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Undercover Operations

20 Years In Prison For German Man Who Traveled To NJ For Sex With Kids: Feds 20 Years In Prison For German Man Who Traveled To NJ For Sex With Kids: Feds
20 Years In Prison For German Man Who Traveled To NJ For Sex With Kids: Feds A 40-year-old German man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday, Dec. 18 after admitting he traveled to New Jersey to have sex with a minor, authorities said. In January 2023, undercover officers began chatting with Christian Stefan Walther abut his desire to have sex with young children, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Walther sent an undercover officer two videos, each of which depicted an adult male engaging in sexual conduct with a prepubescent aged female child, Sellinger said. Walther also expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with children aged…
Undercover Sting Exposes Butt Lifts Offered In Unlicensed South Plainfield Woman's Home: Cops Undercover Sting Exposes Butt Lifts Offered In Unlicensed South Plainfield Woman's Home: Cops
Undercover Sting Exposes Butt Lifts Offered In Unlicensed South Plainfield Woman's Home: Cops A New Jersey woman was accused of performing Brazilian butt lifts and wrinkle removals at an unlicensed medical practice, authorities said. Yamile Mattos, 61, of South Plainfield, was charged with unlicensed practice of medicine, possession with intent to distribute prescription legend drugs, and possession of counterfeit or misbranded prescription legend drugs, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said in a news release on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Undercover officers posed as clients seeking cosmetic procedures at a Park Avenue home on Tuesday, Dec. 17. During the sti…
Fort Washington Man Caught In Undercover Sting Attempting To Solicit Minor Online: State Police Fort Washington Man Caught In Undercover Sting Attempting To Solicit Minor Online: State Police
Fort Washington Man Caught In Undercover Sting Attempting To Solicit Minor Online: State Police A Maryland man is facing serious charges after state police say he attempted to meet a 15-year-old boy for sex, only to be caught in an undercover sting operation. Santos Carranza, 47, of Fort Washington, was arrested Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 11, at a shopping center in Beltsville, authorities announced, following an investigation into alleged sexual solicitation.  Maryland State Police say Carranza believed he was meeting a teenage boy he had been chatting with through a smartphone app. Instead, the "teen" was an undercover officer. The investigation began when Carranza allegedly en…
Head Of Prestigious Preschool In DMV Charged With Coercion, Enticement Of Minor: Feds Head Of Prestigious Preschool In DMV Charged With Coercion, Enticement Of Minor: Feds
Head Of Prestigious Preschool In DMV Charged With Coercion, Enticement Of Minor: Feds The head of the National Child Research Center (NCRC) in Northwest DC is facing federal charges for allegedly attempting to coerce and entice a minor, according to federal authorities. James S. Carroll, 55, was arrested on Tuesday following a criminal complaint filed in US District Court in connection with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Federal authorities allege that between Tuesday, Nov. 5 and Thursday, Nov. 14, Carroll used the Discord messaging platform to communicate with an undercover officer posing as the father of a young child.  During this time, Carroll allege…
Walkersville Predator Preying On Maryland Teens While Out On Bail Learns Prison Fate: Feds Walkersville Predator Preying On Maryland Teens While Out On Bail Learns Prison Fate: Feds
Walkersville Predator Preying On Maryland Teens While Out On Bail Learns Prison Fate: Feds The Maryland man who used multiple phones and online apps to target teens - even while he was out on bail and charges were pending - will spend years in prison for coercing and enticing minors, federal authorities announced. Michael Vance Culpepper, 56, of Walkersville, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being busted by an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl online, and then doubling down after being released by a judge. He had faced life in prison. According to his guilty plea, in April and May 2023, Culpepper used cellphones and online applications to "persuade…
Bank Manager From Pine Bush Sentenced For Hiring A Hitman To Murder Brother-In-Law Bank Manager From Pine Bush Sentenced For Hiring A Hitman To Murder Brother-In-Law
Bank Manager From Pine Bush Sentenced For Hiring A Hitman To Murder Brother-In-Law A Hudson Valley bank manager is headed for federal prison after pleading guilty to plotting to hire a hitman to murder her own brother-in-law. Orange County resident Reshma Massarone, age 40, of Pine Bush, a hamlet of Crawford, was sentenced to 9.5 years in prison and three years of post-release supervision on Wednesday, Aug. 28, said Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  “The defendant devised a chilling plan to have a member of her own family murdered for the low price of ten thousand dollars," said Williams. "Her plan was unthinkably heartless. For th…
Walkersville Predator Preying On Maryland Teens While Out On Bail Facing Life In Prison: Feds Walkersville Predator Preying On Maryland Teens While Out On Bail Facing Life In Prison: Feds
Walkersville Predator Preying On Maryland Teens While Out On Bail Facing Life In Prison: Feds A Maryland man who used multiple phones and online apps to target teens - including while he was out on bail and charges were pending - admitted to coercing and enticing minors, federal authorities announced. Michael Vance Culpepper, 56, of Walkersville, is facing life in prison after being busted by an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl online, then doubling down. According to his guilty plea, in April and May 2023, Culpepper used mobile phones and online applications to persuade, induce, entice and coerce two victims whom he believed to be 13- and 14-year-old to engage in sex…
Woman Charged With Prostitution After Undercover Operation At Hudson Valley Spa Woman Charged With Prostitution After Undercover Operation At Hudson Valley Spa
Woman Charged With Prostitution After Undercover Operation At Hudson Valley Spa A woman has been charged with prostitution after an undercover operation resulted in the closure of a spa in the Hudson Valley. The detail was conducted on Thursday, June 27, in Rockland County at Oceart Spa, located at 76 N. Route 9W in Haverstraw, after police say allegations of prostitution and unlicensed massages were reported by members of the community. The  investigation resulted in the arrest of New York City resident Lan Xu, age 55, of Queens, who was charged with: Unauthorized practice of a profession (Class E felony), Prostitution (Class B misdemeanor).…
Waltham Man Who Offered $200 For Sex With 12-Year-Old Gets 15 Years In Prison: Feds Waltham Man Who Offered $200 For Sex With 12-Year-Old Gets 15 Years In Prison: Feds
Waltham Man Who Offered $200 For Sex With 12-Year-Old Gets 15 Years In Prison: Feds A 38-year-old Waltham man who reached out to an online ad for sex with a child in an undercover sting will spend the next 15 years behind bars, authorities announced on Thursday, June 20.  Misael Fabian Medina was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child and one count of attempted coercion and enticement, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.  Investigators said Medina responded to an online ad offering sex with two young girls in November 2022. In a text exchange with the people he believed were selling the children, Medina offered $200 to have sex wi…
Man Accused Of Heading From Maryland To DC For Sex With 6-Year-Old: Feds Man Accused Of Heading From Maryland To DC For Sex With 6-Year-Old: Feds
Man Accused Of Heading From Maryland To DC For Sex With 6-Year-Old: Feds A Maryland man who went out of state with the intention of sexually abusing a 6-year-old child has been indicted on federal charges, authorities announced. Bowie resident Nathaniel Lamar Nelson Scott, 35, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday charging him with traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct after traveling to DC with the purpose of engaging in illegal activity with the child. In late May, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force posted a message on a website that is frequented …
Prostitution Sting: 8 'Johns' Busted Trying To Pay Springfield Cops For Sex Prostitution Sting: 8 'Johns' Busted Trying To Pay Springfield Cops For Sex
Prostitution Sting: 8 'Johns' Busted Trying To Pay Springfield Cops For Sex Springfield police arrested eight men who tried to pay an undercover officer for sex earlier this week.  The sting operation was held on Wednesday, May 22, after residents in the South End neighborhood complained about seeing prostitution and lewd acts taking place in the open during daylight hours, police said. They also reported seeing violence and drug activity.  Related: 5 Busted In Springfield Prostitution Sting Each of the eight men arrested was charged with paying for sexual conduct. Any additional charges will be included with the men's names.  David Viger, 51, of …
Dealer Admits To Distributing Enough Fentanyl To Kill 32K People In Maryland: Feds Dealer Admits To Distributing Enough Fentanyl To Kill 32K People In Maryland: Feds
Dealer Admits To Distributing Enough Fentanyl To Kill 32K People In Maryland: Feds The Maryland drug dealer who was busted with enough fentanyl to possibly kill 32,000 people has copped to the crime and faces decades in prison, federal authorities announced. Baltimore resident Robert "Glass" Frazier, Jr., 42, pleaded guilty this week conspiracy to possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana after putting police through their paces when he attempted to avoid an eviction. According to his plea agreement, police conducted an eviction at Frazier's apartment in 2021, but in an effort to evade capture, he assaulted a Baltimore Sheriff's Officer…
Undercover Child Sex Chat Sting Nets 6 Creeps In Virginia: Sheriff Undercover Child Sex Chat Sting Nets 6 Creeps In Virginia: Sheriff
Undercover Child Sex Chat Sting Nets 6 Creeps In Virginia: Sheriff Six men who thought they were having sexual chats with children online were actually speaking with undercover detectives, authorities in Loudoun County announced. The arrests were the result of a week-long internet chat operation between the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) and Northern Virginia—Washington DC Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NOVA-DC ICAC) during the week of April 8. All six adult males believed they were communicating with children under the age of 15 on a variety of chat and social media platforms, the county sheriff's office said. Those arrested in…
Hudson Valley Drug Dealer Convicted After Being Linked To Fatal Overdose: 'Career Criminal' Hudson Valley Drug Dealer Convicted After Being Linked To Fatal Overdose: 'Career Criminal'
Hudson Valley Drug Dealer Convicted After Being Linked To Fatal Overdose: 'Career Criminal' A Hudson Valley drug dealer faces decades in prison after being convicted of selling a dangerous drug concoction that caused a fatal overdose, officials announced.  Putnam County resident William Mancusi III of Kent, age 47, was convicted on charges in connection to a fatal drug overdose that happened in November 2021 in Southeast, Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced on Wednesday, Jan. 17.  According to Tendy's office, the events leading up to Mancusi's conviction began on Nov. 12, 2021, when New York State Police investigators responded to a fatal ove…
Undercover Prostitution Bust Nets 5 Arrests At 2 Hotels Virginia: Sheriff Undercover Prostitution Bust Nets 5 Arrests At 2 Hotels Virginia: Sheriff
Undercover Prostitution Bust Nets 5 Arrests At 2 Hotels Virginia: Sheriff Fugitives were among five people arrested in an undercover prostitution sting at two motels in Stafford County this week, authorities said. Stafford County Sheriff's Detective RJ Grella met a woman online on Dec. 12, and met up with her at the Staybridge Suites on Richmond Highway after a brief text exchange, Sheriff David Decatur said. Grella and patrol deputies made contact with the woman and found drugs in the room, Decatur said. Then, they learned that three floors up, there was another potential prostitution incident, the sheriff said. The female involved in the first incident has not…
Duo Nabbed After Trying To Sell Cocaine To Undercover Officer In Hudson Valley: Police Duo Nabbed After Trying To Sell Cocaine To Undercover Officer In Hudson Valley: Police
Duo Nabbed After Trying To Sell Cocaine To Undercover Officer In Hudson Valley: Police Two Connecticut residents were arrested following a chase that began after one of the suspects tried selling cocaine to an undercover investigator in the Hudson Valley, police said.  New Haven County residents Luis Flores, age 32, and Lymaris Burgos, age 37, both from Ansonia, were arrested in late October in connection with an investigation into drug sales in Putnam County, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday, Nov. 22.  The events leading up to the duo's arrests began in October when an investigator discovered that Flores was involved in the sale of cocaine in …
‘I Got The Good Stuff’: Long Island Dealer Admits Selling Fentanyl Causing 2 Overdose Deaths ‘I Got The Good Stuff’: Long Island Dealer Admits Selling Fentanyl Causing 2 Overdose Deaths
‘I Got The Good Stuff’: Long Island Dealer Admits Selling Fentanyl Causing 2 Overdose Deaths A Long Island drug dealer could spend decades in federal prison for selling fentanyl that contributed to two overdose deaths. Charles Carter, age 34, of Amityville, appeared in US District Court in Central Islip on Monday, Nov. 13, where he pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. The potent, synthetic opioid drug is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Carter, who also goes by the name “Chase,” admitted to selling the drugs between August 2020 and February 2021. Among his customers were a 2…
Undercover Agent Busts Virginia Man Who Drove To Maryland For Sex With A Minor, Sheriff Says Undercover Agent Busts Virginia Man Who Drove To Maryland For Sex With A Minor, Sheriff Says
Undercover Agent Busts Virginia Man Who Drove To Maryland For Sex With A Minor, Sheriff Says A Virginia man who crossed over state lines for sexual acts with what he thought was a teen girl in Frederick County is behind bars. Brian Brooks, 43, of Stephens City, has been charged with multiple counts of sexual solicitation of a minor after being busted by an undercover officer he believed to be a teenager, a Frederick County Sheriff's spokesperson announced on Monday. In October, a detective performing an online investigation began posing as a 14-year-old girl, and the two began talking thorough a messaging apps, and despite being warned that he was speaking to a minor, Brooks allege…
Theft Of Drugs From Bergen Prosecutor's Evidence Room Centers On Veteran Detective: Sources Theft Of Drugs From Bergen Prosecutor's Evidence Room Centers On Veteran Detective: Sources
Theft Of Drugs From Bergen Prosecutor's Evidence Room Centers On Veteran Detective: Sources A ranking detective with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office is at the center of an investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office into the sale of several kilos worth of drugs stolen from an evidence room, multiple sources said. At least one arrest was expected as part of what sources say was an undercover sting involving the New Jersey State Police that led to the theft and sale of more than a dozen kilos of narcotics that had been seized as evidence. An investigation was confirmed -- without elaboration -- by both agencies. Neither has publicly identified the department vet…
Registered Sex Offender In Maryland Busted By Undercover Agent Posing As Pedophile In DC: Feds Registered Sex Offender In Maryland Busted By Undercover Agent Posing As Pedophile In DC: Feds
Registered Sex Offender In Maryland Busted By Undercover Agent Posing As Pedophile In DC: Feds A repeat offender from Maryland is facing decades in prison after being busted by undercover FBI agents operating out of Washington, DC. Suitland resident Aaron Christopher Davis, 32, a registered sex offender with a history of running afoul of the law, is facing fresh charges for distributing child porn, federal authorities announced. In August, FBI agents went undercover while monitoring a dating app that they learned was being used by some who have sexual interest in children, at which point they came across Davis, who sent a message he believed was being delivered to a purported pedophi…
Prostitution Sting: 5 Busted Trying To Pay Springfield Cop For Sex Prostitution Sting: 5 Busted Trying To Pay Springfield Cop For Sex
Prostitution Sting: 5 Busted Trying To Pay Springfield Cop For Sex Police continued their assault on prostitution this week as they arrested five more Western Massachusetts men in an undercover "anti-John" operation, authorities said.  This is the second time in as many weeks Springfield Police Department officers have targeted men who try to pay for sex, as they busted 11 on Thursday, June 15.  The operation on Thursday, June 22, targeted the High Street area and the South End neighborhood after several residents had complained of drugs and prostitution, Springfield police said.  RELATED: 11 Men Busted In Undercover Prostitution Stin…
Prostitution Sting: Undercover Officers Bust Masseuses In Hudson Valley, Police Say Prostitution Sting: Undercover Officers Bust Masseuses In Hudson Valley, Police Say
Prostitution Sting: Undercover Officers Bust Masseuses In Hudson Valley, Police Say Three women were arrested on Thursday, June 8, following an undercover prostitution sting in New Windsor, and authorities say residents should expect more busts like this in the future.  Officials said the sting began after several residents and nearby businesses complained to police about suspicious activity. Officers said the women did not have their massage licenses, and each solicited sex from them.  They include:  A & A Spa – 357 Windsor Hwy, New Windsor: Jung Sook Kim, 62, of Jackson, NJ Sun & Moon Spa – 357 Old Forge Hill Road, New Windsor: Enshu Kim, 49, of…
Fentanyl Bust: Deported Man Busted Selling 5 Kilos Of Drug To Cops, Feds Say Fentanyl Bust: Deported Man Busted Selling 5 Kilos Of Drug To Cops, Feds Say
Fentanyl Bust: Deported Man Busted Selling 5 Kilos Of Drug To Cops, Feds Say A Chelsea man who'd previously been deported after being convicted of a drug charge in 2020 was arrested and charged with selling more than 11 pounds of fentanyl to an undercover officer, federal officials said.  Luis Alberto German-Peguero, aka “Alberto Chirry,” 32, was indicted this week on charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, illegal reentry of a deported alien, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said. He has been held in federa…
200+ Grams Of Cocaine In Arizona Sweet Tea Cans Seized Following Undercover Op.: Lancaster DA 200+ Grams Of Cocaine In Arizona Sweet Tea Cans Seized Following Undercover Op.: Lancaster DA
200+ Grams Of Cocaine In Arizona Sweet Tea Cans Seized Following Undercover Op.: Lancaster DA An undercover operation led authorities to over 200 grams of cocaine— in cans of Arizona sweet teas— among other items like marijuana, and a loaded gun, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday, April 13, 2023. The Lancaster County Drug Task Force, with the assistance of Manheim Township Police Department, arrested 21-year-old Luis Javier Rivera following the warranted search of a home in the 1900 block of Crooked Oak Drive on Thursday, April 6, 2023.  The task force began investigating Rivera in February after an informant gave a tip. Between then and the …
Paterson Detectives Slam Drug Dealers Serving Out-Of-Town Buyers Near City Transportation Hubs Paterson Detectives Slam Drug Dealers Serving Out-Of-Town Buyers Near City Transportation Hubs
Paterson Detectives Slam Drug Dealers Serving Out-Of-Town Buyers Near City Transportation Hubs Dealers slinging heroin and crack in Paterson had what clearly felt like a safe setup near the train station. Out-of-town buyers could walk a short stretch of Park Avenue -- a one-way street always thick with vehicles -- and cop their drugs before hopping a train back to wherever they came from. The setup wasn't so cushy, several accused dealers discovered. Three of them -- identified as Jamal Jones, 26, Musa Brown, 29, and convicted dealer Shariek Linder, 29 -- used a stash vehicle to sell from in front of a multi-family building on Park Avenue, city Public Safety Director Jerry Speziale …
Lowell Police Bust Up 'Cocaine Cowboys' Drug Gang, 21 Nabbed In Massive Operation: DA Lowell Police Bust Up 'Cocaine Cowboys' Drug Gang, 21 Nabbed In Massive Operation: DA
Lowell Police Bust Up 'Cocaine Cowboys' Drug Gang, 21 Nabbed In Massive Operation: DA Police agencies throughout Massachusetts and parts of New Hampshire took part in a three-year-long operation that ended with dozens of raids on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and more than 20 people arrested.  Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced the busts during a press conference where she announced that police had also seized 11 guns, hundreds of grams of cocaine, large amounts of methamphetamines, fentanyl, and Xanax, and more than $100,000 in cash in 32 raids.  Lowell police began surveilling a group that called themselves the "Cocaine Cowboys" in 2019, but the scope of the op…
7,000 Pills: Boston Man Busted Selling Fentanyl, Synthetic Analogue: Feds 7,000 Pills: Boston Man Busted Selling Fentanyl, Synthetic Analogue: Feds
7,000 Pills: Boston Man Busted Selling Fentanyl, Synthetic Analogue: Feds Federal authorities arrested a Boston man and charged him with selling thousands of fentanyl pills and the fentanyl analogue known as para-fluorofentanyl, officials said.  Melvin Cordero, 40, faces charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl, the DEA announced on Tuesday, Nov. 29.  Agents said that Cordero sold thousands of pills to an undercover agent in March and tried to sell the officer a pill press. Police seized the machine during his arrest.  If convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl a…
Paramount+ Series 'Lioness' Films New Scenes In DC, Shuts Down Roadways Paramount+ Series 'Lioness' Films New Scenes In DC, Shuts Down Roadways
Paramount+ Series 'Lioness' Films New Scenes In DC, Shuts Down Roadways Have you spotted any celebrities? Roads in Washington DC have been shut down to film a new television series. "Lioness," the new Paramount+ original series, is based on a real-life CIA program and follows Cruz Manuelos (Laysla De Oliveira), a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine recruited to join the CIA’s Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within.  The show is scheduled to film throughout Maryland, including tentative locations in both the Baltimore and Washington, DC metropolitan suburbs, Western Maryland, and the Eastern Shore…
Philly Area Meth Dealer Sold Drugs To Undercover FBI Agent, Feds Say Philly Area Meth Dealer Sold Drugs To Undercover FBI Agent, Feds Say
Philly Area Meth Dealer Sold Drugs To Undercover FBI Agent, Feds Say A Reading man will spend the better part of a decade behind bars for selling methamphetamine to an undercover FBI agent, federal authorities announced Tuesday, Oct. 18.  William F. Showers, 37, was sentenced to 100 months — or more than eight years — in federal prison plus five years supervised release for possessing over 50 grams of meth with intent to distribute, said US Attorney Gerard Karam.  Prosecutors said Showers "conspired with others" to sell more than 200 grams of the drug, including 50 grams of "actual or pure methamphetamine." The undercover agent purchased…
Deer Park Man Admits To Selling Fentanyl To West Babylon Man Who Fatally Overdosed Deer Park Man Admits To Selling Fentanyl To West Babylon Man Who Fatally Overdosed
Deer Park Man Admits To Selling Fentanyl To West Babylon Man Who Fatally Overdosed A 33-year-old Long Island man admitted he sold fentanyl to a man who fatally overdosed during a virtual Narcotics Anonymous meeting earlier this year. Vito Frabizio, of Deer Park, pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and one count of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced on Thursday, Sept. 22. On March 8, police responded to a report that a West Babylon man died of an overdose, Tierney said. The man was reportedly found dead in his bed by his girlfriend while he wa…
Duo Nabbed For Trafficking Thousands Of Fentanyl Pills Into Connecticut, Feds Say Duo Nabbed For Trafficking Thousands Of Fentanyl Pills Into Connecticut, Feds Say
Duo Nabbed For Trafficking Thousands Of Fentanyl Pills Into Connecticut, Feds Say Two men are facing federal charges after they were allegedly busted selling thousands of fentanyl pills in Connecticut. Oscar Flores, age 34, of Mount Rainier, Maryland, and Severo Alelar, age 25, of Hyattsville, Maryland, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Hartford Thursday, Sept. 22, for fentanyl trafficking. The indictment came just weeks after the pair was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 8 following a sting operation in Wethersfield, the US Attorney’s Office in Connecticut said. Flores, Alelar, and others allegedly showed up to a prearranged meeting site in an SUV intending to sell a…