Month: March 2023

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Defense News: U.S. Forces Assist UK Seizure of Missiles Shipped from Iran

Source: United States Navy

Coordinated efforts among U.S. and UK maritime forces led to Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster (F229) confiscating anti-tank guided missiles and missile components from a small boat that originated from Iran. UK forces discovered packages that included Iranian versions of Russian 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missiles, known in Iran as “Dehlavieh,” and medium-range ballistic missile components.

“This is the seventh illegal weapon or drug interdiction in the last three months and yet another example of Iran’s increasing malign maritime activity across the region,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. “We will continue to work with our partners in pursuing any destabilizing activity that threatens regional maritime security and stability.”

The interdiction occurred along a route historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to Yemen. The direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Houthis in Yemen violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law.

U.S. and UK naval forces regularly conduct combined maritime security operations to disrupt the flow of illicit cargo in Middle East waters. Last year, U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101), Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose (F236) and combined air assets led to Royal Navy forces seizing surface-to-air missiles and land-attack cruise-missile engines.

In the past three months, seven major interdictions have resulted in U.S. and partner maritime forces seizing more than 5,000 weapons, 1.6 million rounds of ammunition, 7,000 proximity fuses for rockets, 2,100 kilograms of propellant used to launch rocket propelled grenades, 30 anti-tank guided missiles, medium-range ballistic missile components and $80 million worth of illegal drugs.

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and United Kingdom Maritime Component Command are headquartered in Manama, Bahrain.

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Defense News: Self-Injury Awareness Day: Reducing Stigmas and Increasing Understanding

Source: United States Navy

For more than 18 years, Self-Injury Awareness Day (SIAD) has been a global awareness event observed each year on March 1st and focuses on increasing education and support for an often misrepresented and misunderstood problem.

An estimated 2 million Americans intentionally harm themselves each year, according to the Journal of American Board of Family Medicine. The actual number is quite possibly higher due to the fact that many cases are not reported to doctors because if the stigma associated with it.

SIAD aims to help friends and family recognize the signs by creating awareness and understanding of self-injury and to help those in emotional distress find help.

“It is important to note that self-injury is not a healthy or effective way to cope with emotional pain, and it can have serious physical and psychological consequences,” said Lolita Allen, Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) Counseling, Advocacy and Prevention (CAP) program manager. “If you or someone you know is engaging in self-injury, it is important to seek professional help.”

There are a variety of reasons for those who do self-harm. Among being a coping mechanism for fear, stress, and anxiety, one such reason is that it creates a feeling of control which can be a way to have control over your body when you can’t control anything else in your life.

“Self-injury can be a way for individuals to feel a sense of control over their bodies and emotions,” said Allen. “For some individuals, it may represent a way to exert control in situations where they feel helpless or powerless.”

Other reasons for self-injury may be to express emotional pain, or to feel something when emotionally numb or disconnected as well as a form of self-punishment.

“Some individuals may engage in self-injury as a way to punish themselves for perceived mistakes, failures, or shortcomings,” said Allen. “For others it can serve as a nonverbal way to express feelings that may be difficult to articulate.”

Self-injury can have an immediate effect, creating instant relief, but it is only temporary – the underlying emotional issues still remain.

“Self-injury can serve as a release valve, allowing individuals to temporarily relieve feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, or other negative emotions,” said Allen.

Self-injury comes in many forms and can include behaviors like burning or picking at wounds, cutting, scratching, hitting oneself, and ingesting chemicals. People who self-injure may try to hide their injuries. They may have a hard time handling emotion, or having relationships, and tend to have poor self-esteem, developing issues at home, work, and school.

“Be vigilant,” said Allen. “Keep an eye on the person and be alert for warning signs of self-harm, such as unexplained cuts or bruises, wearing long sleeves or pants in warm weather, or avoiding social situations. If you are concerned about their safety, don’t hesitate to seek professional help or emergency medical assistance.”

In time, self-injury can become a person’s automatic response to the ordinary strains of everyday life, and both frequency and severity of self-injury may increase.

“It’s important to be supportive,” said Allen. “Let the person know that you care about them and are there to support them. Listen to them without judgment, and validate their feelings. Encourage them to seek professional help if needed.”

Reducing the stigma associated with seeking help for self-harm is crucial for individuals who struggle with this behavior to access the help they need. Some ways to reduce the stigma associated with getting help can be mitigated by talking openly about mental health, challenge negative attitudes and beliefs, providing peer support, using positive language and access to resources.

“Providing access to mental health resources, such as therapy or counseling, can help individuals who are struggling with self-harm to seek help without fear of judgement or stigma,” said Allen. “Promoting open and honest discussions about mental health can reduce the stigma surrounding it.”

For help please use the resources below.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988; https://988lifeline.org/current-events/the-lifeline-and-988/
• Psychological Health Resource Center: Call 866-966-1020; https://www.health.mil/phrc
• Military OneSource (MOS): Call 800-342-9647; https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
• Contact your installation behavioral health counselor.
• Contact your installation Fleet and Family Support Center

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Two Men Facing Federal Indictment in Maryland for an Arson Conspiracy Targeting Convenience Stores

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Stephen Kennedy, age 33, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and Donnell Kelly, age 33, of Washington, D.C., for conspiracy to commit arson, arson affecting interstate commerce, commercial robbery, and use of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, in connection with a series of convenience store robberies.  Kennedy and Kelly are also charged with being felons in possession of a firearm and an explosive device, respectively, and Kennedy is charged with carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony.  The indictment was returned on February 22, 2023, and was unsealed today upon the arrests of the defendants.  

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci; St Mary’s County Sheriff Steven A. Hall; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Tiffany D. Green of the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department.

According to the 10-count indictment, from at least January 2021 to January 2022, the defendants conspired to commit arsons at 7-Eleven convenience stores so that they could obtain cash contained in ATMs in the stores.  Specifically, the indictment alleges that Kennedy and Kelly traveled to 7-Eleven locations while they were open for business and deployed explosive devices to set fire to the buildings, and on at least one occasion, demanded the contents of the cash register.  The defendants allegedly burned the stores to force their closure and shut off power to the security cameras, which would enable them to return to the unguarded locations to burglarize the ATMs unhindered.  The indictment alleges that this resulted in losses to the ATM company of at least $249,000.  To conceal the evidence of their crimes, Kennedy and Kelly allegedly burned vehicles used in the arson attacks and/or burglaries and/or made false police reports regarding stolen license plates.

If convicted, Kennedy and Kelly each face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the arson conspiracy and each of four counts of arson affecting interstate commerce; a maximum of 20 years in prison for an armed commercial robbery; a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years and up to life in federal prison for using a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence; and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for being felons in possession of an explosive device and firearm.  Finally, Kennedy faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for carrying an explosive during the commission of another federal felony.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  The defendants each had an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajmel A. Quereshi. Kelly and Kennedy agreed to remain detained pending detention hearings scheduled for Friday, March 3, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. and at 3:30 p.m., respectively. 

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the ATF Washington Field Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Alexandria, Virginia Police Department for their assistance.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rosenthal, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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San Antonio Woman Sentenced to 8 years in Prison for Trafficking Meth

Source: United States Department of Justice News

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in San Antonio to 100 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Karen Lastiri, 32, consented to a vehicle search during a 2021 traffic stop.  During the search, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies found 52.38 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride.  Lastiri, traveling from Houston to San Antonio with two children in the vehicle, was arrested by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration.  She was later released on a $50,000 unsecured bond.

“Lastiri worked as a driver for a Drug Trafficking Organization and put her children’s lives at risk by bringing them on this job,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas.  “I appreciate the cooperation between BCSO and the DEA, leading to this successful prosecution and the disruption of drug trafficking operations.”

“Drug Trafficking Organizations will stop at nothing. This case demonstrates the length these organizations go to disguise illicit drug activities by putting children in harm’s way,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA Houston Division. “Lastiri was transporting a significant amount of methamphetamine hydrochloride from Houston to San Antonio with two children in the vehicle. DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue anyone using our communities to traffic drugs while attempting to harm the innocent along the way.” 

The DEA investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case.

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Two Sentenced for Roles in Drug Trafficking Organization That Imported 37 Kilos of Cocaine into Rhode Island

Source: United States Department of Justice News

PROVIDENCE – A leader of a long-running drug trafficking organization (DTO) that used the U.S. Postal Service to import 37 kilograms of cocaine into Rhode Island from Puerto Rico, along with a co-conspirator who provided addresses for mailing and retrieved many of the packages of cocaine, were sentenced to federal prison today, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

Arcadio Torres, 41, of North Smithfield, sentenced today to eight years in federal prison, previously admitted to a federal judge that, as a leader of the DTO, he worked with family members and co-conspirators to have kilogram quantity parcels of cocaine regularly shipped to addresses in Rhode Island; that he tracked many of the shipments and watched as they were delivered and retrieved by other members of the DTO; and that he coordinated with co-conspirators to store the cocaine for him. 

Nelson Carvalho, 48, of Cranston, sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison, previously admitted to the court that he provided members of the DTO with residential and business addresses in Rhode Island as destinations for U.S. Priority mail parcels, each containing approximately one kilogram of cocaine.  Carvalho also discussed arrival dates and retrieval of the parcels with co-conspirators; retrieved the packages from locations throughout Rhode Island, including his work address; transported the cocaine to co-conspirators in Rhode Island; and performed other functions as needed to facilitate the operations of the DTO.

At least eleven of the parcels were shipped to Women and Infants Hospital, where Carvalho was employed as a mail courier, addressed to names provided to the DTO by the defendant. Carvalho retrieved the packages from the Hospital mail and provided them to other co-conspirators.

Torres, who pleaded guilty on June 30, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 96 months in federal prison to be followed by 4 years of federal supervised release.

Carvalho, who pleaded guilty on August 1, 2022, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 90 months in federal prison to be followed by 4 years of federal supervised release.

Co-conspirators George Mojica, 42, and Angel Delgado, 25, of Central Falls, previously admitted to a federal judge that they participated in the conspiracy and performed various functions to assist the DTO. Mojica and Delgado were sentenced in May 2022 to serve seven years and five years in federal prison, respectively.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.

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