Month: August 2022

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Security News: Arlington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

Source: United States Department of Justice News

BOSTON – An Arlington man was sentenced on July 28, 2022 in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography.

Mason Lister, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Dec. 16, 2021, Lister pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

“My office has a responsibility to ensure the safety of our communities, especially that of our most vulnerable – children. Mr. Lister is a recidivist offender, a three-time convicted felon, who will now thankfully remain out of our communities and away from our children for the next decade,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “With the full support of our state, local and tribal law enforcement partners, we remain committed to protecting our children and prosecuting those who seek to exploit them.”

“Lister is a repeat offender, having already been convicted twice for child pornography related offenses. This ten year sentence will deny Lister the opportunity to further victimize innocent children through his online conduct and demonstrates our resolve to hold repeat offenders responsible to the full extent of the law,” said Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.

This case arose from a notice to law enforcement that a social media account belonging to Lister had been used to distribute child pornography. On July 23, 2020, a search of Lister’s residence resulted in the seizure of a tablet device containing at least 85 files of child pornography. The mix of files were both images and videos and depicted victims as young as toddler age. Lister was subsequently arrested on Aug. 14, 2020, and has remained in federal custody since. Lister has two previous state convictions for child pornography offenses.

U.S. Attorney Rollins and HSI SAC Millhollin made the announcement today. Assistance in the investigation was provided by the Arlington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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/.

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Defense News: Navy Week Charts Course to San Jose, Aug. 15-21

Source: United States Navy

San Jose Navy Week brings Sailors from across the fleet to the area to emphasize the importance of the Navy to San Jose, the state of California, and the nation.

Participating Navy organizations include Navy Band Southwest, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1, USS Constitution, Fleet Numerical Meteorology Command (FNMOC), Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Golden Gate, Navy History and Heritage Command, the littoral combat ship USS Oakland (LCS 24), and the Office of Small Business Programs.

More than 75 Sailors will participate in education and community outreach events throughout the city, including the San Jose Italian Family Festa. All participating commands will follow DOD, CDC, state, and local guidelines for safety during the current pandemic.

The Navy’s senior executive host is Rear Admiral Anne Swap, director, National Capital Region Market, Defense Health Agency. During San Jose Navy Week, she will participate in community engagements, meet with students, and speak with local businesses, civic, education, and government leaders.

“I am excited to return to my home state of California, and I look forward to spending time in San Jose, sharing the Navy’s story and strengthening our community relationship,” said Swap.  “The Navy looks for ways to innovate: strategically, technologically, and for our Navy Team – I can think of no better place to conduct innovation discussions than San Jose.”

Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to cities like San Jose.

“We are excited to bring Navy Week to San Jose,” said NAVCO’s director, Cmdr. John Fage. “Navy Weeks give us the opportunity to help connect Americans to their Navy. We are looking forward to safely and responsibly building those connections in the San Jose area and showing everyone why their Navy is so important.”

Throughout the week, Sailors will participate in various community events across the area, including engaging with students across multiple schools and volunteering for the city of San Jose, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Boys and Girls Club of San Jose, Girls Inc. Island City, Turning Wheels and Habitat for Humanity. Residents will also enjoy free live music by Navy Band Southeast at venues throughout the week.

San Jose Navy Week is one of 13 Navy Weeks in 2022, which brings a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people — about half the U.S. population.

Media organizations wishing to cover San Jose Navy Week events should contact Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Chambers at (901) 232-4449 or kevin.l.chambers4.mil@us.navy.mil. For more information on the events in San Jose, go to the Navy Outreach website at https://www.outreach.navy.mil/Navy-Weeks-2022/San-Jose-2022/.

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Defense News: USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) arrives in Civitavecchia

Source: United States Navy

Since departing Aksaz, Turkey earlier this month, Bainbridge has conducted tactical exercises with the Italian Navy, strengthening not only their skills as mariners but their capabilities as bilateral partners. The Italian Bergamini-class guided-missile FREMM frigate ITS Alpino (F 594) has sailed with the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group (HSTCSG), including Bainbridge, throughout the month of July, further enhancing the maritime relationship between the United States and Italy.

“We routinely work with our Italian allies not only in large scale exercises, but also through personnel exchanges,” said Cmdr. James Hagerty, Bainbridge’s commanding officer. “We have had four Italian exchange officers aboard during our deployment, which has given both navies the opportunity to learn from one another and further strengthen the NATO alliance. We are even more excited to be enjoying a port visit in Civitavecchia, enjoying the culture of an ally that we work so closely with.”

Along with bilateral training events and personnel exchanges, port visits afford the crew the chance to deepen their understanding and appreciation of allies. The time in port with allied nations complements the bonds forged at sea.

“The demonstrated mutual respect between the U.S. Navy and the Italian Navy at sea reinforces the strong relationships forged over the years,” said Cmdr. Desmond Walker, Bainbridge’s executive officer. “The opportunity to grow alongside other navies emphasizes our combined commitment to the NATO alliance.”

The HSTCSG is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.

Elements of HSTCSG include the flagship Truman, commanded by Capt. Gavin Duff; the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, commanded by Capt. Patrick Hourigan; the staff and guided-missile destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28 commanded by Capt. Blair Guy, which has included Bainbridge, USS Cole (DDG 67), USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Gravely (DDG 107), and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109); and the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), commanded by Capt. Christopher Marvin.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

For more news from CSG 8 and USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), visit, www.facebook.com/CSG8, www.facebook.com/usnavy, www.facebook.com/ussbainbridge, or www.navy.mil.

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Security News: Florida man sentenced to 8 years in prison for fraud scheme causing $3.5 million in losses, including more than $1 million in COVID-relief fraud

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CINCINNATI – A Florida man who conspired to steal identities to fraudulently obtain credit and COVID-19 relief funds was sentenced in federal court here today to 96 months in prison.

Adesh Alvin Bissoon, 43, of Miami Beach, Florida, defrauded several victims who resided in the Southern District of Ohio. Bissoon caused at least $3.5 million in loss, including more than $1 million in disaster-relief funds he fraudulently obtained during the pandemic.

When federal agents executed a search warrant at one of Bissoon’s residences, they found multiple driver’s licenses, approximately 200 credit and/or debit cards, and more than 10 checkbooks, all in other people’s names. Agents also discovered hundreds of other documents containing victims’ personally identifiable information (PII); approximately $70,000 in cash; tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of precious metals; and seven cellphones, each of which was labeled with the name of a victim.

According to court documents, from 2012 through August 2020, Bissoon and co-conspirators used the Dark Web to obtain victims’ PII. Bissoon and others also used the victims’ information to create fraudulent Social Security cards and driver’s licenses, which they then used to open financial accounts in the victims’ names. Bissoon then requested convenience checks in high dollar amounts, drawn against the victims’ lines of credit. He also registered LLCs with states and the IRS to obtain business credit cards with higher credit limits. Bissoon separately applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the Small Business Association using the LLCs he had established using individual victims’ PII, claiming that those businesses were experiencing temporary difficulties and loss of revenue due to COVID-19.

Bissoon was initially charged by criminal complaint in August 2020 and released on bond in Florida. Bissoon’s pretrial release was revoked after law enforcement discovered he had attempted to steal another $150,000 from a bank while on release by falsely claiming to be the victim of unauthorized bank transfers.

Bissoon was indicted by a grand jury in September 2020, along with Michael Jacques Joseph, 39, of Miami Beach, Florida, and Victor Torres, 40, of Apollo Beach, Florida, and charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud affecting a financial institution, as well as aggravated identity theft. Joseph and Torres have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie D. Garcia and Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo are representing the United States in this case.

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Security News: Erie Man Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and Cocaine

Source: United States Department of Justice News

ERIE, Pa. – A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

Abimael Arroyo-Garcia, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Arroyo-Garcia was involved in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine and heroin in Erie, Pennsylvania from November 2017 through February 2020. On February 10, 2020, investigators seized approximately $250,000.00 in cocaine destined for Erie from Puerto Rico as part of this conspiracy.

Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Paul S. Sellers is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Pennsylvania State Police, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Arroyo-Garcia.