It was a rainy cool day for the Morris Park Columbus Day Parade where schools, community groups, floats, and marchers did parade across Morris Park Avenue and up Williamsbridge Road in the Bronx. Local elected officials and Deputy Inspector Stapleton of the 49th Precinct were on the reviewing stand, as the parade passed in front of them and others. Delicious canoli's were provided by Gino's of the Bronx's Little Italy. the NYPD mounted unit led the parade.
New actions incorporate updated HHS' science and establish clearer thresholds targeting dangerous, concentrated products
The Department of Justice announced updated emergency scheduling actions targeting 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and three potent opioid substances related to 7-OH: mitragynine pseudoindoxyl (MGPI), MGM-15, and MGM-16.
“Dangerous and addictive opioids do not belong behind convenience store counters,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Our nation’s children and communities deserve protection from harmful substances like 7-OH and other powerful synthetic drugs. The actions taken by the Department of Justice today reflect our commitment to keeping Americans safe and holding drug traffickers accountable.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is issuing two new Notices of Intent based on new scientific information and recommendations provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The updated HHS analysis supports a revised threshold approach for 7-OH and MGPI designed to distinguish products containing trace amounts of these substances from formulations that have been intentionally enhanced or concentrated.
The two Notices of Intent address:
HHS recommended that 7-OH and MGPI be subject to Schedule I control when either substance alone, or their combined amount when both are present, exceeds 1 milligram per gram in solid products or 1 milligram per milliliter in liquid products, or when the ratio of mitragynine to 7-OH, MGPI, or their combined amount is less than 100 to 1. HHS recommended this approach to better distinguish products intentionally enhanced or concentrated in these opioid substances from products whose alkaloid composition is more consistent with botanical kratom.
The updated HHS analysis confirms that 7-OH occurs naturally in botanical kratom at relatively low levels and identifies additional scientific information suggesting MGPI may also occur at trace levels in some botanical or kratom-derived products. HHS noted that the science concerning the presence of MGPI continues to develop but recommended applying a threshold approach to both 7-OH and MGPI.
DEA temporarily placed MGPI, MGM-15, and MGM-16 into Schedule I on August 26, 2026. Those controls will remain in effect during the new 30-day Notice of Intent period and until DEA issues a new temporary scheduling order.
For 7-OH, DEA had not yet issued a temporary scheduling order. DEA will reissue a new Notice of Intent reflecting HHS’ updated scientific recommendation.
Permits have been filed for a four-story mixed-use building at 222 Soundview Avenue in Clason Point, The Bronx. Located between Gildersleeve Avenue and O’Brien Avenue, the lot is closest to the Parkchester subway station, served by the 6 train. Shimshon Grunstein of AFS Systems Inc. is listed as the owner behind the applications.
The proposed 35-foot-tall development will yield 35,350 square feet, with 21,629 square feet designated for residential space and 13,721 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 45 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 480 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and four enclosed parking spaces.
Nikolai Katz Architect is listed as the architect of record.
Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced.
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) released its report on the death of Brian Czornyj, who died on June 5, 2025 following an encounter with members of the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department (TPPD) in Dutchess County. After a thorough investigation, which included interviews with involved officers and civilian witnesses, review of body-worn camera footage, 911 calls, and TPPD records, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI determined that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officer’s actions were justified under New York law.
On the afternoon of June 5, TPPD officers went to a house in Poughkeepsie in response to a 911 call reporting that Mr. Czornyj was armed with a sword and had struck his father and a member of a mobile crisis team from Mental Health America (MHA) of Dutchess County. The MHA team had responded to a call for assistance earlier in the day. When officers entered the house, they saw Mr. Czornyj holding a sword by its grip while his father was holding the same sword by the blade. At least one of the officers repeatedly ordered Mr. Czornyj to drop the sword and said he would shoot, but Mr. Czornyj did not comply. The officer discharged his service weapon, striking Mr. Czornyj. Mr. Czornyj was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers recovered a Samurai sword at the scene.
Under New York’s justification law, a person may use deadly physical force when the person reasonably believes it to be necessary to defend against the use of deadly physical force by another. In this case, officers responded to a 911 call reporting that Mr. Czornyj was armed with a sword and had injured his father and a member of the MHA team. When officers encountered Mr. Czornyj, he had the sword in his hand and ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon. Under these circumstances, given the law and the evidence, a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officer’s use of deadly physical force against Mr. Czornyj was justified, and therefore OSI determined that criminal charges would not be pursued in this matter.
A Palmdale man was sentenced to 192 months in federal prison for knowingly possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the fatal overdose of two victims, the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division announced.
Christopher Morales, 24, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mónica Ramírez Almadani, who also ordered three years of supervised release.
Morales pleaded guilty in June 2025 to two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He has been in federal custody since September 2024.
Morales admitted that, on at least four occasions, from March 2024, to September 2024, he knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl or possessed it with intent to distribute, causing the deaths of two individuals.
According to court documents, on March 8, 2024, Morales distributed fentanyl to a victim, who later died as a result. The victim had requested to buy “blues,” a slang term for Oxycodone pills. Morales sold the pills without warning the victim that the pills contained fentanyl. Three days later, on March 11, 2024, the victim ingested the pills received from Morales and died from an overdose. The victim was 24 years old.
On August 26, 2024, Morales distributed fentanyl to a second victim. According to court documents, that victim believed he was purchasing Oxycodone pills. Morales did not warn the second victim that the pills contained fentanyl. The next day, the victim ingested the pills and died from fentanyl poisoning. The second victim was 23 years old.
On two separate occasions, April 3, 2024, and September 9, 2024, law enforcement found Morales to be in possession of fentanyl. In total, Morales distributed or possessed with intent to distribute a total of approximately 32.6 grams of a mixture or substance containing fentanyl on the four occasions.
Morales admitted in his plea agreement that he acted with willful blindness or conscious avoidance of knowledge that the pills he sold to his victims were not legitimately manufactured drugs.
David Olesky, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, said, “Two families affected in this case will forever carry the weight of their loss. Although this sentencing does not undo these tragedies, we hope it offers some sense of peace and closure for loved ones. In addition, this sentencing demonstrates our resolve in holding accountable those who poison our communities and harm our American families. DEA is grateful for the outstanding partnership with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office in order to bring this investigation to this conclusion.”
“The devastating impact of the fentanyl epidemic continues to touch every corner of our county, leaving families and communities with unimaginable loss,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department remains deeply committed to working alongside our federal partners, including the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to hold accountable those who distribute these lethal drugs. While no legal outcome can replace the lives lost, our thoughts remain with the families grieving loved ones taken by individuals who seek to profit on dangerous, counterfeit pills.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.
Prasan Nepal, 21, also known by the online moniker “Trippy,” of High Point, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child.
“This is the latest victory in the FBI’s work with partners to dismantle the violent 764 network,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Prasan Nepal, a leader of 764, pleaded guilty for his role in exploiting juveniles - not only breaking the law himself but recruiting others to participate in the heinous conduct targeting kids online through sexual assault, pornography, animal crushing, and more. Dismantling 764 and their online network has been a top priority for this FBI, with a nearly 500% increase in 764 related arrests last year with our state and local partners. We are finding these criminal actors all over the country no matter where they operate. Let there be no doubt that the FBI and our partners will use all our resources to protect children and bring to justice those who commit acts of terrible abuse. “
“Nepal used his leadership role within 764 to orchestrate the systematic exploitation, torture, and psychological destruction of children for the twisted satisfaction of an online network built on cruelty and chaos,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He directed unspeakable crimes and then treated the suffering of the group’s victims as currency to be traded among his co-conspirators. We will not rest until every member of this network, and others like it, are held accountable.”
“This case exposes a world where cruelty is currency, violence is entertainment, and children are treated as targets in a game of domination and control,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “What Nepal and his co‑conspirators built was not just a criminal operation, it was a deliberate campaign to corrupt the vulnerable and dismantle the guardrails of civilized society. This plea is a victory for every child they sought to harm, and a warning to anyone who believes they can hide behind an encrypted screen: we will find you, and we will stop you.”
Nepal operated as a senior leader within “764,” a nihilistic violent extremist network that, according to court documents, engaged in a wide range of criminal conduct across the United States and abroad — including coordinated efforts to exploit minors, extort vulnerable victims, and inflict psychological harm as part of an organized ideology promoting chaos and societal destabilization.
According to court documents, Nepal and co‑defendant Leonidas Varagiannis, known as “War,” served as core leaders of 764 and its inner subgroup, 764 Inferno.
From approximately 2021 through 2025, Nepal and others used encrypted platforms to coordinate the exploitation of minors worldwide. They directed members, enforced “rules,” managed recruitment, and oversaw the production and circulation of materials used to manipulate and coerce victims.
Membership in 764 required prospective recruits to produce “content” that furthered the group’s extremist and abusive aims. Individuals who complied gained status; those who did not were excluded. Nepal and Varagiannis maintained strict control over membership, monitored activity, and issued instructions designed to expand the network’s reach and increase the volume of exploitative material.
Court documents detail the involvement of co‑conspirators operating inside the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. One D.C.-based individual allegedly stored network material on digital devices within the District and participated in conduct aimed at coercing minor victims. Other U.S.-based co‑conspirators engaged in coordinated online extortion schemes that targeted minors in multiple states and foreign jurisdictions.
The stored content included images of the words “764 Kills” written in red on a wall and a video of 15-year-old minor victim standing topless with her breasts exposed, talking to someone on a live chat while she poured bleach on her arm and set her arm on fire.
Federal investigators have identified more than a dozen active co‑conspirators associated with Nepal and Varagiannis, many of whom operated under aliases and interacted regularly in encrypted group channels. Their activities reflected an organized, hierarchical structure designed to recruit vulnerable victims, generate exploitative material, and cultivate notoriety within the network.
764 and 764 Inferno were built on a shared extremist ideology that embraced social collapse and celebrated violence. Members used encrypted applications to:
The defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which were used as digital currency within the 764 network, traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network.
The defendants instructed other members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.
A guide instructing members on “grooming” victims into producing content for 764 and advised members to target particularly vulnerable victims, such as individuals with depression or mental illness.
According to court documents, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years-old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025.
The guide also provided instructions on “Extortion,” and advised prospective 764 members to manipulate girls and to groom them into providing personal information that could then be used to force them to create “blood content.”
Nepal joined 764 in or around early 2021, and worked with others known and unknown, including Individual 1, to establish the group. After Individual 1’s arrest on or about Aug. 25, 2021, Nepal emerged as a leader of 764 and remained in that position through April 2025.
In his capacity as a member and leader of 764, Nepal used several online monikers, including, “Leather Jacket,” “Rebirth,” “Indras Jester,” and “KingKrampus,” but he was most widely known in 764 Inferno as “Trippy.”
Nepal was arrested in 2025 and charged alongside Varagiannis as part of a sweeping international investigation involving the District of Columbia, federal field offices across the United States, and law enforcement authorities abroad. Yesterday’s plea represents one of the most significant developments yet in dismantling 764’s leadership structure.
Variagiannis is currently being held at Grevena Prison in northern Greece and is expected to have a trial in the next six months on charges related to child pornography and participation in a criminal organization.
Nepal faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Sentencing is set for March 5, 2027.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office with significant assistance from the FBI New York Field Office, FBI Charlotte Field Office, and international partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina also provided invaluable assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Shinskie and Janani Iyengar for the District of Columbia.
The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of NVE networks like 764 that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/parents-and-caregivers-protecting-your-kids and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Illegal aliens arrested in Syracuse have criminal histories that include sexual exploitation of a minor, cocaine possession, and driving under the influence
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement highlighting the worst illegal aliens that have been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Syracuse, New York, with criminal histories that include sexual exploitation of a minor, sexual assault, cocaine possession, driving under the influence of liquor, and burglary.
“Every day, the brave men and women of ICE are arresting illegal aliens from all across the country,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “In Syracuse, New York, ICE has arrested illegal aliens with criminal histories that include sexual exploitation of a minor, cocaine possession, driving under the influence, and burglary. No matter how much sanctuary politicians in New York try to stop us, we will keep targeting and removing as many illegal aliens as possible to make America safe again.”
Among the worst illegal aliens arrested in Syracuse are:
Hsa Mu Na, an illegal alien from Burma, whose criminal history includes sexual exploitation of a minor – material – transport and sex offense.
Norberto Machada-Rodriguez, an illegal alien from Cuba, whose criminal history includes sexual assault and cocaine possession.
Said Ibrahim, an illegal alien from Somalia, whose criminal history includes cruelty toward a child.
Haikham Phimasone, an illegal alien from Laos, whose criminal history includes assault, driving under the influence of liquor, and dangerous drugs.
Mohammed Al Nassar, an illegal alien from Iraq, whose criminal history includes burglary.
