Month: October 2023

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Defense News: CTF 150, U.S. Coast Guard Seize $25 Million in Illegal Drugs

Source: United States Navy

The cutter, working under the command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, seized 360 kilograms of methamphetamines, 107 kilograms of heroin and 1,961 kilograms of hashish from the vessel during an interdiction operation.

This event marks the second time in a month that CTF 150 has interdicted illicit narcotics at sea. Last month, the Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster (F229) seized more than 450 kilograms, or approximately $9.5 million, of illegal drugs including heroin and hashish during a CTF 150 operation in the Arabian Sea.

“This new seizure, the second since the French Navy took command of CTF 150 last July, again shows the commitment of Combined Maritime Forces working together to enhance maritime security in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean,” said French Navy Capt. Yannick Bossu, commander of CTF 150.

CTF 150 is one of five task forces under Combined Maritime Forces, the largest multinational naval partnership in the world. CTF 150 focuses on maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf.

Since 2021, Combined Maritime Forces has seized more than $1 billion in illegal drugs while patrolling waters across the Middle East.

The 38-nation naval partnership upholds the international rules-based order by promoting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.

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District Nightclub Owner Guilty of Bribing Tax Officials

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Jury Finds Zeba Bar Owner Paid Off Officials for Five Years

            WASHINGTON – Davoud Jafari, 72, a Washington D.C. nightclub owner, was found guilty today of bribery, conspiracy, and wire-fraud. The offenses arise from a multi-year-scheme in which he bribed former D.C. Tax Official Vincent Slater in order to avoid paying several hundred thousand dollars in business-related taxes. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton will sentence Jafari on January 25, 2024.

            The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, D.C. Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, and the D.C.Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee.

            According to the evidence at trial, Jafari owned a company called Gevani, Inc., which in turn owned and operated Zeba Bar and Grill, located in Columbia Heights. Between October 2012 and December 2017, Jafari collected sales and use taxes from Zeba Bar and Grill customers consisting of 10 percent of the cost of food and drinks purchased. Although Jafari was supposed to turn those tax dollars over to the district on a monthly basis, he instead wrote a check to middleman and co-defendant Anthony Merritt for approximately half the amount of taxes due. Merritt cashed the check and shared the proceeds with Slater, the then-manager of the District of Columbia’s Office of Tax Revenue’s (OTR) Adjustment Unit. In exchange, Slater took actions to falsify records for Jafari and to help Jafari’s company evade collection efforts by other OTR officials.

            Merritt pleaded guilty to all charges in the indictment on the first day of trial. On June 7, 2023, a separate jury also convicted Merritt of bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud for playing a similar role in a different scheme on behalf of businessman Andre De Moya (who was also convicted at trial). Merritt is scheduled to be sentenced in both cases on January 19, 2024. Slater previously pleaded guilty for his role in the Jafari scheme and the De Moya scheme and is awaiting a sentencing date.

            “Today’s verdict, and the investigation that preceded it, demonstrate the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s unwavering commitment to prosecuting and holding accountable individuals who seek to corrupt our local government agencies by bribing the public officials who work within them,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The defendants in these cases entered multiyear conspiracies to defraud the District of Columbia and its citizens. We will continue our tireless efforts to confront and eradicate such acts of corruption.”

            “Today’s guilty verdict is a positive step toward bringing Mr. Jafari and his co-conspirators to justice for their scheme to defraud the government and taxpayers of the District of Columbia,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacobs. “The FBI will continue to work aggressively with our partners to enforce public corruption laws.”

            The statutory maximum sentence for conspiracy is five years in prison; for bribery, is 15 years in prison; and for wire fraud, is 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton will determine the appropriate sentence based on the guideline range and other factors.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves commended the work of the agencies who investigated the case, including the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General, with substantial assistance by the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Integrity and Oversight.  He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Liliana Villamizar Michon Tart, Amanda Rhode, and Mariela Andrade, and former paralegal specialist Aisha Keys.

            Finally, he acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Miller and Timothy Visser, who prosecuted the case at trial, and Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Miller and Molly Gaston, who investigated the case.

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U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation Into Overdose Death of Individual in Police Custody

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and a Special Agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). On Feb. 2, 2023, a 44-year-old District resident, M.P., died of an overdose after ingesting narcotics. The detective and special agent were the last persons to see the decedent, who died at the MPD Second District Police Station while in the custody of law enforcement.

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, cell block security camera footage, body-worn camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from MPD.

            According to the evidence, at about 6:44 a.m. on Feb. 2, M.P. was arrested pursuant to a D.C. Superior Court warrant. M.P. was cooperative during the arrest and transported to the Second District Police Station for processing on the warrant. M.P. was coherent and cooperative and did not appear to be in distress during processing. After being placed in a cell, M.P. covered the cell block camera. After using the toilet, M.P. fell to the floor. The detective and special agent, unaware of the fall, attempted to interview him minutes later but M.P. appeared to be either sleeping or unwilling to speak with them. Later, M.P. was discovered unconscious in his cell. Emergency efforts to save his life were unsuccessful.  An autopsy performed on Feb. 3, 2023, and a subsequent toxicology review, determined that M.P. died as result of the combined effects of ingesting cocaine, fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and heroin. 

            After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the detective and special agent demonstrated deliberate indifference to M.P.’s condition or otherwise willfully violated M.P.’s rights.

Investigations generally

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. 

            The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.

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Defense News: Navy Recruiting Command Announces Fiscal Year 2023 Recruiting Results, 2024 Goals

Source: United States Navy

Despite a challenging and competitive environment, our talented recruiters made tremendous efforts in FY23. These efforts resulted in 6,000 more contracted future Sailors than the previous year, and helped us close the gap on our forecasted miss by 40 percent. We are pleased with the quality of recruits who joined the Navy, and these future Sailors share our core values of honor, courage, and commitment.

Navy recruiters and Sailors across the fleet will continue to connect with qualified future Sailors who desire to join the Navy and are motivated to serve in defense of our nation.

• FY23 concluded with the following numbers:
o Enlisted (Active): 30,236 (Goal: 37,700)
o Officer (Active): 2,080 (Goal: 2,532)
o Enlisted (Reserve/prior service): 1,948/4,394 (Goal: 3,000/5,390)
o Officer (Reserve): 1,167 (Goal: 1,940)
• For FY24, our goals include:
o Enlisted (Active): 40,600
o Officer (Active): 2,807
o Enlisted (Reserve): 7,619
o Officer (Reserve): 1,785

Throughout FY23, the Navy placed an increased emphasis on updating recruitment policies and expanding the population of qualified individuals.

Financial incentives included record-high enlistment bonuses of up to $75,000, and the return of the student loan repayment program offered up to $65,000. Raising the maximum enlistment age from 39 to 41 and increasing Category IV accessions for Armed Forces Qualification Test scores in the 10th-30th percentile to the 20% maximum allowed by policy provided opportunity for more eligible candidates to join. By carefully evaluating individual circumstances and granting waivers where appropriate, such as for tattoos, single parents or positive drug and alcohol tests, the Navy was able to consider individuals who may have previously been disqualified.

Mirroring an Army program, the Navy also started Future Sailor Preparatory Courses for physical fitness and academic skills development at boot camp, to support recruits in meeting or exceeding the Navy’s accession standards.

The “Every Sailor a Recruiter” program was another initiative launched in FY23 that encouraged Sailors to share their positive experiences of naval service and was instrumental in identifying talent. When Sailors referred a potential qualified candidate that led to a future Sailor contract, Sailors received a flag letter of commendation, which could give them an advantage with promotion.

Many of the initiatives and programs supporting the recruiting mission in FY23 will carry on into FY24, while the Navy builds more pathways of opportunity for all qualified individuals who choose to serve. Outreach and engagement opportunities will increase awareness about the Navy, its people and mission, while Navy recruiters and Sailors across the fleet will continue to connect with qualified future Sailors who desire to join the Navy and are motivated to serve in defense of the nation.

To learn about careers, joining the Navy, and the latest incentives, visit https://www.navy.com.

Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions, Navy Recruiting Reserve Command, and 26 Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations around the world. Their mission is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.

For more news from Navy Recruiting Command, go to https://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on X (@USNRecruiter), Instagram (@USNRecruiter), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/comnavcruitcom), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CommanderNavyRecruitingCommand).

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Defense News: USS Jack H Lucas Commissions in the Sun State at Port Tampa Bay

Source: United States Navy

DDG 125 is named for Pfc. Jack Lucas, who served in the U.S. Marines during World War II, earning the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Iwo Jima, when he was just 17 years old. He is the youngest Marine, and the youngest service member in World War II, to be awarded the United States’ highest military decoration for valor. In 1961, he returned to military service as a captain in the U.S. Army and trained younger troops headed for Vietnam. Lucas passed away on June 5, 2008, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

During the ceremony, guest speaker Under Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Erik Raven wished the crew of Jack H Lucas fair winds and following seas as the ship begins its commissioned service.

“Commissioning the Jack H. Lucas means we continue to deliver fast, agile, and networked surface combatants to the Navy. The Jack H. Lucas is built to fight. It is a fast, maneuverable, versatile, and lethal ship – capable of tackling any mission it is given,” said Raven. “It will keep the Navy and Marine Corps adaptive and ready, and also uphold our commitment to maintaining the free flow of commerce, deterring military aggression, and facilitating quick responses to natural disasters across the globe.”

Ruby Lucas, one of the ship’s sponsors, and Jack’s wife at the time of his death, emotionally thanked the audience for coming to honor her husband before giving the order to “man our ship and bring her to life!” alongside co-sponsor, philanthropist Catherine B. Reynolds.

On behalf of the President of the United Sates and for the Secretary of the Navy, the 20th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Carlos Ruiz, USMC, placed the USS Jack H Lucas into commission.

“Something inside Lucas’ souls said, ‘I need to get to the fight.’ And fight he did,” Ruiz reflected. “The Navy and the Marine Corps team – our destinies are intertwined. The Navy, the ship, represents the perseverance of Americans. This beautiful ship represents the grit, the determination, of enlisted Marines, enlisted Sailors, and all of us that we will not give up until we win.”

“My charge to you and your team is to keep that tenacity, that toughness, and grit going because the challenges will keep coming,” Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command counseled Oster and his crew. “It will be hard, but I know that you and the 330 of the Navy’s finest Sailors are the team to do it. Your namesake, 17-year-old Medal of Honor recipient, Jack H Lucas, carried that same fiery passion.”

Capt. Brett Oster, Jack H Lucas’ commanding officer, recognized the driving force behind the ship’s namesake, and how his crew reflects that memory.

“There is something you can never, ever deny about Jack H Lucas. That man loved this country. That is why we’re here, because we love this country. You can never take that away – his dedication,” said Oster. “When you have a purpose, and you have dedication, and you have vision, and you have teamwork, anything that you set your sites on can come together.”

To cap off a week of special memories, three Sailors were meritoriously promoted at the close of the commissioning ceremony, Petty Officer First Class Boatswain’s Mate Victor Mejia, Petty Officer Second Class Boatswain’s Mate Lloyd Tillman, and Petty Officer Third Class Damage Controlman Ruben Rubio.

Today’s commissioning ceremony is the culmination of five years of work from everyone involved in the construction of Jack H Lucas, its operations, and all those involved in bringing the ship to life.

The city of Tampa and its residents welcomed the ship and its crew with events throughout the week. Along with other residents, family, and friends, the Tampa Lightening toured the ship to see the new technology aboard the first Flight III Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer. In turn the Lightening invited the crew on the ice not only to present their ship’s color guard, but to introduce the Jack H Lucas’ first, new chief petty officers. Local restaurants opened their kitchens to the ship’s culinary specialists, teaching the Sailors advanced techniques used for the chef’s dining rooms.

Honoring the whole of Lucas’ life, his widow Ruby, The Trail of Honor Foundation, and Flags of Honor Escort presented the ship with a vest adorned with his Medal of Honor. The vest traveled to Jack’s gravesite in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; numerous locations and Memorials to include the United States Marine Corps War Memorial and the World War II Memorial; the Never Forget Flag travelled to or thorough 20 states and the District of Columbia, amassing a total of 11,325.8 miles as part of Jack’s Vest Run before the presentation earlier this week.

The ship’s motto, “Indestructible” is reflection of Lucas’ survival, first on Iwo Jima and later from several other traumatic events after the war that rivaled his exploits as a Marine.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence to national security providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface and subsurface. The Flight III upgrade is centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity.

USS Jack H Lucas is the first AEGIS Weapon System, Baseline 10, to be commissioned. It integrates air and missile defense capability with the new AN/SPY6(V)(1) air and missile defense radar to provide significantly greater detection and tracking capacity among its warfighting capabilities across mission areas. Flight III also incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity, plus additional associated changes to provide enhanced warfighting capability to the fleet.

The mission of CNSP is to man, train, and equip the Surface Force to provide fleet commanders with credible naval power to control the sea and project power ashore.

For more news from Naval Surface Forces, visit DVIDS – Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/COMNAVSURFPAC, and Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/.

For additional information about the ship visit, USS Jack H Lucas (DDG 125), https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/ddg125/.