Child predator sentenced to life imprisonment in Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, La. — A Fort Bliss, Texas, man was sentenced to life in prison Friday for producing and distributing child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Robert Cuff, 49, pleaded guilty in December 2011 to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. Cuff, a command master chief in the United States Navy, was assigned as the senior enlisted advisor to the Joint Task Force North at Fort Bliss at the time of his arrest. Evidence showed he joined and participated in the Dreamboard child exploitation bulletin board while stationed at Fort Bliss.

At sentencing, the court found that not only had Cuff participated in a child exploitation enterprise, he had also engaged in a pattern of activity involving the sexual exploitation of a 5-year-old child.

Jonathan Mayer, 29, of Newport, Tenn., and Shane Micah Turner, 33, of Roy, Utah, were also sentenced in connection with their participation in the Dreamboard bulletin board. Each received a sentence of 17 ½ years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release, as a result of both defendants pleading guilty to conspiring to advertise child pornography. The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks.

United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley stated, "These defendants, and people like them, who advertise, participate, distribute or exploit children to access child pornography work hard to evade law enforcement and disguise what they are doing. Their sole purpose is to view children hurting for their own sexual satisfaction. We agree with the court's statement that this defendant was much like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; to those who knew him in the military, he appeared to be an outstanding sailor, but as the judge stated, this defendant had a dark side involving the advertising of child pornography and the rape of a young child.

We want people who get engulfed in this type of disturbing behavior to know that they will face serious consequences for their actions. Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute this type of criminal activity to the fullest extent of the law. We want the community to know that the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice, along with our federal, state and local partners, are committed to protecting children from these vile criminals."

"Cuff and the other conspirators of the nightmare called Dreamboard mistakenly believed that they could commit unspeakable crimes against children and evade detection by law enforcement," said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New Orleans. "Criminals with this kind of depravity in mind should know that we are ever vigilant. For every tactic taken to evade law enforcement, we will adapt our strategies to find them and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law." Parmer oversees HSI activities in Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

To date, 42 out of 72 individuals have been convicted for their participation in an international criminal network, known as Dreamboard, which was dedicated to the sexual abuse of children and the creation and dissemination of graphic images and videos of child sexual abuse throughout the world.

The charges against these defendants were a result of Operation Delego, an ongoing HSI investigation launched in December 2009 that targeted individuals around the world for their participation in Dreamboard. Dreamboard was a private, members-only, online bulletin board created and operated to promote pedophilia and encourage the sexual abuse of very young children in an environment designed to avoid law enforcement detection. Operation Delego represents the largest prosecution to date in the United States of individuals who participated in an online bulletin board conceived and operated for the sole purpose of promoting child sexual abuse, disseminating child pornography and evading law enforcement.

All 72 defendants were charged with conspiring to advertise and distribute child pornography, and 50 were also charged with engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. Out of the 72 charged defendants, 55 have been arrested in the United States and abroad. Forty-one individuals have pleaded guilty and one defendant was convicted after a four-day jury trial. Twenty-eight of the 41 individuals who pleaded guilty have been sentenced to prison and received sentences ranging from 15 years to life. Thirteen of the 72 charged individuals remain at large and are known only by their online identities. Efforts to identify and apprehend these individuals continue.

According to court documents and evidence presented at the trial of defendant John Wyss, aka "Bones," Dreamboard members traded graphic images and videos of adults molesting children 12 years of age or younger, often violently, and collectively created a massive private library of images of child sexual abuse. The international group prized and encouraged the creation of new images and videos of child sexual abuse – numerous Dreamboard members sexually abused children, produced images and videos of the abuse, and shared the images and videos with other members of Dreamboard.

Dreamboard members employed a variety of measures designed to conceal their criminal activity from detection by law enforcement. Members communicated using aliases or "screen names," rather than their actual names. Links to child pornography posted on Dreamboard were required to be encrypted with a password that was shared only with other members. Members accessed the board via proxy servers, which routed internet traffic through other computers so as to disguise a user's actual location and prevent law enforcement from tracing Internet activity. Dreamboard members also encouraged the use of encryption programs on their computers, which password-protect computer files to prevent law enforcement from accessing them in the event of a court-authorized search.

Membership was tightly controlled by the administrators of Dreamboard, who required prospective members to upload child pornography portraying children 12 years of age or younger when applying for membership. Once they were given access, members were required continually to upload images of child sexual abuse in order to maintain membership. Members who failed to follow this rule would be expelled from the group.

The bulletin board included rules of conduct, printed in English, Russian, Japanese and Spanish. The rules required prospective members to upload material depicting children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit activity. Approved members were required to observe strict posting rules designed to encourage members to disseminate large quantities of child pornography, thwart efforts by law enforcement to identify members of the board, and encourage members to sexually abuse children in order to produce new material for the board. The board rules also required members to organize postings based on the type of content. One particular category was entitled "Super Hardcore." The rules for that category described in graphic language that the only posts permitted were those involving adults having violent sexual intercourse with "very young kids" who were being subjected to both physical and sexual abuse and were obviously "in distress, and or crying."

Operation Delego involved extensive international cooperation to identify and apprehend Dreamboard members abroad. Through coordination amongst ICE; the Department of Justice; Eurojust, the European Union's Judicial Cooperation Unit; and dozens of law enforcement agencies throughout the world, 20 Dreamboard members across five continents and 14 countries have been arrested to date outside the United States, including two of the five lead administrators of the board. Those countries include Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Kenya, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Qatar, Serbia, Sweden and Switzerland. Numerous foreign investigations related to Operation Delego remain ongoing. The location and arrest of Dreamboard members abroad have led to the capture and investigation of other global targets.

Evidence obtained during the operation revealed that at least 38 children across the world were suffering sexual abuse at the hands of the members of the group. Efforts by federal, state, local and international law enforcement to locate and identify the victims of sexual abuse and exploitation by Dreamboard members are ongoing.

The investigation was conducted by HSI, the Child Exploitation Section of ICE's Cyber Crimes Center, CEOS, CEOS's High Technology Investigative Unit and 35 ICE offices in the United States and 11 ICE attaches offices in 13 countries around the world, with assistance provided by numerous local and international law enforcement agencies across the United States and throughout the world.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Navy Seal Bickle Sentenced to 17½ Years in Prison

LAS VEGAS – The U.S. Navy SEAL who was convicted last fall of multiple felony weapons charges, including dealing in stolen firearms, was sentenced today to 17½ years in federal prison and three years of supervised release, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Nicholas Bickle, 34, of San Diego, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roger L. Hunt. Bickle was convicted by a jury in October 2011 of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully receive, transport, possess and transfer machineguns and stolen firearms and to deal in firearms; one count of dealing in firearms without a license; four counts of possession and transfer of machineguns; five counts of possession, concealment, sale and disposition of stolen firearms; one count of receiving, concealing and retaining property of the United States; and one count of transportation by and distribution of explosives to a non-licensee. The judge imposed a greater sentence because of the large number of firearms involved, the types of firearms involved, and because the firearms were stolen and trafficked. Judge Hunt also found that Bickle was a leader or organizer of the offense, and that Bickle had abused his position of trust in order to facilitate the offenses.

"The weapons trafficked in this case were not your ordinary firearms; rather, they were fully-automatic machineguns that likely would have ended up in the hands of criminals," said U.S. Attorney Bogden. "The defendant's conduct was serious, and the Court imposed a lengthy prison sentence that should serve as a deterrent to anyone who is considering trafficking in machineguns or other firearms."

"ATF works diligently with our law enforcement partners to ensure that illegal machineguns and explosives never make it to our streets," said Acting Special Agent in Charge John P. Lee. "Mr. Bickle abused the public trust inherent to the position of a Navy SEAL and today he paid the price."

The evidence at trial demonstrated that from about March 2009 to November 2010, Bickle, a Navy Seal, conspired with Richard Paul, 35,of Durango, Colorado, Andrew Kaufman, 37, and Omar Aguirre, 36, both of Las Vegas, to sell machineguns and other weapons possessed by Bickle when he returned from Iraq. The firearms included over 30 AK-47 type machineguns (some of which bore the markings or symbols of the Iraqi military forces) and multiple pistols previously procured by the United States for Iraqi security forces. Bickle transported the majority of the weapons to Nevada and Colorado where his co-conspirators sold them to others, including an undercover law enforcement agent who expressed the intent to smuggle the weapons to Mexico. Bickle received a substantial portion of the proceeds from the sales of firearms. Bickle was also convicted of unlawfully receiving and retaining government property (ammunition, explosives, grenades and optical sights) valued at more than $1,000, and unlawfully transporting and transferring approximately five pounds of C-4 explosives.

Aguirre, Paul, and Kaufman pleaded guilty prior to trial. Aguirre was sentenced in October 2011 to five years in prison. Paul and Kaufman are scheduled to be sentenced tomorrow, July 18, 2012.

The investigation was conducted by ATF, NCIS, and the LVMPD. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy S. Vasquez and Phillip N. Smith, Jr.

A Byte Out of History: Pearl Harbor Attack Mobilizes FBI War Plans

On December 7, 1941—as bombs fell on American battleships at Pearl Harbor—Robert L. Shivers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Honolulu office, was on the phone. Headquarters relayed his anxious call to New York, where Director Hoover was visiting.

"The Japanese are bombing Pearl Harbor. It's war," Shivers said. "You may be able to hear it yourself. Listen!"

Director Hoover immediately flew back to Washington, mindful of the plans that his agency had made for this eventuality. Some 2,400 brave U.S. sailors had already died in the early hours of that fateful Sunday.

The attack was a surprise; that Japan was readying war against America was not. Contingency plans had been made throughout the U.S. government, and they were immediately implemented to ensure American security in the weeks, months, and years after the surprise attack.

And what about FBI plans? What had the Bureau set in place in the event of war?

■It had made the investigation of sabotage, espionage, and subversion a top priority—and agents made surveys of industrial plants that were vital to American security in order to prevent sabotage and espionage.

■It had expanded its intelligence programs, including undercover work in South and Central America to identify Nazi spies.
■It had performed—and continued to perform—exhaustive background checks on federal workers, to keep enemy agents from infiltrating the government.
■It had been directed to draw up plans for a voluntary board, turned over to and headed by a newspaperman, to review media stories in order to prevent information from being released that might harm American troops. Mindful of free speech protections, this independent board operated with the voluntary cooperation of the media.
■It had expanded the number of professionally trained police through its National Academy program to aid the Bureau in times of crisis. This cadre of professionals effectively forestalled well-meaning but overzealous civilian plans to "help" law enforcement with vigilantism. The FBI had learned a lesson from World War I when groups like the American Protective League abused the civil rights of Americans in its efforts to identify German spies, draft resisters, and other threats.
■And it had identified German, Italian, and Japanese aliens who posed a clear threat to the United States in the event of war so that when President Roosevelt ordered it—and he did, on the evening of December 7—the Bureau could immediately arrest these enemies and present them to immigration for hearings (represented by counsel) and possible deportation. A few—like Bernard Julius Otto Kuehn, the German national involved in signaling the Japanese invasion fleet headed for Pearl Harbor—were arrested and prosecuted for espionage and other crimes against the U.S.
■Now, on December 7, it immediately implemented a 24/7 schedule at Headquarters and in its field operations.

What was the upshot? By war's end the FBI had captured hundreds of Axis agents, investigated more than 16,000 sabotage cases, and handled all of its other criminal responsibilities besides. It had played a significant role in keeping Americans safe and free.

Navy Federal Credit Union Robbed

At approximately 10:30 a.m., the Navy Federal Credit Union, 4717 Hondo Pass, in Northeast El Paso. was robbed. The subject entered the bank brandishing a weapon and instructed everyone in the bank to, “Get down, get down,” then approached the teller and said, “Get me the money and don’t (expletive) it up.” The teller handed the subject an undisclosed amount of money and the subject fled the bank on foot through the rear exit. The subject is described as a black male, approximately 25-30 years old, 6’ tall, and weighing 190 pounds. He was wearing dark blue/black gym pants, a light-colored hoodie, a tan bandana, dark sunglasses, gym gloves, and a knapsack or back pack.

This case is being worked by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the El Paso Police Department and El Paso Sheriff’s Department. If anyone was in the vicinity of this bank and/or has information about the robbery, please contact the FBI at 915-832-5000.

Founder and President of Rhode Island & Georgia Based Technology Firm Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Naval Kickback Scheme

More Than 9 Million Dollars in Kickbacks Paid to Naval Civilian Contract Officer and Others

PROVIDENCE, RI—The founder and president of a technology services company located in Rhode Island and Georgia pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in Providence to bribing a public official in a kickback scheme netting more than $9 million of naval funds, it was announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha.

Anjan Dutta-Gupta, 58, of Roswell, GA, founder and president of Advanced Solutions for Tomorrow (ASFT), pleaded guilty to paying bribes to a civilian program manager and senior systems engineer with the United States Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), who maintained offices in Newport, R.I and Washington, D.C., and to others, to ensure payment and additional funding to existing Naval contracts and work orders for work purportedly to be performed at ASFT.

According to information presented in court and in court documents, from about 1996 through January 2011, at least $8,000,000 was paid by ASFT (largely through its subcontractors) to a co-defendant in this case, Ralph Mariano, 52, of Arlington, VA, a civilian program manager and senior systems engineer with NAVSEA, to Mariano’s family members and to a Senior Vice President at ASFT. In addition, at least $1,200,000 was paid to subcontractors based on inflated invoices and funneled back to SIC, a corporation owned by Dutta-Gupta.

In exchange for Dutta-Gupta and ASFT’s kickbacks of millions of dollars from 1996 through 2011, according to court documents, Mariano took steps to ensure that ASFT received payment on invoices submitted, and that additional funds were added to existing ASFT contracts when needed. In his position as program manager, Mariano regularly instructed Navy contracting officers to add funding to ASFT contracts and delivery orders.

In addition, according to court documents, Mariano completed numerous Funding Certification forms when he added funds to the ASFT contracts. Through these and other mechanisms, Mariano was able to utilize his position as a program manager with the NAVSEA to add millions of dollars to existing ASFT contracts. In exchange, defendant Dutta-Gupta agreed to make regular payments to Mariano.

Anjan Dutta-Gupta is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mary M. Lisi on December 9, 2011. Dutta-Gupta faces up to 15 years in federal prison, and a fine of $250,000 or three times the value of the bribe payments – whichever is greater.

Ralph Mariano, charged by way of a Criminal Complaint with participating in the kickback scheme, is awaiting trial.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee H. Vilker and Andrew J. Reich.

This matter was investigated by agents from the Defense Criminal Services, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations.

San Diego Maritime Unified Command Foils Several Recent Smuggling Attempts

San Diego — The San Diego Maritime Unified Command (MUC) is comprised of the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air & Marine, CBP Office of Field Operations, CBP U.S. Border Patrol, ICE, as well as state and local law enforcement partners operating in the San Diego and Orange County maritime domain. The following is a summary of MUC activities over the past several days. This is only a macro view of each incident and an invitation to contact the San Diego Sector Border Patrol Information & Communication Division for more information.

On April 1, California National Guardsmen observed a suspicious 17-foot Bayliner pleasure craft off the coast of Black’s Beach in La Jolla, Calif., and directed CBP marine assets to its location. The Bayliner absconded and landed ashore at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas, Calif. U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to the scene and arrested six Mexican nationals who had illegally entered the United States. They were transported to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The vessel was seized by the U.S. Border Patrol. One of the vessel occupants has been charged criminally with alien smuggling in the event.

On April 4, U.S. Border Patrol agents observed a panga boat off the coast of Solana Beach, Calif. CBP Air and Marine assets responded, and intercepted the boat approximately one half mile off the coast of the city of Del Mar. Marine interdiction agents detained 15 Mexican nationals and brought them and the panga ashore. U.S. Border Patrol agents on shore took custody of the 14 males and one female ranging in age from 19 to 39, and transported them to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The vessel was seized by CBP Air and Marine. Three Mexican nationals arrested during the incident are being charged criminally with alien smuggling.

On April 4, U.S. Border Patrol agents seized an abandoned panga near Dana Point, Calif., with 740 pounds of marijuana onboard. Nine arrests have been made in connection to the maritime drug smuggling incursion. The illegal drugs, vessel, and two vehicles were seized by the U.S. Border Patrol. The incident is currently under investigation.

On April 4, CBP Office of Air and Marine Interdiction agents intercepted a 16-foot Chaparral pleasure craft near Shelter Island and arrested four Mexican nationals who had illegally entered the country. They were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol agents and transported to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The vessel was seized by CBP Office of Air and Marine. One of the Mexican nationals arrested is being charged criminally with alien smuggling.

On April 5, a U.S. Navy helicopter involved in a training exercise about 20 miles off the coast of Imperial Beach, Calif., reported a panga boat travelling northbound from Mexico. The United States Coast Guard Cutter “Sea Otter” responded and intercepted the boat about 20 miles west of La Jolla, Calif. The Coast Guard detained 14 males and 2 females, and transported them to the Shelter Island Customs dock. U.S. Border Patrol agents arrived on scene and all occupants were Mexican nationals, illegally present in the United States. All subjects were transported to a local Border Patrol station for processing and further investigation. The vessel was seized by CBP Office of Air and Marine. Two of the individuals arrested are being charged criminally with alien smuggling.

The Maritime Unified Command utilizes the fusion of intelligence, planning and operations to target the threat of transnational crime along the coastal border. The MUC also welcomes community assistance. Suspicious maritime activity can be reported by calling the Joint Harbor Operation Center toll free 1-800-854-9834.

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.

Naval Program Manager; Founder and President of Rhode Island and Georgia-Based Technology Firm Charged in $10 Million Kickback Scheme

PROVIDENCE, RI—United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha announced today that a civilian program manager and senior systems engineer with the United States Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) in Newport, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., and the founder and president of a technology services company with offices in Rhode Island and Georgia, have been charged in U.S. District Court in Providence with bribery of a public official in connection with an alleged ongoing kickback scheme involving approximately $10 million of naval funds.

Criminal complaints and supporting affidavits unsealed in U.S. District Court in Providence allege that Ralph Mariano, 52, of Arlington, Virginia, a civilian program manager and senior systems engineer with NAVSEA; and Anjan Dutta-Gupta, 58, of Roswell, Georgia, founder and president of Advanced Solutions for Tomorrow (ASFT), with offices in Middletown, Rhode Island and Roswell, Georgia, participated in a kickback and bribery scheme in which Dutta-Gupta funneled approximately $10 million to Mariano, Mariano’s relatives, and Mariano’s associates in return for Mariano’s role in the funding of Naval contracts to ASFT. According to the affidavit, approximately $13.5 million in funding from the Navy was sent by ASFT to a subcontractor, mostly for work that was not performed. The subcontractor, over a period of years, allegedly kicked back a total of approximately $10 million to Mariano, Mariano’s relatives and associates, and back to entities controlled by Dutta-Gupta.

Dutta-Gupta was arrested on Sunday in Atlanta by U.S. Customs agents and turned over to the FBI as he entered the country on a return trip from Chile. Dutta-Gupta made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Atlanta on Monday and was released on $25,000 unsecured bond and he was ordered to surrender his passport. The defendant was ordered to appear before a Magistrate Judge in U.S. District in Providence on February 15, 2011.

Mariano surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service in Rhode Island on Monday and made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence Monday afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond. Mariano was released on $50,000 unsecured bond and he was ordered to surrender his passport.

Joining U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha in announcing the criminal complaints and arrest of Mariano and Dutta-Gupta were Edward Bradley, Special Agent in Charge Defense Criminal Investigative Services (DCIS), Northeast Field Office; Kirk Greffen, Acting Special Agent in Charge Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Northeast Field Office, Newport, R.I.; James Burrell, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office; and Phillip Hall, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Boston office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigations.

U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha commented, “While there is no shortage of other crime to be mindful of, public corruption will always be a focus of this office. The public has the right to know that those who work for them are doing so honestly. Taxpayer money must never be wasted, let alone stolen. When we discover bribery schemes like the one alleged here, we will do everything in our power to hold both the bribe payer and the person accepting the bribe accountable.”

"The criminal complaint unsealed today details troubling allegations of public corruption impacting the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense's contracting process,” said Special Agent in Charge Ed Bradley, DCIS, Northeast Field Office. “Unfortunately, as the complaint alleges, a Navy employee and a DoD contractor conspired to corrupt the DoD's procurement system and personally profit from their scheme. Stopping public corruption is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and DCIS is committed to working with the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners, to ensure that taxpayer's dollars are not misappropriated and therefore available to support the men and women who serve in the U.S. military."

Kirk Greffen, Acting Special Agent in Charge Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Northeast Field Office, Newport, R.I., added, “A $10 million heist is a major crime, whether the money is taken with a gun or with a keyboard. Fraud victimizes every taxpayer. It wastes billions of tax dollars and erodes public confidence. Citizens have the right to expect their public employees to be people of integrity—not self-serving criminals.

NAVSEA is the largest of the Navy's five system commands and accounts for nearly one quarter of the Navy’s entire budget. NAVSEA has responsibility for establishing and enforcing technical authority in combat system design and operation, and uses its technical expertise to ensure systems are engineered effectively, and that they operate safely and reliably. Mariano plays a role in funding for NAVSEA’s technical program and directs contracting officers to issue task orders through modifications on existing contracts. Mariano is also responsible for evaluating proposals during the solicitation and bidding process for new contracts. Mariano also has responsibility over Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”), Cost Plus Fixed Fee Adjustment (“CPFA”) contracts. IDIQ contracts give government officials like Mariano the flexibility to add funding to contracts when there is a legitimate need to obtain additional services from a contractor or sub-contractor.

ASFT is a technology services company that provides systems engineering, product assurance, program support, integrated logistics services and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle development to the Navy. The majority of ASFT’s employees support NUWC contracts and are located at ASFT’s Rhode Island office in Middletown, R.I.

“Today's indictment reflects the emphasis the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Internal Revenue Service, FBI and the United States Attorney's Office place on thwarting crimes that undermine the public's trust in the government,” noted James Burrell, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office. “The completion of this public corruption investigation, and those ongoing, reflect law enforcement's cooperative efforts to identify individuals and companies who seek to line their pockets at the expense of the taxpayers and businesses that play by the rules.”

IRS Assistant Special Agent in Charge Phillip Hall stated, “IRS Criminal Investigation often works jointly with other law enforcement agencies to provide financial investigative expertise. The charges brought in this case demonstrate our collective efforts to enforce the law and ensure public trust.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew J. Reich and Lee H. Vilker.

This matter is an ongoing, joint investigation being conducted by a team of agents from the DCIS Boston Resident Agency, Northeast Field Office; NCIS, Northeast Field Office; the FBI Providence Resident Agency; and the IRS-CID office in Rhode Island.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Navy Suicide Prevention: It’s an All-Hands Effort

By Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Mikelle D. Smith
Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1, 2010 – Balancing military and personal life involves sacrifices. At times, this balancing act can cause sailors to become extremely overwhelmed and even depressed.

Some sailors might seek guidance from shipmates while others can let feelings fester. Unresolved emotions can become unbearable and, like a pot of boiling water, the sailor overflows. Seeing no way out, 46 sailors took their lives last year.

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death in the Navy, accounting for 13 percent of fatalities in 2009, officials said. Any loss of a sailor’s life can be devastating for a family and command. It’s important that sailors are familiar with the signs and symptoms of suicide so identifying a shipmate contemplating suicide is easier.

The Navy recognizes the seriousness of suicide and has developed additional training methods to help sailors acknowledge they are front line supporters of suicide prevention efforts. Sailors, from pay grades E-1 to O-10, are key players in the suicide prevention process, something that begins with the chain of command, with coworkers and with friends of the sailor experiencing negative thoughts.

“One big thing that people neglect about suicide is the power of little things,” said Capt. Paul S. Hammer, director of the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control. “So often we see that many people were dissuaded from hurting themselves by someone who made a very minor gesture that turned out to be huge.”

The NCCOSC developed a suicide prevention kit called Front Line Supervisor Training that was mostly written by Todd Pickel, a retired Navy corpsman and neuropsychiatry specialist. The kit is geared toward sailors’ awareness of behavior leading to suicide through interactive situational training.

“Our overall goal is to create a positive environment where individuals feel comfortable asking for help and where positive leadership and availability of resources are understood,” Pickel said.

Two hundred upper echelon and installation suicide prevention coordinators recently received front-line supervisor training by program creators that included Lt. Cmdr. Bonnie Chavez, a behavioral health program manager.

“The Navy suicide prevention program builds on sailor and leader caring, by supporting command-level efforts with policy, information and tools,” Chavez said. “Sailors and leaders genuinely care and have shown it in the way they vigorously engage in focus groups, put forth tremendous creativity to develop posters and enthusiastically embrace new hands-on training materials.”

Front-line supervisor training incorporates videos and music, pocket-sized reference cards, information for plan-of-the-day messages and posters ideas and resources created to raise sailors’ awareness of suicide-prevention tactics.

According to Hammer, the first step in suicide prevention is identifying subtle warning signs, some of which may include but are not restricted to: withdrawal from family and friends, abuse of drugs or alcohol, poor performance at work and engaging in reckless acts by a usually cautious person. Noticing a trend of abnormalities in a shipmate can help sailors recognize subtle changes in that individual’s behavior. Sailors then can take necessary steps to help shipmates target the root of negative feelings before suicide thoughts are reached.

The suicide prevention kit entered the fleet in April and it includes the new video, “A Message from Suicide,” along with interactive, peer-to-peer facilitated training.

“What’s different is we take the audience through a case study,” Hammer explained. “We turn it into a discussion that the audience can be involved in. This gives them the ability to see from start to finish what really goes on in the mind of a person dealing with suicidal thoughts. We ultimately are preparing them to handle encounters and giving effective ways to be firsthand responders.”

According to Chavez, the suicide prevention kit advises sailors who come face-to-face with someone in a suicidal situation to visualize the acronym ACT: Ask, Care and Treat.

Ask involves recognizing sailors with problems and staying engaged. Too often, sailors are overly involved with their own day-to-day happenings. Recognizing a shipmate dealing with stress that can lead to visions of suicide is important. Start off with a simple question, “What’s bothering you?” Encourage troubled sailors to talk about what they are feeling and ask if they are thinking of taking their life. Most importantly, don’t judge.

Care involves listening thoroughly. Having a 20-minute conversation or accepting an early-morning phone call can save the life of a sailor contemplating suicide. Let them know there is hope and they’re not alone by giving them your undivided attention and having an open heart.

Treat means taking the sailor to get help. Do not leave them alone until professional help has arrived. Continue offering support for that shipmate through treatment and after. Something as simple as inviting the sailors over for dinner on Sunday nights can show them that their presence is appreciated. Over time, this simple act can encourage them to seek help in dealing with suicidal thoughts.

In three words: be a friend.

Some sailors may feel overwhelmed with the thought of encountering a shipmate on the verge of causing self-harm. If they believe they are unable to provide adequate assistance, they should contact someone who can.

“For most sailors, suicide prevention is more than a general military training topic,” Chavez said. “Nearly half of sailors in the Navy have personally known someone in their lives who was lost to suicide. Suicide prevention is not about numbers. Every person lost is taken very seriously and we are focusing our efforts on providing tools to save lives.”

The Navy provides sailors with a variety of options to combat suicidal thoughts such as command chaplains, Fleet and Family Service Centers and command medical facilities available to assist and direct in times of need.

Suicide intervention services like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also are available to sailors. Obtain more information and resources at www.suicide.navy.mil or the Operational Stress Control continuum at http://navstress.navy.dodlive.mil/.

Program Trains Auxiliary Police Officers in Afghanistan

By Navy Lt. Neil Myers
Special to American Forces Press Service

June 30, 2008 - A Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team program here trains Afghan men to become part of the Afghan National Auxiliary Police force. The three-week Police Training and Advisory Team program was conducted at Camp Wright, near Asadabad, and is the only one of its kind in the province. The trainees come from every district in the province and are housed at the Asadabad police headquarters during their training.

"Many of the police trainees arrive at the ANAP course with poor discipline," Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Carlos A. Ramirez, of the Kunar PRT, said. "We teach them discipline through repetitive activities and specially designed physical exercise."

After physical exercise, the trainees attend classroom training led by one of three Afghan police officer instructors attached to the Police Training and Advisory Team program.

Trainees learn traffic accident investigation, weapons familiarization, domestic violence investigation, vehicle searches, community policing, explosives detection, the penal code, baton training, handcuffing, and a variety of other law enforcement skills.

"I think it's good to have our three Afghan teachers leading the lecture part of the training, because they speak the Pashto language, and about half of the trainees speak very little English," Navy Seaman Brian L. Boyd Jr. of the Kunar PRT said.

The Police Training and Advisory Team military staff, assisted by four interpreters, teaches practical, hands-on training in the afternoon.

"Initially the trainees are reserved, due to the fact that for many, this is their first interaction with coalition forces," Boyd said. "Midway through the class, they interact more with us. By graduation, many of us are good friends. If we maintain this program, Afghanistan will improve, because these trainees want to become [Afghan National Police officers] and truly want their country to succeed."

The goal of coalition forces is to have Afghanistan secure and govern itself. Security is a big issue in Kunar province, and the police play a huge role toward accomplishing that goal, PRT officials said, and the PTAT contributes to that effort by providing a steady pool of well-trained police officers who are ready to serve their country.

A typical auxiliary police candidate, 36-year-old Ali hails from the Shigal district. He is married and has seven children. Ali is eager to complete the training and eventually get hired by the Afghan National Police at the end of his three-year auxiliary police contract. He has a positive attitude toward the coalition forces and understands they are here to help him rebuild his country, officials said.

The program also mentors police chiefs.

"We go to every district and survey the police station, meet with the police chief, and ascertain their needs," Ramirez said. "Whether it be facility improvements, more staff or equipment, the PTAT mentors and shows police chiefs how to properly coordinate assistance with other agencies for help run their stations. In some cases, PTAT provides assistance with building upgrades and repairs."

To date, PTAT has trained 290 auxiliary police officers, with 90 more candidates now enrolled.

(Navy Lt. Neil Myers serves with the Kunar Provincial Reconstruction Team.)

PaCom Helps Establish Transnational Crime Unit in Micronesia

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

April 29, 2008 - A new transnational crime unit U.S. Pacific Command is helping to establish in Micronesia will support a multinational crackdown on drug trafficking and other crimes that have the potential to destabilize the region, a senior military official said yesterday. The Micronesia Regional Transnational Unit opened April 23 in Pohnpei, Micronesia, to promote information sharing critical to stemming the flow of drugs, particularly methamphetamines, throughout Asia and the Pacific, Navy Rear Adm. Paul F. Zukunft, commander of Joint Interagency Task Force West, told American Forces Press Service.

JIATF West, U.S. Pacific Command's element focused on drug-related threats in the region, provided $460,000 to refurbish a 10,000-square-foot facility and equip it with communications and computer equipment, Zukunft said.

The task force also is training operators at the new facility "to, in simplistic terms, connect the dots to look at emerging trends," Zukunft said. The Australian National Police will provide a full-time mentor to support the unit for the first year.

Operators in the unit represent not just the Federated States of Micronesia, but also the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, and Palau. "So this unit is really transnational in its composition," Zukunft said.

The unit is the sixth in the region, all linked to the Australian Federal Police's Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Center in Samoa. Other units are in Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

Intelligence gathered through the new unit will support Micronesia's three patrol boats, provided through Australia's Pacific Patrol Boat Program to monitor against ocean-borne threats. "Absent acute information, it is very cost-ineffective to just send those patrol boats out at random without any advance knowledge of where the threats might exist in the ocean," Zukunft said. "Information is key."

Collectively, the network of facilities will build a more proactive criminal intelligence and investigative presence in the Pacific that's critical in light of criminal elements who operate across borders, Zukunft said.

"What we are trying to do is support a network that will support the multinational sharing of information, since a lot of these transnational crime activities are truly global enterprises," he said. In addition, many have nearly unlimited resources, which he said "puts law enforcement, obviously, at an extreme disadvantage."

Zukunft cited a strong correlation between areas with high drug-interdiction rates and those with strong information-sharing protocols that bolster law enforcement capability.

This, in turn, supports good governance that discourages transnational criminals.

"The bad guys typically will look for paths of least resistance, where rule of law is weak," Zukunft said. "It is an opportunity for them to exploit, ... and that's what we are working to prevent."

JIATF West has been supporting the U.S. counterdrug effort since 1989, when it was established as Joint Task Force 5 with headquarters in Alameda, Calif. It was redesignated JIATF West in 1994, then moved four years ago to Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

There, it is collocated with the PaCom headquarters and focuses on drug-related threats in Asia and the Pacific.