Find Your Daily Voice
York Man Pleads Guilty To Harrisburg Garden Murder, Faces Additional Assault Charges
A York felon admitted to killing a woman whose body was found in Harrisburg's Sunken Garden, marking another grim chapter in his violent history.
Brandon Martinez, 35, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder in the December 2022 death of 53-year-old Stacey Shannon. He was sentenced on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, to 20 to 40 years in state prison by President Judge Scott Arthur Evans in Dauphin County.
The sentence will run consecutively to a prior 3-to-6-year sentence for forgery, totaling up to 46 years of incarceration.
Shannon’s body was discovered on Dec. 22, 2022, in Riverfront Park’s Su…
$29K Counterfeit Check In Kennett Square Borough's Account Leads To Arrest Years Later: Police
A Kennett Square man accused of attempting to deposit a $29,950 counterfeit check "against Kennett Square Borough's internal financial accounts" has been arrested, police announced on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
Nathaniel Tyree Curtis, 30, was taken into custody by the Kennett Square Police Department on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, after being transported from Philadelphia to Chester County Prison. The arrest followed an investigation into an attempted fraudulent deposit that targeted Kennett Square Borough’s financial accounts, police said.
Curtis allegedly deposited an altered check worth $29,950…
Tax Preparer Steals $8K from Employer In Poughkeepsie, Police Say
A 29-year-old Hudson Valley man is facing serious charges after allegedly mishandling client payments and documents, leading to the theft of thousands from his employer, police said.
Dutchess County resident Jonathan Yousef Sawaged of Poughkeepsie was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 21, following a fraud investigation, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department announced on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
According to the department, authorities began looking into Sawaged after receiving a complaint on Oct. 17, 2024, alleging that he, while working as a certified tax preparer at a local compa…
$200K Forged Jason Kelce Memorabilia Scheme Lands Trio Charges: MontCo DA
Three individuals face 60 felony charges after allegedly forging and selling fake memorabilia purportedly signed by former Eagles star Jason Kelce, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele announced on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Robert Capone, 51, of Philadelphia; LeeAnn Branco, 43, of Bristol, Rhode Island; and Joseph Parenti, 39, of Cranston, Rhode Island, are accused of conspiring to sell counterfeit sports memorabilia, including jerseys, helmets, and photographs, falsely certified as signed by Jason Kelce. The fraudulent scheme caused financial losses exceeding $200,000, authorities said…
Cold Case: Mom Leaves Baby Behind, Vanishes En Route To NJ; Car Found In Carlisle
The disappearance of Oklahoma mother Karen Denise Wells during a cross-country road trip in 1993 has haunted investigators and her family for over three decades, Pennsylvania State Police said.
Wells, 23, was driving from Haskell, Oklahoma, to visit a friend in Bergen, New Jersey, when she vanished on April 12, 1993. Her journey ended mysteriously in Perry County, PA—nearly 200 miles from her destination.
After a day on the road, Wells checked into the Pike Motel along Harrisburg Pike in Carlisle. At 7:00 p.m., she called her friend, Melissa, and said she planned to grab food at a nearby Mc…
Yonkers Man Nabbed In Bank Fraud, Identity Theft Scheme: Police
A Westchester County man is facing serious charges in Vermont after being accused of using stolen identities and forged documents to commit multiple bank frauds, police announced.
Gregory Errico, age 35, of Yonkers, was arrested on Tuesday, Jan. 7, by the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department in Bethel, Vermont, following an attempted fraud at Mascoma Bank, the Sheriff's Department announced.
According to the Windsor County Sheriff’s Office, Errico’s alleged scheme involved using stolen identities to withdraw money from banks across the Bethel area. After his arrest in Bethel, Err…
Longtime Clark Mayor Resigns, Admits To Using Town Employees For Private Business: State AG
This story has been updated with a statement from Salvatore Bonaccorso
The mayor of Clark Township pleaded guilty on Friday, Jan. 10, to using township employees to help him run his landscaping company, authorities said.
Salvatore Bonaccorso, who has been mayor since 2001, resigned as part of his plea, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. As part of the agreement, he is permanently barred from holding any future public office or employment, Platkin said.
In November 2023, Bonaccorso, 64, was charged with forging paperwork to nearly 24 New Jersey towns to allow his landscaping c…
Queens Man Forged $74K US Treasury Check At Valley Stream Bank: Police
A Queens man is accused of forging a $74,000 U.S. Treasury check and depositing it at a Nassau County bank, police announced on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Dwayne S. Campbell, 40, of Springfield Gardens, allegedly carried out the brazen act on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 11:39 a.m., when he deposited the fraudulent check at Capital One Bank on 750 West Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream, detectives said.
The scheme resulted in a financial loss exceeding $74,000, according to the Electronics Squad.
After months of investigation, Campbell surrendered to Nassau County detectives at the Eighth Pr…
Unlicensed Driver Speeding In Stolen Car Had Multiple Fake IDs, In Englewood, Police Say
A Queens, NY woman was arrested in Bergen County after police found she was driving a stolen van and had fake IDs, forgery tools, and amphetamines, authorities said.
Vanessa C. Lake, 27, was stopped at approximately 12:20 a.m. on Nov. 23, for speeding on Broad Avenue in Englewood, according to Detective Lt. Fred Pulice. Officers ran a check on the vehicle's registration and found that the white 2021 GMC van had been reported stolen in North Bergen.
Further investigation revealed that Lake was carrying multiple false identifications with her photograph but different names and personal detail…
Mailbox Thief Nearly Hits Officer In High-Speed Chase Through Bergen County Town, Police Say
A Westchester, NY man has been arrested for his role in a mailbox theft ring that plagued Bergen County for weeks, authorities said.
Edward Orozco, of Yonkers, was apprehended after a dramatic high-speed chase and a month-long investigation by the Wallington Police Department, Sgt. Brian Rosas said.
The theft ring, which targeted mailboxes in October, resulted in thousands of dollars in losses for residents after stolen checks were rewritten and repeatedly deposited, according to Rosas.
Wallington police launched an extensive investigation, identifying the suspect vehicle as a blue BMW M-S…
Bookkeeper Accused Of Stealing $10K From Business In Schaghticoke
A 38-year-old bookkeeper has been charged with grand larceny and other offenses after allegedly stealing more than $10,000 from a Capital Region business, police said.
Rensselaer County resident Tara A. Cottrell, age 38, of Pittstown, was arrested on Sunday, Dec. 22 following an investigation that began on Monday, Dec. 16, when troopers received a theft complaint from a Schaghticoke business, New York State Police announced on Thursday, Dec. 26.
Authorities determined that during the summer and fall of 2023, Cottrell, who was employed as a bookkeeper, allegedly falsifie…
Ringwood Woman Stole $700K From Law Firm: Union County Prosecutor
A 54-year-old Ringwood woman was arrested and charged on Thursday, Dec. 12 with stealing more than $700,000 from the law firm she worked at, authorities said.
Between 2018 and 2024 Colleen Hallenbeck, who was employed as a paralegal for a Union County-based law firm, misappropriated funds from various estates handled by the firm, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said.
Hallenbeck was responsible for distributing funds from estate accounts to beneficiaries. However, she wrote hundreds of unauthorized checks, totaling in excess of $700,000, for deposit into accounts s…
Fairfield Attorney Stole $7.4M Over Decade During His Time As Banks' Lead Counsel: Feds
A Connecticut man who held powerful positions at several banks, including General Counsel and Executive Vice President, faces up to 30 years in prison for orchestrating a decade-long embezzlement scheme that defrauded his employers of more than $7 million, federal authorities said.
James Blose, 56, waived indictment and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to bank fraud and illegal monetary transactions on Friday, Dec. 20, per the US Attorney for Connecticut. His actions, spanning from 2013 to 2023, were uncovered after an extensive investigation by federal authorities, inclu…
Greencastle Woman Embezzles $148K From Swimming Pool Over 7 Years: Police
A Greencastle woman is accused of embezzling over $148,000 while serving as treasurer for Moss Spring Pool, Greencastle police announced on Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Krista D. Murr, 55, was charged after investigators uncovered financial discrepancies spanning from July 2017 to July 2024, according to police.
The investigation began on July 22, 2024, when concerns were raised about irregularities in financial records and fund management. Working with the Franklin County District Attorney's Office, police discovered that $148,292.56 had been misappropriated, authorities said.
“Our department …
Four Men Forged Checks At TD Bank: Clinton Township Police
Four men were arrested and charged after they conspired to commit bank fraud at a TD Bank in Clinton Township, authorities said.
Following an investigation at the TD Bank on Route 31, officers were dispatched to a gas station for a report of suspicious activity, Clinton Township police said. The two vehicles were attempting to leave the parking lot and were in possession of stolen/forged bank checks, police said.
Arrested were Eric Lee, a 40-year-old Georgia resident, Lee Beriro, an 18-year-old Queens resident, Trevor Lewis, a 34-year-old Bronx resident and John Vallejo, a 26-year-old Pater…
Troy Man Nabbed On Multiple Fraudulent Check Warrants
New York State Police nabbed a Capital Region man wanted on numerous warrants for allegedly cashing fraudulent checks worth more than $4,000.
Terrance M. Lee, 35, of Troy in Rensselaer County, was charged on Monday, Dec. 9, with four counts of possession of a forged instrument, two counts of grand larceny, and two counts of petit larceny.
According to Trooper Stephanie O'Neil, the arrest resolves four open investigations into Lee. On Saturday, Sept. 14, Lee allegedly possessed fraudulent checks and deposited them in Albany and Rensselaer counties. His reported crimes resulted in the theft o…
PA Fire Captain Accused Of Faking University Of Maryland Training
A former fire captain with the Paxtang Fire Company is facing charges of forgery, reckless endangerment, and driving without a license, police announced on Thursday, Dec. 5.
Steven Bartholomew, 55, allegedly created seven fraudulent training certificates from the University of Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, presenting them as proof of advanced firefighting training, according to Swatara Township Police. Bartholomew used these falsified documents, along with self-reported experience, to secure his appointment as fire captain earlier this year.
Authorities say Bartholomew drove fire appa…
Ex-Bridgeport Councilman Gets 3 Weekends In Prison, Fine In Election Fraud Case: Feds
A former Bridgeport City Council member has been sentenced to three weekends in prison for a civil rights offense stemming from election fraud during his run for office, federal authorities said.
Michael DeFilippo, 38, received one year of probation, three weekends of incarceration, and a $15,000 fine, the US Attorney Connecticut said.
The charges relate to DeFilippo's campaign for the 133rd District in 2017 and 2018. According to court records, DeFilippo manipulated elections by stealing and falsifying voter registration applications and absentee ballots, forging signatures, an…
