Source: United States Spaceforce
The DAF recently conducted a proactive review and upgrade of personnel records, identifying 377 who were involuntarily discharged solely for declining the COVID-19 vaccination, ensuring individuals who met the eligibility requirements receive the full amount of post-service benefits.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Ford Motor Company (Ford) and the Borough of Ringwood, New Jersey, have agreed to a consent decree with the United States under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund law.
This agreement requires Ford and Ringwood to perform the final phase of cleanup, known as Operable Unit 3, at the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site located in Ringwood, New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Administrator of the New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund are also parties to the agreement as co-plaintiffs with the United States. The cleanup, expected to cost $3.4 million, addresses benzene, 1,4-dioxane, and lead contamination in groundwater and mine water associated with the historic disposal of paint sludge and other industrial waste at the Site. In the future, this groundwater may be used as a drinking water source for nearby communities. But today, use of the contaminated groundwater would pose an unacceptable health risk to those communities; this risk will be addressed by the cleanup required by this settlement.
The approximately 500-acre Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site is located in a historic iron mining district and includes forested land, abandoned mine pits and shafts, a closed municipal landfill, and areas currently used as state parkland, utility corridors, and municipal property. Several brooks drain the site and ultimately flow to the Wanaque Reservoir, a drinking water source for more than two million New Jersey residents.
From the late 1960s through the early 1970s, portions of the site were used to dispose of waste materials, including paint sludge and other industrial waste generated at Ford’s automobile assembly plant in Mahwah, New Jersey. Investigations found that some of these materials contributed to contamination in soil, groundwater, surface water, and mine shafts.
The site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1983, removed in 1994 after cleanup actions were completed, and restored to the list in 2006 following the discovery of additional contamination. EPA divided the site into multiple cleanup areas, known as operable units. Cleanup work under Operable Unit 2, which addresses contaminated soil, waste, and fill material in several former mine and disposal areas, is nearing completion under a consent decree entered in 2020.
The agreement addressing Operable Unit 3 at the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site represents the final stage of cleanup, bringing to a close over four decades of investigation and remedial work. For more information about the Ringwood Mines/Landfill Superfund Site, visit www.epa.gov/superfund/ringwood-mines.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) made the announcement.
EPA investigated the case.
ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section is handling the case.
The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The settlement is subject to a public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree will be available for viewing on the Justice Department’s website at: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Source: United States Department of Justice
A Tennessee woman was sentenced today to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with her involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Katrina Favret, of Greenville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2025, to conspiring to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos,” and with creating animal crush videos.
According to court documents, Favret used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to create videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. Favret would send specific instructions describing the acts of torture she wished to see and would then distribute the resulting videos to others in the online group.
According to a statement of facts Favret signed, the videos in question included numerous depictions of extreme violence and torture against monkeys that had been specifically requested by the defendant and her co-conspirators.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A federal jury convicted James Edward Sweat, 40, of Norfolk, for using a drug involved premises, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Orlando, Florida – Justin Vancott-Harnish (29, St. Cloud) has been charged by federal indictment for trafficking of a minor. If convicted, Vancott-Harnish faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Jacksonville, Florida – Marcos Jimeniz-Gonzalez (45) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger to 30 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Jimeniz-Gonzalez pleaded guilty on December 11, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Fort Myers, Florida – Arturo Sanchez-Morales (54, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell to three years in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after a prior deportation. Sanchez-Morales pleaded guilty on January 9, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Jacksonville, Florida – Michael Deon Woulard (49, Gainesville) has pleaded guilty to robbery and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Woulard faces a minimum penalty of 14 years, up to two life terms plus 20 years, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
Derrick Thomas Martin, 33, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in the U.S. District Court on four federal charges stemming from his 2024 arrest before which he flung a backpack containing a loaded firearm and substantial quantities of cocaine and fentanyl from an apartment building window.
Source: United States Army
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – Being a part of the largest population of U.S. citizens outside the continental United States means facing unique challenges and threats. Terrorism is the most notable of those threats, requiring vigilance and awareness from all members of the total force community to make sure no threats are ever carried out.
Emily Roemer, Antiterrorism Officer with U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’ Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security (DPTMS), encourages Soldiers and families to remain vigilant and aware of any potential threats and report any suspicious activity to the right channels.
Roemer highlighted a few important things to look out for when out in public.
“A good rule of thumb to go by is if it looks sketchy, it probably is,” said Roemer.
She explained that if anything that looks strange or out of place, like a person wearing overly concealing clothing in the summer heat, someone surveying or taking notes on a place of interest – particularly a military installation gate or high-traffic area – it deserves a second look.
Roemer said high school students and young adults are helpful sensors for suspicious activity and encourages students to trust their gut and know how to use their resources to report any suspicious activity they notice.
“Even if students aren’t comfortable going directly to the police, telling a parent or teacher works just as well,” said Roemer.
Maintaining Operational Security, or OPSEC, is another measure everyone can practice to protect themselves and their communities.
“It’s hard to grasp just how many people out there can be listening for information,” Roemer cautioned.
OPSEC means being mindful of what information you’re posting or talking about. Always double check to make sure social media posts, conversations you’re having in public or any other form of public communication does not contain any sensitive information that could be harmful if it falls into the wrong hands.
Being careful of what questions you answer is also important, Roemer said. Bad actors may pose seemingly casual or normal questions that, while sounding innocent, are really attempts to get sensitive information.
She advised that if a stranger asks probing questions about deployment history, operations, training schedules, unit names or temporary duty (TDY), you should avoid answering to protect sensitive details.
Additionally, Roemer noted that high-traffic areas and mass gathering events are at higher risk for potential threats.
“Parades, concerts, and especially the yearly Octoberfest celebrations provide a lot of opportunities for bad actors to take advantage of,” said Roemer.
While it’s always a good idea to be mindful anytime you’re out in public, Roemer said it’s important to be extra vigilant for threats and suspicious activity around places and events like these.
USAG Rheinland-Pfalz’ award-winning anti-terrorism program always works to ensure the garrison and our communities are always supported and prepared for any threat that may arise.
To report any suspicious activity, call the garrison’s Military Police at 0611-143-541-7007/7008 or DSN 531-2677, or use the garrison’s suspicious activity reporting tool, https://forms.osi.apps.mil/r/j7VryiMv4g. In the event of an emergency, dial 110 for law enforcement or 112 for fire services from any phone to connect with emergency services.
To learn more about DPTMS operations, visit https://home.army.mil/rheinland-pfalz/index.php/about/directorates-support-offices/s357-operations-dptms/operations
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz sets, serves and secures the total force community, enabling power projection for the European Theater.
Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/usag_rp