Category: MIL-OSI

Source: US FBI

Some families have done their own investigations to flush out clues after feeling rebuffed in their initial encounters with police. A few at the Salt River event gave leads to investigators, hoping they might help them assemble the puzzle.

“This is an opportunity to make it right and to do better,” said Savalas, who was a local victim advocate in the Pima County Attorney’s Office in Tucson, Arizona, before joining the FBI.

Communities tend to be close-knit, said Alane Breland, chief prosecutor of the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. But open-house attendees seemed eager to meet with representatives of agencies that might be able to help. She worked closely with Savalas to organize the event, and she reiterated the importance of the FBI and other agencies meeting with tribal members where they are.

“If you want people to feel comfortable sharing deeply personal information, the least you can do is come to them,” Breland said. “And this shows the FBI is willing to do that. NamUs is willing to do that. The U.S. Attorney’s Office. I think that says a lot. It really builds a bridge.”

“They feel like their cases are important—that someone will come to them and provide that service,” she continued. “So, I think that sends a positive message.”

Regina Thompson, assistant director of the FBI Victim Services Division, said understanding the needs of the various communities it serves is essential to the mission. 

“This includes our Indigenous communities, which is especially important as they currently face high rates of human trafficking, murder, and violence,” Thompson said. “We commit ourselves every day to understanding, protecting, and servicing this community.” 

Future events in Arizona will be on the Gila River Indian Community, the Navajo Nation, the Tohono O’odham Nation, and Pascua Yaqui’s native lands.

Monica Martinez arrived at the March 1 event with her younger siblings. She’s the oldest of four kids—and a single mother of five. She talked about how she and Hector had to step up after their parents died. She said Hector had his troubles, but he was always the first to lend a hand or stand up to bullies if anyone needed it.

“He took care of my mom. He took care of my kids. He always made sure that everything was done,” Martinez said. “He made mistakes, like we all do. But when he could, he was always there for everybody.”

Martinez said her heart jumped when Savalas called from the FBI. She thought there was news of her brother. But the invitation to talk to investigators about his case was the next best thing, she said. She marked it on her calendar weeks in advance and told her siblings to do the same.

“When I heard about the FBI and the community, it felt somebody really cared who was going to really be helpful,” she said. “Today made me feel like something was going to happen, that maybe I’ll get some results. Maybe I’ll get some closure to find out if my brother’s still alive. Today made me feel like there was some resolve. Like something was actually going to get done.”

Source: US FBI

On October 12, 2017, Ignatova was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and a federal warrant was issued for her arrest. Investigators believe Ignatova may have been tipped off that she was under investigation by U.S. and international authorities. She traveled from Sofia, Bulgaria, to Athens, Greece, on October 25, 2017, and has not been seen since.

On February 6, 2018, a superseding indictment was issued charging Ignatova with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and securities fraud.

Shimko hopes that the publicity of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list will bring more awareness to the case. “There are so many victims all over the world who were financially devastated by this,” Shimko said. “We want to bring her to justice.”

Source: US FBI

As part of our ongoing efforts to address violent crime nationally, the FBI and our partners conducted several law enforcement actions around the country recently, taking suspected violent criminals off the streets.

Twenty two subjects, including many Lindo Park Crips gang members, were charged in a 70-count indictment for their alleged involvement in the sale of numerous Glock conversion devices, 17 firearms, transferring or possessing a machine gun, as well as trafficking narcotics, such as fentanyl, cocaine, and MDMA. The extensive investigation also included the execution of several search warrants leading to the seizure of another 62 firearms, ammunition, and additional narcotics. The FBI’s Violent Street Gang Task Force and the Arizona Department of Public Safety conducted investigations, along with FBI SWAT teams from Phoenix, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and the Phoenix Police Department who assisted during the operations. Other partner agencies included the ATF, DEA, HSI, and the USMS.

​Three Sonoma County Hells Angels were convicted in the Northern California of racketeering conspiracy and related crimes, including murder, assault, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, witness intimidation, and illegal firearms possession. The Hells Angels are a transnational violent outlaw motorcycle gang with numerous chapters across the country who work cooperatively with other Hells Angels chapters to engage in extensive criminal activity.

​Sixteen subjects in Kansas and Missouri were indicted on federal conspiracy to distribute cocaine, meth, and fentanyl. The subjects allegedly conspired to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine, and one subject was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, a Springfield .40-caliber handgun.

Five members of the Gangster Disciples were indicted in Georgia for allegedly murdering three people. Additionally, an operation in the South Lake Tahoe area recovered “ghost” pistols and assault rifles (firearms that are hard for law enforcement to track due to lack of serial numbers) and a multi-agency investigation in Waco, Texas, disrupted a meth distribution ring.

Learn more about the FBI’s work in investigating violent crime at fbi.gov/violentcrime. Report tips to tips.fbi.gov; you can remain anonymous.

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

Source: US FBI

Whether it be an email, financial transaction, or key witness, when you finally find that key piece of evidence, it is truly an “a-ha” moment. Late one night I was sitting at my desk, pouring through documents, and I discovered a pattern of ATM withdrawals and cash deposits that revealed a long-term member of Congress had been stealing from a charity she publicly endorsed. She was later convicted, and the success of this investigation is one of my proudest career moments.

Share the thing you’re most proud of from your FBI career.

I am thrilled that my career has now sparked desire in my two daughters to become FBI special agents, a path that never crossed my mind when I was their age. They have witnessed my hard work and dedication and have seen my love for the job. They have even come to watch me at trial.

My mom jokes that I use my “FBI voice” from time-to-time—confident and inquisitive, but courteous. As young women, I also want my girls to have an “FBI voice” and be strong and speak with purpose.

Source: US FBI

What does it mean to make room at the table? Why does it matter?

I am a firm believer in making room at the table for other women. It is both empowering and inspirational that women are occupying more roles in the FBI than ever before. Still, I have been at many tables, both in law enforcement and private sector settings, where I am the only female. At one such table, I remember confronting a subject on a particular inconsistency in his story. In that moment, I understood the weight of the responsibility that I was carrying. Not only was I representing the Bureau, but I was honoring the women who came before me and setting the stage for women who would follow. I am mindful of this and encourage other women to accompany me on engagements, whether it is another agent, intelligence analyst, forensic accountant, or professional staff.

It is important for everyone to see women succeed in and be authorities in these roles. I have also learned to advocate for the things I believe in, without worrying about ruffling feathers, and believe me, I’ve ruffled feathers! Everyone brings unique and varied experiences to any position. That diversity of thought only serves to strengthen the whole community, which ultimately leads to amazing results.

What is the best career or life advice you’ve been given?

Family first. I care deeply about my cases, and complex case investigations require long hours and intense work. I want my cases to be prosecuted; I want to see justice served and a remedy for victims. But there is also a trade-off because when I’m knee-deep in interviews and financial records, I’m spending less time with my family. I miss games, competitions, school events, and I’m conducting surveillance on Mother’s Day.

I have learned to thoughtfully evaluate situations as they arise and consider the time investment required before accepting, negotiating, or declining opportunities. Shifting into the private sector coordinator position affords me the flexibility to be more intentional with my time. This helps me feel better about my “mom guilt” because when I’m at the end of my life, I know I’m not going to say, “Boy, I wish I had spent less time with my family.”

Describe your most memorable case or investigative success.

My most memorable case was the investigation into Daylon Pierce. He was a convicted felon who represented himself as a stockbroker on dating websites to meet women and scam them. He defrauded multiple women out of nearly $2 million and spent it all. He bullied these women into silence, and they felt that they had no recourse.

But when two of them came forward to the FBI, we were able to arrest him. The arrest and subsequent indictment received a lot of media attention, which prompted other women to come forward. The brazen nature of the fraud, and the number of women who had been victimized, was very unsettling to me.

I felt like this investigation made a difference to those women who were victimized. Their voices were heard in court, and they helped secure a lengthy prison sentence. The case was subsequently covered on a television show, and my hope is that women who may have been victimized in a similar fashion will see it and find the courage to come forward.

Source: US FBI