Arkansas county jail becomes major ICE pipeline as arrests surge under Trump crackdown
An
Arkansas county jail
has become one of America's busiest hubs for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with hundreds of people arrested this year.More than 450 people have been detained from Jan. 1 through Oct. 15 at the Benton County Jail, according to ICE arrest data from the University of California Berkeley Deportation Data Project reviewed by the Associated Press, a rate of roughly 1.5 arrests per day in a county with just over 300,000 people.The surge reflects the rapid expansion of cooperation agreements across the country between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.In Arkansas, the "Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act" took effect in August and increases penalties for illegal immigrants committing "serious felonies involving violence," among other stipulations.
DHS LAUNCHES NEW IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN OPERATION IN NEW ORLEANS
The law signed by Gov.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders also allowed
Arkansas sheriffs to engage with ICE and permits law enforcement to apply via ICE's federal 287(g) program to be authorized to serve immigration warrants on illegal immigrants already in custody for other offenses.Most of the Benton County arrests were made through its 287(g) agreement, which allows deputies to question people who are booked into the jail about their immigration status, according to AP. The county's program accounted for over 4% of all nationwide arrests tied to similar local programs.The program allows deputies to alert ICE of inmates suspected of being in the country illegally, who are then transferred into
ICE custody
before being moved to a detention center in another county after a couple of days. They are then taken to a detention center in Louisiana to face potential deportation.
THREE STATES SIGN NEW AGREEMENTS WITH ICE FOR EXPANDED IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS
AP reported that half of the individuals arrested by ICE through the program were convicted of crimes, while the others have pending charges.Recent ICE holds show people charged with forgery,
sexual assault
, drug trafficking, theft and public intoxication, with many recent cases involving domestic violence allegations and unsafe-driving offenses, AP reported.AP reported that Benton County has a high immigrant population compared to the rest of the state, and arrests increased sharply this year after the expansion of ICE partnerships and state-level requirements for sheriff cooperation.The Department of Homeland Security and ICE announced in September there were more than 1,000 287(g) program agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, a
641%
increase from 135 programs.While the program has led to the detention of violent criminals, critics argue it has also swept up minor offenders and legal residents. AP reported that Cristina Osornio, a legal permanent U.S. resident and mother of six children, was jailed after a traffic stop in Benton County months after her husband was deported to Mexico. |
Harvard professor detained by ICE after Boston synagogue shooting agrees to voluntarily leave US
The
Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) on Wednesday announced ICE had detained a Harvard Law School professor accused in a shooting outside a synagogue in October. Carlos Portugal Gouvêa, a Brazilian national, was arrested Oct. 2 after he allegedly fired a BB gun outside a Boston area synagogue the day before Yom Kippur. Gouvêa told authorities at the time he was "hunting rats." He pleaded guilty Nov. 13 to
illegal use of the air rifle
, while his other charges of disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and vandalizing property were dismissed.
HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S FEUD WITH TRUMP AFFECTING STUDENTS, RESEARCH, AND REPUTATION: ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
The Harvard Crimson
first reported
Gouvêa was suspended by the university pending the investigation, with synagogue leaders noting in an email the shooting was not "fueled by antisemitism."Two weeks after the shooting, the Department of State revoked his
temporary non-immigrant (J-1) visa
.
ICE Boston Enforcement and Removal Operations
(ERO) arrested Gouvêa Wednesday, and he agreed to voluntarily leave the U.S. rather than be deported, according to DHS.
TRUMP SUSPENDS FOREIGN STUDENT VISAS AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY AMID NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS
"It is a privilege to work and study in the United States, not a right," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in a statement. "There is no room in the United States for brazen, violent acts of antisemitism like this. They are an affront to our core principals as a country and an unacceptable threat against law-abiding American citizens."McLaughlin added DHS is "under zero obligation to admit foreigners who commit these inexplicably reprehensible acts or to let them stay here.""Secretary [Kristi] Noem has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and commit anti-American and antisemitic violence and terrorism should think again," she wrote. "You are not welcome here."Gouvêa was a visiting professor of law at Harvard, and his full-time position was as an associate professor at the
University of São Paulo Law School
and CEO of IDGlobal in Brazil.The university website noted he led research that shaped major Brazilian Supreme Court decisions, documented violence against Indigenous peoples and participated on the boards of several Brazilian companies, including the Fulbright Commission, Brazilian Students Organization, Generation and Sempre SanFran.
Harvard did not
immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. |
Suspected thieves caught on camera smashing Washington state storefront with truck in ATM heist attempt
Newly released video shows a group of suspects using a stolen truck to drag an ATM from a
Washington
state Walgreens before abandoning it as deputies arrived in what investigators describe as a coordinated burglary attempt.Video of the
attempted heist
, posted by the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, shows the stolen truck repeatedly ramming into the storefront, smashing through a security gate before two suspects jump out and attach a chain to the ATM inside. The suspects then try to drag the machine out, leaving behind extensive damage from the vehicle's repeated blows. The ATM is eventually pulled free and dragged across the parking lot as the truck speeds away.Deputies responded around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday after receiving reports of a burglary in progress.
MASSACHUSETTS POLICE ARREST SIX WOMEN IN ALLEGED MULTI-STATE BURGLARY GANG, 3 TAKEN INTO ICE CUSTODY
Witnesses told arriving officers the stolen truck with at least three suspects had already fled, dragging the ATM behind it as it sped off.While searching the surrounding neighborhood, a deputy spotted a second truck linked to the crime. According to officials, the suspects were attempting to retrieve the ATM after it detached from the chain during their escape. Once they noticed
law enforcement nearby
, they jumped back into the vehicle and sped away, leaving the ATM behind.
HOLIDAY CRIME FEARS GROW AS 'JUGGING' THIEVES TARGET SHOPPERS CARRYING CASH AND GIFTS: 'ONLY A MATTER OF TIME'
The second truck managed to get away but was later found abandoned in Tacoma. Investigators say the attempt was
clearly coordinated
, involving multiple vehicles and suspects working together.Authorities are asking the public for information that could help identify the individuals or trucks involved, noting that the break-in caused thousands of dollars in damage and that investigators want to prevent additional attempts.A spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital that after the video was posted, several citizens reported seeing the two trucks and suspects together earlier in the night. Many believed the behavior was suspicious but did not call it in at the time."This is a great example of why we encourage citizens to report all suspicious activity, so deputies can investigate before crimes happen," the spokesperson said. "If you see something, say something."Deputies are also investigating whether the group may be linked to
other recent ATM thefts
in the region. With the suspects still at large, officials warn they may attempt a similar crime in another jurisdiction. |
Anti-ICE protesters storm New Orleans council meeting, unleashing chaos amid immigration crackdown
A
New Orleans city council meeting
descended into chaos Thursday when anti-ICE protesters stormed council chambers, shouting down officials and clashing with police over the launch of a major federal immigration enforcement surge now underway across southeast Louisiana.The outburst came one day after the Department of Homeland Security announced Operation Catahoula Crunch, a two-month federal initiative deploying 250 Border Patrol agents to New Orleans and surrounding areas. The operation, referred to by protesters as "Swamp Sweep," has intensified backlash from immigrant rights groups and triggered growing unrest at city hall.
Protesters began gathering
outside City Hall around 9:30 a.m., holding signs, chanting through megaphones and denouncing the operation. When officers later allowed demonstrators into the council chambers, tensions escalated immediately.Several protesters marched toward the podium and attempted to speak, but council members cut them off, saying their comments were unrelated to the agenda item. The room erupted with shouts of "Shame!" and "Coward!" echoing through the chamber, until council members abruptly suspended the meeting and walked out, leaving protesters to take over the room.
DHS LAUNCHES NEW IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN OPERATION IN NEW ORLEANS
Roughly 30 to 40 protesters refused to comply with repeated police orders to leave. Officers began escorting people out, and, in one heated moment, an officer physically lifted a protester and carried him from the chamber as others screamed in outrage."Shame on you. He's a peaceful protester," one woman yelled. "You don't drag people out like that - it's criminal."Another protester confronted officers near the chamber doors, yelling, "Our people are under attack, and you drag him out? Who do you work for?"
DHS LAUNCHING MASSIVE IMMIGRATION OPERATION IN LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI: 'SWAMP SWEEP'
Outside barricades, activists flipped off officers and shouted obscenities while police held their positions behind a metal gate. As of Thursday afternoon, no arrests or detentions had been reported.Inside the chamber, protesters broke into a sustained chant, shouting, "No ICE! No KKK! No racist USA!"The Department of Homeland Security says Operation Catahoula Crunch is aimed at removing "criminal illegal aliens roaming free thanks to sanctuary policies" that prevent local authorities from honoring ICE arrest detainers.
WATCH: Anti-ICE protesters dragged out of New Orleans City Hall
In a sharply worded statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said sanctuary policies "endanger American communities by releasing illegal criminal aliens and forcing DHS law enforcement to risk their lives to
remove criminal illegal aliens
that should have never been put back on the streets."She added that it was "asinine that these monsters were released back onto New Orleans streets to COMMIT MORE CRIMES and create more victims."McLaughlin also emphasized that Operation Catahoula Crunch is focused on offenders she described as "violent criminals who were released after arrest for home invasion, armed robbery, grand theft auto and rape," adding, "under President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are restoring law and order for the American people."
AS ICE READIES 'SWAMP SWEEP,' MISSISSIPPI PLEDGES TO AID - NOT BLOCK - FEDERAL CRACKDOWN
Thursday's confrontation came after a demonstration Monday outside City Hall, where dozens gathered to oppose the impending sweep.
According to local outlet WWNO,
Monday's event featured emotional speeches accusing DHS of retraumatizing immigrant communities.One demonstrator told the crowd "We were hurting, we were abandoned and, instead of help, we got soldiers with rifles," adding the community needs "housing, health care, real jobs, not soldiers."Another protester grew emotional while shouting about
a deceased family member,
saying, "You can't crush the flame of someone who's already gone."Organizers on Monday accused federal authorities and local police of "targeting vulnerable communities" and vowed to continue demonstrating "for as long as Operation Swamp Sweep remains in effect." WWNO reported that Monday's event was organized by the New Orleans Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression with support from Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Indivisible NOLA, Union Migrante and others.DHS has given no end date beyond confirming the operation is expected to run for roughly two months. |
Bodycam footage shows Luigi Mangione cracking joke as swarm of cops closes in on him at McDonald's
The accused assassin charged in the ambush shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson claimed he was homeless after showing police a fake driver's license when they found him five days after the murder, according to testimony Thursday on the third day of a suppression hearing. Luigi Mangione's defense team hopes to have
key evidence tossed
before trial.Although police testified Mangione appeared nervous at first, after more than a dozen officers arrived, the suspect quipped, "Are you guys calling a couple more cars?" according to bodycam footage played in court. It has not yet been made public.Police had been called by a McDonald's manager who reported a suspicious person resembling the man identified as a person of interest in Thompson's murder by the NYPD.
Mangione claimed
he was homeless and had not been in New York recently, Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye told the court.
MANGIONE DEFENSE TEAM ACCUSES POLICE OF FABRICATING MOTHER'S QUOTE IMPLICATING HIM IN CEO MURDER CASE
Frye and
Officer Joseph Detwiler
were the first to arrive at the fast-food joint. Prosecutors have played bodycam and surveillance videos showing multiple angles of the encounter throughout the week.When they approached Mangione, Detwiler asked him to
pull his mask down
. The officer testified Tuesday that as soon as Mangione did so, he recognized him from Fox News coverage of the assassination case. Mangione allegedly gave them a forged New Jersey driver's license with the name "Mark Rosario." Police later found his real license in his own name and issued in his home state of Maryland.
LUIGI MANGIONE PROSECUTORS FIRE BACK ON 'EAVESDROPPING' CLAIM
"Visiting family down here?" Detwiler asked on bodycam video."No," Mangione said. "I'm homeless." "Been to New York recently?" Detwiler followed up.
TRUMP ADMIN USES LUIGI MANGIONE CASE TO 'SEND A MESSAGE' IN FIRST 100 DAYS: FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR
Mangione said no and shook his head.Like Detwiler earlier this week, Frye testified that he recognized Mangione as the person depicted in wanted posters as a person of interest in the New York City assassination."I recognized the person in the media, specifically Fox News," he said.
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OFFICIALLY FILE INTENT TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY AGAINST LUIGI MANGIONE
With Frye on the stand, lawyers on both sides replayed bodycam video of the arrest.In one snippet, after more police had arrived and an officer asked Mangione if he walked to or drove to the McDonald's, the suspected assassin quipped, "Are you guys calling a couple more cars?"
FEDERAL PROSECUTORS OFFICIALLY FILE INTENT TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY AGAINST LUIGI MANGIONE
Mangione is accused of following Thompson to Manhattan and hiding out on a midtown street before shooting him in the back outside a Hilton hotel that was supposed to host UnitedHealthcare investors for a conference Dec. 4, 2024. He allegedly used the "Mark Rosario" ID to check into a Manhattan hostel before the murder.Exactly a year later, Mangione was in court, laughing with his attorneys before the hearing kicked off. Except for a break Wednesday,
his legal team has been attempting
to show that his Fourth Amendment and Fifth Amendment rights were violated by police and jail guards in Pennsylvania.Prosecutors denied those claims, and legal experts tell Fox News Digital that while Mangione's lawyers have raised valid issues, they face an uphill battle convincing the court to suppress the evidence.That evidence includes the suspected murder weapon, recovered from Mangione's backpack, as well as journals he kept, in which he allegedly railed against the
health insurance industry
and outlined some of the reasoning behind the alleged plot to kill Thompson. |
Marine killed during tactical vehicle training exercise at California military base
Military officials revealed that a U.S. Marine died during a vehicle training accident Wednesday at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County,
California
.In a statement to Fox News Digital, officials said the Marine was killed in a "tactical vehicle mishap" around 1:45 p.m. local time with the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF), the largest
Marine
Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in the Corps. The Marine's identity has not yet been released, and the incident remains under investigation, officials said.
State Sen. Catherine Blakespear
, who represents the Camp Pendleton area, called the accident "tremendously upsetting" and noted that Marines sacrifice greatly to keep the nation safe.
PATROL CAR HIT BY SHRAPNEL DURING MARINE CORPS LIVE-FIRE DEMO AT CELEBRATION ATTENDED BY JD VANCE
"I am incredibly saddened to learn of the tragic training accident at Camp Pendleton that claimed the life of a Marine from the
1st Marine Expeditionary Force
," Blakespear said in a Facebook post Wednesday. "My heart and deepest sympathies go out to the Marine's family, loved ones, and other service members who are grieving this loss."Our Marines put themselves in harm's way every day even on home soil during routine training so that our nation remains safe. Representing Camp Pendleton and these service members is a true honor and hearing of this is tremendously upsetting."
'FIRST TO FIGHT': MARINE VP JD VANCE MARKS CORPS' 250TH AS HEGSETH SAYS UNITY, NOT 'DIVERSITY,' IS STRENGTH
"I will be closely monitoring the investigation into this accident. In this difficult moment, I extend my condolences to all who are mourning within the Camp Pendleton community."The Associated Press
reported
that the death was not related to Steel Knight, an annual
training exercise
that began Monday on the base, citing officials. The incident is the latest training-related death at Camp Pendleton.In August 2023, Lance Cpl. Joseph D. Whaley, a Tennessee native,
was killed
during a nighttime live-fire training event at the base, the Marine Corps said. Months later, in December, officials also announced that Sgt. Matthew K. Bylski, a Michigan native,
died when
a tactical vehicle rolled over during training at Camp Pendleton.
Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo and Pilar Arias, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
Florida sheriff calls massive drug operation '"Breaking Bad" on steroids' after record-breaking bust
Florida authorities
seized roughly 92,000 pounds of illegal substances and a trove of military-grade weapons from a career criminal accused of running an operation officials described as "'Breaking Bad' on steroids" in reference to the former hit TV crime drama series about a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin.Maxwell Horvath, 26, was charged with 36 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, two counts of possession of a short-barreled machine gun and possession of a short-barreled rifle with more charges to come for explosive devices, according to Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.The investigation dated back to September, when Ivey said agents purchased illegal substances derived from kratom, a tropical evergreen, which contained a concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine, aka 7-OH.During the sale, Horvath gave agents a tour of his business, Overseas Organics, which allegedly produces a substance that is 13 times more potent than morphine.
CBP FINDS ENORMOUS METH HAUL STASHED IN MEXICAN LETTUCE IN TRUCK AT TEXAS CROSSING
"He's proud of his business," Ivey said in a video posted to Facebook. "This thing looked like 'Breaking Bad' on steroids. ... He had it lined up with all sorts of different chambers and rooms and sterile environments. ... They were taking [the substance], extracting it, putting it in compressing machines."Horvath knows it's illegal but thinks he's circumventing the system," Ivey added. "He thinks that because you go there and make a purchase, or you make a purchase online, and he ships it out of the state of Florida, he is not violating the law. Well, trick or treat, he is."When authorities raided Horvath's facility, they seized about 92,000 pounds of illegal substances, with a street value of about $4.7 million, according to officials.They also discovered five IEDs, 12 rifles, 17 pistols, three shotguns, two
fully automatic submachine guns
, a short-barreled rifle and revolver, three suppressors, thousands of rounds of ammunition, grenade simulators and fifty pounds of precursor chemicals to make explosives.
CBP AGENTS SEIZE $1.3M WORTH OF METH AND HEROIN IN BORDER DRUG BUST AMID TRUMP'S WAR ON NARCOTERRORISM
"We're not just talking about drugs," said City of Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello. "We're talking about explosive devices, things that the
military are utilizing
and other countries are utilizing all over the world, to take out populations of people."Ivey said the bust was the
largest seizure of its kind
in the country. "This is what danger looks like right here," he said. "Everything that you see ... is a
red flag for disaster
. ... The guy was making his own suppressors, fully automatic weapons, explosive devices. This guy was either looking to engage in war or looking to arm and furnish to those that are. [He] even had a 50 cal on a tripod ready to do serious damage. ... Those indictments will make sure that he spends the rest of his life right where he deserves, and that's in prison."Horvath, who was first arrested by federal authorities at the age of 17, previously served two years in prison and two years of federal probation for possession of an explosive device and MDMA trafficking."[At] 26 years old, [he is] already pretty much a career offender," Augello said. "He has no regard for the sanctity of life."
Fox News' Heather Lacy contributed to this report.
|
NYU attack suspect allegedly assaulted woman days earlier, found burglarizing off-campus apartments: report
The man arrested for allegedly attacking a
New York University (NYU)
student is reportedly accused of committing yet another random assault in Manhattan and burglarizing off-campus housing. James Rizzo, 45, was arrested and charged with forcible touching, persistent sexual abuse and assault after he was seen throwing Amelia Lewis, 20, to the ground in an unprovoked assault on Monday morning, according to the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
Security camera footage
captured the moment Rizzo - a Level 2 sex offender - allegedly approached Lewis from behind and slapped her head and buttocks, pulled her hair and ran off, police said."When I turned around, I saw this old White guy and, like, right when I turned around, he, like, grabbed my f---- hair like this and, like, yanked me and threw me to the ground," Lewis said in a video posted to social media.
NYU STUDENT SLAPPED FROM BEHIND, THROWN TO GROUND IN RANDOM ATTACK CAUGHT ON VIDEO
The alleged attack reportedly occurred just days after Rizzo randomly assaulted another woman on the streets of New York City. Rizzo, who reportedly has 16 prior arrests, allegedly pushed a 68-year-old woman in Midtown Manhattan at around 8:45 p.m. on Thanksgiving, according to
the New York Post.
The victim, Jana Dianne Brazell, was reportedly visiting her sister-in-law in the city when the incident occurred.
MAN CHARGED WITH ATTACKING NYU STUDENT HAS 16 PRIOR ARRESTS
"I was about a step or two behind her, and out of nowhere this guy appears in my face and starts talking crazy talk, like, 'Our whole society is a f------ joke, right?'" Brazell told the Post. "He stepped back," she added. "I thought, 'Thank goodness he's moving away." The next thing I know, I'm flying in the air, and I hit this glass wall at the side of a building. I just slid down." According to Brazell, the entire encounter lasted "six seconds," in which Rizzo allegedly struck her from behind with his elbow, causing her to fall to the ground and requiring her to receive six stitches,
according to
ABC 7.
CHICAGO REPEAT OFFENDER ACCUSED OF PUNCHING WOMEN ARRESTED AGAIN AFTER YEARS OF VIOLENT CRIMES: REPORT
Rizzo was arrested Tuesday after he was found allegedly breaking into an NYU off-campus housing complex,
the outlet reported.
In addition to the alleged assaults, Rizzo was caught burglarizing multiple apartments in the Washington Square Park area at around 1 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Post. The thefts included multiple electronic devices, a suitcase, a backpack and other items totaling $3,150 in value, the outlet reported. Authorities tracked one of the laptops and discovered it was still in the building, which led investigators to Rizzo, who was "alone in a vacant penthouse surrounded by the items that were stolen," according to Assistant District Attorney Kailey Wilk. The NYPD and NYU did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. During his arraignment, Rizzo's defense attorney reportedly requested that he be granted supervised release, citing his persistent housing instability and
mental illness
. Rizzo, who was released from prison in September, had also not checked in with his parole officer since Oct. 23, the Post reported."We could not find Mr. Rizzo until he was arrested yesterday," the parole officer reportedly said. Rizzo was reportedly ordered held without bail, and a New York City judge also requested he receive a psychological evaluation while in custody.
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
|
NYC teen arrested, charged with setting homeless subway rider on fire, police say
An 18-year-old man has been arrested and charged with setting a homeless
New York City
subway rider on fire as he was sleeping, police said Thursday. Hiram Carrero, a Manhattan resident, was charged with
attempted murder
, three counts of assault, criminal mischief, arson and reckless endangerment, the New York Police Department said. The NYPD made an arrest after it released surveillance video this week of a suspect in the Monday attack.
BLUE CITY SUSPECT WITH NUMEROUS PRIOR ARRESTS FEDERALLY CHARGED AFTER ALLEGEDLY SETTING WOMAN ABLAZE ON TRAIN
Investigators said the suspect boarded the No. 3 train at Penn Station just after 3 a.m. when he saw the 56-year-old man sleeping. He lit the homeless man on fire and then left the train, police said. The victim was badly burned but is expected to survive.
CRITICS WARN OF 'DANIEL PENNY EFFECT' AFTER WOMAN BURNED ALIVE ON NYC SUBWAY CAR AS BYSTANDERS WATCHED
However, he was so badly scorched that authorities found skin on one of the seats on the train, law enforcement sources told the
New York Post
. The footage released by the NYPD shows a man wearing a gray jacket and black hat opening a door to the subway platform. In December 2024, a woman was killed after she was set on fire in an unprovoked attack on a NYC subway train in Brooklyn. Sebastian Zapeta, 33, a
previously deported immigrant from Guatemala
, was arrested hours after the horrific incident. |
Ghislaine Maxwell plans to ask judge to free her from prison, and she'll represent herself, lawyer says
Jeffrey Epstein's former lover and convicted accomplice
Ghislaine Maxwell
plans to ask a judge to release her from the minimum-security prison camp where she's being held in Texas, according to a letter from her high-powered attorney - and she plans to represent herself in the matter.Maxwell, who was transferred from Florida to
Federal Prison Camp Bryan
earlier this year after agreeing to be interviewed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, will file a habeas corpus petition soon, her lawyer David Oscar Markus wrote to a federal judge."Understanding that President Trump has signed the Epstein Transparency Act into law, Ms. Maxwell does not take a position regarding the government's request to unseal the grand jury transcripts and modify the protective order," Markus wrote to Judge Paul Engelmayer Wednesday.
VIRGINIA GIUFFRE'S MEMOIR REVEALS HOW EPSTEIN, MAXWELL 'BROKE DOWN' GIRLS STEP BY STEP IN PSYCHOLOGICAL WAR
"At the same time, Ms. Maxwell respectfully notes that shortly she will be filing a
habeas petition
pro se," he continued. "Releasing the grand jury materials from her case, which contain untested and unproven allegations, would create undue prejudice so severe that it would foreclose the possibility of a fair retrial should Ms. Maxwell's habeas petition succeed."He did not elaborate on her reasoning for the petition.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL GETS 'HOTEL' GUEST TREATMENT AT 'CLUB FED' PRISON, CONSULTANT SAYS
Habeas petitions have a high burden of proof and often come once other appeals have failed, experts tell Fox News Digital."It appears from the filing that Ms. Maxwell is attempting to shield herself from the materials that will be released pursuant to the president's order regarding the Epstein materials to protect her appellate rights, specifically her anticipated habeas corpus petition," said James Leonard Jr., a New Jersey-based criminal defense attorney."Habeas motions are typically the final step in the appeals process and they are seldom granted as the burden is extremely high on the defendant and it appears that Ms. Maxwell is taking that step without a lawyer, which makes her being successful even more difficult," he added.Sigrid McCawley, an attorney for Epstein victim Annie Farmer, wrote in a separate court filing that her client supported the government's move to unseal grand jury transcripts and other evidence in the case. |
Former Kansas art teacher accused of having sex with student in Jeep to stand trial
A former
Kansas high school
art teacher accused of having sex with a student, including multiple times in the back seat of her Jeep, will stand trial. Nicole Hernandez, 30, also known as Nikki Baird, appeared in court Tuesday, when a judge ruled she will be tried on four counts of unlawful sexual relations with a student, KAKE.com reported. Baird allegedly groomed the then-17-year-old student in middle school before both moved on to Wichita North High School, according to an affidavit
seen by the Wichita Eagle
.
KENTUCKY TEACHER ACCUSED OF EXPOSING HERSELF TO STUDENT DURING SHOWER VIDEO CHAT TO ARRANGE SEX
"He described how she befriended him, then isolated him from others," the affidavit reportedly states. The relationship between the pair turned sexual in 2024, it said. Baird was arrested in May following an investigation after a Wichita police detective was made aware of an Instagram post indicating that Baird had an inappropriate relationship with a former Wichita school district student.The student, now an adult, told investigators that Baird was his
middle school
art teacher before she was hired as North High's art teacher. The affidavit said she groomed him throughout his sophomore, junior and senior years of high school.The former student said the physical relationship "started as Baird touching or rubbing his back or shoulders" before she began asking him for hugs, authorities said. "He was nervous and eventually said yes," the affidavit states.The pair eventually began exchanging text messages in which Baird talked about her "struggling marriage," the affidavit said. She then began writing him notes. "One letter said, 'I hope and pray one day I get the chance to be with you' and 'I know that I love you,'" the affidavit read.
NEBRASKA TEACHER ALLEGEDLY OFFERED TO 'SHARE' BOYFRIEND WITH STUDENT IN SEX TRAFFICKING CASE
She allegedly invited him into her office three times during his last week of school, while ordering him to touch her, the affidavit states.On his graduation night, Baird allegedly asked the student if he wanted to meet in a random neighborhood and have sex in her Jeep, according to documents."The student said he was nervous and felt pressured," the affidavit reads. "She (Baird) said things similar to 'It's okay' and said they won't get in trouble because he graduated."Afterward, while North High classes were still in session but seniors were no longer in class, Baird met up with the student multiple times to
have sex
in the back seat of her Jeep, according to the affidavit.After the teen graduated, Baird allegedly texted him nude photos of herself. The teen saved some of the images, "knowing he could use them as evidence of what she did," the affidavit states.He eventually stopped communicating with Baird after he "understood the relationship he had with Baird was inappropriate and he had been manipulated by Baird," according to the affidavit.The student eventually told his family about Baird, and they submitted the nude images and handwritten notes to investigators. |
Loyola New Orleans TPUSA chapter denied again after 'absolutely appalling' student government meeting: student
The student government at Loyola University denied a chapter of Turning Point USA from becoming a registered student organization (RSO) for the second time Wednesday night.The decision was handed down after
Turning Point students
won an appeal by the school's court of review, and the case was sent back to the student government, which first denied the chapter in October. The student government has not yet provided a reason for blocking the conservative group a second time. "[I]t is pure politics, again," Loyola New Orleans law student Ethan Estis told Fox News Digital Thursday morning. Estis advised the undergraduate Turning Point students during their appeal process.Estis questioned the student government association's (SGA) strict enforcement of some rules, which he said were not observed during the first Turning Point meeting.
LOUISIANA GOP THROWS WEIGHT BEHIND TURNING POINT USA CHAPTER REJECTED BY NEW ORLEANS UNIVERSITY: 'INJUSTICE'
"Before the meeting even started, the room was apparently at 'capacity,' and the SGA VP said 'people need to leave' so that they [SGA] could 'not face a fire marshal violation' otherwise 'campus police will be removing people,'" Estis said, adding that a crowd of about 80 to 90 people turned out for the meeting."Unlike the last
SGA meeting
, none of these procedures within the SGA, such as wanting to be within the fire marshal capacity threshold, entering executive session, etc., were followed last time," Estis said. "It was clear they aimed to follow and use the rules to their benefit, though I am skeptical how far they were allowed to interpret them."Some of these statements were absolutely appalling because these meetings are open to everyone, including members of the public, and their failure to consider the large number of folks who would attend lies on them, not the spectators."
LOYOLA NEW ORLEANS LAW STUDENTS TEAM UP WITH TURNING POINT MEMBERS TO APPEAL 'SUBJECTIVE' CHAPTER DENIAL
At least one SGA member wanted to hold the meeting without outside spectators despite the fact that SGA meetings are open to the public, according to Estis."At one point, before the meeting started, one senator asked if there could be a motion raised to begin the meeting 'only with undergraduate students in the room present' to which the VP responded, 'Unfortunately, our bylaws do not allow such power to be authorized,'" Estis continued.Estis described a few protesters with signs outside the campus building where the meeting was held, adding more showed up as the group of Turning Point students, numbering about 30, walked to the school's chapel to pray and debrief after the decision.He said one sign said "F--- TPUSA."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE CAMPUS RADICALS COAST TO COAST
He said protesters chanted things about Charlie Kirk, along with "no KKK USA."The school's SGA set off a firestorm after its first denial of the chapter on Oct. 15. The
Louisiana GOP
offered to support the students in any way possible during the battle. Chairman Derek Babcock said if they were denied again, the party would be standing by to "right the injustice."In mid-November, the Turning Point students filed an appeal with the school's court of review and won. The court cited deviations from standard SGA voting procedures, along with subjective and irrelevant objections to the Turning Point chapter, including fear for student safety and the "campus climate."However, the Loyola student handbook mandated that the court's decision be remanded to the SGA, the same body that denied the chapter in the first place.Estis said there is no further appeals process."Despite the denial, we're going to move forward externally," he said."In my ultimate opinion, no organization, no matter if it is TPUSA or [Students for a Democratic Society] ... should be grated [sic] or denied RSO status by members of the SGA, who are themselves an RSO," he said. "It is not right, and we aim to correct this wrong using any means that are both necessary and proper.""At its December 3 meeting, the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate voted to deny the charter application for a student chapter of Turning Point USA," a Loyola New Orleans spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "The denial came after a renewed review of the charter application following an appeal. The SGA President upheld the Senate's vote.""Under Loyola's governance structure, SGA is responsible for reviewing and voting on student organization applications. Loyola supports the integrity of the student governance process, including the ability to appeal, and remains committed to fostering a campus environment grounded in respectful dialogue, inclusion, and the Jesuit value of care for the whole person."The SGA did not return a request for comment. |
Texas A&M student Brianna Aguilera had deleted suicide note on phone, police say
Texas officials have confirmed that the mysterious death of A&M student
Brianna Aguilera has been ruled a suicide, with evidence of a deleted suicide note on her phone, despite her family's assertion that the college student's death was "not accidental." Aguilera's body was found at an Austin apartment mere hours after she attended a Texas A&M vs. University of Texas football tailgate at around 12:50 a.m. on Saturday, according to authorities. Officers initially responded to a 911 call regarding an unconscious individual, but when they arrived on scene they found Aguilera on the ground suffering injuries from an apparent fall from a high floor, police said. "It is not common for a police department to speak publicly about a death by suicide,"
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis
said during a news conference Thursday. "But inaccurate information has circulated and been reported. And that has led to additional harm of innocent people, bullying included, and their families." During Thursday's news conference, police revealed they had uncovered a deleted suicide note from earlier in the week on Aguilera's phone, along with suicidal texts sent the evening of her death to friends. The investigation also found that Aguilera had previously made comments to friends indicating she may be suicidal, police said.
TEACHER'S 23-STAB-WOUND DEATH RULED SUICIDE AGAIN DESPITE EXPERT CLAIMS OF HOMICIDE
Authorities quickly ruled out homicide as the cause of Aguilera's death, despite pushback and speculation from her family."This was not accidental. Someone killed my Brie and gave all the group of friends a lot of time to come up with the same story," Aguilera's mother, Stephanie Rodriguez, wrote on Facebook. "My daughter would not jump 17 stories from a building, and to be labeling this as a
suicide is insane
." However, APD insisted that at no point did the investigation uncover any instances of criminal activity.
POLICE SHOULD BE TAKING 'CLOSER LOOK' AT COLLEGE STUDENT'S DEATH AFTER MOTHER'S ALLEGATIONS: FORMER PROSECUTOR
"Our investigation has revealed that unfortunately, Brianna had made
suicidal comments
previously to friends back in October of this year," Austin Police Det. Robert Marshall said. "This continued through the evening of her death with some self-harming actions earlier in the evening and a text message to another friend indicating the thought of suicide." Earlier in the day on Friday, Aguilera was
celebrating at the university's tailgate
when she "became intoxicated to a point where she was asked to leave," Marshall added. Later in the evening, Aguilera told her friends she had lost her cellphone and asked to borrow someone's phone to call her boyfriend. Witnesses reportedly heard the pair arguing, with the call ending at 12:44 a.m. - just two minutes before the 911 call was placed.
DEAD TEXAS COLLEGE STUDENT'S PHONE WAS 'THROWN IN THE WOODS,' GRIEVING MOTHER SAYS
Following her death, authorities subsequently performed a search of her phone, where they found a "deleted digital suicide note dated Tuesday, Nov. 25 of this year, which was written to specific people in her life," Marshall said. Marshall added that, "Every friend and witness during this investigation has been nothing but forthcoming and open," while stressing that the investigation never yielded evidence suggesting a crime occurred."Brianna Aguilera had her whole life in front of her," the family's attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a statement. "The circumstances surrounding her death are very suspicious. The Austin Police Department's handling of this matter has created more questions than they have answers. As far as we are concerned, this is an open investigation and will continue to be open until these parents are satisfied they know what happened to their daughter."Aguilera's family previously asserted that the
college student
"loved life" and "was excited to graduate and pursue her career in Law," according to Rodriguez's Facebook post. However, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis defended the investigation's findings at Thursday's news conference, adding, "Sometimes, the truth doesn't provide the answers we are hoping for."
Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
|
Omaha bystander flees gas station bathroom moments before armed man fires on officers
A bystander in
Omaha, Nebraska
, managed to flee a gas station bathroom safely just moments before an armed suspect opened fire on multiple police officers, authorities said.The Omaha Police Department said the incident happened at a QuikTrip location on Wednesday after officers traced the suspect's vehicle there following an earlier shooting at a grocery store about 7 miles north of the gas station."The suspect exited his car and went into the QT, and then entered the men's bathroom.
Officers entered the QT
once other detectives arrived to assist. Officers attempted to call the suspect out of the bathroom and an initial exchange of gunfire occurred," police said."One officer was struck at this time. Officers retreated outside the main bathroom door and tactically positioned themselves, again calling the suspect out," police added. "The suspect exited the bathroom and opened fire, injuring another officer. Officers returned fire, killing the suspect."
MAN FATALLY SHOT, WOMAN AND CHILDREN IN CRITICAL CONDITION AFTER ARIZONA SHOOTOUT
The Omaha Police Department described how there "was one civilian inside the bathroom at the time of the first volley of fire." Police said he "was safely called out before the second encounter with the suspect."A third officer involved in the incident was wounded by shrapnel, authorities said."Thank God the injuries facing these Omaha Police Officers are non-life threatening. The Nebraska State Patrol is assisting in the investigation," Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement."The men and women of law enforcement put their safety on the line each and every day," he added. "We must support them and keep them in our prayers."
KANSAS POLICE OFFICER DIES AFTER BEING SHOT WHILE RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALL
Police said officers initially responded to the grocery store early Wednesday afternoon to "investigate a shooting with a man struck multiple times by gunfire.""Omaha Fire Department medics took the man from this scene to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition. Officers learned a Hispanic male was the suspect, and discovered the suspect vehicle description," the Omaha Police Department said.As of Wednesday night, one of the officers wounded in the gas station shooting was released from a local hospital."The involved officers have been placed on paid critical incident leave, per department policy," police also said.The identity of the suspect has not been publicly released.The Omaha Police Department did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. |
Missing coach Travis Turner left without essentials as family urges him to face child porn charges: Attorney
The family of
missing Virginia high school football coach
Travis Turner is urging him to return home and face child pornography charges, according to a statement released by their attorney."The family of Travis Turner continues to cooperate with law enforcement efforts to locate Travis. Their homes and properties have been searched multiple times, with their consent," the family's attorney, Adrian Collins, said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.Turner, 46, was last seen walking into the woods near his Appalachia home carrying a gun, something he had done "multiple times throughout the years," according to the statement. Concern quickly mounted for his wife, Leslie Caudill Turner, when she discovered that her husband, whose high school football team was in the midst of an undefeated season, had vanished without his car, keys, wallet, glasses or contacts, cash, or the prescription medications he relies on."It is not like Travis to disappear or stay away from home," the statement said.When he did not return home, his wife contacted authorities and filed a missing person report with the Virginia State Police (VSP).
US MARSHALS OFFER REWARD FOR FUGITIVE VIRGINIA FOOTBALL COACH, WARN HE 'MAY BE ARMED' AS FEDS JOIN MANHUNT
Collins noted that
criminal charges were not obtained
"until days after he failed to return home.""
He was not a fugitive nor wanted by law enforcement
at the time he went missing. His wife was not helping him escape, she was asking for help to find him," he said.Last week, authorities obtained 10 warrants to charge Turner with five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor.
FUGITIVE FOOTBALL COACH DISAPPEARED INTO WOODS WITH GUN, FAMILY SAYS
amily also issued a direct plea for the missing coach."If Travis has the ability and is able to respond to his family's wishes; your wife and children are in distress," the attorney said. "Leslie pleads for you to come home and face the allegations by defending yourself in a court of law. Don't leave your family to fight this battle without you. They love and miss you. They want you to know they are your support."The U.S. Marshals Service announced it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for any information leading to his arrest. Last week, Turner's staff profile page was removed from Union High School's website shortly after the investigation was announced, ABC 7
reported
.In a previous statement, a spokesperson for Wise County Public Schools confirmed that a
staff member employed by the district
had been placed on administrative leave pending review of an external allegation. Days later, the district released an updated statement to acknowledge that charges have since been filed against the staff member in question, but failed to identify Turner by name. "The individual remains on leave and is not permitted on school property or to have contact with students," Superintendent Mike Goforth said. "The division will continue to cooperate with law enforcement as this process moves forward. Because this is an active legal matter involving personnel, the division cannot comment further."The USMS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Turner was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt
and sweatpants, according to Virginia's missing person database. Tips can be reported to 911, Virginia State Police or the USMS tip line at 1-877-WANTED2 or online usmarshals.gov/tips. |
Ex-Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, convicted of George Floyd murder, files for new trial
Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis police officer convicted of second-degree murder in the killing of
George Floyd
, has filed an appeal requesting a new trial.Chauvin submitted the filing last month in
Hennepin County District Court
.In the filing, Chauvin claims his conviction should be vacated, saying flawed medical testimony, misrepresented police training and faulty jury instructions warrant a new trial or evidentiary hearing.Chauvin disputes the conclusions of four physicians who reviewed a medical examiner's report on Floyd's death, insisting they relied on video evidence of Minneapolis police officers restraining Floyd.
TRUMP FILES 'POWERHOUSE' APPEAL IN 'POLITICALLY CHARGED' MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY CASE
"This led to many errors throughout, as improperly qualified experts opined on events in the various videos in this case," the filing reads. "This served to deprive Chauvin of his right to due process."The filing states that Chauvin retained physicians at the Forensic Panel who will testify that the physicians who testified at his trial used methodology that "is not generally accepted in the scientific community."Chauvin also disputed testimony from three
Minneapolis police supervisors
, who swore the tactic of placing a knee on a suspect's neck as a restraint was inconsistent with city police policy.The filing states that 34 current and former Minneapolis police officers have made sworn statements saying the
knee tactic
was part of their training and consistent with the department's policy.
LOUISIANA DEATH ROW INMATE FREED AFTER NEARLY 30 YEARS AS OVERTURNED CONVICTION UPENDS CASE
Chauvin further argued that the court's actions violated his right to due process.Floyd, 46, died in May 2020 after Chauvin pinned him to the ground with a knee on his neck as Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe.Chauvin is housed at the Federal Correctional Institution in
Big Spring, Texas
, a low-security prison. He is simultaneously serving a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights and a 22 1/2-year state sentence for second-degree murder.He is set to be released in 2038.Chauvin was previously denied an appeal for a new trial in 2023.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
|
Fox News 'Antisemitism Exposed' Newsletter: No red carpet for terrorists
Fox News' "Antisemitism Exposed" newsletter brings you stories on the rising anti-Jewish prejudice across the U.S. and the world.
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER:
- House votes to bar anyone tied to Hamas' Oct 7 attack from entering US
- Major university must reinstate law student expelled after anti-Jewish comments
- Big 10 school to pay $75M in federal civil-rights deal after antisemitism probes
TOP STORY:
The House unanimously passed a bill
barring anyone tied to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack
from entering or receiving immigration benefits in the U.S. The bipartisan measure, led by Rep. Tom McClintock, aligns such individuals with Nazi collaborators under immigration law. It now heads to the Senate, where similar legislation awaits consideration.
VIDEO:
Israeli protesters called for the return of the bodies of the last two Hamas hostages from the Oct. 7 massacre, Ran Gvili and Sudthisak Rinthalak Their remains are believed to still be held in Gaza.
WATCH HERE
:
BACK TO SCHOOL:
A federal judge ordered the University of Florida to
reinstate law student Preston Damsky
, expelled for posts calling for Jews to "be abolished" and other provocative race-related comments. The judge ruled UF failed to show his speech was a true threat and likely violated his First Amendment rights. Damsky returns pending further litigation.
CIVIL RIGHTS SQUEEZE:
The Trump administration reached a
$75 million civil-rights agreement
with a major university requiring antisemitism training, protections against race-based admissions, and clearer protest policies. Federal agencies will end related investigations, restoring eligibility for major research funding. The school denies wrongdoing, saying the payment isn't an admission of guilt. Officials called the deal a major win for campus civil-rights enforcement.
CITY HALL HATE:
NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani
appointed activist Tamika Mallory
-who resigned from the Women's March over antisemitism allegations and supports defunding and abolishing police-to his transition team's public-safety committee. Critics cite her praise of Louis Farrakhan and controversial views. Mamdani calls her part of a skilled advisory group; opponents say the appointment mainstreams antisemitism.
GUEST EDITORIAL:
Veteran Israeli diplomat Shahar Azani, the former spokesperson of Israel's consulate in New York, writes about
an explosive new film
that probes a UN agency's alleged terror ties and claims it fueled the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"There are still some things we can come together on in this body, and one of them is opposition to Hamas and the terrorism they unleashed on civilians in Israel more than two years ago." - Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., after passage of a bill barring anyone with Oct. 7 ties from entering the U.S.
- Looking for more on this topic?
Find more
antisemitism coverage
from Fox News
here
.-
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from Fox News
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. |
Brian Walshe murder trial: Slain wife Ana's lover takes the stand
Ana Walshe's paramour William Fastow took the witness stand Thursday in the
murder trial
of her husband, Brian Walshe, testifying that the two began an "intimate" relationship before she vanished without a trace on Jan. 1, 2023.Fastow, a realtor, helped her find housing in
Washington, D.C.
, where she was commuting to work from her family home in Boston.Fastow, like Ana, had children, although he was separated from his own wife, he testified.
BRIAN WALSHE PLEADS GUILTY TO MISLEADING POLICE BUT CONTINUES TO DENY MURDERING WIFE ANA
They became close, bonding over common interests, including in fitness and over the struggles they had in common as parents. Then they began their affair, he said.Although he never stayed at her
Washington townhouse
overnight, she stayed at his, he said. He said he did not keep the affair a secret generally, but that Ana had told him that if her husband ever found out, she wanted him to find out from her.Still, the two went on a trip to Dublin, Ireland, for Thanksgiving in the months before her murder. After Dublin, Ana flew to Serbia to visit her mother, while he returned to Washington. They also spent Christmas Eve together in Washington, he said, allegedly infuriating her husband when her flight was delayed. She drove from Washington to Cohasset.She had also set up rooms for her three children in her townhouse, he said, anticipating that they would be moving in there.
BRIAN WALSHE JURORS SHOWN BLOODY TOOLS AND CHOPPED UP RUG PROSECUTORS ALLEGE ARE LINKED TO WIFE ANA'S MURDER
"Ana was extremely disappointed that she wasn't in a position to be the mother she believed the children deserved," Fastow testified.He testified that Ana told him that her children lived with their father in
Cohasset, a suburb of Boston
, because Walshe's home confinement for a federal art fraud conviction was contingent on him being their primary caretaker.Prosecutors have alleged two potential motives in the slaying. The first is anger over the affair. The second is because he allegedly believed he would have a better chance of
avoiding federal prison
if his wife were out of the picture, and he was the only caretaker for their three children.Walshe's defense has denied that he had any knowledge of the affair, although he mentioned Fastow more than once during interviews with detectives before his arrest and allegedly looked him up on the internet before Ana's disappearance.During cross-examination, Walshe's defense attorney repeatedly referred to Ana as "Mrs. Walshe" to underscore how Fastow was carrying on an affair with a married mother of three. Her remains have not been found, but prosecutors showed the jury Wednesday
a saw and hatchet
recovered from a dumpster near Walshe's mother's house that the defendant allegedly used to dismember his wife. The same dumpster also had her COVID-19 vaccination card, clothes, bloody towels and a cut-up rug suspiciously similar to one taken from the family home.Janet Cotter, a woman who ran into Ana at a nail salon on Dec. 31, 2022, testified that Ana was friendly and warm and was excited to attend a New Year's Day dinner with her husband in the north shore town of Marblehead. Once she realized Ana was missing, she said, she called Cohasset police and alerted them to their conversation. The general manager of the Clairmount apartment complex, where Walshe's mother lived and where prosecutors say police found bags of tools and Ana's clothing, took the stand and confirmed she provided police with surveillance footage from the property. She testified the property has four outside cameras, three of which focus on the back of the building where two gated areas contain the building's dumpsters.Prosecutors played some of the video, which had several time skips but showed a man alleged to be Walshe getting out of a Volvo like the one he drove and throwing heavy bags into the dumpster. |
Haitian gang leader learns sentence for orchestrating kidnapping of 16 American missionaries
A man described by federal prosecutors as a
Haitian gang leader
was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for his role in orchestrating the 2021 hostage-taking of 16 American citizens, including five children.Joly Germine, 34, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was also ordered by the court to pay a fine of $1,700.The
Justice Department said
the victims were part of the Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries and were on their way back from working at an orphanage when they were taken hostage in Oct. 2021."The missionary group included 12 adults and five young children, including a 6-year-old, 3-year-old, and an 8-month-old. Sixteen of the victims were U.S. citizens from Christian Aid Ministries," said D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro. "This sentencing makes clear that Germine's scheme to win freedom for himself by using Christians as pawns backfired."
US MARINES EXCHANGED GUNFIRE WITH SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS IN HAITI, OFFICIAL SAYS
Prosecutors
said in a court filing
that Germine led the violent Haitian gang "400 Mawozo" while in prison, directing the group's operations using unmonitored cell phones - allegations he and his attorneys denied.Germine allegedly was in constant touch with other 400 Mawozo leaders, most of whom were his relatives, and wanted to secure his release from prison in exchange for the
hostages
. Most of them were held at gunpoint for 62 days until they escaped. The Haitian government transferred Germine from a Haitian jail into U.S. custody in May 2022 after an arrest warrant was issued."This case shows that the Justice Department will be relentless in our efforts to track down anyone who kidnaps a U.S. citizen abroad," said then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland at the time. "We will utilize the full reach of our law enforcement authorities to hold accountable anyone responsible for undermining the safety of Americans anywhere in the world."
BLACKWATER FOUNDER ERIK PRINCE TEAMS WITH HAITIAN GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT GANG VIOLENCE
Germine was sentenced last year to 35 years in federal prison for his role in a gun trafficking conspiracy that involved smuggling firearms to Haiti and for laundering
ransom money collected by the gang
.Ray Noecker, whose wife Cheryl and five children were held hostage, said during sentencing that the ordeal was a "life-changing experience" for his family.
He told Germine
he hopes he finds "God's peace.""True freedom is not found outside of prison walls. True freedom is found inside your own heart," Noecker said. |
Illinois church Nativity shows baby Jesus zip-tied by ICE agents
An Illinois church is facing criticism for displaying a Nativity scene that depicts baby Jesus with his hands zip-tied and guarded by figures styled as
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents
.Lake Street Church of Evanston is displaying the scene outside on its grounds. Baby Jesus is wrapped in a thin blanket resembling aluminum foil, which the church said is a reference to the emergency blankets used in detention facilities. Masked centurions, officers in the ancient Roman army, are depicted in sunglasses and green vests labeled "ICE."It also shows Mother Mary wearing a respirator mask "to protect herself from tear gas," according to the church. Joseph is also masked. In a
Facebook post
last week, the church said the installation reimagines the Nativity as a scene of forced family separation, drawing parallels between the Holy Family's refugee flight and modern immigration detention practices.
EXCLUSIVE: CATHOLIC BISHOPS CHIDED FOR SOWING 'CONFUSION' ON DEPORTATIONS STANCE
"This installation reimagines the nativity as a scene of forced family separation, drawing direct parallels between the Holy Family's refugee experience and contemporary immigration detention practices," the post reads."'The Holy Family were refugees. This is not political interpretation, this is the reality described in the stories our tradition has told and retold for millenia,'" it continues. "'By witnessing this familiar story through the reality faced by migrants today, we hope to restore its radical edge, and to ask what it means to celebrate the birth of a refugee child while turning away those who follow in that child's footsteps.'"The church, which also hangs Black Lives Matter banners and social justice banners, said the zip ties on the baby's wrists directly reference children who were zip-tied by agents during a raid on a Chicago apartment building earlier this year. The church claims most residents were U.S. citizens in that incident. It called the display a stark reminder that "enforcement terror does not discriminate by documentation status."
CHICAGO MAYOR CREATES 'ICE-FREE ZONES' TO BLOCK FEDERAL AGENTS FROM CITY PROPERTY
In recent days, it appears Mary's gas mask has been removed, while the zip ties have been cut from the baby Jesus' hands.The Facebook post and display drew both
criticism and praise
from commenters."Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem because they had to return to Joseph's ancestral home to be counted in the census," one person wrote. "So Trump is just following that example and sending people HOME per a legal requirement. If they want to immigrate LEGALLY, they can fill out the paperwork before they leave and self
-
deport.""Blasphemy!!! Father forgive them, they know not what they do," another wrote. A different commenter argued the church had misinterpreted
the Bible
: "The Holy Family were refugees... do you guys read the Bible? Mary and Joseph travelled as required by Caesar's census requirement, NOT refugees."Others supported the display, with one user calling it "very powerful art.""Out of all the tragedy affecting my community, I'm glad powerful art is being used to address the issues that trolls make fun of," one person wrote. "Hoping more displays like this come out to trigger the masses in a positive way."Lake Street Church has staged politically themed Nativity scenes before. In 2023, it set up a display showing Baby Jesus alone amid rubble as an homage to civilians trapped in the war in Gaza, according to the
Chicago Tribune.
Rev. Michael Woolf, a senior minister at Lake Street Church of Evanston, was among 21 people arrested on Nov. 14 outside the ICE processing facility in Broadview, Illinois, per
Patch.
|
OU student's zero for Christian-based gender critique triggers congressional pushback over academic bias
FIRST ON FOX:
United States senators are speaking out after a student at the University of Oklahoma
said she was given a zero on an assignment
for her "Christian kind of worldview" questioning gender norms.Word of the failed assignment has now reached the halls of Congress, raising eyebrows from
top senators,
including former presidential candidate and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who represents the university in Congress."That's insane," Mullin told Fox News Digital. "Especially in Oklahoma. There should be zero tolerance for woke activists disguised as 'educators' who punish students for no reason and put their toxic political agendas ahead of our kids' education."Samantha Fulnecky, a junior at the university, got a zero out of 25 on her essay after turning in a
faith-based critique of gender identity
in response to an assigned scholarly article, "Relations Among Gender Typicality, Peer Relations, and Mental Health During Early Adolescence."
OKLAHOMA STUDENT SAYS STAFF 'THREAT' AFTER CHARLIE KIRK TRIBUTE WON'T SILENCE HIM
The scholastic piece analyzes a case study of middle schoolers who may have seen "gender‐based teasing," among other experiences associated with not conforming to gender norms."College professors should be focused on core subjects - not woke political indoctrination. The
First Amendment
, including religious freedom, should be at the core of higher education," Mullin added. "A student was given
a ZERO for citing the Bible
and stating reality: that there are only two genders."Part of the grading criteria included five points for the paper simply being "clearly written."
CONSERVATIVE PROFESSOR SLAMS 0 GRADE FOR OKLAHOMA STUDENT'S BIBLICAL ESSAY AS PUNITIVE: 'VERY INAPPROPRIATE'
"Gender roles and tendencies should not be considered 'stereotypes,'" Fulnecky's essay read. "Women naturally want to do womanly things because
God created us
with those womanly desires in our hearts. The same goes for men. God created men in the image of His courage and strength, and He created women in the image of His beauty. He intentionally created women differently than men, and we should live our lives with that in mind."The teacher's assistant who graded the assignment, Mel Curth, uses she/they pronouns.Scott, who is an outspoken Christian and widely known as a man of faith, called the TA's decision to give Fulnecky a zero "pathetic."
OKLAHOMA STUDENT GIVEN ZERO ON BIBLE-CITING ESSAY SAYS UNIVERSITY ONLY SUSPENDED TA AFTER DISPUTE WENT VIRAL
"I think it's pathetic that a young lady gets a zero on her work because the instructor has a different opinion," he told Fox News Digital. "Students should be able to express themselves on a college campus and be judged on how well they performed, not based on whether one likes what the student has to say.""The question is, 'Do we have
freedom of expression on college campuses
?' If not, they should not be getting federal funding and, frankly, it's not a school at all - it's an indoctrination camp," Scott added.Fox News Digital interviewed Fulnecky earlier this week, and she said the TA "left submission comments saying that my work was offensive, that I need more empathy in my writing, things like if I'm going to argue against the consensus of every medical field, in every
medical association in the United States
, then I need empirical evidence to back that."Fulnecky filed a
discrimination complaint
claiming she was graded for her Christian beliefs, prompting the university to place the graduate instructor on leave while investigating.The University of Oklahoma did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment, but did post to social media that the public college takes "concerns involving First Amendment rights, certainly including religious freedoms," seriously.Fox News Digital reached out to Curth but did not receive a response. |
Police should be taking 'closer look' at college student's death after mother's allegations: Former prosecutor
A former federal prosecutor said police in
Austin, Texas
, should be taking a closer look into the death of a Texas A&M University student who was found dead after a rivalry football game.Brianna Aguilera, 19, was found dead at 12:47 a.m. on Saturday at 21 Rio Apartments in Austin after the Texas A&M University vs. University of Texas football game. Police in Austin said her death isn't being investigated as a homicide and said no foul play was suspected, but her mother, Stephanie Rodriguez, believes someone killed her. While she said detectives told her that Aguilera fell from a 17th floor balcony, and her death was accidental or a suicide, she doesn't believe that."This was not accidental. Someone killed my Brie and gave all the group of friends a lot of time to come up with the same story," Rodriguez
wrote on Facebook
. "My daughter would not jump 17 stories from a building and to be labeling this as a suicide is insane."
FATHER PRESSES FOR ANSWERS IN COLLEGE FRESHMAN DAUGHTER'S DEATH AFTER FALL FROM DORM: 'SHE WAS OUR WORLD'
Rodriguez told
KSAT
that there was a fight between Aguilera and another girl before her daughter's death."There was a fight that happened between my daughter and another girl, and they were all staying in the same apartment that I have actual text messages of, and
the detective
just disregarded them," Rodriguez said.Rodriguez, who said her daughter was drinking that night, said she became suspicious after she saw her daughter's phone was on "Do Not Disturb," according to KGNS.
MISSING AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT SEEN IN NEW HOTEL SECURITY FOOTAGE BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE
"No one reached out to me, I was the one who had to place several calls to Austin PD because I couldn't locate her," Rodriguez said. "What was weird to me and skeptical was her phone was on Do Not Disturb. We always had this rule that if she was going to go out, she had to have her phone on 'location on' and answer her text to at least let me know she was OK. That stopped happening around 6 p.m."Rodriguez told "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday: "They found my daughter's
phone eventually in her friend's purse
that was thrown in the woods."Houston attorney Tony Buzbee announced Wednesday that the Buzbee Law Firm, along with the Gamez Law Firm, has been retained by Aguilera's parents. Buzbee recently faced scrutiny for withdrawing as an attorney in an ongoing lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs after it was revealed he is not admitted to practice in the federal jurisdiction where the case was filed."This is an unimaginable and very suspicious tragedy," Buzbee wrote in a social media announcement. "Brianna's parents firmly believe there is much more information that needs to be discovered regarding their daughter's death. They feel certain this was not an accident. This was certainly not a suicide. This family deserves straight answers. We hope we can help them get those answers."The law firm said it will hold a news conference Friday at 1 p.m. in Houston to discuss the case. Both parents are expected to attend. Attorneys are also asking anyone with information about Aguilera's whereabouts or activities on Nov. 28 to come forward.Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital that Austin police should be giving Aguilera's death a "closer look," saying that some elements don't add up."Police should be giving this case a closer look," Rahmani said. "Either Brianna fell accidentally, she committed suicide, or this was a homicide. Any of them are possibilities.""And the fact that there are reports that her phone was on Do Not Disturb, was in a friend's purse, and that purse was inside the woods, that's not typical or consistent with just an accident," he added.Rodriguez told
People
she thinks someone threw her over the balcony."I'm thinking either someone shoved her over the balcony, or when my daughter does drink, she has the tendency [to fall asleep], and she's so thin and frail, she cannot handle alcohol," Rodriguez said. "And I think that maybe either it might've been that, and they probably got scared and threw her over the balcony, or they shoved her off."The Austin Police Department, in a statement on Tuesday, said "there is no evidence to suggest or support any suspicious or criminal circumstances surrounding Ms. Aguilera's passing.""Every loss in our community is taken seriously, and every life is deserving of care, dignity, and a complete investigative process. Austin Police extends our heartfelt condolences to Brianna Aguilera's family, friends, and all who are grieving her loss," the Austin Police Department wrote.While a death investigation remains open, a staffer at the Travis County Medical Examiners office, where her body was sent, said that an
autopsy takes 90 days
or longer.Fox News Digital reached out to the Austin Police Department for comment. |
Luigi Mangione battles to block key evidence a year after CEO assassination - experts say it's a long shot
A year after a shadowy gunman ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel, the man accused of killing him is now fighting to block the key evidence police say ties him to the crime - but legal experts say his chances of prevailing look slim.Lawyers for the alleged assassin,
Luigi Mangione
, are asking a New York judge to suppress evidence taken from his backpack without a search warrant, including the suspected murder weapon and journals that allegedly shed light on his motives and plans, as well as statements he made before and after his arrest."These are not totally implausible arguments being made by the defense and to allow those arguments to be made there has to be a hearing," said Christopher Slobogin, a Vanderbilt University Law School scholar and director of its criminal justice program. "And the facts are complicated enough that the hearing apparently has to be more than one day in order to establish the relevant facts."Still, he told Fox News Digital that the 27-year-old Mangione's arguments are all "long shots."
FRIENDS, ACQUAINTANCES DEFEND MANGIONE FAMILY AS MEDIA DESCENDS ON ALLEGED CEO KILLER'S HOMETOWN
"The Supreme Court of the United States has made it very clear that if a person's been lawfully arrested, the police can do a warrantless search incident to that arrest of any objects on the individual's person except for their cellphone," he said.On Dec. 9, 2024, staff and customers at a McDonald's in
Altoona, Pennsylvania
, called 911 to report a suspicious man eating alone in the corner who bore a resemblance to the "person of interest" New York police were seeking in connection with Thompson's assassination.
Read Mangione's April 30
motion
:
Officers arrived and one of them said he
recognized Mangione from the wanted poster
as soon as he took his mask down. He allegedly provided a fake name and ID, which is what led to the initial charges in his arrest.
MOTHER OF SUSPECT IN UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO KILLING SPOKE WITH FBI THE NIGHT BEFORE HER SON'S ARREST: REPORT
Mangione has been in court
for most of the week for oral arguments on an April motion in which his lawyers argued that police improperly obtained statements in violation of his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and that the warrantless search violated his Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches."The arguments are probably long shots, but they're not without merit," said Josh Ritter, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor. "The problem is that factually, it's a fact-intensive inquiry being made by the judge, and the facts are just not in their favor."Judge Gregory Carro has not yet made a decision on whether the evidence will be allowed, but prosecutors have countered that police conducted themselves properly and did not violate Mangione's constitutional rights, as the defense argued.
UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO MURDER SUSPECT LUIGI MANGIONE INDICTED IN NEW YORK
Mangione allegedly handed officers a
phony New Jersey ID
with the name "Mark Rosario" on it - the same ID police allege he used to check into a hostel in Manhattan before the murder. He also gave the false name to police when they asked who he was, according to testimony from the arresting officers and bodycam video played in court.He was later Mirandized, frisked and arrested - and then police searched his bag. They did not have a warrant for the search, but authorities say the search was incidental to his arrest and therefore permissible."They have no leg to stand on with a fake name and fake ID," said Donna Rotunno, a Chicago criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor. "The police have an absolute right to ask you to identify yourself."
LUIGI MANGIONE'S LAWYERS CRY FOUL OVER PORTRAYAL OF HIM AS 'LEFT-WING' AND ANTIFA
Later, while awaiting extradition to New York in a Pennsylvania jail cell, he allegedly told a guard he had a 3D-printed gun and foreign cash in his bag when he was arrested.The guard, Matthew Henry, testified that he hadn't asked Mangione about it, did not respond and wasn't interested in talking to Mangione at the time."I also think the statement regarding the gun once he's in lock-up and already under arrest is going nowhere," Rotunno said. "It would be very bizarre for lock-up officers to be questioning anyone. Also, this is not a dumb guy... I don't think he would be responding with information after he asked for a lawyer. It sounds like it's much more plausible that he was proud of what he did and wanted to put it out there."Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two from Minnesota, was in New York City for an investor conference when a masked man shot him in the back outside a midtown Hilton hotel. The NYPD recovered shell casings at the scene with
words written on them
that are believed to be a reference to a book about how health insurance companies avoid paying claims.Mangione's defense has already succeeded in another aspect of the April motion - in which his lawyers asked the judge to toss terrorism charges that would have made
the maximum penalty life without parole
if convicted.His top charge in New York is now
second-degree murder
, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison - with parole on the table. |
Virginia twins arrested for allegedly plotting to destroy government databases
Two
Virginia twin brothers
were arrested for their alleged roles in deleting government databases hosted by a federal government contractor, the Justice Department announced on Wednesday.Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter, both 34, were indicted last month for allegedly conspiring to delete databases used to store U.S. government information, the DOJ said in a news release.The arrests come after Bloomberg News reported in May how the brothers allegedly compromised data across several agencies, including the IRS and the General Services Administration.The brothers also pleaded guilty in 2015 to federal charges of conspiracy in connection with
data breaches
at the State Department and a cosmetics company.
CHINESE CYBERATTACK CAMPAIGN LIKELY IMPACTED EVERY AMERICAN, FORMER FBI OFFICIAL SAYS
Both served multiple years in prison before landing jobs as engineers for Opexus, a federal contractor that helps process U.S. government records.Following their termination as federal contractors, the pair allegedly attempted to harm their former employer and its U.S. government customers by accessing computers without authorization, issuing commands to bar others from modifying the databases before they were removed, deleting databases, stealing information and destroying evidence of their activities, the DOJ said on Wednesday in the latest case against the two men.In February, Muneeb Akhter deleted nearly 100 databases storing U.S. government information, with many of the databases containing Freedom of Information Act records administered by the federal government, as well as sensitive investigative files of federal government components, the indictment claims.About a minute after deleting a DHS database, Muneeb Akhter allegedly asked an artificial intelligence tool how to clear system logs after deleting databases.The brothers also talked about cleaning out their house in anticipation of a police search. The company laptops used by the pair were wiped before they were returned to the federal contractor.Muneeb Akhter also allegedly obtained information from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission without authorization after he was fired from the contractor. He is also accused of having stolen copies of IRS information stored on a virtual machine, including federal tax information and other identifying information of at least 450 people.
DOORDASH BREACH EXPOSES CONTACT INFO FOR CUSTOMERS AND WORKERS
Sohaib Akhter is also accused in the indictment of trafficking in a password that could access a computer used by and for the U.S. government."These defendants abused their positions as federal contractors to attack government databases and steal sensitive government information. Their actions jeopardized the security of government systems and disrupted agencies' ability to serve the American people," Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the DOJ's Criminal Division said in a statement.Muneeb Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit
computer fraud
and to destroy records, two counts of computer fraud, theft of U.S. government records and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Sohaib Akhter is charged with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and to destroy records and computer fraud. |
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