NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Helena man admits unlawful possession of firearm in school zone

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HELENA — A Helena man accused of carrying a firearm on the campus of the Jim Darcy Elementary School in Helena admitted to a firearm charge today, Acting U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot said.

    The defendant, Bryant Nicholas Espinoza, 37, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in a school zone. Espinoza faces a maximum of five years in prison, consecutive to any other count of conviction, a $100,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 9. Espinoza was released pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that on Feb. 7, 2024, the principal of Jim Darcy Elementary School contacted the Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Office and advised the responding deputy that a staff member had notified her that the day prior, the parent of a student was on campus and was carrying a firearm. The staff member observed Espinoza standing in front of the school with a small dog. The staffer approached to assist Espinoza, and he informed the staffer he was there to pick up his daughter, who was a student. During the conversation, the staffer observed Espinoza was carrying a firearm. The staffer identified Espinoza in a photo, and   surveillance video showed Espinoza on school property with a small dog and what appeared to be a pistol in a holster on his hip. On April 9, 2024, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the sheriff’s office executed a federal search warrant at Espinoza’s residence and seized a 9mm pistol, two rifles and ammunition. In an interview, Espinoza identified himself in still photos taken from the surveillance video and said that the item on his hip looked like a firearm. Espinoza told agents where the pistol was located at his residence. Agents asked if there was a reason he had the gun at the school, and Espinoza responded that Montana was an “open carry state.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McAllen man enters plea to illegally pointing laser at law enforcement aircraft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old local resident has admitted he pointed a laser at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    George Anthony Garza pointed the laser multiple times on the evening of Dec. 29, 2024.

    On that date, a CBP aircrew in an official Air and Marine Operations helicopter observed a green laser beam being pointed at the helicopter multiple times during flight, impeding the vision of a pilot. Authorities were able to determine the source originated from Garza’s backyard.

    Law enforcement approached Garza at his residence, at which time he surrendered the laser pointer and admitted to aiming the beam at the aircraft that night. 

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing June 3. At that time, Garza faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

    The FBI, CBP and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration and the McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Agency Commissioner Nominees Announced

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the nomination of three New York State agency commissioners. The Governor nominates Denise Miranda as Commissioner of the State Division of Human Rights, Amanda Lefton as Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation; and Willow Baer as Commissioner of the State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities.

    “As we work to make New York the best place to raise a family, it’s critical to have a team in place with the skills and experience to make that goal a reality,” Governor Hochul said. “These three nominees have proven themselves to be strong leaders with a record of achievement — and they will play a pivotal role leading these state agencies.”

    About Commissioner Denise Miranda

    Denise Miranda was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul in March 2024 as the Acting Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights (DHR).

    During her first year at the Division, Ms. Miranda initiated a complete overhaul of the Division’s intake operations, increased staffing by 40 percent in the first six months, expanded education and outreach initiatives and engaged in wholesale organizational change to ensure and protect the Division’s legacy of being the first state agency in the country dedicated to protecting human and civil rights. In November of 2024, she launched the first statewide “Call Out Hate” campaign to support the work of the Division’s Hate and Bias Prevention Unit, which was created to combat prejudice and discrimination. At the close of the Acting Commissioner’s first year at DHR and with the Governor’s support, DHR saw a 30 percent increase in the agency’s budget and actively worked to increase the agency’s prevention efforts while hastening its processes for investigation and adjudication of claims.

    Prior to this, Acting Commissioner Miranda served as the Executive Director of the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs for seven years. She oversaw the agency’s operations, which included investigations into abuse and neglect, criminal prosecutions, and administrative disciplinary proceedings. Under her leadership, the Justice Center managed the care of over one million individuals, with a workforce of more than 425 employees and a $41 million operating budget.

    About Commissioner Amanda Lefton

    Amanda Lefton’s diverse career spans the public and private sectors, including previously serving as the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) within the Department of the Interior. Under her leadership, BOEM developed and implemented an ambitious federal offshore wind program creating a new industry of family supporting jobs and generational opportunity. Her collaborative approach brought together various stakeholders to responsibly manage the nation’s critical offshore energy and mineral resources.

    Prior to her role as BOEM Director, Lefton served as the First Assistant Secretary for Energy and Environment for New York, where she led the State’s environmental and climate initiatives overseeing a portfolio of executive agencies including the DEC. She has also worked for The Nature Conservancy in New York as the Deputy Policy Director and climate mitigation lead, the Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United and the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate. Most recently, Lefton was the Vice President of Offshore Development, U.S. East at RWE — one of the world’s leading players in the offshore wind sector.

    Originally from Queens, she grew up on Long Island and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University at Albany. She now resides in the capital region with her wife and stepchildren.

    About Commissioner Willow Baer

    Willow Baer is honored to be nominated as Commissioner of OPWDD. Prior to stepping up as Acting Commissioner, Willow served as OPWDD’s Executive Deputy Commissioner and oversaw the agency’s operational management, including planning, fiscal planning and oversight, and policy development. She was also responsible for oversight of agency staff in a broad range of capacities, including direct care support, clinical and medical staff in residential and non-residential settings, maintenance and operations.

    Willow has served twice as Assistant Counsel to Governor Kathy Hochul, overseeing legal priorities and legislation across the fields of Human Services and Mental Hygiene. Additionally, Willow previously served as General Counsel to OPWDD, General Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Children & Family Services, and as Counsel to the NYS Justice Center. Willow was named a ‘2024 Power Players in Health Care by Politics NY and amNY Metro.

    Willow has spent her entire career working to protect and advocate for underrepresented populations. She will continue the agency’s work to ensure that New York is a state that is inclusive, supportive, and one that those with developmental disabilities live with meaningful choice and are proud to call home.

    Acting Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights Denise Miranda said, “It is the honor of my career to be nominated by Governor Hochul to lead the Division of Human Rights. For nearly 30 years, I’ve dedicated my professional life to advancing civil rights and protecting vulnerable communities throughout New York State, and I am grateful to the Governor for entrusting me with this responsibility. I am elated to accept this nomination and to partner with the Governor to pave the agency’s next chapter as we celebrate 80 years of our NYS Human Rights Law. I look forward to vigorously protecting the civil rights of all New Yorkers.”

    Incoming Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation Amanda Lefton said, “I am honored Governor Hochul has entrusted me to carry out the Department of Environmental Conservation’s critical mission. I am committed to delivering meaningful results to enhance the health and safety of communities all across the State and to protecting our environment and natural resources for future generations.”

    Acting Commissioner of the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Willow Baer said, “I am grateful that, under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State has restored its status as a national leader in providing services to people with developmental disabilities with policies that prioritize greater independence, innovative housing options, and community integration. I am honored and excited to be nominated by the Governor to lead the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities and I am humbled every day to be doing this work alongside the many self-advocates and families throughout New York State who are fighting for equity and inclusion.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard suspends search for person missing near the entrance to the Ambrose Channel

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    02/24/2025 06:46 PM EST

    NEW YORK — The Coast Guard suspended its search Monday at approximately 6 p.m. for a man who went missing after a boat capsized and five people were recovered near the entrance to the Ambrose Channel Sunday afternoon. Click the link to read the full release.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Search and Rescue – Beacon activation – Jabiru

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force Search and Rescue Section successfully located and rescued a hiking group in Jabiru on Sunday morning.

    Around 7:45am, an emergency position-indicating radio-beacon (EPIRB) was activated in the vicinity of Motor Car Falls, approximately 97 kilometres south of Jabiru.

    In response, Jabiru members deployed to the area and Search and Rescue (SRS) deployed a helicopter with two members on board.

    Jabiru members located a vehicle parked in Motor Car Falls that was registered to the same individual registered to the EPIRB that was activated.

    A short time later, members located three males and two females in the vicinity of where the EPIRB was activated.

    One of males who was suffering heatstroke, and a support person were conveyed to Jabiru via helicopter where they were met by St John Ambulance. 

    Two SRS members remained on-site with the three hikers until they were also collected by the helicopter and transported to Jabiru.

    Acting Senior Sergeant Zac Winkworth said, “The hikers activating their registered EPIRB was instrumental in the timely rescue of the hiking group.

    “This is a timely reminder for people looking to go hiking or fishing in the Top End to ensure you have a registered EPIRB.

    “Always plan your route, check current conditions, and make sure someone is aware of your itinerary before you head out.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Washington, D.C., and law enforcement partners arrest 3 illegal aliens in Northern Virginia

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    February 24, 2025Sterling, VA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

    STERLING, Va. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, assisted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, apprehended three illegally present aliens during a routine enforcement operation in Sterling, Feb. 19.

    “These three fugitives were illegally present in the Northern Virginia area in violation of U.S. immigration laws,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Russ Hott. “ICE Washington, D.C.’s mission is to ensure the safety and security of our District of Columbia and Virginia communities through the arrest and removal of those individuals who undermine the safety of our communities and the integrity of our laws. Those who flagrantly violate U.S. laws should expect to be arrested and removed.”

    During the targeted operation, ICE officers and DEA agents arrested:

    • A 49-year-old Salvadoran alien who illegally re-entered the United States after having previously been removed to El Salvador in September 2003.
    • A 34-year-old, illegally-present Honduran alien. An immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered the Honduran alien removed from the U.S. in November 2024.
    • A 36-year-old, illegally present Salvadoran alien. An immigration judge with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered the Salvadoran alien removed from the U.S. in November 2006.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Admin Illegally Firing USAID Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on the Trump administration taking action Sunday to permanently eliminate 1,600 USAID employees’ positions and put nearly every other agency employee on administrative leave—in flagrant violation of the law.
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to unilaterally shutter USAID—with their latest announcement of permanent reductions in force for 1,600 positions—are a dangerous concession to our adversaries who will fill the void we leave behind. It is a slap in the face to the dedicated Americans who have honorably chosen to serve their country and help keep us all safe.
    “Trump and Musk’s reckless actions are also illegal. USAID’s existence as an independent agency has long been enshrined in law and affirmed by bipartisan majorities year after year in annual appropriations. Our appropriations law also requires the administration to notify and consult with Congress before undertaking any efforts to reorganize, realign, or downsize USAID—as the sweeping reductions in force issued Sunday and all the other brazen actions we’ve seen clearly seek to do. These actions make waste and fraud more likely, will prevent even foreign assistance programs supported by the administration from being effectively implemented, and will illegally block hundreds of millions of dollars for other programs enacted into law by bipartisan majorities.
    “Needless to say: the Trump administration has not consulted Congress on these changes—in flagrant violation of the law—and the reckless, indiscriminate gutting of the agency seriously weakens America’s credibility and our ability to advance our national security interests across the globe.”
    Section 7063 of Division F of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-47) prohibits funds from the Act and prior Acts from being used to implement a reorganization without prior consultation with, and a detailed and justified notification to, the appropriate congressional committees. A reorganization, redesign, or other such plan is further defined in the Act and includes any activity to expand, eliminate, consolidate, or downsize covered departments or agencies, the United States official presence overseas, or the size of the permanent Civil Service, Foreign Service, eligible family member, and locally employed staff workforce from staffing levels previously justified to the Committee on Appropriations for fiscal year 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso, Lummis Join Colleagues in Urging ATF to Rescind Biden’s Anti-2A Rules

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso, Senate Majority Whip, and U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) and their Republican colleagues in sending a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) urging the agency to align with President Trump’s Second Amendment priorities laid out in his recent Executive Order.

    The letter also urged ATF Deputy Director Marvin Richardson to identify and rescind former President Biden’s unlawful firearm regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, so-called “ghost gun” rule, and “zero tolerance” policy under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.

    “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights. We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment,” the senators wrote.

    “Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”

    Co-signers of this letter include Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).

    Full text of the letter can be found here.

    Dear Deputy Director Richardson:

    Thank you for your service in leading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the presidential transition. On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights. We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.

    Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies. In particular, we call your attention to the following anti-Second Amendment regulations and policies, which must be immediately rescinded:

    • The engaged in the business rule, which is an unconstitutional attempt to move ATF to do all it can to impose universal background checks on law-abiding Americans. ATF has been enjoined, at least temporarily, from enforcing the rule because it violated the text of the Gun Control Act.
    • The pistol brace rule, which improperly reclassifies pistols equipped with stabilizing braces as “short-barreled rifles” (SBRs), thereby subjecting them to stringent regulations and serious criminal penalties under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act. We are troubled by the fact that ATF promulgated this rule after it previously determined that attaching a stabilizing brace to a pistol did not render the pistol an SBR. This rule threatens to put stabilizing braces out of reach of millions of gun owners, including disabled combat veterans who rely on them to be able to shoot heavy pistols. Furthermore, the rule made law-abiding Americans felons overnight for having lawfully purchased stabilizing brace equipped pistols. Multiple courts have already found the rule to be arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, and it was ordered vacated by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. We appreciate the Government’s recent motions to hold ATF’s 5th and 11th Circuit appeals defending the rule in abeyance and to postpone oral argument, and ATF should work quickly to accede to the vacatur given the ongoing litigation.
    • The so-called “ghost gun” rule, which cracks down on law-abiding hobbyists who are exercising their Second Amendment rights to privately build firearms—a longstanding tradition that traces back to the Colonial Era. The regulations are currently before the Supreme Court, but ATF should act immediately to rescind this rule.
    • The “zero tolerance” policy, under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations. This policy violates a decades-long precedent of ATF working with FFLs to address these minor, unintentional violations and revoking FFL licenses only in cases of major, willful violations that threaten public safety. ATF should develop a program to restore the federal firearms licenses of those FFLs whose licenses were unfairly revoked—or surrendered under duress—where they did not engage in willful conduct (as understood prior to June 23, 2021, when the policy was announced) and do not represent at threat to public safety.

    In addition to promptly rescinding these rules and policies, we urge you to immediately destroy the hundreds of millions of ATF Form 4473 firearm transaction records and other licensee records that are over 20 years old. These records have no particular law enforcement value but do contain the sensitive information of millions of law-abiding gun owners. ATF should likewise return to the policy of allowing FFLs to destroy Form 4473 in their possession that are over 20 years old, which the Biden Administration initiated in violation of the federal prohibition on gun registration. Ending the policy of retaining these very old records will save money for the American taxpayer and counteract ATF’s unconstitutional rule change.

    Furthermore, we urge you to “continue collaboration to improve the process for” National Firearms Act applications. Congress recently instructed ATF to make these improvements. While NFA wait times have improved significantly, ATF must continue to “address ongoing delays in application processing times” until the archaic process is at least as efficient as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. There is no reason that the right to purchase a firearm should be so greatly delayed; a right delayed is a right denied.

    The foregoing should not be considered a full accounting of every action or policy for which ATF may be held responsible under President Trump’s Executive Order but represent obvious and high priority places for ATF to initiate compliance.

    We look forward to working with you through the transition as you implement President Trump’s agenda and reorient ATF toward protecting Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: IPCA/OPC Joint Inquiry into Police conduct when photographing members of the public

    Source: Privacy Commissioner

    The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) and Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) released their Joint Inquiry into Police conduct when photographing members of the public (opens to PDF) on 8 September 2022. Report findings
    The report found that a general lack of awareness amongst Police of their obligations under the Privacy Act led to officers routinely taking, using and retaining photographs when it is not lawful for them to do so. It also found that thousands of photographs of members of the public have been kept on the mobile phones of individual officers or, if transferred to the Police computer system, not destroyed after there is no longer a legitimate need for them. The Joint Inquiry was initiated in March 2021 after Wairarapa whnau complained that Police officers were photographing their rangatahi in circumstances they felt was unfair or unjustified.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Four to appear in court following burglaries, Waihi

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Four people are before the courts after separate burglaries in Waihi and Waihi Beach areas.

    The offending occurred between 23 January and 5 February.

    A 31-year-old woman and 40-year-old man, both of Karangahake, have been jointly charged with burglary from a holiday park; a 48-year-old Auckland man is also charged with burglary from a separate holiday park; while a 24-year-old Waihi man has been charged with burglary of a residential property.

    Across all three burglaries, clothing, food and a car were stolen.

    Waihi Sergeant Nigel Sanderson says Police want to thank the members of the public who promptly reported the incidents.

    “The information they provided us allowed us to act quickly – and two of the accused were arrested as they walked past the Waihi Police station.”

    All four have appeared in court and will reappear at later dates.

    “It’s horrible knowing that someone has invaded your home or rifled through your property, and it’s great being able to get this result for the victims.

    “If you’ve been the victim of a crime, please let us know – call 111 if it’s happening now, or make a report via 105 if it’s after the fact.”

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE and Mount Pleasant Police arrest childcare worker, seeks public’s help to identify victims

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    CHARLESTON, S.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in partnership with the Mount Pleasant Police Department, are seeking the public’s help to identify possible victims in an ongoing child sexual exploitation investigation involving a low country man who worked at a local daycare before becoming a private babysitter in Sullivans Island, Moncks Corner, and Mount Pleasant.

    On Feb. 19, ICE and the MPPD arrested Brandon Brill on child exploitation charges after local law enforcement initiated an investigation into a minor being extorted for child sexual abuse material images. This criminal act is commonly referred to as Sextortion. Brill had been employed as a private babysitter since at least 2021 and worked at a local daycare in 2022. Between 2023 and 2025, Brill had advertised his babysitting services on Facebook and Nanny Lane for the low country area.

    Due to his online sextortion activity and employment, authorities with the two agencies are seeking information that may help identify potential victims Brill may have engaged or exploited. If your child, or a child you know, was in contact with Brandon Brill, please contact the tip line.

    ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators, sextortion activity related to minors, and any suspicious activity through its toll-free tip line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock. From outside the United States and Canada, dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users may call TTY 802-872-6196. Please mention your tip is related to this press release.

    ICE Homeland Security Investigations takes a victim-centered approach to child exploitation investigations by working to identify, rescue and stabilize victims. ICE works in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, ICAC partners and other federal, state and local agencies to help solve cases and rescue sexually exploited children. You can report suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 800-THE-LOST.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sumter Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for $2.8M Wire Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Daniel Criswell Lee, 55, of Sumter, has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay $2.8 million in restitution.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Lee worked as project manager for Agile Infrastructure Service, LLC. As project manager, Lee represented Agile in the bidding process to obtain government contracts. Once Agile was awarded a project, Lee diverted money paid by the government for work on the project to corporations under his control. Lee was then used the funds for his own benefit. The illegally obtained funds totaled at least $2.8 million.

    United States District Court Judge Sherri A. Lydon sentenced Lee to 33 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. He was also ordered to pay $2.8 million in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (DACID) and Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Charleston Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potterfield is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced After Setting Off Explosive Devices in a Mailbox

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Raul M. Arias-Marxuach sentenced Patrick Nile Starkey, 57, for Possession of an Unregistered Destructive Device and Felon in Possession of Ammunition. Judge Arias-Marxuach ordered Starkey to 108 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

    “With the help of the FLOCK camera system, agents were able to identify the defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “Starkey was a threat to public safety, and I commend law enforcement for working together swiftly to detain him.”

    According to court documents, on June 12, 2024, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a device that exploded in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. The investigation revealed that Starkey placed two explosive devices and notes inside a mailbox on the private property of an innocent third-party, in an attempt to harass his ex-wife. FLOCK cameras located within the area helped aided law enforcement in initially identifying Starkey as the subject. A search warrant executed on Starkey’s home revealed ammunition and several homemade explosive devices that matched the devices used on the mailbox.

    When agents spoke with Starkey, he admitted to setting off the devices and unlawfully possessing ammunition. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Tulsa Police Department, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan E. Michel and Joshua M. Carmel 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 violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Tribal Officer Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Abusive Sexual Contact

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child and Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child. The sentencing took place on February 20, 2025.

    Oscar Hudspeth, Sr., age 54, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for each count to run concurrently, followed by five years of supervised release on each count to run concurrently, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Upon Hudspeth’s release from federal prison, he must register as a sex offender.

    Hudspeth was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in October 2024.

    The conviction stemmed from disclosures in 2023 by a female juvenile who reported that Hudspeth had sexually abused her while her mother was married to him in the early to mid-2000s. The child was forensically interviewed and disclosed that Hudspeth touched her in a sexual manner on more than one occasion while he was her stepfather. The abuse occurred at their home in Oglala and while the child’s mother was working. At the time, Hudspeth worked as a law enforcement officer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.

    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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

    Hudspeth was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Famine in Sudan, Gaza polio campaign continues, West Bank update, Kenyan officer killed in Haiti

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern on Monday following the announcement by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and affiliated groups, of a political charter proposing the establishment of a rival governing authority in RSF-controlled areas to the transitional Government.

    He warned in a statement issued by his spokesperson that this further escalation of the battle for the country between Government troops and their former RSF allies, deepens the fragmentation of Sudan and risks entrenching the crisis even further.

    Sudan is in the grip of a catastrophic crisis as “bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country,” he said earlier at the opening of the latest UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.

    Preserving the nation’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity remains crucial for a sustainable resolution and long-term stability in Sudan and the wider region.

    The Secretary-General also condemned the persistent violence against civilians perpetrated by both sides of the conflict – including ethnically motivated attacks – with Sudanese civilians paying the highest price for the ongoing war.

    His Personal Envoy for the Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is actively engaging the warring parties and relevant stakeholders to secure a cessation of hostilities, protect civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and promote de-escalation, the UN chief’s statement said.

    Gaza and the West Bank: Health campaigns and humanitarian relief

    In Gaza, the emergency polio outbreak response continues, with a mass vaccination campaign which began on Saturday scheduled to run until 26 February.

    The novel oral polio vaccine is set to be administered to more than 591,000 children under the age of 10, targeting those previously missed, in order to close immunity gaps and halt the outbreak.

    “Over 261,000 children in Gaza received their polio vaccine on the first day of the campaign, despite all challenges,” noted a representative of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

    Since the ceasefire took effect, UN humanitarian partners have distributed tents, sealing materials, and tarpaulins to families – particularly in northern Gaza.

    Additionally, over 80,000 children have been screened for malnutrition, and thousands of families have received hygiene kits and water supplies.

    OCHA emphasised that sustaining these humanitarian efforts will require continued international funding and a lasting ceasefire.

    Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday the ceasefire has enabled it to reach one million people across Gaza with food assistance, including fresh bread, hot meals and cash support, while preparing to extend its reach further across both Gaza and the West Bank.

    West Bank turmoil continues

    Nevertheless, OCHA has confirmed that Israeli forces continue operations in northern areas of the West Bank, with reports of home demolitions in the Tulkarm refugee camp adding to displacement and destruction.

    Mr. Guterres called for “a permanent ceasefire” in Gaza and “the dignified release of all remaining hostages”.

    Kenyan police officer killed in a Haiti anti-gang operation

    A Kenyan police officer serving with the Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti died on Sunday after sustaining injuries during an anti-gang operation in the lower Artibonite region, marking the mission’s first casualty.

    The officer was wounded during a security operation in Pont Sonde, as part of efforts to curb escalating gang violence. In a statement, the MSS confirmed the death, expressing condolences to his family and colleagues.

    Mr. Guterres also reacted to the news, saying he was “deeply saddened” by the officer’s death and extended his sympathies to “the family of the police officer, the people and Government of Kenya, and of course all of his colleagues in the MSS.”

    The tragic incident comes amid worsening insecurity in Haiti, where gangs control large parts of the country.

    Speaking in Geneva, Mr. Guterres underscored the severity of the crisis. “In Haiti, we are seeing massive human rights violations – including more than a million people displaced, and children facing a horrific increase in sexual violence and recruitment into gangs,” he said.

    To address the crisis, the Secretary-General announced plans to propose new measures to the Security Council, including strengthening support for the MSS, the Haitian National Police, and Haitian authorities.

    “A durable solution requires a political process – led and owned by the Haitian people – that restores democratic institutions through elections,” he added.

    The officer’s death highlights the growing dangers facing international forces deployed to stabilise the country. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EU reaffirms unwavering support to Ukraine on anniversary of invasion

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    Press Conference of the International Summit on the Support of Ukraine in Kyiv: The EU has provided almost €135 billion in support to Ukraine, including economic, military, financial, and humanitarian aid. It continues to work with international partners to ensure sustained support and hold Russia accountable.

    Hard-hitting sanctions have significantly weakened Russia’s economy and war capabilities. The EU is also working to ensure those responsible for war crimes face justice through the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine in The Hague.
    Peace, reconstruction, and Ukraine’s European future

    Watch on the Audiovisual Portal of the European Commission: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-268157
    Follow us on:
    -X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
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    -Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

    Check our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROExnWR2Re4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OP-ED: Firing Military Officers for Perceived Political Disloyalty Endangers the Nation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    The following op-ed by U.S. Senator Jack Reed appeared exclusively in The Washington Post:

    Donald Trump’s quest for power is endangering our military.

    On Friday evening, the president dismissed Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations, and a number of other senior officers — including the judge advocates general for the Army, Navy and Air Force — for perceived political disloyalty. He is also reportedly considering dismissing additional officers who lack “requisite leadership qualities.”

    The implications for our national security cannot be overstated. A clear message is being sent to military leaders: Failure to demonstrate personal and political loyalty to Trump could result in retribution, even after decades of honorable service. In particular, firing the military’s most senior legal advisers is an unprecedented and explicit move to install officers who will yield to the president’s interpretation of the law, with the expectation they will be little more than yes men on the most consequential questions of military law.

    Trump has already fired the Coast Guard’s top admiral, Linda Fagan, for reasons that appear political. He has taken partisan steps by stripping retired Gen. Mark A. Milley and former defense secretary Mark T. Esper of their protective details and removing their portraits from the Pentagon.

    The firings are sure to create a dangerous ripple up and down the ranks. Leaders might hesitate to refuse illegal orders, speak their minds about best practices or call out abuses of power.

    A commitment to provide the “best military advice” exists at every level in the ranks. Commanders expect their troops to give them the facts, straight and true, because lives are on the line. But firing officers as a political litmus test poisons this military ethos. It sends an immediate signal to service members that the best military advice might have career-ending consequences.

    Congress expects the same candor from senior officers as presidents have enjoyed for decades. Lawmakers like me rely on senior officers to provide their best judgments — without fear of retribution — for both the security of our country and that of the 2 million service members who put themselves in harm’s way.

    As retired Gen. Martin Dempsey and Peter Feaver recently wrote: “Preemptively firing generals would only politicize the military and make it less candid, less ready, less professional and less lethal.”

    Trump’s advisers have defended the firings and their “warrior board” proposal by pointing to Gen. George C. Marshall’s “plucking board” of 1940, which removed senior military officers who had languished in the service for years. Marshall’s actions did lead to a number of generals being dismissed. But the current administration fails to acknowledge that Marshall’s board was not designed to cull senior leaders for their personal beliefs but rather to quickly create promotion opportunities for promising junior officers ahead of America’s entrance to World War II.

    The comparison is not relevant. Young officers at that time were stymied by a promotion system that rewarded seniority above merit, unlike today’s system.

    Further, Marshall was able to carry out his review board only because Congress — through the Second Supplemental Appropriation Act of 1940 — reformed the criteria for military promotions by prioritizing merit over seniority. Trump is endangering our security by ignoring existing law and injecting politics and nonmerit principles into the military promotion system.

    As in Marshall’s era, the United States will face threats in the years ahead, and we must ensure that the rising generation of military leaders is prepared to meet them.

    U.S. service members, like the nation they represent, are extremely diverse in racial, socioeconomic and political backgrounds. All of them should expect that they can have successful careers in the military. However, if young Americans perceive the military to be a place where leaders are punished at the whims of politicians, we will lose countless potential recruits.

    When I joined the Army in the early 1970s, the military was rife with racial tension, women were prohibited from many roles and entire communities of Americans were banned from serving. Today, our military is fully integrated and every qualified individual, regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation may pursue a military career. By no coincidence, our military is more lethal than ever.

    We need it to remain so. Trump is entitled to a staff of civilians who are politically loyal to him. For the safety of all Americans, however, his military officers must remain free to give their best military advice without fear of reprisal.

    Jack Reed, a Democrat, represents Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate and is a former Army paratrooper.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Statement on Life & Legacy of Judge Bruce M. Selya

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    PROVIDENCE, RI – After the recent passing of Judge Bruce M. Selya, 90, a proud son of Providence who became the first Jewish person to ascend to the federal bench in Rhode Island — serving as a senior U.S. circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and later as chief judge of the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review — U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement today hailing Judge Selya’s remarkable life and legacy:
    “Rhode Island has lost a legal legend whose outstanding contributions to the community and the people of Rhode Island go well beyond his four decades of remarkable service on the federal bench. 
    “As a judge, Bruce Selya was nationally renowned and respected and set a high bar that many others in his profession admire and aspire to reach.  As a man, he will be remembered for his exemplary devotion to the law and uplifting others, particularly those in his beloved hometown of Providence.
    “A man of great wisdom, integrity, modesty, wit, and high ethical standards, Judge Selya was known for his thoughtfulness, keen intellect, and judicial temperament.  He touched countless lives in his courtroom and beyond, including legions of law clerks he mentored over the years, including U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson.
    “Over the course of his impressive legal career, he had a hand in over 1,800 opinions, many written in his signature, concise writing style that brings complex issues into focus.  He participated in notable cases that helped shape and influence the nation’s jurisprudence.
    “An inspiration to many, his example will continue to serve as a guiding light to future generations of lawyers and judges.  And his philanthropic work will continue to make a positive difference.
    “Our heartfelt condolences to his beloved wife Cindy, their children, grandchildren, and extended family and friends.  We join them in mourning a great loss, and in celebrating a life well lived.  Thank you, Your Honor, for a lifetime of service to others and for your undying dedication to the people of Rhode Island and the principles of democracy and justice for all.”
    Born and raised in Providence, Selya attended Classical High School before going on to graduate with honors from Harvard Law School.  In 1982, Selya was nominated to U.S. District Court by President Ronald Reagan and later elevated to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 1986.
    In 2000, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist appointed Selya to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, a position Selya held until 2004.  In 2005, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Selya to the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review, and in 2008 Selya was appointed to the chief judgeship of the Court of Review.
    Selya contributed his time and talents to many community causes and public service endeavors, including leadership roles on numerous and diverse institutional boards.  He taught law school students and received honorary degrees from Bryant University, Roger Williams University, and Brandeis University.
    In 2023, the City of Providence designated Fulton Street as Judge Selya Way.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince Albert — Prince Albert RCMP investigating structure fire

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Prince Albert RCMP are investigating a suspicious structure fire in the Rural Municipality of Garden River, SK.

    On February 21, 2025 at approximately 11:00 p.m., Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a fire at a church that is no longer in use in the RM of Garden River. The church is located approximately five kilometres south of Highway #55.

    The Garden River Fire Department responded to the fire and Prince Albert RCMP attended the scene. The building was destroyed. No one was in the church at the time and no injuries have been reported to police. Prince Albert RCMP are investigating.

    Prince Albert RCMP are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area of the church on the evening of February 21, or who has information about the fire, to report it to police by calling 310-RCMP.

    Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Employee Admits Embezzling At Least $300,000 from St. Louis County Company

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from Charlotte, North Carolina has admitted embezzling at least $300,000 from a St. Louis County company, U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming announced Monday.

    Scott H. Foster, 48, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of wire fraud. He admitted as part of his plea that he committed the crime from January 2018 to December 2022, while employed as a mid-level executive of the company. Foster manipulated the human resources systems to create an employee account for his paramour, triggering wages and benefits totaling more than $273,000.00 to be paid to his paramour over nearly five years, despite this individual performing little or no actual work for the company. Foster also used a corporate American Express card to pay for more than $33,000 in personal travel for himself, his paramour and other friends and acquaintances.

    Foster is scheduled to be sentenced May 22.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Old Dutch Mustard Co. Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act by Polluting the Souhegan River

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A New York man and Old Dutch Mustard Co., a mustard and vinegar manufacturing company, pleaded guilty in federal court to knowingly discharging acidic water into the Souhegan River, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division announce.

    Charles Santich, 59, of New York, and Old Dutch Mustard Co., Inc., d/b/a Pilgrim Foods, Inc. (“Old Dutch Mustard”) pleaded guilty to knowing discharging a pollutant without a permit. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2025.

    The Clean Water Act “CWA” prohibits the discharge of any pollutant into navigable waters of the United States without a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Due to a long history of CWA non-compliance dating back to the 1980s, Old Dutch Mustard has been subject to several enforcement actions by the EPA, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (“NH DES”), and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. As a result of these actions, EPA and NH DES have required continuous monitoring of an Unnamed Brook that flows underneath and in front of the facility, eventually flowing into the Souhegan River. The Souhegan River is one of nineteen New Hampshire rivers that the State of New Hampshire has designated as an important natural resource.

    Charles Santich is the president and owner of Old Dutch Mustard, a New York corporation with a manufacturing facility in Greenville, New Hampshire. Old Dutch Mustard manufactures vinegar and mustard products, which generates acidic wastewater. In addition, stormwater flows through the property, including an outdoor area where the company stores their product in large tanks. Both the wastewater and stormwater at Old Dutch Mustard becomes acidic and is categorized as a pollutant under the CWA, and Old Dutch Mustard did not have the necessary permit to discharge the acidic wastewater or stormwater into the environment. Instead, Old Dutch was required to store the polluted water in tanks and pay a trucking company to haul all the wastewater off-site to a publicly owned treatment plant.

    Beginning in the spring of 2015, Santich hired an excavation company to bury a pipe from the Old Dutch Mustard facility to discharge the acidic wastewater and stormwater in the general direction of the Souhegan River along an abandoned railroad bed. This discharge point was downstream of, and not detectible by, the continuous environmental monitoring required by the EPA and State of New Hampshire.

    Santich directed Old Dutch Mustard employees to repeatedly pump acidic wastewater and stormwater through the underground pipe to the abandoned railroad bed. Santich also directed employees not to tell anyone about the pipe.

    In May of 2023, state inspectors from NH DES discovered wastewater from the facility, with low pH and smelling of vinegar, flowing from a manmade ditch at the top of the hill on the Old Dutch Mustard property into the Souhegan River. In August 2023, EPA agents executed a search warrant at the Old Dutch Mustard facility and observed liquid that smelled like vinegar discharging from the end of the underground pipe into the ditch. The wastewater discharge had a low pH of 3.6. The agents then conducted a dye test. The dye discharged from the underground pipe at the top of the hill and flowed along the drainage ditch and down to the river.

    EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division investigated this case. Valuable assistance was provided by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting the case with the assistance of EPA Senior Regional Criminal Enforcement Counsel Dianne G. Chabot.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Silver Spring Man Indicted for Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted David Alain Schmidt, 43, of Silver Spring, Maryland, charging him with producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

    Phil Selden, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department.

    According to the indictment, in October 2024, Schmidt enticed a minor to produce child sexual abuse material and he also possessed sexually explicit images of a minor victim.

    If convicted, Schmidt faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

    An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Selden commended HSI and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Selden also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.  Learn about Internet safety education by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page. 

    Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters.  Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.

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

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Deported Mexican National with Prior Convictions Arrested for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was arrested in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged illegal possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents, Sergio Lopez Rodriguez, 48, was arrested during a surveillance operation conducted by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LSFTF) on Feb. 20. Federal law enforcement agencies had learned that Rodriguez was in the United States illegally and had previously been removed from the country in 2015. In addition to the deportation, Rodriguez was convicted of theft in 2009, of forgery in 2013, and also had been arrested and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. A state arrest warrant was issued for Rodriguez on Jan. 28.

    A filed criminal complaint alleges that, on Feb. 20, LSFTF members surrounded Rodriguez’s vehicle while he was parked a gas station pump. During the arrest, officers allegedly located a handgun, a magazine and .40 caliber ammunition, along with a glass pipe, torch lighter and .9 grams of a crystal-like substance. The complaint also alleges that Rodriguez informed officers that he possessed an AK-47 magazine inside a bag located in the vehicle.

    Rodriguez was booked into the Bexar County Jail for his outstanding warrant and, due to his immigration status, Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer. He is federally charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The U.S. Marshals Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case, along with the Office of the Texas Attorney General, Bexar County District Attorney’s Criminal Investigation Division and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Fidel Esparza III is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

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

    A handgun, magazine, and .40 caliber ammunition allegedly seized during the arrest in San Antonio, Feb. 20, 2025.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Men Sentenced to Prison for Carjackings and Armed Robberies in Chicago

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHICAGO — Three men who committed multiple carjackings and robberies in Chicago, including carjacking a vehicle with an infant in the back seat and pistol-whipping a convenience store clerk, have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from 15 to 22 years.

    DAMANDRE HENLEY, DWIGHT HASBERRY, TYLER OATES-NELSON, and DAVARIO MCDOWELL engaged in a series of carjackings and robberies in Chicago in the overnight hours of Sept. 28 and 29, 2022.  The four defendants pleaded guilty last year to federal carjacking, armed robbery, and firearm charges. 

    On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Manish Shah sentenced Oates-Nelson, 29, of Chicago, to 15 years in federal prison. On Wednesday, Judge Shah sentenced McDowell, 25, of Chicago, to 18 years.  On Feb. 11, 2025, Judge Shah sentenced Henley, 28, of Chicago, to 22 years. Hasberry, 31, of Chicago, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Shah on March 20, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

    Four of the carjackings occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 28, 2022.  The carjacking involving the infant occurred late that evening, when the four men carjacked a Volkswagen Tiguan in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. After the men drove to the neighborhood in Oates-Nelson’s vehicle, Henley, Hansberry, and McDowell pointed guns at the driver and the infant in a rear car seat and ordered them out of the vehicle.  One of the carjackers patted down the driver and removed a registered handgun from his pocket.  The driver removed the infant from the car before Henley, Hansberry, and McDowell got into the Tiguan and drove away.

    A short time later, the four men, now all traveling in the stolen Tiguan, drove to Chicago’s Ravenswood Manor neighborhood, where Henley, McDowell, and Hansberry robbed one victim at gunpoint of their cell phone, wallet, and keys, and another victim of their backpack.

    The four men then robbed a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store.  With Oates-Nelson waiting in the stolen Tiguan, Henley, McDowell, and Hansberry entered the store carrying guns.  Henley used his gun to strike a store clerk in the head while forcing him to open the cash register.  The defendants fled the store with cash, cigarettes, and liquor bottles.

    The sentences were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Sentenced to 26 and 20 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed Business Robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – Two men were sentenced last week after previously pleading guilty to multiple counts of armed robberies that occurred at Louisville and Bullitt County, Kentucky businesses.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Demarcus Page, 31, of Bullitt County was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Page was convicted of eight counts of interference with commerce by robbery and three counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Joseph Campbell, 29, of Louisville was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Campbell was convicted of five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. All the robberies occurred between June 12, 2023, and September 12, 2023.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The case was investigated by the Louisville Metro Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Lantz 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 violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON — Devin Devaun, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a revolver and ammunition in December 2023 while he was on supervised release for two prior unlawful firearm possession convictions.

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                On November 15, 2024, during a stipulated facts bench trial, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan found Devaun guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. In addition to imposing the 30-month prison sentence, Judge Chutkan ordered Devaun to serve three years of supervised release. 

               According to court documents, on December 17, 2023, members of the MPD’s Violent Crimes Suppression Division’s Robbery Suppression Unit were patrolling along the Georgia Avenue corridor in the 4th District based on a spree of robberies that had occurred there. The MPD issued a BOLO or a “be on the lookout for” with regard to one of these particular robberies.

               Around 12:10 a.m., the officers observed a group of at least four individuals jaywalking across Georgia Avenue NW at the intersection of Longfellow Street NW, whom the officers believed matched the description of the suspects in the BOLO. One of the officers observed that one of the individuals had a rectangular-shaped object protruding downward in his front groin area, inconsistent with human anatomy and not in a spot where people typically keep cell phones or other objects.

               As one of the officers approached that individual, the individual began looking from side to side as if he were attempting to look for an avenue of escape. That individual then took off running southbound on Georgia Avenue NW, tripping as he ran down the sidewalk. Two of the officers quickly caught up with him. The officers handcuffed the defendant, and as an officer patted the defendant down, the officer felt a hard object that he recognized as a firearm. At this point, the firearm had slid down the defendant’s right pants leg. A few minutes later, another officer cut a hole in the defendant’s right pants leg, removing a holstered .357 caliber revolver loaded with six rounds.

                The defendant was prohibited from possessing a firearm based on three previous felony convictions: a 2016 robbery conviction, a 2017 conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm, and a 2021 felon conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm.

               This case was investigated by the MPD’s Violent Crimes Suppression Division’s Robbery Suppression Unit. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Svetoslavov. Valuable assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Mirabelli.

    24cr44

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Indictments of Three Felons on Illegal Reentry Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced several indictments bringing illegal reentry charges against defendants who were previously convicted of serious and dangerous felonies, including convictions for child molestation and criminal sexual conduct.

    A federal grand jury returned indictments on the following individuals:

    • Luis Gerardo Gomez-Esteban a.k.a. Luis Gerardo Gomez-Esteban, 35, for being in the United States after removal from the country on May 8, 2019, following his conviction for several child molestation charges in Thurston County, Washington. Gomez-Esteban also failed to register as a sex offender upon his return to the U.S.
    • Jose Alfredo Ojeda-Garcia, 33, for being in the United States after his conviction on criminal sexual conduct in Faribault County, Minnesota. Ojeda-Garcia was removed three times on April 23, 2012, May 26, 2021, and January 29, 2022.
    • Sotero Ortiz-Sanchez, 37, was found in the United States after his conviction for attempted burglary in Lancaster County, Nebraska, and had been initially removed on January 28, 2009.

    All of these cases are the result of investigations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

    An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hartford Man Admits Fraudulently Collecting Social Security, Unemployment, and Food Stamp Benefits

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc. H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICARDO SANTIAGO, 59, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to a fraud offense related to a scheme to fraudulently obtain Social Security, unemployment, and Food Stamp benefits.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2002 and 2024, Santiago held jobs with more than 20 employers and earned income totaling more than $580,000.  Santiago concealed his income from federal and state government agencies by providing to employers false identification, including a Social Security number and card belonging to another individual, and, in at least one instance, a false Social Security card.

    In 2002, Santiago applied for Retirement Survivors Disability Insurance (RSDI) benefits, representing to the Social Security Administration that he was unable to work due to disability.  As a result, he began receiving RSDI payments in September 2002.  In 2017, Santiago completed paperwork to maintain his benefits in which he asserted that he remained disabled and had not worked for the past two years.  Santiago ultimately collected more than $316,000 in RSDI payments to which he was not entitled.

    In February 2017, Santiago submitted to the Connecticut Department of Social Services (CT-DSS) an application for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits (“Food Stamps”), representing to the CT-DSS and the U.S. Department of Agriculture that he earned no income from employment.  He began receiving SNAP benefits in March 2017 and subsequently completed forms to renew his SNAP benefits on which he again represented that he had no change in his income and that he earned no money from employment.  Santiago made more than $18,000 in purchases with SNAP benefits to which he was not entitled.

    In April 2020, Santiago applied to the Connecticut Department of Labor (CT-DOL) for Unemployment Insurance benefits.  On the application, Santiago used a Social Security number belonging to another individual, and he represented to the CT-DOL and U.S. Department of Labor that he was unemployed but available for work and physically able to work.  He subsequently completed weekly certifications making the same representations.  From April 2020 through February 2021, Santiago received more than $36,000 in payments to which he was not entitled.

    Santiago has agreed to pay restitution of $371,686.

    Santiago pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 22.

    Santiago was arrested on May 7, 2024.

    This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan J. Guevremont.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Sex Trafficker And Co-Conspirator Are Sentenced To Prison

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  A Charlotte man and his co-conspirator were sentenced to prison today for sex trafficking a minor, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina joins Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    Tawaan Batten, 34, also known as “Slicc,” was sentenced to 34 years in prison followed by 30 years of supervised release. In December 2023, Batten was convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking of a minor, and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in commercial sexual activity. Batten’s co-conspirator, Kristi Heather King, 34, of Locust, N.C., was sentenced to 42 months in prison and a period of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.

    “Batten and his then-girlfriend preyed on a vulnerable child and repeatedly subjected her to physical and psychological harm for their profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: federal prosecutors and law enforcement are committed to ensuring that sex traffickers will face the full force of justice.”

    “It is difficult to fathom that someone would sell a child for sex. But that is exactly what Batten and King did and now both of them will do federal prison for their crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge DeWitt. “The FBI works tirelessly to hold accountable those who carry out crimes against children, and we devote significant resources to help sex trafficking victims recover from the trauma they suffer.”

    According to evidence presented at Batten’s trial, witness testimony, and court documents, from July 2021 to December 2021, Batten, at times assisted by King, sex trafficked a 15-year-old minor victim. Batten met the minor victim, who had run away from her home, in a hotel parking lot in Charlotte. Batten then introduced the minor victim to King, who was Batten’s girlfriend at the time. The minor victim began engaging in commercial sex transactions shortly after meeting Batten.

    Trial evidence showed that Batten, at times assisted by King, created and posted advertisements of the minor victim on commercial sex websites and arranged for the minor victim to engage in sexual encounters with customers, usually multiple times a day. Most of these encounters took place in hotel rooms booked by Batten in North Carolina and South Carolina. Other times, Batten and King drove the minor victim to a customer’s location to engage in commercial sex. Batten kept the money the victim earned from these commercial sexual encounters and continued to have the victim work even when she was not feeling well.

    According to testimony and evidence at Batten’s trial, Batten gave the minor victim drugs. Batten also controlled the minor victim through intimidation and manipulation, including branding the minor victim with tattoos. Batten also physically assaulted King multiple times.

    Batten remains in federal custody pending placement to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.

    In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron commended the FBI for leading this investigation and thanked the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their invaluable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Spaugh and Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    If you are the victim of human trafficking or may have information about a potential trafficking situation, please call the FBI, local law enforcement, or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888.  NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. To submit a tip to the NHTRC online please visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/report-trafficking.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — Police arrest robbery suspect

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    As a result of an investigation into a robbery at the Edgewater Hotel on February 17, 2025, Whitehorse RCMP identified the perpetrator as Marcus Hickey, a 34-year-old male resident of Whitehorse.

    On February 21, 2025 at approximately 6 pm, Whitehorse RCMP officers and members of the Crime Reduction Unit located Mr. Hickey at his residence in downtown Whitehorse. The residence was contained by the police in order to obtain a warrant to enter the residence as Mr. Hickey refused to exit.

    Shortly after 9 pm Mr. Hickey was arrested after surrendering to the police without incident. Mr. Hickey appeared in court on February 22, 2025 and has been remanded until March 5, 2025. He has been charged with the following offences:

    • Robbery
    • Disguise with intent
    • Carry a concealed weapon
    • Possession of weapon for dangerous purpose
    • Breach of Probation

    Yukon RCMP would like to thank the public for their tips and information regarding the public plea for assistance to identify the suspect in the robbery.

    Links: Whitehorse RCMP seek the public’s assistance to identify an armed robbery suspect | Royal Canadian Mounted Police

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