NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Strong Winter Storms Expected Through Sunday

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today urged New Yorkers to use caution as two strong winter storms are expected to impact areas throughout the State Friday through Sunday. The first storm will arrive on Friday and impact Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. The second storm that will occur Saturday through Sunday will be more widespread, affecting much of the State. Snowfall rates of up to two inches per hour on Friday and one inch per hour on Saturday in the heaviest bands may create hazardous travel conditions. People should monitor their local forecasts closely and take precautions when travelling in impacted areas.

    “Wind and snow is expected to impact most of the State starting tomorrow, and I have mobilized State resources to respond and assist our local partners in keeping New Yorkers safe,” Governor Hochul said. “New York is no stranger to winter weather, but I encourage everyone to make sure you and your family are prepared, exercise caution if traveling and continue to monitor your local forecast.”

    During the first storm, winds of up to 40 mph with gusts up to 55 mph will impact most of the State through Friday evening. Starting early Friday morning, snow will begin to impact areas from Herkimer to Oswego County and they can expect four inches of snow, with peak accumulations up to a foot in some areas. Peak snowfall rates of up to 2” per hour can be expected and may impact commutes in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.

    The second storm will begin on Saturday afternoon and continue through Sunday afternoon. Widespread snow will fall across the State with the potential for moderate to heavy accumulations from Central New York to the Capital Region. A widespread four to eight inches of snow is possible in those areas. A widespread three to six inches is expected north of the Thruway. Snowfall rates may exceed one inch per hour. Wind gusts are expected to remain below 35 mph with isolated gusts of up to 40 mph. Snow may change to a mix of rain and snow across New York City and Long Island, Saturday through Sunday morning.

    Lake Effect Snow warnings are in effect for Northern Erie and Genesee counties through Tuesday morning, in Oswego, Lewis and Jefferson counties through Wednesday afternoon and Southern Erie, Wyoming, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties through next Thursday morning with significant accumulations possible east of Lakes Ontario and Erie.

    For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service website. New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by subscribing to NY Alert — a free service providing critical emergency information to your cell phone or computer.

    Agency Preparations

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
    The Division’s Office of Emergency Management is in contact with their local counterparts and is prepared to facilitate requests for assistance. State stockpiles are staffed and ready to deploy emergency response assets and supplies as needed. The State Watch Center is monitoring the storm track and statewide impacts closely. Winter preparedness tips can be found here.

    New York State Department of Transportation
    The State Department of Transportation is monitoring weather conditions and prepared to respond with 3,701 supervisors and operators available statewide. All field staff are available to fully engage and respond. All available response equipment is ready to deploy and all residencies in impacted locations will remain staffed for 24/7 operations with operators, supervisors, and mechanics throughout the duration of the event and priority cleanup operations.

    Statewide equipment numbers are as follows:

    • 1,639 large plow trucks
    • 350 large loaders
    • 158 medium duty plows
    • 52 tow plows
    • 34 snow blowers
    • 19 graders

    The need for additional resources will be re-evaluated as conditions warrant throughout the event.

    For real-time travel information, motorists should call 511 or visit 511ny.org, New York State’s official traffic and travel information source.

    Thruway Authority
    The Thruway Authority is monitoring the forecast and ready to respond with 689 operators and supervisors available. Statewide equipment numbers and resources are listed below:

    • 347 large and medium duty plow trucks
    • 9 tow plows
    • 65 loaders
    • 98,000+ tons of salt on hand

    Variable Message Signs and social media (X and Facebook) are utilized to alert motorists of winter weather conditions on the Thruway.

    New this snow and ice season, all of the Thruway’s more than 250 heavy-duty plow trucks are equipped with green hazard lights, complementing the standard amber hazard lights. Green lights are intended to improve visibility and enhance safety during winter operations, particularly in low-light conditions and poor weather. Drivers are reminded that Thruway snowplows travel at about 35 miles per hour — which in many cases is slower than the posted speed limit — in order to ensure that salt being dispersed stays in the driving lanes and does not scatter off the roadways. The safest place for motorists is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and treated.

    The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download its mobile app which is available for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic information, live traffic cameras and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails and follow @ThruwayTraffic on X for the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.

    New York State Department of Public Service
    New York’s utilities have about 5,500 workers available statewide to engage in damage assessment, response, repair and restoration efforts across New York State, as necessary. Agency staff will track utilities’ work throughout the event and ensure utilities shift appropriate staffing to regions that experience the greatest impact.

    New York State Police
    State Police have instructed all Troopers to remain vigilant and will deploy extra patrols to affected areas as needed. All four-wheel drive vehicles are in service and all specialty vehicles, including Utility Terrain Vehicles and snowmobiles, are staged and ready for deployment.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
    DEC Emergency Management staff, Environmental Conservation Police Officers, Forest Rangers and regional staff remain on alert and continue to monitor the developing situation and weather forecasts. Working with partner agencies, DEC is prepared to coordinate resource deployment of all available assets, including first responders, to targeted areas in preparation for potential impacts due to snow.

    DEC reminds those responsible for the removal and disposal of snow to follow best management practices to help prevent flooding and reduce the potential for pollutants like salt, sand, oils, trash and other debris from affecting water quality. Disposal of snow in local creeks and streams can create ice dams, which may cause flooding. Public and private snow removal operators should be aware of these safety issues during and after winter storms. Additional information is available at Division of Water Technical and Operational Guidance Series: Snow Disposal.

    Unpredictable winter weather and storms in the Adirondacks, Catskills and other backcountry areas, can create unexpectedly hazardous conditions. Visitors should be prepared with proper clothing and equipment for snow, ice and the cold to ensure a safe winter experience. Snow depths range greatly throughout the Adirondacks, with the deepest snow at higher elevations in the High Peaks region and other mountains over 3,000 feet. Most lower elevation trails are frozen, including many trails in the Catskill Mountains.

    While some waterways are currently frozen, DEC advises outdoor enthusiasts to review ice safety guidelines before heading out.

    Hikers are advised to temporarily avoid all high-elevation trails as well as trails that cross rivers and streams. Hikers in the Adirondacks are encouraged to check the Adirondack Backcountry Information webpages for updates on trail conditions, seasonal road closures and general recreation information.

    Backcountry visitors should Hike Smart and follow proper safety guidelines. Plan trips accordingly. In an emergency, call 9-1-1. To request Forest Ranger assistance, call 1-833-NYS-RANGERS.

    Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
    New York State Park Police and park personnel are on alert and closely monitoring weather conditions and impacts. Response equipment is being fueled, tested and prepared for storm response use. Park visitors should visit parks.ny.gov, check the free mobile app, or call their local park office for the latest updates regarding park hours, openings and closings.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Found Guilty of Federal Civil Rights Violation for Using Excessive Force Against Woman

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was found guilty by a jury today of using excessive force when he assaulted and pepper-sprayed a woman outside a supermarket in Lancaster in June 2023.

    Trevor James Kirk, 32, of Santa Clarita, was found guilty of one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law. 

    According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, on June 24, 2023, Kirk and another deputy were responding to a possible robbery at a WinCo Foods supermarket by a man and a woman. Kirk and the other deputy arrived on scene and handcuffed and detained a man matching the description of the male suspect, while the victim, identified in court documents as “J.H.” – who matched the description of the female suspect – recorded the deputies on her cellphone. While recording, J.H. told Kirk that he had a legal obligation to inform the man of the basis for his detention and that she was broadcasting his actions on social media.

    Kirk then approached J.H. and, without giving any commands, attempted to grab her phone. J.H. turned away, at which point Kirk grabbed J.H. by her arm, hooked his left hand behind her neck, and violently threw her face first to the ground. While on the ground, Kirk yelled at J.H. to “get on the ground,” and she told him that “It’s already on YouTube Live,” implying her video of Kirk and the other deputy handcuffing D.B. had already been shared on social media.

    Kirk then placed his knee on J.H.’s shoulder and, when J.H. yelled for Kirk to “stop,” Kirk cocked his right arm back with a clenched fist and said, “Stop or you’re gonna get punched in the face.” Kirk then pressed his knee into J.H.’s neck, and she said, “Get your neck [sic] off my… off my… I can’t breathe.” While on top of J.H., Kirk used his LASD radio to give a misleading report that he was in a “fight.”

    Without giving any additional commands to J.H., Kirk pepper-sprayed her twice in the face. While Kirk pepper sprayed J.H., her hands were holding only prescription sunglasses and a cloth surgical mask. J.H. received medical attention for her injuries sustained from the pepper spray and from being thrown to the ground. J.H. was treated for blunt-force head trauma and injuries to her head, arms, and wrist. 

    United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled an April 21, sentencing hearing, at which point Kirk will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

    The FBI investigated this matter. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Eli A. Alcaraz, Brian R. Faerstein and Michael J. Morse of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Lake Tahoe Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Prison for Impersonating Federal Officers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Anton Andreyevich Iagounov, 38, of South Lake Tahoe, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to two years and three months in prison for four counts of impersonating a federal officer, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, and evidence presented at a three-day trial in July 2024, Iagounov pretended to be a federal law enforcement agent by creating and sending counterfeit investigative documents, which he signed in the name of a fictional federal agent, seeking highly protected information from the Department of Defense.

    “The defendant impersonated federal officers and tried multiple times to obtain protected information using fake court documents,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Many federal agencies including NASA have devoted law enforcement officers, and we will not tolerate federal officers being illegally impersonated.”

    “Mr. Iagounov’s attempt to undermine public trust in order to obtain sensitive government information posed a significant risk, potentially endangering national security and the integrity of NASA and government operations,” said Michael Graham, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations. “This sentencing demonstrates the commitment of NASA OIG, the USAO, and our law enforcement partners to safeguarding Federal assets and holding accountable those who undermine justice.”

    “The defendant impersonated a federal law enforcement officer and took advantage of the trust that exists between federal agencies,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy N. Schwartz of the FBI Las Vegas Division. “All officers carry badges and credentials that are used to verify their identity. If you believe someone is impersonating an officer, you may ask their agency to confirm their official business. This sentencing demonstrates the excellent work achievable through partnerships.”

    On July 5, 2022, Iagounov sent a search warrant he had created to the U.S. Capitol Police, falsely claiming it was signed by a Special Agent of NASA Office of Inspector General (NASA‑OIG) and appearing to be authorized by a U.S. District Court judge for the District of Columbia. The Capitol Police investigated the document, determined it was fake, and referred it to NASA-OIG for further investigation.

    On July 11, 2022, Iagounov again pretended to be the same fictional NASA-OIG agent and sent the warrant to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. This time, he sent it without a judge’s signature, indicating it was for an “emergency filing” and required a judge’s signature. He sent it from an email address designed to look like it was from a United States government agency, but which Iagounov owned and had named to look like a government agency’s internet domain.

    On July 18, 2022, Iagounov again sent the fake search warrant, purporting to be signed by the same fictitious NASA-OIG agent. He sent it to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Georgia, again indicating that it was for an emergency filing and needed a judge’s signature immediately.

    Finally, on July 24, 2022, Iagounov faxed a letter, under the name of a real NASA-OIG supervising agent, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. In that letter, he claimed to be following up on the warrant, stating that an “exigent circumstance” required a judge’s signature immediately. The faxed letter included an anonymous email address for the agent that actually belonged to Iagounov. Several days earlier, on July 15, Iagounov had sent his warrant to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Florida but had received no response.

    In each case, given the apparently sensitive nature of the materials Iagounov’s warrant sought, the receiving personnel for the Courts referred the matter to NASA-OIG for review and investigation.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and NASA Office of Inspector General, with assistance by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Conolly and Audrey Hemesath prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sacramento and Fairfield Residents Indicted for Firearms Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence. At the core of PSN is setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announces the following indictments in federal PSN cases.

    Marcus Anderson, 26, of Sacramento, was indicted today and charged with nine counts of firearms trafficking, unlicensed firearms dealing, and other firearms charges. According to court documents, from February 2022 to March 2023, Anderson unlawfully trafficked and possessed multiple firearms, and engaged in the business of unlawful firearms dealing in the Sacramento area. Anderson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions. This case is the product of an investigation by the ATF with the assistance of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Special Service Unit, the Placer County Special Investigations Unit, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.

    Armond Bass, 39, of Fairfield, was indicted on Jan. 23, 2025, and charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. According to court documents, in October 2024, Bass was found to have possessed a Colt .22‑caliber semi-automatic rifle and ammunition. Bass is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has previous felony convictions for domestic violence, possession of a stolen vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Vacaville Police Department, with assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm or ammunition, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Anderson also faces up to five years in prison, if convicted for unlicensed firearms dealing. 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    These cases are 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 U.S. Department of Justice 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 USA: Sullivan, Colleagues Call for Quick Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    02.06.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and 27 of his Senate colleagues sent a letter this week to the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration calling for the immediate implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act to provide full Social Security benefits for millions of public servants impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act, which fully repeals the two unfair Social Security provisions, WEP and GPO, was signed into law on January 5, 2025.

    “The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO),” wrote the senators.

    “The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO,” continued the senators. 

    Senator Sullivan was joined by U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Hickenlooper (D-Co.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Dick Durbin (D-Il.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Min.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.).

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Acting Commissioner King,

    We write to you concerning the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act (Public Law No: 118-273). This legislation passed Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis on December 21st, 2024 and was signed into law on January 5th, 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

    The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, “SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits” owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act. 

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.  We look forward to your response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Reintroduces Hearing Protection Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) led a group of 28 additional Senate colleagues in reintroducing S. 364, the Hearing Protection Act (HPA).  The HPA would reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm.

    “Federal red tape continues to follow the false Hollywood narrative that suppressors are silent, and ignores the reality that they serve a genuine purpose in protecting the hearing of law-abiding American citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Senator Crapo.  “It is past time Congress removes the burdensome barriers to accessing this equipment for the safety of Idaho’s hunters and sportsmen.”

    Suppressors are currently subject to additional regulatory burdens under the National Firearms Act (NFA).  The HPA would remove suppressors from regulation under the NFA and replace the burdensome federal transfer process with an instantaneous National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background check.  This would make the purchasing and transfer process for suppressors equal to the process for a rifle or shotgun.  Also, the HPA would put more funding into state wildlife conservation agencies by taxing suppressors under the Pittman-Robertson Act instead of the NFA. 

    Original co-sponsors of the HPA include Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Mike Rounds (R-North Dakota), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin).

    “Silencers and suppressors are non-lethal firearm accessories used by law abiding gun owners across America, and excessive federal regulation is a backdoor attack on the Second Amendment,” said Senator Lee.  “This bill will allow more Americans to protect their hearing and make it easier to exercise their Constitutional rights to keep and bear arms.”

    “Law-abiding Americans across the country use suppressors to protect their hearing during outdoor recreation activities, especially Nebraska’s hunters and sportsmen,” said Senator Fischer.  “The Hearing Protection Act will free us from overly burdensome regulations that infringe on our Second Amendment rights.”

    “Obstructing law-abiding Montanans’ right to use firearm suppressors threatens their health and freedoms,” said Senator Daines.  “We must cut these unnecessary regulations and protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights.”

    “Federal rules and regulations for suppressors don’t make sense and infringe upon the Second Amendment rights for law-abiding gun owners,” said Senator Hyde-Smith.  “The current regulations are overly restrictive, and as a result, too many hunters and their companions are being hurt.  The Hearing Protection Act would bring common sense to how suppressors are regulated, helping hunters and sport shooters in Mississippi and across the country avoid permanent hearing damage.”

    “Big government shouldn’t stand in the way of protecting lawful gun owners’ hearing,” said Senator Kennedy.  “I’m proud to help introduce this bill to make it easier for Louisianians and all Americans to practice their Second Amendment rights safely,” said Kennedy.”

    “Increasing access to hearing protection for sportsmen and hunters is common sense,” said Senator Boozman.  “Law-abiding, responsible gun owners should not have to fight burdensome regulations to enjoy their hobbies safely and with the accessories that can protect their hearing. I am proud to join my colleagues to update unreasonable limitations on suppressors and stand with shooting sports enthusiasts.”

    “Every law-abiding American must have the freedom to protect their hearing while exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Senator Mullin. “Our bill removes suppressors from the National Firearms Act to cut wait times and stop the government from imposing a tax on Americans trying to protect themselves from hearing damage. The Second Amendment is crystal clear. I will do everything in my power to protect lawful gun ownership and eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that infringe on our God-given rights.”

    “The Second Amendment is one of our most important freedoms, and law-abiding Tennesseans should not have to face unnecessary regulations to use their firearms safely without damaging their hearing,” said Senator Blackburn.  “This legislation would improve access to hearing protection equipment for recreational gun users, and I am pleased to join Senator Crapo in introducing this critical bill.”

    “Hunters and recreational shooters rely on suppressors to help protect their hearing while using firearms,” said Senator Moran.  “This legislation modernizes the process for purchasing suppressors by requiring the same background checks as for firearms, while ensuring that hunters, sportsmen and recreational shooters can legally obtain noise suppressors to help make their sport safer.”

    “Americans have a constitutionally guaranteed right to bear arms, and law-abiding citizens should have access to hearing protection equipment like suppressors, which are proven tools for reducing noise and preventing hearing loss,” said Senator Cramer.  “By removing unnecessary government red tape, this bill protects the rights and well-being of gun owners in North Dakota and across the country.”  

    “Burdensome regulations on firearm suppressors are doing more harm than good to sportsmen and women,” said Senator Cotton.  “Our legislation will ensure law-abiding gun owners can easily access hearing protection without having to navigate bureaucratic red tape or exorbitant taxes.”

    “The Hearing Protection Act is a commonsense bill that removes burdensome federal regulations for a firearm accessory that improves firearm safety for hunters and recreational sport shooters,” said Senator Rick Scott.  “I’m proud to protect Americans’ Second Amendment rights and work with my colleagues to pass this bill.”

    “I support the Second Amendment and the rights of law-abiding gun owners, and we should remove unnecessary barriers to safety devices that make recreational shooting safer,” said Senator Johnson.

    “Suppressors offer vital hearing protection for individuals who are hunting and target shooting,” said Senator Hoeven.  “Our legislation cuts red tape and helps responsible gun owners better access this tool to protect their hearing.”

    The Hearing Protection Act is supported by the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the National Rifle Association (NRA).

    “The Hearing Protection Act will increase access to important hearing protection for millions of Americans,” said Amyn Amlani, Ph.D., President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology.  “While the use of conventional hearing protection tools, such as earplugs and earmuffs are fundamental for preventing noise induced hearing loss in firearm users, conventional hearing protection alone does not always offer adequate protection from noise exposure.  Firearm noise suppressors can be an effective supplement to traditional hearing protection.”

    “Senator Mike Crapo’s Hearing Protection Act will have the federal government recognize firearm suppressors as accessories to a firearm that make recreational shooting and hunting a safer experience,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “These safety devices reduce the report of a firearm to a level that won’t cause instant and permanent hearing damage.  Despite Hollywood’s depictions, they do not silence the sound of a firearm.  The focus should be on removing barriers to safe and responsible use of firearms and dedicating resources to ensuring firearms are safeguarded from those who should never possess them.  Strict regulatory control of firearm accessories, and the parts of those accessories that have no bearing on the function of a firearm, is unnecessary and not the wisest use of federal resources.  NSSF thanks Senator Crapo for his leadership for ensuring safe and responsible use of firearms and dedicating necessary resources where they are most needed.”

    “We are grateful to Senator Crapo for standing behind the millions of law-abiding gun owners with his reintroduction of the Hearing Protection Act,” said Knox Williams, President and Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association.  “It’s absurd that our unrestrained federal bureaucracy requires Americans to jump through hoops to buy simple hearing protection devices.  Momentum continues to grow for common sense reforms that would end the stranglehold of government on the rights of her people.  We look forward to working with Senator Crapo and his colleagues to ensure our Second Amendment rights remain a priority.”

    “Gun owners around the world are using suppressors to reduce the impact of noise and hearing loss while using their firearms.  Even in countries with the strictest firearms laws, suppressors are often unregulated products that anyone can buy over the counter.  However, outdated federal law makes it difficult for Americans to access these useful safety devices,” said John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.  “On behalf of our millions of members, the NRA thanks Senator Mike Crapo for introducing this important legislation to roll back the bureaucratic red tape on suppressor ownership in the United States.”

    Full bill text is available here.

    Background:

    On average, suppressors diminish the noise of a gunshot by 20-35 decibels, roughly the same sound reduction provided by earplugs or earmuffs.  The most effective suppressors on the market can only reduce the peak sound level of a gunshot to around 110-120 decibels, which is roughly equivalent to a jackhammer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta and Coalition of 13 Attorneys General Release Statement on DOGE Access to Sensitive Personal Information

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    Thursday, February 6, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a coalition of 13 attorneys general in releasing the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of the Treasury granting Elon Musk and his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) staffers access to sensitive payment systems containing Americans’ personally identifiable information:

    “In the past week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has given Elon Musk access to Americans’ personal private information, state bank account data, and other information that is some of our country’s most sensitive data.

    “As the richest man in the world, Elon Musk is not used to being told ‘no,’ but in our country, no one is above the law. The President does not have the power to give away our private information to anyone he chooses, and he cannot cut federal payments approved by Congress. 

    “This level of access for unauthorized individuals is unlawful, unprecedented, and unacceptable. DOGE has no authority to access this information, which they explicitly sought in order to block critical payments that millions of Americans rely on – payments that support health care, childcare, and other essential programs. 

    “In defense of our Constitution, our right to privacy, and the essential funding that individuals and communities nationwide are counting on, we will be filing a lawsuit to stop this injustice.”

    Joining Attorney General Bonta in releasing this statement are the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICAC Task Force Executes Three Search Warrants in Treasure Valley this Week

    Source: US State of Idaho

    [BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced investigators with his Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force served three residential search warrants this past week in the Treasure Valley.
    On Wednesday February 5th, 2025, Jacob Taylor (43) of Caldwell, was arrested for two (2) counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The Idaho State Police was the primary agency to assist the Idaho ICAC Task Force along with support from Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Nampa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), and the Caldwell Police Department.
    On Thursday February 6th, 2025, the Idaho ICAC Task Force Timothy Woods (52) from Boise for (1) count of possession of child sexual exploitation material after a search warrant was served at his residence. The Idaho ICAC Task Force was assisted by the Boise Police Department.
    “Our growing network of partnerships and agencies across the state is showing that, together, we are making a difference in protecting children,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “We are holding these predators accountable for their crimes and removing them from our communities.”
    Information regarding the third search warrant served on Tuesday February 4th is forthcoming with charges still pending.
    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.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stafford man convicted by federal jury for brutally assaulting a deaf passenger during a flight

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Stafford man today on charges relating to his assault of a fellow passenger on a flight from San Francisco to Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 28, 2024, Everett Chad Nelson, 44, was a passenger on United Airlines flight 2247. Without provocation, Nelson approached a sleeping, deaf passenger over twenty rows ahead of his seat, entered the passenger’s row, and began brutally punching the passenger in the face. Nelson punched the victim repeatedly and rapidly, using both hands, and landing forceful, violent blows on the victim’s cheeks, nose, and forehead.  Nelson caused serious bodily injury to the victim, breaking his nose and leaving the victim with injuries that have required months of medical treatment.

    Another passenger, sitting a few rows ahead, heard the commotion, saw the altercation, ran towards the assault and restrained Nelson. The flight crew relocated Nelson and secured him for the remainder of the flight. Nelson was arrested by the FBI upon the flight’s arrival at Dulles.

    Nelson faces up to 10 years in prison, and sentencing will be set for a later date. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sanjay Virmani, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel K. Amzallag and Heather D. Call are prosecuting 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-251.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second defendant in organized refunding fraud ring sentenced to 30 months in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant learned refunding scam from first defendant, is responsible for more than $6 million in stolen goods

    Seattle – A 29- year-old Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering crimes related to his operation of a fraudulent online shopping refund scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Leonardo Vidal is the second defendant sentenced in an online refunding scheme that stole millions of dollars from retailers. U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik ordered Vidal to be on three years of supervised release following prison.

    “Those running these refunding schemes induced others to essentially steal and cheat while claiming there would be no consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “These prison sentences are appropriate for the damage done to retailers and to our community in promoting these illegal schemes.”

    According to records in the case, Vidal operated his own fraudulent refunding fraud scheme from June 2021 until April 2023 called Ressu Refunds. The scheme amassed 2,800 subscribers and obtained $6 million in fraudulent refunds for followers. Beginning in June 2022, Vidal conspired with 25-year-old Dearborn, Michigan, man Sajed Al-Maarej who operated a different refund site called “Simple Refunds.” As with the Ressu refund site, Simple Refunds operated through the messaging service Telegram.

    Sajed Al-Maarej was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2024.

    The Telegram channels represented to prospective purchasers that they could buy high value goods and keep them, while falsely claiming to the merchant company that a refund was due. Purchasers provided Al-Maarej and Vidal with information about their purchase (order number, name, address, value). For a cut of the refund, Al-Maarej, Vidal and their coconspirators would seek a refund by making false representations to the retailers about the status of the order. For example, Simple Refunds or Ressu Refunds would claim the item had not been delivered; was irretrievably damaged; or would have the purchaser mail a box of garbage or junk back to the company – once the package was scanned at the shipping point the refund was issued before the box arrived back and the fraud was discovered.

    The men recruited “insiders” at UPS and the US Postal Service who would input false scans into the order tracking history to make it appear items had been lost in shipping, stolen from the mail, or returned to the company. The end goal was for the purchaser to keep the product and get their money back. The purchaser then paid Al-Maarej or Vidal 10-15% of the purchase price as a fee, enabling Al-Maarej and Vidal to enrich themselves.

    In December 2022, Vidal acquired Simple Refunds from Al-Maarej. Vidal sold Ressu Refunds and Simple Refunds to a different Telegram user in April 2023.  After selling the refunding scheme, Vidal began another illegal enterprise: purchasing the illegally refunded items and selling them. When confronted by law enforcement Vidal took investigators to the locations where he was storing the stolen goods in four shipping containers before selling them online. In one storage container, they found approximately 245 Dewalt Drills, approximately 92 Coway Airmega Air Purifiers, and approximately 78 M18 Fuel High Torque Wrenches, all commonly refunded items.

    During an 8-month period that Vidal operated Ressu Refunds it facilitated more than 3,000 fraudulent refunds worth at least $5.3 million.

    The total value of the fraudulent refunds through Simple Refunds and Ressu Refunds while Vidal was running them is $6,067,168. Vidal agreed to pay restitution of that amount.

    Speaking at sentencing Vidal said, “I want to thank the FBI, because I was going down a very dark path…. I was not a bad person, but I knew it was wrong.”

    The case is being investigated by the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Government Employee and Wife Plead Guilty to Defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Rafael Castro, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a former employee of the Veterans Health Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, and his wife, Miriam Castro, pleaded guilty in federal court today to defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) out of more than $130,000.

    According to their plea agreements, between September 2018 and April 2024, the Castros lied to obtain caregiver benefits from the Caregiver Support Program, a VA program that provides caregiver support for injured veterans. Rafael Castro admitted that he lied about needing high-level assistance for daily activities, including dressing and undressing himself, personal hygiene, and grooming.

    According to plea documents, Rafael Castro defrauded the VA into awarding him assistance that paid the primary caregiver—his wife—an amount equivalent to a full-time home health aide’s 40-hour per-week payment.

    According to plea documents, for years, Miriam Castro received monthly payments to be a full-time caregiver for Rafael Castro while her husband worked as a full-time federal employee. From July 2015 to June 2023, Rafael Castro worked for the Veterans Health Administration, and from June 2023 to April 2024, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service. Even though he was employed by the federal government, Rafael Castro falsely told VA representatives at least six times that he was unemployed.

    For example, during a 2023 interview, Rafael Castro falsely claimed that he had last worked in 2018 and that his wife was his full-time caregiver. According to their plea agreements, while Rafael Castro was engaged in the fraud scheme, he received several promotions, all while he continued to claim he was unemployed. In their respective plea agreements, Rafael Castro and Miriam Castro admitted that they participated in the multi-year scheme to defraud the VA.

    “This case is an excellent example of the importance of internal inspections within government programs,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Without the intervention from the Inspector General’s Office, this fraud might have continued indefinitely.”

    “These guilty pleas demonstrate that those involved in defrauding VA, including government employees, will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Heddell with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Western Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of VA’s benefits programs and services.”

    “Violations of federal law, particularly those committed by IRS employees will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Knarr stated. “TIGTA will continue to work closely with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and hold those individuals responsible for their illegal activities.”

    Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2025, at 9 a.m. before U.S. District Judge James E. Simmons, Jr.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang.

    To report fraud in a VA program, call the VA-OIG hotline at 1-800-488-8244 or visit https://www.va.gov/oig/hotline/.

    DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 25CR0310-JES                                 

    Rafael Castro                                                  Age: 50                                   Oceanside, CA

    Miriam Castro                                                 Age: 48                                   Oceanside, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

    Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General

    Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Search for missing man, Cook Strait

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    The ongoing search for a man reported missing on a jetski in the Cook Strait area has not located any further items of note since the man’s jetski was located on Monday evening.

    The man left the Tasman District on Monday morning bound for Plimmerton, north of Wellington, but did not arrive as expected.

    Favourable weather conditions in the Cook Strait area yesterday allowed for continued searching over a wide area involving a number of agencies.

    At this time there has been no sign of the missing man. Today Police are reviewing the search efforts to date and planning further search activity.

    Police have been in contact with the man’s family and support is being provided to them at what is an understandably difficult time.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Guatemalan national charged with transportation, distribution and possession of child pornography following joint HSI and Oklahoma Police Department investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    OKLAHOMA CITY — A federal complaint was recently unsealed charging Gustavo Gordillo, 41, a citizen of Guatemala, with transportation, distribution, and possession of child pornography, announced Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard, who oversees Homeland Security operations In North Texas and Oklahoma and U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester of the Western District Oklahoma.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of a criminal complaint, in July 2020, investigators with the Oklahoma City Police Department received a cyber tip after files containing child sexual abuse material were uploaded to a Google Photos account.

    The affidavit alleges the suspect who uploaded the photos, later determined as Gordillo, lived in Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City police detectives investigated the tip, and others from Facebook, determining that Gordillo was communicating with a child living out of state. The affidavit further alleges Gordillo provided inappropriate materials to the minor and received inappropriate materials from the child.

    In December 2024, additional investigations led law enforcement to a residence in the Oklahoma City area connected with Gordillo. Gordillo was charged by complaint on Jan. 27 and arrested by Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Oklahoma field office and the Oklahoma City Police Department Jan. 29. U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement’s Oklahoma field office assisted in the apprehension.

    Public records show Gordillo entered the United States on a temporary visa that had expired.

    Gordillo faces up to sixty years in federal prison if found guilty of the charges.

    This case is the result of an investigation by HSI and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon is prosecuting the case.

    Learn more about HSI Dallas’ mission to increase public safety In Northern Texas and Oklahoma communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @HSI_Dallas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Mullin, Crapo, Colleagues Reintroduce Hearing Protection Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and 27 of their Senate GOP colleagues reintroduced S. 364, the Hearing Protection Act (HPA). The HPA would reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm.

    “Every law-abiding American must have the freedom to protect their hearing while exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Senator Mullin. “Our bill removes suppressors from the National Firearms Act to cut wait times and stop the government from imposing a tax on Americans trying to protect themselves from hearing damage. The Second Amendment is crystal clear. I will do everything in my power to protect lawful gun ownership and eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles that infringe on our God-given rights.”

    “Federal red tape continues to follow the false Hollywood narrative that suppressors are silent, and ignores the reality that they serve a genuine purpose in protecting the hearing of law-abiding American citizens exercising their Second Amendment rights,” said Senator Crapo.  “It is past time Congress removes the burdensome barriers to accessing this equipment for the safety of Idaho’s hunters and sportsmen.”

    Suppressors are currently subject to additional regulatory burdens under the National Firearms Act (NFA). The HPA would remove suppressors from regulation under the NFA and replace the burdensome federal transfer process with an instantaneous National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) background check. This would make the purchasing and transfer process for suppressors equal to the process for a rifle or shotgun. Also, the HPA would put more funding into state wildlife conservation agencies by taxing suppressors under the Pittman-Robertson Act instead of the NFA. 

    Sens. Mullin and Crapo are joined on this legislation by Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Jim Justice (R-WV), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Ron Johnson (R-WI).

    The Hearing Protection Act is supported by the Academy of Doctors of Audiology, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the National Rifle Association (NRA).

    “The Hearing Protection Act will increase access to important hearing protection for millions of Americans,” said Amyn Amlani, Ph.D., President of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology.“While the use of conventional hearing protection tools, such as earplugs and earmuffs are fundamental for preventing noise induced hearing loss in firearm users, conventional hearing protection alone does not always offer adequate protection from noise exposure. Firearm noise suppressors can be an effective supplement to traditional hearing protection.”

    “Senator Mike Crapo’s Hearing Protection Act will have the federal government recognize firearm suppressors as accessories to a firearm that make recreational shooting and hunting a safer experience,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “These safety devices reduce the report of a firearm to a level that won’t cause instant and permanent hearing damage. Despite Hollywood’s depictions, they do not silence the sound of a firearm. The focus should be on removing barriers to safe and responsible use of firearms and dedicating resources to ensuring firearms are safeguarded from those who should never possess them. Strict regulatory control of firearm accessories, and the parts of those accessories that have no bearing on the function of a firearm, is unnecessary and not the wisest use of federal resources. NSSF thanks Senator Crapo for his leadership for ensuring safe and responsible use of firearms and dedicating necessary resources where they are most needed.”

    “We are grateful to Senator Crapo for standing behind the millions of law-abiding gun owners with his reintroduction of the Hearing Protection Act,” said Knox Williams, President and Executive Director of the American Suppressor Association. “It’s absurd that our unrestrained federal bureaucracy requires Americans to jump through hoops to buy simple hearing protection devices. Momentum continues to grow for common sense reforms that would end the stranglehold of government on the rights of her people. We look forward to working with Senator Crapo and his colleagues to ensure our Second Amendment rights remain a priority.”

    “Gun owners around the world are using suppressors to reduce the impact of noise and hearing loss while using their firearms. Even in countries with the strictest firearms laws, suppressors are often unregulated products that anyone can buy over the counter. However, outdated federal law makes it difficult for Americans to access these useful safety devices,” said John Commerford, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action. “On behalf of our millions of members, the NRA thanks Senator Mike Crapo for introducing this important legislation to roll back the bureaucratic red tape on suppressor ownership in the United States.”

    Full bill text is available here.

    Background:

    On average, suppressors diminish the noise of a gunshot by 20-35 decibels, roughly the same sound reduction provided by earplugs or earmuffs. The most effective suppressors on the market can only reduce the peak sound level of a gunshot to around 110-120 decibels, which is roughly equivalent to a jackhammer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias

    Source: The White House

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

         Section 1.  Purpose and Policy.  It is the policy of the United States, and the purpose of this order, to protect the religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government.  The Founders established a Nation in which people were free to practice their faith without fear of discrimination or retaliation by their government. 

         For that reason, the United States Constitution enshrines the fundamental right to religious liberty in the First Amendment.  Federal laws like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.), further prohibit government interference with Americans’ rights to exercise their religion.  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2000e et seq.), prohibits religious discrimination in employment while Federal hate-crime laws prohibit offenses committed due to religious animus.

         Yet the previous Administration engaged in an egregious pattern of targeting peaceful Christians, while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses.  The Biden Department of Justice sought to squelch faith in the public square by bringing Federal criminal charges and obtaining in numerous cases multi-year prison sentences against nearly two dozen peaceful pro-life Christians for praying and demonstrating outside abortion facilities.  Those convicted included a Catholic priest and 75-year-old grandmother, as well as an 87-year-old woman and a father of 11 children who were arrested 18 months after praying and singing hymns outside an abortion facility in Tennessee as a part of a politically motivated prosecution campaign by the Biden Administration.  I rectified this injustice on January 23, 2025, by issuing pardons in these cases. 
     
         At the same time, Catholic churches, charities, and pro-life centers sought justice for violence, theft, and arson perpetrated against them, which the Biden Department of Justice largely ignored.  After more than 100 attacks, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning this violence and calling on the Biden Administration to enforce the law.
     
         Then, in 2023, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) memorandum asserted that “radical-traditionalist” Catholics were domestic-terrorism threats and suggested infiltrating Catholic churches as “threat mitigation.”  This later-retracted FBI memorandum cited as support evidence propaganda from highly partisan sources.
       
         The Biden Department of Education sought to repeal religious-liberty protections for faith-based organizations on college campuses.  The Biden Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sought to force Christians to affirm radical transgender ideology against their faith.  And the Biden Department of Health and Human Services sought to drive Christians who do not conform to certain beliefs on sexual orientation and gender identity out of the foster-care system.  The Biden Administration declared March 31, 2024 — Easter Sunday — as “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
       
          In this atmosphere of anti-Christian government, hostility and vandalism against Christian churches and places of worship surged, with the number of such identified acts in 2023 exceeding by more than eight times the number from 2018.  Catholic churches and institutions have been aggressively targeted with hundreds of acts of hostility, violence, and vandalism.
         
         My Administration will not tolerate anti-Christian weaponization of government or unlawful conduct targeting Christians.  The law protects the freedom of Americans and groups of Americans to practice their faith in peace, and my Administration will enforce the law and protect these freedoms.  My Administration will ensure that any unlawful and improper conduct, policies, or practices that target Christians are identified, terminated, and rectified.

         Sec. 2.  Establishing a Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias.  (a)  There is hereby established within the Department of Justice the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias (Task Force).
         (b)  The Attorney General shall serve as Chair of the Task Force.
         (c)  In addition to the Chair, the Task Force shall consist of the following other members:
              (i)     the Secretary of State;
              (ii)    the Secretary of the Treasury;
              (iii)   the Secretary of Defense;
              (iv)    the Secretary of Labor;
              (v)     the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
              (vi)    the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
              (vii)   the Secretary of Education;
              (viii)  the Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
              (ix)    the Secretary of Homeland Security;
              (x)     the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
              (xi)    Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations;
              (xii)   the Administrator of the Small Business Administration;
              (xiii)  the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
              (xiv)   the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy;
              (xv)    the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
              (xvi)   the Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and
              (xvii)  the heads of such other executive departments, agencies, and offices that the Chair may, from time to time, invite to participate.

         Sec. 3.  Task Force Functions.  (a)  The Task Force shall meet as required by the Chair and shall take appropriate action to:
              (i)    review the activities of all executive departments and agencies (agencies), including the Department of State, the Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, over the previous Administration and identify any unlawful anti-Christian policies, practices, or conduct by an agency contrary to the purpose and policy of this order;
              (ii)   recommend to the head of the relevant agency steps to revoke or terminate any violative policies, practices, or conduct identified under subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section and remedial actions to fulfill the purpose and policy of this order;
              (iii)  share information and develop strategies to protect the religious liberties of Americans and advance the purpose and policy of this order;
              (iv)   solicit information and ideas from a broad range of individuals and groups, including Americans affected by anti-Christian conduct, faith-based organizations, and State, local, and Tribal governments, in order to ensure that its work is informed by a broad spectrum of ideas and experiences;
              (v)    identify deficiencies in existing laws and enforcement and regulatory practices that have contributed to unlawful anti-Christian governmental or private conduct and recommend to the relevant agency head, or recommend to the President, through the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, as applicable, appropriate actions that agencies may take to remedy failures to fully enforce the law against acts of anti-Christian hostility, vandalism, and violence; and
              (vi)     recommend to the President, through the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, any additional Presidential or legislative action necessary to rectify past improper anti-Christian conduct, protect religious liberty, or otherwise fulfill the purpose and policy of this order.
         (b)  In order to advise the President regarding its work and assist the President in formulating future policy, the Task Force shall submit to the President, through the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy:
              (i)    a report within 120 days from the date of this order regarding the Task Force’s initial work;  
              (ii)   a report within 1 year from the date of this order that summarizes the Task Force’s work; and
              (iii)  a final report upon the dissolution of the Task Force.

         Sec. 4.  Administration.  (a)  The heads of agencies shall, to the extent permitted by law, upon the request of the Chair, provide the Task Force with any information required by the Task Force for the purpose of carrying out its functions.
         (b)  The Department of Justice shall provide such funding and administrative and technical support as the Task Force may require, to the extent permitted by law and as authorized by existing appropriations.

         Sec. 5.  Termination.  The Task Force shall terminate 2 years from the date of this order unless extended by the President.

         Sec. 6.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
              (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
              (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
         (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
         (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        February 6, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Richmond felon convicted of illegally possessing firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man today on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 12, 2022, investigators with the Richmond Police (RPD) Youth and Family Crimes Unit were conducting an investigation at 3443 Walmsley Ave. During that investigation, investigators learned that Randel Douglas Hoggard, 39, and his significant other, K.B. had outstanding arrest warrants and requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals to complete the arrest at the couple’s Richmond apartment.

    Marshals arrested Hoggard and RPD procured a search warrant for items relevant to the investigation at the apartment. During the search, investigators observed multiple firearms and indicia of narcotics trafficking in the residence. Investigators obtained and executed a second search warrant and recovered four firearms, ammunition, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia. Hoggard was a convicted felon at the time and could not legally possess firearms or ammunition.

    On Jan. 16, 2024, the Chesterfield County Police Department Homicide Unit, assisted by RPD, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Virginia State Police, executed a search warrant at another apartment at 3447 Walmsley Ave. Hoggard was present during the execution of the search warrant. Investigators located a loaded .40 caliber handgun hidden within the void of his closet door. Investigators also located .40 caliber ammunition in the defendant’s bedroom and suspected drugs. Hoggard was arrested on and has been in custody since Jan. 16, 2024.

    Hoggard faces a up to 10 years in prison for the 2022 charge and up to 15 years in prison for the 2024 charge when sentenced on June 3. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    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; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Col. Edward F. Carpenter Jr., Chief of Chesterfield County Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the verdict.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Janet Jin Ah Lee is prosecuting 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. 3:24-cr-66.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The First Minister’s open letter to care experienced people

    Source: Scottish National Party

    To: The care experienced community

    From: First Minister John Swinney

    It is five years since Scotland made its Promise, that we, as a nation, will do all that we can to improve how we support you and ensure you have access to all the opportunities you need to thrive.

    A lot has happened in those five years across Scotland and undoubtedly within your own lives. One thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to keep The Promise. I want to let you know that I stand by the promise made by me and by politicians across the Scottish Parliament, to ensure young people with care experience grow up loved, safe, and respected.

    As First Minister I am very aware that there is so much more we need to do to change the complex challenges that still exist in our care system. I also know that every person with care experience has a different journey and care can come in many different forms – from foster care to kinship care.

    That means keeping The Promise must touch on many different parts of our lives, from health to education, to justice and housing. The Minster for Children, Young People and The Promise, Natalie Don-Innes, as well as all the members of my Cabinet, are committed to playing our part in making sure the opportunities that are open to you in life are positive and allow you to reach your goals.

    Since becoming First Minister, and in my previous roles in the Scottish Government, I have met and spoken to so many wonderful people and I have had the opportunity to visit a wide range of programmes and projects supporting The Promise across Scotland. I feel privileged to continue to do this and I look forward to hearing more from you and sharing your ambitions for the future.

    In the last five years there has been a lot of work carried out, and we hope you agree and can feel that progress has been made. As a Government we are continuing to invest in helping families to stay together; and we have introduced a number of changes in justice, in education and in health to support you and the people across Scotland who work with you.

    However, there is a long way to go, and I know that in some areas we must work harder and faster to bring the changes required. You have my full commitment to continue to lead this work. I am determined to see the changes that are needed and to ensure we have a care system in Scotland that responds to you and your experiences.

    I am not alone of course and there is lots of work underway by corporate parents including councils, local services, health boards, the Police and by all organisations who care for and support you. Each of them have an important role to play in making the improvements that you have told us you need to see happen.

    Some of this requires changes to the law. To help with this I will introduce legislation that will help to do this. I know that many of you have been involved in consultation and engagement activity that has happened across Scotland to help inform this. Your voices were at the heart of the Independent Care Review and they continue to guide our way forward with The Promise. Thank you for your involvement, for sharing your experiences so honestly, and for being so open with your ideas.

    Together we can make the changes we need and I am honoured to be on this journey with you.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Newark arrest of Chilean national leads to federal charges

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEWARK, N.J. – A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest led to Gustavo Ignacio Salas Ortega, 33, a Chilean alien, being charged Feb. 4 in the U.S. District Court in Newark, New Jersey, with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen property that had crossed state lines and one count of receiving stolen property that had crossed state lines.

    Salas Ortega, believed to be part of a South American theft group in Rochelle Park, New Jersey, was arrested by ICE Oct. 14, 2024. ICE then transferred Salas Ortega to U.S Marshals Service custody and lodged an immigration detainer against him.

    “As alleged, the illegal alien offender threatened the public safety of our community by participating in an organized theft group,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris.  “These charges against Salas Ortega demonstrate ICE ERO Newark’s commitment to uphold the integrity of our immigration system while promoting the security of New Jersey’s residents.”

    ICE partnered with FBI Newark’s Joint Organized Crime Task Force, the Millburn Police Department, the Port Authority of New York and the New Jersey Police Department in the investigation leading to the charges.

    “The Joint Organized Crime Task Force has been working tirelessly to apprehend these alleged criminals, following a labyrinth of conspirators that span multiple states,” FBI-Newark acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “These alleged criminals are part of South American theft groups who have been targeting stores throughout the United States for months. These alleged thieves have worked equally hard to evade law enforcement as they have to infiltrate the very businesses they have ripped off. This charge marks a positive step forward towards dismantling this group.”

    According to the investigation, the defendant was part of a group which scouted a jewelry store in a New Jersey mall before committing the burglary. The defendant and his co-conspirators then entered the jewelry store through the ceiling and a hole they cut through an adjacent wall. Law enforcement later found the defendant wearing an expensive wristwatch that had been in the jewelry store at the time of the burglary. Further investigation showed that the defendant had possessed the stolen wristwatch in New York on multiple days after the burglary.

    Other law enforcement partners throughout the U.S. supported the investigation. Federal partners include U.S. Customs and Border Protection, FBI Denver, FBI New York, and the FBI legal attaché in Santiago, Chile. New Jersey agencies include the Denver Police Department, the Paramus Police Department, the Fair Lawn Police Department, the Edison Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. New York agencies include the Nassau County Police Department, the Woodbury Town Police Department, the Town of Greenburgh Police Department and the New York Police Department. The Northbrook Police Department in Illinois, and the Vacaville Police Department in California, also assisted.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, King Join Colleagues in Calling for Prompt Implementation of Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King joined 26 of their Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) calling for the immediate implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act. This bipartisan legislation, which Senator Collins coauthored with former Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and which was co-sponsored by King, will provide full Social Security benefits for millions of public servants impacted by the unfair Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The Social Security Fairness Act fully repealed the WEP and GPO and was signed into law on January 5, 2025.

    “The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO),” the Senators wrote.

    “The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act,” the Senators concluded.

    In addition to Senators Collins and King, the letter was signed by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mark Warner (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

    The complete text of the letter can be read here and below.

    +++

    Dear Acting Commissioner King,

    We write to you concerning the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act (Public LawNo: 118-273). This legislation passed Congress on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis on December 21st, 2024 and was signed into law on January 5th, 2025. The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

    The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, “SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits” owed under the Social Security Fairness Act. We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO. In the interim, we request monthly updates and briefings regarding the status of the Social Security Administration’s progress towards implementing the Social Security Fairness Act.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. We look forward to your response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Colleagues Introduce Antitrust Legislation to Take on Algorithmic Price Fixing, Bring Down Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), joined by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Peter Welch (D-VT), introduced the Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act to prevent companies from using algorithms to collude to set higher prices. As recent reporting, a Justice Department lawsuit, and multiple private lawsuits have shown, big corporations are using algorithms to raise prices and limit competition, including companies like RealPage that have facilitated collusion to increase rents by more than $3 billion in 2023 alone. This legislation will make such collusion illegal to lower costs for families and support small businesses.

    “Price fixing is illegal under our antitrust laws, but the development of price-setting algorithms can exploit loopholes that could be used to unfairly raise prices on everything from rent to rideshares,” said Klobuchar. “My bill will strengthen antitrust law and guarantee needed transparency to prevent companies from using algorithms to fix prices to ensure consumers are able to get the full benefits of competition.” 

    “Collusion is collusion, whether you do it over the phone or using an algorithm. This legislation, along with my End Rent Fixing Act, will send a strong message to corporations that they won’t get away with coordinating to ratchet up prices on consumers,” said Wyden.

    “Businesses are increasingly turning to algorithms to determine pricing for their products.  In a technology-based world, we need to prevent businesses from using these tools to reduce competition,” said Durbin.  “That’s why I’m joining my colleagues in introducing the Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act, which would ensure that pricing algorithms aren’t being used to take advantage of consumers and inflate prices.”

    “Predatory algorithms significantly suppress competition in today’s markets and allow companies to collude to raise prices to unaffordable levels. The Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act will eliminate coercive anticompetitive software and empower consumers,” said Blumenthal.

    “Algorithmic price fixing enables businesses to artificially inflate their prices while hiding their collusion behind technology, stifling competition, and leaving consumers to suffer the consequences,” said Hirono. “This legislation will help to ensure transparent competition on price, prevent big business from manipulating the market, encourage healthy competition, and protect consumers and small businesses from being taken advantage of.”

    “Far too many companies are utilizing predatory pricing algorithms that prevent competition and raise prices for consumers,” said Luján. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act to increase transparency and prevent companies from taking advantage of consumers. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill signed into law.”

    “These pricing algorithms are just one more tactic corporations use to get around the law and screw regular people. It’s how the poultry industry colludes to keep the price of chicken high,” said Murphy. “If we really care about lowering costs and disrupting the corrupt status quo, this is the kind of bill that Congress should pass.”

    “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bill to strengthen competition, increase transparency and prevent big corporations from secretly working together to raise rent and other prices on everyday consumers through predatory algorithms,” said Shaheen.

    “Transparency is a key tenet of doing good business, and consumers expect businesses to treat them fairly. But increasingly we’ve seen competitors throw antitrust laws to the wind by using pricing algorithms to avoid competition, leaving consumers to suffer the consequences. The Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act works to close existing loopholes and increase transparency around how companies use pricing algorithms to make sure consumers aren’t getting a raw deal,” said Welch.

    Price fixing and other forms of collusion are illegal under current antitrust laws. However, current antitrust laws may be insufficient when competing companies delegate their pricing decisions to an algorithm without agreeing to fix prices. Current law requires proof of an agreement to fix prices before condemning the conduct. When pricing decisions of multiple competitors are delegated to a single algorithm, that agreement may not exist even though the use of the algorithm may have the same effect as a traditional agreement to fix prices. This type of conduct has already occurred in rental housing, and we must ensure that it does not spread to other sectors of our economy with the proliferation of algorithmic pricing.  

    To strengthen current price fixing law, this legislation will:

    • Close a loophole in current law by presuming a price-fixing “agreement,” when direct competitors share non-public information through a pricing algorithm to raise prices;
    • Increase transparency by requiring companies that use algorithms to set prices to disclose that fact and give antitrust enforcers the ability to audit the pricing algorithm when there are concerns it may be harming consumers;
    • Ban companies from using non-public, competitively sensitive information from their direct competitors to inform or train a pricing algorithm;
    • Direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study pricing algorithms’ impact on competition. 

    The Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act is endorsed by Consumer Reports, the Open Markets Institute, and Accountable.US. 

    Klobuchar has long led efforts to update our competition laws. As Chair of the Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights subcommittee, Klobuchar held two hearings in 2023 exploring how algorithms can be used to harm consumers. In November 2022, Klobuchar, along with Senators Durbin and Booker, urged the Department of Justice to investigate potential anticompetitive conduct by Realpage increasing rents. Klobuchar leads the bipartisan American Innovation and Choice Online Act with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), which would prevent technology companies from abusing their market power to harm competition, and which made history as the first digital competition bill to advance in Congress since the dawn of the internet when it passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 16-6 vote in 2022. Last month, Klobuchar reintroduced the Competition and Antitrust Law Enforcement Reform Act with 13 co-sponsors to give federal antitrust enforcers the resources they need to do their jobs and strengthen prohibitions on anticompetitive conduct and mergers. In 2024, Klobuchar joined Senator Wyden in introducing the Preventing the Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act to ensure that large landlords cannot skirt antitrust law and collude to increase rent prices across the country.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lockheed Martin Corporation Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Defective Pricing

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Lockheed Martin Corporation Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Defective Pricing

    Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC) has agreed to pay $29.74 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of defective pricing on contracts for F-35 military aircraft. This payment is in addition to $11.3 million that LMC previously paid to the Department of Defense (DOD) for the same undisclosed cost and pricing data on some of the same contracts. LMC, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the world’s largest defense contractors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced To More Than 12 Months For Unlawful Possession Of Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger has sentenced Jose Cruz Cienega-Gaona (41, Mexico) to one year and one day in federal prison for possessing a firearm while unlawfully in the United States. Cienega-Gaona entered a guilty plea in November 2024.

    According to court documents, in May 2024, agents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection began an investigation into Cienega-Gaona. Through their investigation, agents determined that Cienega-Gaona is a native and citizen of Mexico. Cienega-Gaona had been removed from the United States in 2006 and 2019 after it was determined he was illegally in the United States.

    On July 9, 2024, agents spoke with Cienega-Gaona at a gas station near his home and he was arrested for being illegally in the United States. While interviewing Cienega-Gaona, agents learned that he had guns in his home. Agents executed a search warrant at Cienega-Gaona’s home and found four guns and ammunition. Because Cienega-Gaona was in the United States illegally, he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.

    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: Deering, Alaska, man indicted for abusive sexual contact on an aircraft from Anchorage to Seattle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Repeatedly touched 17-year-old sitting next to him despite her actions to stop him

    Seattle – A 27-year-old Deering, Alaska man was arraigned today following his indictment for abusive sexual contact, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Trayton C. Ballot was arrested on January 15, 2025, when the Alaska Airlines flight he was on arrived at Seattle-Tacoma International airport. Ballot pleaded not guilty this morning and trial was scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on April 7, 2025.

    According to records filed in the case, the 17-year-old victim was flying with her mother and a friend from Anchorage to Seattle. Ballot was seated in the middle seat in a row near the back of the plane. The victim was in the window seat. Ballot appeared to be asleep, but then allegedly moved his hand onto the victim’s inner thigh and began rubbing her thigh. The victim removed Ballot’s hand. Two more times Ballot moved his hand onto the 17-year-old’s inner thigh, and she removed his hand. After the third time, the victim lowered her tray table and wedged a pillow under it to protect her lap. Despite those barriers, Ballot moved his hand under the armrest and attempted to place it over the victim’s thigh. The victim pressed down on the pillow to stop the assault and Ballot took his hand away.

    The victim typed into her phone that the man seated next to her had touched her and showed the message to her mother who was seated in the row behind her. At her mother’s instruction, the victim notified the flight attendants who moved her to a different seat.

    Ballot was arrested when the plane arrived in Seattle. He was held at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac until the next day when he was released on many conditions including that he notify any airline of these charges before he travels.

    Ballot waived his presence at arraignment and his attorney entered a plea of “Not Guilty.”

    Abusive sexual contact is punishable by up to two 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 is being investigated by the FBI.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn Forstein.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Civil Forfeiture Action Filed In Federal Court Against Bronx Residence Used As Stash House For Firearms And Drug Trafficking

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

    Residence Located Steps Away from Elementary School was Used by Gang Members to Store Guns, Drugs, and Proceeds from Drug Trafficking

    Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Bryan Miller, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the filing of a civil forfeiture Complaint against a Bronx residence located at 3267 Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, New York.  The Complaint alleges that the residence was used by members of the “Drilly Gang” as a stash house for drug trafficking and firearms.

    U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “As alleged, 3267 Decatur Avenue—a Bronx residence located steps away from an elementary school—was used by members of a gang as a stash house for drugs and firearms.  This civil forfeiture action seeking to seize the residence demonstrates that we will use all the tools available to protect the streets of this city.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to the fight against gun violence and drug trafficking in our community.”

    ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said: “Illicit drug trafficking destroys lives and fuels violence. Taking over a home, for the purpose of selling illegal drugs next to a school, while boasting about it on social media, demonstrates a blatant disregard for the safety of our communities. The ATF / NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force remains committed to dismantling criminal networks and protecting innocent people from the tragic consequences of violent crime. No one should have to live or work next to an illegal narcotics operation run by armed criminals. We will remain relentless in our efforts to keep our streets safe. I commend the dedication and hard work of the men and women of the Joint Firearms Task Force, NYPD 52nd Precinct, and SDNY for their efforts in this case.”

    According to the allegations in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court today and other court filings: [1]

    Since in or about April 2024, law enforcement agents with the ATF and the NYPD have been conducting an investigation into 3267 Decatur Avenue in the Bronx, New York, including members of a group known as the “Drilly Gang” that used 3267 Decatur Avenue as a stash house for drug trafficking and firearms.  The residence at 3267 Decatur Avenue is located steps away from an elementary school in the Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx.  Members of the Drilly Gang were using 3267 Decatur Avenue as a headquarter of operations, including as a location to film rap videos in furtherance of the Drilly Gang, which included depictions of drugs and weapons.  Members of the Drilly Gang also posted on social media photographs and videos depicting their involvement in the sale of drugs and possession of firearms, as depicted below:

    On or about November 4, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at 3267 Decatur Avenue and recovered, among other things: a pistol magazine; 177.73 grams of cocaine; 33 grams of methamphetamine; 38 grams of fentanyl; 65 grams of psilocybin mushrooms; and 240 grams of marijuana. Investigators also found drug packaging materials, which were designed to make the drugs look like candy (i.e., Welch’s Fruit Snacks, Skittles, Peanut Buddy Bars, etc.) and approximately $1700 in U.S. currency. Depicted below are some of the items seized from 3267 Decatur Avenue:

    *                *                *

    Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF and the NYPD.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit and Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew K. Chan and Frank J. Balsamello are in charge of the prosecution.

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, 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: Gang Member Sentenced To 144 Months In Prison For Racketeering And Drug Charges

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

    NEWARK, N.J. – A member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips gang was sentenced on Wednesday to 144 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy and the sale of cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Kareem Green, a/k/a “Try Me”(“Green”), 32, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding indictment that charged him with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) conspiracy and a separate indictment charging him with distribution of cocaine. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence on February 5, 2025 in Newark federal court. 

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From 2015 through Sept. 22, 2022, Green was a member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips, a criminal enterprise responsible for acts of violence and the distribution of controlled substances in the District of New Jersey and elsewhere. On April 5, 2021, Green worked with other members of the gang to shoot a victim. On April 11, 2021, Green worked with other members of the gang to shoot another victim. On March 5, 2021, Green worked with another member of the gang to distribute cocaine.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Green to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr., as well as investigators of the U.S. Marshals Service, under Marshal Juan Mattos’ direction; the Irvington Police Department, under the direction of Police Division Director Tracy Bowers, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr., the Bloomfield Police Department, under the direction of Director of Public Safety Samuel A. DeMaio, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under Sheriff Amir D. Jones’ direction, the East Orange Police Department, under the direction of Chief Phyllis L. Bindi, the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Earl J. Graves, the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Tom Bryan, the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor William A. Daniel, the Spotswood Police Department, under the direction of Chief Philip Corbisiero, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Fugitive and Missing Person Task Force, which includes members of the FBI, for the investigations leading to the charges in the Rollin 60’s Neighborhood Crips investigation.

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

    The investigation was conducted as part of the Newark Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, Union County Jail, New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, New Jersey Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake A. Nasar of the Health Care Fraud Unit.

                                      ###

    Defense Counsel:

    William Strazza, Esq., Chester, NJ 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lockheed Martin Corporation Agrees to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Defective Pricing

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMC) has agreed to pay $29.74 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations of defective pricing on contracts for F-35 military aircraft. This payment is in addition to $11.3 million that LMC previously paid to the Department of Defense (DOD) for the same undisclosed cost and pricing data on some of the same contracts. LMC, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the world’s largest defense contractors.

    According to court documents, between 2013 and 2015, LMC inflated pricing proposals it submitted to obtain contracts for the F-35 by failing to provide to DOD’s F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) accurate, complete, and current cost and pricing data during the negotiations leading to the award of five contracts for the production or sustainment of the F-35. The United States alleged that LMC had knowledge of suppliers’ cost or pricing data that it did not disclose to the JPO in violation of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA). Congress enacted TINA in 1962 to help level the playing field in sole source contracts — where there is no price competition — by making sure that government negotiators have access to the cost or pricing data that the offeror used when developing its proposal. The United States alleged that had LMC provided accurate, complete, and current cost and pricing data, JPO would have awarded the contracts in lower amounts.

    “Those who do business with the government must do so fairly and honestly,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will pursue contractors that knowingly misuse taxpayer funds.”

    “The United States relies on contractors such as Lockheed Martin to provide accurate, complete, and current information, including pricing data, when negotiating contracts with the government,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr, for the Eastern District of Texas. “If a contractor fails to do so, and that failure affects the value of its contract with the government, the Eastern District of Texas will take steps to ensure that the contractor is held accountable.”

    “The F-35 program is at the heart of our nation’s defense,” said Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Schmidt, Director and Program Executive Officer, F-35 Joint Program Office. “The F-35 Joint Program Office will continue to insist on integrity and honesty in all business transactions. We demand 100% accountability for every dollar spent on this program on behalf of U.S. taxpayers and international customers and taxpayers.”

    “The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) will methodically pursue all alleged violations of the False Claims Act and Truth in Negotiations Act,” said Principal Deputy Director James R. Ives of DCIS. “Today’s outcome reflects the unwavering commitment of DCIS and our investigative partners to hold accountable those who bilk the American taxpayer by perpetrating fraud against the DOD.”

    “Overinflation of production and sustainment costs for an aircraft critical to our national defense undermines operational readiness and erodes the trust placed in the Department of Defense by the American people,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our investigative partners remain steadfast in our commitment to investigating entities that compromise the integrity of government contracts.”

    The settlement derives from allegations originally brought in a lawsuit filed in the Eastern District of Texas by a whistleblower under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act, which allow private parties, known as relators, to bring suit on behalf of the government and to share in any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Patrick Girard v. Lockheed Martin Corp., No. 4:17-CV-147 (EDTX). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    This settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section of the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas with assistance from JPO, DCIS, NCIS, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency.

    Trial Attorney Arnold M. Auerhan of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillingham for the Eastern District of Texas handled the matter.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Gaza and West Bank – “Inflicting harm and denying care” in the West Bank: MSF report on escalation of attacks and obstructions of healthcare

    Source: Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Jerusalem, 6 February 2025 – Israeli forces and settlers have increased the use of extreme physical violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since the all-out war on Gaza began in October 2023, according to a new report by Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders (MSF). 

    In total, at least 870 Palestinians have been killed and over 7,100 injured between October 2023 and January 20251. According to the MSF report, “Inflicting harm and denying care”, the escalation of violence in the West Bank has severely hindered access to healthcare and is part of a pattern of systemic oppression by Israel which has been described by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as amounting to racial segregation and apartheid.

    The report which covers a one-year period from October 2023 and 2024, provides in-depth interviews from 38 MSF patients and personnel, hospital staff paramedics and volunteers supported by MSF who report prolonged and violent Israeli military incursions and stricter movement restrictions, all of which have severely hindered access to essential services, particularly healthcare. The situation has further deteriorated since the ceasefire in Gaza and has exacerbated dire living conditions for many Palestinians who are paying an immense physical and psychological toll.

    “Palestinian patients are dying because they simply cannot reach hospitals,” says Brice de le Vingne, MSF emergency coordinator. “We’re seeing ambulances blocked by Israeli forces at checkpoints while carrying critical patients, medical facilities surrounded and raided during active operations, and healthcare workers subjected to physical violence while trying to save lives.”

    An increased number of attacks on medical personnel and facilities have been reported to MSF teams, including attacks on hospitals, destruction of makeshift medical sites in refugee camps, as well as the harassment, detention, injury, and killing of first responders and medical workers by Israeli forces. Between October 2023 and December 2024, WHO has recorded 694 attacks on healthcare in the West Bank, with hospitals and healthcare structures often besieged by military force. Healthcare workers express a feeling of insecurity as they are frequently harassed, detained, injured and even killed.

    “Israeli forces surrounded the stabilisation point [in Tubas], closing both its entrances, even though it was very clear that this was a medical building. They ordered all the paramedics to exit the stabilisation point. There were around 22 of us paramedics there. Israeli soldiers shot inside and outside the building, damaging our supplies and the stabilisation point,” says a medic from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, supported by MSF.

    In case of medical emergency, restrictions of movement can have deadly consequences. Access to healthcare in this context has been severely impeded by the obstruction and targeting of ambulance movements and the escalation of violent military raids resulting in injuries, fatalities and the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, including roads, healthcare, water pipelines and electrical systems, particularly in Tulkarem and Jenin refugee camps. In remote areas and outskirts of cities like Jenin or Nablus, the situation is especially dire, as patients with chronic conditions, such as

    those who need regular dialysis treatment, are forced to stay home due to the untenable obstacles to reaching healthcare.

    On top of the frequent Israeli military incursions, settler violence and the ever-increasing expansion of settlements has left many Palestinians vulnerable to violence and afraid to move across the West Bank. In total, 1,500 attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians have been reported by OCHA between October 2023 and 2024.

    As the occupying power, Israel has legal obligations under international law to ensure access to healthcare and protect medical personnel. The healthcare system in the West Bank is under immense strain and forced into a state of perpetual emergency.

    MSF calls Israel to stop the violence against healthcare workers, patients and health facilities and to stop obstructing medical personnel from performing lifesaving duties.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release – workplace incident, Patoka

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police can now release the name of the man who died in a workplace incident in Patoka on Tuesday 4 February.

    He was Malcolm Douglas MacDonald, 81, of Camberley.

    Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

    His death has been referred to WorkSafe and the Coroner.

    ENDS 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Homemade firearms, gel blaster seized during Preston search

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Homemade firearms, gel blaster seized during Preston search

    Friday, 7 February 2025 – 9:12 am.

    Two homemade firearms and an imitation firearm were seized during a targeted search at an address in Preston in the state’s North- West.
    Members of Western Drugs and Firearms Unit as well as specialist police resources executed a search warrant at the address on Thursday 6 February, locating and seizing a modified .22 calibre rifle, a home-made 12-gauge slam gun and a gel blaster Glock.
    Police also located ammunition and drug paraphernalia. 
    Investigations are ongoing and police are following a specific line of inquiry in relation to the seized weapons.
    Anyone with information about illegal firearms should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
    Under Tasmania’s permanent firearms amnesty, people can surrender illegal and unwanted firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, or gel blasters that have the appearance of a firearm, without being prosecuted for the possession.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Appointment of acting Commissioner NT Fire and Emergency Services

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Ms Collene Bremner has been announced as the Acting Commissioner of NT Fire and Emergency Services (NTFES), while current Commissioner Andrew Warton embarks on a sabbatical overseas.

    Ms Bremner who has served as the Executive Director of Bushfires NT since 2016, brings over 20 years of experience in the Northern Territory Public Service. Her extensive background in emergency management has seen her lead the response to numerous significant events locally and interstate.

    Throughout her career, Ms Bremner has held numerous senior roles, including as Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Management Recovery Sub-Committee, the NT representative on the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Management Committee, and as a board member of the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC). She is also a member of NAFC’s Strategic Committee under the Australian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC).

    Ms Bremner will bring a wealth of knowledge to the role and is committed to leading the service and protecting Territorians during times of crisis.  Chief Minister and Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, Lia Finocchiaro directly appointed Ms Bremner to act in the role from 15 February 2025.

    Mr Warton is taking leave to embark on a once in a lifetime experience as Station Leader at Australia’s Casey Research Station in Antarctica. There he will lead a team of expeditioners and support crucial scientific research through the Antarctic winter.

    Casey Station is one of three Australian research stations in Antarctica and the selection process is long and comprehensive with roles like Station Leader highly sought after and very competitive. Due to the length of the selection process and how far in advance applications are taken, this sabbatical was a known factor when Mr Warton was appointed Commissioner NT Fire and Emergency Services in 2024.

    During his sabbatical, Mr Warton will remain in contact with NTFES staff and volunteers and will provide regular updates to his team during his time away.

     Acting arrangements will remain in place until Commissioner Warton’s return later in the year. His return will depend on the logistics of accessing Casey Research Station, which becomes generally inaccessible during the Antarctic winter.

    The recent formation of the NT Fire and Emergency Services, which combines the NT Fire and Rescue Service, NT Emergency Service, and Bushfires NT into one agency, enhances our ability to respond to emergencies while prioritising community resilience. For more information on the service, visit Welcome | NT Police, Fire & Emergency Services

    For more information on Casey Research Station, visit Antarctic operations – Australian Antarctic Program

    Quotes from Commissioner, Andrew Warton:

    “Leading an emergency services organisation and an Antarctic station may seem worlds apart, but both rely on teamwork, resilience, recognition of community and a commitment to something bigger than ourselves. Whether facing emergencies or keeping a remote station running, success comes down to ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It is an honour to lead the Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services and I’m grateful for the opportunity to undertake this short-term experience, and to bring new perspectives on leadership back to the Northern Territory.”

    “I am pleased to announce Ms. Collene Bremner as Acting Commissioner of NTFES today. Collene’s leadership experience and involvement in both local and national emergency management efforts will ensure that the service continues to operate effectively. I am confident that NTFES staff and the community are in capable hands.

    Quotes from Collene Bremner:

    “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead the NT Fire and Emergency Services.  I have a long association with the operational arms of the Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Services and am excited to continue to lead the ongoing development of the new agency during Andrew’s time in Antarctica.”

    Media contact:

    Rickie Abraham

    0400 814 524

    MIL OSI News –