Firefighter Fatalities

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities:

Name: Paul K. Mikeal

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel/Evaluator Pilot

Age: 42

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 20

Name: Joseph M. McCormick

Rank: Major/Instructor Pilot

Age: 36

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: Pending

Name: Ryan S. David

Rank: Major/Navigator

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: Pending

Name: Robert S. Cannon

Rank: Senior Master Sergeant/Flight Engineer

Age: 50

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 29

Date of Incident: 07/01/2012

Time of Incident: 1830hrs

Date of Death: 07/01/2012

Fire Department: 145th Airlift Wing

Address: 4930 Minuteman Way, Charlotte, NC 28208

Fire Department Chief: BG Tony McMillan

Incident Description: Four members of the North Carolina Air National Guard, members of 145th Airlift Wing, were killed and two seriously injured while working a fire attack mission in South Dakota on the White Draw fire near Edgemont. The firefighting crew of the Air Force C-130H3, carrying a U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS), had been battling wildfires in the days leading up to the crash, including those around Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Incident Location: White Draw fire (near Edgemont, SD - USNG: 13T EJ 99 04)

Funeral Arrangements: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant Colonel Paul K. Mikeal, Major Joseph M. McCormick, Major Ryan S. David, and Senior Master Sergeant Robert S. Cannon at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 46 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2012. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm

Federal Indictment Charges Air Force Sergeant and Wife with Child Abuse Resulting in Death

LAS CRUCES—Yesterday, a federal grand jury sitting in Albuquerque, New Mexico filed a seven-count indictment charging Peter John Zayas, 27, an Air Force sergeant stationed at Holloman Air Force Base; and his wife, Sophia Monique Zayas, 30, with child abuse offenses arising out of the death of their 2-month-old daughter.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that Peter and Sophia Zayas were arrested without incident yesterday afternoon by the FBI and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Peter and Sophia Zayas remain in federal custody pending their initial appearances in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico tomorrow morning.

Count one of the indictment alleges that, between October 21, 2007 and October 22, 2007, Peter and Sophia Zayas caused their infant daughter’s death by intentionally torturing and punishing the child. The penalty for a conviction on this charge is life imprisonment.

Counts two, three, and four allege that, between October 1, 2007 and October 21, 2007, Peter and Sophia Zayas caused great bodily harm to their infant daughter by intentionally torturing and punishing the child. The maximum penalty for a conviction on any one of these three counts is 18 years of imprisonment.

Counts five, six, and seven allege that, between August 16, 2007 and October 20, 2007, Peter and Sophia Zayas endangered the life of their infant daughter by intentionally torturing and punishing the child. The maximum penalty for a conviction on any one of these three counts is three years of imprisonment.

According to the indictment, the seven offenses charged in the indictment allegedly took place in Otero County, New Mexico at Holloman Air Force Base.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Y. Armijo and Nathan J. Lichvarcik.

Charges and indictments are only accusations. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP Officers Arrest Air Force Deserter

Grand Portage, Minn. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested an alleged deserter from the U.S. Air Force at the Grand Portage port of entry on Saturday, March 10.

Caleb May, 21, of Biloxi, Mississippi was taken into custody by CBP officers upon his entry into the United States after a check of his identification revealed that he was the subject of a National Crime Information Center warrant for military desertion. A U.S. Air Force Investigator confirmed his status as a deserter; custody of May was then turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for transport to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Detention Facility for extradition back to the custody of the U.S. Air Force.

“Our vigilance and diligence is resulting in the apprehension of more fugitives attempting entry into the United States,” said Area Port Director Mary Delaquis. “Desertion from the armed services is a very serious offense and I am very proud of the enforcement efforts of our officers.”

The National Crime Information Center is a centralized automated data base designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses. These warrants are for a wide range of offenses and include money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, the sexual abuse of children, violation of protection orders, fraud, failure to appear, larceny and military desertion.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of U.S. borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Former University of Tennessee Professor John Reece Roth Begins Serving Four-Year Prison Sentence on Convictions of Illegally Exporting Military Research Data

KNOXVILLE, TN—On January 18, 2012, John Reece Roth, a former professor of electrical engineering at the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville, began serving a four-year prison sentence for his September 2008 convictions. Roth had been on bond pending his appeals, all of which were unsuccessful. He self-surrendered to the federal correctional facility in Ashland, Kentucky.

Roth was convicted after a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, of conspiracy, wire fraud, and 15 counts of exporting “defense articles and services” without a license. As a UT professor, Roth obtained an U.S. Air Force (USAF) contract to develop plasma actuators to control the flight of small, subsonic, unmanned, military drone aircraft. During the course of that contract, he allowed two foreign national students to access export controlled data and equipment, and export some of the data from the contract on a trip to China. The Arms Export Control Act prohibits the export of defense-related materials, including the technical data, to a foreign national or a foreign nation. This case was a first-of-its-kind prosecution of a university professor for the transfer of controlled defense technology to foreign national graduate students.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation and was joined in its efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, USAF Office of Special Investigations, and Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Theodore and Will Mackie represented the United States.

U.S. Attorney Bill Killian said, “This sentence communicates the importance of export compliance to academia and industry, especially in the research and development communities. It underscores the criminal consequences of non-compliance and what happens to those who knowingly and willfully violate export control laws. These federal agencies and the Assistant U.S. Attorneys are to be commended for their dedication and diligence that resulted in this sentence.”

Kirtland Airman Charged with Federal Child Pornography Offenses

ALBUQUERQUE—This morning, Shabaka Green, 25, a United States Air Force Airman First Class C3 stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base, appeared before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Richard L. Puglisi on a criminal complaint charging him with receipt, possession, and distribution of child pornography. If convicted of distribution and receipt of child pornography, Green faces a minimum five-year to a maximum 20-year term of imprisonment. If convicted of possession of child pornography, Green faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Green also faces up to a life-time of supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine, and restitution as ordered by the court if convicted of any child pornography offense. Green remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for February 16, 2011.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said Green was arrested on February 11, 2011 at Kirtland Air Force Base based on evidence developed during an undercover investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The criminal complaint alleges that on December 2010, the Detroit Division of the FBI alerted the Albuquerque Division of the FBI that an undercover investigative session utilizing an enhanced version of the publicly available Limewire program, a peer-to-peer file-sharing program, had undercover evidence that a certain Internet Protocol (IP) address was being used to download images and videos of minors involved in sexually explicit conduct (child pornography). Subsequent investigation revealed that Green was the subscriber for the IP address. The complaint alleges that the FBI obtained a search warrant for Green’s residence based on the evidence obtained during the undercover investigation session and executed the search warrant on February 9, 2011. Concurrent with the search of Green’s residence, investigators interviewed Green regarding his involvement in distribution, receipt, and possession of child pornography. After being advised of and waiving his constitutional rights, Green admitted possessing hundreds of child pornography images on his computer. He also admitted that he began downloading and sharing child pornography when he was 18 years old.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlyn E. Rees and was investigated by the Albuquerque and Detroit Divisions of the FBI, with assistance from the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the New Mexico Computer Analysis and Response Team (CART).

It 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, 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case also was brought as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force whose mission it is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 61 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies associated with the task force, which is funded by a grant administered by the NMAGO. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.

A complaint is only an accusation. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP in Sault Ste. Marie Augments Presidential Security Detail

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers from the Port of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan participated in a presidential security detail in Marquette, Mich., on Feb. 10.

The detail was coordinated with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Air Force’s Presidential Advance Team and included on site security of Air Force One and its fuel. A contingent of eight CBP Office of Field Operations managers and officers from the port of Sault Ste. Marie traveled over 300 miles to conduct tarmac/hangar security and to perform roving patrols during the President’s visit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

President Barack Obama arrived in the Upper Peninsula with Sen. Carl Levin to meet with local business owners who have used broadband to boost their exports and to tout a plan for nationwide wireless broadband access. This was Obama's first visit the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the first presidential visit since George W. Bush in 2004.

“This was an excellent opportunity for CBP Office of Field Operations to support the President of the United States and to demonstrate the professionalism and dedication of our officers,” stated Devin Chamberlain, Port Director for the Sault Ste. Marie port of entry. “Security was extremely tight and our officers were an important partner in that effort.”

“The fact that officers from Sault Ste. Marie traveled over 300 miles to provide support for the Presidents visit to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula exemplifies the professionalism and can-do spirit that is prevalent in our organization,” said Christopher Perry, Director Field Operations, Detroit Field Office. “This is the same attitude and spirit that these officers bring to their mission at the border every day.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Air Force Office of Special Investigations

On August 7, 2009, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Colonel Michael Angley, USAF (ret.), formerly of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Program Date: August 7, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Air Force Office of Special Investigations
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/08/08/Air-Force-Office-of-Special-Investigations

About the Guest
Colonel Michael Angley, USAF (ret.) is a retired Special Agent of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). The OSI is the Air Force equivalent of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), was modeled after the FBI, and has dual missions: felony-level criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations.

During Colonel Michael Angley’s 25-year OSI career, he has literally “seen it all.” When he was a young Special Agent in northern California he worked a number of undercover narcotics operations targeting Air Force jet mechanics that were using, selling, and distributing a variety of narcotics. Following a firm grounding in criminal investigations, to include, murder, arson, and child crime cases, Michael Angley began to specialize in counterintelligence operations. During his career he held thirteen different assignments worldwide, with most of his overseas time in the Far East and Middle East. In 1996 Michael Angley took command of all OSI units in the Middle East where he was responsible for operations in 23 countries. He established groundbreaking concepts for the conduct of counterterrorism programs that led the way to current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. When Michael Angley retired in 2007, he was the Commander of OSI Region 8, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado. He was responsible for all OSI criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations at thirteen Air Force Space Command locations in the United States. Colonel Michael Angley is the author of Child Finder.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/08/08/Air-Force-Office-of-Special-Investigations

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Criminal Justice Education

June 13, 2008, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) On June 18, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Dr. Gregory D. Herbert, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) about educational opportunities for both criminal justice and military personnel.

Program Date: June 18, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Criminal Justice Education
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/06/19/The-Watering-Hole

About the Guest
Dr. Gregory D. Herbert, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) was born in Kalamazoo, MI, in 1956. He graduated from Lakewood High School, St. Petersburg FL, in 1974, and then attended St. Petersburg Junior College where he received his AA degree. He received an Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend Florida State University where he graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on August 10, 1979. Dr. Herbert served on active duty for twenty two years initially as a B-52 Navigator/Radar Navigator then as a staff officer at various headquarters such as Strategic Air Command, Air Combat Command, and Air University.

At Air University Dr. Gregory D. Herbert was Chief, Nonresident Curriculum Branch, Air Command and Staff College; as such, he was in charge of the curriculum for over 6,000 nonresident students. While on active duty he earned an MBA from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a doctorate in Higher Education from The George Washington University. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 2002 Dr. Herbert joined TUI University as a faculty member in the College of Business Administration. Since joining TUI he has taught and developed numerous courses for the college and has assumed administrative duties as the Associate Dean for the Colleges of Business Administration and Information Systems.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Criminal Justice Education

June 13, 2008, 2008 (San Dimas, CA) On June 18, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Dr. Gregory D. Herbert, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) about educational opportunities for both criminal justice and military personnel.

Program Date: June 18, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Criminal Justice Education
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2008/06/19/The-Watering-Hole

About the Guest
Dr. Gregory D. Herbert, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) was born in Kalamazoo, MI, in 1956. He graduated from Lakewood High School, St. Petersburg FL, in 1974, and then attended St. Petersburg Junior College where he received his AA degree. He received an Air Force ROTC scholarship to attend Florida State University where he graduated in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force on August 10, 1979. Dr. Herbert served on active duty for twenty two years initially as a B-52 Navigator/Radar Navigator then as a staff officer at various headquarters such as Strategic Air Command, Air Combat Command, and Air University.

At Air University Dr. Gregory D. Herbert was Chief, Nonresident Curriculum Branch, Air Command and Staff College; as such, he was in charge of the curriculum for over 6,000 nonresident students. While on active duty he earned an MBA from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a doctorate in Higher Education from The George Washington University. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 2002 Dr. Herbert joined TUI University as a faculty member in the College of Business Administration. Since joining TUI he has taught and developed numerous courses for the college and has assumed administrative duties as the Associate Dean for the Colleges of Business Administration and Information Systems.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Soldiers, Airmen Help Afghan Police Hone Skills

By Army Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 13, 2008 - The sound of idling Humvees resonated in the air as the police mentoring team commander briefed his team on convoy operations. With their orders received, the team mounted up and prepared to roll out, bound for Dandar, a small village in Afghanistan's Parwan province. Army Capt. Mark Moeckli and his team rolled out of Bagram Air Base and embarked on a scenic and treacherous journey over winding mountain roads.

Their task was to instruct the Afghan National Police on hand-to-hand combat, community policing, coordination-cell training, and criminal investigation.

Moeckli's team is made up of servicemembers who were trained in an array of military occupational specialties. With their combined expertise, they make a highly skilled and effective team, ready to tackle the task of teaching the skills Afghan police officers need to remain effective, he said.

The confident commander seemed secure in his team, which began work immediately.

"Some of the Afghan people do bad things, but most of the Afghan people want to see the Taliban gone and their country safe, just like we do," Moeckli said after returning from a meeting with Afghan National Police Col. Masoum Farzaie to discuss the day's objectives.

While the police mentoring team leadership met with the Afghan police colonel, the remaining team members prepared for a class on techniques for physical apprehension and restraint.

"We took it upon ourselves to give these training classes," said Army Capt. Donald Young, an Idaho National Guardsman and police mentoring team leader.

The teams of soldiers and airmen teach a variety of classes based upon the needs of the police in each district, Young explained. The day's classes were taught by the team's airmen, who are charged with training police in two provinces and 17 districts, and who recently taught police officers how to search personnel and control access to resources.

"The training is very good for us," Dawa Jan, an Afghan National Police officer, said. "Our main goal is security, and the classes the Americans give us help prepare us for that goal."

During the hands-on part of the class, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chris Padron, deployed from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., coached the police officers and gave them useful tips to help master the techniques.

"I love doing what I do," Padron said. "Teaching the Afghanistan National Police has been a great experience."

To become an Afghan National Police officer, applicants must have a high school education, go through testing and then attend a six-week course at one of the country's four academies. U.S. forces augment their training, helping them to retain the training they received at the academy.

"It is good for my policemen to learn from the Americans," Farazie said. "They have improved greatly since the Americans have come to teach them."

As the police mentoring team travels all over Parwan province, its goal is to give the Afghan National Police training and confidence they'll need to work without the assistance of coalition forces.

"We want to make the Afghanistan National Police sufficient, because in the end, it is not about us at all," Young said. "It is all about them."

(Army Sgt. Jessica R. Dahlberg serves with 382nd Public Affairs Detachment.)