NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New information comes to light in West Coast cold case investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are reviewing new information about the 26-year-old murder of David John Robinson after canvassing the small West Coast settlement of Kakapotahi.

    Detective Inspector Geoff Baber says after re-interviewing individuals in mid-February, new information and lines of enquiry had come to light.

    “The dedicated investigation team based in Hokitika Police Station, are following these new leads, and are interviewing new people now located across the West Coast and some other parts of the South Island.”

    The initial homicide investigation was launched on 28 December 1998, after the body of David was located on a remote West Coast beach near Ross, where it had laid for up to two weeks.

    Cold cases like David’s murder are periodically reviewed with the aim of identifying opportunities to solve them and bring closure to loved ones, says Detective Inspector Baber.

    “Our goal is to get justice for David, and answers for his family.”

    It has been reported that a single gunshot was heard by a number of people in the Kakapotahi settlement between 14 and 18 December around 10am and 10:30am – approximately two weeks before David’s body was located about 3 kilometres away.

    “There has been no explanation to date as to what that single gunshot was.

    “If you know something, we encourage you to come forward and speak to us.”

    If you have information that could help Police’s investigation, please email us via the Cold Case form on the New Zealand Police website, or call 105 and reference the case number 231129/2221.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man arrested after multiple incidents north of the city

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man has been arrested following a wild rampage in the Northern and Barossa areas overnight.

    About 7.45pm Tuesday 25 February police attended a home on Nottle Road, Gawler, conducting follow up enquiries in relation to a business robbery that occurred on Monday 24 February at the Munno Para Shopping Centre.

    When patrols arrived at the location a grey Nissan Pathfinder sped from the street and a short police pursuit ensued before police lost site of the vehicle on Redbanks Road.

    About 8.15pm police received reports that a Nissan Pathfinder was driving erratically crashing into fences and gates on Ward Belt Road, Ward Belt.

    About 8.25pm police received reports that a Nissan Pathfinder was driving erratically on Dundas Street, Gawler, before it crashed into a parked car and left the scene.

    About 8.30pm police were called to Turnbull Road, Elizabeth Downs, after a Nissan Pathfinder collided with a fence and left the scene.

    About 8.45 police were called to the carpark of a shopping centre on Hamblynn Road, Elizabeth Downs after reports a Nissan Pathfinder had crashed into a parked Volkswagen. Thankfully a woman who had been seated in the Volkswagen at the time was not injured.

    About 9.15pm police were called to the carpark of the Munno Para Shopping Centre after reports a man threatened a woman at knife point before stealing her black Ford Territory. Thankfully the woman was not physically injured. Police located the Nissan Pathfinder abandoned in the carpark nearby.

    PolAir arrived in the location quickly locating the stolen Ford Territory and tracking it to Bandiana Crescent, Elizabeth Downs. Here the driver got out of the vehicle and fled in nearby yards. Patrols swarmed the area quickly locating and arresting the man about 9.30pm.

    The 33-year-old Two Wells man has been charged with a raft of serious offences including driving without due care, failing to stop at a crash scene and aggravated robbery. He did not apply for bail and will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court today.

    The investigation remains on going with police seeking to identify further victims. Anyone with information that may assist is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or 1800 333 000 – you can remain anonymous.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Metairie Man Indicted for Possessing Materials Involving Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Federal Gun Control Act Violation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today the Indictment of ROBERT ANTHONY MARSH, JR. (“MARSH”), age 59, of Metairie, was indicted on February 14, 2025, with Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2), and  Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). If convicted of the possession of sexual exploitation materials,  MARSH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.  If convicted of firearm possession by a convicted felon, MARSH faces a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.

    According to court documents, MARSH’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on December 19, 2024.  At the time of this search, MARSH was on state supervised release for a previous state conviction of Pornography Involving Juveniles.  On December 19, 2024, following the search of his home, MARSH was arrested by Louisiana State Probation and Parole for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of child pornography.  Thereafter, MARSH was transferred from state to federal custody in connection with this federal indictment.              

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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 United States Attorney’s 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.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Jefferson Parish Police Department; and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, Probation and Parole.  The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USAO Announces Sentencings in Connection with Violent Crime Reduction Initiative

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Acting United States Attorney Carol M. Skutnik for the Northern District of Ohio has announced sentencings for several defendants who were charged in connection with a 2023 violent crime reduction initiative. The initiative was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with assistance from other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to focus on the reduction of gun-crime violence.

    Malachi Berry, 22, Darvell Jackson, 21, Steven Armstrong, 20, Nimar Linder, 22, Terrez Wilson, 20, Maurice Hardman, 20, all of Cleveland, and Brandon Kimbrough, 24, of Euclid, were each sentenced to imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Benita Y. Pearson after pleading guilty for their roles in a firearms-trafficking conspiracy. Each defendant’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.

    Malachi Berry was sentenced to 89 months in prison for conspiracy to possess machineguns and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. According to court documents, he was responsible for arranging the sales of 13 firearms, including ones that were reported stolen and had the serial numbers obliterated. Some of the items intended to be trafficked included machineguns. Berry brokered the firearms sales by recruiting others to sell them after he negotiated the prices.

    Darvell Jackson was sentenced to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to possess a machinegun, conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. According to court documents, he sold seven firearms, including at least one stolen firearm and one firearm with an obliterated serial number, some with high-capacity magazines, and four machinegun conversion devices.

    Nimar Linder was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Linder, a convicted felon, possessed and sold five firearms, including multi-caliber pistols with high-capacity magazines and a pistol with an obliterated serial number.

    Terrez Wilson was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, he sold a Glock, Model 22, .40 caliber pistol with a machinegun conversion device knowing that the firearm was intended to be trafficked.

    Maurice Hardman was sentenced to 33 months in prison for possession of a machinegun and conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a federal firearms license. According to court documents, he sold a Glock, Model 32Gen4, .357 caliber Sig-pistol with an affixed machinegun conversion device. In a separate transaction, Hardman sold a Glock, Model 19Gen5, 9mm pistol.

    Brandon Kimbrough was sentenced to 29 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, Kimbrough, a convicted felon, possessed and sold a Taurus, Model G3, and a 9mm pistol with a high-capacity magazine.

    Steven Armstrong was sentenced to 26 months in prison for possession of a machinegun. According to court documents, he admitted he could acquire “buttons,” a term used for machinegun conversion devices, and “ghost Glocks,” a term used for privately made, unserialized firearms. Armstrong also sold a machinegun conversion device.

    The investigation preceding the indictment was led by the ATF, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police, the United States Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI Cleveland Division, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the Ohio Investigative Unit, Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Division, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office. This operation was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative.

    These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Galvin and David Toepfer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand jury indicts El Salvadoran national with illegally reentering United States after sex offense convictions, Honduran national with illegally possessing firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury indicted two separate immigration cases here today involving a previously convicted felon and a repeat immigration crimes offender.

    Carlos Gonzales-Hernandez, 55, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after a conviction for an aggravated felony. Gonzales-Hernandez is a citizen of El Salvador.

    According to his court documents, Gonzales-Hernandez was detained in January 2025 following a traffic stop in Madison County. He was then transferred into ICE custody. The defendant had been removed from the United States following a local prison sentence for sex offenses. Gonzales-Hernandez was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of three counts of gross sexual imposition and received a prison sentence of six years.

    Elmer Edison Rodriguez-Guzman, 46, is charged with possession of a firearm or ammunition of an illegal alien and with illegally reentering the United States.

    Rodriguez-Guzman is a citizen of Honduras and has no legal status in the United States. He has been removed from the United States on numerous prior occasions and either deported to Honduras or allowed to voluntarily return to Mexico.

    According to his court documents, Rodriguez-Guzman was in a vehicle that was stopped in Cambridge, Ohio, in July 2024 due to no taillights. Law enforcement officials discovered items including a handgun, a double-barrel shotgun and ammunition. Rodriguez-Guzman was arrested in Guernsey County and then transferred into federal custody.

    Illegally reentering the United States is a federal crime punishable by up to two years in prison. If the offender has multiple prior misdemeanor charges, the penalty is increased to 10 years in prison, and if the offender has been previously convicted of an aggravated felony, the defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, and Robert Lynch, Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the cases. Assistant United States Attorney Sheila G. Lafferty is representing the United States in these cases.

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

    These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Southern District of Ohio Immigration Enforcement Task Force, which dedicates agents, attorneys and other staff to investigating and prosecuting immigration violations.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Duchesne Man Sentenced to Prison Following Gun Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kasey Todd Reed, 32, of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Utah, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment, and ordered by the court to three years’ supervised release after he committed a violent crime that involved shooting a firearm at his domestic partner’s home.

    The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge David Sam comes after Reed pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while within Indian Country.

    According to court documents, and statements made at Reed’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 30, 2022, Reed was involved in a domestic dispute with his partner, and after being pepper sprayed, Reed threatened to return to the victim’s home to harm her. Upon his return, Reed pointed a loaded .38 five-shot revolver at the victim’s residence and fired five rounds towards the home that housed multiple occupants as he drove past in his vehicle.  

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Pead of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

    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 gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional Nine Years in Prison for Assaulting Another Inmate

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCKFORD — A federal inmate has been sentenced to an additional nine years in prison for assaulting another inmate.

    While incarcerated in 2022 at the Federal Correctional Institution in Thomson, Ill., JULIAN BREAL repeatedly kicked and punched the other inmate for several minutes, causing serious injuries. The victim was transported to an outside hospital for treatment, which included surgery.

    A jury last year convicted Breal, 47, of assault causing serious bodily injury.  On Monday, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Breal to nine years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence he is currently serving in the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

    The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Maveus and Vincenza L. Tomlinson. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Bend Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Jalen Pearson, 31 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing 5 or more grams of methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Pearson was sentenced to 97 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in June 2023, Pearson distributed approximately 3 pounds of a high purity of methamphetamine for nearly $7,000.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration including the DEA North Central Laboratory with assistance from the Indiana State Police and the Mishawaka Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. 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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cartel Cocaine Quality Tester Extradited from Mexico

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Irma Elvira Cruz, also known as “Huzipol” and “Madre,” 60, of Mexico, has been arraigned before Russell G. Vineyard, Chief United States Magistrate Judge, on federal charges of Conspiracy to Unlawfully Import Cocaine into the United States and Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.  Cruz was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2017. 

    “Cruz allegedly played a critical role in the trafficking of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Cruz’s extradition from Mexico is an important step in holding her accountable for her alleged role in bringing dangerous drugs into the United States and into our local communities. We thank our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for their work in this investigation and our international partners for their cooperation in helping us bring Cruz to justice.”

    “Drug traffickers exploit vulnerable members of our community to generate profits,” said Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “Cases like this clearly demonstrate the resolve of the DEA to hold drug traffickers accountable.”

    “The extradition and arraignment of Irma Elvira Cruz, an alleged key figure in an international cocaine trafficking organization, demonstrates the unwavering commitment of HSI and our partners to dismantling transnational criminal networks,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “By targeting those who facilitate the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities, we are sending a strong message that we will pursue justice across borders and hold traffickers accountable.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2013, United States law enforcement identified a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that, between approximately 2013 and 2016, imported large quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico and into the United States for distribution, and transported drug proceeds from the United States to Mexico. The investigation identified Irma Elvira Cruz as an associate of the drug trafficking organization, allegedly responsible for the quality control testing of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, sent from Colombia to Costa Rica and Mexico, and intended to be delivered into the United States.

    Cruz allegedly conspired with others in Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and elsewhere to coordinate the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Colombia through the coast of Central America for distribution in Mexico and the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia. Specifically, Cruz was allegedly responsible for testing the quality of a large shipment of cocaine ultimately destined for Atlanta.

    The investigation revealed that on or about September 3, 2015, Cruz traveled to the organization’s stash house in Heredia, Belen, Asuncion, Costa Rica, to test the purity of the cocaine to be delivered into the United States. The following day, law enforcement authorities stopped vehicles driven by Cruz’s associates leaving the stash house and seized approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine. Law enforcement authorities then searched the stash house and seized approximately 221 kilograms of cocaine.

    Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges.  Cruz is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, DeKalb County Police Department, and Georgia State Patrol.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Elizabeth M. Hathaway are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Tarvin contributed to the prosecution as well. Also, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Cruz.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.  OCDETF identifies and eliminates 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.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Minnesota (SSN 783) Advances AUKUS with Port Visit to HMAS Stirling

    Source: United States Navy

    “Every time a nuclear-powered submarine ties up in HMAS Stirling, we take a meaningful step closer to establishing Submarine Rotational Force – West and a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarine capability for Australia,” said Royal Australian Navy Rear Adm. Tom Phillips, the Australian Submarine Agency’s Head of Submarine Capability. “Each visit is unique with specific goals and objectives designed to ensure we are moving at pace to host the first rotational U.S. attack submarine in late 2027.”

    This year, USS Minnesota (SSN 783) is conducting at-sea operations as part of the Submarine Command Course, a training program for naval officers preparing to take command of a submarine. At HMAS Stirling, the U.S. Navy will have the opportunity to share and compare procedures, such as weapons handling, with their Australian counterparts.

    “U.S. Navy ships have been visiting Australia for long before I was even in the Navy. Our visit, today, is another step that continues progress towards establishing the Royal Australian Navy’s sovereign, conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine force,” said Cmdr. Jeffrey “J.” Cornielle, commanding officer, USS Minnesota (SSN 783). “Those of us who serve aboard these highly capable warships understand the power they bring to the fight.”

    Announced in March 2023, the AUKUS Pillar I Optimal Pathway lays out the plan for Australia to acquire a sovereign conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet beginning in the 2030s. The Optimal Pathway involves three phases. Phase 1 establishes SRF-West in 2027, which will have up to four U.S. and one U.K. attack submarines conducting operations out of HMAS Stirling. This phase builds the infrastructure, expertise, sustainment and stewardship capability required for Australia to operate and maintain a sovereign fleet of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

    Phase 2 delivers in the early 2030s, when Australia receives its first of three Virginia-class attack submarines purchased from the U.S. Phase 3 delivers both the U.K.’s and Australia’s enduring attack submarine capability, SSN-AUKUS, which will be built in both countries and include technologies from the three partner nations. Australia plans to deliver the first domestically built SSN-AUKUS in the early 2040s.

    “AUKUS is a foundational partnership that demonstrates the United States’ confidence in Australia and commitment to allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Siriana Nair, the U.S. Consul General in Perth. “These port visits not only advance AUKUS but provide a great opportunity for our sailors to interact with and support the local community, reinforcing the longstanding friendship between the United States and Australia.”    

    Minnesota is the fourth U.S. submarine to execute an AUKUS-specific port visit to HMAS Stirling since the Optimal Pathway announcement. USS North Carolina (SSN 777) conducted the first visit in August 2023, USS Annapolis (SSN 760) visited in March 2024 and, most recently, USS Hawaii (SSN 776) visited HMAS Stirling in August through September 2024.

    “Each port visit provides an opportunity for our personnel to gain hands-on experience in sustaining and supporting nuclear-powered submarines,” said Phillips. “For this visit, Australian personnel will continue to develop the skills necessary to support nuclear-powered submarines and allowed us to exercise our infrastructure improvements.”

    “As the lead maintenance activity for SRF-West, we will ensure the U.S. submarines are maintained to our standards while also training our Australian counterparts in how to keep them fit to fight,” said Capt. Ryan McCrillis, PHNSY & IMF commanding officer. “Right now, we have more than 120 Australians training in Pearl Harbor, actively contributing to our national security mission as they hone their Virginia-class maintenance skills. Ensuring their success and reinforcing this crucial partnership is one of our top priorities.”

    The next port visit to HMAS Stirling, slated for later this year, will be a three-week submarine maintenance period.

    “We have fewer than 1,000 days before we want to establish SRF-W, which means every day matters to the program and every hour an SSN is at HMAS Stirling provides an opportunity to continue to support our Australian counterparts,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, the U.S. AUKUS Integration and Acquisition (I&A) director. “Port visits are working periods that provide Australians with the ability to learn and gain proficiency maintaining a nuclear-powered warship – something that doesn’t happen too often. This will move Australia closer to the goal of maintaining their own sovereign nuclear-powered submarine fleet.”

    The AUKUS security agreement strengthens the allied nations’ lethality and warfighting capabilities, enhances readiness by adding capacity and resilience to the submarine industrial base, and supports a stable Indo-Pacific region by operating more high-end allied warships in the region to deter aggression and win in combat.

    The AUKUS I&A Program Office is the U.S. Navy office responsible for executing the trilateral partnership to assist Australia in acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines at the earliest possible date while setting the highest nuclear stewardship standards and continuing to maintain the highest nonproliferation standard.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Have you seen Daniel?

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are appealing for the public’s assistance in locating Daniel Quinn, who has been reported missing.

    The 30-year-old Pahurehure man was reported missing on 23 February by concerned family members.

    At that time, he was last seen in the Hamilton area.

    Police and Daniel’s family are concerned for his wellbeing, and we ask anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact us.

    We believe Daniel is still in the Hamilton area.

    If you have information that can assist Police, please contact 111.

    Information can also be provided by calling 105 and using the reference number 250225/2443.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Releases Enforcement Advisory on Self-Reporting, Cooperation, and Remediation

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement today issued an advisory on how the Division will evaluate a company’s or individual’s self-reporting, cooperation, and remediation when recommending enforcement actions to the Commission and establishes the factors the Division will consider. This marks the first time the Division will use a matrix to determine the appropriate mitigation credit to apply. The advisory provides fair notice to the public and guidance that is designed to ensure due process in the Division’s investigations and enforcement actions.
    “Today, the CFTC is finally making the improvements that I have long proposed are necessary to ensure lawful enforcement, and also implements the Administration’s Executive Order,” said Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham. “From the beginning, I have encouraged firms to self-report to proactively take ownership, ensure accountability, and prevent future violations. By making the CFTC’s expectations for self-reporting, cooperation, and remediation more clear—including a first-ever matrix for mitigation credit—this advisory creates meaningful incentives for firms to come forward and get cases resolved faster with reasonable penalties.
    “Critically, it will enable the CFTC to do more with less and free up enforcement resources to focus relentlessly on catching fraudsters and scammers, helping victims, and promoting market integrity. Today’s advisory gets back to basics by returning to decades of prior CFTC policy on self-reporting and is aligned with best practices for assessing penalties followed by the Department of Justice and other U.S. financial regulators. This ‘no-surprises’ approach is straightforward and demonstrates the CFTC’s renewed commitment to fair treatment under the law and principles of regulatory consistency, transparency, and clarity.”
    “Our goal with this advisory is to obtain accountability while encouraging efficiency and conserving government resources by giving entities a clear reason to self-report and cooperate,” said Division of Enforcement Director Brian Young. “This advisory informs both staff and the public precisely how to do that. Based on my experience in criminal practice, I believe policies that encourage transparency and cooperation yield efficiencies and better justice outcomes.” 
    Specifically, the advisory details the framework the Division will use to assess self-reporting, cooperation, and remediation in investigations and enforcement actions: 

    Self-Reporting: The Division will evaluate self-reporting on a three-tier scale: No Self-Report; Satisfactory Self-Report; and Exemplary Self-Report. To receive full credit, disclosures must be voluntary, made to the Commission, made in a timely manner, and complete. Reports can be made to either the Division of Enforcement or to one of the Commission’s other Divisions with oversight responsibility. The Division of Enforcement will provide a safe harbor for good faith self-reporting if any inaccurate information in the self-report or voluntary disclosure is supplemented and corrected promptly after discovery of the inaccurate information.
    Cooperation and Remediation: The Division will evaluate cooperation on a four-tier scale: No Cooperation; Satisfactory Cooperation; Excellent Cooperation; and Exemplary Cooperation. The Division will evaluate remediation as a part of its evaluation of cooperation and consider whether a party engaged in substantial efforts to prevent a future violation. Other CFTC Divisions will be involved in the assessment of remediation. In some cases, a compliance monitor or consultant may be recommended to ensure the completion of undertakings. The advisory also provides examples of uncooperative conduct.
    Mitigation Credit Matrix: The advisory includes a Mitigation Credit Matrix describing the presumptive mitigation credit—as a percentage of the Division’s initial calculation of the civil monetary penalty—that a party may be eligible for if that party has self-reported and/or cooperated. The presumptive Mitigation Credit ranges from 0% for no self-report and no cooperation to 55% for an exemplary self-report and exemplary cooperation. The Division retains the discretion to deviate from the Mitigation Credit Matrix given the unique facts and circumstances of a particular case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James’ Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on the Death of Woody Smith

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report on the death of Woody Smith, who died on October 13, 2023, after an encounter with members of the Troy Police Department (TPD). Following a thorough investigation, which included reviews of police body-worn camera footage, interviews with civilian witnesses, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI determined that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers’ use of force against Mr. Smith caused his death, and therefore criminal charges would not be pursued in this matter.

    On the afternoon of October 13, two TPD officers responded to a report of someone trespassing at a residence in Troy. As the officers were investigating, they saw Mr. Smith climbing out of a first-floor window. The officers, with their guns drawn, repeatedly ordered Mr. Smith to get on the ground. A struggle ensued as the officers attempted to place Mr. Smith in handcuffs. During the struggle, which lasted just over a minute, Mr. Smith said he could not breathe. Once Mr. Smith was handcuffed, the officers rolled him onto his side, and he became unresponsive. The officers rendered first aid until EMS arrived. Mr. Smith was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner found that Mr. Smith had died from the combined effects of acute drug intoxication, his pre-existing health conditions, and his exertion during the struggle with the officers. The medical examiner found no evidence of asphyxia, and after viewing the body-worn camera videos, found no reason to believe that the officers’ actions in restraining Mr. Smith would have caused his death.

    Under New York’s justification law, a police officer may use physical force to the extent they reasonably believe it to be necessary when arresting or attempting to arrest someone for a crime. In this case, the evidence shows that there was cause for the officers to have reasonably believed that Mr. Smith had committed an offense. A 911 caller had reported an intruder and when officers arrived at the residence, they knocked on the door, announced themselves, and then saw Mr. Smith climbing out a window on the opposite side of the house. At that point, the officers had reasonable cause to believe that Mr. Smith had committed an offense and therefore were legally permitted to arrest him and to use force, if necessary, to effect the arrest.

    While the struggle between the officers and Mr. Smith may have contributed to his death, given the evidence, OSI concludes that there is insufficient proof that the officers caused Mr. Smith’s death.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals in Miami Arrest Illegal Immigrant Homicide Suspect

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Miami, FL – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) and the Florida/Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force (FCRFTF) announce the arrest of an attempted homicide suspect wanted out of Washington, D.C.

    Jhoandry B. Canelon, 20, was wanted for attempted murder due to his direct involvement in a stabbing that occurred in June of 2024. Canelon is alleged to have stabbed the victim multiple times before leaving the scene.

    Warrants were issued out of the Superior Court of Washington D.C. in November 2024. Once warrants were in hand, D.C. Metropolitan Police contacted the CARFTF and requested assistance in locating and arresting Canelon. In late January, CARFTF investigators developed information that Canelon was utilizing a vehicle in the Miami, Florida area. On January 28, FCRFTF investigators arrested Canelon in the 300 block of NE 54th Street in Miami. During the arrest, Canelon was non-compliant and attempted to resist arrest. Canelon was ultimately taken into custody after being tased.

    Canelon was transported to the federal courthouse in Miami where he appeared before a judge and awaits extradition back to Washington, D.C. USMS officials have also been in contact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in reference to Canelon’s immigration status.

    The USMS CARFTF began operations in June 2004. The CARFTF has partnership agreements with 14 federal and 87 state, and local agencies and operates in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The CARFTF has apprehended more than 102,000 fugitives since its inception.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: One Month of Secretary Noem: Making America Safe Again

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    “President Trump and this Administration are saving lives every day because of the actions we are taking to secure the border and deport illegal alien criminals.” – Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem

    WASHINGTON – In her first month on the job, Secretary Kristi Noem returned the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to its core mission of securing the homeland.

    Under Secretary Noem’s strong leadership, DHS is hard at work securing our borders, arresting and removing criminal aliens, safeguarding the U.S. cyber infrastructure, protecting America’s leaders, deterring terrorism, and keeping America safe.

    Below is just a sample of Secretary Noem’s accomplishments from her first month:

    • Secretary Noem has empowered our brave men and women in ICE, Border Patrol, and the Coast Guard to use common sense to do their jobs effectively.
       
      • ICE arrests of criminal aliens have doubled and arrests of fugitives at large as tripled.
      • Single day border apprehensions hit a 15-year low and daily border encounters have plunged 94% since President Trump took office.
         
    • Secretary Noem rode with ICE agents on an operation in New York City that resulted in the arrest of a Tren de Aragua ringleader.
       
    • DHS has returned the Temporary Protected Status immigration program to its original status: temporary. No longer will this program be abused and exploited by illegal aliens. 
       
      • Secretary Noem ended the previous administration’s extension of Venezuelan Temporary Protected Status.
      • Additionally, the Secretary rescinded the previous administration’s extension of Haitian Temporary Protected Status.  
         
    • Under the Secretary’s leadership, DHS is enforcing President Trump’s first major piece of legislation, the Laken Riley Act. This law mandates the federal detention of illegal aliens who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting law enforcement, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.  
       
    • To stop policies that were magnets for illegal immigration, Secretary Noem froze all funding to non-governmental organizations that facilitate illegal immigration.
       
    • Secretary Noem has deputized the Texas National Guard, Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, special agents from the State Department and the IRS to help with immigration operations.
       
    • To fulfill President Trump’s promise to carry out mass deportations, the administration is detaining illegal aliens, including violent criminals, at Guantanamo Bay. 
       
      • Already, 176 illegal aliens being held at Guantanamo Bay have been returned to Venezuela.  
      • 125 of these individuals were violent criminals including Tren de Aragua gang members and weapon and drug traffickers.
         
    • DHS ensured a safe and secure Super Bowl for the more than 100,000 fans celebrating in New Orleans.  
       
    • Secretary Noem launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign urging illegal aliens to leave the U.S. voluntarily or face deportation with no chance of return.  
       
    • Secretary Noem is embracing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts to make sweeping cuts that eliminate government waste, return DHS to its core mission of protecting the homeland, and fulfill the Founders vision of returning power to the states.

    Bottom Line: President Trump and Secretary Noem will continue fighting every day to make America safe again. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Digital Transformation of Justice: Integrating AI in India’s Judiciary and Law Enforcement

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 8:22PM by PIB Delhi

    “Technology will integrate police, forensics, jails, and courts, and will speed up their work as well. We are moving towards a justice system that will be fully future-ready.”

                                                                                                             –    Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi

    Introduction

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is driving a transformative shift in India’s judiciary and law enforcement, enhancing efficiency, accessibility, and decision-making. By integrating AI into judicial processes, case management, legal research, and law enforcement, India is streamlining operations, reducing delays, and making justice more accessible to all.

    The judiciary faces longstanding challenges such as case backlogs, language barriers, and the need for digital modernization. AI-powered technologies—including Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and Predictive Analytics are now being leveraged to automate administrative tasks, improve case tracking, and enhance crime prevention.

    Initiatives like e-Courts Project Phase III, AI-assisted legal translation, predictive policing, and AI-driven legal chatbots are reshaping the legal landscape, making processes faster, smarter, and more transparent. While the adoption of AI presents challenges, particularly in data security, ethical governance, and legal adaptation, its potential to strengthen India’s justice system is unparalleled.

    This article explores the transformative role of AI in India’s judiciary and law enforcement, highlighting its applications, impact, and future potential in ensuring a more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric justice system.

    AI in the e-Courts Project (Phase III) – A Leap Forward in Judicial Digital Transformation

    The e-Courts Project, initiated under the aegis of the Supreme Court of India, is a transformative initiative aimed at modernizing judicial functions through digital innovation. In Phase III, the project integrates advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance case management and administrative efficiency across courts in India. This phase builds on earlier digital transformation efforts to deliver a more responsive and effective judicial system.

    Key AI Applications in e-Courts

    • Automated Case Management
      AI-driven tools are now deployed for smart scheduling, case prioritization, and proactive backlog reduction. These systems use predictive analytics to forecast potential delays and adjournments, ensuring that judicial resources are optimally allocated for timely case resolution.

     

    • AI in Legal Research and Documentation
      Advanced AI-powered tools assist judges and lawyers by streamlining legal research, identifying relevant case precedents, and summarizing judgments. This technology not only expedites the research process but also enhances the quality and consistency of legal documentation.

     

    • AI-Assisted Filing and Court Procedures
      The integration of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) is revolutionizing document digitization. These technologies automate the filing of court documents, ensuring faster processing and reducing manual errors in the documentation process.
    • AI for User Assistance and Chatbots
      AI-driven virtual legal assistants and chatbots are available to provide litigants with real-time information on case status, procedural guidance, and essential legal updates. This round-the-clock digital support makes the judicial system more accessible and user-friendly, especially for individuals unfamiliar with legal procedures.
       
    • AI for Predictive Analysis in Case Outcomes
      AI models analyze historical judgments and case data to offer predictive insights into potential case outcomes and risk assessments. This capability helps judicial officers to formulate more informed decisions and develop effective case strategies, contributing to a proactive judicial framework.

    Budget and Implementation

    The Government of India has allocated a total of ₹7210 Crore for the e-Courts Phase III project, reflecting a strong commitment to judicial digital transformation. Within this budget, ₹53.57 Crore is specifically earmarked for the integration of AI and Blockchain technologies across High Courts in India. This financial commitment underscores the importance of leveraging advanced technology to achieve greater efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in the judicial system.

    AI for Legal Translation and Language Accessibility 

    India’s judicial system operates primarily in English, creating barriers for non-English-speaking litigants. AI-driven legal translation tools are being deployed to make legal documents and judgments accessible.

    Key Developments in AI-Assisted Legal Translation

    AI in Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention 

    AI is being integrated into policing and law enforcement to enhance crime detection, surveillance, and criminal investigations.

    Key AI Applications in Law Enforcement

    • Predictive Policing
      AI models analyze crime patterns, high-risk areas, and criminal behaviour, enabling law enforcement to take proactive measures.

     

    • AI for Surveillance and Investigation
      • Automated drones for crime scene monitoring and suspect tracking.
      • Facial recognition systems integrated with national criminal databases.
      • AI-powered forensic analysis to examine evidence and digital crime trails.

     

    • AI in FIR Filing and Judicial Proceedings
      • AI-driven speech-to-text tools assist in real-time FIR filing and case documentation.
      • AI is improving witness testimony analysis and courtroom evidence evaluation.

     

    • Data-Driven Crime Tracking and Intelligence Systems
      • AI enhances Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (CCTNS).
      • Integration with e-Prisons and e-Forensics databases.

    AI and 5G: Vimarsh 2023 Hackathon for Law Enforcement 

    The Vimarsh 2023 5G Hackathon, organized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D), Ministry of Home Affairs, explored AI-driven innovations for crime prevention.

     

    Innovations Demonstrated at Vimarsh 2023

    • AI-assisted FIR filing using voice recognition.
    • Drone-based crime surveillance and suspect tracking.
    • Augmented Reality (AR) applications for crime scene investigations.
    • AI-driven predictive analytics for national security and policing.

    Conclusion

    Artificial Intelligence is transforming India’s judiciary and law enforcement by enhancing case management, legal research, crime prevention, and language accessibility. AI-driven tools such as predictive analytics, automated documentation, chatbots, and smart policing systems are improving efficiency and governance in the legal system. However, responsible AI adoption requires strong data security, legal reforms, and transparency to ensure it supports rather than replaces human judgment in judicial processes. The future of AI in law and justice will be shaped by AI-powered legal research, blockchain-secured case records, judicial transparency through AI analytics, and enhanced cybersecurity in law enforcement.

    With sustained government investment and regulatory oversight, AI has the potential to make India’s justice system faster, more accessible, and transparent for all citizens.

     

    References

     

    Click here to download PDF

    *****

    Santosh Kumar/ Sheetal Angral / Vatsla Srivastava

    (Release ID: 2106239) Visitor Counter : 67

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Regional Dialogue on Social Justice Hosted by India Concludes at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Regional Dialogue on Social Justice Hosted by India Concludes at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi

    Over 500 Participants from Asia-Asia Pacific Region and beyond Enriched Regional Dialogue

    Collaborative Approaches Explored for Responsible Business Practices, Promoting Decent Work within Global Value Chains and Harnessing AI for Decent Work & Equity

    Coalition Partners Reaffirmed the Need for Continued Dialogue And Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration to Drive Global Agenda for Social Justice

    Posted On: 25 FEB 2025 7:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Labour and Employment and Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) in collaboration with Global Coalition for Social Justice and International Labour Organization, with the support Confederation of Industry (CII) – Employers Federation of India (EFI) hosted a two-day Regional Dialogue on Social Justice under the Global Coalition for Social Justice at Bharat Mandapam from 24-25 February 2025 in New Delhi.

    The event brought together more than 500 representatives from Coalition partners, governments, concerned Ministries of Government of India, employers’ and workers’ organizations, academia and enterprises, experts from international organizations bodies and ESIC members and officers.

    Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the two-day Regional Dialogue and launched key publications on  Responsible Business Conduct, Transforming India’s Social Protection Landscape, Compendium of Social Protection in India, and Shram Samarth, in the presence of Director General, International Labour Organization (ILO), Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, Union Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Ms. Shobha Karandlaje, and Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Labour & Employment.

    The event also marked the 74th foundation day of ESIC celebrating seven decades of the organisation’s service to workers and their families across the country. The highlight of the occasion was the start of the ESIC Special Services Fortnight, a 15-day initiative aimed at enhancing worker welfare. Running from February 24th to March 10th, 2025, this initiative will involve participation from ESIC Field Offices, Hospitals, and Medical Institutions in a series of activities, including seminars, health talks, awareness camps, hygiene education, health check-ups etc.

    Global experts, policymakers, and industry leaders shared their insights during technical sessions to advance social justice in the region. Experts from international organizations including International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations India, UNICEF, UN Women and UNESCAP shared crucial insights and global perspectives.

     

    Representatives from Australia, Japan, Namibia, Philippines, Germany, Brazil, showcased their respective experiences and learnings, while participants discussed strategies on empowering the youth to drive sustainable growth for enterprises, expanding social security to informal workers, responsible business practices in safeguarding worker well-being, promoting decent work, living wages within global value chains and human centric approach to harnessing AI for decent Work & equity. Emphasizing corporate accountability and compliance with international labour standards, the discussions reinforced the importance of multi-stakeholder partnership in driving sustainable and inclusive economic growth while upholding workers’ rights and well-being.

     

    Representatives from Ministry of Labour & Employment presented its key initiatives and achievements including NCS and e-Shram, social security coverage and OSH in changing world of work during the technical sessions.

    Ms. Sumita Dawra, Secretary (Labour & Employment) emphasized the need for collaboration among social partners- industry and workers’ organizations for fostering social justice by promoting sustainable business models, driving inclusive growth and advancing quality employment generation. She further highlighted India’s commitment to leading global efforts on social justice in collaboration with the ILO as well as OECD on the development of an International Reference Classification of Skills and Occupations under the G20 framework.

    In her concluding remarks, Secretary, Labour and Employment elaborated on the strides taken by India towards Responsible Business conduct. She appreciated the efforts of Indian businesses who showcased practices for promoting responsible business conduct by ensuring health & safety of workers, living wages, and youth skilling while expanding social protection coverage.

    Ms. Dawra also emphasized India’s demographic dividend, skilling youth for future of work, quality employment generation, and workforce well-being as top priorities.

     

    Ms. Sana De Courcelles, Director of the Global Coalition for Social Justice, praised India’s pioneering efforts and strong commitment to taking the lead in the coalition as an active partner. She commended India not only for its leadership in the coalition but also for delivering concrete outcomes, fostering tangible actions for job creation, promoting shared prosperity, and encouraging collective efforts for ongoing dialogue.

    Interactive digital kiosks of Ministry of Labour and Employment and its organizations including ESIC, Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, Director General of Employment and Director General of Labour Welfare, received good response from the participants.

    Landmark initiatives of the Ministry including e-Shram, NCS portal, labour reforms Gig & Platform Worker, ELI Schemes, EPFO and ESIC were showcased through digital flipbooks. These engaging kiosks emphasized India’s commitment to leveraging technology to make social security more accessible, transparent, and efficient.

     

    The seminar concluded as the Joint Secretary, Labour & Employment, Shri Rupesh Kumar Thakur reaffirmed the need for continued dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration of Coalition Partners to drive the global agenda for social justice.

    ******

    Himanshu Pathak

    (Release ID: 2106221) Visitor Counter : 53

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sick Call Screener Course enhances operational readiness at NMRTC Twentynine Palms

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    The Adult Medical Care Clinic (AMCC) at Naval Medical Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Twentynine Palms has implemented an innovative approach to improving medical care accessibility and operational readiness through its Sick Call Screener Course (SCSC).

    The AMCC provides acute and primary care services to the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School (MCCES) and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) headquarters units, supporting a population of 13,000 to 15,000 MCCES students. The clinic offers services ranging from acute care and medical readiness to laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and physical therapy.

    “On a typical morning, our first challenge is managing anywhere between 60 to 80 acute sick call patients,” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Matthew Ritchie, AMCC’s leading chief petty officer. “Because of this expected daily demand, we have made it a point to deliver huge improvements in clinic operations. We are proud to say that we have reduced average appointment wait times from six weeks to just seven days.”

    One of the key contributors to this improvement is leveraging the Sick Call Screener Course, a Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED) program designed to equip hospital corpsmen with the necessary medical knowledge, skills, and abilities to serve in operational environments. The course enhances patient care accessibility by training corpsmen to act as provider extenders.

    “The primary creators of the course at this command are LCDR Bristow, HM1 Smith, and myself,” Ritchie said. “It was developed to increase hospital corpsmen’s medical proficiency while also improving access to care.”

    Sick Call Screeners play a critical role in the AMCC’s operations by triaging acute patients and conducting examinations under the supervision of healthcare providers. Their presence has significantly improved efficiency, allowing for quicker evaluations and streamlined medical services.

    “This program has increased our access to care and allowed us to support mission readiness more effectively,” Ritchie added. “Since its implementation, we’ve seen a substantial decrease in appointment backlog, allowing Marines to receive timely medical attention and return to duty faster.”

    As the AMCC continues upskilling its corpsmen, the success of the Sick Call Screener Course serves as a testament to the Navy Medicine’s commitment to enhancing operational medical readiness and keeping the warfighter in the fight. By empowering hospital corpsmen with critical medical skills, NMRTC Twentynine Palms is ensuring that Marines receive the care they need while maintaining peak mission effectiveness.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Multiple warnings and huge fines are not stopping super funds, insurers and banks overcharging customers

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne

    Last week the Federal Court fined Australia’s biggest superannuation company, AustralianSuper, A$27 million for overcharging customers.

    The company had breached its legal obligations under the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 by failing to identify and merge the duplicate accounts of customers.

    Given the individual errant fees were about $1.50 per duplicate account, the penalty might sound disproportionate to the wrongdoing.

    But over the nine years the duplicate account and other fees were being charged, they collectively cost customers about $69 million.

    As revealed in court, the double charging continued even though AustralianSuper’s employees and officers were aware that duplicate accounts were widespread.

    Not a precedent

    This court case was not the first. It follows a damning series of cases brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) against banks, insurers and super funds for overcharging.

    In 2022, ASIC reported six of Australia’s largest financial services institutions had paid almost $4.4 billion in compensation to customers for overcharging or providing no service.

    Financial penalties were also imposed. Westpac and associated entities were fined $40 million for charging $10.9 million to more than 11,800 dead customers.

    ANZ was also hit with a $25 million penalty for failing to provide promised fee benefits to about 689,000 customer accounts over more than 20 years.

    These cases were highlighted in the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry, which ran from December 2017 to February 2019. But even after that, new instances emerged.

    In 2023, a review by ASIC resulted in general insurers repaying more than $815 million to more than 5.6 million customers for pricing failures since 1 January 2018“.

    After this, ASIC imposed penalties on insurers IAG-subsidiaries and QBE. It was alleged they misled customers by promising them loyalty discounts to renew their home insurance policies. But the customers actually had their premiums raised by an amount similar in size to the discounts.

    In 2024, ASIC announced the findings of an inquiry into excessively high fees for superannuation fund advice. The fees were not proportionate to the advice needs of members or the cost of advice.

    More than 300 members across seven of the funds had advice fees of more than $15,000 deducted from their accounts.

    Despite repeated calls by ASIC and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority for the industry to improve its operations, a 2024 ASIC review found major banks left at least two million low-income customers in high-fee accounts. Those affected were refunded more than $28 million.

    Why has this litany of pricing misconduct cases occurred?

    Put in the best light, the failures represent a combination of poor legacy payment systems and increasingly complex modern payment structures and products.

    Recognising these constraints, the Federal Court has stated that the obligation under the Corporations Act to ensure financial services are provided “efficiently, honestly and fairly” does not demand “absolute perfection”.

    In other words, some mistakes are inevitable. But this does not relieve banks, insurers and superannuation funds from responsibility for payment errors.

    The buck stops with the institutions

    Charging more money than permitted or failing to pass on discounts will usually be a breach of the financial institution’s contract with its customers, and may also amount to misleading conduct.

    It’s unlawful. Even if the individual amounts in question are small compared with the turnover of the financial institution, they are significant to the customers affected.

    This means, as courts have consistently recognised, that financial institutions have a responsibility to put in place “systems and processes” to identify and correct payment errors. And they need to remediate affected customers promptly.

    The ongoing misconduct suggests banks, insurers and superannuation trustees have ignored this.

    Notably, in 2023, a court found NAB waited more than two years to correct overcharging, despite being aware of it.

    And in 2025, the court was critical of AustralianSuper for taking years to address the problem of duplicate customer accounts even after it was identified.

    The judge in the AustralianSuper case said:

    nobody was responsible for ensuring compliance with legislative requirements and [this] resulted in no resources being dedicated to that task.

    When no one takes responsibility

    After the Royal Commission, ASIC was criticised for not being sufficiently rigorous in enforcing the law. It now appears ASIC is working through the fee practices of banks, insurers and super funds armed with considerable penalties.

    ASIC’s clear aim is to ensure payment misconduct doesn’t pay, and enforcement by the regulator cannot be dismissed as a mere cost of doing business.

    But is this enough? Customers may wait years for payment errors to be identified and redressed through enforcement by ASIC.

    We need to rethink how these institutions understand their obligations to customers. Notably, the United Kingdom has introduced a “consumer duty”, which requires banks to promote customers’ interests and demonstrate how they are doing this.

    Australia doesn’t have this obligation. But it may be worth learning from the UK. Banks, insurers and superannuation funds here should be obligated to show they are using processes that produce good ongoing outcomes for their customers.

    Jeannie Marie Paterson receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a project on treating customers fairly commencing July 2025.

    – ref. Multiple warnings and huge fines are not stopping super funds, insurers and banks overcharging customers – https://theconversation.com/multiple-warnings-and-huge-fines-are-not-stopping-super-funds-insurers-and-banks-overcharging-customers-250658

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Verizon Business launches turnkey IoT solution with Atlanta Hawks as first customer

    Source: Verizon

    Headline: Verizon Business launches turnkey IoT solution with Atlanta Hawks as first customer

    What you need to know:

    • Verizon Sensor Insights, a turnkey IoT solution that has been sold to companies in diverse industries such as food refrigeration and insurance, is being deployed by the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena to monitor and manage the temperature and condition of sensitive technical equipment and to better track waste disposal and resource efficiency.
    • Sensor Insights is part of a larger technology initiative with Verizon to enhance stadium operations at State Farm Arena.
    • The solution includes pre-approved sensors, Verizon-certified gateways, cellular connectivity, and a central management portal.

    NEW YORK — Verizon Business today announced the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena as the marquee launch partner for Verizon Sensor Insights, an innovative solution that allows for the management and scaling of complex Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure. Installed in the arena’s technical equipment hub, Verizon Sensor Insights provides near real-time data-driven intelligence to ensure all technical equipment is operating at peak efficiency.

    Sensor Insights is designed to be turnkey and convenient for businesses of any size, including small and medium businesses, and has also been sold to companies in food refrigeration and insurance. Suitable for nearly any industry, the solution includes pre-approved sensors, Verizon-certified gateways, cellular connectivity, and a central management portal, all atop the foundational Verizon ThingSpace IoT platform.

    “State Farm Arena is constantly looking for ways to push the boundaries of innovation and improve the experience for our fans and staff,” said Kim Rometo, Chief Technology & Innovations Officer for the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena. “By implementing Verizon Sensor Insights, multiple stakeholders can proactively monitor and manage critical operational aspects, ensuring a more seamless and efficient experience for everyone.”

    Organizations across commercial sectors are embracing IoT to improve energy efficiency, streamline maintenance operations, and enhance their overall sustainability efforts. Sensor Insights allows customers to activate, onboard, and manage sensors and gateways, and manage cellular and IoT connections across multiple IoT protocols including LoRaWAN, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) — all from an easy-to-use central web portal. Users gain near real-time alerts and trend analysis for optimized operational decision-making.

    By deploying Sensor Insights to manage their network of IoT-enabled sensors at State Farm Arena, the Atlanta Hawks are already gaining actionable insights into the technology equipment health and IDF room environment to better predict maintenance needs and create a smarter and more efficient arena, with plans to expand into new use cases in the coming months.

    “We are thrilled to have the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena as an early adopter of Verizon Sensor Insights,” said Scott Lawrence, Chief Product Officer, Verizon Business. “This deployment is a great example of how high-performing organizations use IoT and other connected technology to improve efficiency and enhance business operations.”

    As part of a larger technology partnership with Verizon, State Farm Arena has also installed Delta Fly-Through Lanes powered by Verizon at Gates 1, 2, 3, and 7, and a new Hawks Express Cashierless Checkout store, powered by Verizon’s 5G Edge technology and developed in collaboration with spatial intelligence and autonomous retail solutions provider AiFi.

    Located on the 100 West main concourse and operational today, the Hawks Express store uses AI-powered computer vision technology to make it simple, fast and convenient for fans to purchase food and beverages in the arena without waiting in line. Customers simply enter the store, select their items, and exit—with purchases automatically processed through their mobile payment method.

    The Delta Fly-Through Lanes lanes at State Farm Arena were designed to streamline the fan ticketing and entry experience. Underpinned by Wicket’s facial authentication technology, Verizon’s 5G Edge Accelerated Access solution for stadiums and venues enhances security while reducing wait times to ensure members are able to spend less time at the entrance and more time enjoying the game. Since becoming operational in October of 2024, these Delta Fly-Through Lanes have expedited the ticket scanning process for Atlanta Hawks members, showing 2,000 enrollments, approaching 10,000 tickets scanned with an average ticket redemption time of 6 seconds, and 72% of members are repeat users.

    Learn more on our Verizon Sensor Insights product page and contact your Verizon Business sales representative to begin a trial today.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alabama Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Violating Iran Sanctions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Ray Hunt, also known as Abdolrahman Hantoosh, Rahman Hantoosh, and Rahman Natooshas, 71, of Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, has been sentenced for violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.  In July 2024, Hunt pleaded guilty to conspiring to export U.S.-origin goods to the Islamic Republic of Iran in violation of the U.S. trade sanctions.

    According to court documents, in May 2014, Hunt registered Vega Tools, LLC with the Alabama Secretary of State, listing the nature of the business as “the purchase/resale of equipment for the energy sector.” He operated Vega Tools, including purchasing, receiving, and shipping U.S.-origin goods, from locations in Madison County, Alabama. Beginning at least as early as 2015 and continuing to the time of his arrest in November 2022,  Hunt conspired with two Iranian companies located in Tehran, Iran, to illegally export U.S.-manufactured industrial equipment for use in Iran’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries.

    Hunt engaged in a series of deceptive practices to avoid detection by U.S. authorities, including using third-party transshipment companies in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), routing payments through UAE banks, and lying to shipping companies about the value of his exports to prevent the filing of Electronic Export Information to U.S. authorities. Hunt lied to suppliers and shippers by claiming the items he purchased on behalf of the Iranian co-conspirators were destined for end-users in Turkey and UAE, while knowing the exports were ultimately destined for Iran. Hunt lied also to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers regarding the nature and existence of his business when questioned upon his return from a March 2020 trip to Iran.   

    Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona for the Northern District of Alabama, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement John Sonderman of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security, and Assistant Director Kevin Vorndran of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division announced the sentence.

    BIS investigated the case with valuable assistance provided by the FBI.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Cross and Henry Cornelius for the Northern District of Alabama and Trial Attorneys Emma Ellenrieder and Adam Barry of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona woman pleads guilty to transporting 50 kilograms of cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – An Arizona woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to a narcotics crime related to driving a moving truck filled with 50 kilogram-bricks of cocaine from Arizona to Ohio. 

    Andrea Celaya-Rodriguez, 28, of Tucson, pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine.

    According to court documents, Celaya-Rodriguez was stopped by Ohio State Highway Patrol on 1-70 in Madison County on March 22, 2024. She was driving a Penske box truck that she rented a few days prior in Tucson and, according to her rental agreement, was set to return the vehicle to Arizona within the next four days.

    A drug canine positively alerted to the presence of cocaine and troopers subsequently searched the moving truck. The cargo space of the truck had in it a sectional couch, a suitcase and a produce bin with a blanket over it. Within the produce bin there were three duffel bags, which contained 50 individually wrapped kilogram-packages of cocaine.

    After being arrested, Celaya-Rodriguez told DEA agents she was driving the drugs from Arizona to New York in exchange for $50,000 from a man she had met in Mexico two weeks prior. The defendant met the man on a rural road in Arizona, where she was given the cocaine in shoe boxes to be re-packaged for transportation.

    The plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of 33 to 41 months in prison. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Field Division; and Col. Charles A Jones, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol, announced the guilty plea entered today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin W. Kelley and Nicole Pakiz are representing the United States in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: High-level drug trafficker tied to Mexico sentenced to 10 years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – Francisco Villegas-Garcia, 37, a Mexican national who is here illegally, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Columbus today to 120 months in prison for his role in a fentanyl conspiracy. Villegas-Garcia was a high-level drug trafficker in a large-scale drug trafficking organization tied to Mexico that transported and distributed multi-kilogram quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, Villegas-Garcia often traveled from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Columbus as part of his drug trafficking. During one traffic stop in Charlotte, agents seized $100,000 in cash from Villegas-Garcia.

    DEA field offices in Charlotte and Columbus coordinated additional investigation, which revealed that Villegas-Garcia often spoke to other members of the drug trafficking organization about their supply of drugs, drug sales, wiring money to Mexico, and securing couriers to transfer money to Mexico. He was often in communication with the source of drug supply in Mexico.

    When agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Columbus home on Willowswitch Lane in January 2023, they discovered eight kilograms of fentanyl and fentanyl analogue and $120,000 in cash. These items were hidden inside the wall.

    Agents detained and then arrested Villegas-Garcia in January 2023, at the Los Gauchos Taqueria on South Hamilton Road in Columbus. At the time, he had 28 grams of cocaine and more than $10,000 in cash on his person.

    He pleaded guilty in March 2024 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit Field Division, announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz is representing the United States in this case.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. 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 OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Exceeds 900 Immigration Cases Filed in Western District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman announced today that federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas have filed more than 900 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases since Jan. 20. 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 the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Along with enhanced interdiction efforts at the border, federal law enforcement has been also prioritizing immigration enforcement operations and prosecutions of aliens unlawfully in the interior of the country and also those otherwise engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, who have active warrants for their arrest, or who have outstanding final orders of removal from the U.S., issued by an immigration judge. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us all.

    Cases of interest include the arrest of Juan Ramon Hernandez-Limon in San Antonio, who had been previously convicted on April 28, 2021 for illegal re-entry into the United States and alien in possession of a firearm, and a second time on Feb. 8, 2024 for illegal re-entry. Hernandez-Limon repeatedly attempted to evade arrest during an ICE ERO operation on Jan. 26, 2025, and was eventually taken into custody. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.

    Guatemalan nationals Anderson Morales-Calderon and Ever Morales-Calderon were arrested on Jan. 24 in Waco on criminal charges related to their alleged aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm as undocumented noncitizens. Troy Police Department and Lorena Police Department officers were responding to a road rage complaint called into 911. The 911 caller alleged that an individual pointed a rifle at a semi-truck on IH-35. During the traffic stop, officers observed two air rifles and one .22 caliber rifle in plain view in the back seat and on the back floorboard of the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that both Anderson and Ever Morales-Calderon were unlawfully present in the United States. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in federal prison.

    Honduran national Melvin Armando Funes-Canales was transferred to federal custody after he was located in the Williamson County jail, where he had been detained for alleged possession of a controlled substance. An investigation revealed Funes-Canales had been previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras on or about Oct. 9, 2020, and had also been deported on five other occasions. Additionally, Funes-Canales was previously convicted of burglary, grand theft and illegal re-entry. He now faces up to 10 years in federal prison for illegal re-entry, if convicted.

    Four individuals illegally present in the U.S. were arrested in El Paso and face up to 10 years in federal prison each for criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy. Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo, Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, and Jesus David Reyes-Villagran allegedly conspired to harbor 12 illegal aliens in two El Paso hotels.

    A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Austin for one count of possession of a firearm by illegal alien. Marcelo Olvera-Moreno was stopped while driving in Hutto, Jan. 24. A Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted the traffic stop after allegedly observing the passenger in Olvera-Moreno’s vehicle fire a handgun from the front passenger window. Olvera-Moreno admitted to law enforcement that he knew that he was illegally and unlawfully in the U.S. and that he had purchased the pistol at a flea market approximately three months prior. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

    “Because the Western District of Texas shares 660 miles of common border with Mexico and is home to three of Texas’ largest cities and an estimated 7.6 million people, prosecuting immigration and border-related crimes has long been and remains a priority within this district,” said Leachman. “With the valuable investigative and enforcement efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, this U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting immigration-related crimes in the interest of the nation and our citizens.”

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Charged in Federal Court With Trafficking Firearm in Chicago

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with trafficking a firearm in Chicago.

    OSCAR GIL-IZQUIERDO sold a pistol, a drum magazine, two additional magazines, and a ballistic vest to a buyer on Feb. 20, 2025, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  The transaction occurred in a parking lot on the Southwest Side of Chicago, the complaint states.  Unbeknownst to Gil-Izquierdo, the individual to whom he sold the gun and other items was an undercover law enforcement agent, the complaint states.

    The complaint charges Gil-Izquierdo, 25, of Chicago, with attempting to transfer a firearm to a person he knew could not legally possess it.  The undercover agent had informed Gil-Izguierdo that the agent was a convicted felon and could not legally purchase a firearm, the complaint states.

    On Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes ordered Gil-Izquierdo detained in federal custody without bond pending trial.

    The complaint was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.  Substantial assistance was provided by the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Maione.

    The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.

    The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: National Sales Director for New York-Based Mobil Diagnostic Company Charged in Kickback Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A New York national sales director was charged on Feb 20, 2025 in federal court in Boston for allegedly conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.

    David Fuhrmann, 59, of Port Jefferson, N.Y. was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.

    According to the charging documents, it is alleged that from at least June 2013 through at least September 2020, Fuhrmann conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. It is alleged that Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. It is further alleged that some doctors were paid in cash and others by check. Fuhrmann and his co-conspirators allegedly created rental and administrative service agreements. On paper, these agreements made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were allegedly shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test.  

    According to the charging documents, the scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare.  

    The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M.  Lawson, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

    he 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: Cherry Point Sailors Get a Taste of Officer Life and Lunch at Mentorship Session

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    A mentorship session conducted aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point on Thursday, February 13, 2025, educated enlisted service members about the opportunities available for them to commission as officers.

    Sailors serving aboard Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point attended a Commissioning Lunch and Learn mentorship session hosted by the facility’s Staff Education and Training Department to hear from their peers and fellow staff about the pathway to becoming commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy.

    “A Commissioning Lunch and Learn is a crucial opportunity for Sailors who aspire to become officers in the U.S. Navy,” said Lieutenant William Hookes, Department Head of the facility’s SEAT team. “Many enlisted Sailors are interested in advancing their careers but may not fully understand their options for becoming commissioned officers.

    Sailors attending the mentorship session heard from Navy Reserve Healthcare Officer Recruiters as well as one of their peers, Hospital Corpsman First Class Michael Barros. Barros serves aboard the clinic in the Warrior Wellness and Readiness clinic and will soon participate in the Medical Service Corps Inservice Procurement Program.

    The program provides an avenue for enlisted Sailors to attend undergraduate and graduate training with the goal of earning a commission in the Navy’s Medical Service Corps.

    Barros spoke about the challenges he overcame in applying to the program and the obligation and commitment required to meet the program’s requirements and complete the application process.

    “This event helps Sailors navigate their choices and determine which pathway aligns with their career goals,” said Hookes.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Columbia Investigation Leads to Conviction in Widespread Real Estate Fraud Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    The FBI’s role in fighting fraud

    While white-collar crimes like real estate fraud are not violent, they are not victimless. They can destroy a company, erode public trust, and, in this case, wipe out a person’s life savings.

    What made this real estate fraud case significant is the number of victims and the lengths Lepka went to defraud buyers and investors, said Quillen.

    The first complaint in the case came in December 2021 from a victim who signed a lease-to-own agreement with Lepka. Initially, the arrangement seemed legitimate: The buyer made a large down payment and subsequent monthly payments, while Lepka promised to apply those funds toward the mortgage. But when the original homeowner received foreclosure notices, it became clear the mortgage had never been paid.

    “It was heartbreaking,” said Quillen. “The victims thought they were doing everything right—paying their monthly dues, following the contract—and they ended up losing everything.”

    Quillen worked tirelessly to track down and interview victims. She built the case by reaching out to people who did not realize they had been defrauded yet.  

    “The hardest part of this case was identifying all the victims,” said Quillen. “It started out with just one victim and grew to 40.”

    Lepka’s fraud spanned from 2018 to 2023. His scheme was not limited to lease-to-own agreements. In some cases, he re-leased the same property to multiple victims, collecting multiple down payments on the same homes. He also sought high-interest loans from community members, including those in his church and expressed to his victims that they should trust him because he was a practicing Christian. 

    Staying safe against frauds and scams 

    “With not just real estate fraud, but any fraud, you have to be aware,” said Quillen. “Visit fbi.gov and educate yourself on some of the most common frauds and scams and how to protect yourself. If something seems suspicious, do your due diligence and don’t take someone at their word.”

    At sentencing, multiple victims spoke before the court to share the profound emotional and financial tolls the fraud had taken on their lives. Their testimonies helped secure Lepka’s 78-month sentence, which also included a restitution order of more than $2 million. 

    “For me, it’s about helping victims recover, recouping their losses, and finding justice,” said Quillen. “When you see people lose everything they worked for, it is a reminder of why I am so passionate about this work. 

    “The FBI is here to help everyone, regardless of race, religion, or economic status. If you think you’ve been defrauded, report it.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New FBI Director Takes Oath of Office

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    On February 21, Kash Patel was sworn in as the ninth Director of the FBI in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Attorney General Pamela Bondi administered the oath of office. 

    “I promise you the following,” Director Patel said at the swearing-in ceremony. “There will be accountability within the FBI and outside of the FBI, and we will do it through rigorous constitutional oversight, starting this weekend.” 

    In a social media statement the day before, Patel said his goals as Director would be to “let good cops be cops” and to restore the public’s trust in the Bureau. “Working alongside the dedicated men and women of the Bureau and our partners, we will rebuild an FBI the American people can be proud of,” he wrote. 

    President Donald Trump nominated Patel for the position to replace former Director Christopher Wray.  

    “Kash is extremely passionate about restoring the reputation of the FBI, and I look forward to working closely with him to end violent crime, protect our national security, and make America safe again,” wrote Attorney General Bondi in a social media statement following Patel’s confirmation. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Sackville — RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment Charges Youth Following Stabbing in Lower Sackville

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment has charged a youth following a stabbing that occurred in Lower Sackville.

    On February 24 at approximately 12:45 p.m. RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment responded to a report of an altercation at a bus terminal on Cobequid Rd. involving about 15 people. One of the people was believed to have been stabbed.

    All those involved had dispersed and left the scene in vehicles before officers arrived. Responding officers located one of the vehicles nearby and conducted a traffic stop. The youth passenger was observed to be suffering from a stab wound. Officers immediately administered first aid and the youth was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries by EHS.

    Those involved in the incident are known to one other, and it is not believed to be a random act.

    At approximately 8 p.m., a 16-year-old youth was safely arrested at a home in Beaverbank. They are facing charges of Aggravated Assault, Assault with a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose and Failure to Comply with Order. The youth was held in custody and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Youth Justice Court today.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment at 902-490-5020. Should you wish 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 # 25-26527

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