WebProNews

Tag: Crime

  • NYC Issues Warning to Cyclists: Robbers Afoot

    A CBS local affiliate is reporting out of New York that a gang of thugs is targeting lone bike riders along the Hudson river and across the George Washington Bridge in Washington Heights, choosing to strike when it’s dark and there is little chance of anyone seeing.

    Cyclist Keith Cho, the rider pictured, was riding his bike on the evening of August 24 when he ran into a clothesline booby trap that was nearly impossible to see. The robbers then set upon him with brass knuckles and took his possessions: his bike, a phone, and the money in his wallet. Since the incident, Cho has felt deeply traumatized. “I lived in this area for 35 years and for the first time in my life, I feel afraid to come to the city… They could’ve just taken my bike and just went off. I was in no condition to chase them or go after them,” he said to reporters in the CBS video.

    Cho would not be the last cyclist targeted. Last Thursday, a second cyclist was knocked off his bike with a bat in the same area, his wallet and bike also stolen. Sections of the Washington Heights cycling path are pitch black, and Cho has said it’s nearly impossible to see if anyone else is out there, let alone if there’s a clothesline in the path.

    One woman who lives in the area spoke with CBS reporters about the possibility of incidents happening around the area. “If something happens,” resident Susan Hurse said to the cameras, “no one can see you… You could be there for a couple of days in the brush without someone finding you.”

    Vague descriptions of 20-something men accompany increased NYPD patrols in the area in an effort to apprehend the crooks, who are believed to be targeting the cycling path to acquire high-end bikes for easy resale.

    [Image via the CBS-2 Report]

  • Tulsi Gabbard: Hawaiian Congresswoman Threatened

    CNN had a downright freaky story this morning, with a man from Tijuana arrested for vowing to “behead” freshman congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI).

    Aniruddha Sherbow was arrested by officers working in conjunction with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Marshals Service, the D.C. District Attorney’s office, and the San Diego and Honolulu divisions of the FBI. Sherbow allegedly sent an email about a month ago with the subject line “Cutting Off Tulsi Gabbard’s Head.” CNN quotes part of the message: “I, Aniruddha Sherbow, with the Divine as my witness, do hereby solemnly vow to find Tulsi Gabbard, wheresover she may be, and to sever her head from her body.”

    His father was partially responsible for turning him in, with the court affidavit declaring that the email was identified as Sherbow’s because his father had received a copy, and indicated his son was the origin. The FBI had felt the threat was a credible one.

    Sherbow, a former resident of Hawaii, will be turned over to the FBI in San Diego, where he will face charges of transmitting threats in interstate commerce. He may eventually be transferred to Washington, D.C. to stand trial in September.

    The AP, talking to Gabbard spokeswoman Heather Fluit, quoted her as “grateful for the work of the U.S. Capitol Police, FBI, and all law enforcement officers involved in this investigation.”

    Gabbard, speaking with the Honolulu Star Advertiser a couple years ago, gave some indicators that stalkeresque behavior was taking place: “[He was] calling me numerous times, at strange hours [accompanied by messages of an] extremely inappropriate, profane, vulgar, sexual nature… basically, taking it as far as he could go.”

    Tulsi Gabbard is a veteran of the U.S. armed forces and the 2003 Iraq War conflict in which she served two tours of duty with the 29th Brigade. She was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for her actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and entered the political scene in 2012 when she won an election to represent Hawaii’s 2nd District in Congress.

    [Image via a Youtube “Meet the Press” interview with the congresswoman]

  • Third Florida Mayor Arrested for Corruption This Month

    Does anyone remember a couple of goofy-looking Caucasian officials from south Florida who took a sizable sum in bribes?

    Well, the feds nabbed a third. Reuters got the initial scoop last night. Mayor Steven Bateman of the town of Homestead is the third in the Miami area to be arrested and charged with corruption. The official charges filed: “two felony counts of unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior,” in addition to two misdemeanor violations of “the Miami-Dade Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance for exploitation of an official position, acquiring a financial interest, and unregistered lobbying.”

    A Miami local CBS affiliate reported that Bateman was allowed to post a $21,500 bond with his wife’s money and some of her property pledged as collateral; he was released after 7 p.m. and his wife zipped him off in a Mercedes. His attorney, Ben Kuehne, told CBS that “Mayor Bateman looks forward to holding his head up high to continuing to serve his community and to obtain his ultimate vindication.”

    At a press conference held by the city of Homestead, vice mayor John Burgess said “Because of the hard work of the state attorney and the Ethics Commission, that individual [former mayor Bateman] has been removed from our government… I’m proud to be a part of this govenrment and I assure you this council will safeguard the integrity of our government and of all the citizens of Homestead.”

    At that same press conference, councilwoman Judy Waldman said that she believed there was “much more, and that the state attorney should keep investigating… My strong message [is against] people who use public office to make money… From elected officials, corruption in government will not be tolerated in the city of Homestead.”

    Bateman was arrested in connection to a “secret consulting gig” with the Community Health of South Florida and several construction projects, and his website lists him as “owner and President of Two Brothers Construction, Inc.” You know, the kind of president with an office used as a storage closet? Sounds nothing at all like an episode of The Sopranos.

    One more interesting note: before his arrest, police and state attorneys arrived at Bateman’s house only to have him refuse to come out. The police sat around for nearly a half hour before Bateman’s wife came home and opened the door, at which point police took him into custody. Kuehne told the reporters that the former mayor “simply wanted to take a shower” before being hauled off to jail, but what was he really doing?

    [Image via a CBS 4 report on the subject matter]

  • Tukwila Raids: Police Target Three Motels

    An interesting tale of sex, drugs, and cash out of the town of Tukwila, Washington: three motels were raided by hundreds of officers from the Marshal Service, ATF, FBI, and local sheriffs in what was the conclusion of a year-long investigation into all sorts of illegal activity.

    Officers have said that the Boulevard Motel, Travelers Choice Motel, and Great Bear Motor Inn accounted for 17 percent of emergency calls served in Tukwila in the last two years. Five calls would have been for a coroner’s wagon: three drug-filled bodies were found at the Travelers Choice over the last two years, and two were pulled from the Boulevard Motel. Exactly what kind of motels were these?

    Apparently, the kind of motel where a $10 fee to your local manager gets you directed to the room containing the drugs or the sex. That same owner/manager would probably also later go to the pimp or the pusher and demand an additional fee.

    Because of the wide area covered by law enforcement efforts, several people were detained and questioned who were not involved in the criminal activities; those people were released and taken to a nearby church for food and housing, while others could not go to the family-friendly environment because of their physical state (they were drunk or high) or they had a sex assault record and cannot be around such places.

    The Seattle Times quoted one of the owner/managers from court documents, Kulwinder “Chris” Saroya, as telling police that average people refuse to frequent his business, so staying afloat for him means he must “do business with crackheads and prostitutes to make money.” Saroya and the two other managers in question, Jaspal Singh and Lakhvir “Larry” Pawar, were arrested and charged with distributing crack cocaine.

    District attorney Jenny Durkan was adamant about the raids’ success: “Today we seek to hold the hotel owners accountable for their crimes, strip them of their criminal dens and make this area of the community safer,” she said, while emphasizing the Department of Justice’s mandate to combat “drug-involved premises.”

    The announcement also included an asset forfeiture notice for all three hotels and several other properties owned by the three owners. Asset forfeiture laws permit law enforcement to seize any properties believed to be purchased with funds linked to criminal enterprises.

    [Image via a Youtube video of a King5 News report on the subject]

  • Catonsville Shooting: Officer Killed in Shootout

    A press conference from Baltimore this morning announced that officer Jason Schneider, 36, was killed in the line of duty while serving a warrant. Schneider was a 13-year veteran of the Baltimore police, and is survived by his wife, his parents, his two children and a brother.

    Police chief Jim Johnson gave the finer detail on the incident: tactical teams entered a structure in the 1200 block of Winters Lane. A search warrant was to be served, the purpose being to apprehend someone wanted for a shooting that happened a week ago on that same lane. When the tactical team made entry, several people inside started to flee while the team did a room-to-room search.

    The suspects, now fully aware of the police officers, opened fire when the officers turned a corner. Officer Schneider returned fire while he was going down, and struck one suspect several times with his weapon.

    Dr. Deborah Stein and Dr. O’Connor from the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center spoke about the injuries sustained, acknowledging that the surgical team tried its best to save Officer Schneider, who succumbed to several gunshot wounds. The suspect is in critical condition and still receives treatment. “On behalf of the entire shock trauma center of the University of Maryland, our most deepest heartfelt sympathies to the officer’s family and the entire Baltimore County Police Department. They are our partners, and we deeply feel their loss,” the doctors said.

    “…we don’t always appreciate what our police do for us every day, but it’s times like this when we know how grateful we are for their bravery and for their sacrifice,” said Kevin Kamenetz, an executive for Baltimore County. “I ask all county residents to keep Officer Schneider’s family in their prayers.”

    The Baltimore Sun notes that the shooting of Officer Schneider is the fourth incident of gun violence in Catonsvile inside the last month: on August 17, two men were shot near the city lines; on August 19, a man was shot not far from where Officer Schneider was on Winters Lane; and on August 21, a 16-year-old took a bullet in the arm north of Route 40.

    [image via a Baltimore ABC News affiliate video of the press conference]

  • ‘Orange Is The New Black’ Star Attends Islan Nettles Vigil, Raises Awareness

    Earlier this month, Islan Nettles, a transgender woman, was attacked and killed in Harlem. The NYPD has reportedly said that Nettles was with her friends when one or more people attacked her while using anti-gay and anti-transgender slurs. She was taken to the hospital, but on August 22nd, was taken off life support. One person has been arrested.

    “It is impossible to separate the bias and confusion about transgender individuals from the long history of violence against transgender communities,” wrote ACLU staff attorney Chase Strangio this week. “With questions circulating all week about who is deserving of medically necessary care and being talked about with dignity, the story of Islan Nettles reminds us that these are not insignificant questions, but life and death questions for many transgender people.”

    Nettles was only 21 years old.

    A vigil was held at Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem, just down the street from where the incident took place. In attendance was Laverne Cox, the transgender actress who portrays Sophia Burset on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black.

    Cox is, in addition to being an actress, an advocate for transgender rights, and has received a great deal of attention since the show has attracted so much buzz. Her presence at the vigil has to have substantially raised awareness about the crime and the issue at hand.

    Cox recently appeared with fellow OITNB cast members Kate Mulgrew and Uzo Aduba, as well as Piper Kerman, the author of the memoir upon which the show is based, on MSNBC. She also spoke about transgender rights in that discussion.

    50 years after Matin Luther King, Jr. gave his speech about equality, hate crimes continue to occur much too frequently.

    According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 53.8% of anti-LGBTQ homicide victims last year were transgender women [ACLU].

    Image via ACLU

  • Revenge Porn Bill Moves Along in California

    The state of California is looking to crack down on so-called “revenge porn” with a new law that would make posting sexual images without someone’s consent a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison and $2000 fine.

    We first reported on SB 255 back in June, when it first passed the California Senate’s Public Safety Committee. Today, that bill was debated in assembly and passed unanimously.

    The bill would amend section 653.2 and make it an actual crime to electronically distribute nude images of another person “with the intent to cause serious emotional distress.”

    Here’s the text of the bill:

    This bill would provide that any person who photographs or records by any means the image of another, identifiable person without with his or her consent who is in a state of full or partial undress in any area in which the person being photographed or recorded has a reasonable expectation of privacy, and subsequently distributes the image taken, where the distribution of the image would cause a reasonable person to suffer serious emotional distress with the intent to cause serious emotional distress, and the other person suffers serious emotional distress would constitute disorderly conduct subject to that same punishment.

    The “same punishment” refers to the penalty for those who use a concealed camera to take compromising photos of others without their consent – bathroom peeping toms for example.

    “A first violation of that offense is punishable by imprisonment in the a county jail not exceeding 6 months, or by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment, and a 2nd or subsequent violation of that offense, or any violation of that offense in which the victim was, at the time of the offense, a minor, is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding $2,000, or by both that fine and imprisonment.”

    “’People who post or text pictures that are meant to be private as a way to seek revenge are reprehensible,” said the bill’s sponsor Senator Anthony Cannella. ’”The law does not keep up with the technology…So this hopefully raises the bar enough where people think twice about engaging in this behavior because it’s ruined people’s lives.’”

    Victims of revenge porn have been able to take their cases to the civil courts, but lawmakers feel like a criminal law on the books may help deter jilter lovers from posting pictures of their exes online.

    Of course, it’s not just the uploaders who can get caught up in a legal mess – revenge porn sites and even their hosters can be the target of lawsuits. Earlier this year, a group called “End Revenge Porn” filed a class action suit against revenge porn site Texxxam.com and its host GoDaddy.

    They claimed that “the defendants are all acting in a deliberately reprehensible manner to participate in activity that they know to be malicious, hurtful, and harmful,”

    End Revenge Porn calls the practice of posting sexual content online without a person’s consent “a form of cyber-rape.”

    Image via Thinkstock

  • WWII Vet Beaten To Death In “Random” Attack

    WWII Vet Beaten To Death In “Random” Attack

    Two teens are the suspects in the beating death of a WWII vet outside a Spokane, Washington lounge on Wednesday night, and one of them has been arrested. Police are asking for the public’s help in locating the other suspect.

    There appears to be no motive for the brutal beating of 88-year old Delbert Belton, who was playing pool at the Eagles Lodge that night. It was a place he was familiar with and visited often, and friends say he had no enemies and had no prior issues with anyone at the business.

    “He was an Army veteran,” Glenn Longsdorff, Belton’s roommate, said. “In fact, he was shot when he was 18-years-old on the beaches of Okinawa. He’ll do anything in the world for anybody.”

    Officials say the attack appears to have been a random assault and already have one of the suspects in custody after going over surveillance tapes. The two young men–both aged 16–allegedly beat Belton with a flashlight. He died from massive head trauma.

    “He didn’t drive a big fancy car. He didn’t dress in expensive clothes. He didn’t have a lot of money. He had very little money,” Belton’s daughter-in-law Barbara said. “What did they think they were going to get from this man?”

    The Spokane Police Department released a statement regarding the murder, asking for the public’s help in apprehending the second suspect.

    “I would like to extend my condolences to the family of the victim, Delbert Belton, a WWII veteran who served his country and suffered injuries during his time in Okinawa,” said Chief Straub. “Since receiving the initial call on Wednesday night, the Spokane Police Department has been working tirelessly to identify and apprehend the suspects in this attack. Late last night Spokane Police arrested one of the suspects, a 16-year-old male charged him with 1st degree robbery and 1st degree murder. Spokane Police Major Crimes Detectives have probable cause to arrest a second suspect, 16 year old Kenan Adams-Kinard in connection to the homicide. We are asking for the community’s assistance in helping us to locate Adams-Kinard and bring him to justice. We would encourage Mr. Adams-Kinard to surrender immediately. Anyone with information is asked to call 911. The Spokane Police Department is dedicated to protecting the community and bringing those who harm or threaten residents to justice.”

    There will be a candlelight vigil in the parking lot of the Eagles Ice Arena tonight for those who want to pay their respects.

    Image courtesy Ted Denison

  • Man Gets 5-Year Social Media Ban After 6-Month Stint in Jail over Tumblr Post

    A Georgia man has been sentenced to time served, probation, and given an all-out 5-year social media ban after pleading guilty to making terroristic threats via his Tumblr blog.

    20-year-old Caleb Jamaal Clemmons has spent the past 6 months in jail, having been unable to afford his $20,000 bond. He’ll be credited with that time and given 5 years probation, during which he’ll be banned from four counties and barred from posting to any form of social media – all because of one post he made on Tumblr this past February:

    hello. my name is irenigg and i plan on shooting up georgia southern. pass this around to see the affect it has. to see if i get arrested.

    Clemmons was a former student at the university. His “plan” worked, as he was arrested just a few hours after he made the post. University police credit an anonymous tipster who alerted them to the troubling Tumblr post via email. Police searched Clemmons’ residence and found no evidence to suggest that he was planning on actually harming anyone at the school.

    But Clemmons languished in jail, unable to make bail. His story sparked a petition on change.org, where his supporters argued that it was just a joke made on a “literary/satire/activist blog,” and that Clemmons had absolutely no intention of shooting anybody.

    “Caleb has stated multiple times throughout his Tumblr and Facebook that his blog was an experimental literary piece and an art project for a character named Ryan Lang he created. He went out of his way entertain his followers and friends with uncanny jokes as well as complex philosophical ideas. He has addressed this openly and personally upon receiving questioning of his posts,” read the petition.

    “Caleb Clemmons is not a terrorist. Throughout this process, Caleb has been very honest, patience, and compliant; in spite of this, this sweet young man has been absolutely traumatized over this horrific ordeal. He’s located in an overcrowded, underfunded prison filled with racists. He was punched in the face and verbally and physically assaulted on multiple occasions over his skin pigmentation. He has been sent to solitary confinement due to the actions of others.”

    Although Clemmons is now out of jail, he’ll have to complete mental health classes in order to suspend his time at a probation center. And of course, there’s that 5-year social media ban.

    Clemmons isn’t the only young man to fake charges of making terroristic threats online. In May, a YouTube rapper was arrested and charged after posting “fuck a boston bombinb wait til u see the shit I do, I’ma be famous for rapping, and beat every murder charge that comes across me” on his Facebook page.

    Although he claimed it was simply “rap braggadocio,” the teen was held for over a month without bail. The DA’s office finally dropped the charges back in June.

    [Stateboro Herald via The Verge]

  • Vine Cat-Kicker Arrested, Charged with Cruelty to Animals

    A viral animal abuse video has led to an arrest, and the perpetrator faces a maximum of 60 days in jail on a charge of cruelty to animals.

    17-year-old Walter Easley will be back in court on September 12th to face charges after a Vine video that shows Easley kicking a cat went viral with the help of 4chan, reddit, and plenty of news outlets.

    “Look at this goddamn cat on my porch. Get the f*ck off my porch,” said Walter Easley before kicking a kitten off his porch and into his yard.

    According to officials, the small cat shown in the video was found unharmed, and authorities took other animals from the residence into custody.

    After the video went viral, a petition was created on the Care2 petition site, demanding Easley be brought to justice. It has garnered over 3,200 signatures.

    “Please bring this scum to justice,” said the petitioner. “Part of me is glad he posted that original Vine, it makes finding creatures like him a lot easier. I’m even gladder he’s dumb enough to publicly post what state he’s in!”

    Easley quickly deleted the Vine and protected his Twitter account as soon as things started to take a turn, but there were plenty of GIFs and YouTube videos of the Vine around for angry animal lovers to scour. You know, you can’t really ever delete anything from the internet.

    Apparently, Easley has provided a pretty weak defense for his cat-kicking.

    From the Times and Democrat:

    According to an Orangeburg County incident report, the youth said the video had been edited. He said in reality, “he did not actually kick the cat as hard as it appears on the video.” He claimed he only tossed the cat into the air with his foot rather than kicking it.

    When the officers asked how the cat “ended up airborne and flipping through the air,” the youth said he “did throw the cat off the porch to make it look like he kicked it for the video.”

    I’m not sure throwing a cat off a porch is going to endear Mr. Easley to many animals lovers either. Rule #1 of the internet: don’t mess with cats, dude.

  • Dine & Ditcher Shamed on Facebook, Promptly Arrested

    In the social media age, it’s probably a bad idea to dine and ditch. Ok, it’s always a bad idea to dine and ditch – because if you dine and ditch, you’re an asshole. But if you plan on dining and ditching, make sure that one of the restaurant’s employees hasn’t managed to snap a photo of you before you do it.

    On Wednesday, the Brewers Cabinet brewpub in Reno, Nevada posted an alert to their 2,000+ fans. It was a picture of a man and attached was a warning: this guy skipped out on his check and it’s not the first time he’s done it. What we’re looking at here is a “serial thief,” according to Brewers Cabinet.

    Brewers Cabinet2 days ago

    ATTN RENO: If you know, or see, this dude, please call RENO POLICE DEPT at 334-2121 immediately, and then remind him that his tab at The Brewer’s Cabinet is still waiting to be paid…. and his tab at Campo…. and his tab at Imperial…. and his tab at Chapel… and his tab at many other fine establishments. And, while you’re at it, you could tell him that visiting restaurants/bars with your friends, running up a huge bill, roughing up servers and then bailing is pretty uncool… pathetic, really. Get a life, man. PLEASE SHARE. DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNERS: BEWARE.

    Powered by socialditto  302 likes ·  136 comments

    The owners at Campo, Imperial, and Chapel Tavern confirmed that the man, Saul Zelaznog, had also skipped out on tabs at their establishments as well.

    “It’s something you have to deal with, there are certain ways we take precautions for it, however sometimes people are clever and they get away with it,” said a bartender at Chapel Tavern.

    Unfortunately for Mr. Zelaznog, the Reno police (with the help of Facebook) finally caught up to him.

    Brewers Cabinet announced the arrest (for probation violation) early Friday:

    “Thanks so much for your help and overwhelming support in this unfortunate situation. We are excited to announce that Mr. Z has just been taken into custody by the Reno Parole & Probation Department. We hope that all of his outstanding debts are paid in time, but more importantly, that he makes wiser decisions in the future. From this point forward, law enforcement will be handling Mr. Z’s case, and we will get back to brewing amazing beer!”

    Zelznog claims that he was going to go back to take care of his bill.

    Often, Facebook makes it easier to be a dick, but sometimes it helps to thwart dickish behavior.

  • The Japanese Are Now Using 3D Printers To Catch Terrorists

    The Japanese have come up with some ingenious (and terrifying) uses for 3D printers since the technology became largely mainstream last year. It’s latest use of the technology is once again an entirely new take on 3D printing that will surely be used by others around the world.

    ANN News reports that Japanese police used a 3D printed bust, based on an illustration, to find the last remaining member of Aum Shinrikyo. For those who didn’t pay attention in their Japanese history class, Aum Shinrikyo was the domestic terrorist organization behind the deadly sarin gas attack 0f 1995 that killed 13 people and injured many others.

    Since the attack, police made a concerted effort to hunt down all the members of the organization. Katsuya Takahashi was the only remaining member of the organization, and police finally tracked him to a manga cafe using the aforementioned 3D printed bust that offered more details in regards to what he looked like.

    Here’s the original news report. It’s in Japanese, but English captions are available:

    Interestingly enough, the Japanese police are not only using 3D printers to recreate faces of wanted criminals and terrorists. They’ve also been using 3D printers to recreate weapons and crime scenes. In the future, the police will be using 3D printers to create models for court trials as well.

    The future of the Japanese court system may very well lie in custom games of Clue where the prosecutor takes the jury through a 3D printed layout of the crime scene with 3D printed characters and 3D printed weapons. It might actually manage to make jury duty fun.

    [h/t: 3ders]

  • The Death of Princess Diana; Police Begin New Inquiry

    She was a much beloved public figure who died violently 16 years ago. But was it a car accident or not? British investigators say they are looking into some new information about the death of Princess Diana.

    Born Lady Diana Francis Spencer, she became the Princess of Wales in 1981. Her wedding to Prince Charles was viewed by approximately 750 million people worldwide.

    In 1997, Princess Diana was killed in a car accident in Paris along with Dodi Al-Fayed, and her driver, Henri Paul. French investigators initially thought, at the time, Paul caused the car crash while driving drunk. Paul’s employer, Mohamed Al-Fayed was also Dodi’s father. He said the car accident had been planned and that Diana had been murdered by members of British military and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen of England’s husband. Just a year earlier, the Prince and Princess of Wales had divorced after a formal request by Elizabeth II. It was rumored the Queen asked the couple to divorce after Princess Diana aired “dirty laundry” during a television interview.

    A British inquest began in 2004 and continued for about four years afterward. Officials formally concurred with the earlier French inquiry and ruled Diana’s death an “unlawful killing” resulting from both Paul’s negligence and from crazed paparazzi that’d chased her into a roadway tunnel.

    Now, 16 years later, Scotland Yard says they’ve learned something new. They say although they won’t release details about the new information, the new inquiry comes under the purview of the “special crimes and operations command,” of the Metropolis Police Service. According to a report, the reexamination into the case was authorized by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, the head the agency.

    The original report about Princess Diana’s death was extremely lengthy and detailed. Consisting of approximately 832 pages, it took 14 police officers nearly three years to complete. Operations Paget, not the Metropolis Police Service was name of the Metropolis police inquiry led by Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington.

  • Gang Members Arrested; Feds Seize Cash, Drugs and Weapons

    There are 263 less gang members on the street today. Federal agents arrested many violent offenders and seized cash, weapons and drugs.

    “Among those charged are 158 members and associates of MS-13, with 105 others allegedly belonging to other gangs. Authorities arrested 84 non-gang members wanted on criminal charges and 14 people on immigration violations as part of the same sweep,” according to the U.S. Customs Enforcement Agency.

    MS-13, the central focus of the federal agency’s efforts, is a gang that first originated in Los Angeles. Known as “Mara Salvatrucha,” the group was founded by a collection of Salvadoran immigrants fleeing civil war back home. Its membership spread throughout the United States, Central America and even Canada.

    Officials say they characterize MS-13 as one of the most volatile criminal gang associations known today.

    “Special agents with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit also seized 28 firearms, 10 kilograms of marijuana, 123 grams of cocaine, over 770 grams of heroin and about $22,400 in cash,” officials said. “MS-13 members engage in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking, murder, rape, robbery and other crimes.”

    Alongside other law enforcement agencies from Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador, U.S. officials say they’ve conducted international arrests of MS-13 members and their efforts have been ongoing. Back in 2005, government agents partnered with agencies from five other countries to “eradicate” the infamous gang’s stronghold over the worldwide landscape. They all collectively worked from a command post in Washington D.C.

    “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker.

    According to reports, MS-13 has expanded to more than 50, 000 members.  Its gang’s membership “now targets younger recruits more than ever,” according to a report by the FBI.

    FBI says that in order to combat the gang’s growing influence; they established a national gang task force in 2004 headquartered in Washington D.C. They say they’ll continue to work with other agencies “to help improve operations and prosecutions” of violent MS-13 gang members worldwide.

  • 263 Arrested: Gang Sweep Goes Nationwide

    The FBI conducted a nationwide sweep this week to bust hundreds of gang members, resulting in 263 arrests.

    Authorities say 158 of those arrested were members of the notorious MS-13 gang, a group with rap sheets that include murder, assault, sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping charges. There were also several immigration violations involved, as many of the gang’s members are immigrants from Central and South America. According to Homeland Security, the group is one of the most dangerous in America–operating in 42 states–but members aren’t confined to the U.S., which has made tracking their movements all the more difficult.

    Some of the items seized during the sweep included 28 firearms, 10 kilograms of marijuana, 123 grams of cocaine, over 770 grams of heroin and about $22,400.

    The bust isn’t the only gang-related crackdown to come this year; in June, authorities announced that 30 alleged members of Texas prison gang Mexican Mafia were arrested for their involvement with the Zetas cartel in bringing drugs over the border to distribute them north.

    “We will not tolerate any type of gang activity or organized crime,” DEA Special Agent In charge Javier Pena said. “If they are working an area we’re going to target them.” – See more at: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/30-arrested-texas-sweep-notorious-gang#sthash.QiSzIrkG.dpuf

  • Tweets Lead to Speeder’s Manslaughter Charge Being Upped to Murder

    An 18-year-old Pleasanton, California man who has been charged with vehicular homicide will see that change upped to murder based on a series of tweets.

    Cody Hall was charged earlier this week in the death of 58-year-old Diana Hersevoort. According to police, Hall struck Hersevoort and her husband with his car while they were cycling. Apparently, Hall was going over 80 mph in a 40 mph zone. Diana was killed, and her husband broke his arm.

    He appeared in court on Wednesday to face new charges of murder – a charge that will be bolstered by his tweet history. You see, it seems that Hall has a history of driving fast and recklessly, and then posting about it on Twitter.

    Hall’s Twitter account is protected, but Pleasanton Patch reports that in the past, Hall had tweeted about driving 140 mph and had retweeted such tweets as “drive fast, live young.” He also tweeted a suggestion that “someone come on a death ride with me.”

    Not only that, but he reportedly used Twitter to post photos of his speedometer registering high speeds, referring to his car as a “death trap.”

    According to the AP, the tweets will be entered in as part of a “pre-offense statement,” which is used to aid prosecutors in proving malice. Of course, increasing a charge from vehicular manslaughter to murder usually involves evidence that alcohol or drugs were involved, or that the incident happened in concurrence with another crime. The use of tweets to prove a pattern of speeding and/or reckless driving has to be a new one, however.

    Generally, tweeting about any sort of illegal behavior is just a bad idea. I mean, speeding all the time and endangering the lives of others is also a terrible idea – but tweeting about it takes it to a whole other level.

  • WalMart Shooting, Suspect Identified in Shooting of Wisconsin Woman

    A shooting occurred at a busy retail store in Wisconsin. The suspect is in custody and a victim is in critical condition.

    Justin Boyd, a 46-year-old, female cashier, reportedly walked into a Walmart, located in Neenah, and shot another female employee in the torso. The incident occurred at approximately 11 a.m. The victim was then rushed to Theda Clark Medical Center, according to a report.

    “The shooting took place inside the liquor department there,” according to a report by a local television station. “No other customers were in the liquor section when the gun was fired.”

    Neenah Police say they know the motive behind the shooting. They are not releasing any details as of yet.

    “At this point in time, it is too early to tell,” police Lieutenant John Carter said. “It appears we have a good handle on what took place.”

    Kevin Wilkinson, the Neenah Chief of Police, says the he, along with officers and local residents are still awaiting news about the victim’s condition. She endured surgery shortly after being wounded.

    “We’re still very concerned for the victim,” Wilkinson said. “We’re obviously all hoping and praying for the best for her.”

    Walmart spokeswoman, Diane Gee says the company is keeping tabs on the family and victim. She says Walmart hopes for the best.

    “We are in close contact with [the victim’s] family at the hospital and trying to be as helpful as possible during this difficult time,” Gee said to local TV station in a statement. “Our commitment right now is to work with law enforcement [to] provide them any information we have that might be useful for their investigation.”

    Local resident Marion Wiese says she has shopped at the local store for years. She says she is greatly saddened by what has occurred.
    “People should not be endangered when they go into a lovely store like this one,” she said.

    Police say they have charged Boyd with first-degree, attempted murder intentional homicide. She is in custody at the Winnebago County Jail.

     

  • Walmart Shooting Suspect Arrested, Victim Still Critical

    Police have made an arrest in the recent shooting of a Walmart employee in Neenah, Wisconsin. Forty-six year old Justine Boyd of Greenville, Wisconsin was arrested today on a charge of first degree attempted intentional homicide after allegedly shooting a 56-year-old cashier at the Neenah Walmart just before 11:15 Wednesday morning.

    Boyd, who also works at the store, was identified and arrested while officers were still securing the scene in the aftermath of the shooting. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the women apparently knew each other.

    The victim, whose name has not yet been released, is in critical condition at Theda Clark Medical Center. She was shot once in the torso. The victim was a cashier in the liquor section of the store, which is where the shooting took place. Unsurprisingly, given the time, there were no customers in the area at the time.

    Walmart spokesperson Diana Gee told local news media that Walmart was working closely with authorities to figure out what happened, and that Walmart is sharing its surveillance footage with police. She also said that Walmart employees are prohibited from carrying firearms while at work.

    Police and Theda Clark personnel are planning a joint press conference for Thursday morning at 10 AM to give an update on the victim’s condition.

  • Famke Janssen’s Apartment Burgled

    Have we seen this feature film before? Famed movie starlet, Famke Janssen, alone in her home, fearful after something bizarre has happened to her? Well, unfortunately, it’s a creepy reality, yet again, for the 47-year-old, Dutch actress.

    Most recently, Janssen reportedly told police that just this past weekend, she came home to her New York City penthouse to find a children’s book entitled “The Lonely Doll” near her bed. The thing is there were no children there to read it to. No one had access to the home either.

    “Police say there were no signs of forced entry, and that nothing in the home had been disturbed or stolen. Authorities are still investigating the alleged break-in, as the ‘X-Men’ actress says the children’s book doesn’t belong there.”

    The children’s book Janssen found by her bed features a story about a little doll named “Edith.” She lives alone until “Mr. Bear” and “Little Bear” comes to stay. When Mr. Bear decides to leave for awhile, Edith and Little Bear are bit naughty when they decide go through Mr. Bear’s things, of course, while he is out. What’s really scary about book’s content, at least in Janssen’s perspective most likely is that when Mr. Bear gets home he taunts Edith and punishes her for being bad.

    In 2005, Janssen had to contend with this kind of thing before. A disturbed fan reportedly sent her strange items in the mail. She had to file a report with the police.
    “Janssen had to file a harassment report with police over a persistent super-fan who sent her menacing letters and photos,” according to a report.

    Facebook is seemingly abuzz with commentary about the actress’ plight. Martin Arrowsmith said he is concerned.

    “So creepy. Reminds me of the late night break-in’s the Manson Farm used to pull off,” he said.

    “Yikes.”

    http://youtu.be/Zbz3XqwUo4Q

  • Fugitive French Nanny Gets “Frisky” on Facebook

    She took their hearts when they took her in. Trust isn’t the only thing missing for some victims now. Childrens’ piggy banks ransacked, credit and debit cards stolen.  One teacher says both she and her family may never be the same again from a frisky, fugitive nanny now on the run.

    “She is an amazing cook, very polite and very intelligent but behind all of that is a girl who is a thief,” Niamh Vambeck said. “We were completely taken in.”

    Wanted by police for theft an fraud, 24-year-old, Emeline Essertel doesn’t exactly hide from police. She attends sports events. She drinks and parties with her friends. She poses with statues and wears police costumes. While on the run, she posts pictures of herself and all the “goings on” on Facebook from various locations. Postings initially started after she skipped bail last March.

    “Since then the 24-year-old au-pair has updated her page 11 times on the social networking site, including posting photographs and updates telling friends she had been partying her way between London, Dublin and Amsterdam.”

    Reportedly “on-the-lamb” in south France, Essertel is currently looking for a nanny job. She wants to forget her past and very much looks forward to the future, according to her Facebook page.

    “An advert on a recruitment website, which she last logged into on 16 April, said: “It will be eight months since I returned to France to complete my nursing degree and I would like to go back to see other countries to learn new cultures and be able to speak English as soon as possible.”

    Investigators say they also look forward to the future, as well. They will continue to pursue the naughty nanny through London, South Wales and France.

    “Essertel had been working as an au pair in Llantwit Major. We are appealing for information as to her whereabouts and ask anyone who can assist us with our inquiries to get in touch.”

     

  • Drunk Driver Does Not Give a Damn, Dances for Cops

    Don’t drink and drive. Just don’t do it. But if you’ve already made the bad decision and have been caught by the police, I guess you might as well go down with funky dance moves, boasting about cougars, and some simulated motorboating.

    Dale Bentley of Gahanna, Ohio will go down in internet infamy as that dancing DUI guy. Sorry, Dale. you may have plenty of other life achievements – but to the internet you’re always going to be this guy.

    Police pulled Bentley over for speeding, and proceeded to give him a variety of sobriety tests. Exasperated by the whole process, Bentley eventually gives up and just admits to it. He then begins to put on a show for police – and lucky for us it was all caught on the officer’s dash cam.

    Oh, Dale. Dale, Dale, Dale, Dale.

    He’s been charged with operating a vehicle while impaired, speeding, and failure to comply. He’s due in court on September 5th.

    [WTAM]