Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A South Bay man and former congressional candidate was sentenced today to 48 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $250,000 from his political campaign through a fraudulent scheme involving his mother and friend, pocketing more than $100,000 in cash and using the money on personal expenses such as Las Vegas trips and to defend himself against criminal stalking charges.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
ST. GEORGE, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today in the District of Utah following the arrest of a Southern Utah entrepreneur, and original co-founder and creator of the “Squatty Potty,” after he was charged for receiving sexually explicit images of a child.
Source: United States Airforce
The Department of the Air Force has selected Fort Gordon, Georgia, as the preferred location for two Air National Guard cyber operations squadrons.
Source: United States Airforce
The Department of the Air Force released updated guidance intended to accelerate Line of Duty determinations for Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members serving on extended active‑duty orders.
Source: United States Airforce
The Department of the Air Force and Northrop Grumman Corp. have reached an agreement to expand production capacity for the B-21 Raider, accelerating delivery of the Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber fleet.
Source: United States Airforce
The DAF is gauging interest for data center construction in Alaska. Interested parties have until March 13 to submit a response.
Source: United States Army
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – A team of Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers won the innovation category at the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition, showcasing cutting-edge unmanned aircraft system technology developed at Fort Indiantown Gap.
The competition, held Feb. 17–19 at the Huntsville Test Range in Huntsville, Alabama, brought together Soldiers from active-duty, National Guard, and Army Reserve units. It featured three categories: Best Operator, Best Tactical Squad and Best Innovation.
The 28th ID innovation team, – 1st Lt. Ryan Giallonardo, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Reed, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Nathan Shea and Sgt. 1st Class Brent Wehr, won the innovation competition.
The team’s project, dubbed Project R.E.D. (Recovery Exploitation Drone), utilized a drone equipped with AI-enabled object-recognition software to identify downed enemy or friendly drones and a robotic, 3D-printed, carbon fiber arm with claw to grab the downed drone and fly it back for intel exploitation or repair.
“This is a great achievement for the team and the UAS facility as well as the Pennsylvania National Guard as a whole,” said Reed, the 28th ID team captain. “Competing against the entire Army, putting in the work and coming out on top really speaks volumes to what the team has been doing and the hard work they’ve been putting in, and it highlights the Pennsylvania National Guard and what we’re able to accomplish.”
The innovation competition consisted of a Shark Tank-style pitch on the first day, followed by a live demonstration on the second day.
“The judges were very impressed with everything we went through,” Reed said. “We got a lot of positive feedback and a lot of opportunity to continue working further with the Army Research Laboratory. They were highly impressed with what we were able to put together.”
Reed, who is the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Training and Innovation Facility commander at Fort Indiantown Gap, said he was able to view some of the other teams’ projects in the innovation category, and the competition was stiff.
“They did a lot of great work and put a lot of other great projects out there, so it was great for the UAS community in the Army as a whole to be able to come together and collaborate ideas,” Reed said. “It was a great honor for our team and for the state to be recognized as the top project amongst all the other great competitors in the event.”
In addition to the innovation team, Capt. Christopher Rongione competed in the operator category, and a team of Wehr and Sgt. Tyler Beck competed in the tactical squad category.
The tactical squad category, also referred to as the hunter-killer competition, began with a physical challenge that included weighted medical litter drags, overhead water can presses and sandbag carries. Competitors then moved 1,000 meters with their gear to a target area, where they employed their “hunter” drone to identify targets, submit an enemy activity report — known as a SALUTE report — and engage targets with the “killer” drone.
“In both categories, our team put in a lot of hard work and had a great showing, but unfortunately didn’t come out on top,” Reed said.
The 28th ID was the only Army National Guard unit to compete in all three events.
Dan Driscoll, the Army secretary, attended the awards ceremony on Feb. 19 and presented the winners with plaques.
In addition to a plaque, the 28th ID team also received an Army Research Lab drone prototype and a one-year research-and-development agreement, allowing the 28th ID to assist ARL with design improvements.
“We’re excited to continue to have incredible support from state and division level leadership,” Reed said. “They’ve been very helpful and very supportive of everything we’re doing, and it’s allowing us to highlight what we can do at our facility. And, I’m super proud of my entire team and everything they’re doing.”
Source: United States Department of Justice
Agencies Launch Joint Public Inquiry for Consideration of Guidance on Collaborations Among Competitors to Promote Certainty and Competition
Today, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched a joint public inquiry regarding potential additional guidance on collaborations among competitors. The joint inquiry seeks input on the value and potential content of guidance concerning the range of collaborations utilized to drive innovation and promote competition in the modern economy.
This public inquiry will help the Antitrust Division and FTC (together, the Agencies) with their effort to develop up-to-date guidance to the business community, building on the previous 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors (2000 Collaboration Guidelines). The guidelines explain how the Agencies analyze various antitrust issues raised by such collaborations. The 2000 Guidelines were withdrawn in December 2024.
“Vigorous and effective enforcement can only exist when the rules of the road are clearly outlined,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Procompetitive collaborations are not only permissible but also encouraged in a complex and dynamic economic environment. The abrupt withdrawal of the prior guidelines left stakeholders without guidance in this important area. Replacing the withdrawn guidelines is key to promoting certainty, allowing American businesses to work together effectively and lawfully, and enabling the private antitrust bar to enhance compliance in this area.”
“In an everchanging economy, businesses need transparency and predictability from enforcers more than ever. These times may require the federal government to update its guidelines,” said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson. “The previous administration decided, at the 11th hour, however, to withdraw the 2000 Antitrust Guidelines for Collaborations Among Competitors. This decision, made entirely out of spite and resentment, left millions of businesses in the dark.”
Many collaborations and joint ventures among competitors are procompetitive and benefit the economy and consumers by allowing expansion into new markets, enabling investment into innovation, and lowering production and other costs. However, some collaborations carry potential risk to competition. The 2024 withdrawal of the prior guidelines left the industry without guidance in this important area.
In recent years, new types of competitor collaborations, joint ventures, and alliances, including those facilitated by new technologies, have led to increased requests for clarity regarding their treatment under the antitrust laws.
Some of the specific areas of inquiry on which the Agencies are seeking public input and information include:
The public comments will help enforcers to consider reintroducing guidance built on the prior guidelines. Such guidance will provide businesses with the predictability and confidence they need to collaborate and grow while avoiding anticompetitive conduct that risks raising prices or stifling innovation. The guidance will help increase antitrust compliance by guiding the market on antitrust law and policy in this important area. An unfettered free market safeguards competition to the benefit of the American people.
Comments, no longer than 18 pages each, can be submitted at www.regulations.gov/docket/ATR-2026-0001/document and must be received no later than April 24, 2026. The information will be used by the Agencies to consider updated guidance.
Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division
A Los Angeles-area lawyer was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison for receiving a $2.1 million bribe while serving as an officer of Nigeria’s state-owned oil company in connection with negotiating favorable drilling rights for a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned oil company.
Source: United States Navy
A topping out ceremony was held Jan. 29 to mark a major milestone in the construction of a new facility for the Nuclear Regional Maintenance Department (NRMD) at Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay, Georgia.