Month: November 2022

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Security News: Justice Department Obtains Permanent Injunction Blocking Penguin Random House’s Proposed Acquisition of Simon & Schuster

Source: United States Department of Justice

Decision Protects Authors and Promotes Diversity and Quality of Top-Selling Books

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the Justice Department in its civil antitrust lawsuit to block book publisher Penguin Random House’s proposed $2.2 billion acquisition of Simon & Schuster. The court found that the effect of the proposed merger would be to substantially lessen competition in the market for the U.S. publishing rights to anticipated top-selling books.

“Today’s decision protects vital competition for books and is a victory for authors, readers, and the free exchange of ideas,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The proposed merger would have reduced competition, decreased author compensation, diminished the breadth, depth, and diversity of our stories and ideas, and ultimately impoverished our democracy.”

“The decision is also a victory for workers more broadly,” said AAG Kanter. “It reaffirms that the antitrust laws protect competition for the acquisition of goods and services from workers. I would like to thank the talented, hardworking staff of the Antitrust Division for their steadfast efforts to safeguard competition in this important case.”

The court’s decision follows a thirteen-day trial in August 2022. In November 2021, the Justice Department sued to stop the merger under Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The district court’s opinion is temporarily under seal to allow the parties to review for confidentiality.

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Defense News: Navy Sailors, Civilians Clean Up Community Roadway

Source: United States Navy

The environmental stewardship project was the latest in a 15-year partnership with PennDOT.

“Mechanicsburg isn’t just a duty station for our Sailors and civilians, it’s our home,” said Capt. David D. Carnal, commanding officer, NAVSUP BSC. “Projects like this are just one way we can connect with our neighbors and work with them to keep our community safe and clean.”

Navy commands are encouraged to join efforts with local communities on environmental and energy education initiatives that support the preservation, protection, restoration, and enhancement of the environment. Activities may include developing youth environmental stewardship awareness, teaching environmental values and energy-efficient habits, enhancing environmental and energy science curricula of schools, implementing recycling programs, and organizing or participating in energy awareness events or environmental cleanup efforts such as the PennDOT Adopt A Highway program.

“As Navy officers, we are thankful for the support of our local community, and this is one small way we can support and build relationships with them while preserving Mechanicsburg’s beauty,” said Lt. Kile Green, NAVSUP BSC project officer and Adopt A Highway coordinator.

Adopt A Highway areas include state highway rights-of-way, interchange areas, traffic islands, or two-mile sections of roadway. Community partners volunteer for two years. PennDOT provides materials to maintain designated areas and posts signs along the road to recognize participating partners.

NAVSUP BSC provides the Navy with information systems support through the design, development, and maintenance of systems in the functional areas of logistics, supply chain management, transportation, finance, and accounting and is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP.

For more information about NAVSUP BSC, visit https://www.navsup.navy.mil/NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Business-Systems-Center/.

For more information about the Adopt A Highway program, visit https://www.penndot.gov/about-us/RoadsideBeautification/Pages/Adopt-A-Highway.aspx.

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Security News: Fruitland resident sentenced to two years, three months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country

Source: United States Department of Justice 2

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced today that Perfinna King was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. King, 43, of Fruitland, New Mexico, and an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, pleaded guilty on May 25 to assault with a dangerous weapon in Indian Country.

On Nov. 2, 2020, King swerved into the lane of another vehicle. The other driver pulled over, believing it was a relative playing a joke on him. Instead, it was King, who began cursing and threatening him. When the other driver took a photo of King’s license plate, King attempted to hit the driver with his vehicle. King then shot out the rear driver side window and the rear window with an air pistol.

The incident occurred in San Juan County, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation.

Upon release from prison, King will be subject to three years of supervised release.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.

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Security News: Oregon Man Faces Federal Charges After Abducting and Sexually Abusing a Canadian Child

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PORTLAND, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging a Gladstone, Oregon man with abducting and sexually abusing a Canadian child he met online.

On September 20, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Noah Madrano, 41, with traveling in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, sexually exploiting a child, transporting a child interstate with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and possessing child pornography.

According to court documents and proceedings, Madrano met a child online whom he sexually exploited for more than a year. He then traveled to Canada to meet the child in person, took her to a hotel room, sexually abused her, and videorecorded his abuse. Following this incident, he returned to the U.S.

Madrano later returned to Canada, abducted the child from outside her school, and took her to another hotel room. At the hotel, Madrano made the child dye her hair and wear a hooded sweatshirt to disguise her appearance. Madrano abused the child for several days. After briefly returning to the U.S., Madrano again returned to Canada, picked up the child and drove her back to the U.S. in the trunk of his vehicle. Madrano brought the child to a hotel room in Oregon where he continued abusing her.

In the early morning hours of July 2, 2022, special agents from FBI Portland’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF) and officers from the Oregon City Police Department made entry into Madrano’s hotel room and found him inside with the minor. Madrano was arrested and indicted on state and federal charges. The child was taken into protective custody and returned to her parents in Canada.

Madrano made his first appearance in federal court today. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and a five-day jury trial was scheduled to begin on December 13, 2022. Madrano remains in custody pending a detention hearing to be held on November 2, 2022.

If convicted, Madrano faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum.

This case was investigated by FBI Portland’s CETF with assistance from the Oregon City Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Madrano’s federal case is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. His state case is being prosecuted by Adrienne Chin-Perez, Deputy District Attorney for the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations—many of them undercover—in coordination with other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering underage victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at www.fbi.gov/tips.

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Technology Modernization Fund Announces Investment in Supporting Jobs for People with Disabilities

Source: United States General Services Administration

October 31, 2022

The investment will improve the U.S. AbilityOne Commission’s software which connects nonprofit employers of the blind or disabled to federal agency customers.

WASHINGTON – Today, the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) announced a new investment that will update the U.S. AbilityOne Commission’s Procurement List Information Management System (PLIMS) software. This PLIMS core software connects employers of individuals who are blind or who have significant disabilities with federal agency customers. The investment will improve that connection while also enhancing system accessibility and creating a more secure system. The improvements will also increase the Commission’s ability to execute program oversight and will benefit federal customers who depend on AbilityOne products and services.

“AbilityOne is a small, independent agency with an extremely meaningful mission,” said TMF Board Chair and Federal CIO Clare Martorana. “During the pandemic, the AbilityOne program has been pivotal in keeping the federal government and U.S. military operating through nationwide surge to meet exponential increases in demand. Many AbilityOne employees are designated as essential workers; their duties include staffing critical non-interruptible services, such as dining facilities and switchboard operations at military bases and VA hospitals, as well as call centers for the IRS and VA. With the support of the TMF, this investment will ensure AbilityOne can continue providing these essential services without interruption.”

“TMF funding will modernize critical software that supports employment opportunities for thousands of people, including more than 2,500 wounded warriors,” said TMF Executive Director Raylene Yung. “AbilityOne directly supports a variety of programs that connect veterans and others with disabilities to nonprofit agencies and other resources.”

AbilityOne provides nearly $4 billion in products and services to the federal government annually and is one of the largest sources of employment in the U.S. for individuals who are blind or who have significant disabilities. The TMF is investing $1.78M to improve the procurement software that supports buying and selling the high quality products and services that the AbilityOne program offers federal customers.

“AbilityOne is pleased to partner with the TMF to modernize our PLIMS system,” said Jeffrey A. Koses, GSA Senior Procurement Executive Office of Government-wide Policy and U.S. AbilityOne Commission Chairperson. “The investment will increase the Commission’s ability to execute its statutory oversight of the program and will benefit the federal customers who depend on AbilityOne products and services, as well as the program’s 450 nonprofits, which employ 40,000 people on AbilityOne contracts.”

For more information, visit: tmf.cio.gov

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About the TMF: The Technology Modernization Fund is working to transform the way the government uses technology to deliver for the American public in an equitable, secure, and user-centric way. The TMF invests in technology projects across government, providing incremental funding, technical assistance, and oversight throughout execution to ensure the success of its investments.

The TMF is overseen by the Technology Modernization Board, which is composed of government IT leaders representing proven expertise in technology, transformation, and operations. To date, the TMF has announced investments totaling over $600 million. These investments have supported projects ranging from providing a single secure login experience for government websites to digitizing temporary worker visa programs and modernizing systems that support crop inspection and certification. The TMF has received $175 million through the annual budget process and $1 billion through the American Rescue Plan to fund modernization projects to date. For more information, visit tmf.cio.gov and follow us at @TMF_gsa.

About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.