Month: May 2023

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Defense News: SAR Rescues Injured Climber on Mt. Erie

Source: United States Navy

Anacortes Fire Department was on the scene and requested NAS Whidbey Island’s SAR unit assistance with securing and transporting the injured to a medical facility due to the nature of the injury and the surrounding terrain.
 
The SAR crew launched from Ault Field at about 3:15 p.m. and were at the scene minutes later where they found the patient on a ledge near the cliff face at approximately 1,100 feet elevation. After two crew rappelled down to a ledge near the patient they were able to litter hoist the patient to the helicopter.
 
The patient was then transported to St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Wash. where they landed just before 4 p.m.
 
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island SAR has conducted 7 missions this calendar year, which includes one MEDEVAC, one search and five rescues.
 
The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue/medical evacuation (SAR/MEDEVAC) platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation.  Pursuant to the National SAR Plan of the United States, the unit may also be used for civil SAR/MEDEVAC needs to the fullest extent practicable on a non-interference basis with primary military duties according to applicable national directives, plans, guidelines and agreements; specifically, the unit may launch in response to tasking by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (based on a Washington State Memorandum of Understanding) for inland missions, and/or tasking by the United States Coast Guard for all other aeronautical and maritime regions, when other assets are unavailable.
 

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Defense News: Naval Oceanography Attended U.S. Hydrographic Conference

Source: United States Navy

The Hydrography Society of America (THOSA) themed the conference: ‘Hydrospatial: The Next Frontier of Hydrography’, with a public statement citing:
  
“The theme that we have chosen (as) our conference reflects the relevance our profession and related sciences have in the marine geospatial world. In some circles we are discussing the profile of “the hydrographer of the future” … how technology is affecting their activities: the speed and amount of data being collected (Big Data); the wide variety of sensors and platforms used (IoT); the speed and efficiency in data analysis (AI and Deep Learning); the ways in which this data become information and is accessed by different kinds of users (Cloud services, Kubernetes); and new formats and standards (S-100, voxels).” – thosa.org  April 2023
 
Hydrography is the science of surveying and mapping water bodies, including oceans, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water.
 
Talented practitioners from all walks of the Hydrography discipline were in attendance at the U.S. Hydrographic conference, ahead of International Hydrography Organizations 3rd Assembly in Monaco held this month, May 2023.
 
Naval Oceanography’s, Deputy Hydrographer of the U.S. Navy, Matthew Borbash attended the U.S. Hydro Conference and expressed his view of the conference together with Naval Oceanography’s mission, and overall level of skill the conference attracted.
 
“The U.S. Hydrographic Conference is one of the Nation’s premier venues for gathering industry and government experts in the fields of underwater mapping, geospatial information, and autonomous systems… Naval Oceanography participated to showcase our global underwater mapping capability and to attract skilled individuals looking for an exciting, operational career in service to our country,” said Borbash.
A key science in understanding navigable spaces throughout the ocean, hydrography is vital to ocean resources that provide economic growth and preservation of the ocean ecosystem─often referred to as the Blue Economy.

“Rear Admiral Piret’s keynote address focused on the importance of Naval Hydrography to freedom of movement on the high seas and its resulting insurance of strength and security of the global Blue Economy,” Borbash said.

Subject Matter Experts networked and engaged one another during the conference, ultimately pushing the Hydrographic community forward as America continues to explore and navigate the Earth’s surface.

“Discussions provided a nice counterbalance to the numerous, informative technical talks provided by a variety of experts during the week, while the concentration of talent, cutting-edge technology, innovation, and simply great people at U.S. Hydro, made for an incredibly rewarding experience in Mobile, AL,” said Borbash.

The conference reinforced the importance of hydrography and necessity to collaborate, ensuring accurate and current information of the planet’s ocean resources.
Maintaining hydrographic practices can safeguard water resources, address major challenges facing the globe, and create sustainability for future generations.

Naval Oceanography has approximately 2,500 globally distributed military and civilian personnel, who collect, process, and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to guarantee the U.S. Navy’s freedom of action in the physical battlespace from the depths of the ocean to the stars.
 

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Morgantown man and Detroit man sentenced for drug operation

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men have been sentenced today for working together to sell large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Morgantown area.

Aaric Murray, 33, of Morgantown West Virginia, was sentenced today to 170 months in federal prison. Richard Kirkland Johnson, 26, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced to 147 months. Murray and Johnson were found guilty of multiple charges during a trial in September 2022.

According to trial testimony, officers were called to Murray’s home on reports of a hostage situation. Upon arrival, officers determined there wasn’t a threat but found evidence of a drug operation. A subsequent search of the home found crack cocaine, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and two firearms with ammunition. Murray and Johnson had thousands of dollars in cash during the initial search, as well as communications on their cell phones of recent drug deals.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh heard evidence today of Murray’s extensive criminal history, including more than 40 interactions with law enforcement since 2012.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley and Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

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Haverhill Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Firearms From Second Amendment Outdoors In Derry

Source: United States Department of Justice News

CONCORD – A Haverhill, Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiring to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

Gary Ortiz, Jr., 19, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for August 10, 2023. Ortiz and one of his co-conspirators, Jaythean Diaz, were indicted on July 11, 2022. Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal firearms from a federal firearms licensee. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled Diaz’s sentencing for July 25, 2023.

On December 8, 2021, Ortiz and his co-conspirators broke into Second Amendment Outdoors in Derry, New Hampshire and stole 12 firearms—11 pistols and one rifle.  Videos recovered from the phone of a co-conspirator show Ortiz holding the stolen firearms, and messages recovered from Ortiz’s phone show searches for Second Amendment Outdoors before the burglary, as well as, searches for news about the burglary afterward.  Additional text messages from Ortiz’s phone show that he was attempting to sell a firearm hours after the burglary.  

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a maximum fine of $250,000 and restitution in an amount to be determined at sentencing. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (“ATF”) led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lawrence Police Department, Methuen Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Derry Police Department, Atkinson Police Department, Plaistow Police Department, Kingston Police Department, Windham Police Department, Hooksett Police Department, and Salem Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.  

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.

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Ketchikan Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography

Source: United States Department of Justice News

JUNEAU – A Ketchikan man pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography charges.

According to court documents, Walter William Onstad, of Ketchikan, plead guilty to a charge of  distribution of child pornography.  Onstad admitted in court that he was an administrator of a Kik group “Anything Goes,” which was used exclusively for the purpose of distributing child pornography.  As administrator of the group, Onstad solicited images of child pornography to be posted to the group from others as a requirement to be admitted to the group. Once images were verified and approved by Onstad, those individuals were admitted to the group where they had complete access to images of children being sexually exploited on the Kik group “Anything Goes.”

Onstad was detained at his change of plea hearing pending his sentencing scheduled on August 17, 2023. Onstad faces a mandatory minimum of five years and/or maximum penalty of life in prison and five years to life on supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt is prosecuting the case.

This case is 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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