Tag:

Federal Bureau of Investigation

'Stay Calm,' Say Rockland County Officials After Drone Sightings 'Stay Calm,' Say Rockland County Officials After Drone Sightings
'Stay Calm,' Say Rockland County Officials After Drone Sightings Rockland County officials are urging residents to remain calm after at least four sightings of drones were spotted flying over the region late Thursday, Dec. 12, and into New Jersey. “We understand that these drone sightings may be unsettling and are taking these reports seriously,” said County Executive Ed Day.  Day said he has notified federal authorities and written a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to have the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigate and provide answers about who is behind these drone sightings. The d…
Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say
Sibling Sextortion: NY Child Abuser Had Help From Sister In Cyberstalking Scheme, Feds Say A New York brother currently serving time in federal prison and sister are facing federal charges for an elaborate cyberstalking and extortion scheme involving explicit images and a fraudulent life insurance plot, federal authorities announced. Fred Mastroianni, of White Plains, and Doreen Mastroianni, of Yorktown Heights, have been charged with cyberstalking, extortion, and conspiracy to commit extortion, according to an indictment unsealed by federal officials. The pair allegedly targeted "Victim-1" by threatening to release sexually explicit photos and videos unless the victim complied w…
Know Something? $35K Reward Offered In Hudson Valley Cold Case Murder On 20th Anniversary Know Something? $35K Reward Offered In Hudson Valley Cold Case Murder On 20th Anniversary
Know Something? $35K Reward Offered In Hudson Valley Cold Case Murder On 20th Anniversary For the past 20 years, police in a Hudson Valley town have been working hard to find the missing piece that will solve the murder of a popular 32-year-old woman. On the anniversary the Town of New Windsor Police Department, in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Police is requesting information regarding the murder of Nancy S. Smith, of New. Windsor on Dec. 5, 2001. According to New Windsor Police Chief Daniel Valeri, Smith was found dead in her house on Provost Drive in New Windsor.  That day, Smith’s parents received a call from her …
Trump Taps NY Native Kash Patel, Extreme Loyalist As FBI Director Trump Taps NY Native Kash Patel, Extreme Loyalist As FBI Director
Trump Taps NY Native Kash Patel, Extreme Loyalist As FBI Director President-elect Donald Trump announced that 44-year-old loyalist and New York native Kashyap “Kash” Patel will serve as the next Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,  Trump described Patel as a "brilliant lawyer, investigator, and 'America First' fighter, in an announcement shared to social media on Sunday, Dec. 1. He praised Patel’s career of “exposing corruption, defending justice, and protecting the American people.” "He played a pivotal role in uncovering the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, standing as an advocate for truth, accountability, and the Constitution," Trump sai…
Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages
Woman Admits To Threatening NY Resident In Racially Charged Facebook Messages A woman has pleaded guilty to sending racially motivated death threats to a man in  New York. Kristin Keeble, age 54, of Pageland, South Carolina, admitted to transmitting threats to injure another person across state lines, according to the US Attorney's Office of the Northern District of New York. Keeble sent four profanity-laced, racially derogatory audio messages through Facebook Messenger on Oct. 26, 2023  to a Greene County man who resides in the village of Catskill. In the messages, she threatened to kill the man, along with a woman he knew and the woman's children, claimi…
Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says
Iranian Operative, 2 NY Associates Nabbed In Plot To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says An Iranian operative and two associates living in America have been charged in a murder-for-hire plot targeting United States citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump. Federal authorities have charged Farhad Shakeri, an alleged operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with two New York City associates in a plot to assassinate a US citizen critical of the Iranian government.  The case highlights the continued threat posed by Iran’s attempts to silence dissidents and even target top US. officials. According to the Department of Justice criminal complai…
Cold Case: Murder Of Baby From Region Solved After 27 Years Cold Case: Murder Of Baby From Region Solved After 27 Years
Cold Case: Murder Of Baby From Region Solved After 27 Years After some 27 years, detectives have solved the cold case murder of a baby boy in the region. Albany County resident Keri Mazzuca, age 52, of Altamont,  was charged in connection with the Sunday, Sept. 7, 1977 homicide, on Saturday, Sept. 14.  According to Albany Police Officer Megan Craft, around 7:15 a.m., Sept. 7, 1997, officers responded to the area of the Moses statue in Washington Park for reports of a dead baby.  A park worker found the child's body while digging a ditch next to a flower bed near the statue. When officers arrived, they located the dead infant who woul…
14-Year-Old Student From Region Made Threats Of Mass Harm, Police Say 14-Year-Old Student From Region Made Threats Of Mass Harm, Police Say
14-Year-Old Student From Region Made Threats Of Mass Harm, Police Say A 14-year-old student from the region has been arrested for allegedly making threats of mass harm to a high school through email. The incident occurred in Saratoga County on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at Shenendehowa High School West in Clifton Park.  According to Saratoga County Sheriff's Capt. Daniel Morley, the student, made several threatening emails to Shenendehowa High School West.  Upon receiving notification of the threats, Morley said one of the Shenendehowa school resource officers immediately initiated an investigation and quickly determined that there were no cred…
Here's What We Know About PA Man ID'd As Trump's Attempted Assassin: FBI Here's What We Know About PA Man ID'd As Trump's Attempted Assassin: FBI
Here's What We Know About PA Man ID'd As Trump's Attempted Assassin: FBI The rooftop shooter at former president Donald Trump's campaign rally has been identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Sunday, July 14.  Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 of Bethel Park, PA, was shot and killed by officials while still on the roof of a manufacturing plant about 130 yards, from the rally according to statements by officials.  Crooks had no criminal record, was a registered Republican, and previously donated to the liberal voter turnout group, Progressive Turnout Project, through ActBlue in January 2021, according to public records.  When he graduated fro…
Man Sets Fire To Hudson Valley Home Of Trooper's Father After Getting Traffic Tickets: DA Man Sets Fire To Hudson Valley Home Of Trooper's Father After Getting Traffic Tickets: DA
Man Sets Fire To Hudson Valley Home Of Trooper's Father After Getting Traffic Tickets: DA A 26-year-old has been accused of setting fire to the Hudson Valley home of a state trooper’s father after being issued traffic tickets. According to Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, the man, Tyler Williams, was pulled over and issued traffic tickets by a trooper while driving in Middletown on the evening of Dec. 20, 2023.  Early the next morning, a fire was started at the home of the trooper’s father in Warwick.  After a five-month investigation and the execution of over 20 judicially-authorized search warrants, largely focused on digital forensics, as well as n…
County In Hudson Valley Advises Residents To Be On Alert For Possible Attack After FBI Warning County In Hudson Valley Advises Residents To Be On Alert For Possible Attack After FBI Warning
County In Hudson Valley Advises Residents To Be On Alert For Possible Attack After FBI Warning Authorities at a county in the Hudson Valley are asking residents to be on alert if they "See Something, To Say Something," after a Federal Bureau of Investigation warning of a possible ISIS-like attack in the US. Rockland County officials said the county, towns, and law enforcement are on alert following an FBI warning sent to the US House of Representatives on Thursday, April 11. During that panel, FBI Bureau Director Christopher Wray said he was increasingly concerned about “the potential for a coordinated attack here in the homeland, akin to the ISIS-K attack we saw at the Russia Concer…
Mother Takes Son From Hudson Valley School In Violation Of Custody Order, Police Say Mother Takes Son From Hudson Valley School In Violation Of Custody Order, Police Say
Mother Takes Son From Hudson Valley School In Violation Of Custody Order, Police Say A mother has been charged with allegedly violating a custody agreement after allegedly taking her son out of a Hudson Valley school. Chana Elena Morales, age 32, of the Bronx, was arrested on Friday, Jan. 26 after taking the child from Maple Hill Elementary School in Orange County in the town of Wallkill. According to Lt. Robert McLymore, of the town of Wallkill Police, officers responded to the school after officials said Morales had taken the child in violation of a custody and visitation order. Around 8:30 p.m. the child, Morales, and her boyfriend, Johntae Xavier Williams, a …
New Update: Suspect From Westchester Nabbed In Shooting Of Off-Duty NYPD Officer New Update: Suspect From Westchester Nabbed In Shooting Of Off-Duty NYPD Officer
New Update: Suspect From Westchester Nabbed In Shooting Of Off-Duty Nypd Officer A 30-year-old man has been charged with shooting an off-duty police officer in a targeted attack that happened near a parkway in Westchester, authorities announced.  Port Chester resident Bryan Martinez, age 30, was arrested on Thursday evening, Nov. 16 in connection with the shooting of a 27-year-old off-duty New York City Police Department officer near the Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers on Tuesday, Nov. 14, Yonkers Police announced.  Earlier Report - Latest Update: Police Seek Help In Solving Shooting Of Off-Duty NYPD Officer In Yonkers On the day of the shooting, …
Search Intensifies For Suspect In Westchester Murder: May Have Fled To Southern US, Police Say Search Intensifies For Suspect In Westchester Murder: May Have Fled To Southern US, Police Say
Search Intensifies For Suspect In Westchester Murder: May Have Fled To Southern US, Police Say A year after a Westchester homicide that left a 29-year-old man dead, authorities are continuing to ask the public for help in finding the suspect, who is believed to have fled south.  New Rochelle Police are still searching for 29-year-old Mtayari Dixon, who is accused of fatally shooting New Rochelle resident James Caldwell, Jr. in October 2022, the department announced on Thursday, Oct. 26, the one-year anniversary of the incident.  Earlier Report - Police Offering Cash Reward For Suspect In Fatal Shooting Of 29-Year-Old In New Rochelle According to New Rochelle Poli…
Man Sends Bomb Threats To Over 150 Schools, Synagogues, Airports In NY, Other States: Feds Man Sends Bomb Threats To Over 150 Schools, Synagogues, Airports In NY, Other States: Feds
Man Sends Bomb Threats To Over 150 Schools, Synagogues, Airports In NY, Other States: Feds A 33-year-old man faces federal charges after sending bomb threats to over 150 school districts, synagogues, airports, hospitals, and malls in several states, including New York and Connecticut, officials announced. Peru resident Eddie Manuel Nunez Santos, age 33, was arrested by Peruvian authorities on Tuesday, Sept. 26 after allegedly placing a string of bomb threats in New York, Connecticut, Arizona, and Alaska in retaliation against teenage girls for them refusing to send him sexually explicit photos, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  A…
Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes In Westchester: Feds Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes In Westchester: Feds
Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes In Westchester: Feds A Westchester Sergeant faces federal charges after tasing a handcuffed victim seven times in the span of two minutes and violating their rights in the process, officials said.  Brooklyn resident Mario Stewart, age 44, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department, has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly using excessive force against a handcuffed individual in a March 2019 incident, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday, July 20.  According to federal officials, at the time of the incident, Stewart had been …
HS Senior In Westchester Offered $500,000 In Scholarships, 5 Full Rides HS Senior In Westchester Offered $500,000 In Scholarships, 5 Full Rides
HS Senior In Westchester Offered $500,000 In Scholarships, 5 Full Rides A high school senior from Westchester diagnosed with a learning disability proved anything is possible by being offered a total of $500,000 in scholarships and five full rides from 15 colleges.  Mount Vernon High School senior Mia Vaquero, who will be graduating in June, was accepted into 15 schools and offered a cumulative $500,000 in scholarships, Mount Vernon City School District officials announced on Wednesday, May 24.  The first person in her family to pursue a college education, Vaquero was inspired to work hard in school after seeing how much her parents, who cam…
Gas Station Robbery: Suspect Ties Up Clerk, Leads Cops On Chase In Westchester, Police Say Gas Station Robbery: Suspect Ties Up Clerk, Leads Cops On Chase In Westchester, Police Say
Gas Station Robbery: Suspect Ties Up Clerk, Leads Cops On Chase In Westchester, Police Say An armed gas station robbery suspect has been removed from the streets after allegedly tying up a store clerk and leading officers on a chase in Westchester County, police said.  The robbery happened during the early morning hours of Friday, March 24 at a gas station in downtown Port Chester, according to the village's police department.  The suspect allegedly entered the store, displayed a handgun, and then tied the clerk up before fleeing the scene on foot.  Patrolling officers working the midnight shift then spotted the suspect and ran after them, eventually taking them i…
Murder Of Hudson Valley College Student Remains Mystery 20 Years Later Murder Of Hudson Valley College Student Remains Mystery 20 Years Later
Murder Of Hudson Valley College Student Remains Mystery 20 Years Later New York State Police are continuing to investigate the murder of a 20-year-old Hudson Valley woman 20 years ago. Megan McDonald's body was found in Orange County on Saturday, March 15, 2003, in a field off Bowser Road in the town of Wallkill.  McDonald’s 1991 white Mercury Sable was discovered two days later in an apartment complex parking lot, in the town of Wallkill, said Trooper Steven Nevel.  The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma, Nevel said. At the time of her death, McDonald worked at the Galleria Mall in Middletown and was attending SUNY Orange …
'CryptoQueen' Charged In NY On FBI's 10 Most Wanted: May Have Armed Guards, Changed Appearance 'CryptoQueen' Charged In NY On FBI's 10 Most Wanted: May Have Armed Guards, Changed Appearance
'CryptoQueen' Charged In NY On FBI's 10 Most Wanted: May Have Armed Guards, Changed Appearance A woman charged in New York with stealing billions of dollars from investors around the world may have changed her appearance and be traveling with armed guards, according to federal agents.  Bulgaria native Ruja Ignatova, age 42, has been placed on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Ten Most Wanted Fugitive List for participating in a fake cryptocurrency scheme that defrauded victims of more than $4 billion in total.  The scheme began in 2014 when Ignatova founded OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed a fake cryptocurrency to investors. To solicit funds, she would make f…
'Potential Human Trafficking': Northern Westchester Business Busted For Unauthorized Practice 'Potential Human Trafficking': Northern Westchester Business Busted For Unauthorized Practice
'Potential Human Trafficking': Northern Westchester Business Busted For Unauthorized Practice Two people were arrested after an investigation revealed that they were running an unauthorized "massage parlor" in Northern Westchester, police said.  The arrests were made on Saturday, Jan. 21, after an investigation into the unauthorized practice located in Yorktown at 1924 Commerce St. was commenced by Yorktown Police, the department said.  Authorities also noted that the two people who were arrested are also being treated as victims as they continue looking into the matter.  "We are ever mindful of the potential human trafficking element associated with situations …
Accused Rapist From Hudson Valley Apprehended After Fleeing State, Police Say Accused Rapist From Hudson Valley Apprehended After Fleeing State, Police Say
Accused Rapist From Hudson Valley Apprehended After Fleeing State, Police Say A Hudson Valley man charged with raping a minor was caught after fleeing out of state, police said.  On Sunday, Oct. 16, police started investigating allegations that Orange County resident Jesus Torres, age 31, of Goshen, had sexual conduct with a child less than 13 years old, and learned that he had fled the state to avoid being arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 18, according to New York State Police.  With the help of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Torres was found in West Orange, New Jersey on Saturday, Nov. 5, and transported back to New York where he was arraigned in cour…
Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced
Ex-Yale Med School Worker Who Stole $40 Million In Electronics Sentenced A former Yale University School of Medicine employee who stole $40 million in computer and electronic hardware from the university has been sentenced. Jamie Petrone, age 43, a former resident of Naugatuck, was sentenced on Thursday, Oct. 13, to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for wire fraud and filing a false tax return, according to Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States attorney for the District of Connecticut. She pleaded guilty to the charges on March 28. Earlier report - Former Yale Med School Employee Admits Stealing, Selling $40 Million In Elec…
NY Duo Accused Of Scheming To Conspire With Chinese Government NY Duo Accused Of Scheming To Conspire With Chinese Government
NY Duo Accused Of Scheming To Conspire With Chinese Government Two New York residents are among five people who have been charged with various crimes related to a transnational repression scheme orchestrated on behalf of the Chinese government, federal authorities announced. Three of the defendants — Long Island residents Fan “Frank” Liu, age 62, of Jericho, and Matthew Ziburis, age 49, of Oyster Bay, and Qiang “Jason” Sun, age 40, of China — allegedly perpetrated in the scheme to target United States residents whose political views and actions are disfavored by the People's Republic of China government, such as advocating for democracy in the PRC, acco…
Details Emerge In Case Of Missing Hudson Valley Woman Found Dead Details Emerge In Case Of Missing Hudson Valley Woman Found Dead
Details Emerge In Case Of Missing Hudson Valley Woman Found Dead New details have emerged in the case of a missing New York woman found dead in North Carolina. An accused drug dealer in the Hudson Valley has been arrested for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and for traveling and using facilities of interstate commerce to operate a narcotics business enterprise, and murdering the woman who he believed was stealing from that business, federal authorities in New York announced. The filing of a criminal complaint in Westchester County, at White Plains Federal Court on Friday, April 22, charges Putnam County resident …
Accused Hudson Valley Drug Dealer Arrested In Connection With Murder Of One Of His Customers Accused Hudson Valley Drug Dealer Arrested In Connection With Murder Of One Of His Customers
Accused Hudson Valley Drug Dealer Arrested In Connection With Murder Of One Of His Customers Updated story: Details Emerge In Case Of Missing Hudson Valley Woman Found Dead An accused drug dealer in the Hudson Valley has been arrested for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and for traveling and using facilities of interstate commerce to operate a narcotics business enterprise, and murdering a customer he believed was stealing from that business, federal authorities in New York announced. The filing of a criminal complaint in Westchester County, at White Plains Federal Court on Friday, April 22, charges Putnam County resident Dwayne Pu…
Former NYPD Officer From Westchester Sentenced For Trafficking Meth, Liquid Date Rape Drug Former NYPD Officer From Westchester Sentenced For Trafficking Meth, Liquid Date Rape Drug
Former Nypd Officer From Westchester Sentenced For Trafficking Meth, Liquid Date Rape Drug An ex-NYPD officer from the Hudson Valley will spend a decade behind bars after admitting to his role in running a scheme to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine and liquid date rape drugs in New York, federal officials announced. Bronxville resident John Cicero, age 40, a former NYPD officer, pleaded guilty on Oct. 13, 2021, to distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and gamma-butyrolactone (known as “GBL”) in Westchester County and New York City. On Tuesday, April 12, US Attorney Damian Williams announced that Cicero has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, four years of …
Leader Of Hudson Valley "Southside" Street Gang Charged With Murder, Firearms Offenses Leader Of Hudson Valley "Southside" Street Gang Charged With Murder, Firearms Offenses
Leader Of Hudson Valley "Southside" Street Gang Charged With Murder, Firearms Offenses An alleged street gang leader in the Hudson Valley is facing life in prison after being charged with murder and firearms offenses, federal prosecutors announced. Ardae Hines - also known as “Young Money,” and “YM” - a leader of the Orange County “Southside” street gang in the city of Newburgh, is facing multiple charges for his role in the 2016 murder of Deandric Little. Prosecutors said between 2014 and June 2017, the “Southside Gang” operated around the intersection of South Street and Chambers Street in Newburgh. According to the indictment, to gain funds for the gang, protect the gang’…
Suspect Busted For Stealing $250K Of Phones In 2020 Hudson Valley Best Buy Heist Suspect Busted For Stealing $250K Of Phones In 2020 Hudson Valley Best Buy Heist
Suspect Busted For Stealing $250K Of Phones In 2020 Hudson Valley Best Buy Heist A second suspect who was part of an operation that stole nearly $250,000 worth of cellphones from a Hudson Valley Best Buy has been apprehended by investigators, state police authorities announced. Shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 27, 2020, State Police in Orange County responded to an alarm at Best Buy in Monroe, where there was a reported burglary in progress. En route to Best Buy, police said troopers spotted a grey Subaru Crosstrek with no license plates and three people inside the vehicle on Larkin Drive, prompting a traffic stop. According to investigators, two passengers fled the veh…
Northern Westchester Man Who IDs Himself As An 'Incel' Admits To Stalking, Terrorizing Women Northern Westchester Man Who IDs Himself As An 'Incel' Admits To Stalking, Terrorizing Women
Northern Westchester Man Who IDs Himself As An 'Incel' Admits To Stalking, Terrorizing Women A man who identifies himself as an “incel” or “involuntary celibate” has admitted to stalking and terrorizing at least two women, federal authorities announced. Peekskill resident David Kaufman, age 27 - also known as “David Khalifa,” “John Morray,” and “Big Man,” pleaded guilty to stalking multiple victims between October 2019 and August 2020, including terrorizing messages and inappropriate photos. According to officials, Kaufman self-identifies as a member of the “Incels,” or the “Involuntary Celibate,” which refers to a group of individuals who are “typically heterosexual, white males, …
CNN Producer Charged With Enticing Minors Into Sexual Activity, Feds Say CNN Producer Charged With Enticing Minors Into Sexual Activity, Feds Say
CNN Producer Charged With Enticing Minors Into Sexual Activity, Feds Say A Connecticut man who was a producer at CNN headquarters in New York City has been charged with sexually abusing underage girls. The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced on Friday, Dec. 10 that Fairfield County resident John Griffin, 44, of Stamford, was arrested by the FBI after a federal grand jury in Vermont charged Griffin with three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice minors to engage in unlawful sexual activity.  According to the indictment: From April to July of 2020, Griffin utilized the messaging applic…