Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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Former West Virginia Supervisory Correctional Officer Found Guilty Following Jury Trial on Conspiracy and Obstruction Charges

Source: United States Department of Justice

Following a four-day jury trial, Chad Lester, a former lieutenant at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia, was found guilty yesterday of conspiracy, witness tampering, and giving false statements to the FBI. The charges arose out of a staff assault of an inmate named Quantez Burks, who later died from injuries he suffered during the assault. Seven correctional officers pleaded guilty in connection with the assault of Burks; several of those former officers testified against the defendant during the trial. The defendant faced charges related to his efforts to obstruct the investigation into the assault.

According to the evidence presented at trial, the defendant conspired with other officers at the Southern Regional Jail to tamper with witnesses to cover up the assault of Burks. The evidence showed the defendant directed a subordinate correctional officer to leave truthful information out of his report related to the circumstances of Burks’ death. The defendant directed another officer to include in his report false information about Burks. The defendant told a third officer that he would beat him if he discovered that the officer was providing information about the assault to investigators. Finally, the defendant provided false information relating to the assault of Burks to the FBI during an interview.

Lester is scheduled for sentencing on April 16 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office, Charleston Resident Agency, investigated the case.

Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

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Defense News: Operation Southern Spear: Latest Development in Operationalizing Robotic and Autonomous Systems

Source: United States Navy

MAYPORT, Fla.  –  U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is advancing the Navy’s Hybrid Fleet Campaign through Operation Southern Spear, which will start later this month in U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility (USSOUTHCOM AOR) and at U.S. 4th Fleet Headquarters at Naval Station Mayport.
 
“Southern Spear will operationalize a heterogeneous mix of Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) to support the detection and monitoring of illicit trafficking while learning lessons for other theaters,” said Cmdr. Foster Edwards, 4th Fleet’s Hybrid Fleet Director. “Southern Spear will continue our (4th Fleet’s) move away from short-duration experimentation into long-duration operations that will help develop critical techniques and procedures in integrating RAS into the maritime environment.”
 
Specifically, Operation Southern Spear will deploy long-dwell robotic surface vessels, small robotic interceptor boats, and vertical take-off and landing robotic air vessels to the USSOUTHCOM AOR. 4th Fleet will operationalize these unmanned systems through integration with U.S. Coast Guard cutters at sea and operations centers at 4th Fleet and Joint Interagency Task Force South. Southern Spear’s results will help determine combinations of unmanned vehicles and manned forces needed to provide coordinated maritime domain awareness and conduct counternarcotics operations.
 
U.S. 4th Fleet is conducting Operation Southern Spear in support of our Navy’s Project 33 targets to operationalize RAS. Using RAS to increase presence in, and awareness of, strategically and economically important maritime regions will help decision-making, strengthen sovereignty, and facilitate regional cooperation.
 
“Operation Southern Spear is the next step in our Hybrid Fleet Campaign,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet. “We look forward to the results of Southern Spear. Hybrid Fleet operations increase our collaboration with partners in the region while furthering the Navy’s tactics, techniques, procedures, and processes.”
 
U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the trusted maritime partner for Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security and stability.

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Former Alabama Jail Administrator Charged with Federal Civil Rights Violation, Falsifying a Report and Making False Statements to Investigators

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, returned an indictment yesterday charging former Crenshaw County Jail Administrator Christian Alexander Porter, 33, with assaulting a handcuffed and compliant inmate at Crenshaw County Jail. Porter was also charged with falsifying a report and making false statements to state and federal investigators.

The indictment alleges that, on or about Oct. 12, 2021, Porter used unreasonable force on a pre-trial detainee while acting under color of law in violation of the 14th Amendment and falsified a use of force report to cover up his assault of the victim. The indictment also charges Porter with making false statements to state and federal investigators on Nov. 18, 2021, and June 28, 2022, respectively.

Porter faces maximum penalties of 10 years in prison for the federal civil rights violation, 20 years in prison for falsifying the report and making false statements to state investigators, and five years in prison for making false statements to federal investigators. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Kathleen Wolfe of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin P. Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama and Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the FBI Mobile Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Mobile Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Counts for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

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New Jersey Return Preparer Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns and Obstructing the IRS

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

An indictment was unsealed last week charging a New Jersey return preparer with preparing and filing 55 false income tax returns on behalf of clients and obstructing the IRS.

According to the indictment, from at least 2018 through 2023, Christopher Demba, of Hillsborough, owned and operated Demba & Associates CPA LLC, a return preparation business. Demba allegedly prepared returns for clients that claimed false deductions, credit carryforwards or fraudulently recategorized income to claim expenses that would otherwise be disallowed. The indictment further alleges that Demba obstructed the IRS by providing false working papers to IRS personnel in an attempt to justify some of the claims made on returns he prepared for clients. 

If convicted, Demba faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Alexis Hughes of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.