NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Newton Man Charged with Federal Firearm Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Newton man has been charged in federal court in Boston with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    James Welch, 29, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Welch will appear in federal court at a later date.

    According to the charging documents, on Feb. 28, 2025, during a search of Newton’s residence, two firearms—a pistol and a rifle— and ammunition were recovered. Welch is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions.

    The charge of possessing ammunition after being convicted of a felony provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of a $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah Foley and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Newton Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged Member of Fraud Ring Targeting Elderly Arrested in Florida

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man indicted and accused of aiding a scam that cost at least four victims more than $550,000 was arrested Friday in Florida.

    Michael P. Garcia, 36, of the Miami area, was indicted on Dec. 18, 2024, in U.S. District Court in St. Louis with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

    The conspirators contacted victims and made various false claims to induce victims to hand over cash or valuables, the indictment says.  In one instance, the conspirators claimed to be from a victim’s financial institution and told the victim that her accounts had been compromised and were being used for illegal activity and that the victim needed to give them money to stop that illegal activity. Couriers were then sent to pick up valuables from victims of the scam.

    Garcia is accused in the indictment of recruiting and paying a courier to pick up $20,000 in cash and gold bars from two victims in Brooklyn, New York on Oct. 30, 2023. The courier picked up another $30,000 in cash two days later, the indictment says. Garcia is also accused of sending that same courier to Summerfield, North Carolina in November of 2023 to pick up gold bars from a victim there. That same month, Garcia sent the courier to pick up about $200,000 in gold bars from a 76-year-old Fenton, Missouri victim who’d already supplied the conspirators with $20,000 in cryptocurrency, the indictment says. The courier has been arrested and charged.

    Garcia will be brought to St. Louis to face charges.

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnson County Man Sentenced for Production of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Debord, Ky., man, Dustin Newsome, 35, was sentenced on Friday to 35 years in prison, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell for production of child pornography. 

    According to his plea agreement, in August 2023, the parent of the minor victim called law enforcement and reported that she had located THC vape cartridges in her child’s room.  The minor victim stated that he received the cartridges and a cellphone from a mail carrier, later identified as Newsome, in exchange for nude images and sexually explicit videos.  Law enforcement discovered nine minor victims that reported having produced sexually explicit images and videos at Newsome’s request.

    A search of Newsome’s residence revealed devices that contained numerous sexually explicit images, videos, and recordings of live chats between Newsome and at least four of the minor victims. In addition to the images and videos he produced, there were several hundred images and videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that Newsome had obtained from the internet and stored on his electronic devices.  These images and videos were obtained over many years beginning in 2013. 

    Under federal law, Newsome must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Newsome was also ordered to pay $105,000 in restitution. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by FBI and KSP.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    – END –

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Committing International Child Exploitation Pleads Guilty in Miami Federal Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – An Italian national living in Miami who used social media and money to entice minors, including four United Kingdom girls ages 14 to 16, to make and send him sexually explicit images of themselves has pled guilty to producing child sexual abuse material and committing international promotional money laundering in furtherance of his child exploitation crimes.

    During a court hearing in the Southern District of Florida, Marco Pagano, 41, admitted the following: From about March 2023 to April 2024, Pagano engaged in illegal online exchanges with minors, including four girls living in the United Kingdom. As to those four minors, Pagano used his online payment system accounts more than 180 times to send thousands of dollars from the United States to the girls abroad. In exchange, Pagano demanded that the four minors produce illegal pornographic photographs and videos and send those to him through a social media application. These included images of the minor girls performing sexual acts on one another.

    Sentencing is set for June 9, at 9:00 a.m., in Miami before United States District Court Judge Robert N. Scola. Pagano faces up to life in prison.

    United States Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of FBI Miami made the announcement.

    FBI Miami investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting it.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

    Anyone with information relating to child sexual exploitation or abuse is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-20360.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Minneapolis Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan was arrested yesterday and charged by criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

    As alleged in the criminal complaint, in December 2024, Hassan attempted to travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join ISIS on two occasions, neither of which were successful. Hassan attempted to disguise the purpose of his travel as visiting family despite having none in Somalia and was traveling with his birth certificate, naturalization certificate, and high school diploma. The FBI’s investigation established that Hassan publicly supported ISIS on social media through multiple posts and communicated with a Facebook account for the Manjaniq Media Center, which encouraged individuals to travel to join ISIS and touts itself as a media organization of the Islamic Caliphate. The investigation further revealed that Hassan praised Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the perpetrator of the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 1. On Feb. 21, Hassan also posted a video of himself driving while holding a small ISIS flag inside the vehicle, as well as another video of himself driving with an open knife on his lap. On Feb. 26, FBI observed Hassan driving while again holding the ISIS flag.

    Hassan was charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. He made his initial appearance in the District of Minnesota today and was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing which will take place at a later date.

    The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar for the District of Minnesota and Trial Attorneys Ryan White and Charles Kovats Jr. of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Fall River — Man wanted on province-wide arrest warrant

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is seeking information on the whereabouts of a man currently wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant.

    Aleksandr Chabinevitch, 33, from Fall River, is wanted and facing charges of Uttering Threats and Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited or Restricted Weapon.

    Chabinevitch is described as 5-foot-11, 165 pounds and has black hair.

    At this time investigators believe he may be driving a grey 2005 Acura TL bearing Ontario licence plate CXDD060.

    Police have made several attempts to locate Chabinevitch, and are requesting assistance from the public.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Aleksandr Chabinevitch is asked to refrain from approaching him and to call police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 23-117965

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Availability of Public Notice for highway bridge proposal over Petaluma River

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    02/28/2025 02:35 PM EST

    ALAMEDA, Calif, — All interested parties are herein notified that the commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, has received application materials dated Feb. 7, 2025, from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for approval of location and plans for the modification of a highway bridge across a navigable waterway of the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Measures to suspend the Mularroya project and prevent the undermining of Special Protection Areas and the Water Framework Directive – E-002708/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Under Article 267 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, where a question on the interpretation of acts of the institutions is raised in a case pending before a court or tribunal of a Member State against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law, that court or tribunal shall bring the matter before the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

    The CJEU has declared that a court or tribunal against whose decisions there is no judicial remedy under national law is required, where a question of Community law is raised before it, to comply with its obligation to bring the matter before the Court of Justice, unless it has established that the question raised is irrelevant or that the Community provision in question has already been interpreted by the Court or that the correct application of Community law is so obvious as to leave no scope for any reasonable doubt[1].

    Therefore, national courts against whose decisions there is no remedy under national law and which refuse to refer to the CJEU a preliminary question on the interpretation of EU law that has been raised before them are obliged to give reasons for their refusal in the light of the exceptions provided for in the case-law of the CJEU[2].

    In the judgment referred to by the Honourable Member, the Spanish Supreme Court (Court of last resort) stated that the arguments set out in the case and the judgments of the CJEU mentioned therein made it unnecessary to raise a preliminary question before the CJEU for the resolution of the appeal.

    Therefore, the Supreme Court did not have doubts on the interpretation of the relevant EU law that would make it necessary to bring the matter before the CJEU for the resolution of the appeal.

    The Commission does not intend to take further action.

    • [1] Judgment of the Court of Justice of 6 October 1982, in CILFIT v. Ministero della Sanità, C-283/81.
    • [2] Ullens de Schooten and Rezabek v. Belgium, 2011, § 62; Sanofi Pasteur v. France, 2020, § 70.
    Last updated: 28 February 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – European maritime strategy and the prospect of the creation of an EU EEZ – E-000015/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. The Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Directive (2014/89/EU)[1] requires coastal Member States to adopt their maritime spatial plans by 31 March 2021. The Commission is committed to fostering enhanced coordination among Member States to ensure the sustainable management of maritime areas. This includes working towards coherent MSP across the EU, as required by the directive.

    Article 52 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and 355 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) define the territorial scope of the EU Treaties by reference to the territories of Member States. In accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), it is for each coastal State to establish and delimitate its maritime zones (including with other States in case of adjacent waters). The EU has no competence regarding the establishment/proclamation and delimitation of maritime zones.

    2. The Seville Charter is a regional map created by an external party, which holds no legal significance. The adoption of a ‘European Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)’ by the EU is neither planned nor possible.

    While the delimitation of the EEZ is a matter falling under the competence of the Member States, in case of unilateral actions or provocations in breach of international law by a third country or countries, the EU will use all the instruments and the options at its disposal, including in accordance with Article 29 TEU and Article 215 TFEU, in order to defend its interests and those of the Member States[2].

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/89/oj/eng
    • [2] European Council conclusions on external relations, 1 October 2020: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/10/01/european-council-conclusions-on-external-relations-1-october-2020/
    Last updated: 28 February 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – The environmental hazard posed to the Baltic Sea by Russia’s shadow fleet – E-002971/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission highlights that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) sets out the legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.

    Coastal and flag States have to exercise their rights and fulfil their obligations in accordance with Unclos. The international legal regime regulating the passage of ships through straits is embodied in Unclos.

    While exercising rights of transit passage, ships must, inter alia, comply with generally accepted international regulations, procedures and practices for the prevention, reduction, and control of pollution from ships.

    Moreover, according to Articles 192 and 210 et seq., States have the obligation to protect and preserve the marine environment and cooperate on a global and regional basis for the same purpose.

    Moreover, under Unclos, flag States are responsible for ensuring that vessels, including shadow fleets, sailing under their flag comply with international insurance and certification requirements, vital for accountability and preventing environmental risks in the particularly sensitive sea are of the Baltic Sea.

    Denmark, as the coastal State responsible for the Danish Straits, has the authority under Unclos to adopt measures to prevent environmental hazards and ensure compliance with international regulations within its territorial seas.

    Member States are also required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive[1] to include significant acute pollution events in their marine strategies.

    Where such pollution events occur, it is the prime responsibility of Member States to intervene and this includes cooperation with regional bodies such as Helcom to monitor and manage maritime activities that could pose risks to the Baltic Sea.

    • [1] 1 Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy, OJ L 164, 25.6.2008, p. 19-40.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Illegal fishing activity of Turkish vessels in Greek territorial waters near Alexandroupoli – E-000067/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. The EU has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Türkiye. Under the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, the EU reporting mechanisms ensure structured communication between coastal and flag States, enabling action when vessels are suspected of engaging in Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Also, in line with the relevant Council Regulation (EC)[1], the Member State concerned has primary responsibility for control in its waters, including the adoption of enforcement measures and resource allocation.

    2. The Commission supports Greece through the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and the European Fisheries Control Agency, which deploys the patrol vessel ‘Ocean Sentinel’, provides satellite imagery and aerial surveillance and coordinates inspection campaigns. The Commission intends to reinforce controls by improving synergies with the European Maritime Safety Agency and strengthening joint deployments in the Mediterranean.

    3. Alleged IUU fishing by Turkish vessels is monitored by the Commission and the Member States concerned. In this context, unequivocal commitment to good neighbourly relations, to international agreements and to the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations’ Charter, as well as abstaining from unilateral actions which run counter to EU interests, violate international law and the sovereign rights of EU Member States, remains an essential requirement[2]. Türkiye’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) would improve cooperation with the EU on fisheries and maritime policy[3].

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1224/oj/eng as recently modified by Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of 22 November 2023.
    • [2] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/joint-communication-european-council-state-play-eu-turkiye-political-economic-and-trade-relations-0_en
    • [3] https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/8010c4db-6ef8-4c85-aa06-814408921c89_en?filename=T%C3%BCrkiye%20Report%202024.pdf
    Last updated: 28 February 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Rules applied by the Commission to determine whether an impact assessment will precede a legislative proposal – E-000226/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    1. The Commission applies the principles spelled out in its ‘better regulation’ guidelines and ‘better regulation toolbox’[1]. It thereby follows the commitments made in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-making[2].

    An impact assessment is prepared for Commission initiatives that are likely to have significant economic, environmental or social impacts and where the Commission has a choice between alternative policy options. These principles are applied consistently but where an impact assessment would be appropriate but cannot be done for reasons of urgency, an analytical document in the form of a staff working document presenting the evidence behind the proposal and cost estimates is prepared within three months of the initiative’s adoption.

    2. The Commission proposes new legislation only when the expected benefits outweigh the applicable costs. An impact assessment presents an objective analysis of evidence supporting the policy initiative, including the potential impacts of various options to address the identified problems and reach policy objectives. Therefore, there is no positive or negative outcome of an impact assessment. An impact assessment is an aid to policy-making and decision-making and not a substitute for it.

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-making-process/planning-and-proposing-law/better-regulation/better-regulation-guidelines-and-toolbox_en — in particular Tool #7 (What is an impact assessment and when it is necessary).
    • [2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016Q0512(01)
    Last updated: 28 February 2025

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – VAT on artists’ rights and the EU’s requirements for Denmark – E-002722/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The value added tax (VAT) Directive[1] provides for the taxation of supplies of services made by taxable persons for consideration.

    However, as part of the derogations granted to Member States until the adoption of the definitive arrangements, Article 371 of the VAT Directive authorised Denmark, amongst other Member States, to continue to exempt the supply of services by authors, artists and performers but only those listed in Annex X, Part B, point (2), namely excluding assignments of patents, trademarks and other similar rights, and the granting of licences in respect of such rights, if the services in question were exempted in the respective Member States on 1 January 1978 and in accordance with the conditions applying on that date and have been applied continuously ever since.

    Nevertheless, this is an option granted to Denmark which can decide to tax those services. Once it opts to tax, there is no possibility to revert to the previous exemption and Denmark will be obliged to continue to apply VAT on the services concerned.

    It should be noted however that in some particular cases[2], the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that certain supplies of services by authors are not taxable transactions from a VAT point of view so there is no possibility for Member States to impose VAT on those amounts.

    • [1] Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax, OJ L 347, 11.12.2006, p. 1.
    • [2] Cases C-37/16, SAWP, ECLI:EU:C:2017:22, and C-51/18, Commission vs Republic of Austria, ECLI:EU:C:2018:1035.
    Last updated: 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Voice from the South: Dr. Anna Julia Cooper

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    “No profounder duty confronts a state than the necessity of constructing sane and serviceable citizens out of the material of childhood. No higher privilege awaits the individual in this land of opportunity than the privilege of contributing to such an end.”

    Dr. Anna Julia Cooper wrote these words ca. 1930 in her essay, “Educational Programs”. (Cooper, Portable, 190.)  Her life as a civil rights activist, essayist, an educator, an intellectual, and a philosopher on society and the law is an extraordinary catalog of outstanding achievements.

    Born in 1858 into slavery to Hannah Stanley Haywood in Raleigh, North Carolina, Anna Julia Haywood was freed in 1863, following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. She enrolled in Saint Augustine Normal School and Collegiate Institute as a student, a school established by the Freedman’s Bureau, and began tutoring there at age 10 to help with her tuition. She married fellow student George A.C. Cooper when she graduated from high school. He died two years later, and she enrolled in Oberlin College in 1881, which she attended on scholarship. While there, she asked to attend the “gentlemen’s courses” which included higher mathematics, Latin, and Greek. (Cooper, Portable, xxiii.) She graduated from Oberlin with a B.A. in mathematics in 1884, and an M.A. in mathematics  in 1887.

    Mrs. A.J. Cooper. Photo by C.M. Bell, Washington, D.C. [between 1901 and 1903] Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/bellcm.15413/

    Cooper started teaching math and science at the M Street School, in Washington, D.C., after earning her M.A. from Oberlin. The school “provided a rigorous curriculum that surpassed the offerings of many white schools.” M Street offered a curriculum with academic, scientific, technical, and business tracks. Cooper published her book, A Voice from the South to a positive critical response. As the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes of the essay “Woman vs. the Indian”, “Cooper… calls for the natural inherent rights of all people, or ‘the rights of humanity’ but also specifying groups typically denied these rights such as Blacks, women, Indians (or Native Americans), and the poor.” This comment on her philosophy of inherent rights applies not only to the essay, but to much of the book. Her thoughts and essays on society’s influence on the law, racial prejudice, feminism and education were followed by her more famous peers such as W.E.B. Du Bois, whom she corresponded with often.

    She traveled to conferences and cultural exchange programs, traveled to Nassau and throughout Europe, and spoke at the Pan-African Conference in London in 1900, where she was a member of the Executive Committee (Cooper, Portable, xl.) She was promoted to principal of the M Street School in 1901. While directing the school as the principal, she made academic and vocational tracks available to all students. However, she focused on strengthening the school’s curriculum on academics, “an approach often associated with Du Bois’s educational philosophy rather than Booker T. Washington’s emphasis on vocational training.” As principal, she made successful efforts to get students admitted to Brown, Mt. Holyoke, Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League schools when the students passed entrance examinations.  She was removed from her position as principal by the head of the school board, who disapproved of her focus of the school curriculum on academics, despite community support for her to stay. She moved to teach at the Jefferson Institute in Missouri for a brief period while pursuing legal action for a return to her position at M Street and back pay. Her commitment to equal education predated Brown v. Board of Education.

    Eventually, Cooper returned to M Street School in 1910 to teach Latin, and continued her own studies, while adopting the five grandchildren of her brother. She published her translation of Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne in 1917. At the age of 66, she completed and defended her doctoral thesis, L’Attitude de la France à l’Egard l’Esclavage Pendant la Révolution at the Sorbonne; she was the first African-American woman to graduate from the school.

    Dr. Cooper returned to teaching at M Street School until 1930 when she retired. She became the president of Frelinghuysen University, the only other higher education facility for African Americans in D.C. at the time. When the school had insufficient funds to stay in operation, she ran it from her own home, while continuing to write and publish essays in The Crisis and the Washington Tribune.

    She worked and advocated throughout her career for equal rights in education and society for women and African Americans until her death at 105. Like some other civil rights activists we have featured in the blog in the past, she was not a lawyer, but her philosophical writing and educational work created changes in civil rights; the Library’s unique collections of her work allow readers to discover more. Her writing is printed in the U.S. passport, “The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class – it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity.”

    Sources

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Upstate Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Rashaad Green, 31, of Union, and Shaquille Barber, 30, of Moore, have been sentenced to 15 years and seven years in federal prison for trafficking in marijuana, money laundering, and possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that from approximately 2020 to 2024 Green and Barber regularly flew to California and other western states obtaining pounds of marijuana for distribution in South Carolina. Green and Barber engaged in money exchanges at their respective financial institutions using cash from drug proceeds. Green and Barber’s financial records showed hundreds of thousands of dollars flowing through the associated accounts. During this time, Green and Barber were also found to have possessed firearms in connection with the marijuana trafficking.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Green to 180 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court further ordered the forfeiture of jewelry, firearms, and cash and imposed a forfeiture judgment of $500,000 against Green.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Barber to 84 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court further ordered the forfeiture of jewelry, a Rolex watch, a 2019 Audi Q8, a firearm, and cash and imposed a forfeiture judgment of $250,000 against Barber.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, and Union County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Fisher Sherard is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rafael Caro Quintero “Narco of Narcos” and Murderer of DEA Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, Former Leader of the Juarez Cartel, Expelled to the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Both Defendants Face Mandatory Life Imprisonment, and Could Face the Death Penalty, if Convicted

    Rafael Caro Quintero (Caro Quintero) and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes (Carrillo Fuentes), both citizens of Mexico, were arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn today for crimes committed as leaders of Mexican drug cartels, which were responsible for significant drug trafficking into the United States and acts of extreme violence—including, with respect to Caro Quintero, the 1985 kidnapping, torture, and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena—over a period of decades.  Caro Quintero was arraigned on a third superseding indictment charging him with four counts: one count of leading a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, which includes ten violations, including a murder conspiracy; two counts of international narcotics distribution conspiracy; and one count of unlawful use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Carrillo Fuentes was arraigned on a superseding indictment charging him with seven counts: one count of leading a Continuing Criminal Enterprise, which includes six violations, including a murder conspiracy; four counts of cocaine distribution conspiracy; one count of unlawful use of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Both Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes were arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy after being expelled from Mexico to the Eastern District of New York.  

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Frank A Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI) announced the arraignments.

    “For decades, Rafael Caro Quintero and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes have flooded the United States and other countries with drugs, violence, and mayhem, killing so many in their quest for power and control, including in RCQ’s case the brutal torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Camarena,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Today the next step in the American legal proceedings against these two cartel leaders—Caro Quintero, the “Narco of Narcos,” and Carrillo Fuentes, the head of the Juarez Cartel—are finally underway, and we are one step closer to justice being served.  My Office continues to be steadfastly focused on the vital work of protecting people of this district, and of all of those in the United States, from the destruction that cartels wreak on our communities.”

    “Today marks a day which will be remembered in the history of the DEA. For nearly four decades, the men and women of the DEA have pursued Rafael Caro Quintero, the man responsible for the kidnapping, torture, and death of fallen DEA Special Agent Kiki Camarena, and the leader of one the most notorious and violent drug cartels. Today, Rafael Caro Quintero will finally face the consequences for the crimes he committed” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “No matter how long it takes, or where you hide, the DEA remains patient and committed in our global pursuit to targeting those individuals who have brought violence and destruction to our communities. The DEA will make sure justice is delivered.”

    “Make no mistake: the world is undoubtedly a safer place with these men in custody in the United States. Carrillo-Fuentes and Rafael Caro Quintero are merciless terrorists who used fear as a tactic to intimidate their rivals and the public. ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agents and personnel with our El Dorado Task Force have dedicated years to investigating the alleged crimes and bloodshed at the hands of these defendants,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.

    Rafael Caro Quintero

    Caro Quintero was first indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2015, and a third superseding indictment was returned against him in 2018. As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, Caro Quintero’s involvement in drug trafficking and violence is extensive, ruthless, and notorious.  Known as the “Narco of Narcos,” Caro Quintero started cultivating marijuana as a teenager in Mexico in the 1960s and developed transportation and distribution networks and routes that enabled him to move that marijuana into the United States.  Caro Quintero also manufactured and trafficked heroin and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States.  Caro Quintero then joined with Colombian cocaine manufacturers to use his networks and routes to traffic cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, into the United States.  By the 1970s, Caro Quintero’s organization became known as the Guadalajara Cartel, which ultimately joined the syndicate known as the “Sinaloa Cartel” (or Mexican “Federation”), the largest drug trafficking organization in the world.

    In 1985, Caro Quintero ordered the kidnapping, torture, and murder of DEA Special Agent Camarena.  Caro Quintero believed Camarena was responsible for leading the Mexican government to seize Caro Quintero’s largest ranch in Chihuahua, Rancho Buffalo.  Caro Quintero’s men abducted Camarena and took him to a location where he was tortured and interrogated for approximately two days, after which Caro Quintero and his men killed Camarena.

    Later in 1985, Caro Quintero went to prison in Mexico. Nevertheless, from 1985 to 2013, while in prison, Caro Quintero continued operating his drug trafficking organization (the “Caro Quintero DTO”), using family members and associates on the outside to assist him.  The Caro Quintero DTO trafficked large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin into the United States.  After his release from prison in 2013, Caro Quintero went into hiding and continued running the Caro Quintero DTO from various locations in the mountains of Sinaloa.  The Sinaloa Cartel provided Caro Quintero with protection during this time.   

    Caro Quintero and the members and associates of his organization carried firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities, including pistols and AK-47s.  Caro Quintero himself carried a Colt .38 Super pistol with a diamond encrusted handle and “R-1” written in gold.

    Vincente Carrillo Fuentes

    Carrillo Fuentes was first indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 2009, with superseding charges filed in 2019.  As alleged in the indictment and other public filings, Carrillo Fuentes and his brother, Amado Carrillo Fuentes, led the infamous Juarez Cartel for more than two decades.  Under the leadership of Carrillo Fuentes, the Juarez Cartel dominated and controlled drug trafficking through the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez corridor and used its control of the Texas-Mexico border to deliver multi-ton shipments of cocaine throughout the United States, including to locations in New York, Texas, California, and Illinois.

    Until approximately 2004, Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel were aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the largest transnational criminal organizations in the world.  The two organizations worked collectively, partnering in drug shipments and sharing infrastructure as they trafficked tons of cocaine into the United States.  Throughout this partnership, Carrillo Fuentes and his associates corrupted public officials and taxed other drug-trafficking organizations as they asserted their control over the all-important El Paso-Ciudad Juarez corridor.  When this partnership finally splintered—and Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel split from the Sinaloa Cartel and realigned with the rival drug traffickers such as the Zetas—Mexico was plunged into a decade of war and bloodshed.  Carrillo Fuentes was at the center of this chaos, initially as the commander of the Juarez Cartel’s sicarios (the Spanish term for contract killers) and soldiers, and then later as the leader of the entire Juarez Cartel.

    * * * * *

    The government’s cases against Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes are part of the operations of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The charges in the indictments are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Both defendants face mandatory life sentences and, if convicted, could face the death penalty.

    The government’s cases against Caro Quintero and Carrillo Fuentes are being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Francisco J. Navarro, Erin Reid, and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution of Caro Quintero, and Assistant United States Attorneys Erik D. Paulsen and Miranda Gonzalez are in charge of the prosecution of Carrillo Fuentes.  Asset forfeiture matters for both cases are being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brendan King.  Paralegal Specialists Melissa Bennett and Huda Abouchaer provided assistance on both cases.  

    The Defendants:

    RAFAEL CARO QUINTERO
    Age: 72
    Sonora, Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-208 (FB)

    VICENTE CARRILLO FUENTES
    Age:  62
    Sinaloa, Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 09-CR-522 (JMA)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Cayce Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug Trafficking Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kayla Martin, 34, of Cayce, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that Martin and Michael Tart were arrested in April 2022 after Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department investigators seized over a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle Tart was driving on I-77 North in Richland County. Martin had previously arranged for Tart to pick up the methamphetamine from her home. A subsequent search of Martin’s home uncovered a .380 pistol along with drug residue and other drug paraphernalia. At the time, Martin was a convicted felon and on supervised release from a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Martin’s conviction for the April 2022 incident was a violation of her supervised release. Martin also faces charges with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in another drug-related incident in 2020. Tart has pleaded guilty for his part in this incident and is awaiting sentencing.

    United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. 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.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Social Security Administration Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Induce a Social Security Beneficiary for Prostitution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee pleaded guilty yesterday to attempting to persuade a Social Security beneficiary to cross state lines to engage in prostitution.

    Dae Sung Kim, 36, of Auburn, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2025. Kim was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2024 and subsequently charged by Information in December 2024.

    In March 2024, Kim handled an in-person visit at the Gardner SSA field office from an individual seeking Social Security benefits after losing her job. After redirecting the individual to another SSA field office near her residence in another state, Kim called the individual, using the phone number he obtained from SSA’s computer system. Kim indicated that he understood she was in a difficult situation and stated that maybe they could “work something out” that would benefit them both.  

    During a call monitored by law enforcement later that month, Kim again stated to the individual that they could “help each other out” and proposed giving the individual money in exchange for sex. In several subsequent text messages, Kim suggested that the individual travel to Massachusetts to meet him, offering to pay $100 to have sex in a car at a hotel parking lot. When Kim traveled to the hotel parking lot to meet the individual in October 2024, he was confronted by law enforcement.

    The charge of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fitchburg and Gardner Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 909th ARS and 134th EFS soar in Cope North 25

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    For over four decades, Cope North has served as a cornerstone of U.S. military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. This trilateral exercise brings together American, Japanese, and Australian forces for realistic combat training, strengthening their ability to seamlessly operate together.

    This year’s exercise focused on enhancing teamwork capabilities and tactical skills in a complex and dynamic Indo-Pacific region. Participating assets included the F-35A/B Lighting II; F-16 Fighting Falcon; F-18C/D Hornet; EA-18G Growler; KC-46 Pegasus; Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker; KC-130J Hercules; Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules; E-3G Sentry; MH-60S Seahawk; and the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node.

    “Exercises like Cope North provide invaluable training for our Airmen,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Travis Epp, 909th ARS commander. “The significantly larger airspace around Guam permits larger exercises than our local airspace.”

    Epp continued to say this higher-level training allowed the 909th ARS to integrate with allies and partners in ways that they could not at their home -station, better preparing the joint and allied force for future challenges together.

    Rotational units – like the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which sent their F-35A Lightning II’s to CN 25 – regularly conduct missions to enhance Kadena Air Base’s operational readiness to defend Japan and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    Other rotational units currently stationed at Kadena include the 77th EFS from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the 525th EFS from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, operating the F-22 Raptor.

    CN25 showcased seamless collaboration and communication between the U.S., Japanese, and Australian air forces, by the integration of their F-35 fighters. This provided a platform for these nations to exchange knowledge and best practices on the effective deployment, maintenance, and command and control of these advanced fifth-generation aircraft.

    “When multiple nations operate the same advanced platforms, joint training becomes essential. It enables us to identify and understand the subtle differences in how each country deploys, maintains, and commands these aircraft,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Trevor Callens, 134th EFS commander.

    He also said the critical knowledge provided by combined and joint exercises would be difficult to acquire without forming partnerships with allies.

    CN-25 continues this legacy of partnership, emphasizing the importance of interoperability and advanced defense capabilities in maintaining regional stability.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: MULTIMEDIA RELEASE: Coast Guard, Port of Virginia Maritime Incident Response Team conclude search and rescue forum in Hampton

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    02/28/2025 01:53 PM EST

    The SAR Forum is an annual event which requires strong coordination across multiple agencies conducting training for a unified, rapid and effective response to emergencies that may impact maritime commerce, public safety, and coastal communities. Through collaborative exercises and events—similar to the SAR Forum—with local law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency services the Coast Guard enhances its ability to prevent, prepare for, and response to maritime emergencies.

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

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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Mangere

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has died after a two-vehicle crash on Island Road, Mangere, last night.

    Police were called to the scene about 11pm.

    One person died at the scene, and another was seriously injured.

    The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene, and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gulf Shore — Missing youth: Help the RCMP find Makenna Robichaud

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Cumberland County District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 15-year-old Makenna Robichaud, who was last seen February 26 at 6:30 p.m. on Mathesons Cove Rd. in Gulf Shore.

    Robichaud is described as 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds. She has black hair, blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black coat, jeans, and black shoes.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Makenna Robichaud is asked to contact the Cumberland County District RCMP at 902-667-3859. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gulf Shore — Adolescente portée disparue : Aidez la GRC à retrouver Makenna Robichaud

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    La GRC dans le District du comté de Cumberland demande l’aide du public pour retrouver Makenna Robichaud, 15 ans, qui a été vue pour la dernière fois le 26 février à 18 h 30, sur le chemin Mathesons Cove, à Gulf Shore.

    Makenna Robichaud mesure 5 pi 3 po et pèse 110 lb. Elle a les cheveux noirs et les yeux bleus. La dernière fois qu’on l’a vue, elle portait un manteau noir, un jean et des souliers noirs.

    La disparition d’une personne a des conséquences profondes pour la personne concernée et pour ceux et celles qui la connaissent. Nous demandons à la population de diffuser l’avis de recherche dans les réseaux sociaux avec respect.

    On demande à toute personne qui sait où pourrait se trouver Makenna Robichaud de communiquer avec la GRC dans le District du comté de Cumberland au 902-667-3859. Pour conserver l’anonymat, communiquez avec Échec au crime N.-É. en composant le 1-800-222-8477, en allant dans son site Web à www.crimestoppers.ns.ca ou en utilisant l’application mobile « P3 Tips ».

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office collects nearly $2 million in civil and criminal actions in fiscal year 2024

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office collected $1,996,578.60 in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2024. Of this amount, $1,740,383.23 was collected in criminal actions and $256,195.37 was collected in civil actions.

    All U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting on civil and criminal debts owed to the United States, and for restitution owed to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid out to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.

    In the District of Wyoming, collection efforts are conducted through the U.S. Attorney’s Office Financial Litigation Program (FLP). The program is under the direct supervision of the Civil Chief for the U.S. Attorney’s Office; however, the Civil and Criminal Divisions work together to pursue effective recovery for crime victims.

    Civil Chief, Levi Martin, stated, “This office is committed to aggressive collection efforts for fraud committed against the United States and for restitution owed to the victims of criminal cases. The FLP is rather efficient in locating debtors and their assets in order to satisfy the judgment amounts they owe as a result of their unlawful actions.”

    One case example of a large recovery from 2024 is Defendant William Dean Decker (Case No. 1:24-cr-00028-SWS). Decker was convicted of one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Decker was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment, $139,701.55 in restitution, and a $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act. As a result of the diligent efforts of the FLP and Criminal Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office recovered the entire $144,901.55 owed under the judgment within fourteen days of its imposition.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: South Texan sent to prison for meth distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old Donna resident has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Rafael Leal pleaded guilty April 11, 2023.

    U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Leal to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.

    In October 2020, law enforcement conducted an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was attempting to distribute a significant amount of liquid meth from the Rio Grande Valley area to Dallas. During that time, authorities conducted a traffic stop and apprehended Leal as he attempted to transport the narcotics.

    Leal will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs Border and Protection and Texas Department of Public Saftery. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney James Sturgis prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: USS San Diego Makes Port Visit to Ishigaki

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    This marks the third U.S. Navy ship to moor in Ishigaki, further strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance, which has served as the foundation for regional peace and security for nearly 75 years.

    During a ceremony aboard the ship, San Diego’s commanding officer, Capt. Timothy Carter, expressed his gratitude to the people of Ishigaki for their warm welcome and extended thanks to several key organizations, including the Yaeyama Defense Association, Ishigaki Port Authority, and the Japan Coast Guard for their support and assistance in ensuring the ship’s safe arrival.

    “It is truly an honor to be here today representing the United States Navy,” said Carter. “This visit stands as a testament to the deep, enduring friendship we share with Japan. Our presence in Ishigaki today underscores the strength and commitment of the U.S.-Japan alliance, a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”

    San Diego operates in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners. The ship serves as a ready-response force for any type of contingency, from operational to humanitarian assistance missions.

    “Our military-to-military relationships have never been stronger,” he continued. “We look forward to engaging with the local community and deepening our understanding of each other’s cultures. Our partnership is not only important today, but will remain vital in the years to come.”

    While in Ishigaki, the crew will have the opportunity to engage with local residents, learn about the island’s rich history, and enjoy its unique culture and cuisine. This visit represents another milestone in the strong and enduring ties between the U.S. and Japan.

    San Diego, part of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is forward-deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

    U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    For more news from USS San Diego, visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lpd22/
    On Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/LPD22

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Commander, Naval Air Forces Concludes Visit to Japan and Guam, Reinforcing Warfighting Readiness and Sailor Quality of Service

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    During the visit, Cheever, the U.S. Navy’s “Air Boss,” engaged leadership and Sailors at Kadena Air Base, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. He also visited the forward-deployed Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and multiple forward-deployed squadrons, emphasizing the integral role of Naval Aviation in the Indo-Pacific.

    “Our forward-deployed aviation forces are the tip of the spear, and their ability to operate at the highest levels helps maintain a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” said Cheever. “It is critical that we provide them with the training, resources and support they need to maintain readiness and execute the mission.”

    Throughout the visit, the Air Boss and Force Master Chief met with command leadership to discuss key priorities, including sustaining warfighting excellence, improving the quality of life for Sailors and their families overseas and fostering a culture of trust and respect. They also took time to recognize outstanding Sailors for their hard work and contributions.

    “People are our most valuable asset,” said Kuers. “We must ensure every Sailor – whether on the flight line, in maintenance shops, onboard the ship or supporting operations – has what they need to succeed and thrive.”

    Air Boss also had the opportunity to see the U.S. Navy’s latest aviation capabilities in action, including the F-35C Lightning II, the CMV-22B Osprey and the MQ-4C Triton. These platforms enhance the U.S. Navy’s ability to strengthen deterrence to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    During engagements with squadron personnel, Air Boss flew with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, reinforcing his commitment to safe, effective operations and firsthand understanding of the challenges they face.

    “Our aviators and maintainers work around the clock to ensure our air wing is combat-ready, strong and lethal,” said Capt. Brian Kesselring, commander of CVW-5. “Having the Air Boss fly with our squadrons and engage with our teams underscores the importance of our mission and the trust he has in our warfighters.”

    While in Guam, Air Boss visited Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed MH-60S expeditionary squadron, which plays a critical role in search and rescue, logistics and fleet support operations across the Indo-Pacific.

    The visit marked the first time Cheever visited Japan and Guam as Air Boss, and reinforced morale, strengthened trust and underscored Naval Aviation as indispensable to operations around the world.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Digby — Digby RCMP assisting in fatal structure fire investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Digby RCMP is assisting in the investigation of a fire that occurred at an apartment in Digby.

    On February 28 at approximately 8:00 a.m., Digby RCMP, fire services, and EHS responded to a report of a fire on Birch St., at a home known to contain several apartments. Police officers on scene assisted in evacuating the building. Multiple occupants were able to leave the building safely.

    When the fire was extinguished, police learned that firefighters located one person deceased at the scene. The fire is under investigation and investigators will remain on scene to continue to gather information and evidence.

    The investigation is being assisted by the Office of the Fire Marshal and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.

    Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the deceased at this difficult time.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Central Coast Woman Arrested on Complaint Alleging She Created Hundreds of Bogus Medical Documents for Immigration Applicants

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging she created hundreds of fraudulent immigration documents by misusing physicians’ credentials to show compliance with medical examination requirements for immigrants to register for green cards or otherwise adjust their immigration status, the Justice Department announced today.

    Chantelle Lavergne Woods, 54, of Nipomo, is charged with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents, a felony that carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

    Woods was arrested on Wednesday made her initial appearance Thursday in United States District Court and a federal magistrate judge ordered her released on $10,000 bond. Her arraignment is scheduled for March 25.

    “The fraudulent conduct described in the criminal complaint undermined the integrity of our nation’s immigration system,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. “We commend our law enforcement partners for putting a stop to it.”

    United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires the submission of a medical examination and vaccination record that assess several physical and mental health factors to determine an applicant’s legal status. Federal law requires licensed physicians – or “civil surgeons” – to perform these examinations. 

    According to an affidavit filed on February 18 with the complaint, from February 2021 to April 2024, Woods, while operating an Arroyo Grande medical clinic, created hundreds of fraudulent documents pertaining to medical examination and vaccination requirements for individuals seeking to register for a lawful permanent resident (LPR) card – commonly known as a “green card” – or otherwise adjust their immigration status.

    Woods allegedly maintained a website that advertised itself as a “Medical Weight Loss and Immigration Services” clinic that, in part, purported to help applicants with immigration physicals. One of the doctors listed on that website as an “M.D. Board Certified Neurologist and Designated Civil Surgeon for USCIS” was in fact, according to the California Medical Board website, a pediatrician, not a neurologist.

    She allegedly forged several doctors’ signatures – including one doctor who died before Woods prepared the fraudulent immigration forms. 

    A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security are investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Elia Herrera of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section and Mark Aveis of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Suburban Chicago Tax Professional Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Stealing Client and Investor Funds

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago tax professional who fraudulently obtained more than $2.5 million from clients and investors under false pretenses has been sentenced to more than ten years in federal prison.

    ADAM R. OLIVA, 43, of Rolling Meadows, Ill., pleaded guilty last year in two federal fraud cases.  Oliva was sentenced in December to six years in federal prison for one of the cases, and on Wednesday he received an additional four-and-a-half-year sentence for the other case.  The prison terms must be served consecutively, for a total period of incarceration of ten and a half years.

    In one case, Oliva held himself out as a tax professional who did business under various names, including Oliva and Associates LLC and The Oliva Group LLC.  From 2015 to 2020, Oliva fraudulently induced clients to provide him with money for the purported purpose of paying their income taxes.  Oliva instead kept the money for himself.  Oliva also admitted that he filed false tax returns on behalf of some of those clients, reflecting no or lower tax liabilities in order to make it less likely that the IRS would contact the clients about their unpaid tax liabilities.

    In the other case, Oliva duped investors who had provided him with money to fund purported short-term loans to clients.  Oliva promised those investors that they would receive returns of 10-20% on their investments.  In reality, he never intended to make any short-term loans.  Instead, he pocketed the investors’ money and used it for personal expenses, including gambling, meals at restaurants, and retail purchases.

    The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation Chicago Field Office, and Vincent R. Zehme, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Region of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick D. Young.

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