employee
Virginia State Department Employee Arrested for Alleged Information Conspiracy
State Department Employee Arrested for Alleged Information Conspiracy
**Washington, D.C.** – Michael Charles Schena, a 42-year-old resident of Alexandria, Virginia, has been arrested on charges linked to an alleged conspiracy involving national defense information.
Court documents reveal Schena worked for the U.S. Department of State at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., holding a top secret security clearance. Starting around April 2022, he purportedly shared unauthorized information with individuals met online, receiving payments in return. On February 27, he supposedly used a cellphone to photograph documents labeled “SECRET” from his classified computer monitor and subsequently returned home, where his cellphone was confiscated.
Facing charges of conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information, Schena could receive a prison sentence of up to 10 years. A federal district court judge will decide the sentence, taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office with support from the FBI Richmond Field Office and other agencies. The case is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale, alongside Trial Attorney Maria Fedor from the National Security Division.
New Jersey Warns Against Trump’s Federal Employee Buyout Program
Attorney General Warns Against Misleading Federal Employee Buyout Program
**TRENTON, NJ** – New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has joined a coalition of 11 attorneys general to caution federal employees about the Trump administration’s “deferred resignation” program. This program allegedly offers employees pay through September 30, 2025, if they resign by February 6.
On January 28, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) notified federal employees via email about the program, promising continued payment and benefits, along with an exemption from in-person work requirements until September 30. A follow-up email on January 30 reiterated this offer, encouraging employees to seek more productive opportunities outside of government. OPM set a deadline of February 6 for employees to decide on the offer, warning that those who do not accept may risk losing their positions.
Federal employee unions, such as the American Federation of Government Employees and the National Federation of Federal Employees, have advised their members against accepting the offer. These unions released information cautioning that employees who accept may not be assured of the promised benefits.
The attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington joined
Pistol-wielding suspect attacks employee during Columbus robbery
Suspect Sought in Columbus Business Robbery
**Columbus, OH** – An incident occurred at a business in the 2500 block of Lockbourne Rd. on Wednesday at around 11:46 a.m. A suspect entered the establishment, assaulted an employee with a pistol, and demanded money from the cash register.
The employee, following the suspect’s command, handed over the cash, after which the suspect fled in an unspecified direction. The suspect’s face was largely obscured during the robbery, though a manager presented a screenshot depicting the suspect’s entry into the store earlier.
The suspect is described as a black male, aged between 45 to 60 years old, with a height of 5’9″ and weighing 150 pounds. The Columbus Division of Police Robbery Unit is conducting the investigation.
Authorities request anyone with information to contact the Robbery Unit at 614-645-4665. Anonymous tips can also be provided to Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).
