NewzIntel.com

Category: US Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three sentenced to federal prison for roles in tax refund fraud scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TEXARKANA, Texas – Three men have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a tax refund fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Imafedia Adevokhai, 47, of Alpharetta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to money laundering on February 15, 2023, and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III on April 2, 2025. Adevokhai was ordered to pay $90,380.60 in restitution and $3500 in forfeiture.

    Michael Martin, 52, of Texarkana, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy on February 14, 2023, and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by Judge Schroeder on November 21, 2023. Martin was ordered to pay $90,380.60 in restitution and $121,623.41 in forfeiture.

    Osazuwa Peter Okunoghae, 46, of Houston, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy on November 12, 2019, and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by Judge Schroeder on January 13, 2022. Okunoghae was ordered to pay $451,117.63 in restitution and $451,117.63 in forfeiture.

    “The Eastern District of Texas is committed to prosecuting individuals who participate in schemes to steal personal information, prepare and file fraudulent tax returns, and launder the proceeds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “Crimes like these affect all of us, the individual victims whose identities are stolen and used to file fraudulent tax returns, the taxpayers, who are left with the bill, and our financial institutions, which are manipulated and misused to launder the proceeds.”

    “Adevokhai, Martin, and Okunoghae, along with others, created a complex scheme to steal the tax refunds of law-abiding U.S. taxpayers through stolen identity refund fraud,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. “The women and men of IRS-CI did an outstanding job of uncovering this fraudulent activity and bringing the individuals to justice. Their sentences should be a warning to anyone who would try to defraud the U.S. Government or prey on law-abiding taxpayers.”

    According to information presented in court, Adevokhai, Martin, Okunoghae, and others were involved in a multi-year stolen identity refund fraud (SIRF) conspiracy involving the theft of victims’ personal identifying information and the use of the stolen information to file fraudulent tax returns. The total tax refunds claimed by the fraudulent returns was $4,945,886, and the U.S. Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, suffered at least a $390,220.40 loss.  Adevokhai was involved in the preparation and filing of many of the fraudulent tax returns. Okunoghae and Martin were involved in the laundering of the stolen funds. To that end, they worked together and with others who would transfer fraud proceeds through United States financial accounts and ultimately to foreign financial accounts. The investigation connected Adevokhai, Martin, and Okunoghae to dozens of victims whose taxpayer identities were stolen.

    In January 2019, individuals from three states and other individuals from Nigeria were charged for their roles in the conspiracy.

    One of the Department of Justice Tax Division’s top priorities is prosecuting individuals who use stolen identities to steal money from the United States Treasury by filing fraudulent tax returns. SIRF schemes threaten to disrupt the orderly administration of the income tax system for law-abiding taxpayers and have cost the United States Treasury billions of dollars.

    This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and Sean Taylor.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arizona to Receive Additional Resources From Justice Department to Investigate Unresolved Violent Crimes

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Justice Department today announced that it will boost FBI assets across the country over the next six months to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country through Operation Not Forgotten.

    The FBI will send a total of 60 personnel, rotating in temporary duty assignments over a six-month period to select FBI field offices across the United States, including Arizona. Operation Not Forgotten is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. The detailed FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. FBI Phoenix will receive 11 agents on a rotating basis over the next six months, who will be spread across offices in Arizona.

    FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and will work in partnership with Tribal law enforcement agencies across the country.

    “Protection of the public is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Justice. Here in Arizona, the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI have a special trust relationship with the 22 federally recognized tribes in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Operation Not Forgotten reflects the continued commitment of the federal government to pursue justice for crime victims in all Native American communities.”

    “Our FBI personnel and Safe Trails Task Forces work closely every single day with our law enforcement partners to investigate crimes of violence throughout the many tribal territories in Arizona,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Jose A. Perez. “We are responsible for investigating the most serious crimes in Indian Country and this initiative will provide much needed additional resources to help us better serve those same communities by assisting victims and bringing criminals to justice.”

    “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

    Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.

    Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.

    Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.

    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-046_Operation Not Forgotten

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    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/

    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington AG says RealPage and landlords conspired to harm tenants, violate Consumer Protection Act

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — The Washington state Attorney General’s Office filed suit in King County Superior Court today against software company RealPage and nine local landlords, alleging that RealPage and its software are central to a conspiracy and unfair competition by certain landlords that resulted in rapidly rising rent prices for their tenants.

    The lawsuit says RealPage provides software tools to landlords that push rental prices beyond what landlords could otherwise achieve while reducing the risk that other landlords will undercut them with more competitive rates. Analysis by the Attorney General’s Office shows that in numerous markets, pricing is higher and occupancy is lower for properties managed by landlords who use RealPage’s products than for similar properties managed by landlords who don’t use RealPage.

    “RealPage’s unfair practices are cheating renters and pricing families out of stable housing,” said Attorney General Nick Brown. “Washington is facing a housing crisis and we must respond with every available tool.”

    Washington State was previously part of a multi-state antitrust lawsuit led by the U.S. Department of Justice in federal court, but withdrew to file this challenge in state court under statutes that would cover a greater number of Washingtonians impacted by these actions. This new lawsuit alleges six violations of the state Consumer Protection Act and seeks restitution for a large number Washington renters. An estimated 800,000 leases in Washington were priced using RealPage software between 2017 and 2024.

    The investigation found that RealPage’s pricing software provides landlords with a shared logic that tends to raise rents. Two types of RealPage’s pricing software collect nonpublic, competitively sensitive data from landlords to feed the algorithms. Landlords who use RealPage software agree to provide their data, knowing that the software combines their data with data from other landlords. The algorithm then recommends rents — in many cases increasing them. In feedback to RealPage about its software, one potential client said: “I always liked this product because your algorithm uses proprietary data from other subscribers to suggest rents and term. That’s classic price fixing.”

    Legislative leaders expressed their support for the litigation.

    “The Washington Legislature has passed dozens of bills over the last three years focused on addressing housing affordability,” said House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma. I welcome AG Brown’s entry into this work and his willingness to fight against giant corporations using unfair algorithms across the State of Washington to jack up housing costs.”

    “I am proud that our state is working to protect renters from this kind of collusion and conspiracy,” said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma. “Renters deserve to have protections against unfair price-fixing, and I thank Attorney General Brown for his swift action on this issue. It is imperative that we prevent any company of taking advantage of Washington renters and that we do anything to prevent unnecessary and increased costs for people just trying to pay their rent and stay in their homes.”

    The lawsuit states that RealPage’s software creates pricing recommendations that will not go below a hard floor, though they may exceed a soft ceiling at the top of the market.

    RealPage also discourages pro-renter practices like price negotiations and concessions for renters and instead favors the highest possible prices in several ways. First, RealPage’s training advises new clients to set its software to automatically accept its pricing recommendations. If a landlord doesn’t want to use auto-accept, RealPage advisors are trained to convince them to turn it on.

    RealPage also encourages landlords to accept its pricing recommendations by forcing them to enter an explanation any time they reject the software’s recommendations. When RealPage’s advisers see the rejections, they can escalate review to higher-level managers.

    Second, RealPage software also advises landlords to keep prices high even when occupancy is down, the lawsuit asserts. The software also recommends adjusting lease timeframes to avoid a glut of apartment units hitting the market at the same time — for instance, recommending 13-month leases instead of 12. That way, rent prices don’t go down because of increased housing supply.

    RealPage also organized a conspiracy of landlords through its user groups for each pricing software product, the suit claims. In user group meetings, landlords vote on changes to the pricing software, discuss competitively sensitive topics, and build anticompetitive strategies around their use of RealPage’s pricing software.

    The lawsuit seeks to end RealPage’s and landlords’ illegal practices and force them to stop colluding, coordinating pricing and occupancy, sharing a pricing algorithm, and exchanging competitively sensitive nonpublic information.

    Assistant Attorneys General Brian H. Rowe, Rachel A. Lumen, Sarah Smith-Levy, Miriam Stiefel, Jessica So, Helen Lubetkin, and Ashley Locke; Paralegals Alicia Stensland, Mark O’Neal, Christina Baker, Kristina Wooster, Connor Hopkins, Tracy Jacoby and Kellie Tappan; Investigator Tony Perkins; and Economic Analyst Matthew Paskash are working on the case for Washington.

    The lawsuit can be found here.

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    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former School Custodian Admits Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    ST. LOUIS – A former high school custodian on Wednesday admitted possessing child sexual abuse material.

    Bernard Ray Mennemeier, 58, of O’Fallon, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of possession of child pornography. Mennemeier admitted possessing both child pornography and child erotica.

    The investigation began on Jan. 2, 2024, after Mennemeier uploaded five videos containing child sexual abuse material to Dropbox. An FBI agent traced the Dropbox account to Mennemeier, and then conducted a court-approved search of the Dropbox account, and then Mennemeier’s home. In an interview at the O’Fallon Police Department, Mennemeier admitted messaging someone on Twitter who would sell him child sexual abuse material. Mennemeier said he purchased those materials “numerous” times, his plea agreement says.

    Mennemeier is scheduled to be sentenced July 9. The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

    “This crime came to light thanks to a CyberTip reported to our partners at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Bernard Mennemeier thought he could anonymously obtain and possess child sexual abuse material,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division.  “When it comes to protecting children, the FBI is even more diligent in identifying, locating and arresting such perpetrators.”

    The FBI investigated the case.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Justice Department to Surge Resources to Indian County to Investigate Unresolved Violent Crimes

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Operation Not Forgotten Will Surge 60 FBI Personnel to 10 FBI Field Offices to Support Investigations of Indian Country Violent Crimes

    BILLINGS  — The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons.

    The FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions.

    FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.

    “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

    “We are very pleased that the FBI is dispatching additional resources to the Salt Lake City Division, which covers Montana, to assist our ongoing efforts to find missing indigenous persons and hold violent offenders accountable. I want to thank the agents already working on these cases in Montana from both the FBI and the BIA’s Missing and Murdered Unit. Together with the Tribal Community Response Plans facilitated by DOJ for each Montana reservation community and DOJ’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, this deployment will help address this critical problem.  Missing and murdered indigenous people will not be forgotten.” said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.

    Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.

    Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.

    Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transnational Manager for Colombia’s Clan del Golfo Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Colombian national and lieutenant for Clan del Golfo (CDG) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Fabian Edilson Torres Caranton, also known as David and Cassius, 53, served as a coordinator, intermediary, and lieutenant for the Bloque Roberto Vargas Gutierrez of CDG — a Colombian paramilitary and multibillion-dollar Transnational Criminal Organization. CDG is one of Colombia’s largest and most powerful drug cartels with its membership in the thousands. CDG’s primary source of income is from cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its paramilitary activities.

    According to court documents, in July 2018, Torres Caranton and an individual seeking to broker the purchase of cocaine on behalf of Mexican buyers, attended a meeting with another member of CDG at a ranch in or near Caucasia, Colombia. During the meeting, the other CDG member authorized the production of 500 kilograms of cocaine to be transported from Colombia into and through Central America for delivery to Mexican buyers for final delivery to the United States. Torres Caranton spent several days monitoring the cocaine production at a clandestine laboratory in Coralito, Colombia. Torres Caranton and his co-conspirators made two controlled deliveries of cocaine to an undercover officer: 191 kilograms on Sept. 16, 2018, in Valledupar, Colombia, and 172 kilograms on Oct. 16, 2018, in Cartagena, Colombia. Torres Caranton knew the purported Mexican buyers intended to distribute the cocaine in Houston, Texas.

    Torres Caranton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine for unlawful importation into the United States from Colombia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota worked with law enforcement partners in Colombia to secure the arrest and December 2023 extradition of Torres Caranton.

    Trial Attorney Douglas Meisel and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Local Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Drug, Money Laundering Crimes

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

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man and woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to drug and money laundering crimes related to assisting two Chillicothe brothers traffic drugs from Mexico and Arizona. 

    Todd Michael Fulkerson, 42, of Columbus, admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

    In February 2024, Fulkerson traveled to Arizona at the request of Caleb Barillaro, 30, who was acquiring kilogram quantities of the drugs to resell through street-level drug dealers in Chillicothe and the surrounding areas. The men drove separate vehicles to Arizona, and Fulkerson accompanied Caleb on the trip to provide security. Fulkerson was recruited for this role based on his military experience.

    In Arizona, Caleb purchased two kilograms of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine for $94,000 in cash. Caleb put the drugs in a cooler and placed ice on top of the drugs to conceal them before putting the cooler in Fulkerson’s car.

    Law enforcement surveilled the two vehicles traveling in tandem back towards Ohio from Arizona.

    The two stopped at a gas station near the Indiana and Ohio border. Caleb discovered that the melting ice in the cooler had ruined some of the kilograms of drugs. He became upset and took the cooler to his car. Caleb feared he was being surveilled by law enforcement as he traveled from the gas station, and he discarded the drugs along the side of the road.

    Fulkerson faces up to 20 years in prison for his role in transporting the drugs.

    Lazae Lett, 24, of Chillicothe, admitted to laundering drug proceeds to Sinaloa, Mexico, to help Dillon Barillaro, 31, obtain more drugs through a source of supply there. She sent several approximately $2,000 money orders via Western Union money orders from Walmart and two Kroger locations in Chillicothe. 

    Dillon Barillaro provided the illicit money to Lett and instructed her on recipient names and payment amounts. Dillon Barillaro drove Lett to the Walmart and Kroger locations to conduct financial transactions in immediate succession.

    Lett faces up to 20 years in prison.

    The Barillaro brothers have each pleaded guilty to federal narcotics crimes punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison and await sentencing.

    Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Office; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Chillicothe Police Chief Ron Meyers announced the guilty pleas offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in the related cases.

    These investigations were originally designated as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). The cases are 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).

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Possession and Firearms Sales Land Oklahoma City Men in Federal Prison for More Than 19 Years Collectively

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – AUSTIN GAGE OSBORN, 24, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 68 months in federal prison for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and being a drug user in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. 

    According to public record, beginning in July 2024, undercover agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began purchasing firearms from Osborn and codefendant JOSE ADRIAN HERMOSILLO, 22, of Oklahoma City. Agents identified Hermosillo as a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms. Between July 17, 2024, and August 9, 2024, ATF agents met with Osborn and Hermosillo on several occasions purchasing approximately 20 firearms.  In one specific transaction on July 29, 2024, undercover agents told Osborn and Hermosillo that the guns the agents were purchasing would be transported out of the United States and into Mexico. Despite having reason to believe that the firearms would be trafficked across the border, Osborn and Hermosillo continued to sell firearms to undercover agents for profit, without a federal firearms license, in violation of federal law. 

    On November 26, 2024, Osborn was charged by Superseding Information with engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and with being a drug user in possession of firearms. On December 5, 2024, Osborn pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted he possessed 19 firearms while being a regular user of marijuana, and that he was illegally dealing firearms as a business without a license to do so. At the sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025, U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Osborn to serve 68 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

    Hermosillo pleaded guilty on November 26, 2024, to trafficking firearms, and admitted he willingly transferred firearms to another person with reasonable cause to believe that the use, carrying, or possession of the firearms by the recipient would constitute a felony. Hermosillo was sentenced on March 24, 2025, to serve 168 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

    In announcing the sentences for Osborn and Hermosillo, Judge Palk noted the seriousness of these offenses, the need for the sentences to deter others in the public who may consider engaging in similar behavior, and the history and characteristics of the defendants. Public record further reflects that Hermosillo has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County that include attempted burglary in case number CF-2021-2066 and possession of a firearm after juvenile adjudication in case number CF-2022-3560.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Drew E. Davis and Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

    This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Transnational Manager for Colombia’s Clan del Golfo Drug Cartel Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Colombian national and lieutenant for Clan del Golfo (CDG) pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine destined for the United States.

    According to court documents, Fabian Edilson Torres Caranton, also known as David and Cassius, 53, served as a coordinator, intermediary, and lieutenant for the Bloque Roberto Vargas Gutierrez of CDG — a Colombian paramilitary and multibillion-dollar Transnational Criminal Organization. CDG is one of Colombia’s largest and most powerful drug cartels with its membership in the thousands. CDG’s primary source of income is from cocaine trafficking, which it uses to fund its paramilitary activities.

    According to court documents, in July 2018, Torres Caranton and an individual seeking to broker the purchase of cocaine on behalf of Mexican buyers, attended a meeting with another member of CDG at a ranch in or near Caucasia, Colombia. During the meeting, the other CDG member authorized the production of 500 kilograms of cocaine to be transported from Colombia into and through Central America for delivery to Mexican buyers for final delivery to the United States. Torres Caranton spent several days monitoring the cocaine production at a clandestine laboratory in Coralito, Colombia. Torres Caranton and his co-conspirators made two controlled deliveries of cocaine to an undercover officer: 191 kilograms on Sept. 16, 2018, in Valledupar, Colombia, and 172 kilograms on Oct. 16, 2018, in Cartagena, Colombia. Torres Caranton knew the purported Mexican buyers intended to distribute the cocaine in Houston, Texas.

    Torres Caranton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine for unlawful importation into the United States from Colombia. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI Miami Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Judicial Attaché Office in Bogota worked with law enforcement partners in Colombia to secure the arrest and December 2023 extradition of Torres Caranton.

    Trial Attorney Douglas Meisel and Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Approximately 13,000 Fentanyl Pills Seized During Undercover Operation, Three Foreign Nationals Detained and Charged

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three foreign nationals, living in Utah, with drug crimes after agents allegedly seized approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy and execution of a search warrant in West Valley City, Utah.

    Diego Armando Campos-Fallas, 19, of Costa Rica, Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco, 20, of Ecuador, and Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 19, of, Honduras, were charged by complaint on March 21, 2025.
        
    According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, agents coordinated an undercover operation to purchase 5,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy from Campos-Fallas in West Valley City. Upon arrival at the meeting location for the controlled buy, Campos got into the undercover agent’s vehicle with approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills and was subsequently detained. Miraba-Franco, who was seated in the drivers’ seat of Campos’ vehicle was also detained. A search warrant was served at a residence in West Valley City, where Campos, Miraba and Zuniga-Diaz live. At the residence, agents seized an additional 8,000 fentanyl pills, 102.2 grams of marijuana, and 1125.3 grams of THC cartridges. A search warrant was also executed on Campos’ vehicle, a black Hyundai Elantra, and approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills were recovered. The fentanyl provided to the undercover agent during the controlled buy, and the fentanyl seized at the residence, approximately 13,000 in total, were field-tested and tested positive for fentanyl.

    Campos-Fallas, Miraba-Franco, and Zuniga-Diaz are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Campos Fallas and Miraba-Franco are also charged with distribution of fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

    Assistant United States Attorney Mark K. Vincent of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin, Schumer, Democratic Senators Urge AG Bondi to Appoint a Special Counsel to Investigate Trump Administration Signal Chat National Security Breach

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 03, 2025
    The Senators wrote: “These shockingly reckless breaches of security protocols for safeguarding sensitive and classified information clearly warrant an investigation into whether any of the government officials involved violated federal laws”
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services (SASC), Veterans’ Affairs (SVAC) and Foreign Relations (SFRC) Committees—joined U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 28 Senate Democrats in sending a letter to U.S. Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi urging her to appoint a Special Counsel to thoroughly and impartially investigate whether any of the government officials involved in the Signal chat security breach violated federal criminal law. On March 24, The Atlantic’s editor in chief reported that President Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Waltz had included him in a group text chain with several high-ranking national security officials where highly sensitive, classified or controlled information was shared and discussed over Signal—an unsecure commercial messaging app.
    “In addition to the reckless inclusion of a journalist in the chat, we are deeply concerned about this serious breach in the proper handling of such information and deliberations,” the Senators wrote. “Appointment of a Special Counsel is appropriate where the Department may have a conflict of interest or extraordinary circumstances are present, a criminal investigation is warranted and it is in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to investigate the matter. Such circumstances are clearly present here.”
    The Signal chat group started by Mr. Waltz included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, among at least 18 other high-ranking government officials. In addition to discussing the sensitive foreign policy implications of military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, these officials proceeded to discuss key operational information regarding the precise timing of the planned attacks, the types of military aircraft and munitions to be used and the targets and results of the strikes as they occurred. An unprecedented security breach of this magnitude involving top senior government officials presents the kind of extraordinary circumstances clearly contemplated by the Special Counsel regulations.
    “These officials conducted a highly sensitive discussion, including of clearly classified or controlled information, over the commercial messaging app Signal, including in some instances on personal devices and while traveling in foreign countries, rather than using the secure U.S. government channels and facilities that are designed and required for the sharing of such information. Despite subsequent claims to the contrary by you, President Trump and several of the officials involved, including in testimony before Congress, some of the information they shared and discussed over Signal would almost certainly be considered classified or, at a minimum, controlled, prior to and in the immediate aftermath of an impending strike,” the Senators wrote.
    In the letter, the Senators raised concerns if the Signal chat violated federal law. For example, gross negligence in handling national defense information may violate the Espionage Act. Importantly, other laws, including the Federal Records Act, require the preservation of certain government records. Destruction of government records or property may constitute a violation of various criminal statutes. Subsequent statements to Congress and testimony before the House and Senate Intelligence Committees by several of the officials involved raise additional concerns about potential violations of federal criminal laws that prohibit making false statements to Congress, committing perjury in testimony to Congress, inducing another person to commit perjury or conspiring to commit any of the foregoing actions.
    “During your confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you assured the American people that everyone will be held to ‘an equal, fair system of justice’ if you were confirmed as Attorney General and that ‘no one is above the law.’ As the individuals most seriously implicated in this incident include senior officials at the highest levels, including several of your fellow cabinet members, appointment of a Special Counsel is necessary to ensure that the investigation and any ensuing prosecutions are fair, impartial, and independent and that no official, regardless of seniority or political affiliation, is above the law. The people of this country deserve the assurance that this matter will be taken seriously and addressed swiftly. To do so, we urge you to appoint a Special Counsel immediately,” the Senators concluded.
    Along with Duckworth, Durbin and Schumer, the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY),  Ed Markey (D-MA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Gary Peters (D-MI).
    Full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below:
    March 31, 2025
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    On March 24, The Atlantic’s editor in chief reported that President Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Waltz had included him in a group message chain with several high-ranking national security officials where highly sensitive, classified, or controlled information was shared and discussed over Signal—an unsecure commercial messaging app. In addition to the reckless inclusion of a journalist in the chat, we are deeply concerned about this serious breach in the proper handling of such information and deliberations. Given the extraordinary circumstances of this shocking incident and the significant public interests at stake, it is imperative that you immediately appoint a Special Counsel to thoroughly and impartially investigate whether any of the government officials involved violated federal criminal law. 
    Appointment of a Special Counsel is appropriate where the Department may have a conflict of interest or extraordinary circumstances are present, a criminal investigation is warranted, and it is in the public interest to appoint an outside Special Counsel to investigate the matter. Such circumstances are clearly present here.
    The Signal chat group started by Mr. Waltz included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Central Intelligence Agency Director John Ratcliffe, among at least 18 other high-ranking government officials. In addition to discussing the sensitive foreign policy implications of military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, these officials proceeded to discuss key operational information regarding the precise timing of the planned attacks, the types of military aircraft and munitions to be used, and the targets and results of the strikes as they occurred. An unprecedented security breach of this magnitude involving top senior government officials presents the kind of extraordinary circumstances clearly contemplated by the Special Counsel regulations.
    These officials conducted a highly sensitive discussion, including of clearly classified or controlled information, over the commercial messaging app Signal, including in some instances on personal devices and while traveling in foreign countries, rather than using the secure U.S. government channels and facilities that are designed and required for the sharing of such information. Despite subsequent claims to the contrary by you, President Trump, and several of the officials involved, including in testimony before Congress, some of the information they shared and discussed over Signal would almost certainly be considered classified or, at a minimum, controlled, prior to and in the immediate aftermath of an impending strike.
    These shockingly reckless breaches of security protocols for safeguarding sensitive and classified information clearly warrant an investigation into whether any of the government officials involved violated federal laws pertaining to the proper safeguarding and preservation of such information. For example, gross negligence in handling national defense information may violate the Espionage Act. Importantly, other laws, including the Federal Records Act, require the preservation of certain government records. Signal allows users to schedule messages for deletion after certain time periods and Mr. Waltz appears to have set the chat messages to delete initially after one week and then later in the chat changed the setting to delete messages after four weeks. Destruction of government records or property may constitute a violation of various criminal statutes. Subsequent statements to Congress and testimony before the House and Senate Intelligence Committees by several of the officials involved raise additional concerns about potential violations of federal criminal laws that prohibit making false statements to Congress, committing perjury in testimony to Congress, inducing another person to commit perjury, or conspiring to commit any of the foregoing actions.
    Even prior to his first Administration, President Trump campaigned for the need to prosecute and “lock up” individuals who allegedly “bypass government security” or “sent and received classified information on an insecure server.” Further, as an avowedly loyal and zealous advocate for the President, you echoed these same sentiments prior to your confirmation. Given the extraordinary nature of this security breach by senior Trump Administration officials, the likelihood that these actions needlessly endangered American lives and our nation’s security, the importance of putting our nation’s security before partisan political interests, and the range of federal criminal laws that may have been violated, it is imperative that the Department of Justice conduct a thorough investigation to assess the extent of the damage and determine whether any criminal charges are warranted against any of the government officials involved.
    During your confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you assured the American people that everyone will be held to “an equal, fair system of justice” if you were confirmed as Attorney General, and that “no one is above the law.” As the individuals most seriously implicated in this incident include senior officials at the highest levels, including several of your fellow cabinet members, appointment of a Special Counsel is necessary to ensure that the investigation and any ensuing prosecutions are fair, impartial, and independent and that no official, regardless of seniority or political affiliation, is above the law.
    The people of this country deserve the assurance that this matter will be taken seriously and addressed swiftly. To do so, we urge you to appoint a Special Counsel immediately.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Human smuggling coordinator sentenced following ICE Arizona, law enforcement partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PHOENIX — Greiby Melissa Barcelo-Velasquez was sentenced March 25 to 30 months in prison for her role in smuggling over 100 Colombians into the United States. The investigation, conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol Sector Intelligence Unit, began in late 2023 after numerous Colombian nationals identified the 39-year-old as their smuggling coordinator.

    “The defendant and her associates blatantly disregarded the safety and well-being of others by prioritizing personal profit over human lives,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Arizona Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt these dangerous transnational criminal networks and ensure that those who exploit victims for financial gain are brought to justice.”

    Barcelo-Velasquez owned and operated the Baul Travel SAS travel agency in her native country, Colombia. According to court documents, she allegedly charged the victims a fee to travel to Mexico under the guise of vacationing, with additional bribes required in U.S. currency at Mexican airports.

    Once in Mexico, the Colombian nationals were taken to stash houses near the border and then transported by armed gunmen to cross illegally into the United States.

    This case was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Justice, has been elevated and expanded by the attorney general with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 320 U.S. convictions; more than 265 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Zander and Adriana Genco from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Phoenix handled the prosecution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cost containment should not undermine service delivery – PSC

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Public Service Commission (PSC) says that while cost containment measures demonstrate fiscal discipline and prudent financial management, their implementation must be closely monitored to avoid inadvertently undermining service delivery.

    “This is particularly crucial in essential sectors such as healthcare and education, where cuts to resources or funding could have far-reaching consequences for public well-being and long-term development,” said PSC Commissioner, Anele Gxoyiya.

    Addressing the media during the release of the commission’s Quarterly Bulletin titled: The Pulse of the Public Service for the period: 01 January to 31 March 2025, Gxoyiya said effective cost containment requires a balanced approach. This approach prioritises efficiency and savings without compromising the quality or accessibility of essential services.

    “The PSC recognises the advantages of fiscal consolidation and cost containment, which include reduced waste in public finances and enhanced accountability,” the Commissioner said at Thursday’s briefing in Pretoria.

    In addition, he said that excessive budget cuts could undermine the government’s ability to fulfil its constitutional obligations.

    “The PSC advocates for a balanced approach that combines financial prudence with investments in key areas essential for long-term growth and effective service delivery.

    “The PSC remains committed to promoting constitutional values, advocating for equity and accountability, and ensuring that public resources are used efficiently and effectively for the benefit of all South Africans.”

    Whistleblowers 

    Regarding strengthening whistleblower protection, Gxoyiya said a resolution was made for the establishment of the Whistleblower Protection House.

    This hosting of the Whistleblowers’ Symposium emanated from the 2022 International Anti-Corruption Day celebrations which highlighted the challenges regarding the protection of whistleblowers and their families.

    During the symposium, a resolution was made for the establishment of the protection house to support whistleblowers and to facilitate access to support, creation of awareness of whistleblowers’ plight, provide financial assistance, legal counsel and psychological support.

    The protection of whistleblowers was identified as one of the high priority areas in the national anti-corruption agenda.

    Gxoyiya said this initiative will require the amendment of the current legislation, adding that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is at an advanced stage in reviewing the Protected Disclosure Act. The Act provides procedures in terms of which any employee may disclose information relating to an offence or a malpractice in the workplace by his or her employer or fellow employees. The Act also provides for the protection of an employee, who made a disclosure in accordance with the procedures provided for by the Act, against any reprisals as a result of such a disclosure.

    “The advent of democracy in South Africa promised a society that will be built on a human rights-based culture to ensure that the lives of ordinary South Africans are improved and protected.

    “Section 195 of the Constitution outlines the basic Values and Principles governing public administration. These values should be the cornerstone upon which to build a public service that is ethical, responsible, responsive and accountable. 

    “Government and other role players agreed that corruption in South Africa and the killing of whistleblowers needs to be addressed collaboratively by all sectors of society as the efforts of whistleblowers contribute to building a capable, ethical and developmental Public Service that is responsive to the needs of the people,” Gxoyiya explained.

    He added that the commission supports the initiatives of establishing the whistleblowers protection regime as it will enable the citizenry to report wrongdoing without fear of reprisal.

    “Fighting corruption is every one’s responsibility in the country. Active citizenship must take its rightful place in fighting against corruption and expose theft, fraud and maladministration through whistleblowing,” he said.

    The commission has encouraged South Africans to report acts of corruption and maladministration anonymously through the National Anti-Corruption hotline on 0800 701 701 and by email at (complaints@opsc.gov.za).

    Citizens can also do walk-ins at PSC offices nationwide where complainants can interact with professionals equipped to safeguard anonymous reporting. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Grassley Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Secret Service’s Ability to Combat Cyber Money Laundering

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to help the Secret Service better detect and deter cybercrimes. The Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act would update current law to authorize the Secret Service to investigate new forms of criminal activity involving digital assets.

    “Dangerous criminals are constantly changing their tactics and using new technology to avoid detection,” said Senator Cortez Masto.“Our law enforcement agencies need to adapt to keep communities safe. I will continue to fight to pass this bipartisan legislation that would help the Secret Service more effectively combat cybercrime.”

    “As money laundering schemes continue to evolve, so must our capacity to combat them,” said Senator Grassley. “By enhancing Secret Service’s authority to investigate criminal digital assets, our bill significantly improves law enforcement’s ability to effectively anticipate, identify and prevent cybercrime.”

    The Treasury Department, the Department of Justice, and other national security and financial crime experts have warned that digital assets like cryptocurrencies are increasingly being used for money laundering, drug trafficking, ransomware attacks, theft and fraud schemes, terrorist financing, and other crimes. The Secret Service investigates a variety of cybercrimes that could pose a threat to our national security—however, these cybercrimes can be perpetrated through unlicensed money transmitting businesses outside of the Secret Service’s jurisdiction. The Combatting Money Laundering in Cyber Crime Act makes much-needed updates to U.S. law to ensure the Secret Service has full authority to investigate evolving forms of illicit finance, including countering cartels, defeating scam camps, addressing Chinese money laundering organizations, and combating North Korean theft of digital assets.

    Senator Cortez Masto has consistently supported bipartisan measures to combat cybercrime. She joined a bipartisan effort asking the Biden Administration to crack down on illicit financing of international terrorism in response to reports that Hamas raised millions in crypto to fund its operations. She’s also cosponsored the Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act, which would close loopholes in current law and bring cryptocurrency companies into greater compliance with the anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism frameworks that govern the traditional financial system. She has passed into law her bipartisan legislation to combat money laundering and terrorism by bolstering the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and ensuring it focuses on virtual currencies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican national sentenced for illegal reentry in Eastern District of Texas

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BEAUMONT, Texas –A Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Valentin Hernandez-Yanez, 38, pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry by a deported alien and was sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale on April 2, 2025.  Hernandez-Yanez has been imprisoned since July of 2024.  He is currently being held on an immigration detainer and will be processed by Homeland Security before being deported to Mexico.

    According to information presented in court, on April 30, 2024, Hernandez-Yanez was observed by federal immigration agents in Vidor, Texas. Agents were familiar with Hernandez-Yanez from past dealings.  An immigration database check revealed Hernandez-Yanez to be a national of Mexico having been previously deported to Mexico in June of 2011.  Hernandez-Yanez has not since applied for permission to reenter the United States since he was last removed.

    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).

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Dakota and Colorado Men Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Across the State of South Dakota Including the Crow Creek Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Christopher Spider, a/k/a “House”, age 45 of South Dakota and Lance Brunsting, age 56, of Colorado, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 27, 2025.

    The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, mandatory minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Christopher Spider was also convicted of Tampering with a Witness. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, a possibility of up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Spider and Brunsting were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.

    Brunsting and Spider, along with numerous other individuals, conspired to distribute hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine throughout the state of South Dakota.

    Spider, a resident of Crow Creek, was responsible for distributing approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Crow Creek Indian Reservation during his involvement in the conspiracy. While under Indictment for the offense, Spider sent a letter to another witness attempting to intimidate the witness into changing her testimony at trial. The letter was reported to law enforcement and Spider was subsequently indicted for Witness Tampering.

    Brunsting, a resident of Denver, Colorado, was responsible for assisting in the weighing, packaging, and ultimate distribution of approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine. Brunsting made a trip to South Dakota alongside another co-conspirator where he assisted in selling approximately 41 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the state of South Dakota and into Minnesota.

    “Christopher Spider and Lance Brunsting were involved in one of the largest methamphetamine conspiracies in South Dakota history,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Our office was able to successfully prosecute the large-scale drug conspiracy thanks to the exceptional collaborative and investigative efforts of our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners. Last week’s convictions represent a crucial step toward bringing these individuals to justice for the roles they played in bringing hundreds of pounds of illegal narcotics into our South Dakota communities.”

    The Drug Enforcement Administration provided the following statement: “The two individuals convicted last week are responsible for inflicting immeasurable harm on members of our South Dakota communities,” Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Rafael Mattei said. “Their arrest and conviction should serve as a warning to drug traffickers that the combined efforts of state, local and federal law enforcement will bring those pushing these dangerous substances to justice.”

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (including the Rocky Mountain Field Division, Omaha Field Division, Mexico City Country Office, Los Angeles Field Division, Special Operations Division), as well as South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, FBI, South Dakota Highway Patrol, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation team, El Paso Intelligence Center, and collaboration received from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Marshals Service, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, Mitchell Police Department, Denver Police Department, Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Worthington Police Department, Brookings Police Department, Brookings Sherriff’s Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force, Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force,  Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force, and the Colorado Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

    A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for June 16, 2025. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty To Smuggling Thousands Of Kilograms Of Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Cristian Javier Vente Ocoro (39, Colombia), a/k/a “Shrek,” “Happy,” and “Teletubis,” has pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic cocaine on vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Vente Ocoro faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. He was arrested in Colombia in September 2023 at the request of the United States and extradited to the United States a year later. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, Vente Ocoro was part of an organization that smuggled cocaine from South America to Central America and Mexico, a substantial portion of which passed through points of entry on the United States/Mexico border. Vente Ocoro handled the organization, logistics, and planning of smuggling ventures, as well as recruited and paid crewmembers. As part of the investigation, investigators associated Vente Ocoro with two failed smuggling ventures – the first on June 25, 2019, that involved 1,090 kilograms of cocaine; the second on July 31, 2019, that involved 2,125 kilograms of cocaine.

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

    The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Colombian National Police provided critical investigative support. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of the defendant. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From business exports to veteran care − here’s what some of the 35,000 federal workers in the Philadelphia region do

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Todd Aagaard, Professor of Law, Villanova School of Law

    Federal layoffs have affected employees at Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. Ryan Collerd/AFP via Getty Images

    Layoffs of federal employees and cutbacks to federal agencies have direct consequences for the Philadelphia area.

    I am a law professor at Villanova University outside Philadelphia, and my research focuses on the work of the administrative agencies that compose the federal government.

    I believe that understanding the federal government’s presence in the Philly metro area can highlight some of the potential consequences in our region for the rapid changes currently underway.

    Over 65,000 federal employees in PA

    More than 80% of federal civilian employees work outside of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. There are about 66,000 federal employees in Pennsylvania and 35,000 in Philadelphia.

    Over a dozen federal agencies have offices in the Philadelphia region. These include the Internal Revenue Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Agricultural Marketing Service, Food and Drug Administration, Economic Development Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Federal Transit Administration and the Census Bureau.

    Here are some examples of the broad variety of services that federal employees in the Philadelphia region provide to the public.

    Services to businesses

    Several federal agencies in the Philadelphia area provide expertise, advice and resources for businesses.

    For example, the U.S. Commercial Service, part of the Commerce Department, has an office in Philadelphia and assists U.S. businesses with exporting their products for international markets.

    The Small Business Administration, which has a district office in King of Prussia, provides resources and support for small businesses.

    And the Economic Development Administration operates a regional office in Philadelphia that distributes federal funds for construction, workforce training, manufacturing, disaster relief and other purposes.

    Benefits for retirees and veterans

    Other federal agencies administer government benefits programs. The Social Security Administration disburses benefits for retirees and the disabled, providing more than US$13 billion in benefits to almost 8 million people in the Philadelphia region each month.

    About 3,800 Pennsylvanians work for the Social Security Administration in offices located around the state.

    The Department of Veterans Affairs operates the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Medical Center in West Philadelphia. The center provides primary and specialty health care for veterans.

    Statewide in Pennsylvania, about 17,000 federal employees work for the Veterans Health Administration. Another 1,500 work for the Veterans Benefits Administration, which provides veterans with education and training, home loans, life insurance and pensions.

    Census data collection

    The Census Bureau operates an office in Philadelphia to collect and disseminate data in a region that stretches from Tennessee to Pennsylvania.

    The Census Bureau conducts the constitutionally mandated census of the U.S. population every 10 years, as well as an economic census of businesses every five years, and numerous surveys about communities, health, housing, crime, education and more.

    In addition, regional census employees answer questions from local media, work with local organizations to encourage participation in censuses and surveys, and educate the public about census data. This work is of particular importance because census data determines how federal funding is allocated.

    Military logistics

    The Defense Logistics Agency’s Troop Support Command is headquartered in Northeast Philadelphia. Troop Support is responsible for creating and maintaining military supply chains. This includes securing food, clothing, equipment and medical supplies.

    It is also responsible for procuring medals and ribbons for military awards, such as the Medal of Honor.

    About 5,000 federal employees, many of them military veterans, work for the Defense Logistics Agency in Pennsylvania.

    Bridges, dams and seawalls

    The Army Corps of Engineers has operated its district headquarters in Philadelphia since 1866.

    In addition to its role in supporting the military, the Corps of Engineers also constructs and maintains civil works projects. Its first civil works project in the Philadelphia region was the construction of a breakwater near Cape Henlopen, Delaware, in 1829.

    These days, employees of the district inspect and maintain bridges, operate flood control dams, build beachfill and seawall projects along coastlines and maintain 500 miles of navigation channels.

    The vast majority of federal civilian employees don’t work in D.C.
    Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress Domain

    National historical sites

    The National Park Service manages numerous historical sites and parks in the Philadelphia region, including the Independence National Historical Park, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, the Flight 93 National Memorial and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.

    At these locations, National Park Service personnel educate visitors, maintain facilities, protect park resources and keep the public safe.

    Environmental cleanup

    The Environmental Protection Agency is perhaps best known as an environmental regulator, enforcing limits on air and water pollution and toxic substances. But it also is active in other areas, such as cleaning up contaminated sites in the Philadelphia area through the Superfund program.

    EPA’s National Priorities List includes almost 40 contaminated sites in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. For example, EPA manages the cleanup of the Philadelphia Navy Yard in South Philadelphia, where part of the Navy Yard had historically been used to dispose of waste from ships. EPA’s cleanup has remediated the onsite landfill and prevents contamination from seeping into the Delaware River.

    EPA also supervises the cleanup in Havertown of the site of a former wood treatment operation that contaminated the soil and groundwater with the highly toxic chemical pentachlorophenol, or PCP. Because of the cleanup, part of the contaminated site is now a widely used YMCA that serves the recreational and fitness needs of the community.

    Tax help

    The Internal Revenue Service, another agency known for its enforcement activities, also provides services in the Philadelphia area to support taxpayers. These include, for example, taxpayer assistance centers in Horsham, King of Prussia, Media and Philadelphia.

    The IRS also has a Taxpayer Advocate Service office in Philadelphia. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent office that advocates for taxpayers who are having difficulties with the IRS.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia and Pennsylvania.

    Todd Aagaard is a visiting fellow at Resources for the Future in addition to his faculty position at Villanova University. From 1999 to 2007, he served as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice.

    – ref. From business exports to veteran care − here’s what some of the 35,000 federal workers in the Philadelphia region do – https://theconversation.com/from-business-exports-to-veteran-care-heres-what-some-of-the-35-000-federal-workers-in-the-philadelphia-region-do-251457

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Warren, Whitehouse Condemn Firings of Immigration Judges Across the Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter Text (PDF)

    Washington (April 2, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), along with Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), today sent a letter to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Attorney General Pamela Bondi and Executive Office for Immigration Review Acting Director Sirce E. Owen, condemning the unjust firings of more than 20 judges serving on immigration courts across the nation. The senators highlighted the enormous impact these terminations will have on the immigration system, including impairing critical due process protections.

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly fired more than 20 judges serving on immigration courts across the nation, including the Chelmsford Immigration Court in Massachusetts. These firings, which heavily impact New England, have terminated high-level officials—including the Chief Immigration Judge (IJ) of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)—supervisory immigration judges and an entire class of 13 newly hired IJs.

    In the letter, the lawmakers write, “The Trump administration has arbitrarily dismissed these hard-working public servants, without compelling reason, in blatant disregard for the fairness and efficiency of the immigration courts. These indefensible firings appear intended to impair the immigration system and to strip vulnerable immigrants of critical due process protections. We urge the Administration to reinstate these fired IJs, halt any further terminations, and provide information regarding EOIR’s plan for the immigration court system.”

    The lawmakers continued, “Experts warn that the Administration could be poised to politicize the immigration court system by replacing terminated court officials with far-right loyalists. And we are alarmed by news that the Administration is seeking to bypass the IJs altogether by invoking the Alien Enemies Act and expanding the use of ‘expedited removal,’ a fast-track deportation process. Individuals deemed ‘alien enemies’ under the Alien Enemies Act have been deported without any court hearing or other form of due process. Meanwhile, individuals placed in expedited removal are not entitled to a hearing before an IJ or to judicial review, with narrow exceptions for those who express fear of persecution or intent to apply for asylum. The designation of some noncitizens as ‘alien enemies’ and the possible expansion of expedited removal—coupled with the firings of IJs—signifies a concerted effort to deprive noncitizens of critical protections and due process rights. This approach could result in the erroneous deportation of individuals with a valid claim of asylum or fear of persecution and even citizens, lawful permanent residents, and visa-holders. These actions are not only cruel and inhumane, they may also contravene U.S. law and international obligations.”

    The lawmakers request answers by April 11, 2025 to the following questions:

    • How is the Trump administration deciding which immigration judges to terminate nationwide, and, specifically, in the Chelmsford and Boston immigration courts?
    • Why did the Administration fire 13 newly hired IJs and 7 Assistant Chief IJs (ACIJs) on February 14, 2025? Why has the Administration fired other IJs and ACIJs since February 14?
    • Why has the Trump administration terminated immigration judges who have served in their roles for longer than two years?
    • Is the Trump administration considering firing additional immigration judges in the Boston or Chelmsford immigration courts?
    • Does the Trump administration plan to re-hire any of the terminated immigration judges? Does the Trump administration plan to replace any of the terminated immigration judges by hiring new immigration judges, including for the Boston or Chelmsford immigration courts?
    • How does the Trump administration intend to address the backlog of roughly 160,000 removal cases in the Boston and Chelmsford immigration courts?
    • Is the Trump administration planning on taking other actions that would obviate the need for more immigration judges?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury Returns Indictment

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictment today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Madison Man Charged With Distributing Methamphetamine

    Rumont Kirkpatrick, 47, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that on January 9, 2024, Kirkpatrick distributed 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

    If convicted, Kirkpatrick faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Elgersma and Louis Glinzak are handling the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ben Cline Reintroduces One Agency Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)

    On Tuesday, Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06) reintroduced the One Agency Act, a bill that proposes consolidating federal antitrust enforcement within the DOJ’s Antitrust Division. The Federal Trade Commission would remain an independent agency, focusing on its consumer protection mission. This consolidation aims to strengthen consumer protection law enforcement while streamlining antitrust oversight.

    “For far too long, our antitrust enforcement has been plagued by bureaucratic infighting and delays that hinder competition,” Rep. Cline said. “These inefficiencies have allowed sophisticated entities to manipulate the system to their advantage, escaping accountability for their anti-competitive actions. It’s time we address these issues head-on. We need to streamline and reinforce our antitrust enforcement within the Justice Department. The Department is more directly accountable to the American people and is structured to deliver the decisive enforcement necessary to protect consumers and ensure a fair marketplace.”

    Read the full bill text here. 

    BACKGROUND: Under current law, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice Antitrust Division share the responsibility for enforcing the antitrust laws.

    This shared jurisdiction results in turf battles between the two agencies and backroom deals to investigate certain companies or industries, ultimately causing delays in investigations and harming enforcement.

    In addition, today’s FTC also looks and acts very differently from what Congress originally envisioned, and the agency is facing constitutional challenges that might result in a weakened agency.

    Congressman Ben Cline represents the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. He previously was an attorney in private practice and served both as an assistant prosecutor and Member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Cline and his wife, Elizabeth, live in Botetourt County with their two children.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Demands Answers After Whistleblowers Accuse Management of Shocking Waste at Watchdog Agency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – After whistleblowers asserted the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General (OIG) leadership made a series of wasteful and ill-advised financial decisions, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is demanding answers from the watchdog agency.
    The allegations range from using federal funds for personal vacations under the guise of work trips, sweeping locality pay abuse, and even that a manager routinely used a “mouse-jiggler” to fake the appearance of work.
    “As the following allegations illustrate, under then-Deputy Inspector General Tyler Smith’s guidance, the distinction between ‘growth’ and reckless spending appears increasingly blurred. Moreover, a series of wasteful and ill-advised financial decisions allegedly have placed your agency in a dire financial position, leading to decisions that reportedly have hindered its core investigative function,” wrote Ernst.
    Click here to view the letter.
    Background:
    Ernst has doggedly investigated allegations of wrongdoing at the FDIC, the agency the FDIC OIG is tasked with conducting oversight of, and was one of the first senators to call for FDIC Chair Martin Gruenberg’s resignation following reports of sexual harassment and discrimination at the agency.
    In November 2023, she followed up by conducting critical oversight of this behavior at the FDIC and demanding any evidence of criminal wrongdoing by agency employees be turned over to the Department of Justice and local law enforcement for potential prosecution.
    After a third-party investigation into the FDIC’s workplace culture, Ernst called for real consequences and the Department of Justice to investigate the agency from top to bottom. Even after this report, the Biden administration refused to immediately remove FDIC Chair Gruenberg.
    In April 2024, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP (Cleary Gottlieb), the firm hired to investigate FDIC’s workplace issues, released its report documenting over 500 allegations of harassment and other egregious behavior and revealed one in ten FDIC employees reported some form of misconduct.
    However, Cleary Gottlieb was precluded from directly investigating claims of misconduct to hold perpetrators accountable, instead focusing on policies and shortfalls giving rise to the culture. In November 2024, Ernst demanded that the FDIC investigate the more than 500 allegations of misconduct and harassment.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee Introduces SHIELD-U and Drone Integration and Zoning Acts for 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    Legislation will empower state and local law enforcement to protect Americans from drone threats

     

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced the Stopping Harmful Incidents to Enforce Lawful Drone Use (SHIELD-U) Act and the Drone Integration and Zoning Act to equip state and local law enforcement with the authority needed to protect their citizens and communities from drone threats.

    “State and local law enforcement agencies cannot ensure the safety of their communities when the federal government restricts their ability to respond to active drone threats,” said Sen. Lee. “Rather than waiting on the federal government, which often lacks the resources and capital to respond to threats effectively, this bill grants local authorities the latitude to quickly identify and mitigate threats.”

    BACKGROUND

    These bills equip state and local law enforcement with the authority needed to protect their citizens, communities, and airports from drone threats.

    The current regulatory environment stifles state and local governments’ ability to mitigate drone threats. The FAA currently regulates “navigable airspace” which is defined as “above the minimum altitudes of flight” which is typically 500 ft. However, the FAA has taken some liberties in recent years and stated that minimum altitudes of flight for drones is above a blade of grass. 

    Congress has exclusively granted limited authority to detect and takedown a drone only to the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Department of Energy. According to a Blue Ribbon Task Force Report commissioned by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) one challenge in meeting current drone threats is the federal government’s lack of human resources or capital to invest in and operate counter drone technology at airports. When considered beyond an airport environment, the challenge becomes even greater, because federal law does not permit state or local law enforcement to mitigate a drone threat. 

    The SHIELD-U and Drone Integration and Zoning Acts provide essential tools for state and local law enforcement to address the growing drone threats that federal regulations have failed to adequately manage. By empowering local authorities, these bills ensure that communities and airports have the resources needed to safeguard their citizens and infrastructure from potential harm. With the increasing prevalence of drone-related incidents, it is vital to enable local enforcement to act swiftly and effectively in protecting public safety.

    You can read the text of the SHIELD-U Act HERE.

    You can read the text of the Drone Integration and Zoning Act HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation Not Forgotten Will Surge 60 FBI Personnel to 10 FBI Field Offices to Support Investigations of Indian Country Violent Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today announced that it will surge FBI assets across the country to address unresolved violent crimes in Indian Country, including crimes relating to missing and murdered indigenous persons.

    FBI will send 60 personnel, rotating in 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period. This operation is the longest and most intense national deployment of FBI resources to address Indian Country crime to date. FBI personnel will support field offices in Albuquerque; Denver; Detroit; Jackson, Miss.; Minneapolis; Oklahoma City; Phoenix; Portland, Oreg.; Seattle; and Salt Lake City. The FBI will work in partnership with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Tribal law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions.

    FBI personnel will be assisted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit, and they will use the latest forensic evidence processing tools to solve cases and hold perpetrators accountable. U.S. Attorney’s Offices will aggressively prosecute case referrals.

    “Crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities are unacceptably high. By surging FBI resources and collaborating closely with US Attorneys and Tribal law enforcement to prosecute cases, the Department of Justice will help deliver the accountability

    that these communities deserve,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    “The FBI will manhunt violent criminals on all lands – and Operation Not Forgotten ensures a surge in resources to locate violent offenders on tribal lands and find those who have gone missing,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.

    Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington Teal Luthy Miller added that “investigating and prosecuting crimes in Indian Country in collaboration with our tribal partners is critical to our shared mission of addressing public safety in our communities. We welcome the opportunity for continued collaboration as we seek justice on behalf of victims of violent crime.”

    Indian Country faces persistent levels of crime and victimization. At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, FBI’s Indian Country program had approximately 4,300 open investigations, including over 900 death investigations, 1,000 child abuse investigations, and more than 500 domestic violence and adult sexual abuse investigations.

    Operation Not Forgotten renews efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under E.O. 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. This is the third deployment under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative support to over 500 cases in the past two years. Combined, these operations resulted in the recovery of 10 child victims, 52 arrests, and 25 indictments or judicial complaints.

    Operation Not Forgotten also expands upon the resources deployed in recent years to address cases of missing and murdered indigenous people. The effort will be supported by the Department’s MMIP Regional Outreach Program, which places attorneys and coordinators in

    U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered indigenous people.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fourteen Individuals Charged with Conspiracy Involving Straw Purchases of 18 Belt-Fed Firearms and .50 Caliber Rifles

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Timothy Courchaine, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, announces a 20-count indictment against 14 individuals from Arizona, for Conspiracy to Submit a Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm and related charges. The indictment was unsealed today.

    The indictment alleges that between July 15, 2023, and December 23, 2023, 13 individuals were paid to buy belt-fed rifles and Barrett .50 caliber semi-automatic rifles from licensed firearms dealers in and around Phoenix and Yuma for David Moreno Quevedo. As part of the conspiracy, these individuals lied on the Firearms Transaction Record, known as ATF Form 4473, claiming that they were purchasing the rifles for themselves. The charged conspirators include:

    • David Moreno Quevedo, 26, of El Mirage;
    • Mario Alberto Ayala, Jr., 23, of Maricopa;
    • Randy Obed Valenzuela Chinchillas, 24, of Phoenix;
    • Aidee Espinoza, 29, of Phoenix;
    • Todd Robert Nuttall, 52, of Gilbert;
    • Earl Marlow Burch, 49, of Mesa;
    • Wyatt Michael Fernandez, 26, of Tempe;
    • Jorge Luis Roman, 28, of Mesa;
    • Dylan Morgan Burch, 21, of Eloy;
    • Shawna Marie O’Shea, 56, of Tempe;
    • Damaris Davila Moreno, 22, of Phoenix;
    • Noelia Valenzuela Gomez, 25, of Chandler;
    • Melissa Osorio Talamante, 31, of San Tan Valley; and
    • Michael Andrew Wingate, 31, of Mesa.

    A conviction for the crime of Conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for the crime of Material False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, or both.

    An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    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).

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcus W. Shand, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-25-00432-PHX-MTL
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-048_Quevedo, et al

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan man arrested, charged with illegal reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wilson Oswaldo Galvan-Lope, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal reentry, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 24, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations special agents were conducting surveillance on an Orange Street residence in Rochester, targeting Galvan-Lope, an illegal alien under investigation for being a found in the United States after being deported. As a truck exited the driveway of the residence, agents noticed that the driver appeared to resemble of the photograph of Galvan-Lope. They conducted a vehicle stop near the intersection of Whitney Street and Lyell Avenue. Through routine questioning of identity documents and record checks, the agents determined that Galvan-Lope and two passengers in the vehicle had no immigration status in the United States. All three were taken into immigration custody. Galvan-Lope was previously ordered deported from the United States in May 2023.

    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.

    Galvan-Lope made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Colleen D. Holland and was ordered detained.

    The criminal complaint is the result of of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. 

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

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal grand jury indicts seven people for their roles in narcotics conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging seven defendants for their roles in a narcotics conspiracy. Named in the indictment and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and fentanyl are:

    • Winnie Taru Woods a/k/a Ru, 50, of Buffalo
    • Sharron McCullough a/k/a Black, 34, of Brooklyn, NY
    • Marlon Holt, Jr. a/k/a Scooter a/k/a Professor, 51, of Buffalo
    • Norman Patillo, 44, of Houston, Texas
    • Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr., 50, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago
    • Ian Dyer, 25, of Austin, Texas
    • Shannell Gosine, 27, of Baytown, Texas

    In addition, defendants Woods, McCullough, and Holt are also charged with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between April 2023, and February 2025, the defendants conspired to sell cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. During the conspiracy, defendants Winnie Taru Woods and Sharron McCullough would purchase bulk quantities of narcotics from cartels in Mexico for later resale by others in Buffalo, New York City, and elsewhere. Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr. was one of their sources of supply in Mexico. Defendants Holt, Patillo, Dyer, and Shannell Gosine, took numerous trips to and from Texas, New York, and other cities, transporting the narcotics and bulk currency. On May 7, 2024, Holt, while traveling back from Texas, was stopped by the Ontario County, NY, Sheriff’s Office and arrested after being found in possession of nine kilograms of cocaine and 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in his trunk. 

    The defendants have all been arraigned. Defendants Woods, McCullough, Gary Sudesh Gosine, Sr. and Patillo were detained. Defendants Holt, Dyer, and Shannell Gosine were released on conditions.

    “This case falls within the parameters of Operation Take Back America,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “The Operation Take Back America initiative focuses resources on the elimination of cartels, such as the ones allegedly involved in this case, in an effort to protect our communities from the members of these criminal organizations.”

    HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan stated, “As alleged, the defendants conspired with Mexican cartels to traffic deadly narcotics into the U.S., across the country and into our New York communities. The unified strength and versatility of the U.S. federal law enforcement system, together with our state partners, has once again stopped an allegedly dangerous drug trafficking organization in its tracks. Securing the homeland from dangers posed by foreign organizations and threats is among HSI’s top priorities. We are relentlessly prepared to confront bad actors seeking financial gain by whatever means necessary.”

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, New York Field Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Ontario County, NY, Sheriff’s Office, the 23rd Judicial Taskforce, Tennessee, as well as Homeland Security Investigations in NY, and Houston and Austin, Texas.

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

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Warrensburg Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years for Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Warrensburg, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing and possessing child pornography.

    William Aloys Wameling, Jr., 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a total sentence of 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Wameling to a lifetime term of supervised release following incarceration. Wameling was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $99,000 to the victims of his offenses.

    On Aug. 27, 2024, Wameling pleaded guilty to the charges. Wameling has a prior conviction for possession of child pornography.

    Wameling will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Johnson Co. Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

    Project Safe Childhood

    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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Straw purchaser sentenced for supplying firearms smuggled across the border

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

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to prison for her role in firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jazmin Gutierrez and her co-defendant, Isai Alpides-Navarrete, each pleaded guilty July 25, 2024.  

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the number of firearms the pair purchased and their frequent trips around the state to collect them before transferring them to another individual who would smuggle them across the border. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos commented that this wasn’t an isolated incident, but multiple trips and that the firearms were going to individuals who commit serious crimes.

    Judge Ramos previously sentenced Alpides-Navarrete, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, to a total of 121 months for straw purchasing firearms and being an alien in possession of ammunition.

    As part of an investigation involving the unlawful purchase, transfer and exportation of firearms, authorities arrested Gutierrez March 21, 2024. At that time, they found her in possession of five handguns, a 7.62x39mm assault rifle, high-capacity magazines and ammunition.

    Law enforcement also conducted a search warrant at a residence in McAllen and took Alpides-Navarrete into custody. Inside the residence, they seized approximately 275 rounds of ammunition and high capacity magazines as well as 21 empty pistol boxes.  

    At the time of her arrest, Gutierrez admitted to finding firearms online from private sellers and purchasing over 50 of them which other individuals later smuggled into Mexico.  

    Gutierrez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    This case is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: High Ranking MS-13 Leader and Fugitive Wanted for Multiple Murders Found and Arrested in Long Island

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    Last night, a high-ranking leader of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, was arrested in New York for his alleged role in a conspiracy responsible for 11 murders.

    Joel Vargas-Escobar, also known as Momia, was indicted the District of Nevada and charged with racketeering conspiracy that involved 11 murders. Vargas-Escobar is also charged with two counts of murder-in-aid of racketeering and associated firearms charges. Vargas-Escobar – who previously had been deported to El Salvador and illegally re-entered the United States – had been a fugitive from justice for nearly four years.

    “The American people are safer following the arrest of yet another MS-13 leader thanks to the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Joint Task Force Vulcan,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This terrorist entered our country illegally and is accused of orchestrating 11 murders — under President Trump’s leadership, we will not rest until this terrorist organization is completely dismantled and its members are behind bars.”

    “The arrest of yet another violent and dangerous MS-13 leader is a major win for our FBI agents, law enforcement partners, and safer American streets,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Our agents and analysts are continuously coordinating across multiple field offices and investigating with our valued partners to keep this work going — and we will not stop until that work is done.”

    According to court documents, MS-13 is a national and transnational gang composed largely of individuals of Salvadoran or other Central American descent. MS-13 has more than 10,000 members regularly conducting gang activities in at least 10 states and Washington, D.C., with thousands more conducting gang activities in Central America and Mexico. MS-13 operates through the use of intimidation and violence, including murder, and enriching members and associates through criminal activities, including breaking into houses and stealing firearms, jewelry, cash, and other items of value, and selling narcotics. MS-13 is organized by subsets known as “cliques,” and each clique typically has one or more leaders, commonly referred to as “shot callers.”

    Vargas-Escobar and his co-defendants are allegedly part of MS-13’s command and control structure in Las Vegas and California and exercised significant leadership roles in the organization’s operations. The indictment charges members of the “Parkview” clique of MS-13 with committing 11 murders over about a year in Nevada and California. According to the indictment, many of the victims were allegedly kidnapped by MS-13 members and taken to remote locations in the mountains and desert where they were tortured and killed.

    Vargas-Escobar was the alleged leader of the Parkview clique of MS-13 in Las Vegas and personally ordered two of the charged murders. He was deported to El Salvador in 2018 but illegally re-entered the country.

    The arrest operation was coordinated by the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division in Washington, D.C., with support from the FBI’s Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York field offices, the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, and Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV).

    JTFV, which was created in 2019 to destroy MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including the Southern District of New York; the Eastern District of New York; the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the District of Massachusetts; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; the Southern District of Texas; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; HSI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; and the Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. Operation Take Back America is 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    Vargas-Escobar appeared this morning for his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge James M. Wicks of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York – Central Islip. He was ordered detained and will be transferred to the District of Nevada for trial. If convicted, Vargas-Escobar faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Christopher Taylor and Justin Bish from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanee Smith and Steven Rose for the District of Nevada, with substantial assistance from Joint Task Force Vulcan Deputy Director Jeremy Franker, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –