Who: Adm. Steven Poulin, vice commandant, U.S. Coast Guard; Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area; Cmdr. Nicole Tesoniero, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) What: U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) and crew home port shift ceremony Where: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, 1000 North Rd, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96860 When: Tuesday, January 16 at 9 a.m. Editor’s Note: Media should RSVP by Monday, January 15 by 12 p.m. to Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Fisher at ryan.m.fisher@uscg.mil
For breaking news follow us on twitter @USCGHawaiiPac
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
James Smith, assistant director in charge (ADIC) of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is warning the public that criminals across the country are scamming timeshare owners out of millions of dollars by promising to sell or rent unsuspecting victims’ timeshares. Timeshare scams have been perpetrated for many years, targeting unsuspecting victims out of their hard-earned money.
In one common scam, timeshare owners receive unexpected or uninvited telephone calls or emails from criminals posing as sales representatives for a timeshare resale company. The sales representatives often use high-pressure sales tactics to add a sense of urgency to the deal. Timeshare owners who agree to sell are told they must pay an upfront fee to cover anything from listing and advertising fees to closing costs. Once the fee is paid, timeshare owners report the company becoming evasive – calls go unanswered, numbers are disconnected, and websites are inaccessible – or the company creates additional fees that victims must become evasive – calls go unanswered, numbers are disconnected, and websites are inaccessible – or the company creates additional fees that victims must pay before the real estate transaction becomes final.
In some cases, timeshare owners defrauded by a timeshare sales scam are subsequently contacted by a fraudulent timeshare fraud recovery company. The representative from the recovery company promises assistance in recuperating money lost in the sales scam. Some recovery companies require an up-front fee for services rendered. At times, scammers purport to be a government entity requesting payments for fees associated with the sale of the timeshare.
Once timeshare owners have given money to scammers, it’s extremely difficult to get that money back; criminals will often immediately transfer their ill-begotten assets overseas.
To avoid timeshare frauds:
Be cautious of uninvited telephone calls, texts, or emails from anyone interested in your timeshare.
Scammers will use tactics such as high-pressure and time-sensitive offers; be wary of any offers that require an immediate response.
Research all entities you are in contact with, contact offices independently to confirm if you are speaking to a representative of their company, and enlist the help of a real estate agent or lawyer you trust.
“Though timeshare scams have been perpetrated for many years, the consequences on the victims remain real and serious. Many of the scammers who commit timeshare fraud are well-practiced in their abilities to defraud unsuspecting customers. When opportunities appear ‘too good to be true,’ it’s often because they are,” said ADIC Smith. “Be sure to use caution when dealing with anyone who expresses interest in your timeshare. If you think you have been targeted by a timeshare scam, please report the incident. We are committed to protecting the community from these scams.”
Report timeshare fraud scams via the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov), 1-800-CALL-FBI, or FBI New York at 212-384-1000.
On January 11, 2024, at approximately 8:25 am, Steinbach RCMP received a report that a pick-up truck had just been stolen on Brandt Street, in Steinbach.
Officers on patrol located the stolen vehicle driving in Steinbach and initiated a traffic stop. The driver refused to stop and fled. The vehicle drove to a dead-end street and officers contained the area, however the driver rammed and pushed a police vehicle out of the way. A second police vehicle attempted to stop the stolen vehicle, and the suspect struck that police vehicle, and then collided with a fence.
The driver and passenger were subsequently arrested.
During the incident the stolen vehicle also struck a parked civilian vehicle.
One of the officers involved was injured and taken to hospital where he was treated and released.
James Friesen, 39, has been charged with:
Assault on Peace Officer with a Weapon Assault on Peace Officer Causing Bodily Harm Flight from Peace Officer Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Theft of Truck Mischief over $5000 x5
Halifax District RCMP has obtained a warrant for the arrest of a man wanted in relation to an assault that occurred on January 10, 2024, in Middle Sackville.
Daniel Michaud, 31, from Oakfield, has been charged with:
Assault
Assault Causing Bodily Harm
Michaud is described as 5-foot-10, 175 lbs. He has green eyes and blond hair.
Investigators believe that Michaud is driving a 2008 dark navy-blue GMC Sierra with a black/grey hood. The vehicle is missing the front grill and may not have a licence plate.
Police have made several attempts to locate Michaud, however are requesting assistance from the public.
Anyone who sees Daniel Michaud is asked to refrain from approaching him and to call police. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.
Detectives investigating a fatal stabbing in Southwark have charged two people with murder.
Matthew Henry, 39 (06.12.84) of Coopers Road SE1 and Nicole Quamina, 34 (27.06.89) of no fixed address will both appear in custody at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, 13 January. Both were charged on Friday, 12 January.
At around 06:50hrs on Tuesday, 9 January, officers were called to reports of an injured man on Old Kent Road, SE1.
Despite the efforts of emergency services, the victim – Carlton McCloud, aged 47 – died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported.
A post mortem examination found the cause of death to be sharp force trauma to the chest.
Two others have been arrested on suspicion of murder as part of the investigation.
On Tuesday, 9 January, a 54-year old man [A] and a 38-year-old woman [B] were arrested and have since been bailed.
A 19-year-old man is facing criminal charges, including impaired driving, following a hit and run two-vehicle collision that occurred in Grand Falls-Windsor on January 11, 2024.
Yesterday afternoon, at approximately 2:30 p.m., Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP received a report of a hit and run collision that occurred on Pinsent Drive in Grand Falls-Windsor. The driver of one of the vehicles failed to remain at the scene and was located in a commercial parking lot nearby.
He showed signs of alcohol impairment and was arrested. Back at the detachment, the man provided breath samples that were more than three and a half times the legal limit. He was released from custody and is set to appear in court at a later date to answer to charges of impaired driving and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.
The vehicle was seized and impounded and the man’s licence was suspended.
Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP thanks the public for assistance provided in this investigation.
Whitbourne RCMP is investigating recent break and enters at various Newfoundland Power properties, as well as a break and enter at a Highway Maintenance Depot.
Since January 3, 2024, police have responded to three break and enters at Newfoundland Power facilities and a break and enter at a Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Highway Maintenance Depot.
Sometime between the evening hours of January 9 and the morning hours of January 10, suspect(s) broke into a Highway Maintenance Depot in Fair Haven. Numerous tools, a gas can and gasoline removed from the gas tanks of parked vehicles, were stolen.
Sometime between the evening hours of January 2 and the morning hours of January 3, three Newfoundland Power properties, including a facility in Whitbourne and two substations, one located on the Trans-Canada Highway in Whitbourne and the other in Chapel Arm, were broken into. A number of items were stolen from the Whitbourne facility including three reels of copper wire and four Milwaukee brand power drills. Police believe the suspect(s) were looking for copper wire at the two substation locations.
The investigations are ongoing.
Anyone having information about either of these crimes is asked to contact Whitbourne RCMP at 709-759-2600 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visitwww.nlcrimestoppers.comor use the P3Tips app.
Londoners will see a significant policing presence this weekend for what is expected to be the first major protest activity of 2024.
On Saturday, a march organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other groups will depart from Bank junction in the City of London at or shortly after midday, heading via Fleet Street and Victoria Embankment to Parliament Square where speeches will take place.
On Sunday there will a static rally in support of Israel taking place in Trafalgar Square from 14:30hrs.
Around 1,700 officers will be on duty to police the march on Saturday, including many from forces outside London. There will also be a substantial police presence for the event on Sunday.
Officers are there to ensure the events take place safely and peacefully, that disruption to other members of the public is kept to a minimum and that any offences are seen and dealt with.
We have been in discussions with the organisers of both events as we have been for the majority of protests that have taken place since October 2023. We will continue to liaise with them and with their stewards for the safety and security of all involved.
The majority of protests and other events held in recent months have taken place without any notable disorder, with most people attending to express their views in a lawful and peaceful way.
Regrettably not everyone has acted responsibly and we have seen multiple arrests at a number of protests.
In particular, there have been repeated examples of placards, banners and other items being carried or worn, or statements being chanted, that have crossed the line into religiously or racially aggravated offences. Some have even been so serious as to be dealt with under the Terrorism Act.
The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command has launched around 30 investigations into suspected offending at protests since 7 October, the majority of which relate to potential terrorism offences. Officers will be working again this weekend to identify any further offences.
The UK threat level remains at substantial. As ever, we continue to ask the public to be vigilant and report in confidence anything that doesn’t look or feel right, either online at gov.uk/ACT or by calling 0800 789 321.
Earlier today (Friday, 12 January) a man who wore a headband to a protest on 25 November was charged with wearing an item of clothing or wearing, carrying or displaying an article that arouses suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation.
This is one of a number of arrests for this offence during recent protests. Where officers see people engaging in activity that suggests support or membership of a proscribed organisation, such as Hamas or Hezbollah, action will be taken.
More information on proscribed organisations is available online.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who will lead the policing operation this weekend, said: “We absolutely recognise the passion and strength of feeling sparked by the ongoing conflict and we respect the right of those who wish to protest and have their voices heard to do so.
“We police without fear or favour and where our policing approach differs it is a response to the intelligence and the nature of the event, not those taking part or the cause they represent. Officers are present primarily to ensure the safety of those involved, but where we see offences taking place, or where we are made aware of them either online or by other means, we will not hesitate to act.
“These protests and the offences connected to them have been widely reported on in the media and have been the subject of extensive discussions online. It is really disappointing that despite this, we have continued to see people turning up carrying placards, wearing clothing or chanting slogans that, certainly by this stage, they should know will cause alarm or distress to others.
“I would appeal to those attending any protest event, whether this weekend or in the future, to consider how their actions will impact on the safety and security of others. Those who intentionally push the limits of what may cross the line into criminality will face the consequences.
“I would encourage anyone at the protests who feels unsafe, or sees anything they are concerned about, to speak to an officer.”
Policing approach
The approach officers will take this weekend will be similar to that taken at protests seen in the latter part of 2023.
There will be a visible police presence, with road closures in place for the safety of those taking part. Any closures will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so, minimising the impact on other members of the public.
On Saturday, the following conditions will be in place:
Any person participating in the procession must not deviate from the route specified on the map below.
The speeches at the assembly following the procession must end by 16:30hrs and the whole event must end by 17:00hrs.
No participant in the protest may enter the area in red in the map below (this is the area around the Israeli Embassy).
The use of further police powers, such as dispersal orders or powers relating to searching, will be kept under review. Any decision to use them will be proactively communicated on the Met’s X/Twitter account.
In the event of any criminal activity during protests, the public can expect to see robust intervention.
All officers will be briefed to be on the lookout for offensive placards and banners. In addition we will have teams in our operations room monitoring CCTV to identify other offences or to locate suspects in the crowd.
Where they are identified, we will use trained teams to intervene and remove them so that appropriate action can be taken.
Officers will also have facial recognition technology available, enabling them to compare CCTV stills or images shared on social media against a database of images held on the police custody system, potentially speeding up the investigation.
Despite the best efforts of officers, the volume of people at these larger protests means it may not always be possible to locate and arrest a suspect on the day.
In these circumstances we will use other means at our disposal, including public appeals, to continue investigations and to identify those suspected of committing offences.
Leaflets will once again be distributed at the forming up point of the protest on Saturday, setting out clear guidance to those taking part on the sort of behaviour that is likely to lead to arrest. Digital versions of the leaflets are available below.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
SAN ANTONIO – A California man and his San Antonio co-conspirator were sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Hector Barreto, 62, of San Juan Capistrano, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay $944,693.51 in restitution and a $100,000 fine. Miguel Gutierrez, 49, was sentenced to 10 months in prison as a condition of five year probation. He was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine and restitution of $1,194,439.51. A restraining order was entered against both defendants to ensure government oversight of their assets until the victims are made whole.
According to Court documents, Barreto, who served as the Small Business Administrator under President George W. Bush, and Gutierrez operated a charity called the Latino Coalition Foundation. Barreto controlled the charity’s bank accounts and had operational control. Barreto and Gutierrez solicited donations into that charity to be used to establish an apprenticeship program to help low income youth get critical job training and skills. Instead of using the charitable funds for charity, Barreto and Gutierrez stole much of the funds for themselves through direct and indirect payments to themselves, using the charity’s credit cards for personal expenses, and payments to friends and family members. To help hide the diversion of charitable funds, Barreto and Gutierrez falsified the IRS Form 990s for the charity to make it falsely appear they had not received payments from the charity when in reality, they had received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Gutierrez pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return. Barreto pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.
“Our nations charity system is based upon trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Donors trust that those who run the charities are using their money for charity and not to line their own pockets. The defendants today were sentenced for betraying that trust. Our office will vigorously prosecute anyone who steals charitable donations to feed their own greed.”
“Many Americans want to help their communities by supporting charities and causes that they care about. They trust that their support will be used to help those in need,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson for the FBI San Antonio Division. “Hector Barreto and Miguel Gutierrez abused that trust, and this sentence reflects the seriousness of their crimes. We want to thank our partners in IRS Criminal Investigation for their continued work in protecting our nation’s citizens.”
“The tax-exempt status offered by the IRS helps citizens to know that an organization is operated to promote social welfare. Barreto and Gutierrez stole a significant portion of tax-exempt funds and eroded the trust citizens have in these organizations,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Rodrick Benton for IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “CI special agents helped unravel this scheme and will continue working to protect the public’s interest by stopping these schemes cold.”
The FBI and CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Blackwell and Bill Harris prosecuted the case.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
Rashad Marquise Ray, pled guilty to one count of cyberstalking in which he sent numerous harassing messages to an out-of-state ex-girlfriend and her immediate family using several social media applications between Jan. 1, 2022 and July 26, 2023.