arrests – Michmutters
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US

Onlyfans star Courtney Clenney fought boyfriend in elevator before stabbing

Miami prosecutors unveiled video footage on Thursday that showed an OnlyFans star fighting with her boyfriend in an elevator just two months before fatally stabbing him in the chest.

Courtney Clenney, who boasts 2 million followers on Instagram, will be extradited to South Florida after her arrest in Hawaii this week on second-degree murder charges.

Miami-Dade County State Attorney Kathie Fernandez-Rundle said at a press conference announcing the charges Thursday that Clenney stabbed Christian Obumseli at close range during a fight at their luxury apartment on April 3.

Fernandez-Rundle said the pair had a “tempestuous” relationship that became so disruptive to residents in the apartment building that managers were pursuing their eviction.

To demonstrate Clenney’s capacity for violence, Fernandez-Rundle played a video from February showing the pair scuffling in an elevator that opened directly into their apartment.

“It certainly appears that the defendant was aggressively attacking Christian,” Fernandez-Rundle said.

The pair was known to have a highly tumultuous relationship.
Courtney Clenney is accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend.
Miami Office of the State Attorney

Clenney’s attorney, Frank Prieto, maintains that she stabbed Obumseli in self-defense after he shoved her to the ground.

Fernandez-Rundle said the couple’s constant warring had led to a brief separation in March while Clenney’s mother came to stay with her in the apartment.

But just two days before the fatal confrontation, the pair reconciled and Obumseli moved back in.

“The arguments began almost immediately,” she said, adding that cops responded to the apartment and found Clenney intoxicated.

Clenney boasts 2 million followers on Instagram.
Clenney will be extradited to South Florida after her arrest in Hawaii on second-degree murder charges.
Miami Office of the State Attorney

Two days later, Fernadez-Rundle said the couple had a relatively quiet morning and recorded a video playing with their dog. Obumseli later left to get them sandwiches.

Clenney then went live on Instagram as Obumseli returned home at 4:33 pm that Sunday before they began arguing once again.

Clenney later claimed to investigators that she grabbed a knife after Obumseli threw her down to the floor and chucked it at him from a distance of 10 feet.

But Fernandez-Rundle said the evidence did not support that claim — and that she had stabbed him in the chest at close range. Obumseli was never armed.

The fight took place during a fight at their luxury apartment on April 3
Clenney’s attorney argues that she stabbed Obumseli in self-defense after he shoved her to the ground.
Miami Office of the State Attorney

Records show that the model called her mother twice before calling 911 at 4:57 pm, the prosecutor said. Obumseli could be heard on the 911 call “repeatedly saying that he was dying,” Fernandez-Rundle said.

She added that Obumseli was a victim of “domestic violence” — and that men are often unwilling to come forward to report their abuse.

Clenney had been getting therapy for PTSD stemming from the case in Hawaii before her arrest.

The video shows a struggle between both partners.
Lawyers for both parties have claimed that their clients were defending themselves.
Miami Office of the State Attorney

“We are completely shocked at Courtney’s arrest based upon the clear evidence of self-defense in this matter,” Prieto said Thursday. “Obumseli attacked her and choked her that evening; Courtney had no choice but to meet force with force.”

Larry Handfield, a lawyer for the Obumseli family, had initially argued that investigators prematurely deemed the stabbing a case of self-defense and pushed for a more thorough probe.

Joined at Thursday’s press conference by Obumseli’s brother and cousin, Handfield lauded the arrest.

“We always believed that with a thorough and fair investigation that this day would come into reality,” he said. “This is such a relief for the family. But it gives restored hope that even though delayed, justice will still come.”

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US

Afghan man charged in killings of Muslims in New Mexico

The ambush killings of four Muslim men in Albuquerque, New Mexico, shook the community but inspired a flood of information, including a tip that led to the arrest of a local Muslim man originally from Afghanistan who knew the victims, authorities said.

Muhammad Syed, 51, was arrested on Monday after a traffic stop more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away from his home in Albuquerque. He was charged with killing two victims and was identified as the prime suspect in the other two slayings, authorities announced Tuesday.

The Muslim community is breathing “an incredible sigh of relief,” said Ahmad Assed, president of the Islamic Center of New Mexico. “Lives have been turned upside down.”

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Syed had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

The first killing last November was followed by three more between July 26 and Aug. 5.

Police Chief Harold Medina said it was not clear yet whether the deaths should be classified as hate crimes or serial killings or both.

Syed was from Afghanistan and had lived in the United States for about five years, police said.

“The offender knew the victims to some extent, and an interpersonal conflict may have led to the shootings,” a police statement said, although investigators were still working to identify how they had crossed paths.

When asked specifically if Syed, a Sunni Muslim, was angry that his daughter married a Shiite Muslim, Deputy Police Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock did not respond directly. He said “motives are still being explored fully to understand what they are.”

Assed acknowledged that “there was a marriage,” but he cautioned against coming to any conclusions about the motivation of Syed, who occasionally attended the center’s mosque.

Police said Syed gave them a statement but didn’t disclose details.

The slayings drew the attention of President Joe Biden, who said such attacks “have no place in America.” They also sent a shudder through Muslim communities across the US Some people questioned their safety and limited their movements.

“There is no justification for this evil. There is no justification to take an innocent life,” Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American–Islamic Relations, said at a Tuesday news conference in Washington, DC

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He called the killings “deranged behavior.”

The earliest case involves the November killing of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, from Afghanistan.

Naeem Hussain, a 25-year-old man from Pakistan, was killed Friday night. His death from him came just days after those of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, and Aftab Hussein, 41, who were also from Pakistan and members of the same mosque.

Ehsan Chahalmi, the brother-in-law of Naeem Hussain, said he was “a generous, kind, giving, forgiving and loving soul that has been taken away from us forever.”

For now, Syed is charged in the killings of Aftab Hussein and Muhammad Afzaal Hussain because bullet casings found at the crime scenes were linked to a gun found at his home, authorities said.

Investigators consider Syed to be the primary suspect in the deaths of Naeem Hussain and Ahmadi but have not yet filed charges in those cases.

The announcement that the shootings appeared to be linked produced more than 200 tips, including one from the Muslim community that police credited with leading them to the Syed family.

Police said they were about to search Syed’s Albuquerque home on Monday when they saw him drive away in a Volkswagen Jetta that investigators believe was used in at least one of the slayings.

Officers followed him to Santa Rosa, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) east of Albuquerque, where they pulled him over. Multiple firearms were recovered from his home and car, police said.

Syed’s sons were questioned and released, according to authorities.

Prosecutors expect to file murder charges in state court and are considering adding a federal case, authorities said.

Shiites make up the second largest branch in Islam after Sunnis.

Aneela Abad, general secretary at the Islamic center, said the two Muslim communities in New Mexico enjoy warm ties.

“Our Shiite community has always been there for us and we, Sunnis, have always been there for them,” she said.

Muhammad Afzaal Hussain had worked as a field organizer for Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury’s campaign.

“Muhammad was kind, hopeful, optimistic,” she said, describing him as a city planner “who believed in democracy and social change, and who believed that we could, in fact, build a brighter future for our communities and for our world. ”

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Dazio reported from Los Angeles and Fam from Winter Park, Florida. Associated Press writer Robert Jablon in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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Categories
US

Dermatologist Yue Yu arrested for allegedly poisoning husband

A Southern California dermatologist was arrested last week for allegedly poisoning her husband, police said.

Yue Yu, who has an office in Mission Viejo, was busted Thursday after Irvine police served a search warrant at the couple’s home.

Investigators said Yu’s husband turned over “video evidence” backing up his belief that she’s the reason he’s been sick for a month, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The unidentified husband “sustained significant internal injuries,” but is expected to recover, police said.

Yu, 45, is affiliated with Providence Mission Hospital, which issued a statement noting her arrest while saying staffers were cooperating with authorities.

Yue Yu, who has an office in Mission Viejo, California, was busted Thursday after Irvine police served a search warrant at the couple's home, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Dermatologist Yue Yu was busted after Irvine police served a search warrant at the couple’s home, the LA Times reported.
Irvine Police Department

“The incident is a domestic matter which occurred in Irvine and we want to reassure our community that there has been no impact on our patients,” hospital officials said.

Yu’s biography was apparently removed from the hospital’s website as of Sunday.

Yu, whose bail was set at $30,000, was released from custody late Friday after posting bond, online records show. No additional details of the allegations were available Sunday, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Yu’s husband told police he suspected she had been poisoning him and set up surveillance video to confirm his hunch, Irvine police Lt. Bill Bingham told the Orange County Register.

Yu, who attended medical school at Washington University in St. Louis, is due to appear in court on Monday. It’s unclear if she’s hired an attorney who could comment on her behalf of her.

Yu and her husband have been married for 10 years. It’s unclear how she allegedly poisoned him, CBS Los Angeles reported.

With Post wires

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Categories
Australia

Police officer injured, luxury cars allegedly stolen in Queensland juvenile crime spree

Queensland police have been kept busy over the weekend dealing with juvenile crime across the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

One of the incidents involved six teenagers who allegedly stole a Land Rover and a BMW from a home at Carrara and a Range Rover from Southport.

Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Craig Hanlon said the BMW was tracked to Pimpama where the tires were deflated by road spikes.

“The offenders then jumped into the other stolen vehicle and Polair [police helicopter] tracked it to Mount Gravatt and Carindale in Brisbane,” he said.

“We deployed tire deflation devices again; the vehicle was disabled.”

A dog squad officer tracked the teenagers who were found hiding in nearby residences.

“They’re unsophisticatedly coordinated,” Chief Superintendent Hanlon said.

“What they do is drive one [vehicle] and when it gets disabled they jump into another one.”

Two 15-year-old Pimpama boys, a 15-year-old Runaway Bay boy, a 17-year-old Marsden boy, a 15-year-old Peranga boy, and a 14-year-old Oxenford boy have been charged with one count each of burglary and two counts each of unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

Five of the juveniles will appear at Brisbane Children’s Court today while the sixth teenager will appear at the Brisbane Children’s Court on August 12.

Teenage girl arrested

In a separate incident on Saturday, Gold Coast police said a Lexus was stolen in Surfers Paradise and was tracked to a home in Miami where a 15-year-old girl was arrested while a 14-year-old girl remains outstanding.

Chief Superintendent Hanlon said the number of juveniles committing repeat offenses was increasing.

“What we are seeing is the number of juvenile offenders is decreasing, but we talk about that 10 per cent. They’re the 10 per cent that commits almost 50 per cent of the crime,” he said.

“We focus on that 10 per cent and they target vulnerable kids, who are disengaged with family, and bring them into their web and they will then commit offenses with them.

“We’ve got to make sure that the main offenders may need to be treated differently to those people who are fringe dwellers that are not doing the main offending.”

Officer punched

Chief Superintendent Hanlon said one of his officers was recovering in hospital with a suspected broken nose after he was allegedly punched by a 13-year-old girl in Surfers Paradise overnight.

“They weren’t committing offenses. We were just concerned about their wellbeing,” he said.

“For some unknown reason, one of the 13-year-olds has punched the officer.

“He’s been transported to Pindara Hospital and she’s been charged with serious assault of a police officer.”

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Categories
US

Ohio shooter Stephen Marlow who allegedly killed 4 has been arrested following manhunt, police say

The prime suspect in two Dayton, Ohio, shootings that left four people dead has been taken into custody, police confirmed on Saturday.

Stephen Marlow, 39, was apprehended in Kansas by the Lawrence Police Department, Butler Township Police Chief John Porter said at a press conference. The suspect was captured around 10 pm

Porter said local authorities are making arrangements to extradite Marlow.

This puts an end to a multi-state search for Marlow, who was considered to be armed and dangerous. The Dayton area shooting on Friday included a teenage girl and her mother of her.

Eva and Clyde Knox were found dead in their home Friday morning. Sarah Anderson and her 15-year-old daughter Kayla were also discovered dead shortly after.

The suspect had fled the state in a white 2007 Ford Edge SUV bearing an Ohio license plate following the shootings.

Marlow was charged with four counts of aggravated murder on Friday.

Stephen Marlow
Stephen Marlow allegedly fled the state in a white 2007 Ford Edge SUV.
Twitter/@fbicincinnati
Dayton Ohio shooting
Police investigate a shooting in Butler Township, Ohio, where four people were fatally shot on Aug. 5, 2022.
AP

On Saturday, prior to the apprehension, the US District Court for the Southern District of Ohio issued a federal arrest warrant on a charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

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US

SUV barrels through Native American parade; 15 injured

A New Mexico man who was driving drunk without a valid license barreled through a parade that celebrates Native American culture in the western part of the state, injuring at least 15 people, officials said Friday.

Jeff Irving, 33, was arrested late Thursday and faces charges that include aggravated driving while intoxicated, fleeing from officers and injuring parade-goers and two Gallup police officers who tried to stop the vehicle, court documents said.

In a statement, New Mexico State Police said that investigators have no reason to suspect the crime was motivated by hate. No one was killed. The people who were hurt, including the police officers, suffered mostly minor injuries, said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and his family were among those almost hit as the Chevrolet Tahoe drove through the parade route. The vehicle sped through downtown Gallup about 15 minutes after the nighttime parade started that served as the kick-off event for the 10-day Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial Centennial Celebration.

Irving’s blood-alcohol content was three times the legal limit for driving, according to court records. His license had been revoked or suspended for another drunken driving charge and the SUV had no registration or insurance, police said.

Court records did not list an attorney for Irving who could speak on his behalf. His two passengers were detained and taken to a detox center in Gallup, a city of about 22,000 people, state police said in the statement.

Many among the crowd of thousands lining the parade route in front of businesses that sell Native American jewelry, arts and crafts captured the chaotic scene on video.

As the SUV sped near the parade, videos on social media showed people yelling for others to get out of the way and some pushing parade-goers to safety. One video showed parade-goers yelling obscenities at the SUV’s driver and passengers while they were handcuffed on the ground.

Children performing traditional dances appear to have been among the first to have seen the SUV heading toward them, the videos showed. They ran to the side amid screams and others scrambling to get out of the way.

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The images also showed blankets, shoes, banners and umbrellas left strewn along the street and on the sidewalks as people fled.

Lujan Grisham said Friday that the state will send additional police officers and a behavioral heath crisis team to Gallup for the rest of the ceremonial event.

Nez said the vehicle was coming at him and a group of tribal officials marching in the parade. He thanked people for taking quick action to get spectators and participants out of harm’s way.

“We just ask for your prayers for all of the participants,” Nez said in a video posted on social media. “We’re all shook up. You would see this on television, you would think it would never happen here. I’m sorry to say it happened here in Gallup, New Mexico.”

Tonya Jim said she went to the parade with her parents, grandchildren and children. Her 5-year-old granddaughter of hers, KaRiah, was picked from the crowd to join a group of dancers. Shortly after, the vehicle barreled down the parade route, turned and hit a man across from them who was sitting on a folding chair, she said. KaRiah was helped off the road by someone and was not hurt.

“I’m glad whoever was holding her hand just kept holding her hand and ran with her to get her off the road,” Jim said. “I’m not sure who she was from her, but I’m thankful for her.”

Jim said the family burned cedar and prayed when they got home and did a tobacco smoke prayer Friday morning to calm down.

“I blessed my kids and thank the creator they are still with me and (to) pray for the families who are hurt,” said Jim, who is Navajo and lives in Fort Defiance.

During the mayhem, the SUV swerved onto a side street and pulled into a parking spot before trying to pull out again. It hit a parked car and backed into a police car, state police said. Officers converged on the vehicle and detained the driver and two passengers who Irving identified as his brothers, according to court documents.

Irving initially told police he was not drinking before admitting to having at least a couple of beers, according to court documents. He is from the small community of Pinedale and faces 21 charges, the documents and police said.

City, state and tribal officials met Friday, with some urging more resources to address alcohol abuse. The state has long had a driving while impaired rate above the US national average, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I think there’s always room for improvement,” said Gallup police Capt. Erin Toadlena-Pablo. “I don’t think anyone should ever look at it and say we’re doing all we can. There’s always other means.”

The nighttime parade is a highlight of the ceremonial celebration, which was founded in 1922 as a way for traders to showcase the culture and art of Native American tribes in the region, said Gallup Intertribal Indian Ceremonial Association board President Kyle Tom.

A daytime parade will go on as planned on Aug. 13, the day before closing events, Tom said. Other events include dances, rodeos and a juried art show.

People travel to Gallup from the vast Navajo Nation that extends into Arizona, New Mexico and Utah and from other tribal reservations to attend the parades and events. Nez, tribal lawmakers and others expressed anger and disbelief over what happened.

“It’s supposed to be a celebration, but today it was a difficult time for us,” Nez said.

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Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Arizona. Associated Press writer Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this report.

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Categories
US

Former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez charged with bribery

San Juan Puerto Rico — Form Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez was arrested Thursday on bribery charges related to the financing of her 2020 campaign, the latest hit to an island with a long history of corruption that brought fresh political upheaval to the US territory.

Vázquez is accused of engaging in a bribery scheme from December 2019 through June 2020 — while she was governor — with several people, including a Venezuelan-Italian bank owner, a former FBI agent, a bank president and a political consultant.

“I am innocent. I have not committed any crime,” she told reporters. “I assure you that they have committed a great injustice against me.”

The arrest embarrassed and angered many in Puerto Rico who believe the island’s already shaky image has been further tarnished, leaving a growing number of people who have lost faith in their local officials to wonder whether federal authorities are their only hope to root out entrenched government corruption . Concern over previous corruption cases led to a delay in federal aid for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria as the US government implemented more safeguards.

Thursday’s arrest also was a blow to Vázquez’s pro-statehood New Progressive Party, which is pushing to hold a referendum next year in a bid to become the 51st US state.

Vázquez was the second woman to serve as Puerto Rico’s governor and the first former governor to face federal charges. Former Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá of the opposing Popular Democratic Party was charged with campaign finance violations while in office and was found not guilty in 2009. He had been the first Puerto Rico governor to be charged with a crime in recent history.

“For the second time in our history, political power and public office are used to finance an electoral campaign,” said José Luis Dalmau, president of Acevedo’s party. “Using the power of the government to advance political agendas is unacceptable and an affront to democracy in Puerto Rico.”

Vázquez’s consultant, identified as John Blakeman, and the bank president, identified as Frances Díaz, have pleaded guilty to participating in the bribery scheme, according to the US Department of Justice.

In early 2019, the international bank owned by Julio Martín Herrera Velutini was being scrutinized by Puerto Rico’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions because of transactions authorities believed were suspicious and had not been reported by the bank.

Authorities said Herrera and Mark Rossini, the former FBI agent who provided consulting services to Herrera, allegedly promised to financially support Vázquez’s 2020 campaign for governor in exchange for Vázquez dismissing the commissioner and appointing a new one of Herrera’s choosing.

Authorities said Vázquez accepted the bribery offer and in February 2020 demanded the commissioner’s resignation. She then was accused of appointing a former consultant for Herrera’s bank as the new commissioner in May 2020. After the move, officials said Herrera and Rossini paid more than $300,000 to political consultants to support Vázquez’s campaign.

A flurry of messages exchanged during that time between people involved in the case included a heart emoji attached to the commissioner’s resignation letter and three sealed lips emojis when someone provided Rossi’s name to Vázquez, who requested the name of “the guy from the FBI.” In addition, Herrera texted Rossini about the need for a campaign manager and said he didn’t want “a monkey from Puerto Rico.”

After Vázquez lost the primary to current Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, authorities said Herrera then allegedly sought to bribe Pierluisi to end an audit into his bank with favorable terms. Herrera is accused of using intermediaries from April 2021 to August 2021 to offer a bribe to Pierluisi’s representative, who was actually acting under FBI orders, according to the indictment.

Officials said Herrera then ordered a $25,000 payment to a political action committee in hopes of trying to bribe Pierluisi.

Stephen Muldrow, US Attorney for Puerto Rico, said Pierluisi is not involved in the case.

Vázquez, Herrera and Rossini are each charged with conspiracy, federal bribery programs and honest services wire fraud. If they are found guilty on all counts, they could face up to 20 years in prison, officials said.

Meanwhile, Díaz and Blakeman could face up to five years in prison, officials said.

Muldrow said officials believe Herrera is in the United Kingdom and Rossini in Spain. It wasn’t clear if the US would seek to extradite them.

Juan Rosado-Reynés, a spokesman for Vázquez, told the AP he did not have an immediate comment.

Attorneys for the other suspects charged in the case could not be immediately reached for comment.

In mid-May, Vázquez’s attorney told reporters that he and his client were preparing for possible charges as the former governor at the time denied any wrongdoing: “I can tell the people of Puerto Rico that I have not committed any crime, that I have not engaged in any illegal or incorrect conduct, as I have always said.”

Vázquez was sworn in as governor in August 2019 after former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló stepped down following massive protests. She served until 2021, after losing the primaries of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party to Pierluisi.

In a statement Thursday, Pierluisi said his administration will work with federal authorities to help fight corruption.

“No one is above the law in Puerto Rico,” he said. “Faced with this news that certainly affects and lacerates the confidence of our people, I reiterate that in my administration, we will continue to have a common front with federal authorities against anyone who commits an improper act, no matter where it comes from or who it may implicate.”

Vázquez previously served as the island’s justice secretary and a district attorney for more than 30 years.

She became governor after Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court ruled that the swearing in of Pierluisi — who was secretary of state in 2019 — as governor was unconstitutional. Vázquez at the time said she was not interested in running for office and would only finish the nearly two years left in Rosselló’s term.

Rosselló had resigned after tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans took to the street, angry over corruption, mismanagement of public funds and an obscenity-laced chat in which he and 11 other men including public officials made fun of women, gay people and victims of Hurricane Maria, among others.

Shortly after she was sworn in, Vázquez told the AP that her priorities were to fight corruption, secure federal hurricane recovery funds and help lift Puerto Rico out of a deep economic crisis as the government struggled to emerge from bankruptcy.

During the interview, she told the AP that she had long wanted to be in public service: as a girl, she would stand on her balcony and hold imaginary trials, always finding the supposed defendants guilty.

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Categories
US

Former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez charged with bribery

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez was arrested Thursday on bribery charges related to the financing of her 2020 campaign, marking the first time that a former leader of the US territory faces federal charges.

Vázquez is accused of engaging in a bribery scheme from December 2019 through June 2020 — while she was governor — with several people, including a Venezuelan-Italian bank owner, a former FBI agent, a bank president and a political consultant.

The consultant, identified as John Blakeman, and the bank president, identified as Frances Díaz, have pleaded guilty to participating in the bribery scheme, according to the US Department of Justice.

In early 2019, the bank owned by Julio Martín Herrera Velutini was being scrutinized by Puerto Rico’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions because of transactions authorities believed were suspicious and had not been reported by the bank.

Authorities said Herrera and Mark Rossini, the former FBI agent who provided consulting services to Herrera, allegedly promised to financially support Vázquez’s 2020 campaign for governor in exchange for Vázquez dismissing the commissioner and appointing a new one of Herrera’s choosing.

Authorities said Vázquez accepted the bribery offer and in February 2020 demanded the commissioner’s resignation. She then was accused of appointing a former consultant for Herrera’s bank as the new commissioner in May 2020. After the move, officials said Herrera and Rossini paid more than $300,000 to political consultants to support Vázquez’s campaign.

After Vázquez lost the primary to current Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, authorities said Herrera then allegedly sought to bribe Pierluisi to end an audit into his bank with favorable terms. Herrera is accused of using intermediaries from April 2021 to August 2021 to offer a bribe to Pierluisi’s representative, who was actually acting under FBI orders, according to the indictment.

Officials said Herrera then ordered a $25,000 payment to a political action committee in hopes of trying to bribe Pierluisi.

Stephen Muldrow, US Attorney for Puerto Rico, said Pierluisi is not involved in the case.

Vázquez, Herrera and Rossini are each charged with conspiracy, federal bribery programs and honest services wire fraud. If they are found guilty on all counts, they could face up to 20 years in prison, officials said.

Meanwhile, Díaz and Blakeman could face up to five years in prison, officials said.

Muldrow said officials believe Herrera is in the United Kingdom and Rossini in Spain. It wasn’t clear if the US would seek to extradite them.

Juan Rosado-Reynés, a spokesman for Vázquez, told the AP he did not have an immediate comment.

Attorneys for the other suspects charged in the case could not be immediately reached for comment.

In mid-May, Vázquez’s attorney told reporters that he and his client were preparing for possible charges as the former governor at the time denied any wrongdoing: “I can tell the people of Puerto Rico that I have not committed any crime, that I have not engaged in any illegal or incorrect conduct, as I have always said.”

Vázquez was the second woman to serve as Puerto Rico’s governor and the first former governor to face federal charges. Former Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá was charged with campaign finance violations while in office and was found not guilty in 2009. He had been the first Puerto Rico governor to be charged with a crime in recent history.

Vázquez was sworn in as governor in August 2019 after former Gov. Ricardo Rosselló stepped down following massive protests. She served until 2021, after losing the primaries of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party to Pierluisi.

In a statement Thursday, Pierluisi said his administration will work with federal authorities to help fight corruption.

“No one is above the law in Puerto Rico,” he said. “Faced with this news that certainly affects and lacerates the confidence of our people, I reiterate that in my administration, we will continue to have a common front with federal authorities against anyone who commits an improper act, no matter where it comes from or who it may implicate.”

Vázquez previously served as the island’s justice secretary and a district attorney for more than 30 years.

She became governor after Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court ruled that the swearing in of Pierluisi — who was secretary of state in 2019 — as governor was unconstitutional. Vázquez at the time said she was not interested in running for office and would only finish the nearly two years left in Rosselló’s term.

Rosselló had resigned after tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans took to the street, angry over corruption, mismanagement of public funds and an obscenity-laced chat in which he and 11 other men including public officials made fun of women, gay people and victims of Hurricane Maria, among others.

Shortly after she was sworn in, Vázquez told the AP that her priorities were to fight corruption, secure federal hurricane recovery funds and help lift Puerto Rico out of a deep economic crisis as the government struggled to emerge from bankruptcy.

During the interview, she told the AP that she had long wanted to be in public service: as a girl, she would stand on her balcony and hold imaginary trials, always finding the supposed defendants guilty.

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Categories
US

80% of NYC gun suspects get released from custody following arrest: Eric Adams

More than 80% of pistol-packing perps were put back on the streets after getting busted for gun possession in New York City this year, Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday.

“When it comes to guns, this year, 2,386 people were arrested with a gun. Of those, approximately 1,921 are out on the street,” Adams said during a news conference on bail reform and recidivism.

“Arrested with a gun, out on the street.”

Adams added: “Gun arrests in custody: 19.5%. Out of custody: over 80%.”

“How do you take a gun law seriously when the overwhelming numbers are back on the streets after carrying a gun?” I have asked.

Adams also highlighted the number of gun suspects who’ve been re-arrested — and re-released.

“This year, 165 people were arrested with a second gun charge,” he said.

“Of those, 82 — out on the street. Not one arrest but two gun arrests — back out on the street,” he smoked.

This is the highest percentage in years.
Major Eric Adams questioned how anyone could take a gun law seriously if they are released from custody so quickly.
NYC Special Narcotics Prosecutor
This is the highest percentage in years.
Around 80% of perps for gun arrests are released to the streets.
Robert Miller

Adams didn’t specify how many defendants were released without bail or how many posted bail to get sprung.

All gun-possession charges are eligible for bail under New York law, which requires judges to impose the least restrictive conditions necessary to ensure defendants return to court.

In 2019, the year before the state’s controversial bail reform law took effect, “we arrested 80 people for a gun crime who had an open gun arrest,” Adams said.

Major Eric Adams
Adams has continuously challenged state lawmakers on bail reform.
Robert Miller

In 2021, he said, “the number was 259” — more than three times as many.

Adams also said that in 2019, 20 people arrested in shootings already had pending gun-possession charges but that last year, the number spiked nearly fourfold, to 77.

Also during Wednesday’s news conference at One Police Plaza, NYPD Chief of Crime Control Strategies Michael Lipetri said, “We like to talk about credible messengers when we work with our social service providers … to deliver the message to the crew member about stop the violence. ”

But Lipetri said that “the credible messenger today in New York City is the crew member that was arrested with a gun yesterday, that’s out today, that’s telling that crew, ‘Well, look at me, I can carry a gun in New York City .’”

Lipetri said the NYPD was investigating 716 suspected of committing 30% of the roughly 2,400 shootings that have taken place since 2021.

“Of those individuals, 54% — almost 385 — today have an open felony,” he said.

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Categories
US

Trump says Brittney Griner prisoner swap for Viktor Bout doesn’t seem like a ‘good trade’

Former President Donald Trump suggested that the proposed prisoner swap between Russia and the United States that would return jailed WNBA star Brittney Griner in exchange for a Russian arms dealer “doesn’t seem like a very good trade.”

“She knew you don’t go in there loaded up with drugs, and she admitted it,” Trump told the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show. “I assume she admitted it without too much force because it is what it is, and it certainly doesn’t seem like a very good trade, does it? He’s absolutely one of the worst in the world, and he’s gonna be given his freedom from him because a potentially spoiled person goes into Russia loaded up with drugs.

Trump was referring to reports that the United States is attempting to secure the release of Griner, and former US Marine Paul Whelan, in exchange for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout who is known as the “Merchant of Death” due to his weapons sales that fueled deadly conflicts around the world.

“She went in there loaded up with drugs into a hostile territory where they’re very vigilant about drugs,” Trump added. “They don’t like drugs. And she got caught. And now we’re supposed to get her out of her — and she makes, you know, a lot of money, I guess. We’re supposed to get her out for an absolute killer and one of the biggest arms dealers in the world. She killed many Americans. She killed many people.”

Former President Donald Trump said the proposed trade involving Brittney Griner for Russia arms dealer Viktor Bout wouldn't be a "good fit."
Former President Donald Trump said the proposed trade involving Brittney Griner for Russia arms dealer Viktor Bout wouldn’t be a “good fit.”
Getty Images

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier this week that while the Kremlin and US officials have engaged in talks, “there has been no concrete result yet.”

“We proceed from the assumption that the interests of both parties should be taken into account during the negotiations,” she said.

Griner, a WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested in Russia in February after customs officers found “vapes” containing hashish oil in her luggage at an airport near Moscow.

Griner, who faces a potential 10-year prison sentence, pleaded guilty earlier this month in a move her legal team says was made to “take full responsibility for her actions.”

Brittney Griner is escorted before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia on July 27, 2022.
Brittney Griner is escorted before a court hearing in Khimki outside Moscow, Russia on July 27, 2022.
REUTERS

Former Trump Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also suggested earlier this week that the proposed prisoner swap is not a good idea.

“He’s a bad guy. He is a guy who wanted to kill Americans. It presents a real risk to the United States. There’s a real reason the Russians want to get him home. To offer a trade like this is a dangerous precedent,” Pompeo told “America’s Newsroom.”

“This is not a good trade, not the right path forward, and it’ll likely lead to more,” Pompeo added.

Russian officials have long pushed for the release of Bout, who is currently serving a 25-year sentence in US prison after being convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans, conspiracy to deliver anti-aircraft missiles, and aiding a terrorist organization.

Viktor Bout was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans, but Russian officials have pushed for his release.
Viktor Bout was convicted in 2011 of conspiracy to kill Americans, but Russian officials have pushed for his release.
ZUMAPRESS.com

He was nabbed in 2008 in a sting operation at a luxury hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, where he met with Drug Enforcement Administration informants who were posing as officials with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, which has been classified by US officials as a narco- terrorist group.

Prosecutors said that Bout was prepared to provide the group with $20 million worth of “a breathtaking arsenal of weapons — including hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, machine guns and sniper rifles — 10 million rounds of ammunition and five tons of plastic explosives.”

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