EFTA01656066.pdf

From: FBI News Briefing To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL) - FBI Daily News Briefing - September 18, 2024 Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2024 10:20:02 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser Federal Bureau of Investigation September 18, 2024 Seal Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • Continued Reporting: Second Trump Assassination Attempt • The FBI Is Investigating Suspicious Packages Sent to Election Officials in More Than 15 States • Fake Kamala Hit-And-Run Story Is the Work of Russian Propaganda Group, Microsoft Says COUNTERTERRORISM • U.S. Dealing with 'Heightened Threat Environment' • Continued Reporting: Man With Ties to Iran Pleads Not Guilty in Assassination Plot Against U.S. Politicians COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • Continued Reporting: DOJ Announces Five Cases Tied to Disruptive Technology Strike Force • Walz Appointee With Apparent CCP Ties Could Expose Potential Veep's National Security Weakness, Lawmaker Says CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Ex-Officer Testifies Against His Former Colleagues in Tyre Nichols's Death • U.S. Court Upholds British Socialite Ghislaine Maxwell's Sex Trafficking Conviction • Continued Reporting: Schools Reopen as Search for Suspect in Kentucky Interstate Shooting Enters 11th Day • Continued Reporting: Honduran Illegal Immigrant Suspected of Kidnapping Another Illegal Immigrant • Continued Reporting: New FDNY Chief's Ties to China Emerge Amid Federal Probe Into Foreign Influence on New York Officials • Mississippi High Court Rejects the Latest Appeal by a Man on Death Row Since 1994 EFTA01656066  • A Woman Found Dead in 1991 in an Illinois Cornfield Is Identified as Being From the Chicago Area • D.C. Council Votes to Disband Trayon White's Committee, Begins Probe • Tennessee Official and Executive Accused of Rigging a Bid on a $123 Million Contract Are Charged • Two Students Arrested After FBI Flagged Threats Made Toward Ohio Schools • Frontier Airlines Passenger Assaults Flight Attendants, DOJ Alleges • A Porn Actress Had Her Photos Used To Extort As Many As 60 Kids On Instagram And Kik • Florida Man Downloaded Videos of Child Sexual Abuse Material From Dark Web • Update on North Carolina Girl Who Vanished Over Two Decades Ago CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Speedy Trial Granted for South Carolina Man Charged in Jan 6. Capitol Riots • Oregonian Pleads Guilty on Jan. 6 Charges, Washington Man Is Sentenced • Two Men Arrested in Northwest Ohio for Connections to Jan. 6 Insurrection • DOJ Wants Four Years in Prison for Pastor Who Used Bullhorn to Incite Mob on Jan. 6 • Montana Man Convicted in Jan. 6 Insurrection Speaks to '60 Minutes' • Continued Reporting: West Virginia Man Indicted for Actions During January 6 Capitol Breach OTHER FBI NEWS • FBI Agents Visit Home of New Hampshire Libertarian Party Member After Post About Harris • Hundreds of Homes Near Houston Still Under Evacuation Orders as Pipeline Fire Burns for Second Day • Baltimore Bridge Victims' Families Filing Suit to Prevent Shipowner From Shirking Legal Liability • Democrat Operative Fished for Oppo Research in Antisemitic, Lewd Text Messages, House Republican Charges • FBI in Search of Vendors for Facial Recognition Capabilities • Continued Reporting: AI, The Workplace And Inclusion: Insights From Altman, Gates And Oprah INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Hezbollah Pagers Explode in Apparent Attack Across Lebanon • Brazil Court Drops a Suspect in Amazon Slayings of a British Journalist and an Indigenous Advocate • Arrests Across Australia as Federal Police Target Secret Ghost App Allegedly Used by Criminals • The Rape Trial in France of 51 Men, Explained • An Al Qaeda Affiliate Claimed Attacks in Mali. What Does It Want? • At Least 30 Killed as Factions of the Sinaloa Cartel Clash in Northern Mexico • Casualties in Myanmar Push Southeast Asia's Death Toll From Typhoon Yagi Past 500 • North Korea Fires Short-Range Ballistic Missiles for Second Time in a Week • Released Russian Dissident Kara-Murza Visits U.S. Congress • In Egypt, Blinken to Discuss Bilateral Ties, Gaza Ceasefire • Venezuela Arrests Fourth U.S. Citizen This Month • Biden Calls on Sudan's Warring Parties to Re-Engage in Negotiations OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Sean Combs Is Denied Bail on Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Charges • House Passes $3B Veterans Funding Patch as Republicans Scoff at Massive VA Shortfall • Senate Hearing Focuses on Rise of Reported Hate Crimes • Senate Republicans Block I.V.F. Protection Bill a Second Time, Breaking With Trump EFTA01656067  • Violent Threats and Attacks Escalate Tensions in Trump-Harris Race • Speaker Johnson Takes Another Crack at Spending Bill Linked to Proof of Citizenship for New Voters • Federal Reserve Is Set to Cut Interest Rates for the First Time in Four Years BIG PICTURE • New York Times • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • ABC News • CBS News • NBC News • Fox News • CNN WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS Continued Reporting: Second Trump Assassination Attempt Florida Will Launch Criminal Probe Into Apparent Assassination Attempt of Trump The Associated Press (09/17, Richer, Matat) reported that on Tuesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that Florida law enforcement officials will launch their own criminal investigation into the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump that will run parallel to the federal probe. The governor said Florida prosecutors will pursue the most serious charges available under state law, including attempted murder, in the state-level investigation into Ryan Wesley Routh, who was charged Monday with federal firearms offenses. The article noted that it's not uncommon for state and federal law enforcement agencies to run simultaneous investigations into crimes, as states may be able to bring charges that are unavailable at the federal level — and vice versa. Routh is charged at the federal level so far only with gun crimes, but additional charges are possible as DOJ prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury. Prosecutors will often quickly bring the first charges they can and then add more serious charges later as the investigation unfolds. The article quoted Attorney General Merrick Garland, who, during an event at the DOJ, stated, "We will spare no resource in this investigation?' NPR (09/17, Allen) added that DeSantis questioned whether the DOJ, which is prosecuting Trump on election interference and the mishandling of classified documents, can handle Routh's prosecution fairly and transparently. "In my judgment," DeSantis said, "it's not in the best interest of our state or our nation to have the same federal agencies that are seeking to prosecute Donald Trump leading this investigation, especially when the most serious straight-forward offense constitutes a violation of state law, but not federal law," DeSantis says Routh could be charged with attempted murder under state law, a crime which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. There is no comparable federal statute for attempted murder. The Wall Street Journal (09/17, Barber, Ferek) reported that Attorney General Merrick Garland said Tuesday the DOJ would "spare no resource" in investigating Sunday's apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Florida, with national-security prosecutors heavily involved in the criminal inquiry. Garland's remarks suggest the DOJ could pursue more serious charges than the two initial firearms violations the 58-year-old suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, is facing following his arrest Sunday in South Florida. The article pointed out that the FBI was also still awaiting information from several companies it contacted about Routh's cell phones and social media accounts, an official said. The FBI is hoping the inquiries will shed light on Routh's motives as well as his movements in the hours and days before the incident. So far, investigators have gleaned little from Routh, who invoked his right to a lawyer during questioning. What's Known About Ryan Wesley Routh, Trump Assassination Attempt Suspect in Florida The Associated Press (09/17, Licon, Weissert) specified that Routh previously expressed strong support for Ukraine and had a history of run-ins with law enforcement. The article stated that Routh's political affiliations appear EFTA01656068 inconsistent, with past support for both Democratic and Republican candidates, and he was previously convicted of possessing a weapon of mass destruction. CBS News (1) (09/17, Breen, Schecter) added that on Tuesday, agents with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations raided Routh's home on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. According to the article, Sarah Rice, an FBI spokesperson on the scene, described the federal activity as "court authorized." The article detailed that Routh's most recent address is listed in Hawaii, but he spent most of his life in North Carolina, according to property records. Routh owned Camp Box Honolulu, a shed-building company, according to his Linkedln profile. The article mentioned that records show Routh's issues with the law go back to the 1990s and include lesser charges of writing bad checks. But in 2002, the article continued, he was charged with possession of a weapon of mass destruction, a felony, according to North Carolina Department of Corrections records. In another incident, he was charged with misdemeanors, including a hit-and-run offense, resisting arrest, and a concealed weapons violation, the records show. The article noted that a review of Routh's social media shows his pro-Ukraine views seeped into his public statements as well. Routh was passionate about supporting Ukraine, even traveling overseas in hopes of fighting in the country's war against Russia in 2022. Newsweek (09/17, O'Driscoll) revealed that a Florida judge has unsealed an FBI agent's description of the investigation into the latest Donald Trump assassination attempt. The affidavit shows that police officers rushed a witness to the scene of Ryan Routh's arrest. According to the article, the witness confirmed that he was the same man they saw fleeing the scene of an alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump. FBI OfficialLeading Trump Assassination Probe Accused ofAnti-Trump Bias The Washinton Times (09/17, Pickett) alleged that the senior FBI official leading the investigation in Florida of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump expressed rabid hatred of Trump and retaliated against FBI personnel who supported the former president, whistleblowers say. According to the article, Jeffrey Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, was ordered by superiors to scrub his social media accounts of anti-Trump vitriol before he was promoted last year to head the Miami field office, an FBI whistleblower reported to Congress last year. Veltri is now leading the FBI's investigation into Sunday's assassination attempt on Trump, the second in two months. The FBI denies asking Veltri to erase social media posts. Was Ryan Routh on FBI's 'Radar' Before Arrest? Another Newsweek (09/17, Norton) article clarified that while Routh has been known to the FBI, claims of being on its radar since 2019 may be misleading without further information. The article detailed that Jeffrey Veltri, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami field office, said at a news conference Monday that the Bureau was tipped off that Routh was a "felon in possession of a firearm." "In following up on the tip, the alleged complainant was interviewed and did not verify providing the initial information," Veltri said. "The FBI passed that information to local law enforcement in Honolulu." The investigation was then closed due to lack of additional information. The article explained that in a statement, the FBI listed historical charges and convictions Routh received, including multiple felony charges for stolen goods between 1997 to 2010 and his charge and conviction in North Carolina in 2002 for possession of a weapon of mass destruction. While it's true, the FBI was made aware of Routh in 2019 and made efforts to investigate a complaint about him, since the matter was passed to other law enforcement and the probe closed, suggesting that he has been on their radar or suggestions that he was being watched is misleading. Task Force on Trump Assassination Attempts Will Probe Second Effort The Hill (09/17, Beitsch, Brooks) reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said a task force assembled to review the assassination attempt against former President Trump will be expanded to include a second incident from over the weekend. "We have a responsibility here in Congress to get down to the bottom of this, to figure out why these things are happening and what we can do about it," Johnson told reporters Tuesday. The bipartisan Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump had already requested a briefing from the FBI on the second assassination attempt. Reuters (09/17, Sullivan, Coster, Reid, et. al.) disclosed that the Secret Service is currently facing significant staffing shortages, operating with about 400 fewer agents than authorized, which has raised concerns about their ability to ensure adequate security. Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe acknowledged the high-stress levels among agents, stating, "We are redlining them," and expressed his shame over security lapses during past incidents, emphasizing the urgent need for increased resources to prevent future threats. NBC News (09/17, Wong, Kapur, Thorp) reported that Congress is considering boosting funding for the Secret Service after what the FBI called an apparent second attempt on former President Donald Trump's life in 10 weeks. Leaders of both parties and top appropriators say one possibility is to attach emergency funding for the Secret Service to a short-term funding bill that Congress must pass by Sept. 30 to avert a government EFTA01656069 shutdown. The Guardian (09/17, Tait) reported that the Secret Service did not search the perimeter of the golf course where a suspect lurked for nearly 12 hours in the apparent hope of killing Donald Trump, the agency has admitted. The article elaborated that the revelation has increased the pressure on an organization that was already under intense scrutiny over alleged security failures surrounding a similar attempt on the ex-president's life two months ago and has raised questions over whether it is adequately funded. Additional reporting was provided by CBS News (2) (09/17, Video), Politico (09/17, Leonard), Fox News (09/17, Markowitz), ABC News (09/17, Hutchinson), BBC News (09/17, Cursino), The Hill (2) (09/17, Irwin), Newsweek (3) (09/17, Stanton), the New York Times (1) (09/17, Cohen), the Wall Street Journal (09/17, Podcast), WTVD (ABC-11) (09/17, Staff), the New York Post (1) (09/17, Crane), the New York Post (2) (09/17, Vago, Oliveira), USA Today (09/17, Hudnell), and WPEC (CBS-12) (09/17, Cardenas). The FBI Is Investigating Suspicious Packages Sent to Election Officials in More Than 15 States The Associated Press (09/17, Ballentine, Leblanc) and the Washington Post (09/18, Vazquez, Gardner) reported that the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the origin of suspicious packages sent to or received by elections officials in more than 15 states. The articles explained that there had been no immediate reports of injuries and that whether any packages contained hazardous material is unclear. According to articles, the recent packages were sent to Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, and Rhode Island election officials. Additionally, a package was delivered to Mississippi on Monday, and the Connecticut Secretary of State's office reported that the FBI had intercepted a package. According to agency spokesperson Kristen Setera in Boston, the FBI is collecting packages, some of which contain unknown substances. The story was also reported on by ABC News (09/17, Bruggeman), Axios (09/18, Falconer), BBC (09/17, Yousif), CBS News (09/17, Watson, Triay), NBC News (09/17, Kosner, Winter, Gregorian, et al.), Reuters (09/17, Ward), UPI (09/17, Heuer) and the Washington Examiner (09/17, Knox). Fake Kamala Hit-And-Run Story is the Work of Russian Propaganda Group, Microsoft Says Reuters (09/17, Bing) reported that a recent investigation by Microsoft revealed that a false claim circulating on social media about Kamala Harris leaving a 13-year-old girl paralyzed after a hit-and-run in San Francisco in 2011 is linked to a Russian disinformation campaign, specifically from a Kremlin-aligned group known as Storm-1516. According to the article, this operation fabricated a video and created a fake news outlet, KBSF-TV, to spread the claim. Microsoft noted that "many entities within the pro-Russian ecosystem advanced the video and its claims," indicating a coordinated effort to amplify the false narrative. The article added that the report highlights Russia's increasing attempts to influence U.S. politics ahead of the November presidential election, aiming to deepen political divisions. The article noted that additionally, the DOJ recently filed money-laundering charges against employees of Russian state media for attempting to manipulate election-related content. Russian Disinformation Peddlers Are Targeting Harris-Walz Campaign With Fake Videos, Microsoft Says NBC News (09/17, Collier, Zadrozny) reported that on Tuesday, Microsoft said that Russian disinformation peddlers are producing videos targeting the Harris-Walz campaign with false and disparaging claims. The article detailed that Microsoft said that at least three Russian disinformation actors have been working to denigrate the Harris-Walz campaign. One is a "marketing" firm that the DOJ indicted this month, while Microsoft identified the other two only by pseudonyms. The article specified that Intelligence officials have consistently said that Russia prefers candidates who don't seek to undermine its invasion of Ukraine. Harris has said she would continue to support the Biden administration's arms support for Ukraine. The article continued that officials have said that Iran, in contrast to Russia, aims to hurt Trump and his chances in the election. The FBI and other agencies said in August that Iran was behind an operation that hacked Trump's campaign and tried to share stolen documents with some American journalists through an online persona, though so far, those documents have not been published. The article noted that the DOJ plans to file charges over that operation. Iranian authorities have denied interfering in the election. The article underscored that the U.S. intelligence community believes that China, another country often accused of influence operations, aims to destabilize U.S. belief in the democratic process and influence the outcome of smaller races but does not plan to support either Trump or Harris this year. The Microsoft report released by the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center (9/17, Watts) explained that the shift to focusing on the Harris-Walz campaign reflects a strategic move by Russian actors aimed at exploiting any perceived vulnerabilities in the new candidates. The report emphasized that as we inch closer to the election, we should EFTA01656070 expect Russian actors to continue to use cyber proxies and hacktivist groups to amplify their messages through media websites and social channels geared to spread divisive political content, staged videos, and AI-enhanced propaganda. The report pointed out that Russia and Iran are not the only nation-states using influence operations to influence the election. A Chinese-linked influence actor Microsoft tracks as Storm-1852 successfully pivoted to short-form video content that criticizes the Biden administration and Harris campaign before some of its assets disappeared from social media following reports of its activity. The report concluded that collectively, these three nation states — Iran, China, and Russia — demonstrate the complexities of foreign interference that the US faces and the need for the public to remain vigilant against these evolving threats. Additional reporting on the story was provided by the Associated Press (09/17, Swenson), The Record (09/17, Greig), Bloomberg (09/17, Bleiberg), Nextgov (09/17, Dimolfetta), NPR (09/17, Bond), Politico (09/17, Miller), The Hill (09/17, Suter), Axios (09/17, Sabin), CNN (09/17, Lyngaas), and the Washington Post (09/17, Menn). Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM U.S. Dealing with 'Heightened Threat Environment' ABC News (09/17, Barr) reported that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that the U.S. is facing a "heightened threat environment," particularly in light of an apparent second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, which the FBI is investigating. According to the article, Mayorkas highlighted the dual threat from foreign terrorists and homegrown extremists, noting that individuals are being radicalized online by ideologies of hate and anti-government sentiments. The article noted that previously, Director Wray emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating he sees "blinking red lights everywhere" regarding terror threats. Following a recent assassination attempt on Trump, the Department of Homeland Security and FBI issued warnings about potential retaliatory attacks related to the upcoming 2024 election. The article mentioned that Director Wray has indicated that threats from domestic violent extremists and foreign terrorist organizations have reached an unprecedented level. Additionally, the intelligence community is vigilant about foreign actors, particularly Russia, China, and Iran, attempting to sow division in the U.S. ahead of the election. The article noted that lawmakers stress the importance of federal agencies remaining alert to these threats and foreign influence operations. Continued Reporting: Man With Ties to Iran Pleads Not Guilty in Assassination Plot Against U.S. Politicians The Epoch Times (09/17, Phillips) provided continued reporting on Asif Merchant, a Pakistani national with alleged ties to Iran. The article explained that Merchant has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to arrange a murder-for-hire and plotting terrorism against current or former U.S. officials. According to the article, he was detained pending trial after federal prosecutors revealed that he came to the U.S. to recruit individuals for his scheme and mentioned high-level officials, potentially including former President Trump, as targets. An FBI affidavit indicated that Merchant expressed intentions to steal documents and organize protests related to his plot, which an FBI agent characterized as consistent with operations directed by a foreign adversary. The article added that Director Wray described the plot as "straight out of the Iranian regime's playbook," emphasizing that such foreign- directed threats to U.S. officials are taken seriously and will be addressed with the full resources of the FBI. The article continued that Director Wray reaffirmed the Bureau's commitment to protecting Americans from terrorism, highlighting the national security risks posed by such plots. The Washington Examiner (09/17, Cordi) quoted Attorney General Merrick Garland, who stated that, "The Justice Department will not tolerate Iran's efforts to target our country's public officials and endanger our national security," adding that, "As these terrorism and murder-for-hire charges against Asif Merchant demonstrate, we will continue to hold accountable those who would seek to carry out Iran's lethal plotting against Americans." Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE Continued Reporting: DOJ Announces Five Cases Tied to Disruptive Technology Strike Force The Epoch Times (09/17, Yang) provided continued reporting on the charges against Chinese national Jia Wei. The article specified that the charges were unsealed on September 17, alleging he unlawfully accessed U.S. communications networks to steal proprietary information for Chinese entities, specifically tied to the Chinese EFTA01656071 Communist Party's People's Liberation Army (PLA). According to the article, the indictment claims that Wei and his co-conspirators hacked an American company shortly after it sued a Chinese competitor for trade secret theft, obtaining sensitive documents related to military and civilian communication devices. The article highlighted that Director Wray has identified CCP-backed cyber attacks as a significant threat to national security, noting that PLA hackers have been implicated in numerous high-profile breaches, including the 2017 Equifax hack and the ongoing "Volt Typhoon" campaign targeting critical U.S. infrastructure. The article noted that if convicted, Wei faces severe penalties, including up to 20 years for wire fraud and additional charges related to computer intrusions and identity theft. Security Week (09/17, Arghire) added that on Monday, charges against Song Wu, who remains at large, were announced by the DOJ. The article explained that Wu allegedly created email accounts posing as US-based researchers and engineers and used them to send spear-phishing messages to NASA, Air Force, Navy, Army, and FAA employees. The article noted that according to the indictment, Song also targeted individuals working at major research universities across the U.S., as well as employees at private companies in the aerospace sector. A DOJ press release quoted Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI's National Security Branch, who stated that, "It's no secret that the threats we face today are more complex and severe than ever before," continuing that, "The best way — and the only way — we can stay ahead of current and emerging threats is by working together. With these indictments, the Disruptive Technology Strike Force is an excellent example of the power of partnerships in practice." FedScoop (09/17, Alder) and Security Affairs (09/17, Paganini) also provided continued reporting. Walz Appointee With Apparent CCP Ties Could Expose Potential Veep's National Security Weakness, Lawmaker Says Fox News (09/17, Creitz) reported that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is under congressional scrutiny for his connections to Chinese entities, with Rep. James Comer requesting information from Director Wray in August regarding Walz's interactions with "Chinese entities and officials" amid concerns about "elite capture" by China. The article explained that the controversy escalated after it was revealed that Walz appointed Chang Wang, a member of China's third-largest political party, to a state council, prompting Comer to declare Walz's relationships with Chinese officials a "national security threat." The article revealed that Comer criticized the FBI for failing to provide requested information about any warnings regarding CCP influence operations related to Walz, calling their silence "inexcusable." The article undersocred that the ongoing investigation reflects broader concerns about foreign influence on U.S. officials, echoing similar past issues involving other political figures and the FBI's role in addressing such threats. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Ex-Officer Testifies Against His Former Colleagues in lyre Nichols's Death The Associated Press (09/17, Sainz) reported that a former Memphis police officer testified Tuesday that he punched a "helpless" Tyre Nichols at least five times while two colleagues held his arms and said, "hit him;' then lied to his supervisor about their use of force in a beating that proved fatal. According to the article, Emmitt Martin III testified that he was at the traffic stop on Jan, 7, 2023, when Nichols was pulled over and yanked from his car. Nichols fled, and Martin said Tadarrius Bean and Justin Smith gave chase and were punching the 29-year-old man without their handcuffs out when Martin caught up with them. The article stated that Bean, Smith and Demetrius Haley have pleaded not guilty to charges that they deprived Nichols of his civil rights through excessive force and failure to intervene, and obstructed justice through witness tampering. The four men, along with Desmond Mills Jr., were fired after Nichols' death. The beating was caught on police video, which was released publicly. The officers were later indicted on the federal charges. Martin and Mills have taken plea deals and are testifying against their former colleagues. The five officers were part of the Scorpion Unit, a team of officers tasked with finding drugs, illegal guns and violent criminals. The unit was disbanded after Nichols' death. The New York Times (09/17, Cochrane), Washington Post (09/17, Klemko), NBC News (09/17, Byrd, Hampton), ABC News (09/17, Negussie), Newsweek (09/17, Impelli), and New York Daily News (09/17, Assuncao) also reported on the story. U.S. Court Upholds British Socialite Ghislaine Maxwell's Sex Trafficking Conviction The Associated Press (09/17, Staff Writer) reported that a U.S. court on Tuesday upheld disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell's conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping the late financier Jeffrey Epstein EFTA01656072 abuse underage girls. According to the article, Maxwell's lawyers had argued that her convictions violated an agreement Epstein reached with federal prosecutors 15 years ago in which he agreed to plead guilty to sex crimes and his co-conspirators were granted immunity. The lawyers also said some of the charges were brought after the statute of limitations had expired, and alleged judicial errors during her trial and sentencing. But a three- judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York rejected all of those arguments. The article mentioned that Maxwell, 62, was found guilty in December 2021 of luring young girls to Epstein so he could molest them, between 1994 and 2004. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June 2022. Epstein sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14. Prosecutors said Maxwell, his longtime companion, helped him and made the abuse possible. The Telegraph (09/17, Staff Writer), BBC (09/17, Walsh), the Guardian (09/17, Betts), ABC News (09/17, Katersky), Fox News (09/17, Whitten), Independent (09/17, Marcus), Reuters (09/17, Stempel), the Times (09/17, Ensor), and the New York Daily News (09/17, Wilkinson) also reported on the story. Continued Reporting: Schools Reopen as Search for Suspect in Kentucky Interstate Shooting Enters 11th Day ABC News (09/17, Hutchinson) reported that schools in a Kentucky county reopened Tuesday under heavy police guard for the first time since a massive search was launched for a suspect in an interstate shooting that injured five people 11 days ago. As the suspect, 32-year-old Joseph Couch, remained on the loose Tuesday, the Laurel County Public Schools reopened campuses to its nearly 9,000 students. The school district said in a statement that the reopening plan "prioritizes the safety of our students and staff." According to the article, Tuesday's search for Couch continued to focus in the thick woods of the Daniel Boone National Forest, according to the Kentucky State Police. Both state and federal teams have combed through at least 28,000 acres of the more than 700,000-acre national forest, but have yet to find any sign of Couch, officials said. The article noted that the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service are assisting in the search. The Lexington Herald-Leader (09/17, Ward), WLWT (NBC-5) (09/17, Hamrick), WDKY (Fox-56) (09/17, Hantla), and WHAS (ABC-11) (09/17, Magin, Hardwitt) also reported on the story. Continued Reporting: Honduran Illegal Immigrant Suspected of Kidnapping Another Illegal Immigrant The Epoch Times (09/17, McLaughlin) reported that a Honduran national living illegally in New Mexico was indicted in Los Angeles on Sept. 16 for allegedly helping to kidnap a Guatemalan man, who was also living illegally in the country, and demanding ransom from his family living in Southern California. Darwin Jeovany Palma Pastrana, 30, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was charged with one count of conspiracy, one count of kidnapping, one count of interstate communication involving a ransom demand, and one count of making a threat. According to the article, a federal grand jury returned the indictment against Palma and co-defendant Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nunez, 25, another Honduran national also illegally living in New Mexico, on Sept. 4. The indictment alleges the two men conspired with others to kidnap and hold for ransom migrants who were illegally crossing into the United States from Mexico. The article stated that federal prosecutors say once the migrants were in the United States, they were driven to stash houses in Phoenix, El Paso, Texas, and Albuquerque. After arriving at the houses, their cell phones were allegedly seized. Law enforcement found 57 migrants in the stash house in Albuquerque, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. A DO1 press release quoted Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, who said, "Everyone in this country who is a victim of a serious crime is protected by U.S. law and this case is no exception, the exploitation of vulnerable individuals and their families will be fully investigated by the FBI and its law enforcement partners. Eduar Isrrael Sauceda Nunez is still wanted for this crime, and we ask that anyone with information as to his whereabouts to contact the FBI or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate." The release noted that this matter was investigated by the FBI's San Gabriel Valley Safe Streets Task Force (SGVSSTF), which is comprised of agents and officers with the FBI, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department — Major Crimes Bureau/Prison Gang Unit and Custody Investigative Services/Operation Safe Jails, the Pomona Police Department, the El Monte Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The Pomona Police Department is the sponsoring agency of the SGVSSTF and has been the headquarters for the task force since its inception in 2008. Continued Reporting: New FDNY Chief's lies to China Emerge Amid Federal Probe Into Foreign Influence on New York Officials The New York Post (09/17, Vincent) reported that the New York Fire Department's new chief's ties to China are coming to light against the backdrop of a federal investigation into foreign influence on the city's officials. FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker was previously head of a private security firm where one of the clients was a EFTA01656073 billionaire who once admitted to feds he worked for Chinese intelligence, according to reports. According to the article, while in that role, Tucker also approved an email putting forward ex-golf club hospitality worker Lin Gui'an for a top position in the New York Police Department, which he eventually got. Lin's links to the Chinese Communist Party were exposed by the Post last week. Before joining the FDNY, Tucker was boss of T&M USA LLC, a Manhattan- based global private investigations firm that once counted controversial Chinese billionaire Miles Guo as a client. Guo — also known as Guo Wengui and Miles Kwok, among other names — was convicted in a billion-dollar fraud scheme in Manhattan federal court in July. He faces decades in jail when sentenced in November. The article noted that Guo, a pal of former President Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, admitted to having worked for China's Ministry of State Security, but also claimed to be a victim of CCP harassment, according to the New Yorker. His lavish apartment at the Sherry Netherland by Central Park was wired for sound to record his visitors, according to sources. A mysterious fire broke out while FBI agents searched that apartment last year. Authorities are investigating whether the blaze was sparked remotely, according to reports. T&M began working for Guo in 2017, according to Chinese-language media and court documents. The article mentioned that in March 2022, an email including Lin's resume was sent by a personal assistant at T&M, with Tucker copied, to then-NYPD Deputy Commissioner Edward Caban. The FDNY denied the commissioner had vouched for Lin, with a spokesperson saying: "Commissioner Tucker was not involved in any way and made no such recommendation." Caban rose to become NYPD commissioner last summer, but resigned last Thursday following an FBI raid on his home two weeks ago. Lin was hired in 2022 to fulfill a non-uniform position and quickly rose through the ranks, despite his limited police experience. Within a year, he became assistant general director of the Police Commissioner Liaison Unit, where he was described as Caban's "right hand." Lin, who was born in Fujian province in China, was previously vice chairman of the New York City-based Fujian Changle Nanxiang Benevolent Association for 12 years beginning in 1994, a year after he arrived in the US, according to Chinese-language media reports. The Rolling Stone (09/17, Ramirez) also reported on the story. Mississippi High Court Rejects the Latest Appeal by a Man on Death Row Since 1994 The Associated Press (09/17, Pettus) reported that the Mississippi Supreme Court has denied the latest appeal by a man who has been on death row for 30 years after he was convicted of killing two college students. The decision could clear the way for the state to set an execution date for Willie Jerome Manning, but his attorney said Tuesday that his legal team will seek a rehearing. The court's majority wrote in a 5-4 ruling Monday that Manning "has had his days in court" Dissenting justices wrote that a trial court should hold a hearing about a witness who wants to recant his testimony against Manning, 56, who has spent more than half his life in prison. The article added that Manning's attorneys have filed multiple appeals since he was convicted in 1994 on two counts of capital murder in the December 1992 killings of Mississippi State University students Jon Steckler and Tiffany Miller. Their bodies were found in rural Oktibbeha County, and Miller's car was missing. The car was found the next morning. Prosecutors said Manning was arrested after he tried to sell items belonging to the victims. Krissy Nobile, Manning's attorney and director of the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, said Tuesday that the justices' majority ruling ignores "newly discovered evidence with the recantation of several key witnesses," including one who said in a sworn statement that she was paid $17,500 for fraudulent testimony. The article noted that in 2013, shortly before Manning was scheduled to be executed, the DOJ said there had been errors in FBI agents' testimony about ballistics tests and hair analysis in the case. Manning's attorneys asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to stop the lethal injection, and justices voted 8-1 to delay the execution to allow the testing of evidence. Manning's attorneys asked an Oktibbeha County circuit judge for permission to send items to a more specialized lab. The judge denied that request, and the ruling was upheld by the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2022. A Woman Found Dead in 1991in an Illinois Cornfield Is Identified as Being From the Chicago Area The Associated Press (09/17, Staff Writer) reported that a person found dead in an Illinois cornfield in 1991has been identified as a Chicago-area woman more than a decade after authorities began reexamining the cold case. An investigation relying on a posthumous DNA sample led to the identification of Paula Ann Lundgren last week. Now authorities hope they can piece together more details about her life and the circumstances of her death. Over the years, numerous authorities have tried to identify the woman. According to the article, her body was exhumed in 2013 to obtain DNA and employ investigative methods not in use in the early 1990s. In 2019, a professor at Illinois Valley Community College used investigative genetic genealogy to produce a list of the woman's possible living relatives. The LaSalle County coroner's office went through the list for years trying to find a match before involving the FBI in February. In July there was a break in the case. The article quoted Coroner Rich Ploch, who EFTA01656074 said, "We have limited resources, so the FBI agreed to provide further assistance with the case that eventually led to a living relative, that person's DNA was confirmed as a match to Paula." Lundgren, who had lived primarily in the Chicago area, would have been 29 when a farmer found her body in September 1991in a cornfield in northern Illinois' LaSalle County, authorities said. The coroner's office determined at the time that the woman had died from cocaine intoxication. Her unidentified body was eventually buried in an Ottawa cemetery with a headstone reading, "Somebody's Daughter, Somebody's Friend." The LaSalle County sheriff's office said now that Lundgren's identity is known the agency hopes "new leads can be developed as to how she came to be in the cornfield." D.C. Council Votes to Disband Trayon White's Committee, Begins Probe The Washington Post (09/17, Flynn) reported that the D.C. Council on Tuesday voted to disband the youth affairs committee chaired by Council member Trayon White Sr. (D-Ward 8) after his arrest last month on federal bribery charges, and began its own investigation into the allegations — which could lead to White's possible removal from the council. The article added that it was the council's first meeting since the explosive accusations from the FBI that White agreed to accept roughly $156,000 in bribes in exchange for using his influence as a council member to try to secure lucrative contracts for an associate, who was working as an informant for federal officials. White pleaded not guilty last week. According to the article, the contracts at the center of the bribery case were for violence-intervention work at two agencies — including the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services, of which White had oversight as chairman of the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs. Given that leadership role, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) sought to disassemble the committee and put all agencies under the entire council's purview instead. Tennessee Offidal and Executive Accused of Rigging a Bid on a $123 Million Contract Are Charged The Associated Press (09/17, Loller) reported that a former Tennessee prison official and a former executive at a private contractor have been charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and commit perjury after they were accused of rigging a bid on a $123 million contract, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. In a lawsuit filed in 2020, Tennessee-based prison contractor Corizon claimed the Tennessee Department of Correction's former chief financial officer, Wesley Landers, sent internal emails related to the behavioral health care contract to former Vice President Jeffrey Wells of rival company Centurion of Tennessee. Centurion won the contract, and Landers got a "cushy" job with a Centurion affiliate in Georgia, according to the lawsuit, which was settled in 2022. A statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee announced on Tuesday criminal charges against Landers and Wells. A DOJ press release noted that this case was investigated by the FBI, Memphis Field Office, and Nashville Resident Agency. Two Students Arrested After FBI Flagged Threats Made Toward Ohio Schools WBNS (CBS-1M (09/17, Staf Writer) reported that two juveniles were arrested after allegedly making threats to schools in Fairfield County. The FBI notified the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office on Monday about a potential online threat to Fairfield Union Local Schools, according to Sheriff Alex Lape. During its investigation, the sheriff's office identified two juvenile suspects from the school district. The juveniles were arrested and taken to the Fairfield County Multi-County Juvenile Detention Center. Axios (09/17, Buchanan) also reported on the threats plaguing Ohio. Frontier Airlines Passenger Assaults Flight Attendants, DOJ Alleges CBS News (09/17, Castaneda) reported that a California man is facing federal charges after allegedly causing a violent disturbance and assaulting flight attendants on a Frontier Airlines flight from Orange County bound for San Francisco. The U.S. Attorney's Office from the Central District of California said in a press statement Thursday that 30-year-old Charles Angel Salva of Fremont was arrested Wednesday after his flight from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana was diverted to Ontario International Airport shortly after takeoff. The article stated that according to a federal complaint, as the plane was climbing, flight attendants noticed oxygen masks had dropped from the overhead compartment above one of the seat rows; they found that a passenger, identified as Salva, had his hand in the overhead compartment. A passenger told flight attendants that Salva appeared claustrophobic and had pulled the oxygen mask down, getting his hand stuck in the compartment, the complaint alleged. One of the flight attendants noticed Salva looked to be in distress and he began yelling obscenities, also saying "we are all going to hell," and "this airplane is going down," the complaint said. The flight attendant said Salva began violently grabbing at passengers and then ran to the rear of the plane where the attendant tried to enlist the help of other passengers to restrain him, according to the complaint. As the flight attendant and others tried to restrain Salva, he allegedly grabbed the lanyard around the flight attendant's neck and tried to choke her with it, the complaint said. A second EFTA01656075 flight attendant also tried to restrain Salva, and according to the complaint. The article noted that the FBI and the Ontario Police Department were investigating the case. A Porn Actress Had Her Photos Used To Extort As Many As 60 Kids On Instagram And Kik Forbes (09/17, Brewster) reported that on Tuesday, Instagram announced it was going to set teenager accounts to private by default. According to the article, a recent sextortion case on the platform, one of many to have plagued Instagram over recent years, highlights why Meta has felt the need to lock down accounts owned by younger users. The article added that a Virginia man was charged in May this year with carrying out a sextortion campaign over Instagram and Kik Messenger, using a real-life porn actress' photos to trick as many as 60 victims into sharing nude images, previously-unreported court records show. Gary Owens Jr. has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which allege he grabbed online photos of the porn star, who now lives in Florida, and convinced victims he was a real young teenage woman named Jessica Lincon who wanted to engage in a sexual relationship with them. The government did not say why Owens was doing it other than to trick victims into producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) for him. The article stated that after the cops searched Owens' iPad, they discovered Google searches for the adult entertainment actress and evidence he'd visited porn sites to view images of the porn star, as well as hundreds of photos and videos of her undressed or performing sex acts. Investigators also found over 900 images of "males in some stage of undress or engaged in a sex act," according to a search warrant. The article mentioned that the government gathered evidence indicating Owens operated his sextortion campaign from 2021 through to 2024. In its criminal complaint against the defendant, the government said it had identified 13 minors as definitive victims, but said "there are at least 51 additional potential victims that have not yet been fully identified." In the search warrant, filed after the complaint, the FB