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Police & Fire
Western Mass Ex-Police Chief Embezzled $19K In Overtime Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say Western Mass Ex-Police Chief Embezzled $19K In Overtime Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say
Western Mass Ex-Police Chief Embezzled $19K In Overtime Fraud Scheme, Prosecutors Say A former Massachusetts police chief is now facing criminal charges after investigators say he illegally collected nearly $20,000 in fraudulent overtime. K. Scott Kelly, 46, of Mauldin, South Carolina, the former chief of the Adams Police Department, was indicted by a grand jury on charges related to the alleged scheme, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said. The charges include procurement fraud, making a false claim to an employer, and larceny over $1,200 by a single scheme. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in state prison or 2.5 years in a house o…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
40-Foot Fall In Training Leaves Chelmsford Firefighter Fighting For His Life 40-Foot Fall In Training Leaves Chelmsford Firefighter Fighting For His Life
40-Foot Fall In Training Leaves Chelmsford Firefighter Fighting For His Life A 28-year-old Massachusetts firefighter was severely injured earlier this week after falling 40 feet during a training exercise, officials said. Chelmsford Firefighter Nick Spinale remained in critical condition as of Wednesday, April 8, after falling approximately four stories onto concrete while training at the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow the day before. He has been with the Chelmsford Fire Department for two years. Chelmsford Firefighters IAFF Local 1839 said he suffered multiple critical injuries, including facial fractures, serious internal organ damage, and fractures in…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Fake Botox Scheme: Mass Spa Owner Posed As Nurse, Injected Hundreds With Illegal Products Fake Botox Scheme: Mass Spa Owner Posed As Nurse, Injected Hundreds With Illegal Products
Fake Botox Scheme: Mass Spa Owner Posed As Nurse, Injected Hundreds With Illegal Products A former spa owner admitted in federal court to running a counterfeit Botox operation that impacted hundreds of clients across two Massachusetts locations. Rebecca Fadanelli, 40, owned Skin Beaute Med Spa locations in Easton and Randolph, accepted a plea deal on Tuesday, April 7, according to the US Attorney General for the District of Massachusetts.  Prosecutors say she took in more than $900,000 while posing as a nurse and using illegal cosmetic injectables. Fadanelli, of Stoughton, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including importing merchandise contrary to law and selling count…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Man Sentenced For Multi-State ‘Smash And Grab’ Spree That Hit Mass Luxury Store, Several Others Man Sentenced For Multi-State ‘Smash And Grab’ Spree That Hit Mass Luxury Store, Several Others
Man Sentenced For Multi-State ‘Smash And Grab’ Spree That Hit Mass Luxury Store, Several Others A Washington, D.C., man will serve prison time for his role in a sweeping smash-and-grab series of retail burglaries that stretched across the East Coast, federal officials said. Ronald Patterson Jr., 35, was sentenced last week in federal court in Boston to three years and a month in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. He will also serve three years of supervised release and must pay $33,000 in restitution. Prosecutors said Patterson was part of a group behind a string of “smash and grab” break-ins targeting luxury stores from Florida to Massa…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Ex-USPS Worker Who Stole $8K In Cash, Gift Cards From Mail In Melrose, Revere, Avoids Jail: DOJ Ex-USPS Worker Who Stole $8K In Cash, Gift Cards From Mail In Melrose, Revere, Avoids Jail: DOJ
Ex-usps Worker Who Stole $8K In Cash, Gift Cards From Mail In Melrose, Revere, Avoids Jail: DOJ A former postal worker who admitted to stealing hundreds of pieces of mail containing cash, checks, and gift cards, and generating fraudulent money orders worth more than $8,000 combined, was sentenced to probation, authorities said. Michael Murray, 38, of Lynn, received 30 months of probation at his sentencing on Tuesday, April 7, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The judge also ordered him to pay $8,553 in restitution and forfeit $5,130. Murray worked as a clerk at the Beach Street Post Office in Revere and the Melrose Post Office from September 20…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Two Dogs Dead In Mass House Fire Two Dogs Dead In Mass House Fire
Two Dogs Dead In Mass House Fire A blaze engulfed a house in Gloucester on Monday afternoon, April 6, leaving two dogs dead, officials said. Crews from the Gloucester Fire Department were called around 12:42 p.m. to 146 Magnolia Ave. and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the home, prompting a working fire response, firefighters said in a press release. All people inside the home were able to evacuate safely, and no injuries were reported, according to officials. Firefighters established a nearby water supply and brought the blaze under control by approximately 1:22 p.m., officials said. National Grid responded…

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by Ethan Cotler
Police & Fire
Mass. Woman ID'd After Fatal Easter Weekend House Fire, Officials Say Mass. Woman ID'd After Fatal Easter Weekend House Fire, Officials Say
Mass. Woman ID'd After Fatal Easter Weekend House Fire, Officials Say A woman in her 40s was killed in a house fire in Massachusetts early Saturday, April 4, according to fire officials. The fire broke out on Glendale Avenue in Brockton shortly after midnight, authorities said. When firefighters arrived, there was a heavy fire on the second floor of the home, Brockton Fire Chief Brian Nardelli said in an interview with CBS News. Crews entered the residence and found the room where the woman was located fully engulfed in flames, Nardelli said. After extinguishing the fire, firefighters discovered her remains inside. The victim has been identified as Jacque…

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by Ethan Cotler
Police & Fire
Teen Stuck In Mud During Night Hike At National Wildlife Refuge Rescued By Police Helicopter Teen Stuck In Mud During Night Hike At National Wildlife Refuge Rescued By Police Helicopter
Teen Stuck In Mud During Night Hike At National Wildlife Refuge Rescued By Police Helicopter A teenager was rescued after getting stuck in muddy water while hiking after dark at a US wildlife refuge, police said. The 15-year-old, called 911 after becoming trapped in mud inside Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge at 7:27 p.m. on Sunday, April 5, according to Suffolk County police. The Shirley, Long Island teenager told dispatchers he had gone for a walk on the trails and could not find his way back after nightfall. While trying to navigate through the woods, he stepped into an offshoot of the Carmans River, sinking into the mud and becoming stuck, police said. Aviation Section offi…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
Details Released In I-78 Plane Landing Details Released In I-78 Plane Landing
Details Released In I-78 Plane Landing A small plane made an emergency landing on Interstate 78 in Lehigh County after experiencing engine trouble, authorities said. Pennsylvania State Police received a call at approximately 9:19 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, 2026, reporting a plane on I-78 east in Weisenberg Township. Investigators determined the 1995 Commander 114B aircraft had departed from Solberg Airport in New Jersey and was headed to Indiana when the pilot reported unknown engine problems, State Police said. The pilot, a 65-year-old man from Michigan, attempted to reach a nearby airport but instead landed at mile marker…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Mass Foster Parents Sentenced In 10-Month-Old's Death, Will Serve Prison Terms Back-To-Back Mass Foster Parents Sentenced In 10-Month-Old's Death, Will Serve Prison Terms Back-To-Back
Mass Foster Parents Sentenced In 10-Month-Old's Death, Will Serve Prison Terms Back-To-Back A Berkshire County couple will serve prison time for the death of their 10-month-old foster child, with the judge ordering their sentences to run one after the other. On Thursday, April 2, Superior Court Judge Tracy Duncan sentenced Matthew Tucker and Cassandra Barlow-Tucker, of Adams, to three to five years in state prison after their convictions for involuntary manslaughter and reckless child endangerment, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  The case centers on the death of 10-month-old Kristoff Zenopolous. Prosecutors said the couple ignored clear signs the child need…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Deported Twice, Back Again: Peruvian Man Arrested In Western Mass Faces 20 Years In Prison Deported Twice, Back Again: Peruvian Man Arrested In Western Mass Faces 20 Years In Prison
Deported Twice, Back Again: Peruvian Man Arrested In Western Mass Faces 20 Years In Prison A man deported twice from the United States is now facing a new federal charge after authorities say he returned again and was arrested in Massachusetts. Cesar Ruben Yllescas, 52, a citizen of Peru, has been charged with unlawful reentry of a removed alien, according to the Department of Justice.  The latest arrest happened on March 20 in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Police took Yllescas into custody on motor vehicle-related charges and an outstanding warrant tied to a 2015 failure to appear in court for a probation violation. Just days later, on March 23, ICE agents arrested him a…

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by Josh Lanier
Police & Fire
Sword-Wielding Mass Man Who Threatened To Kill Trump Arrested At His Home Sword-Wielding Mass Man Who Threatened To Kill Trump Arrested At His Home
Sword-Wielding Mass Man Who Threatened To Kill Trump Arrested At His Home A Massachusetts man is facing federal charges after authorities say he made repeated threats online to kill U.S. President Donald Trump, leading to a tense standoff at his home. Andrew Emerald, 45, of Great Barrington, was arrested by FBI agents last week after he allegedly made several Facebook threats, vowing to harm Trump, the US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts said.  "Either Trump is dead and in the ground by 2026 or I am hunting him down and putting him there," Emerald wrote in May 2025, according to the indictment. "Do you hear that FBI and any other organization …

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by Josh Lanier