NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – A Mississippi woman has pled guilty to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program intended to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, of over $5,000,000. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.

    On February 20, 2025, Lisa Evans, 42, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, pled guilty before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  She will be sentenced on May 22, 2025 and faces a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to information presented in court, Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for numerous individuals who were not entitled to PPP loans. The applications Evans submitted contained false representations, including fake federal tax documents.  When the individual borrowers obtained the PPP loan funds, they then paid Evans kickbacks of 20 to 30 percent.  The loss to the PPP program was $5,126,258.  

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren stated: “Individuals cheating the Paycheck Protection Program stole money from U.S. taxpayers who desperately needed these loans to keep their small businesses afloat and pay their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would especially like to commend and thank the federal law enforcement agencies who uncovered this fraud and brought this defendant to justice: the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Gulf States Field Division; the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service, Memphis Field Office; and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. My office will continue to work with these law enforcement partners to bring those who committed pandemic benefit fraud in the Western District of Tennessee to justice and to recover stolen pandemic relief funds.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin, who prosecuted this case.

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    For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brazilian Extradited from Switzerland to the United States to Face Indictment Charging Involvement in $290M+ Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tens of thousands of investors deposited bitcoin expecting an investment strategy – Instead, new investor bitcoin used to pay off other investors in a Ponzi scheme

    SEATTLE – A citizen of Brazil appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today, after being extradited from Switzerland to face a 13-count indictment for wire fraud and conspiracy regarding his bitcoin investment scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Douver T. Braga, 48, lived in Florida between approximately 2016 and 2021 during the bulk of the alleged fraud. The indictment alleges Braga operated a bitcoin investment scheme that was really a Ponzi scheme, as well as an illegal multilevel marketing scheme.

    The grand jury returned the indictment in October 2022. It was unsealed last week following Braga’s arrest in Switzerland. Today Braga pleaded “Not Guilty,” and trial was scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Tana Lin on April 28, 2025.

    “Mr. Braga allegedly ran a fraud scheme that harkens back more than a century, but he updated his ‘Ponzi’ scheme with the hot new thing: bitcoin,” said U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. “The victim investors have waited years to see justice. I commend our federal partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation for their diligent work on this case.”

    According to the indictment, Braga conspired with others to create a cryptocurrency trading platform called Trade Coin Club (TCC) with an office in Belize. As early as 2016, Braga worked with others to promote TCC, claiming that investors would make money because the TCC had a sophisticated software program that allowed investors to profit on the fluctuating price of bitcoin. Braga also promised that investors could make money by referring other investors to the platform. In reality, there was no investment platform and no sophisticated software. Those who invested early were paid off by later investors as in a Ponzi scheme.

    Braga traveled the world promoting TCC: In Thailand in March 2017, in Nigeria and Macau in May 2017.  TCC was promoted on social media and in videos. At various events Braga claimed TCC had as many as 126,000 members in 231 different countries.

    Through his false promises of sophisticated investments and high returns, Braga induced tens of thousands of people to entrust over 82,000 bitcoin, valued at over $290 million at the time of investment, and to deposit it with TCC. Braga continued the false representations, creating an “online portal” where investors could track the supposed activity of their investment accounts. The site was a fiction as there was no trading activity.

    Braga withdrew and misappropriated investor funds. Between December 2016 and July 2019, at least $50 million in bitcoin was transferred to accounts Braga controlled.

    However, by late 2017 and early 2018, investors had trouble accessing their funds. In January 2018, TCC announced to investors that it was ceasing to operate in the United States and was cancelling their accounts.  Many investors were located in the Western District of Washington.

    Braga allegedly profited handsomely, while failing to report the earnings to the IRS. In 2017, he received bitcoin worth $30.5 million, but only reported income of $152, 298. In 2018, he reported $73,473 in income but got $13.1 million in bitcoin and in 2019, reported $72,870 in income while he received $10 million in bitcoin.

    “The type of scheme Mr. Braga is charged with operating is not new, he just used the allure of a flashy new technology to obscure the well-worn scam.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “While the victims in this case waited and wondered about the fate of their investments, he siphoned off millions of dollars for his personal use. This case demonstrates the determination of the FBI and our partners in IRS Criminal Investigation to hold fraudsters accountable, no matter where in the world they may be.”

    “The charges against Mr. Braga and his co-conspirators reflect a well-designed scheme to solicit investment in a fake cryptocurrency trading platform from victims around the globe,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI), Los Angeles Field Office.  “Furthermore, Mr. Braga is alleged to have knowingly ignored and circumvented laws regulating multi-level marketing programs in the U.S.- laws that exist to protect investors from becoming victims in pyramid schemes.  Despite the complexity of this scheme, IRS Criminal Investigation and our partners at the FBI successfully uncovered the evidence necessary to bring forth these charges.”

    Braga is charged with 12 counts of wire fraud reflecting 12 wires investors sent to TCC for deposits in their “accounts.” Braga is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    The charges are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

    The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The case was investigated by the IRS-CI and the FBI.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mike Dion and Phillip Kopczynski. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance with securing the extradition.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Convicted for Possession of Firearms Linked to Miami-Dade Shootings, Homicide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – After a three-day bifurcated trial, a Miami federal jury found Nathaniel Martin, 45, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Later that same day, the jury found that Martin qualified as an Armed Career Criminal based on his criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery, cocaine trafficking, and armed robbery.

    Based on the evidence at trial, police responded to a market in Miami Gardens based on a tip that a person of interest in an open investigation was camped out in the alley behind that market. When police arrived, they observed Martin sitting in a chair at the end of the alley rifling through a bookbag. Surveillance footage from the interior and exterior of the market showed Martin handling the bookbag, a plastic bag, and other belongings in and around the market. Police later recovered the bookbag, which contained fourteen rounds of live ammunition, and the plastic bag, which contained two semiautomatic pistols and additional ammunition.

    Additional evidence at trial included text messages from the day of the arrest in which Martin asked if he could hide his guns under a friend’s bed, DNA evidence for each of the firearms, and recorded jail calls from the day of the arrest in which Martin lamented that police had recovered “the weapons.”

    According to other filings in the case, one of the pistols recovered from Martin returned ballistic matches to shell casings recovered from a December 2023 shooting in Miami Gardens and a January 13, 2024 homicide in Miami Gardens. 

    U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez presided over the trial. Martin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years of imprisonment, and a maximum term of imprisonment up to life. The sentencing hearing has been set for May 2, 2025. Judge Martinez will sentence Martin after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge John F. Dion, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the verdicts. 

    The ATF and the Miami Gardens Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sterling M. Paulson and Altanese Phenelus are prosecuting 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.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr- 20065.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Parmelee Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PIERRE – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on February 20, 2025.

    William Verlin Fool Bull, Sr., age 45, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

    Fool Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024.

    By October 4, 2023, Fool Bull had been in a relationship with his girlfriend for approximately 10 years. They lived together with their two young children in Parmelee, which lies within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 4, Fool Bull punched his girlfriend in the face several times and suffocated her in their home. The assault stopped when Fool Bull’s girlfriend kicked him in the knee and fled. Fool Bull has two prior convictions for domestic abuse.

    This matter was 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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Robber Sentenced for Stealing 87-Year-Old’s Wallet at a McDonald’s in Northwest D.C.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Aaron Herndon, 39, of Suitland, MD, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for the robbery of an 87-year-old in Northwest D.C. on May 5, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Herndon pleaded guilty on December 17, 2024. Superior Court Judge Jason Park also ordered three years of supervised release.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:00 p.m., on May 5, 2024, the 87-year-old victim was purchasing gift cards from the McDonald’s restaurant located at 4100 Wisconsin Avenue NW. Video footage from the restaurant shows the defendant approach the victim from behind, as he was exiting the restroom, and reach into the victim’s jacket pocket, and take his wallet. Multiple witnesses observed Herndon flee on foot. Herndon was subsequently arrested later the same day by law enforcement, wearing the same clothing he wore at the time of the robbery.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Negar Kordestani and Trisha Jhunjhnuwala of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Skopicki.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three New Haven Men Guilty of Charges Related to Counterfeit Pill Production, Narcotics Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Hartford has found AQUARIUS GUMBS, also known as “Q,” “Ice,” and “Diamond,” 50; GORDON LAURIA, 54; and MARKOS PAPPAS, also known as “Speedy,” 51; all of New Haven, guilty of offenses related to the large-scale trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as well as other controlled substances.

    According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, this matter stems from an investigation by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, and the distribution of heroin and cocaine, in the New Haven area.  The investigation revealed that Willis Taylor, with the assistance of Lauria, Pappas, Gumbs, and others, coordinated the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit narcotic pills.  Taylor distributed the pills to others and arranged counterfeit pill transactions between second and third parties, sometimes using Gumbs as a source of supply.  Gumbs also distributed controlled substances to his own customers.  After Taylor’s arrest in November 2022, Pappas conspired with others, including Lisa Fausel, of New Haven, to distribute controlled substances.

    During the investigation, investigators seized more than two kilograms of fentanyl, including thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone tablets; approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, including thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills; three kilograms of cocaine and other drugs; four pill-press machines; one industrial mixer; five firearms; and more than $200,000 in cash.  Two of the firearms and $13,250 in cash were seized from Gumbs, a previously convicted felon, on November 18, 2022.

    Fourteen individuals were charged as a result of this investigation.

    Today, the jury found Lauria and Gumbs guilty of one count, and Pappas guilty of two counts, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.  Gumbs was also found guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    The jury found a fourth defendant, Julio Echevarria, of New Haven, not guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.

    Gumbs, Lauria, and Pappas are detained pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

    Taylor previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.  On October 21, 2024, Fausel was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment.

    This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the West Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Bristol, Fairfield, and Seymour Police Departments.  The FBI Task Force includes participants from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. 

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten, John T. Pierpont, Jr., Konstantin Lantsman, and Katherine Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Michael White Sentenced to 100 Years on Federal Charges Related to Murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ABINGDON, Va. – Michael Donivan White was sentenced today to 100 years in federal prison on federal charges related to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler and a wide-ranging drug conspiracy.

    White, 36, of South Carolina, pled guilty to eight counts in relation to the murder of Officer Chandler.  Specifically, he pled guilty to one count of causing the death of a person using a firearm, in which the killing was first-degree murder, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiring to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of using a place for the purpose of distributing or using a controlled substance, one count of using a communication facility in committing any felony-controlled substance offense, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and using, brandishing and discharging that firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

    “Today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Michael White was sentenced to spend the next 100 years of his life in federal prison for murdering Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “No matter how righteous our prosecution was or how just this sentence is, no amount of jail time can bring back Officer Chandler. Our only hope is that today’s sentence brings some level of closure to Officer Chandler’s friends and family, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Southwest Virginia law enforcement community. To all of the men and women who worked tirelessly to bring Michael White and his co-conspirators to justice, the Department of Justice is eternally grateful.”

    “We can never bring Officer Michael Chandler back, and no sentence will ever fill the void left in the hearts of his family, friends, law enforcement community, and the Big Stone Gap community. But today’s hearing helped bring some closure to his family. Michael White will spend decades behind bars for the cold-blooded murder of a hero. We will never stop fighting for those who put their lives on the line for our safety and security. Officer Chandler, you will never be forgotten,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “I commend the entire law enforcement community in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee for their dedicated work on this case, including the lead agencies, the Virginia State Police, ATF, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, in addition to all agencies who assisted with this case. This case highlights the important collaboration between our federal and state partners, and I wish to specifically thank Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen for her key role in this case. My office stands firmly with law enforcement across the Commonwealth and will continue to pursue all avenues possible to ensure that anyone who harms or kills a police officer is held fully accountable. I am honored that my office could support the investigation and prosecution concerning the senseless death of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler.”

    “Virginia State Police is pleased to have been able to help bring Michael White to justice and provide some closure to the family and friends of Officer Michael Chandler,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “Officer Chandler was working to make the Commonwealth a better place and made the ultimate sacrifice.”

    “We offer our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Michael Chandler as they continue to navigate this horrific tragedy “said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We hope that this sentencing provides comfort to Officer Chandler’s family. It is also our hope that this sends a clear message of accountability to those that actively engage in violent crime especially when it results in injury or death to those who devote their lives to protecting and serving our communities. Prioritizing violent crime and enforcing federal firearms laws remain at the forefront of our daily mission.”

    According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing even after the time of his arrest, White and 18 other defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, in addition to heroin and fentanyl.

    Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Big Stone Gape Police Officer Michael Chandler responded to a dispatch call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the red house, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence. Officer Chandler requested backup, telling dispatch, “This car is taking off on me.” Inside the vehicle, Michael White told a female co-defendant, Misty Ward, to “get the fu*k out of there” because there were drugs in the vehicle and that “he was not going back to jail.”  Ward started to drive off as directed, but then stopped and got out of the vehicle. At that point, White attempted to flee the scene, however the vehicle got stuck in the grass. Officer Chandler approached the vehicle on the driver’s side.

    White brandished a Taurus 9mm pistol and immediately fired eight shots through the driver’s side window and door, striking Officer Chandler’s wrist and abdomen just below his bulletproof vest.

    Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries.

    Following the shooting, law enforcement identified White as a suspect. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee and a subsequent search of the motel room found a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler.

    This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone, as well as Special Assistant United States Attorney and Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Carjacker Indicted on 35 Counts for 2024 Crime Spree

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Lamontee Fowler, 21, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on a 35-count indictment filed on February 19, 2025, relating to an armed carjacking spree that occurred in April and May 2024 in Southeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

               Fowler was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, and related charges.

               According to the government’s evidence, Fowler engaged in a spree of armed carjackings on April 27, 2024, May 2, 2024, and May 8, 2024, all within blocks of each other in Southeast Washington, D.C. On April 27, 2024, he knocked on the window of the victim’s Toyota Rav 4 with the handle of a firearm, ordered the victim out of the driver’s seat, fired the gun, took the victim’s car keys, and fled the scene in the car. On May 2, 2024, he ran up behind the victim after she had exited her Honda Civic, pointed a firearm at the victim’s stomach, demanded her keys, and then fled the scene in her car. On May 8, 2024, he approached the victim after she had parked her Nissan Rogue on the street, brandished a firearm, grabbed her keys, and fled in her car. Then, on May 10, 2024, after arriving at his then-girlfriend’s residence in the carjacked Nissan Rogue, he fired a shot near his then-girlfriend’s father through the driver’s side window of the car. In a search warrant executed at his residence two weeks later, on May 24, 2024, the Metropolitan Police Department found a 9mm ghost gun with a 31-round capacity extended magazine underneath Fowler’s pillow.

               At the arraignment today, Fowler was ordered detained by Judge Robert Salerno.

               This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Claire Hoover and Sabena Auyeung of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C.

               An indictment is merely an allegation, 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: Nevada Woman Indicted In Romance Scheme To Defraud Seniors

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas, Nevada, woman has been charged in a 21-count superseding indictment for allegedly luring older men she met through online dating services and stealing their monies for her personal benefit.

    Aurora Phelps, 43, with residences in Las Vegas and Guadalajara, Mexico, is charged with seven counts of wire fraud; three counts of mail fraud; six counts of bank fraud; three counts of identity theft; one count of kidnapping; and one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Phelps is currently in custody in Mexico.

    According to allegations contained in the superseding indictment, from July 1, 2021, to December 9, 2022, Phelps would meet older men on dating websites or services, then meet them in-person. It was part of her scheme to drug the older men to gain unauthorized access to and steal money from their financial accounts to personally benefit herself and her family members.

    The superseding indictment stems from a two-year investigation by the FBI Las Vegas Division. The superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in September 2023.

    Photo of defendant Aurora Phelps, from court document in United States of America v. Aurora Phelps, number 2:23-cr-0167-CDS-DJA, in U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada.

    In romance scams, the scammer gains an unsuspecting individual’s affection and trust, then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim. These schemes not only cause significant financial losses, but also deeply impact the lives of victims.

    If convicted on all counts, Phelps faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison.

    The charges were announced by Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division.

    The investigation is a result of the close cooperation between the United States and Mexican authorities. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs is providing significant assistance in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel R. Schiess and Steven J. Rose are prosecuting the case.

    An FBI website has been established seeking to identify potential victims. Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Phelps or otherwise have information related to the case are encouraged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or complete a survey via this website https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-aurora-phelps-investigation.

    If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has experienced financial fraud, experienced professionals are standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Justice Department hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, can provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.

    More information about the department’s efforts to help older Americans is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage, which can be found at elderjustice.gov. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints can be filed with the FTC at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Justice Department provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, at www.ovc.gov.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for a Stabbing Outside of a Shelter

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Willie Byrd, 61, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for stabbing another man outside of a shelter in February 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe sentenced Byrd to concurrent sentences of 15 years in prison for aggravated assault while armed and three years in prison for carrying a dangerous weapon, and five years of supervised release. Byrd was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on November 20, 2024. 

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:30 pm, on February 28, 2023, Byrd stabbed the victim in the chest with a large fixed-blade knife near the corner of 2nd and D Streets, N.W. Before the stabbing occurred, the defendant was trying to take money from the victim while attempting to conduct a drug transaction. The victim suffered life-threatening injuries to multiple organs and required surgery and an extended hospital stay. MPD officers and detectives reviewed surveillance video footage of the stabbing from the nearby Federal City Shelter, which led to Byrd’s identification as the assailant. MPD detectives located Byrd inside of the shelter, and he was placed under arrest. 

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They commended the work those who assisted with the case’s preparation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Renee Prather and Paralegal Specialist Marcella Trader. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Erica Rudolf and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Evans, who investigated the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Engineer Pleads Guilty to Possessing Trade Secrets of Oregon Semiconductor Manufacturer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Ore.– Varun Gupta, 44, who previously lived and worked in Oregon, pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing trade secrets taken from his previous employer.

    According to court documents, from July 2010 to January 2020, Gupta was employed as a product marketing engineer for an American technology company headquartered in California, with its largest concentration of facilities and employees located in Oregon. The company is one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, supplying semiconductor products to companies globally.

    As part of his employment, Gupta signed an agreement prohibiting him from disclosing, retaining or making unauthorized copies of proprietary information or trade secrets without authorization from the company. Throughout his employment, Gupta had access to valuable and protected information including pricing structures and strategies and product development and manufacturing capabilities. To secure this information, the company used multiple layers of protection.

    In early January 2020, Gupta announced his intent to resign and take a job with a domestic technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington.  While still employed at the company in Oregon, Gupta downloaded approximately 4,000 files, many of which contained trade secrets and proprietary materials, from his company-issued computer to personal portable hard drives.

    Between February and July 2020, while employed by the company in Washington, Gupta possessed and accessed his previous employer’s trade secrets and proprietary information without authorization. Gupta accessed information related to customized product design and pricing for significant purchases of computer processors, which Gupta used, as a representative of the Washington company, during head-to-head negotiations with his previous employer.

    On December 26, 2024, Gupta was charged by criminal information with possessing stolen trade secrets.

    Gupta faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 12, 2025, by a U.S. District Judge.

    This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by William M. Narus, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, Geoffrey A. Barrow, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Anand B. Patel, Senior Counsel for the Criminal Division.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Variety: Disney-Fubo Deal Raises Antitrust Concerns, Senator Says

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    February 20, 2025

    Sen. Elizabeth Warren has urged the Justice Department to carefully scrutinize Disney‘s deal to acquire a controlling stake in Fubo, saying the consolidation presents antitrust concerns.

    Disney announced in January that it would merge its Hulu + Live TV service with Fubo and take 70% ownership of the combined company. A few days later, Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery dropped their plans to launch Venu Sports, a combined streaming service.

    In a letter to the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, Warren argued that the Disney-Fubo deal allows the company to “gobble up a competitor” and could lead to higher prices.

    “This proposed acquisition raises significant concerns under antitrust law, would give Disney increased market power and incentives to increase costs for viewers, and should be regarded as another data point in Disney’s history of anticompetitive behavior,” Warren wrote.

    …

    Read the full article here.

    By:  Gene Maddaus
    Source: Variety

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Kootenai County Men Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of Children

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force arrested three North Idaho men after the serving of residential search warrants this past week.
    “Our growing network of agency partnerships across the state is showing that, together, we are making a difference in protecting children,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “I’m grateful for the efforts of everyone working to keep Idaho’s kids safe from abuse and exploitation.”
    On Tuesday February 18th, 2025, Travis McClure (42) was arrested on seven (7) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The Idaho ICAC Task Force was assisted by Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Prosecutors Office.
    On Wednesday February 19th, 2025, Dakotah Kitchen (28) was arrested on seven (7) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material, two (2) counts of distribution of child sexual exploitation material and one (1) count of possession of visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The Idaho ICAC Task Force was assisted by Post Falls Police Department, and the Kootenai County Prosecutors Office.
    On Thursday, February 20th, 2025, Matthew Cash (43) was arrested on eight (8) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material, and two (2) counts of possession of visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The ICAC Task Force was assisted by Coeur d’Alene Police Department, Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, and Kootenai County Prosecutors Office.
    Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
    The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children. Parents, educators, and law enforcement officials can find more information and helpful resources at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.
    The charges listed above are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attribute to Detective Inspector Daryl Smith

    A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Rotongaro overnight.

    Police were called to Hetherington Road at about 10:40pm after receiving reports a male had been stabbed following a roadside altercation. He died at the scene.

    A 25-year-old man has been taken into custody and is assisting us with our enquiries.

    Police are not seeking anyone else in relation to this matter.

    ENDS

    issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Carlos Man Charged with Arson for Causing Watch Fire on San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Keanu Rudy Dude, 25, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and a San Carlos, Arizona resident, was arrested today on an outstanding indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. He is charged with Arson for the July 2024 Watch Fire on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.

    The Watch Fire burned over 2,000 acres of land owned by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Twenty-one homes identified in the indictment were destroyed by the fire. Four hundred families had to be evacuated from their homes and the areas surrounding San Carlos. Dude will have his initial appearance on Monday, February 24, 2025.

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Carlos Apache Police and Fire Departments and the San Carlos Ranger and Forestry Departments conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-1579-PHX-DJH
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-022_Dude

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wenatchee Sex Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Justin Boyd Renteria, age 34, of Wenatchee, Washington, to 15 years in federal prison for Receipt of Child Pornography. Chief Judge Bastian also imposed a lifetime of supervised release.

    According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, in summer 2023, the Chelan County Sheriff’s Department learned Renteria was in possession of several videos depicting young children being sexually abused by adults. At the time, Renteria was on supervised release for his federal conviction for possession of child sexual abuse material.

    On October 13, 2023, United States Probation executed a supervised release search of Renteria’s property. Officers seized a knife, drug paraphernalia, and multiple electronic devices. On a phone seized in the search, the FBI located more than 200 images and videos of adults sexually abusing young children.

    “Mr. Renteria’s case highlights the serious consequences of repeat criminal behavior and U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to holding accountable those who repeatedly possess or receive child sex material,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Richard Barker. “I am grateful for the prosecutors and law enforcement agents, who devote their careers to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.”

    “Tragically, Mr. Renteria did not learn his lesson from his previous conviction and continued to possess harmful child sexual abuse material,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “These photos and videos are extremely damaging to vulnerable minors, now more than ever because digital copies are so difficult to completely eliminate in the internet age. We hope this sentence sends a message to would-be predators that the FBI and our law enforcement partners take these crimes seriously, and engaging in them can have serious consequences.”

    This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alison L. Gregoire and Rebecca R. Perez.

    2:24-cr-00023-SAB

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Atlanta VA Doctor Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting a Female Veteran Patient

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ATLANTA – Rajesh Motibhai Patel has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for violating his patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and for the offense of abusive sexual contact.                                                                                            

    “Patel used his position of trust as a VA physician to sexually assault his female veteran patient who had honorably served our country,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “His crimes were an egregious breach of that trust and an abuse of his power. This sentence prevents Patel from causing future harm to veterans who seek care at from the VA.”

    “This sentence holds Dr. Patel accountable for the vile acts he committed while serving as a VA physician,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “VA employees are entrusted with keeping our nation’s veterans safe while receiving care. Acts of violence against veterans in VA facilities are reprehensible and erodes that trust. The VA OIG commends the dedicated prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this case.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was convicted of sexually assaulting a female veteran patient during what should have been a routine medical exam in January 2020. During the exam, Patel unlawfully touched the victim’s body, including her breast and vaginal area, in ways that violated her consent and for no legitimate medical purpose.

    Rajesh Motibhai Patel, 69, of Lilburn, Ga., was sentenced to two years in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Patel is prohibited from practicing medicine while on supervised release. Patel was found guilty by a jury on November 5, 2024, of violating his patient’s constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and of the offense of abusive sexual contact. 

    This case is being investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Erin N. Spritzer and Jennifer Keen prosecuted the case.

    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: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Attempted Carjacking and Federal Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WARREN ROLAND (“ROLAND”), age 33, was sentenced on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to the indictment pending against him.  Count 1 of the indictment charged ROLAND with attempted carjacking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2119(1).  Count 2 charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).

    ROLAND was sentenced to 137 months imprisonment as to Count 1 and 120 months as to Count 2, both counts to run concurrently.  Judge Long also ordered that ROLAND be placed on supervised release for 3 years and pay a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.

    On March 24, 2022, a concerned citizen called 9-1-1 after seeing a person acting suspiciously and openly carrying a firearm in his hand on Read Boulevard, in New Orleans East.  The caller described the suspect and New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers saw a man matching that description, who was later identified as ROLAND.  The officers attempted to stop ROLAND for questioning, but he fled on foot.  A NOPD officer  chased ROLAND on foot and saw him  grab a black firearm from his waistband while running.

    ROLAND ran into traffic on Read Boulevard, grabbed the front passenger side doorhandle of a stopped Toyota SUV, and tried to open the door while brandishing the firearm.  The driver of the SUV attempted to drive away, but ROLAND held the handle and discharged a round from his firearm.

    ROLAND eventually let go and was arrested.  The firearm, a nine-millimeter Smith and Wesson Model SD9 pistol, loaded with 14 live rounds, was recovered at the scene.  One spent shell casing was also found in the chamber of the weapon.

    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.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Dawkins of the Violent Crime Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saskatchewan — Saskatchewan RCMP: Recognizing and reporting human trafficking key to holding perpetrators accountable

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Human trafficking isn’t a crime that only happens in big urban centres – it happens in cities and small communities across Saskatchewan.

    National Human Trafficking Day in Canada is February 22. It’s important for everyone to recognize the signs of human trafficking and report suspected trafficking to police immediately.

    Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Teams (SERT) Human Trafficking and Counter Exploitation Unit (HTCEU) is dedicated to targeting offenders and criminal groups engaged in human trafficking.

    HTCEU has a partnership with the Regina Police Service (RPS). This collaborative approach provides specialized support to both RCMP detachments and municipal police agencies across the province.

    “Ensuring the safety and security of the victim is always the main goal in investigations, that’s why the Saskatchewan RCMP takes a victim-centered, trauma-informed response to human trafficking,” says S/Sgt. Danny Donison, the Saskatchewan RCMP SERT south region manager and head of the HTCEU.

    “Saskatchewan residents know their communities better than anyone else. Recognizing and reporting suspected trafficking is essential when it comes to holding perpetrators accountable.”

    How to recognize and report human trafficking

    Saskatchewan RCMP reminds the public that anyone can be a target for human trafficking. Victims may be trafficked by someone they know: a former or current partner, family member, friend, or trustworthy person. Recruiting tactics can be subtle; often victims don’t even know they’re being trafficked.

    A victim of human trafficking may display one or more of the following signs:

    • They don’t have access to their ID, passport or cell phone;
    • are under the age of 18 and travelling with an adult who is not their parent or legal guardian;
    • aren’t familiar with their surroundings or aware of what city or town they’re in;
    • appear to be in a controlling or abusive relationship;
    • exhibit signs of trauma, such as burns, bruises or cuts; or
    • show signs of malnourishment or fatigue.

    Traffickers may approach potential victims by:

    • pretending to be a potential love interest, friend or support person;
    • connecting over social media or in person;
    • offering gifts or money;
    • introducing drugs or alcohol; or
    • threatening potential victims’ loved ones if they don’t comply.

    Additional information on recognizing human trafficking can be found here.

    If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, call 310-RCMP or your local police immediately to report it.

    In addition to contacting the RCMP, the public can also contact the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010. This hotline is confidential, available 24/7 and offers services in more than 200 languages. 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: Prince Albert — Prince Albert RCMP: do you recognize this suspect?

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Prince Albert RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect in a suspicious fire.

    On December 16, 2024 at approximately noon, Prince Albert RCMP received a report of a structure fire at a permanently-closed service station on Highway #3, west of Prince Albert.

    Buckland Fire and Rescue responded to the fire, which caused significant damage to the building. Prince Albert RCMP assisted at the scene.

    Investigation determined the fire had been deliberately set. Prince Albert RCMP obtained video surveillance of a suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying and locating them. Photos of the suspect are attached.

    Prince Albert RCMP continue to investigate with the assistance of fire investigators from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

    Anyone with information about this incident should contact Prince Albert RCMP at 310-RCMP. Information can be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – Fire and Emergency responds to church fires in Masterton

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews have attended four church fires in Masterton this morning, which started between 4.25am and 4.35am.
    The churches are: Anglican Church Of The Epiphany, St Patrick’s Catholic Church Masterton, Masterton Baptist Church and Equippers Church Masterton.
    Damage to the churches ranged from moderate to significant. 
    Crews responded from across the Wairarapa region and from as far away as Avalon Station. 
    The fires are being treated as suspicious and have been referred to Police.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Announces $970,000 in Grants to Fund Fair Housing Programs in the Capital Region

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced $970,000 in grants to support and expand fair housing testing and enforcement in New York’s Capital Region. This grant funding will be provided to United Tenants of Albany, Inc. (UTA) and the Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) to develop and launch the region’s first fair housing testing and enforcement program and fund the program for a minimum of two years. The Capital Region is the most populous region of New York state that is not currently served by a Qualified Fair Housing Organization (QFHO). QFHOs, as designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, operate fair housing enforcement programs and seek to protect families from housing discrimination. 

    Housing discrimination perpetuates racial discrimination and discrimination against protected classes, and without the sort of fair housing testing and enforcement program now made possible by these grants, the Capital Region faces greater risk of social and economic inequality, neighborhood disinvestment, increased childhood poverty, and widening homeownership disparities. These grants will bring critical and necessary services to the Capital Region and promote fair access to housing for thousands of New Yorkers. 

    “Access to housing is a basic human right, but too often, discriminatory practices and high prices prohibit countless New Yorkers from securing stable housing and further exacerbates the housing crisis,” said Attorney General James. “Investing in fair housing testing programs ensures we can create greater fair housing opportunities, protect tenants statewide, and hold landlords accountable. The new program supported by these grants will allow for an expansion of accessible and affordable housing across the Capital Region and help more New Yorkers find a place to call home.”

    Fair housing testing programs seek to identify and investigate housing discrimination in order to ensure fair access to housing for all. In 2021, the New York state Legislature established the Anti-Discrimination in Housing Fund, which collects licensing fees and discrimination fines from brokers and real estate agents to finance grants in support of fair housing testing and enforcement efforts. Grants from the Anti-Discrimination in Housing Fund are intended to benefit local non-profit organizations focused on preventing illegal discriminatory housing practices.

    The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will award $520,000 to UTA to create a new fair housing enforcement program in the Capital Region and $450,000 to FHJC – a QFHO that is well-versed in fair housing testing and enforcement programs – to provide training and technical assistance while UTA develops and launches the program. The FHJC will be subcontracting with CNY Fair Housing, a Syracuse-based QFHO, to provide these services. The FHJC and CNY Fair Housing will also assist OAG in identifying additional regions in New York that could benefit from increased fair housing support.

    By utilizing fair housing testing and enforcement programs, Attorney General James has been able to reveal and eliminate housing discrimination practices at real estate brokerages on Long Island. In March 2023, Attorney General James took action against Coldwell Banker for discriminating against Black, Hispanic, and other potential homebuyers of color. As a result of Attorney General James’ intervention, Coldwell Banker was required to implement fair housing training for all real estate agents and to fund programs to promote enforcement of and compliance with fair housing laws in Suffolk County. In August 2022, Attorney General James took action against three other Long Island real estate brokerages that were discriminating against homebuyers of color. In some cases, agents at these brokerages were recorded showing preferential treatment to white homebuyers, disparaging neighborhoods of color, and only directing homebuyers of color to homes in neighborhoods where residents predominantly belonged to communities of color. In a fair housing settlement with Attorney General James, these brokerages contributed more than $115,000 to fix discriminatory practices and implement fair housing trainings. 

    “For over fifty years, UTA has specialized in advocating for tenants’ rights, and telling landlords what is and isn’t acceptable,” said Canyon Ryan, Executive Director of United Tenants of Albany. “But now, we are developing the capacity to go one step beyond advocacy: enforcement. With support from the Office of the Attorney General, the Fair Housing Justice Center, and others, UTA looks forward to ensuring landlords are held accountable when they violate fair housing laws.”

    “The Capital Region needs a full-service fair housing organization to address ongoing issues of illegal housing discrimination and residential racial segregation,” said Michele Cortese, Interim Executive Director, Fair Housing Justice Center, Inc. “The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) applauds the New York Office of Attorney General for recognizing this urgent need and making the necessary resources available to create an effective fair housing program in the Albany area. The FHJC is proud to have been selected by the Attorney General’s Office to provide extensive training, resources, and technical assistance to this emerging fair housing program.”  

    “Fair Housing is excited to be helping build fair housing capacity in the Capital Region, an area that has gone far too long without a fair housing organization,” said Sally Santangelo, Executive Director of CNY Fair Housing. “We know people in the region are experiencing housing discrimination and we are grateful that the Attorney General is investing in protecting their rights.”

    The OAG is allocating $970,000 to grantees over the program period of two years. Program continuation and grant renewal options will be evaluated and determined by OAG.

    This is the latest action taken by Attorney General James to root out discriminatory housing practices and expand fair housing support across the state. In September 2024, Attorney General James and New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas announced the return of 263 apartments to rent stabilization and reduction of rent for an additional 43 apartments throughout New York City. In August 2024, Attorney General James stopped property owner and management company Shamco Management Corp. from illegally denying housing opportunities to low-income renters in New York City. In October 2023, she released a report detailing deep racial disparities in homeownership and access to home financing across the state. Also in October 2023, Attorney General James announced an agreement with Platzner International Group (PIG) and their various properties for denying housing to low-income residents in Westchester County. In May 2020, Attorney General James announced a $4.5 million grant to the Eliminating Barriers to Housing in New York (EBHNY) program which benefited existing QFHOs. This program set the framework for New York to continue funding these organizations through HCR under their Fair Housing Testing, Education and Networking Program. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Illegal Reentry Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Jose Salazar Jimenez (28, Mexico) has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. Salazar Jimenez faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, between August 2019 and August 2024, Salazar Jimenez voluntarily entered the United States, with knowledge that he had previously been removed, and that he was not legally permitted to so enter. On August 18, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers found Salazar Jimenez in Hillsborough County.

    Salazar Jimenez is a native and citizen of Mexico and was previously removed from the United States on four occasions between 2014 and 2019.

    This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III and Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Rock Hill Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Their Role in Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Emmanuel Deon Foster, 36, and Bobby Antoinios Hall, 41, both of Rock Hill, have been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to distribute quantities of fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.   

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Foster and Hall had a close relationship with the leader of the conspiracy. Based upon law enforcement efforts, they learned both Foster and Hall purchased fentanyl-lased pills during the time of the conspiracy from the leader.  These pills were then sold to other dealers in the Rock Hill area. Foster also purchased and sold cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine. These drugs were purchased from other members of the conspiracy and sold to other dealers. This operation has been responsible for the arrest and conviction of more than 20 individuals during its existence.

    United States District Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Foster to a total of 120 months imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. Hall was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This joint law enforcement activity and prosecution is 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. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jacksonville Convicted Child Sex Offender Arrested And Indicted For Using The Internet To Access Child Sexual Abuse Materials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and indictment of Sean-Michael Smith (36, Jacksonville) for using the internet to access child sexual abuse materials. If convicted, Smith faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison and a potential life term of supervised release. Smith is a registered child sex offender who was convicted in 2014 of distributing child pornography. Smith was arrested on December 18, 2024, and is detained pending trial.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

    It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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 child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bradenton Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than Eight Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Star Stewart (39, Bradenton) to eight years and nine months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Stewart was convicted following a bench trial on November 20, 2023.   

    According to evidence presented at trial and in court documents, on November 4, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Florida Regional Task Force sought to arrest Stewart at a residence in Bradenton pursuant to a state warrant. When the officers arrived, they observed Stewart on the back patio. Stewart fled inside the house, but was quickly located and arrested. The officers recovered a Glock 19 with an extended magazine containing 33 rounds of ammunition left behind where Stewart had been seated on the back patio. Stewart later admitted that he had possessed the firearm. As a convicted felon, Stewart is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Charlie D. Connally. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Robber Who Also Assaulted a Correctional Officer Gets 104 Month Prison Term

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Donnell Godfrey, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, to 72 months in prison for robbing a stranger at gunpoint and a consecutive 32 months in prison for assaulting a D.C. Department of Corrections officer while incarcerated at the D.C. Jail, for a combined sentence of 104 months in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Godfrey pleaded guilty to one count of robbery while armed with a firearm in May 2024 and one count of assault with significant bodily injury in November 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.  

                According to the government’s evidence, on November 21, 2023, at approximately 3:27 a.m., Godfrey and two other individuals approached a stranger on a residential street. The victim was parking his car and had just exited his vehicle. Godfrey and the two other individuals, all armed with firearms, pointed their guns at the victim and demanded his property. Godfrey and the two other assailants stole the victim’s phone and car keys, demanding that he unlock his phone and let them into his home. The victim refused. Godfrey and the two other assailants returned to their vehicle with the victim’s stolen phone and drove away. The victim tracked his stole phone to a nearby location, where the officers apprehended Godfrey and a co-defendant. A black Glock pistol, the victim’s phone, and keys to a Nissan vehicle were recovered from Godfrey’s pockets. The victim positively identified Godfrey as one of his assailants. Officers canvassed the area near the location where Godfrey was apprehended and located a Nissan Maxima, which was reported stolen the prior day, November 20, 2023, during a gunpoint armed carjacking.

                Furthermore, on April 24, 2024, while incarcerated at D.C. Jail on the above-mentioned armed robbery case, Godfrey assaulted a correctional officer. The officer was monitoring inmates during an education period when Godfrey attempted to turn on a television. When the officer instructed Godfrey not to turn on the television, Godfrey responded by retrieving a broom, despite having no custodial duties at the time. After remarking that he should smack the officer, Godfrey proceeded to hold the broom like a baseball bat and swung it directly into the officer’s face.  The blow caused the officer to suffer a fractured orbital bone in his left eye socket area and a fractured jaw, requiring two surgeries and additional treatment, during which the officer was unable to work for months.

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Department of Corrections. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Toogun, Valerie Tsesarenko and Ariel Lieberman, who investigated and prosecuted the cases.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.’s Video Teleconference with Chiefs of Defence from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

    Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

    February 21, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

    Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., spoke with Chiefs of Defence from the Five Eyes nations (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the U.S.) Feb. 19 by video teleconference.

    Gen. Brown, Australia Chief of the Defence Force Adm. David Johnston, Canada Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan, New Zealand Defence Force Chief of Defence Air Marshal Tony Davies, and United Kingdom Chief of the Defence Staff Adm. Sir Tony Radakin discussed current global crises, national priorities, and opportunities to maximize collective capability and capacity.

    The Five Eyes defense partnership is undergirded by shared values of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.

    For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
    Connect with the Joint Staff on social media: 
    Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
    LinkedIn and Flickr.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Announce $265M for Drinking Water and Wastewater Projects Statewide

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Announce $265M for Drinking Water and Wastewater Projects Statewide

    Governor Stein, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Announce $265M for Drinking Water and Wastewater Projects Statewide
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein announced today that communities statewide will receive more than $265 million in funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects. These loans and grants will help to pay for 99 projects in 45 different counties. The awards include funding to address emerging contaminants (PFAS) and identify and replace lead pipes.

    “When we invest in our infrastructure, we build a stronger and safer state for every North Carolinian,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This funding will help ensure more North Carolinians have access to safe and clean drinking water and will strengthen our communities for decades to come.”

    “Every family expects and deserves clean water when they turn on the tap,” said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. “These investments will provide critical infrastructure to help improve public health and quality of life for North Carolinians in communities large and small across our state.” 

    Notable projects include:

    • Kings Mountain (Gaston County) will receive $2 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Drinking Water funds for a lead and copper service line replacement project.
    • The Town of Fair Bluff (Columbus County) will receive $1 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds for construction of a well outside the 500-year floodplain, with connection to the water system via approximately 4,000 linear feet of waterline. This will replace a well that was damaged in Hurricanes Florence and Matthew.
    • The Town of Nags Head (Dare County) will receive $500,000 in Clean Water State Revolving Loan Funds to finance repairs and replacements to approximately 400 malfunctioning residential septic systems. This is the first award from the Decentralized Wastewater Treatment System Pilot Program.
    • New Hanover County will receive $3 million in funding from the Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure program to install 1.3 miles of water lines and connect 50 occupied residential units to the water system.
    • The Town of River Bend (Craven County) will receive $10.4 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds to complete improvements to water treatment systems and water supply wells.
    • Columbus County Water District IV will receive $15 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds to install one 250,000-gallon elevated water tank, a booster pump station, a deep-water supply well, and to extend waterlines to serve more than 500 residences in the Waccamaw Siouan Tribal Area.
    • Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District (Halifax County) will receive $5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for Emerging Contaminants to begin work on constructing a post-filter granular activated carbon adsorption facility to remove PFAS from its drinking water.
    • Bessemer City (Gaston County) will receive $2.5 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Lead Service Line Replacement funds to replace approximately 150 galvanized water service lines with new water service lines, from the water main to the homes.
    • A list of all projects selected for funding is available on the Department of Environmental Quality website.

    The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ)’s Division of Water Infrastructure reviewed 203 eligible applications, which requested a total of $1.63 billion. The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved the awards during its Feb. 19 meeting. 

    Funding this round came from the Drinking Water (DWSRF) and Clean Water (CWSRF) State Revolving Loan Funds, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Emerging Contaminants funds, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Lead Service Line Replacement fund, the Drinking Water and Wastewater State Reserves, the Viable Utilities Reserve, and the Community Development Block Grant-Infrastructure (CDBG-I) program. Projects funded with Viable Utility Reserve funds are subject to approval by the Local Government Commission. The upcoming Spring 2025 funding applications for drinking water, wastewater, lead service line, and emerging contaminants projects opens on March 4 and ends on April 30 by 5 p.m. Funding application training for this round will be provided between March 4 and March 12 through four in-person statewide sessions and a recorded virtual option.

    The State Water Infrastructure Authority is an independent body with primary responsibility for awarding federal and state funding for water infrastructure projects. NCDEQ also administers emergency funding for communities in western North Carolina to repair and build resilience into drinking water and wastewater systems damaged by Tropical Storm Helene. Local governments can request emergency funding from the Division of Water Infrastructure directly by contacting Cathy.Akroyd@deq.nc.gov.

    Feb 21, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dauphin County Man Sentenced to 97 Months’ Imprisonment for Receipt of Images Containing the Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Dylan Ruppert, age 29, formerly of Halifax, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on February 20, 2025, to 97 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer P. Wilson, for receiving images containing sexual exploitation of a child.  

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on August 11, 2023, law enforcement recovered approximately 65 electronic files of child pornography from Ruppert’s phone during a search of his home. Law enforcement also recovered electronic communications from Ruppert to another individual in which Ruppert discussed his desire to groom a child to engage in sexual activity.

    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 United States Attorneys’ 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, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

    The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Williams and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Varley prosecuted the case.

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