Tag:

Snapchat

‘Call Me Daddy' Creepy Church Leader, Soccer Coach Raped Girl Before Kidnapping Her To Mexico ‘Call Me Daddy' Creepy Church Leader, Soccer Coach Raped Girl Before Kidnapping Her To Mexico
‘Call Me Daddy' Creepy Church Leader, Soccer Coach Raped Girl Before Kidnapping Her To Mexico Kevin Esterly — the Pennsylvania man who ran off to Mexico with a teenage girl in 2018 — has now been convicted of repeatedly raping the same victim when she was a child, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, March 5. The disturbing allegations first emerged when the victim came forward to police in February 2025, saying Esterly had sexually abused her for years, beginning when she was a child. A jury convicted Esterly, now 53, of rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and endangering the welfare of children following a trial that began with jury selection on …
Snapchat Meetup At NY Library Ends With Teen Raped Behind Fire Department: Indictment Snapchat Meetup At NY Library Ends With Teen Raped Behind Fire Department: Indictment
Snapchat Meetup At NY Library Ends With Teen Raped Behind Fire Department: Indictment A man lured a 16-year-old girl from a public library by Snapchat before allegedly raping her behind a Long Island fire department, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, Aug. 27. Delon Hughes, 34, of Brooklyn, met the teen at the Brentwood Public Library on June 11, 2025, after using the handle “Josephpatri9300” on Snapchat to connect with her, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney said. The two then walked to the Brentwood Fire Department, where Hughes sexually abused her among parked cars, according to investigators. Hughes was arrested in Queens on Aug. 7. A search of his cell…
Spotify Adds Direct Messages For Sharing Songs, Podcasts: How It Works Spotify Adds Direct Messages For Sharing Songs, Podcasts: How It Works
Spotify Adds Direct Messages For Sharing Songs, Podcasts: How It Works There's a new app where you can "Slide" into someone's DMs like a song by the Goo Goo Dolls or Calvin Harris and Frank Ocean. Spotify is rolling out its new Messages feature, the music streaming giant announced on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The messaging tool will help users share their favorite music, podcasts, and audiobooks without leaving the app. Free and Premium users ages 16 and older will start getting access to Messages throughout late August. The one-on-one conversations will allow friends and family to swap tracks, send texts, and react with emojis. Spotify said its direct mess…
Instagram Can Share Your Location With New Map: How To Turn It On Or Off Instagram Can Share Your Location With New Map: How To Turn It On Or Off
Instagram Can Share Your Location With New Map: How To Turn It On Or Off The latest Instagram update lets friends see your real-time location, but only if you choose to share it. Instagram officially rolled out the new location-sharing feature across the US on Wednesday, Aug. 6. The popular photo and video app now allows users to privately share their last active location with certain friends. The update resembles the Snap Map on Snapchat or the iPhone's "Find My" app. Both are popular ways friends use to track each other in real time. Instagram's location feature is off by default and only works if you choose to turn it on. You can pick whi…
Dad, Police Officer Caught Secretly Filming Minors At YMCA: DA Dad, Police Officer Caught Secretly Filming Minors At YMCA: DA
Dad, Police Officer Caught Secretly Filming Minors At YMCA: DA A Coatesville man employed as a part-time police officer is accused of secretly recording minors in bathing suits at a Chester County YMCA, prosecutors announced on Friday, Aug. 1. Mark Mackrell, 52, of Coatesville, was arrested on Thursday, July 31, and charged with Photographing a Sexual Act, Stalking, and Unlawful Contact with Minors after detectives said he was caught filming underage girls at the "YMCA Brandywine, 605 Airport Road location in East Goshen Township, Chester County" on Tuesday, July 22, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and as stated in the affidav…
NY Man Lured 11-Year-Old Boys Using Snapchat, Raping Them; More Victims Sought: DA NY Man Lured 11-Year-Old Boys Using Snapchat, Raping Them; More Victims Sought: DA
NY Man Lured 11-Year-Old Boys Using Snapchat, Raping Them; More Victims Sought: DA A Bay Shore man lured two 11-year-old boys using Snapchat before raping and abusing them in public bathrooms, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, June 11. Bradley Schioppa, 18, was indicted for three counts of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. Schioppa allegedly used the handle “paxonhotsg5” to join a Snapchat group chat with Smithtown-area boys in April 2025. Posing as a peer, he later began meeting the children in person, driving …
NY Teacher, Coach Lured Underage Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says NY Teacher, Coach Lured Underage Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says
NY Teacher, Coach Lured Underage Girls On Snapchat, Shared Child Porn, DA Says Charging documents reveal chilling new details in the case of a former Long Island teacher accused of soliciting nude photos from underage girls. Ryan McCaffery, 37, of Ridge, was indicted for promoting a sexual performance by a child and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Wednesday, June 4. A New York State Police investigation found that McCaffery – a former Riverhead High School teacher and coach – posed as a teenage boy in order to chat with numerous underage girls on Snapchat, according to the Suffolk County DA’s office. He sent images of his exposed genitals and requested nu…
Massive Data Breach Exposes 184 Million Accounts: What To Know Massive Data Breach Exposes 184 Million Accounts: What To Know
Massive Data Breach Exposes 184 Million Accounts: What To Know A cybersecurity researcher has uncovered a massive trove of compromised login credentials, raising new alarms about the scope and scale of InfoStealer malware campaigns. The exposed Elasticsearch database contained more than 184 million unique usernames and passwords. It was not password-protected or encrypted, and it was publicly accessible when discovered earlier this month. The database included login details tied to popular platforms such as Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.  It also contained services with potentially greater stakes, including banking portals, health …
'Wolf In Sheep's Clothing': HV School Coach Used Snapchat To Get Nudes From Minors, Feds Say 'Wolf In Sheep's Clothing': HV School Coach Used Snapchat To Get Nudes From Minors, Feds Say
'Wolf In Sheep's Clothing': HV School Coach Used Snapchat To Get Nudes From Minors, Feds Say A football coach and athletic director at a Westchester County high school faces federal child pornography charges after allegedly using Snapchat and other apps to coerce young victims into sending sexually explicit photos of themselves, prosecutors said.  Eastchester resident Thomas Puccini, age 28, was arrested on Wednesday, May 21, and appeared the same day in White Plains federal court, where he was ordered detained, according to US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton.  Puccini was employed as the Interim Director of Physical Education, Health, and …
NY Teacher Accused Of Requesting Nudes, Engaging In Sex Chats With Kids Hit With More Charges NY Teacher Accused Of Requesting Nudes, Engaging In Sex Chats With Kids Hit With More Charges
NY Teacher Accused Of Requesting Nudes, Engaging In Sex Chats With Kids Hit With More Charges A Long Island teacher previously accused of posing as a juvenile and engaging in online sexual behavior with pre-teens is facing a fresh round of charges. Ryan McCaffery, 37, of Ridge, was arrested again Monday, May 12, by New York State Police and charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors connected to alleged online activity involving underage victims. McCaffery is accused of using a Snapchat account to engage in highly inappropriate and exploitative conversations with minors under the age of 14 in December 2024, police said. He now faces the following charges in Suffolk County: …
Former NY Substitute Teacher, 41, Sent Inappropriate Snapchats To Student: Police Former NY Substitute Teacher, 41, Sent Inappropriate Snapchats To Student: Police
Former NY Substitute Teacher, 41, Sent Inappropriate Snapchats To Student: Police A former substitute teacher in Columbia County, NY is facing charges for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a student through Snapchat, state police said. Christina A. Lambert, 41, of Hudson, was arrested on Wednesday, May 7, and charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, according to New York State Police. Police said they received a complaint on April 30, 2025, about inappropriate contact between Lambert and a student. An investigation determined that Lambert sent inappropriate messages to the student through Snapchat, state police said. Lambert had prev…
NY School Lacrosse Coach 'Sextorted' 13-Year-Old Boy, DOJ Says NY School Lacrosse Coach 'Sextorted' 13-Year-Old Boy, DOJ Says
NY School Lacrosse Coach 'Sextorted' 13-Year-Old Boy, DOJ Says A New York school lacrosse coach is accused of coercing a teen boy into sending him sexually explicit content using a fake identity online, federal prosecutors said. Joseph Garofalo, of Valley Stream, is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, according to a federal criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York on Friday, April 18. Garofalo, an assistant lacrosse coach at Valley Stream Central High School, was arrested following a months-long investigation by the FBI’s Long Island Child Exploitation Task Force. According to a criminal complaint, Garofalo posed as someon…
Hudson Valley Man Used Snapchat To Lure Girls Into Sending Him Sexual Videos: Feds Hudson Valley Man Used Snapchat To Lure Girls Into Sending Him Sexual Videos: Feds
Hudson Valley Man Used Snapchat To Lure Girls Into Sending Him Sexual Videos: Feds A 46-year-old Putnam County man faces federal charges after allegedly using Snapchat to manipulate young girls into sending him sexually explicit pictures and videos of themselves, prosecutors said. Mahopac resident Brian Fullerton was arrested on Friday morning, May 2, and charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, beginning as early as September 2022, Fullerton used social messaging apps such as Snapchat to contact victims as young as 14 years old, eventually l…
'Callous Predator' Who Sextorted 13-Year-Old Girl Sentenced To Life In Prison 'Callous Predator' Who Sextorted 13-Year-Old Girl Sentenced To Life In Prison
'Callous Predator' Who Sextorted 13-Year-Old Girl Sentenced To Life In Prison A convicted child predator from New York was sentenced to life in prison for posing as a teenager in order to sexually extort a 13-year-old New Jersey girl. Zachary Williams, 37, of New York City, learned his fate in Camden federal court on Tuesday, March 18, following convictions for interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and related charges. After a nearly two-week trial, jurors concluded that Williams met the 13-year-old victim on Snapchat and pretended to be 17 years old. In reality, he was 33 at the time. Williams asked the girl to send him nude photos of …
Student, 14, Threatens Shooting At High School In Region, Police Say Student, 14, Threatens Shooting At High School In Region, Police Say
Student, 14, Threatens Shooting At High School In Region, Police Say A 14-year-old boy is accused of threatening to kill a classmate at a Capital Region school. Schenectady School District officials contacted police after learning that a student at Washington Irving School had threatened a 14-year-old classmate via Snapchat late Saturday night, Feb. 22, Schenectady Police said. Officers identified the suspect and determined that he threatened to bring a gun to school and kill one of his classmates following a dispute earlier in the week, police said. The teen was arrested on suspicion of aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor. His name was not publicized due …
18-Year-Old Accused Of Raping Teen On Boat In Hudson Valley: Police 18-Year-Old Accused Of Raping Teen On Boat In Hudson Valley: Police
18-Year-Old Accused Of Raping Teen On Boat In Hudson Valley: Police An 18-year-old Putnam County man was apprehended following an investigation into the sexual assault of a teen reported at a Northern Westchester marina, police announced. Brewster resident Azgan Mataj was arrested on Monday, Jan. 13 in connection with an incident at the Half Moon Bay Marina in Croton-on-Hudson on Saturday, Nov. 2, the Croton-on-Hudson Police Department announced on Tuesday, Jan. 14.  According to the department, on the day of the incident, detectives were told of a sexual assault at the marina and advised the 15-year-old victim to go to Westchester Medic…
Athletic Director At School District In Hudson Valley Accused Of 'Sextortion' Of Teen Athletic Director At School District In Hudson Valley Accused Of 'Sextortion' Of Teen
Athletic Director At School District In Hudson Valley Accused Of 'Sextortion' Of Teen This story has been updated. An athletic director at a school district in Westchester County has been arrested and charged in connection with allegedly extorting a teenager to send sexually explicit images and videos. Thomas James Puccini, 28 years old and employed as the Interim Director of Physical Education, Health, and Athletics by the Eastchester Union Free School District, was arrested on Friday, Nov. 1. He was charged with felony grand larceny in the fourth degree and was arraigned in White Plains City Court by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. Puccini has been pla…
12-Year-Old Accused Of Making Threat To School In Region 12-Year-Old Accused Of Making Threat To School In Region
12-Year-Old Accused Of Making Threat To School In Region A 12-year-old student in the region was charged with making a terroristic threat at a junior/senior high school. The incident occurred in Sullivan County on Saturday, Oct. 19, in Fallsburg. According to Fallsburg Police Chief Brendan Pavese, the juvenile allegedly made the threats on Snapchat and included a picture of the Fallsburg Junior/Senior High School auditorium.  The threats, which mentioned shootings, came to the attention of police and school authorities via parents and students, both the police and school said. After receiving the information, the police department worked a…
Threat To School In Region Leads To Arrest Threat To School In Region Leads To Arrest
Threat To School In Region Leads To Arrest One person has been charged in connection with an alleged threat of a shooting at a school in the region after an online post was brought to the attention of police by the public.  The incident occurred in Sullivan County on Saturday, Sept. 21, in Fallsburg. According to the Fallsburg Police Department, an arrest was made concerning the threat on Snapchat. Dr. Ivan Katz, the superintendent of schools for the Fallsburg Central School District, said students, parents, and the public also alerted district officials to the threat. "These threats, which mention shooting, are circulating t…
27-Year-Old Accused Of Having Sex With Teen He Met At Dutchess County Park 27-Year-Old Accused Of Having Sex With Teen He Met At Dutchess County Park
27-Year-Old Accused Of Having Sex With Teen He Met At Dutchess County Park A 27-year-old Connecticut man is accused of carrying on a consensual sexual relationship with a 15-year-old in a neighboring county in New York, authorities announced.  Litchfield County resident Kevin Brathwaite, of Sharon, was arrested on Monday, Aug. 19, and charged with second-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor, Connecticut State Police said.  The teen told police she met Brathwaite in Dutchess County at Thomas J. Boyce Park in Wingdale, where she was watching her friends play basketball. He offered to drive her home, but she declined. She was 13 years ol…
Update: More Details Emerge About Kidnapping Case Involving Missing 15-Year-Old CT Girl Update: More Details Emerge About Kidnapping Case Involving Missing 15-Year-Old CT Girl
Update: More Details Emerge About Kidnapping Case Involving Missing 15-Year-Old CT Girl Authorities have released more information about a case involving a missing 15-year-old Connecticut girl who was found in the Hudson Valley after allegedly being kidnapped by a 24-year-old man.  New Haven resident Marcos Alex Mendez-Torres was taken into custody by Connecticut State Police on Wednesday, June 26 after also being arrested in the Orange County town of Montgomery, New York on Sunday, June 23 in connection with a kidnapping case involving a missing 15-year-old Connecticut girl, State Police announced on Thursday, June 27.  Earlier Report - 24-…
Capital Region Child Predator Admits Blackmailing Kids Into Sending Nude Images Capital Region Child Predator Admits Blackmailing Kids Into Sending Nude Images
Capital Region Child Predator Admits Blackmailing Kids Into Sending Nude Images A convicted child sex abuser from the region will spend decades in federal prison after confessing that he blackmailed young kids into sending nude images. Rensselaer County resident Zachary Cota, age 31, of Castleton-on-Hudson, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography in Albany federal court on Friday, May 10. According to prosecutors, Cota admitted to using SnapChat to get three children to send him nude photos. Two of the victims were 8 and 13 years old. Once the children provided the requested photos, he reportedly threatened to reveal what they had done in order to get more illic…
Drunken, Snapchatting Driver Sentenced For Fiery Crash That Killed NY College Student Drunken, Snapchatting Driver Sentenced For Fiery Crash That Killed NY College Student
Drunken, Snapchatting Driver Sentenced For Fiery Crash That Killed NY College Student An admitted drunk driver who caused a fiery crash on a New York highway, killing a beloved college student, is heading to prison. New Jersey resident Vasu Laroiya, age 24, of Iselin in Middlesex County, was sentenced to 8 ⅓ to 25 years behind bars in Albany County Court on Friday, Jan. 26, after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide in the death of Katie Fisher. Laroiya admitted that he was Snapchatting while driving drunk at 156 miles per hour on I-87 in Colonie when his Tesla struck Fisher’s Honda Civic on the night of May 28, 2022. Earlier Report: Drunken Driver G…
Entrepreneur From Northern Westchester Earns Spot On Forbes' 30 Under 30 List Entrepreneur From Northern Westchester Earns Spot On Forbes' 30 Under 30 List
Entrepreneur From Northern Westchester Earns Spot On Forbes' 30 Under 30 List For Northern Westchester native Tom Weingarten, simply following his passion for sports and coaching and taking a chance ended up bringing him to a level of success that is now earning recognition from major national outlets. Weingarten, age 29, who serves as the chief growth officer for sports media company Overtime, was named on the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, which is released annually and features 600 successful young entrepreneurs, stars, and leaders who have already exhibited plenty of potential.  Since Weingarten joined Overtime in 2015 as a startup, it has grown to have …
Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say
Condoms, Rope Found On NY Man Who Blackmailed Minors Into Sending Nudes, Feds Say A New York man is in federal custody after allegedly blackmailing several underage girls into sending him sexually explicit images. Long Island resident Brandon Kern, age 29, of Bayport, was arraigned on multiple charges in Central Islip federal court on Wednesday, Nov. 22. An investigation found that between December 2020 and October 2021, he posed as a teenager on Snapchat in order to convince at least six underage girls to send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Some of the victims were as young as 12 years old, according to the FBI. When the girls attempted to block him, Kern al…
Teacher From Northern Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Social Media: Feds Teacher From Northern Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Social Media: Feds
Teacher From Northern Westchester Caught With Child Porn, Trying To Hack Social Media: Feds A 27-year-old teacher from Northern Westchester faces decades in prison after authorities discovered his possession of child pornography and an attempt to hack into a student's social media account, officials said. Yorktown resident and teacher Giuseppi Micciari, age 27, was arrested on child pornography charges and presented in White Plains federal court on Wednesday, Nov. 1, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, Micciari's arrest followed a review of his cell phone conducted by authorities that revealed th…
‘Tear Him Girl’: Kidnapping, Torture Of Man Inside Capital Region Home Lands Trio In Prison ‘Tear Him Girl’: Kidnapping, Torture Of Man Inside Capital Region Home Lands Trio In Prison
‘Tear Him Girl’: Kidnapping, Torture Of Man Inside Capital Region Home Lands Trio In Prison Three New York men will spend years in prison for kidnapping a man and subjecting him to nearly 24 hours of torture during which they repeatedly beat the victim, stomped his head, and encouraged a dog to bite him. Long Island residents Dwayne Henderson, age 26, and Danny Harrell, age 21, both of Nassau County, were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in Schenectady County Court on Monday, Aug. 14, following convictions for attempted murder and kidnapping. A third defendant, another Nassau County resident, Dieago Harrell, age 19, of Hempstead, was given 10 years behind bars after being c…
Hudson Valley Convicted Rapist Caught Blackmailing Teens For Sex Photos, US Attorney Says Hudson Valley Convicted Rapist Caught Blackmailing Teens For Sex Photos, US Attorney Says
Hudson Valley Convicted Rapist Caught Blackmailing Teens For Sex Photos, US Attorney Says A convicted rapist from the Hudson Valley on probation has been caught extorting teen girls online for sex photos and videos online. Orange County resident Cameron McEwen, age 21, of Middletown, was arrested on Tuesday, April 25 for targeting at least two girls online and forcing them to engage in sexually explicit activity or he would share their photos with others, said the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams. The criminal complaint charges that McEwen persuaded a 16-year-old girl (Victim 1) living in Alaska to engage in sexually explicit activity, take …
New Survey Reveals Gen Z’s Favorite Restaurant New Survey Reveals Gen Z’s Favorite Restaurant
New Survey Reveals Gen Z’s Favorite Restaurant When it comes to satisfying those hunger pangs, it turns out nothing does it for Zoomers quite like the delectably irresistible taste of America’s favorite chicken shack. A new survey by investment firm Piper Sandler found that Generation Z’s favorite restaurant is Chick-fil-A. Of those polled, 18 percent picked the Atlanta-based chicken chain as their favorite place to eat, followed by Starbucks (17 percent) and Chipotle (13 percent). The restaurant category was just one of several that was gauged as part of Piper Sandler’s 44th semi-annual “Taking Stock With Teens” survey, which includ…
'Dangerous Predator': Long Island Man Who Made Sexually Explicit Videos Of 9-Year-Old Sentenced 'Dangerous Predator': Long Island Man Who Made Sexually Explicit Videos Of 9-Year-Old Sentenced
'Dangerous Predator': Long Island Man Who Made Sexually Explicit Videos Of 9-Year-Old Sentenced A New York man who filmed himself sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl and sent child pornography to minors is heading to prison, thanks in part to the bravery of a Connecticut teenager. Manuel Geovanny Torres Rivas, age 27, of Hempstead on Long Island, was sentenced to 25 years behind bars Friday, Oct. 14, in federal court in Central Islip. The sentence followed his January 2022 guilty plea to sexual exploitation of a child. Federal investigators began looking into Torres Rivas after a 13-year-old Connecticut girl told her school that a user on the social networking app Snapchat had sent h…
Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Raping 14-Year-Old He Met On Snapchat Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Raping 14-Year-Old He Met On Snapchat
Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Raping 14-Year-Old He Met On Snapchat A Hudson Valley man has been arrested after allegedly meeting a 14-year-old girl online and having sex with her on multiple occasions. Orange County resident Marco J. Rivera, age 22, of Washingtonville, was arrested by the Ulster County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, Sept. 21 for the incidents which took place in July 2020. According to the Sheriff's Office, in June detectives received information from the Village of Walden Police Department about an incident involving a 20-year-old male who had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old female in July 2020.  Through investigation, it was …