Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

            WASHINGTON – Brian J. Cole, Jr., 30, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was arrested this morning and charged for transporting and planting two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on January 5, 2021, at the headquarters of both the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee in Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Cole is charged in a complaint unsealed today with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce with the intent to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual or unlawfully to damage or destroy any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property. He is also charged with attempted malicious destruction by means of fire and explosive materials.

            Joining in the announcement were U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

            “The well-being of our society rests on our ability as law enforcement to safeguard our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When bad actors intervene to disrupt and threat that peace – to destroy the very fabric of our country – we must, we do, and we will track them down and hold them to account for their crimes to the full extent of the law. FBI and members of my office worked around the clock to methodically piece together the clues that ultimately identified the defendant.”

            “Today’s arrest was the result of good, diligent police work and collaboration on a case that languished for four years under the prior administration,” said Attorney General Bondi. “The American people are safer thanks to this morning’s successful operation.”

            “The investigation into the pipe bombs in Washington, D.C. has been a high priority since Deputy Director Bongino and I assumed our roles nine months ago. Since that time, our FBI teams have gone back over every fact and every data point looking for new leads – and today’s arrest is the result of that outstanding work,” said FBI Director Patel. “Although almost five years have passed, this shows the FBI will never rest in bringing justice to those who endanger American lives and our communities. I would like to thank our Washington Field Office, FBI personnel across the country, and our partners for their hard work and dedication which led to this arrest.”

“This historic arrest shows this FBI delivers on its promises to protect the American people,” said FBI Deputy Director Bongino. “The pipe bombs could have caused devastating loss of life and injuries, as well as property damage. I want to thank the FBI employees who worked on this over the years, our law enforcement partners who assisted in the investigation, and the American people for the tips they shared with us.” 

            “Today’s actions underscore the long memory and reach of the FBI,” said FBI’s Cox, the Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office. “The FBI and our partners do not forget. We do not give up. We do not relent. For nearly five years, the investigative team combed through a massive amount of data and leads to identify the suspect arrested today.”

           According to the complaint, during 2019 and 2020, Cole purchased multiple components consistent with those used to manufacture the two IEDs at several retailers in northern Virginia.

            At approximately 1 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, multiple law enforcement agencies received reports of a suspected IEDs near the headquarters of the RNC in Washington, D.C. About 1:15 p.m. the same day, a second suspected IED was reported just a few blocks away near the headquarters of the DNC.

            The Hazardous Devices Section of the United States Capitol Police (USCP) neutralized both devices. Subsequently, the FBI assessed that the two devices contained a main explosive charge, a fuzing system, and a container.

            Video surveillance determined that the same individual placed the devices on the evening of January 5, 2021. The suspect had been wearing dark pants, a grey hooded sweatshirt, dark gloves, Nike Air Max Speed Turf shoes, and a facemask that obscured the person’s face. The video showed the individual adjusting eyeglasses and carrying a backpack.

            On January 5, 2021, about  7:10 p.m., Cole’s Nissan Sentra was observed driving past a License Plate Reader at the South Capitol Street exit from I-395 South, which is less than one-half mile from the location where the individual who placed the devices was first observed on foot near North Carolina and New Jersey Avenues, Southeast.

            Cell phone records further show that Cole’s cell phone communicated with cell towers in the area of the RNC and DNC on January 5, 2021, between 7:39 p.m. and 8:24 p.m. The FBI’s Cellular Analysis and Survey Team determined that the location of Cole’s cell phone during this period corresponded with the path of the suspect identified by the FBI through analysis of video from that day.

            This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the U.S. Capitol Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to nine and a half years of incarceration on his conviction of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, as well as violation of his federal supervised release, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan imposed the sentence on Gerald Underwood, 44, who was found guilty of the firearm charge on June 10, 2025, following a jury trial. Judge Horan imposed a sentence of eight years on the charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and an additional sentence of 18 months (to run consecutive to the eight-year sentence) for Underwood’s violation of federal supervised release.

According to information presented to the Court, on November 9, 2022, Underwood possessed a firearm and ammunition at a gas station in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh. At the time, Underwood was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Underwood has a number of state felony convictions as well as two prior federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Horan noted that Underwood has a history of violent behavior and had not learned from the prior sentences, and stated that she was imposing a sentence above the advisory sentencing range because of the need to protect the public from Underwood.

Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Underwood.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On November 20, 2025, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging three individuals with bribery and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) led the investigation in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

“Drug trafficking destroys families and communities,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “These defendants were using the United States Postal Service to facilitate their drug trafficking activities which foster violence and addiction. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and its partners will aggressively prosecute drug traffickers and corrupt government officials and seek justice for our communities.”

“The Special Agents of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General will continue to maintain the integrity of the U.S. Postal Service and its personnel,” said Special Agent in Charge Modafferi of U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “The conduct alleged is disgraceful, and our office will continue to tirelessly investigate Postal Service employees and their co-conspirators who violate the public’s trust. This case serves as an excellent example of the successful collaboration between the USPS OIG, our law enforcement partners, and the District of Puerto Rico U.S Attorney’s Office to pursue the prosecution of all those involved in criminal activity relating to the Postal Service.”

“Individuals who conspire to distribute controlled substances, attempt to compromise public officials, and violate the integrity of the U.S. mail, will be held accountable. Our office, alongside our law-enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who endanger public trust and public safety,” said Joe Rodríguez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office.

The indictment alleges that from January 2022 until April of 2024 the defendants conspired to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Defendant Héctor Melvin Candelaria-Carrero, a.k.a. “Candy/Cartero”, served as a USPS City Carrier in Isabela, Puerto Rico. While engaged in his official duties, Candelaria-Carrero diverted, delayed and stole USPS parcels and provided the diverted and stolen mail to defendants Carlos Nadín Nieves-Pastrana, a.k.a. “Nandy” and José Manuel Muñoz-Torres, a.k.a. “Kuki/Cuqui”, in exchange for bribe payments.

At times, Candelaria-Carrero took photos of specific parcels with his personal phone. Using the assigned USPS scanner device, he scanned the photos taken on his personal phone at the correct delivery address. Rather than deliver the parcels at the delivery addresses, Candelaria-Carrero diverted the parcels to other locations and hid the locations of the diverted and stolen mail from the USPS. Defendant Candelaria-Carrero used his private cellular number, WhatsApp messages and phone calls to communicate with Nieves-Pastrana and Muñoz-Torres and to exchange bribe payments and the diverted or stolen parcels, including parcels containing controlled substances.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania Y. Salas De-Jesús is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, and up to life in prison. 

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

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma returned an indictment yesterday charging the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false entries in the books and records of a financial institution, obstructing the examination of a financial institution and failing to implement an anti-money laundering program.

According to the indictment, Danny Seibel, 54, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay from in or about February 2007 until his termination in September 2024. Seibel also held other management roles at the bank during that time, including Chief Financial Officer and Bank Secrecy Act Officer. As alleged, Seibel caused the bank to issue loans to certain customers, many of whom were his personal friends and neighbors, that the borrowers never repaid. Seibel then allegedly manipulated the bank’s records and falsified various bank reports to falsely overstate the performance of the loans, including by using new loans or transfers of the bank’s own funds to cover overdrafts of outstanding loans.

The indictment alleges that Seibel frequently modified bank records to conceal this activity from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which was the bank’s federal regulator, as well as from the bank’s Board of Directors and others. During the summer of 2024, when the OCC was conducting an onsite examination at the bank, Seibel allegedly provided OCC staff with a false document that concealed hundreds of changes that Seibel had made to loan data. The indictment also alleges that Seibel failed to implement an anti-money laundering program at the bank as required by the Bank Secrecy Act. For example, Seibel allegedly failed to file any suspicious activity reports on his own fraudulent scheme, and he advised Bank customers to make cash deposits below $10,000 to avoid relevant reporting requirements.

The OCC appointed a receiver for the bank in October 2024.

If convicted, Seibel faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1 million.  

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Melle of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.

FDIC-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI and FHFA-OIG are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Mark Goldberg, Ryan McLaren and Elysa Wan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

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

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man accused of being involved in a robbery on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was arraigned earlier this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Gordon George Denny, Jr., 30, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit robbery. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, the defendant faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.

U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided. The defendant was detained pending further proceedings.

Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on July 29, 2024, near Box Elder, Denny and others knowingly conspired to commit a robbery.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

PACER case reference. 25-118.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma returned an indictment yesterday charging the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false entries in the books and records of a financial institution, obstructing the examination of a financial institution and failing to implement an anti-money laundering program.

According to the indictment, Danny Seibel, 54, of Lindsay, Oklahoma, served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the First National Bank of Lindsay from in or about February 2007 until his termination in September 2024. Seibel also held other management roles at the bank during that time, including Chief Financial Officer and Bank Secrecy Act Officer. As alleged, Seibel caused the bank to issue loans to certain customers, many of whom were his personal friends and neighbors, that the borrowers never repaid. Seibel then allegedly manipulated the bank’s records and falsified various bank reports to falsely overstate the performance of the loans, including by using new loans or transfers of the bank’s own funds to cover overdrafts of outstanding loans.

The indictment alleges that Seibel frequently modified bank records to conceal this activity from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which was the bank’s federal regulator, as well as from the bank’s Board of Directors and others. During the summer of 2024, when the OCC was conducting an onsite examination at the bank, Seibel allegedly provided OCC staff with a false document that concealed hundreds of changes that Seibel had made to loan data. The indictment also alleges that Seibel failed to implement an anti-money laundering program at the bank as required by the Bank Secrecy Act. For example, Seibel allegedly failed to file any suspicious activity reports on his own fraudulent scheme, and he advised Bank customers to make cash deposits below $10,000 to avoid relevant reporting requirements.

The OCC appointed a receiver for the bank in October 2024.

If convicted, Seibel faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a fine of up to $1 million.  

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester for the Western District of Oklahoma; Acting Special Agent in Charge Joseph Melle of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater of the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Altemus of IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) made the announcement.

FDIC-OIG, FBI, IRS-CI and FHFA-OIG are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Mark Goldberg, Ryan McLaren and Elysa Wan of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julia E. Barry and Jackson D. Eldridge for the Western District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case.

The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system.

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

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SOUTH BEND – Travis Frazier, 28 years old, of Rochester, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.

Frazier was sentenced to 54 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

According to documents in the case, Frazier accidentally shot a loaded gun while holding his infant child, who was struck by bullet fragments. Frazier had a prior felony conviction and a prior misdemeanor conviction for domestic battery, either of which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Rochester Police Department and the South Bend Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.