FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
Press Release Malaria cases in U.S. reach 40-year high
Increase underscores importance of taking recommended medicines to prevent malaria when traveling
In 2011, 1,925 malaria cases were reported in the United States, according to data published in a supplement of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This number is the highest since 1971, more than 40 years ago, and represents a 14% increase since 2010. Five people in the U.S. died from malaria or associated complications.
Almost all of the malaria cases reported in the U.S. were acquired overseas. More than two-thirds (69%) of the cases were imported from Africa, and nearly two-thirds (63%) of those were acquired in West Africa. For the first time, India was the country from which the most cases were imported. Cases showed seasonal peaks in January and August.
“Malaria isn’t something many doctors see frequently in the United States thanks to successful malaria elimination efforts in the 1940s,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D, M.P.H. “The increase in malaria cases reminds us that Americans remain vulnerable and must be vigilant against diseases like malaria because our world is so interconnected by travel.”
Malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito. In 2010, it caused an estimated 660,000 deaths and 219 million cases globally. The signs and symptoms of malaria illness are varied, but the majority of patients have fever. Other common symptoms include headache, back pain, chills, increased sweating, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cough. Untreated infections can rapidly progress to coma, kidney failure, respiratory distress, and death.
“Malaria is preventable. In most cases, these illnesses and deaths could have been avoided by taking recommended precautions,” said Laurence Slutsker, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria. “We have made great strides in preventing and controlling malaria around the world. However, malaria persists in many areas and the use of appropriate prevention measures by travelers is still very important.”
Friday, November 1, 2013
SEC ANNOUNCES 96 MONTH IMPRISONMENT OF PERPETRATOR OF AN INVESTMENT FRAUD
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Commission announced that on October 9, 2013, the Honorable John W. Darrah sentenced Steven W. Salutric to 96 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, as well as $3.89 million in criminal restitution. U.S. v. Steven Salutric, Criminal Action No. 1:11-cr-00916 (N.D. Ill.). On August 16, 2012, Salutric pled guilty to one count of wire fraud (18 USC §1343).
Previously, in January 2010 the SEC filed an action against Salutric in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. SEC v. Steven W. Salutric, Civil Action No. 1:10-cv-00115 (N.D. Ill). The SEC’s complaint alleged that Salutric misappropriated over $2 million from at least 17 clients to support businesses and entities linked to him and to make Ponzi-like payments to other clients. In a particularly egregious example, the SEC complaint alleged that Salutric misappropriated over $400,000 from a 96-year-old client who resided in a nursing home and suffered from dementia. According to the SEC complaint, Salutric violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act (“Exchange Act”) of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”).
Pursuant to the SEC's request for emergency relief, the emergency judge, the Honorable William J. Hibbler issued a temporary restraining order against Salutric freezing all assets under his control in addition to other emergency relief. Pursuant to the SEC’s request, on February 8, 2010, a receiver was appointed to marshal all existing assets of Salutric. On July 14, 2010, pursuant to Salutric’s consent, the Honorable Robert M. Dow, Jr. entered an order of permanent injunction against further violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Sections 206(1) and (2) of the Advisers Act. Finally, on September 10, 2010, Salutric was barred from association with any investment adviser.
The Commission announced that on October 9, 2013, the Honorable John W. Darrah sentenced Steven W. Salutric to 96 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, as well as $3.89 million in criminal restitution. U.S. v. Steven Salutric, Criminal Action No. 1:11-cr-00916 (N.D. Ill.). On August 16, 2012, Salutric pled guilty to one count of wire fraud (18 USC §1343).
Previously, in January 2010 the SEC filed an action against Salutric in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. SEC v. Steven W. Salutric, Civil Action No. 1:10-cv-00115 (N.D. Ill). The SEC’s complaint alleged that Salutric misappropriated over $2 million from at least 17 clients to support businesses and entities linked to him and to make Ponzi-like payments to other clients. In a particularly egregious example, the SEC complaint alleged that Salutric misappropriated over $400,000 from a 96-year-old client who resided in a nursing home and suffered from dementia. According to the SEC complaint, Salutric violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act (“Exchange Act”) of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”).
Pursuant to the SEC's request for emergency relief, the emergency judge, the Honorable William J. Hibbler issued a temporary restraining order against Salutric freezing all assets under his control in addition to other emergency relief. Pursuant to the SEC’s request, on February 8, 2010, a receiver was appointed to marshal all existing assets of Salutric. On July 14, 2010, pursuant to Salutric’s consent, the Honorable Robert M. Dow, Jr. entered an order of permanent injunction against further violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder and Sections 206(1) and (2) of the Advisers Act. Finally, on September 10, 2010, Salutric was barred from association with any investment adviser.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACTS FOR OCTOBER 31, 2013
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Atlantic Diving Supply Inc.*, Virginia Beach, Va., (SPM8EH-14-D-0001); W.S. Darley Inc.*, Itasca, Ill., (SPM8EH-14-D-0002); Unifire*, Spokane, Wash., (SPM8EH-14-D-0003); The Mallory Co.*, Longview, Wash., (SPM8EH-14-D-0004); Federal Resources*, Stevensville, Md., (SPM8EH-14-D-0005); and L.N. Curtis & Sons*, Oakland, Calif., (SPM8EH-14-D-0006) have been awarded a maximum $872,000,000 firm-fixed-price, tailored logistics support program contract for fire and emergency services equipment. This is a two-year base contract with three one-year option periods. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and eight offers were received. Locations of performance are Virginia, Illinois, Washington, Maryland, and California with an Oct. 30, 2015, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense capital revolving funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
Valero Marketing and Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $330,851,251 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, foreign military sales contract for aviation turbine fuel. This is a one-year base contract plus a thirty-day carryover. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received. Location of performance is Texas with a Nov. 30, 2014 performance completion date. Using military service is Israel. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0452).
Petromax LLC*, Bay City, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $42,782,189 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for automotive gasoline. This a one-year base contract plus a thirty-day carryover. This contract is a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Location of performance is Texas with a Nov. 30, 2014 performance completion date. Using military service is Israel. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0451).
Chevron Americas Product, Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $29,754,648 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aviation turbine fuel. This is a two-month base contract plus a thirty-day carryover. This contract is a competitive acquisition and twenty-seven offers were received. Locations of performance are Texas and Mississippi with a Dec. 31, 2013 performance completion date. Using military service is DLA Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0450).
Pall Aeropower, New Port Richey, Fla., has been awarded a maximum $16,904,640 firm-fixed-price contract for particle separators. This contract is a sole source acquisition. Location of performance is Florida with an Oct. 31, 2017 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. (SPRRA1-14-D-0003/0001).
X-Gen Pharmaceuticals*, Horseheads, N.Y., has been awarded a maximum $9,520,795 modification (P00024) exercising the fourth one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-09-D-0010) with seven one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical products. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is New York with a Nov. 2, 2014 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
ARMY
Xerox Corp., Lewisville, Texas; Canon USA Inc., Arlington, Va.; Cartridge Technologies Inc., Rockville, Md.; Ricoh USA Inc., Malvern, Pa.; Konica Minolta Business Solutions Inc., Vienna, Va.; Lexmark International Inc.; Lexington, Ky.; KST Data Inc.; Los Angeles, Calif., were awarded a $498,000,000 firm-fixed-price, multiple award task order contract to provide the Army with commercial-off-the-shelf multi-functional devices, and related services that will integrate, modernize and refresh the Army’s base architecture while providing standardized interfaces. Equipment under this program will be available for lease or purchase, and shall be compliant with current Army security standards. This acquisition includes accessories, associated consumable supplies, maintenance, and repair services. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with seven received. Army Contracting Command, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., is the contracting activity (W9124A-14-D-0001-0006).
General Dynamics C4 Systems Inc., Taunton, Mass., was awarded a $475,000,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for research and development requirements to support the Warfighter Information Network- Tactical Increment 3. Requirements include the fabrication, assembly, and coding of the configuration items necessary to complete the research and development phase for transition to the production and deployment phase. Support includes evolutionary product integration, testing, and evaluation. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. One offer was solicited and one bid received. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-14-D-0002).
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Comapny LLC, Oak Brook, Ill., was awarded a maximum $30,700,221 firm-fixed-price contract for folly beach shore protection for dredging beach fill from borrow areas and placing material on the beach. Work will be performed at Folly Beach, S.C. Funding will be determined with each order. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with two bids received. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, S.C, is the contracting activity (W912HP-14-C-0002).
Honeywell International Inc., Tempe, Ariz., was awarded a $19,100,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for technical, engineering, logistical support services and 100 percent materials in support of the overhaul and repair of the T-55 family of engines at Corpus Christi Army Depot. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas. One bid was solicited and one received. Army Contracting Command Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-11-C-0039).
Medico Industries Inc., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was awarded a maximum $19,100,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for Projectile Gun Unit (PGU)-45/B metal parts. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with three received. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-14-D-0007).
Secure Communication Systems Inc., Santa Ana, Calif., was awarded a $17,434,072 firm-fixed-price contract for integrated soldier power and data systems and defense advanced global positioning system adapters. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with eight received. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-14-D-0002).
MARSTEL-DAY LLC, Fredericksburg, Va., was awarded a maximum $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services for the Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide environmental, planning and encroachment management support to the U.S. Air Force, Office of the Civil Engineer Headquarters. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-14-D-0002).
W. M. Schlosser Company Inc., Hyattsville, Md., was awarded a $8,933,000 firm-fixed-price contract for first high reservoir improvements, Washington Aqueduct Division, Washington D.C. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-14-C-0002).
Navistar Defense, Lisle, Ill., was awarded a maximum $7,260,077 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for program and logistics support management for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) MaxxPro M1235A3 Dash with MaxxPro Survivability Upgrade (MSU). The contractor shall include MSU content as well as variation in vehicle content for both the objective gunner protection kit and Common Remotely Operated Weapon System. Work will be performed in Lisle, Ill. One bid was solicited and one received. Army Contracting Command (Tank and Automotive) Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-10-C-0011).
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $422,063,723 modification with cost-plus-incentive-fee line items to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-12-C-0004) for recurring sustainment support for F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Sustainment support to be provided includes ground maintenance activities, action request resolution, depot activation activities, Automatic Logistics Information System operations and maintenance, reliability, maintainability, and health management implementation and support, supply chain management, and activities to provide and support pilot and maintainer initial training. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2014. Fiscal 2012 operations and maintenance, Navy; fiscal 2013 operations and maintenance, Air Force; fiscal 2013 aircraft procurement, Navy; fiscal 2013 aircraft procurement, Air Force; and international partner funds in the amount of $369,304,921 are being obligated on this award, $22,055,168 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force ($188,287,831; 44.6 percent), U.S. Marine Corps ($125,641,895; 29.7 percent), the U.S. Navy ($66,558,160; 15.8 percent); and the governments of the United Kingdom ($18,291,583; 4.3 percent); the Netherlands ($8,392,726; 2 percent); Australia ($4,856,254; 1.2 percent); Turkey ($2,975,016; .7 percent); Italy ($2,676,868; .6 percent); Canada ($1,933,807; .5 percent); Norway ($1,556,986; .4 percent); and Denmark ($892,597; .2 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Sauer Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded $27,406,000 for firm-fixed-price task order 0005 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-09-D-5026) for the design and construction of an A School Barracks at Naval Air Station Oceana, Dam Neck Annex. The task order also contains three planned modifications, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $31,910,953. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Va., and is expected to be completed by December 2015. Fiscal 2014 military construction, Navy contract funds in the amount of $27,406,000 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
I.E.-Pacific Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $12,612,000 for firm-fixed-price task order 0007 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-09-D-1657) for design and construction of a security operations complex and military working dog facility at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The task order also contains a planned modification and one unexercised option item, which if issued would increase the cumulative task order value to $12,797,000. Work will be performed in Yuma, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by July 2015. Fiscal 2013 military construction, Navy contract funds in the amount of $12,612,000 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
The DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $76,577,468 modification (P00016) on an existing firm-fixed-price contract (FA8617-12-C-6208) for contractor operated and maintained base supply (COMBS) non-personnell services for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System T-6A/B Texan II aircraft. The contract modification exercises an option for fiscal 2014 COMBS services being procured under the basic contract. Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2014. This is not a multiyear contract. Fiscal 2014 Air Force operations and maintenance funds and fiscal 2014 Navy operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,028,671 are being obligated at time of award. The Joint Primary Aircraft Training System, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WLZJC, Training Aircraft Division, Mobility Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Exelis Systems Corp., Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., has been awarded a $23,275,661 modification (P00900) on an existing cost-plus-award-fee contract (F04701-01-C-0001) for Launch and Test Range System support functions to the Eastern and Western Range: range sustainment, external user support, projects and engineering services, systems engineering and interim supply support spares for the sustainment period. This modification extends the basic contract with a maximum period of performance of three months. Work will be performed at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., and will be completed by Jan. 31, 2014. Fiscal 2014 procurement, operations and maintenance ($21,369,330), research and development ($1,157,438) and other procurement funds ($748,893) in the amount of $23,275,661 are being obligated at time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center/PKL, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is the contracting activity.
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
United States Marine Inc., Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $15,827,132 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for post-production and contractor logistical support services for the combatant craft assault. The work will be performed in Gulfport, Miss., and is expected to be completed by November 2017. Fiscal 2012 procurement funds in the amount of $3,017,352 are being obligated at time of award. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Fla., is the contracting activity (H92222-14-D-0001).
CONTRACTS
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Atlantic Diving Supply Inc.*, Virginia Beach, Va., (SPM8EH-14-D-0001); W.S. Darley Inc.*, Itasca, Ill., (SPM8EH-14-D-0002); Unifire*, Spokane, Wash., (SPM8EH-14-D-0003); The Mallory Co.*, Longview, Wash., (SPM8EH-14-D-0004); Federal Resources*, Stevensville, Md., (SPM8EH-14-D-0005); and L.N. Curtis & Sons*, Oakland, Calif., (SPM8EH-14-D-0006) have been awarded a maximum $872,000,000 firm-fixed-price, tailored logistics support program contract for fire and emergency services equipment. This is a two-year base contract with three one-year option periods. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and eight offers were received. Locations of performance are Virginia, Illinois, Washington, Maryland, and California with an Oct. 30, 2015, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense capital revolving funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
Valero Marketing and Supply Co., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $330,851,251 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, foreign military sales contract for aviation turbine fuel. This is a one-year base contract plus a thirty-day carryover. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and four offers were received. Location of performance is Texas with a Nov. 30, 2014 performance completion date. Using military service is Israel. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0452).
Petromax LLC*, Bay City, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $42,782,189 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for automotive gasoline. This a one-year base contract plus a thirty-day carryover. This contract is a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Location of performance is Texas with a Nov. 30, 2014 performance completion date. Using military service is Israel. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0451).
Chevron Americas Product, Houston, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $29,754,648 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for aviation turbine fuel. This is a two-month base contract plus a thirty-day carryover. This contract is a competitive acquisition and twenty-seven offers were received. Locations of performance are Texas and Mississippi with a Dec. 31, 2013 performance completion date. Using military service is DLA Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., (SP0600-14-D-0450).
Pall Aeropower, New Port Richey, Fla., has been awarded a maximum $16,904,640 firm-fixed-price contract for particle separators. This contract is a sole source acquisition. Location of performance is Florida with an Oct. 31, 2017 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. (SPRRA1-14-D-0003/0001).
X-Gen Pharmaceuticals*, Horseheads, N.Y., has been awarded a maximum $9,520,795 modification (P00024) exercising the fourth one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-09-D-0010) with seven one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical products. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is New York with a Nov. 2, 2014 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
ARMY
Xerox Corp., Lewisville, Texas; Canon USA Inc., Arlington, Va.; Cartridge Technologies Inc., Rockville, Md.; Ricoh USA Inc., Malvern, Pa.; Konica Minolta Business Solutions Inc., Vienna, Va.; Lexmark International Inc.; Lexington, Ky.; KST Data Inc.; Los Angeles, Calif., were awarded a $498,000,000 firm-fixed-price, multiple award task order contract to provide the Army with commercial-off-the-shelf multi-functional devices, and related services that will integrate, modernize and refresh the Army’s base architecture while providing standardized interfaces. Equipment under this program will be available for lease or purchase, and shall be compliant with current Army security standards. This acquisition includes accessories, associated consumable supplies, maintenance, and repair services. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with seven received. Army Contracting Command, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., is the contracting activity (W9124A-14-D-0001-0006).
General Dynamics C4 Systems Inc., Taunton, Mass., was awarded a $475,000,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for research and development requirements to support the Warfighter Information Network- Tactical Increment 3. Requirements include the fabrication, assembly, and coding of the configuration items necessary to complete the research and development phase for transition to the production and deployment phase. Support includes evolutionary product integration, testing, and evaluation. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. One offer was solicited and one bid received. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-14-D-0002).
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Comapny LLC, Oak Brook, Ill., was awarded a maximum $30,700,221 firm-fixed-price contract for folly beach shore protection for dredging beach fill from borrow areas and placing material on the beach. Work will be performed at Folly Beach, S.C. Funding will be determined with each order. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with two bids received. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston, S.C, is the contracting activity (W912HP-14-C-0002).
Honeywell International Inc., Tempe, Ariz., was awarded a $19,100,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for technical, engineering, logistical support services and 100 percent materials in support of the overhaul and repair of the T-55 family of engines at Corpus Christi Army Depot. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, Texas. One bid was solicited and one received. Army Contracting Command Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-11-C-0039).
Medico Industries Inc., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., was awarded a maximum $19,100,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for Projectile Gun Unit (PGU)-45/B metal parts. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with three received. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-14-D-0007).
Secure Communication Systems Inc., Santa Ana, Calif., was awarded a $17,434,072 firm-fixed-price contract for integrated soldier power and data systems and defense advanced global positioning system adapters. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with eight received. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-14-D-0002).
MARSTEL-DAY LLC, Fredericksburg, Va., was awarded a maximum $10,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineering services for the Mobile District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide environmental, planning and encroachment management support to the U.S. Air Force, Office of the Civil Engineer Headquarters. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile, Ala., is the contracting activity (W91278-14-D-0002).
W. M. Schlosser Company Inc., Hyattsville, Md., was awarded a $8,933,000 firm-fixed-price contract for first high reservoir improvements, Washington Aqueduct Division, Washington D.C. Bids were solicited via the Internet with five received. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Md., is the contracting activity (W912DR-14-C-0002).
Navistar Defense, Lisle, Ill., was awarded a maximum $7,260,077 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for program and logistics support management for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) MaxxPro M1235A3 Dash with MaxxPro Survivability Upgrade (MSU). The contractor shall include MSU content as well as variation in vehicle content for both the objective gunner protection kit and Common Remotely Operated Weapon System. Work will be performed in Lisle, Ill. One bid was solicited and one received. Army Contracting Command (Tank and Automotive) Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-10-C-0011).
NAVY
Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $422,063,723 modification with cost-plus-incentive-fee line items to a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-12-C-0004) for recurring sustainment support for F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. Sustainment support to be provided includes ground maintenance activities, action request resolution, depot activation activities, Automatic Logistics Information System operations and maintenance, reliability, maintainability, and health management implementation and support, supply chain management, and activities to provide and support pilot and maintainer initial training. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas (35 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (25 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (20 percent); Orlando, Fla. (10 percent); Nashua, N.H. (5 percent); and Baltimore, Md. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2014. Fiscal 2012 operations and maintenance, Navy; fiscal 2013 operations and maintenance, Air Force; fiscal 2013 aircraft procurement, Navy; fiscal 2013 aircraft procurement, Air Force; and international partner funds in the amount of $369,304,921 are being obligated on this award, $22,055,168 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Air Force ($188,287,831; 44.6 percent), U.S. Marine Corps ($125,641,895; 29.7 percent), the U.S. Navy ($66,558,160; 15.8 percent); and the governments of the United Kingdom ($18,291,583; 4.3 percent); the Netherlands ($8,392,726; 2 percent); Australia ($4,856,254; 1.2 percent); Turkey ($2,975,016; .7 percent); Italy ($2,676,868; .6 percent); Canada ($1,933,807; .5 percent); Norway ($1,556,986; .4 percent); and Denmark ($892,597; .2 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Sauer Inc., Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded $27,406,000 for firm-fixed-price task order 0005 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-09-D-5026) for the design and construction of an A School Barracks at Naval Air Station Oceana, Dam Neck Annex. The task order also contains three planned modifications, which if exercised would increase cumulative task order value to $31,910,953. Work will be performed in Virginia Beach, Va., and is expected to be completed by December 2015. Fiscal 2014 military construction, Navy contract funds in the amount of $27,406,000 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
I.E.-Pacific Inc.*, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded $12,612,000 for firm-fixed-price task order 0007 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62473-09-D-1657) for design and construction of a security operations complex and military working dog facility at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The task order also contains a planned modification and one unexercised option item, which if issued would increase the cumulative task order value to $12,797,000. Work will be performed in Yuma, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by July 2015. Fiscal 2013 military construction, Navy contract funds in the amount of $12,612,000 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
AIR FORCE
The DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a $76,577,468 modification (P00016) on an existing firm-fixed-price contract (FA8617-12-C-6208) for contractor operated and maintained base supply (COMBS) non-personnell services for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System T-6A/B Texan II aircraft. The contract modification exercises an option for fiscal 2014 COMBS services being procured under the basic contract. Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2014. This is not a multiyear contract. Fiscal 2014 Air Force operations and maintenance funds and fiscal 2014 Navy operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $8,028,671 are being obligated at time of award. The Joint Primary Aircraft Training System, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WLZJC, Training Aircraft Division, Mobility Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Exelis Systems Corp., Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., has been awarded a $23,275,661 modification (P00900) on an existing cost-plus-award-fee contract (F04701-01-C-0001) for Launch and Test Range System support functions to the Eastern and Western Range: range sustainment, external user support, projects and engineering services, systems engineering and interim supply support spares for the sustainment period. This modification extends the basic contract with a maximum period of performance of three months. Work will be performed at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., and will be completed by Jan. 31, 2014. Fiscal 2014 procurement, operations and maintenance ($21,369,330), research and development ($1,157,438) and other procurement funds ($748,893) in the amount of $23,275,661 are being obligated at time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center/PKL, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is the contracting activity.
U.S. SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND
United States Marine Inc., Gulfport, Miss., is being awarded a $15,827,132 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for post-production and contractor logistical support services for the combatant craft assault. The work will be performed in Gulfport, Miss., and is expected to be completed by November 2017. Fiscal 2012 procurement funds in the amount of $3,017,352 are being obligated at time of award. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Fla., is the contracting activity (H92222-14-D-0001).
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE WEEKLY CLAIMS REPORT FOR WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 26, 2013
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending October 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 340,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 350,000. The 4-week moving average was 356,250, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 348,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending October 19, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 19 was 2,881,000, an increase of 31,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,850,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,878,750, a decrease of 10,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,888,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 317,580 in the week ending October 26, an increase of 6,064 from the previous week. There were 339,917 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending October 19, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,523,509, an increase of 72,113 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,837,543.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 12 was 3,896,214, an increase of 39,532 from the previous week. There were 5,035,367 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.
No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending October 12.
Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 14,423 in the week ending October 19, a decrease of 29,713 from the prior week. There were 2,154 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 837 from the preceding week.
There were 77,551 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 12, an increase of 32,741 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 32,106, an increase of 959 from the prior week.
States reported 1,318,237 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending October 12, a decrease of 6,730 from the prior week. There were 2,098,646 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending October 19 were in Puerto Rico (4.4), Alaska (3.9), Virgin Islands (3.4), New Jersey (2.9), California (2.7), Connecticut (2.7), District of Columbia (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.5), Nevada (2.4), Illinois (2.3), New York (2.3), and Oregon (2.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 19 were in Kentucky (+96), Maine (+49), Delaware (+45), Minnesota (+39), and North Dakota (+32), while the largest decreases were in California (-13,033), Pennsylvania (-3,240), Maryland (-3,222), Illinois (-2,897), and New York (-2,810).
In the week ending October 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 340,000, a decrease of 10,000 from the previous week's unrevised figure of 350,000. The 4-week moving average was 356,250, an increase of 8,000 from the previous week's unrevised average of 348,250.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending October 19, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 19 was 2,881,000, an increase of 31,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 2,850,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,878,750, a decrease of 10,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,888,750.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 317,580 in the week ending October 26, an increase of 6,064 from the previous week. There were 339,917 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 1.9 percent during the week ending October 19, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,523,509, an increase of 72,113 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.2 percent and the volume was 2,837,543.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 12 was 3,896,214, an increase of 39,532 from the previous week. There were 5,035,367 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.
No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending October 12.
Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 14,423 in the week ending October 19, a decrease of 29,713 from the prior week. There were 2,154 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 837 from the preceding week.
There were 77,551 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 12, an increase of 32,741 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 32,106, an increase of 959 from the prior week.
States reported 1,318,237 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending October 12, a decrease of 6,730 from the prior week. There were 2,098,646 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending October 19 were in Puerto Rico (4.4), Alaska (3.9), Virgin Islands (3.4), New Jersey (2.9), California (2.7), Connecticut (2.7), District of Columbia (2.6), Pennsylvania (2.5), Nevada (2.4), Illinois (2.3), New York (2.3), and Oregon (2.3).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 19 were in Kentucky (+96), Maine (+49), Delaware (+45), Minnesota (+39), and North Dakota (+32), while the largest decreases were in California (-13,033), Pennsylvania (-3,240), Maryland (-3,222), Illinois (-2,897), and New York (-2,810).
U.S. OFFICIAL'S REMARKS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION IN CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Sixty-Eighth UNGA First Committee Thematic Discussion on Other Disarmament Measures and International Security
Remarks
Michele G. Markoff, Delegation of the United States
Washington, DC
October 30, 2013
Mr. Chairman,
My remarks today will address United States views relating to developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security.
This June, the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on “Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security” achieved an historic consensus. In the GGE’s report, the United States sees reflected a growing global consensus on core ideas, namely that the international community seeks a path towards a peaceful and stable environment that allows all states to take advantage of the positive benefits of cyberspace. Further, the international community seeks to create incentives for cooperation on shared threats and to avoid conflict, and to create disincentives for states to disrupt one another’s networks or infrastructure. The United States has long been a leader and strong proponent of this effort. We believe, and the GGE report affirmed, that to be successful, this effort must be based on a foundation of international law and practical confidence building measures (CBMs) that, taken together, give us the essential tools with which to build peaceful intergovernmental relations in cyberspace.
Mr. Chairman,
As a participant in the GGE, the United States sought to enhance common understanding on cyber issues of critical national and international significance, particularly: that there is a need to promote international stability, transparency, and confidence in cyberspace; that existing international law should guide state behavior with regard to the use of cyberspace; that practical CBMs are needed to build transparency and confidence; that cooperation with the private sector and civil society is essential; and that the international community should help build the cybersecurity capacity of less-developed states to help them participate in this process. We believe that the Experts made a substantial contribution on all of these issues.
From the United States perspective, the most significant achievement in this consensus was the Group’s affirmation that international law is applicable and essential to maintaining peace and stability in cyberspace. That affirmation was coupled with consensus that states must meet their international obligations regarding internationally wrongful acts attributable to them; states must not use proxies to commit internationally wrongful acts; and states should seek to ensure that their territories are not used by non-state actors for unlawful use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The experts also affirmed that state efforts to address the security of ICTs must go hand-in-hand with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments.
Together with the application of these rules, the United States believes that practical cooperative CBMs are needed to enhance predictability and reduce the prospect that misattribution or misperception might lead mistakenly to conflict. In order to develop a stable international framework for a technology which cannot be seen or counted, and where state capabilities cannot be easily assessed, states need to develop some confidence that behavior by states is predictable and understandable. The GGE agreed that practical transparency and CBMs, such as high-level communication and timely information sharing, can enhance trust and assurance among states and help reduce the risk of conflict by increasing predictability and reducing misperception. The Group agreed on the vital importance of capacity-building to enhance global cooperation in securing cyberspace. The Group reaffirmed the importance of an open and accessible cyberspace, as it enables economic and social development. And, the Group agreed that the combination of all these efforts support a more secure cyberspace.
These measures will help make conflict in cyberspace less likely. They can also play important roles should conflict occur. The application of international law to actions in cyberspace includes rules governing the use of force by states and the law of armed conflict. These rules regulate the use of ICTs in armed conflicts of all kinds, whether or not the conflicts began in cyberspace. The application of these rules in cyberspace is fully consistent with the desire of all states for peace and stability in cyberspace. Just as we are all parties to the UN Charter which seeks to prevent war of all kinds, we also all subscribe to the Geneva Conventions, and recognize the central role they play in minimizing civilian suffering when armed conflict occurs.
The United States was pleased to join consensus to affirm the applicability of international law to cyberspace. With that clear affirmation, this consensus sends a strong signal: States must act in cyberspace under the established international rules and principles that have guided their actions for decades – in peacetime and during conflict.
Mr. Chairman,
The United States looks forward to future dialogue on these issues with the international community. It is our expectation that future GGEs on the subject will use the results of this report as the foundation for discussion on how international law applies in cyberspace, how the international community can work with developing states to improve their own capacity, and what specific practical measures can be undertaken to achieve these goals.
States must unite in the common goal of preserving and enhancing the benefits of information technologies by assuring their security and integrity, while also maintaining an environment that promotes efficiency, innovation, economic prosperity, free trade, and respect for human rights.
To this end, let me reiterate the United States unwavering commitment to an Internet governance model that is people-centered, bottom-up, multi-stakeholder, and transparent. To build global knowledge societies, we must work to promote the free exchange of information and ideas among people. At the same time, we must resist efforts to erect new barriers and restrict the dynamic potential of the free flow of information.
The United States favors international engagement to develop a consensus on appropriate state behavior in cyberspace, based on existing principles of international law, and we cannot support other approaches that would only serve to legitimize repressive state practices.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, I would like to emphasize that our delegation looks forward to collaborating successfully with other delegations on these important issues, as well as on the remaining work of this session.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Sixty-Eighth UNGA First Committee Thematic Discussion on Other Disarmament Measures and International Security
Remarks
Michele G. Markoff, Delegation of the United States
Washington, DC
October 30, 2013
Mr. Chairman,
My remarks today will address United States views relating to developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security.
This June, the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on “Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security” achieved an historic consensus. In the GGE’s report, the United States sees reflected a growing global consensus on core ideas, namely that the international community seeks a path towards a peaceful and stable environment that allows all states to take advantage of the positive benefits of cyberspace. Further, the international community seeks to create incentives for cooperation on shared threats and to avoid conflict, and to create disincentives for states to disrupt one another’s networks or infrastructure. The United States has long been a leader and strong proponent of this effort. We believe, and the GGE report affirmed, that to be successful, this effort must be based on a foundation of international law and practical confidence building measures (CBMs) that, taken together, give us the essential tools with which to build peaceful intergovernmental relations in cyberspace.
Mr. Chairman,
As a participant in the GGE, the United States sought to enhance common understanding on cyber issues of critical national and international significance, particularly: that there is a need to promote international stability, transparency, and confidence in cyberspace; that existing international law should guide state behavior with regard to the use of cyberspace; that practical CBMs are needed to build transparency and confidence; that cooperation with the private sector and civil society is essential; and that the international community should help build the cybersecurity capacity of less-developed states to help them participate in this process. We believe that the Experts made a substantial contribution on all of these issues.
From the United States perspective, the most significant achievement in this consensus was the Group’s affirmation that international law is applicable and essential to maintaining peace and stability in cyberspace. That affirmation was coupled with consensus that states must meet their international obligations regarding internationally wrongful acts attributable to them; states must not use proxies to commit internationally wrongful acts; and states should seek to ensure that their territories are not used by non-state actors for unlawful use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The experts also affirmed that state efforts to address the security of ICTs must go hand-in-hand with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments.
Together with the application of these rules, the United States believes that practical cooperative CBMs are needed to enhance predictability and reduce the prospect that misattribution or misperception might lead mistakenly to conflict. In order to develop a stable international framework for a technology which cannot be seen or counted, and where state capabilities cannot be easily assessed, states need to develop some confidence that behavior by states is predictable and understandable. The GGE agreed that practical transparency and CBMs, such as high-level communication and timely information sharing, can enhance trust and assurance among states and help reduce the risk of conflict by increasing predictability and reducing misperception. The Group agreed on the vital importance of capacity-building to enhance global cooperation in securing cyberspace. The Group reaffirmed the importance of an open and accessible cyberspace, as it enables economic and social development. And, the Group agreed that the combination of all these efforts support a more secure cyberspace.
These measures will help make conflict in cyberspace less likely. They can also play important roles should conflict occur. The application of international law to actions in cyberspace includes rules governing the use of force by states and the law of armed conflict. These rules regulate the use of ICTs in armed conflicts of all kinds, whether or not the conflicts began in cyberspace. The application of these rules in cyberspace is fully consistent with the desire of all states for peace and stability in cyberspace. Just as we are all parties to the UN Charter which seeks to prevent war of all kinds, we also all subscribe to the Geneva Conventions, and recognize the central role they play in minimizing civilian suffering when armed conflict occurs.
The United States was pleased to join consensus to affirm the applicability of international law to cyberspace. With that clear affirmation, this consensus sends a strong signal: States must act in cyberspace under the established international rules and principles that have guided their actions for decades – in peacetime and during conflict.
Mr. Chairman,
The United States looks forward to future dialogue on these issues with the international community. It is our expectation that future GGEs on the subject will use the results of this report as the foundation for discussion on how international law applies in cyberspace, how the international community can work with developing states to improve their own capacity, and what specific practical measures can be undertaken to achieve these goals.
States must unite in the common goal of preserving and enhancing the benefits of information technologies by assuring their security and integrity, while also maintaining an environment that promotes efficiency, innovation, economic prosperity, free trade, and respect for human rights.
To this end, let me reiterate the United States unwavering commitment to an Internet governance model that is people-centered, bottom-up, multi-stakeholder, and transparent. To build global knowledge societies, we must work to promote the free exchange of information and ideas among people. At the same time, we must resist efforts to erect new barriers and restrict the dynamic potential of the free flow of information.
The United States favors international engagement to develop a consensus on appropriate state behavior in cyberspace, based on existing principles of international law, and we cannot support other approaches that would only serve to legitimize repressive state practices.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, I would like to emphasize that our delegation looks forward to collaborating successfully with other delegations on these important issues, as well as on the remaining work of this session.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
AG HOLDER ANNOUNCES $6.7 MILLION IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE LEGAL DEFENSE SERVICES FOR THE POOR
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Attorney General Holder Announces $6.7 Million to Improve Legal Defense Services for the Poor
Attorney General Eric Holder today announced a total of $6.7 million in grants to state and local criminal and civil legal services organizations across the country that provide legal defense services for the poor. These grants from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are part of the Justice Department’s continuing efforts to improve indigent defense, which is often underfunded and understaffed, and to support training, mentoring, technical assistance, leadership development and research to enhance the effectiveness of adult, juvenile and tribal indigent defense practices.
“Everyone accused of a serious crime has the right to legal representation – even if she or he cannot afford it,” said Attorney General Holder. “In recent years, the Department of Justice has made a commitment to improving the delivery, quality and availability of legal services for everyone in our country, including the very poor. Today's significant grant awards will help ensure America’s criminal justice system is fair for every defendant, regardless of wealth.”
“These awards, in conjunction with other efforts we’re making to strengthen indigent defense, will fortify our public defender system and help us to meet our constitutional and moral obligation to administer a justice system that matches its demands for accountability with a commitment to fair, due process for poor defendants,” said Associate Attorney General Tony West.
The FY 2013 grants, which promote cost-effective innovations to improve indigent defense, are administered by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
In FY 2013, BJA awarded a total of $5.4 million. Of this amount, $1 million was awarded to Gideon’s Promise, a nonprofit organization that partners with public defender offices to build a community of attorneys committed to indigent defense reform. The funds will provide 25 new attorneys, including criminal defense lawyers working on tribal lands; establish training and leadership development for public defender trainers and supervisors and a semi-annual leadership summit for chief defenders; and create an advisory council to test measures and indicators showing the outcomes of providing effective counsel for all individuals.
Another $90,000 was awarded to the states of Mississippi, Tennessee and Utah through BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC). Through NTTAC, BJA assists jurisdictions with meeting their constitutional obligation to provide adequate representation to indigent defendants. Services include assessing the effectiveness of indigent defense systems, developing recommendations to ensure adequate and appropriate services are provided consistently throughout the state and determining appropriate measures for evaluating a defender services program.
The Measures for Justice (MFJ) initiative, which will provide a framework for using indicator metrics to evaluate local criminal justice systems against a national standard of excellence, received $50,000. MFJ is conducting a pilot study in Milwaukee to examine the capacity and availability of resources at the local level and to determine where additional resources are needed within the criminal justice system.
Answering Gideon’s Call, a national assistance program to improve the effectiveness of right to counsel services, received $1.8 million of the $5.4 million awarded by BJA. Of the $1.8 million, Seattle University received $450,000 to, in partnership with the Sixth Amendment Center (6AC), provide training and technical assistance to educate policymakers and aid the unfunded, legislatively established Office of the Public Defender in Mississippi and work with the Utah Judicial Council to develop standards assessing indigent defense services to help state legislatures meet their constitutional obligations. Another $891,854 was awarded to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) to train public defenders and assigned counsel by regions to meet specific jurisdictional needs, such as helping them to better manage workloads. The remaining $450,000 went to American University in partnership with the National Legal Aid and Defender Association to conduct a nationwide self-assessment evaluating whether state and local indigent defense providers comply with standards incorporated into the American Bar Association’s Ten Principles, producing the first national empirical assessment of quality of indigent defense services.
Through its Encouraging Innovation: Field Initiated Programs, BJA awarded a total of $619,700 to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office ($395,231) to create the first local and nationally applicable checklist system to better guide attorneys through key moments in cases, ensuring competent representation and avoiding costly errors, and to NACDL ($224,469) to develop pretrial release manuals for the defense bar and to provide onsite training and distance learning to give attorneys the necessary tools to engage in effective bail advocacy.
The remaining $1.9 million of BJA’s awarded $5.4 million was provided through the Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Initiative, designed to improve access to tribal justice systems and strengthen representation of indigent defendants in civil causes of action and in criminal cases under Indian tribes’ jurisdiction. Of the $1.9 million, the Tulalip Foundation received $262,943 to provide regional, direct legal services to tribal members and $121,779 to create a Criminal Conflict Counsel Program to train defense counsel and provide services to resolve cases. The Native American Rights Fund received $715,944 to continue its partnership with the National American Indian Legal Association and its 25 Indian Legal Services organizations providing civil legal representation to tribes and tribal members, and a second award of $515,940 to provide indigent defense services to tribes and tribal members. The William Mitchell College of Law received $283,394 to provide direct criminal defense services and legal assistance to up to seven tribes.
OJJDP made two FY 2013 awards, totaling more than $1 million, to the National Juvenile Defender Center in the District of Columbia in order to improve juvenile indigent defense across the nation. The first award, in the amount of $400,000, will provide juvenile defense counsel with customized technical assistance, training, and resources for policy development and reform. The second award, in the amount of $695,000, will support the Juvenile Indigent Defense Special Initiative to reduce the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system and to improve access to counsel and quality of representation for youth with unique needs, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and those with disabilities, substance abuse behaviors and language access needs.
In FY 2013, NIJ awarded $334,000 to the RAND Corp. in Pittsburgh, Pa., for an empirical evaluation of the holistic approach to individual defense, which includes the defense attorney as one member of an interdisciplinary team providing comprehensive services to address defendants’ legal and social needs. The study will examine the effect of holistic defense on case outcomes such as plea status, verdict and sentence and disposition length and estimate the effectiveness of the holistic approach for subgroups of offenses or defendants.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Attorney General Holder Announces $6.7 Million to Improve Legal Defense Services for the Poor
Attorney General Eric Holder today announced a total of $6.7 million in grants to state and local criminal and civil legal services organizations across the country that provide legal defense services for the poor. These grants from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) are part of the Justice Department’s continuing efforts to improve indigent defense, which is often underfunded and understaffed, and to support training, mentoring, technical assistance, leadership development and research to enhance the effectiveness of adult, juvenile and tribal indigent defense practices.
“Everyone accused of a serious crime has the right to legal representation – even if she or he cannot afford it,” said Attorney General Holder. “In recent years, the Department of Justice has made a commitment to improving the delivery, quality and availability of legal services for everyone in our country, including the very poor. Today's significant grant awards will help ensure America’s criminal justice system is fair for every defendant, regardless of wealth.”
“These awards, in conjunction with other efforts we’re making to strengthen indigent defense, will fortify our public defender system and help us to meet our constitutional and moral obligation to administer a justice system that matches its demands for accountability with a commitment to fair, due process for poor defendants,” said Associate Attorney General Tony West.
The FY 2013 grants, which promote cost-effective innovations to improve indigent defense, are administered by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).
In FY 2013, BJA awarded a total of $5.4 million. Of this amount, $1 million was awarded to Gideon’s Promise, a nonprofit organization that partners with public defender offices to build a community of attorneys committed to indigent defense reform. The funds will provide 25 new attorneys, including criminal defense lawyers working on tribal lands; establish training and leadership development for public defender trainers and supervisors and a semi-annual leadership summit for chief defenders; and create an advisory council to test measures and indicators showing the outcomes of providing effective counsel for all individuals.
Another $90,000 was awarded to the states of Mississippi, Tennessee and Utah through BJA’s National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC). Through NTTAC, BJA assists jurisdictions with meeting their constitutional obligation to provide adequate representation to indigent defendants. Services include assessing the effectiveness of indigent defense systems, developing recommendations to ensure adequate and appropriate services are provided consistently throughout the state and determining appropriate measures for evaluating a defender services program.
The Measures for Justice (MFJ) initiative, which will provide a framework for using indicator metrics to evaluate local criminal justice systems against a national standard of excellence, received $50,000. MFJ is conducting a pilot study in Milwaukee to examine the capacity and availability of resources at the local level and to determine where additional resources are needed within the criminal justice system.
Answering Gideon’s Call, a national assistance program to improve the effectiveness of right to counsel services, received $1.8 million of the $5.4 million awarded by BJA. Of the $1.8 million, Seattle University received $450,000 to, in partnership with the Sixth Amendment Center (6AC), provide training and technical assistance to educate policymakers and aid the unfunded, legislatively established Office of the Public Defender in Mississippi and work with the Utah Judicial Council to develop standards assessing indigent defense services to help state legislatures meet their constitutional obligations. Another $891,854 was awarded to the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) to train public defenders and assigned counsel by regions to meet specific jurisdictional needs, such as helping them to better manage workloads. The remaining $450,000 went to American University in partnership with the National Legal Aid and Defender Association to conduct a nationwide self-assessment evaluating whether state and local indigent defense providers comply with standards incorporated into the American Bar Association’s Ten Principles, producing the first national empirical assessment of quality of indigent defense services.
Through its Encouraging Innovation: Field Initiated Programs, BJA awarded a total of $619,700 to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office ($395,231) to create the first local and nationally applicable checklist system to better guide attorneys through key moments in cases, ensuring competent representation and avoiding costly errors, and to NACDL ($224,469) to develop pretrial release manuals for the defense bar and to provide onsite training and distance learning to give attorneys the necessary tools to engage in effective bail advocacy.
The remaining $1.9 million of BJA’s awarded $5.4 million was provided through the Tribal Civil and Criminal Legal Assistance Initiative, designed to improve access to tribal justice systems and strengthen representation of indigent defendants in civil causes of action and in criminal cases under Indian tribes’ jurisdiction. Of the $1.9 million, the Tulalip Foundation received $262,943 to provide regional, direct legal services to tribal members and $121,779 to create a Criminal Conflict Counsel Program to train defense counsel and provide services to resolve cases. The Native American Rights Fund received $715,944 to continue its partnership with the National American Indian Legal Association and its 25 Indian Legal Services organizations providing civil legal representation to tribes and tribal members, and a second award of $515,940 to provide indigent defense services to tribes and tribal members. The William Mitchell College of Law received $283,394 to provide direct criminal defense services and legal assistance to up to seven tribes.
OJJDP made two FY 2013 awards, totaling more than $1 million, to the National Juvenile Defender Center in the District of Columbia in order to improve juvenile indigent defense across the nation. The first award, in the amount of $400,000, will provide juvenile defense counsel with customized technical assistance, training, and resources for policy development and reform. The second award, in the amount of $695,000, will support the Juvenile Indigent Defense Special Initiative to reduce the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system and to improve access to counsel and quality of representation for youth with unique needs, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and those with disabilities, substance abuse behaviors and language access needs.
In FY 2013, NIJ awarded $334,000 to the RAND Corp. in Pittsburgh, Pa., for an empirical evaluation of the holistic approach to individual defense, which includes the defense attorney as one member of an interdisciplinary team providing comprehensive services to address defendants’ legal and social needs. The study will examine the effect of holistic defense on case outcomes such as plea status, verdict and sentence and disposition length and estimate the effectiveness of the holistic approach for subgroups of offenses or defendants.
LANL SAYS HIV VACCINE SHOWS PROMISE IN MONKEYS
FROM: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY
New Global HIV Vaccine Design Shows Promise in Monkeys
Preclinical study provides strong rationale for clinical trials
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., October 30, 2013—The considerable diversity of HIV worldwide represents a critical challenge for designing an effective HIV vaccine. Now, it appears that that a vaccine bioinformatically optimized for immunologic coverage of global HIV diversity, called a mosaic vaccine and designed by Bette Korber and her team at Los Alamos National Laboratory, may confer protection from infection.
“This is the first time the mosaic antigen inserts were used in a challenge study. In a challenge study, vaccine-elicited protection from infection is tested, versus testing a vaccine for its ability to stimulate good immune responses,” says Bette Korber of Los Alamos.
These vaccines are specifically designed to present the most common forms of parts of the virus that can be recognized by the immune system. This new insight regarding a mosaic vaccine’s ability to protect from infection is the result of work by a scientific team led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and including Los Alamos researchers. The study, which was conducted in monkeys, is newly published in the journal Cell.
“To our knowledge, this study represents the first evaluation of the protective efficacy of a candidate global HIV antigen strategy in nonhuman primates,” says lead author Dan H. Barouch, MD, PhD, the director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at BIDMC and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “In this study, we show for the first time that bioinformatically optimized HIV vaccine antigens can afford partial protection in rhesus monkeys against challenges with a stringent simian-human immunodeficiency virus.”
Key defense against HIV infection studied
Barouch and his team studied the immunogenicity of HIV mosaic Env/Gag/Pol antigens administered to monkeys using viral vectors. (Env, Gag, and Pol are three major HIV proteins that help viruses “bind to” or enter host cells and infect them.) Mosaic proteins resemble these natural proteins, therefore increasing efficacy against the HIV diversity. After immunization, the monkeys were repetitively exposed to a simian-human immunodeficiency virus that carried the human Env (envelope, or binding) protein, and the investigators evaluated the ability of the vaccines to block infection by repeatedly exposing the vaccinated animals to the virus.
Although most animals immunized with the mosaic HIV vaccine became infected by the end of the study, the researchers observed an 87 to 90 percent reduction in monkeys’ probability of becoming infected each time they were exposed to the virus. In contrast, monkeys that received sham vaccines became infected quickly.
“These findings indicate that these optimized vaccine antigens can afford partial protection in a stringent animal model,” says Barouch.
The investigators found that the immunized monkeys mounted antibody responses against diverse strains of HIV noting, “Protection was dependent on several different types of antibody responses, suggesting that the coordinated activity of multiple antibody functions may contribute to protection against difficult-to-neutralize viruses.” The monkeys also mounted cellular immune responses to multiple regions of the virus.
Highly infective virus presents challenge
The researchers note that most previous HIV vaccine candidates have typically only been tested for protection against easy-to-neutralize viruses rather than against a difficult-to-neutralize virus like the one used in this study. Also, the viral challenge in the study was approximately 100-fold more infectious than typical sexual HIV exposures in humans.
“These data suggest a path forward for the development of a global HIV vaccine and give us hope that such a vaccine might indeed be possible,” said Barouch. “We are planning to advance this HIV vaccine candidate into clinical trials next year,” he adds.
The research team
Study coauthors include BIDMC investigators Kathryn E. Stephenson, Erica N. Borducchi, Kaitlin Smith, Kelly Stanley, Anna G. McNally, Jinyan Liu, Peter Abbink, Lori F. Maxfield and Michael S. Seaman. Other team members include Anne-Sophie Dugast, Galit Alter, Melissa Ferguson, Wenjun Li, Patricia L. Earl, Bernard Moss, Elena E. Giorgi, James J. Szinger, Leigh Anne Eller, Erik A. Billings, Mangala Rao, Sodsai Tovanabutra, Eric Sanders-Buell, Mo Weijtens, Maria G. Pau, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Merlin L. Robb, Jerome H. Kim, Bette T. Korber and Nelson L. Michael.
This work was supported by the U.S. Military Research and Material Command and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program; the National Institutes of Health; the NIAID Division of Intramural Research; the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard; and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
About Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School and currently ranks third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. BIDMC is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a research partner of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox.
New Global HIV Vaccine Design Shows Promise in Monkeys
Preclinical study provides strong rationale for clinical trials
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., October 30, 2013—The considerable diversity of HIV worldwide represents a critical challenge for designing an effective HIV vaccine. Now, it appears that that a vaccine bioinformatically optimized for immunologic coverage of global HIV diversity, called a mosaic vaccine and designed by Bette Korber and her team at Los Alamos National Laboratory, may confer protection from infection.
“This is the first time the mosaic antigen inserts were used in a challenge study. In a challenge study, vaccine-elicited protection from infection is tested, versus testing a vaccine for its ability to stimulate good immune responses,” says Bette Korber of Los Alamos.
These vaccines are specifically designed to present the most common forms of parts of the virus that can be recognized by the immune system. This new insight regarding a mosaic vaccine’s ability to protect from infection is the result of work by a scientific team led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and including Los Alamos researchers. The study, which was conducted in monkeys, is newly published in the journal Cell.
“To our knowledge, this study represents the first evaluation of the protective efficacy of a candidate global HIV antigen strategy in nonhuman primates,” says lead author Dan H. Barouch, MD, PhD, the director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at BIDMC and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “In this study, we show for the first time that bioinformatically optimized HIV vaccine antigens can afford partial protection in rhesus monkeys against challenges with a stringent simian-human immunodeficiency virus.”
Key defense against HIV infection studied
Barouch and his team studied the immunogenicity of HIV mosaic Env/Gag/Pol antigens administered to monkeys using viral vectors. (Env, Gag, and Pol are three major HIV proteins that help viruses “bind to” or enter host cells and infect them.) Mosaic proteins resemble these natural proteins, therefore increasing efficacy against the HIV diversity. After immunization, the monkeys were repetitively exposed to a simian-human immunodeficiency virus that carried the human Env (envelope, or binding) protein, and the investigators evaluated the ability of the vaccines to block infection by repeatedly exposing the vaccinated animals to the virus.
Although most animals immunized with the mosaic HIV vaccine became infected by the end of the study, the researchers observed an 87 to 90 percent reduction in monkeys’ probability of becoming infected each time they were exposed to the virus. In contrast, monkeys that received sham vaccines became infected quickly.
“These findings indicate that these optimized vaccine antigens can afford partial protection in a stringent animal model,” says Barouch.
The investigators found that the immunized monkeys mounted antibody responses against diverse strains of HIV noting, “Protection was dependent on several different types of antibody responses, suggesting that the coordinated activity of multiple antibody functions may contribute to protection against difficult-to-neutralize viruses.” The monkeys also mounted cellular immune responses to multiple regions of the virus.
Highly infective virus presents challenge
The researchers note that most previous HIV vaccine candidates have typically only been tested for protection against easy-to-neutralize viruses rather than against a difficult-to-neutralize virus like the one used in this study. Also, the viral challenge in the study was approximately 100-fold more infectious than typical sexual HIV exposures in humans.
“These data suggest a path forward for the development of a global HIV vaccine and give us hope that such a vaccine might indeed be possible,” said Barouch. “We are planning to advance this HIV vaccine candidate into clinical trials next year,” he adds.
The research team
Study coauthors include BIDMC investigators Kathryn E. Stephenson, Erica N. Borducchi, Kaitlin Smith, Kelly Stanley, Anna G. McNally, Jinyan Liu, Peter Abbink, Lori F. Maxfield and Michael S. Seaman. Other team members include Anne-Sophie Dugast, Galit Alter, Melissa Ferguson, Wenjun Li, Patricia L. Earl, Bernard Moss, Elena E. Giorgi, James J. Szinger, Leigh Anne Eller, Erik A. Billings, Mangala Rao, Sodsai Tovanabutra, Eric Sanders-Buell, Mo Weijtens, Maria G. Pau, Hanneke Schuitemaker, Merlin L. Robb, Jerome H. Kim, Bette T. Korber and Nelson L. Michael.
This work was supported by the U.S. Military Research and Material Command and the U.S. Military HIV Research Program; the National Institutes of Health; the NIAID Division of Intramural Research; the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard; and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
About Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School and currently ranks third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. BIDMC is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a research partner of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox.
SOLDIER, CIVILIAN SENTENCED FOR ROLES IN FUEL THEFTS IN AFGHANISTAN
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Army Soldier and Civilian Sentenced on Bribery Charges for Facilitating Thefts of Fuel in Afghanistan
A former U.S. Army Sergeant and a co-conspirator have been sentenced in the District of Colorado for their roles in stealing fuel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty, Afghanistan, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced.
U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Weaver, 30, of Fort Carson, Colo., was sentenced on Oct. 28, 2013, to serve 37 months in prison. Weaver pleaded guilty Oct. 20, 2012, and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger.
Jonathan Hightower, 31, of Houston, Texas, who worked at FOB Fenty as a civilian employee of a contractor and who had conspired with Weaver, was also sentenced on Oct. 28, 2013, to serve 27 months in prison. He pleaded guilty Aug. 3, 2012, and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez.
A third conspirator, former soldier Stephanie Charboneau, pleaded guilty on Sept. 5, 2013, before U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer. Her sentencing is set for Dec. 9, 2013.
Weaver and Hightower were also ordered to pay $1,225,000 in restitution, jointly with Charboneau. Hightower was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution for a related fuel theft scheme that was the subject of the prosecution.
According to court documents, from in or about January 2010 through June 2010, Weaver, Hightower and Charboneau were involved in handling the uploading and transportation of fuel from FOB Fenty, near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, to nearby military bases. Weaver and Charboneau created false and fraudulent documents purporting to authorize the transport of fuel from FOB Fenty to other military bases, even though no legitimate fuel transportation was required. Hightower was a civilian who worked at the base’s “fuel point” uploading fuel trucks, occasionally filling the trucks with fuel to be stolen and taking other steps to assist the conspiracy. At the direction of Weaver and Charboneau, fuel truck drivers used the fraudulent documents to justify the filled trucks’ departures from FOB Fenty. In truth, after the filled fuel truck left the base, the fuel was simply stolen, and Weaver and Charboneau would receive cash from the representative of the trucking company that supplied the fuel trucks. The cash would be split among the three conspirators.
All three conspirators pleaded guilty to receiving payments from a representative of the trucking company in exchange for facilitating the theft of approximately 70 5,000-gallon truckloads of fuel. Each of the three acknowledged that the loss to the United States was in excess of $1 million.
The cases were investigated by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the Department of the Army, Criminal Investigations Division (CID); the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the FBI.
These cases were handled by Special Trial Attorney Mark H. Dubester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who is on detail from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Army Soldier and Civilian Sentenced on Bribery Charges for Facilitating Thefts of Fuel in Afghanistan
A former U.S. Army Sergeant and a co-conspirator have been sentenced in the District of Colorado for their roles in stealing fuel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Fenty, Afghanistan, Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced.
U.S. Army Sergeant Christopher Weaver, 30, of Fort Carson, Colo., was sentenced on Oct. 28, 2013, to serve 37 months in prison. Weaver pleaded guilty Oct. 20, 2012, and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Marcia S. Krieger.
Jonathan Hightower, 31, of Houston, Texas, who worked at FOB Fenty as a civilian employee of a contractor and who had conspired with Weaver, was also sentenced on Oct. 28, 2013, to serve 27 months in prison. He pleaded guilty Aug. 3, 2012, and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez.
A third conspirator, former soldier Stephanie Charboneau, pleaded guilty on Sept. 5, 2013, before U.S. District Court Judge Philip A. Brimmer. Her sentencing is set for Dec. 9, 2013.
Weaver and Hightower were also ordered to pay $1,225,000 in restitution, jointly with Charboneau. Hightower was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution for a related fuel theft scheme that was the subject of the prosecution.
According to court documents, from in or about January 2010 through June 2010, Weaver, Hightower and Charboneau were involved in handling the uploading and transportation of fuel from FOB Fenty, near Jalalabad, Afghanistan, to nearby military bases. Weaver and Charboneau created false and fraudulent documents purporting to authorize the transport of fuel from FOB Fenty to other military bases, even though no legitimate fuel transportation was required. Hightower was a civilian who worked at the base’s “fuel point” uploading fuel trucks, occasionally filling the trucks with fuel to be stolen and taking other steps to assist the conspiracy. At the direction of Weaver and Charboneau, fuel truck drivers used the fraudulent documents to justify the filled trucks’ departures from FOB Fenty. In truth, after the filled fuel truck left the base, the fuel was simply stolen, and Weaver and Charboneau would receive cash from the representative of the trucking company that supplied the fuel trucks. The cash would be split among the three conspirators.
All three conspirators pleaded guilty to receiving payments from a representative of the trucking company in exchange for facilitating the theft of approximately 70 5,000-gallon truckloads of fuel. Each of the three acknowledged that the loss to the United States was in excess of $1 million.
The cases were investigated by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the Department of the Army, Criminal Investigations Division (CID); the Defense Criminal Investigative Service; and the FBI.
These cases were handled by Special Trial Attorney Mark H. Dubester of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who is on detail from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
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