashed and exited on foot. Police gave chase and stopped the defendant.

                In a separate incident, according to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:45 a.m., on August 26, 2022, in the 100 Block of Gallatin Street and 1st Place NE, King approached a different victim, brandished a firearm, took the victim’s backpack and cell phone, and then struck the victim in the face with the firearm and fled.  King was 16-years-old when he committed this offense and was prosecuted as an adult under Title 16.

                King was placed under arrest at the scene of the armed carjacking and has been in custody since his arrest.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lubbock Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a 10-year-old Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who sexually abused a child for over two years was sentenced to life in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    Alec Mendoza, 26, of Lubbock, Texas, was indicted in May 2024.  He pleaded guilty in August 2024 to enticement of a minor and was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

    According to court documents, Mendoza first met the victim, “Jane Doe” and Doe’s mother at a party in 2020 when Doe was 10 years old, and Mendoza was 22 years old.  Mendoza began messaging Doe online and on Valentine’s Day 2021, Mendoza began sexually abusing Doe.  At the time, Doe was 11 years old, and Mendoza was 23 years old.

    Soon after Mendoza began abusing Doe, Mendoza moved into Doe’s family home.  For the next two and a half years, Mendoza had sexual intercourse with Doe approximately 30-50 times.  Mendoza would also send messages to Doe discussing sex and would remind Doe to delete her messages.

    In December 2023, Mendoza was caught sending text messages to Doe in the middle of the night from his bedroom down the hall.  Doe’s mother confronted Mendoza about the messages and Mendoza admitted to having an ongoing sexual relationship with Doe.

    At sentencing, the government noted that following his conviction, Mendoza agreed to take a polygraph examination.  Mendoza failed the polygraph.  In his post-polygraph interview, Mendoza confessed to also sexually abusing a second child.  A search warrant of Mendoza’s phone also revealed Mendoza to be in possession of 20 videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).  Mendoza admitted to law enforcement to receiving and distributing CSAM over the Internet.

    At sentencing, Judge Hendrix told Mendoza that he could not “capture with words the trauma you caused that will last for lifetimes.”  In imposing a life sentence, Judge Hendrix said: “I have to make a lot of difficult decisions.  This is not one of them.”

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Malibu Man Found Guilty of Defrauding Investors Out of Over $20 Million via False Claims about Celebrity App’s Business Performance

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Malibu man has been found guilty by a jury of defrauding investors out of more than $20 million by lying to them about his technology company’s financial performance related to a software application designed to help celebrities and social media influencers monetize their brand endorsements, the Justice Department announced today.

    Bernhard Eugen Fritsch, 63, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of wire fraud.

    According to evidence presented at a nine-day trial, Fritsch was the founder and CEO of StarClub Inc., a Santa Monica-based tech company. From 2014 to 2017, Fritsch raised more than $20 million from investors to build out the company’s app, also known as StarSite, claiming celebrities and influencers would use the technology to post content on social media sites such as Facebook. At the same time, the app would deliver advertising content and share ad revenue with the celebrity poster.

    While pitching the StarClub offering to investors, Fritsch made several false and fraudulent claims, including that StarClub was on the verge of entering commercial deals with, or obtaining investments and buyout offers from major media companies such as Disney; that StarClub had earned $15 million in revenue in 2015; and that StarClub’s current investors included major media companies and a global investment banking firm. 

    Fritsch also claimed he would use the investors’ money to build out StarClub’s channels and technology and for general corporate purposes. Instead, Fritsch used much of the investor money to enrich himself and support his luxurious lifestyle, including by purchasing luxury cars such as a McLaren and a Rolls-Royce, fixing up his yacht, and renovating his Malibu mansion, located near Carbon Beach. 

    Law enforcement seized the yacht, McLaren, and the Rolls-Royce and they are subject to forfeiture proceedings.

    One victim invested more than $20 million in StarClub over the course of two years, based on Fritsch’s false statements. This victim also introduced Fritsch to other victims who invested millions of additional funds in the company. Prosecutors estimate that Fritsch caused at least approximately $25 million in victim losses because of his scheme.

    The jury found Fritsch not guilty of a second wire fraud count. He remains free on bond.

    United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer is expected to schedule a sentencing hearing to occur in the coming months. Fritsch faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

    The FBI investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Monica E. Tait, Sarah S. Lee, and Joseph L. De Leon of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced To 15 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Herman Vazquez-Padilla to 15 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after committing an aggravated felony. Vazquez-Padilla was found guilty on December 23, 2024.

    According to court documents, Vazquez-Padilla, an alien and citizen of Mexico, reentered the United States without obtaining permission, after removal, following a conviction of an aggravated felony. Vazquez-Padilla was convicted of conspiracy to transport one hundred or more illegal aliens on September 19, 2012. He was ordered removed on June 7, 2021, and was removed on November 10, 2021. Sometime after November 10, 2021, Vazquez-Padilla voluntarily and illegally reentered the United States. Vazquez-Padilla did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On August 28, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers found Vazquez-Padilla in Hillsborough County, Florida.

    This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.

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