NewzIntel.com

Category: US Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott, Rep. Lawler Move to Tackle Antisemitism on College Campuses and Universities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, which would rescind federal funding from colleges and universities that encourage antisemitism or facilitate antisemitic events on campus. Congressman Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) led the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    “The intention of taxpayer dollars for universities is to educate students, not promote and foster hate. We’ve witnessed campuses across our nation turn into cesspools for anti-Jewish, anti-Israel activists,” said Senator Scott. “Let’s make one thing clear: federal funding is a privilege and not a right. Rooting out hate wherever it rears its ugly head will always be in fashion. I remain dedicated to defending the rights of Jewish students to attend class peacefully.”

    “As Chair of the MENA Subcommittee and a strong supporter of Israel and the Jewish community, I’m committed to ensuring our universities take antisemitism seriously – holding offenders accountable and preventing incidents before they occur. That’s why I’m reintroducing the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, which will stop universities from allowing antisemitism events on campus in the first place. I am proud to work alongside Senator Scott on this legislation as well as the Antisemitism Awareness Act. Antisemitism has no place on our campuses or in civilized society,” said Congressman Lawler.

    Recently, the Department of Justice the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the cancellation of about $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. 

    Senator Scott was joined in introducing this legislation by Senators Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Abraham Hamadeh (R-Ill.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), Tom Kean (R-N.J.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), and Burgess Owens (R-Utah).

    Read the bill text in full here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Exempts Agencies with National Security Missions from Federal Collective Bargaining Requirements

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    PROTECTING OUR NATIONAL SECURITY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order using authority granted by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) to end collective bargaining with Federal unions in the following agencies with national security missions:
    National Defense. Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and Coast Guard.
    VA serves as the backstop healthcare provider for wounded troops in wartime.
    NSF-funded research supports military and cybersecurity breakthroughs. 

    Border Security. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leadership components, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Executive Office of Immigration Review, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
    Foreign Relations. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, and U.S. International Trade Commission.
    President Trump has demonstrated how trade policy is a national security tool.

    Energy Security. Department of Energy, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Interior units that govern domestic energy production.
    The same Congress that passed the CSRA declared that energy insecurity threatens national security.

    Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response. Within HHS, the Secretary’s Office, Office of General Counsel, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In the Department of Agriculture, the Office of General Counsel, Food Safety and Inspection Service, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
    COVID-19 and the recent bird flu have demonstrated how foreign pandemics affect national security.
    VA is also a backstop healthcare provider during national emergencies, and served this role during COVID-19.

    Cybersecurity. The Office of the Chief Information Officer in each cabinet-level department, as well as DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the General Services Administration (GSA).
    The FCC protects the reliability and security of America’s telecommunications networks.
    GSA provides cybersecurity related services to agencies and ensures they do not use compromised telecommunications products.

    Economic Defense. Department of Treasury.
    The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) defines national security to include protecting America’s economic and productive strength. The Treasury Department collects the taxes that fund the government and ensures the stable operations of the financial system.

    Public Safety. Most components of the Department of Justice as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
    Law Enforcement Unaffected. Police and firefighters will continue to collectively bargain.
    ENSURING THAT AGENCIES OPERATE EFFECTIVELY: The CSRA enables hostile Federal unions to obstruct agency management. This is dangerous in agencies with national security responsibilities:
    Agencies cannot modify policies in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) until they expire.
    The outgoing Biden Administration renegotiated many agencies’ CBAs to last through President Trump’s second term.

    Agencies cannot make most contractually permissible changes until after finishing “midterm” union bargaining.
    For example, the FLRA ruled that ICE could not modify cybersecurity policies without giving its union an opportunity to negotiate, and then completing midterm bargaining.

    Unions used these powers to block the implementation of the VA Accountability Act; the Biden Administration had to offer reinstatement and backpay to over 4,000 unionized employees that the VA had removed for poor performance or misconduct.
    SAFEGUARDING AMERICAN INTERESTS: President Trump is taking action to ensure that agencies vital to national security can execute their missions without delay and protect the American people. The President needs a responsive and accountable civil service to protect our national security.
    Certain Federal unions have declared war on President Trump’s agenda.
    The largest Federal union describes itself as “fighting back” against Trump. It is widely filing grievances to block Trump policies.
    For example, VA’s unions have filed 70 national and local grievances over President Trump’s policies since the inauguration—an average of over one a day.

    Protecting America’s national security is a core constitutional duty, and President Trump refuses to let union obstruction interfere with his efforts to protect Americans and our national interests.
    President Trump supports constructive partnerships with unions who work with him; he will not tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his ability to manage agencies with vital national security missions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Second Amendment Pattern-or-Practice Investigation into California’s Los Angeles County

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Protecting the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans is a high priority for this Administration.

    As part of a broader review of restrictive firearms-related laws in California and other States, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division today announced an investigation into the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to determine whether it is engaging in a pattern or practice of depriving ordinary, law-abiding Californians of their Second Amendment rights. A recent federal court decision found that “the law and facts [we]re clearly in … favor” of two private plaintiffs who challenged the lengthy eighteen-month delays that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had imposed when processing their concealed handgun license applications. And the Civil Rights Division has reason to believe that those two plaintiffs are not the only residents of Los Angeles County experiencing similarly long delays that are unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of the people of Los Angeles.

    The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the Second Amendment is not “a second-class right.” And over the past two decades, the Supreme Court has recognized that the Second Amendment is a fundamental, individual constitutional right and has taken multiple opportunities to strengthen Second Amendment protections for ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

    Some States and localities, however, have resisted this recent pro-Second Amendment caselaw. And California has been a particularly egregious offender. In response to recent Supreme Court caselaw, California enacted new legislation to further restrict the ability of ordinary, law-abiding Californians to keep and bear arms. And many California localities appear to be imposing additional burdens beyond those required by California state law, including by subjecting ordinary, law-abiding Californians to expensive fees and lengthy weight times associated with applications for concealed handgun licenses.

    “This Department of Justice will not stand idly by while States and localities infringe on the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and under my watch, the Department will actively enforce the Second Amendment just like it actively enforces other fundamental constitutional rights.”

    Attorney General Bondi hopes that states and localities will voluntarily embrace their duty to protect the Second Amendment rights of their citizens. But if necessary, today’s announcement will be the first of many similar investigations, lawsuits, or other actions involving other localities in California, the State of California itself, and any other states or localities that insist on unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of their ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nevada Resident Arrested and Charged in Connection with Violent Tesla Arson in Las Vegas

    Source: US State of California

    A Las Vegas resident made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada, to face federal charges related to an arson at a Tesla collision business.

    Paul Hyon Kim, 36, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of arson. Kim was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers on March 26. He remains in federal custody.

    “The Department of Justice has been clear: anyone who participates in the wave of domestic terrorism targeting Tesla properties will suffer severe legal consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will continue to find, arrest, and prosecute these attackers until the lesson is learned.”

    “As promised, acts of violence and vandalism will not be tolerated, and today law enforcement personnel acted quickly to arrest an individual on charges including arson,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to pursue these investigations with the full force of law and will bring to justice anyone responsible for these attacks.”

    “Today’s federal charges demonstrate our strong partnerships and collaboration with law enforcement partners and the joint pursuit to end domestic terrorism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada. “Thank you to the detectives from the Southern Nevada Counterterrorism Center (SNCTC), FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) ARMOR (All-Hazard Regional Multi-Agency Operations and Response) unit, as well as Clark County Fire Department Arson Investigators, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the ATF, and the Justice Department’s National Security Division for their hard work and tireless efforts. We will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and remain steadfastly committed to working with our enforcement partners to combat acts of domestic violence.”

    According to allegations in the complaint, on March 18, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department patrol officers responded to an emergency call about a person setting vehicles on fire and hearing gunshots at a Tesla collision business. The Clark County Fire Department arrived to suppress the fires. During the investigation, it was determined that Molotov cocktails and a .30 caliber AR-style firearm were used to damage and destroy five Tesla vehicles, and graffiti was sprayed to write “Resist” on the front of the building.

    On March 26, law enforcement officials executed various state search warrants related to this case, including a search warrant at Kim’s residence. Inside the residence, they found various firearms, including an AR style rifle consistent with the firearm used in the March 18, incident and with a suppressor on it, a black gun belt with a pouch and a small drop of pink paint residue, a black hoodie, face masks, and a handwritten note with what appeared to be an escape plan.

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi for the Department of Justice; Director Kash Patel of the FBI; Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Sheriff Kevin McMahill for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.

    If convicted, Kim faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm charge and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum of 20 years in prison for the arson charge.

    The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the ATF are investigating the case and with significant assistance from the Clark County Fire Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Operskalski for the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Launches Compliance Review Investigation into Admissions Policies at Stanford University and Several University of California Schools, Advancing President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI Policies

    Source: US State of California

    Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to begin compliance review investigations into admissions policies at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellow of Harvard Coll., 600 U.S. 181 (2023), colleges and universities are prohibited from using DEI discrimination in selecting students for admission, and the Department of Justice is demanding compliance.

    “President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin.”

    For decades, elite colleges and universities have prioritized racial quotas over equality of opportunity, dividing Americans and discriminating against entire groups of applicants, all in the name of DEI. The prior administration advanced the ideology behind this illegal practice and did nothing to protect the civil rights of American students.

    “The Department of Justice will put an end to a shameful system in which someone’s race matters more than their ability,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle. “Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated.”  

    The compliance investigations into these universities are just the beginning of the Department’s work in eradicating illegal DEI and protecting equality under the law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Second Amendment Pattern-or-Practice Investigation into California’s Los Angeles County

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Protecting the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans is a high priority for this Administration.

    As part of a broader review of restrictive firearms-related laws in California and other States, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division today announced an investigation into the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to determine whether it is engaging in a pattern or practice of depriving ordinary, law-abiding Californians of their Second Amendment rights. A recent federal court decision found that “the law and facts [we]re clearly in … favor” of two private plaintiffs who challenged the lengthy eighteen-month delays that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had imposed when processing their concealed handgun license applications. And the Civil Rights Division has reason to believe that those two plaintiffs are not the only residents of Los Angeles County experiencing similarly long delays that are unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of the people of Los Angeles.

    The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the Second Amendment is not “a second-class right.” And over the past two decades, the Supreme Court has recognized that the Second Amendment is a fundamental, individual constitutional right and has taken multiple opportunities to strengthen Second Amendment protections for ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

    Some States and localities, however, have resisted this recent pro-Second Amendment caselaw. And California has been a particularly egregious offender. In response to recent Supreme Court caselaw, California enacted new legislation to further restrict the ability of ordinary, law-abiding Californians to keep and bear arms. And many California localities appear to be imposing additional burdens beyond those required by California state law, including by subjecting ordinary, law-abiding Californians to expensive fees and lengthy weight times associated with applications for concealed handgun licenses.

    “This Department of Justice will not stand idly by while States and localities infringe on the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and under my watch, the Department will actively enforce the Second Amendment just like it actively enforces other fundamental constitutional rights.”

    Attorney General Bondi hopes that states and localities will voluntarily embrace their duty to protect the Second Amendment rights of their citizens. But if necessary, today’s announcement will be the first of many similar investigations, lawsuits, or other actions involving other localities in California, the State of California itself, and any other states or localities that insist on unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of their ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: U.S. Department of Justice Announces Second Amendment Pattern-or-Practice Investigation into California’s Los Angeles County

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Protecting the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans is a high priority for this Administration.

    As part of a broader review of restrictive firearms-related laws in California and other States, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division today announced an investigation into the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to determine whether it is engaging in a pattern or practice of depriving ordinary, law-abiding Californians of their Second Amendment rights. A recent federal court decision found that “the law and facts [we]re clearly in … favor” of two private plaintiffs who challenged the lengthy eighteen-month delays that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had imposed when processing their concealed handgun license applications. And the Civil Rights Division has reason to believe that those two plaintiffs are not the only residents of Los Angeles County experiencing similarly long delays that are unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of the people of Los Angeles.

    The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that the Second Amendment is not “a second-class right.” And over the past two decades, the Supreme Court has recognized that the Second Amendment is a fundamental, individual constitutional right and has taken multiple opportunities to strengthen Second Amendment protections for ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

    Some States and localities, however, have resisted this recent pro-Second Amendment caselaw. And California has been a particularly egregious offender. In response to recent Supreme Court caselaw, California enacted new legislation to further restrict the ability of ordinary, law-abiding Californians to keep and bear arms. And many California localities appear to be imposing additional burdens beyond those required by California state law, including by subjecting ordinary, law-abiding Californians to expensive fees and lengthy weight times associated with applications for concealed handgun licenses.

    “This Department of Justice will not stand idly by while States and localities infringe on the Second Amendment rights of ordinary, law-abiding Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and under my watch, the Department will actively enforce the Second Amendment just like it actively enforces other fundamental constitutional rights.”

    Attorney General Bondi hopes that states and localities will voluntarily embrace their duty to protect the Second Amendment rights of their citizens. But if necessary, today’s announcement will be the first of many similar investigations, lawsuits, or other actions involving other localities in California, the State of California itself, and any other states or localities that insist on unduly burdening, or effectively denying, the Second Amendment rights of their ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seizes 577 Pounds of Cocaine and 14 pounds of Fentanyl, and Multiple Firearms from Mail Stream in Joint Operation with DEA, Homeland Security, FBI, ATF, and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    “Operation Gatekeeper 3.0” protects the U.S.-Caribbean border by targeting drug and arms trafficking through the U.S. Mail

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico–The United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted and seized 577 lbs. of cocaine, 14 lbs. of fentanyl and three firearms as part of a joint operation with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. From March 10 through March 20, 2025, these federal and state agencies collaboratively conducted “Operation Gatekeeper 3.0,” a domestic interdiction of suspect parcels mailed from San Juan, Puerto Rico to locations throughout the continental United States.

    “We commend the outstanding efforts and collaboration between the federal and state law enforcement agencies responsible for the successful seizure of contraband in this case,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue our efforts to eradicate drug trafficking and violent crime in our communities.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to preventing drug and arms traffickers from using the U.S. Mail in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as an access point for all of America,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale. “The Postal Inspection Service will continue our work to secure this border and prevent the mail stream from being used to further criminal activity and enrich transnational criminal organizations.”

    As a result of this operation, federal and state authorities were able to seize evidence in several ongoing investigations, as well as identify targets of new investigations that will be worked collaboratively as part of “Operation Take Back America.”

    Puerto Rico Police Department K-9 Officer “Nico”

    This seizure 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.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sacramento Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Heroin Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Manuel Greenhalgh, 32, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to three years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Greenhalgh is among eight federal defendants charged with drug trafficking offenses as part of a multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers. In May 2020, Greenhalgh was heard during a wiretap discussing sourcing heroin from Mexico and the difficulties of getting people and drugs across the border. Thereafter, agents watched Greenhalgh meet with a co-defendant and pulled Greenhalgh’s vehicle over after he left the co-defendant’s house. Greenhalgh, the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle, possessed 1,986.6 grams of heroin that he intended to distribute.

    Co-defendant Albert Gurley was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin.

    Co-defendants Delanious Ward, Agustin Gonzalez, Craig Hunter, David Byrd, and Kevin Yancy previously pleaded guilty to various drug trafficking crimes and are scheduled to be sentenced at later dates.

    Charges are pending against co-defendant Jorge Mejia-Nolasco for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute heroin. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cameron L. Desmond and Emily G. Sauvageau are prosecuting the case.

    This prosecution is part of the 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. The Sacramento Strike Force is a 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 Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Yuba City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gabriel Quintero, 32, of Yuba City, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, in August 2024, Quintero possessed multiple firearms and methamphetamine that he intended to distribute to another person. Quintero was driving in Sacramento when he led law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit for 10 minutes before crashing into another car that was parked at a stoplight. Quintero got out of his car and ran, but law enforcement officers apprehended him. Quintero possessed more than $30,000 in cash, multiple loaded firearms, including one equipped with a machine gun conversion device and loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition, 646 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills, 109 grams of cocaine, a digital scale; and six cellphones. Quintero is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nevada Resident Arrested and Charged in Connection with Violent Tesla Arson in Las Vegas

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Las Vegas resident made his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada, to face federal charges related to an arson at a Tesla collision business.

    Paul Hyon Kim, 36, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm and one count of arson. Kim was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers on March 26. He remains in federal custody.

    “The Department of Justice has been clear: anyone who participates in the wave of domestic terrorism targeting Tesla properties will suffer severe legal consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. We will continue to find, arrest, and prosecute these attackers until the lesson is learned.”

    “As promised, acts of violence and vandalism will not be tolerated, and today law enforcement personnel acted quickly to arrest an individual on charges including arson,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to pursue these investigations with the full force of law and will bring to justice anyone responsible for these attacks.”

    “Today’s federal charges demonstrate our strong partnerships and collaboration with law enforcement partners and the joint pursuit to end domestic terrorism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada. “Thank you to the detectives from the Southern Nevada Counterterrorism Center (SNCTC), FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) ARMOR (All-Hazard Regional Multi-Agency Operations and Response) unit, as well as CCFD Arson Investigators and the Justice Department’s National Security Division for their hard work and tireless efforts. We will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and remain steadfastly committed to working with our enforcement partners to end acts of domestic violence.”

    According to allegations in the complaint, on March 18, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department patrol officers responded to an emergency call about a person setting vehicles on fire and hearing gunshots at a Tesla collision business. The Clark County Fire Department arrived to suppress the fires. During the investigation, it was determined that Molotov cocktails and a .30 caliber AR-style firearm were used to damage and destroy five Tesla vehicles, and graffiti was sprayed to write “Resist” on the front of the building.

    On March 26, law enforcement officials executed various state search warrants related to this case, including a search warrant at Kim’s residence. Inside the residence, they found various firearms, including an AR style rifle consistent with the firearm used in the March 18, incident and with a suppressor on it, a black gun belt with a pouch and a small drop of pink paint residue, a black hoodie, face masks, and a handwritten note with what appeared to be an escape plan.

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi for the Department of Justice; Director Kash Patel of the FBI; Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada; Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Sheriff Kevin McMahill for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.

    If convicted, Kim faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm charge and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum of 20 years in prison for the arson charge.

    The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the ATF are investigating the case and with significant assistance from the Clark County Fire Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Operskalski for the District of Nevada and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A complaint 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 Security: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Launches Compliance Review Investigation into Admissions Policies at Stanford University and Several University of California Schools, Advancing President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI Policies

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to begin compliance review investigations into admissions policies at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellow of Harvard Coll., 600 U.S. 181 (2023), colleges and universities are prohibited from using DEI discrimination in selecting students for admission, and the Department of Justice is demanding compliance.

    “President Trump and I are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity across the country,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Every student in America deserves to be judged solely based on their hard work, intellect, and character, not the color of their skin.”

    For decades, elite colleges and universities have prioritized racial quotas over equality of opportunity, dividing Americans and discriminating against entire groups of applicants, all in the name of DEI. The prior administration advanced the ideology behind this illegal practice and did nothing to protect the civil rights of American students.

    “The Department of Justice will put an end to a shameful system in which someone’s race matters more than their ability,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Chad Mizelle. “Every college and university should know that illegal discrimination in admissions will be investigated and eliminated.”  

    The compliance investigations into these universities are just the beginning of the Department’s work in eradicating illegal DEI and protecting equality under the law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: East Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking and Gun Possession Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that WARREN SIMPSON, also known as “Wodi,” 43, of East Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in Bridgeport to drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in July and August 2024, ATF special agents conducted multiple controlled purchases of cocaine from Simpson in Hartford.  On September 12, 2024, as investigators approached Simpson’s residence on Judson Avenue in East Hartford to execute a federal search warrant, Simpson attempted to flee and tossed bags containing narcotics as he ran.  Investigators apprehended Simpson and recovered the bags.  Searches of Simpson’s residence and vehicle, and the discarded bags, revealed approximately 248 grams of fentanyl, approximately 690 grams of cocaine, drug processing and packaging materials, a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, and ammunition.

    Simpson’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for possession of narcotics, larceny, and criminal possession of a firearm.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm and ammunition that have moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Simpson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

    Simpson is released on a $200,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

    This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Mahard.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Who Bought Diamond-Studded “Grills” With Fraud Cash Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A federal district judge in South Florida has sentenced an Orlando man to almost six years in prison for leading a scheme that defrauded California’s Employment Development Department of over $4 million in state and federal unemployment insurance benefit money. The judge also ordered him to pay over $1.2 million in restitution.

    Zachary Kameron Ramyard, 23, of Orlando, Fla. pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in October 2024.

    From August 2020 to August 2022, Ramyard and others submitted fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims to California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). UI payments are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to lawful workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own. They purchased the personally identifiable information (PII) of victims (including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers), created counterfeit driver licenses with it, and submitted at least 68 fraudulent UI benefits applications using the victims’ PII.

    Ramyard also withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars in UI funds from Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in different states using fraudulent debit cards. (The EDD typically distributed UI benefits electronically to debit cards that were mailed to claimants.) Ramyard used the cash to buy luxury items like the diamond-studded teeth jewelry, also known as “grills,” pictured above.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne, Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and Special Agent in Charge Mathew Broadhurst of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Southeast Region announced the sentence.

    HSI Miami and DOL-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Egozi prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture.

    Additional Background Information: Beginning in or around March 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal programs expanded UI eligibility and increased UI benefits, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program (FPUC), and the Lost Wages Assistance Program (LWAP). In the State of California, the EDD administered the UI program.

    In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was enacted. It was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other sources of relief, the CARES Act authorized and provided funding to the SBA to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”) to eligible small businesses, including sole proprietorships and independent contractors, experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to allow them to meet financial obligations and operating expenses that could otherwise have been met had the disaster not occurred. EIDL applications were submitted directly to the SBA via the SBA’s on-line application website, and the applications were processed, and the loans funded for qualifying applicants directly by the SBA.

    COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force: On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    On September 15, 2022, the Attorney General selected the Southern District of Florida’s U.S. Attorney’s Office to head one of three national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams. The Department of Justice established the Strike Force to enhance existing efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19 related financial fraud. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please click here.

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

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-20382.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Ohio Man of Armed Cocaine Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COVINGTON, Ky. – A Cincinnati, Ohio, man was convicted on Thursday by a federal jury in Covington for armed cocaine trafficking and illegal firearm possession. 

    After slightly under three hours of deliberation, following a three-day trial, the jury convicted 33-year-old Anthony Wynn of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to testimony at trial, in August 2020, law enforcement stopped a vehicle being driven by Wynn to investigate a possible DUI. During the stop, officers located two bags of crack cocaine and a bag of marijuana on Wynn’s person. Officers also found a loaded firearm in the glove box and a digital scale in the center console. An additional loaded firearm was found in the trunk. Wynn possessed the firearms to protect himself, drugs, and drug proceeds from robbery. Also, Wynn was aware at the time of his arrest that he had prior felony convictions and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    Wynn was previously convicted of facilitation of robbery and first degree trafficking in a controlled substance in Campbell County Circuit Court in 2010; and first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, cocaine, and two counts of first degree trafficking in a controlled substance, heroin, in Kenton County Circuit Court in 2015.

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Brian Valenti, Covington Police Department, jointly announced the conviction.

    The investigation was conducted by ATF and Covington Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Bracke and Joel King.

    Wynn will appear for sentencing on July 16, 2025. He faces a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of life in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.  It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.  In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

    — END — 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Sixth and Final Defendant Sentenced to 39 Years in Federal Prison in Louisville Case Involving String of Violent Crimes, Drug and Gun Offenses, and Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Louisville, KY – The final defendant was sentenced this week to 39 years in federal prison for his role in numerous felony offenses, including kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. Several other defendants were previously sentenced on the charges.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department, Sheriff Walt Sholar of the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Sheriff John E. Aubrey of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.

    “This case is an example of the benefit of the strong working relationships that exist between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the Western District of Kentucky,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “As a result of excellent collaboration and tireless work by our law enforcement agencies and federal prosecutors, violent offenders have been removed from our streets making our community safer for all who live, work, and visit here.”  

    “John E. Lohden, Jr. and his associates used law enforcement impersonation tactics to terrorize innocent individuals, ultimately undermining the public’s trust in legitimate police officers and creating a climate of fear and anxiety in our neighborhoods,” said Special Agent in Charge Stansbury. “Lohden, Jr.’s sentence of decades behind bars should serve as a clear message to violent offenders walking our streets. The FBI, working alongside our partners at all levels, will find you and ensure you face the full weight of the law.”

    According to court documents, John E. Lohden, Jr., 35, of Louisville, was sentenced on March 25, 2025, to 39 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for two counts of kidnapping, two counts of impersonator making arrest or search, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, robbery, using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. John E. Lohden, Jr. was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On November 16, 2021, in Jefferson Circuit Court, John E. Lohden, Jr. was convicted of receiving stolen property under $10,000.

    On November 28, 2007, in Jefferson Circuit Court, John E. Lohden, Jr. was convicted of tampering with physical evidence, escape in the second degree, and complicity to wanton endangerment in the first degree (3 counts).

    Dayton Peterson, 24, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 22, 2024, to 30 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping, impersonator making arrest or search, robbery, using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and engaging in monetary transactions derived from a specified unlawful activity.

    Joshua Lohden, 26, of Louisville was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 22 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping, impersonator making arrest or search, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and robbery.

    David Langdon, 39, of Louisville was sentenced on September 11, 2024, to 11 years and 5 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping, impersonator making arrest or search, robbery, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Langdon was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On October 14, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Langdon was convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, and possession of a controlled substance in the first degree.

    On October 15, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Langdon was convicted of trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree greater than 2 grams of heroin.

    J. Louis Nance, 34, of Louisville was sentenced on July 24, 2024, to 6 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for kidnapping and impersonator making arrest or search.

    Samantha Trummer, 30, of Louisville was sentenced on July 22, 2024, to 4 years of probation for engaging in monetary transactions derived from a specified unlawful activity.

    Defendants Dayton Peterson, John E. Lohden, Jr., and Samantha Trummer were found guilty after a 10-day jury trial in March of 2024. The remaining defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The FBI, LMPD, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance from the ATF, IRS, DEA, and Kentucky State Police.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia P. Gomez and Frank E. Dahl III prosecuted the case, with assistance from paralegal Adela Alic.

    Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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 (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Justice Department Announces Arrest of MS-13 Leader

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert announced the arrest of an MS-13 gang leader.  They were joined by Governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia Glenn Youngkin. 

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  • MIL-OSI Video: Justice Department Announces Arrest of MS-13 Leader

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert announced the arrest of an MS-13 gang leader. They were joined by Governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia Glenn Youngkin.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbgBvy21QlI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese National in Custody and Indicted After Allegedly Checking a Bag with a Firearm at Provo Airport

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Chinese national was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City for a firearm crime after she allegedly possessed an undeclared pistol in her checked luggage and ammunition in her carry-on bag at the Provo Airport.

    Xuemei Zhao, 53, of People’s Republic of China, was initially charged by complaint on March 20, 2025. 

    According to court documents, on March 20, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a black Rossi Braztech Int’l .357 revolver pistol in Zhao’s checked luggage, which was destined for Dallas – Ft. Worth via American Airlines flight 6189. Prior to delivering the suitcase to American Airlines, Zhao did not disclose the presence of the handgun to TSA or American Airlines. In addition to the firearm, Zhao had 9 rounds of .357 ammunition in her carry-on luggage. Zhao was taken into custody and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and confirmed Zhao arrived on a tourist visa, and had a currently pending asylum application, and was not a lawful permanent resident of the United States (she did not have a “green card”).

    Zhao is charged with possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien). Her initial appearance on the indictment is March 28, 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 by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

    Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (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. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent Crime Consortium Keeps Public Safety at Forefront

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

    CLEVELAND – The Northern Ohio Violent Crime Consortium (NOVCC) recently brought together more than 100 regional law enforcement participants, representing more than 20 agencies, to take part in a region-wide initiative to discuss public safety. The annual event is hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio. The District covers the 40 northern-most counties in the state of Ohio, which is home to more than 5.7 million people.

    The violent crime consortium was established in 2007 through a Department of Justice grant to specifically address violent crime issues in eight Northern Ohio cities: Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Elyria, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo, and Youngstown.

    As the current top federal law enforcement officer for the District, Acting U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik provided welcoming remarks on the importance of the consortium’s work to keep crime off the streets.

    “The Consortium’s purpose is to prevent and reduce violent crime through the use of data-driven and evidence-based technologies,” said Skutnik. “NOVCC enhances our member agencies through skills training on accepted best practices and emerging technologies.”

    Subject-matter experts addressed several key topics at this year’s gathering including the importance of inter-agency data sharing and information to combat crime, promising law enforcement practices, and modern policing in the digital age.

    The USAO would like to acknowledge and thank the following for attending and participating in this year’s event:

    Event speakers representing

    • Fordham University
    • Johns Hopkins University Center for Gun Violence Solutions
    • Blacksburg, Virginia Police Department
    • Brookhaven, Georgia Police Department
    • Research Innovations, Inc.

    Law enforcement agencies represented

    • Akron Police Department
    • Avon Police Department
    • The University of Akron Police Department
    • Barberton Police Department
    • Berea Police Department
    • Canton Police Department
    • Cleveland Division of Police
    • Cuyahoga County Sheriff
    • Elyria Police Department
    • Lorain Police Department
    • Mansfield Police Department
    • Maple Heights Police Department
    • North Royalton Police Department
    • Put-in-Bay Police Department
    • Sandusky Police Department
    • Toledo Police Department
    • Warren Police Department
    • Westlake Police Department
    • Youngstown Police Department

    State agencies

    • Ohio Adult Parole Authority
    • Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
    • Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services

    Nonprofit agency

    • Partnership for a Safer Cleveland

    Federal agencies

    • ATF-Cleveland
    • FBI-Cleveland
    • U.S. Marshals Service-Cleveland
    • U.S. Department of Justice-Office of Legal Policy

    For more information about the consortium, contact Thomas McCartney at 216-622-3955.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Melbourne Man Indicted For Enticing A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity And Other Child Sexual Abuse Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Kacey Caudill (28, Melbourne) with one count of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, one count of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), three counts of receipt of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM involving a minor under 12 years of age.

    If convicted on the enticement count, Caudill faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. For the production of CSAM count, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years. Each receipt count carries a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, and for the possession of CSAM count, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, Caudill committed these offenses between August 2 and October 9, 2024.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

    This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Indicted For Possessing Multiple Firearms As A Convicted Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Latchman Singh (31, Orlando) with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. If convicted, Singh faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. 

    According to the indictment, on January 17, 2025, Singh possessed multiple firearms including, two Glock firearms, two Sig Sauer firearms, two Specialized Tactical System firearms, an Aero Precision firearm, a Beretta firearm, a S.C. Nova Grup S.R.L firearm, a Ruger firearm, one Polymer 80 Inc. firearm, a privately made firearm made from a Polymer80 Inc. frame, a SOTA Arms firearm, a Remington firearm, a Springfield Armory firearm, a Spike’s tactical firearm, and a Palmetto State Armory firearm. At the time he possessed each firearm, Singh had multiple prior felony convictions, including fraudulent use of personal identification information and possession of cannabis with intent to see or deliver. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. 

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

    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).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Indicted For Attempting To Smuggle Firearms Out Of The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Karla Alejandra Tejena Parraga (38, Ecuador) with attempted smuggling of firearms. If convicted, Tejena Parraga faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, on February 19, 2025, Tejena Parraga fraudulently attempted to export a firearm and firearm part from the United States to Panama. Prior to the attempted exportation, Tejena Parraga concealed, received, bought or sold, or facilitated such, knowing the firearm and firearm part was intended for exportation contrary to any law or regulation of the United States. 

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie McNeff.

    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).

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Long-Time Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips Leader Charged in 43-Count Indictment Alleging Murder, Extortion, Fraud, and Tax Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has returned a 43-count indictment charging a music label owner and purported anti-gang activist who is a long-time leader of a South Los Angeles street gang with dozens of felonies, including fraud, robbery, extortion, tax evasion, embezzlement of donations to his charity that receives public money, and running a racketeering conspiracy in which he allegedly murdered an aspiring musician, the Justice Department announced today.

    Eugene Henley, Jr., 58, a.k.a. “Big U,” of the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, two counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and extortion (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act robbery, nine counts of attempted Hobbs Act extortion, five counts of Hobbs Act extortion, one count of transportation of an individual in interstate commerce with intent that the individual engage in prostitution (Mann Act), 15 counts of wire fraud, five counts of embezzlement, conversion, and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal funds, one count of bank fraud, one count of tax evasion, and two counts of willful failure to file a tax return.

    Henley – a long-time member of the Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crips street gang – has been in federal custody since March 19 after being charged in a federal criminal complaint. His arraignment is scheduled for April 8 in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. He has a detention hearing scheduled for April 10, also in Los Angeles federal court.

    Also charged in today’s indictment are:

    • Sylvester Robinson, 59, a.k.a. “Vey,” of Northridge;
    • Mark Martin, 50, a.k.a. “Bear Claw,” of the Beverlywood area of Los Angeles;
    • Termaine Ashley Williams, 42, a.k.a. “Luce Cannon,” of Las Vegas;
    • Armani Aflleje, 38, a.k.a. “Mani,” of Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles;
    • Fredrick Blanton Jr., 43, of South Los Angeles; and
    • Tiffany Shanrika Hines, 51, of Yorba Linda.

    These defendants are in federal custody and are expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks.

    “As the indictment alleges, Mr. Henley led a criminal enterprise whose conduct ranged from murder to sophisticated fraud that included stealing from taxpayers and a charity,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Eradicating gangs and organized crime is the Department of Justice’s top priority. Today’s charges against the leadership of this criminal outfit will make our neighborhoods in Los Angeles safer.”

    According to the indictment returned on Wednesday, from 2010 until March 2025, Henley’s criminal group – identified in court documents as the “Big U Enterprise” – operated as a mafia-like organization that utilized Henley’s stature and long-standing association with the Rollin’ 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles. Henley is widely regarded as a leader within the Rollin’ 60s and rose to prominence in the street gang during the 1980s.

    While the Big U Enterprise at times partnered with the Rollin’ 60s and other criminal elements for mutual benefit, the Big U Enterprise is a distinct and independent criminal enterprise engaged in criminal activity including murder, extortion, robbery, trafficking and exploiting sex workers, fraud, and illegal gambling.

    Not only did the enterprise expand its power through violence, fear, and intimidation, but it also used social media platforms, documentaries, podcasts, interviews, and Henley’s reputation and status as an “O.G.” (original gangster) to create fame for – and stoke fear of – the Big U Enterprise, its members, and its associates.

    For example, in January 2021, Henley murdered a victim – identified in the indictment as “R.W.” – an aspiring musician signed to Uneek Music, Henley’s music label. Henley shot and killed R.W., who had recorded a defamatory song about Henley. Henley then dragged the victim’s body off Interstate 15 in Las Vegas and left it in a ditch.

    Henley also committed other crimes, including fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 business-relief loan for Uneek Music, which operated at a loss and was ineligible for such relief. He used his anti-gang charity, Developing Options, as a front for fraudulent activities and to insulate other members of the Big U Enterprise from law enforcement suspicion.

    Henley further embezzled large donations that celebrities and award-winning companies made to Developing Options, which Henley immediately converted to his personal bank account. According to the indictment, Developing Options is primarily funded through the City of Los Angeles’s Mayor’s Office through the Gang Reduction Youth Development (GRYD) Foundation, portions of which receive federal funding, but also receives donations from prominent sources, including NBA players.

    Finally, the indictment alleges that – as part of the racketeering conspiracy charge – that during the early morning hours of March 19, while law enforcement was arresting other members of the enterprise, Henley turned off his cellphones and fled his home. That day, Henley posted to the “Crenshaw Cougars” Instagram account, claiming racial profiling, blaming his co-defendants and opponents for the criminal charges filed against him in a federal criminal complaint, and instructing the public not to associate with his co-defendants and known opponents. Henley eventually surrendered to federal law enforcement without his phones.

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

    If convicted, Henley, Robinson, Martin would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy count. The bank fraud count is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. The Hobbs Act conspiracy, robbery, and extortion and the wire fraud counts each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. The Mann Act count and the theft concerning programs receiving federal funds count each carry a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison. The tax evasion count carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison while the willful failure to pay file a tax return count is punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment.

    The FBI’s Los Angeles Metropolitan Task Force on Violent Gangs; IRS Criminal Investigation; the United States Department of Justice Office of Inspector General; the Los Angeles Police Department; and the North Las Vegas Police Department are investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case. 

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford, Cotton Introduce Bill to Keep Contraband Cellphones Out of Jails

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    Washington, DC— Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) yesterday introduced the Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025, legislation which would prevent inmates from using contraband cellphones in prisons by allowing state and federal prisons to use cellphone jamming technology. Congressman David Kustoff (TN-08) is leading companion legislation in the House. 
    Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Jim Risch (R-ID) are cosponsoring the legislation. Rep. David Kustoff (R-RN) introduced companion legislation in the House.
    “Cell phones are being slipped into jails and prisons, but federal policy prevents local law enforcement from jamming the cell signal. That needs to stop,” said Lankford. “After years of work and conversations with law enforcement, the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Justice, and Oklahoma prison leadership, we finally have a bill to allow states to jam illegal cell phones in their prisons to prevent prisoners from contacting their victims or coordinating even more crime while they are incarcerated. This bill simply allows state and federal prisons to use cell phone jammers to ensure they have the tools they need to combat illegal activity in a prison.” 
    “For far too long, contraband cellphones have been a major security threat in our prisons, allowing criminals to coordinate crimes from behind bars. This legislation is a common-sense step to cut off their ability to threaten witnesses, organize drug trafficking, and endanger law-abiding citizens from within prison walls,” said Senator Cotton.
    “Criminals are using contraband cellphones to commit crimes while in prison. The extent of coordinated criminal activity carried out by inmates is a serious threat to public safety,” said Congressman Kustoff. “As a former United States Attorney, I have seen first-hand the dangerous effects of contraband cellphone use to both law enforcement officers and our communities. It should be impossible for prisoners to organize gang activity, traffic drugs, and coordinate any other wrongdoing from behind bars. The Cellphone Jamming Reform Act is commonsense legislation that will crack down on cellphones in prisons and protect inmates, guards, and the public at large.”
    Text of the legislation may be found here. 
    Background:
    The use of contraband cellphones is widespread in both federal and state prison facilities. Inmates have used contraband cellphones to conduct illegal activities, including ordering hits on individuals outside of the prison walls, running illegal drug operations, conducting illegal business deals, facilitating sex trafficking, and organizing escapes which endanger correctional employees, other inmates, and members of the public.
    Last year, two 13-year-old boys were killed at a birthday party in Atlanta after inmates in a Georgia prison used contraband cellphones to order their murder. In 2024, Georgia authorities confiscated more than 15,500 contraband cellphones and seized more than 8,000 in 2023.
    In December 2024, two California inmates were convicted of murder, racketeering, and other RICO-related crimes for running a heroin and meth trafficking operation from their prison cells. 
    In 2018, a gang fight over territory using cellphones to trade contraband sparked a brawl inside the Lee Correctional Institution near Bishopville, South Carolina, and left seven inmates dead and 20 injured.
    Bureau of Prisons Correctional officer Lt. Osvaldo Albarati was murdered in 2013 for interrupting an illicit contraband cellphone business. His actual assassination was initiated by an inmate using a contraband cellphone to contact the gunman as outlined in the indictment.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OXFORD, MS– A Mexican national, illegally in the United States, was ordered detained by a Federal Magistrate Judge on Tuesday after he was arrested last week on a criminal complaint related to his alleged possession of child pornography.

    According to court documents, Adolfo Raul Vasquez-Santana, 32, of Southaven, Mississippi, downloaded and shared videos that depicted the sexual abuse of children, some of whom appear to be younger than thirteen years of age. Vasquez-Santana is charged with the receipt or distribution of those images using the internet. If convicted of these charges, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Vasquez-Santana was investigated initially by the Southaven Police Department responding to a tip that they received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He had been arrested and charged by the Southaven Police Department, but prior to his prosecution for these offenses in state court, he was released to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal from the United States. The Department of Homeland Security charged the defendant with the federal offenses at issue in the complaint.

    U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi made the announcement. Joyner said, “The Department of Justice will fully prosecute any alien that violates the laws of our great country. Possession of child sexual abuse images leads to further abuse of the most vulnerable members of our society: our children. The DOJ will do everything in our power to protect them and to that end, I appreciate the Southaven Police Department for their thorough investigation of this matter.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison is prosecuting the case.

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

    A criminal complaint 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: Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of Cryptocurrency

    Source: US State of Vermont

    The Court-Authorized Seizure Interdicts Cryptocurrency Valued at Approximately $200,000 Intended to Support the Terrorist Activities of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)

    The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.

    “At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.   

    “These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”

    “Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”

    “Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”

    As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.

    Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Hassan, Shaheen, Goodlander Urge Department of Justice to Protect Retention Incentives for FCI Berlin Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with U.S. Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are urging the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reverse a recent decision to cut retention incentives provided to several federal corrections facilities across the country, including at Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Berlin. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Associate Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Shaheen, Hassan and Goodlander highlight that the decision would worsen persistent staffing shortages that threaten FCI Berlin’s operational capacity and security. 

    The lawmakers wrote, in part: “FCI Berlin has had a 25 percent retention incentive authorized since 2023. As the nationwide staffing crisis makes it difficult to recruit new officers, these retention incentives have been instrumental in ensuring that the facility is able to retain and adequately pay existing staff, keeping the facility operational. However, even despite this critical assistance, FCI Berlin’s custody department is currently staffed at only 64 percent, with far reaching consequences as stretched-thin correctional officers must take on unreasonable amounts of overtime to help maintain the daily operations of the facility.” 

    They continued: “There is no doubt that the abrupt reduction in retention benefits will have real financial impacts on those who bravely serve FCI Berlin and its population. We urge you to find a solution to provide the highly professional and dedicated staff at FCI Berlin with the compensation they deserve for their work and, at a minimum, allow this facility and others facing chronic understaffing to continue to receive their full retention incentives as originally authorized.” 

    The lawmakers concluded: “Now more than ever, we remain committed to working with you to ensure FCI Berlin has the resources and support it requires to continue its integral work in our state.” 

    Read the full text of the letter here. 

    Shaheen has long advocated on behalf of FCI Berlin. In 2011, Shaheen fought to get FCI Berlin open. During the 2019 government shutdown, Shaheen spoke on the Senate floor about the damaging impacts the shuttered federal government had on FCI Berlin staff members. In 2023, Shaheen was instrumental in ensuring corrections officers, medical personnel and support staff at the facility received access to these critical retention incentives. Further, during her time as Chair of the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen repeatedly secured language in annual government funding legislation calling attention to the BOP staffing crisis nationwide.  

    Last month, Shaheen offered an amendment to the Republican budget resolution that would have raised pay for Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers in New Hampshire and across the country. Additionally, Shaheen offered an amendment to last week’s continuing resolution that would have preserved retention incentives at federal correctional facilities ahead of this weekend’s impending cut. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Disrupts Hamas Terrorist Financing Scheme Through Seizure of Cryptocurrency

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    The Court-Authorized Seizure Interdicts Cryptocurrency Valued at Approximately $200,000 Intended to Support the Terrorist Activities of Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas)

    The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing terrorist financing scheme through the seizure of approximately $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to benefit Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya (Hamas). The seized funds were traced from fundraising addresses purportedly controlled by Hamas that were used to launder more than $1.5 million in virtual currency since October 2024.

    “At Attorney General Pam Bondi’s direction, the Department of Justice is committed to dismantling Hamas using every tool at our disposal,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.   

    “These seizures show that this office will search high and low for every cent of money going to fund Hamas, wherever it is found, and in whatever form of currency,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Hamas is responsible for the death of many U.S. and Israeli nationals, and we will stop at nothing to stop their campaign of terror and murder.”

    “Hamas raised and laundered more than a million dollars to support its terrorist operation, but through our investigation, the FBI traced and seized these funds,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI Counterterrorism Division. “Disrupting funding mechanisms and seizing cryptocurrency from Hamas is one of the FBI’s many tools that we use in the fight against terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to dismantle this terrorist group and protect the American people from their violent and horrific acts.”

    “Countering terrorism remains the FBI’s number one priority. By successfully disrupting access to funds, we weaken their ability to function,” said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “This success demonstrates that financial warfare is a critical component to fight terrorism. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect the American people and pursue justice by depriving terrorist organizations of the resources they need to continue their illicit activity.”

    As alleged in court documents, a group chat claiming association with Hamas on an encrypted communications platform provided Hamas supporters worldwide with a changing set of at least 17 cryptocurrency addresses. Supporters were encouraged to donate money to those addresses. Those funds were sent into an operational wallet and laundered through a series of virtual currency exchanges and transactions by leveraging suspected financiers and over-the-counter brokers. More than a million dollars was raised and laundered using the laundering system and the virtual currency accounts described in the affidavit.

    Included among the assets seized were cryptocurrency addresses valued at approximately $89,900 and three additional accounts containing cryptocurrency valued at approximately $111,500. These accounts were registered in the names of Palestinian individuals living in Turkey and elsewhere.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office is investigating the case, in coordination with the FBI Counterterrorism Division and Cyber Division.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Tejpal Chawla for the District of Columbia, Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery for the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and Trial Attorney Jessica Joyce of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Coons, Democratic Ranking Members call on Inspectors General to investigate mishandling of classified information by Trump administration officials

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, led a letter to the Acting Inspectors General of the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the Department of State calling for an investigation into senior Trump administration officials for mishandling attack plans and other sensitive information through an unsecure messaging group chat, thereby putting U.S. servicemembers and intelligence officers at risk. The letter comes in response to a series of articles in The Atlantic by Jeffrey Goldberg detailing conversations by high-ranking Trump administration officials about military strikes conducted in Yemen in a Signal group chat in which Goldberg was included.

    The letter details concerns that multiple cabinet officials potentially violated laws and regulations related to the handling of national security information and the retention of federal records, including the precise timing of missile strikes and information about intelligence gathering.

    In the letter to the inspectors general, the senators expressed grave concern “over potential violations of the Presidential Records Act and the Federal Records Act, as the article outlines policy debates between the Vice President, the Secretary of Defense, and senior White House officials—discussions that should be preserved as official government records… the use of a messaging application with auto-delete functions raises further questions about whether these records were improperly destroyed.”

    The senators also highlighted how a report to the Department of Justice has been yet to be filed regarding this breach, despite the legal requirement to address leaks of classified material.

    “We note that classified information is designated as such because its release would significantly damage U.S. national security and put at risk our national security personnel,” the senators wrote. “As such, this information can only be shared in a sensitive compartmented facility and such operational information is classified at least the SECRET level or higher based on the Department of Defense’s own guidance. Disclosing classified information on an unsecured messaging group chat, which contained an uncleared individual, could be a violation of 18 U.S. Code § 798. We are unaware of any report to the Department of Justice associated with this event, which is a standard practice when classified information is leaked to the media.”

    “This report, if accurate, indicates multiple violations of law and policy by a host of elected and confirmed officials responsible for national security issues,” the senators added. “Given that this was an accidental disclosure, it also raises the potential that the officials involved in this chat may be conducting other potentially classified and unlawful conversations on this messaging application.”

    In addition to Senator Coons, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters, Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee; Jeanne Shaheen, Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Brian Schatz, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS); and Patty Murray, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair.

    You can read the full text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –