NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Swift action by environment officer and fire service averts major wild 23 May 2025 Swift action by environment officer and fire service averts major wildfire in Sandown

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    A potentially devastating wildfire in Sandown was swiftly brought under control last week, thanks to the quick thinking of a local environment officer and the rapid response of Island firefighters.

    While on a routine inspection last Friday, Davide Fossa spotted smoke rising from the undergrowth near to Browns Golf and Dinosaur Isle.

    Recognising the danger, he immediately called 999 and began directing people away from the area to ensure their safety.

    “I knew every second counted,” said Davide. “I made the call, then focused on keeping people at a safe distance until the fire crews arrived. It could have spread so quickly.”

    Within minutes, firefighters arrived and launched what Davide described as a “military-style operation.”

    “They knew exactly what to do,” he said. “It was like watching a well-drilled unit in action. They moved with precision, coordinated their efforts seamlessly, and brought the fire under control before it had a chance to spread. It was incredibly impressive.”

    Thanks to their swift and strategic response, the blaze was contained and extinguished before it could threaten nearby homes, businesses, or the wider nature reserve.

    Davide is one of four dedicated environment officers working for the Isle of Wight Council. This small but highly skilled team play a vital role in safeguarding the Island’s natural environment and making the Island a cleaner, greener place to live and visit.

    The environment officers undertake a number of duties, including inspection of playgrounds, parks and open spaces, and enforcing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

    The team also enforces a range of environmental regulations, including those related to waste management, fly-tipping and littering, helping to maintain standards and prevent harm to the environment.

    In addition to their enforcement duties, they work closely with the community to promote sustainable practices, offering guidance and education to encourage greater environmental awareness and responsibility among residents and visitors alike.

    Their work often takes them into remote or ecologically sensitive areas, where early detection of issues like wildfires can make a critical difference.

    Some town, parish, and community councils — including Sandown — invest in an enhanced environment officer service, supplementing the core provision offered by the Isle of Wight Council.

    This enhanced service can include additional patrols, one of which led to the early discovery of the fire.

    Natasha Dix, service director for waste, environment and planning, said: “Davide’s vigilance and calm response under pressure made all the difference. And we are deeply grateful to the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service for their swift and professional response.

    “Their teamwork ensured this incident didn’t escalate into something far more serious.”

    Sandown Mayor, Councillor Alex Lightfoot, said: “We are grateful for the actions taken by Sandown’s environment officer, and the swift response from our fire service.

    “This just demonstrates the value of our partnership working between Sandown Town Council and the Isle of Wight Council.”

    A spokesperson from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) added: “Our crews worked extremely hard in the hot weather to contain and extinguish the fire and protect neighbouring heathland.

    “This fire destroyed a large area of grassland, and is just one example of the devastation these outdoor fires can have, damaging our green spaces.

    “Although we don’t know what caused this blaze, we ask that when you’re out enjoying the countryside that you do so responsibly and help prevent wildfires by following our safety guidance.”

    Authorities are reminding residents and visitors to remain vigilant during dry weather and to report any signs of smoke or fire immediately.

    Staying Safe During Dry Weather: Fire Prevention Tips

    With warmer, drier summers becoming more common, the risk of wildfires increases. Here are some simple but important steps everyone can take to help prevent fires:

    • Never leave barbecues and campfires unattended, and ensure they are fully extinguished after use.
    • Avoid using disposable barbecues in parks, nature reserves, or near dry grass.
    • Download the What3Words app on your phone to help the fire service pinpoint incidents.
    • Do not discard cigarettes or matches on the ground — use proper bins or take them with you.
    • Keep glass bottles out of direct sunlight, as they can magnify heat and ignite dry grass.
    • Report any signs of smoke or fire immediately by calling 999.
    • By staying alert and acting responsibly, we can all help protect our beautiful landscapes and communities.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Urumqi Tianshan Airport Records Significant Increase in Foreign Passenger Arrivals to China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    URUMQI, May 23 (Xinhua) — The number of foreign passengers arriving in China via Tianshan Airport in Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has increased significantly since early May, according to the Urumqi Border Checkpoint.

    According to statistics, from May 1 to 21, the total number of Chinese border crossings in both directions through the checkpoint at Tianshan Airport was 61,530 people-times, 749 international flights were processed, which is 82.7 percent and 134.7 percent more compared to the same period last year, respectively. The incoming foreign passenger flow of the airport during the reporting period increased by 75.7 percent year-on-year and exceeded 8,900 people-times, accounting for about 14.47 percent of the country’s total. Broken down by country, the largest share was among citizens of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Tajikistan and other countries.

    Urumqi Tianshan Airport is the closest airport to the countries of Central and East Asia and Europe that have joined the Belt and Road Initiative, with 24-hour service. It is a key transportation hub in northwest China, ensuring smooth international traffic. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attention High School Juniors & Seniors: FBI Las Vegas is Hosting a Teen Academy

    Source: US FBI

    LAS VEGAS—The FBI Las Vegas Division and the Las Vegas Chapter FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association invite all interested Las Vegas high school upcoming juniors and seniors to apply to the FBI Las Vegas Teen Academy. Class will be held on June 20, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

    The FBI Teen Academy provides an opportunity for high school students to catch a behind-the-scenes look at the FBI.

    The FBI’s Teen Academy gives high school students a comprehensive look into the FBI during a full day of demonstrations and instruction provided by FBI agents and professional staff. Students are provided with multiple presentations delving into topics such as terrorism, cybercrime, forensic evidence collection, FBI SWAT capabilities, and a rare view into the day-to-day operations of an FBI office.

    Students will meet FBI agents and other FBI personnel who support our overall mission—to protect the people of the United States and defend our constitution.

    This program is NOT exclusive to students only interested in careers in law enforcement. Any student who is at least a junior in high school but has not yet started college is encouraged to apply, regardless of anticipated major or academic discipline.

    This is a competitive program, and not all applicants will be selected. Student selection for the Teen Academy will be based on a quality application and written assignment. The application, release form, and supporting assignment must be received by the FBI Las Vegas office by June 7, 2023. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be accepted.

    To apply and for more information on the FBI Teen Academy, visit: https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/las-vegas-teen-academy-2022-04182023.pdf/view

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Matawan Cardiologist Sentenced to 35 Months in Prison for Defrauding Health Insurance Companies of More Than $1.9 Million Through Health Care Fraud Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    TRENTON, N.J. – The owner and sole medical provider of a New Jersey medical practice was sentenced today to 35 months in prison for orchestrating a health care fraud scheme causing over $1.9 million in insurance reimbursements for false claims, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Dr. Fazal Panezai, 76, of Morganville, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner to an information charging him with participating in a health care fraud scheme. Judge Castner imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

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

    Panezai, who owned and operated Matawan-Aberdeen Heart & Medical Center, for years submitted false claims to at least six health insurance benefit programs for office visits that either never occurred or did not take place for the length of time that he claimed.

    For example, Panezai submitted claims for office visits lasting approximately 1,675 minutes – approximately 27.9 hours – for one day’s worth of office visits on May 27, 2022. Panezai also billed health insurance providers over $80,000 for office visits when he was out of the country and not conducting any office visits. Panezai also submitted claims for office visits when patients only picked up a prescription for a controlled substance from the front desk and never met with him. The false claims caused insurance plans to issue reimbursement checks to the center. Panezai kept the illicit profits, which totaled more than $1.9 million.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Castner sentenced Panezai to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $1.95 million.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Matawan Police Department.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys DeNae Thomas of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Jessica R. Ecker of the Criminal Division in Newark.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Men Charged in Connection with Interstate High-End Car Theft Ring

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – Eight men have been charged for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to steal luxury cars in New Jersey, New York, and elsewhere, and transport them across state lines, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Ahmad Franks, aka “Mahdi,” 24; Shaquan White, aka “QBandz,” aka “Q Bands,” 23; Nathan Braswell, aka “Troub,” 20; Ibn Bellamy, aka “YC,” 24; Zamir Wright, aka “GBz,” 20, all of Newark; Ryan Bowen, aka “Prob,” 26; Khyree Lawrence, aka “6,” 20, both of East Orange, New Jersey; and Mohammed Buhari, aka “Sakina,” 45, of Woodbridge, Virginia; are all charged by complaint with conspiring to receive, possess, or sell stolen vehicles in interstate commerce.

    Franks is also charged with five counts of possession of a stolen vehicle and one count of interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Bellamy is also charged with one count of possession of a stolen vehicle, and Buhari is charged with one count of sale, receipt, or possession of a stolen vehicle. Bellamy and Lawrence were arrested on Nov. 6, 2024, and made their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen in Newark federal court. Buhari remains at large. The remaining defendants are already in custody on prior charges and will appear at a later date.  

    “The defendants are charged with orchestrating a brazen conspiracy to steal high-end, luxury vehicles, targeting our community and profiting from their illegal activities,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said.  “These charges underscore our commitment to work with all of our law enforcement partners to protect the community from  the variety of crimes committed by  those who seek to enrich themselves unjustly by victimizing our residents.”

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

    In November 2021, law enforcement began investigating a series of high-end car thefts and learned that the eight defendants, and others conspired to possess, receive, conceal, sell, dispose, and/or transport high-value stolen cars in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and elsewhere. Some of the stolen cars were used during the commission of other crimes, including the theft of additional cars, shootings, and a homicide. From November 2021 to July 2022, Franks exchanged photographs of at least 400 known or suspected stolen cars with at least a dozen conspirators.

    The 14 cars stolen by the defendants as alleged in the complaint have an estimated total value of at least $550,000.

    The conspiracy count carries a maximum term of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest. The charges of sale, receipt, or possession of a stolen vehicle and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle each carries a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or loss to the victims, whichever is greatest.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; the Newark Police Division, under the direction of Director Fritz G. Fragé; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; the Millburn Township Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Gilfedder; and the Fairfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief Anthony G. Manna, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York/Newark, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York Police Department, the Port Authority Police Department, the Jersey City Police Department, the Tenafly Police Department, the East Brunswick Police Department, the Ridgewood Police Department, the Ramapo Police Department, the Spring Lake Police Department, the Paramus Police Department, the Woodbridge Police Department, the Edison Police Department, the Essex Fells Police Department, the East Orange Police Department, the West Caldwell Police Department, and the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olta Bejleri and Megan Linares of the Criminal Division in Newark.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bayside State Prison Corrections Officer Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Violating Inmates’ Civil Rights

    Source: US FBI

    NEWARK, N.J. – A former corrections officer at Bayside State Prison in Leesburg, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 20 months in prison for depriving two inmates of their civil rights by failing to intervene when the inmates were assaulted and suffered bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Joshua Hand, 35, of Millville, New Jersey, plead guilty on Feb. 26, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging him with depriving two inmates of their right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. Judge Williams imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

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

    In December 2019, while working as a corrections officer, Hand was inside the officers’ quarters within the kitchen area of Bayside State Prison when the first victim was summoned to that room. Shortly after the victim entered the officers’ quarters, the exit door was blocked and in the presence of Hand, the victim was assaulted simultaneously by several inmates and taken down to the floor. Hand watched and did not attempt to intervene when multiple inmates pinned and restrained the victim on the floor while other inmates delivered multiple punches and other blows to the victim’s torso, arms, and legs. Hand did not report this assault to his supervisors or medical personnel despite knowing that he was required to do so.

    Later that same day, the second victim was in the officers’ quarters at the prison with Hand and another corrections officer. Without provocation, the other corrections officer struck the second victim in the legs multiple times with a broomstick. During the assault of the second victim, Hand remained within arm’s reach of the assault and had a reasonable opportunity to intervene but did not attempt to do so. Once again, Hand did not report this assault to his supervisors or medical personnel. 

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Williams sentenced Hand to three years of supervised release and fined him $10,000.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked the New Jersey Department of Corrections, under the direction of Commissioner Victoria Kuhn, for its assistance.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Charged with Drug Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on August 29, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a four count indictment charging Andy Soto, 32, of Jersey City, New Jersey, with conspiring to distribute controlled substances; possessing with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine; possessing with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl; and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year. Soto entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on September 3, 2024, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle previously had ordered that Soto be detained during the pendency of this matter.

    According to court records, Soto was arrested by state authorities in North Troy, Vermont on July 24, 2024, in connection with the execution of a state search warrant at a residence where he had recently been staying. Law enforcement located over 600 grams of suspected cocaine powder, over 300 grams of suspected cocaine base, over 700 grams of suspected fentanyl, over 80 grams of suspected xylazine, approximately $46,000 in currency, and five loaded firearms from the bedroom identified as Soto’s. The majority of the suspected narcotics, the currency, and a loaded .40-caliber firearm were located in a safe bolted to the floor of that room. Soto had been the subject of a long-standing drug investigation, during which authorities conducted multiple controlled purchases involving Soto between July and December 2023.

    The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Soto is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Soto faces at least ten years’ and up to life imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police, the Northeast Vermont Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. This case is part of ongoing collaborative efforts between those agencies, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to address drug and gun trafficking in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. 

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Lasher. Soto is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven Barth.

    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: Michigan Resident and Heavy-Duty Diesel Parts Supplier Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Clean Air Act

    Source: US FBI

    Kyle Offringa and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC Admit to Conspiring with Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Operators to Tamper with Emissions-Control Monitoring Devices

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Offringa, age 33, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (“HHP”), a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier headquartered in Coleman, Michigan, recently pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (“CAA”).  United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)’s Criminal Investigations Division (“CID”), Northeast Area Branch, made the announcement. Offringa pled guilty to the indictment today and HHP pled guilty to the indictment last month.

    Offringa and HHP were indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District of New York earlier this year.  As alleged in the indictment, the purpose of the CAA is, among other things, “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.”  Pursuant to the CAA, the EPA enacted regulations that required heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to limit emissions on those engines.  To comply with these regulations, manufacturers install hardware components, including filters, exhaust recirculation systems, and exhaust aftertreatment systems.  Heavy-duty diesel trucks are also required under the CAA to maintain an onboard-diagnostic system (“OBD”), which monitors the functionality of the hardware emissions control components.  If the OBD detects that an emissions control component is not working, or has been removed, it will ultimately put the truck into what is known as “limp mode,” which limits the top speed to as low as 5 miles per hour.  This is designed to incentivize truck operators to repair any faulty components.

    As further alleged in the indictment, truck operators deleted the emissions control hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks, which significantly increased pollution emitted by those trucks but allowed them to run at higher horsepower, with greater fuel efficiency, and with reduced maintenance cost. 

    As part of their pleas, Offringa and HHP admitted that between at least June 2017 and March 2019, they conspired together and with HHP’s customers, including coconspirators DAIM Logistics, Inc. and Patrick Oare of Fultonville, New York, to tamper with (“tune”) the emission control monitoring devices and systems of numerous diesel vehicles.  As part of the conspiracy, HHP referred its customers who had removed emissions hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks to Offringa, who then reprogrammed the OBDs to bypass the CAA monitoring functions so the trucks would remain operational in exchange for a fee of $1,000 to $1,500 per OBD.  HHP charged its customers approximately $250 for each tune performed by Offringa on top of what Offringa charged.

    HHP is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024, and Offringa is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany.  If HHP’s plea agreement is accepted, it will be required to pay a fine of $25,000.  Offringa has agreed to pay a fine of $100,000 and also faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to three years.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

    Coconspirators Patrick Oare and DAIM Logistics, Inc., of Fultonville, New York, previously pled guilty to violating the CAA and are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany on October 23, 2024.

    The United States Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigations Division (EPA CID) is investigating the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to New Charges

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Jeffrey Paden, 57, of Kennedy, NY, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2015, Paden was convicted on a federal charge of possession of child pornography and sentenced to serve 57 months in prison and five years’ supervised release. On August 29, 2023, the New York State Police executed a search warrant at Paden’s residence based on information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Several electronic devices were seized, including a thumb drive and a laptop computer. Approximately 83 images of child pornography were stored on the thumb drive and approximately 468 images on the laptop computer. Some of the images depicted prepubescent minors, and violence against children.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Stanley Edwards III, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

    Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: West Seneca Man Arrested, Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Joseph A. Buelow, 29, of West Seneca, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on February 7, 2024, the West Seneca Police Department was advised by members of the Finger Lakes Pred Catchers that they had information regarding Buelow contacting underage minors. Pred Catchers is a group of volunteers who work to expose online child predators. The operator of Pred Catchers, Dakota Liddiard, stated that Buelow reached out to him on the dating application Meet24, believing that he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl named “Amanda.” Liddiard said that Buelow began communicating in sexual terms almost immediately and made plans to meet “Amanda.” However, Buelow never showed up at the meeting location. In addition to “Amanda,” Buelow also reached out to “Caitlyn” on Meet24, an alleged 14-year-old girl, who was actually another member of the Pred Catchers. These conversations were also sexual in nature and Buelow requested to meet with “Caitlyn” on two occasions but did not show up either time.

    On April 18, 2024, West Seneca Police reached out to the FBI, providing the images of conversations between Fred Catchers and Buelow. During some of these conversations, Buelow sent nude pictures of himself and attempted to get the minors to send nude images of herself. During the execution of a search warrant on Buelow’s cell phone, investigators recovered multiple communications between Buelow and individuals he believed were minors. They also recovered sexually explicit images of child pornography. Investigators have identified at least one minor victim that Buelow allegedly sexually abused.

    Buelow made an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Cosgrove and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Tonawanda Man Pleads Guilty to Using Stolen Credit Card Numbers to Purchase Tens of Thousands of Dollars Worth of Gas

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Kingsley Brown, 22, of North Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that between August 2022, and July 2023, Brown, along with co-defendant Cross Malik Williams, purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. Williams and Brown then used a card-making device to load the stolen banking card information onto blank plastic bank cards with magnetic strips, which allowed purchases to be made using the victims’ funds from the victims’ bank accounts. Williams and Brown used, or allowed others to use, the stolen bank card information to purchase gas for other individuals. The gas customers would then pay Williams and/or Brown an amount of money less than the cost of the gas. As part of his plea agreement, Brown agreed that he was responsible for $192,673 of total loss.

    Cross Malik Williams was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

    Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2024, before Judge Sinatra.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo Man Arrested on Multiple Child Pornography Charges

    Source: US FBI

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Sean Braven, 37, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that on July 26 and August 17, 2018, an undercover law enforcement officer identified an IP address that had made available suspected child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing network. The officer downloaded eight files which constitute child pornography. Subsequent investigation determined that the IP address belonged to Braven. In October 2018, a search warrant was executed at Braven’s residence, during which investigators seized several items, including a computer. A forensic review of the computer recovered more than 420 image files and 540 video files containing child pornography, some of which included depictions of violence against children.

    Braven made an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Stauffiger, and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes in Exchange for Smuggling Narcotics Into Rikers Island

    Source: US FBI

    Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GHISLAINE BARRIENTOS, a former corrections officer, pled guilty today to bribery in connection with her participation in a scheme to accept bribes in exchange for smuggling narcotics into Rikers Island.  BARRIENTOS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 16, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Ghislaine Barrientos took bribes when working as a corrections officer at Rikers Island.  Rikers Island is less safe, for inmates and officers alike, when corrections officers and others in positions of public trust accept bribes to smuggle contraband.  We will not tolerate any breach of trust or corruption that jeopardizes the well-being of inmates and staff.”

    As reflected in the Complaint, Information, and statements made in court:

    BARRIENTOS, a former New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”) correction officer, conspired with others to smuggle contraband, including cocaine, smokeable synthetic cannabinoids (known as “K2”), and food to inmates housed at the Robert N. Davoren Complex on Rikers Island in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribe payments.

    For example, on April 11, 2024, CC-1, an associate of an inmate (“Inmate-1”), and BARRIENTOS discussed CC-1 sending BARRIENTOS a package through a delivery service.  On April 15, 2024, surveillance footage showed BARRIENTOS entering Inmate-1’s cell, where surveillance footage could not capture her actions.  Two days later, DOC searched Inmate-1’s cell and recovered sheets of paper that tested positive for the presence of cocaine.

    On April 24, 2024, CC-1 sent BARRIENTOS another package using the delivery service.  When BARRIENTOS went to work later that day, a drug-detecting canine alerted for the presence of narcotics.  DOC employees searched BARRIENTOS’s belongings and found approximately 10 sheets of paper that tested positive for the presence of K2.  In an interview with law enforcement, BARRIENTOS falsely stated, among other things, that no inmate had ever asked her to bring them contraband.  Law enforcement officers then searched BARRIENTOS’s vehicle and recovered additional sheets of paper, as well as approximately $2,466 in cash, as shown in the following photographs:

    *               *                *

    BARRIENTOS, 37, of Mount Vernon, New York, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

    The statutory maximum 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 the judge.

    Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York City Department of Investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption and Narcotics Units.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Coyle is in charge of the prosecution.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking MS-13 Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Seven Murders, Multiple Attempted Murders, Arson and Firearms Offenses

    Source: US FBI

    Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Jairo Saenz, also known as “Funny,” a high-ranking member of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in connection with his participation in seven murders, namely, the January 28, 2016 murder of Michael Johnson; the April 29, 2016 murder of Oscar Acosta; the September 13, 2016 murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens; the October 10, 2016 murder of Javier Castillo; the October 13, 2016 murder of Dewann Stacks; and the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla.  Saenz also pleaded guilty to his participation in three attempted murders, arson, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses and a conspiracy to kill Marcus Bohannon, who was murdered on September 5, 2016 by other members of the MS-13.

    Today’s guilty plea proceeding was held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown.  When sentenced, Jairo Saenz faces up to 60 years in prison, and a minimum sentence of 40 years in prison under the terms of his plea agreement. 

    Carolyn Pokorny, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Robert E. Waring, Acting Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.

    “Today, Jairo Saenz pleaded guilty to seven murders that can only be described as barbaric, and multiple acts of senseless gang violence that had turned parts of Long Island into a war zone, with MS-13 gang members wielding guns, machetes, bats and fire that threatened the safety of our communities,” stated Acting United States Attorney Pokorny.  “I commend my Office’s prosecutors and the Long Island Gang Task Force who are committed to holding MS-13 gang members accountable for the crimes they have committed and harm they have caused.  It is my sincere hope that today’s guilty plea brings some measure of solace and closure to the families of the defendant’s victims who continue to mourn the deaths of their loved ones.”

    According to court filings and statements made during today’s guilty plea proceeding, Jairo Saenz was a high-ranking member of the Brentwood/Central Islip chapter of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 – one of the more powerful, violent and well-established cliques on the East Coast of the United States.  At the time, he was second in command to his brother, Alexi Saenz, who pleaded guilty to the same crimes on July 10, 2024.  Jairo Saenz committed the following crimes in order to maintain and increase his membership and status within the gang, and to further the mission of the MS-13:

    January 28, 2016 Murder of Michael Johnson

    On January 28, 2016, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members and associates were at the Jocorena Deli in Brentwood, where they saw 29-year-old Michael Johnson, and claimed to recognize him as a member of the rival Bloods street gang.  At that point, Johnson was marked as their “food” – a reference to their intention to kill him. 

    After receiving the requisite approval from the New York leader of the Sailors clique to commit this murder, Alexi Saenz contacted Jairo Saenz and several other MS-13 members, informed them of the plan to kill Johnson and instructed them to bring weapons, including a machete and a baseball bat, to a wooded area in Brentwood.  Alexi Saenz then lured Johnson to that secluded meeting location under the guise of smoking marijuana.  The MS-13 members and associates, including Jairo Saenz, ambushed Johnson from behind – striking Johnson with the baseball bat, stabbing him with a knife and taking turns hacking him with the machete.  They fled after hearing police sirens in the area.   

    Johnson was reported missing by family members.  Less than one week after his murder, on February 2, 2016, members of the SCPD responded to a 911 call about a body found in the woods by a passerby and recovered Johnson’s body.  An autopsy determined Johnson’s cause of death to be sharp and blunt force injuries.   

    April 29, 2016 Murder of Oscar Acosta

    In early 2016, Alexi Saenz, Jairo Saenz and their fellow Sailors clique members decided to “green light,” or approve, the murder of 19-year-old Oscar Acosta because they suspected that he was associating with the rival 18th Street gang after previously aligning himself with the MS-13.  The New York Sailors clique leader assigned roles as to which members would take the lead in planning and carrying out the murder. 

    On April 29, 2016, MS-13 members met Acosta in a wooded area near an elementary school in Brentwood where he had been lured under the guise of smoking marijuana.  They brutally beat Acosta with tree limbs, knocking him unconscious. They bound Acosta’s hands and feet, wrapped an article of clothing around his mouth to prevent him from making noise and summoned other MS-13 members, including Alexi Saenz and Jairo Saenz, who arrived together.  The MS-13 members loaded Acosta into the trunk of the Saenz brothers’ car, and drove to a more secluded area in Brentwood near the abandoned Pilgrim State Psychiatric Hospital.  At the direction of Alexi Saenz, the MS-13 members removed Acosta, who was still alive, from the trunk and carried him deeper into the woods where they took turns hacking him to death with a machete.  The murder was supervised by the Saenz brothers.  The MS-13 members then buried Acosta’s body in a shallow grave. 

    Acosta’s body was discovered by law enforcement nearly five months later, on September 16, 2016, during a search for another MS-13 victim.  His cause of death was homicidal violence, including sharp and blunt force injuries to his head and torso.

    July 18, 2016 Attempted Murders of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2

    On July 18, 2016, during a Sailors clique meeting at the Saenz brothers’ house in Central Islip, Alexi Saenz instructed the group to hunt for rival gang members who had been disrespectful to the MS-13, in order to attack and kill them.

    Later that evening, Jairo Saenz and other members of the MS-13, who were driving around Brentwood armed with firearms and a machete, spotted a group of men on Apple Street.  Believing these men to be members of a rival gang, three MS-13 members got out of the car driven by Jairo Saenz and attacked the group, firing rounds from two different guns, and then using a machete to hack at one of the men who had fallen to the ground.

    Two individuals were injured as a result of this attack.  John Doe #1 was struck with a bullet, but survived.  John Doe #2 was attacked with a machete, and was permanently disfigured.

    August 10, 2016 Attempted Murders of Suspected Rival Gang Members

    In 2016, members of the MS-13 were engaged in a series of disputes with members of the Goon Squad, a rival gang in Brentwood. 

    On August 10, 2016, Alexi Saenz and another MS-13 member drove through the neighborhood around Lukens Avenue in Brentwood, and spotted several men who they believed were members of the Goon Squad.  They then rallied other members of the Sailors clique, including Jairo Saenz, to come kill the rivals. 

    The MS-13 members divided into two vehicles and drove towards the house where the suspected Goon Squad members had been spotted. The Saenz brothers’ car kept watch for the police, while two other MS-13 members, each armed with a gun, approached the group of suspected rivals and fired numerous shots in their direction. No one was hit, although a stray bullet entered a neighbor’s house and struck the headboard of a bed in which the neighbor was sleeping.

    September 5, 2016 Murder of Marcus Bohannon

    On September 4, 2016, after a Sailors clique meeting at the Saenz brothers’ house in Central Islip, Jairo Saenz, Alexi Saenz and other MS-13 members went out hunting for rival gang members to kill.

    The MS-13 members separated into several cars and drove around Central Islip and Brentwood, until Alexi Saenz’s group spotted 27-year old Marcus Bohannon walking along Lowell Avenue in Central Islip in the early morning hours of September 5.  Suspecting that Bohannon was a member of the rival Bloods gang, two MS-13 members, carrying firearms, got out of the vehicle, approached him and started shooting.  Bohannon was struck nine times, including in his head, neck, and chest, and died from his wounds.

    September 12, 2016 Arson

    During the summer of 2016, Sailors clique members of the MS-13 were regularly having altercations with local gang members based in a neighborhood on Freeman Avenue in Brentwood.

    On September 12, 2016, the MS-13 members retaliated by setting fire to a car parked in the driveway of one of the houses in that rival gang neighborhood.  Alexi Saenz directed other gang members to purchase gasoline and carry out the arson, while he drove around watching for police. Jairo Saenz drove the other MS-13 gang members to that house, where they poured gasoline on a car parked in the driveway, and set it on fire.  The car exploded and set another parked car on fire.   

    September 13, 2016 Murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens

    On September 13, 2016, Sailors clique members brutally murdered 15-year-old Nisa Mickens and 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, both students at Brentwood High School.

    In the months leading up to the murders, Cuevas was involved in a series of disputes with members and associates of the MS-13.  Approximately one week before the murders, these disputes escalated when Cuevas and several friends were involved in an altercation with MS-13 members at Brentwood High School.  After that incident, the MS-13 members vowed to seek revenge against Cuevas.

    On the evening of September 13, 2016, the Saenz brothers and other members of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 were driving in separate cars around Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill.  One group of MS-13 members spotted Cuevas and Mickens walking down residential Stahley Street.  Recognizing Cuevas, they called the Saenz brothers and were granted permission to kill the girls.  Several MS-13 members then chased down and attacked both Cuevas and Mickens, wielding baseball bats and a machete, striking each of the girls numerous times in their heads and bodies, while the Saenz brothers’ car drove around watching for police.  After the murders, the group retreated to the Saenz brothers’ home in Central Islip, where they changed clothes and hid the weapons.   

    Mickens, whose body was discovered later that evening on Stahley Street, not far from Cuevas’s home, sustained significant sharp force trauma to her face and blunt force trauma to her head.  Cuevas, whose body was discovered the following day behind a house adjacent to where Mickens’s body was found, sustained significant blunt force trauma to her head and body and multiple lacerations.

    October 10, 2016 Murder of Javier Castillo

    In October 2016, the MS-13 targeted 15-year-old Javier Castillo because he was believed to be a member of the 18th Street gang, one of MS-13’s principal rivals. 

    On October 10, 2016, Jairo Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique convinced Castillo, who lived in Central Islip, to drive with them to Freeport – approximately 30 miles away – to smoke marijuana.  Once there, they met Alexi Saenz and other Sailors clique members.  The group then lured Castillo to an isolated marsh area in Cow Meadow Park, where they attacked him, taking turns hacking him to death with a machete. 

    Afterwards, the MS-13 members dug a hole and buried Castillo’s body, which was not recovered until one year later, in late October 2017.  Castillo was determined to have suffered multiple sharp force injuries to his head, neck, torso and extremities.

    October 13, 2016 Murder of Dewann Stacks

    On the evening of October 13, 2016, the Saenz brothers and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 were driving around Central Islip and Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill.

    That night, they spotted 34-year-old Dewann Stacks and, believing him to be a rival gang member, Alexi Saenz authorized his murder.  While Alexi Saenz drove around watching for police presence, Jairo Saenz drove three MS-13 members, armed with two machetes and a baseball bat, to attack Stacks.  The three armed MS-13 members got out of the car, and beat and hacked Stacks to death on American Boulevard, a residential street in Brentwood.  Stacks sustained severe sharp and blunt force trauma to his face and head, leaving his body nearly unrecognizable.

    January 30, 2017 Murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla

    On the morning of January 30, 2017, Alexi Saenz and other members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 spotted 29-year-old Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli in Central Islip.  Alvarado-Bonilla was wearing a football jersey bearing the number “18,” which led the MS-13 to conclude that he was a member of a rival gang, and they plotted to kill him.

    After Alvarado-Bonilla was observed in the Deli, Jairo Saenz drove MS-13 members to get a mask and another vehicle, both of which would be used when committing the murder.  Alexi Saenz provided the clique’s 9-millimeter handgun for use in the murder.

    At approximately 10:30 a.m., a masked MS-13 member entered the deli, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind, and shot him multiple times, killing him.  One of the bullets pierced through Alvarado-Bonilla’s head and struck the chest of a female employee of the deli, who was standing directly in front of him.  The deli employee survived the gunshot wound.   

    Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy

    For a year and a half, from approximately April 2016 through March 2017, in order to finance the illegal operations of the Sailors clique, the Saenz brothers obtained wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana, which they distributed to other Sailors clique members and associates for street-level sales in Brentwood and its surrounding areas.  After the sales, the profits were turned over to the Saenz brothers, for use in, among other things, purchasing firearms for use by clique members, wiring money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador and buying additional narcotics for further distribution.     

    Today’s guilty plea is the latest achievement in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization.  The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization on Long Island.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 70 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham, Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kerry Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello.

    The Defendant:

    JAIRO SAENZ (also known as “Funny”)
    Age: 28
    El Divisadero, Morazán, El Salvador; and Central Islip, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (S-8)(GRB)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Five-Nine Brims Street Gang Sentenced to Life in Prison for Retaliatory Gang Murder

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Shot and Killed Victim in Broad Daylight in a Residential Brooklyn Neighborhood

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Marvin Pippins, also known as “Mukk,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to life imprisonment for murdering a rival gang member by shooting at him six times.  Following a three-week trial in April 2023, Pippins was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering conspiracy, murder conspiracy, murder in-aid-of racketeering, drug conspiracy and related firearms charges.  Pippins was also sentenced today to a concurrent term of 30 years for racketeering conspiracy and to a consecutive term of five years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, among other things.

    Carolyn Pokorny, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

    “Marvin Pippins will deservedly spend the rest of his life in prison for this cold-blooded murder, undertaken in service of a years-long gang war,” stated Acting United States Attorney Pokorny. “Pippins committed predatory and deadly crimes on behalf of a violent street gang that, for years, polluted the streets with drugs, preyed on unsuspecting victims of financial fraud and subjected rivals and innocent civilians alike to acts of violence.  My Office is focused on dismantling violent criminal organizations, and today’s sentence should send a message that the most serious of crimes will be met with the most serious of consequences.”

    Ms. Pokorny expressed her appreciation to the New York City Police Department for their outstanding work on this investigation.

    “In 2015, Marvin Pippins, a 5-9 Brims gang member, ruthlessly murdered a rival associate in a twisted attempt to restore the gang’s honor and thwart future attacks,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.  “Pippins’ myriad of crimes strengthened the gang’s presence across Brooklyn and fueled persisting territorial disputes. May today’s lifelong sentence reflect the FBI’s renowned commitment to disrupting all criminal enterprises plaguing our city with violence and illicit substances.”

    Between 2012 and 2020, Pippins was a member of the 5-9 Brims—a violent set of the Bloods street gang, responsible for sophisticated fraud schemes, prolific narcotics trafficking and violent crimes, including gunpoint robberies, shootings and murders. This crew of 5-9 Brims was also known as “Breadgang.” Pippins and his fellow members operated principally in and around the Marlboro Houses in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn.   Pippins personally engaged in a broad array of criminal activity and earned a reputation as a “shooter” and as someone who generated money for the gang.  He participated in financial fraud on behalf of the gang, sold drugs and carried guns to protect the gang’s criminal rackets. Pippins was also convicted of several crimes related to the gang’s violent rivalry with “Real Ryte,” a Canarsie-based rival crew.  In September 2015, the defendant’s brother Melvin Pippins, also known as “Melly,” was murdered. The defendant and his fellow gang members blamed Real Ryte for the murder, and there was an “expectation” that members of the 5-9 Brims would retaliate against Real Ryte with violence. On December 19, 2015, Pippins murdered Sean Peart, a member of Real Ryte, while the victim was alone and unarmed in his parked car on Dean Street outside the Weeksville Gardens housing development.  Peart tried to speed away but crashed his car before succumbing to his injuries.  After the murder, Pippins bragged to fellow members and associates of the gang admitting that he “did boy dirty.”  In rap lyrics, the defendant described Peart’s murder in detail, including references to the victim “hanging out the window” and giving him “shot after shot.”

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States  Attorneys Lindsey R. Oken and Dana Rehnquist are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow and Drew G. Rolle.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The Defendant:

    MARVIN PIPPINS (also known as “Mukk”)
    Age: 34
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-378 (PKC)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Five People Charged with Gun-Point Home Invasion Robbery That Involved Zip Tying Two Victims in Front of Their Children

    Source: US FBI

    Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging BHUPINDERJIT SINGH, ELIJAIH ROMAN, COREY HALL, ERIK SUAREZ, and DIVYA KUMARI with perpetrating a gun-point home invasion robbery of the home of a small business owner in Orange County, New York.  The defendants were arrested today, and will be presented in White Plains federal court before the Hon. Victoria Reznik, United States Magistrate Judge.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “Bhupinderjit Singh and his co-defendants allegedly planned and executed a violent robbery, during which four children watched as their parents were zip tied and held at gunpoint while four men ransacked their home looking for money and valuables.  Thanks to the hard work of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office, the defendants will now face charges stemming from this brazen robbery.”

    FBI Assistant Director in Charge James E. Dennehy said: “These five defendants participated in a robbery in which a firearm was brandished to gain unauthorized entry into a family’s home and steal valuable jewelry and thousands of dollars. This alleged forceful intrusion violated the privacy and security expected inside one’s home, and terrorized four young children left to helplessly beg for the safety of their restrained parents. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who utilizes weapons to intimidate victims to fulfill their criminal agenda.”

    As alleged in the Complaint filed on January 15, 2025, in White Plains federal court and unsealed today:

    On or about December 1, 2024, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, SUAREZ, and KUMARI perpetrated a gun-point home invasion robbery in the vicinity of the Town of Wallkill, New York.  When they arrived at the house, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ forced the homeowner (“Victim-1”) and Victim-1’s daughter, who is approximately 10 years old, into the house at gunpoint.  When SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ entered the home, Victim-1’s wife was sitting with the couple’s other three children, who ranged from approximately two to nine years old.  SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ then zip tied the hands and legs of both Victim-1 and his wife and placed the couple on the couch next to their children.  Three of the four robbers then began to search throughout the house, while the fourth robber remained with Victim-1 and his family, armed with what appeared to be a small black pistol.  At one point, Victim-1’s daughter begged the robbers to not hurt her parents and indicated that she would tell them where the family stored their valuables.  Certain of the robbers then took Victim-1’s daughter to the house’s master bedroom where there was a safe, but Victim-1’s daughter was unable to get the safe open.  The robbers then took Victim-1’s daughter back to her parents and forced Victim-1’s wife to come with them instead.  Once in the bedroom, Victim-1’s wife opened the safe and watched as the robbers removed from it, among other items, numerous pieces of jewelry and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency.  While the robbery was ongoing, KUMARI was waiting in the vicinity of Victim-1’s house to act as a lookout.  Eventually, SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ left Victitm-1’s house with various stolen items, including the jewelry and U.S. currency stolen from the safe. 

    *               *                *

    SINGH, 26, of South Ozone Park, New York; ROMAN, 22, of Far Rockaway, New York; HALL, 45, of Saint Albans, New York; SUAREZ, 24, of Elmhurst, New York; and KUMARI, 26, of Massapequa, New York, are all charged with one count of Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  SINGH, ROMAN, HALL, and SUAREZ are additionally charged with one count of using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

    The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

    Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, as well as the assistance of the Town of Wallkill Police Department and the New York State Police.

    The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant U.S Attorney David A. Markewitz is in charge of the prosecution.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Columbus Man Faces 20 to 23 Years in Prison as Part of Narcotics Guilty Plea Involving Killing of Another Columbus Resident

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to a drug crime and admitted to his role in the killing of a local man. The defendant is one of nearly two dozen individuals charged in a case involving a large-scale drug and human trafficking ring.

    Dustin A. Speakman, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 of an elementary school. As part of his plea, Speakman admitted to his role in the death of one victim which occurred during the time he was operating a drug distribution house. His plea includes a sentencing recommendation of 20 to 23 years in prison.

    Speakman, who is also known as “Dawg,” is one of 23 defendants charged in a narcotics and human trafficking case that involves at least two deaths.

    According to court documents, from 2008 until June 2022, lead defendants Patrick Saultz and Cordell Washington ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus that included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and money laundering.

    Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit.

    Speakman joined the drug trafficking organization after being released from jail in 2022, where he was housed with Saultz. Speakman was a mid-level drug distributor for the group out of residences on South Ogden and South Warren.

    As part of his guilty plea, Speakman admitted to severely beating one of his drug runners in May 2022 and then providing him with free drugs to make up for the attack. Witnesses said the male was beaten by Speakman and then given cocaine and fentanyl as compensation. Shortly after, the victim began to seize and foam at the mouth and did not respond to Narcan. The victim was driven to an alley near Grant Hospital where he was found unconscious by Columbus Fire Department personnel with severe trauma to the face and head. His cause of death was ultimately determined to be blunt force trauma caused by Speakman.

    “Any loss of life is significant,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Our office will continue to work to hold perpetrators of illegal drug trafficking accountable and secure justice for victims of violent and drug-related deaths.”

    As of today, 18 of the 23 defendants have pleaded guilty. One defendant, Carmela Brooks, has been sentenced and received a term of imprisonment of five years.

    U.S. Attorney Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

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

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Canal Winchester Man Sentenced to Prison for Making Interstate Threats to Law Enforcement, Court Officials and Businesses, Calling in Bomb Threats to Local Schools

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Canal Winchester man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for making interstate threats to local law enforcement, court officials, businesses and schools.

    Yousif Mubarak, 27, was convicted following a jury trial in August 2023 of seven counts of making interstate threats.

    “Threats are more than mere words, they have significant consequences, as illustrated by the sentence imposed today,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.

    According to court documents and trial testimony, in September 2021, Mubarak made at least 87 threatening phone calls from the state of Washington, where he resided for a short time, to a Franklin County Municipal Court Judge who previously presided over his court case.

    Mubarak told the Judge that he would find her, that he had private investigators following her and that she should watch for cars following her. Mubarak said, “I will find you even if that means I die,” and threatened to kill the Judge himself. In many of the messages, Mubarak identified himself by name and left his callback number.

    Beginning on Sept. 12, 2021, and continuing until the early morning hours of Sept. 13, 2021, Mubarak also placed numerous threatening calls to businesses and schools in the Canal Winchester and Pickerington areas.

    He called to make threats to employees at the Brew Dog, Home Depot and Best Western businesses in Canal Winchester.

    On Sept. 12, 2021, at about 10pm, officers and agents with the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Division of Police and FBI visited the last known address of Mubarak in Canal Winchester. Mubarak observed the officers in his Ring doorbell camera and taunted the officers throughout the interaction.

    Twenty minutes later, Mubarak called a dispatcher in Fairfield County and told her, in part, “you can die” and “she would get two bullets in the head.” The defendant called the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office more than 100 times in a 12-hour span.

    Around 7am on the morning of Sept. 13, 2021, Mubarak called in a bomb threat to Canal Winchester Middle School. He told a school employee: “I have placed several bombs in your building” and “I would get your women and children out now.”

    Approximately 20 minutes later, Mubarak called Pickerington North High School and said there were two suicide bombers inside the school.

    Mubarak was charged federally and arrested on Sept. 22, 2021. A federal grand jury indicted him in November 2021 and that indictment was superseded in June 2022.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape; and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica W. Knight and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Pike County Deputy Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Excessive Use of Force

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A former Pike County deputy was sentenced in federal court here today to 100 months in prison for committing civil rights violations while employed as a law enforcement officer.

    In August 2023, Jeremy C. Mooney, 49, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of violating a victim’s constitutional rights by pepper spraying and punching the victim in the head, while the victim was in the custody of the Pike County Sheriff’s Office and posed no threat to himself or others. The jury found that Mooney’s offenses involved the use of a dangerous weapon and resulted in bodily injury.

    “This defendant is being sentenced for the violent assault of an inmate who was confined to a restraint chair and unable to protect himself or escape from the abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “All people in our country have a right to be free from excessive force by law enforcement officers. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute any law enforcement officer who willfully violates the civil rights of the people they are sworn to protect and serve.”

    “Communities trust in law enforcement officers to uphold the rule of law and, as public servants, they must honor that responsibility, not deprive individuals of their civil rights,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “Law enforcement officials who abuse their powers like Mooney did will be held accountable.”

    According to court documents and trial testimony, on Nov. 18, 2019, Mooney transported the victim from the jail to the Pike County Sheriff’s Office headquarters, where he placed the victim in a restraint chair. The restraint chair secured the victim’s hands behind his back and prevented him from being able to move most of his body. For more than an hour, Mooney unlawfully used force against the victim on several occasions.

    Mooney dragged the victim — who was in the restraint chair — outside and pepper sprayed him directly in the face. The victim writhed in pain and tipped the chair back off the curb, landing on his back. Mooney then stood over the victim and deployed the pepper spray directly into the victim’s face a second time. Mooney brought the victim back inside the building and walked away. Over the course of several minutes, Mooney returned to that part of the building, where the victim was still handcuffed and secured in the restraint chair and punched the victim in the head 11 times. Mooney punched the victim with enough force to break his own hand.

    A former Pike County Sheriff’s Office supervisor, William Stansberry Jr., 47, of Chillicothe, Ohio, was also charged. Stansberry violated the victim’s constitutional rights by willfully failing to intervene to prevent Mooney’s conduct. He pleaded guilty in July 2023 to deprivation of civil rights under color of law and was sentenced on March 5 to six months in prison. Stansberry was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release, with the first six months to be served under home detention.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate and Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are representing the United States in this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Co-Leader of Large-Scale Narcotics and Human Trafficking Ring Pleads Guilty

    Source: US FBI

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A leader in a case with 23 defendants involved in narcotics and human trafficking conspiracies pleaded guilty in federal court here today to drug, gun, human trafficking, and money laundering crimes.

    From 2008 until June 2022, Cordell Washington, 37, of Pickerington, ran a large-scale drug trafficking organization in Columbus with co-defendant Patrick Saultz. Their operations also included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, fraud and money laundering.

    A multi-agency law enforcement task force initially announced the case in July 2022 after a federal grand jury indicted 11 defendants for distributing bulk amounts of fentanyl, cocaine and crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a Columbus elementary school. In October 2022, the government added 12 defendants and 28 new charges. 

    Court documents detail that the drug trafficking organization brought large quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana into Columbus. These drugs were sold or used to coerce individuals into sexual activity for some members of the drug ring and their profit.

    It is alleged that Saultz began distributing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from his residences on Vida Place and South Hague Street in Columbus as early as 2008. The drug trafficking organization sold drugs out of more than 20 Columbus residences to customers and distributed larger amounts to regional drug traffickers who then trafficked those narcotics to places such as West Virginia and the Northern District of Ohio.

    Most of the alleged drug dealing took place within 1000 feet of Burroughs Elementary School in Columbus at a residence on South Burgess. For example, one of Washington and Saultz’s numerous subordinates sold approximately $18,000 worth of narcotics per day from the location on South Burgess.

    The case also involves the overdose death of at least one individual and the violent death of a second victim.

    As part of his plea, Washington admitted to labor trafficking male drug addicts. The defendant provided the men with their drug of choice after the men completed construction or cleaning projects at residences owned by the drug trafficking organization. The men were recruited by Washington and some completed the work for him under serious threat of harm.

    Washington would provide the addicts with advances on small amounts of drugs so they were well enough to perform physical labor. If Washington was not pleased with their work product, he would not complete the final drug payment and would threaten violence against them.

    Washington used numerous methods to launder the group’s drug trafficking proceeds, including establishing front businesses that purported to be rental, repair and construction companies.

    Washington pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of an elementary school, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, labor trafficking and concealment money laundering. He faces a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years and up to life in prison.

    As part of this case, local, state, and federal law enforcement officers have executed more than 20 search warrants at various locations throughout Central Ohio and seized more than $1.7 million in alleged drug proceeds. For example, while executing a search warrant at Car-Go storage units, law enforcement officials discovered approximately one million in bulk United States currency. Searches of additional residences yielded 47 firearms, diamonds, Rolex watches and additional bulk amounts of cash.

    As of today, 21 of the 23 defendants have pleaded guilty. One defendant, Carmella Brooks, has been sentenced and received a term of imprisonment of five years.

    U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker commended the investigation coordinated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes Columbus Division of Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Shawn Gibson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations; and Orville O. Greene, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other agencies that have assisted the task force with the investigation include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, HIDTA Task Force, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), Ohio National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Pickerington Police Department, New Albany Police Department, and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Prichard and Emily Czerniejewski are representing the United States in this case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Cleveland to Host Diversity Agent Recruiting Information Session

    Source: US FBI

    Event to Focus on Mid-Career Professionals Seeking Opportunities for Growth and Advancement

    CLEVELAND, OH—FBI Cleveland is hosting a Diversity Agent Recruiting (DAR) information session for mid-career professionals ready to explore career paths with the FBI.

    There is no cost to attend, and attendees will not be required to submit a formal employment application following the event.

    Interested folks must pre-register online for the event:

    Visit FBIjobs.gov and search for Job ID 53849 or enter “Cleveland DAR or Cleveland Talent Network” in the keyword search.

    1. Navigate: FBIJOBS.GOV
    2. Click: Apply to Jobs
    3. Search: Cleveland DAR or Cleveland Talent Network or Job ID 53849
    4. Click: Cleveland DAR Talent Network
    5. Click: “Start” in the upper right corner of the screen (this begins the registration process)

    2024 Cleveland Diversity Agent Recruiting Information Session

    • May 22, 2024
    • 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
    • FBI Cleveland | 1501 Lakeside Ave., E.
    • Cleveland, Ohio 44114

    As the FBI strives to promote a culture of diversity and inclusion, the FBI is actively seeking qualified candidates with different backgrounds and experiences to connect with the communities we serve. To bridge the ethnic, racial, and gender gaps between the FBI and the community, the FBI implemented a national Diversity Agent Recruitment (DAR) initiative.

    The DAR recruiting information session is a two-hour long event designed to provide information about the multitude of career opportunities for prospective special agents with diverse backgrounds and expertise, including accounting, IT, foreign languages, education, communications, military, management, engineering, cyber, and legal, to name a few.

    There is a misconception that the FBI only hires people with law enforcement experience or criminal justice education. That is simply not true. FBI special agents have a range of backgrounds, education, and skill sets that collectively allow the Bureau to stay ahead of threats. Special agents have the drive and leadership skills to take on new challenges and protect their communities.

    It takes people from all industries and cultures to accomplish the FBI mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution of the United States. The Diversity Recruiting information session will allow the FBI to share more about their work, provide detailed information about the application process, and answer any questions prospective candidates may have. Additionally, attendees will be able to meet one-on-one with special agents, physical fitness advisors, and the applicant coordinator.

    Anyone interested in attending the DAR information session should register as soon as possible to secure a spot. Qualified candidates will receive further instructions prior to the event. For those requiring accommodations regarding the DAR event, e-mail jahaymond@FBI.GOV.

    Please note that the DAR event is only an information session. Candidates who wish to apply directly for a Special Agent position can do so through the same website (FBIJOBS.GOV) by creating a profile, submitting their resume, and completing an application for a special agent position listing.

    The FBI Office of Diversity and Inclusion was created in 2013. In 2015, “Building a High-Performing, Diverse and Inclusive Workforce” was established as a Director’s Priority Initiative (DPI), leading to the implementation of various Diversity and Inclusion programs across the country.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Muskogee Residents Sentenced for Child Neglect

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andrew Allen Maher, age 33, and Azalee Louellen Maher, age 28, both of Muskogee, Oklahoma, were sentenced to five years supervised release for child neglect in Indian country.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On April 15, 2024, Andrew Maher and Azalee Maher each pleaded guilty to one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country.  According to investigators, on August 18, 2023, Muskogee officers responding to reports of an accidental firearm discharge at a Muskogee residence discovered a two-year old child with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the lower abdomen.  EMS workers successfully resuscitated and stabilized the child, who was transported for life-saving surgery.  As part of the plea, both defendants admitted failing to provide adequate supervision to the child in their care, resulting in the child accessing a firearm.

    The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. Chief District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie Pippin represented the United States.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: December Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

    Source: US FBI

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the December Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Terrance Frank Buffalomeat. Second Degree Burglary in Indian Country; Simple Assault. Buffalomeat, 20, of Hominy and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with breaking into Midwest Wraps with intent to steal. He is further charged with assaulting a victim. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-392

    Mark Verron Callshim, Jr. Robbery in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence (superseding). Callshim, 37, of Tulsa and a member of the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, is charged with taking something of value by force, violence, and intimidation. He is further charged with brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-159

    Tony Deanglio Davis. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Davis, 50, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-393

    Keith Edward Enyart; Jennifer Barger Enyart. Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 1 & 4); Child Abuse in Indian Country (Counts 2 & 5); Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily Harm in Indian Country (Count 3). Keith Enyart, 52, a member of the Wyandotte Nation, and Jennifer Enyart, 44, of Wyandotte, are charged with willfully failing to provide appropriate medical care and supervision to protect a child under their care. They both are charged with willfully harming the safety and welfare of the minor victim. Jennifer is additionally charged with intentionally assaulting the minor child by tasing his testicles. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie N. Ihler is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-394

    Sarai Jamila Nyasha Freeman. Passing and Uttering Counterfeit Obligations and Securities (Counts 1 & 2); Aggravated Identity Theft (Counts 3 & 4); Failure to Appear (Count 5) (superseding). Freeman, 40, of Aurora, Colorado, is charged with forging and cashing counterfeit U.S. Treasury checks. She is further charged with using the victim’s last name and social security number without lawful authority. Additionally, Freeman failed to appear for trial, knowing she was required under the conditions of her pretrial release. The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and the Treasury Inspector General are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-220

    Grant Stephen Goers. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor (Counts 1, 3, & 4); Production of Child Pornography (Count 2). Goers, 23, of Greenwood, Arkansas, is charged with knowingly persuading and enticing three separate minor victims under 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. He is further charged with enticing a minor victim to produce sexually explicit material. Homeland Security Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, the Sand Springs Police Department, and the Tahlequah Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-395

    Diana May Harjo. Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. Harjo, 39, of Tulsa and a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, is charged with assaulting the victim, which resulted in serious bodily injury. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele W. Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-403

    Ricky Troy Juarez. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Juarez, 32, of Tulsa and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with unlawfully killing Shane Thompson, Sr., with malice aforethought. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-404

    Jose Jesus Lozano-Gonzalez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Lozano-Gonzalez, 25, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2022. Further, Lozano-Gonzalez unlawfully possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies in Oklahoma. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Harris is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-374

    Stuwart Raymon Owens. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Owens, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-405

    Rudi Reyes-Rosales. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Reyes-Rosales, 30, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in July 2021. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-396

    Kyle Thomas Smith. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Smith, 33, of Claremore, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brasher is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-406

    Ryan Blake Still. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Still, 33, transient, is charged with knowingly failing to register
    as a sex offender from June 2024 through July 2024 after previously being convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in 
    Indian County in 2021. The U.S. Marshal Service is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-407

    Marcos Javier Suazo-Otero; Marcos Javier Suazo-Mancilla. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Suazo-Otero, 46, and Suazo-Mancilla, 23, both Mexican nationals, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 2024 through Nov. 2024. They are further charged with maintaining a residence for drug distribution. Suazo-Otero knowingly possessed methamphetamine with intent to distribute and is additionally charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Aug. 2018. Lastly, Suazo-Mancilla knowingly possessed cocaine with intent to distribute and possessed firearms while drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tulsa Police Department, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-397

    Aristride Villatoro-Izaguirre. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Villatoro-Izaguirre, 32, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2018. U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement and Removal Operations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Goodrum is prosecuting the case. 24-CR-398

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese Nationals Sentenced to Serve 20 Years Collectively in Federal Prison for Illegally Trafficking Black-Market Marijuana From Oklahoma Grow Operation

    Source: US FBI

    OKLAHOMA CITY – JEFF WENG, 47, of China and Brooklyn, New York, has been sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury charged Weng and co-defendant Tong Lin, 29, with conspiracy to possess marijuana plants with intent to distribute.  On January 18, 2024, after a two-day trial, a federal jury deliberated about an hour before it found Weng and Lin guilty of drug conspiracy.

    Between December 2022 and May 2023, evidence at trial indicated that Weng managed a marijuana grow in Wetumka, Oklahoma, and licensed by the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. Evidence showed that Lin managed matters when Weng was not present. One witness testified that, as part of their participation in the drug conspiracy, they drove delivery vans disguised as commercial vehicles, including one disguised as an “Amazon” delivery van, to the Wetumka Grow 10 to 15 times between December 2022 and March 31, 2023.  The witness further testified that they picked up between 150 and 200 pounds of marijuana each time from the Wetumka Grow, and that Lin helped load the fake “Amazon” delivery van with marijuana. The witness testified they transported the marijuana to a stash house in Oklahoma City. Every Friday, the witness transported the marijuana from the stash house to a warehouse in Oklahoma City. There, they loaded more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana at a time into a semi-truck trailer, which transported the marijuana from Oklahoma to the East Coast. Over approximately seven months, the witness shipped upwards of 56,000 pounds of marijuana out of Oklahoma via semi-truck. Evidence also showed that law enforcement searched the Wetumka Grow in May 2023 and located 19,661 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, more than $100,000 of vacuum-sealed cash hidden in Weng’s closet attic space, and a firearm.

    At the sentencing hearing on December 19, 2024, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Weng to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Palk noted the role Weng played in a “significant” illegal marijuana operation, and the need for deterrence. On June 17, 2024, Lin was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, along with assistance from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. It is also a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wilson D. McGarry and David Nichols, Jr. prosecuted the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Bank Robbery Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for More Than a Decade

    Source: US FBI

    OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, AKIN ZHON WOFFORD, 29, of Oklahoma City, was sentenced to serve 135 months in federal prison for armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On February 7, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a two-count Indictment against Wofford, charging him with armed bank robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. On August 21, 2024, a federal jury convicted Wofford on both counts.

    According to evidence presented at trial, on November 7, 2022, Wofford entered a branch of City National Bank and Trust in Oklahoma City. After he waited several minutes in the lobby, Wofford pulled out a firearm, jumped over the teller counter, pointed it at a bank employee, and demanded money. Wofford then opened the teller drawer and grabbed handfuls of cash before he exited the bank. An investigation into the vehicle used during the bank robbery ultimately led authorities to Wofford. He was arrested on November 18, 2022.

    At the sentencing hearing on January 9, 2025, U.S. District Judge David L. Russell sentenced Wofford to serve 135 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the circumstances of the offense, including the risk of danger caused by the robbery, and Wofford’s history of violence.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Gridley and Stanley J. West prosecuted 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.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: $6 Million Worth of Oregon Properties Forfeited in Connection to Interstate Marijuana Trafficking Organization

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that it has forfeited on behalf of the United States 14 real properties located in Oregon—together worth more than $5.7 million—that were used by an interstate drug trafficking organization to illegally grow marijuana for redistribution and sale in other states. The owner of a 15th property agreed to pay the government $400,000 in lieu of having their property forfeited.

    Beginning at an unknown time, and continuing until September 2021, the properties, located in Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Polk, and Yamhill counties, were used as illegal marijuana grow houses by an interstate drug trafficking organization led by Fayao “Paul” Rong, 53, of Houston, Texas. On July 19, 2023, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, Rong was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

    “This prosecution and yearslong effort to forfeit properties used by the Rong organization to grow and process thousands of pounds of marijuana demonstrate the long reach of our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and mitigating the damage these criminal organizations inflict on neighborhoods and communities,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    “The goal of drug traffickers is to generate profits through their crimes,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Seattle Field Division. “The DEA and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and the Oregon State Police worked hard in this case to investigate and forfeit the ill-gotten gains of this organization, benefiting our entire community.”

    “The Oregon State Police is committed to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations operating within our state. Our priorities include safeguarding Oregon’s natural resources and mitigating the impact illicit marijuana has on them,” said Tyler Bechtel, Oregon State Police (OSP) Lieutenant. “This case is a great example of the results that can be achieved when all levels of law enforcement work together toward our common goals.”

    According to court documents, Rong purchased numerous residential houses in Oregon using several different identities and, with others in his organization, used them to grow and process marijuana and prepare it for transport to states where its use remains illegal. In a 12-month period beginning August 2020, Rong’s organization trafficked more than $13.2 million dollars in black market marijuana.

    In early September 2021, a coordinated law enforcement operation led by DEA and OSP targeted Rong’s organization. Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners executed search warrants on 25 Oregon residences and Rong’s home in Houston. During the precipitating investigation and ensuing search warrants, investigators seized nearly 33,000 marijuana plants, 1,800 pounds of packaged marijuana, 23 firearms, nine vehicles, $20,000 in money orders, and more than $591,000 in cash.

    The Rong organization takedown followed a 14-month investigation initiated by OSP after the agency learned of excessive electricity use at the various properties, which, in several instances, resulted in transformer explosions. Multiple citizen complaints corroborated law enforcement’s belief that Rong was leading a large black market marijuana operation. With the assistance of the Columbia and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices, OSP found associated marijuana grows in Clatsop, Columbia, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, and Polk Counties. On February 18, 2022, Rong was arrested by DEA agents in Houston.

    This case was investigated by DEA, OSP, and the U.S. Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Oregon Department of Justice; Portland Police Bureau; the Yamhill, Clatsop, Marion, Multnomah, Columbia, and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices; Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team; and Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings were handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division.

    The proceeds of forfeited assets are deposited in the Justice Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF) and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. To learn more about the AFF, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/afp/assets-forfeiture-fund-aff.

    This prosecution is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing COVID-19 Relief Funds

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—A Nevada man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to federal prison today for stealing more than $163,000 in Covid relief program funds while on supervised release for two separate state criminal convictions.

    Justin David Goulet, 36, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $163,100 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

    According to court documents, in late December 2020, Goulet was released from Oregon state prison after completing concurrent sentences for felony forgery and theft. Less than four months after his release from prison, in April 2021, Goulet devised a scheme to defraud SBA of funds appropriated by Congress to help businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, Goulet applied for two Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) and successfully obtained one for $163,100.

    To support his fraudulent applications, Goulet registered a straw company called Statement Venture Group, LLC, and falsely claimed to be doing business as an independent contractor while imprisoned in 2019. He further submitted bogus tax filings, including one purportedly created by a New York accounting firm, to the SBA to substantiate robust (and fictional) revenues and payrolls. Goulet used most of the $163,000 he obtained on travel, living expenses, cars, and illegal drugs.

    On February 8, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Goulet with wire fraud and, on August 30, 2022, he pleaded guilty.

    This case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General and the FBI. It was prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    Since January 2021, more than 50 people have been charged in the District of Oregon for their roles in fraud schemes targeting federal Covid relief programs. Together, these defendants attempted to steal more than $778 million in federal funds. 23 individuals have been convicted for their crimes and sentenced to a combined total of 477 months in federal prison and 894 months of probation and/or supervised release. 

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Central Oregon Drug Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—A Central Oregon drug trafficker who conspired with others to traffic fentanyl and methamphetamine to Madras and Redmond, Oregon, and surrounding areas, was sentenced to federal prison today.

    Israel Sarabia, 30, of Culver, Oregon, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

    According to court documents, as part of a joint drug trafficking investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE), investigators learned that a Central Oregon drug trafficking organization was using a courier to transport bulk quantities of drugs from either Southern California or Mexico into Oregon. On December 10, 2022, investigators located and stopped the courier in Klamath Falls, Oregon. While searching the courier’s vehicle, investigators located three packages containing approximately 30,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills that later tested positive for fentanyl.

    Further investigation revealed that the courier was traveling to Sarabia’s residence and that he had been tasked by Sarabia with bringing him fentanyl from Southern California or Mexico. On March 15, 2023, investigators located and arrested Sarabia near his residence in Culver. On the same day, investigators located and seized 519 grams of methamphetamine, more than 1,000 fentanyl pills, 41 grams of cocaine, and nine firearms from the residence of a co-conspirator who was working for Sarabia and storing drugs on his behalf.

    On March 15, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Sarabia and an accomplice with conspiring with one another to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine. A third individual was also charged with conspiracy. 

    On August 21, 2023, Sarabia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

    This case was investigated by DEA and CODE. It was prosecuted by Lewis S. Burkhart, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

    The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. CODE includes members of the Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, Sunriver, and Black Butte Police Departments; the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department; the Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices; the Oregon State Police; the Oregon National Guard; DEA; and the FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greater Manchester to benefit from recent trade deals

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Greater Manchester to benefit from recent trade deals

    Trade deals with India, US and the EU that have seen tariffs on key industries slashed are set to help drive growth in Greater Manchester.

    • Prime Minister to meet with the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burham to discuss the benefits of the recent trade deals.
    • Comes as we’ve nailed three trade deals in as many weeks to deliver growth that is a priority for the Plan for Change.
    • The deals benefit the automotive sector that supports 15,000 jobs.

    Trade deals with India, US and the EU that have seen tariffs on key industries slashed are set to help drive growth in Greater Manchester. 
      
    Reductions in tariffs on automobile exports have provided security for 15,000 workers.   

    Opens up the region to greater investment to grow the economy, raise living standards and put more money into working people’s pockets – priorities of our Plan for Change. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    The trade deals that we have closed delivers stability for the automotive sector in the region that employs 15,000 workers.

    It also will create opportunities for more seamless trade, attracting inward investment that will grow the local economy and make a difference to people’s lives.  

    These changes will be felt everywhere, whether it’s lower food prices at the checkout, more choice for consumers and higher living standards that will improve livelihoods across Greater Manchester.

    32,962 people employed in agriculture across the North West will also benefit from our trade deal with the EU. It will reduce checks and red tape, meaning produce grown and farmed in the region has easy access to the UK’s biggest trading partner. 

    British steel exports are also protected from new rules and restrictive tariffs from the EU, supporting 4,300 people working in the steel industry across the North West. 

    The Prime Minister will tell the English Mayors and the Leaders from the Devolved Governments at a meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions in London today (Friday 23 May) that his trade deals with India, the United States and the EU will deliver economic growth that will improve people’s lives at home.   

    He will challenge those in attendance to drive economic growth in their local areas to deliver for working people.   

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    The three landmark deals secured this month with the US, India, and the EU have shown this government is serious about striking the deals that our businesses want and need. 

    We are delivering billions for the UK economy and wages every year as part of our Plan for Change. For businesses in Manchester, these deals will mean stability and jobs protected as they seize new opportunities to sell to some of our biggest trading partners.

    India is a significant marker for the Northwest where over 900 business exported goods worth £412 million last year. 

    Home to iconic car companies such as Jaguar Land Rover and Bentley, this sector will benefit from measures that reduce automative tariffs from over 100% to 10% under a quota.

    This is in addition to the region welcoming investment from businesses in India with IndiGo, India’s biggest airline carrier choosing Manchester as its first ever European destination. 

    Manchester Airport Managing Director Chris Woodroofe said: 

    At Manchester Airport, our mission is to connect the North with the world, helping people visit new places, connecting businesses with key global markets, and welcoming tourists and investors to our region.  

    That is why I am proud that IndiGo – India’s biggest carrier – has chosen Manchester, alongside Amsterdam, as its first ever European destinations.   

    We know connectivity is a key enabler of trade and productivity. By providing direct access to the world’s fastest-growing major economy, this route will deliver a significant boost to the government’s economic growth mission and coincides perfectly with new of a new UK-India trade deal.

    In the same week as the agreement with India, we negotiated the first of its kind deal with the US to reduce tariffs on car exports. Both of these arrangements secure greater certainty for the sector, the 15,000 workers and their families, while also enhancing opportunities for manufacturing in the region to grow. 

    Manchester will also benefit from access to India’s growing telecommunications market and the commitment in our US deal to increase digital trade and access for the world leading industries in the city. 

    Just this week, the Prime Minister confirmed a new agreement with the European Union that will deliver on his core mission to grow the economy, create more jobs in South Yorkshire, raising living standards and put more money in people’s pockets.   

    At today’s meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions the Prime Minister will also lead discussions about spreading AI to help working people access the services that they need in their local areas.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Hull and East Yorkshire to benefit from recent trade deals

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Hull and East Yorkshire to benefit from recent trade deals

    Hull and East Yorkshire’s top job creators including the life sciences and auto industry are set to benefit from the UK’s new trade deals with India and the US that slashes tariffs and boosts access to the world’s fastest growing economy.

    • Prime Minister to meet with the Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire Luke Campbell to discuss the benefits of his recent trade deals.
    • Comes as we’ve nailed three trade deals in as many weeks to deliver growth that is a priority for the Plan for Change.
    • Boost for top job creators including pharmaceuticals that employs almost 2,000 and the automotive industry that employs 3,000 people in the region.

    Hull and East Yorkshire’s top job creators including the life sciences and auto industry are set to benefit from the UK’s new trade deals with India and the US that slashes tariffs and boosts access to the world’s fastest growing economy. 

    The US deal negotiated by the Prime Minister deliver long term certainty for 3,000 people employed in the auto industry locally and almost 2,000 in pharmaceuticals. 

    It also will deliver opportunities for major job creators in the region such as Smith + Nephew and Advanced Wound Management to grow – the first priority of our Plan for Change. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:  

    The trade deals that we have closed delivers stability in the automotive and pharmaceuticals industry in Hull and East Yorkshire that employs 5,000 people. 

    It also will create opportunities for more seamless trade, attracting inward investment that will grow the local economy and make a difference to people’s lives.

    These changes will be felt everywhere, whether it’s lower food prices at the checkout, more choice for consumers and higher living standards that will improve livelihoods across Hull and East Yorkshire.

    Over 31,000 people employed in agriculture across the region will also benefit from our agreement with the EU. It will reduce checks and red tape, meaning regional specialties like crab, Yorkshire Pudding and cheeses will have easy access to the UK’s biggest trading market. 

    The agreement also protects British steel exports from new EU rules and restrictive, providing further security for 8,400 jobs in the steel industry across Yorkshire and the Humber. 

    The Prime Minister will tell the English Mayors and the Leaders from the Devolved Governments at a meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions in London today (Friday 23 May) that his trade deals with India, the United States and the EU will deliver economic growth that will improve people’s lives at home.  

    He will challenge those in attendance to drive economic growth in their local areas to deliver for working people.  

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    The three landmark deals secured this month with the US, India, and the EU have shown this government is serious about striking the deals that our businesses want and need. 

    We are delivering billions for the UK economy and wages every year as part of our Plan for Change. For businesses in East Yorkshire, these deals will mean stability and jobs protected as they seize new opportunities to sell to some of our biggest trading partners.

    Our increased trade with India will unlock opportunities for every region in the UK to access the world’s fastest growing major economy, including Hull and East Yorkshire. In the same week, we negotiated the first of its kind agreement with the US that will reduce car export tariffs from 27.5% to 10% – providing 3,000 workers in Hull and East Yorkshire with long-term security and certainty.  

    The agreement also secures the UK preferential access to the US market for pharmaceuticals in the case of new US tariffs in coming weeks, and we are working closely to get the best deal for our pharma industry that supports 2,000 jobs in Hull and East Yorkshire. 

    Just this week the Prime Minister acted in the national interest by confirming a new agreement with the EU that will deliver on our core mission to grow the economy, creating more jobs in Hull and East Yorkshire and putting more money in people’s pockets.  

    At today’s meeting of the Council of Nations and Regions the Prime Minister will also lead discussions about spreading AI to help working people access the services that they need in their local areas.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –