Author: Breaking Local News Report

HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the sentencing of Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez, a Reading resident, to 14 to 46 years in prison for multiple sexual assaults that began over two decades ago. The 56-year-old was arrested following a grand jury investigation into the Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation, which led to sexual assault charges against more than a dozen members. Ayala-Velasquez, who pleaded guilty to five felony counts including rape of an unconscious person, was sentenced Wednesday in Northampton County Court. Post-release, he is required to register as a sex offender for life. The investigation, carried out by the 49th…

HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced the conviction of Nathan R. Wolfe, 41, from Kittanning, Armstrong County, on charges of third-degree murder and other related offenses. The charges stem from Wolfe’s distribution of fentanyl-laced cocaine that resulted in the fatal overdose of 43-year-old Eric McMillen in 2020. Wolfe was also convicted of aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, and criminal use of a communication facility. His sentencing is scheduled for September 20, with Judge Chase G. McClister presiding. The three-day trial in Armstrong County involved detailed testimony about the…

COLUMBUS, OH — A Columbus resident and his supplier from Arizona have admitted to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute significant quantities of fentanyl within Columbus. Both individuals entered guilty pleas to charges related to the illegal distribution of more than 400 grams of the potent drug. Ontario M. Yarbrough, 26, from Columbus, managed operations from a drug house located in the city’s Hilltop area. According to court documents, between April and October 2023, Yarbrough handled multiple shipments of fentanyl, receiving five direct packages and tracking an additional 13 sent from Arizona. His supplier, Jose Ruben Leyva, 46, from…

SAN ANTONIO, TX — Janet Yamanaka Mello, a civilian Army employee, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of mail fraud and filing false tax returns. Mello stole over $108 million from a grant program intended to support military families. As a financial program manager at the U.S. Army’s Installation Management Command – G9, Child and Youth Services (CYS) at Fort Sam Houston, Mello manipulated her authority to divert funds to her own company, Child Health and Youth Lifelong Development (CHYLD). From December 2016 to August 29, 2023, she secured fraudulent grants intended for the…

MORRISTOWN, NJ — A large disturbance on Roosevelt Ave on the night of Friday led to a juvenile’s assault and subsequent discovery of ammunition. At approximately 10:59 PM, Morristown Police were called to the scene where numerous individuals fled as officers arrived. A 17-year-old was reportedly attacked, sustaining a head injury, and was later treated at Morristown Medical Center. During the search, officers found a handgun magazine loaded with eight bullets in front of a residence. Whether a handgun was used during the altercation remains under investigation. In a related incident, a group gathered outside a 7-11 on North Beverwyck…

CUMBERLAND, MD — A tragic incident unfolded early Tuesday as a white Jeep crashed near the intersection of Willowbrook Road and I-68 East Bound. Cumberland Police Department officers, arriving around 12:08 AM, discovered the vehicle off the roadway, having struck a tree, with the driver unresponsive. Life-saving measures were promptly administered by the officers until the Cumberland Fire Department arrived and took over. Despite their efforts, the driver was transported to a local hospital and pronounced deceased. The investigation into the crash’s cause is being led by the Cumberland Crash Reconstruction Team. The identity of the deceased is being withheld…

HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the recent arrest of Victoria M. Carney, a 27-year-old resident of New Cumberland, York County, on multiple felony charges related to the possession of child sexual abuse material. Carney faces 19 counts of possessing child pornography and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. The charges came after an investigation into online file-sharing platforms revealed Carney allegedly held numerous files depicting the abuse of very young children. Carney was arrested on Wednesday, and during her arraignment, bail was set at $250,000. Attorney General Henry emphasized the severity of the allegations,…

HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced a significant settlement with SoLo Funds, Inc., a California-based lending platform accused of deceptive loan practices. The agreement addresses issues surrounding the company’s tip and donation features, which allegedly misled borrowers into paying inflated interest rates under the guise of interest-free loans. SoLo Funds markets itself as a community finance platform, offering short-term loans with repayment terms of 35 days or less, where borrowers can “tip” lenders and donate to the platform’s maintenance. However, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General charged that these practices violated state lending laws by disguising high…

CUMBERLAND, MD — A fatal single-vehicle accident occurred early Tuesday near the intersection of Willowbrook Road and I-68 East Bound. Cumberland Police Department officers arrived at the scene at about 12:08 AM to find a white Jeep off the roadway, which had collided with a tree. The driver was unresponsive upon their arrival. Responding officers initiated life-saving efforts immediately. The Cumberland Fire Department soon arrived and took over the care of the victim. Despite these efforts, the driver was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The Cumberland Crash Reconstruction Team is currently investigating the cause of the crash. The…

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Mark Totten, announced today that Dontrell Nance, 25, of Benton Harbor, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Nance’s sentence comes as a result of his involvement in a kidnapping and for brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Totten emphasized the gravity of gun violence, which he described as a national epidemic. He highlighted the effective actions of law enforcement which prevented 123 handguns from entering the community, a move that helped mitigate further violence and trauma. Nance, along with his brother and co-defendant Darnell Bishop,…