President Trump Warns He’ll Revoke Clearance of Justice Dept Official

President Donald Trump said Friday that he suspects he’ll “very quickly” revoke the security clearance of Bruce Ohr, a Justice Department official whose wife worked for the firm involved in producing a dossier on Trump’s ties to Russia.

His comments came two days after he yanked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, saying he had to do “something” about the “rigged” federal probe of Russian election interference.

Critics have cast it as an act of political vengeance.

On Thursday by a joint letter from 15 former senior intelligence officials called Trump’s action “ill-considered and unprecedented.” They said it “has nothing to do with who should and should not hold security clearances — and everything to do with an attempt to stifle free speech.”

Then on Friday, 60 former CIA officials issued their own statement, joining a chorus of opposition from the intelligence community to Trump’s decisions to threaten to or actually pull clearances.  (Seattle Times)
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While a commander (the Commander in Chief) has the authority to suspend someone's security clearance (suspend access), doing so without a clear and specific statement of a violation defined in the 13 Adjudicative Guidelines is inappropriate.

Suspending a security clearance 'as a result of an on-going investigation' without providing specific allegations of wrong-doing and evidence to support those allegations smacks of abuse of authority and perhaps official misconduct on the part of the commander issuing the suspension.

A person whose security clearance (access) is suspended must be afforded the opportunity to explain, refute, or mitigate the allegations made against him/her at the time of the suspension. If that opportunity is not provided it strongly indicates that the suspension was "political vengeance" and retaliation.

3 JBLM Soldiers Found Dead in Separate Cases in August 2018

The Army is investigating the deaths of two 7th ID sergeants  found dead in separate incidents, according to officials at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Police said 28-year-old Sgt. Lewis Clay of Milledgeville, Ga., hadn't been seen since July 29 when he left his home in Lacey. JBLM officials said his body was found off base on Thursday.

Also on Thursday in a separate case, 25-year-old Sgt. Joseph Martin of Clarkston, Mich. was found dead at his quarters on base.

The circumstances of both deaths are still under investigation.  (KOMO 4 News, August 17, 2018)

On August 3, 2018 SPC. Matthew Brown, 21, was found dead at his home on JBLM on Thursday.

The cause of his death is also still under investigation.
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Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of these Soldiers.

76-year-old Deaf Woman Sues Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy for Violent Arrest

A deaf 76-year-old woman accused an Alameda County Sheriff’s Office deputy of excessive force during an alleged jaywalking incident last year, claiming the deputy “violently threw” her to the ground and handcuffed her to an ambulance while she was unconscious.

Hui Jie Jin and Deputy Corvello encountered each other on the morning of July 21, 2017, when Jin was out shopping for groceries. The lawsuit claims that Corvello began yelling at Jin while she was allegedly jaywalking, but because Jin is “profoundly deaf” she couldn’t hear or understand his commands.

As Corvello moved closer to her, the suit alleges, Jin pointed to her ear with one hand and waved her hand back and forth with the other to signal that she was deaf.

“Despite recognizing that Mrs. Jin could not hear or understand him, Officer Corvello made no attempts to effectively communicate with Mrs. Jin at any point before or during her arrest,” the suit states.

More officers arrived on the scene and performed a search of Jin and her grocery bags, according to court documents, and during this time Jin emptied her pockets to hand Corvello her California identification card, disabled senior citizen bus pass, and a handwritten card with the name and phone number of Jin’s daughter for emergencies.

“Mrs. Jin was terrified, but at no point did she resist arrest or attempt to flee, nor could she due to her age and disabilities,” the complaint states. Jin prayed and repeatedly bowed in front of Corvello “in order to beg ... for mercy and not to hurt her.”

In response, the suit alleges, Corvello slammed the woman to the ground, placed a foot or knee behind her neck or back and handcuffed her. Jin passed out and was taken to the hospital via ambulance, according to the suit, which alleges violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, negligence, and deprivation of Jin’s civil rights.

Jin was issued a citation for jaywalking and resisting arrest, but no paperwork exists and no charges were filed, the suit states. (San Francisco Chronicle, August 16, 2018)
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This is of course just one side of the story. Perhaps the deputy had a justifiable law enforcement purpose for slamming a deaf 76-year-old woman to the ground, and treating her so violently that she passed out and had to be taken to the hospital via ambulance. After all, he had just contacted her for the very serious crime of jaywalking. :-(

This type of police violence, while rare, is a serious problem. Whether it is slamming a old woman to the ground, using a Taser on an 11-year-old shoplifter, or pulling a gun on a non-resisting driver during a traffic stop, these actions create mis-trust and hate for the police. 

Video Shows Police Officer In Shootout at Shopping Mall In Las Vegas

On August 11, around 4:15 p.m., the LVMPD Dispatch Center received multiple calls of shooting inside of a retail store located at 4000 Blue Diamond Road.

The shooter was later identified as 37 year old Mohamed Mahmoud. Mahmoud, was working as a loss prevention officer at the retail store. Mahmoud got into a verbal argument with the store manager over a customer leaving a shopping cart near the business’ entrance. Mahmoud became enraged and began threating employees as he walked out of the business.

Mahmoud went out to his vehicle and retrieved a handgun. As he walked back towards the business, he fired the handgun in the parking lot causing citizens to run for cover. Mahmoud then re-entered the store and fired a round into the ceiling as he looked for the manager. Mahmoud located the manager and fired multiple rounds at her as she ran towards the front of the store. Mahmoud exited the business and fired his handgun at the first arriving patrol car.

Officer Bunitsky arrived second and was also met by gunfire as he exited his patrol car. Officer Bunitsky took cover behind a palm tree and returned fire from over 50 yards away. Mahmoud was struck once in the lower body and went down.

Mahmoud was transported to UMC Trauma where he underwent surgery and is listed in stable condition. Mahmoud was booked into the Clack County Detention Center in absentia for attempted murder and gun charges.

Officer body-camera video is here.
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Officer Bryon Bunitsky, 47, is a true hero and an example of what good police officers do. Arriving at the scene of an active shooter, and taking fire himself. Officer Bunitsky advanced on the armed suspect and engaged him with accurate fire from over 50 yards away.

Officer Bunitsky's shots stopped the active shooter, no doubt saving lives of others in the mall. And listen to Officer Bunitsky's radio traffic... he reports shots fired and then as he runs toward the now down active shooter, he is calling for medical aid to save the life of the man he was just forced to shoot.

Officer Bryon Bunitsky.  Well done, Sir!

 

Back to School Cyber-Security

As summer break comes to an end, many students will return to school with mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Although these devices can help students with their education, there are risks associated with using them.  There are however, simple steps that can help keep students safe while using their mobile devices and while accessing information on-line.

Rethink Cyber Safety Rules and the “Tech Talk” With Your Teens

Teens connect to the online world much differently than their parents do – thanks in part to our rapidly advancing technologies. Today more than ever, teens lead complex online lives and are faced with real-world problems online.

As technology continues to become fully integrated into young people’s lives, it will be nearly impossible for parents to know everything their children do online. Additionally, parents need to understand that teens may seek help from – or be asked for help by – their peers. Forty-three percent of the teens surveyed reported that friends would be the first people they would turn to if they needed help with problems online. Focus points of family tech talks should include how to offer helpful advice and how to determine when a situation requires adult assistance.

Download the "Tech Talk" brochure.

Building a Digital Defense for School Kids and Cell Phone Safety

Here are 10 basic phone/computer tips to help keep your child safe:
1. The phone should default to a locked setting. The only people who should have that access code are the child and the parent.

2. Parents should know every password to every device and every password to every app on that device. Sure you want your kids to have some privacy as they grow up, but they are still kids. You pay the bill, and as long as that child is a child, he or she is your responsibility.

3. Check those accounts—as well as instant messaging programs and texts—for disturbing content on a regular basis. You and your kids should have a non-negotiable understanding that this access is a requirement for continued phone use.

4. Parents should make sure their child is using appropriate screen names. “Babygirl2005” and “sweet16” may sound cute and innocent, but they can be a beacon to predators.

5. Check the privacy and security settings on the phone and the apps. Check regularly to make sure they are up-to-date.

6. Learn about how photos are geo-tagged. Even if you are discreet about what you post, your photos could be tagged in the meta-data with your child’s exact location. Do you want just anybody to know what school your child goes to or what field his team uses for soccer practice? You should be able to turn this feature off in settings.

7. Teach your kids to never respond to calls, texts, or emails from unknown numbers or people. Scam artists and predators will victimize anyone, regardless of age.

8. Talk early and often to your child about the dangers that they may find on the other end of the line. If your child is old enough to carry a phone to school, he is old enough to have a frank discussion with you. Be open and responsive. If your child does encounter a bully or other disturbing content, you want him to feel like he can come to you to for help.

9. Talk to your kids about what constitutes appropriate language and photos. One sexually explicit photo can change a life forever. It is crucial that they understand that just because something starts out as a private communication between two people does not mean that it can't be shared with thousands of people in mere seconds.

10. Teach your children to program the privacy settings on social media feeds to the highest level and to reject any “friend requests” from those they don't know and trust in a face-to-face relationship. Parents should also consider forbidding any new “friend requests” by their kids, without parent approval.

Back To School? Time to Talk Online Safety

• Use everyday opportunities to talk to your kids about being online. For example, news stories about cyberbullying or texting while driving can spur a conversation with kids about their experiences and your expectations.
• Communicate your expectations and how they apply in an online context. Sharing your values clearly can help your kids make smarter and more thoughtful decisions when they face tricky situations. For instance, be specific about what’s off-limits — and what you consider to be unacceptable behavior.
• Resist the urge to rush through these conversations with your kids. Most kids need to hear information repeated, in small doses, for it to sink in. If you keep talking with your kids, your patience and persistence will pay off in the long run.
• Work hard to keep the lines of communication open, even if you learn your kid has done something online that you find inappropriate. Listening and taking their feelings into account helps keep conversations afloat. You may not have all the answers, and being honest about that can go a long way.

For more tips on talking with your kids about online safety, visit Kids On-Line

Bellevue Police Officer Arrested for 3rd Time Related to Domestic Violence Case

John Kivlin, a Bellevue police officer was arrested for the third time Tuesday in connection to a domestic violence case involving his ex-girlfriend. The King County prosecutor said John Kivlin is accused of violating a no-contact order for a second time, after trying to contact the victim multiple times over the weekend. Kivlin was charged Thursday with additional counts of violating the no-contact order and witness tampering.

It marks the third time Kivlin has been arrested since April.

He was initially arrested on April 28, one day after his then-girlfriend ended their relationship. She went to Bellevue police to report him for checking the records connected to her license plate and to disclose photos of injuries he allegedly inflicted on her weeks earlier.

The woman told Bellevue police April 27 that her now-ex had run her plates several times while they were together and told her that if she were to report him, it "would be difficult for her to drive in Bellevue" and "he would try to make it a living hell to drive in Bellevue by calling in favors to his friend to stop her," according to the King County Sheriff's Office, which investigated the case.

In July Kivlin was also charged with witness tampering, violating a domestic violence protection order and 4th degree assault for the case involving his ex-girlfriend.

Kivlin resigned from the Bellevue Police Department on August 2, 2018 after 16 years on the force.
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Domestic violence is a serious problem, and I don't wish to minimize the effects on the physical injuries to victim in anyway. "During the three-month investigation into Kivlin, detectives discovered text messages between the two suggesting the woman had been sexually assaulted by other members of the Bellevue Police Department who she also met online. One of them is a detective who is now on leave, who said their sexual contact was consensual. She claimed the other was Chief Steve Mylett, who was placed on leave two weeks ago."
When we look at data privacy and personal security in this case there is a serious concern that Officer Kivlin was able to run the vehicle plates of the victim several times, and that he believed that he could "make it a living hell to drive in Bellevue by calling in favors to his friend to stop her". Attacks can be mental - involving harassment, isolation, and retaliation - as well as physical.

Misuse of law enforcement databases in not new. In February 2018, we discussed the report that "police officers across the country abuse confidential law enforcement databases to get information on romantic partners, business associates, neighbors, journalists and others for reasons totally unrelated to police work. In the worst cases, officers have stalked, harassed and tampered with criminal cases using details obtained through criminal history and motor vehicle databases."

The problem we face from a data privacy viewpoint is that police departments (and other government agencies) have access to vast amounts of personal data - and may need that data to do their jobs - but there is not strict accountability on how the data is accessed and used.

So, if you found that some government employee was keeping secret, hidden files about you on a government computer network; would this concern you? How much more would it concern you if you reported it and the police department did nothing about it? What if the department retaliated against you, making your life a "living hell"?

ISIS Fighter Accused of Killing Police Officer Arrested in Sacramento

SACRAMENTO -- An alleged ISIS member suspected of killing an Iraqi police officer in 2014 was arrested Wednesday in Sacramento, when Federal agents raided an apartment on Eastern Avenue.

The suspect, 45-year-old Omar Abdulsatter Ameen, is accused of killing an Iraqi police officer, Ihsan Abdulhafiz Jasim, after ISIS entered the Rawah district of the Al-Anbar province in Iraq on June 21, 2014. ISIS took control of the district, preventing people from entering or leaving.

The next day, court documents say Ameen was a part of a four-vehicle convoy that drove to the victim's home. Jasim was shot in the chest, killing him, which ISIS announced on social media.

A few months later in November 2014, Ameen migrated to the U.S. claiming to be a refugee, settling in Sacramento. He filed an I-485 application and when asked on his refugee application if he'd killed anyone, he answered no.

A witness was able to identify Ameen in a photograph.

Former federal prosecutor Bill Portanova believes Ameen will likely be extradited back to Iraq, which the Iraqi government requested. It was an Iraqi warrant, issued May 16, that led to Ameen’s arrest.

Background Details on Omar Ameen from the Criminal Complaint

• Based on the criminal complaint on file, Ameen and some of his family members have a long history with Al Qaeda and ISIS.
• In 2004, Ameen worked with other terrorist cells and is the founder of al-Tawhide Wa al-Jihad, an offshoot of Al Qaeda.
• During that time he was a close associate of a very well known and brutal terrorist figure named Abu Mus’ab al Zarqawi, who died in 2006.
• Ameen became the financial officer for Al Qaeda in the Al Anbar Province.
• In 2007, Ameen worked under an authority figure within Al Qaeda, Ghassan Muhammad Ameen al Rawi, who happens to be Ameen’s cousin.
• He comes from a family of 10 brothers and three sisters; all 10 of his brothers followed him into Al Qaeda “without exception.”

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Russia Hysteria Undercuts Our Values, Impedes Relations

Commentary from Congressman Thomas Massie, August 16, 2018:

The mainstream media and out-of-touch politicians and bureaucrats want us to believe that the Cold War never ended, it’s a crime to talk with a Russian, and we should all be fearful of any Russians here in the U.S. Apparently our $21 trillion national debt, lack of border security, and the threat of radical Islamic terrorism pale in comparison to the grave threat posed by Russia.

This is yet another example of the disconnect between Beltway talking heads and the American people. Hard-working Americans — including constituents in my Kentucky district — care about jobs, paying the bills, putting food on the table, and leaving this country a better place for their children. The alleged “vast Russian conspiracy” harped upon by the Democrats and media since the election of President Trump is simply not a concern of normal Americans.

To date, “proof” of a Russian conspiracy to interfere in U.S. elections includes only Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s indictments of 13 Russian nationals and 12 Russian intelligence officers. The Russian nationals are accused of identity theft that allowed them to create fake social media accounts, and the 12 Russian intelligence officers are alleged to have hacked into the computers of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign prior to the 2016 election. Most importantly, all indictments fail to allege that a single U.S. vote was changed.

Unfortunately, what began as only Russophobic rhetoric seems to have turned into a witch hunt, as President Trump calls it.

For example, the current hysteria may have motivated the recent arrest and indictment of Maria Butina, a former Russian graduate student at American University in Washington, D.C.  Unlike many accused of violent crimes, Butina (who has not been accused of harming anyone) was denied bail, and is now reportedly being held in solitary confinement in federal prison until her trial. The indictment claims she acted as an unregistered agent of the Russian government. Thin on substance, it oddly suggests, for example, that attendance at a National Prayer Breakfast is something nefarious.

My colleague Dana Rohrabacher and I met with the Russian delegation that attended the prayer breakfast last year. Congressman Rohrabacher, a former speechwriter for President Reagan during the Cold War, was once on the front lines with the mujahedeen when they fought the Soviets, yet even he now faces criticism for seeking better relations with Russia.

While our justice system has always upheld the presumption of “innocent until proven guilty,” the relentless negative press surrounding Butina’s arrest presumes her guilt. So far, the evidence mostly shows that she is simply a strong supporter of the right to bear arms, has advocated for this right in Russia, and genuinely hoped for improved Russia-U.S. relations. These are not crimes.

What if Russia decided to indict and imprison an American student in Russia based upon thin evidence and charges of acting as an “unregistered U.S. agent”? The Golden Rule applies to nations, not just individuals.

This is why the  recent visit to Russia by my fellow Kentuckian Rand Paul is so courageous. In attempting to keep the lines of communication open between our two countries, he demonstrates true statesmanship amid a new xenophobic isolationism sweeping the anti-Trump media.

Sen. Paul’s meeting with Mikhail Gorbachev reminds me of President Reagan’s summits with that former leader of the Soviet Union. Like Paul and President Trump, Ronald Reagan believed in the power of a willingness to talk with our adversaries. Many believe that Reagan’s cordial relationship with Gorbachev encouraged the policies of “perestroika” and “glasnost” -- an openness to freedom that led to communism’s downfall in Russia.

True leaders understand that dialogue is the quickest pathway to peace. As my colleague Rep. Rohrabacher says, “We need to find areas of cooperation and peace instead of constant belligerence that can only lead to war.” Contrary to what the D.C. elites would have you believe, Russia is not the biggest threat facing the United States today. The Russia scare is a distraction from our real threats, which include our massive national debt, porous borders, and an out-of-control federal government that claims the right to spy on Americans without a warrant.

It’s time to end the obsession with Russia. In the words of the famous English writer G.K. Chesterton, “A great nation ought not to be a hammer, but a magnet.” Let’s stop the bellicose rhetoric and instead start leading by example.

Thomas Massie is a Republican member of the House who has represented Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District since 2012.
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40 Law Enforcement Officers Feloniously Killed in 2018

 



According to the FBI, as of 08/13/2018: forty law enforcement officers have been reported feloniously killed in 2018.

During the previous year for the same time period, 26 officers were feloniously killed. At the time the 40 law enforcement officers were fatally wounded in 2018:

• Ten were ambushed (entrapment/premeditation)
• Zero were victims of unprovoked attacks

 A PDF of the above graphic is available here.

Law enforcement can be a dangerous and at times a deadly job. It is important to consider safety both on and off duty. It is the normal, routine call that can kill you... The bad guys are never off-duty...

Carry Every Day - Be prepared for a deadly confrontation both on and off-duty. We have seen recently that activists are demonstrating outside the homes of ICE Agents and that individuals are offering to pay for anyone to kill an agent.

How easy is it for someone to find out where you live? Can someone predict your daily routines, the routes you drive to work, where you park on patrol, the coffee shop you meet in before starting shift each day?

Practice OPSEC in your daily activities. Is your department keeping you informed of OPSEC concerns in your area, of negative media reporting about law enforcement, about potential emerging threats...? I'll bet that they aren't!  So, are you keeping yourself informed?

 

 

STAY ALERT - STAY SAFE

Comcast Xfinity Exposed 26.5 Million Customer SSNs and Home Addresses

 

Security researcher Ryan Stevenson spotted a vulnerability in Comcast Xfinity's in-home authentication system, which exposed the partial home addresses and partial Social Security numbers of 26.5 million customers.

The authentication feature is designed to make it easier for customers to access their accounts and reduce instances of password resets by letting users choose their correct home address from a displayed list of four partial  addresses.

The problem is that Comcast knows the customer's correct address by looking at the webpage visitor's IP address. This method could allow an attacker to find a customer's partial address by spotting the desired target customer's IP address and repeatedly refreshing the login page.

The threat actor would then see three of the suggested partial home addresses change, while only the correct one belonging to the targeted customer would remain the same.

Another vulnerability: the feature displays the first digit of the customer's street number and the first three letters of the street where they live, with asterisks hiding all other characters. But even from this limited information, the attacker could determine the customer's city, state, and postal code using an IP lookup website.

Stevenson also found another vulnerability that could allow an attacker to brute force guess a customer's social security number using a sign-up page for Comcast's Authorized Dealers -- available via the website -- that allowed unlimited login attempts.
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How to Find and Delete Where Google Knows You’ve Been

Even if “Location History” is off on your phone, Google often still stores your precise location.

Start your browser and go to myactivity.google.com . Sign into Google if you haven’t already. On the upper left drop-down menu, go to “Activity Controls.” Turn off both “Web & App Activity” and “Location History.” That should prevent precise location markers from being stored to your Google account.

TO DELETE PAST LOCATION TRACKING: On the page myactivity.google.com , look for any entry that has a location pin icon beside the word “details.” Clicking on that pops up a window that includes a link that sometimes says “From your current location.” Clicking on it will open Google Maps, which will display where you were at the time.

You can delete it from this popup by clicking on the navigation icon with the three stacked dots and then “Delete.”

Some items will be grouped in unexpected places, such as topic names, google.com, Search, or Maps. You have to delete them item by item. You can wholesale delete all items in date ranges or by service, but will end up taking out more than just location markers. (Associated Press, August 14, 2018)
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Even Without GPS You Can Be Tracked by Your SmartPhone

Commenting on an CNBC Article (July 14, 2018) the Joint Information Operations Warfare Center - Joint OPSEC Support Element stated:

The ability to track individuals with potentially an over 90% degree probability of success should be of great concern to everyone, and while this test was done against an Android phone iPhones have essentially the same vulnerabilities that can be exploited. People have become very dependent on their mobile devices but they must be keenly aware of the risks associated with them, especially when working with critical information or in sensitive areas.

According to the CNBC Article, "a team of Northeastern University researchers recently found a way to track people with cellphones with GPS capabilities turned off.

Could someone be tracking you as you drive around your city or town?

You may think turning off your smartphone’s location will prevent this, but researchers from Northeastern University in Boston found that isn’t always the case.

Using Android phones running Google’s operating system, the researchers did the tracking using sensors in smartphones that were not designed to track location. Those tools included an accelerometer, which tracks how fast a phone is moving, a magnetometer, which works like a digital compass, and a gyroscope, which tracks rotation.

The ability to track gets easier with more information.

If you were to travel the same path every day, we have extremely high probability to guess where you live, where you work and what trajectories you took. Extremely high meaning that on repeated paths more than 90 percent.

People don't really realize that their mobile phone, with access to all these sensors, is, in some sense, potentially like the best spying device you can imagine…"
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Allison Mack Asks Judge for Leniency While Awaiting Trial for Sex Trafficking

Former "Smallville" actress Allison Mack is seeking a judge's permission to attend work, school and church as she awaits trial for sex trafficking charges. The star was arrested in New York in April and subsequently indicted on a string of counts amid allegations suggesting she was the second-in-command of the NXIVM collective, allegedly run by Keith Raniere, and a sub-group, called Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS).

Mack is said to have convinced women to join what they called a female empowerment group from February 2016 to June 2017. The 36-year-old, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, was remanded in custody following her indictment, as her lawyers attempted to secure a deal with federal prosecutors. (KOMO 4 news, August 15, 2018)

An April 21, 2018 article in The Sun said "NXIVM is a slave cult ‘where women – including a Hollywood actress – are forced to hand over naked pics, get branded with the founder’s initials, and are beaten with paddles."

1 (888) 373-7888
National Human Trafficking Hotline
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
 

I discussed sex trafficking in the blog in April 2018, and believe that it is a topic of which we need to be aware. Sex trafficking is not just something that happens in the back streets of Bangkok, nor is it something that only happens in the seedy world of pimps and drug dealers. As we have seen in recent news, sex traffickers may be police officers, fire fighters, of Hollywood actresses.

 

26 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe from Abduction

 

 



WA Firefighter-Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charge

Federal court records show a Washington man arrested in southern Wyoming has pleaded guilty to trafficking girls for sexual activity.

KTWO-AM  reports that in exchange for David Vier’s plea on Monday, prosecutors agreed to dismiss one count of being a registered sex offender involving a minor at the former Everett, Washington firefighter and paramedic’s Oct. 22 sentencing.

Law enforcement reports say Vier was arrested in January by Sweetwater County Sheriff’s deputies after receiving a call from a hotel employee about two girls hiding from a man.

The girls told authorities that their mother had recently kicked them out when they met Vier at a Seattle store. They said he had agreed to drive them to Wyoming for $100.

The girls said they later decided to run because they feared they would be sexually assaulted. 

After Vier's arrest, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant and searched his pickup.

They found a large duffel bag with restraint items including handcuffs, tape, sex aids, mouth gags, whips, clamps, a dog collar and leash, and three large fixed-blade knives. Officers also found a partially used vial of Amidate used for general anesthesia; and a partially used bottle of Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine with one use being inducing sleep.
(Q13 News, August 14, 2018)
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1 (888) 373-7888
National Human Trafficking Hotline

https://humantraffickinghotline.org/



Seattle Cop Sentenced to 23 Years to Life for Multiple Child Rapes

A Seattle police sergeant who resigned in 2016 after his arrest for child rape has been sentenced to more than 23 years in prison.

Daniel Amador, 46, was sentenced Friday for repeated sexual abuse of two children.
Amador was convicted in June of first-degree child molestation, second-degree child rape, third-degree child rape and first-degree incest in Seattle’s King County Superior Court. He separately pleaded no contest to fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation.

Amador routinely raped his older daughter, A.B., about five times a week and also molested his younger daughter, C.A. The rapes began when she was about 9 years old and continued until she was in college.

Prosecutors say the victims who are now adults went to Seattle police in 2016 and reported being sexually abused by Amador for years.

Lake Forest Park police arrested Amador after an investigation that police say included a recorded phone call between Amador and one of the women in which he apologized to her for the abuse. (Q13 Fox News, August 13, 2018)

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The conviction occurred in June 2018, with the sentencing happened this month.

The long-term nature of this violent crime calls into question other actions of Sgt. Amador while he was employed as a Seattle Police Officer. Any case in which the actions or testimony of Sgt. Amador played a part in the conviction of someone for a crime should be immediately reviewed.

The integrity and honesty of a repeated child rapist cannot be relied upon to convict others of a crime.

Taos County Compound Suspects Will be Released Until Trial

On Monday, a judge said five adults found with 11 children at a northern New Mexico compound can get out of jail.

Prosecutors, the Taos County sheriff, the undersheriff and an FBI agent all argued that the five suspects are too dangerous to let out of jail. The prosecution's main argument against the five people deputies said were living at a filthy compound was that they were training the children to kill. The FBI interviewed one of the children, who told him they were being taught to use assault rifles to protect the compound.

But the defense attorney fired back and said it's not illegal to teach children how to shoot. Three eyewitness accounts, pictures of tagged evidence and even the Taos County undersheriff's drawings weren't enough to convince a the judge to hold five suspects charged with mainly child abuse behind bars until their trial. Judge Sarah Backus said although she was concerned by "troubling facts," prosecutors failed to articulate any specific threats to the community.

She set a $20,000 bond for each and ordered that they wear ankle monitors and have weekly contact with their attorneys. (KOAT News, August 13, 2018)
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When we look at the photos of the compound, made of stacks of tires, plastic sheeting, and hidden tunnels we certainly question what might be going on there. Photos of the subjects in the case cause us to think that they are radical extremists planning terrorists attacks against the United States.

And, maybe this is all true... but the Judge in this case didn't find that the evidence supported the government's claims.

The government can and does conduct witch hunt investigations, based on clearly false allegations, and allows those investigations to drag on for months. Should the subjects in this case be required to sit in jail while the government has delay after delay in its case? Well, it seems that Judge Backus doesn't think so!

Let's hope that the judge made the right call in this case.

Court Rules That Trump Supporters Can Sue Calif. PD for Attacks by Protesters

According to Police One (July 28, 2018) supporters of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump who were roughed up by protesters at a June 2016 campaign rally in San Jose can sue the city and its police for allegedly putting them in danger and then failing to protect them, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

After the rally at the McEnery Convention Center, police directed those in attendance to leave from a single exit. There, according to the lawsuit, they were ordered to head out onto a street where hundreds of anti-Trump protesters were waiting, even though a safer route and other exits were available.

Twenty plaintiffs in the suit said they were beaten or struck by objects thrown by the protesters, and one plaintiff said an officer told her that police had been instructed not to intervene. The plaintiffs said police arrested three people for allegedly assaulting officers, but no one for attacking Trump supporters.

If the plaintiffs can prove their allegations, Nelson said, they would show that police increased the danger to the rally-goers and knowingly exposed them to a risk of injury.
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The courts have decided that you have no right to expect the police to protect you from crime! Incredible as it may seem, the courts have ruled that the police are not obligated to even respond to your calls for help, even in life threatening situations!

While case law dates back to the early 1960's, a leading case on the topic is Warren v. District of Columbia, 444 A.2d 1 (D.C. Ct. of Ap., 1981) when the Court stated "fundamental principle of American law is that a government and its agents are under no general duty to provide public services, such as police protection, to any individual citizen."

The seminal case establishing the general rule that police have no duty under federal law to protect citizens is DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services (109 S.Ct. 998, 1989; 489 U.S. 189 (1989)). The court in DeShaney held that no duty arose as a result of a "special relationship," concluding that Constitutional duties of care and protection only exist as to certain individuals, such as incarcerated prisoners, involuntarily committed mental patients and others restrained against their will and therefore unable to protect themselves.

California's Government Code, Sections 821, 845, and 846, which state in part: "Neither a public entity or a public employee may be sued for failure to provide adequate police protection or service, failure to prevent the commission of crimes and failure to apprehend criminals."

It would seem that there is well established law stating that the police have no duty to protect you, even in life threatening situations. What the police may not however do is by their actions increase the danger to you, or expose you to greater risk of injury than you would face on your own.

Meet Cody Wilson, the Austin Man Behind the Fight Over 3D-Printed Guns

The Austin American Statesman (August 10, 2018) has an article about Cody Wilson, from Defense Distributed, the man behind the fight over 3D-printed guns.

Wilson initially won a lawsuit and obtained a settlement with the State Department to allow him to publish plans for 3D-printing guns.  Following this, 19 states and the District of Columbia persuaded a federal judge to temporarily block Wilson’s settlement with the State Department. A hearing on the matter is set for Aug. 21, with a decision expected by Aug. 28, when U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik’s temporary restraining order expires.

In legal filings in Seattle federal court, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson argued that Wilson is seeking to undermine laws meant to keep guns away from minors, felons, people with mental illness and those subject to protective court orders by publishing files that are “indispensable to a three-dimensional printing process used to create firearms and their components.”

The question that we should ask ourselves, and the question before the court, is whether information / plans on how to 3D-print a gun poses a clear and significant risk to public safety.

Any person who can legally own a firearm in the United States, can also legally build a firearm for personal use. So, if plans to build 3D-printed guns are generally available on-line, a hobbyist could legally make a 3D-printed gun. So, too could a 'criminal' who is prohibited by law from buying and possessing firearms. But does this mean that as soon as plans are available on-line that there will be a run on 3D printers and a black market business in 3D-printed guns? No! That is probably not going to happen.

Government censorship of information is always a concern. The fact is that it is perfectly legal for most people to use 3D printers to make a gun if they want to do so. It is not, and cannot, be the place of the government to infringe on the rights of the American people because someone might use information in an unlawful manner.

Activists in the South Puget Sound Area Target ICE Agents in Their Homes

According to the "activist web-site" It's Going Down (August 13, 2018) "We take the movement to the doorsteps of the ICE family separators. When ICE deports a parent from a household, it often destroys the family structure by the shock of losing a parent to prison and eventual deportation. The remaining family loses not only a loved one, but an emotional and economic provider. In many cases, the family may never reunite.

For this reason, we will not allow ICE family separators to rest comfortably in their homes enjoying their family’s presence. Their job is to kick people out of the country and destroy countless amounts of lives in the process. La Migra (ICE) operatives are only subjected to a minor inconvenience being exposed to their neighbors while we make noise in their neighborhood in comparison to their mission of destruction, detention and deportation.

Just as ICE harasses people in their homes and does not allow people to rest comfortably with loved ones, let us return the same unwanted attention right to their doorstep."
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Targeting ICE Agents (and other law enforcement) in their homes is a significant security issue. Law enforcement personnel should take steps to protect their home address from disclosure, and be aware of the likelihood of doxxing.  If activists don't know where your home is, they can't gather outside of it to protest your actions as a law enforcement officer.

It is important that we don't underestimate the capabilities of activists to gather information about our personnel and about our agencies. Through the use of on-line searches, FOIA requests, and direct observation, activists can and do develop significant amounts of information about those they want to target. One of the biggest problems we face is that we fail to understand the capabilities of our adversaries. Hackers are often more likely to be opposed to law enforcement, and don't think that your systems can't be hacked. And if your network is super secure, is everyone in your agency practicing good operations security as well?

You Are The Target

Think OPSEC in all of your daily routines and practices. While most activists won't violently target law enforcement personnel, that doesn't mean that it can never happen. Don't forget about off-duty carry - Carry Everyday!

STAY ALERT - STAY SAFE