Posts

Posted on

Hogan’s Alley Adds New Venues Reflecting Focus on Active Shooter Training

Source: US FBI

“We get multiple entities using the venues at the same time, and it creates opportunities to have more realistic training without stepping on each other,” said Fisher of the Tactical Training Unit.

Still, a casual observer driving through Hogan’s Alley (not open to the public) might not notice anything unusual, even as training is underway. All the buildings are specially designed for training, with a warren of hidden passages and corridors for instructors, observers, and would-be criminals to navigate. Walls, which can be easily moved, are made of material that can withstand live-fire exercises with simulated bullets. Even the upholstery for the movie theater seats was designed to withstand repeated tactical assaults.

“From the outside, you don’t realize the versatility that the space gives us,” said Assistant Director Maguire. “The addition of real-world-based tactical venues provides our agents yet another opportunity for learning the skills necessary to protect the community.”

The term Hogan’s Alley dates back to a 19th century comic strip set in a crime-ridden New York tenement called Hogan’s Alley. In the 1950s, the FBI developed a Hogan’s Alley range that was essentially a 120-foot-long façade where targets would pop up and agents had to quickly determine whether to shoot or not. While less sophisticated than today’s techniques, the premise was largely the same: to put trainees in high-stress situations to prepare them for what may come.

“The more realistic and lifelike we can make these training venues, the better prepared our students are when they encounter the real world,” Fisher said. “We have to introduce information-rich, lifelike environments very early. Everything builds on everything else. And in the environment that we’re working in and with the consequences of the job, we have to give people complexity pretty quick.”

Posted on

FBI Helps Return Missing Musket to Museum of the American Revolution

Source: US FBI

Now, investigators had to determine what these items were and where they had been stolen from.  

Some of these answers came from Scott Corbett, AUSA Newton said. “He had a very good memory and could tell us where Michael had stolen some of the firearms,” she noted. 

The investigative team also traveled to Cody, Wyoming, to attend a national museum curator’s meeting to see if any experts could help identify these mystery items. 

“It turns out Michael stole these items from museums from Massachusetts to as far south as Mississippi,” Newton said. “A lot of them were stolen from Pennsylvania. We believe he was responsible for two of the thefts at Valley Forge. He was also responsible for a theft at the U.S. Army War College Museum in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. So, we were able to identify some of these firearms.” 

Based on the evidence at hand, AUSA Newton explained, “We couldn’t charge him with the thefts, but what we could charge him with was possession of stolen property that had been transported interstate because he’s in Delaware.”  

Michael Corbett was indicted and pleaded guilty. As part of his plea, he agreed to help recover some of the items that the investigators were initially looking for when they searched his Delaware residence.  

“Leads in the Corbett case took the FBI Art Crime Team as far west as San Francisco,” Archer added. 

Coincidentally, during the investigation, a concerned collector called Dr. Stephenson because he believed he might’ve accidentally purchased a stolen rifle. 

The collector initially purchased the gun from a man named Thomas Gavin, believing it to be a copy of a famous rifle built by Moravian gunsmith John Christian Oerter. But the more he researched, the more he suspected he had the genuine article. The collector turned the rifle over to the authorities. 

Thomas Gavin turned out to be “a significant museum thief” in his own right, having robbed items from the Valley Forge Park, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, and additional museums in the greater Philadelphia area. “But he too cooperated and told us what he had stolen,” AUSA Newton said. 

“We had to then stop, solve that case in order to figure out who stole what from where, in order to then pick the Corbett case back up and bring it home,” Archer recalled of the Gavin section of the overall investigation. “So, it was staggeringly complex across space and time and material.” 

But just like in Corbett’s case, investigators are still searching for items that Gavin stole, including a rifle that was once owned by naturalist John James Audubon. 

Even though the investigators’ work is ongoing, the impact of the partnership and the recovery of the artifacts cannot be overstated. 

“With the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution coming up,” said James Taub, an associate curator at the museum, “the teamwork and partnership between local police and the FBI have given us in Philadelphia and the historical community at large a really strong opportunity to reach people in ways that we haven’t before, through objects that people of my generation haven’t seen and that previous generations might not have seen since before the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution.” 

Dr. Stephenson echoed that sentiment, noting that “for us, as educator- and preservation-oriented institutions, these objects are irreplaceable.” 

Stephenson says the museum’s work isn’t done. “It may be that the person who stole an object say 50 years ago may have passed away long ago. In many cases, families may have things that they don’t realize where they came from, how they came into that collection, or things that were sold and passed around.”  

For this reason, he said, the museum is reexamining how it describes the missing objects, to highlight any valuable details that might spark someone’s memory. The museum is also spreading the word about the stolen items to antique enthusiasts and collectors. 

“The fact is, the vast majority of people want to do the right thing,” he said. 

But the FBI stands ready to investigate anyone who knowingly holds onto looted artifacts. 

“Ultimately,” said Special Agent Archer, “people who know that they are in possession of these stolen items and do the wrong thing, we certainly are prepared to investigate.” 

Posted on

Former Military Contractor Pleads Guilty for Deleting Text Messages in Antitrust Division Investigation

Source: US FBI

Today, a Federal Judge accepted a guilty plea to destruction of records in a federal investigation from a former employee of a contractor that provided operation and maintenance services to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for U.S. military installations in South Korea.

According to the information filed in the Western District of Texas, in or about July 2021, David Cruz, 37, deleted text messages with Hyuk Jin Kwon and Hyun Ki Shin. Kwon and Shin were separately charged ‌for fraud and conspiring to rig bids and fix prices on millions of dollars in maintenance and repair subcontracting work provided to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in South Korea and remain fugitives. At Kwon’s suggestion, Cruz deleted text messages after receiving a litigation hold notice from his employer requiring him not to destroy or delete communications. Cruz then covered up the deletion of those text messages after being specifically advised by his employer that there was an ongoing federal investigation.

In the deleted text messages, Cruz discussed with Kwon and Shin the need to get additional bids from their competitor to satisfy the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s competitive bidding requirements for subcontract work. Kwon had previously told Cruz that Cruz should contact him instead of requesting bids directly from Kwon’s competitors.

“The Procurement Collusion Strike Force’s commitment to safeguard taxpayer dollars from collusion and fraud is unwavering,” said Director Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF). “The Antitrust Division will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who unlawfully impede our investigations by destroying or covering up evidence.”

“Bid rigging and other acts of fraud against the U.S. Army not only undermine the integrity of critical procurement efforts but also put our Soldiers at risk by providing them capabilities and services which do not meet the high standards necessary to maintain peak lethality,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael DeFamio of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID), Far East Field Office. “Army CID is grateful for the collaborative efforts of our federal partners at the FBI and the Department of Justice, and we will continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who attempts to defraud the U.S. Government, regardless of where they are in the world.”

“The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) is steadfast in its mission to protect taxpayer funds from fraud and collusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley Newell of DCIS’ Transnational Field Office. “We are equally committed to relentlessly pursuing those who attempt to obstruct our investigations through the destruction or concealment of evidence.”

“Mr. Cruz knowingly destroyed records that were part of an ongoing criminal investigation and has now acknowledged his crime” said Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is committed to holding accountable military contractors who flout the bidding process and intentionally destroy evidence of their guilt.”

Destruction of records in a federal investigation carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors.

The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, Army CID, DCIS, and the FBI investigated the case.

Assistant Chief Daniel E. Lipton and Trial Attorney Daniel P. Chung of the Antitrust Division prosecuted the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Devlin for the Western District of Texas.

In November 2019, the Justice Department created the PCSF, a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.

Posted on

Sanjay Virmani Named Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office

Source: US FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Sanjay Virmani as the special agent in charge of the San Francisco Field Office. He most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office over the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Virmani joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and was assigned to the San Francisco Field Office where he worked cyber and counterterrorism matters. In 2007, he was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters.

In 2010, he was selected as the supervisory special agent to lead the San Francisco Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Oakland Resident Agency. Mr. Virmani was then selected to serve as director of the INTERPOL Digital Crime Center at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore in 2013.

In 2016, Mr. Virmani returned to FBI Headquarters as a unit chief, working cyberterrorism matters.

In 2018, he was promoted to assistant section chief of the Internet Operations Section of the Counterterrorism Division, where he worked to foster partnerships within the U.S. intelligence community and with international partners. He returned to the San Francisco Field Office as a supervisory special agent, then was promoted to assistant special agent in charge over the Cyber Branch in 2018 as well.

In 2021, Mr. Virmani returned to the Counterterrorism Division as section chief of the Strategic Partner Engagement Section, where he oversaw the FBI’s liaison efforts with the law enforcement community, U.S. interagency, and private sector partners on counterterrorism-related matters.

In 2022, he served as the acting special agent in charge of the Tampa Field Office. That same year, he was promoted to deputy assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division. In 2024, he was selected as the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office over the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Virmani earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.   

Posted on

Two Eastern European Organized Crime Leaders Convicted of Murder for Hire Targeting U.S.-Based Journalist on Behalf of Iranian Government

Source: US FBI

Iranian Government Hired Polad Omarov and Rafat Amirov to Kill Masih Alinejad in Exchange for $500,000

A federal jury returned guilty verdicts yesterday on all five counts in the superseding indictment against Rafat Amirov, also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev, Pᴎᴍ, and Rome, 46, of Iran; and Polad Omarov, also known as Araz Aliyev, Polad Qaqa, and Haci Qaqa, 40, of Georgia. The defendants were convicted of murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering charges, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. Amirov and Omarov are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17.

“The Iranian regime’s brazen plot to silence and murder Americans will not be tolerated,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This verdict underscores the Department’s commitment to finding and holding accountable those who threaten our citizens and our freedoms. With the great work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are now one step closer to justice.”

“For years, the Government of Iran has attempted to silence an outspoken Iranian journalist, author, activist and critic of their regime through any means necessary, including harassment, violence, intimidation, and even attempted murder,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York. “Chillingly, the plot to murder this Iranian dissident culminated over 6,000 miles from Iran, on U.S. soil, right here in New York, when a hitman with an AK-47 camped outside her home to kill her. I commend the career prosecutors of this office, and our law enforcement partners at the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division for their tireless work in bringing these defendants to justice. This verdict should send a clear message around the world: if you target U.S. citizens, we will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.”

“The defendants participated in a brazen plot to kill an Iranian American dissident in New York who criticized the regime in Iran,” said Acting Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners their plan failed. This verdict demonstrates the FBI will not tolerate Iran’s attempts to threaten, silence, or harm American citizens.”

According to court documents, Amirov and Omarov were high-ranking members of an Eastern European organized crime group (the Organization) who worked with other members of the Organization to attempt to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Alinejad has previously been the target of plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses around the world. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime.

After these brazen efforts to kidnap Alinejad from the U.S. failed, the IRGC turned to Amirov and Omarov to locate, surveil, and murder her. Beginning in approximately July 2022, Amirov sent targeting information—which he had received directly from IRGC officials in Iran—about Alinejad to Omarov. In turn, Omarov communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Alinejad and murder her. In turn, Mehdiyev sent photographs and videos of Alinejad’s residence to Omarov, who shared these materials with Amirov and the IRGC officials who orchestrated the plot in Iran. Amirov and Omarov then arranged for a $30,000 cash payment to Mehdiyev, who used a portion of this payment to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and at least 66 rounds of ammunition; as Mehdiyev boasted in electronic communications, a “war machine” he could use to kill Alinejad.

In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her. Mehdiyev sent reports of his surveillance to Omarov, who passed them to Amirov. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to Omarov from Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, Omarov told Amirov that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.”  On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent Omarov a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading “we are ready.” Amirov sent an image of the interior of Alinejad’s home to Omarov to be forwarded to Mehdiyev, writing “this is the house where she stays.”  As Omarov continued to update Amirov about Mehdiyev’s readiness, Amirov cautioned Omarov “let him keep the car clean.”  When Mehdiyev subsequently drove from where he was surveilling the residence, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a subsequent search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle, 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.

After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, Omarov contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev.

Amirov and Omarov were convicted on five counts: murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count One); conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison (Count Three); attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count Four); and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison (Count Five).

The FBI New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force are investigating the case, with assistance from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic for their assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal specialist Owen Foley and Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Posted on

Leader of Multi-Year ‘Operation Fox Hunt’ Repatriation Campaign Directed by the People’s Republic of China Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison

Source: US FBI

Defendant Repeatedly Harassed U.S. Resident and His Family to Coerce Repatriation to the PRC

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, defendant Quanzhong An, 58, of Roslyn Heights, New York, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for acting as an illegal agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), for his participation in a scheme to cause the coerced repatriation of a U.S. resident (the U.S. Resident) to the PRC as part of the PRC government’s international extralegal repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.” In addition to the term of imprisonment, An was ordered to pay a financial penalty of approximately $5 million, including approximately $1.3 million in restitution to the U.S. Resident and his family, as well as a $50,000 fine. An pleaded guilty in May 2024 and was charged in October 2022.

As set forth in the government’s sentencing memoranda and other court filings, An was a leading member of an international campaign to threaten, harass, and intimidate the U.S. Resident and his family members, with the goal of coercing the U.S. Resident to repatriate to the PRC. An participated in the multi-year scheme to elevate his status within the PRC government as a means of furthering his own economic interests.

An’s involvement in the repatriation scheme began in 2017, when he attempted to locate the U.S. Resident by visiting the home of the U.S. Resident’s adult son, without notice or invitation. The following year, An sent his daughter, as well as two PRC government officials, to the home of the U.S. Resident’s son. An subsequently met with the U.S. Resident’s son on numerous occasions, during which time An served as a mouthpiece for the PRC by conveying threatening messages on behalf of the PRC government. For example, An said he did not want to pronounce “ruthless words” from the PRC government but stated that PRC officials would “keep pestering [the U.S. Resident’s son], [and] make [his] daily life uncomfortable” if the son was unable to convince his father to repatriate to the PRC. An’s harassment continued unabated from 2017 until his arrest in 2022. An’s conduct intimidated individuals living in the United States and their loved ones in the PRC – just as it was intended to do – for the benefit of the PRC government.

At sentencing, Judge Matsumoto considered that An participated in additional criminal conduct. Specifically, he perpetrated a bank fraud and money laundering scheme to defraud U.S. financial institutions so that he could enjoy continued access to U.S.-based bank accounts. As part of this scheme, he moved millions of dollars from the PRC into the United States, deliberately deceiving U.S. financial institutions regarding the source and purpose of the funds.

The FBI has created a website for victims to report efforts by foreign governments to stalk, intimidate, or assault people in the United States. If you believe that you are or have been a victim of transnational repression, please visit the FBI’s website.

Supervisory Official Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York, and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backshies of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Solomon, Meredith A. Arfa, and Antoinette N. Rangel for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Claire S. Kedeshian of the Eastern District of New York’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters and Madeline O’Connor and Daniel Saavedra of the Eastern District of New York’s Financial Litigation Program are assisting with restitution matters. 

Posted on

Justice Department Announces Launch of Joint Task Force October 7

Source: US FBI

The Justice Department today announced the leadership team and membership of Joint Task Force October 7 (JTF 10-7), an initiative that will seek justice for the victims of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack in Israel and address the ongoing threat posed by Hamas and its affiliates.

“The barbaric Hamas terrorists will not win—and there will be consequences,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “As Attorney General, I have had the solemn honor of meeting with several families of U.S. citizens whose loved ones were kidnapped by Hamas on that dark day. This task force will strengthen the Department’s resolve to achieve justice for these families and their loved ones as we continue to fight antisemitism in all its forms.”

The Attorney General established JTF 10-7 on her first day in office, demonstrating the high priority the Justice Department is placing on honoring the memories of the approximately 1,200 people murdered by Hamas in the attack, including 47 U.S. citizens, and supporting the approximately 250 additional people that Hamas abducted, including 8 U.S. citizens.

JTF 10-7 will focus on targeting, charging, and securing for prosecution in the United States the direct perpetrators of the October 7 attack — the terrorists on the ground that day who murdered and kidnapped innocent civilians. JTF 10-7 will also assume responsibility for the pending charges against Hamas leadership relating to the October 7 attack and other acts of terrorism, and to bring those criminals to the United States to face justice for their reprehensible role in these atrocities. Finally, JTF 10-7 will investigate acts of terrorism and civil rights violations by individuals and entities providing support and financing to Hamas, related Iran proxies, and their affiliates, as well as acts of antisemitism by these groups.

“The victims of Hamas’s decades-long violent campaign of terrorism against Israel will always have the support of the U.S. government, and the Department will no longer permit illegal support of Hamas on our campuses and elsewhere in the homeland,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Antisemitic acts of terrorism – whether here or abroad – will never go unpunished. This task force represents our unyielding commitment to those who have suffered at the hands of these brutal terrorists.”

“The FBI is committed to establishing the Joint Task Force October 7 to continue the FBI’s investigative and victim assistance efforts related to the horrific acts of terror committed by Hamas,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Working with our federal and international partners, this task force is a collaborative initiative between agencies, and together we will work to accomplish our vital counterterrorism mission.”

JTF 10-7 will be led by a senior counterterrorism prosecutor from the Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD), a senior FBI Special Agent as the Task Force Commander, and an FBI Intelligence Analyst as Deputy Task Force Commander, all under the supervision of the Office of the Deputy Attorney General. JTF 10-7 will also include trial attorneys from NSD, the Civil Rights Division, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and other detailees, with additional dedicated support from the Department’s Office of International Affairs.

JTF 10-7 will be supported by dedicated FBI agents, analysts, forensic accountants, data scientists, and linguists who are mostly co-located in Virginia. These professionals will contribute to JTF 10‑7’s expertise in investigating and prosecuting domestic and extraterritorial terrorism cases, including terrorism-financing matters, and serve as points of contact with the FBI’s Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell and Victim Services Division.

The FBI will coordinate with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies on JTF 10-7 activities, as well as foreign counterparts through the FBI’s Legal Attaché office in Israel. FBI agents will be embedded with Israel’s National Bureau of Counter Terror Finance, which has already been a tremendous partner in the ongoing investigations.

These efforts will build on the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into the perpetrators of these heinous acts and demonstrate the Department’s commitment to degrading and dismantling Hamas, holding Hamas supporters accountable, achieving justice for victims, and fighting terrorist-led antisemitism.

Posted on

Member of ‘764’ Network Sentenced for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

Source: US FBI

Jack Rocker, 19, of Tampa, was sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) followed by a lifetime of supervised release. The court also ordered Rocker to forfeit an iPhone 12, thumb drive, and Acer Laptop, all of which possessed CSAM. Rocker will also have to register as a sex offender and pay restitution to the victims.

Rocker pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2024. According to court filings, Rocker was a member of “764” a network of violent online extremists who engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. These extremists work individually or as part of a network with these goals of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. 764 uses known online social media communications platforms, as mediums to support the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and CSAM.

On Jan. 19, 2024, the FBI conducted a search of Rocker’s residence located in the Middle District of Florida. The FBI seized Rocker’s iPhone, thumb drive, and Acer laptop. At this time, the FBI has determined that Rocker’s devices contain over 8,300 images and videos of CSAM, including images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, masochistic sexual behavior, and bestiality.

This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida and the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Posted on

Marshall Yates Named Assistant Director of the Office of Congressional Affairs

Source: US FBI

Director Kash Patel has named Marshall Yates as the assistant director of the Office of Congressional Affairs. Mr. Yates most recently served as counsel for Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-04).

Prior to his appointment with the FBI, Mr. Yates worked in various roles as a lawyer on Capitol Hill. Mr. Yates moved to Washington, D.C., in 2015 to serve as legislative counsel to Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-05). In 2020, he was promoted to chief of staff for Congressman Brooks.

In 2023, Mr. Yates was hired by Congressman Thomas Massie to serve as his associate counsel on the House Rules Committee and as a counsel to him as the Chair of the House Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Regulatory Reform, and the Administrative State. 

Mr. Yates graduated from Auburn University in 2011 and Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law in 2015. Mr. Yates was a member of Hillsdale College’s James Madison Fellowship Class of 2022-2023.

Posted on

Shohini Sinha Named Assistant Director of the Victim Services Division

Source: US FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Shohini Sinha as the assistant director of the Victim Services Division. Ms. Sinha most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office.

Ms. Sinha joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001. She was first assigned to the Milwaukee Field Office, where she worked in counterterrorism investigations. She also served temporary assignments at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, the FBI Legal Attaché Office in London, and the Baghdad Operations Center.

Ms. Sinha was promoted in 2009 to supervisory special agent and transferred to the Counterterrorism Division in Washington, D.C. She served as program manager of Canada-based extraterritorial investigations and facilitated liaison efforts with Washington-based Canadian liaison officers.

In 2012, Ms. Sinha was promoted to assistant legal attaché in Ottawa, Canada, working counterterrorism matters in collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. In 2015, she was promoted to field supervisor in the Detroit Field Office, where she led squads responsible for investigating international terrorism matters.

In early 2020, Ms. Sinha transferred to the Cyber Intrusion squad, which worked both national security and criminal cyber intrusion matters. Later in 2020, she was promoted to assistant special agent in charge for national security matters, and later criminal matters, in the Portland Field Office.

Ms. Sinha was selected to serve as the executive special assistant to the director in 2021. She has been serving as the special agent in charge of the Salt Lake City Field Office since July of 2023.

Prior to her employment with the FBI, Ms. Sinha worked as a therapist and later as an administrator for a private, not-for-profit clinic. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Purdue University in Indiana.