Los Angeles Woman Admits Faking Her Own ‘Kidnapping’ by Immigration Agents in 2025
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderón claimed agents snatched her near a Jack in the Box. She was hiding in Bakersfield while organizers demanded her release.
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Quincy Man Charged With Mailing ‘HA HA’ Powder Letters to Congress Offices Under His Own Name
An FBI affidavit says Matthew Unglesbee used his real name and address as the return address and told agents the white powder was salt.
Man Who Took a Sledgehammer to Quantico’s Iwo Jima Statue Climbed Down and Gave Himself Up, Agent Says
An NCIS affidavit says Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano used a sledgehammer from his vehicle and admitted the damage. He faces up to 10 years.
Jury Convicts Man Who Robbed a Newport News Delivery Driver of His Food, Shoes and Car
Jayveon McCloud and a co-defendant made the driver remove his shoes at gunpoint on Oct. 22, 2025. McCloud crashed the stolen car during a police chase.
Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder; Deal Calls for 15 Years
Ryan Flute, 46, admitted repeatedly pushing a woman during an argument while they drank in May 2024. She hit her head on furniture and died six days later.
Harlingen Couple Sentenced for Billing Medicare $14 Million in Wheelchair Repairs for 37 Patients
Jeremiah and Maria Luisa Yzaguirre got 110 and 80 months. They admitted billing $736,072 for one patient’s wheelchair parts that were never replaced.
Jacksonville Woman Accused of Stealing 35 Years of VA Survivor Benefits
Gail Starks, 63, is charged with stealing $397,120 in VA spousal benefits from 1991 to 2026 and telling a VA employee she was not married.
Anaheim Couple Who Moved Money for Rhino Horn and Tiger Pelt Deals Get Probation
Linh Luu and Kevin Le processed $51,100 for a Vietnam-based wildlife trafficker and took $12,000 in cash from an undercover agent at a Target parking lot.
St. Louis Bartender Charged With Setting Fires at Two Cahokia Heights Massage Parlors; Body Found in Debris
An ATF affidavit says Quentin Hanks admitted lighting couches at One Spa and Fuji Super Spa on Oct. 19, 2026. A body was found at Fuji Spa the next day.
Brockton Brothers Get 4 Months Each for Staged $197,000 Credit Union ‘Robbery’
A teller handed his masked brother nearly $200,000 from the vault in a staged 2024 robbery in West Roxbury. Each was sentenced to four months in prison.
Florida Woman Convicted of Taking $152,000 in Social Security Paid to Her Dead Great-Aunt
Asha Anderson made hundreds of ATM withdrawals over nearly six years from her late great-aunt’s account, which kept receiving Social Security deposits.
Austin: Yogurt Shop Victim’s Family Still Asks Whether the Killer Had Help
Nearly 35 years after four girls were killed in an Austin yogurt shop, Amy Ayers’ brother and his wife question whether Robert Brashers acted alone.
Second Alabama Man Sentenced in Missouri Pharmacy Burglary That Netted 16,800 Pills
Cornelius Bray was sentenced to 57 months for the 2025 Kennett, Missouri, pharmacy break-in that ended in a crash after a chase at more than 130 mph.
Oklahoma City Felon Gets 37 Months for Stuffing 2,000 Stolen Rounds of Ammo Into His Pockets
Robert Alexander Pitts hid ammo boxes in his pockets and waistband during repeated thefts at Bass Pro and Cabela’s stores in 2025, prosecutors said.
Federal Prison Officer at Coleman Charged With Taking Bribes to Smuggle Drugs and Tobacco
Weston Burney is accused of accepting money in 2025 to bring tobacco and a Schedule I drug to an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Florida.
Florida Telemedicine Owner Gets 20 Years for $46 Million Medicare Brace and Genetic Test Fraud
Christopher Harwood, owner of TelevisitMD, paid doctors to sign orders for braces and genetic tests Medicare patients did not need, prosecutors said.
Two D.C. Felons Sentenced After Guns in YouTube and Instagram Videos Drew Police Attention
Investigators began watching music videos and livestreams in 2023 and later seized guns, including pistols converted to machine guns, prosecutors said.
Contractor Admits Paying $70,000 in Kickbacks to N.J. School Official Over Padded Overtime
Kenneth Gratto admitted billing weekend overtime he never worked on Hillsborough school projects and paying the district’s business administrator kickbacks.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Painting Swastikas on 12 Headstones at Jewish Cemetery
George Horn admitted targeting a Dundalk Jewish cemetery in 2023. A video on his phone showed him spray-painting two gravestones, prosecutors said.
Former MBTA Inspector Admits Faking Red Line Track Inspections and Overtime
Andy Vicente pleaded guilty to conspiracies to falsify Red Line inspection reports and collect overtime he did not work while fixing cars at Cabot Yard.
Philadelphia Man Gets Nearly 20 Years for Three Armed Store Robberies in Two Weeks
Ibrahem Johnson robbed two Family Dollar stores and a Rite Aid at gunpoint in West Philadelphia in 2025 and was caught after a police officer recognized him.
Man Convicted of Living More Than 40 Years in the U.S. Under the Identity of a Baby Who Died
A federal jury found Vidal Blanco-Blas used a dead U.S.-citizen infant’s name to get a Social Security number, a Texas license and a passport.
Shooter Gets 30 Years in St. Louis Murder-for-Hire Plot Over a $150,000 Life Insurance Policy
Eric Washington shot Andreaia Worthem in 2023 after her son planned to kill her for a $150,000 insurance policy, federal prosecutors said.
N.J. Man Charged Over ‘No-Show’ Hudson County Parks Job; Phone Data Put Him Elsewhere, FBI Says
An FBI complaint says Alfonso Zamarra was paid about $45,000 for a parks job he never did, citing phone data, airline records and mismatched signatures.
Six Charged in Massachusetts Sham-Marriage Ring That Prosecutors Say Charged Up to $40,000 a Wedding
Federal prosecutors say a Fall River woman ran a business arranging fake marriages so immigrants could seek legal status, charging $38,000 to $40,000 each.
Atlanta Instagram Personality ‘Shawty Dred’ Indicted in $4 Million SNAP Fraud Case
Prosecutors say Mercedes Reshard New controlled more than 350 fake SNAP accounts built on stolen identities and siphoned about $4 million in food aid.
Pensacola Man Convicted in 14 Armed Robberies of Gas Stations and Convenience Stores
A federal jury convicted Deshawn Donson, 23, after store clerks testified. Deputies caught him after a May 2025 robbery and a chase at over 100 mph.
Man Who Escaped a Deputy at a Shreveport Hospital Is Indicted for a Violent Carjacking
Prosecutors say Tre'veon Jackson beat a man outside a Bossier City hotel and took his car after escaping custody on Sept. 14, 2026.
Bronx Gang Member Gets Life for Killing Milton Grant Over His Watch in 2021
Ramon Rodriguez, 22, shot Milton Grant in the head in June 2021 and took his watch, federal prosecutors said. He was also sentenced for a jail assault.
Philadelphia Postal Clerks Sentenced for Stealing Treasury Checks That Were Resold on Telegram
Two mail clerks took Treasury checks from sorting machines and two men resold them on Telegram, prosecutors said; buyers cashed about $11 million.
Illinois Lab Executive Charged With Billing $66 Million for COVID Tests Prosecutors Say Were Never Run
Prosecutors say Rajesh Patel created fake negative results for at least 380,000 PCR tests at a Hillside, Illinois, lab so it could bill a federal program.
Jamaican Man Gets 3 Years for Role in Sweepstakes Scam That Told Elderly Victims to Pay First
Elderly victims were told they had won a sweepstakes and had to pay taxes and fees first. Alando Gentles, who took part from Jamaica, got 36 months.
Milwaukee Man Gets 38 Years for Killing Letter Carrier Over a Missing Drug Package
Kevin McCaa and another man targeted Aundre Cross on his route in 2022 because they thought he had stolen their drug package, prosecutors said.
Two Georgia Inmates Sentenced for Jury-Duty Scam Run From Prison
Posing as local police on smuggled phones, they told at least 119 people they faced arrest for missing jury duty unless they paid with gift cards.
Missouri Man Admits Forging Deeds to Take at Least 14 Properties
James L. Townes Jr. used notary seals to make forged owners’ signatures look real, and at least three of the owners were already dead, prosecutors say.
Appeals Court Upholds 30-Year Sentence in 2001 Killing of Pregnant Soldier in Germany
The 11th Circuit rejected Shannon Wilkerson’s challenges to the DNA evidence and to the exclusion of another soldier he wanted to blame.
St. Petersburg Man Charged With Robbing Two Banks in an ‘Old Man’ Mask
David Sartin Jr., 40, was on supervised release for a string of Texas bank robberies in the same disguise, according to an FBI affidavit.
Navy Base Contractor Charged With Filming Restricted Areas at Point Mugu
Todd Jeremy Senff, 46, of Camarillo, faces 14 misdemeanor counts over photos and videos of military equipment and exercises that prosecutors say he shared.
Man Accused of Posing as a 49ers Player Is Indicted; Trial Set for December
A Portland grand jury indicted Daejon Love in a romance and investment scheme. The indictment lists five aliases and what the money allegedly paid for.
Las Vegas Tesla Arsonist Gets 5 Years; Prosecutors Had Asked for 20
Paul Hyon Kim was sentenced to the five-year minimum for the 2025 attack on a Tesla repair shop after a fight over whether it was terrorism.
Former National Guard Drug Task Force Member Sentenced Over Machine Gun After Losing Second Amendment Challenge
Ruby Celly Uribe got two years and five months in prison after a judge rejected her claim that short-barreled rifles are protected by the Second Amendment.
Moroccan Man Found Hiding Under a Cargo Crane on a Ship Bound for Louisiana Is Charged as a Stowaway
El Mahdi Koutabi, 34, was found under a cargo crane on a ship bound for Louisiana and said it was his fourth such trip, a complaint says.
Last Two Vendors Plead Guilty in Evanston/Skokie District 65 Kickback Case, Leaving No One to Try
Antonio Ross and Alfonzo Lewis pleaded guilty to paying cash kickbacks to former District 65 Superintendent Devon Horton, days before trial was set to begin.
Brockton Woman Gets Two Months for $931,745 Treasury Check She Said Came From a Man She Met Online
Lana Ruel, 71, was sentenced to two months in prison for depositing a stolen $931,745 tax refund check that was owed to a Brooklyn home health company.
Three Charged in Tampa With Trying to Steal More Than $2 Million in Treasury Checks Taken From the Mail
Two Brooklyn residents and a Tampa woman are indicted on charges they took Treasury checks from the mail and cashed them with fake driver’s licenses.
Louisville Man Serving Time for a 2020 Protest-Era Carjacking Is Charged With Escaping Federal Custody
Damion Hayes, 26, is indicted on escape and gun charges after prosecutors say he fled a Louisville reentry center on April 22, 2026.
Chicago Man Indicted on Federal Charge of Aiming a Laser Pointer at a Police Helicopter
Ignacin Ramos, 36, pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of aiming a laser pointer at a Chicago Police Department helicopter on Aug. 11, 2026.
Tucson Man Now Faces Federal Charges Over Assault That Diverted a Newark Flight to Baltimore
Layne Lundeen, 67, of Tucson, is federally indicted over the Sept. 3, 2026, flight disturbance that forced a Dallas-to-Newark plane to land at BWI.
Kirkland Pastor Charged With Using His Church to Raise $13 Million for a Company Prosecutors Call a Sham
Cristian Popescu, a Kirkland, Washington, pastor, pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering charges over his company, Followone.
16 Charged in Justice Department’s Election Crimes Sweep: The Cases, State by State
The Justice Department charged 16 people with election crimes in nine states. Here is every case, and an Idaho defendant the national list left out.
Tijeras Man Charged With Trying to Cast His Late Wife’s Ballot in 2024 Election: What the Court Record Shows
Patrick Perea, 62, of Tijeras, New Mexico, is charged with fraudulent voting over a ballot in his late wife’s name submitted in October 2024.
Christa Pike Is Back in Prison After Surviving Tennessee’s Lethal Injection Attempt
Christa Pike, who survived Tennessee’s Sept. 30, 2026, execution attempt, has left the hospital and is back at the women’s prison, her lawyers said.
Three Men Found Guilty in Killings of Australian Brothers and American Surfer in Mexico
A Mexican judge found three men guilty on Oct. 9, 2026, of killing Callum and Jake Robinson and American Jack Carter Rhoad on a 2024 surf trip in Baja.
A Discarded Water Bottle Led to a Murder Charge in a 1985 Newport Killing, Prosecutors Say
William Morton, 61, is charged with murder in the 1985 killing of Hillary Hellewell in Newport, Rhode Island, after DNA from a water bottle matched evidence.
Saratoga Springs Woman’s Throat Cut by Coworker She Was Driving Home, Police Say
David Cruz Torres, 36, is charged with attempted murder after police say he cut the throat of a coworker who was driving him home in Saratoga Springs on Oct. 9.
Two Men Accused of Stabbing Off-Duty NYPD Detective in Bronx Robbery Are Arrested in Massachusetts
Two men accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD Detective Jose Mercedes seven times in an Oct. 2, 2026, Bronx robbery were arrested in Lynn, Massachusetts.
Man Charged in Eden Prairie Homecoming Shooting Is Released on Bond
Adam Abdihakeem Adam, 18, charged in the Oct. 2, 2026, shooting outside Eden Prairie High School’s homecoming game, posted bond and left jail on Oct. 10.
Man Accused of Stabbing a 2-Year-Old and Her Mother at a Providence Bus Stop Was Found Unfit for Trial in Past Cases
Nelson Blanco, 46, is charged with stabbing a 2-year-old girl and her mother at a Providence bus stop on Oct. 7, 2026. The girl was in critical condition.
ICE Agent Fired Seven Shots at a Car With a 5-Year-Old Inside in Manhattan; Judge Bars Driver’s Deportation
An ICE agent shot a 28-year-old man in Manhattan’s Marble Hill on Oct. 8, 2026, as his 5-year-old son sat in the car. A judge has barred his deportation.
Man on Electronic Monitoring Charged With Murdering CTA Janitor at Damen Green Line Station
Chevazz Campbell, 37, is charged with first-degree murder in the Oct. 8, 2026, stabbing of CTA janitor Julian Mobley at the Damen Green Line station in Chicago.
Chicago Police Say One of Their Own Killed 8-Year-Old Gloria Kowalewicz in 1960
Chicago police say former officer Thomas F. McInerney Jr., who died in 2006, killed 8-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz in 1960. DNA and a fingerprint led to him.
Erie Gunman Killed His Pregnant Daughter, Two Grandchildren and Five Others, Coroner Says
Matthew Stone, 45, killed eight people at his Erie, Pennsylvania, home on Oct. 9, 2026, including his pregnant daughter and two grandchildren, the coroner said.
Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber Killed, Partner Wounded; Man Charged With Murder
Officer Shane Seiber, 40, was killed and his partner wounded on Oct. 10, 2026, in West Philadelphia. Eric Lewis, 35, is charged with murder, prosecutors said.
Five Family Members Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide at Home in Douglas, Georgia
Police in Douglas, Georgia, say five adult family members died in an apparent murder-suicide at their home late on Oct. 9, 2026.
Retired San Francisco Police Sergeant Killed His Wife, a Former Deputy Chief, and Their Daughter, Sheriff Says
Ann Mannix, 65, her daughter Katherine, 24, and husband Kevin Mannix, 68, were found dead Oct. 11, 2026, near Mill Valley in a suspected murder-suicide.
Selma Blair Taken Into Custody After Two Flight Attendants Are Hurt on Delta Flight to JFK
Selma Blair was taken into custody after two flight attendants were hurt on a Delta flight to JFK on Oct. 11, 2026. Her rep cited a medical emergency.
Federal Agents Search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington Home in Criminal Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington home on Oct. 12, 2026. Omar called it political intimidation.
Alvaro Pulido, Wanted Since 2019 in Venezuela Bribery Case, Is in U.S. Custody
Alvaro Pulido, 62, charged in Miami in 2019 and 2021 over alleged bribes for Venezuelan contracts, is in U.S. custody, officials said Oct. 11, 2026.
Tucson Man Charged After Email Threatened ‘Mass Bombings’ at the White House, Prosecutors Say
Jacob Aaron Hicks, 46, of Tucson is charged with an interstate threat after an email to a TV station warned of White House bombings, prosecutors said.
Maduro and His Wife Charged With Conspiring to Torture Opponents, Including Americans, in New U.S. Indictment
A superseding indictment unsealed Oct. 8, 2026, in New York charges Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture.
Plan to Livestream Fort Hood Shooter’s Firing-Squad Execution Draws Pushback, Including From Republicans
Nidal Hasan is set to be executed by firing squad Dec. 3, 2026. A Pentagon plan to livestream it has drawn objections from Republicans and an archbishop.
Arcadia Couple Plead Not Guilty to Abusing at Least 14 Surrogate-Born Children in ‘House of Horrors’ Case
Guojun Xuan and Silvia Zhang pleaded not guilty Oct. 6, 2026, to charges of abusing at least 14 surrogate-born children at their Arcadia, California, home.
‘Louder Than the Noise’: Trial Opens 14 Years After UNC Student Faith Hedgepeth Was Killed
Opening statements began Oct. 7, 2026, in the trial of Miguel Salguero Olivares, accused of killing UNC student Faith Hedgepeth in 2012.
Minnesota 18-Year-Old Accused of Plotting Mall of America Attack, Arrested After Buying Rifle in FBI Sting
Federal prosecutors say Sheikhdoon Abdullahi Mohamud, 18, planned an attack at the Mall of America and was arrested after buying an AK-47 in an FBI sting.
‘Where Am I?’: Christa Pike Wakes Up After Failed Execution as Judge Orders Tennessee to Preserve Evidence
Christa Pike woke up days after Tennessee's failed attempt to execute her. On Oct. 7, 2026, a judge ordered the state to preserve evidence from it.
Lethbridge, Alta., Teen Faces Six Charges Including Terrorism Offences in RCMP 764 Investigation
A 17-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta., faces six charges, including terrorism offences, in an RCMP investigation involving the 764 network.
Two Juveniles Wounded in Shooting After Warren Central Football Game in Indianapolis
Two juveniles were wounded in a shooting after Warren Central High School's football game in Indianapolis on Oct. 2, 2026, police said.
Tennessee: Christa Pike Scheduled to Be First Woman Executed by the State in Over 200 Years
The Supreme Court denied Christa Pike's stay request. Tennessee plans to execute her Sept. 30, its first execution of a woman in over 200 years.
Morgue Worker ‘Dead Man’s Baby’ Arrest Story Was Fiction
False: no morgue worker was arrested after giving birth to a dead man's baby. Fact-checkers have traced the story to satire sites since 2010.
Boy, 12, Charged After Allegedly Pulling A Gun On A Girl In Ewa Beach
Police charged a 12-year-old boy in an Ewa Beach gun case after he allegedly pulled a firearm on a girl, 13, on Fort Weaver Road, Hawaii News Now reported.
Traffic Stop In Clifton Park Leads To Over 400-Pound Cannabis Seizure
Saratoga County deputies seized 489 pounds of cannabis in a Clifton Park traffic stop on I-87. Two Franklin County men face first-degree felony charges.
20-Year Prison Sentence For Glenville Man In Child Sex Abuse Image Case
Gregory Magin, 46, of Glenville was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography, CBS6 Albany reported.
17-Year-Old Stabbed Outside Bronx’s Taft Educational Campus, Police Say
A 17-year-old was stabbed outside the Bronx's Taft Educational Campus after arriving with his mother to register for classes. No arrests have been made.
Fresno Backyard Shooting Leaves Three Shot, Including a 2-Year-Old Boy
A 2-year-old boy and two adults were injured in a Fresno backyard shooting Saturday night on East Washington Avenue. Police have detained a suspect.
Two Teens Wounded in Separate Saturday-Night Chicago Shootings
Two teenage boys were hospitalized after separate shootings in Chicago on South Dorchester Avenue and South Claremont Avenue Saturday night. No suspects.
One Dead, Two Hospitalized After Saturday Morning Triple Shooting in Buford
One man died and two people were hospitalized after a Buford triple shooting Saturday morning. Gwinnett County police are investigating.
Man Pleads Guilty in Bradford Walking Trail Sword Attack
Adrian Washington pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in the Bradford sword attack case. Sentencing is scheduled for October 16.
Dover Police Identify Teen Killed in Dover CAVA Shooting, Seek Witnesses
Dover police have identified an 18-year-old Dover man as the victim of a fatal shooting outside a CAVA restaurant, and investigators are asking anyone.
Fight Over a Basketball May Have Sparked Deadly Shooting at Downtown San Antonio Park, Records Say
Records say a basketball dispute preceded the Aug. 30, 2026, fatal shooting at Hemisfair in San Antonio. A 23-year-old man was charged with murder.
Zookeeper arrested after trying to sexually assault 500-pound male gorilla
False: no San Diego zookeeper was arrested over a 500-pound gorilla. The story began on a satire site, Lead Stories and Africa Check found.