Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

35-year-old Zeta Member Confessed To Have Participated In 75 Bus Passenger Homicides In Nuevo León

2012-01-30T15:53:00.002-06:00

Enrique Elizondo Flores

Zeta in charge of the municipalities of Cerralvo and General Treviño implicated in 75 murders.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 30, 2012

Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico - On Monday, Jorge Domene Zambrano, spokesman for the state of Nuevo León Security Department announced the arrest of Enrique Elizondo Flores, 35, aka, "El Arabe or El Cuervo," who allegedly confessed to killing at least 75 bus passengers. Flores, originally from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas was arrested on January 20, and is accused of killing, burning the bodies of a mother and her child after kidnapping them on May 2, 2010. He also kidnapped 50 bus passengers traveling through the municipality of Cerralvo and participated in murdering 15 of them with an AR-15 rifle.
In March 2011, Flores also murdered at least 35 bus passengers travelling through Celaya, Guanajuato. The victims were all from the state of Guanajuato.
Flores was in charge of controlling Zeta operations in the municipalities of Cerralvo and General Treviño. He and other Zeta members committed other homicides involving rival cartel members. They stopped buses travelling from Reynosa going through Cerralvo and checked, if suspected rival Gulf Cartel members were trying to take over Flores' Zeta region.
Flores' arrest wasn't reported earlier, because Mexican state authorities had to confirm the series of homicides committed by the suspect, said Adrián de la Garza, the Nuevo León Attorney General during a press conference.

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Santa Maria Police Officers Banned From Fellow Officer Covarrubias Funeral, Father Says

2012-01-30T10:35:00.003-06:00

Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr.

Photo: Family/KSBY dot com

Officer Covarrubias' father told local media that Santa Maria police officers are not welcome at son's funeral later this week.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 30, 2012

Santa Maria, California - On Sunday, Albert Covarrubias Sr., the father of slain Santa Maria Police Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr., 29, told KSBY dot com News that fellow officers and supervisors from the Santa Maria Police Department would not be welcome at his son's funeral. Officer Covarrubias was shot and killed on early Saturday by his best friend Officer Matthew Kline, after Covarrubias allegedly tried to resist arrest for sexual misconduct of a 17-year-old high school girl.
Several police supervisors went to where Officer Covarrubias was working at a DUI sobriety checkpoint just after 1:20 a.m. to take Covarrubias into custody when he allegedly resisted, struggled with the arresting officers and then fired his weapon at them. His best friend, Officer Kline who was working with Covarrubias in the police motorcycle unit fired his weapon at Covarrubias once, striking him in the chest.
Officer Covarrubias was taken to a hospital, but was later pronounced dead at the Marian Medical Center.
Officer Kline, an eight year veteran with the department was placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Officer Covarrubias worked for the department for four years and had been married for only three weeks.
Covarrubias Sr. and family members are now left asking questions about how police handled the attempted arrest of Officer Covarrubias. No word, if Covarrubias's family will ask the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office for an inquest concerning Officer Covarrubias death.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is investigating Saturday's shooting incident.

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Santa Maria Police Officer Shot By Fellow Cop After Resisting Arrest For Sexual Assault Of A Minor

2012-01-29T03:47:00.008-06:00

Albert Covarrubias Jr.

Photo: Family/KSBY dot com

29-year-old officer became aware of internal investigation about allegations of sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old girl.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 29, 2012

Santa Maria, California - On early Saturday, Santa Maria Police Officer Albert Covarrubias Jr., 29, was killed by a fellow officer when he resisted arrest and shot at officers. Several police supervisors with a warrant were sent to take Officer Covarrubias, who was on-duty into custody after the internal affairs unit discovered that Covarrubias became aware of an investigation that raised allegations of sexual misconduct involving a 17-year-old girl and trying to intimidate a witness.
Officer Covarrubias apparently had tried to contact the teenager and investigating officers believed, if Covarrubias left his assigned work area, the public could have been at risk. It became paramount to take Officer Covarrubias into custody as soon as possible, according to a police report.
Officer Covarrubias resisted arrest after 1:08 a.m. and struggled with arresting officers. Covarrubias then fired his weapon at the officers. One of the officers at the scene, Officer Matthew Kline returned fire once and fatally wounded Covarrubias in the chest. Officer Kline, who was working the shift with Covarrubias was put in administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation. Kline has worked for the police department for eight years.
Covarrubias was taken to the Marian Medical Center for treatment, but expired, according to Santa Maria Police Chief Dan R. Macagni. Macagni confirmed, that the internal investigation targeting Officer Covarrubias began on Thursday. By Friday, Covarrubias engaged in "witness intimidation" after he learned of the internal investigation against him, according to Macagni.
Shortly before Covarrubias was shot, it was revealed that he had an "inappropriate" and "very explicit" relationship with a teenager.
Officer Covarrubias was married and worked for the department for four years. He was stationed at a driver's license and sobriety DUI checkpoint when Covarrubias was approached by arresting officers.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is investigating the shooting incident.
Covarrubias' family released his named, provided a photo of the officer and granted an interview with KSBY dot com News, according to KSBY.

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Barefoot Bandit Gets Maximum Federal Prison Term For Crimes And Signs Hollywood Movie Rights

2012-01-28T13:23:00.002-06:00

Colton A. Harris-Moore

Barefoot Bandit sentenced to more than 6 years in a federal prison, including a Hollywood movie contract by 20th Century Fox.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 28, 2012

Seattle, WA - On Friday, Colton A. Harris-Moore, 20, aka, "Barefoot Bandit" of Camano Island, received a maximum sentence under a plea agreement after pleading guilty to seven federal felony counts for aircraft thefts, including interstate transportation of a stolen aircraft during a two year crime spree. Harris-Moore was sentenced in Seattle by U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones to 6 1/2 years in a federal prison and three years supervision. The federal sentence under a plea agreement will be served concurrently with a seven year state sentence, according to courts records.
Harris-Moore in December pleaded guilty to 33 felony counts of theft and other related crimes.
Harris-Moore stole vehicles, boats, and at least five planes. He flew a plane from the U.S. state of Indiana to the Island's off the Florida coast, with no flight training, according to the federal indictment.
The charges stemmed from the theft of an airplane from Bonners Ferry, Idaho, on September 29, 2009. The plane crash landed after running out of fuel 260 miles away near Snohomish, Washington.
Harris-Moore had a $10,000 reward offered by the FBI for information leading to his arrest and was considered armed and dangerous. He was serving a three year sentence for trasspassing while inside a vacant home in 2007. He was first convicted at age 12, after Moore was caught with stolen property and a year later at the age of 13, he was convicted of several other crimes.
Harris-Moore was wanted for escaping from a Renton Washington, group home in April of 2008. He had been ordered to stay there after pleading guilty to three felony charges in Island County, Washington, and being sentenced to three years of confinement. As a result of this escape, on March 12, 2009, a felony warrant was issued for Harris-Moore's arrest on October 2, 2009.
He was arrested in Harbour Island, Bahamas on July 2010 while docking a boat. Harris-Moore was labeled the Barefoot Bandit after leaving chalk marks of bare feet inside a convienent grocery store where he broke in to steal items.
Harris-Moore is now the subject of a movie and has signed movie rights of his life to 20th Century Fox in August, according to ABC.

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Morales-Rodriguez Competent To Stand Trial For Double Homicide In Milwaukee

2012-01-28T02:24:00.002-06:00

Annette Morales-Rodriguez

Morales-Rodriguez killed pregnant mother to cut out baby.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 28, 2012

Milwaukee - On Friday, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge David Borowski ruled that Annette Morales-Rodriguez, 33, is competent to stand trial. Judge Borowski set a motion hearing for March 8 and a trial date for April 30. Morales-Rodriguez is charged with two felony counts of first-degree intentional homicide, including of unborn in the deaths of Maritza Ramirez-Cruz, 23, and her unborn child on October 6th. If convicted, Morales-Rodriguez is facing a double life sentence without the possibility of parole. She remains at the Milwaukee County jail unable to post a $1 million dollar bail.
She pleaded insanity and was examined by two doctors who confirmed in their medical reports that she does not suffer from mental defect or disability, according to court records.
On Oct. 6, 2011, Morales-Rodriguez met Ramirez-Cruz and offered her a ride. She lured Ramirez-Cruz to her house in Milwaukee's southside. Once inside her residence, Morales-Rodriguez beat Ramirez-Cruz with a baseball bat until she died and then used an exacto knife to extract Cruz' child. The child also died when extracted from Ramirez-Cruz.
Morales-Rodriguez wanted a baby boy to keep her boyfriend, but she couldn't have one.
Both Morales-Rodriguez and Ramirez-Cruz have three other children. Ramirez-Cruz did not know Morales-Rodriguez, according to the criminal complaint.

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Pastor Wanted For Sexually Abusing Up To 13 Minors In Nevada Arrested In Tijuana By State Police

2012-01-27T04:08:00.002-06:00

Pastor Otis Vernell Holland

Photo: Baca California State Police

Pastor Holland had fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 27, 2012

Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico - On early Thursday, Baja California State Police (BCSP) and the Baja California State Attorney General's Office (PGR) working in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service reported the arrest in Tijuana of fugitive Pastor Otis Vernell Holland, 56, of Las Vegas. A tip by U.S. authorities led BCSP to Holland's residence in Northern Tijuana. He tried to escape from the residence, but was arrested without incident.
Holland is expected to be extradited to the U.S. once he gets processed by Mexican authorities. He is facing multiple felony counts of sexual abuse and assault charges of at least 13 female minors ranging in ages from 13 to 16 in Nevada.
The sexual abuse by Holland began in 1990 and was finally reported to police in December 2010 by one of the victims. By July 2011, at least four more victims came forward and Holland fled the U.S. to avoid prosecution, according to the Henderson Police Department.
Holland was the founder and pastor for the United Faith Church in Henderson, a suburb of Las Vegas, Navada. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

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32-year-old Man Exonerated For A 1993 Murder Is Awarded $25M For Wrongful Conviction

2012-01-25T22:41:00.003-06:00

Thaddeus "TJ" Jimenez

Jimenez is currently facing a prison term of three years for a drug possession conviction.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 25, 2012

Chicago - On Tuesday, a federal jury awarded $25 million for damages to Thaddeus "TJ" Jimenez, 32, who was wrongfully convicted for the April 3, 1993 murder of Eric Morro, 19. Jimenez was 13 at the time of his conviction. He was convicted in 1994 and then again in 1997, after an appeal failed and was sentenced to almost 50 years in prison. Jimenez served more than 16 years in prison, before being freed.
He was released on May 1, 2009 from prison, after he was exonerated by a Cook County judge, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Another suspect, Juan Carlos Torres, 30, of Indiana had previously confessed to police for the murder. But police and prosecutors ignored the confession and evidence introduced by Jimenez' defense lawyer.
On a third appeal in 2006, Jimenez sent a letter to the Northwestern Law Center of Wrongful Convictions (NLCWC) to consider his case. They did and the NLCWC was able to convinced the Illinois Attorney General's Office to released Jimenez after evidence showed that three former state witnesses recanted their testimony and no DNA linked Jimenez to the homicide. Which indicated Jimenez was innocent.
The case went back to court and the chief judge in 2009 released Jimenez by granting him a certificate of innocence following the recommendation by the Cook County state attorney general's office. The certificate is equivalent to a governor's pardon, clearing the way for Jimenez to get compensation from the state totaling about $200,000 for the time he served.
He became the first youngest teenager to be convicted for a homicide and later to be exonerated in the U.S., according to Jimenez' attorney.
On December 31, 2009, Jimenez sued a Chicago police detective and other police officers connected to the case in federal court. The defendants named in the lawsuit were the City Of Chicago, Jerome Bogucki, Mark Sanders, Raymond Schalk, F. Montilla, Lawrence Ryan and Robert Whiteman. Jimenez claimed the detective had coerce his confession, manipulated evidence and withheld evidence of his innocence during trial.
A federal jury agreed on Tuesday and awarded Jimenez $25 million in damages.
Torres was arrested in 2009 and charged for Morro's 1993 homicide after Jimenez was released. He was extradited to Illinois from Indiana. Torres is awaiting trial, court records indicate.
Jimenez is currently facing a prison term for drug possession. He was convicted in December of 2011 for a drug (LSD) felony possession charge when he was arrested at his home in early April 2010. He is facing up to three years in prison when he'll be sentence on February 1st.
Jimenez was also charged in a different case in late April 2010 for aggravated assault of a Rosemount public safety officer and possession of marijuana, according to court records.

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U.S. Congresswoman "Gabby" Giffords From Arizona Resigns

2012-01-25T13:04:00.002-06:00

Congresswoman Gabielle "Gabby" Giffords from Arizona's 8th Congressional District turned in her letter of resignation on Wednesday.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 25, 2012

Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday, Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords, 41, (D-AZ) submitted her letter of resignation to Speaker John Boehner (R) of The U.S. House of Representatives. Giffords cited that she will concentrate on her recovery and will someday get back into politics.
Giffords also turned in her letter of resignation to Arizona Jan Brewer (R) who will set a special primary and general elections to elect someone to finish Giffords 2012 term.
Giffords was first elected to the U.S. Congress on November 2006 and will not seek re-election.
Her resignation comes more than one year after getting shot at an outdoor political event. Giffords was shot and wounded in the head on January 8, 2011 and 13 people were also wounded and six were reported killed. They were attending an outdoor Giffords' political presentation about "Congress on your Corner" event near Tucson.
The alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, 22, was charged with five federal felony counts, two homicides and three attempted homicides in Giffords' shooting including her staff and a federal judge.
Loughner was charged for the murders of U.S. District Chief Judge John M. Roll, 63, and Gabe Zimmerman, 30, a federal employee and Community Outreach Director for Congresswoman Giffords.
Loughner was also charged with the attempted homicide of Congresswoman Giffords and her two staffers and federal employees Pam Simon and Ron Barber, Giffords Deputy Director.

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Four East Haven Officers, Including Supervisor Indicted For Targeting And Violating The Civil Rights Of Hispanics

2012-01-25T02:01:00.004-06:00

East Haven police officers engaged in a pattern of targeting and discriminating members of the Hispanic community by arresting, beating and falsely accusing them of illegal acts.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 25, 2012

East Haven, Connecticut - On Tuesday, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents arrested four East Haven Police Department (EHPD) officers, including a supervisor. The were charged with with conspiring to violate, and violating the civil rights of multiple Latino residents of the East Haven community.
Assistant Director in Charge, Janice K. Fedarcyk in a news release from the New York Field Office of the FBI stated that, Officers David Cari, Dennis Spaulding, and Jason Zullo, and their supervising sergeant, John Miller were indicted for engaging in one or more of the following blatantly illegal and unethical acts of misconduct.

They arrested people and searched premises on false pretenses, and filed false reports to support their illegal actions.
They used excessive and unnecessary force, including Sgt. Miller striking a compliant and handcuffed arrestee.
Miller reprimanded an officer who did the right thing by reporting this abuse to his superiors.
They falsely arrested a religious leader and advocate for the Latino community who witnessed their illegal vehicle search, and unlawfully tried to seize video equipment to expunge evidence of their misconduct.
They continued to try to intimidate the religious leader and others in a further effort to obstruct justice.
They attempted to impede the Board of Police Commissioners’ investigation of the arrest of the religious leader.
They attempted to intimidate and silence other East Haven officers by posting thinly veiled threats in the department station-house.

The officers abused their positions of authority to deprive people of their constitutional rights under color of law. In simple terms, they behaved like bullies with badges.
The indictment outlines a four-year pattern of egregious behavior by men sworn to uphold the law as well as enforce it.
FBI Special Agent Jeremy Bell and Supervisory Special Agent Brian Nadeau of the New York FBI’s Civil Rights/Public Corruption Squad investigated the case involving the East Haven officers, Fedarcyk reported.
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut stated, "Today’s indictment should serve as a powerful message that we in the Department of Justice will not tolerate the abuse of power or victimization of civilians by anyone in law enforcement," said U.S. Attorney Fein. "The serious crimes alleged in the indictment undermine the public’s trust in the fine men and women of law enforcement who serve the people bravely and with integrity every day."
Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Civil Rights Division also stated, "The allegations laid out in the indictment are troubling and the Justice Department is committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting cases where we find allegations of police misconduct," said Assistant Attorney General Perez. "The EHPD has a critical mission—to ensure public safety in East Haven. The Civil Rights Division is committed to helping EHPD fulfil that mission effectively while respecting the rights of the people it serves. As deeply rooted as these problems are, I remain optimistic that we can fix them."
If convicted on all counts, Miller is facing 20 years in a federal prison and up to $500,000 in fines; Zullo is facing 20 years and $500,000 in fines: Spaulding is facing 62 years in prison and $1.2 million in fines and Cari is facing 31 years in prison and up to $600,000 in fines.
Each of the four defendants is charged with one count of conspiracy against rights, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Miller, Spaulding, and Zullo are also charged with one count of use of unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Additionally, Spaulding is charged with two counts and Cari with one count of deprivation of rights for making arrests without probable cause. Each of these counts carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year and a fine of up to $100,000.
Finally, Spaulding is charged with two counts and Cari with one count of obstruction of a federal investigation for preparing false reports to justify the false arrests. Each of these counts carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Deputy United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly and Assistant United States Attorney Krishna R. Patel are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division.
On Wednesday, East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. apologized for saying he would eat tacos to help the Latino community after 4 police officers were arrested by the FBI for profiling, stopping, arresting and filing false charges targeting Hispanics. He cited stress over the arrests of the officers accused of discriminating members of the Latino community got the best of him and inflamed the situation even more. His comment was made on Tuesday during an interview with a WPIX news reporter.
When asked by the reporter, what would he do for the Latino community?, Maturo said, "I might have tacos when I go home. I'm not quite sure yet...I may go and have a Latino dinner in the Latino community."

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Lopez Facing Life For Alien-Smuggling Operation Resulting In Five Deaths

2012-01-24T23:17:00.004-06:00

Armando García-Lopez

Photo: Brewster County Sheriff's Office

Alien smuggling ring leader who eluded feds for seven years convicted and is facing life in prison.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 24, 2012

Pecos, Texas - A federal jury convicted Armando García-Lopez, 43, formerly of Tornillo, Texas in connection with a 2004 alien smuggling operation, which resulted in five deaths. Lopez was the ring leader of an operation that smuggled undocumented immigrants into the U.S. from Mexico.
Lopez had evaded prosecution for seven years, but was arrested on April 29, 2011 by federal authorities in Alpine, Texas. Lopez was convicted for one count of conspiring to transport aliens resulting in death; three counts of illegally transporting aliens resulting in death; three counts of aiding and abetting the illegal transportation of aliens; and six counts of aiding and abetting the harboring and concealing of an alien.
Lopez will be sentenced on April 16, by U.S. District Judge Robert Junell and is facing life in a federal prison without the possibility of parole.
The indictment states, that on April 5, 2004, a trailer rig driven by Melinda O'Brien, 43, of Floyada crashed head-on with another 18-wheeler rig. The fatal collision occured on Highway 285 about 18 miles south of Pecos, Texas.
Six illegal aliens were travelling inside O'Brien's semi-trailer sleeping cab and three died at the scene, including O'Brien. O'Brien worked for Lopez. Those killed in the crash were identified as, Marie Elena Martinez García, 18, Hermillo Mayen Luna, 44, and Mario Antonio Camacho (age unknown) from Michoacan, Mexico. Three other injured undocumented immigrants also travelling with O'Brien who survived the accident were identified as Jessica Guevara, 16, Marcello Castillo Reyes, 23, and Jose Canizal Padilla, 28.
Another crash victim, Paul "Wes" Wilkins, 28, of Kermit also died after crashing his 1999 Ford truck into O'Brien's overturned rig.
Evidence presented to the jury established that Lopez recruited stash house operators and drivers to transport illegal aliens. Testimony during the trial also revealed that the six undocumented alien passengers in O'Brien's semi-trailer were part of Lopez's smuggling operation.
Lopez conviction resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in Fort Stockton, Alpine and El Paso, Texas, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Miller, Jr., Western District of Texas, successfully prosecuted the case, according to a news release issued by ICE on Monday.
Seven other members of the Lopez illegal alien smuggling operation were also indicted, convicted and sentenced.

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29-year-old Man Facing Charges For Two Separate Child Abductions And Sexual Assaults In Pueblo, Colorado

2012-01-24T04:31:00.001-06:00

Jose Humberto Garcia

Suspect allegedly checked out ex-girlfriend's daughter out of school and fondled her at his residence before returning her to school. He later abducted a second child.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 24, 2012

Pueblo, Colorado - On Monday, Jose Humberto Garcia, 29, appeared at a Pueblo County court preliminary hearing to determine, if their was probable cause to charge him with abduction of a child. He is facing a second-degree felony charge for kidnapping and one felony count for sexual assault of child.
The Pueblo police investigation affidavit says, Garcia on early last Thursday went to the Columbian Elementary School and checked out his ex-girlfriend's 9-year-old daughter from school giving an excuse she had a dentist appointment. Garcia took the child to his residence around 10:00 a.m. and then fondled her. Shortly after, he then returned the child to her school, according to the police affidavit.
His ex-girlfriend lives next door to the Cordova family. Garcia is also facing abduction and sexual assault charges in the abduction of Calysta Cordova, 9.
Later on Thursday afternoon, Garcia allegedly abducted Cordova as she walked home from the Columbian Elementary School. The next day, Cordova managed to escape from Garcia at about 9:00 a.m. on Friday and went into the Circle K convenience store near Colorado Springs and called 9-1-1.
Garcia tried to get Cordova to leave with him, but Cordova told him that she had called police. Garcia fled the scene and was later taken into custody near a bus terminal in Colorado Springs without incident about 7 1/2 miles from the Circle K store.
Garcia's truck had a mechanical breakdown on Friday morning near the Circle K. A man driving by offered Garcia and Cordova a ride to the store. Cordova immediately took advantage of the situation and escaped into the store and called police.
When police and FBI agents arrived, Cordova was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for two black eyes and bruises incurred while accompanied by Garcia.
Garcia remains in jail unable to post a $250,000 bond, according to court records. He remains segregated from the rest of Pueblo County jail inmates and is on a suicide watch.

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Virginian Serial Butt Slasher Taken Into Custody In Peru

2012-01-23T13:44:00.002-06:00

Photo: Diario Digital Barahona

Johnny D. Guillén Pimentel

Butt slashing suspect fled the U.S. to avoid prosecution.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 23, 2012

Lima, Peru - INTERPOL has confirmed the arrest of Johnny D. Guillén Pimentel, 40, aka, "Corta Nalgas or Butt Slasher" in Lima. Pimentel was taken into custody on January 13, in Peru, according to Jair Quedas, systems operator for INTERPOL in Peru. Pimentel fled the U.S. in December to avoid prosecution and arrived in Peru on December 9th. He moved twice around Lima to avoid detection, but was arrested by police at a commercial mall in the province of Callao.
The U.S. government has requested an extradition order for Pimentel, which could take up to three months to return Pimentel to the U.S. to face multiple felony charges.
The Fairfax Police Department in Virginia charged Pimentel with at least 10 felony counts for slashing the butts of at least 10 women ranging in their teen's to 20's. Six of the victims ranged in ages 15-17.
The butt slashing occured at several retail stores in Fairfax malls where Pimentel was able to distract them and then slashed their butts while bending over to pick up clothes causing severe cuts. One woman, suffered a 1 1/2 inch long cut in her buttocks at a Forever 21 store on July 25, 2011, according to a police complaint.
The butt slashing assaults by Pimentel took place between February 2011 and July 2011. Victims told police, that they saw a man picking up fallen clothes from a rack and then they felt a pinch believing they were poked by one of the metal hangers. But later, they found that they were slashed in the buttocks.
Pimentel apparently acted on a fetish to inflict injury to young women at retail stores.

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Mexican Zeta Homicide Fugitive Barraza Bocanegra Evades Justice For Killing Activist Escobedo Ortiz In Chihuahua

2012-01-23T03:20:00.002-06:00

More than a year has passed and alleged Escobedo Ortiz killers remain at large in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 23, 2012

Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico - Sergio Rafael Barraza Bocanegra, 25, and a 30-year-old accomplice who allegedly were involved in several homicides remain at large. Bocanegra, an alleged Zeta member previously confessed to murdering Rubí Marisol Frayre Escobedo, 16, and is also implicated in hiring an accomplice to murder her mother, Marisela Escobedo Ortiz, 52, on December 16, 2010.
Last year, the Chihuahua state Attorney General's Office (PGR) recovered a handgun used in the Escobedo Ortiz murder. The handgun used was a semi-automatic 9mm, Sig Saber model P239, which was implicated in 12 other homicides as well. Mexican authorities say, ballistic tests indicated the gun was used in 12 homicides between April to August 2011, including the Escobedo Ortiz murder.
The PGR in Chihuahua released the sketch of the alleged 30-year-old suspect who shot Escobedo Ortiz several times including a fatal shot to the head. The PGR is offering $3 million pesos ($230,770 U.S.) for information leading to the arrest of the 30-year-old suspect. Authorities have identified the suspect, but have yet to release the suspect's name.
The Mexican government is offering $5 million pesos ($384,616 U.S.) for information leading to Bocanegra's arrest. Bocanegra is accused of taking part in the planned killing of Escobedo Ortiz on December 16 and the September 2008 murder of Frayre Escobedo. He had confessed to killing Frayre Escobedo and even led police to a hog farm where her dismembered body was found.
Bocanegra is believed to be leaving with his new girlfriend and several kids in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico, according to Escobedo Ortiz' family.
The day Escobedo Ortiz was killed, she was outside the Chihuahua state government building in the city of Chihuahua for nine days staging a protest and demanding justice from Governor César Duarte and the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office.

(Building video of chase and murder of Escobedo Ortiz at link: http://goo.gl/DvHPH )

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Gabrielle Giffords To Resign From The U.S. Congress Later This Week

2012-01-22T17:40:00.002-06:00

U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords

Photo: NBC

After more than one year of getting shot, Congresswomen Giffords will resign.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 22, 2012

Tucson, Arizona - On Sunday, a news release informed that after more than one year ago of suffering an inflicted gunshot wound to the head, U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords, 41, (D-AZ) representing the 8th District will resign this week. Giffords decided to resign and devote her time to getting well. She has made a remarkable recovery, but is slowly recovering and won't be able to run for re-election.
“I have more work to do on my recovery, so to do what is best for Arizona, I will step down this week,” the congresswoman said in a video message released today to her constituents.
Giffords, a third-generation Arizonan who served five years in the state Legislature before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2006, will not seek re-election this fall.
Giffords vowed that her career in public service has not come to an end. “I will return and we will work together for Arizona and this great country,” Giffords said.
Giffords is expected to turned her letters of resignation later this week to both Speaker John Boehner of the U.S. House of Representatives and to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. The governor will set the date for a special primary and general elections to determine who will serve the remainder of Giffords’ term in 2012.
She is expected to attend President Barack H. Obama's State of the Union speech at the Capitol on Tuesday night.
Giffords was shot and wounded in the head on January 8, 2011 and 13 people were also wounded and six were reported killed. They were attending an outdoor Giffords' political presentation about "Congress on your Corner" event near Tucson .
The alleged shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, 22, was charged with five federal counts, two homicides and three attempted homicides in Giffords' shooting, including her staff and a federal judge.
Loughner is facing federal homicide charges for the murder of U.S. District Chief Judge John M. Roll, 63, and Gabe Zimmerman, 30, a federal employee and Community Outreach Director for Congresswoman Giffords.
Loughner is also charged with the attempted homicide of Congresswoman Giffords and her two staffers and federal employees Pam Simon and Ron Barber, Giffords Deputy Director.

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Paterno Confirmed Dead On Sunday After False Reports Surfaced on Saturday Night

2012-01-22T10:53:00.001-06:00

Legendary former Penn State coach Joe Paterno dies a day after false reports surfaced that he died.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 22, 2012

State College, Pennsylvania - On early Sunday, former Penn State coach Joe Paterno died at the age of 85, after being removed from a life support machine. The Paterno family released a statement on Sunday confirming his death after false reports had spread on Saturday night that he had expired. The family reported, that he was in critical condition at the time.
Paterno on Sunday subcummed to a lung cancer illness and died. A Paterno family released statement read, "It is with great sadness that we announce that Joe Paterno passed away earlier today. His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled."
The anticipated news report of his death on Saturday night was first reported by Onward State, a student newspaper online. The report was than picked up by CBSSports dot com and went viral on the mainstream media.
The Onward State managing editor announced he would resign after the mishap and was surprised CBSSports grabbed the anticipated news of Paterno's death and did not attribute the report to Onward State, eventhough it broke the news without confirmation.
People began gathering outside Penn State on Sunday morning where a statue of former coach Paterno still stands, after it was confirmed that he had expired. Paterno, the legendary coach gained his 409th football career victory at Penn State two weeks before a sex abuse scandal broke at Penn State.
Last year, Paterno was removed as head coach of Penn State in the middle of the football season by the Penn State Board of Directors after a scandal broke about child sex abuses by former Pennsylvania State University football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Paterno and Penn State University president Graham Spanier allegedly didn't report the child sex abuse by Sandusky to police. Spanier was forced to resign and Paterno was fired for not doing enough to report the child sex abuse in 2001.
Sandusky was charged with 42 counts of child molestation dating from 1994 to 2009 involving at least eight boys, according to court records.

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Mexicanbilly Pointy Boots Style Spreading Tribal Fever In The U.S.

2012-01-21T11:52:00.001-06:00

(L-R) Gabriel Rodríguez Flores, Saul Nicolás Coronado and Martin Hernández Rodríguez show off the pointy boots.

Photo: Edith Valle/VICE dot com

A growing boot style fashion trend hits the U.S.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 21, 2012

Matehuala, San Luis Potosi, Mexico - The Mexicanbilly pointy (exotic) boots originated in Matehuala, nearby municipalities and townships as a passtime and recreational musical dancing hobby by teenagers. Teenagers and adults with the boot making trade skill began to create boots with a stretched point to impress their friends, neighbors and girlfriends. The style took a while to catch, since the traditional boot point was short and stylist for decades and centuries.
The Mexicanbilly boots began to show up at outdoor rodeos and community events, which included dance contests. People at first, laughed at those wearing the strange looking pointy boots and the way it made people walk. Soon after, people from other areas began to pickup the style and competed against each other at rodeo contests and shows.
Today, the length of the pointy boot is limitless, as long as you can walk without sticking the point up someones behind, which would be considered disrespectful. Besides that, wearing the Mexicanbilly boots are an attention grabber and a conversation piece where ever you wear them at or exhibit them.
Tribal music was also created to allow those wearing the Mexicanbilly boots to show off their boots while dancing. The music was composed with a mixture of house, colombian cumbia, flutes and prehispanic culture from the mountainous region. The tribal dance included Aztec steps and other Mexican cultural style of dancing steps. A whole new choreography was born in Matehuala and it soon extended to rodeos around the region and has also been introduced in the U.S., especially in the Texas-Mexican bordertowns.
Since last year, tribal Mexicanbilly pointy boot contests have been flourishing in Texas and other parts of the U.S. where large Mexican populations reside. A mix of a long boot point and tribal music have attracted those with curiosity and those who are seeking a good laugh. Many people have been impressed and conquered by the tribal Mexicanbilly style.
Some who wear the Mexicanbilly pointy boots have even added LED lights to them and have adorn the boots with all types of flashy decorations. Competition, showing off and dancing for enjoyment are the essence of tribal dancing with the Mexicanbilly boots.

Mexican pointy boots video at following link: http://tinyurl.com/MXPointyBoots

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9-year-old Girl Escapes From Abductor In Colorado Springs And Calls 9-1-1

2012-01-21T02:09:00.004-06:00

Jose Humberto Garcia

Suspect arrested without incident in connection with the abduction of a 9-year-old girl.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 21, 2012

Colorado Springs - On Friday, Colorado Springs police arrested Jose Humberto Garcia, 29, in connection with Thursday's abduction of Calysta Cordova, 9, from the City of Pueblo, Colorado. Garcia apparently on occassion stayed with his ex-girlfriend who lives next door to Cordova, according to family members. Cordova disappeared while walking home from the Columbian Elementary School. Her parents reported missing and an Amber Alert was send out throughout the area by the Pueblo Police Department.
The next day, Garcia's truck broke down near the Circle K convenience store. A man driving by noticed Garcia and a young girl stranded on Woodman Road and Orchard Valley. The man offered them a ride to the Circle K convenience store, located at 7055 Commerce Center Drive.
Once at the store, Cordova went into the store and asked to use the phone and called 9-1-1. Garcia came into the store and tried to take Cordova with him. But, she refused and told him she had called police. Garcia fled the scene without Cordova.
Colorado Springs Police received Cordova's call shortly after 9:00 a.m. and police, a K-9 unit, FBI agents and other law enforcement officials responded to the call at the Circle K. They found Cordova safe inside.
Police distributed a photo of Garcia and police began to search for the suspect at all public transportation terminals in the area. An employee at a bus terminal 7 1/2 miles away from the Circle K recognized Garcia and called police. A police officer patrolling the area then spotted Garcia walking near a bus terminal in Colorado Springs and arrested him.
Cordova was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. She had two blackeyes and visible bruises, according to police.
Garcia was also wanted for questioning concerning a previous incident earlier in the week in Pueblo. Garcia's ex-girlfriend called police on Thursday after he took her 9-year-old daughter to his house without her permission and fondled her. She says, Garcia was drunk at the time and had known Garcia for four years.

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Jude Awarded $2 Million Tentative Lawsuit Settlement For 2004 Beating By Off-duty Milwaukee Police Officers

2012-01-20T21:28:00.001-06:00

Frank Lee Jude Jr.

The Milwaukee Common Council and Mayor Tom Barrett would have to approve the $2 million tentative settlement agreement for Jude.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 20, 2012

Milwaukee - On Friday, Frank Lee Jude Jr., 33, who was beaten by 15 off-duty Milwaukee police officers at a party in 2004 was awarded a tentative settlement of $2 million dollars by the city as a result of a civil lawsuit. Jude's attorney Jon Safran confirmed the tentative settlement.
Jude and his wife, Maria filed a $30 million lawsuit for damages on June 19, 2006 and named all the officers involved, including Bartlett's wife, a former officer, Milwaukee Police Department and the City of Milwaukee. Jude received the settlement award figure in mediation when an agreement was reached on early Friday. The agreement was later announced in federal Judge Lynn Adelman's U.S. District Court room in Milwaukee.
The Jude settlement called for the City of Milwaukee to pay a total of $2 million to Jude. The Milwaukee Common Council and Mayor Tom Barrett would have to approve the settlement award.
The incident occured when Jude attended a southside Bayview party with two friends Katie Brown and Lovell Harris. During the party, Jude was jumped outside and beaten by Milwaukee police officers on October 24, 2004, while Brown witnessed Jude's assault.
At least 15 Milwaukee officers were involved in the brutal beating of Jude, after the host of the party accused Jude of stealing his police badge and wallet. The badge was never recovered by the department.
Former Police Chief Nannette Hegerty fired eight officers in May 2005. Former officers Jon Bartlett, Daniel L. Masarik and Andrew Spengler were each charged with one felony count for substantial battery. Both Bartlett and Masarik were charged with 2nd-degree reckless endangering safety. Masarik was also accused of perjury in connection with Jude's beating.
Officer Nicole Belmore testified at a Milwaukee County Circuit Court trial that Bartlett and Masarik had kicked Jude while he was handcuffed and then Bartlett put a knife at Jude's neck. But a state jury on April 14, 2006 acquitted Bartlett, Masarik and Spengler. The jury became deadlock on a felony charge of substantial battery and couldn't reach a verdict.
On October 19, 2006, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Bartlett, Spengler, Masarik, Ryan Lemke and Ryan Packard for violating Jude's civil rights. Packard was indicted for violating Jude's and Lovell Harris civil rights under the color of state law and assaulting Jude. Three other officers, Joseph Stromei, Jon Clausing and Joseph Schabel pleaded guilty to related crimes in connection with Jude's beating. Schabel admitted that he stomped on Jude's head several times under a plea agreement and immunity from being charged for perjury, according to court records.
On July 2007, Lemke under a plea agreement pleaded guilty to reduced charges.
On July 26, 2007, a federal jury found Bartlett, Masarik and Spengler guilty on two counts. Packard was aquitted on two counts.
On November 29, 2007, Bartlett was sentenced to 208 months in a federal prison, Masarik was sentenced to 188 months in prison and Spengler was sentenced to 188 months in prison and each of them received 3 years supervision.
On December 6, 2007, Schabel was sentenced to 32 months in prison and Clausing was sentenced to 28 months in prison, according to court records.

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P&H Mining Shovel Blocks S. Layton Blvd. For Several Hours In Milwaukee

2012-01-20T15:09:00.002-06:00

Photos: HNG

Mining electric shovel shell blocks traffic on snowy conditions.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 20, 2012

Milwaukee - On early afternoon Friday, transport workers for P&H Mining Equipment Manufacturing were faced with a temperary dilema when a flatbed trailer carrying a large mining shovel got stuck while making a turn on S. Layton Blvd. The driver of the trailer going eastbound on W. National Ave. made a wide right turn going south on S. Layton (S. 27th) and became stuck.
Milwaukee police had to block off southbound traffic on Layton and eastbound traffic on National for more than several hours. Tow trucks were called to help move and manuver the flat bed to get it lineup with the street.
No heavy damage was reported by police or P&H Mining Equipment Manufacturing who manufactured the huge electric mining shovel at the 4000 block of W. National Ave.

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New York Rival Gang Members Bragged About Murder On Twitter Which Led To Their Arrest

2012-01-20T04:06:00.002-06:00

Gangs bragged about crimes on the social media.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 20, 2012

Brooklyn, New York - On Thursday, New York Police and other law enforcement agencies arrested 43 gang members from two rival gangs, the Waves and the Hood Starz. The gang members ranging from the age of 17 and older bragged about their murders, shootings and other crimes, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced.
They used Twitter to brag about their criminal acts by posting slang comments referring to their criminal acts. They were involved in 6 homicides, 32 robberies, 36 shootings and other crimes, according to Kelly.
Some of the gang members remained at large and those taken into custody are facing murder, assault, robbery and conspiracy charges.
The investigation began in 2010, when police began to notice the postings on Twitter and the rise of criminal acts by both groups.

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Obama Administration Recommending Closure For 1,600 Deportation Cases Reviewed By ICE

2012-01-20T02:17:00.004-06:00

Pilot program by ICE initiated since August to review 300,000 pending deportation cases yield recommendations by the Obama administration to close 1,600 of those cases in two cities.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 20, 2012

Washington, D.C. - On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that the Obama administration was recommending the closure of 1,600 deportation pending cases from 300,000 cases being reviewed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an unidentified official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) informed. A new pilot program implemented in Denver and Baltimore yield results, which recommended deportation case closures for 1,600 undocumented immigrants. The program screened 7,923 pending cases for deportation and recommended closure for 1,301 of those cases in Denver.
In Baltimore, 3,759 cases pending deportation proceedings were reviewed and 366 of those cases were recommended to be close as well, according to the DHS official. Those effected by the case closures would be allowed to remain in the U.S.
In December, most of the immigration court dockets were cleared in Denver and Baltimore for those facing deportation with no criminal record.
The undocumented immigrants screened were not held in federal facilities (jails) and were not considered a threat to national security or the public. The final stage for granting a stay would be determine through an extensive background check, including biometric data screening, which fingerprints are used to identify individuals being processed.
If all of the undocumented immigrants screened so far pass the final stage, they would most likely be granted stays, according to the DHS official. The preliminary information has not yet been confirmed by ICE, DHS or made public.
Pilot programs were also in effect in other states, but information hasn't been released.
In August, the Obama administration announced that 300,000 cases marked for deportation proceedings would be reviewed by ICE and DHS. In June, John Morton sent out a memo for field agents, supervisors and ICE attorneys to use discretion in arresting and implementing deportation proceedings for those not considered a threat to national security.

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Brunn Commits Suicide In Georgia Prison Just Days After Getting Life For Killing 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera

2012-01-19T20:19:00.003-06:00

Ryan McCabe Brunn

Brunn found unresponsive in Jackson state prison cell and Canton's Police Chief Jeff Lance resigned in wake of independent critical report that claimed, the Canton Police Department violated policies, procedures and mishandled Jorelys Rivera's disappearance case.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 19, 2012

Jackson, Georgia - On Thursday, convicted child killer Ryan McCabe Brunn, 20, was found unresponsive at 4:15 p.m. in his cell at the Jackson state prison. He was later pronounced dead at 5:37 p.m. at a local hospital. Brunn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possiblity of parole on Tuesday for the abduction, enticement, molestation and murder of Jorelys Rivera, 7, on December 2.
Brunn was sent to the Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson located in Butts County to begin serving his life term sentence. Brunn's death was confirmed by Kristen Stancil, spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Corrections. Stancil did not say how Brunn died, but prison sources say he apparently hanged himself. A prison guard found Brunn hanging in his cell and showed no signs of life after attempts were made to resuscitate Brunn.
Brunn was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Stancil. Stancil did not say, if Brunn was put under a suicide watch monitoring when he first arrived at the Jackson prison.
Also on Thursday, Canton Police Chief Jeff Lance resigned after a independent investigative report by the LaGrange Police Department found that the Canton Police Department violated their own policies, procedures and handling of the case during the initial investigation into Jorelys Rivera's disappearance. The 19-page report stated, the Canton Police Department lacked leadership in the initial hours of Rivera's disappearance, citing former Chief Lance could not be found during the first 17 hours of Rivera's disappearance making it seem that Rivera's disappearance was a routine run away investigation.
Lance later showed up and then watched a Georgia football game at the police command center. The good thing the report indicated that police presence in the area where Rivera disappeared kept Brunn from getting rid of the body, according to Scott Woods, Canton City Manager.
Brunn having second thoughts added a note to a dumpster where he hid and compressed Rivera's body several times with the garbage. The note led police to find Rivera's body in the dumpster on December 7, next to the apartment building where she was last seen playing near a playground. Brunn worked as a maintence man at the building.
Woods told reporters, that Wednesday's Canton Police Department report led to Lance's resignation and that it was a mutual decision by both Lance and Woods. Woods wished Lance well in his future endeavers and said, that Canton's Assistant Police Chief Todd Vande Zande will serve as interim chief until a permanent chief is hired.
The City of Canton in Georgia is reviewing the police report and policy changes will be made in the Canton Police Department, according to Woods.

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ICE Deports 40-year-old British Man For Sexual Assault Of A Child In The UK

2012-01-19T14:30:00.002-06:00

Man facing a charge for sexual assault of a child in the UK

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 19, 2012

Newark, New Jersey - On Thursday, John William Perring, 40, a British national was deported to the United Kingdom (UK) in connection with a sexual assault of a 5-year-old child in Essex. The Essex police from the UK had requested an extradition order with the U.S. accusing Perring of sexual assault in his home country.
Perring was arrested in December 2011 by special agents with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) outside his residence in Orange, N.J., and was subsequently turned over to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations for deportation from the country, according to an ICE news release.

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Seven Chicago Teenagers Charged In Videotape Beating And Robbery Of A 17-year-old Asian Student

2012-01-18T12:22:00.016-06:00

Photos: YouTube

Raymond Palomino

Teens attacked Asian teen while videotaping aggravated assault.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 18, 2012

Chicago - On Wednesday, Chicago police confirmed the arrest of seven teenagers, three 15-year-old boys, two 16-year-old boys and a 15-year-old girl in connection with last Sunday's robbery and beating of a 17-year-old Asian student from Curie Metropolitan High School in an alley. The brutal attack by a gang of teens took place in the suburb of Bridgeport behind the James Ward Elementary School at the 2800 block of S. Princeton Ave. around 4:00 p.m., according to the police.
All of the teenagers wore masks and hoodies during the attack. The 15-year-old girl was able to lure the victim into the alley, in what police suspect was a planned attack. She videotaped the assault and then posted it on YouTube.
Six suspects, which five are Chinese were charged in a juvenile delinquency petition for one count each of aggravated assault (battery) and robbery, They were in juvenile court for a hearing, Judge Terrence Sharkey poseponed the hearing until next Tuesday to allow time to get Cantonese translators for the parents. The juveniles were released to their parents and Sharkey set a curfew of 8:00 p.m. and must maintain a C average grade.
The father of a 17-year-old teenager involved is a Cook County Sheriff deputy, Michael Palomino, 51, turned his son into police when he discovered his son's participation in the beating, according to Mike Sullivan, spokesman for the Chicago Police Department.
The alleged suspect, Raymond Palomino, 17, who was seen in the video without a mask or hoodie during the assault was charged as an adult. Palomino was charged with one count each of aggravated battery and robbery. Palomino appeared in court for a bond hearing on Wednesday. Judge Israel Desierto set a $100,000 bond for Palomino. Palomino unable to post bail remains at the Cook County Jail.
The criminal complaint states, that Palomino told the rest of the attackers to get the victim, once he was lured into the alley by the 15-year-old girl. Palomino is seen repeatedly beating the victim in the face with the victim's shoe. He took the victim's backpack and wallet. He then stole $180 dollars and disposed of the wallet in a nearby sewer. Palomino attends Kelly High School.
The video gang style attack, which went viral on the Internet showed the attackers body slam the victim several times to the ground in the snow, repeatedly kicked him on the face, held him in a chokehold several times and continued to punched him while saying profanities and calling the Asian teenager, "Nigger" as they brutally beat him. The victim is shown bleeding from the face.
Police don't believe the attack was racially motivated, eventhough the attackers were calling out the "N" word throughout the assault.
After more than several minutes of being beaten, the Asian teen was able to break away and flee. He was chased down the alley and the videotaping stops. They caught up with the victim after he ran as shown in the video. When they saw an adult in the area, they let the victim leave, according to the criminal complaint.
The Asian teenager was later treated at a local hospital for lacerations to the mouth and face, according to police.
The videotape was posted on YouTube and some comments from the attackers were also posted. Others who viewed the video posted comments and identified the attackers by name, which led Chicago police to identify and arrest all of the attackers, according to Sullivan.
Police say, the beating of the victim resulted from a prior unreported incident in October when the victim and other friends got into an altercation with Palomino and one of his friends. The aggravated assault happened in retaliation after months of ongoing negative comments between the two groups on the social network, according to investigators.

Full version assault video on Youtube at link: http://bit.ly/y2ywR3

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Brunn Sentenced To Life In Prison For Killing 7-year-old Jorelys Rivera In Georgia

2012-01-17T19:40:00.002-06:00

Ryan McCabe Brunn

Rivera was savagely murdered by Brunn.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 17, 2012

Canton, Georgia - On Tuesday, Ryan McCabe Brunn, 20, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the abduction, enticement, molestation and murder of Jorelys Rivera, 7, on December 2. During sentencing, Brunn admitted to luring Rivera into an empty apartment and then seducing her by making her undress and then killed her.
Once she complied, Brunn tied her up with tape and then cut her with a razor. While she was still alive, he took her to the bathroom and savagely beat Rivera with her own skate until she died. Brunn took her body to a nearby dumpster and compressed her body along with the garbage. Later, Brunn posted a note outside the dumpster leading police to the body.
Rivera showed signs of being bludgeoned, stabbed multiple times and sexually assaulted, according to the criminal complaint.
He told the judge that he never had sex with Rivera. Brunn had been charged with 13 felony counts in Rivera's homicide.
Brunn is from Brooklyn, New York, moved into Canton around November 5 and speaks both English and Spanish, according to his Facebook profile.

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Over 1.9 Million Petition Signatures Filed With GAB To Recall Governor Scott Walker And Lt. Gov. Kleefisch In Wisconsin

2012-01-17T14:25:00.005-06:00

Statewide volunteers collected more than 1 million signatures to recall Republican Governor Scott Walker and more than 845,000 to recall Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch (R). Another 86,600 signatures were filed to recall four Republican state senators, including the Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 17, 2012

Madison - On Tuesday, organizers filed more than 1.9 million petition signatures with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB) to Recall Governor Scott Walker, Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin, United Wisconsin, grassroots organizations and more than 25,000 volunteers throughout 72 counties in the state gathered enough petition signatures to force a recall election against Governor Scott Walker and Lieutenant (Lt.) Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, both Republicans.
A minimum of the required 540,208 signatures were needed to force a recall election against Governor Walker and Lt. Governor Kleefisch before the January 17, 2012 dateline expired.
Recall Scott Walker organizers had thousands of volunteers screen petitions at an undisclosed location in Madison. They went through line-by-line, name-by-name to screen out errors and mistakes before officially turning over the signatures to the GAB on Tuesday, according to Mike Tate, Chair, Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Tate in a news release says, since Julie Wells of Jefferson County first launched the Recall Walker campaign, volunteers have collected 105,000 signatures in the first 96 hours, 300,000 in the first 12 days and 507,000 in the first month.
The GAB will take about eight or more weeks to sort out and remove duplicate names or names deemed invalid with the aid of a computer program specialized to recognize duplicate names. The recall Walker petitions will be posted online in the GAB website.
Republican Governor Walker supporters who are expected to challenge the recall, will also get a chance to challenge suspected petitions with duplicate names, invalid names or addresses.
The GAB will make the final certification of the recall petitions once they complete their inspection and challenges are exhausted. The recall election will then be scheduled and Governor Walker becomes the first Wisconsin governor to face a recall. The recall Walker and Kleefisch election is expected to cost at least $9 million, according to the GAB.
Governor Walker was in New York City at a Park Avenue $2,500 per person fundraiser when the signatures were filed with the GAB in Wisconsin. The recall election allows Governor Walker to raise an unlimited amount of funds for his re-election campaign.
Walker will be the third U.S. governor to be recall in the nation's history. Only two governors have successfully been recalled, Governor Lynn Frazier from North Dakota in 1921 and Governor Gray Davis from California in 2003.
Petition signatures to recall three Republican state senators were also filed by Democrats with the GAB on Tuesday. They are Senators, Terry Moulton (21,000 signatures), Pam Galloway (21,000 signatures) and Van Wanguard (24,000 signatures). A separate recall committee (non-Democrat) filed 20,600 petition signatures to recall Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald from the 13 Senate District.
The Public Policy Polling (PPP) Democratic firm released a survey on Tuesday, which polled 522 likely Democrat primary voters with a margin of error plus or minus of 4.3 percentage points showed poll results for four potential Democratic candidates that might challenge Governor Walker in a primary recall election. The potential Democratic candidates were, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who showed a lead with 27 percent of those surveyed compared to Kathleen Falk, former Dane County Executive with 22 percent, Dave Obey, former U.S. Congressman with 21 percent and state Senator Tim Cullen with a mere 11 percent, the PPP reported.

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21-year-old Suspect Indicted By Federal Grand Jury For Attempting To Kill President Obama

2012-01-17T14:16:00.002-06:00

Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernández

Ortega-Hernández allegedly shot at the White House trying to shoot at President Obama who wasn't home.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 17, 2012

Washington, D.C. - On Tuesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a news release reported that Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernández, 21, of Idaho Falls, Idaho was indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to assassinate U.S. President Barack H. Obama. The indictment stems from the November 11, 2011 shooting near the White House.
The federal grand jury in the District of Columbia on Tuesday returned a 17-count indictment against Ortega-Hernández, who has been in custody since his arrest on November 16, 2011. In addition to the attempted assassination charge, Ortega-Hernández was charged with assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon, injuring property of the United States, and related firearms charges. The grand jury returned criminal charges against Ortega-Hernández for violating District of Columbia law as well. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Ortega-Hernández, if convicted on all charges is facing a possible prison term of life imprisonment.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 11, 2011, at about 9 p.m., the defendant, Ortega-Hernández drove his Honda Accord westbound in the 1600 block of Constitution Avenue NW. He stopped the vehicle just past the entrance to the Ellipse, and fired several rounds at the White House. No one was reported injured.
FBI investigators examined the building and located several confirmed bullet impact points on the south side of the building on or above the second story residence area. Several bullets and fragments also were collected in the area near the impact points, the FBI reported.

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Hispanic News Network U.S.A. News Quicklinks 012012

2012-01-15T12:30:00.002-06:00

Compiled HNNUSA news brief links from Dec. 26, 2011 - January 14, 2012

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 15, 2012

"El Pitufo" Alleged Leader For The Aztecas Gang Arrested In Juárez http://ow.ly/8tOdf

Yang Charged With Lee's Homicide At Sheboygan's Walmart http://goo.gl/59IN2

"El Profe" From La Familia Cartel Arrested By Mexican Federal Police http://ow.ly/8tG7N

Tip Led To The Arrest Of Five Suspects Robbing Motorists Along The Acapulco Highway Stretch In Mexico http://tinyurl.com/highwayRobbers

Mexican Federal Judge Cited Double Jeopardy To Prevent Female Druglord Extradition To The U.S. http://ow.ly/8rUdx

Breaking: Two U.S. Marines identified in video showing 4 alleged Marines urinating on 3 dead Afghan Taliban fighters http://ow.ly/8qBsJ

U.S. Marine Corps Launches Probe Over Video Showing Alleged Marines Urinating On Dead Taliban http://ow.ly/8qBsJ

Ordoñez, Strong And Progressive 8th Adermanic Milwaukee Candidate Gets Spot On February's Primary Ballot http://goo.gl/fCajX

Former Milw. Police Officer Cates Found Guilty For Violating Woman's Civil Rights During Sexual Assault http://tinyurl.com/CatesConvicted

L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy Strikes Special Needs Woman On Metro Bus http://ow.ly/8q79A

"El Wicho," Matamoros Gulf Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty In Texas Federal Court http://goo.gl/W12PX

Deceased Suspect Connected To Maricopa County Sheriff's Deputy Homicide Identified http://tinyurl.com/73e526v

47-year-old Brookfield Woman Cited For Disorderly Conduct After Brief Confrontation With Recall Scott Walker Volunteer http://ow.ly/8nTsE

Recall Scott Walker Drive In Wisconsin Surpassed More Than 700,000 Petition Signatures Over The Weekend http://tinyurl.com/RecallWalker700K

Conceal Carry In WI Training Course Offered At Prior Badger Guns Shooting Range Facility In West Milwaukee http://goo.gl/zCGM8

21-year-old Suspect Arrested For Fatal Sheboygan Walmart Shooting Death http://ow.ly/8moaV

17-year-old Drunk Driver Charged For New Year's Fatal Crash That Killed Couple In Milwaukee http://ow.ly/8mmyZ

Banned 2012 Year Book Student Photo From Durango High School Leads To Facebook Account Overload For Spies http://tinyurl.com/SpiesPhotoCensored

Rivera Released After 19 Years In Prison For Allegedly Killing Holly Staker, 11, DNA Didn't Match http://bit.ly/xaBXZY

Mitchell International Airport Employee Connected To The Spanish Cobras Indicted For Heroin Charges http://goo.gl/Lxqg9

Oneida Medical Examiner Arrested For Taking Body Part From Deceased Person To Train Cadaver Dog http://tinyurl.com/OneidaCoronerArrested

Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Winston Retires To End Internal Investigation Against Him Involving Another Man http://goo.gl/dzNhZ

Arellano Felix Drug Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering And Racketeering Federal Charges In U.S. http://goo.gl/dttUv

Discua-Bados, Estranged Husband Wanted For Fatally Stabbing 24-year-old Woman In Milwaukee, WI http://bit.ly/A91ern

Ojeda-Jimenez, Quadriplegic Deported Illegally By Advocate Christ Medical Center Died On New Year's Day http://tinyurl.com/QuelinoDies

Edery-Crivosei, Major Cali Money Laundering Suspect For Mexican And Colombian Cartels Arrested http://tinyurl.com/EderyCrivoseiArrested

Benjamin Colton Barnes' body identified by Washington State Police, alleged killer of Mt. Rainier Park Ranger Anderson http://ow.ly/8g0xU

Barnes, Alleged Killer Of Park Ranger Anderson Found Dead In Mount Rainier National Park Forest http://ow.ly/8g0xU

Ornelas-Cortes Extradited To Mexico For 2005 Homicide In Guanajuato http://tinyurl.com/7lak24o

Gun Distributor For The Pacific Cartel And Sinaloa Cartel Arrested By Mexican Federal Police http://goo.gl/llo70

IL: Murry and Smith Charged In The Hernández Carjacking Homicide In Waukegan http://goo.gl/0ZhlI

U.S. Treasury Links Panama-based Money Laundering Network To Mexican And Colombian Drug Cartels http://bit.ly/trdX5H

Alvarado Charged With Hit and Run That Injured Milwaukee Police Officer Vrtochnick http://tinyurl.com/AlvaradoCharged

WI: Alvarado, Alleged Driver Arrested In Hit and Run That Struck Milwaukee Police Officer Vrtochnick On Christmas Eve http://bit.ly/tAWmcH

Tip Led Milwaukee Police To Vehicle Sought In Hit and Run That Struck Officer Vrtochnick http://bit.ly/tAWmcH

Suburban Chicago Area Teen Along With Two Others Burned Alive On Christmas Eve In Michoacan By Suspects http://goo.gl/dfO67

El Güero, Sinaloa Cartel Member Arrested By Mexican Federal Police; U.S. had a $5 million dollar bounty on his head http://goo.gl/HkiBG

Melee Frenzy At Mall of America Sparked By Rumors That Rappers Lil' Wayne And Drake Were Inside http://tinyurl.com/MallofAmericaMelee

Suspect Sought That Struck Milwaukee Police Officer Vrtochnick On Christmas Day http://bit.ly/rKyuuX

Mexican Feds And U.S. Special Agents Within Days Of Capturing Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera http://tinyurl.com/7aykrpe

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"El Pitufo" Alleged Leader For The Aztecas Gang Arrested In Juárez

2012-01-14T23:57:00.004-06:00

César Lorenzo Roque Flores, aka, "El Pitufo," stands fourth from left.

El Pitufo

Photos: El Mexicano

Mexican military arrests an alleged leader of the Aztecas criminal organization.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 14, 2012

Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México - On Saturday, the Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) reported that Cesar Lorenzo Roque Flores, aka, "El Pitufo" was arrested along with seven suspects from the Aztecas criminal organization at a residence in northern Juárez. A tip led the Mexican military to raid a home where a group of armed men were staying.
Flores is the alleged leader for the Aztecas gang associated with La Línea criminal organization, which is affiliated with the Juárez Cartel. Los Aztecas are the enforcers for the Juárez Cartel.
Along with Flores, the following suspects were arrested as well, Yerimi Luis Bayron, Enrique Moreno, aka, "El Kike," Lorenzo Fernández Martínez, Julio César Pérez Neri, Juan Manuel Hernández Ávila, Reynaldo Sánchez García and Ramiro Alfredo Pérez Chávez, aka, "El Pildoritas" or "Casanova."
The military confiscated nine long rifles, three handguns, 7,206 cartridges of various calibers and several vehicles.

News video of El Pitufo and the Aztecas arrest at link: http://bit.ly/yTlFvS

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Yang Charged With Lee's Homicide At Sheboygan's Walmart

2012-01-14T22:11:00.001-06:00

Kou Yang and Pheng Lee

Armed homicide suspect was a felon and on probation for a child abuse 2010 case, according to state records.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 14, 2012

Sheboygan - Last Thursday, Kou Yang, 21, of Sheboygan was charged as a repeat offender, including three felony counts of 1st-degree reckeless homicide, one count 1st-degree reckless injuring and one count for pssession of a firearm by felon, in connection with the murder of Pheng Lee, 20, on January 8th. Yang is accused of discharging five 9mm shots at Lee and Cheng Lung Moua, 21, and his friends outside a Walmart at 3711 S. Taylor Dr. shortly after they approached Yang's vehicle, according to the criminal complaint.
The initial confrontation occured inside the Walmart around 12:30 a.m. at a cashier counter lane. Moua was in line and then Yang with his wife and a 16-year-old teenager stood behind him and exchanged some words. Moua told police he called his brother Lee to come over to the store because he was expecting trouble once they got outside Walmart.
Afterwards, Yang went to his vehicle where he was accompanied by his wife and the teenager. Moua, Lee and two other friends are seen by video surveillance going to Yang's vehicle. When they reached Yang's vehicle, they exchange words, then Yang pulls out a gun and fires at Moua who falls and shoots at Lee as he tries to flee. Lee falls from the gunshot wounds and Yang fled the scene.
Moua told investigators, that they went to tell Yang, to leave him alone. But, Yang opened fire at them.
Lee who was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee later died at St. Nicolas Hospital in Sheboygan from a bullet wound through the heart and from another bullet on the right lung. Moua was shot in the jaw and lost two teeth and had reconstructive surgery at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, according to Sheboygan police.
Yang was later arrested at his residence. Police say, it was investigated as an alleged gang related shooting.
State records indicate, Yang was convicted in 2010 for child abuse and was a felon.
Yang is facing more than 78 years in prison on the felony counts and a judge set a $750,000 cash bond.

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"El Profe" From La Familia Cartel Arrested By Mexican Federal Police

2012-01-14T17:17:00.003-06:00

Emmanuel Díaz Rios and Viani Jaret Velásquez Pérez

Photo: SSP

Rios was wanted in connection with numerous homicides throughout five municipalities in the state of México.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 14, 2012

Mexico City - On Saturday, the Mexican Federal Police (SSP) reported that Emmanuel Díaz Rios, 30, aka, "El Profe" had been arested. Rios orignally from Arcelia, Guerrero was wanted by the Mexican government for operating La Familia criminal organization in the municipalities of Chicoloapan, Chimalhuacán, Nezahualcóyotl, Los Reyes and Texcoco in the state of México.
Rios was taken into custody near the District of Izatalapa on Monday along with his girlfriend, Viani Jaret Velásquez Pérez, 18. Rios is facing charges for numerous homicides of rival cartel members, supervising and the distribution of weapons and vehicles, including the distribution of a ton of cocaine.
Rios' criminal operation stretched to five municipalities that he controlled as head of La Familia in the state of México.

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Tip Led To The Arrest Of Five Suspects Robbing Motorists Along The Acapulco Highway Stretch In Mexico

2012-01-14T16:51:00.003-06:00

(L-R) Isael Villanueva Vega, Flavio Villanueva Vega and Sergio Navarrete Atrisco

Photos: SSP

Highway robbers nabbed by federal police.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 14, 2012

Tierra Colorada, Guerrero, México - The Mexican Federal Police (SSP) confirmed the arrest of five suspects inconnection with a series of armed robberies along the Acapulco highway stretch in Guerrero. A tip led to the arrest of five suspects from the "Beltrán Leyva" criminal organization on January 4th near the Ocotito-Rincón de la Vía highway interchange.
They were identified as Flavio Villanueva Vega, 31, aka, "El Peinetas," the alleged leader who coordinated and handled the extortion of drivers held during highway robberies. The other suspects included, Isael Villanueva Vega, 20, aka, "El Isa"; Sergio Navarrete Atrisco, 40, aka, "El Chejo"; Omar Villanueva Vega, 25, and José Tinoco Brito, 28, aka, "El Pepe." Both Atrisco and Brito were wounded during a confrontation near the Tierra Colorada township, when they fired at federal police. The suspects are facing charges for armed robbery, extortion and drug possession.
Federal police conficated three vehicles, six weapons, 60 bags of white powder believed to be cocaine, cell phones and a variety of documents.

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Mexican Federal Judge Cited Double Jeopardy To Prevent Female Druglord Extradition To The U.S.

2012-01-12T23:03:00.003-06:00

Sandra Ávila-Beltrán

U.S. government lost second attempt to extradite female druglord from Mexico.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 12, 2012

Mexico City - On Thursday, Mexican federal Judge Jesus Chavez ruled that Sandra Ávila-Beltrán, aka, "La Reina del Pacifico" an alleged druglord can't be extradited to the U.S. due to double jeopardy. Ávila-Beltrán was acquitted in Mexico in December 2010 of charges for transportng and attempting to smuggling more than 9 tons of cocaine on December 2001 into the U.S. from Mexico. An appeals court in Mexico upheld Ávila-Beltrán's acquittal in August of last year.
The U.S. District Court of Southern Florida indicted Ávila-Beltrán for the same charges in 2004. On November 2007, she was indicted in the U.S. for two counts of conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine, stemming from the 2001 drug bust of a Mexican vessel "MACEL" carrying more than 9 tons of cocaine near the port of Manzanillo.
Ávila-Beltrán allegedly controlled major smuggling and trafficking operations between Colombian and Mexican criminal organizations. In 2007, she was taken into custody at a Cafe in Mexico City.
Mexican federal Judge Chavez said in his ruling, that most likely Ávila-Beltrán would be tried for the same charges in the U.S. she had been aquitted in Mexico. Chavez citing the Mexican Constitution, which prevents a Mexican national from being prosecuted in another country for the same crime prosecuted in Mexico, he denied an extradition request from the U.S.
Another Mexican federal Judge had previously denied a first request to extradite Ávila-Beltrán to the U.S.
Ávila-Beltrán is still being held in a prison at Tepic, Nayarit pending Mexican federal charges for money laundering. She is claiming that most of the money generated by her came from renting properties and selling clothes at businesses, which she owns.
She is the niece of Miquel Angel Felix Gallardo, aka, "El Padrino" who is serving a 40-year prison sentence in Mexico for drug smuggling, trafficking and for his connection to the February 7, 1985 homicide of U.S. DEA Agent Enrique Camarena-Salazar, 37, aka, "KiKe" in Jalisco. Gallardo was one of the main partners of the druglord Rafael Caro Quintero, aka, "El Numero Uno." Quintero, Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and Juan José Esparragoza Moreno founded the Guadalajara and Sonora Cartels in 1984.
Camarena-Salazar based in Guadalajara was kidnapped along with his pilot, Alfredo Zavala who were later brutally tortured and then killed. Agent Camarena-Salazar was instrumental in striking a blow at the Quintero criminal organization.
In November 1984, Mexican federal police raided the "El Búfalo" a Quintero ranch in Chihuahua and burned 10 tons of marijuana plants costing Quintero more than $160 million U.S. dollars in loses. In retalliation, he had Camarena-Salazar killed.

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U.S. Marine Corps Launches Probe Over Video Showing Alleged Marines Urinating On Dead Taliban

2012-01-12T01:46:00.014-06:00

Video surfaced depicting four elite Marines urinating on corpses. Military investigators have identified the Marines involved in desecrating the bodies of Taliban fighters.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 12, 2012
(Updated)

Washington, D.C. - On Tuesday, a 39 second video surfaced on Youtube depicting at least four men dressed in what looks like an U.S. Marine elite sniper unit urinating on corpses. Another man is videotaping the act of desecrating the bodies full of blood from three Taliban fighters. The details on the video are graphic and may have been recorded somewhere in Afghanistan, but doesn't provided a date when it was videotaped.
The information posted on the original video stated, "scout sniper team 4 with 3rd battalion 2nd Marines out of Camp Lejeune peeping on dead Taliban." The original video clip has since been removed, according to a Youtube notice. Numerous copies of the video posted by others and media outlets remain on Youtube and the Internet.
One of the men is heard saying "Have a great day, buddy," another one says, "You got it on, the video," "Yeah" yells another and finally one jokes around and says, "Golden, like a shower," referring to the three Taliban dead fighters killed.
The U.S. Marine Corps launched an investigation and the initial probe hasn't confirmed the authenticity of the video. But the preliminary probe found that two of the men are actually Marines, according to a report by CNN dot com.
Investigators later were able to determine the identities of the three other Marines involved in the video. Two Marines and their batallion commander have been assigned to another area and are no longer with the 3rd Batallion, according to investigators. Their identities haven't been released.
The alleged Marines on the video were assigned to the 3rd Battalion 2nd Marine Regiment based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. They were deployed to the Helmand province in Afghanistan in February 2011 and returned to the U.S. in September 2011, according to CNN dot com.
Military sources say, the men in the video are seen with 30-Caliber sniper rifles issued to Special Ops teams and the helmets being worned have a shorter front and sides to allow snipers to have their weapons closer to their face, according to Marine sources.
The men identified are facing potential war crime charges and court martial for their actions, which are deemed disgusting, disgraceful, horrid and actions not associated with the Marine Corps. The Geneva Convention prohibits the photographing and the desecration of dead bodies.
The Pentagon released a statement saying, "the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the Marine Corps."
The Marine Corps is a component of the U.S. Department of Navy and part of the Pentagon.

Youtube video of four men in Marine uniforms urinating on corpses at link: http://goo.gl/Hbmr1

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Ordoñez, Strong And Progressive 8th Adermanic Milwaukee Candidate Gets Spot On February's Primary Ballot

2012-01-11T17:57:00.002-06:00

Chez Ordoñez

Photo: HNG

Alderman Robert "Bob" Donovan (incumbent) had challenged the nomination papers of Chez Ordoñez in an attempt to kick him off the ballot.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 11, 2012

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, Chez Ordoñez, candidate for the 8th Aldermanic District announced through a news release, that his name will be place on the February 21st, Primary ballot. The Milwaukee Election Commission on Tuesday decided on a vote of 2-1 to place Ordoñez name on the ballot and ruled that Alderman Donovan's claims to disqualified Ordoñez lacked substantial evidence to keep Ordoñez off the ballot.
Ordoñez says, Donovan's claims were baseless and frivolus. Ordoñez is glad that the election commission agreed with him. It was just an attempt by Donovan to keep a strong and progessive candidate from challenging him in February's election, according to Ordoñez.
Ordoñez says, he will continue to run a very honest, transparent and grassroots campaign.
Donovan was first elected in 2000 and has been alderman for 11 years in the 8th District. He is also facing two other challengers as well, they are Jennifer Morales and Benjamin Juarez.

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Former Milwaukee Police Officer Cates Found Guilty For Violating Woman's Civil Rights During Sexual Assault

2012-01-11T15:57:00.001-06:00

Ladmarald Cates

Cates facing life in prison for violating victim's civil rights during a sexual assault while on duty.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 11, 2012

Milwaukee- On Wednesday, former Milwaukee Police Officer Ladmarald Cates, 44, was found guilty in federal court for one felony count of violating an 19-year-old woman's civil rights on July 16, 2010 during a sexual assault while on duty. The jury added an aggravated sexual abuse enchancer to the charge and conviction. Cates and his partner were responding to a "911" call.
The woman made a 911 call in July. When Cates was investigating a brawl at the 1500 block of Center St., he allegedly assaulted the victim and forced her to perform sex acts and oral sex inside the residence. The assault occured while his partner and her family were outside.
When the victim complained to police, they held her for 12 hours before taking her to the hospital to get evidence from the alleged sexual assault.
Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn later fired Cates.
Cates is facing up to life in a federal prison and fines up to $250,000.

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L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy Strikes Special Needs Woman On Metro Bus

2012-01-11T14:22:00.003-06:00

Photos from Green's cell phone videotape.

Videotape shows L.A. County Sheriff deputy striking special needs woman after she cursed him and told him he was being a big shot.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 11, 2012

Los Angeles - On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office (LACSO) spokesman Steve Whitmore told NBCLA News 4 that the person involved on Monday's bus route incident with several deputies was a homeless woman. She is currently going a 72-hour psychiatric hold and has four prior convictions for assaulting police officers, according to Whitmore.
Deputies were responding to "911" call that an elderly passenger was almost attacked inside the bus by a "violent woman," Whitmore told NBCLA that the call might have come from someone inside the bus. Photos taken by the Metro bus surveillance camera were recovered and turned over to the LACSO, but were not released to the media due to the ongoing investigation.
L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca confirmed that it was to his understanding that the woman was homeless and suffers from a mental illness, according to NBCLA.
The new information was released by the LACSO after a videotape of the incident was shown in the main stream media throughout the U.S. depicting a deputy striking a woman.
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office had refused to comment and was not interested in looking at the videotape showing one of its deputies striking a woman with special needs inside a bus. Whitmore did indicate, that they do investigate the use of force complaints. But for the LACSO refusal to review a videotape of what transpired is questionable.
The abusive incident occured on Monday and was videotaped by Jermaine Green who got into the Metro Bellflower bus route with his fiancee Violet Roberts. Green noticed a woman getting into the bus with a stroller with some pillows and said hi to people. She seemed friendly to people, according to Green.
On the next stop, several L.A. Sheriff deputies got into the bus. One was a female deputy and the other was male deputy who went directly to the woman with the pillows. They called her by name and told her to get off the bus. The woman began to curse at them and then told the male deputy that he was being a big shot. The male deputy, despite noticing the he was being videotaped by Green's cell phone, suddenly struck the special needs woman, according to Green.
Afterwards, the male deputy tried to confiscate Green's phone. Green refused to turn it over to the deputy. The deputy then threaten Green that he could get arrested, if he refused to turn over the cell phone and then asked Green if he had any warrants. Green told the deputy, that he didn't have any warrants and that he was a war veteran. Green recently finished six years of tour duty in the Army and had served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Green believed the deputy wanted to confiscate the videotape to try and coverup the incident.

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"El Wicho," Matamoros Gulf Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty In Texas Federal Court

2012-01-11T03:32:00.002-06:00

Jóse Luis Zúñiga Hernández

Drug charges dropped under a plea agreement.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 11, 2012

Brownsville - On Monday, Jóse Luis Zúñiga Hernández, 43, aka, "El Wicho" pleaded guilty for illegal re-entry to the U.S. and possession of a weapon by an undocumented felon in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Hernández with four other suspects were arrested on October 26, 2011 by U.S. Border Patrol agents.
A vehicle with five men, including Hernández was stopped by agents near Santa Maria, close to the eastern Hidalgo-Cameron County border. Hernández and the four suspects triggered a sensor on land, which alerted border agents of their activity. They later admitted to federal agents that they were undocumented.
Upon searching the vehicle, agents found a .38-caliber gold plated handgun with studded diamonds and rubies spelling Hernández alias, "Wicho." They also recovered four bags of cocaine and $20,000 in cash. Under a plea agreement, Hernández' drug charges were dropped.
Hernández admitted, he participated in several homicides in Mexico and was the Gulf Cartel leader in the Matamoros area.
He is facing up to 20 years in a federal prison for re-entry to the U.S. and 10 years for possession of a weapon by an undocumented felon, including $250,000 fine for each count, according to the criminal complaint. He will be sentenced on April 16, by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen.
Hernández was convicted in 1990 for drug charges and was deported in 1997.
He fled Mexico to avoid being killed because Hernández was being targeted by Los Zetas, according to feds. Hernández is wanted in Mexico for operating a criminal organization, drug trafficking, smuggling cocaine, including marijuana and connection to several homicides.

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Deceased Suspect Connected To Maricopa County Sheriff's Deputy Homicide Identified

2012-01-10T11:25:00.002-06:00

Drew Ryan Maras

Photo: Facebook

Deceased murder suspect was a former Marine, UFO-ologist and author.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 10, 2012

Phoenix - On Monday, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) released the identity of the homicide suspect as Drew Ryan Maras, 30, of Peoria who allegedly killed Deputy William Coleman, 50, of New River on early Sunday who was responding to a burglary call. Maras was also killed by other deputies during a confrontation around 4:10 a.m. at a Anthem medical plaza located on Anthem Way and Gavilan Peak Parkway, in northern Phoenix.
Maras is also suspected of killing a New Hampshire (N.H.) couple on Friday with the same high-power rifle that killed Coleman. The couple, Carol Raynsford of Nelson, N.H. and James Johnson of Jaffrey N.H. were discovered fatally shot with a .223-caliber rifle inside their vehicle in a remote area near Sedona in Yavapai County. A group of people from a jeep club discovered the bodies and called the Yavapai County Sheriff's Department (YCSD).
Investigators from the YCSD found .223-caliber castings near the vehicle of the couple killed.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio confirmed, that the investigation in ongoing and investigators are waiting for ballistic results to determine, if Maras actually killed Deputy Coleman and the N.H. couple in Yavapai County with the same rifle. Arpaio says, that deputies approached a mini van near the Angel Pediatrics, when Maras came out of the mini van and fired at the deputies killing Coleman. Two other deputies returned fire and killed Maras at the scene, according to Arpaio.
Maras Facebook (FB) account indicates, he was a former Marine who lived in Kihet, Hawaii and was from Chicago, Illinois. He described himself as a UFO-ologist and also authored a book entitled "Open Your Eyes: To 2012 and Beyond." His last FB posting was on Thursday at 1:58 p.m. and recent postings from FB followers have posted "Cop Killer."
Deputy Coleman is the first deputy to die in the line of duty, since 1995 and had worked for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department for 20 years. He was assigned to District 4. Coleman is survived by his wife and two children in Arizona and has two older children living out of state, according to MCSD.

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47-year-old Brookfield Woman Cited For Disorderly Conduct After Brief Confrontation With Recall Scott Walker Volunteer

2012-01-10T02:15:00.003-06:00

Linda M. Lorino

Photo from Steve Nagel's videotape.

Woman caught arguing and hitting a Recall Scott Walker volunteer. Organizers and volunteers have gathered more than 700,000 petition signatures, since Saturday.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 10, 2012

Brookfield - On Saturday, a woman from Brookfield received a municipal citation for disorderly conduct after she hit a Recall Scott Walker volunteer at the 16000 block of W. Bluemond Road. The woman was identified by Brookfield police as Linda M. Lorino, 47.
The police report states, Lorino stopped just after 1:30 p.m. to talk to a pro-Walker supporter and then proceeded to talk to a recall Walker volunteer gathering signatures. When she noticed, Steve Nagel, another volunteer videotaping her. She walked back to her vehicle and grabbed her cell phone and began to also videotape Nagel.
Lorino became angry, yelled and apparently hit Nagel while she confronted him. Nagel lost his balance, but was able to tape the entire incident, which made it easier for police to cite her. Nagle told police, that he anticipated trouble from Lorino and began to videotape her actions.
Lorino faces a fine of $492.00 for the citation and incident.
Both recall Walker organizers and volunteers have collected more than 700,000 petition signatures, since Saturday, according to a Monday report by Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA). HNNUSA cited close sources in the Recall Scott Walker (R) effort that the statewide campaign has surpassed the 700,000 signature total.
Organizers could very well break another record by the January 17, dateline, when organizers will officially announce the grand total of signatures collected throughout Wisconsin.

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Recall Scott Walker Drive In Wisconsin Surpassed More Than 700,000 Petition Signatures Over The Weekend

2012-01-09T16:19:00.002-06:00

Photo: HNG

Recall organizers and volunteer break record again, more than 700,000 signatures have been gathered since last Saturday.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 9, 2012

Milwaukee - On Monday, Recall Scott Walker campaign organizers and volunteers have set a third record for gathering more than 700,000 petition signatures, since last Saturday. Organizers could very well break a fourth record by the January 17, dateline, when organizers will officially announce the grand total of signatures collected throughout Wisconsin.
Close sources to the recall drive have affirmed that the recall Walker campaign has surpassed the 700,000 signature mark. Volunteers for the recall Walker effort are making their final push to get signatures within the following eight days remaining to legally collect signatures.
They were expecting to collect 720,277 recall petition signatures before the dateline, but most likely will also surpass that total.
In mid December, Mike Tate, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and United Wisconsin confirmed that statewide volunteers had collected 507,533 recall Scott Walker petition signatures. Tate said, the signatures were collected in just 28-days throughout 72 counties in the state.
A minimum of the required 540,208 signatures were needed to force a recall election against Republican Governor Scott Walker before the dateline expired.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin and United Wisconsin have confirmed that statewide volunteers had collected the following totals, since November 15th.

On November 28, 2011, 300,000 signatures were reported gathered.
On December 15, 2011, 507,533 signatures were reported gathered.

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Conceal Carry In WI Training Course Offered At Prior Badger Guns Shooting Range Facility In West Milwaukee

2012-01-09T01:35:00.001-06:00

Walter J. Allan explains different types of handgun holsters.

Photos: HNG

Conceal Carry handgun training course being offered at the old Badger Guns Inc. location in West Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 9, 2012

Village of West Milwaukee - On January, Badger Guns Inc. no longer could sell guns at 2339 S. 43rd St. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revoked the gun selling license for violating the Gun Control Act. Badger Guns was previously operated by Adam Allan.
The first of the month, it exchanged ownership to Michael Allan, who acquired the occupancy permit from West Milwaukee on October 21, to operate the Brew City Shooter's Supply, Inc. at the same location. He hasn't yet applied for a gun dealing license with the ATF.
Currently, Brew City Shooter's Supply has the shooting range opened, sells ammo, weapons related supplies and a gun repair shop. The Badger Gun Inc. in conjunction with Concealed Carry LLC. offer a Conceal Carry in Wisconsin (CCW) handgun training course at the location, according to the Concealed Carry LLC. certificate of completion.
The four hour Wisconsin Department of Justice (WIDOJ) handgun training course offered by Concealed Carry LLC., includes weapons training on loading and unloading a revolver and pistol semi-automatic handguns, as well as live target range shooting, which is one of the few courses being offered in the Milwaukee area.
The course costs only $95 and follows the WIDOJ guidelines and required training to apply for a CCW permit with the state.
The CCW course is provided by both certified NRA instructor Walter J. Allan and Allen B. Ripple, a Wisconsin State Firearms certified instructor.
During last Saturday's noon course, a diverse group of people took the training, composed of 6 Blacks, 1 White and 8 Hispanics. The diversity of those taking the course shows that many residents in the area are taking advantage of the CCW training at the Brew City Shooter's location.
Most other CCW training sessions throughout the state don't offer the shooting range aspect of it, because it is not required by state law or the WIDOJ.
The current waiting period to be issued a CCW permit by the WIDOJ is more than 40 days due to the large volume of those applying for the CCW license. The CCW license is recognized and valid in 26 states.

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21-year-old Suspect Arrested For Fatal Sheboygan Walmart Shooting Death

2012-01-08T23:19:00.002-06:00

Pheng Lee

Photo: Family

A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with one shooting death and wounding of a second man outside a Sheboygan Walmart.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 8, 2012

Sheboygan - On early Sunday, Pheng Lee, 20, of Milwaukee was fatally shot and a 21-year-old man was wounded outside a Sheboygan Walmart, 3711 S. Taylor Dr. Lee and three other men went to a Walmart store at about 12:30 a.m. to buy some snacks. They were confronted by a 21-year-old suspect and an altercation resulted. The suspect took out a handgun and fired at Lee and his three companions.
Lee, a student from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee later died at St. Nicolas Hospital in Sheboygan. His 21-year-old friend was critically wounded and was flown to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa. The two other men with Lee were not injured.
The 21-year-old suspect was later taken into custody by Sheboygan police. A vehicle was confiscated in connection with the homicide.
Police are reviewing Walmart video surveillance from the store.
The suspect is facing one count of intentional homicide and three counts of attempted homicide, according to Sheboygan police.

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17-year-old Drunk Driver Charged For New Year's Fatal Crash That Killed Couple In Milwaukee

2012-01-08T22:15:00.002-06:00

Kelly Duke

Suspect had a prior DWI charge and a suspended license.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 8, 2012

Milwaukee - Last week Wednesday, Kelly Duke, 17, was charged with with two felony counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle, two felony counts of homicide use of a vehicle with prohibited alcohol concentrate of 0.183, two felony counts of hit-and-run involving death, one felony count for operating a vehicle without the owners consent and two misdeamenor counts for driving with a suspended license causing great bodily harm. Duke was driving and speeding north on N. 27th St. and W. St. Paul Ave. around 6:30 a.m. on New Year's Day when he hit a curb and his vehicle went airborne slamming into another vehicle parked at a stop light intersection.
A couple from New Berlin, Jean and Edwin Thaves were fatally killed. They had just left Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Duke was headed to Potawatomi Casino as well to pick up his girlfriend, according to police.
Duke after the fatal crash fled the scene. But, his brother happened to go by the accident and told police that Duke had taken the vehicle without permission.
Police later arrested Duke. He confessed that he had been drinking at a party and afterwards had driven the vehicle. Duke admitted, that he can't remember what had happened on New Year's Day, including killing the couple.
He was previously convicted for driving drunk and had his license suspended.

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Banned 2012 Year Book Student Photo From Durango High School Leads To Facebook Account Overload For Spies

2012-01-08T18:36:00.003-06:00

An 18-year-old senior who is claiming censorship of her modern day photo in high school 2012 yearbook has her Facebook account swarming with thousands of friend requests from all over the world.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 8, 2012

Durango, Colorado - Over the weekend, Sydney Spies, 18, of Durango who is standing up for her right to pick her own modest senior year photo for the Durango High School yearbook has been swarmed with thousands of Facebook friend requests from all over the world to the brink of overload. After Spies' story spread about her photo was unfairly being censored from the Durango High School 2012 yearbook. The controversy has put Spies on the spotlight and could very well launch her modeling career.
On Monday, both Sydney and her mother will appear on the Today Show to talk about the matter.
Spies photo is a conservative look compared to today's teen magazine photos and other publications depicting teenagers on its covers and inside pages, including non-restrictive movies.
The five student editors for the year book were going to allow her photo to be published, but later decided to censor it because it was "inappropriate to use as her senior portrait," according to Spies. She believes that school administrators influenced the decision for student editors to censor the photo because it violated the school's dress code. But, the photo would be allowed to be published in the back section where students pay for messages, according to KDVR FOX31 News in Denver.
In the photo, Spies is wearing a yellow shirt with black shawl, which shows her bare shoulders and midsection. Her left arm covers part of the midsectition.
Spies expressed, it's a violation of freedom of expression. She called the photo artistic photography and shows her modeling, which she plans to pursue after graduating. Her mother, Miki Spies supports her daughter's photo choice.
Sydney met with her Durango High School Principal on Friday to discuss the matter, but no change of decision has been made to publish her senior photo in the yearbook, according to KDVR.
On Sunday, Miki Spies posted on her Facebook, "Sydney Spies can't get on her FB, seems to be in overload drive with mounting friend requests. She wanted me to thank you all for the overwhelming support and the inspiring messages that you are sending her. She's getting them by the dozens a minute from all over the world. She appreciates you SO much!!!" Miki says, they will appear on the Today Show at 7:30 a.m. on Monday.

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Rivera Released After 19 Years In Prison For Allegedly Killing Holly Staker, 11, DNA Didn't Match

2012-01-07T11:27:00.002-06:00

Juan A. Rivera Jr.

DNA didn't match in homicide, an Illinois appellate court panel ruled in December.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 7, 2012

Joliet, Illinois - On Friday, Juan A. Rivera Jr., 39, of Waukegan was finally freed after numerous appeals and his DNA didn't match with evidence taken from the August 17, 1992 homicide scene at 442 Hickory Street where Holly Staker, 11, was killed while baby sitting two children. Rivera walked out a free man from the Stateville Correctional Institute in Joliet on Friday. He spent more than 19-years in prison for a wrongful conviction. A jury had upheld his conviction three times, despite previous evidence that proved Rivera's DNA didn't match with the crime scene DNA recovered at the murder.
In December, a three judge panel in the Illinois appellate court finally reversed Rivera's conviction on a 3-0 decision in the stabbing, rape and homicide of Staker citing that DNA semen recovered from the crime scene didn't match Rivera's DNA. The appellate court ordered Rivera's release. But it took weeks to release Rivera due to paper work and confirmation of the court's decision.
The appellate court also ruled that Rivera's confession in 1992 resulted in his 1993 conviction stemming from a prepared statement by police at the time and was invalid. Staker had been stabbed 27 times, strangled and incurred massive injuries as a result of having been sexually assaulted virginally and anally prior to death, according to the coroner's report.
The DNA found at the crime scene has been place in the national data base system to search for a match, but no match has been found. In 2004, a DNA analysis was made and Rivera was eliminated as a match because his DNA didn't match with the DNA found in Staker's body. Despite the DNA results, a jury convicted Rivera once again. Until 2011, when the conviction was reversed by the appellate court.
Lake County State Attorney Michael Waller told media outlets, that the state won't seek an appeal on Rivera's release.
Rivera release came after his case was appealed by law professor Lawrence Marshall, with assistance of attorney's from the Jenner & Block lawfirm and the Northwestern University Center for Wrongful Convictions, which Marshall co-founded in 1999, the Lake County News-Sun reported.
State prosecutors and police are expected to re-open the Staker homicide case and begin to actually search for the suspect matching the DNA found at the Staker's homicide. As of Friday, the Staker case remains unsolved.

Appellate court decision on December 9, 2011 State of Illinois v. Rivera at link: http://tinyurl.com/RiveraAppellateCourtDecision

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Mitchell International Airport Employee Connected To The Spanish Cobras Indicted For Heroin Charges

2012-01-07T03:08:00.002-06:00

Amilcar Zapata Jr.

Zapata conspired to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and allegedly smuggled large amounts of money by-passing airport security screening.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 7, 2012

Milwaukee - On Thursday, a federal indictment alleged that Amilcar Zapata Jr., 44, of Milwaukee was taken into custody for conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and by-passing large amounts of cash through airport security for the Spanish Cobras gang. Zapata worked at the Mitchell International Airport for 21 years, according to the indictment.
The indictment states, that Zapata managed to hid large amounts of cash inside backpacks and using his security clearance as an airport employee would smuggle cash into the airport.
He would then meet up with money carriers inside restrooms after they passed through security screening and would then transferred the cash. The Spanish Cobras couriers would take the money out of the country without claiming the cash.
Zapata is the most recent suspect of 29 alleged Spanish Cobras members already in custody or indicted for heroin trafficking charges. The indictments includes two related overdose deaths and the shooting of a law enforcement officer.
Zapata was taken into custody by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, members of the Milwaukee High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area gang task force, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and the General Mitchell International Airport Administration helped in the investigation.
If convicted, Zapata faces from 5 to 40 years in prison, a $5 million dollar fine, 4 years to life on supervised release and a $100 special assessment, according to James L. Santelle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

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England, Oneida Medical Examiner Arrested For Taking Body Part From Deceased Person To Train Cadaver Dog

2012-01-06T00:53:00.002-06:00

Traci J. England

Oneida medical examiner also serves both Fond du Lac and Forest Counties.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 6, 2012

Rhinelander, Wisconsin - On Thursday, an Oneida County Circuit Court Reserve Judge Conrad Richards found there is probable cause that Traci J. England, 44, an Oneida County Medical Examiner committed a crime by taking human remains. England allegedly stole a piece of spine during an autopsy examination in Fond du Lac County from a deceased person who was a resident of Oneida County.
England and an Oneida County Sheriff deputy went to Fond du Lac for an autopsy, when authorities later discovered England had taken a piece of spine from the deceased person on Tuesday. England explained, that she was going to use the human part to train a cadaver dog to find body parts, the preliminary complaint revealed.
She was arrested on Wednesday and posted a $5,000 signature bond and remains free on bail. Judge Richards ordered England not to posses any human remains as a condition of bond.
The family of the deceased person have been notified concerning England's removal of a body part, without authorization.
England, is the Head Medical Examiner for Oneida County. Which Oneida County also contracts out its services to do medical examination investigations for both Fond du Lac County and Forest County, according to Oneida County District Attorney Michael Bloom.
England has not been charged pending the outcome of the investigation, but is expected back in court for alleged charges on January 30th. She is facing one felony count of misconduct in office and a misdeamenor theft charge.

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Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Winston Retires To End Internal Investigation Against Him Involving Another Man

2012-01-05T21:53:00.002-06:00

Darryl Winston

Chief Edward Flynn, Milwaukee Police Department confirmed that Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Darryl Winston had retired.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 5, 2012

Milwaukee - On Thursday, Assistant Milwaukee Police Chief Darryl Winston for the Professional Standards Bureau submitted his retirement ending an internal investigation against him, according to Chief Edward Flynn, Milwaukee Police Department. Winston was suspended and put on administrative leave with pay pending the oucome of an investigation shortly after the December 20 incident. When, he was found in company of another man inside his vehicle in a dark alley by an officer patrolling the area.
At first, Winston claimed the 23-year-old man was his nephew, but an initial investigation found Winston had lied. The men was a felon and family members confirmed he wasn't related to Winston.
No details were released about what transpired between Winston and the man while they were parked in a dark alley at the 3100 block of W. Silver Spring Drive. He earned a $120,632 in salary per year and had worked for the department for 28 years, according to state records.
An internal investigation was initiated, but with Winston's sudden retirement, it automatically ends the internal investigation by the same bureau he once commanded, according to Chief Flynn.

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Arellano Felix Drug Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering And Racketeering Federal Charges In U.S.

2012-01-05T02:24:00.002-06:00

Alberto Benjamín Arellano Felix

Druglord led the Tijuana based Arellano Felix Cartel between 1986 to 2002, according to feds.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 5, 2012

San Diego, California - On Wednesday, Alberto Benjamín Arellano Felix, 58, aka, "El Señor" pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money, drug trafficking and racketeering in the U.S. District Court of Southern California. Benjamín faces up to 25 years in a federal prison and $100 milion in forfeiture under a plea agreement. He will be eligible to be released in 20 years, and then would be deported to Mexico where he has a federal pending sentence of nine years to serve.
He will be sentenced by U.S. Judge Larry Burns on April 2, according to court records. Under the plea agreement, Benjamín admitted to bribing law enforcement officials and ordering numerous homicides involving informants and rival cartel members. Rival cartel members and fatally tortured victims were also dissolved in barrels filled with lye or acid.
Benjamín and three of his brothers, Eduardo Arellano Felix, Javier Arellano Felix and Ramon Arellano Felix ran the Arellano Felix Cartel based in Tijuana and controlled the major border routes between Mexico and the U.S. between 1990 to 2000, according to a federal indictment.
The Arellano Cartel was responsible for transporting, smuggling and distributing thousands of tons of marijuana and cocaine into the U.S. from Colombia and Mexico.
Benjamín led the Arellano Felix cartel between 1986 to 2002 when he was arrested in Puebla, Mexico. In 2007, Benjamín was sentenced to 22 years in a Mexican federal prison for money laundering and operating a criminal organization. He has nine years left to serve in that conviction in Mexico.
In April 29, 2011, Benjamín was extradited to the U.S. for racketeering, money laundering and drug trafficking charges.
In 2002, Ramon, was killed in a confrontation with the Mexican military; Javier was arrested in 2006 and was extradited to the U.S., he was later convicted for drug trafficking, racketeering and was sentenced to life in prison and Eduardo was arrested in 2008 in Mexico and is awaiting extradition to the U.S.

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Discua-Bados, Estranged Husband Wanted For Fatally Stabbing 24-year-old Woman In Milwaukee

2012-01-04T20:59:00.003-06:00

Dayana Bados-García

Jose Luis Discua-Bados

Murder suspect had re-entered the U.S. after being deported to Honduras.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 4, 2012

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office charged Jose Luis Discua-Bados, 29, with first-intentional homicide of Dayana Bados-García, 24, on Tuesday, January 3rd. If convicted, Discua-Bados is facing life in prison.
The criminal complaint states, that Discua-Bados, originally from Honduras had re-entered the U.S. after being deported. On Tuesday, he attacked Bados-García with a 2X4 board while she went outside her residence to warmed up her car at the 2800 block of S. 13th St. Bados-García was trying to go to work when she was fatally stabbed by her estranged husband. Pilar Hernández, Bados-García's grandmother stated, that she heard a scream at about 7:20 a.m. saying, "Luis, No" and when she looked out the window, she saw Discua-Bados beat her granddaughter with the board. Hernández went outside and warned Discua-Bados that she going to call Milwaukee police. He ran back into the house and then returned with a knife and proceeded to stab Bados-García multiple times. He then fled the scene.
When police arrived, they saw Bados-García exhibiting multiple stab wounds to her back and head. She had about 12 stab wounds. Milwaukee County Medical Examiner, Genevieve Penn pronounced Bados-García dead at 8:21 a.m.
Discua-Bados was apparently staying with Bados-Garcia, because she feared him and had previously been abused by him, according to Hernández.
Police issued a warrant for Discua-Bados.

For a copy of the Jose Luis Discua-Bados criminal complaint go to link: http://bit.ly/wLPiNB

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Ojeda-Jiménez, Quadriplegic Deported Illegally By Illinois Advocate Christ Medical Center Died On New Year's Day

2012-01-03T15:00:00.010-06:00

Quelino Ojeda-Jiménez, while at Advocate Christ Medical Center before being deported to Mexico by the hospital.

The Ojeda-Jiménez family in Oaxaca confirmed the untimely death of Quelino Ojeda-Jiménez in Mexico.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 3, 2012

Juchitan de Zaragoza, Oaxaca, Mexico - On early Sunday New Year's Day, Quelino Ojeda-Jiménez, 24, reportedly died of a heart attack while a patient at the Doctor Macedonio Benitez Fuentes (DMBF) General Hospital in Juchitan de Zaragoza, his family announced. Ojeda-Jiménez expired before 2:00 a.m. after a year long struggle with complications as a quadriplegic who was illegally deported to Oaxaca in December 21, 2010 by Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois.
Ojeda-Jiménez was recently moved to the current hospital from María Lombardo de Caso Hospital in Juchitan. Within the last fifteen days he suffered at least three strokes and had traces of bed sores, including a septic infection, according to his family. Jeromino Ramirez Luis, the Director of the DMBF General Hospital told the Chicago Tribune that Ojeda-Jiménez had suffered from pneumonia and sepsis attributed to the effects of the spinal cord injury.
His spinal cord injury occurred last year, when Ojeda-Jiménez suffered a twenty foot fall while he was working and doing repairs in a building under contract by Imperial Roofing Group, an Atlanta company. On August 30, 2010, Ojeda-Jiménez was admitted to Advocate Christ Medical Center (ACMC) for treatment. After treatment costs accumulated and Ojeda-Jiménez had no insurance, ACMC decided to illegally deport him without his consent or his family approval.
On December 21, 2010, ACMC removed Ojeda-Jiménez against his will from the hospital after the executive ACMC Board decided to forcibily remove Ojeda-Jiménez from hospital care after five months of treatment for a spinal cord injury escalating to $650,000 in medical costs. Ojeda-Jiménez was taken out of the hospital by AeroCare personnel hired by ACMC and placed Ojeda-Jiménez on a plane to Mexico, so ACMC could finally stop paying for his medical treatment. The AeroCare transfer of Ojeda-Jiménez to Mexico cost $60,000, according to Kelly Jo Golson, senior vice president and spokesperson for Advocate Christ Medical Center.
Golson later admitted in an interview with the Chicago Tribune that after several private long care facilities refused to take him as a patient, ACMC executives decided to repatriate (deport) Ojeda-Jiménez without his consent or family authorization. But in December 2010, ACMC officials had persisted, Ojeda-Jiménez was removed from the hospital by permission of Ojeda-Jiménez' mother, which later turned out to be false.
Joseph Cece, AeroCare CEO in Sugar Grove told the Chicago Tribune that the doctors at ACMC and in Mexico had approved the transfer of Ojeda-Jiménez to Mexico.
To Cece, it was a successful mission. It sure was for Cece, his company profits from illegal deportations like in the Ojeda-Jiménez case. Doctors have no legal authority to transfer any patient to any foreign country without the patient's consent or family authorization and Cece should know better.
The actions taken by both Advocate Christ Medical Center and AeroCare in Sugar Grove are deemed illegal by federal standards and federal immigration laws, which only the U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement can initiate deportation hearings and removal. The lack of accountability by local, state and federal government to penalize a private company or hospital for illegally deporting someone to a foreign country continues today.
ACMC issued a statement on Tuesday, indicating that they were working with adocacy groups in changing policies concerning transferring patients to other countries like the Ojeda-Jiménez case. But the fact remains, that it's illegal to forcibly remove someone from the U.S. without federal due process of law concerning undocumented patients.
ACMC receives some type of federal funding, thus batantly violating the civil rights of a patient by unlawful deportation should revoke any federal funding, license to operate and a Congressional investigation to the actions taken by ACMC should be launch, according to Hispanic community activists.
To this date, the Mexican government has yet to provide information about who approved the legal documentation needed to allow ACMC and AeroCare to transport Ojeda-Jiménez into Mexico. The Mexican Consulate in Chicago has said, it didn't know that ACMC or AeroCare were going to deport Ojeda-Jiménez, but the consulate admitted that Ojeda-Jiménez had refused to return to Mexico because of inadequate medical attention in that country for a quadriplegic in his condition.
The Chicago Mexican Consulate affirmed that between 10 to 15 patients suffering from various medical issues are being deported annually. In the Ojeda-Jiménez case, ACMC did not submit the required documents to be allowed to transfer a patient into Mexico. The Mexican government needs to assure that undocumented patients are authorizing their own transfers before allowing their re-entry into Mexico.
The Ojeda-Jiménez family in Mexico and several members of the Chicago Hispanic community involved in this case are considering legal action against both ACMC and AeroCare.
Reynaldo G. Cruz, of Chicago who has been in contact with the Ojeda-Jiménez family wrote in an e-mail that a fund collected resulted with a balance of $4,070, which will be sent to Mexico to help with the Quelino Ojeda-Jiménez funeral expenses.
Ojeda-Jiménez was laid to rest on Tuesday at a local cemetery in Monte Santiago Ocotepec, Oaxaca.

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Edery-Crivosei, Major Cali Money Laundering Suspect For Mexican And Colombian Cartels Arrested

2012-01-02T21:15:00.003-06:00

Jaime Edery-Crivosei

Photo: U.S. Treasury

Edery-Crivosei money laundering enterpise connected with the Lebanese Colombian nationals Jorge Fadlallah Cheaitelly and Mohamad Zouheir El Khansa international money laundering network.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 2, 2012

Cali, Colombia - The Colombian National Attorney General's Office confirmed the arrest of Jaime Edery-Crivosei, 54, an alleged drug trafficker who operates a major Cali money laundering enterprise. He was taken into custody on Friday by federal authorities in Cali under an extradition request by the U.S. government. Edery-Crivosei allegedly is connected with the Lebanese Colombian nationals Jorge Fadlallah Cheaitelly and Mohamad Zouheir El Khansa international money laundering network.
Last Thursday, the three suspects were named by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in a designated act for operating an elaborate international money laundering network with drug trafficking proceeds from Mexican and Colombian cartels.
OFAC also designated other Colombian members of the Cheaitelly/El Khansa criminal organization, including Barranquilla-based drug trafficker Benny Issa Fawaz and Maicao-based money launderer Ali Mohamad Saleh. Jorge Cheaitelly’s key financial associates are also targeted, including his siblings, Jaime Fadlallah Cheaitelly, Guiseppe Al Cheaitelly Saheli, and Fatima Fadlallath Cheaitelly, and two Lebanon-based associates, Fawaz Mohamad Rahal and Ahmed El Khansa. OFAC also targeted and named 28 entities in Colombia, Panama, Lebanon, and Hong Kong with ties to Jorge Cheaitelly and Mohamad El Khansa.
OFAC's designated action was taken under pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with the entities and individuals named and freezes any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.
Jorge Cheaitelly leads a Panama-based drug trafficking and money laundering organization that stretches across the globe, spanning the Americas, the Middle East, and Hong Kong.

Related article: U.S. Treasury Links Panama-based Money Laundering Network To Mexican And Colombian Drug Cartels http://bit.ly/trdX5H

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Barnes, Alleged Killer Of Park Ranger Anderson Found Dead In Mount Rainier National Park Forest

2012-01-02T16:04:00.004-06:00

Benjamin Colton Barnes

Photo : WSPD

Authorities confirmed that the body of Barnes was found in the snowy woods, according to the Washington State Police Department (WSPD).

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 2, 2012

Washington State - On Monday, the alleged killer of a 34-year-old park ranger sought by authorities in a massive manhunt has been found dead in the woods. Benjamin Colton Barnes', 24, body was found in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington State. Authorities confirmed the identify of the body found as Barnes, according to the Twitter account of Trooper Guy Gill, Spokesperson for the Washington State Police.
Barnes is supected of killing Park Ranger Margaret Anderson, 34, on Sunday, New Year's Day during an attempted road block and then fleeing into the snowy woods in the mountain. Another park ranger was not injured.
Barnes apparently didn't stop at a check point to determine that vehicles were carrying tire chains required in snow terrain. A park ranger gave chase and Anderson set up her vehicle to block Barnes. Barnes got out of his vehicle and shot at Anderson, fatally wounding her inside her vehicle. Anderson didn't even get a chance to get out of her vehicle, according to the investigation. Pierce County Sheriff's SWAT team and rescue personnel couldn't reach Anderson for hours because Barnes continued to fire at authorities. He then disappeared into the woods.
About 111 law enforcement personnel, including National Park Service, Pierce County Sheriff, FBI, Washington State Patrol, U.S. Forest Service, City of Enumclaw, and Lewis County Sheriff's descented into the mountain since Sunday to track down the suspect. Barnes tried to elude authorities by walking in river beds and other water ways, but continued to walk on chest-deep snow leaving tracks to his whereabouts.
His body was later discovered face down on the snow. Barnes was only wearing a t-shirt, jeans and one tennis shoe when found and a preliminary autopsy indicated the cause of death was attributed to prolong outdoor exposure to cold weather conditions. Authorities say, he died from the freezing conditions while walking in chest-deep snow without a jacket, survival gear or snow shoes, which would have kept him from sinking in the snow.
Barnes, an Iraq veteran (2007-08) was engaged in a custody battle and is believed to have been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He was also wanted for questioning for an earlier shooting that left four people injured at a party in Skyway near Seattle.
Ranger Anderson served at Mount Rainier for four years. She is survived by her husband, also a park ranger at Mount Rainier, and two young children, according to a news release from the National Park Service.
The park will remain close until the federal criminal investigation is completed.

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Ornelas-Cortes Extradited To Mexico For 2005 Homicide In Guanajuato

2012-01-02T03:13:00.003-06:00

Alejandro Ornelas-Cortes

Photo: ICE

Mexican national murder suspect caught in San Jose, California by U.S. ICE agents extradited to Mexico.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 2, 2012

San Diego, California - Last month on December 23, officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) extradited Alejandro Ornelas-Cortes, 37, to Mexico. Ornelas-Cortes was turned over to Mexican federal agents from the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) at the San Ysidro border.
Ornelas-Cortes is wanted in Guanajuato, Mexico for the alleged June 18, 2005 homicide of Salvador Menchaca Castro. Castro was shot several times after an altercation with Ornelas-Cortes at a wedding reception, according to the PGR. He fled to the U.S. to avoid prosecution.
Ornelas-Cortes was arrested in October 27, 2010 outside his residence in San Jose by ICE. An immigration judge ordered his removal from the U.S. on December 12, ICE reported in a news release.

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One Gunshot Homicide And Two Vehicular Homicides Reported By Milwaukee Police In New Year's Day

2012-01-01T22:46:00.003-06:00

Trevon Johnson

Photo: Family

Family and friends held a candle light vigil on Sunday evening for Trevon Johnson, the first reported fatal shooting victim of the New Year.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 1, 2012

Milwaukee - Police responded to the first reported gunshot homicide just hours into the New Year 2012 in the northside of the city. Police found Trevon Johnson, 23, aka, "Monty" fatally shot in a parked vehicle and a woman with non-life threatening wounds near N. 29th and W. Townsend Streets.
Johnson had left a New Year's party when the shooting occurred. Johnson died at the secne and the unidentified was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Family and friends held a candle light vigil on Sunday night and set up a temperary makeshift memorial at the site.
The second reported homicides were reported shortly before 6:00 a.m. at N. 27th Street and W. St. Paul Ave. Where a 17-year-old driver believed to be intoxicated who was speeding north, hit a crub causing his vehicle to be airborne into another vehicle at a stop. A married couple who had just left Potawatomi Bingo Casino were reported killed in the other vehicle. The suspect fled the scene, but was arrested several hours later, according to police. The teenager is facing multiple charges, two counts for vehicular homicide.
Police have not released the name of the victims pending family notification.

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Gun Distributor For The Pacific Cartel And Sinaloa Cartel Arrested By Mexican Federal Police

2012-01-01T05:30:00.002-06:00

Ramiro Rendón Rivera

Photo: SSP

El Ramy taken into custody in Sinaloa by Federal Police.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 1, 2012

Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico - On Saturday, the Mexican Federal Police (SSP) announced the latest blow to the Sinaloa Cartel. On Friday, Ramiro Rendón Rivera, 45, aka, "El Ramy" was taken into custody in Culiacán. He was the main manufacturer of weapons and ammunition for the Pacific Cartel, also known as the Sinaloa Cartel, which is operated and led by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera.
Rivera was taken into custody in the neighborhood of Infonavit Humaya, according to Federal Police.
El Chapo is wanted by both the Mexican government and the U.S., which has offered $5 million U.S. dollars for information leading to the arrest of the Sinaloa druglord.

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Murry and Smith Charged In The Hernández Carjacking Homicide In Waukegan

2011-12-31T03:30:00.002-06:00

Kerwin Murry and Fredrick T. Smith

Carlos Hernández

Photo: Family

Hernández died after being shot by a suspect during the carjacking.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 31, 2011

Waukegan, Illinois - On Friday, Kerwin Murry, 22, and Fredrick T. Smith, 23, both who recently moved to Waukegan were charged with first-degree murder in connection with early Thursday's carjacking and homicide of Carlos Hernández, 44, of Waukegan at the 400 block of Hickory St. The criminal complaint states, that both Murry and Smith spotted a Cadillac with its motor running in a driveway. They forced themselves into the vehicle while armed to steal the auto and took the driver, Hernández with them. Hernández managed to struggle with the suspects and was shot several times in the stomach. The suspects then fled to the Lakeside Tower apartments where one of them lived.
Police responded about 6:08 a.m. to a 911 call and found Hernández shot on the sidewalk about two blocks from his driveway. Hernández was able to give a discription of the suspects to police before he died on route to the hospital. Police tracked the suspects to the apartment building where after a seven hour standoff were able to arrest three suspects. Smith was arrested with another suspect in an apartment and Murry attempted to elude police through a ventilation duct where he got stuck and a firefighters rescue team was able to get him out. Police recovered the alleged murder weapon from a nearby dumpster.
A third suspect has not been charged pending the outcome of the investigation, according to Waukegan police.
State records show, Smith was free on bond for a felony weapons violation in Cook County and Murry was on a juvenile parole for a robbery conviction.

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U.S. Treasury Links Panama-based Money Laundering Network To Mexican And Colombian Drug Cartels

2011-12-30T03:30:00.002-06:00

Jorge Fadlallah Cheaitelly

Mohamad Zouheir El Khansa

Photos: U.S. Treasury

U.S. citizens, businesses, and financial institutions prohibited from doing financial and commercial transactions with designated money laundering companies.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 30, 2011

Washington, D.C. - On Thursday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in a news release confirmed that it designated Lebanese-Colombian nationals Jorge Fadlallah Cheaitelly and Mohamad Zouheir El Khansa as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers (SDNTs) due to their significant role in international money laundering activities involving drug trafficking proceeds. OFAC also designated nine other individuals and 28 entities in Colombia, Panama, Lebanon, and Hong Kong with ties to Jorge Cheaitelly and Mohamad El Khansa. OFAC's designated action was taken under pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act) prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these entities and individuals and freezes any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.
Jorge Cheaitelly allegedly runs an extensive money laundering network based in Panama and Colombia with ties to Mexico, Lebanon, and Hong Kong. The OFAC designated act exposes these individuals money laundering network to the international financial system and undermines their ability to launder drug money through a global support network for the Mexican and Colombian drug cartels, according to OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin.
Jorge Cheaitelly leads a Panama-based drug trafficking and money laundering organization that stretches across the globe, spanning the Americas, the Middle East, and Hong Kong. OFAC action targets key Colombian members of the Cheaitelly/El Khansa criminal organization, including Cali-based money launderer Jaime Edery Crivosei, Barranquilla-based drug trafficker Benny Issa Fawaz and Maicao-based money launderer Ali Mohamad Saleh. Jorge Cheaitelly’s key financial associates are also targeted, including his siblings, Jaime Fadlallah Cheaitelly, Guiseppe Ali Cheaitelly Saheli, and Fatima Fadlallath Cheaitelly, and two Lebanon-based associates, Fawaz Mohamad Rahall and Ahmed El Khansa.
OFAC's action also targets 28 companies controlled by Jorge Cheaitelly and Mohamad El Khansa and their associates in Panama, Colombia and Hong Kong. Among OFAC's designations are several money exchange businesses in Panama - Eurocambio, S.A., Euro Exchange Y Financial Commerce, Inc. (a.k.a. Eurex) and General Commerce Overseas, Inc. – as well as Junior International S.A., Global Technology Import & Export, S.A. (GTI), and Fedco Import & Export, S.A., import export businesses located in Panama’s Colon Free Zone that are part of the Cheaitelly/El Khansa financial network. Junior International S.A. is affiliated with the significant Lebanese drug trafficker and money launderer, Ayman Joumaa, who was designated under the Kingpin Act in January 2011. Cheaitelly replaced Ayman company with Joumaa's brothers who are also designated as narcotics traffickers.
Several front companies located in Maicao, Colombia were also designated including electronics stores Bodega Electro Giorgio and Almacen Electro Sony Star, general merchandise businesses Family Fedco and Comercial Globanty, and luggage stores Almacen Batul and Comercial Estilo y Moda. Two businesses controlled by Cali-based money launderer Jaime Edery Crivosei, Agropecuaria La Perla Ltda and KPD S.A., were also designated. OFAC also designated Polyton (Asia) Limited, a company located in Hong Kong, for acting for or on behalf of Guiseppe Ali Cheaitelly Saheli.
The Treasury actions in Thursday was made in close coordination with investigations by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the New York City Police Department.
Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.

Criminal organization chart and photos (PDF) of affiliates of Cheaitelly and El Khansa at link: http://1.usa.gov/t5JOoj

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Alvarado Charged With Hit and Run That Injured Milwaukee Police Officer Vrtochnick

2011-12-29T21:14:00.002-06:00

Juan C. Alvarado

Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed charges against Alvarado, the alleged driver that struck Milwaukee Police Officer Vrtochnick on Christmas Eve.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 29, 2011
(Updated)

Milwaukee- On Thursday, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed several felony charges against Juan C. Alvarado, 19, of Milwaukee in connection with the Christmas Eve hit-and-run that critically injured Milwaukee Police Officer Frank Vrtochnick, 37. Alvarado was arrested in Illinois on Wednesday by Chicago police. He waived extradition from Illinois and was transported back to Wisconsin. Alvarado arrived in Milwaukee around 4:00 p.m. on Friday to face several felony charges, which includes first-degree reckless injury and reckless endangering safety, according to the criminal complaint.
Vrtochnick while in a traffic routine stop was strucked by Alavardo after he went over a curb as he drove on the wrong side of the street. Vrtochnick was accompanied by his partner and was outside the squad on the passenger's side when he was struck. He remains in critical condition, with serious injuries, numerous scrapes and a broken leg.
Alvarado fled the scene and managed to hid his 1998 Chevy Malibu in a garage near S. 15th Street and W. Becher Street. He then went to Chicago to avoid being taken into custody.
On Tuesday, Milwaukee police working on a tip were led to the 2000 block of S. 15th St. where they found the Malibu sought in the hit-and-run. On Wednesday, police with a search warrant were able to tow the heavily damaged vehicle for evidence. A rear tail light and the right side of the front windshield were broken consistant with the hit-and-run investigation. Investigators recovered hair, skin, blood, DNA and fingerprints that were found in the Malibu.

For posted criminal complaint go to following link: http://bit.ly/rtAxlY

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Tip Led Milwaukee Police To Vehicle Sought In Hit and Run That Struck Officer Vrtochnick

2011-12-28T19:31:00.011-06:00

Frank Vrtochnick

Juan C. Alvarado

Vehicle found in the 2000 block of S. 15th St. and the alleged driver, Juan C. Alvarado was taken into custody on Wednesday in Chicago.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 28, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, Milwaukee police working on a tip were led around 11:00 a.m. to the 2000 block of S. 15th St. and W. Becher St. where they found a 1998 Chevy Malibu sought in the hit-and-run of Officer Frank Vrtochnick, 37, on Christmas Eve. Police were able to tow the heavily damaged vehicle for evidence. A rear tail light and the right side of the front windshield were broken consistant with the hit-and-run investigation. Investigators recovered hair, skin, blood, DNA and fingerprints that were found in the Malibu.
A resident on Tuesday went to the District 2 police station to complain about a vehicle parked in his rented parking space. The description of the vehicle matched the vehicle sought by police in the Christmas Eve hit-and-run of an officer. A warrant and an affidavit was issued by police to recover the Malibu.
They spoke with the owner of the garage where the vehicle was parked and stored. Police found that Juan C. Alvarado, 19, of Milwaukee was storing the Mailbu in the garage. He was later located in Chicago on Wednesday and Alvarado was taken into custody by Chicago police.
Alvarado is facing two felony charges of first-degree reckless injury and reckless endangering safety. He will be extradited from Illinois to Milwaukee for pending charges, according to Milwaukee police.
Officer Vrtochnick was struck while on a routine traffic stop on December 24th at the 1700 block of W. Windlake Ave. He remains in critical condition, with serious injuries, numerous scrapes and a broken leg.

For posted criminal complaint go to following link: http://bit.ly/rtAxlY

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Suburban Chicago Area Teen Along With Two Others Burned Alive On Christmas Eve In Michoacán By Suspects

2011-12-28T17:15:00.003-06:00

Burned victims identified by the Mexican authorities in Michoacán.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 28, 2011

Chicago, Illinois - On Tuesday, more than 400 people, including relatives and friends attended a candle light vigil for Alexis Uriel Marrón, 18, at the Rolling Meadows High School in a suburb of Chicago. Marrón who lived in Rolling Meadows was reported killed over the weekend in Mexico.
Marrón's body was found along with the bodies of Raúl Tellez Vázquez, 21, and Juan Pedro Estrada Oseguera, 24, around 7:00 a.m. inside a trunk of a burned vehicle on Christmas Eve. The victims were discovered by residents of the Comupuato Ranch vecinity in the municipality of Ixtán de los Hervores who alerted authorities.
Mexican authorities say, Marrón, Vázquez and Oseguera, all from Quiringüicharo in the municipality of Ecuandureo from the state of Michoacán were burned alive. Vázquez lived in Los Angeles.
Relatives say, that the men were reported missing on Friday. Marrón was traveling to a city near Guadalajara to meet up with his recent girlfriend, Jazmin Reyes, 16, who he met through the Internet. The victims never made it to see Reyes.
A suspect or unknown suspects set fire to a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis while the victims were still alive in the trunk, according to the Michoacán Attorney General's Office. The vehicle was registered to Oseguera.
Marrón was visiting his grandmother since December 3rd in Mexico during the Holiday's.
No suspects have been arrested in the horrific triple homicide.
Marrón is the fourth U.S. citizen to be killed in Mexico during the Holiday's. On December 22, Veracruz gunmen killed three U.S. citizens with dual citizenship, María Sánchez Hernández, 39, of Fort Worth, Texas and two of her daughters, Karla, 19, and Christina, 13, during a bus armed robbery. They were visiting relatives in the area. One of their cousins was also killed, as well as several other passengers when the gunmen opened fire inside the bus, according to Mexican authorities.

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El Guero, Sinaloa Cartel Member Arrested By Mexican Federal Police

2011-12-28T12:55:00.001-06:00

Luis Rodriguez Olivera

Photo: SSP

Suspect taken into custody at Mexico's City International Airport.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 28, 2011

Mexico City, Mexico - On Wednesday, Mexican Federal Police (SSP) announced the arrest of Luis Rodriguez Olivera, 39, aka, "El Güero or Lucho, Peli Rojo" also known as José Luis Sánchez Jiménez at Mexico's City International Airport. Olivera was taken into custody on Tuesday, while trying to use identification with the name of Sánchez Jiménez, but was recognized by federal police as Olivera.
He is originally from Tototián, Jalisco and had a $5 million dollar U.S. bounty for his capture. The U.S. has requested Olivera's extradition. Olivera is wanted for operating a criminal enterprise, money laundering, possession, conspiracy of importing and distributing cocaine into the U.S.
Olivera was indicted on August 20, 2009 by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York. The indictment was unsealed on May 22, 2010 and Olivera was accused of transporting more than 5 kilograms into the U.S. between January 1, 1996 to June 6, 2008. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison and a forfieture of more than $50,000,000, according to the federal indictment.
Olivera and his other three brothers, Esteban, Daniel and Miguel allegedly operated a criminal organization called Los Güeritos (blondies) associated with the Pacific Cartel also known as the Sinaloa Cartel, which was run by Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, according to Federal Police.
Esteban was arrested in 2008 and extradited to the U.S. to face federal charges and Miguel was reported killed in the state of Yucatán on August 2011. Daniel remains at large, the Mexican Federal Police reported.

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Melee Frenzy At Mall of America Sparked By Rumors That Rappers Lil' Wayne And Drake Were Inside

2011-12-27T14:28:00.003-06:00

Photo of LEGO area inside the Mall of America by HNG.

Teens and unruly adults were arrested and cited after fights broke out at food vender area, other parts of the mall and outdoor bus routes.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 27, 2011

Bloomington, Minnesota - On Monday, Bloomington police reported the arrest of ten teenagers after disturbances and fights broke out in the food vender area at the Mall of America (MoA). Another four teenagers and an adult were also arrested and cited for disorderly conduct by Metro Transit police outside the mall and on bus routes.
The brawls began inside the MoA and drew crowds, while other holiday shoppers left the scene and some exited the mall. Some of the stores in the immediate area were forced to close temperarily. At least 30 police officers from Bloomington, Metro Transit police, MoA security and Richfield Police responded to the scene shortly after 4:20 p.m. to maintain control and quell the crowds, according to Commander Mark Stehlik, Spokesperson for the Bloomington Police Department.
Police issued disorderly conduct citations to more than 20 teens suspected of being involved in the melee. Unconfirmed reports indicated, teenagers managed to grab merchandise from kiosks and shoppers as they fled. But on Tuesday, no merchandise was reported stolen from stores, kiosks or shoppers during the melee, according to Stehlik. Police estimated that at least between 100 to 200 teenagers were gathered when the chaotic scene occurred. It took police about an hour to control the scene and allow shoppers back in the area.
Mall officials also twitted on their MoA's account that chairs were thrown around at the food court making it sound like gunfire, but no one was reported firing a weapon.
No serious injuries were reported by police or Mall of America security. The MoA's twitter account denied rumors that had spread in the twin cities of both rappers Drake and Lil' Wayne were shopping or had a special appearance at Monday's after Christmas Holiday sale events. "There is no scheduled appearance for either performer...Drake is not here...There have been a series of altercations and some stores have gone into lockdown on their own...There was no shooting, chairs were thrown in the food court resulting in the loud noise that you heard...There is no official lock down right now," the Mall officials twitted on Monday afternoon. The MoA remained opened throughout the day and was reopened on Tuesday.
The rumor about both rappers at the MoA apparently drew groups of teenagers to the mall.
As a result of Monday's melee inside the nations mega mall, security will be on alert and keeping an eye on teenagers to make sure Monday's melee doesn't happened again. The MoA has more than 400 stores, 50 restaurants, 7 nightclubs, 14 theaters, employs 12,000 people, gets between 35 million to 40 million visits per year and has an indoor entertainment center that includes mechanical rides for children and adults.

Video's shot at Mall of America during Monday's melee at links: http://tinyurl.com/Brawl1MallofAmerica or http://tinyurl.com/BrawlMallofAmerica

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Hit and Run Driver Sought That Struck Milwaukee Police Officer Vrtochnick On Christmas Day

2011-12-26T22:33:00.003-06:00

Frank Vrtochnick

Photos: MPD

Soutside District 2 police officer listed in critical condition and in intensive care at Froedtert Hospital.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 26, 2011

Milwaukee - On Monday, Milwaukee Police Officer Frank Vrtochnick, 37, remained in critical condition after being struck by an unidentified driver who fled the scene on Sunday. The hit-and-run suspect apparently was driving on the wrong side of the street around 5:17 p.m. at the 1700 block of W. Windlake Ave., jumped the curb and hit the Officer Vrtochnick while conducting a traffic stop.
Vrtochnick from the 2nd police district station was outside his assigned police squad when the incident occurred. He is a 5-year veteran with the department.
Officer Vrtochnick received numerous scrapes, serious injuries and a broken leg when he was thrown on impact. Multiple squads on Sunday escorted an ambulance transporting Vrtochnick to Froedtert hospital reaching speeds up to 100 miles per hour.
Police are looking for a dark mid-size sedan missing the passenger side mirror, with probable front end damage, according to Milwaukee police. People can contact the Milwaukee Police Department with any information leading to the arrest of the suspect at 414-935-7360.

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Mexican Feds And U.S. Special Agents Within Days Of Capturing Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera

2011-12-26T02:03:00.004-06:00

Felipe Cabrera Sarabía

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera

The Mexican Secretary of Defense has confirmed that the head chief of security for El Chapo has been arrested.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 26, 2011

Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico - On Sunday, the Mexican Secretary of Defense announced the recent arrest of the head of security for Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, known drug lord for the Sinaloa Cartel. The suspect was identified as Felipe Cabrera Sarabía, aka, "El Ingé" who operated in both states of Durango and Chihuahua. Sarabía was taken into custody on Friday, December 23 in Culiacán. He was wanted for multiple homicides, extortion, kidnappings and the disappearance of victims. The military also confiscated weapons, computers and documents, according to Ricardo Trevillo Trejo, Spokesperson for the Mexican Secretary of Defense (Sedena).
Mexican federal authorities and U.S. special agents working in the region are one step closer to taking fugitive El Chapo into custody ending a 10-year worldwide dragnet. El Chapo has a $5 million dollar U.S. Department of State bounty for information leading to his arrest, including a $2 million reward from the Mexican government.
On August 15, El Chapo's wife, Emma Coronel was in Lancaster, California to give birth to twin girls at the Antelope Valley Hospital. Coronel left the father's name blank of the birth registration, according to feds. Since then, federal authorities and a special unit composed of Mexican federal and special agents in various countries, including the U.S. have been tracking the whereabouts of El Chapo and his family.
With the recent arrest of his head of security (bodyguards) could very well provide the needed intelligence to locate where El Chapo was celebrating his Christmas holidays, according to speculation.

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De Jesus Charged With Negligent Vehicular Homicide For The Hernández-Pérez Death In Milwaukee

2011-12-25T02:23:00.002-06:00

Jesus de Jesus

De Jesus was driving with a suspended license, according to the criminal complaint.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 25, 2011

Milwaukee - On Saturday, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office filed charges against Jesus de Jesus, 53, for knowingly driving with a suspended license, including causing great bodily harm and homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle in connection with last Monday's crosswalk death of Clementina Hernández-Pérez, 65, and injurying her 4 year-old grandson. A $10,000 cash bail was set for De Jesus. If convicted, De Jesus is facing up to 10 years in prison and a fine.
Hernández-Pérez and her grandson in a stroller were crossing S. 6th Street at W. Grant Street when De Jesus going northbound on S. 6th struck them both with his vehicle and then hit a nearby van.
De Jesus remained at the scene and was arrested for failure to yield to a pedestrian and driving with a suspended license causing great bodily harm.
Hernández-Pérez died of her injuries at Froedtert Hospital and the 4-year-old child was released from the Children's hospital on Wednesday.

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Karina Reunited With Father In Wisconsin After A Three Year Custody Battle With Mother Living In Japan

2011-12-24T20:08:00.001-06:00

Karina posed with her father Moises Garcia in a January 2008 photo during a Florida visit before being abducted by mother.

Photo: Karina-Garcia dot com

Mother, a Japan national was arrested in Hawaii for abduction of a child, makes plea agreement and agreed to return child to father in Wisconsin.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 24, 2011

Milwaukee - On Saturday, Moises Garcia, 39, of Fox Point and a native of Nicaragua, who is a medical surgeon for St. Luke's Hospital finally held a news conference in a Milwaukee hotel to express his good fortune to be reunited with his daughter in the state. His wife, Emiko Inoue, 43, a Japan national had taken his 6-year-old daughter Karina Garcia to Takarazuka, Japan on February 2008 without his consent, shortly after Garcia filed for divorce. Inoue failed to show up in court for a divorce hearing.
Garcia had spent more than $350,000 in legal challenges in both Japan and the U.S. in the last three years for legal custody. In 2009, a court in Japan gave Garcia parential rights to visit Karina. Since he began the legal battle, Garcia had about three visits with Karina, including one that lasted just two hours in a hotel restaurant and another visit for ten minutes in an school open house in Japan. His wife, Inoue appealed that decision and the case continued until the recent outcome.
The break in the legal custody battle came in April, when Inoue travelled to Hawaii and she was taken into custody for child abduction charges.
Inoue was returned to Wisconsin to face charges and was held for three months until a plea agreement was reached. She pleaded no contest to a misdeamenor and agreed to return Karina to Wisconsin. In return, she would get probation avoiding a long prison sentence, with the condition she would remain in the state for the next three years. Inoue who is a U.S. legal resident has been released from custody. Pleading to a misdeamenor violation and getting less than a year prison sentence, would exempt her from getting her U.S. residency revoked and than deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Garcia says, he had to learn to speak Japanese because Karina was graduately losing her ability to speak English. He went to Chicago to meet up with Karina, now 9, who arrived in the U.S. on Friday morning at the Chicago O'Hare International Airport escorted by her grandmother and Inoue's attorney, just days before Christmas. Chicago Japanese Consulate officials, law enforcement officers, and representatives from the U.S. Department of State were also at Garcia's reuniting encounter with his daughter.
He confirmed, that if his wife wouldn't have been arrested in Hawaii, he most likely would have never been granted custody of Karina. Inoue is expected to file for parential rights as well in Wisconsin, according to her attorney who filed confirmation with authorities that Karina was reunited with Garcia on Friday.
The Garcia's case is the first time that a child abducted by a parent and taken to Japan has been legally returned to the U.S.
The U.S. Department of State says, that at least 300 cases remained open in Japan dealing with child abductions by one parent.

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Shoplifter Gets Immigration Stay And Won't Face Removal From The U.S.

2011-12-23T11:24:00.002-06:00

Gustavo Romero-Alvarez

Man caught in Macy's shoplifting case will get opportunity to graduate from high school and won't get deported to Mexico as expected.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 23, 2011

Portland, Oregon - Last Friday, Gustavo Romero-Alvarez, 19, facing removal from the U.S. received word that he won't face deportation proceedings for now. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) decided to grant Romero-Alvarez a temperary stay and his case will continue to be reviewed by immigration officials, according to family members.
Romero-Alvarez plans to graduate this year from Centennial High School and will try to become a firefighter in the area. He was arrested in June 2010 after being caught shoplifting a shirt at a local Macy's store. He spent several months in the Clackamas County jail on an immigration hold, when he was discovered to be undocumented during booking. An immigration judge later ordered Romero-Alvarez to voluntarily leave the country by December 16 or face removal by ICE.
He was brought to the U.S. when he was seven and doesn't know anyone in Mexico, according to Romero Alvarez' interview with KATU news.
Romero-Alvarez will someday face an immigration judge again and cases like his, that challenge deportation proceedings could be ongoing for years.

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Key Parts Of South Carolina's Immigration Enforcement Law Blocked By Federal Judge

2011-12-23T02:01:00.002-06:00

Federal government has exclusive constitutional authority to regulate and enforce immigration laws, a federal judge ruled.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 23, 2011

Charleston, South Carolina - On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel granted the U.S. Department of Justice's injunction request to block key provisions of South Carolina's immigration enforcement bill. Judge Gergel decided to block three key parts of the state's law, law enforcement officers are barred from asking the legal status of any person stopped during minor traffic infraction or any other type of violations, which they suspect is in the country illegally. Also, his decision prevents South Carolina from making it a felony for harboring or transporting undocumented immigrants and barred enforcement for illegal immigrants to carry documents or registration of their status in the country.
Judge Gergel ruled, that the federal government has the sole authority to regulate and enforce federal immigration laws. South Carolina is the sixth state to have their immigration enforcement law temperarily blocked in federal court. The five other states who were also blocked from enforcing their immigration enforcement laws are Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana and Utah.
Arizona's SB 1070 immigration law, which lost several federal court appeals to unblock key provisions of enforcement will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision whether state's can implement their own immigration enforcement laws will be decided in six or more months.

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El Piolin, Zeta Mexican Leader Involved In ICE Agent Zapata's Homicide Charged In Federal Court

2011-12-22T04:09:00.006-06:00

Jaime J. Zapata
ICE Special Agent

Julian Zapata Espinoza, aka, "El Piolin" held without bail in connection with ICE Agent Jaime Zapata's homicide.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 22, 2011

Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday, Julian Zapata Espinoza, aka, "El Piolin" appeared before U.S. District Chief Judge Royce Lamberth of the District of Columbia in federal court to face a four count felony indictment in connection with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Jaime Zapata's, 32, homicide and the attempted murder of Special Agent Victor Avila. The federal indictment was unsealed on Wednesday. Judge Lamberth ordered Espinoza held without bail and scheduled a court hearing date for January 25.
Espinoza was extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on Wednesday to face federal homicide and attempted murder charges. He admitted to participating in Zapata's murder and Avila's attempted murder on February 15, 2011.
Espinoza's defense argument case will most likely challenge the U.S. Department of Justice attempt to prosecute him for murdering an American employed by the federal government on Mexican soil. The outcome of the Espinoza case would set precedent or Constitutional challenges to determine, if murder suspects abroad could be tried in the U.S. for killing Americans in foreign soil.
Espinoza confessed to Mexican authorities that he is the known leader of the Zeta group, which operated in the San Luis Potosí area and that ICE Agents Zapata and Avila were mistaken as rival drug cartel gang members by driving an armored black SUV.
Along with Espinoza, the Mexican military police arrested, Armando Álvarez Saldaña; Mario Domínguez Realeo, aka, Domingo Díaz Rosas; Jesús Iván Quezada Peña, aka, "El Loco;" Martin Bárcenas Tapia; Rubén Darío Venegas, aka, "El Catracho;" originally from Honudras; Diana Margarita Guerreo Morales; Roxana Mireya Ríos Velázquez and Magali Chaín Castillo López, the presumed wife of Espinoza. A minor was arrested too according to the Mexican Secretary of Defense (Sedena).
On April 19, a federal grand jury returned a four count felony indictment. Espinoza was charged with one count of murder of an officer or employee of the United States, for the murder of ICE HSI Special Agent Zapata; one count of attempted murder of an officer or employee of the United States and one count of attempted murder of an internationally protected person, both for the attempted murder of ICE HSI Special Agent Avila; and one count of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence causing death.

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Winston, Asst. Chief of Police Authority Suspended As Result of Internal Department Probe In Milwaukee

2011-12-22T00:58:00.003-06:00

Darryl Winston

Police department tight lip about the suspended authority of Assistant Chief of Police.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 22, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Police Department confirmed that Darryl Winston, 51, Assistant Chief of Police in charge of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB) had his authority suspended as a result of an internal investigation concerning an incident on December 20. Winston has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation.
A police officer stopped to investigate a suspicious vehicle parked in an alley at the 3100 block of W. Silver Spring Ave. He found that Winston and a man who Winston said was his nephew inside the vehicle. During a field investigation, the officer later discovered that Winston was an assistant chief of police and the young man with him might not be his nephew.
A police supervisor was dispatched to the scene and the department has been quiet about the incident. The department is not releasing any information to what led for Police Chief Edward Flynn to suspend Winston's police authority.
John M. Hagen, Assistant Chief of Police from the Administration Bureau has taken over Winston's PSB temperarily until the outcome of the investigation.
Winston is a 28 year veteran in the department. He hasn't been able to comment on the incident or if he has retained an attorney.

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Driver Suspected Of DWI Arrested In The Death Of 65-year-old Southside Woman In Crosswalk

2011-12-21T15:59:00.003-06:00

Jesus de Jesus

4-year-old child survived being struck with grandmother on S. 6th Street.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 21, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, Jesus de Jesus, 53, is facing charges for driving while under the influence, failing to yield to a pedestrian and driving with a suspended license in connection with Monday's crosswalk death of Clementina Hernández-Pérez, 65, and injurying her 4-year-old grandson, according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department booking record. Hernández-Pérez and her grandson in a stroller were crossing S. 6th Street at W. Grant Street when De Jesus struck them both with his vehicle and then hit a nearby van.
De Jesus remained at the scene and was later arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence, failure to yield to a pedestrian and driving with a suspended license, according to the preliminary police investigation report.
Hernández-Pérez died of her injuries at Froedtert Hospital and the 4-year-old child was released from the Children's hospital on Wednesday.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office is reviewing De Jesus' case and will most likely be charged later this week.

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Barrett and Abele Jointly Announced Their Bid For Re-election In Milwaukee

2011-12-21T13:38:00.002-06:00

(L-R) Tom Barrett and Chris Abele

City of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive have officially announced their quest to keep their jobs.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 21, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, both Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, 58, and Chris Abele, 44, Milwaukee County Executive officially announced their joint bid for re-election and quest to keep their current jobs. The start of their re-election campaigns was initiated at Southshore Park.
Abele, a newcomer to county politics is finishing up 8 months of former Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's term who left the position to become the Governor of Wisconsin. Governor Walker, a Republican is currently facing a recall election. Abele spent about $1 million of his own money to get elected to a short term.
Abele while campaigning promised not to raise a tax levy for the 2012 budget and did veto a Milwaukee Count Board proposed 6 percent tax levy increase. The board overrode his veto. Currently, he is facing no challengers.
Mayor Barrett ran for Governor in the Democratic ticket against Walker, but was unsuccessful. Barrett has been serving more than seven years as mayor and is seeking his third term as mayor. Barrett is a former congressman, a state legislator and has ran twice unsuccessfully as a Democrat for governor of Wisconsin. He is facing two challengers for the Spring primary election.
Barrett's challengers include, Ieshuh Griffin, who tried to run several times unsuccessfully with the slogan on the ballot "Not the whiteman's bitch." Another mayoral candidate is Bill Wenz, according to the Milwaukee Election Commisssion.
Candidates need to get at least 1,500 nomination signatures by January 3, to get on the ballot. If more than two candidates run in an elected position, a primary will be held on February 21, to eliminate all, but the two remaining highest vote getters.
The final general election will be held for April 3.

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Juarez Municipal Police Officer Kidnapped, Tortured And Then Burned Alive As Witnesses Looked On

2011-12-21T02:01:00.002-06:00

Kidnappers cold-bloodedly set on fire a Juarez municipal police officer.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 21, 2011

Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico - On Tuesday, residents at the Paseo del Alba neighborhood called police around 8:30 a.m. after they witnessed a vehicle that pulled up and several men took out a bound man from the vehicle and set him on fire alive. The man was later identified by the Chihuahua State Attorney's Office (PGR) as José Everardo Sánchez Valenzuela, 35. a Juarez Municipal Police Officer who was reported missing on Monday night.
Sánchez-Valenzuela was tortured before the gunmen doused him with gasoline and then set him on fire while his hands and legs were bound near the intersection of Miguel de la Madrid and Paseo Streets, according to the PGR. Firefighters responded to the scene and managed to put out the flames. Sánchez-Valenzuela's body was still wearing his police uniform and was facing downwards. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was assigned to the Benito Juarez Police District station on August 29, 2009 when he was hired.

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Egyptian Military Soldiers Beat And Stomped On Female Pro-democracy Demonstrator Draws Major Protests

2011-12-20T23:55:00.002-06:00

Photo: Reuters

Egyptian female pro-democracy demonstrator who was beaten by military police was an activist, according to friends.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 20, 2011

Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt - On Tuesday, tens of thousands of women marched in Cairo in protest and to denounce the military council's leadership after a woman activist was savagely beaten and stripped on the street by multiple soldiers. The incident was captured in video and spread through the social networks and main stream media.
Several unidentified women were trying to escape from military police during a confrontation with demonstrators. Both women were overran by military police and they began to beat the women when they fell. Military soldiers immediately converged on one of them and began to kick, stomp, beat her with batons, while tearing her clothes off as she was on the ground. They began to drag her away, as her blue bra and midsection of her body was exposed. Nearby demonstrators then threw stones at the military involved and the woman managed to get away, according to reports.
A statement during a press conference on Tuesday by General Adel Emara said, an investigation was luanched and those soldiers involved will be held accountable. "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces expresses its strong regret to the great women of Egypt over transgressions that occurred during recent incidents in the protests outside parliament and the cabinet."
Since Friday, at least 14 protesters have died and 900 were reported injured. The Egyptian ministry is claiming that 10 have died and 505 were injured. The military says, that 164 were detained.
Dozens of women (pro-democracy demonstrators) were included in the arrests and many have alleged they have been also beaten by soldiers and some have claimed that they were molested as well.
On Monday during a speech at the Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State said, that "Women are being beaten and humiliated in the same streets where they risked their lives for the revolution only a few short months ago...This systematic degradation of Egyptian women dishonours the revolution, disgraces the state and its uniform and is not worthy of a great people." The U.S. provides more than $3 billion per year to Egypt in military aid.

Military police beat several women and stripped one of them, video link at: http://goo.gl/vMfks

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USDOJ Probe Found The East Haven, Connecticut, Police Department Discriminated Against Hispanics

2011-12-19T23:00:00.002-06:00

East Haven police officers engaged and practice discrimination against Hispanics during traffic stops and targeted Latino drivers.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 19, 2011

Washington D.C. - On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (DOJCRD) confirmed that an investigation found the East Haven Police Department (EHPD) in Connecticut engaged and practice discrimination against Latinos in violation of the Constitution and federal laws. The DOJCRD announced in a news release, that a civil rights investigation which began on September 2009 determined the EHPD intentionally targeted Latinos for traffic enforcement and treated Latino drivers more harshly after traffic stops in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968.
The investigation further found that EHPD has willfully enabled discrimination by failing to put in place basic law enforcement practices and procedures used by law enforcement agencies across the country to prevent discrimination. The department also found a number of serious deficiencies in EHPD’s management, oversight and accountability systems that have enabled discriminatory policing by EHPD officers.
In addition, although not making formal findings, the department noted two areas of serious concern regarding allegations of use of excessive force and unconstitutional searches and seizures. The department also expressed concern with EPHD leadership creating and condoning a hostile and intimidating environment for anyone seeking to provide relevant information in this investigation, according to the DOJCRD.

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Shoplifter Facing Deportation To Mexico

2011-12-18T15:09:00.006-06:00

Gustavo Romero-Alvarez

19-year-old man expected to be deported after shoplifting incident.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 18, 2011

Portland, Oregon - Gustavo Romero-Alvarez, 19, a senior at Centennial High School was arrested on June 2010 for a retail theft. He spent several months in an immigration hold after the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office found he was undocumented when he was booked at the local jail. Since shoplifting a shirt from the local Macy's retail store, Romero-Alvarez has admitted to stealing the shirt and regrets ever doing so. He is currently challenging his deportation.
He was brought to the U.S. when he was seven and doesn't know anyone in Mexico, according to Romero-Alvarez' interview with KATU news.
In August, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration judge ruled that Romero-Alvarez had no basis to remain in the U.S. The judge granted him to leave voluntarily by December 16, if he failed to do so, a final removal order will be issued, according to ICE.
A vigil for Romero-Alvarez was held on Wednesday at the Portland City Hall. A campaign to keep Romero-Alvarez from being deported has been publicized by organizers, but information relating to the retail theft has been left out. Which prompt questions about why he was being deported in the first place.
Immigration activists claim, Romero-Alvarez qualifies under the guidelines of the DREAM Act to remain in the U.S. and the current ICE policy not to deport non-felony violators from the country. The DREAM Act has not been approved by Congress.
Recently, ICE deported more than 42,000 undocumented drivers who were convicted of driving under the influence, which in many states is a misdeamenor.

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Man Doused Elderly Woman With Flammable Liquid And Then Set Her On Fire In Brooklyn Elevator

2011-12-18T04:03:00.007-06:00

The suspect on the video images was identified as Jerome Isaac.

Photos: NYPD

Jerome Isaac

Photo: AP

The suspect used to live with the mentally challenge elderly woman before he killed her.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 18, 2011

New York City, New York - On Saturday, New York Police released surveillance images of a man, who was later identified as Jerome Isaac, 47, suspected of dousing Dolores Gillespie, 73, with flammable liquid and setting her on fire. The deadly incident was caught by several surveillance cameras at a Brooklyn apartment, 203 Underhill Ave. where Gillespie had lived since the 1980's, according to police.
Gillespie was mentally challenged and who also has a son that is exceptional was heading to the fifth-floor where she lived. She got into the elevator after grocery shopping when Isaac dressed in blue with white gloves carrying a canister in his back like an exterminator began to spray Gillespie with a liquid and then cold-bloodedly set her on fire. He also threw a lid molotov cocktail inside the elevator.
Before dying, the video showed Gillespie crouched down in a corner of the elevator trying to protect herself with her hands. Police say, Isaac who used to live with Gillespie seemed to have been waiting for her. He also glued her apartment locks. After the brutal homicide, he fled through the stairs. Isaac lived nearby and also set fired to his apartment.
Neighbors later smelled smoke and reported a fire by the elevator. One person was also reported injured and investigators say, Gillespie was burned alive and died at the scene.
Police were able to release images of Isaac to the media.
On early Sunday, Isaac, smelling like gasoline walked into a police station near where Gillespie was killed and implicated himself in the homicide. Isaac admitted to police investigators that he set Gillespie on fire because she owed him a debt of $2,000 for prior work, which he did for Gillespie. Police took Isaac into custody and is facing charges for homicide and arson in Gillespie's death.

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Milwaukee County Board Approved Colón's Appointment As Director of Health and Human Services

2011-12-16T00:31:00.004-06:00

Photo: Facebook

Hector Colón becomes the first Hispanic to head the Department of Health and Human Services in Milwaukee County.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 16, 2011

Milwaukee - On Thursday, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on a vote of 16-3 approved the appointment of Hector Colón, as Director for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Milwaukee County. Supervisors Nikiya Harris, Michael Mayo Sr. and Lee Holloway rejected Colón's approval. Colón became the first Hispanic to head the department.
He was appointed to the DHHS position by Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele on October 18th and had to be approved by the full county board.
Colón was the former executive director for the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee; was the state director of Economic Development Authority; executive assistant in the state's Department of Workforce Development and a former executive assistant in the Department of Regulation and Licensing at the United Community Center.

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District 2 Police Station Held Their Block Watch Captain's 2011 Awards Dinner

2011-12-15T19:16:00.001-06:00

Captain Rebecca L. Pixley

Photos: HNG

Captain Rebecca L. Pixley and District 2 officers gathered with residents.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 15, 2011

Milwaukee - On Thursday, Rebecca L. Pixley, Captain of the Second Milwaukee Police District in the Southside along with her ranking staff and officers held their 2011 Captain Block Watch Awards Dinner. Mayor Tom Barrett was also present at the awards dinner at Longfellow elementary gym and recognized Community Liasion Officer Jesus Gloria for organizing block watches throughout the second district.
Captain Pixley said, currently the second district has about 250 block watch captains, including 62 block captains in just this year.
Alderman Bob Donovan, from 8th District and Alderman James Witkowiak, from the 12th District were also at the event. Donovan recognized the officers success in making the neighborhood safer. Witkowiak said, block watch captains and the program is a great crime fighting tool that creates social networks in the area to keep police inform about where trouble is happening or about to occur. State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa, from the 8th Assembly District was also present.
Music was provided by the new Tinta band and pizza was provided by Ben's pizza.
More than 250 people attended the event.

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Maricopa Sheriff's Department Engaged in Racial Profiling Of Latinos And Unlawful Stops, USDOJ Found

2011-12-15T16:12:00.003-06:00

Maricopa Sheriff Joseph "Joe" Arpaio and his department practice and engaged in violatiing Constitutional laws in three areas, the U. S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division reported.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 15, 2011

Phoenix, Arizona - On Thursday, Thomas E. Perez, Assistant U.S. Attorney General speaking for the U. S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division (DOJCRD) in a press conference in front of the Maricopa County jail announced that Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph "Joe" Arpaio and his sheriff's department practice and engaged in violating Constitutional laws. Staff from the Maricopa County jail including Sheriff Arpaio engaged "in a pattern or practice of violating the Constitution and laws of the United States in 3 areas," Perez stated.
Arpaio and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department (MCSD) practiced racial profiling of Latinos, including illegal stops, detained and arrested Latinos. Secondly, the MCSD retaliated against people who criticize and exposed its policies and practices. Finally, the DOJCRD found reasonable cause to believe that the MCSD operated its jails in a manner that discriminated against Latino inmates that are limited English proficient. They also found that MCSD routinely punished Latino inmates that are limited English proficient when they fail to understand commands given in English, and denied critical services that are provided to other inmates. These actions violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
In the area of discriminatory policing, the investigation found that MCSD deputies engaged in unlawful racial profiling of Latino drivers. One of the nation’s leading experts on racial profiling hired by the DOJCRD, conducted a thorough statistical analysis of MCSD's traffic stops and found that Latino drivers were four to nine times more likely to be stopped than similarly situated non-Latino drivers. The expert concluded that this case involved the most egregious racial profiling in the United States that he had ever personally observed in the course of his work, observed in litigation, or reviewed in professional literature, Perez said.
Perez also says, the civil rights investigation began in 2008 and Sheriff Apraio had resisted in complying to release documents and information relating to the investigation. A lawsuit filed by the DOJCRD forced Arpaio to comply.
The DOJCRD also found three other areas of concern regarding the MCSD. The DOJCRD investigation also discoverd numerous incidents of excessive force used by deputies and staff. The MCSD failed to provide adequate policing services in Latino communities and finally, its failure to adequately investigate allegations of sexual assaults at the Maricopa County jail, Perez, Assistant U.S. Attorney General reported during the press conference concerning the results of the DOJCRD civil rights violations investigation of MCSD.
With the latest DOJCRD investigative results and report, the U.S. Department Homeland Security (DHS) revoked MCSD's 287(g) program, which allowed deputy sheriff's to enforce federal immigration laws. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) also restricted MCSD, the use of Secure Communities Program.
Sheriff Arpaio has previously confirmed, that the State of Arizona enacted an employment work verification law by which he can continue to use to check the immigration and legal work status of workers in Maricopa County.

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Recall Scott Walker Volunteers Have Gathered 507,533 Signatures In Just 28 Days In Wisconsin

2011-12-15T13:38:00.001-06:00

Photo: HNG

Volunteers are just days away from collecting the 540,208 of minimum signatures required to force a recall election against Republican Governor Scott Walker.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 15, 2011

Milwaukee - On Thursday, Mike Tate, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and United Wisconsin have confirmed that statewide volunteers have collected 507,533 recall Scott Walker petition signatures. Tate said, the signatures were collected in just 28-days throughout 72 counties in the state.
Volunteers and organizers are about 32,675 signatures away from collecting the minimum of the required 540,208 signatures to force a recall election against Republican Governor Scott Walker before the January 17 dateline, according to Tate. They're expecting to collect 720,277 recall petition signatures to be collected by the dateline.
In Wisconsin, they collected 300,000 signatures in just 12 days throughout 72 counties, which 1,000 signatures were gathered per hour, according to United Wisconsin.
The Recall Scott Walker campaign has also raised more than $150,000 in just six days to keep the field offices in 42 counties operating. The field offices will remain open through January.
United Wisconsin reported, that Wisconsin voters signed the recall Walker petition at a rate of over 18,000 per day reaching a total of 507,533, so far.

Specific signature totals from selected counties include the following:

8,007 signatures or 128% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Douglas County
22,365 signatures or 124% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Eau Claire County
21,558 signatures or 91% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Rock County
7,375 signatures or 84% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Oneida County
6,972 signatures or 81% of Walker’s 2010 vote total in Grant County

The newly released signature collection goal of 720,277 is equal to 33% of the 2010 General Election turnout. Only 540,208 signatures or 25% of the 2010 General Election turnout is required to trigger a recall election, according to United Wisconsin.

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Tip Led West Allis Police To Arrest Four Suspects In connection With Garnier's Homicide

2011-12-14T14:17:00.006-06:00

Jeffrey P. Garnier

Qwajavious Pittman

A $10,000 reward led to the arrest of four suspects in Jeffrey Garnier's homicide, according to West Allis Police.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 14, 2011

West Allis, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, Qwajavious Pittman, 18, was charged with one felony count of theft by removing property from a person or corpse in connection with the November 20th brutal assault of Jeffrey P. Garnier, 57. Garnier died five days later of complications with blunt force trauma to the head at St. Luke's Hospital. Pittman is being held on a $50,000 cash bond.
Three other suspects, Lina Pezanoski, 38, Javasi D. Pezanoski-Young, 17, and Danny Thompson, 47, were also arrested in connection with Garnier's homicide. Pezanoski-Young and Thompson were both charged with one count of felony murder. Pezanoski-Young cash bond was set at $100,000.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney decided not to charge Lina, who cooperated with police and actually stood by and watched when Garnier was assaulted by both her boyfriend, Thompson and son Pezanoski-Young.
The criminal complaints states, that Pittman told police, after they chased Garnier accross the 9100 block of W. Lincoln Ave., Thompson knocked Garnier out with a punch and Garnier dropped to the ground, then Pezanoski-Young hit Garnier again. While Lina looked on.
Pittman then admitted, that before leaving the scene, he went back and took Garnier's wallet.
Pittman also is alleging that Garnier with a mask on had earlier confronted and scared a 15-year-old girl. When they later spotted Garnier at a nearby bus stop, they confronted Garnier and he began to run. The suspects chased Garnier, assaulted him and left him in the pavement.
Garnier's family members say he suffered from a mild case of autism and had no history of trouble with police. They offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the homicide. A tip led to the suspects arrest. The reward will be paid to the tipster by the end of this week, according to police.
A nearby business video surveillance camera caught Garnier's assault by the suspects in the middle of W. Lincoln Ave.

Javasi D. Pezanoski-Young

Danny Thompson

Lina Pezanoski

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ACLU Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging Wisconsin's Photo Voter ID Law In Behalf Of 17 Plaintiffs

2011-12-14T01:16:00.005-06:00

Ruthelle Frank, 84, has been voting since 1948, but Wisconsin's new photo ID voter law could prevent her from voting at the next 2012 election. Photo: ACLU

Wisconsin's voter photo ID viewed as a poll tax and unconstitutional, the ACLU claims. Second joint lawsuit challenging the photo ID voter law is expected to be filed on Friday by Voces de la Frontera and Milwaukee Branch of NAACP.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 14, 2011

Milwaukee - On Tuesday, the national Americal Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), its Wisconsin ACLU affiliate and the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty announced through a news release that they have filed a federal lawsuit in behalf of 17 eligible voters (plaintiffs) charging that Wisconsin’s photo ID voter law is unconstitutional and will deprive citizens of their basic right to vote. The defendants includes, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R), the Government Accountability Board, Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles and its regional divisions as well. Governor Walker is confident that the photo ID voter law will withstand the ACLU challenge.
The 54-page lawsuit is the only active federal challenge against a photo ID voter law (2011 Wisconsin Act 23 enacted on May 25), the most common type of legislation that is part of a nationwide attack on the right to vote. The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin claiming the voter photo ID is a kind of poll tax and is unconstitutional, which is part of a restrictive requirement in a nationwide effort to suppress the fundamental right to vote.
The complaint says that allowing only certain types of photo ID imposes a severe burden on the right to vote in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. It also states that the Wisconsin law violates the 24th and 14th amendments because it effectively imposes an unconstitutional poll tax.
"The state of Wisconsin has created a voter ID system that is making it very hard or impossible for residents to exercise their cherished right to vote," said Larry Dupuis, legal director of the ACLU of Wisconsin. "Countless Wisconsin residents, including veterans, minority voters and seniors who have been voting for decades, will be turned away from the polls under this law’s restrictive photo ID requirements. Our lawsuit aims to block this unconstitutional law, so that Wisconsin can continue its proud tradition of high participation in elections."
The law will also have a severe impact on homeless voters, many of whom do not have photo identification, according to the ACLU lawsuit complaint.
One of the plaintiffs that would be barred from voting is Ruthelle Frank, 84, of Brokaw, who does not have a birth certificate. When she was born at home in 1927, her mother recorded her birth in the family Bible. Under Wisconsin’s law, she is unable to obtain an ID needed to vote. She herself is an elected official, having served on her village board since 1996.
Another plaintiff is Carl Ellis, 52, a U.S. Army veteran living in a homeless shelter in Milwaukee. His only photo ID is a veteran ID card, which is no accepted under the Wisconsin's voter photo ID law.
A third plaintiff, Anthony Sharp, 19, an African-American Milwaukee resident who does not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID under the law. Sharp, who lives with his family, does not have income needed to purchase a $20 certified copy of his birth certificate in order to vote, according to the ACLU reported.
A second joint lawsuit is expected to also be filed on Friday by both Voces de la Frontera and the Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP challenging the photo ID voter requirement. Jame Hall, President of the NAACP Milwaukee Branch said in a news release, that half of Arfican-Americans in Milwaukee don't have a Wisconsin driver's license and the photo ID law will deny these eligible voters their right to vote. In Wisconsin, there have been no prosecution of anyone misrepresenting their identity while voting and the ID law is just a "vote suppression for minority voters," according to Hall.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera said, "The photo ID voter requirement law is a suppressive law aimed at deterring Latino voters from coming to the polls. The Wisconsin Constitution guarantees all citizens and Wisconsin residents the right to vote and we intend to ardently protect that right."

ACLU 54-page photo ID complaint at link: http://bit.ly/u41R0j

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Hernández-Lechuga, Zeta Co-founder "El Lucky or Z-16" Who Operated In 10 States Arrested By Mexican Marines

2011-12-13T17:46:00.001-06:00

Raúl Lucio Hernández Lechuga, aka, "El Lucky or Z-16"

Photo: PGR

Mexican marines captured a most wanted man known as El Lucky in Veracruz.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 13, 2011

Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico - On Tuesday, the Mexican Secretary of Marines (Semar) and the Mexican Federal Attorney's Office (PGR) announced the arrested of Raúl Lucio Hernández Lechuga, aka, "El Lucky, Z-16 or El Apa," a known Zeta co-founder who was in charge of operations in ten states. Lechuga was taken into custody by Mexican marines on Monday in Córdoba after an armed confrontation along the Veracruz-Mexico highway. One Zeta member was reported dead and one marine was injured.
Four other suspects were also taken into custody along with Lechuga. They were identified as Germain Hernández Flores, aka, "El Chino"; Nicolás García Colorado, aka, "El Flaco"; Rafael Méndez Espinoza, aka, "El Raflas" and Cristóbal Saninas Vallejo, aka, "El Don Gato." Flores was in charge of coordinating the stealing of trailers and trucks in the region. Both Espinoza and Vallejo were in charge of providing vehicles and communication equipment to be used by Zeta's.
Lechuga was in charge of operations in the following Mexican states, Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Querétaro, San Luis Potosi, Quintana Roo and the state of Mexico.
The Mexican government had offered $15 million pesos ($1,153,846 U.S.) and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had offered $1 million for Lechuga's arrest.
Marines confiscated 132 high power rifles, 36 handguns, a rocket launcher, 5 granade launchers, 2,641 amo magazines, 28,000 bullets of different calibers and 29 granades. They also confiscated a trailer, truck, a van, an auto, communications equipment, military uniforms made in the U.S. with Siedo and AFI labels on them and bullet proof vests, the PGR reported.

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Democrats Have Raised $140,937 In Just 6 Days To Keep Recall Scott Walker Field Offices Operating

2011-12-13T11:21:00.002-06:00

Recall Scott Walker volunteers collected signatures last Friday near W. Cleveland Ave. and S. 43rd Street in Milwaukee. Photo: HNG

Funds raised will keep 42 recall Walker field offices open through January.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 13, 2011

Milwaukee - On Tuesday, Mike Take, Chair for the Wisconsin Democratic Party announced that the Recall Scott Walker campaign has raised more than $140,937 in just six days to keep the field offices in 42 counties operating. The field offices will remain open through January.
Tate in a previous e-mail confirmed, that recall volunteers and organizers are about 1/3 away (180,000 signatures) from collecting the minimum of the required 540,000 signatures to force a recall election against Republican Governor Scott Walker before the January 17 dateline. They're expecting between 650.000 to 750,000 recall petition signatures to be collected by the dateline.
In Wisconsin, they collected 300,000 signatures in just 12 days throughout 42 counties, which 1,000 signatures were gathered per hour, according to United Wisconsin.

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UWM Student Association Former President, Including SORC Vice Chair Implicated In Alleged Post Newspaper Theft

2011-12-12T23:58:00.002-06:00

Alex Kostal

David Sidhu

Photos: Facebook

The UWM Post reported that 800 newspapers were stolen on Oct. 31, from racks by students connected with the Student Association.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 12, 2011

Milwaukee - On Monday, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Post student newspaper reported that 800 newspapers had disappeared on Oct. 31, a previous audit by Distribution Manager Patrick Quast revealed. The newspaper disappearance was reported to UWM police.
Post staff members were able to get their hands on a camera video surveillance tape from the Student Union area and spotted several students who allegedly took the papers from a Post rack.
One of the students was later identified by the Post as Student Association (SA) Office Manager Andrew Hapka. Hapka later told the Post that another friend not associated with SA helped him remove the newspapers from a rack. He also implicated former SA President Alex Kostal and former student Senate Oversight and Rules Committee (SORC) Vice Chair David Sidhu in the newspaper theft. Hapka admitted to the Post, that he was told by Kostal to remove the newspapers, which had an editorial which criticised former SA Vice-President Brent Johnson's sponsored event on campus. Johnson was not involved in the theft, although Sidhu helped to disposed of the newspapers after they were removed from a storage area in an office next to Kostal's SA office when the Post began to ask questions, according to Hapka.
Both Kostal and Sidhu apparently resigned their SA positions on Sunday at the SA Student Senate meeting and have denied their roommate, Hapka's allegation that they were involved in the theft. Hapka will most likely be removed from his SA position as well, pending the outcome of a university investigation.
As of Monday night, both names of Kostal and Hapka remained in the SA website.
On December 7, Johnson resigned his position as SA Vice-President after he was put on administrative leave over a sexual assault allegation from a woman pending an investigation by university officials. Johnson is facing expulsion from UWM, if found responsible for the sexual assault act. He has denied the allegation and claims that he is innocent. SA Senate members had also threaten to impeach Johnson.
University officials and the SA Student Senate have luanched their own investigations into the UWM Post newspaper theft.
UWM Post editor Zach Erman plans to filed a civil lawsuit this week against the former SA members and those involved for violating their First Amendment rights, including a civil rights violation.

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Bauer's Trial Postponed Until January In "Mule Smuggling" Heroin Case In The Dominican Republic

2011-12-12T14:23:00.002-06:00

Jimmy Bauer's attorney failed to show up in court on Monday and the tribunal hearing was postponed and rescheduled for January 30, according to court records.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 12, 2011

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - On Monday, the Second Tribunal Court judges in Santo Domingo decided to postpone a trial hearing for Jaime Vargas, aka, "Jimmy Bauer," a local known bachata singer from New York City. Bauer's attorney failed to show up for the hearing and it was rescheduled for January 30. He is being held on charges for trafficking and trying to smuggle heroin into the U.S.
A hearing for Bauer on November 14, was rescheduled for Dec. 12, after prison (jail) authorities in Najayo failed to present him at court for the hearing. Court records indicate, Bauer is trying to make a plea agreement in the case and have a trial and sentencing hearing separately.
He has gone through a psychiatric evaluation for minor mental disorder behavior. Officials dispute his claim that he suffering from any mental stress or mild disorder after Bauer recently granted an interview with Nuria, who has a Televised program and answered questions without any difficulty.
Bauer has been held in jail since, November 1, 2010 after being arrested for trying to smuggle one kilo of heroin in his stomach, known as "Mule Smuggling." He collapsed at the Santo Domingo International Las Americas Airport when detained for suspicous behavior and minutes after a small pellet full of heroin ruptured inside his stomach. The rupture caused an overdose that almost killed Bauer.
After an x-ray, doctors at a military hospital later removed 88 pellets (small balloons) of 1.04 kilogram totalling 2.2 pounds of pure heroin that Bauer had injested. Bauer later admitted that he tried to smuggle the heroin, becaue he was broke, having financial problems and wanted some quick cash to make a bachata music video, according to authorities.
If Bauer would have made the flight to the U.S., most likely he wouldn't have survived the flight, according to authorities.

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VDLF Action Endorsement For Pérez In The 12th Aldermanic District Draws Allegations Of Racism

2011-12-12T02:22:00.007-06:00

Robert Miranda

Pérez in early December claimed in Facebook that Voces de la Frontera Action, a political branch of Voces de la Frontera had endorsed him for alderman.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 12, 2011
(Updated)

Milwaukee - Since last week, José Pérez, a declared candidate for the 12th Aldermanic District has drawn criticism about an early December endorsement by Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) Action. VDLF Action, a political branch of Voces de la Frontera, a non-profit workers and immigrant rights organization has been labeled and accused as a racist organization for not supporting the current Alderman James N. Witkowiak. The allegations of racism were raised by outspoken Robert Miranda, the current Executive Director of Esperanza Unida, Inc., who has a column by line in the Spanish Journal "Taking Sides," an editor as well and who also airs a Sunday talk show on WJTI 1460 AM radio.
Miranda claimed that the Latino leadership had started to abandon Alderman Witkowiak. He didn't mention any names of who were the supposed called leaders of the Latino community. Some of them had sent a bad "bigoted kind of message," especially VDLF Action who endorsed Pérez, according to Miranda. Pérez on December 1st, posted on his Facebook that VDLF Action had endorsed him and thanked them.
Miranda became outraged that Voces endorsed Pérez who hasn't yet been placed on the ballot, but had declared his candidacy and is circulating nomination papers to get on the ballot.
Miranda asked, How is it that a group so dedicated to fighting racism seems to be practicing racism themselves? "But for the fact that Witkowiak is the White candidate in this election, racism is the only logical conclusion," Miranda wrote.
Miranda believes, that Witkowiak has done an honorable service for the community and hasn't done anything against the community or immigrants. Witkowiak has stood and supported Voces on workers and immigrant rights issues and now is being thrown under a bus by Voces and some unnamed Latino leaders, according to Miranda.
On the other hand people are asking, what has Pérez actually done for the community?, to get an endorsement by VDLF Action. Who knows?, but the community will have to wait and see how the election proceeds and turns out in the 12th Aldermanic District.
The Pérez campaign has been accused of posting up Pérez posters at several dozen places in the southside before December 1st. Susan Edman, the Executive Director for the City of Milwaukee Election Commission confirmed, that it was an election violation to post campaign signs before December. Edman failed to mention, if any penalties exist for candidates who violate posting rules.
Neither Pérez or Witkowiak could be reached for comment regarding Miranda's claim of racism.
Miranda in a second article published on Dec. 14, got too personal and called Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera "a hypocrite." VDLF Action "had no real intention of holding an honest endorsement of candidates," Miranda wrote. Witkowiak never received any notice about the VDLF Action endorsement process, thus disrespecting Witkowiak after he has actually stood by and helped Voces for the last four years as an proven alderman and has also shown his allegiance to the Latino community. Which Pérez has yet to achieve as an elected official. Which is "shameful" and Voces has practiced racism against Witkowiak, who is White, according to Miranda.
Joe Shansky, Communications Coordinator for Voces de la Frontera released the following statement concerning recent allegations that VDLF Action was racist. In behalf of VDLF Action, the Spanish Journal's claim that our decision to endorse José Peréz in Milwaukee's 12th Aldermanic District reflects racism is patently ridiculous. On the contrary, Spanish Journal editor Robert Miranda is racist to assume there are not qualified Latinos to run for elected office in the 12th aldermanic district, a majority Latino district.
Both Alderman James Witkowiak and José Pérez are allies of VDLF Action (c4 arm of Voces de la Frontera), and both are qualified candidates who would represent Voces' positions well.
VDLF Action has made the decision to endorse Pérez in this race because he is a long-time Voces member, has strong leadership qualities, and is qualified to move the city forward based on his many years of work with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, as a small business owner, community and labor organizer.
In addition, we believe that representation matters, and electing a Latino candidate is important to ensure that Milwaukee’s Common Council reflects our city’s diversity. VDLF Action is not interested in tokens or Latinos that do not support the civil rights of immigrants or the needs of working class families of all races and ethnicities.
Ultimately, we judge candidates based on their qualifications and whether they support Voces' in fighting for immigrant and worker rights. Pérez fits these criteria. He is a viable candidate, which is part of our criteria we use when we make an endorsement. Voces has endorsed Pérez because we believe he can best represent our community on the Common Council.
Finally, it is tiring to read Miranda's continuing, unprincipled and obsessive attacks on Voces in the Spanish Journal. Before publishing his most recent article, Mr. Miranda did not speak to Voces, which is odd since Voces is the focus of the article. And he continues to refuse to provide Voces with access to the paper he runs to respond to the many allegations in his publication. Is Miranda’s attack really about Voces’ position on the 12th aldermanic race? Or is it in response to Voces recently supporting and winning a settlement agreement for Esperanza Unida workers, who have long-standing grievances against Mr. Miranda? Miranda is the Executive Director of Esperanza Unida. Esperanza Unida failed to pay some its employees on a timely basis, and fired them for seeking assistance from Voces on wage and hour violations. The mistreatment of Esperanza’s workers has been a chronic problem under Mr. Miranda's stewardship of Esperanza Unida.
Our doors are always open and we encourage anyone who wants to learn more about our endorsements to speak directly to us. VDLF Action will continue to focus on uniting, not dividing the community, in our fight for jobs and justice.

Miranda's Taking Sides article at link: http://bit.ly/s1bea7

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Six Men Charged For Stealing Older Model Autos In Milwaukee And Selling Them For Scrap

2011-12-11T23:32:00.004-06:00

Jeffrey A. Ciriacks

Quintin T. Hill

Auto theft ring leader hooked on cocaine and heroin drove him to steal autos to support addiction.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 11, 2011

Milwaukee - Six men including the ring leader were charged on Friday with one felony count of auto theft involving 44 stolen vehicles from the Milwaukee area, according to a criminal complaint. The suspects were identified as ring leader, Jeffrey A. Ciriacks, 43, of Saukville and five Milwaukee men, Leroy Barbee, 48; Eric M. Booker, 32; Quintin T. Hill, 24; Chavis Daniel Hoskin, 26, and Pierre Lamont Louis, 24.
Ciriacks and Hill remained at large, warrants issued and are being sought by police. The suspects worked with Ciriacks to remove older model autos from the street and private properties, lots and then sold them to Auto & Scrap Recyclers Inc., at the 3800 block of W. Mill Road.
The thefts occured between late August to early November, which investigators say Ciriacks had sold 99 autos to Auto & Scrap, according to the company's purchase records. At least 44 of those were reported stolen. Most of the autos were sold for $400 or $500 each and were valued around $2,000.
The suspects were paid from $10 to $100 for each auto they delivered to Ciriacks. Ciriacks operated the Lakeland Metal Processing and had a salvage license, according to the complaint.
The auto theft ring were first exposed to police when a man noticed a stolen 1999 Buick belonging to a relative being towed by a chevy truck. He followed the truck to the Auto & Scrap and then called police. Ciriacks was driving the truck when he was confronted by the man.
Ciriacks unhooked the Buick and left the scene. None of the stolen vehicles have been recovered, except the Buick.
Police say Ciriacks used the money from the auto scrapping to buy cocaine and heroin from two suspects involved in the thefts.

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Three Mexican Nationals Facing 10 Years Each For Wisconsin Marijuana Growing Operation In Federal Land

2011-12-11T18:01:00.002-06:00

Six men were charged and three pleaded guilty for growing marijuana at the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 11, 2011

Clam Lake, WI - Three Mexican nationals have pleaded guilty to growing at least 9,000 marijuana plants at the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, six miles south of Clam Lake, announced John W. Vandreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. Vandreuil in a news release stated, that on November 28, Jorge Lopez-Ontiveros, 24, and Abraham Ramirez, 29, both Mexican nationals pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in Madison for conspiring to manufacture marijuana. Another Mexican national, Cesar Tinoco, 21, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge on November 23.
Two other Mexican nationals, Jose Esqueda-Garcia, 19, and Moises Lopez-Ontiveros, 21, including a Minnesota man, Norberto Burciaga, of St. Paul are expected to plead guilty as well.
U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb will sentenced Tinoco on Jan. 31, Ramirez on Feb. 1, and Lopez-Ontiveros on Feb. 2, 2012. The three convicted men face up to 10 years each in a federal prison and deportation after serving their sentences.
Their marijuana growing operation was first discovered by hunters in November 2010. Feds, state, county and local authorities launched a monitoring and surveillance operation for months until the suspects returned to a campground.
More than 200 federal and state agents, deputy sheriff's and police raided the campground. Four of five suspects escaped capture, but were arrested a day later by Sawyer County deputy sheriff's as they headed to Minnesota.
Agencies involved included, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; Ashland County Sheriff’s Department; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Forest Service; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; Northwest Area Crime Unit (comprised of Sawyer, Douglas and Washburn County Sheriff's Departments and Superior Police Department); U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission.

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54-year-old Stoughton Man Cited For Disorderly Conduct Over Recall Walker Volunteer Confrontation In Madison

2011-12-11T00:11:00.005-06:00

Recall Walker volunteers collected signatures on Friday near W. Cleveland Ave. and S. 43rd Street in Milwaukee. Volunteers throughout 42 counties are about 1/3 away from collecting 540,000 signatures to force a recall election.

Photo: HNG

Madsion police cited Walker supporter after dispute with Recall Walker volunteer outside Woodman's.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 11, 2011

Madison - On Thursday, Earl A. Gluth, 54, of Stoughton was cited by Madison police for disorderly conduct over a confrontation with a 41-year-old woman volunteering for the Recall Walker campaign. The police report states, Gluth confronted three recall Walker volunteers near a sidewalk outside on the east side of Woodman's store and began to get pictures of them while collecting signatures. He commented to the 41-year-old woman that he was going to post the photos on a website. Gluth then went to where the volunteer's had their vehicles parked and began to take photos of their license plates and said, he would find out where they lived.
The woman took out her cell phone and was about to take a photo of Gluth, but he swung his hand around knocking both her phone and recall signature petition clip board to the ground.
Her cell phone was reported broken, but she managed to recover the damaged back part of the cell.
She followed Gluth into Woodman's and Gluth could be seen in a store surveillance video inside pointing his finger at the woman and saying something.
Gluth alleged and told the investigating officer that the woman had hit his eye with the cell phone and had injured it. The officer stated, that he "inspected the man’s eye and found it looked just like his other eye, not overly bloodshot, no evidence it had been touched," according to the police report.
Two other Recall Walker male volunteer's ages 62 and 64 were also questioned by the officer. Their statements collaborated the woman's description of what had happened.
The officer decided to arrest and cite Gluth.
Democrats involved in the recall confirmed, that they're about 1/3 away (180,000 signatures) from collecting the minimum of the required 540,000 signatures to force a recall election against Republican Governor Scott Walker before the January 17 dateline. They collected 300,000 signatures in just 12 days in 42 counties in Wisconsin, which 1,000 signatures were gathered per hour, according to organizers.
In an e-mail last week, the Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Mike Tate stated, the Recall Walker effort needs to raise $150,000 by next week or the recall won't happen and some of the 42 recall offices around the state would have to shut down due to operational over costs. Most likely, some recall offices might close, but the recall effort will continue, according to volunteers. The Wisconsin GOP says, it's Tate's tactic for the Democrats to raise funding.
In an unrelated incident, Jeffrey G. Karnitz, 30, was charged on Thursday with one felony count for election fraud in Washington County. He is accused of defacing or scribbling off signatures from several recall Walker petitions on December 4. Karnitz faces at least 18 months in jail, two years supervision and up to $10,000 in fines, if convicted.
In another recent recall Walker incident, Mary Jean Dezurik, 68, of Thorp was arrested in Chippewa Falls after she stopped in an area where recall Walker volunteers were collecting signatures. On December 2, she got out of her vehicle and grabbed a Recall Walker petition and ripped it, according to Chippewa Falls Police. The petitions might have been blanked.
John Kidd, one of the recall Walker volunteer's who witnessed the incident told WEAU dot com, that an officer shortly after stopped Dezurik and told her, if she admitted to ripping the petition, no charges would be filed. Dezurik refused to admit it and was then arrested. She faces a felony charge with a penalty of three years in prison and $10,000 in fines, if convicted.
The case is pending and Dezurik has yet to be charged in that incident.

Anyone wanting to sign a recall Walker petition can visit any of the southeast indoor offices from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at:

1370 S. 74th Street, Suite 106, West Allis
1027 S. 5th Street, Milwaukee
7984 W. Appleton Ave., Milwaukee
312 W. Broadway, Waukesha
5535 6th Ave., Kenosha
2100 Layard Ave., Racine
616 Droster Ave., Burlington

For other offices in the state or down load a recall Walker petition go to link: http://ow.ly/7uvZn

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Ruiz-Ramirez Sentenced To 2 Years In The House of Corrections For Hitting Three Milwaukee Cops On Bicycles

2011-12-10T02:09:00.002-06:00

Gaudencio Ruiz-Ramirez

Convicted hit-and-run drunk driver gets light sentence for striking three Milwaukee police officers on bicycle patrol in the Southside.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 10, 2011

Milwaukee – On Friday, Gaudencio Ruiz-Ramirez, 25, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in the House of Corrections for one felony count of hit-and-run, involving injury and three misdemeanors for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing injury with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 over the legal limit. He was ordered to pay for the damaged bicycles.
Ruiz-Ramirez pleaded guilty to striking three Milwaukee Police Officers, Bradley Johnson, William Moreno and Michael Duket who were riding their police unit bicycles on September 9, while riding along a bicycle lane at the 1100 block of W. Lincoln Ave. A fourth bicycle officer was not injured.
Ruiz-Ramirez fled the scene, but the accident was caught by a nearby surveillance video camera. He was later arrested.

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Ramie Marie Grimmer's Brother Timothy Dies After Being Taken Off Life Supports

2011-12-09T00:00:00.009-06:00

Timothy Grimmer
Photo courtesy of Jamie Rodriguez/AP

Ramie Marie Grimmer

Photo: Facebook

Rachelle Diane Grimmer

Undated family photo

Second child dies after succumbing to fatal wounds to the head.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 8, 2011

Laredo, Texas - On Thursday evening, Timothy Grimmer, 10, succumbed to a fatal head wound after being taken off from life supports, according to family members. His father Dale Grimmer after talking to University Hospital doctors decided to take him off the life support machine.
Timothy had been shot in the head by his mother, Rachelle Diane Grimmer, 38, on early Tuesday at a Texas welfare office in Laredo.
On Wednesday, Ramie Marie Grimmer, 12, who was also shot in the head by her mother on Tuesday during a standoff over food stamps at a Texas welfare office in Laredo died. Ramie died at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the University Hospital in San Antonio, Texas.
Ramie and her brother, Timothy were both shot in the head shortly before their mother took her own life with a handgun. Grimmer arrived with her two barefooted children at the Texas Department of Health and Human Services office in Laredo around 5:00 p.m. on Monday to try and get food stamps. She pulled out a .38 Caliber handgun and took welfare supervisor Roberto Reyes hostage in a small office. The rest of the employees and welfare clients were able to leave the area without any incident. Reyes was later released shortly after 7:45 p.m., according to police.
During the seven hour standoff with police at the welfare office, Ramie began to post on her Facebook account. At 7:30 p.m., Ramie posted "May die 2day"...at 10:30 p.m. she posted, "Tear gas seriously"... by 10:34 p.m. her last post was "I'm bored."
Laredo police on early Tuesday heard three gunshots go off and the the S.W.A.T. team rushed inside. They found Grimmer with a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. They also found Ramie and her brother shot in the head. Grimmer died at the scene. Police recovered around 50 rounds for a .38 Cal. handgun inside the office building. Both Ramie and Timothy were transported to the University Hospital in San Antonio for medical treatment.
Their father, Dale Grimmer who had been divorced for 6 years was able to travel to San Antonio to see his children at the hospital.
Grimmer had applied for the program since July shortly after arriving from Zaneville, Ohio, but had not completed the requirement to complete the paper work, which included an 18-page application. Grimmer needed to provide some additional documentation and had expired her time allowed to apply and the case had been closed. The Grimmer family were originally from Lost Creek, Montana.
Grimmer first applied for welfare on July 7, then she missed her July 8, appointment. An appointment was rescheduled for July 22. On August 8, Grimmer's food stamp case was then closed and a noticed was sent to her. On November 22, Grimmer then contacted the welfare office to have her case reconsidered. She could have reopened it by reapplying again, according to Stephanie Goodman, Spokesperson for the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
Goodman says, Grimmer was denied food stamps and public welfare emergency aid because she didn't provide proof of child support payments. She actually filled out a section of the application that her child support payments were greater than her rent and utilities combine, according to Goodman.
She had gone to the welfare four times and four times she didn't get any type of help or any emergency aid, which most likely drove her to become real desperate about feeding her children. Grimmer was unemployed, but the welfare office in Laredo has approved food stamp allocations to employed people who meet the minimum guidelines to receive benefits. Grimmer wasn't helped or offered alternative options and wasn't referred to any local food pantry by social workers. It might not be their job to do so, but should have at least offered options to getting her help, according to neighbors who live near Grimmer.
Authorities tried to convince Grimmer into believing that Reyes had personally approved food stamp benefits dating back to July totalling more than $3,000 and even presented her with the approved document signed by welfare supervisor Reyes, according to police. Grimmer might not have believed Reyes or police and decided to take her life, including ending the life of both her children.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that in the Webb county area, nearly 30 percent of Laredo's 250,000 population live under the poverty line and the Webb County per capita income averages less than $13,800. An estimated 3.7 million people in Texas are getting food stamps, but about $40 million of unused food stamp benefits are returned each year to the feds. People seeking benefits for food stamps have to fill out an 18-page application, which sometimes people just forego the application process and don't apply.
Laredo has about 60 food pantries around the area operated by the South Texas Food Bank, which Grimmer didn't asked for help. The welfare office was about five miles from where Grimmer lived and without a working vehicle, it was difficult for Grimmer to get around. She would around asking for left over food from nearby restaurants after they closed, according to neighbors.
An investigation has been launched to learn what led Grimmer to act and why social workers with the Texas welfare office based in Laredo didn't actually check Grimmer's living conditions before making her wait for help? State Representative Richard Raymond who Chairs the Texas Health and Human services committee confirmed the State of Texas has initiated an investigation.
Neighbors who live near the Grimmer's told Pro8News dot com that the family was living in extreme poverty and needed help desperately. Grimmer would rarely cook because she hardly ever had any food to cook. A nonfunctional refrigerator and stove were located outside an RV at the Towne North Mobile and RV Park where the Grimmer's were living in northern Laredo.
Janie Rodriguez, the manager of the RV lot confirmed, that Grimmer paid $400.00 per month to rent a lot for her RV. Rodriguez believes, Grimmer was paying rent from child support payments.
Some neighbors had tried to donate free items of food, but Grimmer would barely accept anything free. Neighbors are alleging that the state welfare social workers should have checked the Grimmer's living conditions before making them wait for help from the state.

Ramie Marie Grimmer postings on Facebook.

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Karnitz Charged With Felony Over Scribbling Off Names On Several Racall Governor Walker Petitions In West Bend

2011-12-08T22:02:00.004-06:00

Jeffrey G. Karnitz

Criminal complaint states, Karnitz asked to sign recall petition and then began to scribble out names on several petitions, afterwards he fled.

By H. Nelson Goodson
December 8, 2011

West Bend, Wisconsin - On Thursday, Jeffrey G. Karnitz, 30, was charged with one felony count for election fraud in Washington County. He was arrested over the weekend for defacing recall petitions. Karnitz faces at least 18 months in jail, two years supervision and up to $10,000 in fines, if convicted.
Since the incident, Karnitz has expressed regret for his intent to deface recall petitions.
The criminal complaint states, that on December 4, Karnitz asked a woman collecting signatures to recall Walker to sign the petition. He scribbled off some signatures from two petitions and the woman took the petitions back from Karnitz. He then fled the scene. The woman was able to get his license plate number and Karnitz was later arrested, according to West Bend Police.
In an unrelated case, Mary Jean Dezurik, 68, of Thorp was arrested last weekend in Chippewa Falls after she stopped in an area where recall Walker volunteers were collecting signatures. She got out of her vehicle and grabbed Recall Walker petitions and ripped them, according to Chippewa Falls Police Captain John Liddell. Dezurik got back into her vehicle and fled.
A volunteer was able to take her license plate number down and reported it to police. Chippewa Falls Police in the preliminary investigation indicated the petitions might have been blanked.
Dezurik is facing charges for criminal property damage and disorderly conduct. The case is being reviewed, according to the Chippewa County District Attorney's Office.

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