NY Man Who Posed As Fed To Steal Gold Bars From PA Woman Learns His Fate: Prosecutors NY Man Who Posed As Fed To Steal Gold Bars From PA Woman Learns His Fate: Prosecutors
NY Man Who Posed As Fed To Steal Gold Bars From PA Woman Learns His Fate: Prosecutors A New York man who posed as a federal employee to steal more than half a million dollars in gold bars from a Pennsylvania woman — and was later caught with a gold bar hidden in his sock — is headed to jail, authorities announced on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Zhong Ren, 45, of Brooklyn, was sentenced by Lancaster County Judge Todd Brown to six to 23 months in county jail after pleading guilty to stealing $555,892 worth of gold from an Ephrata woman, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office. Ren pleaded guilty on July 31 to theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy to commit theft by un…
Snapchat Addicts Kids, Lies About Sex, Drug Content, Lawsuit Claims Snapchat Addicts Kids, Lies About Sex, Drug Content, Lawsuit Claims
Snapchat Addicts Kids, Lies About Sex, Drug Content, Lawsuit Claims Snapchat was designed to hook children with disappearing messages, endless scrolling, late-night alerts, and friendship streaks — then marketed as safe for 13-year-olds while sexual, drug-related, and suicide content remained easy to find, Pennsylvania’s attorney general alleges. Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a lawsuit against Snapchat owner Snap Inc. on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Daily Voice obtained the redacted 49-page complaint, which was filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. You can read the complaint in…
Dua Lipa Visited The Capital Region For Her Birthday Weekend — See Where She Celebrated Dua Lipa Visited The Capital Region For Her Birthday Weekend — See Where She Celebrated
Dua Lipa Visited The Capital Region For Her Birthday Weekend — See Where She Celebrated International superstar Dua Lipa celebrated her 31st birthday in Columbia County, NY. The “Levitating” singer and her husband, Callum Turner, shared photos Monday, Aug. 25 from Art Omi in Ghent. “Birthday weekend,” Lipa captioned the 20-photo Instagram post. “Thank you for all the love and the wishes!!! ready for my next lap around the sun...it just keeps getting better.” View this post on Instagram Several of the snaps showed Lipa and Turner exploring the 120-acre artists’ park, which includes giant sculptures and at least 60 works spread ac…
Family Speaks Out After BF Says ‘Demon’ Made Him Kill College Soccer Star Family Speaks Out After BF Says ‘Demon’ Made Him Kill College Soccer Star
Family Speaks Out After BF Says ‘Demon’ Made Him Kill College Soccer Star The family of a soccer player stabbed to death by her boyfriend after he claimed a “demon” told him to do it is speaking out, calling the 18-year-old's killing a “parent’s worst nightmare” as nearly $60,000 has poured in to build a legacy in her name. “This is a parent’s worst nightmare. It has been devastating for family, friends, and the whole community,” Karoline Heintz's family said in a statement released through Pennsylvania State Police. “Karoline was loved by all. She was a kind, smart, beautiful girl. We want justice for our ‘sweet’ Karoline.” The family asked for privacy as they …
All Three Suspects In Deadly NY Double Stabbing Attack Now Locked Up: Authorities All Three Suspects In Deadly NY Double Stabbing Attack Now Locked Up: Authorities
All Three Suspects In Deadly NY Double Stabbing Attack Now Locked Up: Authorities Three men convicted in a deadly double stabbing in the Capital Region in 2024 have now all been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, authorities said Tuesday, Aug. 25. Javier Martinez Reyes, 29, got 16 years behind bars and five years of probation after pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter, the Albany County District Attorney’s office said. Martinez Reyes was one of three suspects in the case and the final one to be sentenced, according to prosecutors. Marco Reyes Lopez, 26, admitted to stabbing both victims, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, and was sentenced last month to 18 y…
NY Firefighters Condemn Past Chief After Wife's Death In Murder-Suicide At Upstate Home NY Firefighters Condemn Past Chief After Wife's Death In Murder-Suicide At Upstate Home
NY Firefighters Condemn Past Chief After Wife's Death In Murder-Suicide At Upstate Home Two Hudson Valley fire departments are condemning a past member and longtime former firefighter who authorities said shot and killed his wife before taking his own life in Ulster County.  Both the City of Poughkeepsie and Plattekill fire departments have addressed a Plattekill murder-suicide that left both former firefighter James "Jimmy" Brugger and his wife, Melinda "Mindy" Brugger, dead.  As Daily Voice previously reported, the Ulster County Sheriff's Office determined that James Brugger, 66, shot Mindy, 54, multiple times inside their Milton Turnpike home in Platteki…
First US Measles Deaths Of 2026 Reported First US Measles Deaths Of 2026 Reported
First US Measles Deaths Of 2026 Reported The first measles deaths reported in the US this year have been confirmed, officials announced Tuesday, Aug. 25. Both people who died were unvaccinated Lancaster County residents, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. They are the state's first measles-associated deaths since 1991. Officials declined to release their ages, sexes, or other identifying details, citing confidentiality. "We hope and we pray that those deaths will be the last," Gov. Josh Shapiro said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. The Commonwealth is battli…
'Jersey Shore' 2.0? Viral TikTok Shows New Reality Show Filming In Seaside Heights 'Jersey Shore' 2.0? Viral TikTok Shows New Reality Show Filming In Seaside Heights
'Jersey Shore' 2.0? Viral TikTok Shows New Reality Show Filming In Seaside Heights A new Netflix reality show from a producer behind MTV's "Jersey Shore" appears to be filming in the place that made the original series famous. A TikTok shared by user @mtlchlo shows a film crew in Seaside Heights, with the video claiming a "new younger cast" was filming a new Jersey Shore show. The clip had racked up 1.2 million views. According to Deadline, Netflix is working with "Jersey Shore" producer SallyAnn Salsano on a new reality show called "The Leftovers," which is being filmed across New Jersey. Deadline says the series centers on a group of friends coming together for the fir…
37 License Suspensions: NY Taxi Driver Busted After Blowing Stop Sign, Police Say 37 License Suspensions: NY Taxi Driver Busted After Blowing Stop Sign, Police Say
37 License Suspensions: NY Taxi Driver Busted After Blowing Stop Sign, Police Say A Long Island taxi driver who blew a stop sign was found behind the wheel despite having 37 license suspensions, police said. Dwight Douglas, 51, of Brentwood, was arrested on Monday, Aug. 24, after Suffolk County Police officers stopped him on Suffolk Avenue in Brentwood, according to a release issued that day. Third Precinct Officers Peter Leonello and Anthony Reyes-Torres were conducting directed traffic enforcement in an area identified for a high number of crashes when they spotted a 2016 Toyota Camry fail to stop at a stop sign around 10:19 a.m., police said. The Camry was operating …
Fugitive Cut Off GPS Ankle Monitor, Used Fake Green Card For NY Farm Job: Feds Fugitive Cut Off GPS Ankle Monitor, Used Fake Green Card For NY Farm Job: Feds
Fugitive Cut Off GPS Ankle Monitor, Used Fake Green Card For NY Farm Job: Feds A Guatemalan man who cut off his GPS ankle monitor and spent nearly seven years on the run has admitted using a counterfeit green card to get a job at a New York farm, federal prosecutors announced on Monday, Aug. 24. Edgar Diaz, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of immigration fraud on Wednesday, Aug. 12, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York. Diaz, a citizen of Guatemala who was illegally in the United States, was allowed to enter Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Alternative to Detention Program in June 2019 while his immigration case was pending, …
Police Chief Shuts Down DV Concerns After Wife Of Slain Cop Found Dead Police Chief Shuts Down DV Concerns After Wife Of Slain Cop Found Dead
Police Chief Shuts Down DV Concerns After Wife Of Slain Cop Found Dead The body of Karen Solomon, the wife of an off-duty police officer who was found dead in his Massachusetts home last week, was found after a six-day search, authorities announced Monday, Aug. 24. The 58-year-old woman, who was the founder and president of First H.E.L.P., an organization that works to reduce mental health stigma among first responders, was the primary suspect in the death of Worcester Police Officer Kurt Solomon, who was found dead on Wildwood Avenue just before 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Internet sleuths had been speculating that there was a history of domestic abuse, pr…
Retired Firefighter Killed Wife, Tried Hiding Evidence At Upstate NY Home: Sheriff Retired Firefighter Killed Wife, Tried Hiding Evidence At Upstate NY Home: Sheriff
Retired Firefighter Killed Wife, Tried Hiding Evidence At Upstate NY Home: Sheriff Authorities have released additional details, including the motive, in the deaths of a retired Hudson Valley fire chief and his wife. James "Jimmy" Brugger, 66, shot his wife, Melinda "Mindy" Brugger, 54, multiple times at their home on Milton Turnpike in the Town of Plattekill, representatives of the Ulster County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday, Aug. 24, following an investigation into the couple's deaths. Brugger then tampered with the evidence in an apparent attempt to hide it, before turning the gun on himself. Investigators believe the killing stemmed from unresolved domesti…
Judge In Lindsay Clancy’s Trial Rejects Mistrial Bid After Her Catholic Faith Enters Testimony Judge In Lindsay Clancy’s Trial Rejects Mistrial Bid After Her Catholic Faith Enters Testimony
Judge In Lindsay Clancy’s Trial Rejects Mistrial Bid After Her Catholic Faith Enters Testimony A judge rejected a mistrial request after a prosecution witness discussed Lindsay Clancy’s Catholic faith in front of jurors. The dispute came Monday, Aug. 24, during Clancy’s murder trial, according to NBC Boston. Clancy is accused of killing her three young children at their Duxbury home in January 2023. The children were Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months. @alysssssaaaunfiltered Aug 24 | Day 19 REDDINGTON CALLING FOR A MISTRIAL!! #reddington #lindsayclancytrial #mistrial #linsdayclancy #kevinreddington ♬ original sound - Alyssa Dr. Kirk Heilbrun had discussed Clancy’s s…
Teen Needed Surgery After Genitals Bitten During Sexual Assault At Hotel: Prosecutors Teen Needed Surgery After Genitals Bitten During Sexual Assault At Hotel: Prosecutors
Teen Needed Surgery After Genitals Bitten During Sexual Assault At Hotel: Prosecutors A woman was left unable to walk and needed surgery after a sexual assault at a Pennsylvania hotel, authorities announced on Monday, Aug. 24. Javier Santos-Rivera, 41, of Allentown, was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated assault, sexual assault, simple assault, indecent assault, and intimidation of a witness or victim, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said. Pennsylvania State Police were called to an area hospital around 7:17 a.m. on March 21 after a 19-year-old woman reported being sexually assaulted, according to the DA's office. Investigators d…
Child Sex Abuse Material Shared By 11 Cruise Ship Workers, Feds Say Child Sex Abuse Material Shared By 11 Cruise Ship Workers, Feds Say
Child Sex Abuse Material Shared By 11 Cruise Ship Workers, Feds Say Nearly a dozen cruise ship crew members were accused of sharing child sexual abuse material, according to federal authorities. Customs and Border Protection officers and Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested 11 crew members during "Operation Tidal Wave" in Boston, according to a news release. The arrests happened on ships owned by Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line between Friday, Aug. 14, and Sunday, Aug. 16. Federal officers boarded the Volendam and Norwegian Breakaway during the operation. CBP said the crew members received and distributed child sexual abuse a…
NY Police Capture CT Man Wanted After Woman Fatally Stabbed At Condo Complex NY Police Capture CT Man Wanted After Woman Fatally Stabbed At Condo Complex
NY Police Capture CT Man Wanted After Woman Fatally Stabbed At Condo Complex Police in upstate New York captured a Connecticut man wanted in connection with a woman's fatal stabbing at a condominium complex over the weekend.  Michael Ranger, 55, was arrested Sunday, Aug. 23, during a high-risk traffic stop near Rock Street in Sarasota Springs, New York. He faces charges of murder and violation of a standing criminal protective order, Rocky Hill police said.  The stop happened after a Sarasota Springs license plate reader got a hit on Ranger's vehicle around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, after Rocky Hill police shared a Facebook post about the fatal stabbing. Rocky H…
Assault, Weapon Charges Follow Weekend Gatherings In Albany: Police Assault, Weapon Charges Follow Weekend Gatherings In Albany: Police
Assault, Weapon Charges Follow Weekend Gatherings In Albany: Police Assault, weapon, forgery, and resisting-arrest charges were filed during a weekend of large gatherings in an Albany neighborhood, police announced on Sunday, Aug. 23. Albany Police made eight arrests Saturday, Aug. 22, and Sunday while responding to calls and large gatherings in the Pine Hills neighborhood, according to the department. The most serious charges came Sunday, when Eron C. Madden, 23, of Troy, was charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, police said. Madden was arraigned Sunday morning in Albany City Criminal Court and remanded to the Alban…
NY Taekwondo Instructor Arrested For Sexual Contact With Child: Police NY Taekwondo Instructor Arrested For Sexual Contact With Child: Police
NY Taekwondo Instructor Arrested For Sexual Contact With Child: Police A taekwondo instructor is accused of having sexual contact with a child he met through his Upstate NY business, New York State Police said. Patrick R. Hall, 33, of Schuylerville, was arrested Saturday, Aug. 22, and charged with sexual misconduct and endangering the welfare of a child, police said. Troopers began investigating Friday, Aug. 21, after receiving a report that an adult had sexual contact with a child. Investigators determined Hall met the victim, who is under 16, while instructing at his business, P.R.I.D.E. Taekwondo in Schuylerville, police said. Hall allegedly had sexua…
Retired Firefighter, Wife Found Dead At Upstate NY Home: Report Retired Firefighter, Wife Found Dead At Upstate NY Home: Report
Retired Firefighter, Wife Found Dead At Upstate NY Home: Report UPDATE: Authorities have released details and a possible motive in the deaths of retired Hudson Valley fire chief James "Jimmy" Brugger and his wife, Melinda "Mindy" Brugger. James "Jimmy" Brugger, 66, and his wife, Melinda "Mindy" Brugger, 54, were found dead in the Milton Turnpike home in Plattekill, Lt. Collin Reynolds said. "The investigation is active at this time, however we don’t have any reason to believe there is any danger to the public," Reynolds said. According to MidHudson News, Brugger retired from the Poughkeepsie Fire Department in 2025 after more than 27 years on the …
Massive Manta Ray Spotted At Popular Long Island Beach Massive Manta Ray Spotted At Popular Long Island Beach
Massive Manta Ray Spotted At Popular Long Island Beach A massive manta ray made a surprise appearance close to shore off Long Island. An oceanic manta ray was spotted feeding off Jones Beach State Park, according to New York State Parks, which shared video of the encounter on Aug. 17. The species is typically found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters, mostly offshore, according to NYS Parks. However, oceanic manta rays can also appear in New York waters during the warm summer months. Manta rays are filter feeders that consume large amounts of zooplankton closer to shore. In deeper water, they can forage for medium-sized fish, NYS…
Video Shows Hero Goose Honking For First Time, Alerting Sleeping Owner To Barn Fire Video Shows Hero Goose Honking For First Time, Alerting Sleeping Owner To Barn Fire
Video Shows Hero Goose Honking For First Time, Alerting Sleeping Owner To Barn Fire Goosey picked one heck of a time to find his voice. The 4-month-old Texas goose had never honked before — until a barn caught fire. Chelsea Gerber shared footage of Goosey's heroic act earlier this month on TikTok as The Fuster Cluck, where the feathered fire alarm has since gone viral. The clip shows Goosey waddling around and honking as the blaze burns in the background. Bert Gerber had fallen asleep on the couch when the bird's honking woke him at the family's Fort Bend County home, according to KHOU 11. Gerber went outside to see what had Goosey making so much noise and spotted hi…
NY Teacher Who Admitted Raping Teen Student Ripped By Judge At Sentencing: ‘Twisted Fantasy’ NY Teacher Who Admitted Raping Teen Student Ripped By Judge At Sentencing: ‘Twisted Fantasy’
NY Teacher Who Admitted Raping Teen Student Ripped By Judge At Sentencing: ‘Twisted Fantasy’ A Capital Region high school teacher was living in a “twisted fantasy, false reality” when he started a sexual relationship with his 16-year-old student, a judge said at his sentencing hearing Friday, Aug. 21. Drake Galarneau, 36, of Cohoes, got four years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of third-degree rape, the Albany County District Attorney’s office said. “What sort of twisted fantasy, false reality were you living in, sir, to think this was appropriate or somehow right for you as a teacher to have a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student?” Judge Roger McDonough as…
Ex-Abercrombie CEO Competent For Sex Trafficking Trial, Called Possible Ruling ‘Disaster’: Docs Ex-Abercrombie CEO Competent For Sex Trafficking Trial, Called Possible Ruling ‘Disaster’: Docs
Ex-Abercrombie CEO Competent For Sex Trafficking Trial, Called Possible Ruling ‘Disaster’: Docs Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries is competent to stand trial on sex trafficking charges, a judge ruled Thursday, Aug. 20. Jeffries, 82, was previously ruled incompetent to aid in his own defense, but following an extended controversy over his mental state, Judge Nusrat Choudhury compiled a 157-page decision that he would face the charges. “Jeffries clearly possesses a rational and factual understanding of the proceedings to adjudicate his criminal charges,” Choudhury wrote. “Jeffries has learned and retained adequate information about the interstate prostitution and sex t…
DWI Driver Who Killed Wynantskill Man In Crash Had ‘No Remorse,’ Victim’s Mom Says DWI Driver Who Killed Wynantskill Man In Crash Had ‘No Remorse,’ Victim’s Mom Says
DWI Driver Who Killed Wynantskill Man In Crash Had ‘No Remorse,’ Victim’s Mom Says A Capital Region man who killed another man in a drunken car crash last year was sentenced Friday, Aug. 21 to prison time, authorities said. Matthew Merriman, 30, of Rotterdam, will serve between six and two-thirds and 20 years in prison, the Albany County District Attorney’s office said. The sentence was in line with a plea deal Merriman took in June. Merriman ran a red light while traveling northbound on Everett Road in Albany and slammed into a driver who was exiting I-90 around 5:45 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2025, investigators said. Matthew Mardon, a 34-year-old Wynantskill man, was kille…
Child Sex Abuse Material Found On Albany Man’s Phone, Jury Takes One Hour To Convict: DA Child Sex Abuse Material Found On Albany Man’s Phone, Jury Takes One Hour To Convict: DA
Child Sex Abuse Material Found On Albany Man’s Phone, Jury Takes One Hour To Convict: DA An Albany man with child sex abuse material on his phone was convicted on eight counts, authorities said Thursday, Aug. 20. Kurt Nous, 54, faces a maximum of four years in prison for each count of possessing a sexual performance by a child, the Albany County District Attorney’s office said. Authorities began investigating Nous in October 2024 following a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, prosecutors said. State troopers searched his residence on March 12, 2025, and seized electronics, police said. Investigators found Nous had downloaded and saved child sex…
Child's Severed Ear Found In Home After Dogs' 2nd Attack; 3 Charged: Court Docs Child's Severed Ear Found In Home After Dogs' 2nd Attack; 3 Charged: Court Docs
Child's Severed Ear Found In Home After Dogs' 2nd Attack; 3 Charged: Court Docs A portion of a 6-year-old girl's ear was found inside a Lebanon County home after two dogs mauled her — their second serious attack on a young child at the residence — according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Friday, Aug. 21. Rebecca Hresko, 31, and her parents, Andrew "Andy" Hresko, 70, and Debra Hresko, 61, of the Hresko family, who run Hresko's Bar-B-Que Pit, have been charged for their respective roles in the attacks involving the family's dogs, Chip and Zeus, at their South Lebanon Township home. Rebecca Hresko faces First-Degree Felony Aggravated Assault of a Child, Sec…
NY Animal Rescuer Charged After Pug Dies; 44 Cats, Dogs Found In U-Haul: Police NY Animal Rescuer Charged After Pug Dies; 44 Cats, Dogs Found In U-Haul: Police
NY Animal Rescuer Charged After Pug Dies; 44 Cats, Dogs Found In U-Haul: Police A New York woman transporting dozens of rescue animals to Oklahoma was arrested in Pennsylvania after police found 45 animals packed inside a U-Haul without water and a severely injured pug that had to be euthanized, authorities announced on Friday, Aug. 21. Selma T. Kizil, 57, told Derry Township police she runs an animal rescue on Long Island and was moving the animals to her new home in Oklahoma City when officers discovered them at the Hershey Animal Emergency Center around 9:09 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, according to the department. Officers found the animals throughout the front and bac…
Alex Jones’ $50M Sandy Hook Judgment Slashed To $1.5M In Texas Ruling: Report Alex Jones’ $50M Sandy Hook Judgment Slashed To $1.5M In Texas Ruling: Report
Alex Jones’ $50M Sandy Hook Judgment Slashed To $1.5M In Texas Ruling: Report A Texas appeals court handed Alex Jones a major legal victory by cutting a $50 million judgment against him to $1.5 million, according to Bloomberg Law.  However, the ruling does not affect the $1.4B judgment against him in Connecticut.  The unanimous ruling came Friday, Aug. 21, in the 2022 jury trial involving Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose 6-year-old son, Jesse Lewis,  was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.  The parents sued Jones and his media company, Free Speech Systems LLC. Jones had claimed publicly that the shooting never happ…
Capital Region Coke Dealer Busted In Traffic Stop On I-87, Police Say Capital Region Coke Dealer Busted In Traffic Stop On I-87, Police Say
Capital Region Coke Dealer Busted In Traffic Stop On I-87, Police Say A Capital Region man was busted in a traffic stop with more than half a pound of cocaine, police said Friday, Aug. 21. Chasaun Pearson, 33, of Queensbury, was traveling on I-87 through Saratoga Springs on Monday, Aug. 17 when he was pulled over multiple violations around 1 p.m., New York State Police said. As troopers investigated Pearson, they found more than eight ounces of cocaine inside the vehicle, authorities said. The troopers were assisted by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s office’s K9 unit. Pearson was charged with first- and third-degree drug possession, along with the vehicle and …
‘Demon’ Made BF Stab College Soccer Star Dead, Mom Helped Hide Body: Court Docs ‘Demon’ Made BF Stab College Soccer Star Dead, Mom Helped Hide Body: Court Docs
‘Demon’ Made BF Stab College Soccer Star Dead, Mom Helped Hide Body: Court Docs A soccer player days away from starting her freshman year was stabbed to death by her boyfriend after he claimed a “demon” took over and told him to stab her in a Jeep parked near her dorm — then his mother helped clean up and conceal her body, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Friday, Aug. 21. Royce Joel Moser, 18, of Canonsburg, is charged with criminal homicide in the death of 18-year-old Karoline Jordyn Heintz, along with abuse of a corpse, conspiracy, tampering with evidence, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, and obstructing the administration of law, court recor…
Feds Detail NY Woman's Alleged Plan To Bomb State Capitol, Kill Senators For ISIS Feds Detail NY Woman's Alleged Plan To Bomb State Capitol, Kill Senators For ISIS
Feds Detail NY Woman's Alleged Plan To Bomb State Capitol, Kill Senators For ISIS Federal officials are detailing a New York woman's alleged plan to bomb the State Capitol, kill senators, and flee to ISIS-controlled territory in Syria. Jessica Bowie, 35, of Albany, made her initial appearance in federal court on a charge of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, the US Department of Justice said (see criminal complaint attached at the bottom of this news story). Bowie was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 19, as she took possession of what she believed was an explosive device intended for an attack on the New York State Capitol and state senators, authorities said. …