NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Fatal crash Craigmore

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man has died following a fatal crash at Craigmore this morning.

    Just after 8.30 am today (Friday 31 January), police and emergency services were called to Uley Road after reports of a crash between a black Volkswagen sedan and a white Holden sedan.

    Sadly, the driver a 49-year-old man from Hewett died at the scene.

    Road closures are still in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area.

    The man’s death is the 12th life lost on SA roads this year.

    Police urge anyone who witnessed the crash or who has dashcam footage is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Further appeal for information in Harley Shrimpton homicide investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Lindsay Pilbrow:

    In November 2023, Tauranga Police launched a homicide investigation after Harley Shrimpton was killed at a rural property in Poripori Road, Lower Kaimai, Tauranga.

    He had been missing since he was kidnapped on 3 November 2023 and a missing person report was filed with Police by his whānau.

    In January 2024, 23-year-old Tauranga man Piripi Tukaokao was charged with murder, kidnapping and other related offences. He is remanded in custody and will be appearing in Hamilton High Court in November 2025.

    We know that there were others who assisted the defendant and we are continuing to follow positive lines of enquiry.

    It is crucial that all those responsible in relation to Harley’s death are held to account.

    It’s now been over 14 months since Harley was found and since then a dedicated Police team has continued with enquiries and are closely analysing new information.

    We continue to speak with people close to the investigation and have not ruled out laying further charges against others who may have been involved.

    On behalf of Police and Harley’s whānau, I want to acknowledge the significant public support shown over the last year, to thank everyone who has come forward with information during the course of the investigation, and to urge anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact Police and tell us what you know.

    Information can be passed to Police via our 105 phone service, or by going online to https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105  and using ‘Update Report’, referencing file number 231117/9085.

    Alternatively, information can be passed to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CENTCOM Forces Kill Senior Operative of Terror Group Hurras al-Din, an Al-Qaeda affiliate

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    TAMPA, Fla. – On Jan. 30, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria targeting and killing Muhammad Salah al-Za’bir, a senior operative in the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Conviction of California Man for Wire Fraud and Federal Indian Arts Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A federal jury in New Mexico has found Robert Haack guilty of wire fraud, mail fraud, and violating the Indian Arts and Crafts Act for selling counterfeit Charles Loloma jewelry on eBay, following a 4-day trial that concluded after approximately 4 hours of deliberation.

    Charles Loloma is one of the most well-known Native American jewelry-makers of the 20th century.  Today, his work is featured in many galleries and museums across the southwest.  His authentic pieces can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

    Evidence presented at trial revealed that Haack engaged in a sophisticated scheme to defraud buyers by creating counterfeit Loloma jewelry pieces in his California home and selling them for several thousands of dollars per piece on eBay.  As part of the investigation into Haack, undercover federal agents purchased two pieces, pictured below, from him off of eBay in order to have them analyzed for authenticity.

    Loloma’s niece, Verma Nequatewa, a jeweler who studied under her famous uncle, examined the two pieces purchased from Haack by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agents and testified at trial that they were fakes.

    The jury was also presented with evidence seized from Haack‘s home, including raw materials for jewelry-making, unfinished Loloma-style jewelry, engraving tools hidden in a boot, practice Loloma signatures on metal shards, and design sketches.

    It is estimated that Haack sold more than four-hundred thousand dollars’ worth of fake Loloma jewelry before he was charged. The scheme spanned several years, causing significant harm not only to the victims who were defrauded but also to Loloma’s legacy and the broader Native American art community.

    “We will protect the sacred cultural heritage and unique history of authentic Native American artistry as well as consumers from scammers,” said U.S Attorney Uballez.

    “Robert Haack’s counterfeit operation significantly impacted the Native American art and craft marketplace,” said Doug Ault, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Native American art fraud is a serious crime that exploits consumers and severely undermines the economic and cultural livelihood of Native American artists and Tribes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is equipped with a dedicated team of special agents focused on enforcing the Indian Art and Crafts Act on behalf of the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board. Through these investigations, the Service endeavors to protect and preserve the authenticity of art produced by our Nation’s Native American artisans. We thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their assistance with this investigation.”

    “Native American art fraud is a serious crime that exploits consumers and severely undermines the economic and cultural livelihood of Native American artists and tribes,” said Doug Ault, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “We thank our partners at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their assistance with this investigation.”

    “Counterfeit Indian art – like Robert Haack’s jewelry that he misrepresented and sold as made by Charles Loloma — the father of contemporary Indian jewelry — tears at the very fabric of Indian culture, livelihoods, and communities,” said Meridith Stanton, Director of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB).  “The IACB by statute is responsible for administering the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), an anti-counterfeiting law that protects Indian artists and consumers.  Mr. Haack’s actions demean and rob authentic Indian artists who rely on the creation and sale of their artwork to put food on the table, make ends meet, and pass along these important cultural traditions and skills from one generation to the next.  His actions undermine consumers’ confidence in the Indian art market in the Southwest and nationwide.  Due to the outstanding work of the Office of the U.S. Attorney-District of New Mexico and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service IACA Investigative Unit, Mr. Haack is being held accountable and the message is clear. For those selling counterfeit Indian art and craftwork it is important to know that wherever you are we will diligently work to find you and prosecute you under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act.”

    Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Haack remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Haack faces up to 20 years in prison.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Amy Lueders, Southwest Region Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, made the announcement today.

    The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Law Enforcement investigated this case with assistance from the Indians Arts and Crafts Board. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Justice served in Southland drug operation

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attribute to Southern District Crime Manager Detective Inspector Shona Low:

    Police have smashed a significant Southland drug operation, thanks to some dodgy-looking crockery intercepted by Customs in Auckland.

    Kilograms of drugs, including over 30kg of cannabis, and over $60,000 cash have been seized and two Invercargill men have been arrested and charged.

    The operation began at the Auckland International Mail Centre on 6 January 2025, when a package caught the attention of Customs officers. It was declared to contain dining plates, but an X-ray raised suspicions and testing revealed more than 2kg of MDMA had been pressed into plate shape and coated with paint.

    The package was addressed to an Invercargill property, and the Southern District Organised Crime Group immediately got to work, gathering information and preparing a search warrant.

    On 23 January the Invercargill property was searched, and officers turned up ketamine, cash, ammunition and cannabis. But the most significant discovery was evidence that showed a connection to another Southland address.

    Given the quantities of MDMA intercepted at the border and clear signs of a wider drug operation, Police quickly obtained a search warrant for the second property and prepared to search it that same day.

    At that address, Police were met with an overwhelming smell of cannabis and found a sophisticated grow set-up, numerous plants, and more than 25kg of high-grade cannabis head, packaged and ready to be sold.

    A sizeable amount of a substance, believed to be ketamine, was also located, along with another half-kilogram of MDMA, and more than $60,000 cash.

    This is offending on a scale rarely seen in Southland and serious harm has been prevented, thanks to Customs and Police working closely together and acting fast.

    This wasn’t someone growing a cannabis plant for their own use. It was an organised, sophisticated drug operation designed to make a profit, without any concern for the people affected or damaged by it. The drug trade feeds people’s addictions and fuels crime by encouraging desperate individuals to steal in order to pay for their next hit.

    We know this won’t stop the supply of drugs, it won’t stop organised crime groups or others from trying to profit from addiction, but it will put a noticeable dent in the availability of illegal drugs in the district and the harm caused by them.

    We want to thank the highly trained Customs officers whose efforts have contributed to keeping our communities safe.

    By the numbers:

    • 18kg (40lb) of high-grade cannabis head
    • 12kg (28lb) of leaf
    • 22 Cannabis plants
    • 431g (15.2oz) of MDMA
    • 0.46g of cocaine
    • 210g (7.4oz) of suspected ketamine
    • 6 rounds of .303 ammo, and a magazine
    • 8 rounds of .300 ammo
    • 250 rounds of .22 ammo
    • $60,400 in cash

    A 38-year-old Invercargill man appeared in the Invercargill District Court on 24 January, charged with:

    • Supplying ecstasy
    • Supplying ketamine
    • Cultivating cannabis
    • Possession of cannabis for supply
    • Possession of ecstasy for supply.

    He has been remanded in custody.

    A 34-year-old Invercargill man appeared in the Invercargill District Court on 28 January, charged with:

    • Possession of ketamine
    • Unlawfully possessing ammunition.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Indicted for Kidnapping Mother and Child, Transporting Them from Fresno to Mexico Against Their Will

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Rosa Ventura, 34, of Fresno, and Claudia Gonzales, 38, of Fresno, charging them with conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, and kidnapping involving a child, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, on May 8, 2024, a woman reported her boyfriend after a domestic violence incident, which resulted in his arrest. In retaliation for calling the police, the boyfriend’s sister, Rosa Ventura, took the woman’s 5-month-old daughter away and drove her and her 9-year-old daughter to an unknown field outside Fresno.

    At the field, Ventura’s friend and accomplice, Claudia Gonzales, revealed herself after hiding in the car’s trunk area. Ventura and Gonzales then drove the mother and child straight to Tijuana, Mexico, and stranded them at an unknown bus station in order to dissuade the mother from testifying in the state domestic violence case where she was a victim. The mother and child were held against their will during the drive. At one point, the mother and child attempted to flee at a gas station, but Ventura and Gonzales chased them down and physically forced them back into the car.

    This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Veneman-Hughes and Cody S. Chapple are prosecuting the case.

    The defendants are in custody pending trial. Their next appearance is Feb. 5, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Erica P. Grosjean for their initial appearance on the indictment.

    If convicted, Ventura and Gonzales face a statutory minimum of 20 years to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Luchese Crime Family Solider and Four Associates Plead Guilty to Crimes Including Racketeering, Money Laundering and Illegal Gambling

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today and throughout the past few weeks, in federal court in Brooklyn, five members and associates of the Luchese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra pleaded guilty to multiple crimes, including racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling related to criminal activities throughout New York City. The proceedings were held before United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto.  Today, Luchese crime family soldier Anthony Villani pleaded guilty to racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling.  As part of Villani’s plea agreement, he will pay $4 million in forfeiture.  His co-defendants have agreed to pay an additional approximately $1 million in forfeiture.  Villani and his co-defendants operated a large-scale, illegal online gambling business (the Gambling Business) that operated under the protection of the Luchese crime family across the New York metropolitan area.  The gambling business, known as “Rhino Sports,” operated since the early 2000s and brought millions in illicit profits annually.   

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty pleas.

    “These guilty pleas represent a victory for the rule of law over the pernicious activities of organized crime that undermine the safety of our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Illegal gambling businesses require enforcement and protection from mob rivals that carry the persistent threat of violence.  However, the defendants’ luck ran out and, thanks to the hard work of the team of prosecutors and investigators, they will be held accountable for their crimes and pay their debt to society.”

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy stated: “Our investigations involving members of the Five Families don’t make the same headlines as they have historically. However, the men pleading guilty in this case illustrate how entrenched the traditional mafia are in their noxious and familiar criminality. They are less flashy these days – and a lot of that is due to the incredible cunning and tenacity agents and investigators on our FBI New York Westchester Organized Crime Task Force use to pursue members of these organizations.”

    As detailed in the indictment and court filings, for over 25 years, Villani has been involved in significant gambling operations, principally based in the Bronx and Westchester, New York, that were affiliated with multiple organized crime families.  Villani owned and operated the Gambling Business since at least 2004.  The Gambling Business was hosted using servers in Costa Rica and employed local bookmakers to pay and collect winnings.  Villani’s bookmakers included members and associates of the Luchese crime family and other La Cosa Nostra families.  As part of the scheme, Villani employed trusted individuals, including defendants Louis Tucci, Jr. and Dennis Filizzola, to assist in operating the business and collecting at least $1 million annually.  Records obtained of the Gambling Business’s website indicated that Villani’s illegal gambling operation regularly took bets from between 400 and 1,300 bettors each week, most of whom were based in New York City and the metropolitan area. At Villani’s direction, Filizzola took proceeds from the Gambling Business and used them to purchase U.S. Postal Service money orders in false names, which were then made payable to one of Villani’s property companies to appear as legitimate rental payments.   

    When sentenced, Villani faces up to 20 years in prison.  Louis Tucci, Jr., pleaded guilty on January 27, 2025 to illegal sports betting and faces up to five years in prison.  Filizzola pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to illegal sports betting and money laundering and faces up to five years in prison and up to 20 years in prison on those counts respectively.  James Coumoutsos pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025 to illegal sports betting and faces up to five years in prison.  Michael Praino pleaded guilty on January 10, 2025 to illegal sports gambling and faces up to five years in prison.  A sixth defendant remains at large.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Antoinette N. Rangel is in charge of the prosecution.  Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.

    The Defendants:

    ANTHONY VILLANI
    Age:  60
    Elmsford, NY

    JAMES COUMOUTSOS (also known as “Quick”)
    Age:  62
    Bronx, NY

    DENNIS FILIZZOLA
    Age:  61
    Cortlandt Manor, NY

    MICHAEL PRAINO (also known as “Platinum”)
    Age:  47
    Lake Worth, Florida

    LOUIS TUCCI, JR. (also known as “Tooch”)
    Age:  61
    Tuckahoe, NY

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-405 (KAM)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Police Officer Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Corey Harris, 34, of Exeter, charging him with conspiracy to traffic firearms and unlawful dealing and manufacturing of firearms without a license, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, between 2021 and 2023, Harris, a peace officer with the California Department of Cannabis Control at the time of his arrest and a former officer with the Visalia Police Department, conspired with another individual to traffic in firearms. He conspired to transfer at least three firearms on three different occasions to a person he knew to be a felon, including a stolen AK-style rifle, a Glock handgun, and a privately manufactured machine gun. Privately manufactured firearms are also known as “ghost guns.”

    According to court documents, Harris used his status as a police officer to obtain firearms and firearms accessories that ordinary citizens could not purchase. He manufactured or directed the manufacture of firearms, including machine guns. Despite not having a federal firearms license, Harris was in the business of manufacturing and selling firearms.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Fresno Police Department, the Selma Police Department, the California Department of Cannabis Control, the California Department of Justice, and the Visalia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted of conspiracy to traffic firearms, Harris faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of unlawful dealing and manufacturing of firearms without a license, Harris faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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 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 Australia: Charges – Drug offences – Katherine

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a man in relation to a drug seizure that occurred in Katherine yesterday.

    On Thursday 30 January, the Northern Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk, with the assistance of the Dog Operations Unit and Katherine Criminal Investigation Branch executed a search warrant at a residence in Katherine South. 

    A 50-year-old man was arrested following the seizure of 1.2kg of cannabis, 19 bottles of rum, 123 cans of beer and a quantity of cash.

    The alleged offender has been charged with the Supply Schedule 2 Dangerous drug – Commercial Quantity, Possess Schedule 2 Dangerous Drug – Commercial Quantity and Unauthorised Sale of Liquor.

    He has been remanded to appear in Katherine Location Court on today.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Byron May said “The seizure of these items will have a significant impact towards the reduction of alcohol-related harm and anti-social behaviour in the community.  Northern Territory Police will continue to target those who seek to profit from exploiting the vulnerable people in our community.”

    Anyone with information on the supply of alcohol or drugs to our communities can call police on 131 444 or make an anonymous report to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Johnson, Grassley Make Public Whistleblower Records Revealing DOJ and FBI Plot to Pin Trump in Jack Smith Elector Case

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    WASHINGTON – Today, Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are releasing legally protected whistleblower disclosures that prove the genesis of the federal election interference case brought against President Trump began at the hands of a prolific anti-Trump FBI agent who acted outside of established protocol for opening cases. 

    Internal FBI emails and predicating documents provided to Grassley and released jointly by the two senators show Timothy Thibault, a former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) who was fired from the Bureau after Grassley exposed his public anti-Trump bias, authored the initial language for what ultimately became Jack Smith’s federal case against Trump regarding the 2020 presidential election. Thibault took this action despite being unauthorized to open criminal investigations in his ASAC role. The FBI titled the ensuing investigation “Arctic Frost.” 

    Records further reveal Richard Pilger, an official in the Justice Department (DOJ)’s Public Integrity Section, reviewed and approved the FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation, authorizing DOJ to move forward with a full field criminal and Grand Jury investigation that ultimately transformed into the Trump elector case. Grassley published a 2021 report that raised concerns regarding Pilger’s troubling record at DOJ.

    Grassley in 2022 additionally questioned Thibault’s role at the FBI, writing, “I remain very concerned that political bias by a select group of Justice Department and FBI officials has infected the Justice Department’s and FBI’s usual process and procedure to open and pursue high-profile and politically charged investigations.” In November, Sens. Johnson and Grassley called on Jack Smith to preserve all records related to Trump-targeted investigations.

    The records released by Johnson and Grassley are linked below:

    Grassley provided an overview of the records in his opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Kash Patel’s nomination to be FBI Director. Excerpts from Grassley’s opening statement follow:  

    “In my hand are a series of FBI emails.

    “The first is an email that Thibault sent to a subordinate agent on February 14, 2022.

    “He said, ‘Here is draft opening language we discussed.’  The draft opening was attached, and it included material that would later become part of Jack Smith’s elector case. 

    “The second email is a February 24, 2022, email from Thibault to John Crabb, a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, saying, ‘I had a discussion with the case team and we believe there to be predication to include former President of the United States Donald J. Trump as a predicated subject.’ This FBI case would later be codenamed Arctic Frost. 

    “The third email is a February 24, 2022, email from Thibault to John Crabb noting that Attorney General and FBI Director approval will be sought to open the case. 

    “The fourth email is a February 25, 2022, email from Thibault’s subordinate agents saying they added Trump, and others, as a criminal subject to the case. Thibault responded ‘Perfect.’ 

    “The fifth email is a March 22, 2022, email from Thibault emailing a version of an investigative opening for approval. This didn’t include President Trump as a criminal subject.   

    “The sixth email is an April 11, 2022, email from Thibault approving the opening of Arctic Frost.

    “The seventh email is an April 13, 2022, email from an FBI agent to Thibault stating that the FBI Deputy Director approved its opening. 

    “The eighth email on that same date had Thibault emailing John Crabb that the elector case was approved. Crabb responded, ‘Thanks a lot. Let’s talk next week.’ 

    “Between March 22 and April 13, other versions of the document opening the investigation existed, because a ninth email shows that the FBI General Counsel’s office made edits on March 25. 

    “Was Trump still removed as an investigative subject?  If so, which Justice Department and FBI officials – other than Jack Smith – later added him for prosecution? 

    “I expect the production of all records on this matter to better understand the full fact pattern and whether other records exist.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions FBI Director Nominee, Kash Patel, About His Involvement With The “J6 Choir” And His Conspiracy Theory That The FBI Planned The January 6 Attack

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    January 30, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today again questioned Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during his nomination hearing. Durbin first asked Mr. Patel about political violence and his promotion of the “J6 choir.”

    Mr. Patel co-produced, promoted, and sold a record recorded by the so-called “J6 prison choir” – a group of January 6 rioters who were incarcerated in the D.C. jail in February 2023. He has described the choir’s members as, “political prisoners.” Notably, he has declined to identify the members of the choir. According to one analysis of D.C. Corrections records, there were only 20 January 6 offenders in D.C. jail as of March 2023. Of these, 17 were accused of or already convicted of assaulting law enforcement officers. A recent Special Counsel report identified six members of the choir, five of whom had already pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers before Patel promoted their recording. 

    “When it comes to violence and politics, I personally believe [violence] has no place in politics. Whether it’s violence against Donald Trump or violence against Nancy Pelosi’s husband in her home, period. Those people, [the] Proud Boys, whatever they call themselves, have no place in this country as far as I’m concerned if they espouse violence in any form, do you agree?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Patel replied, “yes.”

    “Why are we so concerned about this choir singing a song? The question is who are you going to care about, who are you going to help? Are you going to help the victims of January 6—the police and their families, or are you going to help the people arrested for assaulting [the Capitol Police officers]? I think the J6 choir looks like a tribute to them—characterizing them as ‘political prisoners’ and unlucky and just patriotic people who may have gotten out of hand. Do you see the difference?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Patel responded that “his track record” shows which side he falls on. Yet despite this statement, he co-produced, promoted, and sold this “J6 choir” record.

    Durbin then asked Mr. Patel about his conspiracy theory that the FBI planned the January 6 attack. The conspiracy theory that January 6 was a false flag operation conducted by the FBI has been repeatedly debunked, including, most recently, in a lengthy report from the Justice Department’s Inspector General.

    “Let me ask you about one of the major conspiracy theories that I’ve heard, and you’re associated with—that the FBI planned January 6. Why did you say that?” Durbin asked.

    Mr. Patel denied stating this conspiracy theory even though on one episode of his podcast he asked, “What was the FBI doing planning January 6th for a year?”

    “Did you really think the FBI was planning January 6 for a year?” Durbin asked again.

    Mr. Patel again repeatedly denied spewing this conspiracy theory despite evidence to the contrary.

    Video of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s second round of questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force Apprehends 5 Austin Homicide Suspects Sought on Capital Murder

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Austin, TX – Members of the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force (LFTFT) continued their work of making Austin neighborhoods safer by apprehending five capital murder suspects in a 26-hour time span from Jan. 29-30.

    The Austin Police Department (APD) requested assistance from the LSFTF to locate and apprehend five suspects sought on capital murder charges from an incident that occurred Nov. 25, 2024, at an apartment complex located in the 400 block of East Wonsley Drive in Austin, where a victim was pronounced deceased on scene. 

    The APD Homicide Unit investigated the incident and identified six suspects who allegedly conspired and acted with one another to commit the murder.

    On Jan. 28, the Homicide Unit obtained warrants on all six suspects in the City of Austin Municipal Court and immediately requested apprehension assistance from the LSFTF – Austin Division to locate and apprehend five suspects who were believed to be in numerous locations within the city. 

    Members of the LSFTF continued investigative efforts with the Austin Police – Intel Unit that quickly led to the apprehension of five suspects, who were considered armed and dangerous. 

    Camron Josh-Anthony Perkins, 22, of Austin, was arrested on Jan. 29 in the 1500 block of E. Howard Lane in Austin. 

    Lorance Jones, 22, and Rhianna Doreen Farillas, 21, of Austin were arrested on Jan. 29 in the 1100 block of Pearl Retreat Lane in Austin. 

    Jon Charles Williard Jr., 20, of Austin was arrested on Jan. 29 in the 5900 block of E. Stassney Lane in Austin. 

    Judaren Makeel Forbes, 20, of Austin was arrested Jan. 30 at the Travis County Courthouse by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office screening deputies at the direction of the LSFTF, who learned Forbes had a scheduled court hearing on an unrelated matter. 

    All suspects have been transported and booked into the Travis County Jail where they await their judicial proceedings.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin – 

    Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
    Georgetown, Round Rock, and San Marcos Police Departments
    Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Offices
    Texas Attorney General’s Office
    Texas Department of Criminal Justice OIG
    Texas Department of Public Safety
    U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement
    U.S. DHS/Homeland Security Investigations

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta’s commitment to border security: Minister Ellis

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Two Years for Possessing Firearm While a Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2025.

    Cylis Chipps, 21, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Chipps was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024.

    On September 15, 2024, Chipps was discovered by law enforcement to be in possession of a pistol along with items that tested positive for methamphetamine. Chipps had previously been convicted of the felony crimes of possession of a controlled substance and stealing a firearm. It is unlawful for a person who has been convicted of a felony to thereafter possess a firearm.

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

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Clark Lake, Michigan, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2025.

    Jamie Lee, age 40, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

    Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2024. She pleaded guilty on November 13, 2024.

    Beginning around March 2023, Lee began obtaining fentanyl along with her boyfriend, Jacob Denker. They picked up fentanyl in Colorado and then brought it to South Dakota. In Rapid City, Lee and her boyfriend had sub-distributors who further distributed fentanyl throughout the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation. This activity continued through September 2023. Overall, Lee and co-conspirators were responsible for bringing over 400 grams of fentanyl to the area. Jacob Denker was previously sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Co-defendant Eugene Giago is scheduled for trial on March 11, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.

    Lee was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following the sentencing. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fairfield Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Steven Daniel Miller, 48, of Fairfield, was sentenced today to four years in prison for one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. Miller was also ordered to pay $36,205.81 in restitution.

    According to court documents, in October 2018, Miller used another person’s social security number to complete a credit application with a bank in order to purchase a 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat at a car dealership in Yuba City. Based on the false information on the credit application, the bank approved the loan and paid approximately $75,754 to the car dealership. Miller left the dealership with the vehicle, and it was subsequently seized by law enforcement.

    Miller pleaded guilty in May 2024. Miller failed to appear for his sentencing scheduled for October 2024. He was arrested in November 2024 and has been in custody since.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service with assistance from the California Highway Patrol, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Rocklin Police Department, the Gilroy Police Department, and the Fairfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Alabama woman pleads guilty to conspiring to create and distribute sadistic animal torture videos

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – An Alabama woman pled guilty today to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crushing videos.

    According to court documents, Stacey Storey, 49, and her co-conspirators administered and were members of private online chat groups on an encrypted messaging platform to fund, view, distribute, and promote videos depicting the torture, murder, and sexually sadistic mutilation of juvenile and adult monkeys.

    Storey and her co-conspirators collectively funded the creation of the videos by co-conspirators outside of the United States who tortured, performed sexually sadistic mutilation of, and murdered the animals. The foreign co-conspirators recorded the brutal acts and transmitted the videos to Storey and co-conspirators in the United States, who would then distribute them to the broader online chat group members, including Storey.

    Between at least Aug. 22, 2021, and July 7, 2022, Storey received hundreds of electronic payments from co-conspirators to fund, among other things, the creation of new animal crush videos by videographers outside the United States. Storey and others had direct communications with a co-conspirator in Indonesia who hired the videographers. Storey and others routinely directed and paid for the creation of the videos, including directing the videographers on how to torture the animals. Storey sent numerous payments for the videos.    

    On or about June 21, 2022, Storey distributed a video to the online chat groups depicting the torture of a juvenile monkey using a jar of ants and sodomy with an object, causing the monkey’s death. Storey stated, “Enjoy this one ladies and gents,” and suggested, “If you guys would like to send in a small donation for this guy a little bonus for a job well done that we’ve always wanted to see would be absolutely amazing.”

    In June 2023, law enforcement seized Storey’s electronic devices. Storey’s electronic media and accounts contained over 675 videos and 11,000 images depicting animal crushing.

    Co-conspirator Michael Macartney, 51, of Chesapeake, pled guilty on April 30, 2024. Macartney was sentenced on Oct. 1, 2024, to three years and six months in prison. Co-conspirator Jeffrey Radtke, 61, of Bloomington, Minnesota, pled guilty on Sept. 24, 2024. Radtke is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13 and faces up to five years in prison. Co-conspirator Drexel Venero, 30, of Rockville, Maryland, pled guilty on December 12, 2024. Venero is schedule to be sentenced on April 22, 2025.

    Storey is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces up to five years in prison. 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 Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi 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. 2:24-cr-103.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemala Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for 10 Years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Guatemala man who resided in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2025.

    Jorge Manuel Rodriguez-Marroquin, age 48, was sentenced to the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and is required to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Rodriguez-Marroquin must register as a sex offender upon release from federal prison.

    Rodriguez-Marroquin was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 12, 2024.

    The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 9, 2024, when Rodriguez-Marroquin used Facebook to start a conversation with who he believed was a 15-year-old girl. He steered the conversation to sexual matters and enticed her to meet up with him for sexual activity. Unbeknownst to Rodriguez-Marroquin, the 15-year-old was an undercover law enforcement agent. Rodriguez-Marroquin was arrested when he showed up at the meet location.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.

    Rodriguez-Marroquin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death. The sentencing took place on January 27, 2025.

    Johnny Allen Neighbors, age 25, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

    Neighbors was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024.

    The conviction stemmed from an incident on January 21, 2023, when Neighbors intentionally distributed a pill containing fentanyl to an adult woman who ingested it and died. Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance.

    “This is yet another example of the lethal nature of fentanyl,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “In an environment where just two milligrams of fentanyl can lead to death, it is imperative that we educate our loved ones on the dangers of fentanyl so that we can avoid the tragic loss of life.”

    This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: North Carolina Man Charged With Transportation And Possession Of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Wilmington, North Carolina man was charged with transporting and possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Barry Grant Bevier, 61, of Wilmington, North Carolina, is charged by complaint with one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.  He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark federal court and was detained.

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

    On November 26, 2024, Bevier returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed at Newark Liberty International Airport.  After Bevier arrived in Newark, law enforcement officers searched Bevier’s cellular phone and found approximately forty-five photographs and approximately twenty-one videos depicting child sexual abuse material.  The officers found multiple photographs and videos of child sexual abuse material that Bevier took himself, along with a “selfie” image of himself and one of the victims.

    The charge of transportation of child pornography carries a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”)—Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey for its assistance.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor A. Chenoweth of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.

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

                                                                 ###

    Defense counsel: Paul A. Di Lella, Esq., Parsippany

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces new Appropriations subcommittee assignments for 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced his roles on the funding panel’s subcommittees in the 119th Congress. 
    “It’s an honor and a privilege to represent Louisianians on the Senate Appropriations Committee. I will continue to advocate for the needs of our state through my work on subcommittees that cover disasters, energy, defense, flood mitigation projects, health care, education, transportation, commerce and science and other key issues,” said Kennedy.
    Kennedy’s Appropriations Committee roles now include: 
    Chair of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development,
    Member of the Subcommittee on Defense,
    Member of the Subcommittee on Homeland Security,
    Member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies,
    Member of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
    and Member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. 
    Read more information on these subcommittees here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Questions FBI Director Nominee Kash Patel on Restoring Trust in FBI & DOJ

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on the nomination of Kash Patel to be Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under the Trump administration, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) discussed with him the need to restore trust in the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after the Biden administration’s politicization of these agencies. Excerpts are below, and video can be found here.

    On Restoring the Rule of Law in America:

    CORNYN: “Do you believe America is an exceptional nation?”

    PATEL: “It’s the greatest nation.”

    CORNYN: “Do you believe a large part of what makes America an exceptional nation is the rule of law?”

    PATEL: “It is one of the fundamental precepts that determines that.”

    CORNYN: “Why is that?”

    PATEL: “Because without a singular application of a rule of law, we go back to the Uganda that my father fled.”

    CORNYN: “I think your biggest task is going to be, along with Pam Bondi at the Office of the Attorney General, is to restore the rule of law to the Department of Justice and the FBI. Are you willing to do that?”

    PATEL: “Absolutely, Senator.”

    CORNYN: “Without regard to partisan affiliation or politics?”

    PATEL: “Absolutely.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Learner rider fined for excessive speed

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Learner rider fined for excessive speed

    Friday, 31 January 2025 – 9:52 am.

    A learner rider has been fined and disqualified from driving for four months after he was detected travelling at 130km/h on the South Arm Highway yesterday.
    Police detected the L-Plater at South Arm about 4pm Thursday travelling 50km/h above the designated speed limit of 80km/h.
    Inspector Kathy Bennett said travelling at such high speeds put both the rider and other road users at risk.
    “This rider was inexperienced and disappointingly put himself, and others, at risk of serious injury or death,” she said.
    “We’re encouraging anyone who witnesses such dangerous driving behaviour to report it to police.”
    Information can be provided by calling police on 131 444. 
    If you can’t report it at the time but you have footage, you can upload it to police.tas.gov.au/report/ 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash, Woolnorth

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Fatal crash, Woolnorth

    Friday, 31 January 2025 – 9:55 am.

    Sadly, a man has died after a serious single-vehicle crash at Woolnorth in the state’s North-West.
    Police and emergency services were called to West Montagu Road at Woolnorth just before 4.40am Friday after reports a vehicle had crashed.
    A Circular Head man in his 20s, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, sadly died at the scene.
    The road will remain closed for several hours while the scene is cleared.
    Motorists are asked to avoid the area.
    Investigations into the crash are ongoing and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.
    Our thoughts are with the man’s family and loved ones.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Edmonton — Alberta RCMP completes another year of Operation Cold Start

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    From Jan. 20 -24, 2025, your Alberta RCMP, along with law enforcement agencies across the province, participated in Operation Cold Start. Operation Cold Start is designed to work with the public to reduce theft of idling vehicles during colder conditions.

    Law enforcement agencies checked unattended, idling vehicles to see if keys were in them, and whether or not they were properly secured. This gave the opportunity to educate vehicle owners on how to keep their vehicles safe during winter months.

    “This campaign was a great chance to meet with community members and remind them that as temperatures dip, leaving a vehicle unattended can lead to it being stolen by opportunistic thieves who can then travel to commit additional crimes,” says Cpl. Mike Black of the Alberta RCMP’s Auto Theft Unit. “By following simple tips, such as using a remote starter, remaining in the vehicle as it warms up, and remembering that vehicles with push starts can be driven without a key present, theft of vehicles can be reduced.”

    During the campaign, the Alberta RCMP noted there were 504 unlocked vehicles left idling with keys in the ignition and 1,277 locked vehicles left idling with keys in the ignition. Officers interacted with 625 vehicle owners and provided 1,128 information pamphlets.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Brockton Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Firearms and Fentanyl Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seven firearms; 26 high-capacity magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition; drugs found during search of defendant’s home

    BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

    Shem Khattiya, 39, was sentenced by Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Khattiya pleaded guilty to a two count Superseding Information charging him with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    In An investigation into Khattiya began in 2023, and in March 2023, a search was conducted at Khattiya’s Brockton apartment where over 800 grams of fentanyl; at least seven different firearms (most of which were loaded, some were ghost guns and some with serial numbers and some assault rifles); 26 high capacity magazines; thousands of rounds of ammunition; a ghost gun creation kit; triggers; a hydraulic kilogram press; and other items used in the manufacturing of drugs and firearms and distribution of drugs were recovered in his bedroom. It has been determined that “triggers” may qualify as machine guns as the purpose was to convert semi-automatic weapons into automatic weapons.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, the Brockton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

    This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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. 
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm as a Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on January 23, 2025.

    Arlen Blackburn, 19, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Blackburn was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Possession of an Unregistered Firearm by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 1, 2024.

    In April 2024, Rapid City Police Department responded to a shots-fired report in town. Law enforcement located a vehicle that matched the description of a vehicle associated with the shots-fired report. The driver of the vehicle initially fled but later stopped and law enforcement discovered Arlen Blackburn inside as a passenger. Law enforcement learned that Arlen Blackburn had discharged a sawed-off shotgun earlier that day. The sawed-off shotgun barrel was far less eighteen inches in length. It is unlawful to possess an unregistered shotgun whose barrel is less than eighteen inches in length.

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

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Box Elder Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Box Elder, South Dakota, man for Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2025.

    Taylor Bloomgren, 23, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Bloomgren must forfeit two Xboxes and four cellular phones. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

    A federal grand jury indicted Bloomgren in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on November 8, 2024.

    Between 2021 and 2023, Bloomgren used his cellular phone, computer, and Xboxes to play online games on Discord. Bloomgren used the platform to communicate with a minor female who was 11 years old when Bloomgren started chatting with her. Bloomgren’s communications with the child resulted in Bloomgren having virtual sex with her. Bloomgren also exchanged sexually explicit photographs and masturbation videos with the child.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    This case was investigated by the Box Elder Police Department and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Defendants Convicted of Killing a Security Guard and Wounding Three Others During the Armed Robbery of a Gambling Location in Brooklyn

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Earlier today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Charles Powell, Brian Castro and Musah Coward on four counts of a superseding indictment charging them with the firearm-related murder of Rodney Maxwell, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy and Hobbs Act robbery. Powell was also convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition.  The charges stem from an armed robbery carried out by the defendants inside an illegal gambling spot located at 181 Hegeman Avenue in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.  The verdict followed a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Eric R. Komitee. When sentenced, the defendants each face a sentence of up to life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdicts.

    “Today’s verdict delivers justice for the victims of this vicious and senseless crime that was driven by greed and carried out with a complete disregard for human life,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “The defendants are responsible for murdering Rodney Maxwell, who was gunned down in cold blood, and the carnage could have been even worse with the wanton shooting of terrified bystanders. I commend the prosecutors in my Office, our law enforcement partners and the jury for holding the defendants accountable for this violent robbery.”

    The evidence at trial proved that the defendants planned and carried out an armed robbery of an illegal gambling spot in Brownsville on October 7, 2020.  The defendants were driven to the Brooklyn location from New Jersey by Coward.  Powell and Castro entered the location while Coward waited outside in the car.  During the robbery, Powell and Castro each shot Maxwell, who had been providing security for location.  Castro shot Maxwell once in the back with a 9-millimeter pistol; and Powell shot him once in the chest with a .380 caliber pistol.  Maxwell later died from his gunshot wounds.  In addition, Powell indiscriminately fired into a crowd of individuals as they desperately attempted to escape the violence, hitting three men, all of whom ultimately survived their wounds. Castro later confessed to the robbery and murder to a friend who, unbeknownst to Castro, was a confidential source for the FBI and recorded the conversation.  In the recording, Castro described how the defendants made off with thousands of dollars and mocked the sound that Maxwell made when he was fatally shot.

    Powell, who has a prior conviction in New Jersey for felony possession of a weapon, was found guilty by the jury of possessing three .380 caliber cartridges on October 7, 2020 corresponding to the shots he fired at the gambling spot.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andy Palacio, Raffaela Belizaire and Megan Larkin are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Theodore Rader.

    The Defendants:

    CHARLES POWELL (also known as “Payback”)
    Age:  26
    Newark, New Jersey

    BRIAN CASTRO (also known as “Morenaje”)
    Age:  24
    Paterson, New Jersey

    MUSAH COWARD (also known as “General Mecka” and “Red” and “General Red”)
    Age:  33 
    Paterson, New Jersey

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-572 (EK)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Havre meth, fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A Havre man who admitted to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in Montana was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Lance Jon Stimson, 33, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force was investigating an individual for distributing fentanyl in Missoula. The investigation showed that the individual supplied Stimson with meth and fentanyl to distribute. In April 2024, officers arrested Stimson for absconding from supervision and located 310 fentanyl pills and 28 grams of heroin in his vehicle. Stimson admitted to working with the individual to distribute more than 7,000 fentanyl pills and 17 ounces of meth between October 2023 and April 2024.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.

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

    XXX

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