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Arson Fire Destroys 3-Story Multi-Family Building In HV: Tenant Charged, Police Say
A man has been arrested and charged with arson after allegedly confessing to setting fire to his own apartment in a blaze that tore through a three-story building in Putnam County, police said.
The fire broke out Wednesday, June 11, at 8 Old Route 6 in the Town of Southeast. When New York State Police and emergency crews arrived, they found the multi-family structure—containing 10 apartments—engulfed in flames, police said on Thursday, June 12.
Following an investigation, tenant Brian Cronin, age 43, of Southeast, admitted to intentionally starting the fire inside his apartment, according …
Fourth Teen Charged In $100K Lighthouse Arson Spree In Westchester (Update)
This story has been updated.
Four teens have been charged and a fourth is being sought after a weekend arson and vandalism spree caused heavy damage to the historic Tarrytown Lighthouse in Westchester County, police said.
The arrests were announced Friday, June 6, by Westchester County Police, who said two suspects—Elvin Ayavaca, 18, of White Plains, and Richard Barrero, 19, of Harrison—were arraigned in Sleepy Hollow Village Court.
Each is charged with three felonies: third-degree arson, third-degree burglary, and second-degree criminal mischief.
A third suspect, …
Facebook Friend, Roommate Stabbed, Burned Alive By Gang Member: AG
An Easton gang member with a violent past has been convicted of brutally killing his Facebook friend, 18-year-old Tyrell Holmes, stabbing him before setting him on fire while he was still alive, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced in a release on Monday, June 3.
A Northampton County jury previously found Alkiohn Dunkins, 26, guilty of first-degree murder and related charges after seven days of testimony detailing the 2018 killing. Holmes was discovered near a dumpster outside an apartment complex, suffering from four stab wounds to his neck and torso, authorities said.
Dunki…
Bonfire Left Burning Sparked 15,000-Acre NJ Wildfire, 19-Year-Old Man Charged: Prosecutor
A 19-year-old New Jersey man has been charged with setting the massive wildfire that scorched 15,000 acres and destroyed a commercial building this week, officials announced.
Joseph Kling, of Ocean Township (Waretown), was charged with Aggravated Arson and Arson in connection with the Tuesday, April 22 blaze, according to a joint statement from Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, NJ DEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, and Ocean Township Police Chief Michal Rogalski.
The fire was first spotted at 9:45 a.m. by the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower, which reported seeing smoke near Jones Roa…
19-Year-Old College Student Firebombed Tesla Dealership While On Spring Break, Feds Say
A college freshman on spring break is now facing federal charges after allegedly tossing a Molotov cocktail at a Tesla dealership, torching two Cybertrucks in a late-night firebombing.
Owen McIntire, 19, of Kansas City, Missouri, who attends college in Boston, was arrested and appeared in federal court in Massachusetts on Friday, April 18.
Prosecutors say the charges stem from a Monday, March 17 blaze at the Tesla Center in Kansas City, where he’s accused of using incendiary devices, including one that didn’t detonate, to start a fire that destroyed two vehicles worth more than $100,000 eac…
$13K Fraud: Ex-Husband Accused In Car Blaze Gets Larceny Charges In Croton, Police Say
A man already accused of setting fire to his ex-wife's car has now been charged with bank fraud and grand larceny in Westchester, authorities said.
Hari Valdez, 34, was arrested on Tuesday, Feb. 25, after Croton-on-Hudson Police linked him to unauthorized bank transactions totaling $13,000, the department said on Friday, Feb. 28.
The case began earlier in February, when a Croton resident reported two fraudulent withdrawals totaling $4,000 from their bank account. As detectives investigated, they uncovered four additional fraudulent transactions connected to businesses in New Roc…
Man Killed Couple, Dog Before Setting Hudson Valley Fire, Police Say: Victims' IDs Released
Authorities have identified the victims of a deadly Dutchess County house fire and filed upgraded charges against the man accused of setting the blaze, police said.
Paul and Jo-Ann Hait, ages 63 and 65, were killed in the fire that tore through their home at 78 Marlorville Rd. in Wappinger on Sunday, Jan. 26, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office announced on Friday, Jan. 31.
Following further investigation, officials now allege that Robert J. Buda, age 34, murdered the couple and their dog before setting their home on fire. The victims were known to Buda, but authorities have no…
Another Doc On Past Westchester Resident Diddy Sets Premiere Date: Here's Where, When To Watch
A new docuseries exploring allegations against music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is set to premiere this month, shedding light on decades of troubling claims surrounding the New York native.
Investigation Discovery (ID) announced that "The Fall of Diddy," a multi-part docuseries chronicling Combs' meteoric rise in music and entertainment and his allegations of sexual assault, violence, and other misconduct, will air on Monday, Jan. 27, and Tuesday, Jan. 28, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT.
Born in Harlem and raised in the Westchester County city of Mount Vernon, Combs, age 55, be…
New Doc On Past Westchester Resident Diddy Drops Trailer: 'I Didn't Want To Be Around Him'
An upcoming documentary on New York native Sean 'Diddy' Combs has just released a new trailer, and it already seems like the film will shed new light on the hip hop mogul's alleged dark side.
Peacock's "Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy," which will be released on Tuesday, Jan. 14, dropped its first trailer on Thursday, Jan. 2.
The film will offer a "raw, exclusive look" at the star, according to Peacock, and will also feature "never-before-seen footage and stories from those who know him best."
"Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy sheds light on his childhood, rise to fame, and …
$1.3M Insurance Fraud Scheme: Westchester Man Accused Of Plotting His Own House Fire, DA Says
A Westchester man is facing charges for allegedly orchestrating an arson scheme to burn down his home and claim over $1.3 million in insurance money, officials announced.
Yonkers resident Majid Haddad, also known as Peter Haddad, age 59, was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 17, by Yonkers Police and arraigned Wednesday, Dec. 18, on a six-count indictment, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah said.
According to Rocah, Haddad allegedly conspired with a man to set fire to his single-family home on Odell Avenue in Yonkers between Feb. 20 and Feb. 28, 2021. Investigators said Haddad …
Westchester's Sean 'Diddy' Combs Now Facing Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges: Feds
Following several lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and other abuses, successful hip-hop producer and New York native Sean "Diddy" Combs now faces federal sex trafficking charges, officials announced.
Combs, a 54-year-old New York City native who grew up in Westchester County in Mount Vernon, was arrested on Tuesday morning, Sept. 17 on a three-count indictment, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
According to federal officials, beginning as far back as 2008, Combs ran a criminal enterprise that involved sex trafficking, forced…
Man Nabbed After Starting Several Fires Around City In Westchester, Police Say
A 34-year-old man faces a felony arson charge after allegedly starting multiple fires across a city in Westchester, damaging a car in the process, police announced.
Yonkers resident Edwin Polanco was arrested on Monday, June 3, following several incidents that began around 1 a.m., Yonkers Police announced on Tuesday, June 4.
According to the department, Polanco allegedly set several piles of garbage on fire at that time, damaging a vehicle parked next to trash cans in one of the locations.
Soon after the fires were set, officers and detectives found Polanco and …
