Thomas And Cotton Charged For Sharwani's Homicide In Waukesha

Thomas and Cotton charged with murder and third suspect, Malone remains at large in connection with the Waukesha Citgo gas clerk homicide.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 19, 2015

Waukesha, WI - A $5,000 dollars reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of Darrin Malone, 28, who is wanted in connection with the January 13 homicide of Saeed Sharwani, 65, a Citgo gas clerk. Two other suspects, Kenneth J. Thomas, 19, the alleged trigger man was arrested less than 10 hours in West Allis after the Citgo robbery and homicide of Sharwani. The handgun that killed Sharwani was recovered at a residence in West Allis where Thomas was arrested. 

Thomas was charged on Monday with seven felony counts, one felony count for first-degree intentional homicide, 2 counts for armed robbery, 2 counts for felon in possession of a firearm, 1 count for selling a dangerous weapon to a minor and 1 count for first-degree recklessly endangering safety. If convicted on all counts, Thomas is facing multiple life terms. A $1M cash bail has been set for Thomas.

Jerica L. Cotton, 23, was taken into custody and was the alleged get away driver in the Waukesha Citgo gas station robbery and homicide, according to the criminal complaint.

Cotton was charged on Monday with one felony count for murder/armed robbery and one felony count for armed robbery. A cash bail of $250,000 was set for Cotton.

The three suspects were connected to at least six area robberies in Waukesha, Town of Brookfield, Milwaukee and West Allis.

Juan V. Alvarez, Co-founder Of The Milwaukee Brown Berets And Community Activist Passed Away

Alvarez was instrumental in the late 1960's and early 1970's Latino civil rights movement and UFW Boycott in Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 19, 2015

Milwaukee, WI - On Friday, Juan V. Alvarez, 67, of Hales Corners passed away and is remembered for his community leadership among others in the late 1960's and early 1970's Latino civil rights movement in Milwaukee. Alvarez originally from Laredo, Texas was a former Commander of the GI Forum, a Vietnam Veteran who joined the late 1960's civil rights movement and helped create the Latin American Union for Civil Rights (LAUCR) and the Latin American Education Committee (CELA), both non-profit organizations in Milwaukee. Alvarez along with Ernesto Chacon and the late Roberto Hernández created the LAUCR in 1968. Under LAUCR several other entities were created, the youth organization known as the Brown Berets, the La Guardia Newspaper and CELA. CELA was instrumental in helping to achieve a major higher education movement and protests against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) in the early 1970's which had a policy to discriminate Hispanics and kept them from enrolling at the university. On August 27, 1970, CELA led a Latino take over of the UWM Chancellor's office and demanded higher education enrollment for Hispanics who were considered unskilled and lacked higher education degrees. After days and weeks of protests, on October 23, 1970 the UWM Spanish Speaking Outreach Institute (SSOI) was created for the recruitment and retention of  Latino students at the university. The SSOI first opened its doors in Milwaukee's Southside at the 800 block of S. 5th Street where La Guardia Newspaper published it political publication that informed the community about Latino issues and discrimination. The SSOI later became the Roberto Hernández Center at UWM.

The LAUCR also helped coordinate the great United Farm Workers (UFW) Boycott in Milwaukee and Alvarez went to California to temporarily work along side César E Chávez, the late UFW leader. Alvarez came back to Milwaukee and helped coordinate the UFW grape boycott with Ricardo Enriquez, Roberto Hernández and Loyd J. Guzior.

Alvarez along with other LAUCR community leaders was also instrumental in coordinating the first "Cinco de Mayo" festivities in Milwaukee's Southside and organized students from South Division High School to skip classes in protest of the Milwaukee Public School District's opposition to recognized their ethic culture and education of Mexican and Latin American studies. 

Alvarez was a great community leader who would not be afraid to stand up against the status quo in the early 1970's who discriminated against Hispanics and today, many Latinos have benefited from the fruits of the late 1960's and 1970's Latino civil rights movement, according to Salvador Sánchez, another community leader who became the executive director of the United Opportunity Migrant Services in the 1970's.

LAUCR began the first community block Mexican Fiesta in the Southside of Milwaukee to generate student scholarships and the festival later moved to the Henry Mier Festival Grounds (Summerfest). LAUCR fought against job and housing discrimination in Milwaukee as well.

Alvarez in 1988 became the first Hispanic to head the Milwaukee County Social Services Office in Milwaukee's Southside, which was located at the 1500 block of W. National Ave.

Alvarez used the name of Cuauhtémoc as a collector of historic photographs depicting the Latino civil rights movement, which the UWM library has in its collection. Reference: The Juan Alvarez Cuauhtémoc Photographic Collection of El Movimiento in Milwaukee's Latino Community inclusive dates: 1968 - 1971, includes 36 photos.

Alvarez is survived by his loving wife Pam Meyer Alvarez, father to Juan G. (Tracy), Camila F. Leffel, Elsa (Joe) Nolan, Julia and Emiliano and grandfather of five grandchildren. Juan V. Alvarez was the son of the late Apolonio H. Alvarez and Camila.

Visitation for Juan V. Alvarez:

On Thursday, January 22, 2015

From 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Funeral Service from 12:00 p.m.

At Hartson Funeral Home

1111 W. Janesville Rd.

Hales Corners, WI

Interment at 1:00 p.m. at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery 

Juan V. Alvarez remembrance and life celebration: http://youtu.be/Ye0_vTDyX0U

Crime Spree By Kentucky Teen Couple Ends In Florida

A female minor and an adult who were considered a couple from Kentucky went on a multiple state crime spree to fuel their relationship.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 18, 2015

Panama City Beach, Florida - On Sunday, the Panama City Beach Police Department confirmed that both Dalton Hayes, 18, and his girlfriend, Cheyenne Phillips, 13, were arrested around 12:10 a.m. and a silver Toyota Tundra truck with fireman license plates stolen from Henry County in Georgia was recovered. The couple were wanted in their home state of Kentucky for a crime spree that resulted in vehicle thefts, passing stolen checks and taking a .45 Cal. and a .38 Cal. handguns that were in a back seat of the Tundra Toyota truck, according to police.

Both are facing multiple charges for stealing vehicles in two states and taking them across state lines that included Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Both suspects were arrested in Panama City Beach in Florida after the U.S. Marshals Service notified police that the couple were in their area. They were booked at the Bay County Jail and are awaiting extradition to Kentucky to face multiple felony charges for car thefts and passing stolen checks. Phillips was turned over to the Florida Department of Children and families until she is extradited to Kentucky. 

Hayes is also facing a charge for interfering with parential custody for transporting Phillips out of state and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Hayes was on bond for a burglary charge in Grayson County in Kentucky before the multi-state crime spree began, according to the Grayson County Sheriff's Office.

Grayson County Sheriff Norman Chaffins over the weekend criticized some media outlets for their misinformation and for referring to both fugitives as "modern day Bonnie and Clyde." Sheriff Chaffins stated, "At NO time during my interviews with ANY media outlet have I EVER referred to them as "modern day Bonnie and Clyde". That is a label placed solely by the media. I have spoken to the contrary about that by stating they have committed no violent crimes or physically harmed anyone. Many outlets will not report that because it is more sensational and entertaining by labeling them. HOWEVER, We have not changed our stance that they are a danger to themselves, other citizens, and the police as long as they are on the run."

Mexican Federal Supreme Court Revokes Rafael Caro Quintero's Appeal And Release

Rafael Caro Quintero and Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar

Mexican feds searching for the Guadalajara Cartel leader involved with a DEA agent's torture and homicide in 1985.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 17, 2015

Mexico, D.F. - On Friday, the Mexican Federal Supreme Court revoked the lower Jalisco state court of appeals decision to free Rafael Caro Quintero, 59, the Guadalajara Cartel drug lord after it found that Quintero and other cartel members were prosecuted in a federal court instead of a state court. Quintero walked free from prison on August 2013 and disappeared. 

Quintero spent 28 years in prison of a 40 year sentence in connection with the February 1985 kidnapping, torture and murder of both DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar and his pilot Alfredo Zavala Avela, a Mexican national. 

The Mexican feds learned of Quintero's release, just eight hours after he walked out a free man and vanished. Which raised criticism that he paid for his freedom.

The Mexican government in 2013 issued a warrant for his arrest and the U.S. placed a $5M reward for information leading to Quintero's arrest.
The U.S. has also indicted Quintero for drug laundering and will most likely seek extradition, if Quintero is taken into custody in Mexico. 
Quintero and several other suspects in 1985 ordered Camarena killed after their $10 billion dollar marijuana and drug manufacturing ranch called the Buffalo was raided and confiscated by Mexican federal authorities. Camarena and his pilot were kidnapped in Guadalajara and then their bodies were discovered in a shallow grave a month later. Both Camarena and his pilot's bodies showed signs of torture before being killed. 

The Snails Crossing Park Suspect Who Attempted To Rape Defiant Victim Arrested

The victim fought her attacker who attempted to rape her in December.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 17, 2015

Milwaukee, WI - On Friday, Milwaukee police arrested a 32-year-old male suspect who allegedly attempted to sexually assault a woman walking on the sidewalk by the Snails Crossing Park and playground at the 3200 block of N. Bremen St. on December 12 in the Riverwest neighborhood.

Police say, the suspect forced the woman into the park, then struck her several times and attempted to sexually assault her. She resisted, managed to scream and the suspect fled after people came to her aid.

The suspect was identified through DNA, according to police. The suspect around 2:30 p.m. on Friday was located by police at a residence in the 2600 block of N. 48th Street. The suspect jumped out from a window and tried to elude police, but a Milwaukee Police K9 dog chased the suspect, caught up with him and bit the suspect to restrain him. The suspect was taken to a local hospital and treated for injuries. Multiple felony charges are pending against the suspect, according to police.

The day after her brutal attack by the 32-year-old suspect, Colin Acumen, 25, in her Facebook account posted a photo of herself in a hospital bed directly giving the "Bird" (middle finger), as a defiant statement to the suspect who brutally assaulted her and attempted to rape her that December night. She wrote, "Guess who didn't get raped last night? This woman right here."

Acumen suffered four lacerations in the back of her head requiring 15 staples, ten stiches in her noise, six stiches in her lip and damage to her two front teeth, which will eventually have to be pulled. In her last posting on December 22, Acumen wrote that she is healing and the staples have been removed, fracture bones are healing and was expected go through several surgeries.

Acumen acknowledged those (heroes) who heard her screams for help and came to her aid. 

Acumen is part of the Milton Kings, a Burlesque and Draglesque performing and entertainment show in the Milwaukee area.

Direct donations for Colin Acumen's medical expenses at link: http://www.gofundme.com/j2d20k

The Colin Acumen's support video at link: http://alturl.com/effxb

Milwaukee Downtown Female Worker Hurt In Attempted Arm Robbery Doing Well

A woman walking downtown to work who was attacked from behind with a blunt instrument in an attempted armed robbery by two suspects is doing well after ordeal.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 16, 2015

Milwaukee, WI - A woman who was walking near the downtown Cathedral Square on January 5, around 8:30 a.m. who was attacked from behind in an attempted armed robbery by two suspects is doing well after the ordeal. Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned that one of the suspects struck the woman from behind with a blunt instrument and when she fell to the ground, the suspects attempted to steal her purse without success. A witness nearby came to help and called police. The suspects fled in a vehicle. Other witnesses were able to give a description of the suspects vehicle. 

Police have not reported, if anyone had been arrested in connection with the incident.

Shortly after the attempted robbery and assault of a downtown Milwaukee female worker, a personal safety notification began to circulate by major companies around downtown to notify their office workers to be alert and to keep safe.

Two Arrested And Third Sought For Homicide Of Waukesha Citgo Gas Clerk

Three suspects identified, two taken into custody and one remains at large in connection with the Waukesha Citgo gas clerk homicide.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

January 16, 2015

Waukesha, WI - A $5,000 dollars reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of Darrin Malone, 28, who is wanted in connection with the January 13 homicide of Saeed Sharwani, 65, a Citgo gas clerk. Two other suspects, Kenneth Thomas, 19, who is believed to be the trigger man was arrested less than 10 hours in West Allis after the Citgo robbery and homicide of Sharwani. Thomas was taken into custody for another robbery and was connected to Sharwani's murder.

Jerica L. Cotton, 23, was taken into custody and was the alleged get away driver in the Waukesha Citgo gas station robbery and homicide, according to police.

The three suspects were connected  to at least six area robberies in Waukesha, Town of Brookfield, Milwaukee and West Allis.