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Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office

Jehovah's Witness Elder Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Children: PA AG Jehovah's Witness Elder Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Children: PA AG
Jehovah's Witness Elder Sentenced For Sexually Abusing Children: PA AG One of several Jehovah's Witnesses accused of child sexual abuse has been convicted, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office announced on Friday, Oct. 1.  Norman Aviles-Garriga, 44 of Lancaster County, molested at least three young children between the ages of five and ten, as Daily Voice previously reported. He has been sentenced to 11.5 to 23 years in prison for the sexual abuse, Attorney General Michelle Henry explained in an updated release.  Aviles-Garriga's status as an elder in his congregation helped him gain the trust of many parents and afforded him access to their …
'Suspicious' Voter Registration Forms In PA County Under Investigation: DA 'Suspicious' Voter Registration Forms In PA County Under Investigation: DA
'Suspicious' Voter Registration Forms In PA County Under Investigation: DA Some suspicious voter registration forms in Berks County are under investigation, according to District Attorney John Adams. "I want to be clear, these are voter registration forms — people's applications to vote," Adams said in a phone call with Daily Voice on Friday, Nov. 11. "These are not ballots." Adams confirmed that his office is investigating the suspicious forms, but he couldn't confirm the number or other details of the case. The Berks County Board of Elections referred about 1,300 suspicious voter registration forms to the district attorney's office on Thursday, Oct. 31, a …
Owner Of Health Network Sued For Cutting Services, Closing Facilities: PA AG Owner Of Health Network Sued For Cutting Services, Closing Facilities: PA AG
Owner Of Health Network Sued For Cutting Services, Closing Facilities: PA AG The company that owns a Delaware County health care network is being sued after its mismanagement resulted in cut services and closures of facilities, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Prospect Medical Holdings Inc. is facing a lawsuit for its years of neglect of the Crozer Health System, according PA AG. The lawsuit claims that Prospect Medical broke a 2016 court-approved Asset Purchase Agreement by cutting services and closing facilities while diverting funds to its private shareholders and investors. This led to a civil complaint, filed on Tuesday…
$850K Stolen In 'Theft-Return Scheme' By Organized Crime: PA AG $850K Stolen In 'Theft-Return Scheme' By Organized Crime: PA AG
$850K Stolen In 'Theft-Return Scheme' By Organized Crime: PA AG A criminal organization made $850,000 in illegal profits in a sophisticated theft-return scheme targeting TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Marshalls stores, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office said. Nine people involved with the Philadelphia-based organization, which has been in operation since 2022, were arrested and charged with numerous felonies, according to a Thursday, Oct. 24 news release from the attorney general. Davon Whitfield, 40, of Roslyn; Naima Scott, 47, of Abington; and Zonay Griffin, 26, all of Philadelphia, were named as the leaders who personally made about 1,500 transactio…
Father-Daughter Who Led Human Trafficking Ring Arrested: PA AG Father-Daughter Who Led Human Trafficking Ring Arrested: PA AG
Father-Daughter Who Led Human Trafficking Ring Arrested: PA AG A father and daughter who authorities say was the leader of a long-running human trafficking ring have been arrested, the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 22. Terrance L. Jones, 52, has been arrested leading to the disbanding of the Philadelphia-based human trafficking ring and charges against 22 people, according to PA AG. Jones had posed as a woman, known as Julia, to recruit commercial sex workers, who were then taken to and from "dates" by drivers Jones hired, the attorney general's office said. He ran the operation from his residence from 2012 through …
EX-Penn State Frat Leaders Sentenced For Hazing NJ Student To Death: PA AG EX-Penn State Frat Leaders Sentenced For Hazing NJ Student To Death: PA AG
Ex-penn State Frat Leaders Sentenced For Hazing NJ Student To Death: PA AG The former president and vice president of a frat at Penn State have been sentenced in connection with the death of a student from New Jersey, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1.  Timothy "Tim" J. Piazza, 19 of Lebanon, NJ, died at Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA, after being hazed at Beta Theta Pi fraternity on Saturday, February 4, 2017, according to his obituary and the AG's release.  Brendan Young, 28, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, and Daniel Casey, 27, of Ronkonkoma, New York, pleaded guilty to multiple misdemeanors including 14 …
GUILTY! FL Man Voted In Multiple PA Counties: USDOJ GUILTY! FL Man Voted In Multiple PA Counties: USDOJ
Guilty! FL Man Voted In Multiple PA Counties: Usdoj A 62-year-old man voted in Florida and Pennsylvania during the last presidential election and other elections, the US Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, Sept. 25.  Philip C. Pulley entered a guilty plea before Chief United States District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg for falsely registering to vote, double voting, and election fraud, according to the USDOJ. Pulley was also registered to vote in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and in Broward County, Florida in 2018, according to the release. Pulley, then remained registered in those counties and then also register…
Trio Steals Thousands Of Dollars Of Beef From Tractor Trailer:  PA AG Trio Steals Thousands Of Dollars Of Beef From Tractor Trailer:  PA AG
Trio Steals Thousands Of Dollars Of Beef From Tractor Trailer: PA AG Three Philadelphia men were arrested as they were stealing 1,600 pounds of beef from a locked trailer in the city, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office. Douglas Mathis, 36; Jamir Scott, 25; and Tariq Duncan, 31, were seen Tuesday, September 24, 2024, wearing dark clothing and masks while breaking a lock on a trailer in the 7300 block of Edmund Street, the Attorney General's Office said. They were carrying 25 cases of beef valued at $7,000 from the trailer to their van. Mathis, Scott, and Duncan were arraigned Sept. 24 with bail set at $200,000 each.  Mathis and…
Alleged Reading Human Trafficker Gets 22 Years For Ordering Jailhouse 'Hit' On Witness Alleged Reading Human Trafficker Gets 22 Years For Ordering Jailhouse 'Hit' On Witness
Alleged Reading Human Trafficker Gets 22 Years For Ordering Jailhouse 'Hit' On Witness A Reading man facing an ongoing human trafficking case could spend up to two decades in prison for ordering a jailhouse hit on a testifying witness, authorities say.  Dushawn Ellis was sentenced to 8 to 22 years behind bars on Monday, Feb. 26 for witness intimidation and obstruction of justice, said the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.  Investigators have said Ellis, 34, was in custody at the Berks County Prison when he offered another inmate $20,000 to assassinate the witness. The other inmate was an acquaintance of the witness and told him about the offer, accor…
Transgender Activist Arrested On Child Rape Charges In Philadelphia Transgender Activist Arrested On Child Rape Charges In Philadelphia
Transgender Activist Arrested On Child Rape Charges In Philadelphia A popular Pennsylvania transactivist has been arrested on child rape charges.  Kendall Stephens, 37, Philadelphia, became a bit of a local celebrity after a violent attack on her ended with the convict of Tymesha Wearing in 2020, the Philly DA explained at the time.  Following an investigation by the Attorney General's office into two claims that Stephens raped children; Philadelphia Police arrested her on Monday, Dec. 18, court records show.  Both cases list an incident date of Sept. 25, 2023, but Daily Voice has reached out to officials for more information. …
New Charges Filed Against One-Time PA Fugitive Danelo Cavalcante New Charges Filed Against One-Time PA Fugitive Danelo Cavalcante
New Charges Filed Against One-Time PA Fugitive Danelo Cavalcante The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has charged former fugitive Danelo Cavalcante with a host of new offenses related to his two-week manhunt over the summer, according to officials.  The 34-year-old is now faced with an additional 20 charges related to the gun, van, and personal items he allegedly stole while evading state police in September, said the AG's Office.  Cavalcante had been convicted of killing his girlfriend in front of her children when he escaped by scaling a wall at the Chester County jail on Aug. 31.  State, local, and federal authorities canvas…
'American Cultures' Teacher, PA Dad Admits To Uploading Child Porn To Kik 'American Cultures' Teacher, PA Dad Admits To Uploading Child Porn To Kik
'American Cultures' Teacher, PA Dad Admits To Uploading Child Porn To Kik The former eighth-grade "American Cultures" teacher at Hershey Middle School, Arthur "Art" Neal Titzel has pleaded guilty and been sentenced after being caught uploading videos of child pornography to the social media app Kik, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice.  The 53-year-old from Camp Hill is "a teacher of American history interested in the many stories that tell us who we are and where we came from," according to one of his many social media accounts. Apparently, social media is what got him in trouble as the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office charged hi…
Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure' Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure'
Grieving Bridgewater Woman Victimized By NJ Gravestone Scammer: 'People Can't Find Closure' Barbara Kalmus was still reeling from the death of her sister last May when she was preyed upon by Gregory Stefan, Jr. The Bridgewater resident was one of several people authorities say was grifted by Stefan, who was recently arrested on a warrant by police in Vineland for scamming customers out of thousands of dollars through his company Colonial Memorials, not long after it was revealed he had been doing the same with his father and brother with their Pennsylvania company, 1843 LLC. Following her sister's death due to cancer, Stefan reached out to Kalmus about getting a headstone for he…
3 More Men Arrested In Convicted Hacker's $2 Million Scheme At Pennsylvania Banks: AG 3 More Men Arrested In Convicted Hacker's $2 Million Scheme At Pennsylvania Banks: AG
3 More Men Arrested In Convicted Hacker's $2 Million Scheme At Pennsylvania Banks: AG Three more men have been taken into police custody inconnection to with a $2 million bank scheme, according to an updated release by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.  Less than one week ago, we reported that Carl Gonzalez, 19 of Highspire and Tyreese Lewis, 22, of Harrisburg, had been arrested for allegedly impersonating Pennsylvania bank employees and customers. Now, Jaire Amari Cotton, 22, of Harrisburg; Lavon Whittaker, 22, of Harrisburg; and Zyaire Monserrat, 22, of Steelton, join them in the Dauphin County Prison on the following changes.  Corrupt organizations Id…
Gravestone Company Owner Wanted Out Of NJ For Bilking Customers — Again Gravestone Company Owner Wanted Out Of NJ For Bilking Customers — Again
Gravestone Company Owner Wanted Out Of NJ For Bilking Customers — Again Police are hoping the public can help them locate the owner of a gravestone company who opened a New Jersey business after Pennsylvania officials shut him down for bilking customers. Gregory John Stefan Jr., 53, took money for a headstone and then failed to deliver for his customer, police in Vineland said. Stefan and his father, Gregory John Stefan, Sr., who was involved in previous businesses with his son, have residences in Conshohocken, Upper Darby, and Havertown, PA, records show. Earlier this year, Pennsylvania Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry announced a settlement wi…
Two 'Upper-Level' PA Drug Dealers Nabbed In $1.5M Fentanyl Bust: AG Henry Two 'Upper-Level' PA Drug Dealers Nabbed In $1.5M Fentanyl Bust: AG Henry
Two 'Upper-Level' PA Drug Dealers Nabbed In $1.5M Fentanyl Bust: AG Henry A pair of Allentown-based drug dealers are behind bars and more than $1.5 million worth of fentanyl was seized during a raid last weekend, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.  Wilson Jose Rosario, 33, and Luis Manuel Ventura, 21 — both alleged by prosecutors to be "upper-level" traffickers — were taken into custody by a team of city, county, and state authorities on Saturday, Aug. 26, officials said.  Officers, detectives, and agents with the AG's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation claimed to seize 11 pounds of fentanyl, or "nearly 165,000 doses of th…
PA Nurse Accused Of Neglecting Patient To Death: AG PA Nurse Accused Of Neglecting Patient To Death: AG
PA Nurse Accused Of Neglecting Patient To Death: AG A statewide investigation has led to the arrest of a 56-year-old nurse Harrisburg nurse, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry. Eliut Lopez Enriquez is accused of neglecting and mistreating an 80-year-old resident at Gardens at Blue Ridge located at 3620 North Progress Avenue, Susquehanna Township, Harrisburg, the AG explained in a release on Tuesday, Aug. 15.  Enriquez supposedly assaulted the elderly man while changing his wound dressings on March 17, 2022, "which caused him extreme pain and a substantial risk of infection," the AG said.  …
Montco Man Filmed Himself Sexually Assaulting Teen, Attorney General Says Montco Man Filmed Himself Sexually Assaulting Teen, Attorney General Says
Montco Man Filmed Himself Sexually Assaulting Teen, Attorney General Says A Montgomery County man is charged with multiple felonies after prosecutors claim he filmed himself sexually assaulting a 14-year-old victim.  Joshua Warner, 24, was arrested at his Elkins Park home on Thursday, June 15, said Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry's Office in a release.  Prosecutors said Warner met the teen on the messaging app Discord and later "arranged a meeting" where he assaulted her. Further investigation revealed evidence that the 24-year-old had recorded the crime and saved the footage to his cell phone, according to authorities.  “These charge…
PA Nurse Who Filmed 200+ Patients Naked Learns His Fate: AG PA Nurse Who Filmed 200+ Patients Naked Learns His Fate: AG
PA Nurse Who Filmed 200+ Patients Naked Learns His Fate: AG A former Cumberland County emergency room nurse has been sentenced for secretly filing 206 former patients while naked and incapacitated.  Michael Bragg, 42, of Chambersburg, previously pleaded guilty to to one count of aggravated indecent assault, one count of attempted indecent assault, 12 counts of sexual abuse of children, one count of manufacturing child pornography, 37 counts of invasion of privacy, and 6 counts of interception of oral communications. An investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office that determined he secretly filmed 206 patients at UPMC Carlis…
Philly Gun Traffickers Were Active Across SEPA, Authorities Claim Philly Gun Traffickers Were Active Across SEPA, Authorities Claim
Philly Gun Traffickers Were Active Across Sepa, Authorities Claim A group of eight suspected Philadelphia gun traffickers accused of putting nearly 100 firearms on the streets now faces criminal charges, officials say.  The crew, allegedly headed by 40-year-old Larry Williams, bought guns from legal vendors through straw purchases before reselling the firearms on the black market for a profit, said acting Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry in a statement.  State investigators say the guns were purchased in Bucks, Chester, Columbia, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and York counties and trafficked throughout Southeast…
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer Dies At 74 Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer Dies At 74
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer Dies At 74 Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Max Baer died overnight at his home near Pittsburgh, just months before hitting the mandatory retirement age of 75, officials announced Saturday, Oct. 1.  His cause of death was not mentioned, and the court issued the following statement: "Pennsylvania has lost a jurist who served the Court and the citizens of the Commonwealth with distinction.  Chief Justice Baer was an influential and intellectual jurist whose unwavering focus was on administering fair and balanced justice. He was a tireless champion for children, dev…
Ex-PA State Police Corporal Sentenced For Stealing Heroin From Evidence Room Ex-PA State Police Corporal Sentenced For Stealing Heroin From Evidence Room
Ex-PA State Police Corporal Sentenced For Stealing Heroin From Evidence Room A former Pennsylvania State Police corporal who stole heroin, used it on the job, and attempted to use work software to cover it all up has learned his fate, authorities said. Brian Edward Rickard, 48, of Honesdale, was sentenced Tuesday, Sept. 19 to six months to two years of house arrest followed by three years of probation, WNEP reports citing the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.  Rickard was charged in 2021 after investigators found he stole heroin from the Troop R evidence room, "ingesting it while at work and home, and using work computers and programs …
Accused Philly Area Dealer Busted In Raid With Stockpile Of Guns, Drugs, Stolen Cars Accused Philly Area Dealer Busted In Raid With Stockpile Of Guns, Drugs, Stolen Cars
Accused Philly Area Dealer Busted In Raid With Stockpile Of Guns, Drugs, Stolen Cars A suspected Philadelphia area drug dealer is facing multiple charges after being busted with a stockpile of guns, drugs, and stolen cars, authorities said. Joseph “Joey” Scott, of Middletown Township, was charged Thursday, Sept. 15 with several drug and weapons offenses and sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility on $1 million bail, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office. Local and state authorities recovered 10 handguns — including two illegally modified to be fully automatic — a bulletproof vest, ammunition, five stolen cars, crystal …
Man Was High On Mushrooms When Coworker Killed Him In PA Cabin: DA Man Was High On Mushrooms When Coworker Killed Him In PA Cabin: DA
Man Was High On Mushrooms When Coworker Killed Him In PA Cabin: DA What a family believed was a “modern-day lynching,” appears to have been a case of a hallucinogenic drug trip turned deadly, authorities say. Peter Bernardo Spencer, 29, of Pittsburgh, was found dead in the front yard of a home his coworkers had rented and invited him to in Rockland Township on Dec. 12, at 2:26 a.m. by state police, according to a release by the Venango County district attorney’s office in January. “We believe in this case that there is enough evidence presented for self-defense that we are not going to be able to overcome our burden and show this was not self-defense bey…
PA Man Stabbed Wife Dead With Fire Poker Over Bogus Affair Accusation: Report PA Man Stabbed Wife Dead With Fire Poker Over Bogus Affair Accusation: Report
PA Man Stabbed Wife Dead With Fire Poker Over Bogus Affair Accusation: Report A Pennsylvania man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and subsequently sentenced to life in prison for stabbing his wife to death with a fire poker over unfounded cheating accusations, reports Citizens Voice. Daniel Barrett, 40, of Plymouth (Luzerne County), beat and stabbed his wife, Mary Barrett, to death with a fire poker in January 2021, on suspicions she had been cheating on him, WNEP reported at the time. After Barrett confessed to the crime on Jan. 11, 2021, officers executing a warrant at the home found his wife's body in the basement "clearly deceased" and covered with a sh…
Mom Of Kidnapped Girls Murdered By Dad Files Complaint Against York Area Regional Police Chief Mom Of Kidnapped Girls Murdered By Dad Files Complaint Against York Area Regional Police Chief
Mom Of Kidnapped Girls Murdered By Dad Files Complaint Against York Area Regional Police Chief The mother of two young girls who were kidnapped, taken across state lines to Maryland and were found shot dead in a quadruple murder-suicide, has filed a private criminal complaint against the chief of York area regional police, area officials announced. Marisa Ayala Vicosa asked the police for help after she was held captive, drugged and raped by her estranged husband, a former Baltimore County police officer, Robert Vicosa, York County district attorney Dave Sunday said at a press conference. After Marisa Vicosa was freed-- under the guise of gathering supplies, Robert Vicosa along …
Pennsylvania Judge Takes Guilty Plea In Child Sex Assault Case Pennsylvania Judge Takes Guilty Plea In Child Sex Assault Case
Pennsylvania Judge Takes Guilty Plea In Child Sex Assault Case A Pennsylvania judge accepted a guilty plea in a case of child sex assault and obstructing a separate investigation, authorities announced Thursday. Perry County District Judge Michael Schechterly, 58, of Newport pleaded guilty to inappropriate contact with minors, intimidating a witness, and obstructing an investigation of sexual misconduct by a state constable, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro. Schechterly, who was elected in 2011, was charged with unlawful contact with children and other counts in Nov. 2020 following a state police investigation that found he sexually…
NJ, PA Trio Trafficked Dozens Of 'Ghost Guns,' Indictment Charges NJ, PA Trio Trafficked Dozens Of 'Ghost Guns,' Indictment Charges
NJ, PA Trio Trafficked Dozens Of 'Ghost Guns,' Indictment Charges Two Philadelphia men and one from Camden trafficked no fewer than two dozen untraceable “ghost guns” from Pennsylvania into New Jersey, a grand jury indictment alleges. Even more guns, as well as parts, large-capacity magazine and ammo, were seized during the investigation, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said Tuesday. According to the indictment returned in Trenton, Eduardo T. Lazo Jr., 26, of Camden, organized the operation and sold the illegal guns in Camden. Juan Enrique Fernandez, 29, and Ericknell Rivera-Mercado, 31, both of Philadelphia, are accused of bringing th…
Philly Priest Lied To FBI About Knowing Sex Abuse Survivor, Parishioner: Feds Philly Priest Lied To FBI About Knowing Sex Abuse Survivor, Parishioner: Feds
Philly Priest Lied To FBI About Knowing Sex Abuse Survivor, Parishioner: Feds An 83-year-old Philadelphia priest pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about not knowing a former parishioner and sexual abuse victim, authorities said. In Sept. 2019, Robert Brennan, of Perryville, MD, was charged with four counts of making materially false statements stemming from an April 2019 interview with FBI agents, according to Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. Brennan worked with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1993 to 2004 as a priest at Resurrection of Our Lord Church, authorities said. The Philadelphia District Atto…
Man Busted In Undercover PA Sting Indicted For Sex Assaults Of Unconscious Women Man Busted In Undercover PA Sting Indicted For Sex Assaults Of Unconscious Women
Man Busted In Undercover PA Sting Indicted For Sex Assaults Of Unconscious Women A former sheriff's officer from New Jersey busted in an undercover Pennsylvania child sex sting was indicted on accusations he videotaped himself sexually assaulting three unconscious women. A Monmouth County, NJ grand jury returned a 20-count indictment against Joshua Padilla, 36, for the incidents that spanned three years, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Monday. In February 2019, members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Bureau arrested Padilla, of Eatontown, in relation to an investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Off…
Scam Warning Issued By Pennsylvania Attorney General Scam Warning Issued By Pennsylvania Attorney General
Scam Warning Issued By Pennsylvania Attorney General Hurricane Ida brought heavy rains, flooding, thunderstorms, tornadoes and now it could bring home improvement scams. Homeowners should watch out for scammers who may target them with fake contracts, or phony government loans/grants, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says. CONSUMER ALERTAs PA recovers from Hurricane Ida damage — stay cautious of home repair scams. https://t.co/gkIqP4LJa1 — AG Josh Shapiro (@PAAttorneyGen) September 3, 2021 Pennsylvanians should not sign insurance checks or claims over to any contractor. Legitimate contractors and government agencies will never…