Month: July 2022

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Defense News: Pax River Search and Rescue Performs Rescue over Holiday Weekend

Source: United States Navy

A father and daughter were fishing on the river when their boat became disabled, drifting into a rocky break protecting a waterway. But rescue efforts were initially hampered by the depth of the Choptank.
 
“A Sea Tow vessel was unable to recover them due to shallow water. The Coast Guard was called and they were met with the same issues,” said Lt. Wendy Zehner, Pax River Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) Officer and co-pilot on the rescue flight. “The Coast Guard then called the Pax SAR Squadron Duty Officer Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Chelcey Justiniano and relayed the request.”
 
Lt. Andrew Brumbeloe, Pax SAR Operations Officer and pilot during the rescue flight, positioned the aircraft over the breakwater as Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class Michael McCarthy readied Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class Eladio Perez to be lowered onto the boat.
 
“We did one pass and setup for a hover into the wind,” said Zehner. “The crew determined that the rescue basket would be the best device for the small child so we lowered Perez to prepare them for hoisting.”
 
Once lowered to the break, Perez placed the nine-year-old in the rescue basket first, raising her into the SAR helicopter, followed by her father. Both were transported to Easton Airfield with no injuries.
 
Brumbeloe said that while the majority of calls Pax SAR receives to assist civilians are for mariners that have been lost at sea, warmer weather and holidays typically account for an increase in emergency calls; this was the fifth call to NAS Pax River’s SAR to assist the Coast Guard this year, and the second that required a hoist from a civilian vessel. He added that working with mission partners from the U.S. Coast Guard ensure that if one method of recovery doesn’t work, an alternative can usually be found.
 
“The Coast Guard Sector Maryland responded with their rescue vessel in an attempt to reach the stranded survivors before they requested an air recovery,” said Brumbeloe. “And no medical attention was required, thankfully.”
 
For more information regarding NAS Patuxent River visit https://ndw.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Patuxent-River/, www.facebook.com/NASPaxRiver, and www.twitter.com/NASPaxRiverPAO .

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Defense News: IWTC Virginia Beach Conducts Change of Command

Source: United States Navy

“Jim, you performed brilliantly and can be justifiably proud of your entire team in ensuring the mission of IWTC Virginia Beach was executed without fail…all while navigating the complexities of the COVID pandemic, and a resource constrained environment,” said presiding officer, Capt. Marc Ratkus, commanding officer, Center for Information Warfare Training Center (CIWT).

Brennan assumed command of IWTC Virginia Beach in July 2020. While serving as the commanding officer, he was responsible for all of the Navy’s basic, intermediate and advanced intelligence and information warfare training for new accession, mid-grade and senior naval officers and enlisted Sailors from both the active and reserve components.
 
During his time in command, Brennan guided the development, instruction, and management of 56 courses, including the piloting of some major courses, such as the Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst Course (CTIAC) in Nov. 2020, and more recently the Integrated Fires Officer (IFO) course in June 2022. Under his leadership, IWTC Virginia Beach delivered nearly 30,000 instructional hours, ultimately resulting in the production or further education of more than 15,000 Navy, Joint, and Department of Defense information warfare professionals.
 
Brennan’s mentor, retired Navy Capt. John Coles, served as the guest speaker.

Brennan first met Coles while serving together onboard the USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3). Coles was the ship’s intelligence officer during Brennan’s tenure as senior watch officer. Their relationship today exemplifies the steadfast and enduring bond that occurs between service members, as well as a commitment to each other and excellence.

“He was my first exposure to the characteristics that a senior naval intelligence officer should have,” said Brennan. “He set the standard for my understanding of what makes a successful naval officer and an intelligence officer.”

Copeland, a native of Independence, Mo., is coming to IWTC Virginia Beach from his most recent assignment as the intelligence assistant chief of staff for Carrier Strike Group 4. While there, he provided mentorship, training, and assessment for information warfare Sailors assigned to Carrier Strike Group 8 and Amphibious Squadron 6.

Copeland expressed his utmost excitement for the opportunity to lead IWTC Virginia Beach. He reminisced about how in some ways it felt like coming home walking in to Layton Hall. Above all, he expressed his sincere gratitude for his wife and children, for their continuous love, support, patience, and guidance.

With four schoolhouse commands, two detachments, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, Center for Information Warfare Training trains over 26,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. Center for Information Warfare Training also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community.

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Security News: Urbana, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Transferring Firearms to Felon Paramours

Source: United States Department of Justice News

URBANA, Ill. – An Urbana, Illinois, woman, Lawanda Rogers (formerly Moore), age 31, of the 1100 block of East Willard Street, was sentenced on July 12, 2022, to six months in prison for unlawfully transferring firearms to prohibited persons.

At the sentencing hearing, the government detailed how four firearms lawfully purchased by Moore were ultimately seized from two felons during subsequent criminal investigations. Moore’s husband possessed one firearm that had been purchased by Moore. The firearm was seized from a hotel room along with various narcotics in October 2015. Moore’s boyfriend was in possession of three firearms that were seized in November 2018 and June 2019 that had similarly been purchased by Moore. The three firearms seized from Moore’s boyfriend were confiscated by police during drug investigations, with one being used in a shooting in Champaign.

At the hearing, U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm emphasized the seriousness of Moore’s conduct, noting the dangerousness of buying firearms to then provide them to those unable to lawfully purchase firearms.

Moore was sentenced following a guilty plea. Unlawful transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person carries a statutory penalty of up to ten years in prison.

“This case demonstrates clearly that those who purchase firearms for others will be held accountable,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer. “This sentence is a step forward in the fight against gun violence in our communities and sends a message to others engaged in the same dangerous behavior that it will not be tolerated.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Champaign Street Crimes Task Force; and Champaign Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.

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Security News: Army Sergeant Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of Two Minors

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An active duty U.S. Army staff sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the sexual exploitation of two minor victims and for receiving child pornography.

Robert Chad Walkup, 38, of Saint Robert, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, July 12.

The federal indictment alleges that Walkup used a minor, identified in court documents as “Jane Doe 1,” to produce child pornography from May 23, 2020, to May 23, 2021. The indictment alleges that Walkup used a second minor, identified in court documents as “John Doe 1,” to produce child pornography from May 23 to Dec. 15, 2020.

The indictment also charges Walkup with one count of receiving child pornography from May 23, 2020, to May 23, 2021.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Pulaski County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, Fort Leonard Wood Office.

Project Safe Childhood

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

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Security News: Muskegon Man Charged With Drug Trafficking, Firearms Offenses

Source: United States Department of Justice News

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Mark Totten announced today that Saul Douglas Briggs, a/k/a “76 Chain,” a/k/a “Chain,” a 32 year-old resident of Muskegon, Michigan, has been indicted on multiple drug trafficking charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute them. Briggs is also charged with illegal firearms possession and maintaining a drug house.

          The charges stem from a series of search warrants conducted by law enforcement in and around the Muskegon area in June 2022. On the afternoon of June 15, 2022, investigators raided  a residence at 2060 Letart Avenue in Muskegon, which they suspected to be a stash house used by Briggs and other drug traffickers to store and process their illegal products. Inside, investigators seized approximately 8 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, 774 grams of suspected black tar heroin, 61 grams of suspected cocaine, and 22 grams of suspected methamphetamine. They also seized extensive drug trafficking paraphernalia as well as seven firearms, including four assault style rifles, a tactical shotgun, and two semi-automatic pistols. They recovered one of the pistols under the seat of Briggs’s vehicle.  In related searches as part of the same investigation, law enforcement also seized nearly $250,000 in cash believed to be proceeds of drug trafficking, jewelry, and multiple vehicles.

          At the time of the search of the residence at 2060 Letart Avenue, Briggs, who had been inside, attempted to flee on foot, running out of the house and jumping over the back fence of the residence. Investigators apprehended Briggs and took him into custody at that time.

          The investigation into Briggs is part of Operation Interstate Zeus, an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that began in 2019 and has been led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and members of Michigan State Police’s West Michigan Enforcement Teams (WEMET).  To date, the operation has led to the prosecution and conviction of 10 separate defendants on drug trafficking charges.

          OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.         

          The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

          This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Carowan. 

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