NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: 3rd MLG to Support Multiple US/ROK Military Exercises

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    The exercises – Freedom Banner 25, Korean Marine Exchange Program (KMEP) 25.1, and Freedom Shield 25 – are designed to enhance interoperability between the two allies while strengthening regional security.

    3rd Marine Logistics Group, the logistics arm of III Marine Expeditionary Force, will begin the series of exercises with a movement of troops and equipment from ports in Japan to South Korea during Freedom Banner 25.

    “We are eager for this opportunity to train with our Republic of Korea allies,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin G. Collins, commanding general of 3rd Marine Logistics Group. “I expect our presence and activities to demonstrate our shared commitment to the alliance and showcase warfighting excellence to both allies and adversaries.”

    Freedom Banner 25 is a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload that provides equipment and support to III MEF units for KMEP 25.1 and Freedom Shield 25. U.S. Marines and Sailors will conduct beach landing operations to test and validate the 3rd MLG’s ability to conduct integrated logistics operations in a complex and contested environment, enhancing the expeditious transport and distribution of supplies in a combat environment or lifesaving aid in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

    As Freedom Banner 25 concludes, the units will continue to KMEP 25.1, a biannual exercise where forces participate in bilateral events focused on achieving III MEF training and readiness objectives while supporting interoperability with the ROK Marine Corps as a regional expeditionary force. For 3rd MLG, this means an opportunity to enhance the capacity for sustainment, distribution, and forward-deployed logistics in support of combined/joint operations with allied forces.

    During KMEP 25.1, the Marines and Sailors of 3rd MLG will conduct a variety of bilateral training events such as counter mobility/mobility training, Military Operations in Urban Terrain, machine gun ranges, medical training, and Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive training. One subordinate element of 3rd MLG, 9th Engineer Support Battalion, will conduct provisional infantry operations and counter-mobility operations with their ROK Marine counterparts that will culminate with mobility operations while employing the ROK’s Armored Combat Earth-mover.

    “The ongoing training between the United States Marine Corps and ROK Marine Corps is a valuable opportunity to reinforce the strength of our alliance,” said Lt. Gen. Ju Il-seok, commandant of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps. “These types of exercises highlight the important role that Marines play in the broader ROK-U.S. Alliance.”

    In addition to the bilateral training, the Marines and Sailors of 3rd MLG will be conducting numerous unilateral training events as well. This training will include demolition ranges, a 40-millimeter grenade launcher range, Tactical Combat Casualty Care, a live-fire and movement range, and professional military education at the War Memorial of Korea.

    The training will finish with the command post exercise Freedom Shield 25. 3rd MLG will integrate with joint/combined forces and rehearse command and control of combined combat service support functions to refine regional contingency plans and increase III MEF interoperability within the Combined Forces Command.

    For more Freedom Banner, KMEP, and Freedom Shield news and products, visit the 3rd MLG DVIDS page at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/3MLG.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS Howard Conducts Port Visit in Otaru, Japan

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    The port visit highlights the strong relationship between the U.S. and its closest of allies, Japan, demonstrating their continued support of each other, and a shared commitment to peace and stability in the region.

    “We regularly operate alongside our allies in the Indo-Pacific region as a demonstration of our shared commitment in accordance with international law. The U.S. remains committed to protecting the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea, and the ability of all countries to exercise those rights,” said Cmdr. Eric Smitley, commanding officer, USS Howard. “Ports like Otaru allow us to refuel, gather supplies, and collect repair parts as needed, so that we can quickly return to sea and continue supporting and sailing alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), or any of our other partners and allies in the region.”

    While in Otaru, local government officials and media received a tour of the ship where they were given a brief history of Howard and learned what it takes to keep the ship operating in a safe manner.

    Otaru, located in the Hokkaido prefecture, offered a wide variety of sights, activities, and cuisine, providing an opportunity for the Howard crew to immerse themselves in the local culture and enjoy the hospitality of Otaru before returning to sea.

    Many Sailors traveled to the nearby city of Sapporo where they were able to view more than 100 snow and ice sculptures on display during one of Japan’s most popular winter events, the annual Sapporo Snow Festival.

    “I’m so glad our visit to Otaru lined up with the snow festival in Sapporo,” said Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Chris Eric Limos, from San Fernando, California. “It was really cold, and snowing pretty hard, but it was all worth it to see the sculptures. Some of them were enormous, and the amount of detail they had was unbelievable. The artistic ability of people amazes me. It reminds me of the Greek statues we see in museums.”

    The five-day visit culminated with a luncheon held on board Howard, and a dinner in Otaru hosted by Otaru’s Self-Defense Force Supporters Association (SDFSA).

    “On behalf of Howard and the U.S. Navy, I want to thank the city of Otaru, the SDFSA, and the people of Hokkaido for the warmest welcome,” said Smitley. “We appreciate your generosity and look forward to more opportunities to build upon our ever-growing friendship as we make port visits in Otaru a regular occurrence.”

    Howard is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Responds to Administrator Zeldin’s Unfounded Attack on Climate Bank, Urges Citibank Not to Give in to Fearmongering

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Boston (February 14, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin attacked the lawfully established and properly structured deployment of funds through the National Clean Investment Fund and the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator. These programs, which were included in the Inflation Reduction Act, are expected to mobilize $150 billion in private and public capital to lower energy bills, support community resiliency and clean environments, and create good-paying jobs.  

    “Congress passed a law with a majority of votes that directed the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a national clean financing network to provide financing for local economic development and energy projects across the country. The EPA followed the law—a concept that is apparently unfamiliar to the Trump-Musk administration—and entered into legally binding contracts with grant recipients so these federal dollars can start helping families and small businesses lower their energy bills and create local economic opportunity. Financial Agency Agreements, like the one that EPA developed with Citibank for this program over the course of a rigorous yearlong process, have been available to the U.S. Treasury since the 1860s. These agreements allow federal grant recipients to account for funds they are legally entitled to on their balance sheets, enabling them to leverage private sector dollars. This process has always been transparent—all processes and decisions were based on timelines set by law and with full disclosure to EPA’s Office of the Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office.

    “Make no mistake—this is just another attempt by the administration to fund their millionaire and billionaire tax breaks off the backs of hardworking Americans,” continued Senator Markey. “I urge Citibank not to give into the administration’s fact-free fearmongering and bullying. Administrator Zeldin said clearly that the agency hasn’t found any evidence of fraud. He’s just kicking up dust so you can’t see the administration’s true intent—taking money away from our communities for their own billionaire giveaways. The contracts for this national clean financing network are clear: the funding needs to be accessible to recipients. Laws passed by Congress and contracts between parties can’t legally be broken on a whim. No matter what reality the Trump-Musk administration is operating in, it can’t ignore that fact.”  

    Senator Markey secured numerous provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, including the creation of a $27-billion national climate financing network based on his National Climate Bank Act. Following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, Senators Markey and Van Hollen and Congresswoman Dingell—the House lead on the climate financing legislation—welcomed the launch of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund in April 2023. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Diego Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin-Filled Bibles Addressed to California Prison Inmates

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – U.S. District Court Judge Todd Robinson sentenced Lucresia Stone-Rojas of San Diego today to 86 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm on November 12, 2023, and possession with intent to distribute heroin on December 27, 2023. Stone-Rojas previously pleaded guilty in federal court to these charges.

    According to court records, police stopped Stone-Rojas on November 12, 2023, after license plate readers identified a stolen Porsche near North Second Street and East Main Street in El Cajon. During the stop, police recovered a loaded 9mm Walther firearm and an additional ammunition magazine. Multiple prior felony convictions prohibit Stone-Rojas from possessing a firearm or ammunition. She was therefore charged with unlawful firearm possession, following investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

    Stone-Rojas was again arrested by federal investigators on December 27, 2023, for a second offense. This time, Stone-Rojas possessed sealed packages and envelopes addressed to multiple prison inmates in the California Department of Corrections. A search of the packages revealed two Bibles containing approximately 23 grams of heroin; the drugs were concealed in the spine of the Bibles and destined for delivery to two different California prisons.

    “Smuggling drugs into our prisons endangers both the inmates and the correctional staff. It will not be tolerated.” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden “Hopefully this case will serve as a warning to anyone who would be willing to abuse the tools of faith and rehabilitation to perpetuate addiction and despair.”

    “Multi-convicted felons who possess firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our communities safe and firearms out of the hands of prohibited people,” said ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kenneth R. Cooper. “ATF will continue to work with local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate the violent career criminals who illegally possess firearms.”

    “Drug distribution, no matter where it occurs, threatens the safety of our community and will not be tolerated,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian Clark.
     

    DEFENDANT                                                                             Case Number 23CR2622 (TWR)

    Lucresia Stone-Rojas                                                 Age: 46                                                        San Diego, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Felon in Possession of a Firearm — Title 18 U.S.C., Section 922(g)(1)
    Maximum Penalty: 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine

    Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin – Title 21 U.S.C., Section 841(a)(1)
    Maximum Penalty: 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
    Drug Enforcement Administration
    El Cajon Police Department

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious crash Evandale

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police and emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Evandale.

    About 10.30am on Saturday 15 February, Police were called to the intersection of Bakewell Road and Portrush Road after reports of a collision involving a truck and a car

    Diversions are in place, however please avoid the area if possible.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Phoenix Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 151 Months After Agents Seize Over 90 Pounds of Fentanyl and Over 40 Pounds of Cocaine from Stash House

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramirez, 34, an undocumented Mexican National living in Phoenix, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 151 months, followed by three years supervised release. Gaytan-Ramirez pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on November 5, 2024.

    According to court documents, on January 25, 2024, an undercover agent working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agreed to purchase 150,000 fentanyl pills (approximately 15 kilograms) from a member of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Mexico. The individual in Mexico instructed the undercover agent to travel to a parking lot in Phoenix to complete the transaction.

    At the parking lot, investigators identified a Dodge Ram pickup truck as the vehicle in which a DTO member was located. A man later identified as Gaytan-Ramirez called the undercover agent and said that he was occupying the Dodge Ram pickup. Thereafter, investigators moved in and detained Gaytan-Ramirez.

    After detaining Gaytan-Ramirez, investigators identified a nearby apartment used by Gaytan-Ramirez to store narcotics. Gaytan-Ramirez provided investigators consent to search the apartment. Inside a closet in the apartment investigators seized a black American Tactical Omni Hybrid 5.56 NATO caliber rifle with an AOMEKIE Scope, approximately 34 kilograms (74.9 pounds) of blue pills stamped M30 which contained fentanyl, 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) of fentanyl powder, and 19 kilograms (41.9 pounds) of cocaine. Authorities also seized over $18,000 in drug proceeds from Gaytan-Ramirez’s vehicle and the stash house.

    Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jospeh K. Nwoga and Stuart J. Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-00257-PHX-DJH
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-017_Gaytan-Ramirez

    # # #

    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: Miami Federal Prosecutors Charge Two Foreign Nationals Headed for Florida Coast on Boat with 20 Alien Passengers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A Bahamian national and a Haitian national face federal charges in the Southern District of Florida after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents stopped a go-fast boat heading towards South Florida, finding the two defendants at the helm accompanied by 20 other aliens – 12 from China, seven from Haiti, and one from Jamaica.

    A criminal complaint charges both Demetrius Luciano Kemp, 27, of the Bahamas, and Mikewendzly Nestar Norelus, 22, of Haiti, with failure to heave to, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2237(a)(1). In addition, it charges Kemp with unlawfully encouraging or inducing aliens to come to, enter, and reside in the United Sates, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1324(a)(1)(A)(iv), and re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §1326(a).

    According to the charging affidavit: On Feb. 9, a U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) cutter spotted a 25-foot go-fast boat about three nautical miles west of Bimini, Bahamas. The cutter followed the boat as it traveled (in the dark and with its lights off) from Bahamian and through international waters. Once the boat entered U.S. territorial waters, a CBP Air and Maritime Operations vessel approached. Agents activated the CBP vessel’s lights and siren and commanded the go-fast boat drivers to stop. The boat kept going, despite these and further commands, as well as warning shots. CBP had to disable the go-fast boat to get it to stop.

    The affidavit also says that on boarding the boat, CBP agents found 22 aliens: Norelus at the helm and Kemp in the first mate seat, accompanied by 12 Chinese nationals, seven Haitian nationals, and one Jamaican national. Biometrics testing and other checks showed that no one on the go-fast boat had permission or authorization to enter the United States on the date of the interdiction. They also showed that Kemp had been previously removed from the United States in July 2024.

    Defendants were arrested, charged, and will remain in federal detention pending trial. The other 20 aliens were returned to the Bahamas, where the journey began.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    HSI Miami is investigating the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), 7th Coast Guard District provided valuable assistance in this matter. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting it.

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

    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 22-cr-20255.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Killing Girlfriend Inside Apartment

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Koran Brown, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 21 years in prison for shooting Cynthia Barringer insider her apartment at 2312 Green Street, S.E., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Brown pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed in November 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.   

                According to the government’s evidence, Brown and Ms. Barringer argued around 3:45 pm on the day of the murder. During the argument, Brown shot Ms. Barringer one time in the head with a .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. He then started a fire in the bedroom where the shooting occurred and fled the building. Brown was captured on surveillance video leaving the building and arriving shortly thereafter at the home of a family member, where he left his bloody t-shirt and the murder weapon. After that evidence was recovered during a search warrant, DNA testing linked the items to both the defendant and the victim.

                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 also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Lead Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity and Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington Williams. Finally, they commended the work of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Rickard and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Andrea Antonelli, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Unlawful Alien Found Guilty of Gun Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A Martin County man was convicted this week by a Fort Pierce federal jury of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm.

    Adam Marc Twinley, 44, of Palm City, Florida, entered the United States lawfully from the United Kingdom in 2013 on a visa for internationally recognized athletes and supporting personnel. Twinley did not leave the United States upon the expiration of his visa at the end of 2013. In 2016, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began Twinley’s removal proceedings, which were ongoing when, in October 2023, Twinley was discovered at a local gun range in possession of several firearms.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Interim Field Office Director Juan Agudelo of ICE, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), made the announcement.

    ATF West Palm Beach Field Office and ICE ERO investigated the case.

    Federal law prohibits an unlawful alien of possessing a firearm in the United States.

    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-14012.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury convicts wife of murdering husband on military installation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas woman of murdering her husband who was a U.S. Army soldier assigned to Fort Riley, a federal military installation in Kansas. 

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Margaret E. Shafe, 31, was found guilty of murder in the second degree for shooting and killing her husband Greg Shafe in February 2024 at their home on Fort Riley.

    Shafe faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Department of Army Criminal Investigation Division, and Fort Riley Fire and Emergency Services are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Walton and Lindsey Debenham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham are prosecuting the case.

    ###
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USINDOPACOM commander addresses Honolulu Defense Forum

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

     Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, delivered the keynote address at the Honolulu Defense Forum in Waikiki, Hawaii, Feb. 13, 2025. 

    The forum provided an opportunity for senior government and military officials, academic experts and business leaders from across the Indo-Pacific and Europe to discuss operationalizing urgency for readiness and deterrence in the region. This year’s event focused on leveraging geography, public-private partnerships, and alliances to enhance resilience by building and sustaining defense capabilities, harnessing critical technologies at scale, and driving innovation and competitiveness in security initiatives. 

    Paparo underscored the critical importance of promoting regional security through warfighting readiness and lethality, highlighting numerous opportunities for defense collaboration. “We need cooperative production agreements that multiply our industrial output among our friends and allies. By coordinating our efforts, we can achieve the surge production that the environment demands,” he stated.

    USINDOPACOM’s primary mission is the protection and defense of the homeland of the U.S., its people and its interests, by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, fighting to win.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Backs Effort to Permanently Repeal the Death Tax

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) and 44 additional Senate colleagues in reintroducing legislation that would permanently repeal the federal estate tax, commonly known as the death tax.  The Death Tax Repeal Act would end this purely punitive tax that can hit family-run farms, ranches, and businesses as the result of the owner’s death.

    “Small businesses are the lifeblood of Idaho’s economy, and family farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs have often worked lifetimes to grow their businesses,” said Crapo.  “The death tax can be a devastating blow to American families who want to pass down their farm or small business to the next generation.  It’s time to permanently provide relief from this unfair tax.”

    “Family farms and ranches play a vital role in our economy and are the lifeblood of rural communities in South Dakota,” said Thune.  “Losing even one of them to the death tax is one too many. It’s time to put an end to this punishing, burdensome tax once and for all so that family farms, ranches and small businesses can grow and thrive without costly estate planning or massive tax burdens that can threaten their viability.”

    The legislation is supported by the Idaho Cattle Association and the Idaho Farm Bureau.

    “The Idaho Cattle Association supports full repeal of the ‘Death Tax,’” said Cameron Mulrony, Executive Vice President of the Idaho Cattle Association.  “The long-term success of our historic industry has been predicated on the ability to provide profitability and transfer over generations.  The repeal of this tax is critical in the continual success of multi-generational operations and the legacy of our industry.”

    “The Idaho Farm Bureau Federation applauds efforts to permanently repeal the Death Tax,” said Bryan Searle, President of the Idaho Farm Bureau.  “One of the best ways to support multi-generation family farms and ranches is to not penalize the new generation. Farm Bureau thanks Senators Thune and Crapo for leading on this important issue.”

    Additional co-sponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jim Banks (R-Indiana), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Curtis (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Todd Young (R-Indiana).  Representative Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    The bill is supported by more than 190 members of the Family Business Coalition and more than 105 members of the Family Business Estate Tax Coalition, which includes the National Federation of Independent Business, the National Restaurant Association, the National Association of Home Builders and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, King Join Reintroduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Help Prevent Mass Violence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in both chambers of Congress to reintroduce the EAGLES Act to help prevent acts of mass violence. The bill, named after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mascot and introduced on the seventh anniversary of the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, would expand the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) to include a greater focus on preventing targeted violence, including school violence.

    “No child should feel unsafe in the classroom, and we must take action to ensure that schools are a secure place for students, teachers, and staff,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would strengthen research and training to prevent targeted violence, including threats to schools, helping educators and law enforcement better identify risks early and respond effectively.”

    “Too many communities in Maine and all across the country have been devastated by mass acts of violence. Whether it’s at school, the supermarket, or church, Americans deserve to feel safe while going about their daily lives. The bipartisan EAGLES Act would expand the capabilities of the National Threat Assessment Center so we can better prevent mass violence and senseless tragedies. This is a proactive, commonsense step forward in combatting public threats and I thank my colleagues for coming together to help keep our communities safe,” said Senator King.

    The U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center was created in 1998 to develop evidence-based indicators for various types of targeted violence, including school violence. NTAC’s findings can then be used to develop best practices and training to prevent future acts of violence. Since 2002, the Secret Service has conducted hundreds of training operations for more than 198,000 school administrators, teachers, counselors, mental health professionals, school resource officers and other public safety partners. The EAGLES Act reauthorizes and expands NTAC, allowing it to scale its threat assessment operations, with a particular focus on school safety.

    In addition to reauthorizing the Center and expanding their research and education capabilities, the bill establishes a national program on targeted school violence prevention and provides additional resources for research and training. Through the bill’s school safety initiative, the NTAC will coordinate trainings and plans with the Departments of Justice and Education. The bill also requires the Secret Service to provide periodic progress reports to Congress.

    Along with Senators Collins and King, and lead sponsors Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), the EAGLES Act is cosponsored by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Pete Ricketts (R-NE). Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL-26) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL-23).

    The legislation is endorsed by Make Our Schools Safe, School-Based Health Alliance, National Fraternal Order of Police, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Association of School Resource Officers, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Safe Schools for Alex, Stand with Parkland, Everytown for Gun Safety, Safe and Sound Schools, National Sheriff’s Association, Sergeants Benevolent Association, and The American Psychological Association.

    The complete text of the bill can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Grassley Lead Reintroduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Mass Violence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Seven years after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, lawmakers continue bipartisan push for changes to prevent future violence

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) led bipartisan lawmakers in both chambers of Congress to reintroduce the EAGLES Act to prevent acts of mass violence. The bill, named after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mascot and introduced on the seventh anniversary of the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, would expand the U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) to include a greater focus on preventing targeted violence, including school violence.

    The NTAC provides research and training for behavioral threat assessment and targeted violence, including school shootings and other public threats. The legislation creates a national program on targeted school violence prevention and expands the NTAC’s research and training on school violence and its dissemination of information on school violence prevention initiatives.

    “School shootings have devastated communities across the country, including in Nevada,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This bipartisan legislation will help our law enforcement stop these violent attacks before they occur, so families can send their children to school without fear.”

    “Effective behavioral threat assessments and early interventions can stop deadly ideas from becoming tragic acts,” said Senator Grassley. “Our bill would enable the Secret Service to share their unique tools and expertise with school safety partners across the country, building safer communities. While we cannot undo past tragedies, we can work together to honor the memories of those we’ve lost and prevent future violence.”

    The legislation is supported by Make Our Schools Safe, School-Based Health Alliance, National Fraternal Order of Police, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, National Association of School Resource Officers, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Safe Schools for Alex, Stand with Parkland, Everytown for Gun Safety, Safe and Sound Schools, National Sheriff’s Association, Sergeant Benevolent Association, and The American Psychological Association.

    The U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) was created in 1998 to develop evidence-based indicators for various types of targeted violence, including school violence. NTAC’s findings can then be used to develop best practices and training to prevent future acts of violence. Since 2002, the Secret Service has conducted hundreds of training operations for more than 198,000 school administrators, teachers, counselors, mental health professionals, school resource officers and other public safety partners. The EAGLES Act reauthorizes and expands NTAC, allowing it to scale its threat assessment operations, with a particular focus on school safety.

    In addition to reauthorizing the Center and expanding their research and education capabilities, the bill establishes a national program on targeted school violence prevention and provides additional resources for research and training. Through the bill’s school safety initiative, the NTAC will coordinate trainings and plans with the Departments of Justice and Education. The bill also requires the Secret Service to provide periodic progress reports to Congress.

    The full text of the legislation can be found here, and a summary of the bill can be found here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has pushed to reduce gun violence, including through expanding background checks and other commonsense gun violence prevention measures. She has led bipartisan legislation in the Senate to permanently ban bump stocks and other devices that allow semi-automatic firearms to increase their rate of fire and effectively operate as fully automatic weapons. She voted to pass the bipartisan Safer Communities Act to close the so-called “boyfriend loophole.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Wins Come All Day Under President Donald J. Trump

    Source: The White House

    It was another week filled with endless wins for the American people under President Donald J. Trump.

    Here are only a few of the many victories from the past week:

    • President Trump brought home an American citizen wrongfully detained in Russia and another American detained in Belarus — the tenth and eleventh hostages freed since he took office.
      • Michael McFaul, U.S. Ambassador to Russia under President Obama, reacted to Marc Fogel’s release and said: “Hallelujah! Fantastic news! Praise be to President Donald Trump … This is just fantastic news for anybody who cares about patriotic Americans.”
    • President Trump restored a 25% tariff on steel imports and elevated the tariff to 25% on aluminum imports to protect these critical American industries from unfair foreign competition.
      • The Steel Manufacturers Association released a statement applauding “President Trump for putting the American steel industry and its workers first by imposing a 25 percent tariff on all steel imports. President Trump understands that America’s steel industry is the backbone of our economy. A thriving domestic steel industry is critical to U.S. national, energy and economic security.”
      • The president of the Aluminum Association said: “We appreciate President Trump’s continued focus on strong trade actions to support the aluminum industry in the United States.”
      • Colorado Springs-based, family-owned Western Steel, Inc., praised the move: “What we hope that the tariffs will bring is some sort of stability to U.S. pricing. It allows a little bit more money to be made … on the intermediate level like us.”
    • President Trump unveiled a plan for fair and reciprocal trade, making clear to the world that the United States will no longer tolerate being ripped off.
      • The Renewable Fuels Association said: “The Brazilian tariff on U.S. ethanol now stands at 18 percent and has virtually eliminated all market access for U.S. ethanol producers. We thank President Trump for taking this action and hope this reciprocal tariff will help encourage a return to free and fair ethanol trade relationship with Brazil.”
    • President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in pursuit of finally securing peace.
    • President Trump hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II, who announced the Kingdom will accept 2,000 sick children from Gaza “as quickly as possible.”
    • President Trump joined Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce new deals between the two countries on immigration, trade, energy, and artificial intelligence.
    • The Department of Energy approved the first liquefied natural gas project since the prior administration banned LNG exports last year.
    • President Trump declared all foreign policy must be conducted under the President’s direction, ensuring career diplomats reflect the foreign policy of the United States at all times.
    • President Trump paused enforcement of the overregulation of American business practices abroad, which negatively impacted national security.
    • Hamas agreed to free additional Israeli hostages after President Trump declared “all hell is going to break out” if the terrorist group delayed.
    • Taiwan pledged to boost its investment in the United States amid President Trump’s tariffs.
    • President Trump received his highest ever approval rating in a CBS News poll — with 70% of Americans agreeing he is keeping his promises.
    • President Trump attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, becoming first sitting President to do so and bringing back tradition of pre-Super Bowl interviews.
    • Illegal border crossings have hit lows not seen in decades.
    • Hundreds of illegal aliens from Venezuela were repatriated back to their own country on Venezuelan-owned planes.
    • Illegal aliens have started turning around in droves amid the Trump Administration’s crackdown on dangerous illegal immigration.
    • The Department of Homeland Security “clawed back” tens of millions of dollars in funds paid by rogue FEMA officials to house illegal aliens in luxury New York City hotels.
    • President Trump instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to stop production of the penny, which costs 3.69 cents to make.
    • Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins were confirmed by the Senate — continuing the Trump Administration’s rapid pace of confirmations.
    • President Trump signed an executive order barring COVID-19 vaccine mandates in schools that receive federal funding.
    • President Trump established the National Energy Dominance Council to advise on achieving energy dominance.
    • President Trump established the Make America Healthy Again Commission, which redirects the national focus to promoting health rather than simply managing disease.
    • President Trump signed an executive to end the use of paper straws.
    • President Trump shut down the Biden-era “Climate Corps” work program.
    • President Trump secured the resignations of 75,000+ federal workers, or approximately 3.75% of the federal workforce, in an effort to eliminate inefficiency at taxpayer expense.
    • President Trump commenced his plan to downsize the federal bureaucracy and eliminate waste, bloat, and insularity — including an order that agencies hire no more than one employee for every four employees who leave.
    • The Trump Administration ordered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — the brainchild of Elizabeth Warren, which funneled cash to left-wing advocacy groups — to halt operations.
    • President Trump ended the wasteful Federal Executive Institute, which had become a training ground for bureaucrats.
    • President Trump ordered the immediate dismissal of the Board of Visitors for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard following years of woke ideologies infiltrating U.S. service academies.
    • Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth restored Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to “Fort Bragg,” in honor of a World War II hero.
    • President Trump instructed EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to terminate Biden-era regulations restricting water flow and mandating inadequate lightbulb standards.
    • President Trump proclaimed “Gulf of America Day” after the Department of the Interior officially changed the name on its mapping databases.
      • Google Maps and Apple Maps both updated their apps to reflect the new name.
    • The Department of Justice filed suit against the State of New York and its elected officials over their willful failure to follow federal immigration law.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency canceled tens of millions of dollars in contracts to left-wing advocacy groups and announced an investigation into a scheme by Biden EPA staffers to shield billions of dollars from oversight and accountability.
    • The Department of Education announced an investigation into the Minnesota State High School League and California Interscholastic Federation for violation of federal anti-discrimination law by allowing men to compete in women’s sports.
    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered 2,400 additional records on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which were never provided to the board tasked with reviewing and disclosing the documents. The discovery happened due to President Trump’s executive order calling for the declassification of JFK assassination documents.
    • The Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a new flag policy to promote the prominence of the American flag and ensure consistency among its facilities.
    • President Trump was unanimously elected as Chairman of The Kennedy Center Board of Trustees and fired a slew of the Center’s board members over their obsession with perpetuating radical ideologies.
    • U.S. crude oil stockpiles continued to rise, which they have done every week since President Trump took office.
    • Chicago Lurie Children’s Hospital paused sex change surgeries for minors in response to President Trump’s executive order ending the radical practice.
    • Taxpayer-funded PBS closed its DEI office and Disney dropped two of its DEI programs after President Trump’s executive order reining in such discriminatory practices.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York Agrees to Pay $29M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    SVCMC Inc., formerly known as Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York (Saint Vincent), has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly retaining erroneously inflated payments received from the Department of Defense for healthcare services provided to retired military members and their families.

    Saint Vincent is one of six health plans participating in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) program, which is a federal health insurance program funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Department of Defense. Under the USFHP program, DHA pays Saint Vincent capitated rates to provide healthcare services to military personnel, retirees, and their families. The complaint alleged that, in 2012, Saint Vincent learned that errors had been made in the calculation of the capitated rates resulting in substantial overpayments to Saint Vincent and the other five USFHP plans over the preceding four years. According to the government’s complaint, instead of notifying the government of the overpayments or repaying the funds, Saint Vincent, along with the other five USFHP plans, took steps to conceal the existence of the overpayments from DHA, continued to submit invoices at the inflated payment rates, and conspired to avoid paying the money back. Today’s settlement resolves the government’s claims against Saint Vincent.

    “Those who receive public funds, including participants in government health care programs, must return funds to which they are not entitled,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners across the federal government, we will hold accountable those who knowingly violate this obligation to the American taxpayers.”

    “I want to thank the Justice Department for resolving this case on behalf of TRICARE and the Defense Health Agency,” said Dr. David C. Krulak, Director, TRICARE Health Plan, DHA. “Providing excellent health care to our 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide is essential to maintaining force readiness and keeping our promise to our family members and retirees, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jane Rollinson and Daniel Gregorie in the District of Maine. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Rollinson worked at Martin’s Point Health Care, one of the health plans participating in the USFHP program, including as its Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gregorie was a consultant to the CEO and Board of Martin’s Point Health Care and later served on its Board of Trustees. Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene and proceed with the case, as it did here. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Rollinson v. Martin’s Point Health Care, Inc., No. 2:16-cv-00447-NT (D. Me.). As part of today’s settlement, Ms. Rollinson and Mr. Gregorie will receive $5.655 million. The United States is continuing to pursue the remaining claims in this case.

    The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, with assistance from the DHA.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Diana Cieslak and Evan Ballan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Lizotte and Sheila Sawyer for the District of Maine.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard cutter returns to Washington following law enforcement patrol

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 02/14/2025 06:30 PM EST

     

    02/14/2025 06:04 PM EST

    The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Active (WMEC 618) returned home to Port Angeles, Friday following a 65-day law enforcement patrol off the coast of Southern California. As America’s maritime law enforcement agency, the Coast Guard is increasing presence in key areas to protect U.S. maritime borders, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York Agrees to Pay $29M to Resolve Alleged False Claims Act Violations

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    SVCMC Inc., formerly known as Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Centers of New York (Saint Vincent), has agreed to pay $29 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly retaining erroneously inflated payments received from the Department of Defense for healthcare services provided to retired military members and their families.

    Saint Vincent is one of six health plans participating in the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan (USFHP) program, which is a federal health insurance program funded by the Defense Health Agency (DHA), a component of the Department of Defense. Under the USFHP program, DHA pays Saint Vincent capitated rates to provide healthcare services to military personnel, retirees, and their families. The complaint alleged that, in 2012, Saint Vincent learned that errors had been made in the calculation of the capitated rates resulting in substantial overpayments to Saint Vincent and the other five USFHP plans over the preceding four years. According to the government’s complaint, instead of notifying the government of the overpayments or repaying the funds, Saint Vincent, along with the other five USFHP plans, took steps to conceal the existence of the overpayments from DHA, continued to submit invoices at the inflated payment rates, and conspired to avoid paying the money back. Today’s settlement resolves the government’s claims against Saint Vincent.

    “Those who receive public funds, including participants in government health care programs, must return funds to which they are not entitled,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Together with our partners across the federal government, we will hold accountable those who knowingly violate this obligation to the American taxpayers.”

    “I want to thank the Justice Department for resolving this case on behalf of TRICARE and the Defense Health Agency,” said Dr. David C. Krulak, Director, TRICARE Health Plan, DHA. “Providing excellent health care to our 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide is essential to maintaining force readiness and keeping our promise to our family members and retirees, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars at the same time.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Jane Rollinson and Daniel Gregorie in the District of Maine. From 2007 to 2015, Ms. Rollinson worked at Martin’s Point Health Care, one of the health plans participating in the USFHP program, including as its Interim Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Gregorie was a consultant to the CEO and Board of Martin’s Point Health Care and later served on its Board of Trustees. Under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene and proceed with the case, as it did here. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Rollinson v. Martin’s Point Health Care, Inc., No. 2:16-cv-00447-NT (D. Me.). As part of today’s settlement, Ms. Rollinson and Mr. Gregorie will receive $5.655 million. The United States is continuing to pursue the remaining claims in this case.

    The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, with assistance from the DHA.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Diana Cieslak and Evan Ballan and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Lizotte and Sheila Sawyer for the District of Maine.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking and Illegal Weapons Possession Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alberto Gonzalez Salgado, 45, of Sacramento, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 13 years and one month in prison and ordered to forfeit $100,000 to the government for drug trafficking and firearms crimes, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, in 2019 and 2020, Salgado trafficked fentanyl pills, heroin, marijuana, and firearms. On multiple occasions Salgado sold heroin and fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills and illegal short-barreled rifles to a confidential source. Salgado also maintained a stash house in Sacramento where he grew over 100 marijuana plants and also kept a firearm to protect his drug trafficking operation. When law enforcement attempted to stop Salgado’s vehicle to arrest him on the way to a fentanyl pill deal in October 2020, Salgado fled, leading law enforcement on a high-speed vehicle chase on public roadways that lasted over an hour and a half and endangered law enforcement officers and the public.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sacramento Area Intelligence/Narcotics Task Force, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Bernard Parish Man Guilty of Federal Gun and Drug Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ABE JYLES (“JYLES”), age 44, a resident of St. Bernard Parish, pled guilty on February 4, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter to Counts 1, 2, and 3 of a superseding bill of information that was filed against him.  Count 1 charged JYLES with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).  Count 2 charged him with possession, with the intent to distribute, a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, and cocaine, in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).  Count 3 charged him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of Title 18 USC § 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).  JYLES faces the following sentences as to each count:

    As to Count 1, JYLES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than 5 years  up to a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. Any jail sentence imposed in connection with Count 1 must run consecutive to any other count.  He will also face up to five years of supervised release.  He will also face up to five years of supervised release.

    As to Count 2, JYLES faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000.00 fine, and a term of supervised release of not less than three years up to life.

    As to Count 3, JYLES faces up to 15 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.

    Additionally, as to each charged count, JYLES faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.

    On February 29, 2024, JYLES was identified as the driver and sole occupant of a vehicle.   involved in a traffic stop by St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office personnel.  After law enforcement personnel noticed the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, they detained JYLES and searched the vehicle.  During the search, multiple illegal narcotics, a scale, drug paraphernalia, and four firearms were found inside the vehicle.

    At the time of his arrest, JYLES was on federal supervised release due to his 2008 federal drug trafficking conviction.

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

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office.  The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maurice E. Landrieu, Jr. of the Narcotics Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Middle School Teacher Charged With Possession Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the arrest of ROSS LANVIN for possession of child pornography.  LANVIN is charged with possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography that depict children ranging from approximately 3 to 4 years old to pre-pubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  LANVIN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron in Manhattan federal court.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Ross Lanvin, who had close contact with students as a teacher at a public school in Manhattan, possessed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.  Together with our partners at the NYPD and Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations for the NYC School District, we will continue to work to root out those who possess child pornography, especially when those individuals work in positions that give them access to children—some of the most vulnerable members of our community.  Our investigation into Lanvin is ongoing, and we encourage anyone with information to contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or wendy.olsen@usdoj.gov.”

    According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]

    LANVIN is currently a math teacher at a public middle school located in Manhattan, New York (“School-1”).  He was employed by the New York City Department of Education from in or about 2006 through in or about 2013, and again beginning in or about 2016.

    From at least in or about September 2021 through in or about December 2024, LANVIN possessed hundreds of images and videos constituting child pornography on a Google account held under a fake name.  On or about December 20, 2024, Google terminated access to this account upon finding that it contained suspected child pornography.

    On February 13, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at LANVIN’s Manhattan apartment and found child pornography on at least one of LANVIN’s electronic devices.   

    *                *                *

    LANVIN, 41, of New York, New York, is charged with two counts of possession of child pornography, including images and videos of prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  

    The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department Special Investigations Unit, Computer Crimes Squad, the Office of the Special Commissioner of Investigations for the NYC School District, as well as the Task Force Officers and Investigative Analysts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Phillips is in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Indictment Unsealed Charging Merced Man with Trafficking Hundreds of Kilograms of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, and Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — An indictment was unsealed today charging Jesus Magana Mellin, aka “Compadre,” 34, of Merced, with possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between October and November of 2022, Magana Mellin conspired with others to traffic substantial amounts of controlled substances in California and elsewhere. After a joint federal, state, and local investigation, law enforcement officers executed search warrants on two storage units connected to Magana Mellin’s drug trafficking ring. Inside the storage units, officers found 160 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, 158 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 14 kilograms of heroin, 7 kilograms of cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl pills. Three of Magana Mellin’s associates—Vanessa Arauza, Pedro Duarte Sanchez, and Luis Higuera Lopez—have been charged and convicted in the case.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET). Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Magana Mellin faces a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pedro Cerna Arias, 62, a Mexican national residing in Milpitas, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to five years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, on April 9, 2020, Cerna Arias sold approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Milpitas, in a deal that was initially negotiated between the undercover officer and a Mexico-based drug trafficker. On Oct. 8, 2021, law enforcement searched Cerna Arias’s residence and found about a kilogram of methamphetamine, a bucket with methamphetamine residue, drug ledgers, drug packaging material, and $6,165 in cash. Cerna Arias admitted to law enforcement that the methamphetamine was his and that he distributed methamphetamine in pound quantities.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT), with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, the California Highway Patrol, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.

    Co-defendant Jose Moreno Albestrain was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Dec. 19, 2024, by Judge Calabretta for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Georgia Fugitive in Omaha

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Omaha, NE – The U.S. Marshals Omaha Metro Fugitive Task Force has arrested a man wanted on multiple warrants issued in Georgia.

    Patrick Lamar Edwards, 26, was wanted in Rockdale County, Georgia, on outstanding warrants for aggravated assault with a firearm, terroristic threats, and entering a stolen vehicle. These charges stem from a shooting that occurred in Conyers, Georgia, on May 15, 2024.

    Acting on information provided by the Conyers Police Department and the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Marshals determined that Edwards had recently relocated to the Omaha area after evading authorities for several months. Investigators traced Edwards to a residence near the intersection of North 36th Street and Crown Point Avenue.

    As Task Force members moved in to execute the arrest, Edwards attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended at a neighboring property.

    Edwards was subsequently booked into Douglas County Corrections, where he will remain pending extradition to Georgia.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National With Prior Convictions Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national residing in Las Vegas made his initial court appearance on Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after twice being removed from the country. 

    Victor Jesus Apodaca-Gomez, a/k/a Carlos Alberto Cardenas, 31, is charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 2, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler.

    According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Apodaca-Gomez is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on April 9, 2020, and again on May 17, 2022, and re-entered the United States illegally on or before October 24, 2023. 

    In October 2023, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Apodaca-Gomez on drug-related charges. On March 25, 2024, Apodaca-Gomez was convicted in Clark County of mid-level possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy to violate the controlled substance act, and he was sentenced to imprisonment.

    The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), learned on October 25, 2023, of Apodaca-Gomez’s presence in the United States. after he was arrested by state law enforcement, in Clark County, NV. On January 30, 2025, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Apodaca-Gomez to ICE custody.

    If convicted, Apodaca-Gomez faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years of imprisonment, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment..

    Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. 

    The ICE Salt Lake City, Las-Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.

    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.

    A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno Man Charged in Assault on Minor at a Veterans Affairs Facility

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Daryl Vinson, 65, of Fresno, charging him with assault and abusive sexual contact on a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, on July 23, 2024, Vinson assaulted the minor at the Veterans Affairs Central California Health Care System in Fresno by touching her breast, pressing his mouth on her mouth and inserting his tongue in her mouth. Vinson is not employed at the facility.

    If you have information related to this case or believe you may be a victim, please submit a tip online or call 1-800-488-8244.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs Police and Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin C. Heinz is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Vinson faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gibson County Man Charged with Violation of the Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act and Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in Jackson recently returned an indictment charging a Gibson County man for violating his sex offender registry requirements and for reentering the United States illegally. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the return of the indictment today.

    Jose Alfredo Melendez-Hernandez, 52, was arrested on the morning of February 12, 2025, after it was determined that he was residing in Trenton and had failed to register as a sex offender as required under federal law. He was previously convicted of sexual battery in Oklahoma. Further investigation by law enforcement revealed that Melendez-Hernandez was deported in 2009 and had not obtained the express consent from the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States.

    Melendez-Hernandez faces charges for failing to register as a sex offender, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a), and illegal reentry, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a) and (b)(2). The case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson, TN. If Melendez-Hernandez is convicted of the charges, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence to impose on the defendant after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.

    The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the United States Department of Homeland Security.  

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any) and the characteristics of the violation.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorney Immanuel Chioco, who is prosecuting the case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated it. 

    ###

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland recidivist sentenced to over three years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm

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

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents, on May 8, 2024, at the Tysons Corner Center in Fairfax County, police stopped and searched a vehicle in which Marcus Gibbs, 28, of Capital Heights, was the front-seat passenger. Inside the vehicle, officers found a handbag containing a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine. Also inside the handbag was Gibbs’s wallet, which contained his social security card and state identification card.

    In 2015, Gibbs was convicted of robbery and sentenced to eight years in prison. In 2021, Gibbs was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon and sentenced to five years in prison. As a previously convicted felon, Gibbs cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel K. Amzallag prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-178.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Nominates 57 Alabama Students to U.S. Service Academies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) announced his nomination of 57 Alabama students to multiple U.S. service academies including the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy as part of the class of 2029. This is Senator Tuberville’s fourth round of nominations since assuming office. Earlier this year, Senator Tuberville was named as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Personnel for the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he is positioned to help bolster military recruiting and retention. 
    “Our young people are the number one commodity we have in this country, and Alabama is home to the best and brightest,” said Senator Tuberville. “I’m proud to represent a state with so many patriotic young leaders who want to serve in our nation’s military. It’s an honor to nominate 57 of these students for a service academy appointment. I have no doubt they will continue to make our state and country proud.”
    A complete list of Senator Tuberville’s nominees for the class of 2029 can be found below.
    *indicates additional service academy nomination
    United States Air Force Academy:
    Madeline Ashley Alford: Birmingham, AL; Homewood High School;daughter Josh Alford and Ashley Davenport
    Sarah R. Brock: New Market, AL; Whitesburg Baptist Christian School; daughter of Jason and Heather Brock
    Madelyn Bushong: Daleville, AL; Ridgecrest Christian School;daughter Benjamin and Vanessa Bushong
    John David Dallas: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; son of Doug and Heather Dallas
    Julianna Ruth Gingrich: Enterprise, AL; Enterprise High School; daughter of Shane and Christina Gingrich
    Samuel Vaughn Holmes: Montgomery, AL; Loveless Academic Magnet Program High; son of Harry and Tina Holmes
    Kenneth Lee Jimmerson Jr.: Montgomery, AL; USAFA Prep School; Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School; son of Kenneth Sr. and Michelle Jimmerson
    Anna Elizabeth Martin: Andalusia, AL; Andalusia High School;daughter of Travis and Heidi Martin
    Jack Messervy: Owens Cross Roads, AL; Huntsville High School;son of Chris and Kim Messervy
    Jackson Noah Mitchell: Adger, AL; Oak Grove High School;son of Paul and Amy Mitchell
    *William McCarton Mitchell: Huntsville, AL; Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering; son of Thomas and Irene Mitchell
    John Willis Parsons: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School;son of Robert and Ashley Parsons
    Richard Dean Rutledge III: Albertville, AL; Plainview High School; son of Richard D. Rutledge II and Susan Rutledge
    Benton Nathanael Shelton: Cecil, AL; Pike Road High School; son of Brian and Carolyn Shelton
    Landon Alexander Ward: Spanish Fort, AL; Spanish Fort High School;son of Eddie and Natasha Ward
    United States Military Academy:
    Trinity Gwenyth Bentley: Springville, AL;  St. Clair County School Virtual Preparatory Academy; daughter of Patrick and Madelyn Bentley
    Matthew James Buhl: Harvest, AL; Westminster Christian Academy; son of Joshua and Rachel Buhl
    Katherine Grace Chatfield: Huntsville, AL; St. Michael’s Academy; daughter of Joseph and Diane Chatfield
    Jackson Best Cook: Mountain Brook, AL; USMA Prep School; Mountain Brook High School; son of Jackson and Catherine Cook
    Cooper Daniel Gillis: Birmingham, AL; Homewood High School; son of Brent and Brooke Gillis
    Sprinnia Anne Gregory:  Mountain Brook, AL; Mountain Brook High School; daughter of Mark and Theresa Gregory
    Heinrich Kai Hanada: Huntsville, AL; German School Tokyo Yokohama; son of Heinrich Miki Hanada
    Aiden Elliot Harkey: Dothan, AL; Slocomb High School; son of Kathi Crick
    Daniel Clark Hill II:  Daphne, AL; Daphne High School; son of Daniel and Linda Kay Hill
    David Wayne Hudry: Decatur, AL; Decatur Heritage Christian Academy; son of Wayne and Twila Hudry
    Charles Hillman Jacobs III: Decatur, AL; Providence Classical School; son of Charles and Christy Jacobs
    Jaden A. Johnson: Huntsville, AL; New Century Technology High School; son of Carl and Valisha Johnson
    Aaron Jacob Lee: Orange Beach, AL; Marion Military Institute; son of Larry and Heidi Lee
    Jason P. Love: Chelsea, AL; Briarwood Christian School; son of Brad and Pam Love
    Judd Johnston Lunsford: Huntsville, AL; Randolph School; son of Bill and Ingrid Lunsford
    Stanley Hawkins McConnell Jr.: Mobile, AL; UMS-Wright Preparatory School; son of Stan and Anna McConnell
    *William McCarton Mitchell: Huntsville, AL; Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering; son of Thomas and Irene Mitchell
    Jason J. Park: Madison, AL; James Clemens High School; son of Eun and Taesoo Park
    Andrew Martin Paul: Athens, AL; St. John Paul II Catholic High School; son of James and Laura Paul
    Spencer Joseph Perkins: Prattville, AL; Prattville Christian Academy; son of Ryan and Alora Fisher 
    Thomas B. Sigler: Madison, AL; Bob Jones High School; son of Jason and Brooke Sigler
    Emily Chambers Spooner: Vestavia Hills, AL; Vestavia Hills High School; daughter of Alan and Melanie Spooner
    Cammi Emma Tillery: Enterprise, AL; Enterprise High School; daughter of Robert and Heidi Tillery
    Emily Minh Chau Tran: Auburn, AL; Alabama School of Math & Science; daughter of Nam Tran
    Savannah Grace Trejo: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; daughter of Charles and Jazzmin Trejo
    Ava Yasmin Valadi: Phenix City, AL; Brookstone School; daughter of Nojan and Jennifer Valadi 
    *Madison Lydia Walz: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; daughter of Paul and Heather Walz
    Caiden Williams: Harvest, AL; Life Christian Academy; son of Charles and Rebra Kay Williams
    Ethan Sunghyun Yi: Montgomery, AL; The Montgomery Academy; son of Lee and Heejin Yi
    United States Naval Academy:
    Joshua Robert DeFour: Madison, AL; Sparkman High School; son of Robert and Mary DeFour
    Jonathan Lawrence Ellsworth Eddingfield: Daphne, AL; Daphne High School; son of Lawrence and Valerie Eddingfield
    Hagen Kristopher Holley: Hoover, AL; Spain Park High School; son of Steve and Ramona Holley
    Jonathan Levi Hulcher: Mobile, AL; Alabama School of Math and Science; son of Steve and Peggy Hulcher
    Maggie Christine Mae Ingram: McCalla, AL; Heritage Christian Academy; daughter of Jason and Cheryl Ingram
    Jackson Thomas Kalnoske: Birmingham, AL; Chelsea High School; son of Tom and Courtney Kalnoske
    Truman Lee: Mountain Brook, AL; Mountain Brook High School; son of Tommy and Nidia Lee
    Natalie Holland McCabe: Tuscumbia, AL; Muscle Shoals High School;daughter ofTrip and Jill McCabe
    Millicent Elizabeth McCormick: Pelham, AL; Pelham High School;daughter ofRonald and Amanda McCormick
    Jack Pritchett: Montgomery, AL; Loveless Academic Magnet Program High;son of Bill and Anna Pritchett
    Lillian Litton Rand: Birmingham, AL; St. Andrew’s School; daughter of Edward and Anne Rand 
    Steven David Satcher: Madison, AL; Bob Jones High School; son of Ted and Laura Satcher
    Ellen Mary Vegerita: Brownsboro, AL; Huntsville High School; daughter of Frank and Christian Vegerita
    *Madison Lydia Walz: Auburn, AL; Auburn High School; daughter of Paul and Heather Walz
    George Austin Wright: Demopolis, AL; Demopolis High School; son of Hess and Carrie Wright
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Appoints Associate Circuit Judge for 21st Judicial Circuit, Fills Four Boards and Commissions Vacancies

    Source: US State of Missouri

    FEBRUARY 14, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit and filled four vacancies on various boards and commissions.

    Justin W. Ruth, of University City, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Saint Louis County in the 21st Judicial Circuit.

    Mr. Ruth is a principal attorney at Riezman Berger, PC. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Virginia and a Juris Doctor from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. He is also an active member of several bar associations, including the Missouri Bar, St. Louis County Bar, and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, where he has previously held leadership roles. Ruth was previously appointed by the Supreme Court of Missouri as a member of the OCDC Disciplinary Committee for Region XL. Mr. Ruth will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Nancy Watkins McLaughlin.

    Alfred Brandt, of Linn, was appointed as a member of the State Milk Board.

    Mr. Brandt was previously the owner of Brandt Dairy Farms, and has been a member of the State Milk Board since 2009, serving as the president from 2011 to 2024. He is also an active member of the Holstein Association USA Board and the St. George Parish Council. Previously, he served as President of Missouri Dairy and was a member of the Midwest Dairy Board for the MO-KAN division. Mr. Brandt holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Lincoln University.

    Louise Secker, of Joplin, was appointed to the Missouri Community Service Commission.

    Ms. Secker is a licensed real estate salesperson for Keller Williams Realty Elevate. She previously served as the Director of Development for Lafayette House in Joplin, Missouri. Beyond her professional career,  Ms. Secker has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service, holding leadership roles on the boards of Jasper County CASA, the Joplin Regional Community Foundation, and the Mount Hope Cemetery. She is also serves on the steering committee for One Joplin Collaborative and is an active member of the Friends of St. Avips, a nonprofit organization that supports fundraising efforts for the Spiva Center for the Arts.

    Jennifer Keller, of Lee’s Summit, was appointed as a member of the State Committee of Psychologists.

    Ms. Keller is a licensed psychologist and serves as Senior Director of Behavioral Health – Counseling Clinics and Psychology at University Health. She is also the Section Chief of Psychology and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) School of Medicine. She holds a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology from Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, her Bachelor of Science in Psychology, has completed an APA-accredited Pre-Doctoral Internship and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. With extensive experience in clinical psychology and behavioral health, Ms. Keller has held key leadership positions, including Preadolescent Program Director and Clinical Coordinator of Counseling. Since 2005, she has been an active member of the American Psychological Association and, since 2017, has served on the Missouri Psychological Association’s Evidence-Based Practice Committee.

    Timothy Flora, of Ellisville, was appointed to the Missouri State Board of Private Investigators and Private Fire Investigator Examiners.

    Mr. Flora is the President and Certified Licensed Polygraph Examiner at Mid-West Protective Service, Inc., with over 40 years of experience in law enforcement, investigation, and fire safety. He holds a Master of Arts in Legal Studies from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in Management from Tarkio College, and a Criminal Justice Certificate from Northeast Missouri State University. Mr. Flora has served in key leadership roles, including Director of the Metro West Fire Protection District and Chairman of the Central County Emergency 911 Dispatch Center. He has been a board member of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis since 2005, and currently serves on the St. Louis County Fire Standards Commission.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –