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Emerson — RCMP respond to armed robbery and shots fired

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On January 22, 2024, at approximately 4:05 am, RCMP officers from Morris, Emerson and St-Pierre Jolys, responded to shots fired, outside a residence in the RM of Emerson-Franklin.

It was reported that a male and female met up earlier that morning on Gosselin Road, in St. Malo. They were in a vehicle together when another vehicle pulled up and a male armed with a firearm pointed the firearm at the male and demanded money. The male suspect then fled in his vehicle with an undisclosed amount of cash. The female left shortly after in her own vehicle.

The victim left the scene and contacted a friend. They both returned to the area to try and locate the male suspect and the female but they were no longer in the area. They then headed towards the females’ residence in the RM of Emerson-Franklin, and while en route they came across the suspect vehicle parked near the home. While one of the males was walking towards the suspect vehicle, a shot was fired in his direction, and he returned to his vehicle and called police.

RCMP officers immediately attended the residence in the RM of Emerson-Franklin. A male and female were arrested without incident and two firearms were seized.

A 48-year-old female from the RM of Emerson-Franklin, has been charged with Robbery with a Firearm, Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose, Unsafe Storage of Firearms, and Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm x2.

A 64-year-old male from the RM of East St. Paul, has been charged with Robbery with a Firearm, Discharge Firearm with Intent x2, Pointing a Firearm, Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, Unsafe Storage of Firearms x2, and Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm x2.

They were both remanded in custody.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Swan River — Swan River RCMP investigating suspicious vehicle

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On January 23, 2024, at 5:00 pm, Swan River RCMP received a report of an incident, from the day before, from the Benito School of a suspicious vehicle having driven past two female students, ages of 12 and 10, where the driver had motioned to the girls to approach his vehicle.

The vehicle did not come to a stop and the girls ignored the request and continued on walking. The suspicious vehicle then drove away.

The incident occurred just after school on January 22 as the two girls were walking home.

The suspect vehicle is described as being a dark coloured SUV with an unknown Ontario license plate.

They described the driver as being a male with dark curly hair. No clothing description was obtained.

Officers conducted patrols in the Benito area immediately following the report but could not locate a vehicle matching this description.

If anyone has any information in relation to this vehicle, please contact the Swan River RCMP at (204) 734-4686, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Swan River RCMP continue to investigate.

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FDIC Attorney Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Sexually Exploit Numerous Children

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) attorney pleaded guilty today to conspiring to sexually exploit numerous children.

According to court documents, between January 2018 and October 2021, Mark Black, 50, of Arlington, was a member of two online groups dedicated to exploiting children. The goal of the two groups was to locate prepubescent girls online and convince them to livestream themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Black and his co-conspirators would covertly record this conduct and share the videos with each other.

In July 2019, Black induced a prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct on a live-streaming application while screen-recording that activity. That same month, Black and a co-conspirator also groomed another prepubescent minor to engage in sexually explicit acts on a photo and video-sharing application. The co-conspirator surreptitiously hacked into this girl’s live-video feed and recorded the sexual acts before sending them to Black.

Black was formerly the Arlington Aquatic Club (AAC) board president.

Black pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Nicole M. Argentieri, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael D. Nordwall, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Shimon Richmond, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations of the FDIC Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper and Trial Attorneys McKenzie Hightower, Kaylynn Foulon, and James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

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. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cr-146.

Any individuals who believe they or someone they know may have been victimized by Black are encouraged to contact the FBI at 202-278-2000 and ask to speak to the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

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Birdtail Sioux First Nation — RCMP Major Crime Services & MFNPS investigating homicide

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On January 23, 2024, at approximately 8:45 pm, Manitoba First Nations Police Service (MFNPS) responded to a report of an injured male at a residence located in Birdtail Sioux First Nation.

Upon arrival, officers discovered the 40-year-old male, from Birdtail Sioux First Nation, who was pronounced deceased on scene.

The matter is being investigated as a homicide.

RCMP Major Crime Services, along with MFNPS, continue to investigate.

Police are requesting anyone with information in relation to this homicide to call the MFNPS at 204-568-4539, Manitoba Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

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Nuclear Advocates Call for More Nuclear Energy

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

Nuclear energy’s contribution to net zero is gaining momentum, and advocates are adding their voices to highlight the role nuclear technology can play in the battle against climate change. This year will see the first ever Nuclear Energy Summit, hosted jointly by the IAEA and Belgium, on 21 March 2024. Co-chaired by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, it will be the highest-level meeting to date exclusively focused on the topic of nuclear energy. 

Thanks to:

  • Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General
  • Alexander De Croo, Belgian Prime Minister
  • Kaylee Cunningham, Nuclear Engineering PhD Student MIT Dr
  • Fatih Birol, Executive Director, International Energy Agency
  • Professor Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General, WMO
  • Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Energy Minister
  • Lucia Ortega, Isotope Hydrologist
  • Andreas Baumgartner, Radiation Technician
  • Isabelle Boemeke, Nuclear Energy Influencer ‘Isodope’ Ia Aanstoot, Climate Activist
  • Princy Mthombeni, Energy Activist
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Forsyth Man Indicted for Springfield Bank Robbery

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Forsyth, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing a Springfield bank.

Richard Campbell, 59, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. Today’s indictment alleges that Campbell robbed Guaranty Bank, 1905 W. Kearney St., in Springfield, on Jan. 5, 2024.

The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and the FBI.

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California Man Pleads Guilty to Interfering With Flight Crew, Forcing Plane to Be Diverted to KCI

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A California man pleaded guilty in federal court today after he was subdued by several passengers and flight attendants when he tried to open the exit door on an American Airlines flight en route to Washington, D.C., forcing the plane to land at Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Missouri.

Juan Remberto Rivas, 52, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of interfering with flight crew members and flight attendants.

Rivas was a passenger aboard American Airlines flight 1775 traveling nonstop from Los Angeles, Calif., to Washington, D.C., which was diverted to Kansas City International Airport in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 13, 2022.

By pleading guilty today, Rivas admitted that he created a disturbance which knowingly intimidated a flight attendant of the aircraft. Rivas went to the front of the plane and was arguing with the flight attendant. Rivas grabbed some plastic silverware and placed the plastic silverware in his shirt sleeve to appear to create a shank. Rivas grabbed a small champagne bottle by the neck and attempted to break the bottle on the counter. Rivas then attempted to open an exit door by lifting the handle.

Another flight attendant grabbed a coffee pot and hit Rivas with it. Rivas was then restrained for the remainder of the flight.

Under federal statutes, Rivas is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the FBI.

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Grants Man Charged With Assaulting a Federal Officer

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

ALBUQUERQUE – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, announced that Stephen Jaymes Montano appeared in federal court on an indictment charging him with assault upon a federal officer inflicting bodily injury. Montano, 28, of Grants, will remain in temporary custody pending a detention hearing, which is scheduled for January 25, 2024.

According to the indictment, on Sept. 21, 2023, Montano intentionally assaulted John Doe, an officer and employee of the New Mexico Department of Corrections, while John Doe was assisting officers and employees of the United States Marshals Service in the performance of official duties. Montano allegedly inflicted bodily injury by throwing a bicycle at John Doe.

An indictment is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Montano faces 20 years in prison.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Bell is prosecuting the case.

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Windsor — West Hants RCMP Street Crime Enforcement Unit charge three people with drug offences

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

West Hants RCMP Street Crime Enforcement Unit (SCEU) has charged three people with drug offences following a traffic stop and a search warrant executed at a home in Hants Border.

On January 18, 2024, the West Hants RCMP SCEU, with the assistance from the West Hants RCMP Detachment General Investigation Section and the West Hants RCMP Detachment, completed a targeted traffic stop on Hwy. 101 near Windsor which led to the execution of a search warrant at a home on Bishopville Rd.

During the traffic stop, RCMP officers safely arrested one man and two women then located and seized cocaine, ecstasy, methamphetamine, scales and cellphones.

The search that followed at the residence then resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, cellphones, scales, baggies and items used in the production and distribution of cocaine.

Richard Eldridge, 43, from Hants Border, Jenna Hobson, 32, from Cambridge and Victoria Graham, 22, from Hants Border have been charged with:
• Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (two counts each)
• Production of Substance (two counts each)

Victoria Graham was additionally charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance.

All three accused were later released on conditions and will appear in Kentville Provincial Court on April 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

File #: 2023-1805431

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The Met is listening to community concerns and taking positive action

Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

The Met is listening to issues raised by residents in Finsbury Park and tackling anti-social behaviour and violence.

Residents of Finsbury Park said they felt unsafe in specific locations in the area and that anti-social behaviour, drug dealing, theft, and sexual offending were their biggest concerns.

To respond to concerns around these issues, local officers are taking decisive action alongside the local councils to bear down on criminality in the area, collaborating with specialist officers, the public and key partners, to understand and tackle gang-related and organised crime in the area.

This includes plain-clothed and uniformed officers conducting patrols in the area, carrying out warrants at business addresses suspected of being involved in drug dealing, and working with British Transport Police to crackdown on theft, robbery and other offending taking place on public transport.

In the latest targeted policing deployment in Finsbury Park on 17 January, local officers from Islington, Haringey and Hackney worked with the Dog Support Unit and colleagues from the Met’s Territorial Support Group (TSG) to deal with those involved in criminality, leading to eight arrests:

· Three arrests for knife enabled robbery

· One arrest for possession with intent to supply Class A and C drugs, handling stolen goods and immigration offences

· One arrest for being concerned in the supply of drugs and money laundering

· One arrest for possession with intent to supply Class B drugs

· One arrest for conspiracy to supply Class A and C drugs, and possession of Class A drugs

· One arrest for breach of immigration bail

Superintendent Jack May-Robinson, from the Islington Neighbourhoods team, said: “Local policing teams are listening to residents and working alongside partners – including Islington, Hackney and Haringey councils – to tackle issues that matter the most to residents of Finsbury Park.

“We are working with residents to encourage them to work with us and provide us with information that will enhance our intelligence picture and help officers to target offenders and tackle gang-related and organised crime in the area, making the area safer.

“If residents have concerns, I encourage them to get in contact with their local Safer Neighbourhood ward teams or email the Love Finsbury Park team on CNMailbox-.LoveFinsburyPark@met.police.uk.”

Through community crime-fighting, the Met is working to cut crime, rebuild trust and restore its bond with communities. This is one local example of how the Met is working locally to deliver long-lasting result for the residents of Finsbury Park and the rest of the capital.

The activity in Finsbury Park, uses a policing framework known as ‘Clear Hold Build’. This was officially launched earlier this week at St Thomas The Apostle church to bring together partners from the councils and other local community groups to discuss what the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ approach will look like when delivered to ensure that offenders are kept out of communities and residents are able to build thriving neighbourhoods. Locally this has been branded by those involved as ‘Love Finsbury Park’.

The ‘Clear’ phase means targeted arrests and crime disruption through partnership working, while ‘Hold’ means stabilising the area to stop offenders moving in to fill the void. The ‘Build’ phase is focused on community-driven action to address the causes of criminality and prevent it from happening again.

Supt Jack May-Robinson, added: “The Met is dedicated to working with partners such as Haringey, Hackney and Islington councils to carry out work in order to design out crime in the area. This will include looking at lighting in the area as well as other physical factors that would make Finsbury Park area safer for everyone.”

Cllr Susan Fajana-Thomas OBE, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services at Hackney Council, said: “Our priority is understanding local residents’ concerns and working together with our partners to build lasting improvements to community safety. “In areas like Blackstock Road, where people told us they didn’t feel safe, we’re working with the community to set up a neighbourhood watch scheme. We’ve also launched public safety campaigns against harassment, misogyny and pickpocketing, and increased police patrols and CCTV coverage in the area.”

Cllr John Woolf, Executive Member for Community Safety at Islington Council, said: “Everyone deserves to feel safe wherever they live, study or work in Islington. I am pleased that the police are taking robust action against offenders in Finsbury Park, and we will continue to work in partnership with them to prevent crime.

“We are committed to supporting the project by improving the environment, providing diversionary activities, sharing intelligence and engaging with our residents and businesses. I look forward to working with the police and community to build a safer Finsbury Park.”

Cllr Adam Jogee, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion at Haringey Council, said: “We support the implementation of the tri-borough Clear, Hold, Build approach, which brings together key services and local groups from the wider Finsbury Park area and puts the community’s voice at the heart of the response.

“Clear, Hold, Build will benefit businesses, communities, residents and visitors by targeting anti-social behaviour and criminality – some of which has been entrenched in N4 for several years now. In seeking to make the area safer for all, we hope this will enhance community confidence accordingly in due course.

“A lot of hard work is going in to make the park in Finsbury Park as family friendly, safe and welcoming as possible and this initiative will bolster those concerted efforts as well.”

Further information:

· Previous police activity on 6 December 2023 on Blackstock Road saw local officers focus on reducing drug supply in the area and conducted three raids at business premises that were believed to be involved in the supply of drugs.

· This resulted in officers arresting seven people for a range of offences including burglary, robbery and allowing drug activity on premises. A dispersal order also was put in place to deter anti-social behaviour and a closure notice was issued to one of the three businesses.

· Throughout this week the Met will share how we are listening to local communities and working with others to respond.