WHY WE FIGHT: DHS Releases Video Honoring the Life of Megan Bos, a Victim of Illegal Alien Crime in Illinois

 

The illegal alien who hid her body in a garbage can walked free after his court appearance until ICE arrested him

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlights the tragic story of Megan Bos, an Illinois woman whose body was found partially decomposed in a garbage can in Waukegan, Illinois on April 10, 2025.

Bos would have celebrated her 38th birthday this month.

Bos was allegedly visiting the home of Jose Mendoza-Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Mexico, who made claims she was under the influence of drugs. During the event, Mendoza-Gonzalez claims to have found Bos unresponsive, believing she had died from an overdose. Mendoza-Gonzalez left her body in the basement for days before throwing it away in a garbage can in his yard, eventually pouring bleach on her corpse and leaving her there for nearly two months.

Jose Mendoza-Gonzalez

Mendoza-Gonzalez was charged with abuse of a corpse, two counts of concealing the death of a person and obstructing justice. The charges are Class 4 felonies, but none are detainable offenses under sanctuary Governor J.B. Pritzker. Consequently, the illegal alien walked free after the conclusion of his court appearance. On July 19, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Chicago arrested him.

“I hate that ICE is being treated the way they are. Please hold strong, please keep doing it, please don’t give up. I know, for me, I’m so grateful that you’re doing it. And there’s so many people who are so grateful that you’re there doing that,” said Jennifer Bos. “Every crime that is committed by somebody who does not belong here is a crime that could have been prevented. It didn’t have to happen. They’re doing horrible things and people like Governor Pritzker are protecting them anyway. We’re just asking to get rid of the criminals who hurt our families.”

“Our hearts break for the family of Megan Bos, a victim of illegal alien crime completely abandoned by the sanctuary policies of Illinois and J.B. Pritzker,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “THIS is why we do what we do. Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is prioritizing the lives of innocent Americans victimized by illegal aliens. We are targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens to stop another preventable tragedy. In fact, 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted in a crime in the U.S.” 

Secretary Noem relaunched the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office in April 2025. The VOICE office was shuttered by the Biden administration, which left victims of alien crime without access to key support services and resources. The office was first launched in 2017 by the Trump administration as a dedicated resource for those who have been victimized by crime with a nexus to immigration.

DHS law enforcement is protecting American communities every day from another senseless tragedy like this taking place in another town, to another family. Victims of illegal alien crime may receive support from the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office by contacting 1-855-488-6423.

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Husband and Wife Sentenced for Federal Fentanyl & Firearm crimes

 

Kevin Lamonte Powell Jr., 41, of Crestview, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after having previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. His wife and codefendant, Shantel Marie Powell, 38, of Crestview, was sentenced to one year of home confinement as a part of a five-year probationary term after having been found guilty by a jury of making a false statement to a federal agent. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fentanyl has an undeniably devastating impact on our communities. Anyone caught peddling this deadly weapon of mass destruction will be aggressively prosecuted by my office as we continue to work arm-in-arm with our state and federal law enforcement partners to rid our streets of this poison. This case is yet another successful prosecution under Operation Take Back America, through which President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have deployed the full might of the Department of Justice to take down and eliminate the drug traffickers terrorizing our communities.”

Evidence admitted at Shantel Powell’s trial and court documents established that on January 31, 2025, following federal search warrants executed simultaneously at an outbuilding in Crestview where Kevin Powell regularly stored and distributed drugs and the Powells’ home in Pensacola, law enforcement seized fentanyl; evidence that Kevin Powell was packaging and preparing drugs for sale, including two large kilogram presses; a total of five firearms; and various amounts of ammunition. One of the firearms was a privately made firearm with no manufacturer markings or serial number, often referred to as a “ghost gun.” While the search warrant was being executed, Shantel Powell told law enforcement that all the firearms were hers, and she willfully falsely told a federal task force officer that she had purchased the privately made firearm at a particular gun store in Crestview, which was a lie intended to obstruct the investigation of this case.

“This joint operation highlights our law enforcement partners and the relationships we have with them,” said DEA Miami Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Bobbitt. “Our collaborative effort brought this drug trafficker to justice.”

The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Crestview Police Department, and the Niceville Police Department, with assistance from the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia Forbes.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.

Four Georgia Men Sentenced for Drug Trafficking

Four Columbus, Georgia, men have now been sentenced for their roles in a drug trafficking organization centered in Columbus. The prosecution stemmed from Operation Sweet Silence, a multi-agency investigation into drug trafficking in the Columbus area.

The defendants were sentenced as follows:

Undrae Hayes, also known as Skizite, 38, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;

Malik Williams, also known as YSN Bird, 27, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine;

Dahvontay Richardson, 28, was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine; and

Jeffrey Kimbrough, 29, also known as YSN Trap, was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

The investigation into these defendants and their drug dealing included court authorized wiretaps on co-defendant Fernando Brown’s cellular telephone, physical surveillance and other investigative techniques.

According to filed court documents:

On April 14, 2023, law enforcement conducted physical surveillance at 2403 Garden Drive, Columbus, Georgia. This address had been previously identified, through both physical and pole camera surveillance, as a location from which co-defendant Fernando Brown distributed narcotics. At approximately 10:00pm, Agents observed a silver Honda sedan arrive at the location. The passenger of the vehicle entered the residence, returned to the vehicle several minutes later with an unknown object/bag in his hand, and left. The Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) conducted a traffic stop of the silver Honda sedan and the passenger, later identified as Hayes, exited the car and fled on foot. Officers witnessed Hayes carrying a small backpack in his hands which he discarded. He was apprehended a short time later and the bag was retrieved. A search of the bag revealed eight clear plastic baggies containing 208.863 grams of methamphetamine, one clear plastic baggie containing nine grams of a brownish powder substance suspected to be heroin, a digital scale, and a box of plastic baggies.

On June 2, 2023, Fernando Brown contacted Williams about conducting a drug transaction in the parking lot of Pyramid Food Mart in Columbus. Brown informed Williams he was “dry” and needed some product for his “play” at Pyramid. The FBI set up surveillance and observed Brown meeting with an individual who matched the physical description of Williams. Brown was observed interacting with the driver of a pick-up truck parked next to his vehicle and briefly appeared to place something into the pick­up truck.

Following the transaction, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on Williams' car, from which Williams fled. Intercepted calls captured Williams speaking with Brown during the pursuit with Williams repeatedly asking Brown for his location and saying that he was traveling towards Brown. Williams' Toyota Camry was found abandoned. Agents searched the Camry and located about 2,992 grams of marijuana divided into 13 plastic bags, along with cocaine.

Additionally, based on intercepted calls during a court authorized Title III wiretap on co-conspirator Fernando Brown's phone, agents with the FBI and DEA determined Richardson distributed cocaine and marijuana on behalf of Brown. On May 24, 2023, intercepted calls showed Richardson sold an ounce of cocaine to a customer at a Dollar Tree in Columbus, Georgia at the behest of co-conspirator Brown.

Calls were also intercepted between co-defendant Fernando Brown and Kimbrough facilitating the distribution of narcotics. On June 11, 2023, FBI and DEA intercepted calls where Kimbrough and Brown were discussing “zips.”

On that same date, Brown advised Kimbrough to “grab that mambo serve them a cutie out of the mambo go in the closet in the bathroom.” Agents believed “mambo” was in reference to marijuana and “cutie” typically denotes a quarter pound of drugs.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento, California Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office. 

NYC Comptroller Mark Levine, NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, and Leading National Public Pension Plans Announce Second Annual Emerging Managers Week

 

New York State Insurance Fund joins lineup of participating institutional investors

Last year’s Emerging Managers Week was attended by over 2,000 investment professionals, expanding relationships between plans, high-performing diverse and emerging asset managers

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System, and the New York State Insurance Fund announced the second annual Emerging Managers Week set for the week of February 9, 2026. More than 2,000 investment professionals participated in last year’s inaugural Emerging Managers Week, resulting in new relationships, which served as a direct reflection of the value of intentional collaboration to foster new opportunities to access capital.

The annual collaborative effort between several of the nation’s largest pension plans representing more than $1 trillion in assets aims to spotlight and celebrate the role diverse and emerging asset managers play in delivering strong, risk-adjusted returns for institutional investors. Throughout the week, emerging managers will have an opportunity to attend conferences and symposiums where they can engage with each plan’s senior leadership. Each conference will highlight the work of each allocator to identify high-performing investment firms that typically do not have access to large institutional investors and foster the continued growth and development of successful managers with whom each fund invests.

The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF), a new participant in Emerging Managers Week, will kick off the week on Monday with its 16th Annual MWBE Investment Symposium in New York City. The Symposium provides attendees with an informative and engaging space to hear from industry leaders about the challenges and successes in identifying diverse investment managers. The event also reinforces NYSIF’s longstanding commitment to expanding MWBE participation in its investment programs.

On Wednesday, the Office of the New York City Comptroller will host the 2026 Annual Diverse & Emerging Managers Conference in Lower Manhattan. The New York State Teachers’ Retirement System will host its 16th annual Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) Investments and Professional Services Conference in Troy, NY on Thursday. The week will end with the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s 19th Annual Emerging Manager and MWBE Conference on Friday.

Attendees are provided with opportunities to hear from industry leaders, internal staff, and external investment consultants and network with other asset managers. The lineup will be packed with panel discussions specific to asset classes including public equities, real estate, fixed income and private equity, and robust networking opportunities with peer asset managers for each of the plans.

“A thoughtful expansion of the relationships Expanding the relationship we have with high performing asset managers who are often without an invitation to the room is an integral component of my office’s investment strategy,” said New York City Comptroller Mark Levine. “Emerging Managers Week provides an opportunity for both managers and allocators like us to tap into this growing yet underutilized network. I am thrilled to build on our existing efforts as we execute our mandate to deliver risk-adjusted returns for nearly 800,000 participants in New York City’s five public pension systems.”

“The New York State Common Retirement’s goals of staying abreast of the latest thinking and exploring creative approaches continue to drive our Emerging Manager program. The success of this program contributes directly to ensuring the financial futures of our members and pensioners, our most important fiduciary duty. Our Emerging Manager program will continue to strengthen the fund’s value, access new talent and investment opportunities and open new doors. My thanks to Comptroller Levine and our public fund counterparts who continue to show the remarkable value strong emerging manager and MWBE programs provide,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“NYSIF is proud to participate in Emerging Managers Week, which complements our long-standing commitment to MWBE investment professionals,” said NYSIF Executive Director and CEO Gaurav Vasisht. “The gains that New York State investment funds have made in hiring diverse investment managers directly translate into strong investment returns. Diversity has proven to be a competitive advantage that’s critical to our long-term investment success.”

Registration for each conference is now open and emerging and diverse asset managers are encouraged to apply to attend. Due to limited capacity, registration is required for each conference.

Nos Quedamos Inc. - Kicking Off 2026 Together

Message from the CEO:
A New Year, A Renewed Commitment

As we step into the new year, we’re grateful to be back from our holiday break and energized by the possibilities ahead. This moment offers a chance to reflect on what we’ve built together, and to look forward with clarity, purpose, and hope. 

We began the year by coming together for our annual strategic planning, grounding ourselves in our mission and the communities we serve. Together, we mapped the priorities that will guide our work in the months ahead, strengthening our commitment to impact, accountability, and meaningful progress. 

I’m entering this year feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to spring into action. To our community, partners, and supporters, thank you for walking alongside us. Your trust and collaboration make this work possible, and we’re excited to continue building toward a future shaped by shared vision and collective action.

A Milestone for Climate Resiliency on Melrose Avenue We’re excited to share a major milestone as we head into the new year! Our third and central Climate Resiliency Hub is now up and running at our headquarters, located at 754 Melrose Avenue.  With this hub complete, all three Climate Resiliency Hubs are now in place, creating new opportunities for community-centered programming focused on climate resiliency, emergency preparedness, and collective response. These hubs strengthen our ability to support neighbors, share resources, and build readiness together.  We’re proud of this progress and look forward to activating these spaces in the months ahead. Stay tuned for upcoming programs, events, and opportunities to get involved. Spring into Action at the Melrose Spring Equinox Mark your calendars! Join us on March 21st for our annual Melrose Spring Equinox celebration—this year’s theme: Spring into Action. As we continue working toward lasting change in our communities, from housing justice and climate justice to food justice and beyond, this event is a moment to come together, recharge, and move forward collectively. The day will feature live performances, opportunities to connect with community partners doing powerful work, and space to learn, reflect, and imagine what’s possible when we act together. Come celebrate the season of renewal, connect with neighbors, and explore how we can all Spring into Action. More details coming soon, we can’t wait to see you there!

 

DEC Statement on Opposition Filings for Proposed Constitution Pipeline Project

On January 28, 2026, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) filed a notice with the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC) to oppose Constitution Pipeline Company, LLC’s petition to FERC to reissue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity and override DEC’s oversight authority under the Clean Water Act for the proposed pipeline project. Despite its proposed 99 miles of pipeline that would be crossing New York, the company is attempting to bypass critical environmental reviews and undercut New York State’s regulatory authority. DEC did not waive its Clean Water Act Section 401 authority and will explore all available options to vigorously defend our state rights. New York will continue to take the reins to ensure the full protection of public health and our state’s natural resources.

DEC’s filings are available here. 

Long Island Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Nearly $12 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

Defendant Also Admits to Bilking the Small Business Administration Out of Nearly $1 Million in Fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program Loans 

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Damaris Beltre, a former tax preparer in Freeport, New York, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Sanket J. Bulsara.  When sentenced, Beltre faces a maximum sentence of 53 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of approximately $12 million. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the guilty plea.

“Beltre brazenly defrauded the government and callously put her clients in jeopardy to line her own pockets,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s guilty plea should serve as a warning to anyone who, like this defendant, views federal programs and the federal treasury as their own personal piggybanks, that you will be arrested and vigorously prosecuted.”

Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the United States Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, the Freeport Police Department, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for their assistance on the case.

“Beltre was a shady tax preparer with a complete disregard for U.S. law or the American public she failed when she fraudulently claimed tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19-related tax credits.  She hoarded funds meant for those with a legitimate need just to fatten her own pockets.  With today’s plea, she can move forward with facing the full consequences of her actions,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.

As set forth in court filings and at today’s guilty plea proceeding, Beltre owned and operated multiple corporate entities offering tax preparation and other financial services in Freeport, New York. From approximately January 2021 through April 2024, Beltre personally prepared, and supervised employees in the preparation of, false and fraudulent individual income tax returns, and associated schedules and forms, for her client-taxpayers, which were submitted to the IRS.

The tax returns that Beltre prepared and caused to be prepared for her clients listed false dependents and fraudulently claimed tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19-related tax credits and motor fuel income tax credits to directly reduce tax liability and provide substantial refunds to which her clients were not entitled.  Beltre’s clients paid over $1 million in fees for her services preparing these false returns, which included a percentage of any tax refund issued.  For example, in April 2023, a federal agent acting in an undercover capacity (the UC) hired Beltre to prepare his individual income tax return.  If prepared accurately, the UC would have owed the IRS approximately $205.  By contrast, the defendant prepared an income tax return for the UC which contained false and fraudulent statements and baseless tax credits, and which thereby claimed a refund of over $14,243.  Beltre charged the UC $2,200 in fees to prepare and submit the fraudulent tax return.  As a result of this years-long scheme, the IRS improperly issued nearly $11 million in tax refunds to the defendant’s clients, and failed to collect several million dollars as a result of fraudulently reduced tax liabilities.  

In a separate Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme, from approximately April 2020 through July 2022, Beltre filed and caused to be filed false payroll reports and income tax returns with the IRS on behalf of her corporate clients to fraudulently obtain PPP loans from the SBA, totaling approximately $1 million.  Beltre used these proceeds, and those generated from the tax preparer fraud scheme described above, for personal expenses, including paying personal debts, to fund a home in the Caribbean, and to purchase a car and jewelry.

Release of Body Worn Camera Footage from an Officer Involved Shooting that Occurred on January 8, 2026 in the confines of the 78th Precinct

 

The NYPD is today releasing body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on January 8, 2025, in the confines of the 78th Precinct.

The video includes available evidence leading up to the incident as well as during the incident. The NYPD is releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident.

All NYPD patrol officers are equipped with body-worn cameras, which provide transparency into police activity and serve as an independent account of interactions between the NYPD and the citizens they serve. 

You can find the video here