Project Safe Childhood Leads to Several Convictions This Week
Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative partnering local police with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to combat child sexual exploitation, contributed to the conviction of three men this week. After a three-week trial, three individuals have been found guilty of sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Former Alabama Corrections Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Inmates, DOJ Looks into Widespread Abuse
Former Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Sergeant Ulysses Oliver Jr. pleaded guilty to assaulting two handcuffed inmates in his correctional facility. This news comes as the Department of Justice (DOJ) issues written notice to the state alleging constitutional concerns regarding their treatment of prisoners.
Interagency Investigation Leads to Arrest of 18 Members, Associates of Violent White Supremacist Gang
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Alaska State Troopers Alaska Bureau of Investigation Special Crimes Investigation Unit and Technical Crimes Unit, among other agencies, have indicted 18 members and associates of the white supremacist gang called the 1488s. Charges are related to their alleged roles in a racketeering enterprise involving narcotics distribution, firearms trafficking, and acts of violence including murder, assault, and kidnapping.
IRS Criminal Division, DOJ Busy Combatting Tax Fraud Schemes During Filing Season
A North Carolina resident was arrested this week after a grand jury indicted the resident for one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and 14 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a fraudulent tax return. This arrest comes days after another North Carolina resident was sentenced to a year in prison for assisting in the filing of false tax returns.
FBI Takes Down National College Admissions Scheme
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the arrests of dozens of individuals involved in a “nationwide conspiracy that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities.” Athletic coaches, parents, and exam administrators have been charged.
Poaching Cases Rattle Colorado Park Areas
Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers and Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers have been working on several cases relating to illegal elk poaching. While some of these efforts have led to the arrests in recent weeks, Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers continue to request information on poaching in their park.
Medicare Fraud Strike Force Produces Several Arrests
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force has successfully dismantled Medicare fraud schemes in Florida and Mississippi. Special agents in the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS OIG) and Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal investigations division have teamed up with agencies across the federal law enforcement community to investigate and uncover Medicare fraud schemes.
Charges Filed Against Coast Guard Lieutenant Named as a Domestic Terrorist
A joint venture by the Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the Department of Justice has resulted in the arrest of a Coast Guard Lieutenant for domestic terrorism. According to the court documents, the lieutenant, Christopher Paul Hasson, harbored extremist views and was planning “to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country.”
Former Counterintelligence Agent Charged With Spying for Iran
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that a former U.S. service member and counterintelligence agent has been indicted by a grand jury for conspiracy to deliver and delivering national defense information to the Iranian government. Monica Elfriede Witt, the individual charged, remains at large.
Undercover ‘Operation Callout’ Leads to Major Arrests, New Partnerships
A three-day successful operation called Operation Callout produced well over 100 drug and firearm related arrests in Louisiana last week. City, parish, state, and federal law enforcement agencies came together to combat drug violence, and in this investigation their close cooperation paid off.
Border Patrol and National Guard Work Together to Combat Drug Smuggling
Border Patrol agents used advanced technology and National Guard assistance to arrest four individuals for smuggling large amounts of marijuana across southern New Mexico this week. On Tuesday evening, Lordsburg Border Patrol agents used infrared surveillance equipment to locate and apprehend the subjects.
Violent Fugitive Task Force Successful in Midwest Arrests
Agents from the U.S. Marshal Service Western District of Missouri announced last week the arrests of seven Southwest Missouri fugitives in the Springfield area. The fugitives were charged with a range of violent and drug related crimes as part of the Violent Fugitive Task Force’s ongoing mission to combat conflicts in the region.
Secret Service Busts Credit Card Fraud Ring
Secret Service agents, joined by New Rochelle, New York police officers, executed an arrest warrant last week in an apartment on the 37th floor of the Skyline New Rochelle in the city's downtown area. The raid led to the detention of several individuals believed to be participating in a credit card fraud ring that has made stolen credit card purchases of approximately $3,000,000.
South Carolina police chief arrested by FBI agents
Manning, South Carolina police Chief Gary Blair Shaffer has been arrested following a FBI investigation into misconduct during his term. Shaffer has been charged with theft of federal funds, money laundering, structuring, and false statements.
ICE Partners with Florida Law Enforcement to Arrest Man for Sex Crimes
A Florida man, Frank Miles, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison last week for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child pornography. Miles’ sentence comes after a successful investigation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) division and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
FBI Warns of Scammers Targeting Holiday Shoppers
This week, the FBI’s Memphis Field Office issued guidance to holiday shoppers, urging them “to be aware of cyber criminals and their aggressive and creative ways to steal money and personal information,” with cyber criminals especially active during the Christmas shopping season.
Latest National Incident-Based Reporting System Data Released
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released the latest dataset from its National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), containing information relating to more than 6 million criminal offenses nationally.
Iranian Ransomware Suspects Charged and At-Large
This week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced that it had charged two men in connection with a ransomware attack that impacted certain regional computer networks between 2015 and 2018.
Convicted Murderer Linked to 90 Murders Via FBI Program
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has had a major and disturbing breakthrough on a series of crimes dating back nearly 50 years, thanks to its Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP). This week, the agency announced that it had successfully connected 34 murders to Samuel Little, a 78-year-old man currently imprisoned in Texas.
FBI Releases New Data on Hate Crimes Showing Increase in Anti-Jewish Crimes
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has unveiled a new website corresponding to the agency’s release of a new dataset breaking down hate crimes in the United States in 2017.