NewzIntel.com

Category: US Department of Justice

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Law Student Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MACON, Ga. – A former law school student who possessed more than 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone and uploaded on cloud-based storage was sentenced to serve more than six years in prison for his crime.

    Gregory Gallagher, 37, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $169,649.12 in restitution to the victims by U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on March 26. Gallagher will also be required to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. The defendant previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on April 22, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Children who experience the horror of being sexually abused are continually traumatized each and every time the image or video of the heinous act is viewed. These images are permanent and cause harm well beyond the moment they were originally captured,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office, working alongside our law enforcement and community partners, will pursue federal prosecution against child predators caught viewing, uploading or sharing child sexual abuse material on the internet.”

    “This conviction is a victory for justice and a warning to those who prey on children—we will find you and you will face the full force of the law,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “Together, HSI and our law enforcement partners will remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard communities and ensure that those who exploit children are held accountable.”

    “Today’s conviction reflects the relentless efforts of law enforcement to protect children from exploitation and hold offenders accountable,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “The GBI remains steadfast in its commitment to using all available resources to prevent child abuse and bring justice to the victims of these horrific crimes.”

    According to court documents and statements referenced in Court, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received five Cybertip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) between May and August 2021 from a cloud infrastructure company of suspected child sexual exploitation associated with a cell phone number. The subsequent investigation led to Gallagher, who was a Mercer Law School student at the time; agents executed a search warrant of the account in January 2022 and found subfolders belonging to Gallagher that contained 38 videos and 1,970 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), also known as child pornography. Another folder containing files uploaded from Gallagher’s cell phone had two videos and 3,389 images of more CSAM. Agents executed search warrants at Gallagher’s residences in Macon and Marietta on March 29, 2022. Agents discovered that Gallagher’s cell phone had 97 videos and 5,749 images of children being sexually assaulted and abused, including very young children and toddlers.

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

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s (GBI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom is prosecuting the case for the Government.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Operator of Fraudulent Investment Vehicle Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Securities Fraud, Tax Fraud and Other Charges

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 15 and a half years in prison yesterday for defrauding investors, conspiring to defraud the IRS, filing false tax returns, employment tax fraud, wire fraud, obstruction, and other charges.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Joseph LaForte, of Philadelphia, engaged in a scheme to defraud investors using a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Par Funding. In total, LaForte and his co-conspirators caused an actual loss to investors exceeding $288 million.

    LaForte also engaged in a series of federal tax crimes. LaForte and co-conspirators diverted approximately $20 million in taxable income from Par Funding to another entity controlled by LaForte and nominally owned by another, then filed false tax returns that did not report this income. He also received more than $9 million in cash kickbacks from a customer of Par Funding and did not report this income to the IRS on his individual tax returns. As a result, LaForte’s individual tax returns for the years 2016 through 2018 were false. He also paid off-the-books, cash wages to some employees of Par Funding. He did not report these wages to the IRS and did not pay employment taxes on wages paid to employees in cash. The total federal tax loss stemming from LaForte’s crimes exceeds $8 million. He also caused $1.6 million in state tax loss to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue by falsely reporting that he and his wife were residents of Florida from 2013 through 2019, when in fact they resided in Pennsylvania.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

    The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Sam Dalke, Eric Gill, and Patrick J. Murray for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case. Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Boscia for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania assisted with the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: WRAP Bolsters Leadership with Top 1MDB Investigators and FBI Veteran Rob Heuchling to Drive Technology Commercialization for Transnational Crime Solutions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)


    WRAP Expands Capabilities: Leveraging Investigative Expertise in Financial Crimes, Crypto and Cybersecurity to Commercialize Managed Services Offering

    MIAMI, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wrap Technologies, Inc, (NASDAQ: WRAP) (“Wrap” or, the “Company”), a global leader in innovative public safety technologies and non-lethal tools, today announced the appointment of Robert Heuchling as Managing Director of the Company, bringing over 15 years of experience from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and providing advisory services to the Company’s executive team.

    Wrap plans to expand its managed service business lines, with Mr. Heuchling expected to play a key role in commercializing an offering that combines his investigative expertise with his deep familiarity with a wide range of investigative data sets, tools and technologies. Wrap also plans to develop unique technology solutions that integrate advanced investigative capabilities, empowering agencies to address complex financial crimes, cyber threats and transnational law enforcement challenges with greater efficiency and precision.

    While at the FBI, Mr. Heuchling supervised a squad based in New York City responsible for foreign corruption, international money laundering and antitrust investigations. In that role, Mr. Heuchling forged relationships with law enforcement agencies across the globe and developed strategies to collaborate with foreign counterparts to solve complex transnational crime cases.

    Mr. Heuchling will once again be working with his former FBI supervisor, Bill McMurry, Chief Executive Officer of Managed Services. Together, Mr. McMurry and Mr. Heuchling led the U.S. investigation into 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund from which more than $4.5 billion was stolen through a complex fraud and corruption scheme involving individuals from multiple countries. The investigation resulted in the largest asset recovery in U.S. Department of Justice history and is considered a model for success in international investigations.

    Jared Novick, President of Wrap, stated: “The addition of Rob Heuchling, joining his former colleague Bill McMurry at Wrap, provides our global clients and the agencies we support with a unique opportunity to leverage their unparalleled expertise alongside our advanced technologies. We believe their deep investigative experience in financial crimes, cyber threats and transnational law enforcement, combined with Wrap’s cutting-edge solutions, will allow us to deliver unmatched support for the most pressing challenges facing law enforcement and security professionals worldwide. We are thrilled to have them on board as we expand our managed services and drive innovation in public safety.”

    Background

    Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Heuchling served as an engineer and communications officer in the United States Navy. He is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and has received numerous accolades from both the FBI and the military. His honors include:

    • the Assistant Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award;
    • the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation’s “Investigator of the Year” Award;
    • the FBI Medal of Excellence; and
    • the Naval Commendation Medal.

    About Wrap Technologies, Inc.

    Wrap Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WRAP) is a global leader in public safety solutions, bringing together cutting-edge technology with exceptional people to address the complex, modern day challenges facing public safety organizations.

    Wrap’s BolaWrap® solution is a safer way to gain compliance—without pain.

    This innovative, patented device deploys light, sound, and a Kevlar® tether to safely restrain individuals from a distance, giving officers critical time and space to manage non-compliant situations before resorting to higher-force options. The BolaWrap 150 does not shoot, strike, shock, or incapacitate—instead, it helps officers operate lower on the force continuum, reducing the risk of injury to both officers and subjects. Used by over 1,000 agencies across the U.S. and in 60 countries, BolaWrap® is backed by training certified by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), reinforcing Wrap’s commitment to public safety through cutting-edge technology and expert training.

    Wrap Reality™ VR is a fully immersive training simulator to enhance decision-making under pressure.

    As a comprehensive public safety training platform, it provides first responders with realistic, interactive scenarios that reflect the evolving challenges of modern law enforcement. By offering a growing library of real-world situations, Wrap Reality™ equips officers with the skills and confidence to navigate high stakes encounters effectively, leading to safer outcomes for both responders and the communities they serve.

    Wrap Intrensic is an advanced body-worn camera and evidence management system built for efficiency.

    Designed for efficiency, security, and transparency to meet the rigorous demands of modern law enforcement, Intrensic seamlessly captures, stores, and manages digital evidence, ensuring integrity and full chain-of-custody compliance. With automated workflows, secure cloud storage, and intuitive case management tools, it streamlines operations, reduces administrative burden, and enhances courtroom credibility.

    Trademark Information Wrap, the Wrap logo, BolaWrap®, Wrap Reality™ and Wrap Training Academy are trademarks of Wrap Technologies, Inc., some of which are registered in the U.S. and abroad. All other trade names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements – Safe Harbor Statement This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should”, “believe”, “target”, “project”, “goals”, “estimate”, “potential”, “predict”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the expected benefits of the acquisition of W1 Global, LLC, the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s listing standards; the Company’s ability to successfully implement training programs for the use of its products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce products for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop sales for its products; the market acceptance of existing and future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation and sales cycle for the Company’s product solutions; product defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries; risks of government regulations; the business impact of health crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the impact resulting from geopolitical conflicts and any resulting sanctions; the ability to obtain export licenses for counties outside of the United States; the ability to obtain patents and defend intellectual property against competitors; the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations. Investor Relations Contact: (800) 583-2652 ir@wrap.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f9f323f-41be-4b9e-8c86-0cc26de2ab82

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orlando Man Indicted For Unlawful Possession Of A Machine Gun Conversion Device

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Jaquarius McDonald (24, Orlando) with unlawful possession of a machinegun conversion device. If convicted, McDonald faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. 

    According to the indictment, on January 1, 2025, McDonald knowingly possessed a machinegun which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

    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 Orlando Police Department. 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: (WIP) How the ACCC will assess mergers under the new regime

    Source: Allens Insights (legal sector)

    Draft assessment guidelines open for consultation 5 min read

    The ACCC has released its draft merger assessment guidelines (Draft Guidelines) for consultation, offering a preview of how it plans to assess mergers under the new mandatory regime (which comes into effect on 1 January 2026).

    In this Insight, we highlight key aspects of the ACCC’s renewed approach and what the proposed changes would mean for your business.

    Key takeaways

    • Businesses that may be seen as already having a substantial degree of market power can expect close scrutiny of any transactions where the target has overlapping goods or services, even if the market share increment is low. According to the ACCC, even mergers that lead to a small change in market power can potentially substantially lessen competition.
    • The ACCC has set out its proposed framework for assessing mergers that may eliminate potential competition, involve multi-sided platforms or form part of a set of serial acquisitions. We expect these will be key areas of focus under the new regime for all sectors, but will particularly impact transactions in the tech, financial services and supermarket sectors.
    • Merger parties will need to demonstrate that any claimed pro-competitive efficiencies are specifically related to the merger and are likely to be realised.
    • The Draft Guidelines represent a significant update to the ACCC’s guidelines published in November 2008, with more detailed guidance on the approach to the new and more novel competition issues with which the ACCC has grappled in recent years. The Draft Guidelines indicate a level of convergence with those issued by US agencies in 2023.

    What you need to know

    Creating, strengthening or entrenching market power

    Under the new regime, the ACCC will consider whether a merger is likely to create, strengthen or entrench a substantial degree of market power in determining whether it substantially lessens competition.

    The ACCC’s position is that a merger can substantially lessen competition even if it leads to only a small change in market power.

    Mergers that eliminate potential competition, including killer acquisitions

    The ACCC plans to look closely at mergers that eliminate potential competition, eg mergers in which an incumbent acquires a nascent rival or potential entrant.

    The ACCC has expressly called out killer acquisitions, where an acquirer acquires a target (a potential competitor) to neutralise the competitive threat before the target develops into a true rival. Alternatively, a business may decide to acquire an existing player instead of entering a certain market itself, thereby removing competition that would have been introduced by the acquirer’s own entry.

    The ACCC considers that in markets characterised by network effects (where users derive more value from a product if more users use the same product), potential competitors that threaten to displace the incumbent’s market position may exert the greatest competitive constraint.

    The ACCC is on the lookout for acquirers undertaking multiple acquisitions of nascent rivals over time and says this could strengthen or entrench the acquirer’s market power.

    It considers that the loss of potential competition will be more relevant in markets where significant and long-term investments are necessary, eg digital platforms or pharmaceutical companies.

    Mergers involving multi-sided platforms

    In relation to multi-sided platforms (platforms that supply services to two or more distinct but related customer groups, eg social media platforms and shopping centres), the ACCC observes that such platforms tend to be characterised by network effects. The ACCC is concerned that these effects may be so strong and self-reinforcing that they create a ‘tipping effect‘, where one platform becomes supreme and smaller platforms only exert a weak constraint.

    The ACCC has indicated that in assessing mergers relating to multi-sided platforms, it will consider factors such as whether one or both sides of the platform are impacted, the incentives of the platform operator and the strength of network effects. It also proposes to consider the risk of amplifying a party’s market power, eg where interoperability or multi-homing is necessary to compete.

    Cumulative effects of serial acquisitions

    The ACCC is setting its sights on serial acquisitions. Under the new regime, the ACCC will be able to take into account prior acquisitions that, when viewed together (in the same or related markets and in the preceding three years), would be likely to substantially lessen competition.

    The ACCC foreshadows that it may consider information and evidence about the acquirer’s previous and future business plans, incentives behind the acquisitions and the likely impact of both the notified transaction and the series of acquisitions on the merged entity’s market position.

    Efficiencies

    The ACCC proposes to take a discerning approach to arguments about efficiencies.

    It says a merger that removes or weakens competitive constraints will, in many cases, substantially lessen competition even if the merger results in a more efficient firm with a lower cost structure.

    It has stressed that it will only consider merger-related efficiencies to be relevant where there is clear and compelling information or evidence that the efficiencies incentivise the merged firm to compete more vigorously against rivals.

    The ACCC will seek to verify that any claimed efficiencies arise specifically from the merger and will consider the parties’ alternative options to achieving these efficiencies in testing this.

    Merger parties will need to demonstrate that the efficiencies are likely to materialise and that they improve the incentives to compete, eg through internal documents and external experts’ studies.

    Comparisons with guidelines from overseas regimes

    The approach the ACCC has taken is similar to the approach taken by the UK Competition and Markets Authority as reflected in its 2021 Merger Assessment Guidelines and the approach taken by US agencies as set out in the 2023 Joint Merger Guidelines issued by the US Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission (US Merger Guidelines), although there are some subtle differences. Comparing the Draft Guidelines and US Merger Guidelines:

    • The Draft Guidelines do not create a presumption of illegality, unlike the US Merger Guidelines. However, both reflect the agencies’ respective positions that a small increase in existing market power may be sufficient to substantially lessen competition in an already consolidated market.
    • Both focus on eliminating potential competition and ‘killer acquisitions’.
    • The Draft Guidelines expressly deal with serial acquisitions, whereas the US Merger Guidelines frames this issue within a broader context of industry trends and consolidation.
    • Both approach mergers involving multi-sided platforms in a similar way. The US Merger Guidelines outline an approach to examining ‘competition between platforms, on a platform or to displace a platform’.
    • The Draft Guidelines include a framework to ensure claimed merger efficiencies are ‘merger specific’ and ‘verifiable’. This is largely consistent with the approach agencies have traditionally taken to closely scrutinise claims of efficiencies.

    Next steps

    The ACCC’s public consultation on the Draft Guidelines is open until 17 April 2025. If you would like to discuss the Draft Guidelines, the impact they may have on your business and the steps you can take to prepare for the new merger regime, please get in touch with us.

    You can read our previous Insight for a detailed overview of the legal framework and key elements of the new merger regime, or download our practical summary here.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Presses FBI to Probe Biden-Era Targeting of Christians

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, seeking documents related to the Biden administration’s targeting of Christians. Mere months after calling for a new Church Committee to investigate abuses by the Biden Department of Justice (DOJ), Senator Hawley is now asking the new administration to turn over the details of religious targeting by the Biden DOJ and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

    “Under President Biden, the FBI targeted people of faith. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office went so far as to issue a memorandum suggesting that certain traditionalist Catholics might be security risks and proposed infiltrating Catholic parishes. President Biden’s FBI also weaponized the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (‘FACE’) Act to target pro-life protesters and discourage people of faith from exercising their First Amendment rights. No doubt this is merely the tip of the iceberg,” asserted Senator Hawley.

    Hawley’s letter calls on the FBI to share any emails, memoranda, directives, and policy guidance related to the targeting of religious Americans under the Biden Administration. 

    “I trust that, under your leadership, this misconduct will end. But those responsible must be held accountable,” Hawley stated. 

    Senator Hawley concluded, “I appreciated our conversations before and during your confirmation hearing, and I was particularly grateful for your willingness to cooperate with our investigations into the FBI’s violations of First Amendment rights. Transparency and accountability will be paramount in restoring Americans’ faith in the Bureau. Getting to the bottom of the Biden Administration’s violations of religious liberty is an excellent place to start.”

    Read the full letter here or below. 

    The Honorable Kash Patel
    Director
    Federal Bureau of Investigation
    935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
    Washington, D.C. 20535

    Dear Director Patel:

    Under President Biden, the FBI targeted people of faith. The FBI’s Richmond Field Office went so far as to issue a memorandum suggesting that certain traditionalist Catholics might be security risks, and proposed infiltrating Catholic parishes.[1] President Biden’s FBI also weaponized the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (“FACE”) Act to target pro-life protesters and discourage people of faith from exercising their First Amendment rights. No doubt this is merely the tip of the iceberg.

    I trust that, under your leadership, this misconduct will end. But those responsible must be held accountable. As the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, I write to formally request the production of agency records concerning these FBI abuses, as detailed in the attached appendix, by April 30, 2025.

    I appreciated our conversations before and during your confirmation hearing, and I was particularly grateful for your willingness to cooperate with our investigations into the FBI’s violations of First Amendment rights. Transparency and accountability will be paramount in restoring Americans’ faith in the Bureau. Getting to the bottom of the Biden Administration’s violations of religious liberty is an excellent place to start.

    Richmond Field Office Memorandum and Related Memoranda

    1. All versions, drafts, or revisions of the memorandum issued by the FBI Richmond Field Office regarding “radical-traditionalist Catholics” as potential domestic terrorists, including any related memoranda issued by other FBI field offices or headquarters.
    2. All internal FBI communications, including emails, text messages, chat logs, and memoranda, discussing the development, approval, modification, or rescission of the Richmond Field Office memorandum.
    3. All documents identifying the FBI personnel, offices, or divisions involved in drafting, reviewing, approving, or disseminating the Richmond Field Office memorandum, including, but not limited to, communications between the Richmond, Portland, and Los Angeles field offices.
    4. All communications between the FBI and the DOJ regarding the content, approval, or implementation of the Richmond Field Office memorandum and any related memoranda.
    5. All policy guidance, directives, training materials, or enforcement plans related to the FBI’s monitoring of religious organizations, including, but not limited to, Catholic churches, as part of domestic terrorism investigations.
    6. All documents, including email communications, meeting notes, and memoranda, that reference or discuss any directive, instruction, or guidance issued by the White House, DOJ, National Security Council, or any other federal agency regarding the FBI’s monitoring of religious groups, including Catholic organizations.
    7. All internal assessments, audits, or reports evaluating the Richmond Field Office memorandum, including any documents analyzing its compliance with FBI policies, legal frameworks, or constitutional protections of religious freedom.
    8. All documents reflecting FBI efforts to collect intelligence, recruit informants, or conduct surveillance within churches or affiliated organizations based on the Richmond Field Office memorandum or other guidance.
    9. All documents relating to investigations, surveillance operations, or law enforcement actions initiated as a result of the Richmond Field Office memorandum or related memoranda, including any records of individuals or groups targeted under this initiative.
    10. All documents reflecting the role of the FBI’s Portland and Los Angeles Field Offices in the drafting, review, or dissemination of the Richmond Field Office memorandum, including any documents that identify officials responsible for coordinating these efforts.
    11. All communications, including emails, memoranda, and reports, between FBI officials and any external organizations, think tanks, or academic institutions that provided input on the characterization of Catholic Americans or other religious groups in domestic terrorism assessments.
    12. All documents, including communications with state and local law enforcement agencies, that discuss how the Richmond Field Office memorandum or similar FBI policies were implemented or considered for enforcement at the state or local level.

    FACE Act Abuses

    1. The identity of all individuals involved with the FBI’s enforcement of the FACE Act under the Biden Administration.
    2. All communications, including, but not limited to, emails, memoranda, directives, and policy guidance, sent to or from the FBI Director, Deputy Director, or any other senior official regarding the enforcement of the FACE Act under the Biden Administration.
    3. All documents reflecting internal FBI deliberations, discussions, or decisions regarding prioritization, enforcement strategy, or policy direction related to the FACE Act, including, but not limited to, any documents identifying the individuals or offices responsible for making those determinations.
    4. All communications, including emails, text messages, or memoranda, between the FBI and the DOJ regarding the enforcement or non-enforcement of the FACE Act under the Biden Administration.
    5. All documents, including briefing materials, talking points, or internal reports, prepared for or provided to the FBI Director or other senior officials regarding the enforcement of the FACE Act under the Biden Administration.
    6. All documents, including, but not limited to, policy memoranda, internal directives, guidance documents, or other materials issued by the FBI that establish, modify, or explain the agency’s enforcement priorities under the FACE Act, including any documents identifying the officials responsible for setting such priorities.
    7. All documents, including email communications, meeting notes, or internal memoranda, that reference or discuss any directive, instruction, or guidance issued by the White House, DOJ, or any other federal agency regarding the FBI’s enforcement of the FACE Act.
    8. All drafts, revisions, or final versions of any FBI policies, reports, or legal analyses concerning the enforcement of the FACE Act that relates to enforcement discrepancies between abortion-related clinics and religious institutions, including any records identifying the individuals responsible for such policies.
    9. All communications, including emails, memoranda, text messages, or meeting minutes, reflecting any discussions between FBI field offices and FBI headquarters regarding the prioritization or de-prioritization of FACE Act investigations.
    10. All internal FBI evaluations, audits, or assessments that discuss the agency’s approach to enforcing the FACE Act, including any discussions of political, policy, or strategic considerations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former North Dakota State Senator Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Traveling to Prague to Engage in Commercial Sex with Children

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A former North Dakota state legislator for 45 years was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for traveling to Prague in the Czech Republic, where he paid to sexually exploit children.

    According to court documents, Raymon (Ray) Everett Holmberg, 81, of Grand Forks, traveled to Prague approximately 14 times between 2011 and 2021. During these trips, while staying at a brothel that catered to men looking to engage in commercial sex with adolescent boys, Holmberg paid for sex acts with boys. During some of the trips, Holmberg used the alias “Sean Evans.” Witnesses told law enforcement that Holmberg did not want his name on the brothel’s registry because he was a North Dakota state legislator. Witnesses also told law enforcement that Holmberg would also visit a public park in front of the main train station in Prague to procure sex from underage boys. 

    Holmberg also used the “Evans” alias to tell friends about his trips and encourage them to travel to Prague. In these communications, Holmberg shared an image of an adolescent boy that he called “his twink,” and said that “no one is ever to [sic] young . . . remember Prague.” He emailed a different friend a link to a brothel in Prague and suggested that they go that summer, writing: “The boys rent at around $60 . . .  (sex is extra).”  Holmberg also wrote: “It will be decadent but oh so much fun bro.  What happens in Prague—Stays in Prague.” Back in the United States, Holmberg boasted about having engaged in sexual activity with boys as young as 12- and 15-years old during his travels.

    According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Holmberg’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his trips to Prague. Holmberg established an online relationship with a 16-year-old Canadian boy, posing as a boy of a similar age in order to manipulate the Canadian teen into taking images of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct and sending them to Holmberg.  

    On Aug. 8, 2024, Holmberg pleaded guilty to traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations, Grand Forks, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former North Dakota State Senator Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Traveling to Prague to Engage in Commercial Sex with Children

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    A former North Dakota state legislator for 45 years was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for traveling to Prague in the Czech Republic, where he paid to sexually exploit children.

    According to court documents, Raymon (Ray) Everett Holmberg, 81, of Grand Forks, traveled to Prague approximately 14 times between 2011 and 2021. During these trips, while staying at a brothel that catered to men looking to engage in commercial sex with adolescent boys, Holmberg paid for sex acts with boys. During some of the trips, Holmberg used the alias “Sean Evans.” Witnesses told law enforcement that Holmberg did not want his name on the brothel’s registry because he was a North Dakota state legislator. Witnesses also told law enforcement that Holmberg would also visit a public park in front of the main train station in Prague to procure sex from underage boys. 

    Holmberg also used the “Evans” alias to tell friends about his trips and encourage them to travel to Prague. In these communications, Holmberg shared an image of an adolescent boy that he called “his twink,” and said that “no one is ever to [sic] young . . . remember Prague.” He emailed a different friend a link to a brothel in Prague and suggested that they go that summer, writing: “The boys rent at around $60 . . .  (sex is extra).”  Holmberg also wrote: “It will be decadent but oh so much fun bro.  What happens in Prague—Stays in Prague.” Back in the United States, Holmberg boasted about having engaged in sexual activity with boys as young as 12- and 15-years old during his travels.

    According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Holmberg’s sexual exploitation of minors was not limited to his trips to Prague. Holmberg established an online relationship with a 16-year-old Canadian boy, posing as a boy of a similar age in order to manipulate the Canadian teen into taking images of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct and sending them to Holmberg.  

    On Aug. 8, 2024, Holmberg pleaded guilty to traveling in foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations, Grand Forks, and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Utah Man Facing Federal Charges After Allegedly Attempting to Rob a Bank

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for a violent crime after he allegedly attempted to rob First Utah Bank.

    Christopher Thomas Kirby, 37, of West Valley City, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 19, 2025.  

    According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, at approximately 1:32 p.m., a man, later identified at Kirby, passed a note to a teller at First Utah Bank in West Valley City demanding money. According to responding officers, the note read “this is a robbery I have a bomb on my [sic] that will explode I need 20,000 in bag.” While the teller went into the vault under the guise of getting the money, she hit the silent alarm button and called 911. Officers arrived and took Kirby into custody.

    Kirby is charged with one count of attempted bank robbery. His initial appearance on the indictment was March 26, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

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

    The case is being investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer assigned to the Salt Lake City Violent Crimes squad and the West Valley City Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda 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. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Charged Federally with Drug & Gun Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Mexican national living in Salt Lake County, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City today for drug and firearm crimes after law enforcement allegedly seized heroin, and a firearm.

    Luis Alberto Ramirez-Gonzalez, aka Leonardo Gomez-Ahumada, 28, living in Herriman, Utah, was charged by complaint on March 17, 2025.  

    According to court documents, beginning in December 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization. On March 13, 2025, law enforcement obtained a search warrant on a residence in Magna, Utah. During the execution of the search warrant, Ramirez-Gonzalez was inside the residence Law enforcement seized approximately 300 grams of suspected heroin, which field-tested positive for heroin. On that same day, Ramirez-Gonzalez allegedly possessed a Sig Sauer P320 handgun and ammunition, knowing he was in the United States illegally and therefore restricted from possessing a firearm. Ramirez-Gonzalez was taken into custody.

    Luis Alberto Ramirez-Gonzalez is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and alien in possession of a firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 28, 2025, at 10:00 a.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 Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC).

    Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Fentanyl Overdose Tracking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    03.26.25

    Cantwell Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill to Improve Fentanyl Overdose Tracking

    The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act would expand use of tools that record fatal and nonfatal overdoses in near-real-time; WA first responders say better data collection could help identify overdose hotspots so they can deploy resources faster & save lives

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, reintroduced the bipartisan Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act. The bill would direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to states, units of local government, law enforcement task forces, and tribes to adopt and implement an overdose data collection program, including the Overdose Data Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).

    The bill was drafted by and reintroduced alongside Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and John Cornyn (R-TX). Originally introduced in September, it unanimously passed the Senate in December but was not brought up by the House of Representatives before the end of last session.

    “When responding to fentanyl overdoses, an extra minute can save a life,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Tracking fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses will help our first responders, law enforcement, and public health professionals better target and prevent OD spikes and surge resources to communities that need them the most.”

    “The fight to end addiction and drug abuse in our communities requires a robust understanding of the problem at hand. By investing in local partners, we empower communities to more effectively track drug abuse trends and prevent future overdoses,” Sen. Grassley said. “I’m glad to support this cost-effective plan to expand vital data collection programs.”

    During Sen. Cantwell’s 10-city fentanyl roundtable tour across Washington state, she heard from multiple officials on the front lines of the epidemic that expanding ODMAP could help prevent overdoses and save lives. Expanding ODMAP would provide near real-time awareness of known or suspected overdose incidents across the United States, supporting public safety and public health efforts to coordinate immediate responses to sudden spikes in overdoses.

    The bill has supporters across the State of Washington:

    PUGET SOUND:

    “Effective and timely overdose prevention and response activities rely upon high-quality data. Within the ecosystem of Seattle, King County, and community teams working to address opioid overdose, timely and targeted data are always the starting point for interventions. We endorse legislation that will expand similar shared platforms of overdose data collection, mapping, and analysis,” said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.

    “This bill would help Everett and communities across the country address the fentanyl and opioid crisis by implementing proven cutting-edge data tools to track overdoses,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin. “The City of Everett supports all efforts to implement data-driven methods to address this critical issue and is proud to support the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act.”

    “The opioid epidemic affects all corners of our community,” said King County Sheriff Patricia Cole-Tindall. “I welcome Senator Cantwell’s efforts to help address this by building on the programs we have in place. Bringing more resources to fight this crisis is an essential step in saving lives.”

    “The importance of a robust data collection tool, such as the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program, that facilitates the near real-time tracking of fatal and nonfatal overdoses, and the administration of opioid reversal medications, cannot be overstated. By Senator Cantwell introducing this important bill, the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act, participating agencies and entities will be better able to identify overdose spikes and trends, allowing for rapid responses and deliberate strategies to save lives,” said NW HIDTA Executive Director Jonathan Weiner.

    EASTERN WA:

    “In critical emergencies, first responders need accurate information to act fast. This legislation would improve data collection, giving police officers and firefighters the reliable tools they need to protect and serve their communities,” said Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown.

    “As first responders on the frontlines of the opioid crisis, we see the devastating impact of overdoses every day. Expanding access to real-time overdose data through ODMAP is critical for improving emergency response, identifying emerging trends, and ultimately saving lives. The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act will provide vital support to local communities and agencies like ours, ensuring we have the tools needed to respond effectively to this crisis. I strongly support this bill and urge its swift passage,” said Spokane Fire Chief Julie O’Berg.

    “Fentanyl and other illicit drugs pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of Spokane citizens. The overwhelming majority of these substances make their way to our county from neighboring foreign countries such as Mexico. Investment in real-time overdose mapping technology will help law enforcement disrupt the flow of Fentanyl in the United States. Having accurate data on where overdose spikes occur will go a long way towards securing safer communities and saving lives threatened by the fentanyl crisis,” said Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels.

    “With over thirty-three years in law enforcement and currently serving as police chief in Spokane, Washington, I witness firsthand the devastating impact of the opioid crisis on individuals, families, and entire communities. The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act is a crucial step forward in equipping law enforcement, first responders, and public health professionals with the necessary tools to track, respond to, and prevent overdoses more effectively. This bill expands access to real-time overdose data collection tools, such as the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP). These tools enable us to identify trends, coordinate responses, and allocate resources where they are most needed. By utilizing existing DOJ funding, this legislation enhances our ability to combat the opioid epidemic without imposing additional financial burdens on taxpayers. I wholeheartedly support this initiative because timely, accurate data saves lives. The ability to monitor overdose spikes and share critical information across agencies allows us to act more swiftly, prevent more deaths, and ultimately foster safer, healthier communities,” said Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall.

    CENTRAL WA:

    “The collection of data on overdoses is critical to the effectively addressing the serious opioid problem in this country.  Knowing when and where overdoses occur can enable agencies to focus on the areas needing more attention.  Funding for programs designed to collect overdose data is essential in the fight against the opioid epidemic,” said Yakima County Sheriff Robert Udell.

    “Having a single platform to share overdose data is essential to saving lives, guiding decisions, and preventing overdoses. ODMAP (Overdose Mapping) is the platform.  ODMAP allows for the collaboration and real-time data sharing between law enforcement, fire departments, EMS, hospitals, and health departments,” said Kennewick Police Chief Chris Guerrero.

    “Using ODMAP locally throughout our county has already proven invaluable in identifying overdose hotspots and enabling rapid, targeted responses. Expanding its use statewide has the potential to transform how we address the fentanyl crisis in Washington. By standardizing overdose tracking across the state, we can pinpoint trends, respond more effectively, and deploy life-saving resources faster than ever. This tool is more than just data—it empowers us to act decisively and collaboratively to save lives and combat this devastating epidemic,” said Melissa Sixberry, Director of Disease Control at the Yakima Health District.

    “In order to make the most appropriate moves to facilitate change, we must have good, accurate data. Otherwise we are blindly throwing darts at a board. ODMAP will allow for the most appropriate distribution of resources to help combat the nation-wide opioid epidemic. Without it, we will continue to potentially ignore high impacted areas that may desperately need the assistance,” said Cameron Haubrich, Chief of the Sunnyside Fire Department.

    “ODMAP creates a unified, real-time system to track and respond to overdoses, enabling first responders, health departments, and law enforcement to allocate resources more effectively. By identifying overdose hotspots and trends as they happen, we can deploy targeted interventions and engage communities in prevention efforts,” said Grant County Sheriff Joey Kriete when the bill passed the Senate in December.

    “ODMAP is a game-changer in fighting the overdose epidemic! With the real-time data from ODMAP, responders and communities can monitor overdose events, identify patterns, deploy resources where needed, and ultimately save lives! In the State of Washington, we currently only track overdose deaths which grossly underestimates the true magnitude of the overdose epidemic (by 6200%),” said Alicia Stromme Tobin, Executive Director of Safe Yakima Valley, when the bill passed the Senate in December. “ODMAP provides agencies with a tool to track fatal and nonfatal overdoses. By providing a comprehensive view of overdose trends, ODMAP fosters collaboration across public health, law enforcement and EMS, allowing for more targeted interventions and prevention efforts. I applaud Senator Cantwell for recognizing the tremendous positive impact ODMAP will have on saving lives! Congratulations and well done!”

    “Solutions start with a hope, hope is the gateway for innovation and collaboration, and efforts like ODMAP are the tools that communities need to impact the fentanyl crisis and save lives,” said Yakima Police Department Lt. Chad Janis when the bill passed the Senate in December.

    SOUTHWEST WA:

    “Vancouver strongly supports the Opioid Overdose Enhancement Act and urges the Department of Justice to award grants for the adoption and implementation of the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP). As Vancouver Fire responded to over 400 overdose calls in 2024, it has become increasingly clear that gathering and analyzing overdose data is a significant challenge. Our current process of manually searching medical records for specific call information is labor-intensive and costly. A centralized database would be invaluable in identifying overdose hotspots, tracking trends, and saving lives. This federal legislation is a crucial step toward streamlining these efforts and addressing the opioid crisis effectively,” said Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle.

    “Vancouver Fire responded to more than 400 overdose calls in 2024. It has been a consistent challenge for us to gather data because it requires us to dig deep into our medical records system and search for keywords that will identify the specific call information. This process is labor intensive and time consuming. A centralized database would be very helpful to allow us to not only track location hotspots, but also trends. We fully support federal legislation that streamlines this process,” said Vancouver Fire Chief Brennan Blue.

    “Senator Cantwell’s bill to implement the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program is a critical step in combating the opioid crisis. By providing timely data on overdoses and opioid reversal medication applications, this program will allow local departments of health and law enforcement to respond quickly and effectively, saving lives, holding opioid dealers accountable, and targeting resources where they’re needed most.  I strongly endorse this vital legislation,” said Vancouver Police Chief Troy Price.

    “Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue (CCFR) supports the Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act and Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program. With the rise of opioid related incidents in our district as well as in the counties we serve, CCFR has worked with community partners to address opioid use, overdose, and treatment. Through our CARES Program and in partnership with neighboring fire districts and the Clark County’s Medical Program Director’s Office, CCFR has implemented administration of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) during the time of an opioid related incident or overdose. CCFR crews are able to introduce buprenorphine as well as provide leave-behind Narcan for individuals following administration of opioid overdose reversal medication. In partnership with treatment centers in the county, CARES is able to provide immediate referrals to these facilities in order to assist community members seeking treatment,” said John Nohr, Fire Chief of Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue.

    “The Washington Fire Chiefs Association fully endorses Senator Cantwell’s Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act.  We believe that a crucial component of the Act, which supports adoption and implementation of the Overdose Detection Mapping Application (ODMAP), will place critical, data-driven, information into the hands of first responders, saving lives,” said Kristan Maurer, President of Washington Fire Chiefs Association, Fire Chief of Clark County Fire District 6.

    OLYMPIC PENINSULA:

    “Having access to real-time data is critical to getting ahead of the overdose crisis. With the rapidly changing drug supply, these kinds of data allow us to identify overdose clusters and communicate with individuals at risk as well as community partners so that we can help prevent overdoses in the future,” said Allison Berry, Health Officer for Clallam County & Jefferson County.

    The bill is also endorsed by several coveted national law enforcement organizations including: National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition (NNOAC), National HIDTA Directors Association (NHDA), National Alliance of State Drug Enforcement Agencies (NASDEA), Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies (ASCIA), National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Major County Sheriffs Association (MCSA).

    ODMAP was developed in 2017 by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) as a free, web-based, mobile-friendly platform for near real-time reporting and monitoring of suspected fatal and non-fatal overdose events, as well as instances where opioid overdose reversal medications such as Naloxone were administered. It displays overdose data within and across jurisdictions, helping agencies identify spikes and clusters of suspected overdose events in their community, neighboring communities, and across the country.

    As of February 2025, approximately 5,330 agencies across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are using the platform. Over 2.9 million overdose events have been entered into ODMAP and more than 36,000 users registered.

    Washington state has not adopted ODMAP statewide, however, localities in the state utilize the program. In 2025, 77 agencies across 17 counties in Washington state use ODMAP, and have logged 2,248 entries into ODMAP. In 2024, 7,857 entries were logged. Yakima County, Spokane County, and the City of Seattle have recently implemented programming that allows their data to instantaneously populate the ODMAP dashboard with all overdose responses. Elsewhere in the state, ODMAP coverage is limited and therefore only captures a portion of the overdose instances occurring.

    Currently, overdose data in Washington state is only available to government health partners and only contains fatal overdose cases (which are released months or years after the fact). Overdose counts are released publicly via Washington State’s Department of Health website. However, they only provide instances of fatal overdoses (a small fraction of all overdose incidents) and are hampered by significant delays. Currently, the most recent data populating the DOH overdose death rate data dashboard is from the fourth quarter of 2023.

    In 2023 and 2024, Sen. Cantwell traveled across the State of Washington to 10 communities — Tacoma, Everett, Tri-Cities, Seattle, Spokane, Vancouver, Port Angeles, Walla Walla, Yakima, and Longview – hearing from people on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis, including first responders, law enforcement, health care providers, and people with firsthand experience of fentanyl addiction.  She also participated in the National Tribal Opioid Summit, a gathering of approximately 900 tribal leaders, health care workers, and first responders from across the country hosted by the Tulalip Tribes following the first-ever statewide summit hosted by the Lummi Nation.  Sen. Cantwell has since used what she heard in those roundtables and related events to craft and champion specific legislative solutions, including:

    • The Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act, which would permanently classify illicit fentanyl knockoffs as Schedule I drugs;
    • The Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act, which would crack down on the trafficking of illicit synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, using the U.S. transportation network;
    • The FEND Off Fentanyl Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden, which will help U.S. government agencies disrupt opioid supply chains by imposing sanctions on traffickers and fighting money laundering;
    • The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, which would require that all pill presses be engraved with a serial number and impose penalties for the removal or alteration of the number;
    • The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers, enable the Drug Enforcement Administration to track xylazine’s manufacturing to ensure it is not diverted to the illicit market;
    • The TRANQ Research Act of 2023, signed into law by President Biden, which will spur more research into xylazine (also called “tranq”) and other novel synthetic drugs by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to tackle these issues; and
    • The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, which would bolster Tribal law enforcement agencies by helping them hire and retain tribal law enforcement officers by raising their retirement, pension, death, and injury benefits to be on part with those of federal law enforcement officers.

    In addition, Sen. Cantwell voted for a series of federal funding bills allocating $1.69 billion to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs coming into the United States, including an additional $385.2 million to increase security at U.S. ports of entry, with the goal of catching more illegal drugs like fentanyl before they make it across the border.  Critical funding will go toward Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land and sea ports of entries. NII technologies—like large-scale X-ray and Gamma ray imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies—allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help detect and prevent contraband from being smuggled into the country without disrupting flow at the border.

    A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to combat the fentanyl crisis is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Secures Forfeiture of Over $5M of Funds Traceable to Business Email Compromise Scheme Targeting Massachusetts Workers Union

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    The Department of Justice announced today that, pursuant to a court-ordered default judgment and final order of forfeiture entered today, it has secured the forfeiture of approximately $5,315,746.29 of proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and property involved in the subsequent laundering of the proceeds. The judgment is the result of a civil forfeiture complaint filed by the United States in June 2024 seeking the forfeiture of the funds.

    As alleged in the complaint, in January 2023, a workers union based in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was defrauded out of $6.4 million after it received a spoofed email that appeared to be from its investment manager. The email misled the workers union into transferring the funds to the wrong bank account, which was controlled by a third party.

    After the workers union sent the payment, the fraudulently obtained funds were transferred through several intermediary bank accounts, with some funds transferred, or attempted to be transferred, to a cryptocurrency exchange and to various foreign bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Nigeria. Investigators also traced proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts; and Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

    The United States Secret Service investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne Rosen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lyons for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Forfeiture of Over $5M of Funds Traceable to Business Email Compromise Scheme Targeting Massachusetts Workers Union

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The Department of Justice announced today that, pursuant to a court-ordered default judgment and final order of forfeiture entered today, it has secured the forfeiture of approximately $5,315,746.29 of proceeds of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme and property involved in the subsequent laundering of the proceeds. The judgment is the result of a civil forfeiture complaint filed by the United States in June 2024 seeking the forfeiture of the funds.

    As alleged in the complaint, in January 2023, a workers union based in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was defrauded out of $6.4 million after it received a spoofed email that appeared to be from its investment manager. The email misled the workers union into transferring the funds to the wrong bank account, which was controlled by a third party.

    After the workers union sent the payment, the fraudulently obtained funds were transferred through several intermediary bank accounts, with some funds transferred, or attempted to be transferred, to a cryptocurrency exchange and to various foreign bank accounts located in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Nigeria. Investigators also traced proceeds of the scheme to seven domestically held bank accounts, the contents of which were subsequently seized.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts; and Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service made the announcement.

    The United States Secret Service investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Jasmin Salehi Fashami and Adrienne Rosen of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Lyons for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien and Convicted Criminal Felon Charged With Firearm Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    An illegal alien and convicted felon was charged with federal firearm crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.  

    Manuel Najera-Garcia, a Mexican citizen and illegal alien, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 26, 2025 with one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Najera-Garcia made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and was ordered detained.  

    According to the indictment, on December 22, 2024, Najera-Garcia possessed a .38-caliber revolver after having been convicted of a felony offense in 2012.  After his felony conviction, Najera-Garcia returned to Mexico.  However, it is alleged that sometime thereafter Najera-Garcia re-entered the United States prior to possessing the firearm on December 22, 2024.  

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  Mr. Najera-Garcia is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  If convicted, Najera-Garcia faces up to 15 years in federal prison on each count.  

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Hocter 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).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Urges New Yorkers to Claim Compensation for Inflated Generic Drug Prices

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today joined a bipartisan coalition of 49 other attorneys general in urging consumers to check their eligibility for compensation as part of a $39.1 million settlement they secured with generic drug manufacturer Apotex Corp. (Apotex) for its role in a massive, long-running scheme to inflate prices of generic drugs and reduce competition. Attorney General James and the multistate coalition previously announced a settlement in principle with Apotex along with a $10 million settlement with Heritage Pharmaceuticals (Heritage). The settlements are part of an ongoing multistate investigation into companies for prescription drug price fixing. The companies in the scheme, some of which increased prices by 1,000 percent, manufactured essential medications to treat diseases ranging from diabetes to cancer to ADHD. 

    “When companies collude behind closed doors to raise prescription drug prices, they put everyday New Yorkers at serious risk,” said Attorney General James. “The companies involved in this scheme inflated prices of vital medications used to treat everything from diabetes and heart conditions to cancer, and now we are holding them accountable. I urge any New Yorker who may have been a victim of this scheme to check their eligibility and claim the restitution they are owed.” 

    New Yorkers who purchased a generic prescription drug listed here between May 2009 and December 2019 may be eligible for compensation. To determine your eligibility, call 1-866-290-0182 (toll-free), email info@AGGenericDrugs.com, or visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com. 

    The settlements are the result of three lawsuits filed by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and a coalition of attorneys general against some of the nation’s largest generic pharmaceutical companies. The first complaint included Heritage and 17 other corporate defendants, two individual defendants, and 15 generic drugs. Two former executives from Heritage Pharmaceuticals, Jeffery Glazer and Jason Malek, have since entered into settlement agreements and are cooperating. The second complaint was filed in 2019 against Teva Pharmaceuticals and 19 of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers. The complaint names 16 individual senior executive defendants. The third complaint, to be tried first, focuses on 80 topical generic drugs that account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States and names 26 corporate defendants and 10 individual defendants. Six additional pharmaceutical executives have entered into settlement agreements with the coalition of attorneys general and have been cooperating to support the states’ claims in all three cases.  

    The lawsuits allege these companies engaged in a broad, coordinated, and systematic conspiracy to fix prices, avoid competition, and rig bids for more than 100 different generic drugs. The companies maintained an interconnected web of industry executives where these competitors met with each other during industry dinners, “girls’ nights out,” lunches, cocktail parties, and golf outings, and communicated via frequent telephone calls, emails, and text messages that sowed the seeds for their illegal agreements. Defendants used terms like “fair share,” “playing nice in the sandbox,” and “responsible competitor” to describe how they unlawfully discouraged competition, raised prices, and enforced an ingrained culture of collusion. 

    The drugs included in the scheme span all types – including tablets, capsules, creams, and ointments – and classes – including antibiotics, anti-depressants, contraceptives, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They treat a range of diseases and conditions from basic infections to diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, HIV, ADHD, and more. In some instances, the coordinated price increases were over 1,000 percent. For example, Digoxin, an essential heart medication manufactured by Heritage, tripled in price, causing patients to pay hundreds of dollars more for the drug. 

    In November 2024, Attorney General James announced the coalition of attorneys general had secured settlements with Apotex and Heritage. As part of the settlement agreements, both Apotex and Heritage have agreed to cooperate in the ongoing multistate litigations against 30 corporate defendants and 25 individual executives. Both companies have further agreed to injunctive relief to prevent future misconduct and a series of internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws. At the time of the announcement, the settlement with Apotex was conditioned on the signatures of all necessary states and territories. Those signatures have been obtained, and the coalition is filing the settlement today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

    Joining Attorney General James in securing the settlements are the attorneys general of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

    These settlements are the latest example of Attorney General James taking action to stop companies from engaging in anticompetitive conduct and harming New Yorkers. Earlier this month, Attorney General James won her case against ski resort owner Intermountain for illegally buying and shutting down a competitor. Also in March, Attorney General James secured a settlement with the NCAA that will end its anticompetitive rules preventing student athletes from learning about name, image, and likeness compensation opportunities before committing to a school. In January 2025 and December 2024, Attorney General James secured settlements stopping anticompetitive no-poach agreements in the building services industry. In May 2024, Attorney General James joined 40 other states and the Department of Justice in suing Live Nation and Ticketmaster for monopolizing the live music industry.

    New York’s investigation has been led by Assistant Attorneys General Bob Hubbard, Saami Zain, and Ben Cole, and Legal Assistant Arlene Leventhal of the Antitrust Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Amy McFarlane and Bureau Chief Elinor Hoffmann of the Antitrust Bureau. The Antitrust Bureau is part of the Division for Economic Justice, overseen by Chief Deputy Attorney General Christopher D’Angelo and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deforest Business Owner Sentenced to 9 Years for Cocaine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin announced that Luis Angel Rios, 50, of DeForest, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 9 years in federal prison for attempting to distribute a large quantity of cocaine and maintaining a place for storing and distributing cocaine. Rios pleaded guilty to these charges on January 10, 2025.

    In late 2022 and early 2023, investigators with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a cocaine trafficking organization operating in Dane County. During an investigation that included the interception of communications between Rios and other participants in the trafficking, investigators determined that Rios was obtaining and selling multiple kilograms of cocaine, and at times cooperating with another local kilogram-level cocaine trafficker to assist in maintaining a drug supply. On June 1, 2023, as a result of phone interceptions and surveillance, investigators intercepted a half-kilogram delivery of cocaine intended for one of Rios’s customers.

    Rios was the owner of a cleaning and maintenance business in DeForest. During the sentencing, Judge Peterson credited Rios with being a hard-working family man, with no criminal history, but observed that the investigation demonstrated that he also applied his hard-working efforts to managing his ability to secure and distribute large quantities of cocaine. The court found that Rios brought more than 15 kilograms of cocaine into the community in a short period of time, which exploited those who had addictions and served to feed other crimes created by drug use.

    Rios’s co-defendant, Braulio Martinez Salazar, was sentenced by Judge Peterson on March 11, 2025, to 3 years for his role in the cocaine trafficking operation.   

    The charges against Rios were the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins prosecuted this case.

    The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Tips to NCMEC CyberTipline Lead to Guilty Plea from Lewiston Man for Possessing, Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Devices seized from Harold Clayton III contained images/videos of toddlers, young children being sexually abused

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

    According to court records, in June 2022, the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit (MSPCCU) received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and traced the identified phone number to Harold Clayton III, 35. In September 2022, MSPCCU and the Lewiston Police Department executed a search warrant at Clayton’s residence. A cell phone and laptop seized from the residence contained multiple images and videos of children, some as young as toddlers, being sexually abused by adult men. The cell phone also contained Telegram Messenger communications in which Clayton distributed such images and videos.

    Clayton faces 5–20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution of child pornography charge and up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 on the possession charge. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and MSPCCU investigated the case with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.

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

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

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On The National Security Failures Of Senior Members Of The Trump Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    March 26, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding senior members of the Trump administration discussing classified military operations via unsecured text chains, which jeopardizes our national security and endangers the lives of American service members:

    “It is outrageous to suggest that what was shared on this Signal text chain was not classified material. We are talking about an attack on another country and the possible endangerment of the men and women in the United States’ military. This is a serious life and death matter and should be treated as such.

    “I believe that DNI Director Gabbard and CIA Director Ratcliffe intentionally misled Congress yesterday in trying to make us believe that this was a casual conversation. This was a war plan, and American lives were at risk. We should deal with it in that seriousness.

    “This matter must be investigated by the Department of Justice. To dismiss it, as the President tried yesterday, is incredible and not fair to our men and women in uniform.”

    This morning, Durbin joined U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and top Senate Democrats on national security committees in sending a letter to President Trump for answers after The Atlantic revealed that an unsecured text chain with at least 18 senior-level Trump administration officials was used to coordinate and share classified information about sensitive military planning and operations.

    -30-

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  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Releases Report on Officer-Involved Shooting of Christopher Mercurio

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), today released a report on Christopher Mercurio’s death from an officer-involved shooting in Valencia, California, on January 11, 2023. The incident involved a deputy from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The report is part of the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ongoing efforts to provide transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. The report provides a detailed analysis of the incident and outlines DOJ’s findings. After a thorough investigation, DOJ concluded that criminal charges were not appropriate in this case.  

    “We recognize the considerable challenges and difficulties faced by all those impacted, including Mr. Mercurio’s family, the law enforcement agencies involved, and the community as a whole,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The California Department of Justice aims to partner with law enforcement to build a just and equitable legal environment, ensuring that the rule of law is upheld, and justice is accessible to everyone.”

    At approximately 10:58 PM, on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, a LASD deputy went to the Macy’s department store in the Valencia Town Center, in Valencia, in response to a trespassing call. At the Macy’s, the deputy contacted Mr. Mercurio. Mr. Mercurio refused to leave and struck Deputy Gonzalez in the head. Mr. Mercurio continued to advance towards Deputy Gonzalez and ignored commands to step back. Shortly thereafter, the deputy fired two shots at Mr. Mercurio and fatally wounded him.

    Under AB 1506, which requires DOJ to investigate all incidents of officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state, DOJ conducted a thorough investigation into this incident and concluded that there is insufficient evidence to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the deputy involved acted without the intent to defend themselves and others from what each of them reasonably believed to be the imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the deputy. As such, no further action will be taken in this case. 

    As part of its investigation, DOJ has identified three policy and training recommendations related to this incident. The first recommendation is that LASD expand its de-escalation policy to promote officer safety so that it includes specific guidelines, definitions, and examples of potential de-escalation techniques, including a variety of tactics and strategies covering an array of circumstances. In addition, it is recommended that LASD provide its deputies with improved training on de-escalation tactics, techniques, skills, strategies, and approaches for safely and effectively addressing situations without use of force whenever possible.

    The second recommendation is that LASD policies provide deputies with effective guidance and training regarding how to identify people with a mental health condition by considering several factors, including: (1) self-reporting, (2) information provided by witnesses, (3) the agency’s and justice system’s previous knowledge of the individual, or (4) an officer’s direct observations. In addition, it is recommended that LASD provide deputies with effective training on how to interact with people who have mental health conditions, and procedures to follow during these encounters.

    The third recommendation is that LASD provide refresher training on deputy requirements and responsibilities after an officer-involved shooting. In addition, it is recommended that deputies fully understand that they are not to discuss the matter with any member or person other than a supervisor in the very limited manner proscribed by LASD policy, or other authorized personnel like the Homicide Bureau Investigator, or the Division of Law Enforcement.

    A copy of the report can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Air Force Member Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Nine-Year-Old Child on Long Island

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant was Paying the Child to Send Him Sexually Explicit Photos and Videos of Herself

    This morning, in federal court in Central Islip, David Ibarra was arraigned on an indictment charging him with sexual exploitation of a child, coercion, and enticement.  Ibarra, an active-duty senior airman in the United States Air Force, was initially charged by complaint in February 2025 and ordered detained in Anchorage, Alaska, before his transfer to the Eastern District of New York.  Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Court Judge Joanna Seybert who ordered the defendant detained pending trial.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Leslie Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.

    “As alleged, the defendant, a 31-year-old man posing as a 13-year-old boy, manipulated a vulnerable child into producing and sending him sexually explicit images and videos of herself via text message in exchange for money,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “My Office will continue its relentless pursuit of sexual predators who target children and work to secure lengthy prison sentences in these cases to protect our community and children from such conduct.”

    “As alleged in the indictment, this individual targeted and then repeatedly coerced a child into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos of herself—produced at his specific direction—in exchange for money,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “The FBI is committed to finding and arresting the monsters who prey on vulnerable children, and we will continue to work with our partners to ensure these predators are off the streets and behind bars where they can no longer pose a danger to our communities.”

    As set forth in court filings, law enforcement identified Ibarra from cell phone records obtained for an individual who was communicating, via text message, with a 9-year-old girl living in Suffolk County, New York, and soliciting sexually explicit images and videos from her in exchange for money.  During these communications, Ibarra, who claimed to be a 13-year-old boy named “Dave” living in Texas, repeatedly pressured the victim to send him more images and gave her specific directions as to what sexually explicit poses he wanted her to record (“Can we be a little dirty before we go to sleep?  Pls and I’ll send money…”).  Ibarra made approximately 17 payments to the victim’s Apple Pay account to induce her to continue producing sexually explicit images for the defendant’s gratification.  

    This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc

    The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the charges, Ibarra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years in prison. 

    The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States  Attorney Paul G. Scotti is in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    DAVID IBARRA
    Age:  31
    Anchorage, Alaska

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-90 (JS)

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug trafficking, murder-for-hire and kidnapping conspiracies send cartel leader to prison for life

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, TEXAS – A 41-year-old Mexican citizen residing in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison following his multiple convictions related to a murder-for-hire scheme that brought three sicarios aka hitmen across the border into Laredo, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Noe Gonzalez-Martinez aka Tocayo was a leader and manager of the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN). A federal jury deliberated for approximately one hour before convicting him Dec. 13, 2023, on all counts following a three-day trial. They found him guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, murder-for-hire conspiracy, murder for hire, conspiracy to kidnap, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking-related crime and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. 

    U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Gonzalez-Martinez to serve the rest of his life plus 60 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard about his role as a leader/organizer and his conduct in the crimes as well as the substantial progress Gonzalez-Martinez made toward the completion of the offenses.

    “Drug trafficking and violence go hand-in-hand, and this is particularly true in the case of cartels, as this case shows,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice is committed to preventing the cartels from ever gaining a foothold in America, and the vigorous prosecution of their leadership is a critical component of that. Through the conviction of Mr. Gonzalez-Martinez, the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) has dealt a major blow to the CDN cartel. This is, however, just the beginning. SDTX is pursuing every opportunity and every avenue to dismantle cartel operations on both sides of the border. Stay tuned.”

    “With drug trafficking comes violence that typically spills over from Mexico and into the United States, particularly the southwest border. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) tenacious agents did not only thwart the drug trafficking activities of this violent CDN but successfully managed to halt several murders, one of which would have been carried out by the drug trafficking organization’s trusted lead enforcer Noe Gonzalez Martinez,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux. “This case is a testament that the DEA is definite in its fight against these foreign terrorist drug trafficking organizations who illegally crossed into the United States for the sole purpose of kidnapping and murdering an American Citizen. We will continue to bring to justice anyone thinking about ripping peace out of our American neighborhoods and communities.”

    “This brazen scheme planned out by CDN is a direct threat to the safety and stability of South Texas. The campaign of terror, drug-trafficking, and violence this man employed has no place on American soil. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in coordination with our federal partners, have prioritized Mexican cartels, like CDN, and will continue to aggressively combat their criminal acts until they are no more,” said ICE-HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee.

    During the trial, the jury heard evidence that between Sept. 7, 2021, and Sept. 13, 2021, Gonzalez-Martinez and several other CDN members traveled from Nuevo Laredo into Laredo. There, Gonzalez-Martinez solicited the help of other CDN affiliates to recruit, plan and coordinate the kidnapping and murder of an individual the cartel believed had stolen from them.

    The investigation revealed Gonzalez-Martinez communicated via cellphone with co-conspirators to plan and coordinate the recovery of drugs and proceeds from the intended victim. In addition, Gonzalez-Martinez provided co-conspirators with an address where they could retrieve firearms to execute the murder.

    On Sept. 13, 2021, co-conspirators took possession of an automobile and firearms to carry out the murder. The firearms included a .45 caliber pistol, .357 magnum revolver, and two AR-15s.

    Testimony also revealed the CDN’s operations and additional details of the murder-for-hire plot. The three sicarios were to kidnap the suspected drug thief and return him to Mexico for cartel members to make an example of him. If they were unable to do so, they were to kill him and return the stolen property to the cartel.

    The jury heard from law enforcement who were able to thwart the crime and take the hitmen into custody prior to carrying out the murder. Authorities apprehended Gonzalez-Martinez July 29, 2022, at the international port of entry in Laredo.

    At trial, Gonzalez-Martinez attempted to convince the jury someone else was responsible for arranging and overseeing the commission of the crime. The jury did not believe defense’s claims and found him guilty as charged. 

    The three sicarios – Juan Antonio Martinez-Padilla aka Juan Antonio Martinez-Lopez aka Otoniel Martinez-Padilla, 60, Gregorio Gonzalez-Barragan, 34, and Rodolfo Reyna-Zapata, 27, all from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, previously received sentences of 240, 352, and 352 months, respectively.

    Gonzalez-Martinez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    DEA, ICE-HSI and the Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Jose Angel Moreno and AUSA Steven Chamberlin prosecuted 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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Former federal employee sentenced to prison for mishandling classified materials

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant illegally removed documents from secure facility

    AUGUSTA, GA:  A former employee of a U.S. Department of Defense component agency was sentenced to federal prison for mishandling sensitive documents.

    Margaret Anne Ashby, 26, of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and a fine of $15,000 after pleading guilty to Unauthorized Removal/Retention of Classified Documents, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall also ordered Ashby to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of her prison term.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    “This sentence should serve as a reminder to all personnel who handle sensitive government documents that their proper handling is of paramount importance,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lyons. “Margaret Ashby is being held accountable for violating the laws that govern those entrusted to work with these materials.”

    As described in court documents and testimony, Ashby was hired in March 2020 as a civilian employee of a Department of Defense component agency located in the Southern District of Georgia. As required for her employment, Ashby possessed a Top Secret security clearance.

    From February 2022 to May 2022, Ashby, without authority, knowingly removed documents and materials containing classified information described in the plea agreement as “concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States.” She did so “with the intent to retain them at unauthorized locations, including her residence in the Southern District of Georgia and in digital files saved via a personal computing device located in the Southern District of Georgia.”

    “Certain responsibilities are mandatory to individuals with access to Top Secret information and when the trust placed on them to protect our national intelligence is violated, they put our country at risk,” said Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We will continue work with our partners to protect the American people and uphold the constitution by safeguarding our country’s classified information.”

    The case was investigated by the FBI, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron J. Hubbard, and Trial Attorney David J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Justice Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: HIGH SPRINGS MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR WIRE FRAUD

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Sean Walker, 34, of High Springs, Florida, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison for wire fraud in connection with COVID-19 relief fraud. The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Our office will continue to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer money, including holding those accountable who conspired to falsely obtain government funds during the COVID‑19 pandemic,” said Acting United States Attorney Spaven.

    Court documents reflect that Walker obtained over $20,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from the State of California, which were funded in part by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These funds were intended to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker’s benefits application contained materially false and fraudulent statements. Walker knew that he had never lived or worked in that state and was not entitled to unemployment insurance benefits from California.

    In addition to his prison sentence, Walker was also ordered to pay $21,690 in restitution to California’s Employment Development Department. Walker’s imprisonment will also be followed by three years of supervised release.

    Walker is one of nine defendants who were convicted of similar COVID-19 relief fraud as a result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and David P. Byron.

    “While many were facing hardship and uncertainty, these defendants sought to exploit government programs intended to help those in need,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS-CI, Tampa Field Office. “Their actions were driven by greed and a blatant disregard for the law, undermining the purpose of critical relief efforts. We remain committed to holding accountable those who abuse these programs for personal gain and ensuring that justice is served.”

    “The sentencing of Sean Walker conveys the important message that you cannot steal money from Americans without consequence,” said Kristin Rehler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “The funds stolen by this defendant and other co-conspirators add to the massive amount of COVID-19 relief fraud that will ultimately be paid for by taxpayers. The FBI’s investigation into these schemes exemplifies our commitment to hold thieves accountable, and we will continue to work in coordination with our partners to protect the pocketbooks of hard-working Americans.”

    The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force marshals 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 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 Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 relief funds can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

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

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Scheming to Defraud Maryland, California of More Than $2.3 Million in Covid-19 Unemployment Insurance Benefits

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Baltimore, Maryland – David Godin, 34, aka “James St Patrick,” aka “David Wetty,” aka “Vic Pro,” of Miami, Florida, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD). Godin attempted to defraud MD-DOL and CA-EDD of more than $2.3 million in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.

    According to the plea agreement, from June 2020 through November 2023, Godin engaged in a sophisticated scheme to defraud the MD-DOL and CA-EDD by using the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers.  This enabled Godin to file numerous fraudulent UI claims with multiple states from a single location; aggregate UI information in discrete accounts; and avoid fraud safeguards put in place by state insurance programs.

    Godin submitted and caused the submission of at least 140 fraudulent UI claims to MD-DOL, CA-EDD, and other state workforce agencies, resulting in approximately $2,364,226 in UI benefits. He obtained $1,087,345.66 through the fraud scheme. As part of the plea agreement, Godin is required to pay restitution of $1,087,345.66. Additionally, Godin must forfeit money, property, and/or assets that he obtained through the scheme, including a money judgment of at least $1,087,345.66.

    Godin faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud scheme and a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison for using the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims during and in relation to the fraudulent activities.   A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has scheduled sentencing for June 30, at 10 a.m.   

    This case is part of the District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force, a Strike Force that is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors.  The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.  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.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Jared M. Beim, who are prosecuting the federal case, and Joanna N. Huber, who is supporting the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta: Otay Ranch Village 13 Project Settlement Will Reduce Wildfire Risk While Increasing Opportunity for New Housing

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, March 26, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a final settlement agreement regarding the Otay Ranch Village 13 project, which resolves concerns pertaining to the project’s wildfire and greenhouse gas impacts and benefits the people and environment of California. Specifically, under the agreement, the proposed housing development will include the same number of units on a more compact footprint, reducing wildfire ignition risk and protecting approximately 300 additional acres of open space compared to the original plan. While decreasing the development footprint, the settlement also increases the opportunity for new housing by allowing the developer to apply to the County of San Diego to build up to 2,750 housing units (increased from 1,938) within the more compact building area. This will allow for additional housing supply while reducing the project’s environmental impacts, including wildfire risk. The agreement also includes payment of nearly $2 million in attorneys’ fees to the California Department of Justice and the environmental groups that filed litigation challenging the County’s approval of the project for violating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Attorney General Bonta is joined by the Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Endangered Habitats League, California Native Plant Society, Preserve Wild Santee, and California Chaparral Institute in today’s settlement with the project applicant.

    “From Los Angeles to San Diego, we are seeing devastating wildfires ravaging our communities right before our eyes. We can no longer ignore the realities of climate change,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today’s settlement recognizes that environmental protection and housing go hand in hand, aiming to create more resilient, sustainable homes while reducing wildfire risk and protecting our environment.”

    Today’s settlement requires measures to reduce wildfire risk and greenhouse gas emissions, including:

    • Providing a continuous program of surveillance for wildfire ignitions.
    • Ensuring an educational program on wildfire ignition prevention for project residents.
    • Installing sprinkler systems on multi-family residential buildings that meet National Fire Protection Association Standard 13.
    • Achieving net-zero energy design for all single-family residential and commercial buildings.
    • Requiring all buildings to be fully electric.
    • Prohibiting installation of natural gas infrastructure.
    • Creating a Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Fund of at least $15 million, which will fund greenhouse gas emissions reductions projects in San Diego County.

    The Otay Ranch Village 13 project site is located in southwestern San Diego County in an area that has in the past been affected by wildfires. The County approved and certified a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the Otay Ranch Village 13 project on November 18, 2020. The Attorney General’s lawsuit challenged the FEIR’s failure, in violation of CEQA, to adequately address the risk of wildfire despite acknowledging the very high potential for wildfire hazards in and around the project site as well as the FEIR’s failure to adequately analyze or mitigate the impact of substantial vehicle trips and increased greenhouse gas emissions generated by the project. Under the settlement, the parties will request that the Court stay the litigation until the County approves a revised project that complies with the terms of the settlement.

    A copy of the settlement can be found here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TOLEDO, Ohio – Eduardo Lopez-Jiguan, 35, a citizen of Guatemala who illegally returned to the United States after being deported was sentenced on March 18, 2025, to 13 months in federal prison for illegal reentry.  U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick also imposed a consecutive six-month sentence on a supervised release violation for a total prison sentence of 19 months.  Lopez-Jiguan was on supervised release after being convicted in February 2023 of illegal reentry and possession of a fraudulent identification document.

    At the guilty plea, Lopez-Jiguan admitted he had previously been deported from the United States and illegally reentered the United States without the permission of the United States government. Lopez-Jiguan was previously deported in 2020 and 2023.  In August 2024, immigration officials learned Lopez-Jiguan had illegally returned to the United States and found him at the Huron County Jail after previously serving a jail sentence for falsification and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

    This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ava Rotell Dustin for the Northern District of Ohio.

    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, and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Anchorage man sentenced to 16 years for producing child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced yesterday to 16 years in prison and will serve 15 years on supervised release for exploiting a 16-year-old minor to produce child pornography.

    According to court documents, in 2019, the minor female victim moved from Oregon to Alaska and began living with Donteh Devoe, 46. At some point after the victim began living with him, Devoe started sexually abusing her and convinced her that because she was 16, the sexual abuse was legal.

    The victim confided in a friend, explaining that she and Devoe were “dating and having sex.” The victim also disclosed instances where Devoe physically abused her and texted her sexually graphic images during the school day. The victim’s friend promptly reported the alleged abuse to law enforcement and an investigation began.

    In February 2020, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for accounts on Devoe’s and the victim’s devices. Law enforcement reviewed those accounts and discovered sexually explicit conversations between Devoe and the victim. During conversations on Sept. 30, and Oct. 1, 2019, Devoe directed the victim to take sexually explicit photos and send them to him.

    On Nov. 15, 2024, Devoe pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography.

    “Mr. Devoe used emotional and physical manipulation to carry out his sexual abuse and get what he wanted. The harm that he caused with his conduct is lasting,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors who were essential in securing a serious penalty for the crime he pleaded guilty to, and the witness for promptly coming forward to report the abuse. I also want to commend the victim for showing extraordinary bravery and resilience in bringing this perpetrator to justice. Our office will continue our strong partnerships with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute anyone who threatens the safety of children.”

    “Through manipulation and a betrayal of trust, Devoe emotionally, physically, and sexually abused a minor in our community, including the production of CSAM,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is inexcusable and will not be tolerated by Alaska’s law enforcement community.”

    “The Anchorage Police Department remains committed to ensuring justice for victims and their families. Our officers and investigators worked diligently to bring this case to a resolution, and we appreciate the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the judicial system. Today’s sentencing is a testament to the dedication of those who seek justice and uphold the safety of our community,” said Christopher Barraza, Deputy Director, Community Relations Unit for the Anchorage Police Department.

    The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Ivers and Ainsley McNerney prosecuted the case.

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

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamaican National Indicted For Child Exploitation Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Andrew Higgins, age 37, a Jamaican national, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury with a child exploitation offense.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that beginning on or about January 15, 2025, and continuing through January 17, 2025, Higgins used the internet and an electronic device to attempt to persuade and coerce a child to engage in sexual conduct.

    The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations – RAC Allentown.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson.

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

    The maximum penalty under federal law for the crimes charged in the Indictment is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Arrested For Robbing Gas Station With A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint charging Rafael Jimenez (30, Tampa) with one count of Hobbs Act robbery. If convicted, Jimenez faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

    According to the complaint, on March 8, 2025, Jimenez entered a gas station in Tampa and brandished a firearm while demanding money from the register. Shortly after making this demand, Jimenez fired a shot in the direction of the clerk, striking the ground directly behind the clerk.

    Jimenez stole more than $600 from the store as well as cigarettes. He was apprehended after surveillance footage from days before the robbery showed physical similarities between Jimenez and the robber, including a distinctive tattoo. Evidence found in Jimenez’s trash outside his home included a ski mask, gloves, and cigarettes of the same brand the robber had used. Surveillance video from nearby businesses showed a vehicle like Jimenez’s traveling on roads close to the scene of the robbery before and after it occurred.

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Sex Offender Sentenced To 15 Years For Distribution Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, FL – Chief United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Nicholes Scott Newman (42, Hilliard) to 15 years in federal prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Newman was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.   

    According to court records, in June 2024, a detective acting in an undercover capacity was monitoring a social media messaging group chat where Newman was distributing CSAM images and videos to others in the group. The undercover detective communicated directly with Newman where Newman sent additional videos and images containing CSAM to the undercover detective.

    Newman was previously convicted in Pinellas County (2014) of 20 counts of possession of CSAM and was sentenced to Florida State Prison. He was released on February 6, 2019.

    “This predator’s prior conviction did not deter him from continuing to victimize children by distributing vile child sexual abuse material,” said Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “The men and women of HSI and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle these networks and keep our communities safe.”

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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.

    MIL Security OSI –