Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) National President Nathan Catura released a statement earlier this week that detailed a settlement impacting agents with hearing loss.

An undercover investigation led by the US Fish and Wildlife service has resulted in the arrest of Wayne Martin, a New Mexico man who violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by killing multiple birds. Martin pled guilty to the crimes in 2017 and was sentenced this week by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Supreme Court ruled this week on Gamble v. United States, first reported in FedAgent in October 2018.

Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion of ethics and accountability in the federal government. The guests will cover the Professional Review process for government attorneys and other government ethics considerations.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced this week that Internet Crimes Against Children task forces around the country have led to the arrests of nearly 1,700 suspected child sex predators. The 61 task forces, located in all 50 states and comprised of more than 4,500 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, coordinated the operation called “Broken Heart” throughout April and May 2019.

FEDagent previously reported on the Supreme Court’s opinion in Carpenter v. United States. In Carpenter, the Court held that the third-party doctrine does not apply to cell-site location information, and that the government’s acquisition of cell-site location information is a search under the Fourth Amendment requiring a warrant. On remand, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit found that the FBI agents who obtained the cell-site location information reasonably relied on the Stored Communications Act when obtaining that information, and therefore, acted in good faith.

A member of the Big Hazard street gang was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for orchestrating and executing a firebombing against African American families at the Ramona Gardens Housing Development in 2014. Jose Saucedo, also known as Lil’ Moe, pleaded guilty to four felonies: conspiracy to violate civil rights, violent crime in aid of racketeering, interference with the Fair Housing Act, and attempted arson of federal property.

Mark Turner persuaded Demontae Bell to help him sell several stolen firearms. When Turner later was arrested on charges related to manufacturing methamphetamine, he cooperated with law enforcement, provided them information about the firearms sale, and aided the government in targeting Bell. After a controlled transaction, Turner showed FBI Special Agent Jason Nixon a photo of an AK-47 on his phone, which he said Bell had texted to him.

The names of 371 law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty—including 158 who died in 2018—were formally dedicated last month, during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil, held on the National Mall and produced by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Do you know what you are doing this summer? To find out what our National Parks have to offer, tune in to FEDtalk this Friday and start planning your trip!

A naturalized US citizen residing in Alexandria, Virginia has been sentenced to 37 months in prison for having fraudulently obtained US citizenship. Mergia Negussie Habteyes, 58, admitted to a series of lies in the naturalization process, including failure to disclose participation in persecution during the Red Terror Period in Ethiopia.

Last year, FEDagent reported on oral argument heard before the Supreme Court in Nieves v. Bartlett. This week, the Supreme Court issued its decision on that case, holding that a law enforcement officer’s probable cause to arrest an individual precludes a citizen’s First Amendment retaliatory arrest claim as a matter of law.

During my tenure as a Civilian Federal Employee, I was tuned into various Federal programs, like the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), health options during Open Season, and other auxiliary benefits.

Benjamin Jaramillo Hernandez, 70, of Eugene, Oregon, was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for hate crimes committed against St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Eugene, Oregon. Hernandez also possessed illegal ammunition.

Starting in early February 2015, Ronnie Cornell Cosby used his cell phone to take photos of T.L., a 15-year old runaway, post the photos to the internet, and negotiate with men who then paid Cosby to have sex with the girl in Hammond, Indiana.

As we acknowledge, remember and honor our fallen officers during National Police Week, we must also remember the loss and hardships faced by their families left behind. 

Tantalizing! Sensational! Lurid! True Crime always seems to come with an implicit exclamation point. It is a genre that documents the not normal and emphasizes the extreme. Are people drawn to the dark details of the depraved? Or to the otherness of those who dwell in this mostly hidden underworld? Or are people just relieved that they themselves have avoided these nefarious situations?

Shaun Sullivan of Merrick, New York has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud in a multimillion dollar prize promotion scam aimed at stealing money from the elderly and vulnerable groups. Sullivan sent mailings to individuals which indicated that they could claim a large cash prize in exchange for a modest fee. There was no prize, and yet victims submitted over $30 million in fees.

Recently, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Mitchell v. Wisconsin, which asks whether a state statute permitting a warrantless blood alcohol draw of an unconscious driver is authorized under the Fourth Amendment.

Weighing the pros and cons of various insurance options can be difficult.  Tune into FEDtalk this Friday for a clear explanation of the long term planning and supplemental insurance options available to federal employees.