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NY Rapist Sent Victim Pics Of Assault, Cuts Plea Deal For Prison Sentence: DA
A New York man who took photos and video of himself raping a woman and then sent the pictures to her has taken a plea deal and will serve six years in prison, authorities said.
William Smith, 24, pleaded guilty to first-degree rape at a hearing on Wednesday, June 24, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s office said.
Smith, of Schenectady, was arguing with a woman “well known to him” on the phone in February when he sent her the pictures of him raping her while she was asleep, prosecutors said. The attack occurred on Dec. 6, 2025, at a hotel in Schenectady, according to authorities.
A…
Drone Strikes JetBlue Flight At 3,000 Feet Near JFK, Pilot Says
A drone collided with a JetBlue flight landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday morning, June 29, according to the aircraft’s pilot.
The pilot alerted air traffic controllers at JFK of the collision around 7:15 a.m. at about 3,000 feet in the air, according to audio obtained by WABC.
“We collided with a drone back there in the turn as we were coming to ASALT, just wanted to pass to you,” the pilot said, according to WABC reporting.
“You said you collided?” the controller responded.
“Yup, it hit us, right above the cockpit,” the pilot confirmed.
However, the pilot said f…
Man Who Abducted Business Partner Outside NY Grocery Store Gets Prison Time
A California man who helped abduct his business partner in broad daylight outside a Westchester County grocery store before beating him and demanding nearly $1 million will spend years in federal prison, prosecutors said.
Lewis Li of Huntington Beach, California, 36, was sentenced Thursday, June 25, to six years in prison for the abduction and extortion of a man in Peekskill, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.
According to prosecutors, on Jan. 28, 2025, Li and multiple co-conspirators abducted their business partner to extort ne…
$2.5M LI Medicaid Fraudster Lived Large While Families Struggled To Eat: Prosecutors
A Long Island man who pulled off $2.5 million Medicaid fraud and spent the money on luxury cars and a Nassau County mansion has been arrested, authorities said.
Nduka Lewis Ekpenyong, a 36-year-old Hewlett man, submitted more than 6,000 claims for a children’s health product, but 90% of the filings were fraudulent, New York Attorney General Letitia James said Monday, June 29.
However, Medicaid reimbursed Ekpenyong for $2,531,194, the vast majority of which Ekpenyong pocketed for his own purposes, prosecutors said.
“While Nduka Ekpenyong was buying luxury cars with money he allegedly stole …
Scammers Target Data Breach Fears: How To Stay Safe
Data breach scams are on the rise, with cybercriminals exploiting real breaches to trick victims into handing over personal information.
These scams involve fake notifications sent by email, text, or phone calls, often claiming that your data has been exposed.
Scammers use tactics like creating a sense of urgency or impersonating trusted entities, such as banks, government agencies, or credit-monitoring companies. The goal is to scare victims into clicking malicious links, providing login credentials, or even making payments for fake services.
Michael Bruemmer, head of global data-br…
Hudson Valley Man, 21, Shared Video Of Child Sexual Abuse Over Snapchat: DA
A 21-year-old Westchester County man is accused of sharing a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child over Snapchat, prosecutors announced.
Port Chester resident Christopher Mendoza, 21, was arraigned on Wednesday, June 24, on a felony complaint charging him with promoting and possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office said on Friday, June 26.
According to the DA's Office, on Feb. 5, 2025, Mendoza shared a digital video of an obscene sexual performance by a child over Snapchat. This video allegedly depicted a man…
Lionel Richie Health Scare On Stage Causes Tour Opener To Abruptly End
The opening night of a major summer tour ended on an unsettling note.
Lionel Richie, 77, cut short the first show of his tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Wednesday, June 24, after saying he felt dizzy.
The concert was part of the “Sing A Song All Night Long” tour.
Richie stopped his set almost an hour in and sat down during a performance of “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Richie told the crowd, “When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
He then performed “Three Times a Lady” while seated before calling for an unpl…
Ny-based Blood, Sweat & Tears Grammy-Winning Lead Singer David Clayton-Thomas Dies
A voice that helped define one of rock’s boldest and most dynamic sounds has gone silent.
David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, died Wednesday, June 24, at age 84, according to multiple reports.
His publicist, Eric Alper, told CBC that Clayton-Thomas died peacefully at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. A specific cause of death was not given.
Clayton-Thomas became best known as the husky, gravelly, high-energy voice of New York City-based Blood, Sweat & Tears, the jazz-rock band that blended brass, blues, soul, and rock into a major late-1960s sound. …
Prison Dental Assistant Took $163K In Bribes To Smuggle Drugs Into NY Facility: Feds
A former contract dental assistant at a federal prison in Orange County, NY is accused of accepting more than $163,000 in bribes to smuggle drugs and other contraband to inmates, federal prosecutors said.
Terri Lynn Outer, 50, of Montague, New Jersey, was arrested Wednesday, June 24, on charges of bribery, providing or possessing contraband in prison, and conspiracy to provide or possess contraband in prison, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
Outer worked as a contractor at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville from January 2024 t…
Woman Admits Stealing Over $130K From Two Past Employers In Hudson Valley: DA
A New Jersey woman has admitted stealing more than $130,000 from two former Westchester County, NY employers and failing to pay taxes on the stolen money, prosecutors said.
Michelle Pennant, 48, of Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, June 17, to two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and one count of fourth-degree criminal tax fraud, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday, June 25.
According to prosecutors, Pennant stole $70,250.46 from a Westchester-based construction company between March 2023 and April 2024.
In a separate scheme, …
