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Zak Failla

Assistant Managing Editor

zfailla@dailyvoice.com

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Equal parts Lois Lane, J. Jonah Jameson and Vicki Vale, Zak! has traveled from coast-to-coast covering small and big town community news in both in print and online for nearly a decade since his graduation from the award-winning Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College in 2010.

Before settling into the Hudson Valley, Zak! previously spent time in the New York Daily News newsroom and worked for hyperlocal digital news outlets on Long Island. He wrote sports for The Ithacan and The Ithaca Journal before taking his talents to the Pacific Northwest, where he served as the sports editor at the Shoshone News-Press until heading back east to work with Daily Voice.

Zak Failla's Contributions

News
Felon Running Drug Operation From Luxury Baltimore Apartment Linked To China Suppliers: Feds Felon Running Drug Operation From Luxury Baltimore Apartment Linked To China Suppliers: Feds
Felon Running Drug Operation From Luxury Baltimore Apartment Linked To China Suppliers: Feds A convicted felon living in a luxury Baltimore apartment was found guilty of possessing fentanyl and firearms, including a "ghost gun," in connection with drug trafficking, federal officials announced Monday. Ryan E. Dales, 36, was convicted on multiple charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, after a four-day trial in Baltimore, authorities said on Dec. 9. According to evidence presented at trial, Dales operated a drug trafficking operation out of his residence…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
La Plata Man Busted Using Curious Methods In Effort To Set Home Ablaze With Others Inside: PD La Plata Man Busted Using Curious Methods In Effort To Set Home Ablaze With Others Inside: PD
La Plata Man Busted Using Curious Methods In Effort To Set Home Ablaze With Others Inside: PD A tense situation unfolded over the weekend in Charles County as La Plata police arrested a man accused of trying to set his home on fire with several people inside. Officers responded to the 600 block of Hemlock Court on Saturday, Dec. 7 at around 4:15 a.m. after a call taker overheard someone making arson threats during a 911 call, police said.  Upon arrival, officers learned the suspect, identified as Michael Darnel Lassiter, 59, was reportedly attempting to ignite a fire using the oven, stove burners, and cooking oil. According to a witness, Lassiter’s actions endangered the other…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Winning Numbers For Monday, Dec. 9 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $20M Jackpot Winning Numbers For Monday, Dec. 9 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $20M Jackpot
Winning Numbers For Monday, Dec. 9 Powerball Drawing With Estimated $20M Jackpot The winning numbers have been announced for the Monday, Dec. 9 Powerball drawing. The estimated jackpot is $20 million with a $9.7 million cash option after a player in New York recently won the jackpot and reset the prize pool.  If no winner claims the top prize, the jackpot will continue to roll until the next drawing at 10:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The winning numbers for Monday's drawing were 35-37-40-45-61 with a Powerball of 24 and the Power Play was 2X. Lottery players have a 1 in 292,201,338 chance of winning a Powerball jackpot by matching all five b…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
UVA Alum Harmeet Dhillon Nominated For Prestigious DOJ Role In Trump Administration UVA Alum Harmeet Dhillon Nominated For Prestigious DOJ Role In Trump Administration
UVA Alum Harmeet Dhillon Nominated For Prestigious DOJ Role In Trump Administration A Virginia legal luminary with deep ties to the Commonwealth has been tapped for a high-profile role in the Trump administration, authorities announced Monday. Harmeet K. Dhillon, a University of Virginia Law School alumna and former editorial board member of the Virginia Law Review, has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the US Department of Justice. Dhillon butted head with Virginia officials repeatedly about COVID-19 matters inclucing issues such as PPP funding, face masks, and other policies that were put in place du…

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by Zak Failla
News
Justice Served: Former Sheriff's Deputy In Maryland Convicted Of Rape, Misconduct While On Duty Justice Served: Former Sheriff's Deputy In Maryland Convicted Of Rape, Misconduct While On Duty
Justice Served: Former Sheriff's Deputy In Maryland Convicted Of Rape, Misconduct While On Duty A former Wicomico County sheriff's deputy who used his badge to prey on victims is facing a lengthy behind bars after being convicted on 29 charges, including multiple rape, sexual misconduct, and false imprisonment offenses. Steven Abreu, 31, was found guilty by a Wicomico County jury following a five-day trial where harrowing testimony from at least one victim revealed how he abused his position of power.  The crimes occurred while Abreu was on duty in October 2022, just days after he began patrolling on his own, according to the sheriff's office. Sheriff Michael Lewis described the…

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by Zak Failla
News
Second Racist Incident In Eight Months Sparks Outrage, Reform At Wootton High School Second Racist Incident In Eight Months Sparks Outrage, Reform At Wootton High School
Second Racist Incident In Eight Months Sparks Outrage, Reform At Wootton High School A shocking act of racism at Wootton High School has ignited outrage in the school community, prompting school leaders to postpone a pep rally and vow cultural change. The incident occurred Monday, Dec. 3, when a Black student discovered a racial slur written on their desk, according to a letter sent to families by Dr. Peter O. Moran, chief of the Office of School Support and Improvement. "This incident has not only harmed this individual student but has harmed students, families, and staff, specifically those who are Black or African American," Dr. Moran wrote in the letter. He acknowledge…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Investigators ID DC Men Killed In Double Fatal District Heights Parking Lot Shooting Investigators ID DC Men Killed In Double Fatal District Heights Parking Lot Shooting
Investigators ID DC Men Killed In Double Fatal District Heights Parking Lot Shooting Prince George’s County Police are investigating a double fatal shooting in District Heights that left two men dead Friday night. Officers responded to the 6200 block of Surrey Square Lane at approximately 9:25 p.m. on Dec. 6, where they found 24-year-old Vernon Bond III and 28-year-old Jonathan Jamal Williams, both of Washington, DC, suffering from gunshot wounds in a parking lot. Both men were pronounced dead shortly after officers arrived, authorities said. According to investigators from the Prince George's County Police Department, Bond and Williams, who were known to each other, excha…

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by Zak Failla
News
Power Tool Heist: Maryland Man Gets Prison Time For ATM Robbery At Clinton Store: Feds Power Tool Heist: Maryland Man Gets Prison Time For ATM Robbery At Clinton Store: Feds
Power Tool Heist: Maryland Man Gets Prison Time For ATM Robbery At Clinton Store: Feds A Maryland man will spend seven years in federal prison for his role in a brazen ATM robbery where co-conspirators used a power tool to steal more than $35,000 from a Prince George's County convenience store, officials said. Marquis Hayes Henderson, 24, was sentenced by US District Judge Theodore D. Chuang to seven years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release, authorities announced on Monday afternoon. Court records reveal that on April 29, 2022, Henderson and four co-conspirators met at a storage lot in Clinton before heading to the store in a stolen vehicle. Hender…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Who Is... DMV's Best? Local Contestants To Light Up Jeopardy! Who Is... DMV's Best? Local Contestants To Light Up Jeopardy!
Who Is... DMV's Best? Local Contestants To Light Up Jeopardy! For the second straight week, the DMV region is making its mark on America’s favorite quiz show. Contestants from Maryland and Virginia are stepping up to challenge a two-time champion from New York, who has already racked up $51,400 in winnings. The action kicks off Monday, Dec. 9, with Vienna, Virginia resident Lisa O’Donnell, an ESL teacher, facing off against Dave Bond, a retired grant writer from West Henrietta, and Boston native Bill McKinney, a vice president of restaurants and bars. On Wednesday, Dec. 11, Hyattsville’s Sam Nguyen, a tax accountant, will try to dethrone the champion…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Annandale Man Charged With More Than A Dozen Child Exploitation Offenses: Police Annandale Man Charged With More Than A Dozen Child Exploitation Offenses: Police
Annandale Man Charged With More Than A Dozen Child Exploitation Offenses: Police A 31-year-old man from Fairfax County is facing over a dozen serious charges following an investigation into the possession and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), according to authorities. Danh Nguyen was arrested after detectives from the Major Crimes Bureau Child Exploitation Unit uncovered electronic evidence of CSAM on his devices, police announced on Monday.  The investigation began in late November, when detectives at the Fairfax County Police Department received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating a suspect w…

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by Zak Failla
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