Tag Archives: crime

Mississippi crime blog the Dark Horse Press reports: A former Rankin County youth pastor pleaded guilty to child exploitation Tuesday morning. Tyler Swaggard, 22, was arrested by Flowood Police Department on two felony counts of child exploitation in December of 2021. Authorities said he solicited explicit photos from youth group members. The arrest came after several complaints from the teens. …

CBS News reports: Another power substation in North Carolina has been damaged because of apparent gunfire, energy officials said Tuesday. The damage occurred at a power substation in Thomasville, about an hour away from Moore County, where just weeks ago two other substations were attacked by gunfire. Energy United said that company officials learned of an “equipment issue” at the …

ABC News reports: A Utah plastic surgeon issued COVID-19 vaccination cards to large numbers of patients who never received their shots, dumping the vaccines down the drain while telling the CDC the recipients had been properly inoculated, according to a federal criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday. Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, who operates the Plastic Surgery Institute of Utah, is charged along …

The Mid Hudson News reports: A lawsuit filed in Dutchess County Supreme Court under the New York State Adult Survivor’s Act (ASA) accuses the Hyde Park Baptist Church of intentional and negligent acts that resulted in the plaintiff, Shielagh Clark, being a victim of sexual abuse carried out by the church’s former pastor, Jonathan Alan Weaver. Clark alleges that in …

The New York Times reports: A former upstate New York election official pleaded guilty on Wednesday to federal identity theft charges arising from his fraudulent use of voters’ personal information to apply for a dozen absentee ballots in 2021. In entering his plea in U.S. District Court in Albany, the former official, Jason Schofield, admitted to requesting the bogus ballots …

The Associated Press reports: A New Jersey woman who pleaded guilty to helping her boyfriend spread a feel-good story about a homeless veteran that garnered more than $400,000 in online donations has been sentenced to three years in prison on state theft charges. Katelyn McClure, 32, wasn’t present in the Mount Holly courtroom Friday because she is serving a one-year …

The Times Of San Diego reports: The former pastor of an Imperial County-based church and his wife were sentenced in San Diego federal court Friday following their guilty pleas to benefits fraud charges, in a case that originally stemmed from allegations that the church’s leaders forced homeless people to surrender their welfare benefits and panhandle to benefit the organization. Victor …

CBS News reports: A 6-year-old student shot a teacher during an altercation at a Virginia elementary school on Friday, police said. No students were injured in the incident at Richneck Elementary School, Newport News police said in a statement. “This was not an accidental shooting,” Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters during an evening press conference. The boy was taken …

The Associated Press reports: The homes or offices of four elected Democratic officials in New Mexico have been hit by gunfire over the past month, and authorities are working to determine if the attacks are connected. The attacks began on Dec. 4, when someone shot eight rounds at the Albuquerque home of Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa, police said. Seven …

Courthouse News reports: Court records unsealed Tuesday revealed federal prosecutors have charged two men for a series of substation attacks in Pierce County, Washington, that left thousands without power on Christmas Day. On New Year’s Eve, the FBI and local law enforcement executed an arrest warrant for Puyallup residents Matthew Greenwood, 32, and Jeremy Crahan, 40, who face federal charges …

Reuters reports: Megan Hess, 46, and Shirly Koch, 69, dissected some 560 corpses between 2010 and 2018, selling parts to medical training companies which did not know they had been fraudulently acquired. Entire bodies were sold in some cases, prosecutors said. Hess was sentenced to 20 years in jail and Koch to 15. Hess – who ran the Sunset Mesa …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: A newly elected Republican state lawmaker has withdrawn from office after he was charged with swiping prescription narcotics from a retirement complex where he works. Danny Rampey’s decision not to take office triggers a Jan. 31 special election to fill his Winder-based House seat in northeast Georgia. Gov. Brian Kemp signed an order Saturday setting up …

Detroit’s Fox affiliate reports: David Shagena was a youth leader at The River Church when minors came forward alleging him of inappropriate behavior, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office said. Shagena was arraigned Dec. 24 on a fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charge and three other counts of crimes against minors. He was given a $10,000 bond, which he has since …

ABC News reports: A 28-year-old man, Bryan Kohberger, was arrested Friday morning in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains in connection with the murders of four University of Idaho students, law enforcement sources told ABC News. Sources said that authorities knew who they were looking for and had tracked Kohberger down to Pennsylvania. A SWAT team entered the location where he was staying …

Yahoo Entertainment reports: Bill Cosby is eyeing a return to touring in 2023. The controversial comedian said as much during a surprise Dec. 28 radio interview on “WGH Talk” with host Scott Spears. Cosby answered “yes” when asked if 2023 is the year he finally might be able to tour again. Cosby, now 85, was convicted in Pennsylvania in April …

ABC News reports: David DePape, the man accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer at their San Francisco Home, pleaded not guilty to state charges on Wednesday. The arraignment in San Francisco Superior Court comes two weeks after a judge ruled that DePape will face trial for the October attack. DePape, 42, waived his right to …

The Associated Press reports: Officials confirmed that a fourth electrical substation in Washington state was found vandalized on Christmas Day, this coming after three others were attacked earlier in the day which left thousands without power. According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, the vandals broke into a fenced area and destroyed equipment at the substation which caused a fire. …

ABC News reports: Three power substation facilities were vandalized in Pierce County, Washington, on Christmas morning, knocking out power to more than 14,000 customers, authorities said. Two of the break-ins were at Tacoma Public Utilities substations and the third was at a Puget Sound Energy station, according to the sheriff’s office in Pierce County, which encompasses Tacoma. No suspects are …

Hemant Mehta reports at Only Sky: Michael Capps, a former Kansas lawmaker who once sponsored a bill to put the words “In God We Trust” in every federal building, has been found guilty of committing COVID relief fraud and money laundering. In 2018, the Republican was appointed to the Kansas State House and won his own election bid later that …

Washington DC’s ABC affiliate reports: A Texas man who attempted to cut power to the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6 was found guilty Wednesday of seven criminal counts by a D.C. judge. Christopher Ray Grider waived his right to a jury and instead sat for a bench trial. Grider was arrested last January and indicted on eight counts, including …