Delta Airlines Padding the Corporate Elite: Caught! Hey Ed, You Corrupt?

Isn't civilian handgun ownership for self-defense totally self-defeating, since enough guns inevitably get stolen and end up arming the criminals that people are so afraid of? Here’s the back story friends from a reader of my Blog. It's all fun and games until... IT ISN'T The two women worked for the same company, and one worked directly with me. They love to harass me about gun ownership. One evening the two were in their apartment when suddenly the door flew open and a friend of theirs ran inside and locked her bedroom door allowing a killer into the apartment. The criminal started stabbing one of the girls in the chest with a knife. She jumped on top of the criminal and started to hit him. He threw her across the room and stabbed her in the chest and head. The blade of the knife broke off inside her skull. The perp eventually left them half beaten and stabbed and assaulted, raped. The next day we heard what happened. The first girl was released from the hospital three days later, and the second girl eventually left the hospital weeks later. Who’s the first person they go, see? A responsible firearms trainer. What’s the first thing that they wanted? A gun. These ladies made my life very difficult, made my life miserable and how does a responsible firearm owner repay their poor decisions concerning a lawful firearm owner? With kindness, compassion and understanding. I advised finding a firearms trainer and purchase a firearm legally and responsibly. Criminals, perps, bad guys, let’s call them what they are, KILLERS, carry knives, blunt objects, they carry anything to hurt or kill you. Ask Nancy Pelosi’s husband about the pos criminal who assaulted him! Had Mr. Pelosi been able to have or want a gun he wouldn’t have almost been killed. You see friends, it doesn’t matter whether your liberal, conservative, all lives are precious, and we need to protect ourselves. You have choices friends and loved ones, please choose wisely.

Pam Bondi: DOJ BOSS! Justice Department Highlights DEA Drug Seizures for First Half of 2025, Successful Operations Over the Last Several Weeks Tuesday, July 20, 2025 Office of Public Affairs Today, Attorney General Pamela Bondi highlighted the great work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to get illegal drugs off our streets and protect innocent Americans from addiction, overdose, and drug-related crime and violence. Since January 20, 2025, DEA has seized approximately 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, nearly 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 201,500 pounds of cocaine, and made over 2,105 fentanyl-related arrests. “Our DEA agents are doing historic work to keep our communities safe from deadly drugs like fentanyl and dismantle the cartels selling them,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I want to remind all Americans to exercise extreme caution: a pill can kill.” “DEA is hitting the cartels where it hurts—with arrests, with seizures, and with relentless pressure. From meth labs in California to fentanyl pills disguised as pharmaceuticals seized at our border, these operations are saving American lives every single day,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “We are not slowing down. We are dismantling these networks piece by piece—and we won't stop until the last brick of their empire falls.” Over the last several weeks, DEA has conducted a number of successful operations across the United States including: • In Lexington County, South Carolina, DEA, in coordination with its state and local partners, seized over 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine, a firearm a nd arrested one trafficker. • In Gainesville, Georgia, DEA, and its state and local partners intercepted over 705 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a truckload of cucumbers and arrested two traffickers. • In Minneapolis, Minnesota, DEA and its federal and local partners seized 889 pounds of methamphetamine, one handgun and arrested three traffickers. • In Kern County, California, DEA and its local partners shut down a major methamphetamine conversion lab, seizing over 240 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 151 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, and arrested five traffickers. • In Fresno, California, DEA and its federal, state and local partners seized 24 pounds of carfentanil disguised as real prescription pills— the largest single seizure to date of carfentanil in Northern California. • In Galveston, Texas, DEA, in close coordination with its federal partners at CBP, helped uncover over 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine—worth more than $15 million dollars—hidden inside a vehicle. • In Austin, Texas, DEA, in coordination with its FBI, state and local partners, seized 783 pounds of methamphetamine hidden inside a refrigerated truck carrying blueberries. • In a single coordinated takedown spanning Indiana, Kentucky, and Arizona, DEA, working alongside its federal, state and local partners, DEA seized 59 illegal firearms, possessed by serious violent felons—along with 74 pounds of methamphetamine, 11 pounds of fentanyl, 11 pounds of cocaine, cash, and conducted 23 arrests. • In Miami, Florida, DEA in coordination with its FBI partners, seized over $10 million dollars in cryptocurrency, directly linked to the Sinaloa cartel. • In El Paso, Texas, DEA, with the assistance of its federal partners at HSI and U.S. Border Patrol, seized 115 pounds of methamphetamine from a drug-laden vehicle outfitted with a GPS tracker. • In Omaha, Nebraska, DEA and its local partners seized machinegun conversion devices, AR-style pistols and fentanyl pills in a raid that dismantled a multi-state poly-drug operation.

California Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with $16M Hospice Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering Scheme DOJ Office of Public Affairs A California man pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and laundering the fraudulent proceeds. According to court documents, Juan Carlos Esparza, 33, of Valley Village, schemed with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Karpis Srapyan, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. From July 2019 until January 2023, the defendant and his co-defendants operated four sham hospices, one of which, House of Angels Hospice, was owned by Esparza. The defendants controlled the other three hospices, even though the listed owners were foreign nationals. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also controlled and used cell phones in the names of the foreign nationals in furtherance of the scheme. In total, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million. Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others, including their co-defendants Susanna Harutyunyan and Mihran Panosyan, to launder the fraudulent proceeds. As part of the money laundering scheme, Esparza and his co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents and other documents associated with the sham hospices at the House of Angels office, and bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in a pair of residential properties. After defrauding Medicare, Esparza and his co-defendants moved the funds between various assets and accounts, including bank accounts in the names of shell companies, to conceal the scheme. Esparza spent $90,000 in fraudulent proceeds to purchase a vehicle. Esparza pleaded guilty to health care fraud and transactional money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for healthcare fraud and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for transactional money laundering. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering last month and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Karpis Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. Co-defendant Susanna Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17. Harutyunyan faces deportation. The guilty plea today is the most recent conviction in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sarah E. Edwards, Allison L. McGuire, and Michael Bacharach of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Drawing From Your Concealed Carry Holster. Gregg Kielma Can Train You How. I can't tell you how important it is to have a solid draw with your firearm. How well and how fast you perform this, could be the difference between life and death. What is a smooth and deliberate draw? Draw refers to the way in which one removes their gun from the holster and presents it. Firearms instructor Gregg Kielma conducts live fire holster training at our outside range on a monthly schedule. If you’re interested contact him and set up an instruction date or class to be better prepared for an encounter, you didn’t instigate or cannot get away from. There are different ways of doing this, but we teach a 4-step method. 1. Grip the weapon and clear any retention on the holster. 2. Draw the weapon out of the holster and point it down range but keep the wrist next to your ribs. 3. This is when your support side hand links up with your weapon either in the center of the body or off to your strong side. 4. This is when you present the weapon all the way out to the target. Because in most real-life engagements, you are probably not going to be able to get to position 4 right away. The attacker is usually too close, or they have started to draw their weapon before you. To give yourself a chance, please remember situational awareness and most importantly time and distance. Why? Distance buys you time to react in a decisive manner. I believe step 2 is probably the most skipped or not focused on position. This is where we see shooters just swing the weapon up as if they are bowling (which means they CAN NOT engage until position 4) or draw their weapon out and bring the muzzle high, presenting their weapon as if they were casting a fishing line (which again means they CAN NOT engage until position 4). Please go through your draw stroke one step at a time and see where you could clean it up. Then start practicing a good draw stroke 10 times daily, making sure that improved draw stroke becomes muscle memory.

Defendant accelerated moped at law enforcement before being arrested in possession of a loaded firearm BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Kyvon Ross, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 46 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2025, Ross pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. On Oct. 3, 2024, Ross was approached by law enforcement after driving a moped at a high speed and without a rear license plate. Ross accelerated directly at one of the officers before losing control of the moped and falling to the ground. Ross was found in possession of a loaded Glock handgun with an obliterated serial number. Ross is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2021 federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Boston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.

Out-of-state deer poachers ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in southern Illinois U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Illinois Lauren Barry Duncan, Public Affairs Officer Lauren.Barry@usdoj.gov BENTON, Ill. – Five men from Mississippi were sentenced in southern Illinois federal court after admitting to using spotlights to illegally hunt white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties. Lee J. Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution and a $10,000 fine. Steven J. Pique, 56, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution. Gerald B. Moran, 40, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and a $2,500 fine. Joshua A. Marshall, 30, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution and a $2,500 fine. John M. Pritchard, 57, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $5,000 fine. According to court documents, between 2018 and 2022, the poachers would use spotlights to scout white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties in southern Illinois. Once a deer was located, members of the group would get a rifle, spotlight the deer again, and then shoot to kill. They would later return to collect the carcass. “This was not an isolated incident of unlawful hunting; rather, it was a calculated, multi-year operation that exploited Illinois's prized wildlife resources for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Douglas Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Targeting trophy deer under the cover of night, across multiple counties, and transporting them across state lines reflects a deliberate disregard for wildlife laws and the ecological balance we work tirelessly to protect. Such organized violations undermine decades of conservation progress and diminish the integrity of fair-chase hunting traditions that responsible hunters value nationwide." After collecting the carcass, the poachers would then transport the animal over state lines from Illinois back to Mississippi where they would harvest and process the deer. Typically, the poachers would mount the deer’s head, antlers or other parts of its body. The defendants’ fines will go to the Lacey Act Reward Account through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and restitution will go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. “This case sends a clear message: wildlife laws are not only about species protection, but they also uphold the principles of fair chase and ethical hunting. The Illinois Conservation Police, in partnership with our dedicated federal agencies, consistently demonstrate professionalism and commitment to enforcing these laws,” said Jed Whitchurch, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Law Enforcement. “The complexity and scale of this case required multiagency coordination, and thanks to that teamwork, we've reinforced the stewardship values that define responsible hunting and the importance of natural resources law enforcement.” The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Conservation Police, with support from USFWS Federal Wildlife Officers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.

ATF National Response Team Joins LA Explosion Investigation That Killed Three Sheriff Detectives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Los Angeles Field Division is on scene with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation assisting with the investigation of an explosion that claimed the lives of three Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives earlier today. Additionally, ATF has activated its National Response Team to deploy to the scene of the explosion located at Biscailuz Training Center at 1060 N. Eastern Ave. Los Angeles, California. NRT provides an immediate and sustained nationwide response capability, typically deploying within 24 hours of notification, with state-of-the-art equipment and highly qualified ATF personnel specializing in explosives investigations. ATF’s NRT consists of Special Agents, Certified Fire Investigators, a Forensic Chemist, Intelligence Research Specialist, Certified Explosives Specialist, Law Enforcement Training Specialist, Fire Protection Engineer, Electrical Engineer and an Accelerant Detection Canine with handler. “ATF is here to work alongside our local partners and share whatever resources we have to help determine the cause of this explosion,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kenneth R. Cooper, of the Los Angeles Field Division. “While the pain of this loss will always be felt, we hope our efforts provide the answers a tragedy like this demands.” This is the 14th NRT activation this fiscal year and the 934th since the program began in 1978. The team brings definitive expertise and an array of state-of-the-art equipment to the investigation of major explosives and fire incidents. The team can rapidly respond to assist local and state law enforcement or fire service personnel in onsite investigations. “Anytime a first responder loses their life in the line of duty, it is a tragic loss to the community and this nation," said Brian Lovin, the supervisor of ATF’s NRT. "We are heartbroken for the family, friends and fellow deputies, and vow to work alongside our partners with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department to determine how and why this tragedy occurred.” Past NRT activations include such incidents as: more than 200 fire scenes resulting from civil unrest throughout the Midwest in 2020, a series of bombings in Austin, Texas in 2018; and national-level incidents such as the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon; the Centennial Olympic Park bombing in Atlanta; the Oklahoma City bombing and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The NRT was most recently deployed to Esparto, Calif. for an explosion and fire at a fireworks facility. ATF is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating this explosion. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov. Los Angeles Field Division

What would you do? Your home is invaded by an armed perpetrator and your family is about to be slaughtered by the burglar using a deadly weapon like an axe chain saw ice pick , can you just shoot the perpetrator in his thighs to incapacitate him? Gregg Kielma, USCCA Firearms Instructor teaches this in all his classes. Continues Kielma, please see below, this is exactly what I teach in my USCCA CCW training class concerning, where do you shoot? Which body has the most success rate of stopping a perpetrator from advancing on you, your family, loved ones or friends. Kielma continues, do you know why the military, police and self-defenders are taught to aim for the center mass???? A couple of reasons. • Appendages, including the head tend to move quickly, while the body tends to move slower, so the body is easier to hit. • The goal of shooting someone, whether by the military, police or a self-defender, is to stop the threat. The best way to stop the threat is to hit vital organs like the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys. All vital organs are contained in the center of mass. • Making it more likely to hit the target makes it less likely stray rounds will go off and hit unintentional targets. This is why we do not aim/shoot at limbs. Even snipers generally do not aim for head shots, unless the target absolutely needs to be stopped right now and no other body parts are available. If the best-trained shooters in the world don't aim for limbs, why would an amateur, under stress, attempting to save lives? High percentage, high likelihood of success targets is what we shoot for.

You find a wallet with $7000 in it. A few days later, he reads a notice stating that a wealthy man has lost his wallet and is offering a $500 reward to anyone who returns it. He soon locates the owner and gives him the wallet, and the rich man counts the money and says, “I see you have already taken your reward.” The poor man responds, “What are you talking about?” The wealthy man continues, “This wallet had $7500 in it when I lost it.” The poor man replied “I am sorry sir but when I found it up it only had $7,000” The two men began arguing, and eventually they end up in court to sort out their differences. Both men present their case, the poor man first, then the wealthy man who concludes by saying, “Your Honor, I trust you believe me.” The Judge says, “Of course.” The rich man smiles, and the poor man is devastated. Then the Judge takes the wallet out of the wealthy man’s hands and gives it to the poor man who found it. “What are you doing?” the rich man yells angrily. The Judge responds, “You are, of course, an honest man, and if you say that your missing wallet had $7500 in it, I’m sure it did – but if the man who found this wallet is a liar and a thief, he wouldn’t have returned it at all, which means that this wallet must belong to somebody else. If that man steps forward, he’ll get the money – otherwise, it stays with the man who found it.” “What about my money?” the rich man asks. “Well, we’ll just have to wait until somebody finds your wallet with the $7500 in it.