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$350K In Cocaine, Fentanyl-Laced Heroin Seized, 26 Charged In Capital Region Drug Ring: AG
More than two dozen people have been charged following a major drug trafficking investigation that stretched into both the Capital Region and Hudson Valley, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.
The year-long probe led to the seizure of more than $350,000 worth of drugs, including cocaine and heroin laced with fentanyl, along with five handguns and around $67,000 in cash, the Attorney General’s Office said on Thursday, April 16.
In total, 26 suspects were charged with 276 crimes tied to a large-scale narcotics operation that authorities say distributed drugs across …
'Imma Violate You:' NY Rapper Sex Trafficked Teen Girl, Feds Say
A Long Island rapper sex trafficked a 16-year-old girl and threatened to “personally break [her] bones” in a menacing video, federal authorities said Friday, March 6.
Jimmy Francois, a 37-year-old Elmont resident, was arrested in South Florida in late January and extradited to New York earlier this week, the Justice Department said.
Francois, who goes by the stage name “Bentley Bugz,” advertised the girl as a prostitute in multiple states, including New York, and forced her to engage in sex for money, according to the feds. He also took explicit pictures of the girl, identified only as Jane…
Hotels, Drugs, Violence Used By Barbados Man To Traffic NY Woman
A man has been convicted of sex trafficking after using drugs and violence to force a woman into prostitution across Suffolk County, prosecutors announced on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
Michael Howell, 65, of Brooklyn and originally from Barbados, was convicted by a jury on Aug. 26, 2025, of two counts of sex trafficking and several related charges following a trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney.
Howell compelled his victim to perform sex acts for money between April 2023 and February 2024, renting hotel rooms …
NYC Restaurant Shooting Leaves 3 Dead, 8 Injured
A night of celebration turned into tragedy overnight when gunfire erupted inside a crowded New York City restaurant, leaving 11 people shot, with three of those dead.
The shooting broke out just before 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, in Brooklyn, at Taste of the City Lounge on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights, according to authorities.
Officers responding to frantic 911 calls found chaos inside the establishment, with victims ranging in age from 27 to 61, eight of whom were men and three women, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference.
The violence followed a dis…
New Travel Advisory Issued By State Department For Mexico: Here's Why
The US State Department has issued updated travel guidance for one of America’s closest neighbors, citing a mix of safety risks for visitors.
The advisory that went live on Tuesday, Aug. 12 applies to Mexico, where officials say travelers should “exercise increased caution” because of threats that include terrorism, crime, and kidnapping.
It is classified as Level 2 on the agency’s four-tier alert system, which ranges from Level 1 (“exercise normal precautions”) to Level 4 (“do not travel”).
According to the advisory, violent crimes such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking,…
Trio Ran $500K Luxury Car ID Theft Ring In NY, Dragged Cop While Fleeing: DOJ
Three men are accused of running a sophisticated identity theft ring that used stolen personal information of unsuspecting victims to buy luxury cars—some of which were stored on Long Island.
The defendants—Tiansi Gong, 26, of Manhattan; Kevin McCarthy, 31, of Selden; and Matthew Hibner, 36, of Huntington Station—are accused of conspiring to obtain high-end vehicles using stolen identities, then stashing the cars at a lot on Zorn Avenue in Yaphank.
Investigators determined that the scheme involved more than $500,000 in fraudulent vehicle loans tied to at least 35 identity theft victims, acc…
Man Threatened To Assassinate Kamala Harris On TikTok: Feds
A Pennsylvania man is accused of threatening to assassinate a former presidential candidate in a series of disturbing TikTok comments, federal authorities announced on Monday, June 23.
Steven Hartford, 37, of Shippensburg, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday, June 18, for repeatedly posting violent threats under the username “thealex13one13,” according to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus.
The threats began on July 21, 2024, after a media outlet posted a 17-second video of the female political figure with a caption asking if she might be the next Democratic nominee, the inve…
Gunman Went To Total Of 4 Lawmakers’ Homes Night Of Double-Fatal Shooting: Feds
The man accused of fatally shooting a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband also went to the homes of two other elected officials that same night, Federal authorities say.
Before ambushing Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and after wounding State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, Vance L. Boelter allegedly drove to the homes of two other elected officials — both of whom he failed to reach, according to a federal complaint unsealed Monday, June 16.
The Justice Department says Boelter, age 57, wore body armor, posed as a police officer, and used a vehicle rigged to resemble a la…
TikTok In Shock After Star Shot Dead On NJ Beach Moments After Final Video
A popular TikTok star was shot and killed Thursday night, June 12, on the beach in Long Branch — just hours after posting what would become his final video.
Chrystopher Whyte, of North Brunswick, was found with a single gunshot wound near the shoreline by Pier Village shortly before 9 p.m., NJ Advance says, citing a spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Whyte, who had more than 92,800 followers on TikTok, was known for his infectious energy — dancing in his car and surprising fans with backflips. His last video, in which he's sitting …
Woman, 2 Men Paid People To Produce Videos Of Monkeys Being Tortured, DOJ Says
Three Americans have been accused of participating in online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
An indictment, unsealed on Wednesday, June 11, names Katrina D. Favret, of Tennessee, and Robert M. Craig, of North Carolina, according to the US Department of Justice.
They are accused of conspiring with Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, Ohio — who was previously charged — to produce so-called animal crush videos. Favret is also charged with directly creating and distributing such content.
According to court documents, the group wo…
