Crime

CO Christian Filmmaker Pleads Guilty In Child Sex Sting

Ministry Watch reports: Steve Greisen, a Christian filmmaker and a veteran of the Jesus movement’s 1970s-era music scene, pled guilty Wednesday in Colorado Springs to a criminal attempt to solicit online sex with a minor. In a plea deal, Greisen agreed to register as a sex offender and spend five years in Colorado’s supervision program for sex offenders. He had …

Read More »

Catholic School Teacher Arrested On Child Sex Charges

The Quad City Times reports: Cody LaKose faces a felony charge of sexual exploitation by a school employee and three aggravated misdemeanor charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee. LaKose, 37, was a science teacher and coach at Central DeWitt from August 2010 to December 2018. He was asked to resign, according to a separation agreement with the district. …

Read More »

“Don’t Say Gay” Author Pleads Guilty To COVID Fraud

The Associated Press reports: The former Florida lawmaker who sponsored the controversial law critics call “Don’t Say Gay” pleaded guilty late Tuesday to committing $150,000 in COVID-19 relief fraud. Joseph Harding, a 35-year-old Republican, pleaded guilty in Gainesville federal court to wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements in connection with COVID-19 relief fraud, according to court records. He …

Read More »

“Strobe Light” Rioter Sentenced To Over Four Years

The Associated Press reports: A Virginia man who assaulted police with a stolen baton and used a flashing strobe light to disorient officers trying to defend the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison. Geoffrey Sills of Mechanicsville, Virginia, was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of Congress and …

Read More »

Bomb Threat Called In To Lower Manhattan Courthouse

Bloomberg News reports: A bomb threat was called in just as a judge in lower Manhattan was about to start a hearing over a $250 million lawsuit by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Donald Trump. Tuesday’s 911 call was investigated, the courthouse at 60 Centre Street temporarily closed and searched, and the threat deemed unfounded, state court spokesman …

Read More »

VA Pastor Arrested For “Indecent Liberties With Child”

The Northern Virginia Daily reports: Strasburg police are accusing a local church leader of committing sex crimes against a child four years ago. Mark Newton Heatwole, 65, of Timberville, remains free on bond after his arrest last week on one count of taking indecent liberties with a child under the age of 15. Sgt. Chris Nixon, of the Strasburg Police …

Read More »

Miami Beach Issues Curfew After Spring Break Violence

Miami’s NBC affiliate reports: The City of Miami Beach has issued a state of emergency and set an 11:59 p.m. curfew after a tumultuous weekend of deadly shootings. The measures come after a man died and another man was injured in a shooting in South Beach Friday night, and another deadly shooting in Miami Beach early Sunday morning. The state …

Read More »

UT Missionary Charged With LDS-Themed Child Porn

Salt Lake City’s ABC affiliate reports: A Sandy man faces 10 felonies for possessing child porn, some of it allegedly LDS themed. Roland E. Westrup, 23, was charged in the 3rd District Court with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a 2nd-degree felony. He could be put away for up to 15 years for each charge, if that …

Read More »

NC Baptist Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Charlotte’s NBC affiliate reports: The Lincolnton Police Department says a man is accused of child sex crimes, one of which reportedly happened recently. The department said 49-year-old Terry Wayne Rudisill was arrested Friday afternoon. He is charged with three counts of taking indecent liberties with children. A news release from police said one of the charges stems from a reportedly …

Read More »

Mother Sobs In Court As Young Rioter Gets 3.5 Years

The Charlotte Observer reports: A North Carolina man, the second youngest defendant in more than 1,000 arrests linked to the deadly riot at U.S. Capitol, will spend the next three years of his early adulthood behind bars. Aiden Bilyard of Cary was 18 when he sprayed chemical agents at police and broke out a window in the Capitol during the …

Read More »

Supremacist “Boogaloo Boi” Get 33 Years For Child Porn

The Justice Department reports: A Las Vegas resident was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 33 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for committing multiple child sexual exploitation crimes. Stephen Thomas Parshall, aka “Kiwi,” (38) pleaded guilty in October 2022, to two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of coercion and enticement, …

Read More »

IA Youth Pastor Arrested On Felony Child Sex Charges

The Oskaloosa Herald reports: A former youth director at a Pella church is facing multiple charges of sexual abuse, according to court documents. Travis Albers, 38, of rural Pella, has been charged with two counts of lascivious acts with a child – inflict pain or discomfort, both class D felonies; and two counts of indecent contact with a child. According …

Read More »

Bible Study Teacher Gets 4 Years On Grooming Charge

Jacksonville’s NBC affiliate reports: James Rankin Johnson, a former teacher at New Beginnings Christian Academy in Jacksonville, pleaded guilty to the charge of “offenses against students by authority figures” Tuesday. He accepted a plea deal for a lesser charge, with the state agreeing to drop two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation. He will serve four years in state prison …

Read More »

Far-Right Newspaper Editor Charged With Riot Felonies

Politico reports: The former editor of an Orthodox Jewish newspaper in New York City — identified two years ago as a member of the Jan. 6 mob by POLITICO — was charged Thursday with two felonies for his actions at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Elliot Resnick, who had drawn controversy prior to Jan. 6 for incendiary and bigoted comments …

Read More »

Catholic Deacon Gets 16 Years On Child Sex Charges

The New York Daily News reports: A disgraced Queens Catholic Church deacon will spend 16 years behind bars for enticing three boys he met online into having sex with him. Rogelio Vega, 52, faced his reckoning in Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday, breaking down in tears as he described how his actions hurt his victims and his family. The detective …

Read More »

Christian School Teacher Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Mobile’s NBC affiliate reports: According to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, a local teacher has been arrested and charged for engaging in a sexual relationship with a student. Jonathan Sauers, a teacher and soccer coach at Faith Academy, has been charged with “School employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19 years.” According to …

Read More »

Another Cultist Guilty In Plot To Kidnap Michigan Gov

Reuters reports: A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a reduced charge for his role in a foiled plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, handing another victory to prosecutors who have viewed the scheme as domestic terrorism. Michigan prosecutors accused Brian Higgins, 54, of aiding the conspiracy by surveilling Whitmer’s vacation home. As part of a plea deal, he …

Read More »

DOJ To Court: Expect Another 1000 Arrests In Riot

Bloomberg News reports: More than 1,000 additional people could still face charges in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol, according to a letter to the DC federal court from the US attorney in Washington. The letter from US Attorney Matthew Graves to Chief Judge Beryl Howell, which came as the department neared its 900th arrest, …

Read More »

PA Youth Pastor Gets 6-12 Years On Child Sex Charges

Penn Live reports: “God is still good. God is strong.” Those were the words the former youth pastor called out to her family on Wednesday as she was escorted from the Perry County courtroom after being sentenced to six to 12 years in state prison for sexual assault. Meanwhile, a 26-year-old woman whom prosecutors say Lindsey Melnick molested 11 years …

Read More »

FBI Probes Fire At Home Of Just-Arrested Bannon Crony

New York City’s ABC affiliate reports: A fire broke out inside an Upper East Side hotel on Wednesday and the FBI is now involved in the investigation. The FBI’s New York Field office is working to determine whether the fire at the Sherry-Netherland Hotel in the Upper East Side is linked to the Wednesday morning arrest of exiled Chinese businessman …

Read More »