Crime

From the Justice Department: A 41-year-old Claremont, California man was convicted yesterday of abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft enroute to Seattle from Burbank, California, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Justin Baker was arrested March 14, 2024, when the Alaska Airlines plane arrived at SEA. Baker was taken into custody again yesterday immediately after the jury returned its guilty …

Law & Crime reports: A North Carolina man facing charges in the Jan. 6 riot is now accused of possessing child sexual abuse material and of sexual exploitation of a minor after authorities said they found evidence on his phone during his Capitol riot arrest. David Paul Daniel, 37, faces charges of child pornography possession and sexual exploitation of a …

Huntsville’s ABC affiliate reports: A former pastor has been found guilty of sodomy after days of testimony. According to court officials, Danny Duane Pitts was found guilty of second-degree sodomy Thursday after a trial in Morgan County. Testimony in the trial began on Tuesday with former Hartselle Police Investigator Amy Crouch. Crouch testified the then-teenage accuser disclosed details about several …

The Roys Report reports: The brother-in-law of Pastor Jeremy Pfeil of Accelerate Church in west Texas has been arrested and charged with sex crimes against minors. Last December, Pfeil made headlines for warning congregants that if they spoke about criminal sex charges against someone else—Pfeil’s pastor friend—they’d be “be sniped and taken out.” On Monday, the Amarillo Police Department (APD) …

Charleston’s ABC affiliate reports: A Darlington County youth pastor allegedly had sexual misconduct with a minor, according to the sheriff’s office. Andrew Payne was arrested and charged with sex/criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the third degree commit/attempt lewd act. At the time of this incident, Payne was the minor’s youth pastor, the sheriff’s office confirmed. Payne turned himself …

Roanoke’s CBS affiliate reports: A candidate in Boones Mill’s mayoral race said he believes the timing of his recent arrest is politically motivated. Donald “Whitey” Taylor was arrested Tuesday afternoon at the Trump Town USA store on Bethlehem Rd. that he owns. He’s charged with three counts of assault and one count of indecent exposure, all of which are misdemeanors. …

Seattle’s ABC affiliate reports: A 38-year-old Bremerton man was arrested Monday in connection with an alleged assault involving two boys, including his biological son, according to the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. Joseph Sweeney faces multiple charges, including second-degree assault and a hate crime. The arrest followed allegations that Sweeney assaulted the two boys on October 20. According to the court documents, …

CNN reports: The Justice Department warned Elon Musk’s America PAC in recent days that his $1 million sweepstakes to registered voters in swing states may violate federal law, people briefed on the matter told CNN. Musk, who has thrown his support behind former President Donald Trump and is spending millions of dollars supporting his candidacy, has publicized the $1 million …

Oklahoma City’s NBC affiliate reports: Benjamin Glaze, a former “American Idol” contestant, was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last week after authorities say they found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on a smartphone in his home. The Tulsa Police Sexual Predator/Digital Evidence Recovery Unit says it received a tip about Glaze, 26, back in April 2024, claiming that …

Grand Rapids’ ABC affiliate reports: Daniel Byron DeVries, of Fruitport Township, originally faced six felony counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime. This week, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child sexually abusive material and one count of using a computer to commit a …

From the Justice Department: The District One Supervisor on the Orange County Board of Supervisors has agreed to plead guilty to a felony federal charge for accepting more than $550,000 in bribes for directing and voting in favor of more than $10 million in COVID funds to a charity affiliated with one of his daughters, Rhiannon Do, the Justice Department …

The Arizona Republic reports: Tempe police arrested Jeffrey Michael Kelly on Tuesday night in connection with the shooting at three Democratic Party offices in Tempe and leaving bags of white powder on political signs in Ahwatukee Foothills. Kelly, 60, was charged with seven felony counts and three misdemeanor counts relating to the shootings, including terrorism and unlawful discharge, according to …

CNN reports: The federal appeals court in Washington, DC, on Tuesday upheld the conviction of the Cowboys for Trump founder who entered the restricted area of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, saying rioters didn’t have to know the Secret Service was protecting then-Vice President Mike Pence inside when they breached the area. The case is among a handful …

NBC News reports: Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced Hollywood mogul whose alleged sexual misconduct fueled the #MeToo movement and who was recently indicted on new charges, has chronic myeloid leukemia, two sources told NBC News. The sources added that Weinstein is undergoing treatment in prison at Rikers Island in New York. Chronic myeloid leukemia is an uncommon form of cancer of …

CNBC reports: Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries was arrested in Florida and faces sex trafficking-related charges, a spokesman for federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York told CNBC on Tuesday. Two of Jeffries’ associates, Matthew Smith of West Palm Beach, Florida, and James Jacobson of Wisconsin, have also been charged. The criminal case comes a year …

Michigan Live reports: Zachary Joseph Radcliff, 29, was arraigned on two charges of aggravated “child sexually abusive activity,” two charges child sexually abusive activity and six charges of using the internet to communicate with another to commit a crime. He is facing up to 25 years in prison. Radcliff is a church leader at Oakwood Church, confirmed Victoria Burton-Harris, Washtenaw …

CNN reports: Seven new civil lawsuits have been filed against Sean “Diddy” Combs, including two from accusers who say they were minors at the time they were allegedly drugged and assaulted by the music producer. For the first time in a year-long wave of litigation against Combs, other celebrities are cited and accused of participating in an alleged assault, though …

The Guardian reports: Victoria police have arrested 13 people as part of an investigation into a spate of “concerning attacks” on gay and bisexual men facilitated through dating apps such as Grindr. In response to queries from Guardian Australia, police confirmed several arrests have been made in Melbourne over the past couple of months over allegations that groups of offenders …

The Wichita Falls Times-Record reports: The city manager of Waurika, Oklahoma, has been arrested on child sex-related charges. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said in a press release that Charles Kyote Dunn, 30, is charged with possession and manufacture of child sexual abuse material and loitering around residence to watch occupants. Dunn, who was also a Waurika reserve police …

ABC News reports: A Texas woman who pleaded guilty to assaulting police during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to 17 months in prison on Thursday. Then-62-year-old Dana Jean Bell was considered to be a particularly disruptive rioter who engaged in “prolonged, abusive, and violent” attacks on law enforcement officers, including one that ultimately took his …