Tag:

Criminal Justice

Morrisville Man Shot In Parked Car, Two Convicted Of Murder Morrisville Man Shot In Parked Car, Two Convicted Of Murder
Morrisville Man Shot In Parked Car, Two Convicted Of Murder A Morrisville man was gunned down while sitting in a parked car with his family, and two men have now been convicted in his murder, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. Following a two-week trial, a Bucks County jury found Breon D. McRae, 34, of Morrisville, and Pacqi S. Lassiter, 29, of Trenton, New Jersey, guilty of third-degree murder in the Dec. 22, 2022, killing of Clifton “CJ” Burgess-Williams Jr., 26, authorities said. Burgess-Williams was sitting in a parked car on Lenora Avenue with his sister, brother, and friend when eight shots were fire…
Rachel Morin's Mother Takes Center Stage In White House Video Targeting Selena Gomez (VIDEO) Rachel Morin's Mother Takes Center Stage In White House Video Targeting Selena Gomez (VIDEO)
Rachel Morin's Mother Takes Center Stage In White House Video Targeting Selena Gomez (Video) The mother of Rachel Morin is making headlines in a new video produced by the White House targeting Selena Gomez. Patty Morin joined Tammy Nobles and Alexis Nungaray - all of whom had children allegedly killed by undocumented immigrants - in condemning the actress' emotional video that went viral as she wept for the treatment of Mexican Americans.  Rachel Morin vanished in the summer of 2023 on the Ma and Pa Trail in Harford County. Help locate Rachel Morin, age 37. Last seen around 1800 hours on Sat, 08/05/23 when she left to walk on the Ma&Pa Trail in Bel Air. 5’2, 107 lbs,bl…
Funeral Set For Nonprofit Worker, 24, Killed In Farmingdale Crash: 'Source Of Inspiration' Funeral Set For Nonprofit Worker, 24, Killed In Farmingdale Crash: 'Source Of Inspiration'
Funeral Set For Nonprofit Worker, 24, Killed In Farmingdale Crash: 'Source Of Inspiration' Loved ones are preparing to say goodbye to a young woman from Long Island whose life was tragically cut short. Marisa Piazza, 24, of Farmingdale, died Monday, Jan. 27, three days after she was struck by a Jeep on West Chestnut Street in South Farmingdale, as Daily Voice reported. Piazza suffered serious injuries and spent the weekend in critical condition before ultimately succumbing to her injuries, Nassau County Police said. Now, those who knew her best are sharing their heartbreak and remembering Piazza for the kindness she brought to the world. After graduating from Saint Joseph’s Uni…
Caught! Man’s Desperate Attempt To Hide Illegal Gun Fails In Newburgh Caught! Man’s Desperate Attempt To Hide Illegal Gun Fails In Newburgh
Caught! Man’s Desperate Attempt To Hide Illegal Gun Fails In Newburgh A man has admitted to gun charges after police found him hiding a firearm in his Orange County home, officials announced.  Newburgh resident Ernie Prospere, age 50, pleaded guilty in Orange County Court on Monday, Jan. 27, to second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon and faces six years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, when he returns to court on Thursday, April 3, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Officials said Prospere was identified in a 911 call reporting a person with a gun in the City of…
Whitehall Murder-For-Hire: Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Plotted Husband’s Killing, DA Whitehall Murder-For-Hire: Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Plotted Husband’s Killing, DA
Whitehall Murder-For-Hire: Wife, Ex-Girlfriend Plotted Husband’s Killing, DA A Palmerton wife is accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot that ended with her husband's fatal shooting in a Whitehall Township parking lot, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Tuesday, Jan. 29. Brenda Rodriguez, 51, was arrested on Monday, Jan. 28, and is being held in Lehigh County Jail without bail. Rodriguez is charged with Criminal Solicitation – Criminal Homicide, Conspiracy – Aggravated Assault, and Aggravated Assault, all felonies of the first degree, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled fo…
Explicit Video Shown To Students, Threatened Teen By Reading Paraprofessional: DA Explicit Video Shown To Students, Threatened Teen By Reading Paraprofessional: DA
Explicit Video Shown To Students, Threatened Teen By Reading Paraprofessional: DA A Reading School District employee showed sexually explicit material to middle school students, inappropriately touched a 13-year-old boy, and threatened another teen, the Berks County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Stephanie Quintero-Ochoa, 19, of Reading, was charged with unlawful contact with a minor, indecent exposure, dissemination of explicit sexual material via electronic communication, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children. The investigation began in December 2024 after multiple ChildLine reports alleged that Quintero-Ochoa was en…
Teary-Eyed City Worker Who Forged Doctor Notes To Dodge Commute From Oakdale Gets Jail Time Teary-Eyed City Worker Who Forged Doctor Notes To Dodge Commute From Oakdale Gets Jail Time
Teary-Eyed City Worker Who Forged Doctor Notes To Dodge Commute From Oakdale Gets Jail Time A Long Island man who confessed to forging doctor notes in order to dodge his commute into New York City is facing jail time. Alan Anderson, age 55, of Oakdale, was sentenced to 10 months behind bars in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, Jan. 28, after admitting to possessing and submitting forged doctor notes. Anderson, an employee at the New York City Administration for Children’s Services (ACS), submitted 12 fraudulent doctor notes between February and May 2024 in order to avoid having to commute to his scheduled in-person workdays in Manhattan. Investigators found no valid excuses for hi…
Vineland Man Gets 30 Years For Killing Ex's BF, Hiding Body In Grass Clippings: Prosecutors Vineland Man Gets 30 Years For Killing Ex's BF, Hiding Body In Grass Clippings: Prosecutors
Vineland Man Gets 30 Years For Killing Ex's BF, Hiding Body In Grass Clippings: Prosecutors A 32-year-old Vineland man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday, Jan. 28, for shooting his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend and trying to hide his body under grass clippings, authorities said. Brandon Dennis was convicted last month in the fatal shooting, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said  On Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 in Millville, law enforcement discovered Patrick Trotter's body hidden under yard debris in a wooded area behind 519 East Main St., Webb-McRae said. Investigators said Dennis broke into a nearby home where Trotter, 32, was staying, Webb-McRa…
Infant Assault Found In 2K+ Images On Bristol Area Music Teacher Sentenced: DA Infant Assault Found In 2K+ Images On Bristol Area Music Teacher Sentenced: DA
Infant Assault Found In 2K+ Images On Bristol Area Music Teacher Sentenced: DA A former Pennsbury School District music instructor who admitted to having thousands of child pornography images and videos has been sentenced to three years of probation, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Christopher Bygott, 47, of Hamilton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to felony charges of possession of child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility. Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey L. Finley also ordered Bygott to undergo sex offender treatment, barred him from having unsupervised contact with minors, and mandated hi…
Trump Justice Department To Investigate January 6 Prosecutors Trump Justice Department To Investigate January 6 Prosecutors
Trump Justice Department To Investigate January 6 Prosecutors The Trump administration will investigate prosecutors who oversaw the criminal cases against Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack defendants, according to a brand-new report. Earlier report - Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Dismissals, Commutations, Signs Flurry Of Orders Calling the probe a "special project," Ed Martin, the acting US Attorney for Washington, DC, asked prosecutors to turn over notes, documents, files emails and other information related to the cases in an email on Monday, Jan. 27, the Wall Street Journal reports. Hours after being sworn in to a second non-consecuti…
Man Who Murdered 9-Year-Old, Parents In Newburgh Convicted Of All Charges Man Who Murdered 9-Year-Old, Parents In Newburgh Convicted Of All Charges
Man Who Murdered 9-Year-Old, Parents In Newburgh Convicted Of All Charges A 35-year-old man has been found guilty on all charges for a horrific Hudson Valley shooting that left three people dead, including a 9-year-old child, and critically injured a 3-year-old boy.  Orange County resident Kaliek Goode-Ford of Newburgh, age 35, was convicted on Thursday, Jan. 23 on all charges connected to a January 2020 shooting in the town of Newburgh that left three people dead, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced. He now faces up to life in prison without parole when he is sentenced on Tuesday, March 18.  During the shooting, Goode-For…
ICE Enforcement Allowed At Schools, Churches Under New Trump Policy ICE Enforcement Allowed At Schools, Churches Under New Trump Policy
ICE Enforcement Allowed At Schools, Churches Under New Trump Policy Federal immigration authorities now have the ability to arrest individuals in and around  schools and churches — areas previously considered sensitive.  This new policy change involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, announced on the second day of the new Trump Administration on Tuesday, Jan/ 21 by Acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman and represents a significant shift from long-standing guidelines. “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest," Huffman said in a statement. "The Trump Administration …
Jehovah's Witness Sexually Abused Family Member Under 7 Years Old: PA AG (UPDATE) Jehovah's Witness Sexually Abused Family Member Under 7 Years Old: PA AG (UPDATE)
Jehovah's Witness Sexually Abused Family Member Under 7 Years Old: PA AG (Update) A former Jehovah’s Witness from Butler County has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young family member over several years, beginning when the victim was just seven, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Friday, Jan. 17. Shaun Sheffer, 45, was found guilty this week of multiple charges, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and corruption of minors, according to the AG's Office. The assaults took place between 1995 and 2000, during which Sheffer had a close relationship with the victim. Authorities said the abuse began wh…
Saugerties Man Sentenced To Prison For Burglaries: DA Saugerties Man Sentenced To Prison For Burglaries: DA
Saugerties Man Sentenced To Prison For Burglaries: DA A Hudson Valley man with a decades-long criminal history has been sentenced to 3 1/2 to 7 years in state prison for two burglaries committed in Kingston, according to the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office. Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji said that on Thursday, Jan. 16, Antoine Scott, 47, of Saugerties, pleaded guilty to burglary and received the maximum sentence from Judge Bryan E. Rounds.  The charges stem from two incidents in July 2024. Around 1 a.m. on Monday, July 1, Scott broke into a barbershop at 594 Broadway and stole hair clippers and DeWalt power tools …
Woman Fights Off Rape Attempt At PA Business: State Police Woman Fights Off Rape Attempt At PA Business: State Police
Woman Fights Off Rape Attempt At PA Business: State Police A Glen Mills man is accused of attempting to rape a woman at a Concord Township business before being apprehended nearby, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Patrick O'Shea, 46, was arrested after troopers responded to a report of an assault in progress at a business in the 200 block of Wilmington-West Chester Pike at 9:36 a.m., police said. The investigation revealed that O'Shea entered the business and began conversing with the woman, who was alone at the time, authorities said. When she entered a small room at the rear of the business, O'Shea allegedly followed, ph…
Monticello Man Charged With Rape Of Child Under 13: Police Monticello Man Charged With Rape Of Child Under 13: Police
Monticello Man Charged With Rape Of Child Under 13: Police A Sullivan County 20-year-old man has been charged with the alleged rape of a child under the age of 13 and endangering the welfare of a child. According to Monticello Police Lt. Mark Johnston, Isaiah T. Uhl, of Monticello, was charged on Tuesday, Jan. 14, following an investigation of him having engaged in sexual intercourse with a female victim, who was less than 13 years of age during December 2024, at a Monticello home. Uhl was arraigned in the Village of Monticello Justice Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail on $100,000 cash bail, $300,000 bond, and $600,000&n…
Mount Vernon Sergeant Admits Using Excessive Force In Mental Health Crisis Response: Feds Mount Vernon Sergeant Admits Using Excessive Force In Mental Health Crisis Response: Feds
Mount Vernon Sergeant Admits Using Excessive Force In Mental Health Crisis Response: Feds A former sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department has admitted to violating constitutional rights by using excessive force during a mental health crisis call, federal officials announced.  Brooklyn resident Mario Stewart, age 46, admitted in federal court to deploying his taser-like-device seven times within two minutes against a handcuffed individual during an incident on March 26, 2019, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Friday, Jan. 10.  According to officials, on the day of the incident, Stewart and six other Mount Vernon o…
Parks And Rec Employee In DC Who Killed 13-Year-Old Karon Blake Learns Prison Fate In Court Parks And Rec Employee In DC Who Killed 13-Year-Old Karon Blake Learns Prison Fate In Court
Parks And Rec Employee In DC Who Killed 13-Year-Old Karon Blake Learns Prison Fate In Court A District man who gunned down a 13-year-old boy during a chaotic confrontation over a string of car break-ins is headed to prison for over 12 years, officials announced. Jason Lewis, 42, a former DC Parks and Recreation employee, was sentenced this week, to 12 ½ years behind bars for the shooting death of Karon Blake, a middle schooler, during an early-morning incident on Quincy Street NE in January 2023, according to federal prosecutors. The case rocked the city when Lewis, armed with a loaded handgun, stepped outside his home around 4 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2023, after spotting two people break…
Bristol Man Guilty Of Raping 7 To 9 Year Old Child: DA Bristol Man Guilty Of Raping 7 To 9 Year Old Child: DA
Bristol Man Guilty Of Raping 7 To 9 Year Old Child: DA A jury found a 29-year-old Connecticut man guilty of multiple counts of sexually assaulting a child when they were just 7 to 9 years old, state prosecutors said.  Allen Cross, of Bristol, was found guilty of three counts of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor, CT Division of Criminal Justice said.  Evidence at the trial showed Cross repeatedly assaulted the now 15-year-old victim while they were half the age they are now. The victim testified against Cross.   “The strength shown by the survivor throughout this process was incredi…
Selden Father Sentenced To 57 Years For Years Of Horrific Abuse Against His Children Selden Father Sentenced To 57 Years For Years Of Horrific Abuse Against His Children
Selden Father Sentenced To 57 Years For Years Of Horrific Abuse Against His Children A Selden father will spend up to 57 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing three of his children over a 13-year period, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced on Friday, Jan. 10. The 68-year-old man subjected his children to years of unimaginable abuse between 1997 and 2010, prosecutors said. The victims, then just 7 to 13 years old, were too frightened to report the abuse, fearing separation from their siblings. “It is unconscionable that a father would subject his own children to years of such heinous acts of sexual violence,” District Attorney Ti…
Brooklyn Man Arrested For Fatal Trenton Grocery Store Shooting: Prosecutor Brooklyn Man Arrested For Fatal Trenton Grocery Store Shooting: Prosecutor
Brooklyn Man Arrested For Fatal Trenton Grocery Store Shooting: Prosecutor A 32-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 7 for fatally shooting a 32-year-old Trenton man inside a grocery store last month, authorities said. On Sunday, Dec. 22 at 5:51 p.m., Trenton police responded to E&J Deli Grocery at 130 S. Cook Ave. and found Shakeem Lemach Davis suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, Mercer County Prosecutor Janetta Marbrey said. Davis was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where died a short time later, Marbrey said. Sean Wilkerson was arrested by members of the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force and char…
Arrest Of Guest After Room Service  Rape At Courtyard Marriott In Central PA, Police Say Arrest Of Guest After Room Service  Rape At Courtyard Marriott In Central PA, Police Say
Arrest Of Guest After Room Service Rape At Courtyard Marriott In Central PA, Police Say A Millersville man accused of raping a hotel employee has been arrested nearly a year after the assault, Lower Allen Township police announced. Michael Thomas Cates, 28, was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals on Tuesday, Jan. 7, in connection to the February 2024 rape of a staff member at the Courtyard Marriott on Gettysburg Road in Mechanicsburg, police said. The assault occurred around 9:20 p.m. on Feb. 11, 2024, when the victim, a hotel employee, told police she had been serving a man later identified as Cates at the hotel bar. He asked her to bring food and drinks to his room, which sh…
Former North Castle Police Officer Edward Patane Dies At 75 Former North Castle Police Officer Edward Patane Dies At 75
Former North Castle Police Officer Edward Patane Dies At 75 A Northern Westchester police department mourning the loss of retired Patrolman Edward Patane, a former officer who served the public for more than two decades.  Patane, a former officer with the North Castle Police Department, died on Monday, Dec. 30 at the age of 75, according to his obituary.  The North Castle Police Department announced the loss in a post on social media on Monday, Jan. 6, saying that the former officer was a longtime Armonk resident.  According to the department and his obituary, Patane served North Castle for 21 years beginning in April 1971 before his…
Sacred Heart University Staffer Busted On Attempted Child Sex Charges: Police Sacred Heart University Staffer Busted On Attempted Child Sex Charges: Police
Sacred Heart University Staffer Busted On Attempted Child Sex Charges: Police A Sacred Heart University Athletics Department staff member has been suspended after being arrested on felony sex charges involving attempted sexual assault of a minor, authorities said.  Matthew Janik, 39, of Seymour, who served as an associate director of athletic communications, faces a series of serious accusations, including enticing a minor by computer, attempted second-degree sexual assault, attempted illegal sexual contact, and attempted commercial sex abuse of a minor, Bloomfield Police said.  Court records reveal that Janik was being held on $250,000 bail. While the det…
Upper Leacock Township Man Sentenced To 5-10 Years For Assaulting Girl Upper Leacock Township Man Sentenced To 5-10 Years For Assaulting Girl
Upper Leacock Township Man Sentenced To 5-10 Years For Assaulting Girl An Upper Leacock Township man has been sentenced to five to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty to indecently assaulting a 13-year-old girl, Lancaster County prosecutors announced. Gerald Stanley Hanna Jr., 48, was sentenced by Judge Dennis Reinaker following his guilty plea to multiple charges, including: Felony Corruption of Minors. Felony Aggravated Indecent Assault Without Consent. Felony Aggravated Indecent Assault of a Person Under 16. Felony Unlawful Contact with a Minor. Felony Indecent Assault of a Person Under 16. Hanna assaulted the girl at his home in the 200 block o…
'Chef' Cooks Up Jail Time After Police Uncover Drug Kitchen In His Stamford Home: Cops 'Chef' Cooks Up Jail Time After Police Uncover Drug Kitchen In His Stamford Home: Cops
'Chef' Cooks Up Jail Time After Police Uncover Drug Kitchen In His Stamford Home: Cops Police in Connecticut have dismantled an alleged drug operation responsible for producing thousands of street-ready doses of PCP, authorities announced. Trevor "Chef" Whittingham, 49, of Stamford, is facing serious charges after a months-long investigation that authorities say uncovered $35,000 worth of hallucinogenic drugs and packaging materials at his home and in his vehicles, Stamford police said. Detectives executed search warrants at Whittingham's home on Ledge Lane, as well as on his 2010 Lexus RX350 and 2007 Lincoln Navigator. During the search, officers seized $2,822 in cash, 56 fl…
Bensalem Police Catch Serial Bank Robber Fleeing PNC Bank With $4K Cash: DA Bensalem Police Catch Serial Bank Robber Fleeing PNC Bank With $4K Cash: DA
Bensalem Police Catch Serial Bank Robber Fleeing PNC Bank With $4K Cash: DA A suspected serial bank robber was apprehended moments after he fled the PNC Bank on Hulmeville Road with $4,000 in cash on Monday, Dec. 23, authorities announced on Tuesday, Dec. 24.  Marc Masich, 47, of Amherst, NY, was captured by officers outside the bank at 5:21 p.m. while carrying a gray-and-white bag containing the stolen money, according to Bensalem police. Masich had handed a teller a demand note similar to one used earlier that day at the TD Bank on Street Road, where he reportedly fled after being told cash was unavailable. He also attempted a robbery at the Santander Bank…
Clarksburg Man Convicted Of Sex Assault At Graduation Party After Re-Trial Learns Prison Fate Clarksburg Man Convicted Of Sex Assault At Graduation Party After Re-Trial Learns Prison Fate
Clarksburg Man Convicted Of Sex Assault At Graduation Party After Re-Trial Learns Prison Fate A 27-year-old man who marred the college graduation celebration at a friend's home in Germantown and was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at a second trial will spend time behind bars, authorities announced on Monday. Clarksburg resident Nelson Jones was found guilty by a jury of third-degree sex offense earlier this year and was sentenced to 10 years in prison suspending all but 12 months to serve. The judge ordered that he complete five years of probation upon release with multiple conditions including supervision by COMET (Collaborative Offender Management/Enforced Treatment).…
Convicted Felon Accused Of Killing CT Woman Who 'Enjoyed Helping Others' Convicted Felon Accused Of Killing CT Woman Who 'Enjoyed Helping Others'
Convicted Felon Accused Of Killing CT Woman Who 'Enjoyed Helping Others' A convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms has been charged in the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old woman remembered for her caring nature and bright future, according to Meriden police. Trevor Smith, 42, was arrested Friday and faces charges of criminal possession of a firearm and criminal use of a gun, police said. He is also wanted on an unrelated warrant out of New Haven, though authorities did not provide details about that case. Smith is accused of fatally shooting Beth Ndwiga, a 28-year-old healthcare office worker, on July 22 at the Meriden Green. After months of investig…
18-Year-Old Kearny Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Shots Fired In Hoboken: Authorities 18-Year-Old Kearny Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Shots Fired In Hoboken: Authorities
18-Year-Old Kearny Man Charged With Attempted Murder After Shots Fired In Hoboken: Authorities An 18-year-old Kearny man was arrested and charged with attempted murder after shots were fired in Hoboken on Thursday, Dec. 19, authorities said. At 1 p.m., two groups known to each other got into a dispute, resulting in shots being fired near the intersection of Fourth and Jackson Streets, a spokesman for the Hoboken Police Department said.  All involved parties dispersed the area immediately following the gunfire, authorities said. Mercado was located in a nearby building where he was arrested for criminal attempted murder, authorities said. A search of Mercado turned up&n…
Woman Arrested After Ex-BF Accused Of Firing Fatal Shot In Whitehall Parking Lot: DA Woman Arrested After Ex-BF Accused Of Firing Fatal Shot In Whitehall Parking Lot: DA
Woman Arrested After Ex-BF Accused Of Firing Fatal Shot In Whitehall Parking Lot: DA A second arrest has been made in the killing of Hector Garcia Gomez, a Palmerton mechanic fatally shot in a Whitehall Township parking lot during a dispute, authorities announced Friday, Dec. 20. Liz Pacheco, 36, of Allentown, is accused of conspiring with her former partner, Christian Martinez-Ramos, to locate and kill Garcia Gomez, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Whitehall Police Chief Michael Marks. Pacheco has been charged with first-degree felony counts of criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, and aggravated assault, as well as misdemeano…