EFTA00149675.pdf

From: "Bulletin Intelligence" To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Friday, May 07, 2021 Date: Fri, 07 May 2021 10:28:46 +0000 Importan c Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. n a dEBI News Briefing • TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2021 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • FBI San Francisco Pushing Back Against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes. • Hostage Standoff At Minnesota Bank Ends. CAPITOL RIOTS • FBI Continues To Make Arrests In Capitol Siege. • Democrats Seek Additional Funding For Capitol Security. • Republicans Criticize Lofgren After Publication Of Social Media Post Compilation. • Secret Service Director: Agency Needs More Funding To Provide Security For High-Profile Events. • Capitol 'Zip Tie' Suspect Requests Mother's Day Conversation With Co-Defendant Mom. • Continuing: New Jersey Man Arrested In Capitol Riot After Mother Tells Friend About Participation. • FBI: Georgia Man Shared 'Post Victory Picture' After Capitol Riot. • Pennsylvania Man Charged In Capitol Insurgency After Wife's Facebook Posts. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Florida Man Convicted Of Targeting Pro-Trump Protestors For Violent Attack. • Michigan White Supremacist Leader's Bond Revoked. • FBI Investigating SSA Bomb Threat In Texas. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Administration Launches "Government-Wide" Effort To Investigate "Havana Syndrome." • Declassified Report: CIA Analysts Discovered Information Suggesting Russian Bounty Story Was True. • Space Force Aims To Go Fully Digital. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Continuing: California Bar Owner Arrested For Selling Counterfeit COVID-19 Vaccination Cards. • Idaho Police Investigate School Shooting. • Family: Missing San Antonio Girl Found Safe. • Georgia Meth Ring Leader Gets 20 Years. • Colorado Man Charged With Murder Of Missing Wife. • FBI Takes Part In Texas Manhunt Over Domestic Violence Incident. • Man Charged In Connection To Stabbing Of Asian Women In San Francisco. • Group: Asian Americans Report Thousands Of Cases Of Racism, Discrimination. EFTA00149675 • Continuing: Former Maui Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Soliciting Sex In Exchange For Sabotaging Criminal Case. • Oregon Woman Charged With Portland Police Union Arson. • Judge Issues New "Red Flag" Guidance After Indiana FedEx Shooting. • In Puerto Rico, Boxer Felix Verdejo Indicted In Lover's Death. • Maine Man Faces Child Porn Charges After Employer Contacts FBI. • City Officials Get Two Years In California Bribery Case. • West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Child Sex Trafficking. • MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty To Violent Crimes In Maryland. • FBI Investigating Arizona Shooting Of FBI Task Force Officer. • FBI's Role In Missing Buffalo Student Case Noted. • FBI Reward For Truman Artifacts Noted. • Attorney Gets More Than 15 Years In Prison For Scheming To Defraud Drug Traffickers. • Three Rhode Islanders Plead Guilty To Participating In Drug Distribution Conspiracy. • Suspected Drug Dealer Arrested In Massachusetts. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Pay-For-Play Marijuana Trial Of Former Massachusetts Mayor Continues. • Kansas City Man Convicted For Role In Cell Phone Burglary Scheme. • Virginia Man Gets 18 Months For Bribing FBI Official Over Data Center Contract. CYBER DIVISION • DHS Secretary Warns Ransomware Attacks Increasing. • DHS Seeks To Hire 200 Cyber Pros. • Proposed Legislation Would Bolster National Guard's Role In Cyber Response. • Cybersecurity Incident Pushes Alaska Court System Offline. • UK Spies Warn Local Authorities Over "Smart City" Tech Risks. • Insurer AXA To Stop Reimbursing Ransomware Payments In France. • Experts Say Zero Trust Should Be Foundation For Security Approaches. • DOD Announces Expansion Of Vulnerability Disclosure Policy. LABORATORY • DNA, Fingerprint Evidence Lead To Arrest in 1983 Nebraska Cold Case Murder. OTHER FBI NEWS • Man Shot By FBI At CIA Headquarters ID'ed As Indiana Resident. • Arizona Gathering Aims To Spotlight Cases Of Missing, Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls. • George Conway: Giuliani May "Offer Prosecutors" Trump To "Save Himself." • Former Mob Lawyer Claims Hoffa Buried At Savannah Golf Course. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Biden Touts Infrastructure Plan In Front Of Aging Bridge In Louisiana. • Document Details Lander's Meetings With Epstein. • Fox News Report: Klain And Others In Administration Tied To "Dark Money" Groups. • Cases, Hospitalizations, Deaths Continue To Fall Across US. • Politico Report: White House Slowly Returning To Pre-Pandemic Normal. • Cardona: Schools Should Be Fully Reopened By September. • Jennifer Garner To Feature In Administration's Mother's Day Vaccine Campaign. • Local Health Officials Offer Incentives To Tackle Vaccine Hesitancy. • Judge's Action On Barr Memo Spotlights Secretive DO) Office. • Studies Suggest Pfizer And Moderna Vaccines Protect Against Variants. EFTA00149676 • Pfizer Can Manufacture Up To 3B Vaccine Doses This Year. • Foreign Health Officials Pause Distribution Of J8J Vaccines Made By Emergent. • Pritzker Targets June 11 To Fully Reopen Illinois. • Walz To Lift Minnesota COVID Restrictions On May 28. • Florida Theme Parks Loosen COVID Protocols. • Families Start To Rethink Role Of Nursing Homes Following Pandemic. • Initial Jobless Claims Fell Last Week To Lowest Point Since Pandemic Began. • McConnell: Biden Stimulus Has Created Labor Shortage. • House Republicans Tout Rescue Plan Spending In Their Districts. • Kamin Says Biden Tax Increases Will Lead Wealthy To Give More To Charity. • Rural Democrats Express Concern About Administration's Capital-Gains Tax Plan. • Biden Seeks To Close Tax Loophole For Farmers. • Bloomberg Analysis: IRS Funding Increase Unlikely To Quickly Boost Tax Receipts. • Federal Judge Stays Ruling Overturning CDC Eviction Moratorium. • One In Eight Americans Facing Food Insecurity. • DeLauro Says House Will Move Appropriations Bills In June, July. • Fed Warns Rising Asset Prices Could Harm Investors. • Gensler: Rules Needed For Brokerage Apps That Turn Stock Trades Into A Game. • Amid Skyrocketing Steel Prices, Bank Of America Analyst Warns Of A Bubble. • National Chicken Council Downplays Talk Of Shortage. • Stocks Finish "Broadly Higher" As Dow Posts Another Record. • Krugman Faults Media Reaction To Yellen's Comment On Interest Rates. • China Suspends Economic Dialogue With Australia. • China Avoiding Trade Restraints By Purchasing Overseas Manufacturers. • WSJournal: Europe Should Join US, Other Nations To Present Unified Trade Front To China. • Ernst And Gillibrand Say Military Sexual Assault Bill Has Enough Votes To Pass. • Man Charged In Connection To Stabbing Of Asian Women In San Francisco. • Idaho Police Investigate School Shooting. • ACA Special Enrollment Sees Nearly 1M Sign Up Through April. • Gillibrand Promotes "Deeply Bipartisan" Package Aimed At Lowering Drug Prices. • House Lawmakers Seek To Address Maternal Death Rate. • Harris And Lopez Obrador To Discuss Immigration On Friday. • Democrats Seek Additional Funding For Capitol Security. • Administration Releases Report On Conserving Land, Combatting Climate Change. • Media Analyses: Stefanik Echoes Trump's "False Narrative" About 2020 Election. • Klobuchar Not Giving Up On Senate Passing Voting Rights Legislation. • DeSantis Signs Florida Voting Law On Fox News. • FEC Recommends Congress Ban Prechecked Boxes For Recurring Campaign Donations. • Leaders Of GOP-Led Arizona Ballot Recount Discount DOJ Concerns. • Twitter Removes Account That Was Sharing Trump's Blog Posts. • Tumulty Says Democrats Are Concerned About House Moderates Retiring. • WPost Slams DeSantis For "Cynical Calculation" In Delaying FL20 Special Election. • Candidate With Bear, 2003 Also-Rans, Among California Gubernatorial Recall Hopefuls. • Jones Poll Shows Him Close To Kemp In Georgia GOP Gubernatorial Race. • Atlanta Mayor Will Not Seek Second Term. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Brazilian Police Raid Leaves 25 Dead. • Pentagon Begins Removing Contractors From Afghanistan. EFTA00149677 • Social Media Post By US Embassy In Beijing Creates Controversy. • Speaker Of Maldivian Parliament Injured In Blast. • NYTimes Analysis: Burma Has Revived Censorship And Oppressive Policing. • Blinken Affirms Support For Ukraine While Calling For Kyiv To Address Graft. • Blinken Says "Jury Is Out" On Whether Iran Talks Will Be Successful. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS FBI San Francisco Pushing Back Against Anti-Asian Hate Crimes. The AP (5/6, Rodriguez) reports the FBI San Francisco office has launched an ad campaign "to encourage the victims of hate crimes to come forward," placing "an ad on a city train that reads 'Speak Up, Be Heard, Report Now. Report Hate Crimes to the FBI." The campaign comes "amid a wave of attacks against Asian Americans - many of them elderly — in San Francisco and across the country." The move coincides with a social media campaign. The AP quotes San Francisco SAC Craig Fair saying, "I want to assure the community that the FBI works to protect all victims of crimes, regardless of their country of national origin or immigration status. Acts of hate and racism have no place here and will not be tolerated." KTVU-TV San Francisco (5/6, 232K) also covers the "new strategy to combat hate crimes," under which "the FBI will train more special agents to conduct hate crime and civil rights investigations, as well as conduct outreach to community groups, religious organizations, and minority associations to strengthen trust and encourage the public to report hate crimes. To further increase awareness and encourage the reporting of hate crimes, the FBI has launched a public awareness campaign on social media, as well as through advertisements on Muni trains in San Francisco." KPIX-TV San Francisco (5/6, 110K) reports the move is meant to "counter a stunning surge in San Francisco Bay Area hate crimes, particularly those targeting the Asian American community. The agency's San Francisco office said the strategy would include directing new resources and personnel toward hate crime investigations, increasing coordination and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, community outreach, and public awareness." The San Mateo (CA) Daily Journal (5/6, 43K) also reports. Hostage Standoff At Minnesota Bank Ends. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (5/6, 855K) reported employees at a Wells Fargo branch in St. Cloud, Minnesota, were being held hostage by an alleged bank robber Thursday afternoon. According to local police, the FBI is assisting in the response. "Law enforcement officials said that as of late Thursday afternoon, more than 312 / hours after the robbery was reported, that an unspecified number of hostages remain held by a male suspect." In a subsequent article, the Minneapolis Star Tribune (5/6, 855K) reports the "hourslong standoff ended late Thursday at a St. Cloud bank after a fifth and final bank employee taken hostage during an early afternoon robbery was freed." Video from the scene shows law enforcement entering after the final hostage leaves and arresting the suspect. "Late Thursday, local law enforcement officers and the FBI said negotiations had continued with a male suspect in the bank robbery, which was reported at 1:45 p.m." The St. Cloud (MN) Times (5/6, 44K) reports, "After an eight-hour long standoff Thursday, a suspect was led out of a St. Cloud Wells Fargo bank branch in handcuffs around 10:30 p.m." EFTA00149678  USA Today (5/6, Haecherl, Newland, 12.7M) reported earlier that local police were "trying to negotiate" the release of the hostages "with the help of the FBI." CNN (5/6, Vera, Allen, 89.21M) also reported. CAPITOL RIOTS FBI Continues To Make Arrests In Capitol Siege. NBC News (5/6, 4.91M) reports, "Four months after the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, FBI agents maintain a steady pace of arresting people accused of taking part," calling the case "one of the largest criminal investigations in American history." Authorities have arrested over 440 suspects, "coming from all but five states. ... The largest number come from Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida, in that order." Over 60 "face some of the most serious charges, of assaulting officers with the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington's Metropolitan Police departments. Officials said 140 officers were injured during the riot." The FBI is "sort[ing] through hundreds of thousands of public tips." Yahoo! News (5/6, Knowles, 10.87M) reports in the months since the insurrection, "the FBI has fanned out across the country, arresting individuals in all but six U.S. states, NBC News reported." The FBI has posted "hundreds of pictures of suspects" on its website "and has asked the public for help leading to the arrests of those who took part in the riot that injured approximately 140 members of both the U.S. Capitol Police and Washington's Metropolitan Police." This article quotes the Bureau saying on its website, "The FBI is seeking the public's assistance in identifying individuals who made unlawful entry into the U.S. Capitol building and committed various other alleged criminal violations, such as destruction of property, assaulting law enforcement personnel, targeting members of the media for assault, and other unlawful conduct, on January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.," Democrats Seek Additional Funding For Capitol Security. CNN (5/6, Grayer, Herb, 89.21M) reports House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro and congressional leaders "have started negotiating on what a funding supplemental for Capitol security should look like, though they have not yet reached an agreement yet on what should go in the bill - or how to address policy questions like what to do with fencing around the Capitol." They "are preparing to move a $2 billion supplemental funding bill to address US Capitol security to the floor later this month, despite some outstanding questions - and reservations - among Republicans and even some Senate Democrats about the spending." The Hill (5/6, Elis, 5.69M) reports that Democrats "are likely to huddle on the supplemental spending bill Monday before unveiling the legislation and sending it to the House Rules Committee for floor consideration." The measure will "deal with issues relating to the Capitol Police and its preparedness, beefing up the Capitol complex and providing members of Congress additional security." Republicans Criticize Lofgren After Publication Of Social Media Post Compilation. The San Francisco Chronicle (5/6, Kopan, 2.44M) reports that Republicans "are firing back at Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) over a compilation she created of their social media posts related to the 2020 election and Jan. 6 insurrection, filing a complaint against her that was made public Thursday." Lofgren "defended herself in a reply, saying that it is part of Congress' duty to investigate any officeholder's potential role in an insurrection." The escalation "reveals how high tensions remain between Democrats and Republicans as the GOP continues to spread baseless doubt over President Biden's win over Donald Trump in the November election." Secret Service Director: Agency Needs More Funding To Provide Security For High- Profile Events. EFTA00149679 CBS News (5/6, Sganga, 5.39M) reports US Secret Service Director James Murray "told lawmakers Thursday that the agency needs more money to fund coverage of high-profile functions that are designated as National Special Security Events (NSSEs) - there were five events that were specially designated and federally coordinated in the past year." Such an event "prompts the federal government - led by the Secret Service in coordination with the FBI and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - to work together to secure large venues that may be targeted by violent actors." CBS notes that the January 6 election result certification at the US Capitol "was not designated an NSSE by the federal government. ... In the agency's first public hearing since the January 6 riot, Murray called the siege of the U.S. Capitol 'abhorrent' and 'an attack on democracy." Capitol 'Zip Tie' Suspect Requests Mother's Day Conversation With Co-Defendant Mom. The Tennessean (5/6, 645K) reports, "Eric Munchel, dubbed 'zip tie guy' on social media after he was photographed holding a handful of plastic restraints inside the U.S. Capitol during the failed insurrection on Jan. 6, has asked a federal judge for permission to call to his mother on Mother's Day." Lisa Marie Eisenhart and her son Munchel are barred from speaking because they are both defendants in the case. "Prosecutors allege Munchel and Eisenhart were unhappy with the 2020 Presidential election results, which led them to Washington, D.C. to protest. The two brought tactical gear, and Munchel carried a taser, according to court testimony." According to FBI testimony, the two acted in concert when entering the Capitol. Continuing: New Jersey Man Arrested In Capitol Riot After Mother Tells Friend About Participation. The AP (5/6) reports in continuing coverage that a comment made by the mother of Robert Lee Petrosh of May's Landing, New Jersey, "may have led to his being charged for participating in the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol. ... According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday, the FBI received a tip that Petrosh had been in the Capitol building that day. The tipster's grandmother allegedly passed on the information, which had been mentioned to her by Petrosh's mother." The Washington Post (5/6, 10.52M) describes the two women as "close friends," saying the "The grandmother did not keep that news to herself. She told her grandson, who days later, court records show, called the FBI to report Petrosh." The Post says Petrosh was already on the FBI's radar, reporting, "On January 10, an anonymous online tipster said Petrosh 'was on the steps' of the federal building on Jan. 6." FBI: Georgia Man Shared 'Post Victory Picture' After Capitol Riot. The Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader (5/6, 205K) reports Glen Mitchell Simon of Gainesville, Georgia, "denied taking part in the U.S. Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6 - but federal authorities say surveillance footage suggests otherwise." According to the FBI, Simon "shared a 'post victory picture' from the steps of the U.S. Capitol after he and throngs of other rioters stormed the building." DO) documents show "Simon was arrested Wednesday in Gainesville, about 55 miles northeast of Atlanta, and charged with 'knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority." Pennsylvania Man Charged In Capitol Insurgency After Wife's Facebook Posts. The Harrisburg (FS) Patriot-News (5/6, 567K) reports Lynn Feiler Edwards "wrote on Facebook about her husband's role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, leading to his facing federal criminal charges. Gary Edwards, 68, of Southampton, Pa., is charged with entering a restricted building without authority, disorderly conduct, disruption of official business, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building." Edwards is currently free on $100,000 bond. "Although the posts were removed, an informant took screenshots and provided them to the FBI, documents show. EFTA00149680 Agents were able to use the information from the posts to match photos of Edwards to videos taken during the Capitol assault." COUNTER-TERRORISM Florida Man Convicted Of Targeting Pro-Trump Protestors For Violent Attack. The AP (5/6, Farrington) reports Daniel Alan Baker of Tallahassee, Florida, "was convicted Thursday of trying to organize an armed response to supporters of former President Donald Trump for an expected gathering at the state Capitol in January ahead of Joe Biden's presidential inauguration." Baker "was convicted of two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure another person." Michigan White Supremacist Leader's Bond Revoked. The Detroit News (5/6, 1.16M) reports Justen Watkins of Bad Axe, Michigan, who is "charged with gang membership for his self-proclaimed leadership role of white supremacist group the Base has had his bond revoked for violations of the bond conditions." Watkins had been free on "bond conditions that included a prohibition on contact with other members of the Base, Attorney General Dana Nessel's office said in a statement. But a member of the gang paid Watkins bond in February and the two are accused of committing a crime the next week." FBI Investigating SSA Bomb Threat In Texas. KRGV-TV Harlingen, TX (5/6) reports the FBI joined local law enforcement agencies in responding to a bomb threat against Social Security Administration offices in Harlingen, Texas. KRGV quotes FBI Spokesperson Michelle Lee as saying "'No explosive devices were located' ... 'Law enforcement has cleared the scene, however, the investigation is ongoing." KGBT-TV Harlingen, TX (5/6) reports "the FBI said they have taken over the investigation of this case." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Administration Launches "Government-Wide" Effort To Investigate "Havana Syndrome." CBS News (5/6, Gazis, 5.39M) reports that more than a dozen CIA officers "serving in multiple overseas locations have returned to the U.S. to seek care this year after reporting symptoms consistent with 'Havana Syndrome,' ...according to current and former U.S. officials and people familiar with the matter. The new suspected incidents occurred in the early months of 2021, and at least one happened as recently as March, according to three sources." A White House spokesperson "said the cause of the incidents is an area of 'active inquiry,' and that the National Security Council (NSC) has been coordinating a 'government-wide effort' since the start of the administration to determine who is responsible and ensure those affected receive medical evaluations and proper care." For the Washington Examiner (5/6, 888K), Tom Rogan writes that following the DOD's lead, the CIA, State, and the NSA "are belatedly moving to support employees who believe they have suffered radio frequency/microwave attacks while serving abroad." The Examiner adds that "the CIA will imminently appoint a new chief medical officer." Healthline (5/6, 3.62M) also runs a piece looking at what is known about the situation. Declassified Report: CIA Analysts Discovered Information Suggesting Russian Bounty Story Was True. The New York Times (5/7, Savage, Schmitt, Schwirtz, 20.6M) reports that in early 2020, "members of a Taliban-linked criminal network in Afghanistan detained in raids told interrogators that they had heard that Russians were offering money to reward killings of EFTA00149681 American and coalition troops." The claim "was stunning, particularly because the United States was trying at the same time to negotiate a deal with the Taliban to end the long-running war in Afghanistan. C.I.A. analysts set out to see whether they could corroborate or debunk the detainees' accounts." Ultimately, "newly declassified information shows, those analysts discovered a significant reason to believe the claim was accurate: Other members of the same Taliban-linked network had been working closely with operatives from a notorious unit of the G.R.U.," which is "known for assassination operations." Pentagon Begins Removing Contractors From Afghanistan. Reuters (5/6, Ali, Stewart) reports that Defense Secretary Austin "said on Thursday the process of removing all contractors from Afghanistan working with the United States was under way" as part of President Biden's withdrawal of forces. According to Reuters, Austin's remarks "are the clearest indication yet that Biden's April order to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by Sept. 11 extended to US-funded contractors." Blinken Addresses Taliban Threats In Afghanistan. Asked on MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell ReportsVi (5/6, 958K) about the power of the Taliban in Afghanistan after US troops leave, Secretary of State Blinken said, "We have trained over the years well over 300,000 Afghan security forces. Other countries will remain engaged. Everyone has to make some new calculations. That starts with the Taliban. It has to decide whether it wants to plunge the country back into a civil war or whether it wants some kind of recognition to be an accepted actor in the international community. ... We are also focused on the diplomacy, trying to see if the Taliban will engage with the Afghanistan government to try to come to a political resolution." NYTimes Analysis: DOD Struggles To End Afghan Dependency On US Air Support. The New York Times (5/6, Gibbons-Neff, Cooper, Schmitt, 20.6M) reports that, despite the Biden Administration's portrayal of Afghan security forces as "well equipped to handle the war on their own," their country's "dependency on US pilots and warplanes" remains "unquestionable," adding that US forces have launched "a half-dozen airstrikes" in the face of renewed Taliban aggression amid the withdrawal of US troops. The Times says, the Pentagon "is now weighing how it will wean Afghan security forces from their dependency." According to the Times, Austin "suggested that it would be up to Gen. Austin S. Miller, the commander in Afghanistan, to decide when to turn off the spigot." US May Train Afghan Forces In Third Countries. The AP (5/6) reports Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Milley "said the Pentagon is considering options for continued support of Afghan government forces after the troop withdrawal is complete, including possibly training Afghan security forces in another country." That would be in addition to "urging the Congress to authorize continued financial assistance to the Afghan forces, which has been in the range of $4 billion a year for many years, and possibly providing aircraft maintenance support remotely from another country." The Hill (5/6, Kheel, 5.69M) reports, "asked at a Pentagon press briefing whether training Afghan forces from a different country is an option, Milley said, "It's possible. There's a lot of different options out there, and we haven't settled on one of them yet. Space Force Aims To Go Fully Digital. Defense News (5/6, Strout, 73K) reports Space Force released a "vision document" Thursday on becoming fully digital. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond said on a media call, "Space is a big data environment. ... And when you think about our strategic competitors and the threats that we currently face, becoming a digital service is much more than an opportunity — it's a necessity." ExecutiveGov (5/6, McCormick) reports the vision document expresses "the service's desire to be the world's first fully digital service." The Space Force Technology and Innovation Office will lead the digital transformation and focus on "engineering, workforce, headquarters and operations." EFTA00149682  Breaking Defense (5/6, Hitchens) reports the Space and Missile Systems Center is "creating a new virtual testing environment to apply digital engineering techniques to space acquisition" as a first step toward implementing the Vision for a Digital Service. Space Force Chief Technology Innovation Officer Maj. Gen. Kim Crider said, "This is a basically putting in place the infrastructure and integrating the digital engineering tools - the modeling tools and the data - to support the digital engineering process." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Continuing: California Bar Owner Arrested For Selling Counterfeit COVID-19 Vaccination Cards. NBC News (5/6, Madani, 4.91M) reports in continuing coverage that after an undercover investigation by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Todd Anderson, owner of the Old Corner Saloon in Clement, California, "was arrested Wednesday over allegations that he was selling fake Covid-19 vaccination cards at his establishment." Clement faces charges including "identity theft, forging government documents, and falsifying medical records, according to a statement from San Joaquin District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar." The Washington Post (5/6, Thebault, 10.52M) reports that "lately, state authorities allege, patrons have visited" the Old Corner Saloon in California's Central Valley "for a service unmentioned on its social media accounts or in its overwhelmingly positive Google reviews: to buy a fake coronavirus vaccination card." California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents "arrested Old Corner's owner on Tuesday, charging 59-year-old Todd Anderson with three felony crimes, including identity theft, forging government documents and carrying an unregistered firearm." Anderson "was also charged with falsifying medical records, a misdemeanor." The case marks "the California agency's first arrest for the sale of fraudulent vaccine cards, said spokesman John Carr." Idaho Police Investigate School Shooting. The CBS Evening NewsVi (5/6, story 4, 0:15, O'Donnell, 4.04M) reported that Idaho police are investigating a new school shooting incident in Rigby, Idaho, where a student "pulled out a gun and opened fire, injuring two other students and a custodian." NBC Nightly NewsVi (5/6, story 4, 0:15, Holt, 5.2M) reported that the authorities "say a teacher disarmed the suspect, a sixth- grade girl, and held her until police arrested her." The injuries "are described as non life- threatening." ABC World News TonightVi (5/6, lead story, 2:55, Muir, 6.52M) reported one student said of the shooting, "We heard one gunshot, and then we heard another. And we heard multiple kids screaming and that - people arguing. And then people ran past our room. And all my friends and I were freaking out, and we were hiding in the corner of our classroom with the lights off and the doors locked." The AP (5/6, Boone) reports that police "were called to the school around 9:15 a.m. after students and staffers heard gunfire." Bonneville County sheriff's Sgt. Bryan Lovell "said an investigation was underway and no additional information was immediately available." Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) said in a statement, "I am praying for the lives and safety of those involved in today's tragic events." The Washington Post (5/6, 10.52M) reports that the shooter "shot two people in a hallway with a handgun before going outside and shooting another." Jefferson County Sheriff Steve Anderson "did not release a name," and he "said the girl was being held at the sheriff's office." The Idaho Statesman (5/6, 299K) reports Jefferson School District Superintendent Chad Martin said to reporters, "Today we had the worst nightmare a school district could encounter. We had a school shooting here at Rigby Middle School." He added, "What we know so far is the shooter has been apprehended. There is no further threat to the students." EFTA00149683  CNN (5/6, Andone, 89.21M) reports on its website that the Jefferson School District announced the closure of all schools on Friday, and counselors "will be available at Rigby High School throughout the day." BuzzFeed News (5/6, Baer) also reports. Family: Missing San Antonio Girl Found Safe. KENS-TV San Antonio (5/5, 185K) reports the family of a missing San Antonio, Texas, teen says she "was found safe." Earlier, the station reported that the San Antonio Police Department was "searching for a missing 16-year-old girl last seen on the city's northeast side." Georgia Meth Ring Leader Gets 20 Years. Georgia Sun (5/6, Chandler) reports Kelvin D. Carswell, "the leader of Macon's 'Get Dat Money" meth gang, "was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison as the result of a lengthy investigation into the network's illegal activities throughout Middle Georgia." Court documents show Carswell "was sentenced to serve 240 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine on December 15, 2020." The FBI received a tip in June indicating that "Carswell was orchestrating the sale of drugs while incarcerated at the Washington State Prison in Sandersville, Georgia. A search of Carswell's prison cell uncovered a quantity of drugs and a cellular phone with multiple SD cards, according to court records." The AlbanUGA) Herald (5/6) also covers this story, quoting acting US Attorney Peter D. Leary saying, "Many lives have been undoubtedly damaged, even destroyed, due to the actions of Kelvin Carswell and the members of the 'Get Dat Money' drug trafficking organization. Carswell brazenly orchestrated a prolific meth trafficking organization from behind prison bars, and he has now received the maximum penalty provided by law. He, along with his co- conspirators, are being held accountable for their destructive choices. The FBI and Bibb County Sheriff's Office did an outstanding job investigating and ultimately shutting down this stream of methamphetamine into Middle Georgia." Colorado Man Charged With Murder Of Missing Wife. The Washington Post (5/6, 10.52M) reports roughly a year after the disappearance of Suzanne Morphew, who failed to return home after a Mother's Day bike ride, her husband, Barry Morphew, has been charged with her murder. "Although police have yet to locate Suzanne's body, Barry, 53, was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and attempting to influence a public servant." The investigation "involved more than 70 officers from the Chaffee County Sheriff's office, Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI, in addition to dozens of other local law enforcement agencies, according to Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze." FBI Takes Part In Texas Manhunt Over Domestic Violence Incident. KXII-TV Sherman, TX (5/7) reports tribal and municipal police in Ada, Oklahoma, along with the FBI and other agencies, "spent Thursday afternoon searching for a man they say was armed and dangerous. Neighbors called 911 at the Rolling Hills Apartments Thursday afternoon to report a disturbance involving a man who lives there and a woman." Man Charged In Connection To Stabbing Of Asian Women In San Francisco. ABC World News TonightVI (5/6, story 9, 0:15, Muir, 6.52M) reported Patrick Thompson has been "charged with attempted murder and two counts of inflicting injury" after he "allegedly attacked the woman at a bus stop" in San Francisco." Yet, authorities are "still deciding whether to label this a hate crime." The CBS Evening NewsVI (5/6, story 6, 1:50, O'Donnell, 4.04M) reported that the rash of recent attacks on Asians on led the Alameda County, California district attorney to create a new special response unit. District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said, "We have 78 victims that we're working with just since we put together the unit since the end of January. EFTA00149684 FBI San Francisco Division Special Agent In Charge Craig Fair said of the investigation, "I think in some communities, there is this reflective resistance, and even a distrust of law enforcement, and that is a barrier that we are trying to break down." NBC Nightly NewsVi (5/6, story 8, 1:35, Holt, 5.2M) reported that the surge in Asian- American hate crimes is reflected in new police data, which "found a 164% increase in reports of anti-Asian hate crimes compared to this time last year." USA Today (5/6, Yancey-Bragg, 12.7M) reports that Stop AAPI Hate published new data on Asian-American hate crimes, and it said that there have been more than 6,600 incidents. The uptick "was first reported in March 2020 as COVID-19 began spreading across the nation and some politicians, including President Donald Trump, blamed China for the pandemic." KNSD-TV San Diego (5/6, 105K) reports Patrick Thompson of San Francisco is facing two counts of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse after allegedly "stabbing two elderly Asian women at a muni bus stop Tuesday. ... But the DA said he isn't filing hate crime charges - for now." Said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott, "There is no indication at this point that there was any kind of hate prejudice. We do think at this point it is random but there is more investigation to be done so I don't want to close that door." Group: Asian Americans Report Thousands Of Cases Of Racism, Discrimination. CNN (5/6, Chavez, 89.21M) reports the group Stop AAPI Hate, which tracks "reports of racism and discrimination against Asian Americans says it has received 6,603 firsthand complaints since last year." The organization "began tracking violence and harassment on March 19 last year as more Asian Americans were verbally and physically assaulted while erroneously being blamed for the Covid-19 pandemic. More than a year later, anti-Asian violence continues to increase nationally with horrifying assaults reported in cities like San Francisco and New York City." CBS News (5/6, 5.39M) reports the group released data showing that "women reported nearly 65 percent of anti-Asian hate incidents nationally between March 2020 and March 2021. ... Stop AAPI Hate reported a total of 6, 603 hate incidents, a broad term that can include hate crimes such as physical assaults but also incorporates verbal and online harassment, shunning, and civil rights violations." Continuing: Former Maui Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Soliciting Sex In Exchange For Sabotaging Criminal Case. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser (5/6, 409K) reports in continuing coverage that former Maui police officer Brandon Charles Saffeels has pleaded guilty "before a U.S. District judge in a case in which the officer allegedly told a woman he arrested that he would lie for her in court in exchange for a sexual relationship with each other." Saffeels "pleaded guilty to a seven-count indictment alleging that in 2019 he engaged in a bribery scheme wherein he solicited a sexual relationship with the woman, whom he arrested for driving under the influence, by offering to provide false testimony in court to help her beat her case." Oregon Woman Charged With Portland Police Union Arson. The Portland (OR) Tribune (5/6, 92K) reports Alma Raven-Guido of Beaverton, Oregon, "is facing a federal arson charge in connection with a Portland police union building fire in April." Raven-Guido "has been charged with one count of arson following a federal grand jury indictment, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Raven-Guido was arrested by FBI agents on Wednesday, May 5, and was arraigned on Thursday, pleading not guilty, prosecutors said in a statement." The Oregonian (5/6, 1.02M) reports Raven-Guido "made her first appearance via video on a one-count indictment charging her with arson in U.S. District Court in Portland Thursday afternoon." The FBI "arrested the teen at her Beaverton home on Wednesday and she spent a night in Portland's downtown jail." While Raven-Guido had previously been arrested on state EFTA00149685 charges in the case, "the federal charge is based on an interpretation that unions affect interstate commerce, according to prosecutors." The AP (5/6) also reports. Judge Issues New "Red Flag" Guidance After Indiana FedEx Shooting. The AP (5/6) reports, "All 'red flag' cases filed by Indianapolis police will now come before a judge after an Indiana prosecutor was criticized for declining to use the law to pursue court hearings that could have prevented a man from accessing the guns used to kill eight people at a FedEx facility last month." The new guidance was issued this week by Judge Amy Jones, who oversees the filings of red flag cases in Marion County. This comes after Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears "decided not to bring Brandon Scott Hole before a judge for a red flag hearing, even after his mother called police last year to say her son might try to die from 'suicide by cop." A spokesperson for the prosecutor said Thursday that conversations about changes to the filing process began before the shooting. WTHR-TV Indianapolis (5/6, 346K) and The Hill (5/6, Choi, 5.69M) also report. In Puerto Rico, Boxer Felix Verdejo Indicted In Lover's Death. In The AP (5/6, Coto) reports that, on Thursday, a federal grand jury in Puerto Rico indicted boxer Felix Verdejo for the killing of his pregnant lover Keishla Rodriguez, "a case potentially eligible for the death penalty." According to the AP, "an FBI complaint...accused Verdejo of punching Rodriguez in the face, injecting her with a syringe filled with an unidentified substance bought at a public housing complex, binding her arms and feet with wire, tying a block to her and then throwing her off a bridge...last Thursday." In a story about the indictment, NBC News (5/6, 4.91M) notes "the FBI has been leading the investigation with the Puerto Rico Public Safety Department, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau and the Puerto Rico Justice Department." Maine Man Faces Child Porn Charges After Employer Contacts FBI. The Portland (ME) Press Herald (5/6, Byrne, 174K) reports that Andrew Hazelton, a former member of a neo-Nazi group called the NSC-131, is facing a federal charges for possessing child pornography after a Portland business owner who feared Hazelton "would commit a workplace shooting" contacted the FBI. According to the Press Herald, "agents with the FBI were granted a search warrant April 28 for Hazelton's cellphone and electronic devices and searched his home the next day, taking Hazelton's phone from him. On the phone, they found a folder labeled "1488" that contained videos of child pornography." City Officials Get Two Years In California Bribery Case. Former The Palm Springs (CA) Desert Sun (5/6, Damein, 220K) reports that, on Wednesday, a federal court sentenced David Romero, a former member of the Calexico City Council, and Bruno Suarez-Soto, a former member of the Calexico Economic Development and Financial Advisory Commission, to two years in prison after both men pleaded guilty to accepting bribes during an FBI sting in 2020. The Washington Examiner (5/6, Brest, 888K) says Romero and Suarez-Soto had "accepted $35,000 in cash bribes from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for a promise to issue a permit for a commercial cannabis dispensary." The Holtville (CA) Tribune (5/6, Brown, Morales, 7K) also reports. West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Child Sex Trafficking. The Huntington (WV) Herald-Dispatch (5/6, Herald-Dispatch, 82K) reports that Dale Randall McCarthy Jr. pleaded guilty to a child sex trafficking charge. According to the Herald-Dispatch, McCarthy agreed to pay "a man he met online...$100 to have sex with a 14-year-old girl." The Herald-Dispatch says that federal prosecutors "praised the investigative work of the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force" in the case. MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty To Violent Crimes In Maryland. EFTA00149686 The Annapolis (MD) Capital Gazette (5/6, Hutzell, 85K) reports that, on Wednesday, Moises Alexis Reyes-Canales "pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise as part of MS-13 gang activities, including murder and two attempted murders." According to the Gazette, "as part of a plea agreement, Reyes-Canales admitted he became an associate gang member in March 2016, participated in the murder of a suspected rival gang member, and tried to kill other people in Annapolis." The Gazette says federal prosecutors will recommend a 35-year sentence in the case. FBI Investigating Arizona Shooting Of FBI Task Force Officer. The Arizona Republic (5/6, Onneweer, 1.05M) briefly reports that the FBI is "offering a reward for information leading to arrests" in an April 23rd drive-by shooting that targeted "an FBI Task Force officer" in Phoenix. FBI's Role In Missing Buffalo Student Case Noted. In a story about a local New York prosecutor's announcement that Saniyya Dennis, a Buffalo college student who has been missing for a week, died by suicide, WABC-TV New York (5/6, 351K) briefly notes the FBI's participation in the case, saying agents interviewed Dennis' boyfriend and ruled him out as a suspect. FBI Reward For Truman Artifacts Noted. In a story about the theft of "a collection of swords and daggers" from the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, KSHB-TV Kansas City, MO (5/6, Reid, McCormick, 147K) notes that the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward "for information leading to the return of" the artifacts. Attorney Gets More Than 15 Years In Prison For Scheming To Defraud Drug Traffickers. The Washington Post (5/6, Bella, 10.52M) reports Texas attorney James Morris Balagia, who was found guilty of scheming "to defraud Colombian cocaine traffickers," has been sentenced "to more than 15 years in prison." Balagia "was turned in to the FBI by the very drug traffickers he attempted to defraud." Three Rhode Islanders Plead Guilty To Participating In Drug Distribution Conspiracy. The Woonsocket (RI) Patch (5/6, Sandoli, 1.44M) reports the FBI conducted an investigation that will lead to prison time for Rhode Island residents Juan Batista, Natalie Cassidy, and Angel Aviles, who pleaded guilty "to participating in a conspiracy" to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl. Suspected Drug Dealer Arrested In Massachusetts. In online coverage, WWLP-TV Springfield, MA (5/6, Asiamah, 453K) reports the DEA and the FBI participated in a Thursday search warrant operation that led to the arrest of a "suspected drug dealer in Springfield." A similar Springfield (MA) Republican (5/6, DeForge, 592K) article says Springfield resident Mario Monge "was arrested on drug trafficking and firearms charges." The WBZ-AM Boston (5/6, 114K) website also covers this story. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Pay-For-Play Marijuana Trial Of Former Massachusetts Mayor Continues. The Providence (RI) Journal (5/6, 376K) reports jurors in the trial of former Fall River, Massachusetts, Mayor Jasiel Correia II on Wednesday heard how Correia "demanded a bribe - with no middleman involved - accepted the cash and then promptly handed over a coveted non-opposition letter to a hopeful marijuana vendor." Local business owner Charles Saliby in EFTA00149687 2018 "was trying to open a marijuana dispensary and needed a much sought after letter of non-opposition from the mayor. He called city hall and was told the city had already reached its limit for marijuana shops." The article describes the testimony in detail, narrating the questioning of US District Attorney David Tobin. Kansas City Man Convicted For Role In Cell Phone Burglary Scheme. The Kansas City (MO) Star (5/6, 519K) reports court records show Bryan C. Kirkendoll II of Kansas City, Missouri, "has been convicted in federal court of helping to steal more than $1 million worth of cell phones over several months across multiple states." A jury found Kirkendoll "guilty of three counts of transporting stolen property across state lines, two counts of witness tampering, and one count each of participating in a conspiracy and transmitting threats in interstate commerce, according to a news release from the United States Attorney's office for the Western District of Missouri." US Attorneys say that while Kirkendoll was free on bond, he "intimidated and threatened a victim scheduled to testify as a witness against him in court." Virginia Man Gets 18 Months For Bribing FBI Official Over Data Center Contract. DatacenterDynamics (5/6) reports Virginia resident Robert Bailey "was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for paying a bribe to an FBI official after pleading guilty." Bailey's bribes helped his business "win a contract to build the FBI's 'Grey Wolf' Pocatello data center. The official, James Heslep, was sentenced to 39 months in April." The article quotes acting US Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez Jr. saying, "When private individuals perform contracts for the government, they effectively become public servants who must uphold a public trust. Mr. Bailey breached that trust and now faces the consequences of his actions. The Court's 18-month sentence sends the appropriate message to Mr. Bailey and other similarly-situated government contractors: take the public trust seriously or wind up behind bars." CYBER DIVISION DHS Secretary Warns Ransomware Attacks Increasing. ABC News (5/6, Barr, 2.44M) reports Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas "warned that cyberattacks - specifically ransomware attacks - are