NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Crash survivors’ emotional reunion with rescuers

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Hastings Fire Station was the setting for an emotional reunion last week as Mark Stockwell came face-to-face with the emergency crews who freed him after a tree crushed his car.

    Mark was driving home during a storm on Coolart Road in Tuerong last August when the freak incident occurred, trapping him in his vehicle with serious injuries.

    Emergency services arrived swiftly, but it took a challenging 90 minutes of coordinated effort from Hastings, Langwarrin and Dromana CFA members, VICSES, Ambulance Victoria, and Victoria Police to safely extricate him.

    Accompanied by his wife and son, Mark used the reunion as an opportunity to personally thank the first responders for their dedication and teamwork.

    “Words can’t express how grateful I am. Every time I’m at home, I think about all these guys, and I tear up,” Mark said.

    “I get to be a dad, and I get to be a husband because of them.

    “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for what they’ve done and what they continue to do.

    “They have families and could be at home, but instead, they’re out there rescuing people like me. It’s incredible.”

    Recalling the events of that day, Mark said: “I don’t really remember much about it. I just recall thinking, ‘I think I’ve been in an accident,’ and I was coming in and out of consciousness.

    “The guys were trying to keep me awake, but I kept drifting. I remember one moment of pain, like waking from a dream, and thinking, ‘I can’t feel my leg, my back is sore, my neck hurts.’

    “I saw the airbag and thought, ‘Why’s my airbag out? I must have been in an accident. That’s pretty much all I remember.”

    Several key personnel on scene that day also shared their perspectives on the incident and what it meant to see Mark’s recovery firsthand.

    Quotes attributable to CFA Incident Controller Georgia Densley:

    “Rescues like this one really highlight the strength of teamwork between CFA and our emergency service partners.

    “Everyone on scene played their part, including Mark, who stayed calm under immense pressure, which made our job that much easier.

    “It’s incredibly rewarding to see him here today and to witness his recovery firsthand.”

    Quotes attributable to Dutchy Holland, VICSES Hastings Unit Controller:

    “As first responders, having the chance to meet and talk with community members who we support in their time of need is an extremely rewarding experience.

    “I’m very proud of our volunteers who were able to provide timely and much-needed aid alongside other emergency service providers to effect a positive outcome in this instance.”

    Quotes attributable to MICA Paramedic Angus Bowden:

    “Being able to reconnect with a patient and see him thrive after such a serious incident is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do. Mark was not only trapped, but appeared to have sustained multiple traumatic injuries.

    “In this case, the combination of advanced clinical care and collaboration played a crucial role in the patient’s survival and recovery. From start to finish, it was a remarkable team effort, with paramedics, firefighters and SES working together to achieve the best possible outcome.”

    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Death following Summerleas Road Crash on 10 December

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Death following Summerleas Road Crash on 10 December

    Wednesday, 29 January 2025 – 10:31 am.

    Sadly, police can confirm a 75-year-old man died yesterday in Southern Tasmania.
    The man was involved in a crash on Summerleas Road, Fern Tree on 10 December 2024.
    Following the crash the man was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition and has since passed away.
    Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of all involved.
    A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PHOTO RELEASE: Secretary Kristi Noem Hits the Streets with ICE Agents

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    New York City – Today, Secretary Kristi Noem went on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removal operation in New York City. The target of this operation was violent criminals, including a ringleader of Tren De Aragua, in the United States. 

    Secretary Noem addressed the law enforcement agents and officers apart of the operation

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    Secretary Noem addressed the law enforcement agents and officers apart of the operation | View Original
    On January 28, Secretary Noem rode with DHS law enforcement to arrest criminal aliens in New York City.  

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    On January 28, Secretary Noem rode with DHS law enforcement to arrest criminal aliens in New York City.   | View Original
    Secretary Noem with law enforcement outside one of the targets of the removal operation.

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    Secretary Noem with law enforcement outside one of the targets of the removal operation. | View Original
    ICE, DEA, Secret Service, NYPD, ATF New York, and the U.S. Marshalls participated in the immigration raids.  

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    ICE, DEA, Secret Service, NYPD, ATF New York, and the U.S. Marshalls participated in the immigration raids.   | View Original

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation

    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.  Policy and Purpose.  Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions.  This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation’s history, and it must end.

    Countless children soon regret that they have been mutilated and begin to grasp the horrifying tragedy that they will never be able to conceive children of their own or nurture their children through breastfeeding.  Moreover, these vulnerable youths’ medical bills may rise throughout their lifetimes, as they are often trapped with lifelong medical complications, a losing war with their own bodies, and, tragically, sterilization.

    Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called “transition” of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures.

    Sec. 2.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this order:

    (a)  The term “child” or “children” means an individual or individuals under 19 years of age.

    (b)  The term “pediatric” means relating to the medical care of a child.

    (c)  The phrase “chemical and surgical mutilation” means the use of puberty blockers, including GnRH agonists and other interventions, to delay the onset or progression of normally timed puberty in an individual who does not identify as his or her sex; the use of sex hormones, such as androgen blockers, estrogen, progesterone, or testosterone, to align an individual’s physical appearance with an identity that differs from his or her sex; and surgical procedures that attempt to transform an individual’s physical appearance to align with an identity that differs from his or her sex or that attempt to alter or remove an individual’s sexual organs to minimize or destroy their natural biological functions.  This phrase sometimes is referred to as “gender affirming care.”

    Sec. 3.  Ending Reliance on Junk Science.  (a)  The blatant harm done to children by chemical and surgical mutilation cloaks itself in medical necessity, spurred by guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), which lacks scientific integrity.  In light of the scientific concerns with the WPATH guidance:

    (i)   agencies shall rescind or amend all policies that rely on WPATH guidance, including WPATH’s “Standards of Care Version 8”; and 

    (ii)  within 90 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall publish a review of the existing literature on best practices for promoting the health of children who assert gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or other identity-based confusion.

    (b)  The Secretary of HHS, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall use all available methods to increase the quality of data to guide practices for improving the health of minors with gender dysphoria, rapid-onset gender dysphoria, or other identity-based confusion, or who otherwise seek chemical or surgical mutilation.

    Sec. 4.  Defunding Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.  The head of each executive department or agency (agency) that provides research or education grants to medical institutions, including medical schools and hospitals, shall, consistent with applicable law and in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, immediately take appropriate steps to ensure that institutions receiving Federal research or education grants end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.

    Sec. 5.  Additional Directives to the Secretary of HHS.  (a)  The Secretary of HHS shall, consistent with applicable law, take all appropriate actions to end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children, including regulatory and sub-regulatory actions, which may involve the following laws, programs, issues, or documents:

    (i)    Medicare or Medicaid conditions of participation or conditions for coverage;

    (ii)   clinical-abuse or inappropriate-use assessments relevant to State Medicaid programs;

    (iii)  mandatory drug use reviews;

    (iv)   section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act;

    (v)    quality, safety, and oversight memoranda;

    (vi)   essential health benefits requirements; and

    (vii)  the Eleventh Revision of the International Classification of Diseases and other federally funded manuals, including the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.

    (b)  The Secretary of HHS shall promptly withdraw HHS’s March 2, 2022, guidance document titled “HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care, Civil Rights and Patient Privacy” and, in consultation with the Attorney General, issue new guidance protecting whistleblowers who take action related to ensuring compliance with this order.

    Sec. 6.  TRICARE.  The Department of Defense provides health insurance, through TRICARE, to nearly 2 million individuals under the age of 18.  As appropriate and consistent with applicable law, the Secretary of Defense shall commence a rulemaking or sub-regulatory action to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children from TRICARE coverage and amend the TRICARE provider handbook to exclude chemical and surgical mutilation of children.

    Sec. 7.  Requirements for Insurance Carriers.  The Director of the Office of Personnel Management, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, shall:

    (a)  include provisions in the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) and Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) programs call letter for the 2026 Plan Year specifying that eligible carriers, including the Foreign Service Benefit Plan, will exclude coverage for pediatric transgender surgeries or hormone treatments; and

    (b)  negotiate to obtain appropriate corresponding reductions in FEHB and PSHB premiums.

    Sec. 8.  Directives to the Department of Justice.  The Attorney General shall:

    (a)  review Department of Justice enforcement of section 116 of title 18, United States Code, and prioritize enforcement of protections against female genital mutilation;

    (b) convene States’ Attorneys General and other law enforcement officers to coordinate the enforcement of laws against female genital mutilation across all American States and Territories; 

    (c)  prioritize investigations and take appropriate action to end deception of consumers, fraud, and violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act by any entity that may be misleading the public about long-term side effects of chemical and surgical mutilation;

    (d)  in consultation with the Congress, work to draft, propose, and promote legislation to enact a private right of action for children and the parents of children whose healthy body parts have been damaged by medical professionals practicing chemical and surgical mutilation, which should include a lengthy statute of limitations; and

    (e)  prioritize investigations and take appropriate action to end child-abusive practices by so-called sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children, including by considering the application of the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act and recognized constitutional rights.

    Sec. 9.  Enforcing Adequate Progress.  Within 60 days of the date of this order, the heads of agencies with responsibilities under this order shall submit a single, combined report to the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, detailing progress in implementing this order and a timeline for future action.  The Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall regularly convene the heads of agencies with responsibilities under this order (or their designees) to coordinate and prepare for this submission.

    Sec. 10.  Severability.  If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of any of its other provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

    Sec. 11.  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,

        January 28, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard interdicts 21 migrants near Point Loma

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 01/28/2025 06:15 PM EST

     

    01/28/2025 05:54 PM EST

    Coast Guard interdicted a panga with 21 individuals aboard approximately 20 miles off the coast of Point Loma, Monday evening. At approximately 10:45 p.m., U.S. Customs and Border Protection notified Coast Guard personnel at the Joint Harbor Operations Center of a 40-foot panga-style vessel traveling north approximately 40 miles south of the maritime boundary line.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man with History of Violence Sent to Federal Prison for Possessing Sawed-Off Shotgun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man with a history of violence was sentenced today, to 10 years in federal prison.

    Conrad Lyons, age 36, from Sioux City, received the prison term after an August 26, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of receipt and possession of a National Firearms Destructive Device not registered to the possessor, i.e., a sawed-off shotgun. 

    Evidence in this case revealed that on March 23, 2024, at approximately 1:00 a.m., law enforcement received a report of an altercation in an apartment in Sioux City, Iowa, involving Lyons (who is a felon) and several other individuals.  Reports indicated the altercation involved a large machete-style knife, and that Lyons had a “sawed-off shotgun”.  Law enforcement responded to the apartment in Sioux City where the altercation took place.  Outside of the apartment, law enforcement encountered an individual, who confirmed there had been an altercation, and identified some of the individuals, but the individuals inside the apartment were reluctant to cooperate.

    Further, on March 23, 2024, at approximately 8:22 p.m., law enforcement observed Lyons and two other individuals, walking in Sioux City, Iowa.  As law enforcement approached, Lyons dropped a black backpack and walked into the street.  The other individual attempted to throw a machete into a storm drain.  The individuals were stopped by police. The machete was retrieved, and through the open zipper of the backpack, law enforcement observed a barrel and what appeared to be a cut-off gunstock that was covered with a sock. It was later determined Lyons was in possession of the sawed-off shotgun.

    Lyons has a history of violent offenses, failure on supervision, disciplinary violations in custody and a history of eluding, resisting and fighting with law enforcement.  Lyons criminal history includes (1) assaulting, resisting, or impeding an officer, in the United States District Court of Nebraska; (2) assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country, in the United States District Court of Nebraska; and (3) assault by striking, beating, and wounding, in the United States District Court of Nebraska.

    Lyons was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 120 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    Lyons is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-4026.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maplewood Man Accused of Selling Machine Gun Conversion Devices

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A man from Maplewood, Missouri has been arrested on charges accusing him of selling machine gun conversion devices.

    Tanario Darden, 22, was arrested Monday and pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two felony counts: transporting prohibited weapons without a license and transferring machine guns. He was indicted on those charges January 22.

    The indictment says Darden transported and sold one or more machine guns between April 1, 2024, and August 30, 2024.

    Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    A motion seeking to have Darden held in jail until trial says he was using a social media account to sell machine gun conversion devices (MCDs).

    MCDs, also known as switches or auto sears, convert a semi-automatic firearm into fully automatic weapon, which is defined as a machine gun under federal law.

    “These highly dangerous devices can convert a run-of-the-mill firearm into a weapon of war, transforming a street corner into a combat zone, devastating entire communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Bernard G. Hansen of the ATF Kansas City Field Division.

    The transporting prohibited weapons charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison. The machine gun charge carries a penalty of 10 years in prison.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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 USA: Jamaican Citizen Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Lottery Scheme

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A federal judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, sentenced a Jamaican citizen yesterday to prison for operating a Jamaica-based fraudulent lottery scheme.

    Antony Linton Stewart, 40, pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in the Western District of North Carolina.  On Jan. 27, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad sentenced Stewart to 84 months in prison. Stewart was also ordered to pay $1,104,041.74 in restitution.

    According to court documents, and as part of his plea, Stewart acknowledged that from approximately 2010 through at least August 2016, he led a fraudulent lottery fraud scheme in which he and his co-conspirators targeted victims in the United States. Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by phone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery.  Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings.  He repeatedly contacted victims for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money. No lottery existed and no victim ever received any winnings.

    “Overseas lottery schemes are unfortunately a common means by which foreign criminals seek to target U.S. citizens, particularly elder Americans,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Such schemes are unacceptable, and the Department will hold accountable those who participate in them.”

    “Stealing money from elderly individuals is a despicable crime,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that fraudsters who target and exploit older adults for financial gain will be brought to justice.”

    This prosecution is part of the Justice Department’s effort to work with federal and foreign law enforcement to combat fraudulent lottery schemes in Jamaica that prey on U.S. citizens.

    The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant assistance.

    Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina.

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

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc. Information about the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Minneapolis Mayoral Aide and Safari Restaurant Co-Owner Both Plead Guilty in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS –Two more defendants pleaded guilty for their roles in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from approximately April 2020 through January 2022, Abdulkadir Nur Salah, 38, of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and Abdi Nur Salah, 37, of St. Paul, Minnesota, knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud a federal child nutrition program designed to provide free meals to children in need. The co-conspirators obtained, misappropriated, and laundered millions of dollars in program funds that were intended as reimbursements for the cost of serving meals to children. The defendants exploited changes in the program intended to ensure underserved children received adequate nutrition during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rather than feed children, the defendants took advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic—and the resulting program changes—to enrich themselves by fraudulently misappropriating millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds.

    According to court documents, Abdulkadir Nur Salah was co-owner and operator of Safari Restaurant, a site that received more than $16 million in fraudulent Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Abdi Nur Salah registered Stigma-Free International, a non-profit entity used to carry out the fraud scheme with sites throughout Minnesota, including in Willmar, Mankato, St. Cloud, Waite Park, and St. Paul. Abdi Salah also worked for the City of Minneapolis as a Senior Policy Aide to the Mayor. 

    As part of their plea agreement entered today, each defendant agreed that a variety of assets and money were derived specifically from their fraud scheme and are thus subject to forfeiture to the United States. For Abdulkadir Salah that includes: $309,993.51 seized from Bell Bank account for Cosmopolitan Business Solutions d/b/a Safari Restaurant; $435,512.44 seized from Bell Bank account for 3017 LLC; $472,889.08 seized from Northeast Bank account for 3017 LLC; real estate property located at 2722 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota. For Abdi Salah, that includes $343,418.98 seized from Star Choice Credit Union account for Stone Bridge Development, LLC; real estate properties located at 8432 Noble Avenue, North Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (known previously as Kelly’s 19th Hole) and 2529 12th Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

    Both pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz. Their sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, Matthew S. Ebert, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charles City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A man who possessed meth with intent to distribute it was sentenced today to more than 7 years in federal prison.

    Jeremy Thomas Scott, age 46, from Charles City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 17, 2024, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine.  

    At the guilty plea, Scott admitted that he was a passenger in a van that was stopped by law enforcement on I-35 on June 6, 2024, in Cerro Gordo County.  Law enforcement had received a tip that Scott was traveling to Iowa from California with multiple pounds of methamphetamine. 

    A K-9 was deployed around the van and provided a positive alert. Scott admitted to having a methamphetamine pipe in the door of the van where he was seated and claimed everything in the van was his.  A search of the van by the ISP troopers found approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine seized from inside a Rice Krispies box.  

    Scott was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Scott was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Scott is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Fletcher and was investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Iowa State Patrol.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR03031.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Tufts Medical Center Doctor Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    BOSTON – A former anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston was sentenced today for attempted sex trafficking of a child.

    Sadeq Ali Quraishi, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In October 2024, Quraishi was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child.

    “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Mr. Quraishi’s heinous actions and underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting children from exploitation. Our office, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who fuel the market for child sex trafficking and hold them accountable for their crimes. This sentence reflects our dedication to identifying those who prey on our most vulnerable and holding them accountable for their inhumane acts,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.

    “As a doctor, Quraishi was in a position of public trust. He abused that trust when he actively sought out and agreed to pay to sexually abuse a child. Fortunately, instead of the vulnerable child he planned to meet, he was met with an undercover HSI special agent,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “It is a heartbreaking truth that children are trafficked every day, but HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to fight the exploitation of children here in Massachusetts and around the world.”

    In November 2022, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation designed to identify and apprehend people who sought to pay for sex with children. To that end, law enforcement placed advertisements online offering commercial sex with two young girls who were purportedly 12 and 14 years old.

    Quraishi, then a practicing anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center, responded to one of the advertisements. Through an ensuing text conversation with undercover agents posing as the seller of the two girls, Quraishi agreed to pay $250 for a sex act to be performed by a 14-year-old girl. Shortly thereafter, Quraishi obtained cash from an ATM, and drove from his Boston home to a Waltham hotel to meet with the purported seller. Once at the hotel, he met with an undercover agent, confirmed he had the money to pay for the commercial sex act, and accepted a keycard he believed would give him access to the room where the 14-year-old girl would be. During that meeting, Quraishi was arrested and found to be in possession of exactly $250.

    If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

    U.S. Attorney Foley and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Lauren A. Graber of Criminal Division prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Marshall County Man Sentenced for Role in a Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

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

    WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – KC Vanover, age 48, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Vanover was working with others to sell hundreds of grams of methamphetamine in Marshall County and elsewhere. The organization’s source of supply was in Georgia. Vanover has prior convictions for grand larceny and battery.

    Vanover will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    Investigative agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration-Wheeling; the Drug Enforcement Administration-Clarksburg; the Drug Enforcement Administration-Cleveland; the Drug Enforcement Administration-Detroit; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia State Parole; the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department; the Moundsville Police Department; the Marshall County Prosecutors Office; the Wheeling Police Department; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department; the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office (Ohio); the Belmont County Drug Task Force (Ohio); the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Benwood Police Department; and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (Ohio).         

    U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington man admits illegal possession of firearms after being removed from Amtrak train in Montana

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

    MISSOULA —A Washington man with a bank robbery conviction admitted today to illegally possessing firearms after law enforcement removed him from an Amtrak train in Libby and found him in possession of multiple guns, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Mallory Nehemiah Brown, 43, of Auburn, Washington, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Brown faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Sentencing was set for May 29 before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Brown was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that in 2004, Brown was convicted of bank robbery in federal district court in California and prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On Jan. 8, 2024, Brown boarded an Amtrak train in Seattle, Washington, with a black duffel bag and several long boxes. Brown placed his bags and boxes on the luggage rack. The train was bound for Washington, D.C., with a stop in Chicago, Illinois. On Jan. 9, 2024, the train stopped in Libby based on a complaint by other passengers about Brown. Law enforcement removed Brown from the train. The train conductor located Brown’s bags. Inside, he discovered four firearms, ammunition, magazines, a suppressor, eight firearms receivers, night vision goggles, a tactical vest and other assorted accessories. The four firearms were identified as a .22LR HV rifle, which had a serial number; a 12-gauge pump shotgun with an obliterated serial number; a 12-gauge semi-auto shot gun with no visible serial number; and a 9mm semi-auto pistol with no visible serial number. Brown denied the bags belonged to him, however, several Amtrak employees identified Brown as the person who loaded the bags on the train. One of the boxes had a shipping label on it addressed to “Mallory Brown.”

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Libby Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, FBI and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Admits Transporting Minor to Super Bowl, St. Louis for Prostitution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – A Missouri man pleaded guilty Tuesday and admitted transporting a minor across state lines for sex.

    JoeMarius Green, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution. Green’s co-defendant, Chantel Robinson, 20, pleaded guilty in November to one felony count of possession of child pornography.

    Green admitted as part of his plea that he took a female minor and others from Dallas to Kansas City on Feb. 12, 2023, to engage in prostitution during the Super Bowl. After about four days, Green took the victim and others to a St. Louis area hotel for the same reason. Green admitted managing the online prostitution ads, renting hotel rooms, setting price points for sex acts and taking all cash proceeds from the victim’s commercial sex acts.

    Robinson admitted engaging in commercial sex acts, taking sexually explicit and sexually suggestive photos of minors and posting online advertisements for commercial sex acts. She oversaw the prostitution activities of minors when Green was absent.

    Green is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25. The charge carries a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. Robinson is scheduled to be sentenced April 8. Her charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

    The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force Apprehends 2 Suspects Connected to Deadly Shooting in Austin

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Austin, TX – Members of the U.S. Marshals-led Lone Star Fugitive Task Force today arrested a juvenile* who is one of two suspects sought for a Jan. 24 murder in Austin. 

    Another suspect, Bill Tarlue Nyanway, 18, of Austin, was arrested Jan. 27 and charged with tampering with physical evidence that stemmed from the shooting incident. 

    The Austin Police Department, Homicide Division investigated the shooting incident in the 10200 block of Wildhorse Ranch Trail and obtained arrest warrants in the Austin Municipal Court Jan. 27 for the two individuals believed to be connected to the deadly shooting incident. 

    When Austin Police, Fire and Travis County Emergency Medical Services responded to the location, they discovered a white sedan which had been reported crashed in a ditch near Manor Excel Academy, and a victim had been shot. They attempted life-saving measures on the victim, who was ultimately pronounced deceased on scene. 

    The Austin Police Department requested assistance from the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in the Austin Division to locate and apprehend both suspects.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force initiated a fugitive investigation and arrested Nyanway in the 9400 block of North Lamar Blvd without incident, booking him into the Travis County Jail where he will await further judicial proceedings. 

    The juvenile was arrested without incident in the 14500 block of Heartland Drive in Manor and was transported to the Austin Police Headquarters.

    Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in Austin – 

    Austin Police Department-Tactical Intelligence Unit
    Georgetown, Round Rock, and San Marcos Police Department
    Caldwell, Hays, Travis, and Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
    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

    *USMS policy generally prohibits naming juvenile suspects.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican Citizen Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Lottery Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    A federal judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, sentenced a Jamaican citizen yesterday to prison for operating a Jamaica-based fraudulent lottery scheme.

    Antony Linton Stewart, 40, pleaded guilty on Aug. 3, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, in the Western District of North Carolina.  On Jan. 27, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Conrad sentenced Stewart to 84 months in prison. Stewart was also ordered to pay $1,104,041.74 in restitution.

    According to court documents, and as part of his plea, Stewart acknowledged that from approximately 2010 through at least August 2016, he led a fraudulent lottery fraud scheme in which he and his co-conspirators targeted victims in the United States. Stewart admitted that he contacted elderly Americans by phone and falsely told them that they had won money and other prizes in a sweepstakes or lottery.  Stewart told victims that they needed to send money to pay fees and taxes on their winnings.  He repeatedly contacted victims for as long as they could be persuaded to send additional money. No lottery existed and no victim ever received any winnings.

    “Overseas lottery schemes are unfortunately a common means by which foreign criminals seek to target U.S. citizens, particularly elder Americans,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Such schemes are unacceptable, and the Department will hold accountable those who participate in them.”

    “Stealing money from elderly individuals is a despicable crime,” said U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message that fraudsters who target and exploit older adults for financial gain will be brought to justice.”

    This prosecution is part of the Justice Department’s effort to work with federal and foreign law enforcement to combat fraudulent lottery schemes in Jamaica that prey on U.S. citizens.

    The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and extradition of Stewart. The U.S. Marshals Service also provided significant assistance.

    Trial Attorney Ryan E. Norman of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina.

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

    For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc. Information about the Justice Department’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Woman Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Involving Claims for Unnecessary Respiratory Tests Submitted with COVID-19 Tests

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A California woman was sentenced today to nine years in prison for her role in fraudulently submitting claims to governmental and private insurance programs during the COVID‑19 pandemic for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests that were medically unnecessary and never ordered by health care providers.

    According to court documents, Lourdes Navarro, 66, of Glendale, and Imran Shams owned and controlled Matias Clinical Laboratory, doing business as Health Care Providers Laboratory (HCPL). Navarro and Shams conspired to obtain nasal swab specimens that enabled HCPL to test for COVID-19, as well as to obtain testing orders from physicians and other medical professionals. The specimens were collected from, among others, residents and staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation facilities, and similar types of facilities, and from students and staff at primary and secondary schools, for the purported purpose of conducting screening tests to identify and isolate individuals infected with COVID-19. However, Navarro and Shams caused HCPL to perform RPP tests on most of the specimens, even though only COVID-19 testing had been ordered and there was no medical justification for conducting RPP tests on asymptomatic individuals who needed only COVID-19 screening tests. Through HCPL, Navarro and Shams billed approximately $369 million for the RPP tests to Medicare, the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program, and a private health insurance company, and were reimbursed approximately $46.7 million for fraudulent claims.

    Navarro was also ordered to forfeit $11,662,939 in funds that the government had previously seized from three bank accounts. The total amount seized and forfeited from Navarro and Shams is $14,518,485. Navarro also was ordered to pay $46,735,400 in restitution.

    Navarro pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2023, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. Shams pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2023, in the Central District of California to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and concealment of his exclusion from Medicare and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Jan. 30, 2024. In addition, on May 29, 2024, Shams was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with his 2017 plea in the Eastern District of New York to conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and defrauding the United States by obstructing the lawful functions of the IRS, of which three years were ordered to run consecutive to the Central District of California sentence.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rochelle Wong of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Gary A. Winters and Raymond E. Beckering III of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California handled the financial penalties.

    The Justice Department’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force marshals the resources of the department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump 2.0 chaos and destruction — what it means Down Under

    What will happen to Australia — and New Zealand — once the superpower that has been followed into endless battles, the United States, finally unravels?

    COMMENTARY: By Michelle Pini, managing editor of Independent Australia

    With President Donald Trump now into his second week in the White House, horrific fires have continued to rage across Los Angeles and the details of Elon Musk’s allegedly dodgy Twitter takeover began to emerge, the world sits anxiously by.

    The consequences of a second Trump term will reverberate globally, not only among Western nations. But given the deeply entrenched Americanisation of much of the Western world, this is about how it will navigate the after-shocks once the United States finally unravels — for unravel it surely will.

    Leading with chaos
     Now that the world’s biggest superpower and war machine has a deranged criminal at the helm — for a second time — none of us know the lengths to which Trump (and his puppet masters) will go as his fingers brush dangerously close to the nuclear codes. Will he be more emboldened?

    The signs are certainly there.

    President Donald Trump 2.0 . . . will his cruelty towards migrants and refugees escalate, matched only by his fuelling of racial division? Image: ABC News screenshot IA

    So far, Trump — who had already led the insurrection of a democratically elected government — has threatened to exit the nuclear arms pact with Russia, talked up a trade war with China and declared “all hell will break out” in the Middle East if Hamas hadn’t returned the Israeli hostages.

    Will his cruelty towards migrants and refugees escalate, matched only by his fuelling of racial division?

    This, too, appears to be already happening.

    Trump’s rants leading up to his inauguration last week had been a steady stream of crazed declarations, each one more unhinged than the last.

    He wants to buy Greenland. He wishes to overturn birthright citizenship in order to deport even more migrant children, such as  “pet-eating Haitians” and “insane Hannibal Lecters” because America has been “invaded”.

    It will be interesting to see whether his planned evictions of Mexicans will include the firefighters Mexico sent to Los Angeles’ aid.

    At the same time, Trump wants to turn Canada into the 51st state, because, he said,

    “It would make a great state. And the people of Canada like it.”

    Will sexual predator Trump’s level of misogyny sink to even lower depths post Roe v Wade?

    Probably.

    Denial of catastrophic climate consequences
    And will Trump be in even further denial over the catastrophic consequences of climate change than during his last term? Even as Los Angeles grapples with a still climbing death toll of 25 lives lost, 12,000 homes, businesses and other structures destroyed and 16,425 hectares (about the size of Washington DC) wiped out so far in the latest climactic disaster?

    The fires are, of course, symptomatic of the many years of criminal negligence on global warming. But since Trump instead accused California officials of “prioritising environmental policies over public safety” while his buddy and head of government “efficiency”, Musk blamed black firefighters for the fires, it would appear so.

    Will the madman, for surely he is one, also gift even greater protections to oligarchs like Musk?

    Trump has already appointed billionaire buddies Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to:

     “…pave the way for my Administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures and restructure Federal agencies”.

    So, this too is already happening.

    All of these actions will combine to create a scenario of destruction that will see the implosion of the US as we know it, though the details are yet to emerge.

    The flawed AUKUS pact sinking quickly . . . Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with outgoing President Joe Biden, will Australia have the mettle to be bigger than Trump. Image: Independent Australia

    What happens Down Under?
    US allies — like Australia — have already been thoroughly indoctrinated by American pop culture in order to complement the many army bases they house and the defence agreements they have signed.

    Though Trump hasn’t shown any interest in making it a 52nd state, Australia has been tucked up in bed with the United States since the Cold War. Our foreign policy has hinged on this alliance, which also significantly affects Australia’s trade and economy, not to mention our entire cultural identity, mired as it is in US-style fast food dependence and reality TV. Would you like Vegemite McShaker Fries with that?

    So what will happen to Australia once the superpower we have followed into endless battles finally breaks down?

    As Dr Martin Hirst wrote in November:

    ‘Trump has promised chaos and chaos is what he’ll deliver.’

    His rise to power will embolden the rabid Far-Right in the US but will this be mirrored here? And will Australia follow the US example and this year elect our very own (admittedly scaled down) version of Trump, personified by none other than the Trump-loving Peter Dutton?

    If any of his wild announcements are to be believed, between building walls and evicting even US nationals he doesn’t like, while simultaneously making Canadians US citizens, Trump will be extremely busy.

    There will be little time even to consider Australia, let alone come to our rescue should we ever need the might of the US war machine — no matter whether it is an Albanese or sycophantic Dutton leadership.

    It is a given, however, that we would be required to honour all defence agreements should our ally demand it.

    It would be great if, as psychologists urge us to do when children act up, our leaders could simply ignore and refuse to engage with him, but it remains to be seen whether Australia will have the mettle to be bigger than Trump.

    Republished from the Independent Australia with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speed limit reduction reversals begin

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop.

    “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads.

    “National campaigned on reversing the blanket speed limit reductions at the last election, and over 65 per cent of submitters during consultation on the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 agreed.

    “Reversing the speed limit reductions where safe to do so is also part of the National-ACT coalition agreement.

    “Where Labour was about slowing New Zealand down, the coalition Government is all about making it easier for people and freight to get from A to B as quickly and efficiently as possible, which will help drive economic growth and improved productivity.”

    The Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2024 requires NZTA and local councils to reverse all speed limits lowered since January 2020 on several categories of roads back to their previous limits by 1 July 2025.

    “Labour’s Kieran McAnulty said recently that as Associate Transport Minister under the previous government he’d asked NZTA to review the SH2 Wairarapa speed limit, and that they told him no. It seems he just shrugged and accepted that,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Today provides a classic example of our Government’s determination to stop letting government agencies put things in the too-hard basket, and instead to push forward for actual results.

    “Today provides a classic example of our Government’s determination to stop letting government agencies put things in the too-hard basket, and instead to push forward for actual results.

    “The first state highway to reverse will be the section of SH2 between Featherston and Masterton, where the speed limit reduction in early 2023 under the previous government met with huge community hostility – the exact road that Kieran McAnulty failed to get any action on. This change which will take effect overnight tonight.

    “To ensure this process happens efficiently, over the next few months NZTA will incorporate the automatic speed reversal work alongside planned maintenance and project works.

    “I have also released a further list of 49 sections of state highway for further public consultation so local communities can have their say on keeping their current lower speed limit or returning to the previous higher speed. Public consultation on those sections begins tomorrow and will run for six weeks. 

    “In terms of local road changes, councils have until 1 May 2025 to advise NZTA of the specified roads subject to reversal under the new Rule.”

    The new rule requires reduced variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times.

    “We are prioritising the safety of Kiwi kids by introducing reduced speed limits outside schools during pick-up and drop-off times. We want to see these changes brought about quickly,” Mr Bishop says.

    “By 1 July 2026, local streets outside a school will be required to have a 30km/h variable speed limit. Rural roads that are outside schools will be required to have variable speed limits of 60km/h or less.

    “Throughout the world, 50km/h is used as the right speed limit to keep urban roads flowing smoothly and safely. The evidence on this is clear – comparable countries with the lowest rates of road deaths and serious injuries, such as Norway, Denmark, and Japan, have speed limits of 50km/h on their urban roads, with exceptions for lower speed limits.

    “These countries have strong road safety records, targeting alcohol, drugs, and speeding. Our Government has a clear focus on improving road safety outcomes with clear targets to ensure Police are focussed on the most high-risk times, behaviours, and locations.”

    Notes to editor:

    Attached fact sheets:

    • 38 sections of state highway for speed limit auto reversal
    • 49 sections of state highway for community consultation

    Under the Setting of Speed Limits Rule signed by previous Transport Minister Simeon Brown in September 2024, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) and councils are required to reverse all speed limits lowered since January 2020 on several categories of specified roads back to their previous limits by 1 July 2025.

    To give effect to the new Rule, NZTA will automatically reverse speed limits on 38 sections of the state highway network back to their previous higher speed limit, and publicly consult on a further 49 sections before final decisions are made whether to reverse them or not.

    Public consultation on 49 sections of state highway will begin on 30 January 2025 and run for six weeks. 

    Further note:

    The reference to Mr McAnulty’s comments regarding SH2 in the Wairarapa is taken from Kate Judson’s article in The Wairarapa Times-Age, Jan 25 2025: Slow road back to 100kph for Wairarapa motorists:

    Labour list MP Kieran McAnulty said he was not convinced SH2 speeds south of Greytown would change by July because the decision rested with NZTA.

    “It wouldn’t surprise me if they said they’ll put it up to 100kph if the road gets improved,” he said.

    “I know how resolute NZTA were on it. I was associate transport minister and looked them in the eye and said, ‘I want you to review the speed limit,’ and they said no.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SECURING MISSOURI’S FUTURE: Governor Kehoe Delivers First State of the State Address

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JANUARY 28, 2025

    Jefferson City — JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today, Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his first State of the State Address to the Missouri General Assembly, outlining his legislative and budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).

    Governor Kehoe opened his first address to the 103rd General Assembly by reflecting on lessons learned to stay humble from his mentor, Dave Sinclair, with a commitment to working with the members of the legislature during his time as governor.

    “I said earlier that I will never forget my roots. Well, I’ve sat where you sit. I understand the pressures you face. And I want to work with you—not against you—because I believe we can only secure Missouri’s future if we work together,” said Governor Kehoe.

    Governor Kehoe’s speech focused on the policy priorities that have remained a central focus at the start of his administration, beginning with public safety.

    “Any efforts we may make to improve the lives of Missourians–whether it be education opportunities, cutting taxes, or expanding childcare–none of it matters if Missourians aren’t safe,” Governor Kehoe said. “Securing Missouri’s future begins with public safety.”

    Public Safety

    During his speech, Governor Kehoe discussed the actions his administration took on Inauguration Day, signing six executive orders developed based on input from law enforcement to launch the Safer Missouri initiative.

    To support law enforcement recruitment and retention efforts, Governor Kehoe’s budget recommends funding to bolster the existing Missouri Blue Scholarship Program for law enforcement basic training and $10 million in new funding to assist local communities who prioritize public safety with equipment and training needs through the Blue Shield Program.

    The budget also includes $2.5 million to support the sheriff’s retirement system for another year, and funding for a new crime lab in Cape Girardeau, serving the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop E region.

    As part of the Safer Missouri initiative, Governor Kehoe urged the General Assembly to pass a comprehensive crime bill that includes increasing penalties for crimes like violent rioting and fleeing from law enforcement in a vehicle, cracking down on criminals who participate in reckless stunt driving and street racing, and efforts to increase oversight and accountability of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

    To combat the fentanyl crisis and identify areas of high fentanyl use in schools across the state, Governor Kehoe’s budget includes a $4 million investment for fentanyl testing in wastewater systems at schools. Governor Kehoe also encouraged the legislature to take action on increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking.

    Economic Development

    Governor Kehoe emphasized his efforts to make Missouri a welcoming state for business investment. From manufacturers, to retail, to Missouri’s sports teams: businesses who provide jobs and opportunities to Missourians are an important part the state’s economic success.

    In order to compete with other states, the Kehoe Administration will focus on reducing taxes and cutting regulations, so families keep more of their own money, and so job creators look at our state to expand and hire more hard-working Missourians.

    Governor Kehoe announced that he has directed the Missouri Department of Revenue to work with his staff on a sustainable and comprehensive plan to eliminate the individual income tax once and for all.

    And, knowing that infrastructure and economic development go hand in hand, Governor Kehoe’s budget includes a reappropriation of last year’s 100 million dollars for rural road improvements to ensure all of those funds are invested in rural infrastructure.

    Governor Kehoe’s speech focused largely on solving the biggest challenge to the child care crisis: addressing the current regulatory environment.

    In an effort to make the child care regulations easier to understand and navigate, Governor Kehoe issued Executive Order 25-15, charging the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-Office of Childhood with a complete re-write of the child care regulations.

    The budget also includes $10 million to offer grant funding opportunities to support partnerships between employers, community partners, and the child care industry to make more child care slots available for Missouri families.

    In an effort to provide timely payments for the child care providers who partner with the state to provide care, providers will receive payments from the state at the beginning of the month on enrollment, starting in fiscal year 2026.

    To build on Missouri’s career and technical education opportunities, Governor Kehoe’s budget includes $15 million in new funding to address equipment, space, and operational needs of career and technical centers across the state, as well as an increase of $5 million on an annual basis to support increased operational costs.

    The budget includes increased funding to expand career counseling to more high schools across the state, so that students can talk to school counselors about their future career path, whether that includes college or not.

    Governor Kehoe also signed Executive Order 25-16 establishing the Governor’s Workforce of the Future Challenge, instructing DESE to put a plan in place for better coordination among key stakeholders, including K-12 schools, local business and industry, and higher education to improve the state’s career and technical education programs and infrastructure.

    Agriculture

    Securing the future of agriculture also means investing in the next generation. Governor Kehoe’s budget includes $800,000 in permanent funding for Missouri FFA.

    Additionally, the budget includes $55 million in new bonding to support the construction of a 40,000 square foot covered multi-use livestock barn and 80,000 square foot stalling barn to house equine and other livestock at the Missouri State Fair’s new arena, which was previously supported by the legislature and is now under construction.

    Education

    Governor Kehoe is a proud supporter of education in all of its forms–public schools, private schools, charter schools–as long Missouri’s children are getting a quality education that best meets their needs.

    To expand school choice, Governor Kehoe urged the General Assembly to pass voluntary open enrollment in public schools.

    Governor Kehoe’s budget also includes $50 million in general revenue funding to bolster the ESA program.

    This year, Governor Kehoe’s budget recommends a $200 million increase for the Foundation Formula, the largest increase since the current Formula was created. And, over $370 million to fully fund the state’s commitment for school transportation needs. For teachers, the budget includes $33 million to fund teacher salaries. Additionally, the budget includes $30 million for Small School Grants to support the continued success of our small rural school districts, the heartbeat of their communities.

    Governor Kehoe also signed Executive Order 25-14 establishing the School Funding Modernization Task Force to recommend changes to the Foundation Formula to better serve students and families.

    Government Improvements 
    To continue to recruit and retain quality state team members, Governor Kehoe announced a statewide time of service pay plan increase for state employees.

    Governor Kehoe also previewed action on DEI programs in state government and support for creating Missouri’s own version of a DOGE initiative. He committed to working with the General Assembly on these efforts in the coming weeks.

    During his speech, Governor Kehoe recognized special guests for their achievements and commitment to the people of Missouri:

    Special Guests of the Governor

    • Lizzy Schott
    • Safer Missouri Initiative Group
    • Alena Malone
    • Adeline Thessen
    • USS Missouri Crew Members  

    Governor Kehoe emphasized there are safer choices than abortion in Missouri and committed to helping pregnant women know these exist, including the Pregnancy Resource Centers across the state. The budget includes support for alternatives to abortion with $4 million  in additional funding to benefit expecting and new mothers, a more than 50% increase to existing services.

    Governor Kehoe closed the speech thanking veterans and service members, adding that his proposed budget includes an additional $10 million of general revenue funding to our Missouri Veterans Homes.

    “Our work in this building is only possible because of those who came before us: the sacrifices of our brave service men and women,” said Governor Kehoe. “Under the Kehoe Administration, NO veterans home will close due to a lack of state funding.”

    To view a full transcript of Governor Kehoe’s speech and special guest bios, please see attachments. To view the FY2026 Budget in Brief, please see attachment.

    The FY26 Executive Budget will be available here at 3:00 p.m. To view the executive orders signed by Governor Kehoe, visit this link.

    Pictures from today’s events, including special guests, will be available on Flickr. An archived video of the 2025 State of the State is available at mo.gov/live.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: McKeesport Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a violation of federal firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Paul Kirk, 29, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on August 22, 2023, Kirk fled from McKeesport Police officers during a traffic stop. Upon Kirk’s being taken into custody a short distance from the traffic stop, officers found a loaded handgun in the defendant’s pocket. Kirk has multiple previous felony convictions. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

    Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for May 29, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Pending sentencing, the court ordered that the defendant remain in custody.

    Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and McKeesport Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Kirk.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Belcourt Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse and Domestic Assault by Strangulation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Justin Lee Baker, age 44, from Belcourt, ND, appeared in federal court on January 28, 2025, before District Court Judge Peter Welte and was sentenced to life in federal prison, and $400 in special assessment fees for the offenses of sexual abuse by threat of death or serious bodily injury (two counts) and assault of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner by strangulation (two counts).

    As noted in court documents, in or about August 2020, law enforcement in Belcourt, ND, was dispatched to a residence for a report of a domestic disturbance.  Jane Doe 1 reported she had been severely beaten by her boyfriend, identified as Baker. Law enforcement observed extensive bruising throughout Jane Doe 1’s face, neck, chest, arms, and legs, as well as a laceration on top of her head.  In or about August 2023, Jane Doe 1 was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the incident.  In addition to describing the physical assault she previously reported, Jane Doe 1 described being sexually assaulted by Baker including him using objects causing excruciating pain.  Jane Doe 1 believed Baker was going to kill her. Jane Doe 1 indicated Baker had strangled her and she had lost consciousness during the course of the assault. 

    Through the course of the investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigations identified several other women physically and sexually assaulted by Baker, including Jane Doe 2.  Jane Doe 2 was interviewed in August 2023.  She described being held captive in Baker’s camper and being physically and sexually assaulted.  Jane Doe 2 described Baker “wailing” on her, strangling her, and sexually assaulting her with his penis.  Jane Doe 2 stated the assault caused her to lose consciousness and extreme pain. Jane Doe 2 stated Baker threatened she would be “six feet under” and Jane Doe 2 feared Baker would kill her. 

    “This sentence is a fitting one considering the brutality and depravity of the defendant’s crimes against his domestic partners and women in the community,” Schneider said. “Domestic violence and sexual abuse are serious crimes, and as this case shows we will not hesitate to bring abusers to federal court to face justice where our office has jurisdiction. I give credit to our career prosecutors and partners in the FBI for obtaining this result and removing this individual from the community.”  

    “The horrendous sexual abuse committed by Justin Lee Baker is cruel and reprehensible,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “This sentencing sends a clear message: the FBI will relentlessly pursue those who prey on others, especially the innocent and defenseless, and ensure they are held accountable.”

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Firearm and Drug Trafficking Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston-area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.

    Jonathan Darosa, a/k/a “Jeezy,” 31, of Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise (more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy); one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and oxycodone; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 1, 2025.

    Over the course of a two-year investigation, Darosa was identified as a member of Cameron Street. On two separate occasions, Darosa distributed cocaine and oxycodone to a cooperating witness. Additionally, in an interaction with law enforcement, Darosa threatened officers, telling them “If I had a gun on me, I would have shot at you,” “I am not going back to jail,” and “I keep it on my hip.” In April 2021 in Dorchester, local law enforcement observed Darosa wearing a “waist bag” across his chest – law enforcement had recovered firearms from similar bags in the past. During a search of Darosa’s person, a Taurus 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol containing 12 rounds of assorted 9 millimeter ammunition, including one round in the chamber, was recovered.

    According to court documents, Cameron Street is a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that used violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear and enhance its reputation.

    Darosa has been convicted on three prior occasions of unlawful possession of a firearm, including a 2016 conviction in Suffolk Superior Court for which he served a three-year prison sentence.

    The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of cocaine and oxycodone provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release up to life and a fine of $1 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release up to life and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Feld Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting 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.

    The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Burrell Man Sentenced for Fraudulent Use of Neighbor’s Credit Cards

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation on his conviction of use of unauthorized access devices, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone imposed the sentence on Jonathan Fry, 44, on January 23, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, in April 2019, Fry obtained and used an elderly neighbor’s credit cards and personal identification information, including the neighbor’s date of birth and social security number, in order to make fraudulent and unauthorized transactions. This included obtaining a vehicle loan and insurance, opening accounts, and applying for other credit cards in the victim’s name, ultimately causing losses of more than $40,000.

    Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Fry.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Repeat Offender from South Portland Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A South Portland man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland today to possessing child sexual abuse material.

    According to court records, in April 2023, agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at the South Portland residence of Sheldon Rembert, 32, locating Rembert in the bedroom. An agent recovered a smartphone from the bedroom, and during an interview, Rembert admitted that child sexual abuse material would be found on the phone and that he had downloaded the images and videos. Forensic examination of the device found images and videos of children as young as eight years old being sexually abused. In 2020, Rembert was convicted in Cumberland County Superior Court of possessing explicit material of a minor.

    Rembert faces 10-20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    HSI investigated the case.

    To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Foreign Nationals Charged With Immigration Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office stated that Saul Mazariegos-Estrada, 29, of El Tejar, Guatemala, has been charged by criminal complaint with the illegal transportation of aliens, and that Byron Sicajau Socoy, 40, of El Tejar, Guatemala, and Christian Rafael Hernandez Villa, 34, of Jalisco, Mexico, have been charged by criminal complaint with being aliens who eluded examination or inspection by immigration officers. The term “alien” is defined by statute to mean a person who is not a citizen or national of the United States.

    On January 27, 2025, all three defendants appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Mazariegos-Estrada be detained pending a detention hearing. At their initial appearances, Sicajau Socoy and Hernandez Villa pleaded guilty to the allegations in their respective criminal complaints and received time-served sentences. Sicajau Socoy and Hernandez Villa had faced up to 6 months’ imprisonment.

    According to court records, on January 25, 2025, at approximately 9:15 a.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents received a report from a concerned citizen who had observed multiple subjects crossing a remote dirt road approximately one mile south of the United States-Canada border in the area of Newport, Vermont.

    Border Patrol agents responded to the area and discovered footprints in the snow where the concerned citizen had reported the crossing. Shortly thereafter, Border Patrol agents conducting surveillance in the area observed a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed on a remote driveway. Border Patrol agents began following the vehicle, which had Virginia license plates. Agents observed multiple individuals in the back seat and noted that the windows of the vehicle were foggy, which to the agents indicated that the passengers had been exhausting energy, features which the agents had observed in multiple other human smuggling events.

    Border Patrol agents stopped the vehicle and encountered, in the front seat, Mazariegos-Estrada, who stated that he was a Guatemalan citizen and that he did not possess immigration documents to enter or remain in the United States. In the rear, agents encountered Sicajau Socoy and Hernandez Villa, who both admitted to illegally entering the United States and that neither had immigration documents allowing them to enter or remain in the United States. All three were taken into custody and transported to the Border Patrol Station.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that a criminal complaint contains allegations only and that Mazariegos-Estrada is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Mazariegos-Estrada faces up to five years’ imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.

    The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan A. Ophardt and Andrew C. Gilman. Mazariegos-Estrada is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon. Sicajau Socoy was represented by Jason J. Sawyer, Esq., and Hernandez Villa was represented by Kevin M. Henry, Esq.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Woman Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Involving Claims for Unnecessary Respiratory Tests Submitted with COVID-19 Tests

    Source: US State of California

    A California woman was sentenced today to nine years in prison for her role in fraudulently submitting claims to governmental and private insurance programs during the COVID‑19 pandemic for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests that were medically unnecessary and never ordered by health care providers.

    According to court documents, Lourdes Navarro, 66, of Glendale, and Imran Shams owned and controlled Matias Clinical Laboratory, doing business as Health Care Providers Laboratory (HCPL). Navarro and Shams conspired to obtain nasal swab specimens that enabled HCPL to test for COVID-19, as well as to obtain testing orders from physicians and other medical professionals. The specimens were collected from, among others, residents and staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation facilities, and similar types of facilities, and from students and staff at primary and secondary schools, for the purported purpose of conducting screening tests to identify and isolate individuals infected with COVID-19. However, Navarro and Shams caused HCPL to perform RPP tests on most of the specimens, even though only COVID-19 testing had been ordered and there was no medical justification for conducting RPP tests on asymptomatic individuals who needed only COVID-19 screening tests. Through HCPL, Navarro and Shams billed approximately $369 million for the RPP tests to Medicare, the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program, and a private health insurance company, and were reimbursed approximately $46.7 million for fraudulent claims.

    Navarro was also ordered to forfeit $11,662,939 in funds that the government had previously seized from three bank accounts. The total amount seized and forfeited from Navarro and Shams is $14,518,485. Navarro also was ordered to pay $46,735,400 in restitution.

    Navarro pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2023, to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud. Shams pleaded guilty on Jan. 24, 2023, in the Central District of California to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and concealment of his exclusion from Medicare and was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Jan. 30, 2024. In addition, on May 29, 2024, Shams was sentenced to five years in prison in connection with his 2017 plea in the Eastern District of New York to conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks, and defrauding the United States by obstructing the lawful functions of the IRS, of which three years were ordered to run consecutive to the Central District of California sentence.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Rochelle Wong of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.

    The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Gary A. Winters and Raymond E. Beckering III of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California handled the financial penalties.

    The Justice Department’s COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force marshals the resources of the department in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to al Shabaab

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that KARREM NASR, a/k/a “Ghareeb Al-Muhajir,” pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.

    U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “Karrem Nasr devoted himself to waging violent jihad against America and its allies. Inspired by the evil terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Nasr, a U.S. citizen, traveled from Egypt to Kenya in an effort to join al Shabaab so that he could execute his jihadist mission of creating death and destruction.  Now, instead of perpetrating a deadly attack in the name of a foreign terrorist group, Nasr resides in federal prison.  I thank the career prosecutors of my office and our law enforcement partners for their extraordinary work in disrupting this plan and bringing a terrorist to justice.”

    According to the allegations in the court filings and statements made in Court:

    NASR is a 24-year-old U.S. citizen who moved from New Jersey to Egypt in or about July 2023.  Starting in at least in or about November 2023, NASR repeatedly expressed his desire and plans to join al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization that has attacked Americans and American allies around the world, and wage jihad, including in communications with an FBI confidential source (the “CS”), who was posing as a facilitator for terrorist organizations.[1]

    In communications exchanged with the CS and postings that NASR made online, NASR stated that he had been thinking about engaging in jihad for a long time, and he was particularly motivated to become a jihadi by the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in Israel.  For example, in communications with the CS, NASR stated that the number one enemy was “evil America,” which he called the “head of the snake.”  In social media posts, NASR warned that “Jihad” was “coming soon to a US location near you,” posting airplane, bomb, and fire emojis:

    In further communications with the CS, NASR expressed his intent to join al Shabaab to receive military training and engage in jihad, that he was prepared to kill and be killed, and that he specifically aspired to be a martyr for the jihadist cause.  For example, NASR stated “I would like to become a martyr in the sake of Allah. . . .  I think in coming years, inshallah we are going to see here big events in Egypt and the other Arab countries.  Inshallah if this happens; I will come back to Egypt, inshallah to help the Muslims in Egypt in their struggle to establish here in Egypt.”

    Beyond his online postings and communications with the CS, NASR took specific and targeted steps in his effort to join and receive military training from al Shabaab.  Among other things, NASR made flight and lodging reservations for travel to Kenya, where he planned to meet members of al Shabaab for further travel to Somalia to join and train with the terrorist group.  In addition, the day before his flight, NASR told the CS that he planned to delete data from his cellphone and computer to ensure that if he were detained, law enforcement would not be able to recover evidence of his jihadist activities from those devices.  On December 14, 2023, as planned, NASR flew from Egypt to Kenya, where he then planned to transit into Somalia to join and train with al Shabaab.  Later that day, NASR was taken into custody by Kenyan authorities.  On December 28, 2023, NASR arrived in the U.S.

    *                *                *

    NASR, 24, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, pled guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  NASR is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Torres on June 30, 2025.

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

    Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”)’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.  Ms. Sassoon also thanked the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Kenyan Directorate of Criminal Investigations, including the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit and the Joint Terrorism Task Force-Kenya, for their assistance.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Kimberly J. Ravener, and Stephen Ritchin are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the Counterterrorism Section.
     

    [1] Communications referenced herein are described in substance and in part.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Agreement Preventing Indiana Exhibitor and Dog Breeder from Violating the Animal Welfare Act

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON — In a consent decree entered today by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Indiana exhibitor and dog breeder, Vernon D. Miller, agreed to not apply for or engage in any activity that requires a Department of Agriculture (USDA) license for two years. If Miller is relicensed in the future, he must comply with Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulations and standards necessary to provide humane and lawful care to the animals he exhibits and sells.

    A complaint filed in October alleged that Miller — individually and doing business as the Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park in Shipshewana, Indiana — had violated the AWA by failing to provide adequate veterinary care, safe and hospitable enclosures, appropriate enrichment and sanitary housing, food and water to his animals. The complaint also alleged that Miller had failed to maintain legally required records.

    At the time of the filing of the complaint, Miller had been cited for 90 AWA violations in just over a year, the highest number of citations for any USDA-licensed facility during that time period (2023-2024). Miller’s violations impacted over 300 animals that he exhibited to the public — including deer, zebra, exotic birds and primates — and dozens of dogs and puppies that he bred for sale as pets.

    The citations for multiple violations included unsanitary conditions (including stalls piled high with feces and food dishes coated in grime or mold), and failing to provide animals with sufficient shelter, failing to properly vaccinate puppies and failing to provide veterinary care for animals with illnesses or open wounds. The complaint alleged that such conditions had likely led to numerous animal deaths, with at least seven animals dying in the few months prior to the filing of the case.

    USDA suspended Miller’s license for 21 days starting on Oct. 9. The court entered a temporary restraining order against Miller on Oct. 28, requiring him to comply with multiple AWA regulations and standards, provide records and documentation to help monitor compliance and refrain from buying, selling, euthanizing or exhibiting animals without the consent of the United States or the court. The temporary restraining order expired on Dec. 2.

    “The maltreatment of animals entrusted to Mr. Miller’s care is a despicable act that deserves just intervention,” said Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.  “We will continue to work with our federal partners to identify and hold accountable those exhibitors and dog breeders who provide inhumane care to animals in violation of the Animal Welfare Act.” 

    “USDA is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of animals protected under the Animal Welfare Act,” said Deputy Administrator Sarah Helming for USDA’s Animal Care program. “The partnership between USDA and DOJ helps to ensure enforcement of the AWA regulations for those who put regulated animals at risk.”

    In addition to not applying for or engaging in activity requiring a USDA license for at least two years, the consent decree, in effect for five years, outlines that Miller will allow USDA inspectors limited access to the facility, if it is open to the public, and will produce certain records for compliance monitoring during any time he is not licensed. If Miller applies for and receives a USDA license in the future, he agrees to comply with AWA regulations and standards that he had previously violated and to maintain veterinary and other accurate and complete records.

    USDA investigated the case and filed a parallel administrative enforcement action.

    Senior Trial Attorney Devon Flanagan and Trial Attorneys Kamela Caschette, Angela Mo and Chris Carrara of the Justice Department’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section prosecuted the case, with support from Assistant U.S. Attorney Dirk DeLor for the Northern District of Indiana and USDA’s Office of General Counsel and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Lame Deer woman admits assault charges in rollover crash that injured two passengers on Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS — A Lame Deer woman today admitted to assault charges after two passengers were seriously injured when the vehicle she was driving rolled on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Kendra Carol Cook, 34, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Cook faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on each count.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Cook was detained pending further proceedings.

    In court documents, the government alleged that on May 18, 2023, the FBI received a report that a car driven by Cook had rolled north of Lame Deer, injuring Cook and her two passengers. Cook was under the influence of alcohol at the time. A witness reported finding two women who were injured. The women told her that Cook had left the scene. One of the passengers, Jane Doe 2, was in the back seat, while another passenger, Jane Doe 1, was in the front seat. Cook told Doe 2 that she was drinking whiskey before picking her up. They bought alcohol and were drinking it while driving to Lame Deer. Cook was swerving all over the road, and, in Doe 2’s opinion, intentionally trying to wreck. Cook accelerated and turned the wheel, causing the car to go into a ditch and start flipping. Doe 1 estimated Cook was driving approximately 80 miles and hour and slowed to approximately 60 mph when they started swerving. Doe 1 denied there was any fighting or interfering with Cook. Cook acknowledged being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the wreck and claimed she and the passengers were fighting over the alcohol. Both victims suffered fractures and other serious injuries. The rollover occurred in a 35-mph speed zone.

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