Author: Breaking Local News Report

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Adrian Petty, 29, of Buffalo, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison for transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of prostitution, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced Friday. The sentence was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, Petty transported the minor from New York to Pennsylvania in September 2020 to engage in commercial sex acts. Petty also admitted to posting online advertisements promoting the minor for prostitution. Petty’s conviction was part of a larger effort by federal authorities to combat human…

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Waleed Abughanem, 32, of Lackawanna, N.Y., has pleaded guilty to misprision of felony for his involvement in a conspiracy to kidnap his sister and force her into an arranged marriage in Yemen. U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced the guilty plea on Wednesday, which could result in a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000. According to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Maeve E. Huggins, the victim, Abughanem’s sister, had fled to Guadalajara, Mexico, in September 2021, fearing that her family would pressure her into a non-consensual arranged marriage. Despite…

WASHINGTON — Four men from Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia were sentenced for their involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, where they participated in the first breach of the restricted grounds. Their actions disrupted a joint session of Congress as it convened to certify the 2020 presidential election results. Stephen Chase Randolph, 34, of Harrodsburg, Ky.; James Tate Grant, 31, of Cary, N.C.; Jason Benjamin Blythe, 28, of Fort Worth, Texas; and Paul Russell Johnson, 38, of Lanexa, Va., were sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb. Randolph received eight years…

ALBANY, N.Y. — William Taylor, 33, and Patricia Clarke, 27, both of Jamaica, N.Y., have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to steal over $380,000 in unemployment benefits by using the stolen identities of 20 individuals, according to U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman. Taylor was sentenced to 36 months in prison for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, while Clarke received a sentence of 12 months and one day for her involvement in the conspiracy. The couple fraudulently obtained pandemic unemployment insurance benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) by…

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Montgomery County police have arrested 22-year-old Gerber Luis Sanchez Centeno in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Dania Cruz-Mejia, who was found dead in her Montgomery Village residence on Wednesday. Family members discovered Cruz-Mejia unconscious in her home on the 18600 block of Calypso Place after not knowing her whereabouts. Emergency responders arrived at approximately 4:20 p.m. and attempted life-saving measures, but Cruz-Mejia was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy will be conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore to determine the cause of death. During the investigation, detectives identified Sanchez Centeno,…

Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced that a 24-year-old Delanco man is facing multiple child pornography-related charges after an investigation determined he was blackmailing young girls he met online into sending him nude images of themselves. Bryce Berger was charged with multiple offenses including production, possession, and distribution of child sexual abuse material, impairing/debauching the morals of a child, and other related charges. Berger was arrested yesterday morning during a search warrant at his home. He is currently in Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly awaiting a detention hearing in Superior Court. The case will be prepared for presentation…

TOLEDO, Ohio — Police are searching for 13-year-old Shaina Ribby, who has been reported missing from the 200 block of Spring Grove. Authorities say she was last seen wearing a pink hoodie and gray leggings. Ribby is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds. She may be in the North Toledo area or near the intersection of Front Street and Main Street, according to police. Toledo Police are asking anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact Crime Stoppers by calling or texting 419-255-1111. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to locate the missing juvenile.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Officers from the Chesapeake Police Department responded to an unusual call last week in the Deep Creek area, where they discovered a bearded dragon outside a local hotel. The exotic reptile was safely taken into custody and brought to a shelter. According to the department’s social media posts, the bearded dragon stopped by to “say hello” to the 911 Telecommunicators before being transported. Police shared the incident as an example of the unexpected situations officers face in their daily duties. No further details were provided about how the reptile ended up at the hotel, but the animal…

WASHINGTON — An Ohio man has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for his involvement in the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, which disrupted a joint session of Congress convened to certify the 2020 presidential election results. William Dunfee, 59, of Frazeysburg, Ohio, received his sentence on Thursday after being found guilty of felony and misdemeanor charges earlier this year. Dunfee was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton, who also imposed 36 months of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and $2,000 in restitution. He had been convicted of civil disorder, a felony, and entering…

ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York State appeals court has reinstated a second-degree murder charge against former state trooper Christopher G. Baldner, accused of causing the death of 11-year-old Monica Goods during a 2020 high-speed police chase. Baldner was originally indicted in October 2021 by an Empire State grand jury on charges related to the death of Goods, including one count of second-degree murder, one count of second-degree manslaughter, and six counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. The incident occurred during a high-speed chase on the New York State Thruway, in which Goods was killed. In February 2023, Ulster County Court…