NewzIntel.com

Category: US Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Rejects Lifetime Judicial Appointment of Unfit Trump Loyalist Emil Bove

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement after voting against advancing the nomination of Third Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Emil Bove, one of Trump’s personal lawyers with an extensive track record of spreading misinformation and enacting political retribution:

    “With their votes today, Republicans turned a blind eye to Emil Bove’s lies, vindictiveness, and abuse of power to rubber-stamp one of President Trump’s most dangerous judicial nominees.

    “This is a man who dropped the charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for his cooperation with the President’s cruel anti-immigrant agenda. A man who fired the investigators and prosecutors uncovering the truth about the January 6 insurrection. A man who has vowed to ignore courts’ lawful orders when they keep the President from doing what he wants.

    “President Trump’s litmus test for selecting his nominees is not experience or dedication to our country, or commitment to the truth or the rule of law — it’s only loyalty to him and his extreme agenda. Bove has made it clear that he won’t let the law prevent him from satisfying the President’s whims. My colleagues have one last chance to uphold their advice and consent responsibilities and reject Bove’s final confirmation.”

    Last week, Padilla and Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats boycotted Bove’s markup vote in response to Republicans’ flagrant violation of Committee rules to jam the nominees through without debate. Padilla also joined CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” to speak out against Bove’s extensive track record of unethical and unprofessional conduct and political retaliation.

    During Bove’s Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing, Padilla slammed him for his role in firing dozens of Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors who worked on January 6 cases and the DOJ’s decision to drop the corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams in exchange for assistance with President Trump’s mass deportations. Last week, Padilla joined Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats in calling for Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to schedule a hearing to collect testimony from Mr. Erez Reuveni, former Acting Deputy Director for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Department of Justice, who disclosed allegations of misconduct and documentation regarding Bove. Previously, Padilla joined Senate Judiciary Democrats in requesting personnel records relevant to Bove from Interim U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. Padilla and Senate Judiciary Democrats also filed a professional misconduct complaint against Bove with the New York State Bar, citing reported misconduct in moving to dismiss charges against Mayor Adams.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Missionary Charged with Sexually Abusing Minors Abroad

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A former missionary was arrested today in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for sexually abusing minors abroad. William James Purdy, 28, of West Valley, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16 on charges related to the exploitation of minors outside the United States.

    “The defendant in this case chose to travel abroad under the guise of good intentions and then sexually exploited and abused children who had been trusted to his care,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When foreign authorities sought to hold him accountable, he fled back to the United States. The United States will not export child exploitation. The Justice Department is committed to securing justice for children exploited overseas when these heinous acts are committed by Americans.”

    “William James Purdy’s actions represent a profound betrayal of trust and have caused immeasurable harm to the young lives he was supposed to protect and nurture,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia. “HSI’s global reach and partnerships are crucial in our relentless fight against child predators, ensuring that those who exploit and abuse children, no matter where they are, are brought to justice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and will continue to work tirelessly to prevent such heinous crimes.”

    “This is a perfect illustration of the DSS global reach and our ability to partner with U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies on international cases,” said Acting Assistant Director of Domestic Operations Adrian Diaz of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). “DSS and our counterparts are conducting investigations like these on a daily basis around the world.”

    According to court documents, Purdy, a U.S. Citizen, traveled to Tonga in 2017 for his mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While there, he allegedly sexually abused multiple minor boys. Purdy returned to Tonga in late 2019 to teach at a school in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. For years, Purdy allegedly groomed and sexually abused numerous male students, some of whom lived with him. Purdy allegedly provided gifts, including electronic devices and access to the internet, food, toys, and money, in exchange for the performance of sexual acts. Purdy is also alleged to have surreptitiously recorded minor males in his bathroom at his various Tonga apartments.

    Purdy was arrested by Tonga police in October 2022, when an eight‑year‑old boy disclosed that Purdy sexually assaulted him during their tutoring sessions. When Purdy was released from jail, he allegedly continued to sexually abuse children. In March 2023, just prior to his scheduled trial, Purdy fled Tonga using an assumed identity and returned to Utah. The investigation thus far has identified 14 minor victims throughout Tonga.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) are investigating the case, with the substantial assistance of the Tonga Police and the Tongan Department of Public Prosecutions.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Joey L. Blanch for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Columbia’s $200M deal with Trump administration sets a precedent for other universities to bend to the government’s will

    Source: The Conversation – USA (2) – By Brendan Cantwell, Associate Professor of Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education, Michigan State University

    Students at Columbia University in New York City on April 14, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

    Columbia University agreed on July 23, 2025, to pay a US$200 million fine to the federal government and to settle allegations that it did not create a safe environment for Jewish students during Palestinian rights protests in 2024.

    The deal will restore the vast majority of the $400 million in federal grants and contracts that Columbia was previously awarded, before the administration withdrew the funding in March 2025.

    It marks the first financial and political agreement a university has reached with the Trump administration in its push for more control over higher education – and stands to have significant ripple effects for how other universities and colleges carry out their basic operations.

    Amy Lieberman, the education editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Brendan Cantwell, a scholar of higher education at Michigan State University, to understand what’s exactly in this agreement – and the lasting precedent it may set on government intervention in higher education.

    Palestinian rights demonstrators march through Columbia University on Oct. 7, 2024, marking one year of the war between Hamas and Israel.
    Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

    What’s in the deal Columbia made with the Trump administration?

    The agreement requires Columbia to make a $200 million payment to the federal government. Columbia will also pay $21 million to settle investigations brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

    Columbia will need to keep detailed statistics about student applicants – including their race and ethnicity, grades and SAT scores – as well as information about faculty and staff hiring decisions. Columbia will then have to share this data with the federal government.

    In exchange, the federal government will release most of the $400 million in frozen grant money previously awarded to Columbia and allow faculty at the university to compete for future federal grants.

    How does this deal address antisemitism?

    The Trump administration has cited antisemitism against students and faculty on campuses to justify its broad incursion into the business of universities around the country.

    Antisemitism is a real and legitimate concern in U.S. society and higher education, including at Columbia.

    But the federal complaint the administration made against Columbia was not actually about antisemitism. The administration made a formal accusation of antisemitism at Columbia in May of this year but suspended grants to the university in March. The federal government had initially acknowledged that cutting federal research grants did nothing to address the climate for Jewish students on campus, for example.

    When the federal government investigates civil rights violations, it usually conducts site visits and does very thorough investigations. We never saw such a government report about antisemitism at Columbia or other universities.

    The settlement that Columbia has entered into with the administration also doesn’t do much about antisemitism.

    The agreement includes Columbia redefining antisemitism with a broader definition that is also used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. The definition now includes “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews” – a description that is also used by the U.S. State Department and several European governments but some critics say conflates antisemitism with anti-Zionism.

    Instead, the agreement primarily has to do with faculty hiring and admissions decisions. The federal government alleges that Columbia is discriminating against white and Asian applicants, and that this will allow the government to ensure that everybody who is admitted is considered only on the basis of merit.

    The administration could argue that changing hiring practices to get faculty who are less hostile to Jewish students could change the campus climate, but the agreement doesn’t really identify ways in which the university contributed to or ignored antisemitic conduct.

    Is this a new issue?

    There has been a long-running issue that conservatives and members of the Trump administration – dating back to his first term – have with higher education. The Trump administration and other conservatives have said for years that higher education is too liberal.

    The protests were the flash point that put Columbia in the administration’s crosshairs, as well as claims that Columbia was creating a hostile environment for Jewish students.

    The administration’s complaints aren’t limited to Columbia. Harvard is in a protracted conflict with the administration, and the administration has launched investigations into dozens of other schools around the country. These universities are butting heads with the administration over the same grievance that higher education is too liberal. There are also specific claims about antisemitism on university campuses and the privileges given to nonwhite students in admissions or campus life.

    While the administration has a common set of complaints about a range of universities, there is a mix of schools that the administration is taking issue with. Some of them, such as Harvard, are very high profile. The Department of Justice forced out the president at the University of Virginia in January 2025 on the grounds that he had not done enough to root out diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the public university. The University of Virginia may have been a target for the administration because a Republican governor appointed most members of its governance board and agreed with Trump’s complaints.

    How could this change the makeup of Columbia’s student population?

    The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that Harvard’s affirmative action program, which considered race in admissions, violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. This effectively ended race-based affirmative action for all U.S. colleges and universities.

    Now, with the Columbia deal, the government could say that it would expect to see a proportion of students who are white increase and students who are Black and Latino to decrease at Columbia. That’s a legal approach that America First Legal, a conservative legal advocacy group founded by Stephen Miller, a Trump administration official, has already tried.

    Back in February 2025, America First Legal alleged in a federal lawsuit that the University of California, Los Angeles, was using illegal admissions criteria, because of the number of Black and Latino students that were admitted by the school. That lawsuit is ongoing.

    Claire Shipman, Columbia University’s acting president, speaks during the school’s May 2025 commencement ceremony.
    Jeenah Moon/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

    What does this agreement mean for US higher education as a whole?

    It is an enormous, unprecedented shift in how the federal government works with higher education. Since the McCarthy era in the 1940s and ’50s, when professors were blacklisted and fired because of their alleged communism, Americans have not seen the federal government interrogate education.

    The federal government does have a role in securing people’s civil rights, including in the context of higher education, but this is very, very different from how the federal government has done civil rights investigations and entered into agreements with universities in the past.

    This agreement is very broad and gives the federal government oversight of things that have long been under universities’ control, such as whom they hire to teach and which students they admit.

    The federal government is now saying it has the right to look over universities’ shoulders and guide them in this work that has long been considered independent. And the government is willing to be extremely coercive to get universities to comply.

    What signal does this agreement send to other universities?

    This agreement sets a precedent for the government to direct colleges and universities to comply with its political agenda. This violates the long tradition of academic independence that had helped to make the U.S. higher education system the envy of the world.

    Columbia can afford paying $200 million to the federal government. Most universities can’t afford to pay $200 million.

    And most campuses cannot survive without federal resources, whether that comes in the form of student financial aid or research grants. This agreement sets a standard for other universities that, if they don’t immediately do what the federal government wants them to do, the government could impose penalties that are so high it could end their ability to operate.

    Brendan Cantwell is a Professor in the Department of Educational Administration at Michigan State University.

    – ref. Columbia’s $200M deal with Trump administration sets a precedent for other universities to bend to the government’s will – https://theconversation.com/columbias-200m-deal-with-trump-administration-sets-a-precedent-for-other-universities-to-bend-to-the-governments-will-261902

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican Men Charged with Immigration-Related Crimes Following Search Warrants in Navarre

    Source: US FBI

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA –Crescencio Diaz-Diaz, 36, and Marcelo Perez-Santiz, 33, both of the country of Mexico, have been charged in federal court with illegal reentry of a removed alien. Diaz-Diaz has additionally been charged with possession and use of fraudulent employment authorization documents.  The charges were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    Court documents allege that Crescencio Diaz-Diaz reentered the United States illegally after being previously deported in 2020.  He was encountered by federal agents during the execution of federal criminal search warrants at a Navarre business, Emerald Coast Lawns, and an adjacent residence yesterday.  During the search, agents seized a fraudulent permanent resident card (sometimes referred to as a “green card”) and social security card bearing Diaz-Diaz’s name and/or photograph but another person’s identifying information, which Diaz-Diaz allegedly admitted he presented to Emerald Coast Lawns in order to gain employment.

    Separate court documents allege that Marcelo Perez-Santiz reentered the United States illegally after being previously deported on three separate occasions in 2012 and had been found at the business address for Emerald Coast Lawns back in February.  Perez-Santiz was arrested yesterday on a criminal complaint and had an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho.

    The penalty for illegally reentering the United States after deportation is a maximum of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    The cases are being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Florida Highway Patrol, United States Marshals Service and the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.  The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation by a sworn affiant that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to due process, to include a fair trial, during which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Disrupts Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud and Files Civil Forfeiture Complaint Against $325,000 in Funds Involved in Money Laundering

    Source: US FBI

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On July 17, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office obtained a temporary restraining order against the unidentified foreign operators of a fraudulent online cryptocurrency investment platform called “Triangular.” The order resulted in the suspension of online access to two websites used to access the platform.

    The United States also filed a civil forfeiture complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri against more than $325,000 in cryptocurrency seized from two addresses linked to the scam. According to the complaint, the FBI used blockchain analysis and other investigative techniques to determine that the cryptocurrency is connected to the theft and laundering of funds from victims of the Triangular investment fraud scheme.

    The complaint alleges that between July and October 2024, the two cryptocurrency addresses were used to launder millions of dollars in suspected scam proceeds. The complaint further alleges that a victim located in the Western District of Missouri lost more than $16 million to the fake Triangular investment platform.

    The scammers involved in this scheme lured victims through unsolicited messages on social media sites like LinkedIn. Once a relationship formed, the scammers introduced the victims to the fraudulent Triangular platform and made promises of immense investment gain with little to no risk of loss. After the victims made an initial investment through the sophisticated-looking platform, the scammers manipulated the victims’ account to appear to show exponential investment returns and encouraged victims to transfer more cryptocurrency. But when victims tried to withdraw their profit, they were told they needed to pay more in false withdrawal fees or “taxes.” The victims never recovered their money.

    Commonly referred to as a cryptocurrency confidence scam, fake investment schemes like Triangular cost Americans billions of dollars every year, according to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center’s 2024 Internet Crime Report.

    If you believe you are a victim of a cryptocurrency investment fraud or other cyber-enabled crime, report the fraud to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov, your local law enforcement agency, and the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.

    The claims in the United States’ civil complaints are only allegations. The preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for August 6, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes. The case is United States v. John Doe, No. 4:25-cv-00529-BCW.

    This investigation is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kansas City Field Office. The civil cases are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Constance. The Department of Justice would like to acknowledge Tether for its assistance in effectuating the transfer of these assets

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Grayskull Culminates in Lengthy Sentences for Managers of Darkweb Site Dedicated to Sexual Abuse of Children

    Source: US FBI

    Operation Grayskull Eradicated Four Dark Web Child Abuse Sites and Led to the Convictions of 18 Offenders to Date, Who Have Collectively Received More than 300 Years in Prison

    Today, the Justice Department announced the results of Operation Grayskull, a highly successful joint effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI that resulted in the dismantling of four dark web sites dedicated to images and videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). To date, the operation has led to the convictions of 18 offenders, including a Minnesota man who was sentenced yesterday to 250 months in prison and lifetime supervised release for his involvement with one of these dark web sites. He was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution.

    “Today’s announcement sends a clear warning to those who exploit and abuse children: you will not find safe haven, even on the dark web,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These offenders thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong.  Thanks to the relentless determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners we have exposed these perpetrators for who they are, eliminated their websites and brought justice to countless victims.”

    “This operation represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’ve not only dismantled dangerous platforms on the dark web, but we’ve also brought key perpetrators to justice and delivered a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children.”

    “Yesterday’s sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us, from those who exploit and harm them through the despicable trade in child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Thomas Peter Katsampes and his co-conspirators ran some of the darkweb’s most heinous networks, enabling horrific crimes against innocent victims, but Operation Grayskull has shut these sites down and delivered justice. We applaud the FBI and our international partners for their tireless work, and let this be a clear warning: we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone engaged in such atrocities, no matter how they attempt to cover their tracks.”

    Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, of Eagan, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and conspiracy to distribute child pornography on Feb. 27. According to court documents, Katsampes joined a dark web site dedicated to CSAM in 2022, advertised and distributed CSAM over the website, including CSAM depicting prepubescent children, and eventually worked his way up to a staff position on the web site, which, among other things, involved moderating the site, enforcing the site’s rules for posting CSAM, and advising the site’s users about how to post CSAM.

    In addition to Katsampes, eight individuals have been convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Florida for their involvement in running the primary site targeted by Operation Grayskull.

    Defendant Residence Case Status
    Selwyn David Rosenstein Boynton Beach, Florida

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography, five counts of advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

    Sentenced on Dec. 12, 2022, to 28 years in prison and ordered to pay $80,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Matthew Branden Garrell Raleigh, North Carolina

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 20 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $158,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Robert Preston Boyles Clarksville, Tennessee

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on Aug. 15, 2023, to 23 years and four months in prison and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Gregory Malcolm Good Silver Springs, Nevada

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on Aug. 22, 2023, to 25 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $93,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    William Michael Spearman Madison, Alabama

    Pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.

    Sentenced on Jan. 23, 2024, to life in prison and ordered to pay $123,400 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Joseph Addison Martin Tahuya, Washington

    Pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.

    Sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 42 years in prison and ordered to pay $174,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Joseph Robert Stewart Milton, Washington

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 23 years and 9 months in prison and ordered to pay $19,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Keith David McIntosh Grand Rapids, Michigan

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography, both as a person with a prior conviction for possession of child pornography.

    Sentenced on Dec. 19, 2024, to 55 years in prison.

    The website’s leaders advertised and distributed CSAM, promulgated rules for the website, enforced the rules by banning or scolding users who violated them, held staff meetings, recruited members to serve as staff members, recommended users for promotion, edited and deleted user posts, praised individuals for participating in and contributing to the website, kept records of CSAM posts made by individual members, and paid for and maintained the website servers, among other things.

    Operation Grayskull resulted in the dismantling of a total of four sites dedicated to images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. These websites were some of the most egregious on the dark web, and they included sections specifically dedicated to infants and toddlers, as well as depictions of violence, sadism, and torture. The websites also contained detailed advice on how to avoid detection by law enforcement – for example, by using sophisticated technologies.

    In other judicial districts around the country, nine additional individuals have been convicted for their involvement with these websites, including the following:

    • Charles Hand, of Aberdeen, Maryland, was prosecuted in the District of Maryland and was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison;
    • Michael Ibarra, of Wenatchee, Washington, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Washington and was sentenced to 12 years in prison;
    • Clay Trimble, of Fordyce, Arkansas, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas and was sentenced to 18 years in prison;
    • David Craig, of Houston, Texas, was prosecuted in the Southern District of Texas and was sentenced to nine years in prison;
    • Robert Rella of Chesapeake, Virginia, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia and was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison;
    • Samuel Hicks, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was prosecuted in the Northern District of Indiana and was sentenced to 16 years in prison;
    • Richard Smith of Dallas, Texas, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Texas and was sentenced to 14 years in prison;
    • Patrick Harrison, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was prosecuted in the Western District of Michigan and was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison.
    • Thomas Gailus, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and his sentencing is pending.

    Two other individuals in the United States died before being charged for their involvement with the websites. The operation also resulted in arrests in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa.

    The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Miami Field Office, West Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the cases.

    Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller of the Southern District of Florida coordinated the operation and prosecuted the defendants in the Southern District of Florida.

    Substantial assistance for the cases prosected in the Southern District of Florida was provided by FBI Field Offices and Resident Agencies in Huntsville, Alabama; Reno, Nevada; Clarksville, Tennessee; Raleigh, North Carolina; Madison, Wisconsin; Tacoma, Washington; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Minneapolis, Minnesota; CEOS’s High Technology Investigative Unit; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Alabama, District of Nevada, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Wisconsin, Western District of Washington, Western District of Michigan, and District of Minnesota.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Grayskull Culminates in Lengthy Sentences for Managers of Darkweb Site Dedicated to Sexual Abuse of Children

    Source: US FBI

    Operation Grayskull Eradicated Four Dark Web Child Abuse Sites and Led to the Convictions of 18 Offenders to Date, Who Have Collectively Received More than 300 Years in Prison

    Today, the Justice Department announced the results of Operation Grayskull, a highly successful joint effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI that resulted in the dismantling of four dark web sites dedicated to images and videos containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). To date, the operation has led to the convictions of 18 offenders, including a Minnesota man who was sentenced yesterday to 250 months in prison and lifetime supervised release for his involvement with one of these dark web sites. He was also ordered to pay $23,000 in restitution.

    “Today’s announcement sends a clear warning to those who exploit and abuse children: you will not find safe haven, even on the dark web,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These offenders thought that they could act without consequences, but they were wrong.  Thanks to the relentless determination of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners we have exposed these perpetrators for who they are, eliminated their websites and brought justice to countless victims.”

    “This operation represents one of the most significant strikes ever made against online child exploitation networks,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’ve not only dismantled dangerous platforms on the dark web, but we’ve also brought key perpetrators to justice and delivered a powerful message: you cannot hide behind anonymity to harm children.”

    “Yesterday’s sentencing reaffirms our steadfast commitment to protecting our children, the most vulnerable among us, from those who exploit and harm them through the despicable trade in child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “Thomas Peter Katsampes and his co-conspirators ran some of the darkweb’s most heinous networks, enabling horrific crimes against innocent victims, but Operation Grayskull has shut these sites down and delivered justice. We applaud the FBI and our international partners for their tireless work, and let this be a clear warning: we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute anyone engaged in such atrocities, no matter how they attempt to cover their tracks.”

    Thomas Peter Katsampes, 52, of Eagan, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and conspiracy to distribute child pornography on Feb. 27. According to court documents, Katsampes joined a dark web site dedicated to CSAM in 2022, advertised and distributed CSAM over the website, including CSAM depicting prepubescent children, and eventually worked his way up to a staff position on the web site, which, among other things, involved moderating the site, enforcing the site’s rules for posting CSAM, and advising the site’s users about how to post CSAM.

    In addition to Katsampes, eight individuals have been convicted and sentenced in the Southern District of Florida for their involvement in running the primary site targeted by Operation Grayskull.

    Defendant Residence Case Status
    Selwyn David Rosenstein Boynton Beach, Florida

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography, five counts of advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

    Sentenced on Dec. 12, 2022, to 28 years in prison and ordered to pay $80,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Matthew Branden Garrell Raleigh, North Carolina

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 20 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $158,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Robert Preston Boyles Clarksville, Tennessee

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on Aug. 15, 2023, to 23 years and four months in prison and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Gregory Malcolm Good Silver Springs, Nevada

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on Aug. 22, 2023, to 25 years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $93,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    William Michael Spearman Madison, Alabama

    Pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.

    Sentenced on Jan. 23, 2024, to life in prison and ordered to pay $123,400 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Joseph Addison Martin Tahuya, Washington

    Pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.

    Sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 42 years in prison and ordered to pay $174,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Joseph Robert Stewart Milton, Washington

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.

    Sentenced on April 18, 2024, to 23 years and 9 months in prison and ordered to pay $19,500 in restitution to victims of his offense.
    Keith David McIntosh Grand Rapids, Michigan

    Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography and conspiracy to distribute child pornography, both as a person with a prior conviction for possession of child pornography.

    Sentenced on Dec. 19, 2024, to 55 years in prison.

    The website’s leaders advertised and distributed CSAM, promulgated rules for the website, enforced the rules by banning or scolding users who violated them, held staff meetings, recruited members to serve as staff members, recommended users for promotion, edited and deleted user posts, praised individuals for participating in and contributing to the website, kept records of CSAM posts made by individual members, and paid for and maintained the website servers, among other things.

    Operation Grayskull resulted in the dismantling of a total of four sites dedicated to images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. These websites were some of the most egregious on the dark web, and they included sections specifically dedicated to infants and toddlers, as well as depictions of violence, sadism, and torture. The websites also contained detailed advice on how to avoid detection by law enforcement – for example, by using sophisticated technologies.

    In other judicial districts around the country, nine additional individuals have been convicted for their involvement with these websites, including the following:

    • Charles Hand, of Aberdeen, Maryland, was prosecuted in the District of Maryland and was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison;
    • Michael Ibarra, of Wenatchee, Washington, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Washington and was sentenced to 12 years in prison;
    • Clay Trimble, of Fordyce, Arkansas, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Arkansas and was sentenced to 18 years in prison;
    • David Craig, of Houston, Texas, was prosecuted in the Southern District of Texas and was sentenced to nine years in prison;
    • Robert Rella of Chesapeake, Virginia, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Virginia and was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison;
    • Samuel Hicks, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was prosecuted in the Northern District of Indiana and was sentenced to 16 years in prison;
    • Richard Smith of Dallas, Texas, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Texas and was sentenced to 14 years in prison;
    • Patrick Harrison, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was prosecuted in the Western District of Michigan and was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison.
    • Thomas Gailus, of Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, was prosecuted in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and his sentencing is pending.

    Two other individuals in the United States died before being charged for their involvement with the websites. The operation also resulted in arrests in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Estonia, Belgium, and South Africa.

    The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and Miami Field Office, West Palm Beach Resident Agency investigated the cases.

    Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds and Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller of the Southern District of Florida coordinated the operation and prosecuted the defendants in the Southern District of Florida.

    Substantial assistance for the cases prosected in the Southern District of Florida was provided by FBI Field Offices and Resident Agencies in Huntsville, Alabama; Reno, Nevada; Clarksville, Tennessee; Raleigh, North Carolina; Madison, Wisconsin; Tacoma, Washington; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Minneapolis, Minnesota; CEOS’s High Technology Investigative Unit; and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern District of Alabama, District of Nevada, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Wisconsin, Western District of Washington, Western District of Michigan, and District of Minnesota.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley, Jackson, Advocates Defend DEI, Affirm Commitment to an Equitable, Inclusive America

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Six Months into Trump Admin, Pressley Reintroduces Bill to Codify Equity, Improve Government Services for Underserved Communities

    Bill Text | Press Conference Video

    WASHINGTON – As the nation marks six months of the Trump Administration, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Congressman Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Chair of the Congressional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Caucus, and their colleagues are affirming their unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid Donald Trump’s attacks and continuing to advance an affirmative, equitable vision for communities of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.

    Congresswoman Pressley was joined by Maya Wiley, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Marc Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League, Juan Proaño, CEO, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and Rob Weissman, Co-President, Public Citizen, at a Capitol Hill press conference yesterday to discuss their broader fight to defend diversity amidst the Trump Administration’s harmful and unprecedented onslaught on DEI. The full video from their press conference is available here.

    “Donald Trump’s first six months in office have been a precise, intentional assault on people of color, as well as our LGBTQIA+ siblings, folks with disabilities, and other marginalized people. Despite this, we’re more resolved than ever in our commitment to a more just, equitable, and diverse America,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “I’m proud to join my colleagues and movement partners in making plain that we will not be silenced and we will not stand by as Donald Trump and extremist Republicans resegregate America and continue rolling back our hard-earned civil rights. We must work to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion is the law of the land. That is why the Equity in Government Act is deeply necessary and will aide our efforts by helping to ensure the federal government works for all people.”

    “Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just policies—they are essential commitments to fairness and opportunity for all,” said Congressman Jackson, Co-Chair of the Congressional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Caucus. “The escalating rollback of DEI protections is a direct attack on the rights and futures of Black, brown, Veterans, and disabled Americans. We will not accept the reckless undoing of progress won through generations of struggle. I stand with my colleagues and communities across this country to defend DEI, because every person in America deserves the dignity to thrive. This fight is about justice, about truth, and about building a nation where no one is left behind.”

    “In a time when others seek to divide and exclude, this bill is a beacon of hope for Latino communities who have long been left behind. Ensuring equity in government isn’t just a box to check — it’s a lifeline for the more than 60 million Latinos in our country,” said Juan Proaño, CEO of LULAC. “By making diversity, equity, and inclusion the law of the land, this policy will uplift our families and ensure our voices are heard in every federal agency. LULAC is proud to stand with Congresswoman Pressley, Congressman Jackson, and their colleagues on this bold, affirmative vision for America, because an inclusive America is a stronger America for us all.”

    “The Leadership Conference supports the Equity in Government Act because federal agencies are required by civil rights laws and principles to make sure they are serving all communities fairly,” said Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. “Regardless of your race, ZIP code, or bank account, we need the government to make sure we are getting the health care, education, and other services we all need. We are witnessing cuts that harm a Latino child who attends Head Start or a student with disabilities who relies on educational supports in schools, in addition to the elimination of grants that address health disparities of people of color — all because they are part of advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. This bill ensures agencies have to collect data, listen to communities, and have dedicated teams focused on serving everyone equitably. Democracy is more than just a promise — it’s an obligation to enact and enforce civil rights. We will not go back to a time when this country didn’t care about all of us. We continue to fight for a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible future for all our people.”

    “The National Urban League’s 2025 State of Black America report, ‘A State of Emergency: Civil Rights, Democracy, and Progress Under Attack’ lays bare a deliberate, coordinated campaign to reverse decades of progress,” National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial said. “In the last six months, federal departments protecting civil rights have been defunded, voting protections rolled back, and diversity programs criminalized. Far-right actors have weaponized the term ‘woke’ to attack equity, inclusion, and even historical truth. The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice has been twisted into a tool of political retaliation. The National Urban League is proud to stand with Congresswoman Pressley and all our allies to meet this moment of crisis.”

    “Every American should be appalled by the racist, sexist and ableist policies of this administration, which aim to exacerbate social and economic inequality. Every American should also understand that these policies are not only unjust, they make America weaker. Rollbacks in consumer protection, environmental protection, civil liberties and more – carried out under the cloak of “anti-DEI” policies – leave every American more vulnerable to abuses and the country itself far weaker. That’s why America needs Rep. Ayanna Pressley’s leadership and passage of the Equity in Governance Act.” – Rob Weissman, Public Citizen Co-President

    “Inclusive America is a non-profit and bipartisan organization that works to ensure the government is as diverse as the American people. With this reasoning, our team worked with Rep. Pressley to push the Equity in Government Act which is a critical step towards a broader reform of civil rights and equal opportunity.” — Inclusive America Advocacy Team

    As part of her fight to defend diversity, Congresswoman Pressley is introducing the Equity in Government Act, legislation to advance equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government. The bill would codify key ideas from the Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Orders 13985 and 14091 —which Donald Trump revoked on his first day in office —to ensure that federal agencies continue their work to promote equal opportunity for all, including people of color, women, rural communities, individuals with disabilities, and others that have been systemically excluded from participating fully in economic, social, and civic life.

    Full text of the Equity in Government Act is available here.

    On his first day in office, President Biden signed Executive Order (EO) 13985, launching a historic, whole-of-government effort to advance equity by requiring federal agencies to identify and address barriers to serving underserved communities. In 2023, he followed with EO 14091, which expanded this work by establishing agency equity teams, a White House steering committee, and annual equity action plans to embed equity in federal planning.

    This progress was long overdue. In 2021, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) found that most federal agencies lacked the demographic data necessary to identify barriers to equity in their programs and services – let alone develop serious plans to eliminate them. Yet, on his very first day in office, Trump dismantled these equity-focused efforts, underscoring the need for statutory protections.

    The Equity in Government Act codifies several key ideas from the Biden EOs and ensures that agencies continue this work for years to come – regardless of who occupies the White House. Specifically, it would:

    • Require agencies include at least one goal relating to improving the equitable provision of services when they submit Agency Strategic Plans and Agency Performance Plans;
    • Require agencies to consult with community organizations and other stakeholders as they develop and revise their strategic plans and work towards their performance goals;
    • Permanently authorize the Federal Chief Data Officer Council, which works to improve the quality, use, and management of data for evidence-based government operations, and ensuring that the Council’s work facilitates fair and equitable outcomes;
    • Establish an Equity Subcommittee of the existing Performance Improvement Council, which would serve as an interagency working group to facilitate the development and sharing of guidance, data, and best practices for providing government services fairly, and would be required to solicit input directly from those receiving such services; and
    • Establish statutory requirements for an Agency Equity Advisory Team within each federal agency, led by the agency’s Performance Improvement Officer and with representation from key internal agency offices.

    Co-sponsors of the Equity in Government Act include Representatives Alma Adams, Joyce Beatty, Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Shontel M. Brown, André Carson, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Yvette D. Clarke, James Clyburn, Danny K. Davis, Cleo Fields, Valerie Foushee, Maxwell Frost, Robert Garcia, Sylvia R. Garcia, Steven Horsford, Jonathan  L. Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Robin L. Kelly, Timothy M. Kennedy, Summer L. Lee, Stephen Lynch, LaMonica McIver, Kweisi Mfume, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Delia Ramirez, Jamie Raskin, Lateefah Simon, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Shri Thanedar, Rashida Tlaib, Nydia Velazquez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Nikema Williams.

    The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: AAPI Victory Alliance, ACLU, African American Policy Forum, American Oversight, Common Cause, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Inclusive America, Interfaith Alliance, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), National Action Network, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, National Urban League, National Black Justice Collective, Popular Democracy, Public Citizen, and SEIU.

    In April 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Administration officials at a White House event to announce the executive orders, which followed calls from Congresswoman Pressley and then-House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney for robust data collection, assessment tools, and stakeholder engagement to ensure the success of the initiative. Video of the event is available here.

    Rep. Pressley has consistently advocated for race-conscious policies to help close the racial wealth gap in America, uplift Black, brown, and other marginalized communities, and transform the criminal legal system to center the dignity, humanity, and equality of everyone who calls America home —especially during the second Trump Administration.

    On January 22, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Trump Administration’s harmful executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), including the placement of DEI employees on leave ahead of their eventual layoffs.

    In February, during Black History Month, Rep. Pressley and Senator Cory Booker reintroduced H.R. 40, legislation to establish a federal commission to examine the lasting legacy of slavery and develop reparations proposals for African American descendants of enslaved people.

    In May, she and Senator Paul Tonko led 69 of their colleagues on a letter to the Inspector General of the Smithsonian Institution demanding an investigation of the impact of Donald Trump’s harmful Executive Order attacking Smithsonian museums – namely, the American Art Museum, the American Women’s History Museum, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture – attempting to erase histories of marginalized communities.

    Earlier this year, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech slamming Trump’s attack on Smithsonian museums and affirming that Black history is American history.

    Congresswoman Pressley and Senator Booker are the lead co-sponsors of the American Opportunity Accounts Act—also known as Baby Bonds—legislation that would create a federally-funded savings account for every American child in order to make economic opportunity a birthright for every child and help close the racial wealth gap.

    Congresswoman Pressley is the lead sponsor of the People’s Justice Guarantee (PJG) – her comprehensive, decarceration-focused resolution that outlines a framework for a fair, equitable and just legal system. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRC

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department announced today that Grosfillex Inc. (Grosfillex), a patio furniture company located in Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $4.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and other statutes by evading antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on items made of extruded aluminum originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

    The Department of Commerce assesses, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects, antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) to level the playing field for domestic producers. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Grosfillex knowingly submitted, and caused to be submitted, false customs forms to CBP claiming that certain furniture parts made of extruded aluminum were not subject to AD/CVD. For a subset of such parts, the United States alleged that Grosfillex attempted to camouflage the aluminum extrusions by packaging the parts as sham furniture “kits.” In addition, for a different subset of such parts, Grosfillex knowingly failed to correct customs forms it had submitted previously, even after learning that the forms falsely stated to CBP that certain extruded aluminum parts were not subject to AD/CVD.

    “Antidumping and countervailing duties protect American companies from unfair subsidies and trade practices that harm domestic industries,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will continue to actively pursue those who knowingly fail to pay customs duties.”

    “This settlement should serve as a warning that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will use every tool available to combat fraud in international trade,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “We will pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets by attempting to evade paying the customs, duties, or tariffs on foreign imports meant to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers.”

    “The investigation into Grosfillex Inc. highlights our relentless dedication to enforcing our nation’s trade laws and protecting the integrity of our economy. By uncovering and dismantling intricate schemes to defraud the government, we ensure that all businesses operate on a fair and level playing field,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Philadelphia office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The successful settlement of this case is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI, CBP and the U.S. Department of Justice. We remain vigilant in our efforts to identify and hold accountable those who attempt to exploit our trade system for their benefit.”

    The allegations resolved by this settlement arose from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by Edward Wisner, a former employee of Grosfillex. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Wisner will receive a $962,662.74 share of today’s settlement.

    The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from CBP.

    Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sherer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the matter.

    The pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating fraud, waste, and abuse. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential customs fraud can be reported to CBP at www.help.cbp.gov/s/tip.

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

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  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Statement on Trump Administration Investigations into George Mason University

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. –Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement after the Department of Justice and Department of Education launched investigations into George Mason University for allegations of racial discrimination and antisemitism:

    “Less than a month after demanding the removal of former University of Virginia President James Ryan, the Trump Administration now sets its sights on George Mason University, the largest public research higher education institution in Virginia.

    “These investigations hijack existing civil rights laws to advance this Administration’s extreme agenda to undermine local governance of educational institutions, reshape them in its ideological image, and undo the progress made to open educational opportunities to more people. The Trump Administration has already sought to defund and dismantle the Department of Education entirely, a move that undermines the Department’s core mission to ensure every student, regardless of background, receives a safe and quality learning environment and education.

    “These attacks don’t just distract and drain resources that could be used for cases of genuine civil rights violations, but take a deeply concerning step towards stripping away the independence and academic freedom entitled to our higher education institutions. I fear for the future of Virginia’s education system.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Denounces Trump’s Attacks on DOJ’s Civil Rights Division in Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Raking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on The Constitution, this week denounced the President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Civil Rights Division, including the Administration’s plans to freeze all new civil rights cases or investigations at the division. 
    Ahead of yesterday’s hearing, Senator Welch released a memorandum with the new policy statements provided to career attorneys at the Civil Rights Division. These directives, which have not previously been made public, show how the Division’s enforcement priorities have been narrowed, changed, and in some cases reversed under the leadership of Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, to mirror and advance President Trump’s political agenda. The memo also sheds light on Assistant Attorney General Dhillon’s efforts to oust career attorneys through reassignments and resignations. Senator Welch’s office obtained data showing that since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, more than 368 individuals have left the Civil Rights Division and only two Section chiefs remain in place. 
    “The Civil Rights Division is a crown jewel in the Department of Justice of the United States of America,” said Senator Welch. “But there’s a profound difference in the Justice Department today than there was the day before the election. The new policy directives that are being issued to DOJ attorneys is the zealous and faithful pursuit of, ‘The priorities of the President.’ No! It’s the priorities of the Constitution. It’s the priorities of the legislation passed by Congress. It is not the priorities of any person, even if that person is the President of the United States. That is not what the job of the Justice Department is to do.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below:  
    Read Senator Welch’s opening remarks as delivered here. 
    Senator Welch questioned Ms. Dhillon about whether the Trump Administration influenced the DOJ’s highly irregular decision to order mid-decade redistricting of Texas’ congressional districts. The Senator also called out Ms. Dhillon for her refusal to acknowledge that President Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election.   
    Read key excerpts from Senator Welch’s exchange with Ms. Dhillon: 
    “As you know, President Trump has recently ‘encouraged’—I’ll use that—Texas Republicans to do mid-cycle redistricting in order to gain more seats in the House of Representatives. I understand that after the President made that decision, or that announcement, you personally sent a letter on July 7 to Texas—in your capacity as Assistant Attorney General—arguing that four Democratic districts violate federal law,” said Senator Welch. “Before you sent the letter on July 7, did you have any conversation with any representatives of the White House?”   
    Ms. Dhillon: “Senator, as you’re aware, there are privileges that are involved in all Executive Branch communications and without—I’m not able to testify without breaching the Department of Justice’s guidelines in that regard. So, I’m unable to answer any questions about conversations I may have had with other Executive Branch officials.”   
    Senator Welch: “I’m not asking you what the content of the conversation was. I’m asking whether there was any conversation with anyone from the White House before you sent that July 7 letter.”  
    Ms. Dhillon: “Senator, I have the same answer. I think you’re aware of the scope, the broad scope of privileges that apply to lawyers’ conduct.” 
    Senator Welch: “Well, here’s what I’m aware of: the President made a directive—which is highly unusual—telling a legislature, the Texas legislature, mid-decade to do redistricting when we do that every ten years. And oh, it just so happened the Assistant Attorney General sent a letter to that legislature—after the President made his announcement—and said that your investigations suggest four districts are in violation of federal law.” 
    Ms. Dhillon: “Is there a question, Senator?” 
    Senator Welch: “There’s a point here that it’s hard to believe that that wasn’t coordinated.” 
    Senator Welch has been a leading voice in pushing back against the Trump Administration’s attacks on the rule of law and efforts to undermine the Department of Justice. In April, Senator Welch led six Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues in demanding answers from the DOJ concerning the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department’s Civil Rights Division. The Senators separately called for Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, to immediately hold an oversight hearing with Assistant Attorney General Dhillon on the politicization of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. 
    During President Trump’s first week in office, Senator Welch slammed the President’s plans to freeze all new civil rights cases or investigations at DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and suggestions that it would sideline police reform agreements established by the Biden Administration.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CONVICTED FELON CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF A FIREARM

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

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jason Wayne Coleman, 41, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

    Coleman appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida on July 22, 2025.

    Coleman faces a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment for each count.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: TALLAHASSEE MAN RECEIVES 42 MONTHS FOR POSSESSION OF A MACHINEGUN

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

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Artaviyon Cornel Williams, 24, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced in federal court for illegal possession of a machinegun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our brave law enforcement officers are increasingly encountering violent criminals and seizing firearms that have been illegally modified to fire as fully automatic machineguns. My office is committed to staunchly supporting law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe from violent criminals.”

    Court documents reflect that law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Williams for an aggravated assault that had occurred on June 28, 2024, outside the Table Lounge in Tallahassee. Witnesses advised Williams broke up a fight involving his girlfriend by brandishing a firearm, firing a round into the air, and pointing the firearm at one woman and telling her “I’ll kill you.” Officers located Williams on July 6, 2024, outside the Table Lounge and arrested him on the outstanding warrant. When arrested, Williams had a stolen Glock pistol in his waistband which had been illegally modified to fire as a machinegun. Williams had a second, loaded, extended-round magazine in a pocket.

    Williams received a sentence of 42 months in prison, which will be followed by three years of supervised release.

    “The Tallahassee Police Department remains committed to removing illegal firearms from our streets,” said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “Modifying a weapon to function as a machine gun is not only illegal, but also reckless and puts innocent lives at risk. We’re proud to work alongside our federal partners to ensure those who engage in this kind of violent behavior are held accountable.”

    The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sioux City Man Sentenced to More than Five Years for Illegal Possession of Firearms

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

    Pierre-Louis had recently been discharged from prison for carjacking.

    Romario Pierre-Louis, age 30, from Sioux City, was sentenced July 18, 2025, to more than 5 years in federal prison, after a March 6, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.

    Evidence in the case revealed just after midnight on October 15, 2024, law enforcement was called to a domestic assault disturbance.  Law enforcement was informed that Pierre-Louis was armed and was pointing a gun at people in the area.  When officers arrived on scene, a witness stated that after the dispute Pierre-Louis was seen carrying a rifle wrapped in a blanket along with a couple of pistols to a nearby residence.  The weapons were recovered from the neighbor’s house, where Pierre-Louis tried to hide them. Pierre-Louis admitted to law enforcement he knew he was not able to have firearms due to being a felon.  Pierre-Louis was convicted in 2019 of armed carjacking in Cook County, Illinois for which he served six years in state prison. He had recently been released from that sentence. 

    Pierre-Louis was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 63 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

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

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

    The case was investigated by Sioux City Police department and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tabaco Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild

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

    The case file number is 24-4085.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Announces Formation of Strike Force to Assess Evidence Publicized by ODNI

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced the formation of a Strike Force to assess the evidence publicized by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and investigate potential next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures.

    This Department takes alleged weaponization of the intelligence community with the utmost seriousness.

    Upon the formation of the Strike Force, Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated:

    “The Department of Justice is proud to work with my friend Director Gabbard and we are grateful for her partnership in delivering accountability for the American people. We will investigate these troubling disclosures fully and leave no stone unturned to deliver justice.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Career Offender Sentenced to 175 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms Offense

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

    HOT SPRINGS – A Pearcy man was sentenced yesterday to a total of 175 months in prison on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, as well as violations of his term of supervised release from a previous conviction. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
    According to court documents, on July 22, 2024, a Trooper with the Arkansas State Police attempted to make a traffic stop on Michael Fryar in Garland County. After the Trooper initiated his lights, Fryar fled in his vehicle and a pursuit ensued. After a short pursuit Fryar abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded area. The Trooper pursued on foot and had to deploy his taser to get Fryar apprehended. At the time of the offense, Fryar was in possession of a loaded firearm with a round in the chamber and a distribution amount of methamphetamine. Fryar has an extensive criminal history and was on federal supervised release at the time of the offense.
    The Arkansas State Police, 18th East Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
    Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
    Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FEDERAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST PENSACOLA MAN FOR ARMED DRUG TRAFFICKING

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

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlton Shoemaker, 51, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for three counts of possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.

    Shoemaker appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida on July 22, 2025.

    If convicted on all counts, Shoemaker faces up to life imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.

    An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham Statement on Largest Seizure of Fentanyl in South Carolina History

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this statement after the U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Bryan Stirling announced what is believed to be the largest seizure of fentanyl in South Carolina history. The drug bust, part of the Department of Justice’s nationwide Operation Take Back America, resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine.
    “Well done to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, South Carolina’s U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling, and everyone else involved in this historic drug bust.
    “The fentanyl seized in this investigation, equivalent to 36 million lethal doses, is believed by investigators to have originated in Mexico. Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and the historic investment in border security he just signed into law, the days of fentanyl pouring across our border and into our communities unfettered are over.
    “What a difference six months can make. South Carolina is being kept safe under the leadership of President Trump.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Formation of Strike Force to Assess Evidence Publicized by ODNI

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced the formation of a Strike Force to assess the evidence publicized by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and investigate potential next legal steps which might stem from DNI Gabbard’s disclosures.

    This Department takes alleged weaponization of the intelligence community with the utmost seriousness.

    Upon the formation of the Strike Force, Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated:

    “The Department of Justice is proud to work with my friend Director Gabbard and we are grateful for her partnership in delivering accountability for the American people. We will investigate these troubling disclosures fully and leave no stone unturned to deliver justice.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Supports Seattle’s Motion to Terminate Police Department Consent Decree

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division today announced that it has filed a response in support of the City of Seattle’s Motion to Terminate the Consent Decree in United States v. City of Seattle. The decree required reforms in the Seattle Police Department’s practices regarding use of force, crisis intervention, stops and detentions, supervision and accountability. With support from the Justice Department, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) achieved sustained substantial compliance.

    The Justice Department brought this case pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division jointly investigated and found that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) had engaged in a pattern or practice of unnecessary or excessive force that violated the Constitution and federal law. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington entered the consent decree in 2012.

    “We congratulate the Seattle Police Department on its achievement of sustained substantial compliance with this thirteen-year-old consent decree,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Civil Rights Division will continue to work with police departments across the country to help make America’s communities safe again.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, believes the district court should terminate the consent decree and monitorship, which have been in place for 13 years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington. “Seattle has been held up as an example of successful police reform and has done recent work on its crowd control policies and accountability systems. We trust it will continue to lead the way on constitutional policing.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a Minor and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Colorado man pleaded guilty today to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    According to court documents, Wesley Chambers, 34, of Fort Collins, sexually abused a minor for years and recorded the abuse. Law enforcement found more than 200 sexually explicit videos and photographs of the minor on Chambers’ cell phone, and more than 20,000 photographs and 2,500 videos of the sexual abuse and exploitation of other minors.

    Chambers pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually exploiting a child and one count of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant also admitted to accessing child pornography on the dark web, including “hurtcore” sites. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 70 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the FBI Denver Field Office investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Advance of Comic-Con Weekend, Attorney General Bonta, Comic-Con International Raise Awareness, Provide Tips to Combat Human Trafficking

    Source: US State of California

    The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force will be conducting operations to tackle human trafficking by working to reduce the demand for commercial sexual exploitation

    SAN DIEGO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Comic-Con International today partnered together to raise awareness of human trafficking and provide resources for the public to assist in the fight to combat human trafficking. Events like Comic-Con, which bring thousands of people together, are a perfect opportunity to raise awareness of human trafficking, a crime that comes in many forms, including sex trafficking, forced labor, and domestic servitude resulting from force, fraud, or coercion. Everyone can play a role in stopping this unlawful activity by being aware of the signs and reporting any suspicious activity, whether you’re living or staying in San Diego, attending Comic-Con, or participating in festivities during Comic-Con weekend.

    “Comic-Con is an incredible event that brings people from all over the world together in San Diego to celebrate creativity, art, and community – we’re grateful to Comic-Con International for using their platform in partnership with my office to raise awareness of human trafficking,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Human trafficking is a terrible crime where perpetrators profit from the control and exploitation of men, women, and children for sex or labor through force, fraud, or coercion. Everyone has a role to play in putting a stop to human trafficking: We urge the public to know the signs — and if you see something, say something. The California Department of Justice’s San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force will be conducting operations during Comic-Con, and the public can help by reporting any suspicious activity they may see. We wish everyone a safe, happy, and creative Comic-Con weekend.”

    “Safety of our attendees is always our primary focus,” said David Glanzer, Chief Communications and Strategy Officer for Comic-Con. “We join and applaud the efforts of California Attorney General Rob Bonta in keeping citizens safe, especially during Comic-Con weekend.”

    Human trafficking is among the world’s fastest growing criminal enterprises and is estimated to be a $150 billion per year global industry. Human trafficking is not only a crime, but a violation of a person’s human rights and dignity. Perpetrators of human trafficking profit from the control and exploitation of men, women, and children for sex or labor through force, fraud, or coercion. Victims of human trafficking are protected under federal and California law. The California Department of Justice’s San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF) will be conducting operations to reduce demand for commercial sexual exploitation during Comic-Con. The SDHTTF takes a survivor-oriented approach and works with victim advocate groups that offer a wide range of services for survivors of human trafficking.

    Below are some facts and resources about human trafficking for the public to know:

    • Victims of human trafficking are often hidden in plain sight. Learn the signs and how to report suspected trafficking.
    • Forced or coerced commercial sex work is still human trafficking. Demand is a driving force in the scope of the problem, and sex buyers may unknowingly contribute to human trafficking by engaging in Solicitation Penal Code 647(b)(2). Solicitation is a crime subject to jail time and monetary penalties.
    • Forced labor can happen anywhere. This includes hotels, lodgings, and entertainment industries.
    • If you or someone you know is being forced to engage in any activity and cannot leave, you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 to access help and services.
    • If you are, or someone else, is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1. 

    SDHTTF is a cooperative effort involving the California Department of Justice, California Highway Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, National City Police Department, San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego County Probation Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, Southwest Border High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. In addition to serving as the lead agency on the SDHTTF, the California Department of Justice has two regional Human Trafficking and Sexual Predator Apprehension Teams serving Northern California and Southern California.

    General information and resources to support survivors of human trafficking are available here. To access resources for San Diego County, please see SDHTTF’s resource list here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rapid City Man Sentenced to 2½ Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Felon

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

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.

    William Janis, 25, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. This sentence was ordered to run consecutively to a state custody sentence Janis is serving for a prior drug conviction.

    Janis was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 28, 2025.

    In December 2024, Janis was contacted by law enforcement officers after he was seen yelling outside an apartment complex in Rapid City and trying to gain access inside. Officers learned Janis had an active warrant, and he was subsequently arrested. After being arrested, Janis informed officers he had a firearm in his waistband. Officers located and seized a 9mm pistol. Janis had previously been convicted of a felony, was on parole for a felony drug conviction, and knew he was also prohibited from possessing firearms pursuant to his parole agreement.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS PANAMA CITY FELON OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ILLEGAL FIREARMS CHARGES

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

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jarrel Daniel Rivaz, 35, of Panama City, was found guilty by a federal jury of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on Tuesday morning, July 22, 2025. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fulfilling the promise of President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent criminals and drug traffickers requires close collaboration between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners like we saw in this case.  I am deeply appreciative of the outstanding work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF to get this criminal off our streets, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to keep our communities safe from the predations of drug traffickers like this defendant.”

    Evidence admitted at trial established that on December 21, 2023, during a search warrant executed at the defendant’s house in Panama City, law enforcement found and seized over 900 grams of cocaine, a large quantity of marijuana, two firearms, and ammunition. One of the firearms was found loaded in a locked shed in the same bag as some of the marijuana. Rivaz had previously been convicted of a felony drug trafficking offense in New York under the name “Gerald Walker.”

    Sentencing is scheduled for October 16, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell II. Rivaz faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life.

    The verdict was the result of a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ward Narramore and Alicia Forbes.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a Minor and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Colorado man pleaded guilty today to sexually exploiting a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    According to court documents, Wesley Chambers, 34, of Fort Collins, sexually abused a minor for years and recorded the abuse. Law enforcement found more than 200 sexually explicit videos and photographs of the minor on Chambers’ cell phone, and more than 20,000 photographs and 2,500 videos of the sexual abuse and exploitation of other minors.

    Chambers pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually exploiting a child and one count of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. As part of his plea agreement, the defendant also admitted to accessing child pornography on the dark web, including “hurtcore” sites. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 22 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 70 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the FBI Denver Field Office investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alecia L. Riewerts for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Supports Seattle’s Motion to Terminate Police Department Consent Decree

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division today announced that it has filed a response in support of the City of Seattle’s Motion to Terminate the Consent Decree in United States v. City of Seattle. The decree required reforms in the Seattle Police Department’s practices regarding use of force, crisis intervention, stops and detentions, supervision and accountability. With support from the Justice Department, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) achieved sustained substantial compliance.

    The Justice Department brought this case pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Division and the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division jointly investigated and found that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) had engaged in a pattern or practice of unnecessary or excessive force that violated the Constitution and federal law. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington entered the consent decree in 2012.

    “We congratulate the Seattle Police Department on its achievement of sustained substantial compliance with this thirteen-year-old consent decree,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This Civil Rights Division will continue to work with police departments across the country to help make America’s communities safe again.”

    “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington, believes the district court should terminate the consent decree and monitorship, which have been in place for 13 years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller for the Western District of Washington. “Seattle has been held up as an example of successful police reform and has done recent work on its crowd control policies and accountability systems. We trust it will continue to lead the way on constitutional policing.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University

    Some immigration courts have allowed ICE attorneys to conceal their names during proceedings. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images

    Something unusual is happening in U.S. immigration courts. Government lawyers are refusing to give their names during public hearings.

    In June 2025, Immigration Judge ShaSha Xu in New York City reportedly told lawyers in her courtroom: “We’re not really doing names publicly.” Only the government lawyers’ names were hidden – the immigrants’ attorneys had to give their names as usual. Xu cited privacy concerns, saying, “Things lately have changed.”

    When one immigration lawyer objected that the court record would be incomplete without the government attorney’s name, Xu reportedly refused to provide it. In another case, New York immigration Judge James McCarthy in July referred to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, attorney as merely “Department” throughout the hearing.

    New York immigration Judge Shirley Lazare-Raphael told The Intercept that some ICE attorneys believe it is “dangerous to state their names publicly.” This follows a broader pattern of ICE agents wearing masks during arrests to hide their identities.

    This secrecy violates a fundamental principle that has protected Americans for centuries: open courts. Here’s how those courts operate and why the principle governing them matters.

    Hiding of ICE attorneys’ names in court fits a broader pattern seen here outside a New York immigration courtroom of ICE agents wearing masks.
    AP Photo/Olga Fedorova

    ‘Presumption of openness’

    The U.S. legal system is built on openness, with multiple layers of legal protection that guarantee public access to court proceedings.

    This tradition of open courts developed as a direct rejection of secret judicial proceedings that had been used to abuse power in England. The notorious Star Chamber operated in secret from the 15th to 17th centuries, initially trying people “too powerful to be brought before ordinary common-law courts.”

    But the Star Chamber eventually became a tool of oppression, using torture to obtain confessions and punishing jurors who ruled against the Crown. Parliament abolished it in 1641 after widespread abuses.

    By the time American colonial courts were established, the reaction against the Star Chamber had already shaped English legal thinking toward openness. American courts adopted this principle of transparency from the beginning, rejecting the secretive proceedings that had enabled abuse.

    Today, the term “star chamber” refers to any secret court proceeding that seems grossly unfair or is used to persecute individuals.

    In the U.S., courts have repeatedly emphasized that “justice faces its gravest threat when courts dispense it secretly.” The First Amendment gives the public a right to observe judicial proceedings. The Supreme Court has ruled that “a presumption of openness inheres in the very nature of a criminal trial under our system of justice.”

    Every federal appeals court has recognized that this constitutional right extends to civil cases too, with some exceptions such as protecting “the parties’ privacy, confidential business information, or trade secrets.” Federal court rules require that trials be “conducted in open court” and that witness testimony be “taken in open court unless otherwise provided.”

    Many state constitutions also guarantee open courts – such as Oregon’s mandate that “no court shall be secret.”

    While there’s no explicit law requiring attorneys to be publicly named, there’s also no policy allowing their names to be kept secret. The presumption is always toward openness.

    In response to these recent developments, law professor Elissa Steglich said that she’d “never heard of someone in open court not being identified,” and that failing to identify an attorney could impair accountability “if there are unethical or professional concerns.”

    Rules for anonymity

    Courts sometimes allow anonymity, but only in specific circumstances.

    Juries can be anonymous when there’s “substantial danger of harm or undue influence,” as legal expert Michael Crowell writes – like in high-profile organized crime cases or when defendants have tried to intimidate witnesses before. Even then, the lawyers still know the jurors’ names.

    Similarly, parties to a lawsuit can sometimes use pseudonyms like “Jane Doe” when the case involves highly sensitive matters such as sexual abuse, or when there’s a real risk of physical retaliation.

    But these rare exceptions require careful court review.

    What’s happening with ICE attorneys is different. There’s no formal court ruling allowing it, no specific safety findings and no established legal process.

    Immigration courts have fewer protections

    Immigration courts operate differently from regular federal courts. They are so-called “administrative courts” that are part of the executive branch, not the judicial branch.

    These courts decide claims involving an individual’s right to stay in the U.S., either when the government seeks to remove someone from the country for violating immigration law or when an individual seeks to stay in the country through the asylum process.

    Immigration judges lack the lifetime job protections that regular federal judges have. As executive branch government employees, they can be hired and fired, just like other Department of Justice employees.

    People in immigration court also have fewer procedural protections than criminal defendants. They have no right to court-appointed counsel and must represent themselves unless they can afford to hire an attorney. The majority of immigrants appear without an attorney. Outcomes are better for those who can afford to hire counsel.

    Immigration court records are also less accessible to the public than other federal court proceedings.

    For years, the Board of Immigration Appeals, the nation’s highest immigration court, made less than 1% of its opinions publicly available. A federal court ruled that public disclosure was required; the Board of Immigration Appeals now posts its decisions online.

    However, lower immigration court decisions are rarely made public.

    Because immigration courts operate with less oversight than regular federal courts, public observation becomes more critical.

    Open courts aren’t just about legal procedure – they’re about democracy itself. When the public can observe how justice is administered, it builds confidence that the system is fair.

    Federal agents patrol the halls of immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on July 21, 2025, in New York City.
    Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

    Court watching protects transparency

    Court watching has become an important way for citizens to ensure due process is honored, especially in immigration cases.

    Observers can monitor whether proper legal procedures are being followed. They can watch for signs that attorneys are prepared, treating people respectfully and following court rules – regardless of whether those attorneys identify themselves.

    Observers help track trends such as lack of legal representation, language barriers or procedural unfairness that can inform advocacy for reforms. This kind of public oversight is especially important in immigration court, where people often don’t have lawyers and may not understand their rights.

    When community members bear witness to these proceedings, it helps ensure the system operates fairly and transparently.

    Professional ethics and accountability

    As a law professor who runs a law school’s Center for Professional Ethics, I can say that while there’s no specific law forcing ICE attorneys to identify themselves, they are still bound by rules of professional conduct that require accountability and transparency.

    State bar associations have clear standards about attorney conduct in court proceedings. The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct emphasize that lawyers are “officers of the legal system” with duties to uphold its integrity.

    Immigration judges, despite being government employees rather than lifetime-tenured federal judges, are also bound by judicial conduct codes that require them to uphold public confidence in the justice system. When judges allow or encourage anonymity without formal procedures or safety findings, they risk violating these ethical obligations.

    Bar associations can investigate professional conduct violations and impose sanctions ranging from reprimands to suspension or disbarment. While enforcement against federal government lawyers has historically been uncommon, sustained documentation by court observers can provide the evidence needed for formal complaints.

    While government attorneys, judges and other court personnel may face real safety concerns, hiding their identities in open court is unprecedented and breaks with centuries of legal tradition that requires accountability and transparency in our justice system.

    As pressure mounts to process immigration cases quickly, courts are ethically and legally bound to ensure that speed doesn’t come at the expense of fundamental fairness and transparency.

    Cassandra Burke Robertson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts – https://theconversation.com/immigration-courts-hiding-the-names-of-ice-lawyers-goes-against-centuries-of-precedent-and-legal-ethics-requiring-transparency-in-courts-261452

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Joins Cruz, Van Duyne to Introduce Bill to Target NGOs, Stop Radicals Funding Violent Riots

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (TX-24) in introducing the Stop Financial Underwriting of Nefarious Demonstrations and Extremist Riots (Stop FUNDERs) Act, which would add rioting as defined by the federal anti-riot statute to the list of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act predicate offenses, allowing the Department of Justice to use the full suite of RICO tools against entities who fund or coordinate violent interstate riots:

    “Radical, left-wing groups who fund acts of violence, coordinate attacks against law enforcement, and spearhead the destruction of property must be stopped,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would add rioting to the list of racketeering offenses to crack down on this lawless behavior while ensuring the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful protest are protected.”

    “Every American has the right to freedom of speech and peaceful protest, but not to commit violence,” said Sen. Cruz. “Domestic NGOs and foreign adversaries fund and use riots in the United States to undermine the security and prosperity of Americans. My legislation will give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to hold them accountable, and I urge colleagues to pass it expeditiously.”

    “The standard of treating violent, extremist activists as individual criminals must end. It is time we empower our law enforcement with a commonsense tool to treat these violent mobs, their funding sources, and their organizers as the criminal enterprises they are by passing the Stop FUNDERS Act,” said Rep. Van Duyne. “Since the days of the George Floyd riots, to the violence we see across American cities and college campuses today, it is obvious there are well funded, well outfitted, and highly coordinated efforts to plan and execute violent and potentially deadly missions of chaos and mayhem. This is organized crime, and we need to attack it as such.”

    Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Josh Hawley (R- MO) cosponsored this legislation in the Senate.

    Background:

    During the recent riots in Los Angeles, left-wing groups openly coordinated and assisted violent rioters who destroyed property and attacked police. For example, some groups coordinated providing protective equipment to rioters so they could withstand crowd control munitions and assault police. 

    The Stop FUNDERs Act would:

    • Amend 18 U.S.C. § 1961(1) to add “rioting,” as defined in the Anti-Riot Act, to the list of racketeering predicate offenses;
    • Enable the Department of Justice to use RICO tools, including joint liability and group prosecution, conspiracy charges, asset forfeiture, and enhanced criminal penalties, against organizations and individuals who repeatedly fund or coordinate violent interstate riots;
    • And deter abuse of nonprofit status and expose hidden financial pipelines behind politically motivated violence.

    This bill is endorsed by Heritage Action and the National Right to Work Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Children

    Source: US FBI

    Jayson Fernandez Butay, 30, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 25 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse material and possessing child sexual abuse material, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced. Judge Shubb also ordered Butay to pay $118,278 to his victims in restitution.

    According to court documents, in April 2019, Butay used Snapchat to correspond with a 15‑year-old girl living in Finland. Butay lied about his identity and convinced her to send him naked images of herself. Once he received these images, Butay threatened to disclose them to his victim’s family and friends unless she sent him sexually explicit videos. In this way, Butay obtained at least one additional sexually explicit video from the victim. Butay also produced child sexual abuse material depicting additional minor victims, including at least one 9-year-old girl who remains unidentified, using common internet applications.

    Law enforcement agents subsequently executed federal search warrants at Butay’s residence in Sacramento. Agents seized hundreds of images and videos from Butay’s digital devices that depicted the sexual exploitation of children, including infants.

    “This investigation highlights the serious threat sextortionists pose to children who use popular messaging and social media apps,” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “Online anonymity combined with the natural inexperience of youth creates a dangerous environment that parents must better understand and monitor. The FBI works closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and bring these predators to justice. We urge anyone who has been targeted or victimized to come forward. You are not alone — we will help you.”

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Joaquin County Felon Indicted for Illegal Firearms Trafficking and Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms

    Source: US FBI

    A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Rueben Paul Phill, 41, of Tracy, charging him with illegal firearms trafficking and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.

    According to court documents, between Aug. 22, 2023, and Aug. 27, 2024, Phill trafficked firearms with Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, of Tracy, by purchasing them in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California.

    On July 27, 2024, Phill led a law enforcement officer on a high-speed chase in excess of 100 miles per hour. The officer ultimately ended the pursuit for public safety concerns. Two days later, another officer observed the car parked at a gas station. The officer detained Castillo, who was then using the car. During a search of the vehicle, the officer discovered a semi-automatic rifle in the trunk, along with three extended magazines.

    In total, more than 30 firearms were traced to this conspiracy. At least three of these firearms have been recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. One such firearm, for example, was recovered in the possession of a felon in Vallejo on July 25, 2024, only three days after Castillo purchased the firearm in Nevada on July 22, 2024.

    Castillo pleaded guilty to illegal firearms trafficking on Jan. 31, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1, 2025.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the California Highway Patrol, the Pleasonton Police Department, the Reno Police Department, the Tracy Police Department, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Phill faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; Phill is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –