Crime

Boston’s ABC affiliate reports: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is one of dozens and possibly hundreds of men identified in a monthslong investigation of a human trafficking and prostitution ring involving five day spas in Florida. Jupiter Police Chief Daniel Kerr said he was shocked to learn Kraft, who is worth $6 billion, was paying for sex inside a …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: He asked the man if he was gay and when he responded “I am,” he hit him. Now, that alleged attacker faces assault charges — but those will not be enhanced as a hate crime. Carlo Alazo, 22 from Florida, was charged Friday by the Salt Lake County district attorney with three misdemeanors for threatening …

ABC News reports: David and Louise Turpin, who are accused of starving, beating and inflicting other abuse on 12 of their 13 children at their Perris home, pleaded guilty to multiple charges in the case as part of a plea deal. The two appeared in court on Friday and each pleaded guilty to 14 counts in connection to the abuse …

Mediaite reports: President Donald Trump weighed in this afternoon on Patriots owner Robert Kraft being charged with solicitation of prostitution. Kraft was one of several individuals busted in the sting in what authorities are describing as a massive human trafficking investigation. Police said earlier today they have video evidence. Trump has been close with Kraft for many years, and he …

The Chicago Sun-Times reports: Embattled R&B superstar R. Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse in Cook County Friday morning, records show. His first court date is listed as March 8, according to records. Sources told the Sun-Times that Cook County prosecutors were appearing before a judge Friday afternoon to sign off on an arrest warrant …

West Palm Beach’s ABC affiliate reports: In his Tuesday news conference about a major human trafficking investigation , Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said about 100 men would be arrested. When asked about prominent people or celebrities, Snyder said, “There will be a newsmaker in this one.” That newsmaker is Robert Kraft, billionaire businessman and owner of the Super Bowl …

USA Today reports: Fox announced on Friday Jussie Smollett was suspended from the hit show “Empire” after the actor was accused of paying two men to attack him last month in what police say was a ploy to raise his profile because he was unhappy with his salary. “The events of the past few weeks have been incredibly emotional for …

Chicago’s ABC affiliate reports: When Jussie Smollett called the cast and crew of the television show “Empire” together Thursday night, they were expecting the actor to come clean about what really happened, a person at the meeting told CNN. Smollett did apologize to his coworkers for any embarrassment they might have felt since the story began. But then, to the …

The Blast reports: Jussie Smollett is to be released this afternoon on a $100,000 bond and is ordered to surrender his passport. During the hearing, text messages between Jussie Smollett and the brothers were read aloud to the court. Smollett was seen taking deep breaths, closing his eyes, and shaking his head. Smollett’s siblings, including Jazz, Jake and Jocqui, arrived …

USA Today reports: “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett choreographed a homophobic, racist attack against himself with the help of two brother he knew, in an attempt to raise his profile because he was dissatisfied with the salary he was making, police said Thursday. Eddie Johnson, superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, kicked off the presser, explaining what their investigation concluded. “This …

CBS News reports: “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett is in custody to face charges of making a false police report when he said he was attacked in downtown Chicago late last month by two men who hurled racist and anti-gay slurs and looped a rope around his neck, police said. Police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said prosecutors charged Smollett with felony disorderly …

ABC News Chicago reports: Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Jussie Smollett is officially a suspect in a criminal investigation for filing a false police report, a Class 4 felony. Guglielmi said CPD detectives are currently presenting evidence before a Cook County grand jury. Earlier Gugliemi confirmed prosecutors are speaking with Jussie Smollett’s attorneys as part of …

ABC News reports: Mark Bartlett, who is white, originally was charged only with carrying a concealed firearm after he allegedly pulled a gun on protesters blocking a Miami street as a part of a demonstration on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. But prosecutors announced hate crime charges on Tuesday, citing the completion of final interviews and witness statements. Bartlett, 51, …

CBS News Chicago reports: Sources told CBS 2 News that Smollett paid the two men $3,500 to stage the attack in Streeterville. The brothers, seen on surveillance video near the scene of the alleged attack, told investigators Smollett directed them to buy the rope used in the incident, and paid for the purchase at Crafty Beaver Hardware Store in Ravenswood …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: Salt Lake City police are asking the public for help identifying a man who hit another after asking if he was gay. The assault is captured in an eight-second video posted to Twitter on Sunday by Sal Trejo and quickly spread through social media. The assault took place downtown and the video starts with the …

The New York Post reports: Convicted ex-congressman Anthony Weiner has been sprung from prison — and is now part of a federal re-entry program in New York, records show. Weiner has been transferred from Federal Medical Center in Devens, Mass. where he served a bulk of his 21-month sentence for sexting a 15-year-old girl from North Carolina. The 54-year-old is …

CNN reports: Two law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that Chicago Police believe Jussie Smollett paid two men to orchestrate the assault. The brothers, who were arrested Wednesday, were released without charges Friday after Chicago police cited the discovery of “new evidence.” The sources told CNN that the two men are now cooperating fully with law …

The Guardian reports: A former Roman Catholic archbishop and cardinal has been dismissed from the priesthood after the Vatican found him guilty of sexually abusing minors in a sign of an increasingly hardline stance taken by the church. Theodore McCarrick, 88, one of the prominent figures in the church, was defrocked just days before an unprecedented global summit of bishops …

The Washington Post reports: A 22-year-old man from California has been charged with setting fire last month to curtains at Comet Ping Pong pizza shop in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of Northwest Washington, according to federal law enforcement authorities. Ryan Jaselskis, also known as Ryan Rimas, is charged with maliciously damaging or destroying by means of fire. Magistrate Judge G. …

Chicago’s ABC News affiliate reports: Chicago police confirmed Thursday that detectives are talking to two persons of interest in connection with the alleged attack on “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett. Multiple sources have told ABC7 Eyewitness News that police are investigating whether Smollett and the two men staged the attack allegedly because Smollett was being written off of “Empire.” A source …