Source: United States Department of Justice
A 35-year-old man is in federal custody after being charged for possessing numerous illicit drugs intended for distribution. After his initial encounter with law enforcement, he fled the country. Authorities located him in Asia where he was arrested and extradited back to the United States.
Source: United States Army
75th USARIC Fleet Assessment Team establishes equipment benchmarks that measure performance during OSJ 26
CAMP SHELBY, Miss. — Equipment utilization across future battlefields is a subject of great interest to the U.S. Army, but planning for the future requires evaluation today. The 75th U.S. Army Reserve Innovation Command’s involvement during Operations Sentinel Justice 26 included their Fleet Assessment Team addressing that exact concern, establishing performance benchmarks that impact exercises of tomorrow.
Their mission: gather real‑world performance data from Army Reserve rotational training units using military equipment in realistic, contested training environments.
The Fleet Assessment Team included five Soldiers from the Army Sustainment Command’s Army Reserve Element and an additional four civilians: two from the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command and two from the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. The team’s specialty is understanding how Army equipment performs across its entire lifecycle—from fielding to long‑term sustainment. During OSJ 26, that expertise was applied to a wide range of systems.
“Our job is to help Soldiers and maintainers understand why their equipment failed, how to fix it, and how to keep it from failing again,” said Lt. Col. David Yarwood, officer in charge, Fleet Assessment Team, Army Sustainment Command – Army Reserve Element, 75th USARIC, who led the fleet assessment effort during the exercise. “We want them to have all the equipment they need to train to standard, to train how they fight and fight to win.”
The Fleet Assessment Team served as the connective tissue between the training audience, consisting of MP units, logistics units and command elements, and the Logistics Assistance Representatives. The Fleet Assessment Team leveraged the LARS and Power Business Intelligence dashboards to identify trends and areas of concern with critical equipment, including power and environmental systems, lower tactical infrastructure communication equipment, combat support systems, and Soldier chemical and biological equipment.
OSJ 26 provided the ideal environment for that mission: a large-scale, multi-state exercise with more than 12,000 Army Reserve Soldiers training across complex, multi-domain scenarios.
The Fleet Assessment Team focused on evaluating equipment, including:
Joint Battle Command-Platform systems (JBC-P)
FM radios
Generators and environmental control units
Wheeled vehicles
Refrigeration trailers
Laundry Advanced Systems
The Fleet Assessment Team’s presence at OSJ 26 reflects a broader shift in how the Army Reserve utilizes LARs. Previously, USAR employed LARs in support of rotations at the Joint Reserve Training Center and National Training Center for Active Duty and National Guard brigade-level missions. OSJ 26 represents the first time Army Reserve Soldiers have provided Fleet Assessment Team capabilities to a COMPO 3 exercise.
“Army Reserve, National Guard, and Active Duty all use the same equipment, and we see similar issues across the entire force. We’re just glad to be able to help Soldiers wherever they need it,” said Michael Clark, a TACOM LAR with the Fleet Assessment Team.
Their work extended beyond simple observation. The team conducted structured interviews, collected user feedback, and documented performance issues in real time. Fleet Assessment also coordinated with assigned LARs to troubleshoot problems, validate fixes, and ensure that as much equipment as possible remained operational throughout the exercise.
“Our goal is to arm commanders with the best information possible about what goes wrong and why from a maintenance perspective,” said Capt. Alan Rhodes, fleet assessment officer, ASC-ARE, 75th USARIC. “What we learned here will help the Army grow and maintain operational readiness, which is critical to ensure the success of any real-world mission or training exercise.”
For the 75th USARIC, the exercise reinforced the command’s role as a catalyst for innovation across the Army Reserve and the total force; and for the Fleet Assessment Team, it demonstrated the value of meeting Soldiers where they train—capturing insights that only emerge in the dirt, heat, and pressure of real-world operations. In total, the Fleet Assessment Team impacted over 500 pieces of CECOM and TACOM managed equipment and provided over 40 hours of training to more than 50 Soldiers.
As OSJ 26 concludes, the Fleet Assessment team departs with a wealth of data, user insights, and recommendations that will provide the training audience with critical maintenance takeaways to improve their operational readiness for future exercises. These takeaways include recommendations on how to plan, prepare, and execute maintenance leading up to and during any mission or training event.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed from the country on three prior occasions.
Source: United States Department of Justice
Today, OIP and OGIS, in collaboration with the Department of the Interior (DOI), request input from federal FOIA programs in the creation of a central FOIA technology inventory. Once completed, the inventory will serve as a living resource available to federal agencies to help inform FOIA technology acquisition and implementation decisions.
We ask agencies to designate personnel familiar with your agency’s FOIA technology to work with Dr. Jeremy Frazier at DOI on recording your agency’s technology assets. Contact information for Dr. Frazier and additional information can be found here.
Source: United States Department of Justice
A former Army soldier pleaded guilty today to child exploitation crimes he committed while living in Alaska and Texas, including attempted production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting minors known to him, and trafficking of CSAM.
Herrera
According to court documents, beginning in March 2021, Seth Herrera, 36, previously of El Paso, Texas, started using The Onion Router (TOR) and multiple encrypted and/or privacy-enhancing applications to access, possess, receive, and transport CSAM on his cell phones. Herrera used these phones to browse the dark web and used encrypted messaging applications to seek out, access and receive CSAM. He created his own publicly accessible group on one of the platforms where he stored his preferred CSAM files. In six weeks, he uploaded over 100 files to this group.
Across various applications, Herrera participated in hundreds of groups and channels dedicated to CSAM. At the time, the defendant belonged to over 400 Telegram groups and over 1,400 Telegram channels alone. Some groups focused on CSAM involving bestiality, incest, and infants/toddlers. Law enforcement seized Herrera’s devices in May 2024 and discovered tens of thousands of CSAM videos and images, depicting sadistic and masochistic content of boys and girls ranging in age from infant through pubescent.
Starting in December 2022, Herrera also used various AI chatbots on Telegram and other websites to create morphed CSAM. In some instances, Herrera would take non-explicit images of children, some known to him personally, and use AI to undress and morph bodies, and make it appear as if they were engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
While fueling his desire for online CSAM, beginning in March 2021, Herrera started taking surreptitious photos and recordings of minors known to him in El Paso, Texas. In December 2022, Herrera captured screenshots of minors via security cameras around his home. In one instance, Herrera used AI chatbots to enhance and improve the quality of an explicit screenshot. In total, Herrera secretly produced at least 28 photos and two videos of one minor from security cameras.
Herrera moved to Alaska in August 2023 and transported all his CSAM files across state lines because they were stored in password-protected photo vaults on his phones.
On Aug. 23, 2024, Herrera was arrested at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, where he served as a Specialist, after a federal grand jury indicted him on transportation, receipt and possession of child pornography. On May 14, 2025, a grand jury in the Western District of Texas indicted Herrera on production and receipt of child pornography related to his conduct in El Paso. Herrera entered his plea under a global plea agreement after the Western District of Texas transferred their case to the District of Alaska on June 15, 2026.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29 and faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas, Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (ARMY CID) Western Field Office made the announcement.
HSI and Army CID investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. CEOS Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case in Texas.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Source: United States Department of Justice
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware to 51 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally reentering the United States after having been removed from the country on three prior occasions.
Source: United States Department of Justice
A former Army soldier pleaded guilty today to child exploitation crimes he committed while living in Alaska and Texas, including attempted production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting minors known to him, and trafficking of CSAM.
Herrera
According to court documents, beginning in March 2021, Seth Herrera, 36, previously of El Paso, Texas, started using The Onion Router (TOR) and multiple encrypted and/or privacy-enhancing applications to access, possess, receive, and transport CSAM on his cell phones. Herrera used these phones to browse the dark web and used encrypted messaging applications to seek out, access and receive CSAM. He created his own publicly accessible group on one of the platforms where he stored his preferred CSAM files. In six weeks, he uploaded over 100 files to this group.
Across various applications, Herrera participated in hundreds of groups and channels dedicated to CSAM. At the time, the defendant belonged to over 400 Telegram groups and over 1,400 Telegram channels alone. Some groups focused on CSAM involving bestiality, incest, and infants/toddlers. Law enforcement seized Herrera’s devices in May 2024 and discovered tens of thousands of CSAM videos and images, depicting sadistic and masochistic content of boys and girls ranging in age from infant through pubescent.
Starting in December 2022, Herrera also used various AI chatbots on Telegram and other websites to create morphed CSAM. In some instances, Herrera would take non-explicit images of children, some known to him personally, and use AI to undress and morph bodies, and make it appear as if they were engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
While fueling his desire for online CSAM, beginning in March 2021, Herrera started taking surreptitious photos and recordings of minors known to him in El Paso, Texas. In December 2022, Herrera captured screenshots of minors via security cameras around his home. In one instance, Herrera used AI chatbots to enhance and improve the quality of an explicit screenshot. In total, Herrera secretly produced at least 28 photos and two videos of one minor from security cameras.
Herrera moved to Alaska in August 2023 and transported all his CSAM files across state lines because they were stored in password-protected photo vaults on his phones.
On Aug. 23, 2024, Herrera was arrested at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, where he served as a Specialist, after a federal grand jury indicted him on transportation, receipt and possession of child pornography. On May 14, 2025, a grand jury in the Western District of Texas indicted Herrera on production and receipt of child pornography related to his conduct in El Paso. Herrera entered his plea under a global plea agreement after the Western District of Texas transferred their case to the District of Alaska on June 15, 2026.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29 and faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas, Acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (ARMY CID) Western Field Office made the announcement.
HSI and Army CID investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson for the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. CEOS Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory J. Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case in Texas.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
Source: United States Department of Justice
Today, OIP and OGIS, in collaboration with the Department of the Interior (DOI), request input from federal FOIA programs in the creation of a central FOIA technology inventory. Once completed, the inventory will serve as a living resource available to federal agencies to help inform FOIA technology acquisition and implementation decisions.
We ask agencies to designate personnel familiar with your agency’s FOIA technology to work with Dr. Jeremy Frazier at DOI on recording your agency’s technology assets. Contact information for Dr. Frazier and additional information can be found here.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Samuel Flores de Dios, 36, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after he placed a camera in his bedroom and recorded himself sexually abusing a victim who was under 13-years old. He was also required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, on several occasions between February 2025 and March 2025, Flores de Dios brought the minor victim to his residence in Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he sexually abused her. On at least four different occasions, Flores de Dios recorded the sexual acts using cellular telephones positioned around his bedroom. One of the cellular telephones belonging to Flores de Dios also contained videos of a second adult male abusing the victim.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Weindorf of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by HSI with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Angelica Carrasco of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney, in conjunction with our partner agencies in the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) announce the following prosecutorial results for the week of June 15 through June 18, 2026. The HSTF is a permanent, interagency law enforcement task force created by executive order to combat transnational criminal organizations—including cartels, trafficking networks, and foreign terrorist organizations.