Posted on

Appeal for witnesses to fatal collision in Edmonton

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

An investigation remains ongoing after a woman and two dogs were killed in a collision in Edmonton.

Police were called at 19:23hrs on Tuesday, 9 January to the A10 Cambridge Road where a car had been in collision with a pedestrian.

Officers, the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance attended.

Despite the efforts of paramedics and police, a 28-year-old woman was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Officers have informed her next of kin and they are being supported by specially trained officers.

The woman is believed to have been out walking two dogs, who were also killed.

A 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of a collision. He has been bailed to return on a date in mid-February pending further enquiries.

Detectives are keen to speak with the driver of a red Audi who was in the vicinity of the collision at the time it happened.

The Serious Collision Investigation Unit are asking anyone with dash cam footage, or who witnessed the incident, to make contact on 020 8597 4874 or via 101/ post @MetCC quoting reference CAD 5858/09Jan.

Posted on

Winnipeg — Results of the RCMP / Winnipeg Police Service Holiday Checkstop Program

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On December 1, 2023, the RCMP, along with the Winnipeg Police Service, Manitoba Public Insurance and MADD, announced the start of the annual Holiday Checkstop Program.

Winnipeg Police Service Patrol Sergeant Stephane Fontaine had a simple message for drivers, “If you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs, DON’T DRIVE”.

The program, which took place from December 1, 2023, to January 1, 2024, saw numerous officers conducting checkstops and regular traffic patrols throughout the City of Winnipeg and Province of Manitoba. These are the results of this year’s program.

RCMP –

  • 5223 vehicles checked
  • 853 Provincial Offences Act notices issued
  • 3436 Mandatory Alcohol Screenings administered
  • 46 Criminal Code alcohol impaired charges
  • 2 Criminal Code drug impaired charges
  • 4 Criminal Code failure or refusal to comply impaired charges
  • 88 alcohol immediate roadside prohibitions
  • 12 drug immediate roadside prohibitions
  • 290mg% was the highest blood alcohol content reported

WPS –

  • 4023 vehicles checked
  • 111 Provincial Offences Act notices issued
  • 2050 Mandatory Alcohol Screenings administered
  • 13 Criminal Code alcohol impaired charges
  • 11 Criminal Code failure or refusal to comply impaired charges
  • 62 alcohol immediate roadside prohibitions
  • 5 drug immediate roadside prohibitions
  • 260mg% was the highest blood alcohol content reported

“It’s clear from these results that many people chose to disregard our message,” said Inspector Michael Gagliardi, Officer in Charge of RCMP Traffic Services. “We need to further drive that message home, that the number of collisions, the number of fatalities, and the number of people truly affected by impaired driving is just too high”.

Posted on

Department of the Air Force’s Office of Special Trial Counsel fully operational

Source: United States Air Force

Arlington, VA (AFNS) —  

On Dec. 28, the Department of the Air Force’s Office of Special Trial Counsel became fully operational, providing expert, independent and ethical representation of the United States in matters primarily involving victim-based offenses.  

Pursuant to the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, each service established an OSTC to represent the United States in the investigation and prosecution of 14 categories of offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. These offenses are primarily victim-based offenses, including sex-related crimes, incidents of interpersonal violence, sexual harassment and some violent offenses. 

OSTC will integrate with commanders, law enforcement and installation legal offices to ensure accountability for perpetrators of sexual assault, domestic violence and other violent crimes, and will make determinations about whether a covered offense will be tried by a general or special court-martial.  

From the initial report of a criminal allegation to final disposition, OSTC operations will integrate with local law enforcement and legal professionals across the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. 

“I am committed to the success of this path forward,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. “That success depends on the willingness of victims of these crimes and others to report offenses when they do occur. We know this can be an extremely difficult decision. We will do everything we can to ensure victims are supported and justice is done.” 

In December 2022, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Christopher Brown was confirmed by the Senate as the Lead Special Trial Counsel, directly reporting to the Secretary of the Air Force. He is supported by a team of specialized prosecutors and paralegals.  

“Every OSTC litigator is personally selected, specially trained and qualified, and vetted from nomination through certification. This process ensures our counsel are experts in the execution, management and supervision of complex litigation,” said Brown. 

The STC Qualification Course includes practical exercises and an objective final exam, testing each candidate’s knowledge and ability to manage the investigation and prosecution of covered offenses. 

The OSTC headquarters is located on Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, D.C., and there are six command-aligned field operations:  

  • District 1: Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Air Force District of Washington 
  • Located on Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virgina  
  • District 2: Air Mobility Command and Air Force Materiel Command 
  • Located on Travis Air Force Base, California 
  • District 3: Space Operations Command, Space System Command, Space Training and Readiness Command, Air Force Global Strike Command, and U.S. Air Force Academy 
  • Located on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas 
  • District 4: Air Education and Training Command  
  • Located on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas 
  •  District 5: U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa 
  • Located on Ramstein Air Base, Germany 
  • District 6: Pacific Air Forces 
  • Located on Kadena Air Base, Japan 

“Notwithstanding OSTC’s independent authority, commanders remain a crucial stakeholder in the military justice system with the ultimate responsibility for command climate and good order and discipline within their units,” Brown said. “Commanders of victims and accused are uniquely suited to provide input to OSTC disposition decisions, and we welcome their perspective.” 

Posted on

Whitehorse — Whitehorse RCMP Detachment to participate in RCMP Race-Based Data Collection pilot project

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Addressing systemic racism and discrimination is an organizational priority for the RCMP.

After two years of extensive consultations in communities across Canada, the RCMP’s Race-Based Data Collection Initiative will be piloted in select detachments across the country starting in January 2024. The Whitehorse RCMP Detachment is one of the pilot communities for this project. The Race-Based Data Collection Initiative aims to collect, analyse and report race-based data to better understand the experiences of Indigenous, Black and other racialized individuals and communities in their interactions with RCMP frontline officers.

Learn more at the link about the RCMP’s Race-Based Data Collection Initiative: RCMP launches Race-Based Data Collection pilot project

Posted on

What are Radioactive Sources?

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Radioactive sources contain radioactive material of a particular radionuclide (an unstable form of an element emitting radiation), which can vary based on the application for which the source was manufactured. These sources emit ionizing radiation, typically in the form of alpha and beta particles, gamma rays or neutron radiation. Click here to learn more about radiation.

Until the 1950s, only radionuclides of natural origin, such as Radium-226 – an isotope of radium used to treat some types of cancers – were available for use. Today, radionuclides artificially produced in nuclear facilities and accelerators, including Caesium-137, Colbalt-60, and Iridium-192, are extensively used. Around the world, these radioactive sources are used for medical, industrial, agricultural, research and educational purposes.

Some examples of the application of radioactive sources include killing bacteria in food, sterilizing medical supplies and equipment, treating cancer and other diseases, mapping underground sources of water, integrity testing of mechanical structures and measuring soil density for construction projects.

Read about the use of ionizing radiation for pest control and sterilization.

Posted on

Member of Notorious International Hacking Crew Sentenced to Prison

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

Seattle – A 22-year-old French citizen from Epinal, France, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison and more than $5 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced Criminal Chief Sarah Vogel for the Western District of Washington. Sebastien Raoult, aka ‘Sezyo Kaizen,’ was arrested in 2022 in Morocco and was extradited to the U.S. in January 2023. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik said, “This is an extraordinarily serious offense. We’re talking about him robbing people of millions of dollars.”

“For over two years, Mr. Raoult participated in extensive computer hacking that caused millions of dollars in losses to victim companies and unmeasurable additional losses to hundreds of millions of individuals whose data was sold to other criminals,” said Criminal Chief Sarah Vogel of the Western District of Washington. “Mr. Raoult’s motive was pure greed. He sold hacked data. He stole people’s cryptocurrency. He even sold his hacking tools so that he could profit while other hackers attacked additional victims.” 

According to records filed in the case, Raoult and his co-conspirators hacked into protected computers of corporate entities for the theft of confidential information and customer records, including personally identifiable information and financial information. They hacked numerous companies, including companies in Washington State, elsewhere in the United States, and around the world. After Raoult and his co-conspirators hacked companies, a user going by the name ShinyHunters posted hacked data from many of those companies for sale on dark web forums, including RaidForums, EmpireMarket, and Exploit. Between April 2020 and July 2021, ShinyHunters posted sales of hacked data from more than 60 companies. Sometimes ShinyHunters threatened to leak or sell stolen sensitive files if the victim did not pay a ransom.

Raoult helped create websites that pretended to be login pages belonging to legitimate businesses. The conspirators sent phishing emails to company employees that were designed to look like they came from legitimate businesses and contained links to those login pages. Victims provided their account sign-on credentials on those fake login pages, and the conspirators obtained the victims’ credentials. Raoult and his co-conspirators used the login information to breach victims’ accounts, steal the data stored there, and search the stolen data for credentials to access additional data on companies’ networks and third-party service providers, such as cloud storage services. In total, the conspirators stole hundreds of millions of customer records and caused loss to victim companies that is estimated to exceed $6 million.

In asking for a six-year prison term, Assistant United States Attorney Miriam Hinman wrote to the court, “Stealing and selling customer records put these hundreds of millions of individual customers at risk of identity theft and financial loss. As ShinyHunters demonstrated by listing the number of stolen customer records in its sale offerings, buyers would value the stolen data based on the number of customers whose data could be used. Raoult understood that buyers of the stolen data sought to misuse customers’ financial information, and yet he was eager to find those buyers.”

“The lengths to which Mr. Raoult and his co-conspirators went to steal personal and financial information are remarkably devious, and he played a substantial part in the scheme by creating code and phishing websites,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the Seattle field office. “Thanks to the diligent work of federal and international law enforcement, Mr. Raoult will be held accountable for his cyber-crimes, which caused millions of dollars of harm to companies and customers.”

Speaking to the court, Sebastian Raoult said “I understand my mistakes and I want to put that part behind me.  No more hacking.  I don’t want to disappoint my family again.”

Judge Lasnik said he believed Raoult’s arrest and imprisonment “has gotten through to Sebastian.” Still, he urged Raoult’s family and friends in the courtroom to “keep an eye on him” when he returns to France to guard against a return to criminal conduct.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Seattle Cyber Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Miriam R. Hinman. DOJ’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. The Department of Justice also appreciates the significant cooperation and assistance provided by Moroccan and French authorities.

Posted on

Painstaking investigation using cell site data results in murder convictions

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

Evidence gathered by murder detectives has resulted in three people being convicted of killing a man on his doorstep in Tower Hamlets.

Iron Miah, 40, was attacked on 19 November 2019 in Nelson Street, E1 and died in hospital two days later from a catastrophic brain injury.

Officers carried out painstaking work using cell site data following the discovery of burner phones with key evidence of communication between the killers.

The team also identified a source who inserted himself into the investigation and provided false intelligence, and who later turned out to be one of the men responsible for Iron’s murder.

Detective Chief Inspector David Whellams said: “My team have worked tirelessly over a long period of time to ensure that Iron’s family could receive the justice they deserve.

“This was a deliberate and callous act of violence in a residential area. Nobody deserves to be the victim of such brutality and the three people convicted today will undoubtedly spend a significant time in jail. Our streets are safer without these people at large.

“I would like to pay tribute to Iron’s family, who have been extremely supportive of the investigation in the face of a long road to justice, while living with the trauma of losing their loved one.”

The three were convicted of the murder of Mr Miah at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, 9 January, four years after he was shot on his doorstep in Tower Hamlets.

Mohamed Moshaer Ali, 31 (07.04.92) of Western Avenue, Dagenham; Antonio Afflick-McLeod, 32 (09.03.91) of Mayfair Avenue, Ilford; and Aaron Campbell, 32 (30.08.91) of Star Road, Fulham, will be sentenced on Tuesday, 16 January.

Following Iron’s shooting, detectives immediately began an investigation which led to five people being charged, and unusually, three trials.

Crucially, the murder squad detectives were able to track the communications that linked the defendants to the killing, despite the group’s extensive and deliberate use of disposable ‘burner phones’ to communicate with each other.

In the days after the murder, Ali made a number of calls to police providing false intelligence. Once charged and remanded, he also encouraged a prison officer at HMP Belmarsh to tell police lies in order to implicate one of his co-defendants. It is this that collapsed the second trial in 2022.

In the days leading up to his murder Iron’s family described how he had been receiving a series of messages on his phone that were making him anxious.

On the night of his murder he had returned home at about 22:00hrs and then received a call from Mohammed Ali.

After the call, he went out and got into a Honda Civic on Nelson Street and spoke to the occupants.

Upon leaving the Honda he then sent a message on his phone saying “Viewing done” to Mohammed Ali.

As he was walking back to his house after visiting a local shop, a man got out of the passenger door of a parked Volkswagen Polo and approached Iron from behind.

The gunman fired a single shot and the bullet struck Iron in the head.

The gunman returned to the car and drove off followed by the Honda Civic that Mr Miah had visited; the VW Polo was on false plates and has never been recovered. The police told the court that Antonio Afflick-McLeod and Aaron Campbell were believed to be the men in the Polo.

The gun used was also never recovered, but when Afflick-McLeod was arrested, drugs and a sawn-off-shotgun were found at his home.

The day before Iron’s murder, at around 16:30hrs, a man bought a SIM card from a convenience store on Movers Lane in Barking. Officers seized the CCTV and identified Afflick-McLeod by a tattoo on his neck. The SIM was crucial in the evidence and linked him to communications with Ali.

Evidence such as this, convinced a jury of the group’s guilt.

Wiktoria Bujko, 30 (01.06.93) of Marlborough Road, SE18 appeared in custody at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on 19 May 2023.

She was a prison guard at HMP Belmarsh at the same time as the three defendants, convicted on Tuesday, 9 January, were remanded and awaiting trial in 2022. She gave false information to police and pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

Posted on

Holyrood — Charges against two men as part of sexual assault investigation by RCMP East District GIS called in court

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Charges against two men as part of sexual assault investigation by RCMP East District GIS called in court

January 10, 2024

Holyrood, Newfoundland and Labrador

Two men, 51-year-old Joseph Lewis of Conception Harbour and 37-year-old Ryan Spencer of Harbour Grace, had criminal charges called in St. John’s Provincial Court on January 9, 2024, stemming from a sexual assault investigation conducted by the RCMP East District General Investigation Section.

Earlier in the investigation, Lewis was arrested following the execution of a search warrant at his Conception Harbour home on April 26, 2023. At that time, he was charged with sexual assault and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

In continuing with the investigation, officers found evidence to support additional charges against Lewis and new charges against his co-accused, Ryan Spencer.

Spencer was arrested on June 27, 2023, at the Stephenville Correctional Centre, while in custody for other crimes.

On November 24, 2023, the following joint criminal charges were laid against Lewis and Spencer:

  • Sexual assault – two counts
  • Forcible confinement
  • Extortion

Spencer is additionally charged with uttering threats.

The next court appearance has been set for February 21, 2024. Lewis is also set to appear in court on February 22, 2024, to commence a trial in relation to his charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

To protect the identity of the victim, further details of the investigation are not being made public. Police believe it is possible there may be other victims of sexual assault who may not have reported.

The investigation is continuing.

If you have been a victim of a crime, please contact your local police to make a report. Holyrood RCMP can be reached at 709-229-3892.

Background:

RCMP executes search warrant in Conception Harbour, man arrested as part of sex assault investigation | Royal Canadian Mounted Police (rcmp-grc.gc.ca)

Posted on

Houston Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Beaumont Bank Robbery

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

BEAUMONT, Texas– A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for bank robbery in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

Michael Raymond Karras, 65, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on Jan. 9, 2024.  

According to information presented in court, on June 6, 2023, Karras robbed the Chase Bank on Eastex Freeway in Beaumont.  Within minutes of the robbery, Karras was located at a convenience store wearing a trench coat and driving the vehicle described in the robbery.  After detaining Karras and obtaining consent to search his vehicle, officers discovered $2,870.00 in cash and the handwritten note Karras had used in the robbery. 

This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.

# # #