Scott McCabe

CRIME HISTORY - Boy kills classmate for the thrill of it

On this day, Nov. 20, in 1986, a Canton, Mass., boy beat a 14-year-old classmate to death with a baseball bat to see what it was like to kill, then showed the corpse to friends who stayed quiet about the killing for weeks. Rod Matthews planned the murder for a month, sorting out possible victims, before finally choosing new freshman Shaun Ouillette because he would be "the least missed." Matthews, 14, lured Shaun to the woods with the promise of fireworks. He made Shaun walk ahead of him in the snow so he could follow undetected in his footprints, then clubbed Shaun over the head as the classmate set off bottle rockets. Matthews later described the murder to friends after a snowball...

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THE 3-MINUTE INTERVIEW - William Jackson

Jackson is the presiding judge of the family court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was appointed to the bench as an associate judge in June of 1992 by President George H.W. Bush. Where are you from? How did you get to D.C.? From Maryland; by train. Seriously, I came to Washington following my graduation from law school. My first job was as a law clerk for the then-chief judge of the D.C. Court of Appeals. How many children in D.C. are in foster care? There are over 2,000 children in foster care; nearly 200 have established goals of adoption and the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency is seeking adoptive parents for them. Do you know anybody who has...

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Stupid crimes

Mostly cloudy judgment, chance for jail time A TV weatherman was accused of stalking after leaving more than 100 messages to a woman he briefly met through an Internet dating service, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reports. After having coffee with recently downsized meteorologist John Fredericks, the woman decided she wasn't interested. She ignored Fredericks' calls until her voice mailbox filled. That's when she listened and heard an emotional roller coaster. "Hey good looking, what's cooking? I hope we are still on for date night," he said at 9:32 a.m. By afternoon, his tone changed. "If I've done something to p-ss you off, just call me. I want to hear from you. I miss you. You are my...

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The Blotter

Police search for veteran's ashes U.S. Park Police continue to search for a stolen urn containing the ashes of a decorated U.S. Army veteran. Police said the urn was stolen from a car parked at the National Mall. The urn contained the ashes of 83-year-old retired Army Col. Norbert Otto Schmidt of Florida. The urn was described as bronze with a cross on the lower right front. Corrections officers won't be prosecuted for K-9 fondling The five Virginia correctional officers charged in October with animal cruelty for fondling a K-9 dog and videotaping the incidents will not be prosecuted. Powhatan County prosecutors said the charges would not stand up in court. The officers were training...

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Detective: Ex-chief Ramsey ordered Pershing Park arrests

A veteran D.C. police detective said he heard then-D.C. police chief Charles Ramsey order the mass arrests of 400 protesters at Pershing Park in 2002, contradicting the former chief's testimony that someone else had initiated the roundup, according to an affidavit filed Wednesday in a civil suit in federal court. In a two-page affidavit signed Monday, 22-year veteran Detective Paul E. Hustler said he was five feet from Ramsey when he heard him say, "we're going to lock them up and teach them a lesson." The evidence contradicts previous testimony by Ramsey who said under oath that the arrests had been ordered before he had arrived on the scene during the anti-globalization protest in...

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The Blotter

Owner convicted of leaving cat outside A man who turned his domesticated cat loose outside a house he was building was convicted of animal cruelty, The Frederick News-Post reported. District Judge Oliver John Cejka Jr. found Gregory Moser, 30, of Middletown, had failed to provide Sparkles with adequate food, water, shelter or vet care when he left the white cat and two others on the grounds of a home being built. A neighbor and veterinarian said the temperatures had dropped below freezing, Sparkles could not walk and had dropped to four pounds. Sparkles was treated and given to a family. Body found in road Montgomery County police are investigating the suspicious death of a man...

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Marshals search for teen in NE slaying

U.S. marshals are looking for a teenager wanted in connection with a fatal shooting during a robbery in the Deanwood area of Northeast Washington. A warrant has been issued for 19-year-old Emmanuel Johnson in the shooting death of 20-year-old Deuante Ray. On Oct. 30, shortly after midnight, D.C. police in the 6th District responded to the rear of the 1100 block of 48th Street for the sound of gunshots. Officers found Ray lying in the alley and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Four hours after Ray was killed, a second man was shot dead four blocks away in an alley in the 4400 block of Hunt Place NE. Police identified that victim as 24-year-old Robert Aren Eagleman Jr. of Capitol...

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Crime History - 913 killed in Jonestown Massacre

On this day, Nov. 18, 1978, cult leader Jim Jones led hundreds of followers in a mass murder-suicide in a remote South American jungle. Jones, a charismatic Christian preacher who claimed he was the reincarnation of Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi, Buddha and Vladimir Lenin and also sold pet monkeys to raise money, had built his San Francisco-based church to as many as 8,000 members by the 1970s. But, in 1977, when reports surfaced about drug use, financial fraud and brainwashing, Jones moved his followers to a retreat in Guyana called Jonestown. Complaints continued and U.S. Rep. Leo J. Ryan visited the compound to investigate. When members asked Ryan to help them escape, Jones' armed...

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Fairfax County police bust credit card theft ring

Fairfax County police said they have arrested three members of a credit card pickpocketing ring. Police began investigating in September after a woman at a Whole Foods grocery store at 7511 Leesburg Pike said her wallet was stolen from a purse after one of the suspects asked for her assistance. An officer spent nearly two months investigating the case and obtained 26 warrants on three suspects. Police arrested Nakiara Ridby, 23, of Baltimore, who is being held in Fairfax County jail on credit card fraud, identity theft and credit card forgery. Two other women, Ticia Wright, 22, and Landrie Miller, 24, were arrested and being held in Maryland. Police believe that the ring was involved...

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The Blotter

Diplomats attacked by man with knife U.S. Secret Service police arrested a man who allegedly injured three people with a 12-inch knife at a West African embassy in Northwest Washington. Police said Kokou Dzifa Bocco used a serrated knife last week at the Embassy of Togo after he was told he could not immediately receive a passport. Three people had to be taken to the hospital, including Charge d'Affaires Lorempo Tchabre Landjergue, who suffered cuts on both hands. Police trying to ID dead pedestrian D.C. police are seeking help in identifying a pedestrian who was fatally struck in Cleveland Park on Saturday night. A man was trying to cross at 34th Street and Cleveland Avenue NW at...

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Man arrested in shooting death of 9-year-old Columbia Heights boy

D.C. police said they had arrested a 26-year-old man with gang ties who they say shot through a door of a Columbia Heights apartment and killed a 9-year-old boy whose family he had just tried to rob. Officers arrested Jose Diaz shortly before 6 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of second-degree murder while armed. Police said they had also recovered the long-barrel pistol used to kill 9-year-old Oscar Fuentes, according to charging documents. "This was a tragic combination of a child being exactly where he should be and a person whocouldn't have shown less remorse or care about shooting into an apartment," Mayor Adrian Fenty said. D.C. police said the suspect had committed several...

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CRIME HISTORY - Mob whacks henchman wanted for agent's death

On this day, Nov. 17, in 1989, members of the Bonanno crime family killed one of their own, Costabile "Gus" Farace Jr., instead of giving him up to the FBI for the murder of a Drug Enforcement Administration officer. Farace had recently been paroled from prison for the murder and rape of a male prostitute in Greenwich Village in New York City. He soon got into trouble again after he set up a drug deal with Everett Hatcher, a DEA agent, and shot him through the head three times. Hatcher was believed to have been the first law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty on Staten Island. The FBI placed Farace on its Top 10 Most Wanted list and began squeezing his mob bosses. The...

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Hunt for 9-year-old's killer continues

Housing inspectors said they found hundreds of violations at a Columbia Heights apartment building where a 9-year-old boy was fatally shot and police continued their search for his killer, authorities said. Oscar Fuentes was killed late Saturday inside a troubled apartment building after police said family members ran into the home to avoid a robbery. It appeared the gunman shot through the closed front door. Inspectors swept through the building at 1433 Columbia Road on Monday and found numerous violations, including broken smoke detectors, bed bugs, damp walls and peeling paint, said Linda Argo, head of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The lock and knob at the...

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Teen arrested, others sought in bus stop slaying

A 17-year-old was charged in the fatal shooting of a man boarding a Metro bus in what law enforcement sources said was a revenge killing connected to an internal dispute within a violent Northwest Washington street gang. Jeffrey Britt was charged Monday with first-degree murder in the death of George Rawlings, 21, who was gunned down Wednesday on the 1300 block of H Street NE, shortly after leaving the funeral of his childhood friend, Ashton Hunter. A second gunman remained on the loose in Rawlings' death, authorities said. "We're not stopping with just one arrest," said the head of the D.C. police homicide unit, Cmdr. Rodney Parks. According to charging documents, Rawlings walked...

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CRIME HISTORY - Horrific discovery found in barn

On this date, Nov. 16, in 1957, police went to Ed Gein's Wisconsin farm home to investigate the disappearance of a local woman to discover some of the most grotesque crimes ever committed. When Plainsfield police entered the shed on Gein's property, they found hardware store owner Bernice Worden's corpse. Her headless body hung upside down by ropes around her wrists and a crossbar at her ankles. Further investigation found Gein had exhumed corpses from graveyards and made trophies and masks from their bones and skin. Gein said he chose women who resembled his mother and created "women suits" so he could pretend to be a female. Gein was guilty of murdering only two people. He was...

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D.C. battling, defending officer over shooting

The District of Columbia is in court Monday to defend a police officer in a civil case whom it also is trying to fire over a fatal shooting, according to court documents. The family of Jason L. Taft is suing the District for $25 million, claiming that D.C. Detective Kevin McConnell wrongfully shot and killed Taft outside a carryout in Southeast Washington. The family's attorney points to a internal affairs report that determined the shooting was not justified and to a disciplinary review that is seeking to fire McConnell over the incident. The District is trying to prevent that evidence from being heard, arguing that the findings don't address the issues that will be presented at...

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Crime History - Power Ranger kills couple over yacht

On this day, Nov. 15, in 2004, actor Skylar Deleon forced the owners of a 55-foot yacht to sign over the ownership of the boat before throwing them overboard to their deaths. Retirees Thomas and Jackie Hawks placed an ad to sell their yacht, the Well Deserved, in Southern California. Deleon, a former child actor who at 14 appeared in the series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," answered the ad along with his pregnant wife and two friends. Off the coast of Newport Beach, Deleon and his accomplices bound and gagged the couple, lashed them to the anchor and tossed them overboard. Their bodies have never been found. When police interviewed Deleon, he showed them proof-of-purchase...

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CRIME HISTORY - Police encounter huge Mafia summit

On this day, Nov. 13, 1957, a New York state trooper stumbled upon a historic national convention of gangsters at the home of Joseph (Joe the Barber) Barbara in upstate Apalachin, N.Y. Sgt. Edgar Croswell was called to a motel to take a report for a bad check when he overheard Barbara's eldest son reserve rooms for "soft-drink people." Croswell became suspicious. The sergeant checked with a butcher, who said the Barbaras had ordered 200 pounds of meat delivered to their mansion. The next day Croswell, another trooper and two federal agents drove to the house, where 40 luxury cars with license plates from around the country were parked. The cars were registered to known...

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Stupid Crimes

Snaking the drain A trapper who stuffed a 14-foot python down a drain pipe, then called the media to witness the dramatic rescue was arrested on charges of perpetrating a hoax. Justin Matthews, 47, called Tampa Bay, Fla., media to witness the capture of a large Burmese python from a drainage pipe. Matthews, a professional trapper, said he was capturing the snake on his own dime because the python posed a threat to nearby schoolchildren. The story made national headlines. Matthews made the news again after police learned that he had bought the snake a month earlier. Matthews admitted he staged the event to call attention to a growing problem of irresponsible pet ownership. He was...

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Shooting victim implicated in Halloween murder, police say

A District of Columbia man killed as he boarded a Metro bus is believed to have had a hand in the deadly shooting of the teenager whose funeral he had just attended, law enforcement sources said. George Rawlings, 21, was shot multiple times around noon Wednesday near the intersection of 14th and H streets NE, shortly after leaving the funeral of his childhood friend, Ashton Hunter. But police sources familiar with the case told The Examiner that Rawlings was being looked at as the getaway driver or the provider of the sport utility vehicle used in the killing of 19-year-old Hunter on Halloween night. D.C. police had already arrested the suspected killer, 21-year-old Darrell Calvin Lee,...

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CRIME HISTORY - Young beauty shop killer sought notoriety

On this day, Nov. 12, in 1966, honor roll student Robert Smith massacred five people at an Arizona beauty parlor to make a name for himself. Smith, 18, walked into the Rose-Mar Beauty College in Mesa and fired a shot into a mirror. He ordered five women and two children to lie in a circle so they looked like the spokes of a wheel. One of the women hid her baby under her body. Another warned him to leave because 40 beauty school students were expected to arrive. Smith replied, "Sorry, I don't have that many bullets." He then shot each twice in the back of the head, and waited for police. When police asked him why he'd did it, he replied: "I wanted to get known, to get myself a...

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Twenty years after rape, offender back on the run

U.S. marshals are searching for a violent sex offender once convicted of raping his adoptive mother, and authorities are seeking the public's help in tracking him down. In 1985, at age 16, Robert Joseph Williams raped, sodomized and robbed the woman who adopted him, police said. Police tracked him down in California, authorities said. Williams served 20 years of a 35-year prison sentence and was released on supervised parole in 2006. But police said he wasn't able to stay out of trouble, and a warrant was issued by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office on possession of drugs with intent to distribute. Williams is also wanted by Virginia State Police for failing to register as a sex...

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Dealer who said he sold steroids to Caps, Nats pleads guilty

A Florida man who claimed he sold steroids to Washington Capitals and Washington Nationals players pleaded guilty to possession with intent to sell the bodybuilding drug. Former bodybuilder and personal trainer Richard Thomas, 36, boasted that he was central Florida's largest steroids dealer after investigators tracked a large shipment of the drug to his home. The Nationals and Capitals have said they have no evidence that their players used steroids. Thomas, who made his plea in federal court in Tampa, faces up to five years in prison. -- Scott...

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The Blotter

Man shot in Northeast as he boards Metro bus D.C. Police are investigating a shooting of a man who was boarding a Metro bus in Northeast Washington. Police said the man was shot multiple times as he was getting on a bus near 14th and H streets NE. The driver drove the bus out of harm's way. The man was listed as seriously injured. Anyone with information, can call police confidential tip line at 800-673-2777. Teens charged with stealing runaway girl's car Two 16-year-old boys have been charged with stealing the car used by a 16-year-old Alexandria girl who died last year after running away from home. The body of Annie McCann was found in Baltimore in November 2008, just days...

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Man killed by VP's Secret Service vehicles

Two U.S. Secret Service armored vehicles used to protect Vice President Biden struck and killed a pedestrian in Temple Hills early Wednesday morning, authorities said. The vehicles were traveling together from Andrews Air Force Base at about 2:30 a.m. when the pedestrian was hit at the intersection of Suitland Parkway and Naylor Road in Temple Hills, U.S. Park Police said. The drivers stayed on the scene and rendered first aid until police and rescue officials arrived, said Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan. The pedestrian, an adult male, was transported to Prince George's Hospital Center in Cheverly with multiple critical injuries, police said. He was pronounced dead shortly...

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CRIME HISTORY - O'Banion killing sparks 5-year Chicago gang war

On this day in 1924, Dion O'Banion, the Irish-American leader of North Side Gang is assassinated in his flower shop by members of Johnny Torrio's gang, sparking the bloody gang war of the 1920s in Chicago. O'Banion, who had a thriving bootlegging and floral business, was the main rival of the Chicago outfit, led by Torrio and his henchman, Al Capone. When O'Banion learned there was going to be a raid on his brewery, he offered to retire to Colorado if Torrio bought out the business. Torrio wound up in jail and O'Banion kept the $500,000 for the padlocked brewery. O'Banion was in his floral shop fixing flowers when three gangsters came in. When O'Banion reached out with a handshake,...

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The 3-minute interview: Carol Rasco

Rasco is president and chief executive office of Reading Is Fundamental in Washington, America's oldest and largest nonprofit children's and family literacy organization. When did you get interested in reading? I don't ever remember not being interested in stories and reading. I loved school, I loved the library in the summers, I have always loved to read. What were your favorite books as a child? What are your favorite children's books as an adult? As a child I liked "The Little Engine That Could," "Heidi" and "Little Women." I still love those books. Currently I am in the throes of baby board books as I am a grandmother for the first time. Baby...

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The Blotter

Officer shoots police dog A Baltimore police office shot a police dog that might have mistaken the officer for a suspect. Police said the K-9 unit on Sunday was helping hunt for a motorist that jumped from a car when a German shepherd named Blade began to attack an officer coming from a different direction. The officer did not realize Blade was a police dog and shot the dog in self-defense. Blade was rushed to an animal hospital and was recovering. Three arrested in shoot-out D.C. police arrested three men after a shootout led to a police chase in Northwest Washington early Monday morning. Around 4: 30 a.m., police saw occupants of two cars exchange gunfire in the 5800 block of East...

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Police seek clues in 2008 death of Marine

Arlington County police are seeking information about the death of a Marine that occurred a year ago. Around 9:15 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2008, the driver of a sports car called 911 to report that he had hit a man that had been lying in the northbound lane of State Route 110 near Interstate 395, police said. The victim was identified as Pfc. Maddison Peterson, 22, a presidential guard stationed at the Marine Barracks Washington. Police believe Peterson might have been struck by another vehicle first. Peterson had been in an argument at a bar and decided to go for a walk. He was last seen in the 2000 block of Jefferson Davis Highway shortly before 9 p.m. Peterson was wearing a black...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Mafia cops' kill Gambino capo

On this day, Nov. 6, in 1990, corrupt New York City police detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, working for the Mafia, killed a high-ranking gangster from a rival family. Eppolito was born into the mob and even penned a 1992 autobiography, "Mafia Cop: The Story of an Honest Cop whose Family was in the Mob." But in reality, he and Caracappa were on the payroll of the Lucchese crime family, earning $4,000 a month. On this day 19 years ago, the corrupt cops earned an extra $65,000 from Lucchese underboss Anthony "Gas Pipe" Casso. The cops pulled over Gambino capo Edward Lino on a Brooklyn highway and shot him dead. The duo soon retired. Eppolito went into acting, scoring...

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Guilty plea expected from ex-D.C. technology officer

The District of Columbia's former top computer security official accused of masterminding a bribery and kickback scheme is expected to plead guilty, according to court filings. Yusuf Acar, 40, was arrested in March and charged with conspiring to commit bribery and launder money in a sophisticated scheme that cost the D.C. government at least $500,000. He and his defense lawyers have been negotiating a deal since September. Prosecutors on Wednesday filed a "criminal information," which typically indicates that a plea deal has been worked out because the document can't be filed without the consent of the defendant. According to the court filing, Acar would pay back more than $200,000...

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Stupid Crimes

Spit fire A bucket of spit saved a home from being burned down by an angry ex-wife, police in Tennessee said. Before setting the fire, Sharon Shelton, 66, the second of Gerald Shelton's three ex-wives, sent a letter to ex-wife No. 3, "If you want to get even with him, burn the house down," according to the Madison County sheriff's office. Sharon Shelton snuck into the home, doused a table with fuel, started the fire and fled. But the blaze was so hot that it melted a plastic spittoon, and the spit flooded the tabletop and extinguished the flames, police said. The woman faces charges of attempted arson, breaking and entering and burning personal property. Meet Andrew J. Burwitz,...

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The Blotter

Two killed in separate D.C. crashes D.C. police are investigating the deaths of a motor scooter driver and a pedestrian in separate incidents late Wednesday. Around 11 p.m., a scooter in the intersection of 16th and Emerson streets NW hit a curb and crashed into a light pole. The man driving it died at the scene., At 8 p.m., a pedestrian was struck on Route 295 by the driver of a 2002 Chevrolet. The incident occurred one and a half miles south of exit one southwest. D.C. man admits to stealing from dead family friend A Washington man who was caught on videotape with his mother looting silver from a dead friend in Connecticut pleaded guilty to larceny, the Connecticut Post...

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14 charged in cigarette smuggling ring

Fourteen Washington area residents have been charged with paying $8 million for 77 million contraband cigarettes sold by undercover agents and smuggling them to New York. Two of those people were also accused of paying an undercover officer posing as a hit man to kill a man and his wife, whom they believed had stolen from them. The indictment was unsealed Thursday after authorities took the 14 into custody, ending a yearlong investigation. Cigarette smuggling has increased in recent years as high taxes in New York and elsewhere have made smuggling more profitable. The defendants lived in Virginia, Maryland, New York and the District of Columbia. -- Scott...

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Fort Hood gunman worked at Walter Reed

The military psychiatrist accused of gunning down 12 people in Texas lived most of his life in the D.C. area where he was considered a caring Muslim by friends -- but he had recently made disturbing statements about suicide attacks. U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, 39, earned a degree from Virginia Tech, completed a residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and attended prayer services nearly every day in Silver Spring for several years. He was described as a caring person by a local Muslim leader, but those who got to know him after he was transferred to Fort Hood in July recalled hearing disturbing statements that foreshadowed Monday's violence. Nidal Malik Hasan » 39...

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CRIME HISTORY - Dolphins RB sentenced for drug trafficking

On this day, Nov. 5, in 1981, former Miami Dolphins running back Eugene "Mercury" Morris was sentenced to 20 years in prison for selling cocaine to an undercover drug agent. Morris, who earned his nickname at an early age for his mercurial moves, was a running back and kick returner for the Miami teams of the 1970s, including the '72 Dolphins, the only team in NFL history to finish undefeated. Morris played in three Super Bowls and three Pro Bowls. After leaving football, Morris was convicted of cocaine trafficking. Morris served three years before his sentence was overturned, and a plea bargain resulted in his release. He became a motivational speaker, warning of the dangers of...

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Man shot 4 accusers over Xbox 360 dispute, cops say

U.S. marshals are looking for a man D.C. police say shot four people over a video game console. On Oct. 24, authorities said, 26-year-old Darrell Glover argued with four people in Southeast Washington after they accused him of stealing an XBox 360 video console. That part of the city has been hit with a rash of break-ins, usually while the residents are at work, on vacation or just out running errands. The crooks are looking for video game systems, laptop computers, digital cameras and televisions. Glover took umbrage to the verbal attacks and pulled out a handgun, police said. He shot each of the accusers once. No one suffered life-threatening injuries. "Glover pulled out a gun...

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The Blotter

Montgomery County man killed in fire at gas station A Germantown man was burned to death after his sport utility vehicle caught fire at a gas station, Maryland State Police said. Around 4 a.m. Wednesday, a Frederick County sheriff's deputy found 26-year-old Ainsley Gordon Jr. on fire in a parking lot near the Exxon station and the SUV and fuel pumps aflame at the gas station. Gordon was flown to a hospital where he died. Competency review delayed for accused museum killer The psychiatric evaluation for the 89-year-old white supremacist who killed a guard at the Holocaust museum has been delayed because of chronic ailments, prison officials said. A federal judge in D.C. granted an...

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CRIME HISTORY - Wild car chase nets odd couple of crime

On this day, Nov. 4, in 1962, police captured the first of a bank-robbing duo that set off bombs in the District of Columbia and killed a guard in New York. Albert Nussbaum was the brains. He was a student of crime, a locksmith and a pilot. Bobby "One Eye" Wilcoxson supplied the brawn. In June 1961, Nussbaum set off two bombs near the U.S. Capitol to distract police while the two robbed a bank. But a third bomb failed to detonate, and the FBI used it to lift Nussbaum's fingerprint. The two men became national fugitives after Wilcoxson blasted a Brooklyn bank guard four times with his submachine gun. Nussbaum and Wilcoxson had a falling out and split. When Nussbaum tried to get help from his...

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FBI agent admits to racking up $41,000 in fraudulent expenses

An FBI agent temporarily assigned to headquarters in downtown Washington faces up to five years in prison for forging bogus housing documents to collect more than $41,000. Jeffrey B. Shim, 40, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a single count of making a false statement. His sentencing is set for Feb. 5, when in addition to the time behind bars, he faces three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Shim has agreed to pay back the FBI $41,658. Shim, who was based at the FBI's Newark, N.J., office, resigned last week as part of his plea agreement. He had been with the bureau since 2002. In May 2008, he was sent to work at the FBI headquarters on a temporary assignment. In...

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CRIME HISTORY - First Secret Service agent killed at mine shaft

On this day, Nov. 3, in 1907, U.S. Secret Service Agent Joseph A. Walker was shot and killed outside a secret mine shaft in Colorado. Walker was the first Secret Service operative to be fatally shot in the line of duty. Walker and three other agents were dispatched west of Durango to investigate a land fraud case when they discovered an air shaft in the ground that had been homesteaded to the superintendent of the Porter Fuel Co. Walker stood guard outside the hole, and the other three slid down a rope to the bottom of the shaft. Inside, they found a cavernous and surreptitious coal mine. While the three men delved deeper, they heard gunshots and rushed to the opening. The rope had...

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Company billed for $14,000 wheelchairs, handed out walkers

The head of a now-defunct D.C. medical supplies company has been indicted for health care fraud and is accused of falsely billing the government for hundreds of thousands of dollars for deluxe power scooters or high-end wheelchairs while giving Medicaid recipients cheaper wheelchairs or walkers. A federal grand jury indicted Donna Carney-Barry of Northwest Washington on five counts of health care fraud. She faces more than 20 years in prison. Carney-Barry was the head of Doors of Hope Medical Supplies, a short-lived company that sold canes, walkers, hospital beds and wheelchairs. It maintained offices on the first floor of the Greater Southeast Hospital in D.C. She is accused of...

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Feds, Fairfax break up stolen-motorcycle ring

Federal customs officers say they have rolled up a motorcycle theft ring that stole bikes from Maryland and Virginia and smuggled them overseas. Agents at the Port of Baltimore were alerted by Fairfax County police investigating an auto theft ring who said a shipping container bound for Bolivia might contain stolen motorcycles. The agents used a database to find a container still in the seaport that matched the description offered by the police in Virginia. Federal agents pulled the container from the ship, opened it and found four salvage cars or sport utility vehicles. Salvage vehicles are vehicles usually purchased at auction for their parts value. Inside the salvage cars were...

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Crime History - Guns blazing, men go after Truman at Blair House

On this day, Nov. 1, in 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists Griselio Torresola and Oscar Collazo attempted to assassinate President Truman at the Blair House in Washington. Collazo and Torresola wanted to take down Truman to bring world attention to the independence cause of Puerto Rico. Truman was an odd target because he supported a greater Puerto Rican autonomy. Around 2 p.m., Torresola approached White House police officer Leslie Coffelt in the guardhouse and shot him three times. While Torresola turned his weapon on another officer, Coffelt staggered out of the shack and killed Torresola with a single shot to the head. Coffelt, a former D.C. police officer, died later that...

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Crime History - Actress Dominique Dunne strangled by ex

On this day, Oct. 30, in 1982, young actress Dominique Dunne, daughter of celebrity crime writer Dominick Dunne, was strangled by her ex-boyfriend. She died five days later. Dominique, 22, was best known for her role as the oldest daughter, Dana, in the 1982 Academy Award-nominated horror film "Poltergeist." After filming wrapped up, Dunne moved in with her boyfriend, Los Angeles chef John Thomas Sweeney. But the relationship became stormy. Sweeney was so abusive that Dunne needed little makeup when she played a battered woman on television's "Hill Street Blues." Dunne moved out. Sweeney showed up at her new home and they argued in the driveway. Sweeney choked her. She fell into a...

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Police search for man in attack on 99-year-old woman

Montgomery County police are looking for a man accused of robbing elderly people, including a 99-year-old woman at her Silver Spring home. Forty-five-year-old Kenneth Earl Tolliver is wanted for robbery, burglary, theft and first-degree assault, police said. On July 31, police said, two men pretending to be conducting a survey accosted the woman. One suspect held her while the other man rummaged through her apartment. Police also said Tolliver has committed two similar burglaries, including against an 84-year-old man and his 78-year-old wife. Tolliver is described as a black male, 6-feet-1 and weighing 160 pounds. -- Scott...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Murph the Surf' steals legendary gem

On this day, Oct. 29, in 1964, three thieves, including surfing champion Jack Murphy, stole the Star of India and other gems from the American Museum of Natural History in New York. In what was dubbed the "Jewel Heist of the Century," the thieves unlocked a bathroom window during open hours and climbed in that night. The alarm for the golf-ball-size Star of India sapphire didn't work because the battery was dead. In all, the thieves swiped 22 gems. Within 48 hours, police captured the thieves. Known as Murph the Surf, Murphy was a former violin prodigy, national surfing champion, tennis pro and movie stunt man. The Star of India was found later in a Miami bus station locker. The...

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Reward raised to $50K for arrest in teen's killing

District police have doubled the reward to $50,000 for information leading to an arrest in the shooting of a 17-year-old girl. Police said Kenyetta Nicholson-Stanley was talking to a security guard at the Edgewood Terrace housing complex in Northeast Washington on the night of Oct. 8 when a masked gunman started shooting and the guard returned fire. Kenyetta was shot in the head. She died the next day. - Scott...

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Drug dealer stays one step ahead of authorities

Authorities have been pursuing fugitive Vincent Knight for nearly two years and they're asking the public's assistance in bringing the chase to an end. Thirty-eight-year-old Knight violated his parole on a cocaine distribution conviction. Police said he was charged with assault in 2007. Knight has a criminal history dating back to 1991, authorities said. He has three prior felony warrants for cocaine distribution and one for assault. Knight has a vast network of family and associates in the District and Maryland, and authorities said he has constantly remained one step ahead of investigators. A confidential informant recently placed Knight in Hyattsville, the U.S. Marshals Service...

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The Blotter

Engine fire halts Amtrak traffic An Amtrak locomotive caught fire at the New Carrollton station early Wednesday, stopping rail traffic north of Washington for about two hours. At about 6 a.m., a small engine fire and smoke were discovered on a train traveling from D.C. to Boston, a spokesman said. About 40 passengers were evacuated from the train, and no one was injured. Prince George's County fire officials said it took about an hour and a half to put out an electrical fire in the engine area. One killed in Langley Park crash At least one person was killed in a multiple-vehicle crash in the Langley Park area Wednesday morning, Prince George's County police said. The crash happened at...

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Crime History - Congress passes ban on 'intoxicating beverages'

On this day, Oct. 28, in 1919, Congress passes the Volstead Act over President Woodrow Wilson's veto, paving the way for Prohibition to begin the following January. The prohibition of alcoholic beverages had unintended consequences. Life in America became more violent, with organized crime and open rebellion against the law. Legitimate businesses were taken over by criminals like Chicago's Al Capone, who grew rich and popular. Crime and lawlessness rose. Enforcing Prohibition proved to be extremely difficult. Citizens were sympathetic to bootleggers, wealthy gangsters could bribe police with their earnings and some authorities, like the state of Maryland, refused to pay to enforce the...

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D.C. sniper Muhammad to get the needle

John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind behind the D.C. sniper killings, will receive a lethal injection at his execution next month. Death row inmates in Virginia can choose to die by the needle or the electric chair. Muhammad declined to pick one, so by default he will be killed by lethal injection, authorities said. Muhammad is scheduled to be executed Nov. 10 for fatally shooting Dean Harold Meyers at a Manassas gas station. The three-week killing spree in October 2002 left 10 dead in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Muhammad's lawyers have asked Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine for clemency and plan to file an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court. Muhammad's teenage...

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McLean man indicted in expensive homes scam

The former owner of a now-defunct mortgage company was indicted on fraud charges in a scheme to steal properties in Northwest Washington, court documents said. Federal prosecutors said Steve I. Hetrick used impostor sellers and his vast knowledge of the District of Columbia's real estate market to illegally take possession of two properties without the owners knowing about it. Hetrick was charged with nine counts of fraud, money laundering and interstate transportation of stolen property. One of the properties was a $2 million, seven-bedroom town house at 2158 California St. NW in the Kalorama neighborhood. The other is a $800,000 town house at 1819 10th St. NW in the Shaw area. In...

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The Blotter

D.C. lobbyist who worked for Sudan indicted Robert J. Cabelly has been accused of violating U.S. sanctions against Sudan by signing the terrorism-sponsoring government up as a lobbying client, according to an indictment filed Tuesday. The 61-year-old D.C. resident allegedly helped Sudan broker deals with oil companies as he hid his relationship from U.S. authorities, the indictment said. The State Department has listed Sudan on the State Department's Sponsors of Terrorism list and it is illegal to work with the Sudanese government without prior approval from U.S. officials. Murky Coffee owner charged with tax fraud The former owner of Murky Coffee on Capitol Hill was charged with 82...

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The 3-minute interview: John Rosser

Rosser, 51, a sergeant for the D.C. Department of Corrections, is the vice president of the correctional officers union. His corrections career started at the notoriously rough Lorton Corrections Facilities in 1990. I understand that your parents were involved in the civil rights movement and helped desegregate a school. My parents, Dr. John Robert and the late Florence Towles Rosser, were educators. They were very active in Prince George's County school issues during the turbulent '60s, '70s and early '80s. Schools in the county were ordered to integrate in 1973, when I was in the ninth grade. By 1978, due to unbalanced school closures, schools had resegregated. The county...

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CRIME HISTORY - William 'Boss' Tweed busted for corruption

On this day, Oct. 27, in 1871, William M. "Boss" Tweed, Democratic leader of Tammany Hall, was arrested after the New York Times exposed his corruption. Boss Tweed, a commissioner of public works who ruled New York City's government, is remembered as a universal symbol of greed and political corruption. His fall came after a series of articles accused Tweed of overcharging contractors and lining his own pockets with kickbacks. As the publicity mounted, Tweed ordered Harper's Weekly to stop publishing cartoons by Thomas Nast, famously complaining, "I don't care so much what the papers say about me. My constituents don't know how to read, but they can't help seeing them damned...

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D.C. seeks man who's robbing taxis

D.C. police are looking for a man who has robbed at least nine taxicab drivers in Northeast Washington in the past two months. The same man also used a knife to rob a gas station on the 2800 block of 12th Street NE. Police say the man hails a cab, either shows a weapon or implies that he has one and demands money. The robber is described as a dark-complected black male, about 40 years old and 5 feet 11 inches tall. He has a thin build and a goatee. The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a reward of up to $10,000for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the robber. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 202-727-9099 or 888-919-CRIM[E]. -...

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The Blotter

Parents killed in crash A father and mother were killed in a four-vehicle crash on the Fairfax County Parkway in the Pohick area, police said. Michael K. Merrill, 47, and Jeanne Merrill, 42, of Fairfax Station, were pronounced dead on the scene. Their three children, 13, 3 and 1, survived the crash and were released to family members. The Merrills were traveling north in a Honda Pilot when they were struck by a 2005 Toyota Corolla that lost control. The two cars crossed over the median into oncoming traffic and struck two other vehicles. Speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash, police said. Cop charged with pulling gun on ghoul A Baltimore police officer pulled...

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Traffic cameras earn D.C. $36.4M in '09 from speeders

The District has raked in at least $36.4 million from nearly a half-million drivers in fiscal 2009 because of traffic cameras, almost double the amount two years ago, according to a study released Monday. D.C. police collected $29.9 million from speed camera fines and $6.5 million from red-light cameras tickets in the first 11 months of the last budget year, according to a study by AAA Mid-Atlantic. The report did not include amounts for the final month because the District was still counting the money at the time the study was conducted. "The District is becoming one big Digitopolis, where tickets mailed, tickets paid and revenue collected continue to increase," said John B....

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CRIME HISTORY - Killer hunted women as wild game

Robert HansenOn this day, Oct. 23, in 1983, police arrested Robert Hansen, a serial killer who flew his victims to his Alaskan property and hunted them down. Hansen, an Anchorage baker, was a world-class games hunter who owned his own airplane. When became bored targeting wild animals, he turned to young prostitutes. Hansen typically kidnapped the women from city streets and flew them in his plane to his cabin in the wilderness. He'd then would strip them naked, release them into the wild and stalk them like animals. He killed them with hunting knives or a big-game rifle. The deadly game ended when a 17-year-old captive escaped from Hansen, handcuffs still dangling from her wrist....

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Stupid Crimes

Absolut moron A Ohio man pulled over for drinking and driving had to have one final taste before he was hauled off to jail, police said. Springdale police caught James Robinson, 32, driving with an open bottle of vodka after they responded to a call that Robinson was trying to break into his ex-wife's home. By the time police arrived, Robinson had driven away. When police caught up to him and pulled him over, they saw an open bottle of vodka on his car seat. Robinson took a sobriety test but failed, police said. That's when he gulped down the rest of the vodka. That final sip resulted in an additional charge of tampering with evidence. Extreme home makeover An Indiana woman...

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The Blotter:Police seek more clues in shooting

Feds: Springfield cocaine trafficking ring busted Federal authorities have charged nine Virginia and Maryland residents with running a cocaine trafficking ring in Springfield and Prince George's County. Investigators with the FBI, Fairfax and Prince George's counties spent more than a year listening in on phone calls, and using satellite and cell phone technology to track the alleged members of the ring. All nine are in police custody. Md. husband guilty of killing boy in Japan A federal jury on Thursday convicted a Glen Burnie man for the murder of his 8-year-old stepson while the family was stationed in Japan. Roberto E. DeLeon, 27, faces up to life in prison when he's sentenced...

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D.C. Jail cell doors fail to work

Cell doors at the D.C. Jail failed to unlock nearly 700 times over an 18 month period, placing corrections officers and inmates in danger in the event of an emergency. In a single day this spring, cell doors at the main facility failed to lock or unlock 39 times, documents show. A corrections officer who works at the 32-year-old jail said the problem of doors not locking was much worse than doors that get stuck because locked ones often can be manually released. "The real danger is, 'Can you secure it, can you lock it and be sure that it cannot pop open?'" said the officer who asked that his identity not be revealed for fear of retaliation. "That's a danger that...

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CRIME HISTORY - Corrections guards killed, leading to Supermax facility

On this day, Oct. 22, in 1983, two correctional officers were killed by inmates at the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois. The incident inspired the "Supermax" model of prisons. Opened in 1963 to replace Alcatraz, Marion became the United States' highest security prison by 1978. In separate incidents, two prison guards, Merle E. Clutts and Robert L. Hoffman, were killed by members of the Aryan Brotherhood. Marian went into "permanent lockdown," keeping inmates in solitary confinement 22 hours a day. The lockdown lasted 23 years and led to the term "Supermax," short for "Super Maximum Security." Marion became home to mobster John Gotti, who was kept in total isolation in...

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Marshals seek fugitive with violent streak

Prince Stewart III U.S. Marshals are looking for a violent fugitive with a history of being armed, and authorities are asking the public for information to help bring him to justice. Prince Stewart III, 31, was on parole for a conviction on a federal weapons charge when he was arrested in Alexandria last year on suspicion of an assault. A warrant was issued for his arrest in October 2008. He has not been heard from since. Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, said Stewart was the type of person that anyone who was familiar with him would readily provide authorities with information about his whereabouts. "Stewart is the definition of...

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The Blotter

D.C. police kill teenager D.C. police officers shot and killed a teenager in Northeast Washington early Wednesday, police said. At about 5:20 a.m., police were responding to a call of an unwanted guest on the 900 block of 21st Street NE when they were confronted by a man with a gun, a spokeswoman said. The two officers were "in imminent fear" for their lives and the lives of others and fired their service weapons, Officer Helen Andrews said. The teen, identified as 19-year-old James Broadus Miller, was taken to a hospital where he died. The officers were placed on administrative leave with pay in accordance with departmental protocol, Andrews said. Local men sentenced for drug run...

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CRIME HISTORY -D.C. mail worker killed by anthrax spores

On this day, Oct. 21, in 2001, Washington postal worker Thomas Morris Jr. died after inhaling anthrax that had been delivered through the mail. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to several news outlets and two U.S. senators, killing five and infecting 17 others. Morris, 55, an employee of the Brentwood processing center, said a woman working near him found a letter with powder. A doctor checked out Morris and sent him home. Morris called 911 just hours before his death, complaining of labored breathing and chest pains. "They never let us know whether this thing was anthrax or not," Morris told the dispatcher. A day after Morris died, 47-year-old co-worker Joseph...

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Man posed as girl to get teen sex photos, faked suicide

An Adelphi man is facing up to 20 years in prison after admitting in federal court to posing online as a teenager to obtain nude and sexually explicit photos of a 15-year-old girl. Michael Speelman, 52, pleaded guilty Tuesday to transporting child pornography. Prosecutors said Speelman posed as a 16-year-old girl named "Lisa" and sent images purportedly of Lisa to a girl in Pennsylvania. After the Pennsylvania teen sent sexually explicit photos of herself, Speelman feigned the suicide death of Lisa. He then posed as "Lisa's" mother, Speelman threatened to send the explicit photos to the girl's mother and her boyfriend. Later, Speelman admitted that to the girl that he pretended to...

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The Blotter: Double shooting kills one

Diamond heist at Tysons Corner A jeweler was injured during a diamond heist in Tysons Corner, Fairfax County police said. At about 8:20 p.m. Monday, two men entered the Movado store and smashed a glass case using a crowbar. The men grabbed fistfuls of diamond jewelry, stuffed them in a bag and fled through the Tysons Corner Center mall, police said. One employee was treated on the scene. The robbers were both described as black, about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 230 pounds. They wore blue, hooded jackets and ball caps. One robber wore tan boots, and the other had a mustache. Driver dies after hitting tree A 21-year-old Alexandria man died early Tuesday after driving off the road and...

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Jury convicts man of murdering woman, 83

A Montgomery County jury convicted a Silver Spring man of beating an 83-year-old woman, then killing her in a fire to cover up a check fraud scheme. Thirty-three-year-old Ramon Alvarado is the last of a trio to be convicted in the slaying of Lila Meizell at her home in Wheaton. Alvarado was found guilty of all three charges: murder, conspiracy to commit murder and arson in the first degree. He faces life in prison at his sentencing Nov. 23. Alvarado is the cousin of Meizell's landscaper, Jose Alvarado, 38, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in June. Jose Alvarado's wife, Ana Rodas, 32, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of being an accessory after the fact to murder. Prosecutors...

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Crime History - Sherlock Holmes debuts on radio

On this day, Oct. 20, in 1930, "Sherlock Holmes" premieres on NBC radio, introducing the adventures of "The World's Greatest Detective" into America's living rooms. Few figures loom larger in old time radio mystery than Holmes. He was not radio's first mystery character, that was the evil Dr. Fu Manchu and the detective Nayland Smith in 1929. Holmes may not even be the detective most associated with radio, that would be "The Shadow." But for class and enduring popularity, no creation could top Holmes, which featured some of the era's finest actors. The half-hour drama was the inspiration of Edith Meiser, an actress and mystery lover who was convinced the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle...

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Former JROTC teacher guilty of sex with student, 16

A former JROTC teacher in Prince George's County pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines to have sex with his 16-year-old high school student. Forty-three-year old Mark Allen Jackson, of Alexandria, entered the plea in federal court in Alexandria on Monday. He will be sentenced in January and faces up to 30 years in prison. Jackson taught at Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, where he became acquainted with the female student in 2007 when she was a sophomore. In August 2008, Jackson became the girl's JROTC instructor and the two began spending spare time at school, documents said. By December, Jackson further developed the relationship and the teacher and...

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Grand jury indicts 2 on purse snatching, counterfeiting charges

A federal grand jury in Alexandria has indicted two high-ranking members of a purse-snatching and counterfeiting ring that authorities said has been operating in the capital region for nearly five years, documents said. Arrest warrants were issued last week for 39-year-old Robert Lee Felton Jr., of Fort Washington. He was charged with 13 counts of conspiracy, identity theft and counterfeit security. Antoine Dutch, 25, of Washington, D.C., was charged with five counts. The scam began in 2005, police said. The first step in the conspiracy usually involved the theft of purses or wallets from unsuspecting people, documents said. Felton usually stole the purses from women while they...

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Coach accused of sex abuse disappears

Authorities are searching for a youth baseball coach accused of child sex abuse after the coach failed to show up at court. Detectives are asking for the public's help in finding 38-year-old John E. Hamilton of Centreville. Hamilton coached in the Fort Hunt Youth Athletic Association in the 1990s. The sex abuse took place between March and July of 1997, when the victim was 12 years old, police said. The victim, now 24, came forward after he saw Hamilton with another young boy. Hamilton was charged with aggravated sexual battery and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a supervisory relationship. Hamilton had agreed to enter guilty pleas Oct. 7, police...

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CRIME HISTORY - Hippie killer slays family in California

On this day, Oct. 19, in 1970, John Linley Frazier killed five people and declared World War III against "materialism." Called the Killer Prophet, Frazier was a contemporary of Charles Manson in an era when people feared hippie cult murderers. Firefighters in Santa Cruz, Calif., responding to a blaze at a mansion overlooking Monterey Bay discovered five bodies floating in the backyard pool: eye surgeon Victor Ohta; his wife, Virginia; their sons, Derrick, 12, and Taggart, 11; and secretary Dorothy Cadwallader. The victims had been bound with silk scarves. Frazier left a typewritten note on Ohta's Rolls-Royce declaring war against materialism and "persons who misuse the natural...

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The Blotter

Pr. George's police fatally shoot man Prince George's police shot and killed a man Sunday while responding to an armed robbery call on the 8600 block of Baltimore Avenue, according to spokesman Cpl. Mike Rodriguez. The suspect, who was not immediately identified, was transported to a hospital following the shooting where he was pronounced dead, Rodriguez said. A police dog suffered non-life-threatening injuries related to the shooting, Rodriguez said. Man gets 3 life sentences for abductions, rape A Woodbridge man was given three life sentences for abducting two women and raping one in Arlington County. Hector Luis Pagan, 51, pleaded guilty to abduction with intent to defile in the...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Junior' Gotti follows Daper Don to prison to prison

On this day, Oct. 18, 1999, John "Junior" Gotti, who led the Gambino crime family while his father was locked away, entered prison himself after pleading guilty to racketeering. Junior's father, John J. Gotti (also known as the "Dapper Don"), was the most powerful crime boss of his era. Prosecutors said Gotti made Junior the head of the family and used a committee of captains to help him. As the one of the few people allowed to visit his father, Junior Gotti could pass on his father's orders to the family organization. In 1997, FBI agents searched Junior's property and found a typed list of the names of "made" members of the Gambino family and other contraband. The New York media...

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Operator accused of selling Federal Reserve cell phones to friends

A former Federal Reserve System switchboard operator was charged with stealing and selling government cell phones to friends who then racked up tens of thousands of dollars in airtime charges, court documents said. Christina M. Allen, who worked at the central bank headquarters in Washington, was charged with theft of government property, trafficking in unauthorized access devices and tampering with witness testimony. She faces a sentence of more than to 20 years if convicted. Prosecutors said the thefts occurred from November 2006 to September 2007 while Allen worked for the Federal Reserve Board's Information Technology Division, answering the switchboard and executive phones,...

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Teachers, principals caught in fraud case

Fairfax educators sue over alleged land scam Two Fairfax County public school principals and dozens of teachers they recruited into a North Carolina land deal have been caught up in what could be the largest mortgage fraud case in state history, according to court documents. A federal grand jury in North Carolina has been probing the massive fraud case. Teachers were left with worthless land and gaping holes in their bank accounts, according to lawsuits growing out of the case. Daniel Meier, principal at Fairfax's Robinson Secondary School, and his brother Thomas Meier, principal at McLean's Langley High School, worked with a former student, Mark Dain, to motivate investors to pay...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Trunk Murderess' kills friends in fight over man

On this day, Oct. 16, in 1931, Phoenix secretary Winnie Ruth Judd shot and killed two women, cut one up and stuffed both inside steamer trunks. The story had everything: adultery, murder, mystery and gore. The media dubbed Judd the "Trunk Murderess." Three days after the killings, a railroad employee discovered blood seeping from luggage outside Central Station in Los Angeles. Inside one trunk was Agnes LeRoi, 32. The dismembered pieces of Hedvig "Sammy" Samuelson, 24, were in other suitcases. A hatbox held surgical tools and a pistol. The victims were best friends of Judd, who had ridden the same train as the trunks. Prosecutors said the women were vying for the same man, a...

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Teens charged in beating death of Gaithersburg man

A teenage girl and boy were arrested on murder charges in the May death of a 57-year-old man whose body was found along a walking path, Montgomery County police said. Emily Drew Geller, 18, and Artie Ellis, 15, both of Potomac, were charged with first-degree murder and robbery in the death of Ali Reza Zare, of Gaithersburg. He was found along a Potomoc path by a Sunday morning jogger. He was killed by a blunt force injury to the back of the head. Zare's blue Subaru was found that afternoon near Seven Locks Elementary School. Evidence inside the car was linked to Geller, police said. Police searched Ellis' bedroom and found property that belonged to Zare. Geller was a juvenile when...

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Appeals court rejects D.C.'s bid for checkpoints

A U.S. appeals court on Thursday rejected the District's request to rehear its case in which the court found the city's police barricades violated citizens' rights. Last year, during a spate of violence in the Trinidad neighborhood, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Police Chief Cathy Lanier threw up military-style checkpoints to stop motorists, check IDs and turn back anyone who police deemed did not have legitimate business in the neighborhood. In July, a three-member panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled the checkpoints unconstitutional. The District asked for a review of the entire nine-member appeals court, but eight of the nine judges voted against a rehearing. Fenty could ask the U....

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The Blotter

Teens charged in beating death of Gaithersburg man A teenage girl and boy were arrested on murder charges in the May death of a 57-year-old man whose body was found along a walking path, Montgomery County police said. Emily Drew Geller, 18, and Artie Ellis, 15, both of Potomac, were charged with first-degree murder and robbery in the death of Ali Reza Zare of Gaithersburg. He was found along a Potomac path by a Sunday morning jogger. He was killed by a blunt force injury to the back of the head. Zare's blue Subaru was found that afternoon near Seven Locks Elementary School. Evidence inside the car was linked to Geller, police said. Police searched Ellis' bedroom and found property...

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Stupid Crimes

When his wife finds out, he'll need an epidural A Utah man was arrested after he allegedly fondled a nurse who was helping in the delivery of his child. Police said Adam Jay Manning, 30, brought the mother-to-be to a hospital about 3 a.m. When a nurse prepared the mother, Manning looked the nurse "up and down" and made a comment about how cute she looked, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. The nurse ignored Manning and continued helping the woman in labor. Manning attempted to massage the nurse's neck and then reached out and grabbed her breast, police said. The nurse reported the incident to police, who arrested Manning before his child's birth. You can't get telemarketing calls...

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D.C. businessman accused of disrupting flight faces 20 years

A Washington public relations executive flying home from Houston was charged with a felony under the USA Patriot Act for drunkenly disregarding the orders of flight attendants, court filings said. David H. Bass, 44, was charged in federal court under a provision that defines interfering with a flight member as a terrorist act and a felony. Bass was charged with intimidating a flight crew member and attendant. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Bass, who sometimes appears on television as a political commentator, recently began Raptors Strategies public relations firm, which boasts the motto: "New times demand new strategies." He did not return phone call...

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CRIME HISTORY - Teddy Roosevelt shot during campaign stop

On this day, Oct. 14, in 1912, saloonkeeper John Schrank shot President Theodore Roosevelt during a campaign stop in Milwaukee. With the .32-caliber bullet still in him, Roosevelt delivered his speech anyway. Roosevelt, president from 1901 to 1909, had founded the Bull Moose Party and sought a third term. On his way to the rally, Schrank fired a single shot. The bullet was slowed by Roosevelt's steel eyeglass case and a copy of his speech before lodging in his chest. Schrank was apprehended and declared, "Any man looking for a third term ought to be shot." Police found letters on Schrank saying that the ghost of William McKinley had told him to avenge his death by killing...

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2 teens killed, 3 wounded in D.C. drive-by attack

Two teenagers were killed and three others were wounded during a drive-by shooting Tuesday afternoon in a troubled Northeast Washington neighborhood. The victims, males between the ages of 16 and 18, were standing in the courtyard at the Clay Terrace housing complex at about 4 p.m. when a black sport utility vehicle with tinted windows rolled up and bullets started flying, D.C. police said. One young man died at the scene. The other four were taken to the hospital, where a second victim was pronounced dead, police said. Police combed the area and looked for the black Chevy Tahoe. Patrolmen were hitting other neighborhoods to prevent retaliatory attacks. Police Chief Cathy Lanier...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'The Shoemaker' killed with aid of his son, 10

On this day, Oct. 13, 1976, Joseph Kallinger, known as the Shoemaker and accused of using his 10-year-old son to help kill and torture unsuspecting families, was convicted of murder. In 1939 at age 2, Kallinger was adopted by sadistic parents. His mother would hold his open hand over a flame until his skin began to smolder. Kallinger became a Philadelphia shoemaker and had seven children of his own. In 1972, Kallinger was accused of child abuse and arrested, but released after his children recanted their stories. In 1974, Kallinger drowned his 14-year-old son, Joseph Jr., with the help of his other son Michael. The two went on a six-week crime spree through Pennsylvania, Maryland...

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Key figure in drug smuggling ring admits crimes

A man who authorities say was a key member of drug smuggling and money laundering operations has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and ecstasy. Mohammed Alazzam, 34, admitted in federal court in Alexandria to conspiring to distribute hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of drugs. Prosecutors said Alazzam, a naturalized citizen from Jordan, was an important figure in criminal enterprises that resulted in federal indictments in Virginia, Connecticut and West Virginia. Alazzam was the protege of Fares Abulaban, a nightclub owner described by prosecutors in court documents as the "linchpin of a broad sweeping conspiracy." The Virginia case began when Abulaban...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Highway Hooker' Wuornos is executed

On this day, Oct. 9, in 2002, serial killer Aileen Wuornos was executed by lethal injection in Florida. Wuornos is sometimes called the first female serial killer. Robert K. Ressler, the FBI profiler who coined the term "serial killer," said female predatory killers tend to know their victims, use poison and murder as a submissive partnership to a man. Wuornos, he said, was the exception. She worked alone, used a gun and victimized strangers. From 1989 to '90, Wuornos picked up at least six men on the highways of central Florida, killed then robbed them. Fingerprints led police to Wuornos. She was arrested in 1991 and confessed, but at first claimed the killings were in self-defense....

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Stupid Crimes

Wait. In Alabama, that's just a mobile home Police arrested an Alabama woman after she was spotted driving down a highway with her 13-year-old daughter in a cardboard box -- on the roof of her minivan. When asked why her child was riding on top of the van, Jackie Knott told police the box was too big to fit inside the van. Knott, 37, said she thought her daughter was safe because the box was secured to the van with a clothes hanger. Knott was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Pool party Thieves who broke into a Texas home were greeted with a hail of billiards balls. Paula Ollie, a 27-year-old mother, gathered the heavy pool balls and put them in her son's bicycle...

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Gang member gets 50 years for fatal bus shooting

An MS-13 gang member was sentenced to 50 years in prison for a shooting on a Montgomery County bus that killed a 14-year-old boy. Hector S. Hernandez, 21, an illegal immigrant living in Takoma Park, pleaded guilty to killing Tai Lam and wounding two other teenagers. Two groups of young men got into an argument on a Ride On bus in Silver Spring on Nov. 1, 2008, when Hernandez pulled out a handgun and started shooting, police said. - Scott...

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The Blotter

Adoptive mother gets nine years for abuse A Silver Spring woman who beat and locked her 12-year-old adoptive daughter in a room was sentenced to nine years in prison. Police said Hyacinth Morgan, 48, tied the girl and beat her before locking her up in a basement room. Police learned of the abuse after the girl escaped and was found wandering the streets after midnight with bruises on her face and no shoes. Doctor owed $16 million in taxes A Potomac cardiologist was convicted of not paying more than $16 million in income taxes. Pradeep Srivastava, 50, who had offices in Greenbelt and Oxon Hill, did not report more than $40 million in profits from stock trading during the late 1990s...

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CRIME HISTORY - Martha Stewart heads to the big house

On this day, Oct. 8, in 2004, celebrity "homemaker" Martha Stewart began serving a five-month prison sentence for lying about a stock sale. Stewart was convicted of lying to investigators about why she sold ImClone stock in December 2001, just before the stock price plunged. Stewart avoided a $45,673 loss by dumping all her shares the day before the stock value fell 18 percent. After a highly publicized, five-week jury trial that was the most closely watched of a wave of corporate fraud trials, Stewart was found guilty in March 2004 of conspiracy, obstruction of an agency proceeding and making false statements to federal investigators. Stewart agreed to begin serving her sentence...

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Piano teacher arrested for web site

A 58-year-old piano teacher once convicted of child pornography was arrested for failing to register a web site for his business with the Virginia sex offender registry, Fairfax County police said. Charles Duwain Dillon set up a web site "Piano Dreams Studio" advertising piano lessons for people ages 4 and up and failed to register it, police said. Virginia law requires a registered sex offender to notify authorities of any change to their internet communication used by the offender. Dillon was convicted in 1998 of possession of child pornography. Federal prosecutors said he used an America Online account in the name of "ALEX4PLAY" to send pornographic pictures of children having sex...

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The Blotter

Pr. William drops loitering charges against 4 Latinos The Prince William County commonwealth's attorney has dropped a case against four Latino men who were charged with loitering while standing near their apartment complex in Manassas in May. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the defendants, argued that the county's loitering clause is "unconstitutionally vague." The ordinance makes it unlawful to loiter "under circumstances which justify a reasonable suspicion that such person may be engaged in, or is about to engage in, a crime, or with the purpose of begging." Couple robbed, beaten at home in Herndon Two Herndon-area residents were beaten and cut inside their...

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Crime History - Congressman, stripper saga begins

On this day, Oct. 7, in 1974, U.S. Park Police pulled over Rep. Wilbur Mills and striptease dancer Fanne Foxe, who leapt from the car and jumped into the Tidal Basin. The spectacle would lead to the downfall of Mills, considered one of the most powerful men in Congress. Police stopped Mills' car at 2 a.m. because its headlights were off. Mills had been drinking and his face was cut from a scuffle with Foxe, whose real name was Annabella Battistella. Nevertheless, Mills won re-election. On Nov. 30, 1974, a seemingly drunk Mills held a news conference in Foxe's dressing room at a seedy burlesque house in Boston to dispel rumors he was having an affair with Foxe, also known as the "Argentine...

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The Blotter

Ohio man charged in acupuncturist's slaying Fairfax County police have charged an Ohio man in the July slaying of an Annandale acupuncturist. Danny Kim, 47, was charged with murdering of Chung A. Auh, 53, who was discovered bound and dead inside her home-based business. Detectives used video to find the driver of a sport utility vehicle seen outside her home about the time of the killing and that led them to Kim, officer Camille Neville said. Neville said she was not sure whether Auh knew her killer, but the attack did not appear to be random. Trash collectors arrested for embezzling dump fees Three Fairfax County trash collectors were charged with pocketing more than $12,000 paid by...

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CRIME HISTORY - Murder trial begins for Delaware lawyer

On this day, Oct. 6, in 1998, the murder trial began for Thomas Capano, the former deputy attorney general for Delaware accused of killing the 28-year-old appointments secretary to the governor. Anne Marie Fahey was last seen June 27, 1996. She wanted to end her relationship with the married Capano. Capano killed Fahey and stuffed her body in a cooler. He took a boat 62 miles into the Atlantic Ocean and tossed the cooler overboard. When the cooler failed to sink, he shot holes in it. Still, the ice chest floated. Capano pulled the body out and wrapped it with anchor chains. Fahey disappeared into the deep. Neither her body nor the murder weapon were ever recovered. Prosecutors...

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The Blotter

Physical therapist charged with sexual assault A physical therapist in Montgomery County was charged with sexual assault of a woman, police said. Police were contacted by a woman who said she drove a patient to the physical therapist in Rockville. The woman said she mentioned to Arne De Los Reyes that she was having lower back pain and De Los Reyes offered to treat her for free. He then closed the door to the examination room and engaged in inappropriate physical contact with the woman, police said. Man dropped body of girlfriend in manhole A man from Howard County told police that he strangled his girlfriend before dumping her body into a Baltimore manhole. Victor Cruz, 40,...

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Feds make arrest in bizarre robbery spree

Federal agents have charged a man in connection with a series of armed robbery attempts linked by the gunman's bizarre attempts at disguise and striking lack of competency, according to court documents. As agents were looking into eight robbery incidents over a two-week span, a pattern emerged that led them to suspect a single perpetrator. Sometimes the robber wore a wig and business suit. Sometimes he added a fake nose or false goatee. Sometimes he wore a white headdress with a black band. Sometimes he wore a white robe. The robber also seemed singularly inept, according to descriptions of some of the robbery attempts in charging documents. The first attempt occurred at closing time...

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CRIME HISTORY - Crime fighter Dick Tracy makes newspaper debut

On this day, Oct. 4, 1931, sharp-shooting detective Dick Tracy makes his comic strip debut. The cartoon in the Detroit Mirror, created by artist Chester Gould, was a new comic concept. Tracy was a hard-hitting police detective who fought colorful villains, thugs like B.B. Eyes, Flattop Jones and Pruneface. For 45 years "Dick Tracy" appeared on the front page of the New York Daily News. The strip reflected the real life violence of Al Capone's 1930s Chicago, while staying current with crime fighting techniques, forensic science and advanced gadgetry. In the early 1950s, the strip introduced Crime Stoppers, a handy feature that offered hints for amateur crime fighters. The idea later...

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Fairfax police seek credit card thief

Fairfax County police are investigating the theft of credit cards from vehicles and are asking the public to help identify a suspect. The thefts occurred within a month from vehicles parked at Burke Lake Park and South Run District Park. The stolen cards were used at nearby stores. Patrol officers have obtained pictures of the suspect from store surveillance cameras. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS. More photos of the suspect can be seen at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/police/news-releases/2009/100109creditcard.htm. -- Scott...

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Another MS-13 member sentenced for racketeering

An MS-13 member who provided the gun used to kill a woman in an Adelphi graveyard was sentenced to more than nine years in prison on racketeering charges. Carlos A. Martinez, 21, is the latest member of La Mara Salvatrucha to be convicted in a sweeping federal case that has charged 51 people under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Martinez, also known as Lobo, was only a teenager when he became a high-ranking member of the Langley Park Salvatruchos clique of MS-13, one of the murderous Latino gangs that operate throughout Prince George's and Montgomery counties. According to court documents, the Langley Park Salvatruchos believed that Nancy Diaz was...

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The 3-minute interview: Jim Vandak

Vandak, 52, is the race director for the Army 10-Miler, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year on Sunday in Washington. This road race has both its start and finish lines at the Pentagon. In 1997, the race had 8,900 runners. Now it's up to 30,000. How'd you get to D.C.? I came out here from Michigan, just to go to school. I was taking some philosophy and theology at Catholic University and stayed. I like the area. D.C. has got all the arts, great recreation opportunities, I got married here and, economically, it's a pretty solid. Plus the falls are great. Michigan has four seasons but it's a little colder. Washington gives you the four seasons but it's a little...

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Crime History - First FBI agent busted for spying

On this day, Oct. 2, in 1984, Richard Miller became the first FBI agent in history to be arrested for espionage. Miller was a bumbling agent known mostly for the food stains and crumbs that spilled on his clothes. He often took three-hour lunches at 7-Elevens near his Los Angeles office, gorging on candy bars and immersing himself in comic books. Miller was an easy target for Russian agent Svetlana Ogorodnikov. When the FBI learned of his secret affair, Miller claimed that he was trying to fool the KGB into thinking he was a double agent. Miller and Sveltana were getting ready to travel to Vienna and when the FBI arrested them and her husband, Nikolai Ogorodnikov, for spying. Miller...

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U.S. Capitol cop found sleeping in stranger's bed

A U.S. Capitol Police officer was arrested when an Arlington woman came home to find the stranger passed out in her bed. Police said Thomas McMahon, 34, was still sleeping when officers arrived at 1 a.m. Sunday. Police don't know why McMahon, who lives in Reston, picked the woman's apartment to sleep, but investigators believe he was intoxicated and came through the front door of her North Randolph Street home. McMahon was charged with unlawful entry. He is a member of the U.S. Capitol Police's SWAT team. He was placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of the criminal case. -- Scott...

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Stupid Crimes

Plane stupid Holding up a cell phone and yelling "I am going to press this and blow up the plane" is probably not the best way to convince the ticket agent to switch your flight. But that's what an Oregon man did at the San Francisco airport after an employee of Philippine Airlines explained that he would have to buy a round-trip ticket if he wanted to get on the plane. Mark Field, 46, went ballistic and pointed to his cell phone, "I'm going to press this and blow up the plane." Bomb-stiffing dogs searched Field's bags and the airplane but didn't find any explosives. Field was arrested on making a false bomb threat. Revenge is a dish best served fried A Texas woman angry at her...

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The Blotter

'Construction workers' rob McLean bank Gunmen dressed as construction workers robbed a bank in McLean, according to Fairfax County police. Around 10 a.m. Thursday, the men entered the Wachovia Bank at 6260 Old Dominion Drive, flashed handguns and demanded money. One of the men was wearing a bright orange jacket with reflective stripes, a yellow hard hat, and a black mask covering his face. The other man was wearing dark green hooded coat covered with patches. The gunmen took an undisclosed amount of money and fled. Boy, 16, shot and killed in Pr. George's A 16-year-old was killed and another teenager was wounded in a shooting in Prince George's County. At about 11:30 p.m....

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Police looking for robber in Silver Spring bank heist

Montgomery County police are looking for a man who robbed a Silver Spring bank and are asking the public to help identify and capture him. Around 2 p.m. Sept. 23, the man entered the Chevy Case Bank at 8315 Georgia Ave. and approached the teller. He announced the robbery and demanded cash but did not indicate that he had a gun. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of money, the man fled and got into a small burgundy vehicle parked along Bonifant Street and fled. The robber is described as a black male, in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 150 to 170 pounds. The robber was wearing a black T-shirt, bluejeans and a black baseball cap. Anyone with information about...

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CRIME HISTORY - Polly Klaas kidnapped, murdered in Calif.

On this day, Oct. 1, in 1993, 12-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped at knifepoint during a slumber party at her mother's house in Petaluma, Calif. Her case gained national attention and helped lead to California's "three strikes" mandatory life sentence law. Polly had two friends over for a sleepover when a man with a knife snuck into her bedroom and tied up her friends, had them count to 1,000 and kidnapped Polly. Hours later on the night of the kidnapping, police encountered Polly's abductor, Richard Allen Davis, who got his Pinto stuck in the mud. At the time, Davis was wanted for violating his parole on a previous kidnapping conviction, but the officers apparently failed to call...

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The Blotter

Bloods leader, daughter recruited high schoolers A Prince William County father and teenage daughter have been charged with recruiting students for a gang. Police said two Fairfax High School students and an informant told them that Theodore Olds, 43, and his 17-year-old daughter recruited young people into the local Bloods street gang. The father directed the members to commit armed robberies and other crimes, police said. Olds was charged with two counts of gang recruitment on school property, three counts of gang participation and one count each of robbery and use of a gun in a robbery. His daughter was charged with four gang counts. Man stabbed at Springfield Mall A 21-year-old...

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Most wanted - Marshals: Escaped fugitive returns to D.C.

U.S. marshals believe that the D.C. inmate who escaped during his father’s funeral has returned to the Washington area and are asking for the public’s assistance in bringing him in. In April 2008, William Brice was awaiting trail on charges that he shot a man in Northeast Washington and for violating his parole on a previous weapons conviction. A D.C. Superior Court judge allowed Brice to be released from jail for three hours in the custody of one of Brice’s two public defense attorneys to attend his father’s funeral service at Pope’s Funeral Home at 2617 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. That’s when Brice made his getaway and he’s not been seen...

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Police seek armed Arlington bank robber

Arlington County police want the public's help in identifying a man who robbed a bank Monday afternoon. Shortly before 2 p.m. Monday, an unknown man entered a bank in the 900 block of S. George Mason Drive. The robber displayed a handgun and jumped over the counter. The man fled the store after receiving an unknown amount of cash. No one was injured. At the time of the robbery, the suspect was wearing a dark colored head covering, a dark jacket or hooded sweat shirt, green camouflage pants and tan work boots. He was also carrying a black book bag and a black handgun. Anyone with information is asked to call the Arlington County Police Department Tip Line at 703-228-4242, or...

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CRIME HISTORY - Burglars in blue rounded up in Denver

On this day, Sept. 30, in 1961, dozens of disgraced Denver cops were arrested, stripped of their guns and badges and hauled to jail in a paddy wagon for running a massive police burglary ring. Denver's burglars in blue cased their jobs from police cruisers, returned at night to steal while lookouts monitored the police radio for alarm calls. After the property owners discovered the break-ins, the same policemen returned to investigate the crime and destroy the evidence. In one case, an insurance company investigator discovered a policeman's pants near a burglary scene. City detectives confiscated the pants, which disappeared forever. The well-organized ring was only exposed after a...

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The Blotter

Graham intern admits to double-shooting A former intern to D.C. Councilman Jim Graham pleaded guilty to assault and weapons charges Tuesday in connection with the shooting of another teenager in the city's summer jobs program. Devin Black, 19, admitted that he shot two other teenagers in the legs near the Columbia Heights Metro station after the pair finished an all-day orientation for the summer jobs program. Before his intern was identified as the shooter, Graham said the shooting was proof that the city needed tough anti-gang laws. The councilman later drove his intern to the police station to surrender. Black will be sentenced Nov. 30. NASA scientist pleads guilty in conflict of...

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D.C. Jail sergeant accused of paying pimp for sex with inmate

A D.C. Jail sergeant has been suspended while corrections officials probe allegations that he had sex with an inmate after paying for it through her pimp, according to officials and court documents. The investigation has also led to the forced leave of two other corrections officers, one of whom was later fired over an unrelated issue, officials said. The three were removed from the D.C. Jail property, "after allegations of inappropriate behavior arose with an inmate," according to Walter Fulton, facility program manager at the Correctional Treatment Center. Authorities said they would not further discuss the allegations because of an ongoing law enforcement investigation, but...

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CRIME HISTORY - First victim killed by poisoned Tylenol

On this day, Sept. 29, in 1982, the Chicago Tylenol murders began with the first of seven people killed by cyanide-laced capsules in northwest Chicago. Twelve-year-old Mary Ann Kellerman died after taking the over-the counter pain reliever. Over the next six days, six other people suddenly died of unknown causes in the greater Chicago area. Firefighters Richard Keyworth and Phillip Cappitelli realized that all seven victims had ingested Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules before becoming ill. Investigators confirmed their hunch and found that the bottles had been laced with cyanide. Three other tampered bottles also were discovered. Police believe the killer took the packages from the...

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Terps forward arrested on assault charge

Maryland freshman forward Jordan Williams was charged with assault in his hometown of Torrington, Conn. Williams, 18, is one of five teenagers arrested for an alleged assault on Aug. 8. The 6-foot-10 freshman turned himself in to police Saturday. He was charged with misdemeanor assault and breach of peace. He faces up to 18 months in jail. Jordan Williams averaged 35.7 points last season as a senior at Torrington High School. Rivals.com ranked him the No. 85 basketball recruit in the nation. "We are aware of the situation and are monitoring any changes," Terps coach Gary Williams said in a statement. "We will let the judicial system run its course before making any decisions. Any...

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D.C. police seek sharp-dressed bank robber

D.C. police are asking for the public's help to find the well-dressed man who robbed a downtown bank Monday morning. Around 9:15 a.m., police said, a man in a dark suit and fedora hat walked into the Presidential Bank in the 1600 block of K Street Northwest. Once inside, the man passed a note demanding money. The clerk handed over cash and the robber fled the bank. He was last scene walking west on K Street. The robber is described as a black male, in his 40s, standing between 5-feet-10 and 5-11 in height. He has a black and gray beard, and a thin build. He was reportedly wearing a black suit, white shirt and tie. The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a reward of up to...

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District pays off in second sex suit against police photo lab chief

The District of Columbia has agreed to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars because of a second separate sexual harassment lawsuit against the chief of the police photography lab. Former photographer Mary Gilkey had accused longtime photo chief William Gresham of making unwanted sexual advances. The District last month agreed to pay Gilkey $200,000 to settle her suit, according to her lawyer, Ted E. Williams. In 2001, the city settled a similar complaint against Gresham by former employee Tina Hall-Johnson. Gresham, who supervised both women, remains the chief of the police photo lab, according to the Metropolitan Police Department's Web site. Williams has worked for the city...

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The Blotter

Van Brunn in N.C. for competency hearing An 89-year-old white supremacist charged with killing a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum has arrived at a federal prison in North Carolina to be evaluated for competency to stand trial. James von Brunn is now at the Butner Federal Medical Center in Butner, N.C. A spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons says he arrived Friday from the D.C. Jail. Body found at church playground Prince George's County police are investigating the death of a man whose naked body was found behind a church Monday morning. Police said the body was found near the playground of the Ascension Lutheran Church around 7:30 a.m. The man appeared to...

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Crime History - Wis. game warden found buried, headless

On this day, Sept. 25, in 1971, the headless body of a Wisconsin game warden was found in a shallow grave. Neil LaFave had been missing since the day before, his 32nd birthday, and a hunting party went looking for him in the Sensiba Wildlife area. Searchers found LeFave's truck and a large amount of blood. The trail led to more blood, human body matter, a tooth, and bone fragments. Finally, police found a spot that had been recently dug up. Police retrieved shovels and found his body, without his head. The head was buried nearby with two bullets still embedded in it. The brutality of the attack seemed to indicate rage or revenge. Police questioned all the people who had been...

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Stupid crime - Kitty porn

Kitty porn A Florida man accused of possession of child pornography blamed the crime on his cat. According to a sheriff's report, Keith Griffin told investigators that pornographic images found on his computer were caused by his cat jumping on the keyboard while he was downloading music. Griffin has been charged with 100 counts of possession of child pornography. Sheriff's officials said a family friend was caring for the cat. Lessons in drunken dialing A 17-year-old Washington girl was arrested twice the same night after she dialed 9-1-1 while drunk. Police first busted the girl for public intoxication. After authorities released the girl to her family, she continued to be a...

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Drug dealer with long rap sheet sought by U.S. marshals

Convicted drug dealer and fugitive-from-justice Dominique Hinkley has racked up a long rap sheet, U.S. marshals deputies said, and they would like to put him behind bars before he strikes again. Authorities have been in pursuit of Hinkley for nearly a year and they're asking the public for their assistance in bringing the search to an end. "He's out there and we need to get him back in the court system and prevent any more victims," said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Hinkley has been charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service in the District of Columbia for...

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CRIME HISTORY - George Washington creates U.S. Marshals Service

On this day, Sept. 24, in 1789, President George Washington signed the Judiciary Act, creating the U.S. Marshals Service, with the entire federal court system. Many of the first U.S. marshals, including John Adams' son-in-law, Rep. William Stephens Smith for the district of New York, had already proven themselves in military service during the American Revolution. Over the past 220 years, the marshals have been called on to carry out unusual missions, such as registering enemy aliens in time of war, sealing the American border against armed expeditions from foreign countries and swapping spies with the Soviet Union. As the young nation expanded westward, marshals were instrumental...

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The Blotter: Prosecutors explain misdemeanor charge in gay man's death

Prosecutors explain misdemeanor charge in gay man's death The District's acting U.S. attorney, Channing Phillips, said in a court filing that a lack of witnesses and the victim's drunken state led prosecutors to pursue misdemeanor charges in the death of Tony Hunter. Hunter was on his way to a gay bar in the District when he was punched in the head by Robert Hannah. The punch caused Hunter's head to hit the ground, which killed him. A medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, but Hannah pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. Channing said Hunter's drunken state may have contributed to his hard fall, and authorities couldn't find more than three witnesses to the incident. The...

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Knifeman gets 48 years for slashing elderly woman's throat

A Germantown man was sentenced to 48 years in prison -- 10 years more than the sentencing guidelines recommend -- for robbing and slashing the throat of an 80-year-old woman. Elwood Green, 20, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Circuit Court to second-degree attempted murder and faced 22 to 38 years. But Judge Louise G. Scrivener imposed the harsher sentence because of the violence of the attack and the vulnerability of the elderly woman. "This was a heinous crime against a particularly vulnerable victim," said State's Attorney John J. McCarthy. "Elwood Green preyed on those he knew he could overpower easily." On Oct. 16, 2008, prosecutors said, Green followed San Hao Zhen, 80, up...

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Crime History - Boston officer killed by anti-war radicals

On this date, Sept. 23, in 1970, Boston police Officer Walter Schroeder was shot and killed while responding to a silent alarm at a bank being robbed by a gang of anti-Vietnam War activists. While the armed and masked robbers fired into the bank's walls and ordered everyone down on the floor, Schroeder drove up in his patrol car, got out and started walking toward the bank when getaway driver William "Lefty" Gilday shot him in the back several times with an M1 rifle. Schroeder, 42, died and was survived by his wife and nine children. Gilday was captured sentenced to life in prison. One of the co-conspirators, Katherine Ann Power, a 21-year-old student from Brandeis University,...

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Crime History - Radical attempts to kill President Ford

On this day, Sept. 22, in 1975, President Gerald Ford survived the second assassination attempt in 17 days. Sarah Jane Moore -- a native of Charleston, W.Va. and a political radical -- aimed a .38-caliber pistol at Ford as he left the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. But her attempt was thwarted by a bystander, Oliver Supple, who grabbed Moore's arm and pulled her to the ground. Moore was able to fire one shot, but the bullet ricocheted of the hotel. Secret Service agents hustled Ford into a waiting vehicle and sped away to safety. Moore was sentenced to life in prison. In 1979, she escaped from the federal prison in Alderson, W.Va., but was recaptured hours later. The attempt...

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The Blotter

Nursing home worker charged with neglect Police in Frederick charged a nursing home worker with locking three blind and deaf adults in a car while he ate at a diner. The three were left in the hot sunlight while Brian Fleming, 47, ate inside the Mountain View Diner on Sunday. Paramedics treated the trio who appeared to be hot and in distress, police said. Fleming, 47, of Fairfield, Pa., with three counts of vulnerable adult neglect. Mail thief gets two years in jail A Hyattsville woman was sentenced to two years in prison for her role in a scheme to steal mail from U.S. Postal Service mailboxes. Neira Maradiaga-Menjivar, 23, pleaded guilty to using a master key to steal mail from USPS...

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Va. teacher with 15-year-old boy arrested

A 27-year-old Fairfax County schoolteacher was arrested and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a 15-year-old boy after police said they found the two parked inside her car early Sunday. Valerie Roesler, a teacher at Hayfield Secondary School, was charged with being drunk in public and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. At about 2 a.m. Sunday, Fairfax County police said a patrol officer saw the woman and child inside a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer parked on the 7900 block of Gunston Hill Lane and checked on them. Police said the teen had left his parents' house without their knowledge. He does not attend Hayfield, police said. - Scott...

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Sisters charged in D.C. income tax theft

The owners of a tax preparation businesse in South Carolina have been charged with filing phony income tax returns to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the District of Columbia. The elaborate scam siphoned money via the troubled D.C. tax office even after federal agents uncovered an unrelated scheme in which fake property tax returns were used to rip off $48 million from the government over two decades. Carolyne R. Jones, 50, and Johanna R. Jones, 47, were charged with wire fraud, mail fraud and identity theft. The sisters are accused of filing 173 fraudulent tax returns in the names of their clients to pocket $800,000 for themselves. Like the $48 million property tax...

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Crime history - Car bomb kills resistance leader on streets of D.C

On this day, Sept. 21, in 1976, a car bomb in Washington, D.C., set by agents of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet exploded, killing political figure Orlando Letelier and his assistant. The bombing on Massachusetts Avenue is one of the most infamous acts of international terrorism in the nation’s capital. Letelier had moved to D.C. after spending 12 months in political prison following Pinochet’s coup. He worked for the Institute for Policy Studies, taught at American University and became the leading voice of the Chilean resistance. At about 9:35 a.m. on this day, Letelier, his assistant Ronni Moffitt, 25, and her husband, Michael, were driving to work on Sheridan Circle in...

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Two arrested in BB gun attack against mailman

Fairfax County police arrested two men who they said fired a BB gun at a mailman last week. Police said the mailman was walking on the 6000 block of Bellview Drive at about 1 p.m. Wednesday when he had several shots fired at him. The mailman took cover and called police, who responded with a helicopter and K-9 officer. Police tracked the men to a nearby apartment and recovered a BB gun. Arrested were Horace Jones, 18, and Shawn Jones, 18, of Prince George’s County. Both suspects were charged with attempted malicious wounding....

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Crime History - Major League Baseball embarrassed by cocaine trial

On Sept. 20, in 1985, Curtis Strong is convicted for selling cocaine to pro baseball players that resulted in the harshest Major League Baseball penalties since the Black Sox scandal of 1919. Several Pittsburgh Pirates, including Dale Berra and Dave Parker, and other stars like Vida Blue, Jeff Leonard, Tim Raines and Lonnie Smith -- were hauled before a Pittsburgh grand jury. The players were granted immunity for their testimony. The Pirates testified that drug dealers sold cocaine in the clubhouse, and league Most Valuable Player Keith Hernandez swore that Pittsburgh was the place to get your fix. Even the mascot, Pirate Parrot, was implicated as a drug dealer. The players'...

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D.C. tech office employee pleads in kickback scheme

A D.C. government technology worker has pleaded guilty for her role in a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scam that rocked the city's computer office and once threatened to unseat President Obama's top technology official. Tawanna Sellmon, a project manager in the District's Office of the Chief Technology Officer, is the latest name to surface in the bribery and kickback scandal. Five people, including two other D.C. tech office employees, have been charged so far. Sellmon admitted Thursday in federal court that she accepted thousands of dollars from Sushil Bansal, the owner of Advanced Integrated Technologies, a consulting firm accused of bilking the D.C. taxpayers for millions of...

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CRIME HISTORY - Patty Heart arrested after SLA shootout

On this day, September 18, in 1975, 19-year-old heiress Patricia Hearst was captured by Los Angeles police after a shootout and arrested for an armed robbery of a bank that she committed as a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army. More than a year earlier, Hearst -- granddaughter of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst -- was kidnapped in Berkeley, Calif., by the militant group and held for ransom. The SLA demanded that millions of dollars worth of foodstuffs be donated to the homeless. After her capture, Hearst claimed that she had been brainwashed. She was convicted of bank robbery in 1976 and sentenced to seven years in prison. She served two years before her sentence was...

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Girl tries hanging herself at D.C. elementary school

An elementary school student was hospitalized after she tried to kill herself at her school in Northwest Washington, officials said. The girl was found Thursday morning hanging by a belt around her neck inside a restroom at the Adams campus of Oyster-Adams Bilingual School just north of Dupont Circle, officials said. School workers removed the girl and administrated CPR before rescue workers took her to Children's National Medical Center in serious condition, D.C. fire department spokesman Pete Piringer said. The student, age 12 or 13, was listed in serious condition, Piringer said. The student's exact age or grade could not be released because of privacy laws, D.C. schools...

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26 arrested in drug takedown

Authorities rounded up 26 suspects and seized tens of thousands of dollars in cash and drugs during a raid in Southeast Washington on Thursday, police said. The arrests took place mostly in the Parkland Park neighborhood. Police said they seized crack cocaine, heroin, PCP and marijuana with a street value of more than $89,000, three guns, and nearly $80,000 in cash. "Where there are drugs there is crime, and this neighborhood has been plagued by both," Chief Cathy L. Lanier said. "Today's takedown clears this neighborhood of the crews who are tied to much of the violence here." - Scott...

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Stupid Crimes

It's called the Axe body spray effect A tender tryst in a trash bin turned sour for a Kansas couple who found themselves being robbed at knife point. Wichita police say lovers had climbed into a Dumpster to be alone when two men interrupted them and demanded their belongings. Officers say the man and woman were engaged in "an intimate moment" when they were robbed of their shoes, jewelry and the man's wallet. The suspects were found a short time later, and the stolen property was returned. That's how Dante J. Krauss rolls A Florida deputy did a double-take when the driver of a motorcycle literally streaked past wearing nothing, not even a helmet. A Marion County sheriff's...

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CRIME HISTORY - Serial killer cop goes to trial in Fla.

On this day, Sept. 17, in 1973, the trial begins in Florida for former Deputy Sheriff Gerard Schaefer for murders he committed as a patrolman. Witnesses included two teenage hitchhikers who had been abducted by Schaefer. The girls said Schaefer picked him up in his patrol car, handcuffed them and threatened to sell them into slavery. Schaefer left them balanced under a tree with nooses around their necks so that if they fell they would hang themselves. But the girls escaped and Schaefer telephoned his boss to say he had done something foolish, but was only trying to teach the girls a lesson. Schaefer, then 26, was fired and charged with false imprisonment. Four months later, the...

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Animal activists arrested outside Canadian Embassy

Three women in white seal costumes doused in red paint to look make them look bloodied were arrested in front of the Canadian Embassy. The women, animal activists from PETA, crawled onto Pennsylvania Avenue near Constitution Avenue and blocked morning traffic. U.S. Secret Service officers removed them from the street and charged them with disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly and failure to obey. The protesters said they were demonstrating against the slaughter of harp seals and wanted to send a message to Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper as he visits Barack Obama. -- Scott...

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Arlington's 'Plastic Bag Attacker' still at large

A man who became known as the Plastic Bag Attacker when he terrorized women in Arlington two years ago, has never been captured and police are determined to learn his identity. The man stalked women who walked alone at night from Metro stations. He would walk up to them and try to force a plastic bag over their head, and sometimes would grope them. Police believe he was trying to injure the women and hide his identity. At the time, police released a composite sketch and they hope that someone might recognize the man. Police believe the man may still be out there and they want to catch him before he strikes again and escalates his bizarre attacks. At least five women were attacked over...

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Student kills suspected burglar with samurai sword

A John Hopkins University student with a samurai sword killed a suspected burglar at his off-campus home, Baltimore police said. Around 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, a 20-year-old chemistry major student confronted a man hiding inside his garage, asked him what he was doing and threatened to call police. That's when the man lunged at the student who defended himself with his sword, police said. Witnesses said they heard blood-curdling screams. The intruder suffered a nearly severed hand that hung "by a thread" and a serious cut to his upper body, a spokesman said. The suspected burglar died at the scene. The 49-year-old man was described by police as a habitual offender with 29 arrests, mostly...

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The Blotter

Puppy tossed during fight, injured Two Annandale residents were charged with animal cruelty after a puppy was thrown out of a window and injured. Fairfax County Police were called to domestic situation in Lincolnia area Friday and discovered that a six-month-old puppy was allegedly tossed from a second story window during the argument. The dog suffered a broken front paw. He was taken into custody by Animal Control officers and given medical attention. He may be put up for adoption. Terrence G. Merritt, 41, and Latoya Grant, 24, were both charged with animal cruelty. Police-involved shooting victim ID'd The man fatally shot by D.C. police Monday has been indentified as...

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CRIME HISTORY: Priest, mistress found slain in lover's lane

On this day, Sept. 16, in 1922, a young couple in New Jersey discovered the slain bodies of an Episcopal priest and a member of his choir with whom he was having an affair. The suspected killers were the priest's wife and her brothers in what became known as the Hall-Mills case. The victims, Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills, were both shot in the head with a .32-caliber pistol. Her tongue had been cut out. Their bodies had been placed under a crabapple tree, positioned side by side with torn-up love letters placed between their bodies. The case against Frances Noel Stevens Hall and her brothers fell apart during the month long trial when the key witness changed her story each time she...

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CRIME HISTORY - 4 girls killed in Ala. church bombing

On this day, Sept. 15, in 1963, a bomb exploded during Sunday morning services in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., killing four black girls. Birmingham was a center of the civil rights struggle, and the church was a rallying point for the city's black leadership. In the early morning, Ku Klux Klansmen planted 122 sticks of dynamite at the church. At 10:26, while 26 children were readying for closing prayers, the bomb detonated, killing 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, along with 11-year-old Denise McNair. Robert "Dynamite Bob" Chambliss originally was charged with murder but not convicted. The case was reopened in 1971, when it...

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Va. wants to execute D.C. sniper Nov. 9.

Virginia is seeking a Nov. 9 execution for D.C. sniper John Allen Muhammad. Senior Assistant Attorney General Katherine B. Burnett wrote that the November date has been coordinated with the governor's office to ensure consideration of an expected clemency petition. Muhammad was sentenced to death for the slaying of Dean Meyers, one of 10 people killed during a 2002 shooting rampage that terrorized the Washington area. Muhammad's attorney, Jonathan Sheldon, has said he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. -- Scott...

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FBI: D.C.'s violent crime up in 2008

The number of violent crimes in the District of Columbia increased last year, according to the FBI, contradicting the police department's claims that violence had fallen substantially in 2008. The total number of murders, rapes, robberies and assaults in D.C. rose 2.3 percent last year over 2007, according to an annual FBI crime report released Monday. Property crime in the nation's capital also increased by 4.5 percent, the FBI said. Meanwhile, the rest of the country saw a better trend: Violent crime nationally fell 1.9 percent nationally; property crime dipped 0.8 percent. Earlier this year, D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier, boasted of "huge victories on crime," testifying...

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The Blotter: 'Wig Lady' mastermind sentenced

'Wig Lady' mastermind sentenced The ringleader in the "Wig Lady" bank fraud scheme was sentenced to nine years in prison. Authorities said 58-year-old Charles H. Belim, of Capitol Heights, was the mastermind of a team of thieves who pickpocketed checkbooks from more than 50 women and then wore wigs, scarves and glasses while impersonating them to draw money from the women's bank accounts. The group had operated in Boston for several years before Belim apparently decided to bring the crew to Maryland in 2005. In less than two years, police said the ring stole up to $120,000 in cash and hit at least 23 banks in the Washington area. Toddler drowns in ornamental pond A 14-month-old boy died...

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Hunt for murdered teen's killer continues decades later

It's been nearly 36 years since hunters in Anne Arundel County stumbled on the body of a young woman on a footpath in a wooded area just north of the Prince George's County line. The female was identified as 17-year-old Donna Lee Dustin, a 1973 graduate of Bowie High School with a promising future. Her death remains unsolved, and her killer, or killers, remain free. Chief investigator David Cordle, of the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office, has been investigating Dustin's slaying for a dozen years. Each year he attends her class reunion, hoping that someone will come forward with information about the night she was killed that might help solve Dustin's murder. "These...

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Detectives seek Md. bank fraud suspect

Police are asking for the public's help in identifying and locating the man who wrote thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks around Montgomery and Prince George's counties. From June 2 through 9, police said, the man went to various SunTrust banks and cashed checks from the Hyatt Corp. using bogus identification documents. Police said he stole nearly $9,000. The culprit is described as a black male, in his 40s or 50s, about 5 foot 7 and 180 pounds. The man was bald with a white goatee and glasses. On at least one occasion, he wore a red Cincinnati Reds baseball cap. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Montgomery County police at 240-773-6330. - Scott...

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CRIME HISTORY - Serial killing duo met this day

On this day, Sept. 10, in 1977, Gerald Gallego met a young woman, Charlene Williams, at a poker club in Sacramento. The smitten couple blossomed into one of the most violent serial killing duos in history. After a year, Gallego decided he wanted to turn his sick fantasies into reality. Charlene Gallego convinced two girls, 16 and 17, to climb into their van. Gallego greeted them with a .25-caliber pistol and bound them. Charlene stayed in the van. When he returned hours later, he told his wife, "Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies." Gallego then struck the girls with a tire iron and shot them dead. The couple repeated this gruesome scene several times, killing 10 girls over...

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The Blotter

Woman shot outside Silver Spring home A 37-year-old Silver Spring woman was shot and killed outside her Briggs Chaney-area apartment, Montgomery County police said. Shortly after midnight Wednesday, police responded to the 14100 block of Castle Boulevard for a report of shots fired. They found the woman at the entrance of the Ashford at Woodlake complex on an elevated walkway that led from the parking lot to the woman's apartment building. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 240-773-5070. Callers may remain anonymous. Escaped inmates nabbed U.S. Marshals captured two inmates who escaped last week while working on a fence at a Maryland prison complex near...

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Police: Fugitive still robbing while on the run

U.S. Marshals want to put an end to Antione Lee Riley's burgeoning career as a violent criminal before other people become his victims. Riley, 21, who has been a fugitive from justice since he failed to show up for his armed robbery trial in June, is now a suspect in a robbery and assault over the Labor Day weekend. Marshals are asking the public's help to put him behind bars before he strikes again. "Riley has a very short criminal history but is clearly well on his way to becoming a serious threat to the community," said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. "He needs to be sent a message that terrorizing your community is not...

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Crime History - Attica prison riot begins, ending with 39 killed

On this day, Sept. 9, in 1971, the four-day Attica Prison riot began, ending in 39 dead and one of the bloodiest encounters between Americans since the Civil War. Responding to the death of a Black Panther at the hands of prison guards in California, more than 1,000 inmates seized control of the New York facility, taking 33 corrections officers hostage. Four days of negotiations made little progress. At 9:46 a.m. Sept. 9, state police dropped tear gas into the yard and began shooting nonstop into the smoke for two minutes, killing hostages and inmates. By the time the facility was retaken, nine hostages and 28 inmates had been killed. The riots had a racial component. Of 2,225...

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Silver Spring man arrested in rape of ex-girlfriend

A 35-year-old Silver Spring man was charged with raping his former girlfriend, Montgomery County police said. The woman agreed to meet her ex-boyfriend Saturday morning at his apartment in the 9300 block of Piney Branch Road, where police said the man physically assaulted and raped her. The woman was able to get help from a nearby resident who called 9-1-1. Police arrested Roberto Samayoa-Pineda outside the apartment and charged him with rape. He was being held Monday without bond. -- Scott...

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D.C. man sentenced for drugging, prostituting teens

A 24-year-old D.C. man was sentenced to more than four years in prison for prostituting three underage girls around the capital area. Paul R. Green recruited young girls and drugged them to have sex for money with drug users, according to U.S. Attorney for Maryland Rod Rosenstein. The girls were used to help with his illegal drug sales, prosecutors said. "Anyone who pays for or profits from sex with a child should be on notice that Maryland's human trafficking task force is committed to a policy of zero tolerance for child prostitution," Rosenstein said in a statement. Green was sentenced Friday to 52 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Green will be...

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The Blotter

Ex-ambassador charged with sex crimes A former U.S. ambassador to Paraguay was charged with having sex with an 18-year-old man against his will, according to charging documents filed in D.C. Superior Court. Police said Timothy L. Towell bought the teen alcoholic drinks and dinner, then invited the teen to stay with him at his home on the 1500 block of 33rd Street NW. It was there, the teen told police, that Towell performed sex acts on him. The boy claimed he felt threatened when Towell showed him a machete and revolver. Towell served as U.S. Ambassador to Paraguay from 1988 to 1991. Secretary accused of using company credit card to finance exotic dancing business A 41-year-old legal...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'The Kingfish' is gunned dpwn

On this day, Sept. 8, 1935, U.S. Sen. Huey Long was shot in the Louisiana capitol building. He died two days later at the age of 42. Long was a Great Depression-era radical populist with the motto, "Every Man a King." He advocated federal spending on public works, and old-age pensions promised a $2,500 minimum income per family. Critics accused him of being a dictator for his control of the state government. He earned the nickname "The Kingfish" after he once quipped, "I'm a small fish here in Washington. But I'm the Kingfish to the folks in Louisiana." At the pinnacle of his popularity, Long was attacked in Baton Rouge by Dr. Carl Weiss, the son-in-law of a political opponent. It...

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Police seek bank-robbing pair

Detectives have obtained video stills of a man and woman suspected of robbing an Anne Arundel County bank, and authorities are asking the public to help identify the pair. Shortly before noon on Aug. 22, a woman walked into the PNC Bank in Crofton and obtained a blank bank deposit slip. The woman scanned the bank lobby in a suspicious manner and left with the bank slip, according to Anne Arundel police. Outside the bank, the woman met with the male robber in the parking lot before she got into a small, light-colored pickup truck parked outside the bank, witnesses told police. A few moments later, the man entered the bank and handed a teller a PNC bank deposit slip with a written...

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The Blotter

After saying 'Yes,' woman falls off cliff A woman fell off a cliff after accepting a marriage proposal near Great Falls, Md., and had to be rescued by a helicopter, U.S. Park Police said. Shortly after the man proposed on Sunday afternoon, the new bride-to-be slipped off the path into rocks near the Billy Goat Trail, injuring her head and chest. Montgomery County's Fire and Rescue Unit arrived by boat and rescuers climbed 100 feet to reach the woman. She was placed on a gurney where a U.S. Park Police helicopter hoisted her to safety. The woman's injuries were serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Officials would not identify the couple. Teenagers shot in D.C Two teens were...

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UPS employee charged with stealing $100K worth of pills from packages

A United Parcel Service employee was slapped with a drug dealing charge after police accused him of stealing prescription pills from mail packages at a distribution center in Fairfax, according to documents filed in district court in Alexandria. James Christopher Curtis, 23, of Springfield, was charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone, a controlled substance found in the prescription drug OxyContin. Authorities said the tablets have a street value in Northern Virginia of about $65 each or about $40 per tablet when purchased in large quantities. According to the FBI charging affidavit, authorities began investigating Curtis in July after a fellow...

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Shots fired in hostage standoff

A 44-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested after police said he held his wife hostage and fired two shots as she fled to safety Sunday. Torris D. Cowan was charged with two counts of attempted malicious wounding, abduction and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. According to police, at about 9:30 a.m., Prince William County police were called to a Woodbridge town house, where they found the man holding a gun to his estranged wife's head and trying to force open the front door with his body. When the homeowner opened the door from the inside, Cowan and his wife fell backward. The wife escaped, police said, but a struggle ensued between Cowan and the homeowner. During the...

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CRIME HISTORY - N.J. man kills 13 neighbors in 12 minutes

On this day, Sept. 6, 1949, Howard Unruh killed 13 neighbors in 12 minutes, in what is considered the first U.S. single-episode mass murderer. Unruh was a World War II veteran who was a tank soldier who fought at the Battle of the Bulge and kept meticulous notes of every German killed, down to the details of the corpse. After the war, Unruh lived with his mother in Camden, N.J., and became a recluse. At 9:20 a.m., Unruh grabbed his German Luger pistol, walked out his house and randomly picked off his victims. When Unruh was arrested, a cop asked if he was some kind of "psycho." He replied, "I'm no psycho. I have good mind." At the station, he told police that he...

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Man charged with DUI in crash that killed two

A 26-year-old Stafford man was charged with drunken driving in connection with a two-vehicle crash that killed two people in Prince William County. Police said William J. Mallory was behind the wheel of a Ford Explorer that rear-ended a Saturn Ion, knocking the car through a fence and killing passengers 2-year-old Jonathan Wade-Ortiz, 2, and 60-year-old Rebecca L. Sacras, of Alexandria. Mallory was charged with driving under the influence. He is being held without bond and is pending a court date. The investigation continues. -- Scott...

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Mortgage broker pleads to real estate scheme

A former mortgage broker pleaded guilty for her role in an extensive real estate scheme in the District and Maryland. Rasheeda M. Canty, 35, faces up to 30 years in prison, but will likely receive between three or four years in imprisonment under the federal sentencing guidelines, prosecutors said. At a federal court in Washington on Friday, Canty admitted that the plot cost her victims more than $1 million and she promised to pay the government more than $340,000 she received in commissions on the fraudulent transactions. Joseph Persichini Jr., head of the FBI's Washington Field Office, said the conviction "sends a clear message to bad actors" that law enforcement is focusing...

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The Blotter

Grandmother, grandson killed in alleged DUI crash A grandmother and her 2-year-old grandson were killed in a car crash Friday, Prince William County police said. Rebecca L. Sacra, 60, of Alexandria, and 2-year-old Jonathan Wade-Ortiz were pronounced dead at the scene of a crash at the intersection of Prince William Parkway and University Boulevard in Manassas. Police arrested William John Mallory, 26, of Stafford, Va. and charged him with driving under the influence. Stafford is due in court on Nov. 6. Peaceoholics counselor found guilty A youth counselor for a prominent D.C. non-profit was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at the school where he was allowed to...

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Crime History - Immigrant founds last of Mafia's 'Five Families'

On this day, Sept. 4, in 1921, Italian immigrant Joseph Profaci first set foot in New York, where he would rise quickly in the Mafia and become the founder of the last of the Five Families. Most of Profaci's mob operation was in Brooklyn, where he ruled with an iron fist from 1930 to 1962. People who expressed discontent were murdered. Profaci was one of the smarter Mafia dons, parlaying his illegal enterprises into a legitimate olive oil business to protect himself from the Internal Revenue Service. At one time he was the country's largest importer of olive oil, leading to his nickname as "Olive Oil King." Profaci lived a life of luxury and professed to be a devout Catholic. When two...

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3 men arrested in sex assault of girl, 14

Three men were arrested in the sexual assault of a 14-year-old Woodbridge girl who had invited friends to her house without her parent's permission, Prince William County police said. When the girl's mother came home on Aug. 27, she found her daughter and a friend highly intoxicated. The juveniles were taken to a hospital, where police said they were told that the men had sexual intercourse with the homeowner's daughter. Arrested were Oscar A. Hernandez and Michael Jerel Garris, both 19; and Eric Sarvelio Orellana, 18. -- Scott...

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Murder suspect limps from D.C. hospital before arrest

A suspect in the fatal shooting of a 63-year-old Silver Spring man limped out of a Washington hospital before police could arrest him on a murder warrant, Montgomery County police said. Winston D. Dillon, 39, is wanted on a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Clarence Rankine, who was gunned down outside his residence early Sunday. Dillon was treated at the Washington Hospital Center for gunshot wounds to the leg that police said he suffered during Rankine's shooting, but he checked himself out Wednesday, police said. Lt. Paul Starks said an officer was not placed outside Dillon's room because he had not been charged with a crime. "We can't restrict somebody's...

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Stupid crimes

It's a dog-eat-tire world What happens when the dog chasing the car catches it? A North Carolina sheriff's deputy found out this week. The Fayetteville Observer reported that Hope Mills resident Gloria Bass called police to say a dog was chasing her daughter while she rode her bike. The deputy arrived and parked in Bass' driveway. While inside, Bass' own pit bull chomped on the police cruiser tires, puncturing all four and deflating them. Bass was billed $500 for a new set of wheels. 20 million men have had the Viagra conversation. Has this guy? A Florida man who got behind the wheel after taking Viagra was arrested after a mom with two children in her pickup truck complained...

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The Blotter

Ex-trooper charged in sex offense A former Maryland state trooper was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman he had pulled over, police said. Police said Marlon Iglesias of Silver Spring squeezed a woman's thigh after he arrested her last year. The woman told police in May that the trooper fondled and kissed her while she was in handcuffs. Iglesias, 42, had resigned in April after his police powers were suspended because of another issue. Elderly man arrested for sex assault A 79-year-old man was charged with aggravated sexual assault and Arlington County police are seeking additional victims. Police said Chester Fred Mancinelli, of Arlington, sexually assaulted a young...

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CRIME HISTORY - Anti-abortion minister executed for Fla. killings

On this day, Sept. 3, in 2003, former Presbyterian minister Paul Jennings Hill became the first person executed for killing a doctor who performed abortions. On July 29, 1994, Hill used a shotgun to kill Dr. John Britton and his bodyguard, retired Lt. Col. James Barrett, outside a Pensacola, Fla., clinic. He also wounded Barrett's wife. At the time, the slayings were part of a tide of violence against abortion providers in the United States. Hill tried to claim that the killings were justifiable because he was preventing the murder of unborn children. The judge dismissed that argument and Hill refused to present any other defense. In a statement before his death, Hill said he felt no...

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The Blotter

Father sold stolen guns for son A Stafford County father pleaded guilty Tuesday to pawning five weapons stolen by his son and his friend. George Troy Bradford faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 20. Md. prisons to test cell phone detectors Maryland corrections officials are planning to test technology that can detect cell phones in prisons. Law enforcement officials are lobbying Congress to allow states to use cell phone jamming technology to prevent criminals from using the phones to organize crimes from behind bars. The tests at Jessup on Thursday will only detect cell phone use, not jam them. Prison guard convicted in beatings A...

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Drug dealer keeps one step ahead of authorities

Authorities have been pursuing fugitive Dante Soloman Scott for more than a year and they're asking the public's assistance in bringing the chase to an end. Scott, convicted of federal cocaine distribution charges, is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service in Maryland for violating the conditions of his parole in March of 2008. The 45-year-old has a history of drug abuse and a long rap sheet, including arrests for burglary and assault. "Investigators have been playing a cat-and-mouse game with Scott," said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. "We're asking the public's help in ending this game and bringing Scott back...

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Suspect in Holocaust museum shooting remains defiant

The 89-year-old white supremacist accused of killing a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum said he didn't need a psychology evaluation and demanded a speedy trial. James von Brunn tried to interrupt his attorney A.J. Kramer, who asked that his client be evaluated for competency. He swallowed and shook his head. "Your honor, your Constitution guarantees me a speedy and fair trial," von Brunn said in a halting voice. "I'm a United States citizen and as a U.S. naval officer I swore to protect my country. I take my vows very seriously." The hearing was von Brunn's first appearance since the June 10 shooting that killed security guard Stephen T. Johns....

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Police seek 'critical' missing D.C. woman

D.C. police are seeking the public's assistance in finding 23-year-old Claire E. Morra, who was last seen about 3:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Mount Pleasant. Morra, of the 3300 block of 16th Street NW, is described as a light-complexioned white female, 5 feet 9 inches, weighing 105 pounds, with hazel eyes and short brown hair. She reportedly was last seen wearing a black shirt and black pants. Police consider her a "critical" missing person because she needs medication. As such, Morra might appear to be disoriented. Anyone with information about Morra's whereabouts is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. - Scott...

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CRIME HISTORY - Gang leader aligned with terrorists goes on trial

On this day, Sept. 2, in 1988, the murder trial began for the leader of a Chicago street gang who plotted with Libya to bomb U.S. buildings and airplanes and assassinate American politicians. The El Rukn Tribe seemed like the average criminal enterprise, but the gang had grander designs. Its leader, Jeff Fort, united dozens of other street gangs and presided over meetings from a throne on a pedestal, surrounded by giant posters of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi. In 1987, Fort and four other gang members were convicted of agreeing to accept $2.5 million from Lybia to carry out their terrorist plots, making them the first Americans to be found guilty of planning terrorist acts for a foreign...

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The Blotter

Georgetown student attacked in sleep A Georgetown University student was sexually assaulted at her home in the middle of the night. Around 4 a.m. Tuesday, the assailant entered an on-campus apartment through an open window and crawled into the bed of a woman and began to sexually assault her, university police said. She screamed and the assailant fled through the front door, police said. The attack comes two days after another female student was attacked in her sleep. Police are investigating whether the culprit is the same man who has been involved in as many as seven attacks beginning last year in and around the campus. Students have dubbed him the Georgetown Cuddler. Ex-schools...

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Police seek witnesses in Arlington flasher case

KSTCLAIR 9/1/09 this is what's making news for crime page A Fairfax man was arrested on charges of indecent exposure and Arlington County police are asking other potential victims to come forward. Police said a 10-year old girl witnessed a man exposing himself in the area of North Williamsburg Boulevard and North Sycamore Street. The man was wearing short red shorts and appeared to attempt to expose himself while making it look like an accident. Arlington County police conducted surveillance on the area and found a suspect. Richard A. Simon, 45, was charged with felony indecent liberties, police said. He was held without bond. Anyone who has information is asked to call 703-228-4242 or...

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MS-13 member admits to fatal shooting of 15-year-old

A member of a violent Hispanic street gang pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing a teenager in a gang-related dispute at a Prince George's County strip mall. Jorge Rigorberto Amador, 33, admitted in federal court in Greenbelt to racketeering charges, including squeezing the trigger of the gun used to slay 15-year-old Jose Manuel Arias in 2005. Amador is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 9 and faces life in prison. Prosecutors said Amador, whose street name is Santa Diablo (or Saint Devil), was a member of the La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, comprised mostly of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador and boasting a huge presence throughout Prince George's and Montgomery...

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CRIME HISTORY - Canadian serial killer/rapist husband convicted

On this day, Sept. 1, in 1995, Paul Bernardo was convicted of raping and killing young girls in Canada with his wife, Karla Homolka, aka the "Barbie and Ken Killers." When the two met, Bernardo had already raped a series of girls. The killings began in 1990 when the couple drugged Homolka's 15-year-old sister, Tammy, and taped themselves raping her. Tammy choked on her own vomit and died, but the death was ruled accidental. Six months later, Bernardo brought home a 14-year-old girl and raped and strangled her, put her body in cement and dumped her in a nearby lake. The girl's body resurfaced the same day Bernardo and Homolka were married. A year later, the couple abducted a...

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Ex-Prince George's cop gets 4 years for child porn

A former Prince George's County police sergeant was sentenced to more than four years in prison for buying and downloading images of child pornography onto his laptop computer, federal prosecutors said. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. ordered 35-year-old David John Larose Jr. to spend 51 months in federal prison after he determined that Larose had lied during his testimony at his plea hearing and failed to accept responsibility for his conduct, prosecutors said. After pleading to the crimes in court, Larose recanted his story, saying he was coerced into the agreement by his attorney and the assistant U.S. attorney, but his new version fell apart during cross-examination,...

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The Blotter

Silver Spring man killed in possible triple shooting A 63-year-old Silver Spring man was shot several times and killed outside his home early Sunday, Montgomery County police said. Police were dispatched at 5 a.m. to the 900 block of University Boulevard for a report of shots fired. They found Clarence Rankine dead near a side entrance to his home; a handgun was recovered. Police said there were numerous people at the house before the shooting. While police were on the scene, they were notified that two men were being treated at a nearby hospital for gunshot wounds. Police believe the shootings may be related. Woman slain on NW street D.C. police are investigating the shooting death...

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Truck driver's death remains a mystery

Truck driver Vernon Nielson was likely asleep in his cab seconds before he was fatally shot through the heart. That was 10 years ago, during the early-morning hours of July 6, 1999, and Prince William County police are still looking for Nielson's killer. Nielson, 69, the owner of a Springfield, Mo., trucking company, was making his last delivery before he was to retire from a career as a truck driver, police said. As the an owner of Christenson Transportation Inc., Nielson had stopped making cross-country deliveries -- but this time no other driver was available to haul the load of household goods to Woodbridge, police said. Nielson was scheduled to make a delivery to Modern...

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Firefighters rescue dog from 30-foot-deep well

with photo of dog with rescuerPrince George's County firefighters pulled a 3-year-old dog from a 30-foot well as it was filling with rain water. Kujo, a 120-pound Mastiff-like dog, had crawled underneath a wooden porch and fell into an abandoned well Friday. The dog barked and cried as water began to rise, authorities said. Firefighters dismantled the deck, pumped fresh air into the space and set up a series of ropes and pulleys. Firefighter Travis Lambert was lowered into the hole, placed a rescue harness around the dog and pulled him out. Kujo's owner said, "The firefighters just lifted [Kujo] out of his grave." - Scott...

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Husband faces trial in slaying of wife at church

Kelly faces first-degree murder charges The murder trial is scheduled to begin today for a Rockville man accused of fatally shooting his estranged wife outside her Montgomery County church. Kevin Kelly, 53, faces charges of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. The shooting happened in February during Sunday services at the People's Community Baptist Church near Norwood Road and New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring. Police said 52-year-old Patricia Ann Simmons Kelly, of Rockville, was in the parking lot when she was shot several times, including in the chest. With church services under way, at least three off-duty police officers were...

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Crime History - Death follows Florida doctor

On this day, Aug. 28, in 1965, the 32-year-old wife of Dr. Carl Coppolino was found dead in Longboat Key, Fla., two years after the doctor's mistress's husband died under suspicious circumstances. Sarasota County sheriff's deputies soon got a tip that there was something odd about the deaths. The tipster was Marge Farber, the doctor's widowed mistress. Farber, recently dumped by Coppolino for a wealthy, younger divorcee, told a weird story of being hypnotized by Coppolino while he smothered her husband, a retired Army colonel. Coppolino was charged with both murders. Boston lawyer F. Lee Bailey, who won murder acquittals for Dr. Sam Sheppard a year earlier, successfully defended...

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The Blotter

Mail carrier who stole golf survey is fired from course A postal worker caught stealing mail after he filled out a stolen golf survey and mailed it in was fired Thursday morning from his new job at the Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, the club's general manager said. William Seville filled out the golf survey in March. The Examiner reported Seville's guilty plea and his job at the golf club Thursday. General manager Bill O'Connor said he fired Seville after learning of his conviction from The Examiner. But Seville's attorney wrote in court filings that he was a valued employee "evidenced by his being kept on as an employee even after disclosing his conviction." Fatal...

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Crime History

On this day, Aug. 27, in 1904, Newport, R.I. Judge Darius Baker imposed the nation's first jail sentencing for speeding in an automobile. A jail term was especially harsh because automobile traffic laws were still new. The offender was caught traveling a breakneck 15 mph. Although laws against galloping horses and speeding carriages had been on the books in America since 1678, the first automobile traffic code wasn't implemented until 1903. Even before then, a New York cabbie was ticketed for reckless driving. On May 21, 1899, Jacob German, operator of a taxicab for the Electric Vehicle Co., was stopped by Bicycle Roundsman Schueller for driving at 12 mph on Lexington Avenue in...

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FBI reveals new details on teacher accused of child porn

The FBI has released details and a photo of the elite private school teacher who fled the area after school officials found inappropriate nude pictures of boys on his school-owned camera. After "America's Most Wanted" aired a story about Eric Toth, the former third-grade teacher at Beauvoir Elementary School at the Washington National Cathedral, authorities got a tip that he was at a homeless shelter in Phoenix. A woman at a nearby jobs center told an ABC affiliate in Phoenix that Toth used a fake identity. He told people that he had taken a five-year vow of poverty and became one of the best volunteers at the center, which acts as a kind of student union center in downtown...

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Cool summer chilling the killers?

Homicides are down dramatically in the District and other cities across America at the same time many parts of the nation are experiencing the coolest summer in decades. That has some experts wondering if the big chill is allowing cooler heads to prevail on city streets. "The hard science is not conclusive," said George Washington University criminologist Paul Butler, a former federal prosecutor. But "it's probably true that the cooler weather is responsible for the drop in violent crime. Any beat cop will tell you that a cooler summer means safer streets." Police leaders like D.C. Chief Cathy Lanier bristle at the suggestion that cool weather is chilling the bad...

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CRIME HISTORY - Gainesville Ripper kills first 2 victims

On this day, Aug. 26, in 1990, the Gainsville Ripper murdered and mutilated two University of Florida students, sending the college town into a panic. Christina Powell and Sonja Larson, both 17, became the first in a series killings linked to Danny Rolling. The girls were found in their apartment naked and posed in grotesque positions. Shortly after midnight, while police were wrapping up the crime scene, the body of a community college student, Christa Hoyt, 18, was found slain in another apartment. Her naked body had been seated on the edge of her bed, her head propped on a bookshelf. Two days later, Rolling killed roommates Tracy Paules and Manuel Taboada, both 23. Police...

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Feds: D.C. woman busted with cocaine bra

A District woman was arrested Tuesday after airport customs officials said they found nearly three pounds of cocaine stuffed inside her bra. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Sophia Williams, of Washington, early Tuesday morning after they say they found two pounds and nine ounces of cocaine stuffed inside her bra when she landed at Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport on a flight from Jamaica. It appeared as if the bra padding had been replaced with cocaine packages molded into the shape of an implant and colored with a marker to match the dark material, a spokesman said. "Narcotics smugglers will go to great lengths to conceal their...

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The Blotter

Jets force down pilot lost over D.C. Fighter jets forced down a student pilot who flew into Washington's restricted airspace Tuesday afternoon. Secret Service officials said they believed the pilot did not intend to harm the White House or any D.C. facilities. The student pilot of the Cessna plane was on his first cross-country solo flight. The plane was forced to land in Gaithersburg. Teens charged with racial vandalism Four teens were charged with vandalizing an elementary school with racially charged words and symbols. Prince William County police said the teens arranged squares of sod on a parking lot to form a 30-foot KKK and a swastika. The teens, ages 14 through 17, are both...

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CRIME HISTORY - American Nazi leader killed near Arlington home

On this day, August 25, in 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell, the head of the American Nazi Party, was killed by a sniper near his home in Arlington. Rockwell, a former commercial artist and Naval Reserve commander, formed the party in 1959, opening its headquarters at 928 North Randolph St. in Arlington. Rockwell gained notoriety after columnist Drew Pearson wrote that Rockwell and his followers dressed in uniforms and armed themselves with guns while parading in front of an 18-foot Swastika flag inside Rockwell's home. Rockwell believed blacks should be deported to Africa and Jews should be sterilized. "Roots" author Alex Haley interviewed Rockwell for Playboy's April 1966 issue. On...

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Two injured in Dupont Circle electrical flash

Two workers were injured Monday, one critically, when one of them cut into a live electrical cable near Dupont Circle. The electrical contractors were removing cable from an underground high-voltage room when they sliced the 110-volt cable, Pepco spokesman Clay Anderson said. There was no explosion, Anderson said, just a low-voltage flash. One worker suffered critical burns to his face while a second worker suffered smoke inhalation, said D.C. Deputy Fire Chief Ken Crosswhite. The incident occurred near lunchtime under the sidewalk and flower bed of The Dupont Hotel in the 1500 block of 19th Street NW. – Scott...

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The Blotter

Man, 87, charged with killing fellow nursing home resident An 87-year-old man was charged with fatally beating a 91-year-old man at a nursing home in Columbia. Earl Wilder was charged with second-degree murder in the death of James Brown, Howard County police said. Police said Wilder repeatedly struck Brown in the head. Police do not believe the men knew each other. Man accused of child abduction in Fairfax A Fairfax County man was arrested for allegedly abducting a 9-year-old boy from a store restroom. Police said the child left the restroom at the Dick's Sporting Goods at 5716 Columbia Pike on Saturday and immediately told his father that a man kept him from leaving the restroom...

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D.C. police looking for missing teen

D.C. police are seeking the public's help in finding a 13-year-old boy who has been missing for more than two weeks. Prince Ronald Williams was last seen about 3 p.m. Aug. 15, leaving his residence located on the 4500 block of B Street SE. He has not been heard from since. Prince is described as about 5 feet tall and weighing between 100 and 110 pounds. He has a medium complexion with black dreadlocks. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue pants, possibly bluejeans. Anyone with information as to Prince's whereabouts is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. - Scott...

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Ex-VOA chief of staff indicted in Abramoff scandal

A former chief of staff of Voice of America has been indicted by a D.C. federal grand jury on public corruption charges over accusations he took thousands of dollars in sports and concert tickets from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Horace M. Cooper, 44, of Lorton, Va., will appear Sept. 9 to face charges of conspiracy, fraudulent concealment, false statements and obstruction of an official proceeding. He faces up to 20 years if convicted, according to federal prosecutors. His lawyer, Solomon L. Wisenberg, said Cooper was innocent and planned to vigorously fight the charges. In court filings, federal prosecutors said Cooper began to solicit and accept gifts from Abramoff's...

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The Blotter

Man hangs himself in Bladensburg jail cell Bladensburg police said a man hanged himself in a cell after he was arrested early Sunday on drunken driving charges. About 12:45 a.m., police were called to the 4500 block of Baltimore Avenue, where they found a green Isuzu sport utility vehicle had struck a telephone pole, Police Chief John Moss said. The man got out of his car and stumbled toward oncoming traffic, police said. He was arrested and taken to the station. About 2:45 a.m., during a routine cell check, police found the man had used a T-shirt to hang himself from the cell door. The victim has not been identified, and Prince George's police are investigating the incident. Man...

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Crime history - John Lennon’s killer sentenced to 20 years

On this day, Aug. 24, in 1981, Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for murdering John Lennon. Chapman had several obsessions, including Lennon and “The Catcher in the Rye.” On Dec. 8., 1980, Chapman shot Lennon five times outside the legendary Beatle’s New York apartment, then remained at the scene reading “The Catcher in the Rye” until the police arrived. In his statement to police, Chapman said, “I’m sure the large part of me is Holden Caulfield, who is the main person in the book. The small part of me must be the Devil.” He later penned a letter to the New York Times, urging everyone to read the book, saying...

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Cold case -

Robert Miller Jr. was a flamboyant contractor whose murder 31 years ago brought to the surface a federal investigation of alleged labor-business racketeering. The mystery surrounding his death remains unsolved. Miller, the president of the Interstate Bridge Co. in Monrovia, Md., was known as “Cowboy Bob” for his Western wear and the 30 racehorses he owned and bet on. On the night of May 9, 1978, Miller had been chauffeured to a Ramada Inn in Rockville to meet someone to make a bid on a contract. While his driver waited for two hours in the parking lot in Miller’s silver Continental — adorned with a ram’s head on the hood — someone fatally shot Miller...

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CRIME HISTORY -- Feds arrest Civil War spy

On this day, Aug. 23, in 1861, Allan Pinkerton, head of the new secret service agency of the federal government, placed Confederate spy Rose O'Neal Greenhow under arrest in Washington, D.C. Born in Montgomery County, Greenhow became a leader in political circles and one of the most renowned spies of the Civil War, using her connections to extract key information. Jefferson Davis credited her with winning the battle of Manassas. Pinkerton imprisoned her in her home and then sent her to the Old Capitol Prison. Still, Greenhow continued to pass information on by hiding messages with her 8-year-old daughter or in a woman's hair bun. She won her release but was exiled, and she traveled to...

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Montgomery police officer indicted on perjury charges

A Montgomery County police officer who arrested a man for drunken driving was indicted on perjury charges after a defense attorney produced video of the defendant sleeping in the back seat of the car when the officer arrived. Officer Dina Hoffman was charged with one count of perjury and one count of misconduct in office. Hoffman is accused of testifying in court that George Zaliev had been behind the wheel of a black Lexus when she first encountered him. But surveillance video from a nearby building shows Zaliev was in the back seat of the car when she pulled up in her patrol car. Police say Hoffman, a three-year veteran of the Montgomery County force, is now on administrative...

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Head credit card skimmer sentenced to seven years

By Scott McCabe Examiner Staff Writer The mastermind behind a credit card skimming scheme was sentenced to seven years in prison for racking up more than $800,000 on cards stolen from Washington-area diners. Joseph A. Bush III, 29, also was ordered to pay $815,000 in restitution that prosecutors said the gang stole from more than 50 financial institutions in thousands of transactions. "The message must be that people who steal customers' credit card numbers and use them for personal gain will be punished appropriately," said assistant U.S. Attorney Charles F. Connolly in his sentencing memo. Bush, a former Eagle Scout from Fort Washington, was the front man for the criminal...

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Two arrested in car repair scheme

Montgomery County police arrested two men who they said were targeting elderly victims in a car repair scam in which they would damage the vehicle while trying to make it look like they had fixed it. Cory A. Jace and John Mitchell, both 22, are accused of offering to repair body damage to vehicles and then using spray paints and other tools to make it look like the problem was fixed, when they had actually further damaged the vehicles. Police said they observed the two men in the Georgetown Square Shopping Center in Bethesda tell a 75-year-old man they'd fix his front bumper for $375. When the man went into the grocery store, police said the men tried to spray paint the car's headlight...

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Stupid Crimes

Up to his neck in alligators, now Alligators are common along the roads of Louisiana, but they are rarely spotted traveling on bicycle. So sheriff's deputies had a few questions when they saw a man riding his bike with a 3-foot-long gator slung over his shoulders. The alligator carrier dropped the reptile and his bike and ran away from the deputies but was picked up a few blocks away. Terron D. Ingram 38, was charged with cruelty to animals by abandonment, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia. St. Charles Parish police didn't know where Ingram got the gator or what he had planned to do with it. Alligator Control officers released the animal into a marsh. Dungeons...

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The Blotter

Teens accused of racial beating Two teenagers were charged as adults in what Baltimore police say was a racially motivated beating of an elderly black fisherman. Zachary Watson, 17, and Emmanual Miller, 16, told police they were with Calvin E. Lockner when he attacked 76-year-old James A. Privott, but they claimed not to have participated. All three were charged with attempted murder, armed carjacking and a dozen other crimes. Lockner, a 28-year-old white supremacist who goes by the nickname Hitler, said Watson beat up Privott. Police said Privott was punched, kicked and struck with a baseball bat. Bees attack again at Rock Creek Seven children and one adult suffered multiple bee...

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Crime History - Marshals descend on Ruby Ridge

On this day, Aug. 21, in 1992, U.S. marshals moved in on Randy Weaver's cabin at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, leading to one of the most controversial law enforcement incidents in recent history. Six marshals, wearing camouflage and equipped with night-vision goggles and M-16 rifles, scouted the family property after Weaver, a white separatist, failed to show up for court on illegal-weapons charges. Weaver's dogs started barking, alerting the family. Weaver, Kevin Harris and Weaver's 14-year-old boy, Samuel, went to investigate. A firefight erupted, leaving dead Samuel Weaver, a deputy marshal and a dog. A standoff ensued. On the second day, when Weaver went to the shed to look at his dead son,...

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CRIME HISTORY - FBI launches covert probe of journalist

On this day August 20, in 1971,the FBI began an investigation of journalist Daniel Schorr. Schorr, caught the ire of President Richard Nixon's administration, after he refused to retract a story about the president's failure to set up a program to fund Catholic schools. The FBI launched a background check on Schorr, interviewing friends, neighbors and co-workers. When confronted about the investigation, the White House said it was considering Schorr for a job in the environmental field. Schorr knew nothing about it. Three years later, during the Watergate hearings, it was revealed that White House aides had drawn up what became known as "Nixon's Enemies List." When this list...

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Man arrested in gym attack

Fairfax County police arrested a man they said tried to abduct a woman who was leaving a gym Tuesday morning. Wilson B. Barahona, 22, of Fairfax, was charged with assault and abduction. Police said a 25-year-old woman who had been exercising at an apartment complex gym in the 12200 block of Pender Creek Circle around 6:15 a.m. When she exited, a man grabbed her from behind, police said. She screamed and the man covered her mouth. The two struggled and the suspect fled. Several hours later, witnesses directed police to a man on a bicycle who matched the description, police said. - Scott...

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Marshals want to put birthday celebrant behind bars

A violent sex offender who has disappeared from the authorities' radar turns 46 this weekend, and U.S. Marshals are hoping to throw him a surprise birthday party. Gene Overton Nelson, of Southeast D.C., is a registered sex offender who violated the terms of his parole in September 2008, and has been on the run from authorities ever since, authorities said. Marshals believe that Nelson might be hiding with the help of friends and family who might celebrate his birthday, said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Authorities are asking the public to help bring Nelson to justice and out of harm's way. "We hope that he will be eating his...

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THE BLOTTER

Flag burner gets probation An Ocean City woman arrested for flag burning was sentenced to probation. Rebecca McKimmie, 18, pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace and was sentenced to one year probation and a $300 fine. McKimmie was arrested early July 5 after officers observed her lighting an American flag and walking in traffic on Route 50, causing cars to swerve before she extinguished the flag by stomping on it as officers approached. Man charged with threatening to blow up Metro A man was indicted on five counts of threatening to blow up the Metro subway system, according to documents filed in federal court. Five times since January, Raymond A. Gray Jr., allegedly called...

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THE BLOTTER

No charges after man's dogs kill his brother A man will not be charged with a crime after his two pit bulls mauled the man's 20-year-old brother to death in his Leesburg home, police said Tuesday. The two dogs will be euthanized, a Loudoun County Animal Control spokeswoman confirmed. A medical examiner's report concluded that the pit bulls' teeth severed arteries in Carter Delaney's neck Monday. Police believe Delaney was protecting a smaller dog when he was attacked. Man arrested in home break-in, abduction attempt Fairfax County police have arrested a man they say broke into a house and held a girl down until she fought him off. Silvestre Lara-Bulana, 29, was charged...

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Tattoo artist accused of shooting husband to death

D.C. police have charged the co-owner of a tattoo parlor with fatally shooting her husband in the head at their home. Thirty-six-year-old Kristin Renee Kozak, known in the tattoo world as Liquidity Jones, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 56-year-old Michael Burnett. Shortly after 6 p.m. Monday, police dispatchers got a call from a woman saying that she had shot her husband at 1503 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. The address is the site of Liquidity Jones Tattoo and Piercing. The couple lived in a residence upstairs. When police arrived, they were met by Kozak, who told them that she had shot her husband and led them upstairs to a bedroom, according to a police...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Dean of Bank Robbers' nabbed by accident

On this day, Aug. 12, in 1933, lawmen accidentally captured Harvey Bailey, considered the "Dean of American Bank Robbers." Bailey had a reputation for meticulously planning the jobs, even obtaining road maps from the county surveyor to ensure that routes were safe for the getaway. Bailey stole more money than John Dillinger, but is largely unknown today. In 1933, Bailey had escaped from a Kansas prison and hooked up with "Machine Gun" Kelly while police were looking for Kelly in the kidnapping of an Oklahoma businessman, Charles Urschel. Bailey was sleeping on a cot at the Texas farm of Kelly's wife when 12 agents descended on the property and found Bailey. Police...

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CRIME HISTORY - Accomplice of Sunset Slayer confesses to killing spree

On this day, Aug. 11, in 1980, a California nurse confessed to co-workers that she was an accomplice to the "Sunset Slayer." Carol Bundy said she picked up blond prostitutes on the famed Sunset Strip and brought them to Douglas Clark, who would shoot the women in the head during sex. He would then commit sex acts with their dead bodies. The duo met in North Hollywood earlier that year. Bundy began taking pictures of Clark having sex with children and listened to him talk about killing his victims. In June, he began living out his fantasies, abducting and mutilating a pair of teenager stepsisters. In another instance, he cut the head off a young woman and had Bundy apply makeup...

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THE BLOTTER

Battered dog tossed in trash bin A badly injured dog was found inside a trash bin in Southeast D.C., and the Washington Humane Society is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible. A woman was throwing out her garbage at an apartment on Ninth Street Friday when she discovered the pit bull. Someone had wrapped the dog in a plastic bag and closed it with duct tape, but the dog had chewed and clawed her way through the plastic, humane society organizers said. The dog, since named "Trooper," was bloodied and appeared to have been in an illegal dogfight, organizers said. She remains in intensive care at an animal hospital. Two charged...

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Prosecutors: D.C. sports manager hid income from IRS

Federal prosecutors have accused a D.C. sports promoter and business partner of former University of Maryland basketball star Steve Francis of using a shell corporation to avoid paying more than a half-million dollars in taxes, according to court records. Nathan A. Peake, a manager and business partner of Francis, an NBA all-star, has been charged with tax evasion for allegedly failing to pay $509,000 in income taxes from 2002 to 2007. Peake also tried to hide his taxable income from the Internal Revenue Service by using shell corporations and by paying for his personal and business expenses in cash, prosecutors said in court filings. Peake could face up to five years in prison and a...

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Another year passes and still no suspects in tourist's murder

It has now been more than 13 years since Eddie Rusboldt's family last saw him alive. Rusboldt was like so many others who come to D.C. in the summer to see the sites, spend time with friends and hit a few nightclubs. But unlike most tourists, Rusboldt didn't make it out of the nation's capital alive. On his last night in town, the 23-year-old Purdue University student got lost and separated from his buddies. Rusboldt's body was found the next morning just off Dupont Circle in the tree-lined 1900 block of Sunderland Place NW. A medical examiner concluded Rusboldt was beaten to death the night of May 31, 1986. He died of compression of the neck and chest with blunt force injuries to the...

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Another year passes and still no suspects in tourist’s slaying

It has now been more than 13 years since Eddie Rusboldt’s family last saw him alive. Rusboldt was like so many others who come to D.C. in the summer to see the sights, spend time with friends and hit a few nightclubs. But unlike most tourists, Rusboldt didn’t make it out of the nation’s capital alive. On his last night in town, the 23-year-old Purdue University student got lost and separated from his buddies. Rusboldt’s body was found the next morning just off Dupont Circle on the tree-lined 1900 block of Sunderland Place NW. A medical examiner concluded Rusboldt was beaten to death the night of May 31, 1986. He died of compression of the neck and chest with...

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The 3-minute interview: Shad Ireland

Dialysis patient Shad Ireland rode his bike into Washington last week, finishing a 4,639-mile bike trek across the United States to promote exercise and diabetes prevention. Ireland, 37, began his tour in May in Los Angeles. He must get a blood transfusion every four days, which takes about for about 4 1/2 hours each time. Why are you riding across America? The goal was to ask people what inspires them. I believe an individual inspired can accomplish anything. I met a gentleman in New Orleans, 49 years old, who was frustrated and angry and didn't understand how he developed the disease that caused his kidneys to fail. This is somebody we could have fixed had he had the right...

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Stupid crimes

Something old, something new, something black, something blue A Wisconsin woman who appeared as an out-of-control bride on the reality show "BridezillasÓ ended up behind bars for her antics. Karee Gibson Hart, 21, was booked into the jail Monday after a probation officer saw an episode that appeared to show her violating her probation -- a 2005 assault with a baseball bat charge in which a woman required 12 staples to her head. During the reality show, the bride-to-be threatened her groom, burned her bridesmaid's shoes, pushed her mother-in-law into a snowbank and made a false police report that she was being stalked -- which resulted in a police escort to her own wedding. Hart...

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CRIME HISTORY - Judge killed in prisoner breakout

On this day, Aug. 7, 1970, California Judge Harold Haley was abducted and killed with three others during a prisoner escape attempt. Haley, 65, was a Marin County judge presiding over the trial of James McClain, accused of stabbing a San Quentin prison guard while serving a sentence for burglary. Jonathan Jackson, 17, snuck guns into Haley's courtroom and freed McClain and two other San Quentin inmates, witnesses Ruchell Magee, who was inside the courtroom, and William Christmas, who was guarded in the corridor outside. McLain told the judge to call the sheriff's office and demanded: "Call off your pigs or we'll kill everyone in the room!Ó The inmates fastened a sawed-off...

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THE BLOTTER

Seven children injured in bus accident At least seven children suffered minor injuries when a bus collided with a sport utility vehicle in Vienna on Wednesday. The incident happened around 10:30 a.m. in the intersection of Maple Avenue and Courthouse Road, Fairfax County officials said. The children, between the ages of 5 and 7, were taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The students were traveling from Daniels Run Elementary. Pedestrian killed on BW parkway A pedestrian was killed when he was struck by a car on the Baltimore Washington Parkway in Prince George's County, according to U.S. Park Police. Around 9 a.m., the adult male was trying to cross the northbound lanes of the...

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CRIME HISTORY - 'Bandit Queen's' first husband gunned down

On this day, Aug. 6, 1874, Jim Reed, the first husband of the famous bandit queen Belle Starr, is killed. Reed ran with Cherokee outlaw Tom Starr, a ruthless killer who wore the ears of his victims around his neck. Reed rustled cattle and ran whiskey, and was accused of murder. Belle embraced the role of a "bandit queen," dressing in velvet skirts and plumed hats. To escape law enforcement, Reed and Belle retreated to a farm in Texas, but Reed soon became involved with the James-Younger Gang. In April, 1874, he robbed the Austin-San Antonio stagecoach, and a sizable reward was offered for Reed, dead or alive. In 1874, Jim Reed was killed in Paris, Texas, by his own gang member...

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U.S. marshals want help with cash-carrying fugitive

A former D.C.-area fugitive busted while driving around with stacks of cash has managed to escape from the clutches of law enforcement, and U.S. marshals are asking the public to help track him down. Andy Stephen Alexander, 41, violated his parole on a federal weapons conviction last August and has been on the run since. Police in South Carolina stopped Alexander for speeding and discovered $600,000 in cash inside the car, which was registered in someone else's name. Police seized the money and released Alexander pending further investigation because he was not wanted at the time. Alexander, a convicted drug dealer, never returned to claim the money, and authorities have not seen him...

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Shoplifter sprayed her/his way out of Saks Fifth Avenue

Police are looking for a woman, or a man dressed like a woman, who pepper-sprayed a security guard while stealing an expensive dress from a high-end fashion store. The incident happened at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Saks Fifth Avenue at 5555 Wisconsin Ave. in Chevy Chase. Police said the thief removed a $2,000 Chanel dress from a rack and slipped it into a large bag. A security officer tried to stop the shoplifter from leaving, but the shoplifter sprayed the guard in the eyes with pepper spray. The culprit is described as a black male or female, 25 years old, 6 feet tall and 175 pounds with long black hair. The culprit was wearing a black and white minidress with long sleeves, a wide belt...

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THE BLOTTER

D.C. man arrested for making child porn D.C. police arrested a District man on charges of first-degree child abuse after detectives found images of a nude young girl on his laptop and digital camera. Police arrested McKinley Ellie Hunt last week after they said a young girl told them she was inappropriately touched and photographed in sexually explicit poses at his residence on Fort Totten Drive in Northeast D.C. Police said they found dozens of images on Hunt's camera and laptop. Police said the conduct began when the girl was 7 years old, according to charging documents. Parachute opened inside plane in deadly skydiving accident A skydiving accident that killed a Fort Meade man...

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Pastor sentenced to 3 years for tax evasion, fraud

A former Hagerstown pastor was sentenced to more than three years for tax evasion and bank fraud conspiracy. A federal judge also ordered 53-year-old Otis Ray Hope, who once served as pastor of the 2,000-member Montrose Baptist in Rockville, to pay restitution of more than $2.4 million. U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said Hope created false financial statements to defraud a bank into approving a $1.75 million loan, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars of tuition for himself and cheated on his taxes. "This sentence holds him accountable for a pattern of fraud and deceit," Rosenstein said. According to his plea agreement, Hope was hired in 1996 as the senior pastor for...

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Crime History - Body found in cheap hotel leads to du Pont family

On this day, Aug. 5, in 1998, a handyman at a cheap Las Vegas motel checked on a foul odor coming from an air conditioner and discovered the body of a woman, leading to an investigation of the ne'er-do-well son of a du Pont heiress. Jammed inside the vent was Pati Margello, a cocaine addict and former prostitute. She had been bound with a pair of jumper cables, wrapped in a bed sheet and strangled. Police got a call from Dean MacGuigan, son of Lisa Dean, of the du Ponts, the first family of Delaware. Margello, 45, was his girlfriend. They lived in a Philadelphia flophouse. His mother was not happy. Lisa Dean and her husband, Christopher Moseley, had devised a scheme to send MacGuigan...

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CRIME HISTORY - Lizzie Borden's family killed by hatchet

On this day, Aug. 4, 1892, the family of Lizzie Borden was found dead, starting one of the most enduring mysteries in American lore. Her parents, Andrew and Abby Borden, were found bludgeoned to death in their Fall River, Mass., home. Andrew Borden's face had been nearly split in two with a hatchet. Abby, Lizzie's stepmother, was found with her head smashed to pieces. Suspicion soon fell on Lizzie. She was the only other person besides the housekeeper who was present during the slayings. The trial attracted national attention. Prosecutors tried to prove that Lizzie tried to burn a dress she wore during the day of the murders and buy an ax the day before the slayings, but the jury...

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Police: Silver Spring man was violent burglar

Montgomery County police arrested a man in connection with a violent home invasion and two burglaries in Silver Spring. Detectives arrested Eddie Burks III, of Silver Spring, in connection with two burglaries last month. After further investigation, police charged Burks in connection with a robbery that occurred in January in which the suspect woke up three victims, stole cash, credit cards and the car parked out front. Detectives believe Burks, 38, could be responsible for several other burglaries in Silver Spring since October 2008. Additional charges could be pending. - Scott...

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THE BLOTTER

Bus shelters damaged around D.C. Vandals broke the glass panes of some two dozen bus shelters around D.C. this weekend, authorities said. All four quadrants of the city were struck, but most of the damage occurred in Northwest and Southeast D.C., said District Department of Transportation spokesman John Lisle. Clear Channel Outdoor, an advertising company, maintains most of the shelters and will be responsible for paying for the repairs, he said. – Kytja Weir Medics declare live man dead Baltimore medics pronounced a burglary suspect dead of a gunshot wound an hour before officers noticed he was still alive, Baltimore police said Monday. Emergency medical technicians...

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Officials seek help on vehicle fire death

Authorities have ruled out a crash as the cause of a Bethesda minivan fire last week in which a 45-year-old man was found dead, but they are still looking for clues as to what caused the mysterious blaze. The body of Ebrima Sarr, who was known as E-Bru, was found just before 4 a.m. July 27 in the driver's seat of a gold Kia minivan on the 5000 block of Bradley Boulevard at Arlington Road. The minivan was ablaze, its rear wheels up on the median strip of the eastbound lanes. Montgomery County detectives haven't called the death a homicide. They are still awaiting an autopsy to determine what killed the Takoma Park man. But investigators said the fire started in the front passenger...

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THE BLOTTER

99-year-old woman robbed in home Montgomery County police are investigating a robbery that occurred at the home of a 99-year-old Silver Spring woman. Authorities say the woman received a phone call Friday asking her to open the door of her McKenney Avenue apartment to complete a survey. When she did, police say two men entered and stole cash and other items. The woman, who turns 100 this month, was not injured. Man spends night at party store, police say A Manassas man was charged with unlawful entry after he allegedly spent the night hiding inside a party supply store. Joseph A. Hamlett, 47, entered the Party Co. on Thursday evening while the store was still open and stayed the...

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CRIME HISTORY - Highway Killer dodges justice system

On this day, Aug. 3, on 1978, Larry Eyler, who would later become known as the "Highway Killer," was arrested on suspicion of slashing a hitchhiker with a butcher knife, but the charges were later dropped and Eyler continued his murder spree. Eyler picked up men under the guise of sex and bondage. Once he handcuffed the men, Eyler would kill them. Most of his victims were found on the side of the road with their pants pulled down and disemboweled. In 1983, an Indiana police unit charged with solving the murders of nearly two dozen victims got a tip from the hitchhiker who survived the earlier attack. Police followed Eyler and witnessed him dumping eight trash bags in a trash...

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Court: Chompers can be considered deadly weapon

Human teeth qualify as a deadly weapon in the District of Columbia, an appeals court affirmed last week. A person's choppers joins a list of everyday objects that D.C. law considers deadly when used during an attack: a wooden table leg, a belt, an automobile and a shoed foot. Not deadly: Stationary bathroom fixtures and flip-flop sandals. The D.C. Court of Appeals ruling stems from a 2005 arrest of a juvenile in Southeast Washington in which the teenager bit a police officer in the groin. Responding to a call of shots fired near the D.C. Alternative Learning Academy, D.C. police Officer Anthony Convington spotted a teenager who matched the description of the suspect and wrestled him to...

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Fairfax police looking for armed bank robber

Fairfax County police are asking the public to help identify a man suspected of robbed a bank in Fair Lakes last week. Police said a masked man entered the Alliance Bank, 12735 Shoppes Lane, shortly after noon Wednesday, produced a handgun and demanded money. The suspect grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash and fled. The suspect was described as black, in his 20s to early 30s, about 6 feet 5 inches tall and 200 pounds, with a muscular build. He was wearing an orange long-sleeved shirt, bluejeans and white and blue tennis shoes. Anyone with information can contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477) or Fairfax County police at 703-691-2131. - Scott...

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THE BLOTTER

Appeals court revives discrimination suit against Capitol Police Hundreds of black U.S. Capitol Police officers could finally get their day in court after a federal appeals court ruled that their 2001 lawsuit alleging discrimination in the agency could go forward. The approximately 270 black officers alleged their white senior officers created a hostile work environment because they referred to them with derogatory names and allegedly denied them promotions. One officer claims a noose was left on his locker. A lower-court judge dismissed the suit. A Capitol Police spokeswoman said Friday that she would not comment on the matter. - Maria Schmitt Brothers indicted in high-profile...

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Alleged streaker arrested

Montgomery County police arrested a man who they said had been running around parks wearing nothing but his sneakers. Matthew Goldman, 23, of Derwood, was charged with two counts of indecent exposure after two female joggers encountered a naked male runner in Olney. The women went into a nearby home and called police. When they stepped outside again, the man reappeared, mooned them and hopped into a silver car. Police said Goldberg was spotted earlier running naked in the Rock Creek Preserve bike trail in Olney by a mother and daughter on bicycles. – Scott...

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MS-13 leader guilty, faces 160 years

The man who authorities says headed up the violent Mara Salvatrucha street gang in the Washington area faces up to 160 years in prison after a federal jury found him guilty of trying to kill rival gang members. Dennis L. Gil Bernardez, 33, of Landover will be sentenced Oct. 16 at U.S. District Court in Alexandria. Also found guilty in the attacks was 18-year-old MS-13 member Jose M. Aguilar Orantes of Reston. He faces 95 years behind bars. Their convictions Thursday brings to seven the number of MS-13 members convicted of murder this year in Alexandria federal court. Gang leaders in El Salvador sent Bernardez into Northern Virginia because the gang there, the Western Locos Salvatrucha,...

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CRIME HISTORY - Alcatraz inmate escapes to nearby island

On this day, July 31, in 1945, John K. Giles attempted an escape from Alcatraz Island, making it all the way to a neighboring San Francisco Bay island before being captured. At 10:40 a.m., Giles slipped onto a small Army vessel. He wore an Army uniform he had pieced together over several years from uniforms sent to the prison laundry from a nearby naval base. As the boat pulled from the Alcatraz wharf, a count was taken of the soldiers on board came up with one extra man. A count of Alcatraz dock workers showed one missing convict. Alcatraz officials called the captain and told him to keep everyone on the boat, but the captain misunderstood, thinking that only soldiers with passes...

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Driver in fatal I-270 hit-and-run gets eight years

A Fairfax County man who led police on a 14-hour search after a deadly hit-and-run crash was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday. In August 2008, 33-year-old Michael D. Eaton was driving his Range Rover at a high rate of speed when he struck a Jeep Cherokee carrying a family of four on Interstate 270, killing 10-year-old Jasmine Warr, according to Montgomery County prosecutors. Eaton drove for a mile before fleeing on foot. He was sentenced to eight years for vehicular manslaughter and failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death. - Scott...

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The Blotter

Parking officer accused of using fake handicap passes A parking officer in Alexandria has been arrested and accused of using fake handicap parking passes. Gail Yvette Jones, 41, has been charged with forgery and obtaining a document under false pretenses. Investigators said they believe Jones began making phony handicap parking passes as soon as she was hired in December 2007. Fellow parking officers discovered the fraudulent passes, many of which were used a block away from police headquarters, police said. -- Elinor Flynn Mark Anthony McRae Sr., 48, pleaded to child sex abuse and second-degree rape. In January, prosecutors said, McCrae picked up the girl from her mother's house and...

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Driver in fatal I-270 hit-and-run gets eight years

A Fairfax County man who led police on a 14-hour search after a deadly hit-and-run crash was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday. In August 2008, 33-year-old Michael D. Eaton was driving his Range Rover at a high rate of speed when he struck a Jeep Cherokee carrying a family of four on Interstate 270, killing 10-year-old Jasmine Warr, according to Montgomery County prosecutors. Eaton drove for a mile before fleeing on foot. He was sentenced to eight years for vehicular manslaughter and failure to remain at the scene of an accident involving death....

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Stupid Crimes

KSTCLAIR 7/30/09 w/ police dashcam picture of 7-year-hopping out of car to avoid going church Holy roller he is not Police in Utah say a 7-year-old boy led officers on a car chase to avoid going to church. Dispatchers received reports of a child driving recklessly Sunday morning. Deputies caught up with the boy and tried unsuccessfully to stop the weaving Dodge Intrepid. The car reached speeds of up to 40 mph. When it stopped, the little guy jumped out and ran inside his home. The boy told authorities he had taken the family car to avoid going to church. Trouser snakes A motorist blamed a multicar crash on two pet baby snakes in his pants. Angel Rolon claimed he lost control of his...

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CRIME HISTORY - Jimmy Hoffa disappears

On this day, July 30, in 1975, Jimmy Hoffa disappeared from a restaurant parking lot in suburban Detroit. He has not been seen or heard from since. Hoffa, 62, had been the powerful and controversial head of the Teamsters union despite spending the last four years of his term in prison for jury tampering and attempted bribery. His 15-year sentence was commuted by President Richard Nixon in 1971, with the agreement that he step down from the union. In 1975, while trying to regain power in the Teamsters, he disappeared from the parking lot of the Machus Red Fox Restaurant in Bloomfield Township, Mich. Hoffa was due to meet two high-ranking Mafia leaders that day. It has been reported that...

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Man accused of assaulting woman who died later

A 30-year-old Silver Spring man has been charged with assaulting a 23-year-old woman just a few hours before she was found dead in their home, Montgomery County police said. About 3 a.m. Monday, Angel Sandoval-Cruz was arguing with Mayra Martinez-Hernandez in their home on the 8800 block of Garland Avenue when he grabbed a knife and threatened her, police said. The two resolved the dispute between themselves and did not call police. About three hours later, police were called to check on Martinez-Hernandez’s welfare, only to find her dead inside. There was no apparent cause of death, and preliminary results from the medical examiner have been inconclusive. Sandoval-Cruz is...

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Most wanted - Teacher accused of abusing student still on run

A former parochial schoolteacher in Montgomery County has been on the run since his arrest on child abuse charges nearly 20 years ago, and law enforcement officials are asking the public to help capture him. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office officials said Edward John Santora Jr. was a mathematics teacher at St. Andrew Apostle School in the Kemp Mill neighborhood of Silver Spring in 1981 when he allegedly began beating and molesting a young male student. Santora was charged with two counts of child abuse involving sexual relations in 1989 after the alleged victim, then 21, walked into the police station in Wheaton and complained about the relationship. Santora was arrested at his...

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Police hiring new officers thanks to stimulus money

Six of the national capital region’s police departments were awarded nearly $25 million in stimulus money to help put more than 100 more cops on the area’s streets, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday. The grant money is part of the $1 billion awarded to 1,046 departments nationwide to pay 4,700 officers’ salaries and benefits for three years. The Justice Department chose cities with serious budgetary problems and relatively high crime rates. Some cities such as New York City, Houston and Pittsburgh didn’t receive any grant money, largely because of low crime rates, officials said. In the Greater Washington region, the biggest winners were the...

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CRIME HISTORY - Child's rape, murder leads to Megan's Law

On this day, July 29, in 1994, 7-year-old Megan Kanka was raped and murdered by her neighbor in Hamilton Township, N.J. The murder led to Megan's Law, requiring convicted sex offenders to notify police when they move into a neighborhood. Jesse Timmendequas, already convicted of two rapes of young girls, had recently moved in with two other convicted sex offenders across the street from the Kanka house. Timmendequas lured Megan into his house by offering to show her a puppy. After raping and strangling her, he put Megan's body in a chest and dumped her in a park. He confessed to police the next day. Her family maintained that had they known about Timmendequas' past, they would have kept...

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Police seek more clues in woman's brutal death

Fairfax County Police said a woman whose body was found bound last week was not the target of a random killer or killers. Police continued to search for clues into the death Chung A. Auh, who was found inside of her home-based acupuncture business at 4119 Hummer Road in Annandale on Friday afternoon. Auh, 53, suffered trauma to her upper body and was tied up. Detectives want to talk with clients or friends who may have recently visited the clinic. Anyone with information is asked to call Fairfax County police at 703-691-2131. - Scott...

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THE BLOTTER

Source: Grave markers found, but no bodies at mental hospital District police received a report that possible human remains were found in the basement of a former D.C.-run mental hospital in Laurel, but a department source on Wednesday told The Examiner that cadaver dogs found no evidence of remains. Officials searched the basement of the Forest Haven mental hospital after learning there were what appeared to be makeshift graves -- mounds marked by white crosses -- in the basement, the source said. The facility has been closed since 1991. It opened in 1925 and was notorious for poor conditions and abuse. Son who chopped up father convicted A Vienna man was convicted by a...

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Police hunt for petite blond carjacker

U.S. Marshals are looking for a 5-foot-2, blond, blue-eyed armed carjacking suspect, and are asking the public's help in finding her. Cheryl Ann Linkins, 20, is sought by authorities in Prince George's County on September 2008 charges of conspiracy to commit armed carjacking, robbery with a deadly weapon, first-degree assault and 10 other counts, according to court records. Linkins is also wanted on a theft charge in Charles County. Linkins was released on the carjacking charge on $5,000 bail but failed to show up in court, according to the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. "Linkins has shown really poor judgment in not obeying court orders and getting involved in very...

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Budget trouble forces D.C. police hiring freeze

The Fenty administration, facing a budget shortfall of hundreds of millions of dollars, has ordered a hiring freeze for the D.C. police department, according to memos obtained by The Examiner. A citywide hiring freeze was ordered last month, but there were questions whether public safety jobs would be affected. The Metropolitan Police Department was informed last week that all promotions and backfills have been placed on hold until further notice. "This is a result of the District facing significant spending pressures in Fiscal Year 2009, and the anticipation of further decline in projected revenues for the remainder of the Fiscal Year 2009 and 2010," according to a July 13...

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Traffic stop leads to 10 kilos of cocaine

A routine traffic stop by a state trooper in Alabama has led to the arrest of a suspected drug dealer in Temple Hills and the recovery of 10 kilograms of cocaine and thousands of dollars, police said. Jerry Leroy Butler, 31, and Jose Oscar Torres were charged with drug trafficking, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. Federal prosecutors said an Alabama state trooper pulled over a maroon Ford F-250 pickup truck last week after the officer said the vehicle was swerving between lanes on Interstate 65. The driver appeared nervous and was shaking, police said. Torres allowed the trooper to inspect the vehicle, police said. In the external fuel tank in the bed...

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CRIME HISTORY - Public Enemy No. 1 gunned down by feds

On this day, July 22, in 1934, John Dillinger was fatally shot by FBI agents. Although Dillinger was a dangerous robber responsible for the deaths of several police officers, many people considered him a hero. His sensational exploits made great copy for the press. Dillinger twice escaped from jail, helped stage another breakout and had numerous shootouts with police, including one in which he was struck by a bullet. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover named him "Public Enemy No. 1." After chasing Dillinger to Florida, Wisconsin and Arizona, special agents learned he was back in Chicago. A prostitute threatened with deportation told the agents that she was attending a movie with...

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THE BLOTTER

Police ID teen shot to death at birthday party The 19-year-old who was killed at a birthday party Sunday has been identified as Bryan Vidarte, of Centreville. Loudoun County sheriff's deputies said Vidarte was fatally shot around 3 a.m. at a residence on Tappahannock Place in the Lowes Island community in Sterling. Guillermo A. Alvarado, 20, of Sterling, and Rasheed L. Nurse, 26, of Herndon, were charged with second-degree murder. Pedestrian hit by car charged with illegally crossing the road A 20-year-old Manassas woman was charged with carelessly interfering with traffic after she was struck by a car while crossing the road outside of a crosswalk, Prince William County...

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CRIME HISTORY - Hickok kills man in first Wild West showdown

On this day, July 21, 1865, Wild Bill Hickok shot and killed cowboy Davis Tutt in what is regarded as the first true Western showdown. The quick-draw duel, in the town square of Springfield, Mo., launched Hickok to fame as a gunfighter. The quick-draw duel later became a staple in cowboy Western films. Hickok and Tutt were friends who gambled together, but eventually had a falling out that was said to involve women and gambling debts. Around 6 p.m., Hickok calmly approached the square, his Colt Navy in his hand. The townspeople scattered. Hickok called out his friend's name, cocked his pistol and placed it in his holster. Tutt drew his pistol and they both fired...

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Rash of killings could be linked to gambling ring

Federal authorities are investigating the slaying of five people who might have been killed after winning thousands of dollars at illegal casinos that federal officials say may have been protected by police, The Examiner has learned. The homicides occurred over two months between 2007 and 2008 in Prince George's County near secret gambling houses where the jackpots sometimes reached $100,000, according to a source close to the investigation. Police believe that victims were killed after leaving the gambling tables with loads of cash, sources said. The gamblers made easy and profitable targets for underworld operators who knew about their run of good luck. Because the cash was obtained...

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THE BLOTTER

Evidence from Jacks case fouls courtroom Evidence from the home of a D.C. woman on trial for murder in the slayings of her four daughters caused a foul odor when presented in court. The decomposing bodies of Banita Jacks' four girls -- ages 5 to 17 -- were found Jan. 9, 2008, when U.S. Marshals entered Jacks' Southeast D.C. home to evict her. Authorities believe the girls had been killed seven months earlier. Police on Monday showed pictures of the girls when they were found in the home. They also brought to court boxes with more than 100 pieces of evidence that when opened, caused a stench in the courtroom. UPS workers indicted on gun charges Two UPS employees were indicted on...

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The Blotter

Sentencing set for ex-Fox News journalist A former Fox News Channel producer convicted on a child pornography charge is set to be sentenced Tuesday, the second D.C. journalist to be sentenced on the same charge in less than a week. Aaron Bruns, 29, pleaded guilty in May to possession of child pornography after investigators said he had been sharing the images online. Bruns, who pleaded to a child pornography charge as a juvenile in 1999, faces up to 10 years. Last week, former National Public Radio science editor David Malakoff, 46, was spared time behind bars by a D.C. federal judge partially because the journalist had been sexually assaulted as a 9-year-old boy. 2 charged after teen...

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CRIME HISTORY - Serial killing couple finally captured

On this day, July 20, 1984, Alton Coleman and Debra Brown were captured after a six-state killing spree that left eight people dead. Coleman, a street-savvy con man, had a long criminal record before he met Brown in 1983. Their spree started the following year, on May 29, when they killed a 9-year-old girl. Three weeks later, in Gary, Ind., Coleman and Brown snatched two girls, ages 7 and 9. One girl escaped, but the other was choked to death. With authorities on their trail, the couple moved through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and Kentucky, beating or killing victims for their cars and money. The spree ended in Evanston, Ill., when police received a call from a...

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Top 10 fugtive 'Freaky' Mercer captured in counterfeit sting

A member of The Examiner's Top 10 Most Wanted, the last remaining fugitive member of a violent D.C. street gang, was captured during a raid on a counterfeit operation in North Carolina. Police investigating a number of $20 and $100 bills being passed around in Lumberton, N.C., got a tip that 35-year-old Frederick "Freaky" Mercer was hiding out in a house believed to be producing the fake money. The Examiner featured Mercer last month as one of the Washington area's 10 most wanted fugitives and reported that he was possibly hiding out with family in Clinton, N.C., in the south central part of the state. He had been on the run for more than two years. Mercer was putting on his...

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FBI investigates local cops accused in high-stakes craps ring

Federal investigators are looking into allegations that several D.C.-area law enforcement officers were involved in a Maryland gambling ring that may also be connected to homicides, the Washington Post reported Sunday. The probe has targeted five Prince George’s County police officers, a District police official and a former D.C. Housing Authority officer, the report said. The officers allegedly helped protect illegal gambling sites that rotated around Southern Maryland. Sometimes the officers reportedly wore uniforms while providing security for high-stakes craps games with pots as high as $100,000. Prince George’s County Police Chief Roberto Hylton said he turned over the...

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CRIME HISTORY - Allman Bros. roadie gets 75 years for drugs

On this day, July 19, in 1976, Allman Brothers roadie Scooter Herring was sentenced to 75 years in prison for providing drugs for the group, based on Gregg Allman's testimony. The blues/rock band had survived the tragic death of two members in separate motorcycle crashes, but the group saw Gregg Allman's actions as an unforgivable betrayal and the Allman Brothers broke up. Federal prosecutors accused Herring with supplying singer and keyboardist Gregg Allman with cocaine. Authorities squeezed Georgia's biggest star into giving testimony they hoped would break a larger crime ring. To avoid criminal charges, Allman testified against the road manager and gave details of his own drug...

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P.G. man gets 50 years for 'love triangle' shooting

A Riverdale man was ordered to spend the next 50 years behind bars for shooting his former roommate in a jealous rage over a woman. A Prince George's County judge sentenced Angel Barrera-Arevalo, 32, to life in prison, suspending all but 50 years. Barrera-Arevalo was convicted of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of Jose Amaya, 26, after he found Amaya with the mother of his two young daughters. After his arrest, prosecutors said Barrera-Arevalo penned a letter from his jail cell to the woman, Lizjeivy Arriaga-Herrera, 20, threatening her and any man who tried to come between them, prosecutors said. "A love triangle is a problem; love is good between two, because when...

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Heroin dealer sentenced to 26 years for Va. teen's death

A District drug dealer who supplied the heroin that led to the death of 19-year-old Alicia Lannes was sentenced to more than 26 years in prison. Prosecutors estimated that 33-year-old Antonio L. Harper was responsible for putting as many as 300,000 bags of heroin into the hands of users. A group of teenagers and young adults in Centreville relied on Harper as their heroin supplier. Authorities said the heroin contributed to four deaths among that group of teens, which included Lannes, who overdosed on March 5, 2008. Harper is one of 16 people to be convicted following the investigation. - Scott...

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THE BLOTTER

Police release sketch of robbery suspect The Loudoun County Sheriff's department has released a composite sketch of a person who was involved in the armed robbery of a Round Hill, VA convenience store on July 8, 2009. The sketch is of a white male who was seen in the store prior to the robbery. Around 9 p.m. an unknown subject entered the Round Hill Mini-Mart on Main Street and approached the counter as if he was going to purchase an item. After showing a firearm and demanding money he fled the store in a Ford Ranger driven by a second white male. The suspect who entered the store is described as being 6' tall and in his early 20's. He was wearing sunglasses, a baseball hat, a white...

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STUPID CRIMES

Cops 1, Man of Steel 0 Superman and Batman recently took on New York's finest and lost. The incident occurred in Times Square, where police officers approached the Man of Steel, aka Maksim Katsnelson, 23, who was panhandling, and asked whether he had any identification. That's when Superman started swinging. "He freaked out and punched the girl cop in the face," his friend, dressed as Batman, later told the New York Post. Cops cuffed Batman but let him go because he didn't cause any problems. The two had dressed up as the superheroes for laughs. Their comic-book adventure went awry when police learned they didn't have the required license to perform in costume in...

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CRIME HISTORY - Waterford Rats pull off largest Kentucky art heist

On this day, July 17, in 1994, Mafia wannabes pulled off a $1.6 million heist from a Lexington, Ky., museum in the state's largest ever art theft. The trio, aided by a getaway driver in his 80s, was trying to work its way into a Pittsburgh mob family.Master thief James P. Quinn was part of an Ohio-based criminal network known as the Waterford Rats, who stole more than $10 million over 10 years.The gang was linked to more than 300 burglaries in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, the Carolinas and Florida. But Quinn had more ambitious plans. He believed a heist of the Headley-Whitney Museum could make him a made man in the Mafia. The men disabled the alarm system and made off with 103 pieces...

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Former NPR editor gets no prison time in child porn case

The former NPR science editor who pleaded guilty to downloading videos of young children being raped will not have to spend any time in prison, a federal D.C. judge ruled Thursday....

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CRIME HISTORY - Army doctor MacDonald stands trial for killing family

On this day, July 16, in 1979, a trial began for an Army doctor accused of murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters nearly 10 years earlier. In 1970, Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald called emergency crews at Fort Bragg, N.C., to report that he and his family had been attacked by hippies. His wife, Colette, and their two children, ages 5 and 2, had been stabbed to death. "Pig" had been scrawled across a headboard in fresh blood. MacDonald had suffered stab wounds himself. Investigators doubted his story, but initially didn't have enough evidence to prove that he was the killer. Five years after the slayings, a grand jury indicted MacDonald for the deaths. Because of delays, his...

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Puppy rescued after ordeal stuck in pipe

A young border collie was rescued after spending 20 hours stuck in a drainage pipe near Charlottesville. The curious Scout, a 6-month-old, was probably chasing a squirrel when he darted into a 10-inch pipe, his family said. The family realized Scout was missing Monday night but were unable to find him in the dark. They found the pooch around 2 p.m. Tuesday when they heard him whimpering and barking. Rescue crews could barely see the scared puppy. Firefighters freed Scout using a backhoe to dig a trench around the pipe. A firefighter cut a portion of the pipe with a power saw. It was enough to reach in and pull Scout out. After a bath, he was said to be back to normal. - Examiner...

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Child sex abuse suspect on the run

U.S. marshals are looking for a capital-region man wanted on charges of sexually abusing multiple children over several years. Forty-four-year-old Virgilio Nunez was indicted in February on 15 counts of child sex abuse in Montgomery County. The children were girls under the age of 12. Nunez was released on a $10,000 bond and ordered to return to court last month, but he never showed. He's been on the run since. Marshals are asking the public to help capture the fugitive. "We need to get him back in the court system and prevent any more future victims," said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Nunez, who was born in El...

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Police shoot, kill robbery suspect near Capitol

Police shot and killed an armed man suspected of robbery near the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. The shooting, which startled tourists visiting Capitol Hill, happened at New Jersey Avenue and C Street around 5 p.m. Capitol Police said they tried to stop a man in a white Mercedez-Benz following a report of a robbery at Union Station. The car stuck an officer and the man got out of the car, said U.S. Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider. Officers ordered the man to stop and put down his weapon. When he didn't, police fired several shots, according to Schneider. The man was taken by a helicopter to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police closed off part of the Capitol and...

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Letters pour in for former NPR editor in child porn case

A flood of letters from admirers of former National Public Radio editor and convicted sex offender David Malakoff have poured into a D.C. federal court on behalf of the award-winning journalist, saying his rape as a child should earn him leniency. Malakoff, 46, faces more than eight years in prison on a felony child pornography possession charge. He is set to be sentenced Thursday. More than 100 people wrote to D.C. District Court Judge Ellen Huvelle vouching for Malakoff's character. Friends argued that Malakoff was sexually assaulted at about age 9 and would not hurt anyone. A psychologist wrote that Malakoff would not be in the predicament had he not been raped by a stranger nearly...

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CRIME HISTORY - Spree killer murders fashion icon Versace

On this day, July 15, 1997, killer Andrew Cunanan gunned down Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace outside his Miami mansion. Cunanan, a gay gigolo, was in the midst of a cross-country killing spree. It began three months earlier in Minneapolis, with Cunanan bludgeoning one of his love interests with a hammer. He later shot a friend in the head. Two days later, in Chicago, he fatally beat a wealthy developer and stole his Lexus. Cunanan dumped the car in New Jersey, and killed a cemetery worker for his pickup truck. With a massive FBI manhunt underway, Cunanan drove to Miami Beach where he planned his next murder. Cunanan waited in the shadows outside Versace's South Beach home. He...

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Brothers jailed for stabbing in Arlington fight

Arlington County police are investigating a brawl that resulted in the stabbing of a man and two arrests. At about 9 p.m. July 7, two men began arguing in the 5500 block of Columbia Pike. One of them called his brother for help. The brother showed up and stabbed the victim in the back several times. The victim was driven to an area hospital and remains hospitalized. Police arrested brothers Manuel De Jesus Ramirez, 19, and Jorge Luis Ramirez, 21, both of Arlington. They were charged with "malicious wounding by mob" and were held without bond. They are facing five to 20 years imprisonment if convicted. Anyone with information is urged to call the tip line at 703-228-4242, or...

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THE BLOTTER

Man in black suit robs D.C. bank A bearded man in a black suit and golf hat robbed a downtown D.C. bank Tuesday morning. At 10 a.m., the man walked into the United Bank on the 1600 block of K Street Northwest and passed a note demanding cash. He took the money and was last seen walking north on the 1000 block of 17th Street NW. The robber was described as a black male, in his late 30s or early 40s, with a full beard. He was about 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. Police are offering a reward of up to $10,000. Anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Violent crime drops in Prince George's County Violent crime in Prince George's County has dropped...

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Crime History - Motley Crue singer jailed for fatal crash

On this day, July 14, in 1986, Motley Crue's Vince Neil began a 30-day sentence for vehicular homicide. On Dec. 8, 1984, the hard rock singer got behind the wheel of his sports car to buy more liquor in Redondo Beach, Calif. Neil lost control his vehicle and drove head-on into a Volkswagen. The collision killed his passenger, Nicholas Dingley, a drummer for Hanoi Rocks, and seriously injured two people. Neil registered a 0.17 percent blood-alcohol level, more than double the limit at which a driver is considered intoxicated. The rocker was sentenced to 30 days, $2.6 million in restitution and 200 hours of community service. Neil got out of jail in 15 days. Motley Crue dedicated its...

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Supreme Court halts execution of Manassas murderer

The U.S. Supreme Court halted the execution of a Prince William County man who was set to die tonight so the justices could consider whether to hear arguments that Paul Warner Powell was unconstitutionally tried twice for killing a 16-year-old Manassas girl. The order came as Virginia corrections officers were practicing electric chair procedures for the 31-year-old Powell, who in 1999 drove a knife into the heart of teenager Stacie Lynn Reed before raping and stabbing her 14-year-old sister, Kristie. Powell was convicted and sentenced to death in 2000, but the Virginia Supreme Court overturned the verdict. Prosecutors had tried to link Stacie's killing to Kristie's rape, arguing that...

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THE BLOTTER

Group robs elderly woman of her bus pass A group of young women attacked and robbed an elderly woman of her bus pass and then tried to flee on a Montgomery County Ride-on Bus, police said. The girls were spotted attacking the woman around a little before 4 p.m. Monday in Silver Spring, police said. The woman was not seriously injured. A witness to the attack called police, who caught up to the bus at the intersection of Tamarack and Fairland roads and took the women into custody. No further details were immediately available. Lookout in bank robbery that led to chase pleads guilty A 27-year-old Burtonsville man pleaded guilty to armed robbery for serving as the lookout in a bank...

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CRIME HISTORY - Drug-dealing dictator Noriega sentenced in Miami

On this day, July 10, in 1992, former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega is sentenced in Miami to 40 years in prison for drug and racketeering charges. Noriega, who was on the CIA payroll in the 1950s and 1960s, was the military dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989. He retained U.S. backing until he was indicted on drug charges in 1989. When U.S. troops invaded the Central American country in 1989, Noriega took refuge in the Vatican's embassy. American troops set up a perimeter outside and blared rock and roll music through loudspeakers and, eventually, Noriega surrendered. He was flown to the Miami and convicted of cocaine trafficking, racketeering and money laundering. His prison term...

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Stupid Crimes

w/ horrendous picture of Donnie Hendrix Casual Encounters of the worst kind A Long Island mom is accused of seeking revenge on a 9-year-old classmate of her daughter by taking out a Craigslist ad that sent men seeking sex to the rival girl's phone number. Margery Tannenbaum, 40, was charged with aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a minor. Police said she posted an online ad that read, "Looking for a good time? I need a little affection.I am blonde and very cute! I'll be waiting." The ad directed men to an e-mail address controlled by Tannenbaum. She then gave the would-be sex partners the girl's name and home phone number, police said. The mother of the...

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THE BLOTTER

Elderly couple found dead in Rockville home Rockville police found the bodies of a couple, believed to be in their 70s, in their apartment in downtown Rockville. Police said they were called to the 100 block of Monroe Street by neighbors who had grown concerned about the mounting pile of newspapers outside the couple's door. Authorities said they found the bodies in separate rooms after building employees had to drill open the lock to their door. Police do not believe foul play was involved. They did not release the names of the man and woman. Football player convicted of drunken driving Former Washington Redskins player Bruce Smith was convicted of drunken driving by a judge...

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THE BLOTTER

Two killed in Beltway hit-and-run Two people were killed late Tuesday night on the Capital Beltway when an allegedly drunken driver slammed their car from behind with her sport utility vehicle just before crossing the American Legion Bridge into Virginia, police said. Virginia State Police said they caught up to the SUV driver. Police say she had a blood-alcohol level of more than twice the limit at which drivers are considered drunk. Neither her name nor the names of those killed were immediately released. State employee fined, fired for passport peeking A U.S. State Department employee was fined $500 for illegally snooping into the passport files of celebrities and politicians....

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Marshals seeking woman suspected of swindling elderly man

U.S. Marshals are seeking the public's help in finding a woman suspected of swindling tens of thousands of dollars from an elderly Montgomery County man she worked for. Authorities said Ursula Porro was hired as a personal assistant to help take care of an 88-year-old man's finances. Instead, between 2007 and '08, she stole nearly $100,000 for herself, police said. Porro, 47, is facing 21 counts of theft. Marshals are asking the public to assist in their search for Porro. "Anyone that takes advantage of any elderly person or someone that may be required to place their trust in others is despicable and needs to be taken off the street," said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector...

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Police chief calls for scrutiny of group homes

Prince George’s County’s police chief said he wanted more regulation of group homes after a 23-year-old man was shot and killed at a residential facility in Accokeek. Police Chief Roberto Hylton said his department has noticed escalating violence and crime surrounding group homes and has called for a more stringent inspection system. He also said police departments needed to be notified when group homes opened in their jurisdictions. Hylton made his announcement following the shooting death of Stepfone Barry Robison, 23, of Fort Washington, at a group home on the 1500 block of Accokeek Road early Tuesday. Police ruled the death a...

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Crime history - DEA agent’s killer finally captured in Mexico

On this date, July 9, in 2000, FBI most wanted fugitive Agustin Vasquez-Mendoza was arrested for the murder of an undercover federal agent six years earlier in Arizona. Vasquez-Mendoza was the head of a gang that owned several Mexican methamphetamine labs and smuggled the drug into the United States. In 1994, he hatched a plan to kill and rob undercover Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Richard E. Fass of $160,000 used to buy methamphetamine. Fass was shot five times as he begged for his life. Police arrested three suspects, but the ringleader hid out across the border. The FBI placed Vasquez-Mendoza on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list and offered a $2.2 million reward. The...

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Feds: Stolen firearms sold out of UPS parking lot

Two United Parcel Service employees were charged with selling stolen firearms from the parking lot of the customer service facility in Landover. Prosecutors said Jason T. Scott, 26, and Marcus D. Hunter, 23, sold duffel bags full of handguns and semiautomatic rifles, including at least five of nearly two dozen weapons that had been stolen from a gun store in Woodbine, Md., in May, according to court documents filed in federal court in Greenbelt. Special agents with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating after they received a tip that Scott was showing off assault-style weapons from the trunk of his blue Toyota Camry at the UPS facility. "ATF is...

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Barry lawyer: Ex-girlfriend 'not credible'

D.C. Councilman Marion Barry’s attorney said that the latest criminal charge filed against him wouldn’t stand, as the woman whom Barry is accused of stalking was “not credible” and was “striking out against” him over a relationship gone bad. Fred Cooke addressed reporters Monday outside the John A. Wilson Building regarding Barry’s Saturday night arrest by the U.S. Park Police, and the subsequent misdemeanor stalking charge. Barry, 73, is alleged to have stalked Donna Watts-Brighthaupt, his 40-year-old ex-girlfriend. The former mayor attended the news conference but said nothing, at Cooke’s insistence, regarding his latest brush with the...

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CRIME HISTORY - Three killed in Starbucks freezer in Georgetown

On this date, July 7, in 1997, three clerks were forced into a Washington, D.C., coffeehouse freezer and murdered. One of three victims nearly escaped, making it to the sidewalk outside Starbucks in Georgetown before the gunman wrestled her back inside. When the rampage ended, Caitry Mahoney, 25, Emory Evans, 25, and Aaron Goodrich, 18, were dead, their bodies found the next morning by the day shift. Police developed a suspect, Carl D. Cooper, but had circumstantial evidence. Cooper toyed with the investigators, D.C. homicide detective Jim Trainum and FBI agent Brad Garrett. At one point, Cooper called them to get his gun. When they showed up, he changed his mind, became agitated, left...

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Manassas woman pleads guilty to drowning adopted daughter

The adoptive mother of a developmentally disabled girl whose body was found in Woodbridge creek has pleaded guilty to killing the 13-year-old. Alfreedia Gregg-Glover, 45, admitted Monday in Prince William County Circuit Court to felony murder, felony child abuse and filing a false police report. The Manassas woman faces up to 51 years in prison at her sentencing, which is set for Oct. 2. Gregg-Glover reported her daughter missing Jan. 7. She told police that Alexis "Lexie" Glover disappeared from her side in the Manassas Central Library parking lot. Police found the girl's Global Positioning System bracelet nearby. Lexie had run away several times and police had equipped her...

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The Blotter

D.C. woman sentenced for ID theft of Library of Congress employees A 35-year-old D.C. woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison for stealing private information from Library of Congress employees to finance a $38,000 shopping spree. Labiska Gibbs convinced her cousin William Sinclair, an employee of the library, to access the payroll system to obtain employee data to fraudulently apply for lines of credit, prosecutors said. Gibbs' second cousin, William Sinclair Jr., 27, was sentenced to three years probation for his role. Prosecutors said Sinclair he did not receive any money in the theft. Police: Man arrested for killing opossum during ride-along A Virginia man is facing an...

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More teens escape from $46 million juvenile center

Six teenagers escaped from the District's brand new juvenile detention center Sunday, the second time someone has scrambled away from the $46 million facility since it opened five weeks ago. U.S. Park Police said all six youth were captured about an hour after authorities launched an extensive manhunt that included at least five law enforcement agencies, a helicopter and K-9 units. "Six out and six in," said park police spokesman Sgt. David Schlosser. It's unclear how a half-dozen teenagers were able to walk away from the watchful eyes of the District's Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. "DYRS has initiated a full investigation into this matter and, once...

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CRIME HISTORY - Cubs shortstop shot by chorus girl

On this day, July 6, in 1932, Chicago Cubs shortstop Bill Jurges was shot twice by a spurned girlfriend, Violet Popovich Valli. The 24-year-old Jurges had tried to break up with the attractive young brunette showgirl, when she showed up at his Chicago hotel. She asked for a drink of water and pulled out a gun. Three shots were fired. One bullet hit the shortstop's little finger while another shot struck a rib and ricocheted out of his right shoulder. Valli was hit once in her arm. Police found a suicide note left by Valli in which she blamed teammates for the breakup. "But why should I leave this earth alone," she wrote. "I'm going to take Billy with me." Charges were...

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THE BLOTTER

Two die in July 4 house fire Two people were killed in a late-night house fire in Upper Marlboro. Prince George's County fire officials did not release the identity of the victims. Fire and rescue officials responded to the home on the 12300 block of Wheeling Avenue just before midnight Saturday. One body was found on the first floor, and the other was found in the basement. The investigation into the fire was ongoing. D.C. investigates 3 homicides A man was killed early Sunday in D.C., and police identified the victims in two fatal shootings that occurred Saturday. Shortly after midnight Sunday, a man was fatally shot on the 600 block of Morton Place NW. On...

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Pr. George's police seek robbery suspects

Prince George's County police are trying to identify two men who robbed a citizen at gunpoint. The incident happened around 12:53 p.m. on the 3600 block of Pennsy Drive in Landover. One suspect pointed a gun at the victim and demanded the victim's wallet. The victim complied, and the suspects fled. Anyone with information is urged to call police at 301-772-4911. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). A cash reward is being offered for the tip that leads to the arrest and indictment of the suspect. - Scott...

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Marion Barry arrested in D.C. on stalking charges

Former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry on Sunday defended himself against stalking charges brought by U.S. Park Police, saying he was "betrayed" by a woman he had befriended. But that was swiftly denied by the woman, 40-year-old Donna Watts, who called Barry's account a lie. The latest legal run-in for the 73-year-old council member was related to an ongoing dispute being investigated by D.C. law enforcement officials in which Barry accused the woman's ex-husband of threatening him, Watts and a law enforcement official said. Barry's spokeswoman Natalie Williams said Sunday, "Council member Barry is no stalker." She portrayed Watts as a constituent whom Barry helped...

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Three-minute interview - Pat Shelly

Pat Shelly is founder and director of the Breastfeeding Center for Greater Washington, a nonprofit clinic offering consultations, education and group support. Known as the “The Breast Whisperer,” Shelly started the center in 1997, now located at 2141 K St. NW. What led to the creation of the center? I began a home visit practice in the late ’80s to support breastfeeding women. After years working as a registered nurse, I repeatedly encountered new mothers leaving the hospital who felt unsure and misinformed when it came to breastfeeding. Why is there a need for a breastfeeding center? Isn’t breastfeeding kind of natural? Yes, breastfeeding is natural, as is...

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Police have lead on thief, need help with identity

Montgomery County Police are looking for suspect who stole a wallet from a car last month in Derwood. Detectives have a surveillance photograph of a man who used the victim's stolen credit card. He is described as a black male, about 25 years old, with a trimmed beard. The victim left his wallet inside a vehicle parked in the 7700 block of White Cliff Terrace in Derwood. Overnight, the suspect entered the vehicle and stole the wallet, which contained credit and debit cards, police said. Anyone who has information about this incident or the suspect shown in the surveillance photograph is asked to call police 240-773-6084. -- Scott...

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Violinist contesting extradition to Loudoun on sex charges

A top violinist for the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra is fighting extradition to Loudoun County on charges he tried to solicit a 14-year-old girl for sex over the Internet. Luigi Peracchia, 41, was arrested on a fugitive warrant by state police in West Virginia in March while he was practicing with the symphony's top string players. Peracchia, of Charleston, couldn't be reached Friday, but his lawyer John Flannery, told the West Virginia Gazette that the arrest of his client was "reckless" because Peracchia was not a fugitive. His client was never in Virginia, he had no idea that he was wanted by police, and the police knew he was in Charleston all along. The violinist has...

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Crime history - Wild Bunch founder escapes from jail

On this day, July 5, in 1896, cowboy outlaw Bill Doolin, head of the Wild Bunch, escaped from an Oklahoma jail. Doolin began his life of crime at age 32 when he and some drunk friends got into a shootout with lawmen who tried to confiscate their alcohol. Doolin was suited to being an outlaw and soon joined the Dalton Gang before forming his own criminal gang, the Wild Bunch, considered the most powerful outlaw group in the West. The U.S. Marshals Service lost three men trying to capture Doolin. The lawmen finally caught him in a bathhouse in Eureka Springs, Ark., where he went to treat rheumatism from a gunshot wound. In jail, Doolin overpowered the guards and escaped. Several weeks...

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CRIME HISTORY - President Garfield shot in D.C.

On this day, July 2, in 1881, President James Garfield was shot at a railroad station in the District. The shooter was Charles J. Guiteau, a lawyer who was angry because he failed to secure a federal job. Guiteau waited for Garfield at the railroad depot, on the southwest corner of Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue in Northwest, jumped from a crowd and shot the president twice with a .44-caliber revolver. Guiteau was quickly seized by D.C. police Pvt. Patrick Kearney, who was surprised that Guiteau so readily surrendered. The president was wounded; one bullet lodged in his spine. Doctors could not find it, and Alexander Graham Bell devised a metal detector but was unsuccessful in...

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THE BLOTTER

Condemned man wants electrocution A man sentenced to die next week for fatally stabbing a Manassas teenager wants to be executed by electrocution. Paul Warner Powell was convicted of the 1999 murder of 16-year-old Stacie Reed, but the verdict was overturned. Powell then sent a taunting letter to prosecutors with details about the crime, thinking he could no longer could be charged. He was convicted again in 2003. Since 1995, when Virginia began offering the choice between lethal injection and electrocution, only four of the 79 inmates executed have chosen electrocution. Man, 23, fatally shot in home Fairfax County police are investigating a shooting death in Burke. Around 5:30 p.m....

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Text-messaged tip leads police to sex offender

A new crime-fighting tool has led authorities to the arrest of a 52-year-old convicted sex offender, Montgomery County police said. Someone used a text-messenging tip line to notify police that David J. Cain had not notified authorities that he had moved into a Poolesville neighborhood. Police followed up on the tip and arrested Cain on charges of failure to register as a sex offender and failure to change address information for the sex offender registry. To text a tip to the Montgomery County police, type “MCPD” plus the message on a cell phone or personal digital assistant and send it to 274637 (CRIMES). The text message is encrypted and an alias is generated, masking the...

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Ringleader of tax office scandal sentenced to 17-plus years

The self-confessed mastermind of the largest embezzlement scheme in the District's history was sentenced to 17 1/2 years in prison Tuesday, nearly one for each year she stole from the city's taxpayers. U.S. federal Judge Emmet Sullivan said the maximum of 18 years was an "eminently reasonable" sentence for former tax office manager Harriette Walters, but that he subtracted six months because she helped explain to city auditors how she was able to steal so much for so long without detection. Walters, a midlevel manager in D.C.'s Office of Tax and Revenue, manipulated an antiquated property tax refund system for two decades, draining $48 million from city coffers. Wearing a dark...

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Tax office cash fueled Walters' spending sprees

Harriette Walters spent most of the $48 million she stole from the District on herself, going on lavish spending sprees and gambling trips. From her one-story home, FBI investigators recovered more than 100 pieces of jewelry, a mink coat and 90 designer handbags made by Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci. Police found 68 pairs of shoes, some never worn with the price tags still on them. They also found 13 watches, a 2006 Mercedes-Benz, a pair of silver-plated iguana figurines, a silverware set, a silver bar cart and a $30,000 wedding ring set....

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Crime history - Trio of soldiers kidnap, murder actor’s sister

On this day, July 1, in 1975, Emmy-winning actor Kelsey Grammer’s sister was raped and murdered by drugged-out killers in Colorado Springs, Colo. Karen Grammer, 18, was abducted from outside a Red Lobster restaurant by three men, current and former U.S. soldiers who worked at the Army base at Fort Carson. After raping her, the men blindfolded Karen, drove her to an alley and slit her throat. Kelsey Grammer, then a 20-year-old aspiring actor who went on to star as Frasier Crane in “Cheers” and “Frasier,” had to fly to Colorado to identify her body. The investigation led from Colorado to Florida and New Orleans, and resulted in the men’s capture and...

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Woman returns safely; ex-boyfriend still wanted

A Wheaton woman who went missing over the weekend is OK, but authorities are still looking for her boyfriend, who is wanted on a Pennsylvania warrant on attempted murder and armed robbery charges, Montgomery police said. Sakina Knight disappeared after she told police that she feared for her life, and her name was placed in a national database for missing persons in danger. She showed up at a police station Monday night to say she was safe, police said. The ex-boyfriend, Kareem Gaines, 32, is described as 5 feel 11 inches tall, 190 pounds with a tattoo on his left hand. Anyone with information about Gaines can call police at 240-773-5530....

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THE BLOTTER

Teen shot by police officer A 16-year-old Hyattsville boy was shot by an Anne Arundel County police officer after he tried to drive over the officer, police said. Around 3 a.m. Tuesday, the officer responding to a report of someone tampering with a vehicle in Laurel approached a sport utility vehicle. Police said the teen backed into the officer and his cruiser, pulled forward, then backed up into the officer again. The driver got out of the car and the officer fired, striking the teen twice. He was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. Police are looking for two other people who fled the scene. Single-car accident kills passenger A 51-year-old Herndon resident was killed...

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D.C. homicides on pace for four-decade low

Halfway through the year, the District of Columbia is on pace to have the fewest homicides since the mid-1960s, when the city earned the nickname "Murder Capital on the Potomac." Through the first six months, the city recorded 66 homicides, 21 percent less than the first half of last year. If the trend holds, the District would end up with 132 slayings, the fewest since 1964, when there were also 132 homicides. "Of course, we are glad that the number of murders have gone down, but we couldn't do it without the assistance of the public and the media," said spokesman Officer Israel James. At this time last year, the city had 83 homicides, according to police. Police remain...

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Walters sentenced to 17-plus years for $48M tax office scandal

Self-confessed tax scam mastermind Harriette Walters was sentenced to 17-and-a-half years in prison Tuesday, nearly one year for every year she stole from the D.C. tax office in the largest embezzlement scheme in city history. U.S. federal Judge Emmet Sullivan said the maximum of 18 years was “eminently reasonable,” but that he subtracted six months because she cooperated with authorities. Walters was a mid-level manager in D.C.’s Office of Tax and Revenue who manipulated a broken property tax refund system for two decades, draining $48 million from city coffers. In jail since her 2007 arrest, she pleaded guilty last September. In October, she met with auditors hired...

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Real estate agent charged in mortgage scam

A D.C.-area real estate salesman already disciplined for lying about his properties was charged in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud by repeatedly selling properties to unqualified buyers and keeping the proceeds of the sale for himself, then getting the property back and selling it again, according to documents filed in federal court. From 2004 to 2007, Mark D. Blunt "churned through" at least six properties, including his own million-dollar home, by "tricking" banks into loaning hundreds of thousands of dollars to people who could not afford them, prosecutors said. Blunt and his co-conspirators created forged documents, lied on applications and employed an appraiser...

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Virginia man gets 15 years for nonfatal shootings

A 20-year-old Virginia man will spend 15 years in prison for his role in a series of 2008 shootings along Interstate 64 that injured two people. An Albemarle County judge sentenced Slade Allen Woodson to 150 years, with all but 135 suspended. Woodson had admitted to firing a .22-caliber rifle at cars, houses, utility equipment and a deer in the Charlottesville area last year. A co-defendant, Brandon Dawson, 17, is now on...

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Crime history - Millionaire kills architect

On this day, June 25, in 1906, Pittsburgh millionaire Harry Thaw shot and killed prominent architect Stanford White at Madison Square Garden. Thaw, the ne’er-do-well son of a Pittsburgh coal and railroad baron, had competed with White for the affection of a raven-haired New York chorus girl named Evelyn Nesbit. After years of courtship, Thaw married her. On that fateful night 103 years ago, Thaw and Evelyn bumped into White and learned that they were attending the same premiere. During the show, Thaw approached and shot White three times in the face, killing him. Thaw held the gun aloft and walked out. The crowd thought that it was part of the show. Before the trial, Thaw’s...

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Most wanted - Marshals hope for 3rd caught fugitive in a row

Convicted child sex offender Christopher Preston has been on the run for five years, and U.S. marshals are hoping that Examiner readers can, for the third week in a row, help them catch a fugitive. As a sexually violent offender, 37-year-old Preston is required to register with Prince George’s County officials. But he moved in 2003 without telling authorities and has been missing ever since. “Preston has been in the wind way too long, and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force would like the public’s help in catching up with him,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. In the past two weeks, alert Examiner...

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Crime history - Teen gives birth, kills baby during prom

On this day, June 24, in 1997, 18-year-old Melissa Drexler was charged with killing her newborn baby during her prom. Drexler, who attended Lacey Township High School in New Jersey, kept her pregnancy a secret. During the dance, the 18-year-old ducked into a bathroom stall and gave birth to a baby boy. She cut the umbilical cord, wrapped the baby in garbage sacks and put the boy in the trash can. “Go tell the boys we’ll be right out,” Drexler yelled to a friend. Drexler put back on her black gown and returned to the dance floor as if nothing happened, just in time to listen to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” A janitor responding to reports of blood in...

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DCRA worker sentenced for shaking down firms

A former D.C. Department of Consumer of Regulatory Affairs employee was sentenced Tuesday to more than two years in prison for shaking down D.C. businesses. Ikela M. Dean, a 32-year-old former clerk in the District’s construction licensing agency, was convicted in November of taking bribes in exchange for voiding bogus “late fees” against hotel projects in the city. She was arrested in September 2007 after a yearlong FBI sting investigation and indicted on 14 counts of bribery, but U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton threw out 12 of the counts during the trial. Walton on Tuesday ordered her to serve 27 months behind bars and three months supervised...

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Montgomery police seek help in finding bank robber

Montgomery County police are asking the public to help identify a gunman who robbed a bank this weekend. About 10 a.m. Saturday, the man entered the M&T Bank at 5416 Wisconsin Ave. from Friendship Heights carrying a tote bag. He displayed a gun, demanded cash and then fled on foot south toward the D.C. line. Police believe the same suspect also robbed a Provident Chevy Chase Bank in Bethesda in January. The suspect is described as a black male, about 25, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and 150 pounds. He was wearing glasses and had facial hair. Anyone who has information about this suspect is asked to call robbery detectives at 240- 773-5100....

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Investigators already seeking answers in Metrorail crash

The National Transportation Safety Board began an investigation into the deadliest Metrorail crash in the system’s 33-year history. “We already have people en route,” NTSB spokesman Peter Knudson told The Examiner on Monday night. The FBI was assisting the probe, according to city officials. The NTSB sent its “Go Team,” a collection of experts who try to get to the site as quickly as possible to determine the cause of major crashes such as the Hudson River airliner landing earlier this year. Senior safety investigator Ed Dobranetski was dispatched to the crash sight in Northeast Washington and will lead the team to make a report of the crash. An...

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Detectives still following trail of blood from ’89 slaying

D.C. cold case detectives are looking for the man who fatally stabbed a construction foreman in the late 1980s and left a trail of blood from the crime scene. Authorities have obtained a partial DNA profile to match the person who killed James McCallum. The evidence is not enough to be entered into a national database, but it’s enough to get a match to the killer. All police need is a name, said Detective Jim Trainum, of the Violent Crime Case Review Project. And they’re offering $25,000 to the person who can provide it. “It’s very simple. For up to $25,000, you give me the name, we do the rest,” Trainum said. The McCallum case has been one of the 40...

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Crime history - Mobster killed before scheduled testimony

On this day, June 19, in 1975, Chicago mobster Sam Giancana was shot to death shortly before he was to testify before a United States Senate committee investigating Mafia involvement in a failed CIA plot to assassinate Fidel Castro. Giancana rose to power by taking over the black lottery game in South Side Chicago, earning millions for “The Outfit.” Giancana had several mistresses, including two women who have been romantically linked to President John F. Kennedy. One of the women later claimed she unwittingly passed information along from Kennedy to Giancana. Giancana and other mobsters had been recruited by the CIA during the Kennedy administration to assassinate...

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Examiner readers turn in another dangerous fugitive

For the second week in a row, tips from alert readers of The Washington Examiner have led directly to the capture of a dangerous fugitive. Andrew Courtney Jenkins, a convicted child sex offender, had been on the run since last summer after failing to notify Prince George’s County authorities that he had changed his address. His story was featured in Thursday’s newspaper, and by 8 a.m., authorities had at least two Jenkins sightings. “We got another one” featured in The Examiner, said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “Jenkins had made a statement in the past that he wasn’t going back to jail, but he...

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Crime history - Radio show host gunning down by neo-Nazis

On this day, June 18, in 1984, radio talk show host Alan Berg, the self-described “man you love to hate,” was gunned down by neo-Nazis. Berg, crude, combative and irreverent, was used to receiving death threats. Six years earlier, a member of the KKK stormed into his studio and pulled a gun on him on the air. On this night, 25 years ago, Berg was shot 13 times in his driveway in Denver. Four members of a group called the Order were indicted, including founder Robert Matthews, who later died during a shootout with FBI agents. The Order modeled its blueprint from “The Turner Diaries,” the bible of the racist right. The getaway driver in the Berg shooting, David...

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Most wanted - Sex offender with history of arrests is on the run

U.S. marshals are looking for a convicted child sex offender wanted out of Prince George’s County and are turning to the public for help. Andrew Courtney Jenkins, 24, has a violent criminal history, including arrests on charges of rape, stalking, burglary and assault. As a convicted child sex offender, Jenkins was supposed to register with the Prince George’s County Police Department, but took off last summer without notifying authorities and has not been spotted by authorities since. The U.S. marshals’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force has been asked to help locate and arrest Jenkins. Now, the marshals are asking for the public’s assistance before he...

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Murder suspect on run prone to sudden, unprovoked violence

He’s known for sudden, unprovoked violence, authorities said. He’s wanted on a murder charge and believed to still be living in the Washington area. Richard Morton is one of The Examiner’s most wanted fugitives. Authorities allege he stabbed 39-year-old Rachel Culver, resulting in her death, on the steps of a domestic violence shelter in the District. After a life on the streets, Culver had begun to rejoin society during the year she lived at the House of Ruth women’s shelter. Culver took a new job, got baptized and was trying to get her three children back, authorities said. On the evening of Jan. 28, as she was returning to the shelter, Culver was stabbed,...

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Washington area's most wanted list

Craig John Oliver Oliver, 56, scammed more than $2.5 million from dozens of homeowners for unfinished and shoddy remodeling projects in suburban Maryland and in Northern Virginia. Oliver had already spent 10 years in prison for securities rip-offs when he was convicted again for fraud in 2005, but before his sentencing, the Fairfax remodeler skipped town with his wife, Jennifer. He was sentenced in absentia to 20 years. In July, when “America’s Most Wanted” aired a segment on Oliver, his new client base in Phoenix tipped off police that he was running a remodeling business under the name Danny Sullivan. But before authorities could nab him, Oliver skipped town...

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Washington area’s most wanted

Craig J. Oliver conned Maryland and Virginia homeowners out of millions of dollars. Richard Morton slashed his girlfriend’s throat outside a D.C. women’s shelter. John D. Cody is a former Army captain with a Harvard law degree wanted for questioning in a federal spy probe. History of the most wanted list The FBI has famously maintained a list of the most wanted fugitives for decades. The longest any one person has been on the roster is nearly 26 years, while the shortest is just two hours. The list was born in 1949 during a card game with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, above, and a top United Press International editor who were talking about ways to capture the...

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Crime history - Nixon’s downfall begins with Watergate break-in

On this day, June 17, in 1972, five men were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office and apartment complex in Washington. The ensuing scandal led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation two years later. Early that morning, Frank Wills, a security guard at the Watergate, noticed a piece of tape on the door between the basement stairwell and the parking garage. He called D.C. police. The burglars wore surgical gloves and carried electronic bugging equipment. One of the men, James McCord, was security chief for the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP). Investigations revealed a massive White House dirty tricks...

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Pickpockets victimize senior citizens in Montgomery

Pickpockets are targeting senior citizens in Montgomery County, and police are releasing video images in the hopes that the public can help identify the culprits. Detectives aren’t sure whether this is a large group working together or smaller teams working separately, said Officer Megan Duffey of the Montgomery County police. All the thefts occurred during the day, mostly around lobbies or elevators in office buildings, police said. “We just know that these people seem to be targeting certain buildings or certain people,” Duffey said. “We want people to take caution.” The scheme involves men and women who try to distract their victims. One person will...

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Arraignment postponed for accused museum shooter

The 88-year-old white supremacist accused of fatally shooting a guard at the Holocaust Museum was too injured to appear in a D.C. court to answer murder charges, a federal judge ruled Monday. James W. von Brunn remains in critical but stable condition at a hospital in the District, prosecutors said. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Facciola adjourned the arraignment for another week to see whether von Brunn’s condition improves. Von Brunn was charged in the shooting death of museum security guard Stephen T. Johns, 39. Police said Johns politely opened the door of the museum for von Brunn before the 88-year-old turned around and shot Johns in the chest with a World War II-era...

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Crime history - Teenager shoots baseball star Eddie Waitkus

On this day, June 15, in 1949, Philadelphia Phillies star Eddie Waitkus was shot by teenager Ruth Ann Steinhagen in one of the first celebrity “stalker” crimes. Waitkus, 29, was a World War II hero — media-savvy, multilingual and an all-star. Steinhagen was 19 and lovesick. On that fateful night, Steinhagen left a message at his Chicago hotel pretending to be a former classmate and asking him to visit her room. When he showed up, she produced a rifle and shot him through the chest. She called the front desk and calmly explained that she had shot a man. He nearly died several times on the operating table. Steinhagen never stood trial, but instead was confined to a...

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Machete-wielding man found guilty of attempted murder

A Prince George’s County jury took two hours to find a Hyattsville man guilty of taking a machete to his girlfriend and his neighbor. Gerardo Hernandez, 33, was convicted late Friday of attempted murder, kidnapping, first- and second-degree assault, and carrying a dangerous weapon. Hernandez faces as many as 90 years in prison at his sentencing Aug. 13. On Aug. 24, 2008, police officers responding to a 911 call for a domestic assault heard a woman screaming from inside a home. Police opened the front door and found Elizabeth Merino, 36, with her wrist “spraying blood like a fountain,” said Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey. Hernandez had...

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Tip from store clerk leads to slaying suspect’s arrest

The Frederick County, Va., man wanted in connection with his brother’s slaying was arrested Saturday in West Virginia after a store clerk recognized the fugitive, police said. Justin Scott Slater, 24, was arrested without incident. Around the time of the arrest, police found the body of a female at Slater’s family cabin in Lost River, W.Va. An identification is pending. Slater’s ex-girlfriend, Kayleigh Marie Plamondon, had been missing since Tuesday. Slater was wanted on suspicion of killing his brother, Gregory Scott Slater, 28....

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Police seek victims of accused lemonade stand predator

Authorities are looking for more possible victims of a 42-year-old man who was arrested for allegedly trying to solicit a girl at her lemonade stand in Leesburg. Police arrested Hugo Antonia Callejas after they said he repeatedly approached a 13-year-old girl, gave her his phone number and asked her to call him last month. He was charged with solicitation of a minor less than 15 years of age for sex or sodomy. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office says there may be more victims. Callejas has been seen driving a white GMC work van with a ladder rack on top or a copper-colored Nissan Armada. Anyone with information can call the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at...

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Florida extradites D.C. man to face sex charges

A 29-year-old D.C. man accused of having sex with a young boy in Florida has been extradited to Washington, D.C., to face charges here. FBI agents arrested Tanner Stickney last month as he exited a plane at the Orlando International Airport after he bragged online about plans to visit his ex-girlfriend to have sex with one of the children she baby-sits. According to the criminal complaint filed against Stickney, federal agents searched his apartment at 53 Seaton Place NW and found several videos of boys engaged in sexual acts. They also found a video camera on a bedroom bookshelf with a four-minute video showing a child, about 8 to 10 years old, engaged in sexual acts with an adult...

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Crime history - 100 shots fired in biker gang gunfight

On this day, June 14, in 1966, a motorcycle gang shoot out between the Maryland-based Pagans and the local Avengers rocked a shopping center in Arlington, in what police then called the worst violence in the county since the Civil War. The Avengers resented the Pagans, a jacket-wearing motorcycle gang that was trying to become an East Coast model of the Hell’s Angels. The outfit was started in Prince George’s County by Lou Dobkins, a biochemist at the National Institutes of Health, who was into British Triumph bikes. The Pagans wore denim vests depicting the Norse fire-giant Surt wielding a flaming sword. The Avengers’ colors featured a big Maltese cross and a...

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Police Blotter: June 14, 2009

Man struck, killed by Metro car Metro says a man who was struck by a train at the Potomac Avenue station has died. Spokeswoman Candace Smith says the incident happened at about 11:45 a.m. Saturday. Trains had been sharing a single track between the Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory stations. But Smith says trains have returned to normal service. Officials say crews removed the man from under the train and took him to a hospital, where he died. – AP Man dies in motorcycle crash in Woodbridge A man died in a motorcycle crash Friday night, Prince William Police said. The victim, 21-year-old Stephen Lewis Stone, crashed at Beau Ridge Drive and Traverser Court in Woodbridge at about...

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Crime history - Civil rights leader Evers assassinated in Miss.

On this day, June 12, in 1963, civil rights leader Medgar Evers was assassinated in his driveway in Jackson, Miss., shot by a Ku Klux Klan member. Evers was instrumental in desegregating the University of Mississippi and investigating the death of Emmitt Till, a 14-year-old who was killed for reportedly flirting with a white woman. Carrying National Association for the Advancement of Colored People T-shirts that read "Jim Crow Must Go," Evers was struck in the back with a bullet fired from a rifle, just hours after President John Kennedy gave a speech on national television supporting civil rights. White supremacist Byron De La Beckwith was charged in the death, but was set...

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Examiner readers help capture violent sex offender

Police captured a fugitive sex offender after Examiner readers saw the man hanging around a private school in Southeast Washington. Andre Stevenson, 46, had been on the run for more than four years when his profile was featured in Thursday’s edition of The Washington Examiner. Within a span of five minutes, U.S. marshals received a half-dozen calls from people saying Stevenson was standing on the 1200 block of Good Hope Road SE. “It literally had our lines blinking like a Christmas tree,” Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, said of the Examiner story. “The callers said he hangs out on that block every day, and...

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FBI still seek babysitter suspected in kidnapping

The FBI wants the public’s help in finding a 20-year-old baby sitter accused of snatching a 1-year-old Philadelphia boy and taking him to Maryland. Vanessa Perez is facing a federal kidnapping charge for the alleged abduction of Tremayne Peak, who has been safely found in Germantown. Perez remains on the run. She has no known fixed address but had been living in the Philadelphia area recently, according to the FBI. Police caught up with Perez at a home in Germantown on Tuesday night, but she saw the authorities and fled, leaving the boy behind. Authorities said Perez’s own son of the same age was in foster care and she may have been trying to replace her own son....

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Woman dead after Northwest D.C. duplex fire

A woman died after an early morning fire erupted at a two-story duplex in Northeast Washington on Wednesday. Once inside the home on the 5000 block of Just Street, firefighters found an unconscious woman. She was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. The cause of the fire is under investigation....

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Crime history - Prisoners disappear after escaping from Alcatraz

On this day, June 11, in 1962, Frank Lee Morris and two bank-robbing brothers escaped from Alcatraz prison in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Over two years, Morris, who was born in Washington, D.C., planned and executed the escape with John and Clarence Anglin. The inmates drilled through walls, built rafts from raincoats, and crafted dummy heads using plaster and human hair from the barbershop. The men even used an electric drill made using a vacuum cleaner motor. At 9:30 p.m., immediately after lights out, the men made their move. The inmates placed the dummies in their beds, crawled through the vents, climbed 30 feet up the plumbing to the roof, snuck 100 feet across the rooftop,...

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Most wanted - U.S. marshals seek a violent sex offender

A convicted sex offender with a violent past has been on the run for four years, and U.S. marshals are asking for the public’s assistance to capture him. Andre Troy Stevenson, 46, is wanted for failure to register as a sexually violent offender in Charles County. Stevenson was convicted of a sex offense involving a 15-year-old boy and is required to check in with the Charles County sheriff’s office regularly and notify it of any changes of address. In March 2005, Stevenson took off without notifying authorities and has not been seen since. The U.S. marshals’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force has been asked to help locate and arrest Stevenson. Now, marshals are...

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Guard killed at Holocaust Museum; accused gunman in critical condition

A man who authorities said had ties to hate groups walked into the Holocaust Museum Wednesday afternoon and opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle, killing a security guard before he was shot by two other guards. Stephen Tyrone Johns, 39, who worked at the museum for six years, died after being taken to George Washington University Hospital. Another security guard was mildly injured by flying glass. Police sources identified the attacker as James W. von Brunn, 88, from Maryland. He has ties to white supremacist groups and was on a U.S. Secret Service watch list, sources said. He was in critical condition last night at George Washington hospital. Police said they found a notebook in von...

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Prosecutors: Walters stole while budget suffered

The $50 million that a former D.C. tax office manager ripped off from the District could have modernized 22 public schools, helped 1,276 first-time homebuyers or made the Anacostia swimmable by 2032, prosecutors said in sentencing documents Tuesday. Harriette Walters, the mastermind behind the largest financial corruption scandal in the District’s history, was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday. Walters is the last of 13 co-conspirators to be sentenced. Prosecutors have asked for a prison term of 18 years, comparing her theft to that of white-collar swindlers like Jeffrey Skilling of Enron and Bernard Ebbers of Worldcom. The 36-page sentencing memorandum takes a look back at the...

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Ex-Pr. George’s firefighter charged with arson

A former Prince George’s County firefighter has been charged with arson for a fire set at a vacant Landover Hills home. Anthony J. Sellers was arrested in his Silver Spring home June 3 after investigators linked him to a June 2008 fire at 6701 Greenland St., a fire department spokesman said. The 26-year-old was no longer volunteering for the department when the fire was set. He “had some challenges” while at the Bladensburg station, the spokesman said. The fire Sellers is accused of setting caused $150,000 in damage and one firefighter burned his leg while battling the flames. Sellers also was charged with two other fires set in vacant buildings in Laurel and...

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Crime history - Joel ‘The Ripper’ sentenced

On this day, June 8, in 1994, Long Island serial killer Joel “The Ripper” Rifkin was sentenced for a string of murders committed over a four-year spree. His first killing was in 1989, a prostitute he dismembered and tossed into the East River. Police caught Rifkin, then 34, in 1993, when state troopers tried to pull him over for driving without a rear license plate. A high-speed chase ended when Rifkin crashed into a telephone pole. Troopers found Rifkin with Noxema smeared across his mustache and a foul odor emanating from the bed of the truck. Under a blue tarp, troopers found the body of Rifkin’s final victim. The Noxema was a trick for dealing with the odor of...

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MS-13 member gets life in gangland slaying

A federal judge sentenced an MS-13 gang member to life in prison for gunning down a rival gang member on the streets of Springfield. Federal prosecutors said Sergio Amador, 29, was a member of a New York clique of MS-13 known as Surenos Locos Salvatrucha, an offshoot of the gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13. Two years ago, Amador was sent to Northern Virginia to help a local MS-13 clique fight the 18th Street gang. With roots in Los Angeles, Central America and Mexico, the Hispanic gangs are considered rivals. Amador joined Oscar Omar Lobo-Lopez, the leader of the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha clique, in the hunt for Melvin Reyes, a man who they believed belonged to the 18th Street gang....

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Former baseball coach faces more sex charges

A former Little League coach accused of molesting one of his players faces more charges, Fairfax County police said. John E. Hamilton, 37, of Centreville, was charged with two more counts of sodomy Friday after a 19-year-old said he was sexually abused in 2001 as a 12-year-old. A 28-year-old man told police he was abused in 1992 and 1993. Hamilton had been a coach for both accusers. The men came forward following reports last month that Hamilton had been charged with aggravated sexual battery. The first accuser, now 24, said he had been molested several times as a 12-year-old, including in the parking lot of Carl Sandburg Middle School and at Hamilton’s home....

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9 high school students charged in gang initiation

Nine Edison High School students were charged with violently initiating another student into a gang, Fairfax County police said. The nine students allegedly took the 16-year-old boy to a path near Gum Street and Woodway Drive in March and jumped him, punching and kicking the boy for about a minute. One of the teens, 18-year-old Chaimongkhon Ruengvivatanakij, was charged as an adult. The others were between 14 and 16 years old. All nine students were charged with gang participation, gang recruitment and...

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Taxicab bank robber sentenced to 7 years

A bank robber who twice tried unsuccessfully to use taxis as getaway cars was sentenced to nearly seven years in federal prison. Prosecutors said Derrick Aylor, 26, was already on parole for robbing a bank in California three years ago when he tried to pull off a similar heist in Rockville. On April 29, 2008, police said Aylor walked into Chevy Chase Bank branch inside a Giant Food store and handed the teller a note demanding all the $100 bills from the top drawer. The bank employee handed over $1,200 in cash, but also snuck in a concealed dye pack. Aylor rushed out of the bank and hopped in a nearby taxi. As the cab exited the parking lot of the Montrose Crossing shopping center, the...

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Crime history - Black man dragged to death in Texas hate crime

On this day, June 7, in 1998, James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death by three white men in Jasper, Texas, in a racially motivated hate crime. Shawn Berry, 23, Lawrence Brewer, 31, and John King, 23, stripped Byrd naked, beat him and chained him by his ankles to a pickup truck. The men dragged Byrd for three miles, and the next morning body parts were found scattered along the desolate road. Near the spot where Byrd was dumped, authorities found a wrench with Berry’s name and a lighter inscribed with “Possum,” King’s prison nickname. Brewer and King were known white supremacists. King had several tattoos: a black man hanging from a tree, Nazi symbols, the words...

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Gang leader to be sentenced for killing witness

A street gang leader considered to be one of the District’s most violent criminals is facing life in prison today for killing a witness to another slaying. Azariah Israel, 33, is accused of terrorizing a Columbia Heights neighborhood for nearly two decades, engaging in brazen gun battles with police and systematically eliminating anyone who may have cooperated with authorities. “[Israel] has been killing citizens of the District of Columbia since he was a teenager,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah Sines wrote in court filings. Israel was a high-ranking member of the Clifton Terrace University, or CTU crew, which operated around 14th and Girard in Northwest Washington,...

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Baltimore, D.C. near top of homicide rates list

Baltimore and Washington homicide rates ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, among the U.S. cities with a population of more than 500,000 people, according to data released by the FBI. Baltimore saw 37 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2008, ahead of No. 2 Detroit, which had 34 per 100,000 residents. The District of Columbia was the only major city not to turn in crime data to the FBI, but D.C. would rank third in the country with 31 slayings per 100,000...

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Crime history - Ex-intelligence analyst pleads guilty to espionage

On this day, June 4, in 1986, Jonathan Pollard pleaded guilty to espionage for selling top secret U.S. military intelligence to Israel. Although the full extent of the information he handed away has never been revealed, the former Navy intelligence analyst sold enough classified documents to fill an office. Pollard’s scheme was discovered when supervisors learned that he was removing enormous amounts of top secret material that was outside his purview. While he was being questioned, he took a break, called his wife and said their code word “cactus,” meaning that she should remove all documents from their home. When his bosses let him go, Pollard and his wife sped to...

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Most wanted - U.S. marshals seek fugitive child sex offender

U.S. marshals are looking for a convicted child sex offender who has slipped away from authorities and poses a risk to area youth. Douglas Bushnell, 38, was required to register as a sex offender in Montgomery County, but he moved from a homeless shelter in Rockville without telling authorities. A warrant was issued in January. Marshals would like the public’s help in tracking down Bushnell and putting him back into the judicial system. The U.S. Marshals Service places a priority on finding convicted sex offenders who have absconded, particularly child sex offenders, said Matt Burke, supervisor of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “We’d like to catch up...

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Prosecutor to ask Justice Dept. to take over explosive case

Prosecutors often ask the U.S. Justice Department to pursue civil rights investigations like the one sought in Ronnie White’s jail death to avoid making politically explosive decisions involving fellow law enforcement officials, experts said. Glenn Ivey, Prince George’s County state’s attorney, will ask federal authorities to take over the investigation into White’s death, which could lead to a federal civil rights investigation. Cases revolving around charges of law enforcement misconduct cause serious headaches for prosecutors, said Joseph diGenova, former U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. “A local prosecutor is scared to death; they may be...

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Lobbyist pleads guilty to illegal fundraising

The head of a Washington lobbying firm who also is a former top U.S. housing official has pleaded guilty to illegally raising campaign funds, according to court documents. Jerry Pierce-Santos, of Vienna, admitted in D.C. federal court that he made $17,000 in contributions in other people’s names to a candidate seeking federal office. The candidate was not identified in court papers. According to court documents, during the first half of 2003, Pierce-Santos agreed with 10 other people that he would use them to contribute to his candidate and then reimburse them for some or all of contributions For instance, on Dec. 5, 2003, a person identified by the initials M.G. sent $2,000 to...

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Strauss gets fine, probation for drunken driving

D.C. shadow senator Paul Strauss has pleaded guilty to drunken driving for an arrest that occurred last year in Adams Morgan. Strauss received probation and $400 fine. According to police, Strauss was stopped in October for speeding over the Duke Ellington Bridge. Strauss had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 percent, twice the .08 limit in D.C. Shadow senators are elected by the District of Columbia to lobby U.S. lawmakers for full representation in Congress. Strauss pleaded guilty Friday. The change in plea was first reported Monday by the Washington City Paper....

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PG prosecutors lack evidence for charges in jail death

Prince George's County prosecutors have not found enough evidence to charge anyone with a crime in the controversial jail death of accused cop killer Ronnie White, sources close to the case said. Glenn Ivey, Prince George's County state's attorney, is expected to ask federal authorities for greater help in the case, which could lead to a federal civil rights investigation. Medical examiners have concluded that 19-year-old White was murdered in his solitary jail cell in June just two days after he was arrested for allegedly running down and killing police Sgt. Richard Findley with a stolen truck. Investigators have focused their attention on three corrections officers who had access to...

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Pit bull attacks 3-year-old boy; woman charged

A woman was charged after a 3-year-old boy was attacked and seriously injured by a pit bull terrier, according to Fairfax County police. On Friday, police arrested 24-year-old Erika R. Williams on nine charges, including abuse and neglect of children, failing to get medical attention for an injured child, obstruction of justice, and withholding information about a possibly rabid animal. At a party last week, Williams took the boy to visit with two pit bulls, but failed to immediately get help when one of them attacked him, police said. The boy was taken to a hospital with serious injuries to his face and arm. The dog was being quarantined by animal control but did not appear to have...

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Guilty plea said likely in bank burglary

A Waldorf man who police said was caught red-handed trying to cut through a bank safe in Washington will likely plead guilty to the burglary, according to federal court documents. Cyprian R. Riley, 30, was charged by information, an indication that a plea deal is in the works because a person can be charged by information only if he or she waives the right to have a grand jury hear the evidence. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled The arrest report reads like something out of a Monty Python bit. Shortly after midnight, Jan. 20, police got a call of an alarm and smoke coming from the Bank of America branch at 961 H St. NE. Officers found the building vestibule where the automated...

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Crime history - ‘Pied Piper of Tucson’ kills first victim

On this day, May 31, in 1964, the “Pied Piper of Tucson” killed his first victim. Charles Schmid Jr. earned his nickname because he was the leader of a coterie of teenagers, many of whom would keep the secrets of his murders. Schmid was a short 22-year-old who stuffed newspapers into his cowboy boots to make him seem taller. He used a clothespin to stretch his lower lip to look like Elvis. When a high school girl, Alleen Rowe, stood up to one of his friends, Schmid decided to kill her. He and two teens took Rowe out to the desert, murdered her and buried her in the Arizona sand. When Schmid broke up with his girlfriend, she threatened to go to police about the murders, so...

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Guilty plea said likely in bank burglary

A Waldorf man who police said was caught red-handed trying to cut through a bank safe in Washington will likely plead guilty to the burglary, according to federal court documents. Cyprian R. Riley, 30, was charged by information, an indication that a plea deal is in the works because a person can be charged by information only if he or she waives the right to have a grand jury hear the evidence. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled. The arrest report reads like something out of a Monty Python bit. Shortly after midnight, Jan. 20, police got a call of an alarm and smoke coming from the Bank of America branch at 961 H St. NE. Officers found the building vestibule where the...

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Stupid crimes - ‘Elementary, Watson ... ‘

A Connecticut middle school administrator told a student he could get out of detention if he bought drugs from another student. When the kid said he only had $2, Assistant Principal Amy Watson gave him more cash and passed along the plans to buy the marijuana, East Hartford police said. It was all part of an amateurish, and illegal, sting by Watson and a school security officer. The adults, who were targeting a student suspected of dealing drugs in the boy’s bathroom, were charged with risk of injury to a minor and lying to police about the plot. The sting fell apart when the boy bought the drugs on his own, police said. Man in the Ironic Mask An armed robbery of a KFC...

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2nd man arrested in Fairfax parking lot stabbing

A second man was arrested in a mob-related stabbing of men in a parking lot. Mohammed Abdel-Elkerim, 25, of Alexandria, was charged with assault by mob, gang participation and two counts of malicious wounding. Fairfax County police said the incident began shortly before midnight May 22 between two men in a parking lot in the 3800 block of South George Mason Drive. The altercation escalated when friends jumped in to assist. During the fight, the two victims, whom police described as innocent bystanders, were stabbed. Three other teenage boys were treated for minor abrasions at the scene. Earlier this week, Atilano T. Malave, 22, of Alexandria, was arrested on two counts of malicious...

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Fairfax police search for convenience store robber

Fairfax County police are looking for a man who robbed a 7-Eleven near Lorton last week. About 3 a.m. May 21, the suspect entered the store at 9804 Gunston Road, showed a gun and demanded money. The clerk complied, and the man fled. The robber was described as a 20-year-old white male, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds. He wore a red hooded sweat shirt, a red bandana, a white T-shirt and bluejeans. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 866-411-TIPS/8477....

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Crime history - Two convicted of fraud in Whitewater land deal

On this day, May 28, 1996, President Bill Clinton’s former business partners in the Whitewater land deal, James McDougal and Susan McDougal, and Arkansas Gov. Jim Guy Tucker, were convicted of fraud. The “Whitewater” scandal grew beyond the failed real estate deal in Arkansas and encompassed other controversies from the Clinton administration such as the firing of travel office clerks to the suicide of deputy White House counsel Vince Foster. Tucker was tried with the McDougals as part of special prosecutor Kenneth Starr’s investigation of the Whitewater scandal. All three were convicted on charges related to loan-swapping schemes. Tucker served time in prison for...

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Most wanted - Fugitive skipped sentencing for gun conviction

Demetrist Glover may have a baby face, but law enforcement officials say don’t let that fool you. The 22-year-old D.C. man is a wanted fugitive with a history of arrests on charges of gun violations, dealing drugs and failure to obey court orders. U.S. marshals are asking the public to help track down Glover and put him behind bars. “We would like to have one less armed drug dealer hanging around on our streets when schools let out and our children are spending more time playing outside,” said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “If we can keep the guys that are convicted of crimes in jail or under some sort...

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Crime history - ‘Prince of Poisoners’ convicted of murder

On this day, May 27, in 1856, English doctor William Palmer was found guilty of poisoning in one of the most notorious cases of the 19th century. Dubbed the “Prince of Poisoners,” Palmer was responsible for as many as 11 murders, including his wife, four of his children as babies, his brother and his mother-in-law. Palmer had a reputation as a ladies’ man and loved gambling on horses. But he fell into debt and was being blackmailed by a former lover. He started taking out insurance on his victims shortly before they died. When one of his friends won big at the races, Palmer invited him to dinner. The man became violently ill and died two days later. Police became...

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Couple’s death linked to fatal D.C. shooting

The slaying of a Fort Washington couple early Tuesday may be connected to a deadly shooting outside a D.C. nightclub, according to police. Keith Jordan, 44, and his fiancé, Audrey Bryant, 49, were killed inside a home on the 4000 block of Oaklawn Road around 1 a.m., just 35 minutes after a man was killed 10 miles away outside Club Pure, on the 1300 block of T Street NW. The victim in the District shooting was identified as 25-year-old Carl Ashton O’Neil Gray Fitzgerald, an aspiring rapper, and police believe he may have known Bryant’s sons. Bryant’s sons produced rap music at the Fort Washington home, and one of her children may have been performing at Club...

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Salon owner charged with sexually assaulting employee

A 33-year-old Silver Spring salon owner has been charged with sexually assaulting a female employee after work. On the evening of May 6, police said, Adane Ali, owner of the Addis Hair Salon, at 11429 Grandview Ave., locked the doors and turned the lights off, took the 23-year-old woman’s cell phone and said he wanted to talk, according to Montgomery County police. When the victim refused, the suspect pushed her onto a couch where he physically and sexually assaulted her, police said. The suspect then drove the woman home, police said. Ali was being held Friday on $250,000 bond....

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Lanham man gets 20 years in fatal drive-by

A Prince George’s County judge sentenced a Lanham teenager to 20 years in prison for the fatal drive-by shooting of a high school student who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Eighteen-year-old Jeffrey D. Boddie II pleaded guilty to the death of Cherrese Richardson, an 18-year-old senior at Charles H. Flowers High School in Springdale. Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Shelia Tillerson-Adams handed down the maximum sentence for voluntary manslaughter, use of a handgun in commission of a felony, and first-degree assault. Boddie was the second teenager ordered to prison in the killing. Terrance R. Martin, 18, of Lanham, was sentenced to 25 years...

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Crime history - Outlaw elected sheriff of Montana town

On this day, May 24, in 1863, citizens in Montana elected Henry Plummer as their sheriff, not realizing he was a fugitive outlaw who would use his office to rob and kill them. Seven years earlier, the well-spoken Plummer was elected sheriff in the California gold-mining town of Nevada City, but was convicted the next year of killing an unarmed man. Plummer claimed he had acted in self-defense, but witnesses said he was having an affair with the murdered man’s wife. Plummer served six months in prison before being pardoned. He became an assistant marshal, but fled east after fatally killing a man in a whorehouse brawl. He formed a gang called “The Innocents,” and then...

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Stupid crimes - It was like a game of telephone, but with bomb-sniffing dogs

A wrong number and a hard-of-hearing receptionist led to the evacuation of a Maine hospital. Patients, nurses and doctors were ordered out, and police dogs were called in to sniff out the threat. But nothing was found. It turns out the call was placed by a 12-year-old girl who was trying to reach her mother at work. But the girl dialed the hospital by mistake and asked, “Is my mom nearby?” The receptionist heard, “There’s a bomb nearby.” Along came a spider A Pennsylvania man who tried to swat a spider in his Cadillac ended up smashing a mailbox, street sign and utility pole. Allen Ferry, 45, of Mercer, was wearing a seat belt and was not injured, but he...

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Crime History -Coppers hide out to ambush Bonnie and Clyde

On this day, May 22, in 1934, law enforcement officials hid out to ambush popular outlaws Bonnie and Clyde. The exploits of Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker caught the American imagination during the Great Depression. The out-of-work and underemployed public romanticized the young lovers and their “Robin Hood” adventures, even though the Barrow Gang was responsible for the killing of nine police officers. Even advertisers took advantage of the couple’s appeal. When Clyde sent the Ford Motor Co. a letter praising its “dandy car,” the company used it in ads. Bonnie, a high school honors student, penned poems that indicated the couple believed their deaths were...

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68-year-old arrested on 1990 abduction charges

A 68-year-old man was arrested in Las Vegas on charges of twice abducting his estranged wife in Fairfax County nearly 20 years ago. Bruce Webster, of Las Vegas, was charged with two counts of abduction and one count of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Webster’s wife was found dead in her home in February 1991, a month after Bruce Webster disappeared after he failed to show up for court on abduction charges. Fairfax County Police Cold Case Squad detectives reopened her murder case and learned about the 1990 abductions. Detectives found Webster in Nevada and arrested him Thursday. He is awaiting extradition....

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Ex-D.C. police chief to head U.S. Parole Commission

President Barack Obama tapped former D.C. Police Chief Isaac Fulwood Jr. to chair the U.S. Parole Commission, which oversees prisoners sentenced in federal and D.C. courts. Fulwood was born in the District and was on the D.C. police force for 29 years. He was named chief in 1989 and retired in 1992. He has been a member of the Parole Commission since 2004. He will lead a panel that decides whether to release eligible inmates from prison and sets conditions of supervision afterward. Most of the felons are from the District....

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Crime history - Duo kills teen in attempt for ‘perfect crime’

On this date, May 21, in 1924, wealthy teenagers Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb killed 14-year-old Bobby Franks in one of the most fascinating murders in American history. Leopold, who graduated from the University of Chicago at age 18, spoke nine languages and had an IQ of 200. Loeb graduated from the University of Chicago at 17. Both wanted to commit the “perfect crime.” The duo created fake identities and rehearsed the murder. After stabbing Franks in the back seat of a rented car, the teens threw his body in a swamp and sent a ransom note to Franks’ wealthy father. But the body was discovered the next day. Eyeglasses found at the site were traced to Loeb’s...

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Most wanted - Honduran man sought in sex assault of boy, 12

U.S. marshals are looking for an illegal immigrant accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old, and authorities are asking the public to help put him behind bars. Yimi “Jimmy” Humberto Diaz, 26, is wanted on suspicion of a child sex assault that occurred in March in Fairfax County, marshals said. “Since the weather is getting nicer and school is getting out soon, the U.S. Marshals Task Force would like the public’s help in getting Diaz picked up quickly,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Authorities don’t have a lot of information about Diaz, who has no other known arrests in the United...

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Feds look for patterns in roadside murders

Tina Louise Leone’s body was dumped near Interstate 95 like a sack of trash. Laura Burgess was strangled and stabbed with a shard of glass in a D.C. hotel. Dusty Shuck was found with her throat slashed outside a Frederick, Md., truck stop. The women are among hundreds who federal law enforcement officials believe have been slain by truck driver serial killers, motorized predators who can pick up their victim in one state, kill her in another and be across country before the body is ever found. The FBI has recently unveiled a database five years in the making called the Highway Serial Killer Initiative, which seeks to track these mobile murderers by finding common elements among...

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Crime History » John A. Walker Jr. bagged in U.S.S.R. spy ring bust

On this day, May 20, in 1985, the FBI arrested John A. Walker Jr. on charges that he was running one of the most destructive spy rings in United States history. Walker, who was born in the District, joined the Navy in 1965 after he was arrested for burglary and offered the option of the military or jail time. He became a communications specialist, and within three years of enlisting, he walked over to the Soviet Embassy in D.C. and sold a card that helped the Russians decipher radio transmissions. Walker, who earned more than $1 million for his services, recruited other officials, including his son and older brother. From 1968 to 1985, Walker helped the Soviets decipher more than...

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Crime History: Disc jockeys accused of accepting bribes

On the this day, May 19, in 1960, Alan Freed and eight other disc jockeys were accused of payola, or accepting bribes from record companies to play certain songs. Freed, who used the on-air nickname “The Moondog,” was credited with coining the term “rock and roll” to describe the uptempo black rhythm and blues records in 1951 on a Cleveland radio station. He also was an organizer of the “The Moondog Coronation Ball” on March 21, 1952, known as the first rock ‘n’ roll concert. Freed’s career was destroyed by the payola scandal. He also took songwriting co-credits, most notably on Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene,” which...

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Crews rescue ducklings from storm drain in NW

D.C. fire and emergency workers rescued four baby ducks that had fallen into a storm drain in Northwest Washington on Monday morning. Around 7 a.m., residents heard a clearly distressed mother duck squawking loudly near the intersection of 16th and V streets. The residents found that four baby ducks had slipped through the storm drain cover and fallen about six feet, said fire department spokesman Alan Etter. Rescue workers held Sgt. Mike Engles by his legs and lowered him headfirst into the storm drain, where he was able to collect the ducklings and reunite them with their mother. The ducks were turned over to animal control and were expected to be set free at a different location....

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Cold case -Tips sought in slashing death of former dancer

Susan Noelle Cvengros was a small-town South Carolina girl who was trying to turn her life around when she was stabbed to death in her Northeast Washington apartment. The 24-year-old had lived in D.C. for about 18 months and had recently quit her job as $500-a-night exotic dancer in Georgetown to work as a $3-an-hour waitress at Union Station. Family members said she wanted to better herself, quit taking drugs and get out of the sex industry. One afternoon, a former roommate found Susan in her basement apartment at 416 F St. NE. Cvengros was partially clothed and sprawled across a bed. Her throat had been cut from ear to ear. She had been stabbed several times. That was in...

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Police searching for culprit in McDonald’s robbery

D.C. police are looking for an armed robber who struck a McDonald’s restaurant in Northwest earlier this week. At 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, the man walked into the fast-food business on the 7400 block of Georgia Avenue, displayed a handgun and announced a robbery. The man took the cash and ran. The robber is described as a dark-complexioned black man in his 30s, standing 5 feet 9 inches. He was wearing dark-colored clothing, sunglasses and a black skullcap. Anyone with information about the incident can call Detective Curtis Prince at...

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Crime history - First female judge hands out a death sentence

On this day, May 14, in 1921, Florence Ellinwood Allen became the first female judge to sentence a man to death. Allen’s career marked several firsts in United States history. In 1921, she was elected to the bench in Ohio, becoming the first woman to become judge of a common pleas court.When her court drew the high-profile double-homicide case involving gangster Frank Motto, it marked the first time in America that a woman presided in a murder case with females on the jury. Critics wondered whether the women had the emotional fortitude to handle the duties or whether they would be too lenient. Motto was convicted, and Allen sentenced Motto to the electric chair. Allen received...

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Most wanted - Marshals ask for help in catching launderer

U.S. marshals are looking for a female member of a large suburban Maryland cocaine ring, and authorities are asking the public to help put her behind bars. In July 2006, Eva Del Carmen Rodriguez was convicted on felony charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and released on bond. But when it came time to receive her sentence she failed to show up to federal court in Greenbelt. For nearly three years, Rodriguez, 34, has been on the run while her co-conspirators remain in prison, marshals said. “She been out too long. Some of Rodriguez’s co-defendants have already completed their prison sentences and have been released,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector...

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Lawyer: Sniper should not have represented self

A lawyer for Beltway sniper John Allen Muhammad said his client should not have been allowed to represent himself at his 2003 capital murder trial. Muhammad’s conviction and death sentence should be tossed because his attorneys failed to tell a judge about Muhammad’s mental health issues and violated his right to effective counsel, attorney Jonathan Sheldon told the federal appeals court in Richmond on Tuesday. Muhammad and his younger partner, Lee Boyd Malvo, went on a shooting rampage in the Washington area in 2002 that left 10 dead. Muhammad was sentenced to death. Malvo is serving a life term. A ruling on the appeal is expected in several weeks....

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Crime history - Police bomb neighborhood in Philly in raid gone bad

On May 13, in 1985, Philadelphia police dropped a small bomb on the headquarters of a radical cult, sparking a fire that killed 11 and burned down an entire neighborhood. The extremist group, MOVE, preached revolution and a return to a society without government, police or technology. The group moved onto quiet, tree-lined Osage Avenue, assembled a large arsenal, built a giant bunker on the roof and used loudspeakers to scream profanities at all hours of the night. After a long standoff, Mayor W. Wilson Goode ordered police to raid the headquarters. At 5:30 p.m., a Philadelphia police helicopter dropped a bomb onto the house. The roof was covered with tar and gas, and a horrific fire...

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Blast in strip mall injures 8 firefighters, 1 gas worker

Eight firefighters and a gas company worker were hurt Thursday afternoon when a gas leak ignited at a Forestville strip mall, blowing out a cement wall and showering rescue crews with glass and debris. Prince George’s County firefighters evacuated dozens of customers and employees from the string of businesses at the Penn Mar Shopping Center off Pennsylvania Avenue just minutes before the blast. No one was killed. “It was like a powerful tornado struck this shopping mall,” fire spokesman Mark Brady said. “We are extremely lucky.” Jeanette Zak, a counselor at the Forestville Pregnancy Center, said she stopped by the office around 1 p....

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Crime history - Killer from Chicago’s hotel of death executed

On this day, May 7, in 1896, the serial killer who opened a hotel in Chicago for the 1893 World’s Fair that he used to kill dozens of guests, was executed by hanging. Dr. Henry Howard Holmes confessed to 27 murders, but the total count is estimated to be more than 100, possibly 200. Holmes’ story was revived in the 2003 book by Erik Larson, “The Devil in the White City.” The doctor moved to the Windy City in 1886 to work as a pharmacist. Through a number of insurance scams he earned enough money to build a three-story, block-long mansion with secret passageways, fake walls and trapdoors. Holmes called it “The Castle.” Using controls in his bedroom, he...

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Most wanted - Authorities searching for D.C. street criminal

Federal authorities have named a Washington-area street criminal as one of the nation’s 12 Most Wanted gang members, and marshals are asking the public’s help to get him off the streets and into a cell. Police said Omar Garris, a member of the violent “1-7 Crew,” shot at three people whom he mistook for his real targets. He remains a threat to residents, police said. “There’s a real sense of urgency to put him behind bars,” said Nikki Credic, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Marshals. The U.S. Marshals’ gang unit, the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement and Coordination Center, has placed Garris on its newly released list of its 12 most...

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Md. MS-13 gang member gets 60 years in prison

Leaders of a violent street gang in El Salvador sent Victor “Mousey” Ramirez to the Maryland suburbs to strengthen the MS-13 gang here and wipe out its rivals. On Monday, a federal judge sent Ramirez to 60 years in prison. Ramirez, who lived in Hyattsville, was convicted on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit three murders and an attempted murder. During the four-week trial in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, the jury heard witnesses describe the long reach of the international gang, from dark prisons in Central America to the neighborhoods around Washington. “Victor Ramirez’s mission was to boost the level of MS-13’s criminal activities on...

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Crime history - ‘Hitler Diaries’ revealed as fake after being sold

On this day, May 6, in 1983, the Hitler Diaries that had been sold to a newsmagazine for $6 million were revealed as a giant hoax. The volume of 60 books was supposedly recovered from a plane crash in 1945. Stern magazine published extracts in April 1983. But within two weeks, West Germany national archivists revealed the diaries as grotesque fakes. The books were written on modern paper with modern ink. Fictionalized personal comments had been liberally added to copied speeches by Hitler. The diaries were actually written by Konrad Kujau, a notorious forger. Kujau and journalist Gerd Heidemann were convicted on separate charges of forgery and fraud and sentenced to more than four years...

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Fairfax County police to honor fallen lieutenant

The Fairfax County Police Department will pay tribute to Lt. Frank Stecco at a ceremony for fallen officers Thursday. Stecco died during a rescue training exercise in the waters of Pohick Bay on Oct. 21. Stecco had served with the Fairfax County police for 19 years and was assigned to the Youth Services Division. He is survived by his wife, three children and mother. The memorial is 3 p.m. at the Public Safety Rose Garden, located in the back of the Massey building at 4100 Chain Bridge Road....

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Crime history - Arrest spurs Scopes evolution trial

On this day, May 5, in 1925, John Scopes was arrested in Dayton, Tenn., for teaching evolution. The ensuing trial pitted two of the sharpest legal minds against each other and was a critical turning point in the creation vs. evolution controversy. Heading the prosecution was former secretary of state and leading fundamentalist William Jennings Bryan. Trial attorney Clarence Darrow spoke for the defense. When the judge refused to allow scientists to testify, Darrow called Bryan to the stand as a biblical expert. For nearly two hours, on the hot courthouse lawn where the trial was moved to accommodate the crowds, the two men sparred. “No greater contrast in men could be...

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Former WASA worker pleads guilty to stealing $236,000 from utility

A former D.C. Water and Sewer Authority employee pleaded guilty in a scheme to embezzle a quarter-million dollars from the utility by falsifying the payroll records of workers and steering money to accounts she and a friend controlled, according to court filings. Sonia R. Coleman, 28, of Fort Washington, faces up to 10 years in prison but is expected to receive between 18 and 24 months, prosecutors said. Her sentencing was scheduled for Aug. 14. For more than a year and a half, Coleman, a former payroll specialist in WASA’s downtown D.C. office, electronically increased the pay of 40 fired or on-leave employees without their knowing. She then changed the employees’ direct...

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Drug dealer who planned murder gets life sentence

A Baltimore drug dealer who orchestrated the death of a witness from the city jail was sentenced Monday to life without parole. Patrick A. Byers Jr., 24, was convicted last month in the slaying of Carl S. Lackl Jr., who had identified Byers as the gunman in a previous killing. Lackl, a 38-year-old single father, was killed outside his home in 2007, a week before Byers’ trial. Lackl had planned to testify against Byers despite warnings from his family that his life was in danger. Byers used a cell phone inside the jail to contact a Bloods gang member and offer $2,500 for the murder of Lackl....

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Md. elementary school shut after teacher gets swine flu

Prince George’s County officials closed a Hyattsville elementary school over the weekend after one of its teachers tested positive for the H1N1, or swine flu, virus. University Park Elementary School will be shuttered for up to two weeks as officials hope to contain the spread of the contagion. World health officials have warned that swine flu is an imminent pandemic but say that its threat to public health is not appreciably worse than the common flu. Maryland is home to at least 15 probable cases of the swine flu. Virginia is home to three more, including a Washington and Lee University student who tested positive over the weekend. There has been one death from swine flu in the...

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Crime history - Haymarket Square bomb kills 8 in Chicago

On this day, May 4, in 1886, a bomb was thrown at policemen trying to break up a labor rally at the Haymarket Square in Chicago, killing eight officers and wounding 60. The riot was a turning point in the early history of American labor and was a setback for the fight for the eight-hour workday. A day earlier, a worker was killed after police fired into a crowd on strike at the McCormick Reaper Works in Chicago. Outraged, workers and anarchists organized a rally the next day at the Haymarket Square, the hub of the bustling commercial district. As radicals spoke out for an eight-hour workday, police began to disperse the crowd. Someone threw a bomb. Officers returned fire and a riot broke...

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Ex-Senate aide gets five years for child porn

A former high-ranking aide to U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing child pornography. Jeff P. Rosato, 32, of Arlington, received the minimum sentencing allowed under federal guidelines at his hearing Friday before District Judge T.S. Ellis III in Alexandria. Rosato faced a maximum 20 years. Prosecutors asked for 6 1/2 years. He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. His attorneys argued that he had been molested and bullied as a child and never properly dealt with those issues. “He lost everything he worked so hard to achieve” his attorney, Lavonda Graham-Williams, wrote in a sentencing...

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Missing blind hiker found along Appalachian Trail

A legally blind hiking magazine editor who went missing along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia was found Saturday after he set a small fire to attract rescuers. Kenneth Knight, 41, of Ann Arbor, Mich., was found in the Snowden area near the James River, about nine miles from where he was last seen six days earlier. He was dehydrated and hungry but uninjured. Knight is an editor for Backpacking Light magazine and an experienced outdoorsman. He was hiking a 60-mile section with friends Sunday when he said he wasn’t feeling well and left the trail. No one had seen him since....

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Md. man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend, officer

A 30-year-old Western Maryland man pleaded guilty to killing his girlfriend and the police officer who tried to arrest him. Douglas Wayne Pryor, of Smithsburg, admitted in Montgomery County Circuit Court on Friday to fatally stabbing Alison Munson and then shooting Smithsburg officer Christopher Nicholson in 2007. Pryor also pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted first-degree murder of four law enforcement officers. Pryor agreed to six consecutive life sentences, including two of life without parole. Munson, 31, the mother of Pryor’s children, was found dead in her home. Police said Pryor then fatally shot Nicholson, 25, who was waiting for backup to arrest...

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Fairfax County man charged in scheme to steal fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq

A Fairfax County man was charged in a scheme to steal nearly $40 million worth of jet and diesel fuel from a U.S. Army base in Iraq and selling it on the black market. Michel Jamil, of Annandale, is accused of acting as the escort and translator to help illegally draw more than 10 million gallons of fuel during the Iraq war. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. Prosecutors said the group used false paperwork and fake IDs to extract truckloads of fuel from Camp Liberty in Baghdad between October 2007 and May 2008. According to charging documents, Jamil, who spoke Arabic, used fake IDs to get access to the fuel at Camp Liberty, a large coalition military installation...

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3-minute interview: Leah Gurowitz

Leah Gurowitz is the director of legislative, intergovernmental and public affairs for the D.C. Courts, a job she has held for nearly eight years. Recently, she was named the best spokesperson in D.C. by the CityPaper for the second consecutive year. How did you get to D.C.? I was in law school at Vanderbilt, in Nashville, [Tenn.], and wanted to work on Capitol Hill. I was fortunate enough to get an internship with then-Senator [Al] Gore and, soon after I graduated, an offer to serve as deputy press secretary while someone was on leave. You’re a lawyer. Why did you decide to go into public affairs? I knew from the start that I didn’t want to do litigation or other more...

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Prominent lawyer found dead of apparent suicide

A prominent lawyer who was laid off this week was found dead in an apparent suicide at in his downtown D.C. office. D.C. police received a report Thursday morning of a shooting at the 11th-floor office of Kilpatrick Stockton and found Mark I. Levy dead alone in his own office. A D.C. police spokeswoman said investigators believe it was a suicide. Levy, who served as the firm’s counsel and chaired its Supreme Court and appellate advocacy practice, was one of two dozen lawyers who learned they were being let go this week, a police source said. Earlier this week, the Atlanta-based firmed announced the layoffs of 24 lawyers and counsel, attributing cuts to the economic downturn. On...

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One dead after Upper Marlboro house fire

A person was killed in a house fire on the 10200 block of Old Indian Head Road in Upper Marlboro, according to Prince George’s County firefighters. About 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, rescuers got a call that a person was trapped inside a burning home. Firefighters tried to enter the one-story home but were forced to retreat due to the heavy fire and unsafe conditions, fire officials said. A 74-year-old woman lived alone at the residence, but the identity of the body will be determined by the medical examiner....

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Police seek help in identifying bank fraud culprit

Montgomery County police are seeking help in identifying a culprit in a bank fraud ring. Detectives said the group has been using fake El Salvadoran passports and numerous aliases to open fraudulent bank accounts and then write bad checks on the newly opened accounts. The group is responsible for stealing more than $50,000. One of the fraudsters has been photographed in a surveillance video. The culprit is described as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds with short black hair. Anyone with information can call 240-773-6330. Callers can remain anonymous....

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Suicide suspected in death of mortgage executive

David Kellermann, the top financial officer at the fiscally troubled financial giant Freddie Mac, was found dead in the basement of his Vienna home early Wednesday in what police called an apparent suicide. Kellermann was named chief financial officer for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. after the government seized control of the McLean-based company and its sister company Fannie Mae in September. Freddie Mac lost more than $50 billion last year, and the federal government has provided $45 billion in bailout money. The company has been under intense fire for financing risky home loans to unqualified buyers. Neighbor Roger Beatty saw police cars early Wednesday and assumed there was...

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Freddie Mac CFO found dead in apparent suicide

The acting chief financial officer for Freddie Mac was found dead in his Vienna home early Tuesday in an apparent suicide, according to Fairfax County police. David Kellermann, 41, had served as the top financial officer for the government-run mortgage insurer since the government take over in September. Police said there were no signs of foul play. The McLean-based Federal Home Mortgage Corp. has lost billions. It received nearly $60 billion in government bailout funds. Susan Unger, who lives across the street from the Kellermanns in the tree-lined Hunter Mills Estate, was awakened about 4:30 a.m. by a fire truck, an ambulance and five police cars outside her home. "I would...

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Freddie Mac CFO found dead in apparent suicide

The acting chief financial officer for Freddie Mac was found dead in his Vienna home early Tuesday in an apparent suicide, according to Fairfax County police. David Kellermann, 41, had served as the top financial officer for the government-run mortgage insurer since the government take over in September. Police said there were no signs of foul play. The McLean-based Federal Home Mortgage Corp. has lost billions. It received nearly $60 billion in government bailout funds. Susan Unger, who lives across the street from the Kellermanns in the tree-lined Hunter Mills Estate, was awakened about 4:30 a.m. by a fire truck, an ambulance and five police cars outside her home. "I would...

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Silver Spring woman admits she abused child who told police she was imprisoned

A Silver Spring woman pleaded guilty to child abuse in a case involving a 12-year-girl who told police she escaped from her adopted home after being tied up and locked in a room without food for days. Hyacinth Morgan, 48, was indicted on charges of first-degree child abuse, second-degree child abuse, first-degree assault and false imprisonment. Morgan pleaded guilty to the second-degree charge Tuesday and faces up to 15 years in prison at her sentencing July 10. Montgomery County police discovered the girl in June after getting a call from workers at a McDonald’s restaurant at 2741 University Blvd. in Wheaton. The girl had two black eyes, bruises on her face and body, and no...

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Man who pulled shotgun on wife, pastor, bodyguard sentenced to 20 years in prison

A D.C. Superior Court judge sentenced a man to more than 20 years in prison for a pulling a shotgun on his wife, a pastor and the bodyguard she hired to protect her from her estranged husband. Randolph Scott Harris, 45, faced a life sentence with a minimum of 10 years in prison after he was found guilty in February of assault with intent to kill, assault with a dangerous weapon, making threats and related firearms charges. Harris’ wife, a pharmacist, hired the bodyguard last year because she feared for her life after Harris allegedly assaulted her at gunpoint in Maryland, federal prosecutors said. Harris had already served time in prison for weapons charges, authorities said. On...

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Women found not guilty by insanity in abduction

The woman arrested in the abduction of a 5-year-old in Alexandria last year was found not guilty by reason of insanity. A judge ordered that Falah Octavia Joe, 28, be placed into a mental health facility. Mental health experts said Joe, of Falls Church, was suffering from a severe mental illness, including paranoid schizophrenia, according to prosecutors. After a three-day trial, the judge concluded that Joe would be a risk to herself or others if released. Prosecutors said Joe snatched Kamron Well from the Shoppers Food Warehouse. He was found safe in the District 13 hours later after police issued an Amber Alert and a resident recognized the child from news reports....

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Ex-AARP director charged in shell company scheme

The former director of national events for AARP has been charged with defrauding the group of tens of thousands of dollars to help pay for an affair with his boyfriend, according to court filings. Bruce A. Sanders was charged with a single count of fraud and faces up to 10 years if convicted. Sanders was charged via criminal information, meaning that a plea agreement with prosecutors is likely in the works because the document can only be filed with the defendant’s consent. He could not be reached Sunday. In the charging documents filed in D.C. federal court last week, prosecutors said Sanders used a “sham” Nevada corporation to funnel event-planning contracts to...

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Pr. George’s police seek help in finding burglars

Prince George’s County police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying individuals who may be responsible for a burglary that occurred last month in Largo. Surveillance video from a pawn shop captured the individuals selling several items stolen from the home on the 9800 block of Lake Point Court. The break-in was discovered March 28; the burglars stole electronics and personal items. Anyone with information can call 301-390-2160. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS....

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Stupid Crimes

Littering fine A herd of cats got loose and led police on a highway chase in Iowa. Sioux City police pulled over a woman driving on Interstate 29 because 20 uncaged cats were roaming her Dodge Neon and creating a driving hazard. “She can barely see out the back of the car,” Sioux City Police Sgt. David Bishop told the Sioux City Journal. While police questioned Edwards outside the vehicle, four felines dashed to freedom. Officers chased the cats around the grassy median, and had to crawl on their hands and knees to drag one from underneath the car. The furry fugitives were eventually apprehended. Undertaker tries to get a leg up Authorities in South Carolina exhumed the body...

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Crime History: Sirhan Sirhan convicted

On this day, April 17, in 1969, Palestinian immigrant Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of assassinating Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. At about 12:15 a.m. on June 5, 1968, after winning the California primary, Democratic presidential candidate Kennedy was leaving a rally through the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when Sirhan shot him three times at close range. Sirhan, then 24, was subdued by football player Rosey Grier, George Plimpton, Pete Hamill and Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson. After the assassination, the Secret Service offered protection of presidential candidates. Kennedy was buried near his brother, President John F. Kennedy, in Arlington National Cemetery. The...

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Man flees, crashes after stealing van with child inside

A 28-year-old man was arrested after Montgomery County police said he stole a minivan with a small child inside and crashed the vehicle in the getaway. Police said Omer Abdu hopped into the idling green vehicle while a 5-year-old passenger’s parents checked out a Wheaton bakery. The suspect crashed into two vehicles, police said. One of the vehicles followed the van as it sped from the crash scene. Police said they saw the green minivan traveling at a high rate of speed. Police followed the chase and arrested Abdu at a mall parking lot. Abdu was charged with kidnapping, auto theft and hit-and-run traffic charges. Police said that although the 5-year-old’s parents left the...

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D.C. police stats show spike in violent crime during early 2008

Violent crime in the District rose sharply in the first half of 2008 while the rest of the country saw a decrease during that same time, documents show. Murders, rapes, robberies and aggravated assaults increased 6.5 percent in the first six months of last year, according to an internal D.C. police report obtained this week by The Examiner. The department has not publicly released the statistics. D.C. police Chief Cathy Lanier last month testified before the D.C. Council that violent crime went down 5 percent in all of 2008. The apparent contradiction is because the District uses two different classifications, D.C. Code and the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting, said Polly Hanson,...

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Woman arrested on suspicion of group vandalism

An 18-year-old Burke woman was arrested on suspicions that she is a member of a group of vandals that used pellet guns to shoot up 44 vehicles last month. Fairfax County police said Rebecca Schmidt turned herself in to authorities this week. She was charged with two counts of destruction of property and one count of shooting at an occupied dwelling. Police have already arrested two men accused of the vandalism in the Burke area. Christopher M. Schofield, 19, and Nestor V. Rodriguez Jr., 20, both of Burke, were charged with two counts of destruction and one count of shooting at an occupied dwelling. The suspects are accused of conspiring to drive around and damage property at random. A...

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Police seek killer of woman outside shelter

A District woman who had turned her life around was killed outside a domestic violence shelter and U.S. marshals are asking for the public’s help to capture her killer. After a life on the streets, 39-year-old Rachel Culver had begun to rejoin society in the year she lived at the House of Ruth women’s shelter in Washington. Culver took a new job, got baptized and was trying to get her three children back, according to a report by WJLA. On the evening of Jan. 28, after returning to the shelter, Culver was stabbed, but she was able to identify her killer to witnesses before she died, police said. Richard Morton, 49, is wanted in Culver’s slaying, according to the...

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‘Wig Lady’ boss pleads guilty to fraud, ID theft

The ringleader in the so-called “Wig Lady” scheme pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Charles Belim, aka Ronald Lampkin, faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Belim, 58, of Capitol Heights, admitted to heading a group of pick pocketers who stole credit cards, driver’s licenses and Social Security cards to create fake documents. The group then used wigs, glasses and other accessories to impersonate the victims and withdraw money from their accounts at bank branches in the Maryland suburbs....

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Police seek man who waved shotgun in heist

Alexandria police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the culprit in the robbery of a SunTrust Bank located at 4551 Kenmore Ave. At about 10:40 a.m. on Feb. 28, the robber entered the business wearing a mask and brandishing a shotgun. He ordered everyone to the ground. He then removed personal property from customers inside the bank and fled on foot. There were no injuries. The robber is described as a black male, 5 feet 9 inches with a muscular build. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Alexandria police at 703-838-4711 or the Crime Solvers tip line at 703-838-4858. Detectives would like to remind witnesses that they can remain...

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Study: District a hotbed for cybercriminals

The District of Columbia is home to more cybercriminals than all but the four largest states, according to a report that says online scams continue to grow. In 2008, the Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 275,000 complaints for a total loss of $265 million, up from $68 million just four years earlier. Seventy-seven percent of the tech-savvy offenders lived in the following jurisdictions: California, New York, Florida, Texas and the District of Columbia, according to the report. ICCC officials said they weren’t sure why D.C. ranked so high. “W­­e don’t know of a good explanation except that Washington, D.C., is an area with a lot of government...

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Mother charged with murder in freezer deaths

Police are charging a mother in the slaying of her two daughters, who were found in her freezer. Renee Bowman was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. The bodies of Jasmine and Minnet Bowman were found last September after an 8-year-old girl escaped from Bowman’s Calvert County home. All three girls were adopted. Investigators believe both girls died of asphyxiation in May 2006 in Montgomery County. When Bowman moved to Lusby, she took the bodies with her, police said....

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Cops: Lansdowne home invasion, beatings unrelated

Two women were held at gunpoint in a home invasion about a mile from where a husband and wife were found savagely beaten last week. Loudoun County sheriff’s deputies said there is no evidence the two attacks are related, and the home invasion does not appear to be random. The latest attack happened around 11 p.m. Friday at the Camden complex on the 43000 block of Harbor Hills Terrace. The women returned home from an evening of shopping and closed the front door but left it unlocked, said Loudoun County sheriff’s spokesman Kraig Troxell. A man wearing a mask walked in, brandished a firearm and forced the women into a small laundry closet inside the apartment. The women...

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District judge being deployed to Iraq next month

D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Rigsby — who is also a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves — is being deployed to Iraq next month. Rigsby, 46, will be sent to the Middle East, where he will serve as judge in criminal cases involving American troops. This is not Rigsby’s first trip to the region. As a legal advisor to infantry units and military police, he has handled legal issues in Egypt, Korea, Japan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Rigsby, who is married to Judge Anna Blackburne Rigsby, will be honored April 9 with a reception at the Superior Court. His deployment is April 25 and is expected to last up to six...

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Peruvian sought in Pr. William shooting death

U.S. marshals are on the hunt for a Peruvian citizen wanted in the shooting death of a house sitter, and are asking the public’s help in tracking him down. Prince William County police said Ricardo Jauregui-Balbuena fatally shot a man last month after a small party at a house on the 1300 block of Saxon Street in Woodbridge. David Lopez Mendez’s body was found the next morning. Prince William police have arrested one suspect, Jose Luis Salvador Jr., 19, of Dale City, but they believe Jauregui-Balbuena was the triggerman. Jauregui-Balbuena, 19, is wanted on charges of murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted...

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Lawn maintenance man implicated in burglaries

Fairfax County police are searching for a third burglary suspect they say is responsible for as many as a dozen break-ins around the Beacon Hill area. Michael Carter, 44, of Alexandria, is wanted on five counts of burglary, three counts of grand larceny and one count of larceny with intent to sell. The charges stem from five burglaries from December to March. Earlier this month, police arrested two men on suspicion of the crimes, Reginald Carter, 49, of Alexandria, and Thomas Monroe, 40, of Alexandria. The suspects had previously done lawn and tree maintenance at some of the homes that were hit. Carter is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. Anyone with information on...

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3-Minute Interview: Greg Wims

Greg Wims, founder of the Victims’ Rights Foundation, began his volunteer career 40 years ago as vice president of the Maryland Youth Commission. In 1976 he became the first male Head Start teacher in Montgomery County. He is a past president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Maryland chapter and was appointed by President George W. Bush as a board member of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Did you grow up in the D.C. area? I am a sixth-generation Montgomery County resident. The Wims family arrived in Montgomery County in 1802. Wims Road is named after one of my relatives in Clarksburg. Why did you start the Victims’ Rights...

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Jane Doe from 1990 slaying ID’d as Bermudan

Authorities have identified the District’s only unidentified cold case, a woman whose body was found in a garbage bin nearly 19 years ago. Police hope to use the new clues to track down her killers. The woman was identified as Audrey Palmer, a 26-year-old mother of two from Bermuda who went missing in 1990. Her body was discovered Aug. 12, 1990, by a scavenger digging through a trash bin behind an apartment on the 5100 block of Sargent Road NE. The person saw her legs sticking from the bin and initially thought she was a mannequin. Police said she was beaten and stabbed around the head and face. For nearly two decades, fingerprint and DNA tests failed to identify the woman and...

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Fugitive featured in Examiner captured in Largo

U.S. marshals captured a fugitive wanted in a Valentine’s night shooting in Prince George’s County. Kendrick “K.K.” Ford, right, one of the two men featured as The Examiner’s Most Wanted last week, was arrested Monday in a home in Largo, according to the fugitive task force. Ford and Raymond Ford (no relation) were wanted on a charge of attempted murder after a man was shot outside a Forestville nightclub last month. Raymond Ford remains at large. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call the U.S. Marshals Service at 301-489-1717....

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Ex-airman accused in soldier’s death in gang initiation to remain in lockup

A former airman accused of killing an U.S. Army sergeant during a violent gang initiation in Germany was ordered to remain behind bars in Washington while he awaits his murder trial. A federal grand jury in the District indicted Rico R. Williams, 31, with second-degree murder and three counts of tampering with a witness in the death of Sgt. Juwan Johnson, 25, of Baltimore. Williams was arrested in Chesapeake, Va., in January and transferred to the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia to stand trial. If convicted, Williams faces life imprisonment. Prosecutors said Williams, a former Air Force senior airman, was the head of a German faction of the Gangster Disciples, a...

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Police ask for help in case of missing teenager

Montgomery County police are asking the public to help to find a Damascus teenager who has been missing since Friday. Kathleen Anne Beckley, 17, was last seen at her home on the 26400 block of Johnson Drive. She is a white female, 5-foot-2, about 115 pounds, with midlength blond hair, dark brown eyes and pierced ears. She might be wearing a brown sweatshirt and multicolored high-top sneakers. She has a small, slightly healed burn on her left hand. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000 or the family crimes division at 240-773-5400....

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D.C. tech office scandal widens with new arrest

Federal authorities have brought new charges in the widening D.C. technology office scandal, accusing another city employee of bilking taxpayers through phony invoices and time sheets. Farrukh Awan was arrested Thursday on allegations that he asked government contractor Sushil Bansal for cash so he would approve workers at Bansal’s company for employment with the technology office. Awan is also charged with hiding his role in a company called Network Osiris, which billed taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for city contracts. Awan joins his former boss, Yusuf Acar, and Bansal behind bars in the scandal. Awan was fired Wednesday along with 22 other contract and full-time...

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Most wanted - Two men wanted in Valentine’s night slaying

Kendrick “K.K.” Ford and Raymond Ford are not related by blood but they do share a violent criminal history, U.S. Marshals said. Both men are wanted on a charge of attempted murder that stems from a fight near a Forestville, Md., nightclub on Valentine’s night. Authorities are asking for the public’s help to bring them in. After Club CFE let out, K.K. and Raymond Ford got into a physical altercation with a man. The men were separated, and the victim got into a car. Police said K.K. and Raymond fired into a car, striking the man in the head, marshals said. “It is clear that these guys are a menace to the community and need to be taken into custody,”...

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Mother-daughter deaths in Pr. George’s investigated

Prince George’s County police are investigating whether the deaths of a mother and daughter found in a burning car this week are linked to another nearby mother-daughter homicide two months ago. Monday’s victims were identified as Delores R. Dewitt, 42, and her daughter Ebony, 19, of Largo. Their burned remains were found inside a trunk of a Nissan Maxima that was reported stolen at 4 a.m. Monday on Woodlawn Boulevard in Largo. Minutes later, the car was torched and left in the driveway of a vacant home around the corner. In January, Karen Lofton, 45, and her daughter Karissa Lofton, 16, were shot to death in their home a half-mile away. Police said both killings may be...

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Third person arrested in slaying of area couple

D.C. police arrested a third suspect in the brutal robbery and slaying of a Northwest Washington couple. Police captured Jose G. Portillo, 21, on Saturday, and charged him with the murder of Michael Spevak, a distinguished D.C. psychiatrist and his wife, Virginia. A judge ordered Portillo to be held without bond. In November, detectives investigating the slayings quickly arrested Piero Hernandez and his girlfriend Angela Hernandez. The suspects told investigators of a third suspect, but said they only knew Portillo by his nickname, Chanco, police said. The duo said Chanco carried the gun and helped tie up Virginia Spevak before she was slain. Piero Hernandez pleaded guilty to two...

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Alexandria police seek to identify armed robber

Alexandria police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a culprit in an armed robbery of an area man and woman. At about 8:15 p.m. Feb. 7, three people approached the couple on the 200 block of South Pitt Street, brandished a handgun and demanded their wallets and valuables. The victims complied and the robbers ran off. No one was hurt. Later, the culprits used gift cards that were obtained in the robbery. A video of the incident can be viewed at the following Web address: youtube.com/watch?v=ZsnlSPlkUQM Anyone with information on the crime can call police at 703-838-4314 or Crime Solvers at 703-838-4858....

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Maryland man charged with multiple burglaries

U.S. marshals arrested a Maryland man who detectives say is a prolific burglar. Darrel Hendy, 27, was captured Friday afternoon at the home of a girlfriend on Pendleton Street in Fort Washington. Hendy was wanted on multiple counts of burglary in Montgomery County and a felony larceny charge in Prince George’s County. He’s also suspected in a rash of break-ins in Anne Arundel County. Earlier this month, members of the marshals’ fugitive task force nabbed Hendy’s co-defendant, 31-year-old Lynis Ellerbe. Hendy was featured as a Most Wanted fugitive in Thursday’s edition of The Examiner....

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Obama tech aide on leave after subordinate charged with fraud

President Barack Obama’s chief technology officer is on leave from the White House after FBI agents Thursday raided the District office that he previously led. Vivek Kundra was the head of the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer until earlier this month, when he was tapped by Obama for a similar role in the administration. Kundra’s former office was raided by federal law enforcement officers and D.C. police as part of a major fraud investigation Thursday morning. A top aide to Kundra, Yusuf Acar, was charged with bilking taxpayers out of millions of dollars through a scam involving phony work orders and bogus employees. Acar, 40, was arrested in an early morning...

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Marshals catch alleged burglar, now look for friend

U.S. Marshals have captured what detectives say is a prolific burglar; now they want to find his buddy. Darrel Hendy, 27, is wanted on multiple counts of burglary in Montgomery County and a felony larceny charge in Prince George’s County. He’s also suspected in a rash of break-ins in Anne Arundel County. Last week, the U.S. Marshals Task Force nabbed Hendy’s co-defendant, 31-year-old Lynis Ellerbe, in D.C., and they are now focused on Hendy. Authorities are asking for the public’s help. “This guy seems to be a career burglar and makes people miserable throughout Maryland, D.C. and Virginia,” said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector for the Capital...

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Slain Metro driver had violent past; agency hiring practices questioned

The Metrobus driver slain in an encounter with an off-duty D.C. police officer had a violent past that included being charged with two killings and a 10-year prison term for armed robbery. Just two months after Jelani Khalid Slay was released from federal prison on robbery and gun charges, he was hired by Metro to drive a city bus. On Sunday morning, Slay was fatally shot when detectives said he tried to rob the off-duty officer. Police said Slay may have been involved in another robbery earlier that morning. The shooting is under review by police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Slay’s family doubts the police department’s version, telling The Washington Post that...

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Man gets 26 years for killing youth-violence counselor in NW

A D.C. judge sentenced a District man to 26 years in prison for gunning down a young father who was beginning a new career as a youth-violence counselor. Prosecutors said Michael B. Jordan fatally shot 29-year-old Edward Bedenbaugh III after the two had an argument at a nightspot near the Farragut North Metro station on the 1700 block of L Street NW. Jordan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in December. “This was a cold-blooded assassination,” D.C. Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Alprin said at the sentencing Friday. Alprin sentenced Jordan to one year less than the maximum the defendant could have received under federal guidelines. On April 16, 2008, Bedenbaugh went to...

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Police look for 2nd suspect in Woodbridge slaying

A second suspect remains on the run in the slaying of a man who was house-sitting in Woodbridge. Ricardo Jairo Jauregui-Balbuena, 18, is wanted on suspicion of murder in the shooting death of David Enrique Melendez Lopez. Jauregui-Balbuena is about 5 feet 11 inches tall and about 175 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. Lopez’s body was discovered inside the home March 2 by two men who were going door to door offering to shovel snow, police said. Lopez, 25, had been taking care of the homeowner’s dog when he was shot, police said. Police have already arrested and charged Jose Luis Salvador Jr., 19, of Dale City, in connection with Lopez’s death. Anyone with...

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Marshals seek Pr. George’s man in Fairfax attacks

U.S. Marshals are looking for a Prince George’s County man who police say has been on the run since he is accused of seriously injuring two people in separate attacks more than two years ago. Marvin Amoni Lewis, 37, is wanted by the Fairfax County police for malicious wounding and attempted malicious wounding. He is accused of attacking one man in Burke in July 2005 then assaulting another man in Centreville in October 2006, Fairfax police said. Fairfax County turned the case over to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in January, and authorities are now asking for the public’s help in tracking down Lewis. “This case is getting a little long in the tooth,”...

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Arrest warrant issued in Levy case

Nearly eight years after the disappearance of congressional intern Chandra Levy dominated national headlines, D.C. authorities charged with murder an illegal immigrant who had been questioned in the early stages of the investigation. Ingmar Guandique, 27, who is serving time in a California prison for attacking two other women in Rock Creek Park not far from where Levy’s body was found, is expected to be returned to D.C. within the next 45 to 60 days, authorities said. He will then be arraigned on charges of first-degree murder in the 24-year-old’s death. If convicted, he faces a sentence of between 30 and 60 years in prison. The long-dormant case took a turn a few weeks...

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Early suspect now charged with murder in Levy slaying

Nearly eight years after the disappearance of Congressional intern Chandra Levy dominated national headlines, D.C. authorities charged with murder an illegal immigrant who had been questioned in the early stages of the investigation. Ingmar Guandique, 27, who is serving time in a California prison for attacking two other women in Rock Creek Park not far from where Levy's body was found, is expected to be returned to D.C. within the next 45 to 60 days, authorities said. He will then be arraigned on charges of first degree murder in the 24-year-old’s death. If convicted, he faces a sentence of between 30 and 60 years in prison. The long-dormant case took a turn a few weeks ago...

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Only 1 in 46 adults in corrections system in Virginia, study shows

Virginia ranked in the top fifth nationally and first in the Washington region with only 1 in 46 adults behind bars, on parole or probation, a new study shows. In Maryland, 1 in 27 adults is under correctional control, ranking the state 11th nationally, according to the report issued Monday by the Pew Center on the States. In the District, one in 21 adult residents is locked up or in the corrections system, the report said. Ranked against the states, D.C. had the highest percentage of citizens in lockup, with 1 in 50. Nationwide, the total population of the U.S. corrections system exceeds 7.3 million — one in every 31 U.S. adults, the report said. The report says the budget...

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3 plead guilty to lax background checks of key federal workers

A federal contractor has been sent to prison for two years and two of his colleagues are awaiting sentencing after they pleaded guilty to cutting corners on security-sensitive background checks for the federal government. George Abraham will spend the next 27 months behind bars in a federal prison after he admitted to lying to government officials about the background checks he was supposed to be conducting on several federal employees and contractors. He’ll spend then three years under supervised release. Special Agent Suzanne Weeks and Paul Higgins, another contractor, entered their own guilty pleas just a couple of hours after Abraham’s sentencing Friday. The three...

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Metro bus driver takes bite out of McGruff the Crime Dog

McGruff never saw this one coming. McGruff the Crime Dog, the stern but beloved police mascot who teaches kids how to stop crime before it happens, became a victim himself this weekend when a Metro bus driver punched him in the face as a stunned group of children watched, authorities said. McGruff, a.k.a. D.C. police officer Tyrone Hardy, was passing out flyers to children at the corner of 14th Street and Spring Road in Northwest Washington around 2:30 p.m. Saturday when a Metro bus pulled up to the curb. The bus driver, 38-year-old Shawn Brim, climbed out of the bus, adjusted both sideview mirrors and then slugged McGruff in the face with his closed fist, according to a police report....

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Grand jury indicts businessman in arson scheme

A federal grand jury charged a Florida businessman in connection with a scheme to set fire to a Fairfax store as part of an insurance scam. Joseph R. Beilharz, 34, was indicted in federal court in Alexandria on charges of conspiracy to commit arson, mail fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors said Beilharz paid two men to burn down the Deadwood Liquidators, 10350 Fairfax Blvd., over the Independence Day holiday last year. The fire gutted the building and Beilharz filed for $623,000 in insurance claims. Authorities said his wife owned the Fairfax store and he ran the business. The two men broke the store’s windows, threw three lit bottles filled with gasoline inside the store, and...

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Examiner reader leads authorities to violent fugitive

Thanks to a tip from a reader of The Examiner, authorities captured an elusive fugitive wanted in string of violent attacks in two states. Mark Dwayne Clements Sr., 48, had been running from police since September when he was charged with attempted murder in Prince George’s County. Police believe he was hiding in western Pennsylvania until police there began investigating Clements for two separate sexual assaults that occurred this winter in the Pittsburgh area. U.S. marshals believed he may have returned to the Washington, D.C.-area. When The Examiner profiled Clements in Thursday’s edition, Montgomery County police received a call from a reader who said Clements was back...

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Man sought on attempted murder, sexual assault charges

U.S. Marshals are looking for a Maryland fugitive who they say is wanted win connection with an attempted murder in Rockville and two sexual assaults in Pennsylvania. Police believe Mark Dwayne Clements Sr. was living in western Pennsylvania to avoid authorities in Maryland until recently when police began investigating him for two separate rapes that occurred in Allegheny County, Penn., near Pittsburgh. Marshals are asking for the public’s help to track down the 48-year-old Clements. “We want to put an end to his run quickly to prevent him from hurting any more citizens,” said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task...

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Man charged with pointing laser at aircraft, cop

A 57-year-old Silver Spring man was arrested after he allegedly pointed a laser pointer at a helicopter flying over the man’s home Wednesday morning. Gary Wort of the 800 block of Whittington Terrace, was charged with one count of disorderly conduct, three counts of reckless endangerment, and two counts of prohibited use of a laser pointer. Police said Wort became upset by the noise of a news station helicopter hovering above his home around 6:30 a.m., police said. Wort walked to the back of his house and shined the laser pointer at the pilot of the chopper, obstructing the pilot’s view, police said. When Montgomery County police responded to the man’s house, Wort...

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Fire investigators sue city, claim retaliation for whistle-blowing

Two fire investigators are suing the District over allegations that they were punished for blowing the whistle on botched investigations, including in the department’s probe of the blaze that gutted the historic Eastern Market. Greg Bowyer and Gerald Pennington claim in a federal suit filed Thursday that they were removed from their jobs after they reported that a serial arsonist set fire to the 135-year-old market. The findings contradicted Fire Chief Dennis Rubin’s public assertions that the fire was accidental and caused by electrical problems. Rubin released a statement calling the allegations “completely baseless.” He said the matter has been forwarded to...

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Marshals seek ‘bad guy’ on the loose in area for 5 years

U.S. Marshals say they are looking for a violent fugitive who has of yet eluded law enforcement authorities. Jonathan Matthews, 40, is wanted for violating his federal parole in Maryland on a federal weapons conviction that was connected with an armed robbery in Washington, marshals said. In 2004, Matthews violated his parole and has been off the authorities’ radar ever since. U.S. Marshals are asking for the public’s help to capture him. “He’s a bad guy. He has been on the loose for five years, and that is long enough,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “It’s time to put this case in the...

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Man gets 3 years for heading credit card scammers who stole nearly $1 million

A Mitchellville man was sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for masterminding a credit card scheme to steal nearly $1 million from dozens of cardholders. Prosecutors said Dain Claude McCalla, 28, was the leader of a Maryland crew that would illegally obtain information to take over the credit card accounts of others and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on lavish lifestyles. The crew was so brazen that it continued the operation after members of the ring had been indicted, according to charging documents. McCalla was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison and ordered to pay $950,000 in restitution, forfeit his BMW car, computers and cell phones. From September 2006 to...

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Silver Spring woman arrested in flubbed robbery

A 26-year-old Silver Spring woman was arrested in connection with a botched robbery in Gaithersburg, according to the Montgomery County police. Kelly A. Phillips, of the 14100 block of Heritage Lane, was charged with attempted armed bank robbery and possession of marijuana. According to police, at about 4 p.m. Feb. 9, a female suspect entered the Wachovia Bank, at 607 N. Frederick Ave., and passed a note demanding cash to the teller. The suspect said she had a gun, but the teller did not see one. Before she was able to get any cash, the woman left the bank and fled on foot toward a...

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Maryland woman charged with smuggling sensitive technology

A Silver Spring woman has been arrested on charges of smuggling the world’s smallest unmanned aircraft technology to members of the Chinese government, charging documents said. Federal prosecutors said the technology requires an export permit to be sold outside the United States and cannot be shared with China because of national security concerns. The devices can be used to fly miniature military reconnaissance planes. Yaming Nina Qi Hanson, 51, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted. A probable cause hearing has been scheduled today in U.S. District Court for D.C. before Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. Qi Hanson and her husband, Harold Hanson, arranged to buy the...

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Man who robbed Bethesda bank caught on camera

Authorities are looking for a man who robbed a Bethesda bank and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Security cameras got a clear picture of the robber, and authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying him. At about 4:44 p.m. Friday, a man entered the Bank of America at 7316 Wisconsin Ave. and approached the teller. The robber implied he had a weapon, although police said the teller did not see one. The man demanded money, and the clerk handed over some cash before the robber fled on foot. No one was injured in the heist. The suspect is described as a white male in his mid-20s with a thin build. He was wearing a black knit hat, black gloves, dark sunglasses...

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MontCo police seek suspects in car break-in

Montgomery County police are asking the public’s help to identify two suspects who broke into a car parked in the Mid-Pike Plaza in Rockville, then went on a shopping spree. Credit cards belonging to two victims were used to purchase a large quantity of merchandise at area stores, including Giant, Marshalls, Old Navy and the Sports Authority located in the Montrose Crossing Shopping Center. The suspects are described as a black woman and man. The woman is approximately 30 years old, 5-foot-5, and 150 pounds. She was wearing a black coat, gray hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants, black knitted hat and glasses. The man is approximately 35 years old, 5-foot-8, and 200 pounds. He was...

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Two Maryland women plead guilty to running area prostitution ring

The boss of a prostitution ring pleaded guilty to regularly hauling vanloads of women into Prince George’s County to work at low-dollar brothels. Aida Pereira, 35, of Silver Spring, and a conspirator, Iris Y. Martinez-Solarzano, 35, of Hyattsville, admitted to busing in prostitutes from New York and New Jersey, splitting their earnings, then driving the women back home. Pereira and Martinez-Solarzano face up to five years in prison. A co-conspirator, Jose Hugo Chacon Roque, 45, of Hyattsville, pleaded guilty last month to the same charge. Pereira admitted in court Friday that she headed up the sex business. She called the girls and rented the apartments for prostitution. Pereira...

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Failing economy forces museum planners to cut costs

The failing economy has forced organizers to scale back the future National Law Enforcement Museum. They said they’re cutting $29 million from the $80 million project planned to go next to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Judiciary Square. The overall size of the mostly underground museum will be scaled back from a four-level, 100,000-square-foot building to a three-level, 55,000-square-foot facility. Completion of the project has been pushed back from 2010 to 2013. Craig Floyd, head of the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund, said the group has raised $37 million so far, but the recession has slowed the donations and the credit crisis has made it virtually...

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Marshals still searching for child sex offender

U.S. Marshals are looking for convicted child sex offender with a history of violence who has been on the lam for nearly two years, authorities said. Michael Mensley Hooker, 33, was given a five-year suspended sentence in 1994 after he was found guilty of a sex offense of a child between the ages of 13 and 15 in Prince William County, federal agents said. Hooker was required to register as a sex offender. In May 2007, Hooker failed to report to authorities and violated his probation for a 2003 conviction for possession of cocaine. Hooker wasn’t home when police went to check on him, and in October 2007, Virginia State Police obtained another arrest warrant for his failing to...

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Police raid home of Fox News employee, charge him with possession of child porn

A Fox News Channel producer was charged with possession of child pornography after authorities searched his Dupont Circle-area apartment, according to documents filed in federal court Tuesday. Aaron Bruns, 29, a Fox News “embed” during the 2008 presidential election, was ordered to remain in jail Tuesday until his preliminary hearing Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. This is at least the second time that Bruns has had a brush with the law over child pornography allegations. On Jan. 23, members of the FBI and D.C. police child exploitation task force raided Bruns’ apartment after undercover investigators in Pennsylvania found evidence that Bruns was...

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Alleged leader of ‘Wig Lady’ scheme set to plead guilty to fraud charges

The accused head of the “Wig Lady” ring is expected to plead guilty in the identity theft and bank fraud scheme, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. Charles H. Belim, 58, was the alleged mastermind of a team of thieves who pickpocketed checkbooks from women and then wore wigs, scarves and glasses while impersonating them to draw money from the women’s bank accounts, prosecutors said. Belim was charged by “criminal information,” a document that can be filed only with the defendant’s approval and usually signals that a plea deal is near. The group had operated in Boston for several years before Belim apparently decided to...

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Stupid Crimes Feb. 6

Losing streak Police in upstate New York responding to call of a streaker ended up solving a bizarre robbery. The plan was for Michael Deering, 45, to distract the convenience store clerk while Christopher Gorzynski, 19, walked in and pulled out a BB gun. But the clerk sensed there was trouble and ran out of the store, locking both suspects inside. Gorzynski escaped the store through the emergency exit, while for some reason, Deering stayed behind. Gorzynski then stripped off his pants and started running, right past Buffalo police who were responding to a call of a man exposing himself. Police quickly nabbed Gorzynski. He eventually explained that the reason he was running around...

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D.C.’s most wanted fugitive caught

The most wanted fugitive in the Washington, D.C. area, a man charged with murder, armed robbery and a brutal sexual assault, has been captured after a three-year manhunt, authorities said. Authorities caught Gary Parham Jr., in Miami-Dade County, Fla., after his live-in girlfriend researched him on the Internet and discovered his violent past. Parham, 29, who had been using an alias, was wanted in the 1998 stabbing death of Theodora Cooper and the 2005 sexual assault of a Montgomery County mother while her daughter was in the next room. On Jan. 27, Miami-Dade police raided Parham’s home, finding a loaded AK-47, a .357 magnum and a bulletproof vest. Parham struggled with the...

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Two men arrested on armed robbery charges

Two men were arrested on armed robbery charges after a manhunt in Alexandria early Wednesday. Around 3 a.m., a man was walking home from work on the 4700 block of King Louis Drive when he was approached by two men. One of the men put a gun to the victim’s head and the other punched the victim in the upper body. The victim told police that he handed over his cash and the attackers ran off. Officers responded to the area, and a Fairfax County police helicopter spotted two people on the 4900 block of Manitoba Drive. A K-9 unit and a patrol officer located the two suspects and took them into custody. Khalil Lawal, 22, of 4506 Taney Ave., Alexandria, and Kevin Britt II, 20, of no fixed...

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Man still on the run after raid uncovers drugs, AK-47

Federal agents are looking for a reputed gang member accused of being part of a drug ring that sold thousands of ecstasy pills around Northern Virginia. In February 2007, the Drug Enforcement Administration raided the home of Luigi Blanco at 23032 Fontwell Square in Sterling, and found 400 ecstasy pills as well as an AK-47 assault rifle hidden inside a closet, agents said. Blanco, 22, was not home during the raid and has since been on the run. U.S. Marshals are asking the public to help track Blanco down. “Anybody that has an assault rifle and is selling drugs is going to be a threat to the public and to any law enforcement officers who are looking for him or who happen upon...

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Montgomery Village man charged in the rape of female jogger

A 42-year-old Montgomery Village man has been charged in the rape of a female jogger. Bilal Noore Shaikh, of the 8300 block of Marketree Circle, was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and second-degree sexual offense. Around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 6, police said a 28-year-old woman was jogging on the path along East Village Avenue when she was grabbed from behind and forced into an area of trees and sexually assaulted. The rapist then forced the woman to walk to a parking lot in Montgomery Village, where she was able to break free and run to get help. Shaikh is currently being held at the Montgomery County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.

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D.C. man convicted of shotgun assault at middle school, faces life in prison

A D.C. man was convicted of assaulting his wife, a pastor and church members with a shotgun at a middle school in Southeast Washington. After a three-day trial, 45-year-old Randolph Scott Harris, aka Edward Harris, was found guilty Monday of assault with intent to kill, assault with a dangerous weapon, making threats and related firearms charges. Harris faces up a lifetime sentence with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. On March 30, 2008, Harris went to Hart Middle School armed with a loaded shotgun, prosecutors said. The school, at 601 Mississippi Ave. SE, was being used that day by members of the Lighthouse Baptist Church. Pastor Ricardo Payne, Harris’ estranged wife and...

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Federal documents: Man embezzled half a million from historic church

Federal agents are investigating the former director of finance for a historic D.C. church on allegations that he embezzled more than half a million dollars, according to documents filed in federal court in Washington. Last week, U.S. Secret Service agents obtained warrants to seize a Lexus and a Land Rover from the Bowie home of Jason Todd Reynolds, the National City Christian Church’s recently ousted money man, federal documents said. The vehicles were a few of the expensive items that were purchased with money that he stole from the NCCC, documents said. Reynolds has not been charged in the investigation. He was fired in June after an audit of the church’s finances revealed...

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Serpico shot during New York City drug bust

On this date, Feb. 3, in 1970, New York City police officer Frank Serpico was shot during a routine heroin bust, which led to further exposure of widespread corruption in the nation’s biggest police department. Serpico became the first police officer in the history of the New York Police Department to testify openly about systemic payoffs that amounted to millions of dollars. Before the shooting, Serpico had reported rampant corruption within the ranks, but his complaints fell on deaf ears. His colleagues suspected he was behind a 1970 New York Times probe that forced the mayor to create a commission to investigate the allegations. On this night 39 years ago, while working a drug...

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3 Minute Interview-Nightingale

Christie Nightingale is president of Premier Match, a high-end matchmaking service in Washington with additional offices in New York and Philadelphia. She has more than 5,000 registered clients, and is directly responsible for hundreds of marriages and thousands of long-term relationships. Is D.C. a hard place to find love? The biggest challenge for singles in Washington is that they work really hard and time is limited, and if they are not from here their social circles are also limited. Does a new Obama administration mean new chances for love? I think there’s going to be a big change for a lot of new arrivals. They are excited about getting to work and making changes, but also...

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DNA helps solve 1982 slaying of U. Md. student

Through the advances of DNA testing, Montgomery County detectives say they’ve solved the quarter-century-old murder of a University of Maryland student. New evidence points to a convicted sex offender whom police had pegged as a suspect a year into the investigation when they learned he had escaped from prison before the murder and had been hiding out in the area where the crime occurred. It was about 3 p.m. Good Friday 1982, April 9. Wendy Lou Stark, 20, was on her way to a part-time waitressing job in Rockville when she stopped at the Hillandale Shopping Center in Silver Spring to pick up a birthday gift for her brother. Police hypothesize that her assailant randomly stalked...

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Teen killed when car strikes tree, splits in half

One high school student was dead and another in serious condition Sunday after a car reportedly slammed into a tree and split into two, according to Montgomery County police. The crash was the second of two fatal accidents that area police were investigating Super Bowl Sunday, hours before the game and most corresponding parties had even kicked off, area police said. Around 12:30 p.m., authorities got a call about a crash near 12630 Veirs Mill Road. When emergency crews arrived, they found a gray 2003 Toyota Camry broken into two pieces at the bottom of an embankment in a parking lot at the Rock Creek Terrace Apartments, according to Lt. Paul Starks. Police believe the car was traveling...

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DNA helps solve 1982 slaying of U.Md. student

Through the advances of DNA testing, Montgomery County detectives say they’ve solved the quarter-century-old murder of a University of Maryland student. New evidence points to a convicted sex offender whom police had pegged as a suspect a year into the investigation when they learned he had escaped from prison before the murder and had been hiding out in the area where the crime occurred. It was about 3 p.m. Good Friday 1982, April 9. Wendy Lou Stark, 20, was on her way to a part-time waitressing job in Rockville when she stopped at the Hillandale Shopping Center in Silver Spring to pick up a birthday gift for her brother. Police hypothesize that her assailant randomly stalked...

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Teen killed when car strikes tree, splits in half

One high school student was dead and another in serious condition Sunday after a car reportedly slammed into a tree and split into two, according to Montgomery County police. The crash was the second of two fatal accidents that area police were investigating Super Bowl Sunday, hours before the game and most corresponding parties had even kicked off, area police said. Around 12:30 p.m., authorities got a call about a crash near 12630 Veirs Mill Road. When emergency crews arrived, they found a gray 2003 Toyota Camry broken into two pieces at the bottom of an embankment in a parking lot at the Rock Creek Terrace Apartments, according to Lt. Paul Starks. Police believe the car was traveling...

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Chinatown blaze injures five firefighters

Five District firefighters were injured battling a two-alarm blaze near Chinatown early Tuesday. Shortly after 7 a.m., firefighters responding to the call found flames coming through the roof and heavy smoke pouring from the second floor of a two-story commercial building in the 1000 block of F Street NW. Emergency crews extinguished the fire within 45 minutes and no civilians were injured. However, five firefighters were transported to area hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries. Fire officials have not determined the cause or the cost of the blaze. A souvenir shop on the first floor sustained serious water damage but suffered no fire damage.

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Arizona truck driver who set 2007 strip club fire faces sentencing today

An Arizona truck driver who set fire to a Georgetown strip club and nearly killed its bouncer faces more than four decades in prison at his sentencing today, according to court filings. Federal prosecutors are asking D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert I. Richter to sentence Vasile Graure to 43 years in prison for the 10 counts of assault with intent to kill and arson in the 2007 fire. Prosecutors said Graure turned down a plea offer of between 15 to 25 years before the six-day jury trial in November. Fourteen months after the incident, the bouncer, Vladimir Djordjevic, who was 26 at the time, continues to fight for his life, prosecutors said. Djordjevic remains in hospital for the second-...

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Teen admits in court to beating mother to death

A 16-year-old Maryland prep school student admitted in court that he beat his mother to death using a baseball bat after arguing with her about his grades. Lewin C. Powell III, 16, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Monday. He faces a life in confinement at his sentencing April 3. Powell’s attorney will ask that all but 15 years be suspended and the boy will be placed in a maximum security psychiatric facility. Powell was a sophomore at McDonogh School in suburban Baltimore last May when he killed his mother, Donna R. Campbell-Powell, at their Towson home. Powell hid his mother’s body in a garage and cleaned the house. His father got home late that night, and the next...

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Police seek help in solving fatal stabbing of teen in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County police still are looking for clues in the stabbing death of a 15-year-old who was found at the edge of a stream in Gaithersburg. Dennis Alfredo Guzman-Saenz, of Hyattsville, a student at High Point High School in Beltsville, had been last seen 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18, police said. His body was discovered the next morning in the Malcolm King Park at the end of School Drive. Police have not determined where and when the fatal stabbing occurred. Police are asking for any information about a loud party that may have taken place late Jan. 18 into the next morning in a town house on Prairie Rose Lane or Apple Seed Lane in Gaithersburg. Guzman-Saenz is described as a Hispanic male,...

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D.C. man pleads guilty to killing preschool teacher

A District man pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend, a 24-year-old graduate student who had just started teaching preschoolers. Gary T. McKinley, 26, faces 50 years in prison for second-degree murder in the killing of Sheena Day, a 2006 graduate of Towson State University who was close to obtaining a master’s degree in education from George Washington University, according to Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey. McKinley, who prosecutors say is a registered sex offender, is scheduled to be sentenced March 11 by Judge Crystal Mittelstaedt in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court. McKinley and Day had dated on and off and were the...

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Forces across nation strive to solve ’72 beating death of boy

On June 13, 1972, a 14-year-old boy was pushing his bicycle to a nearby gas station on a country road to put air in his tire when he came across the body of a savagely beaten boy in a creek. Nearly 40 years later, police have yet to identify the dead child or find his killer. But their search continues. “There is always hope,” Fairfax County police Officer Shelley Broderick said. Police have taken DNA samples and placed them in the FBI’s National Missing Person DNA Database, and recently produced a lifelike photo of the boy in the hopes that someone will recognize his face and come forward with information that could help solve this case. The child was found in Massey...

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Police seeking robber of bank branch in Bethesda

Montgomery County police are investigating a bank robbery at a Provident Chevy Chase branch in Bethesda and want the public’s help in identifying the culprit. Shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday, a man entered the bank at 5416 Wisconsin Ave. and passed a note to the teller demanding money. The teller believed the man had a weapon. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, the robber fled on foot in an unknown direction. No one was injured during the incident. The robber is described as a light-skinned black male in his late 20s to early 30s. He was wearing glasses, a dark jacket and dark pants. The robber had a scar on his forehead above his right eye and had short...

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Va. Tech grad student decapitated with knife, police say

A Virginia Tech graduate student from China was decapitated with a kitchen knife in a campus cafe by another graduate student whom she had been having coffee with, police said Thursday. The victim in Wednesday night’s slaying was identified as 22-year-old Xin Yang. She had arrived on the Blacksburg campus from Beijing earlier this month to study accounting. Her accused attacker, 25-year-old Haiyang Zhu, also is from China. Zhu is a doctoral graduate student studying agricultural and applied economics, police said. He began his studies at Virginia Tech at the start of the 2008 fall semester and was listed as one of Xin’s emergency contacts. He was in custody Thursday on...

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ATM firm employee charged with trying illicit withdrawal

Police responding to an early-morning call of smoke coming from a Northeast Washington bank instead found a jittery man with burglary tools and an electric saw, according to federal court filings. Cyprian R. Riley, 30, of Waldorf, was charged with bank robbery after D.C. police found saw markings on an automated teller machine cash machine at the Bank of America branch at 961 H St. NE. Shortly after midnight Tuesday, D.C. police got a call of an alarm and the smell of smoke coming from the bank building. Officers entered the unlocked vestibule of the building where some ATM machines are located, but the main doors to the business were locked. As the officers banged on the front doors,...

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Unregistered sex offender who has gone on the run considered a threat by local authorities

A man who molested a young girl at a Montgomery County playground has gone on the run, and the U.S. Marshals would like the public’s help in finding him. In 2001, Nelson Antonio Reyes met an 11-year-old girl and fondled her at a park near his apartment complex in Langley Park, marshals said. Reyes, now 30, was convicted, sent to prison, released and ordered to register as a child sex offender. But he fled in 2004 and has not been seen since, authorities said. “He is a child sexual offender and he is a regional threat,” said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Reyes is listed as 5-foot-8 and 160 pounds. He has lived...

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Emergency crews respond to record number of calls

District emergency crews responded to a record number of calls during President Obama’s inauguration, fire officials said. Between 4 a.m. and 7 p.m., the D.C. fire department answered more than 1,266 calls citywide, 500 of which were handled inside the Washington Mall area, including rushing Sen. Edward Kennedy from inside the Capitol during the president’s swearing-in luncheon. The total number is more than two-and-a-half times the 500 calls the city handles during a typical 24-hour period, fire officials said. “It was literally a patient per 20 seconds,” said D.C. fire spokesman Alan Etter. Most of the calls involved falls or symptoms related to below-freezing...

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Ex-HUD official pleads guilty to role in fundraising scheme

A former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has pleaded guilty to illegally reimbursing campaign donors to funnel money to a candidate, according to court documents. Jerry Pierce-Santos, who once served in the No. 2 position at HUD for President George H.W. Bush, faces up to a year in prison and $50,000 in fines, according to federal guidelines, prosecutors said in court documents. Pierce-Santos, the president of the Washington lobbying firm Interamerica Inc., and his attorney could not be reached Monday. In 2003, Santos agreed to make contributions in the name of 10 individuals to a candidate seeking election to federal office, documents...

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Police say crime not a factor so far

The crush of people in town for the inauguration and the extension of late-night hours for D.C. bars have not resulted in a cocktail of crime, according to law enforcement officials. There were no arrests or unusual incidents relating to the party-like inaugural atmosphere over the weekend, D.C. spokeswoman Traci Hughes said. “It’s pretty quiet, actually,” Hughes said. “The police department has been preparing for this for a long time, and the people have been on their best behavior, so far.” Since Friday, more than 4,000 uniformed police officers have been patrolling the streets in 12-hour shifts, which will continue through Wednesday evening because of an...

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Police and military prepared for extensive crowd security

About 42,000 police and military personnel will provide security for the crowd eager to witness Barack Obama’s swearing in — more than the 31,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. Secret Service, in charge of protecting President-elect Obama, will oversee the 7,500 active-duty service members, 10,000 National Guard troops and 25,000 law enforcement officers from all over the country. “We prepare for everything,” said Malcolm Wiley, spokesman for Secret Service. But the planning that has gone into this year’s presidential inauguration has been “unprecedented.” For the past six months, security officials have been testing scenarios with tabletop...

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25-year-old Japanese Embassy intern tied up, strangled to death

Sharon Moskowitz was a 25-year-old intern staying in Adams Morgan when she was found strangled at the entrance of her town house. Moskowitz was killed 12 years ago this week, and police are still looking for her killers. D.C. police detectives have some vital clues and hope that someone will come forward with information that will lead to an arrest. Detective Brett Smith picked up the case the afternoon of the killing, on Jan. 21, 1997, and has stayed with it. “What’s frustrating about this case is we went from having a picture of the suspect within three or four days of the murder to 12 years later not being any closer to solving it,” Smith said. “When someone...

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Pa. woman convicted of murdering Greenbelt man

A 43-year-old woman was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2007 fatal shooting of a Greenbelt man. Tania Wallace-Bey, of Philadelphia, faces 20 years in prison for killing 38-year-old Julius C. Whaley. Sentencing is scheduled for April 3. Prosecutors said Wallace-Bey planned to kill herself and left an envelope titled “last will and testament” with her mother and several gift bags with her personal possessions for family and friends. Wallace-Bey drove to Maryland and stayed with Whaley for several days. On the night of Oct. 23, 2007, she shot Whaley point-blank in the chest, prosecutors said. Several hours later, she went to the store and bought some sleeping pills, washed...

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Marshals to give at-large drug dealer who operated in D.C. area their ‘full attention’

A drug dealer who operated in Maryland and the District has fallen off authorities’ radar and U.S. marshals are asking for the public’s help to find him. Donald Conrad Holbrook is wanted for violating his probation on cocaine distribution charges in Montgomery County. Conrad last visited his probation officer nearly a year ago hasn’t been seen since. The 30-year-old has a history of theft, trespassing and drug charges in D.C. and in Maryland, police said. “He’s just another one of the guys that sort of gets lost at the border of Maryland and D.C., where he’s going back and forth and may not come in the specific focus of a drug unit,” said Matthew...

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Statistician misused U.S. Marshals vehicles to ferry star sportscasters, report says

A U.S. Marshals Service attorney moonlighting as a statistician for Fox Sports regularly had federal agents drive him to and from sporting events, sometimes also shuttling broadcasters Tim McCarver, Troy Aikman and Joe Buck, according to a report from Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine. The 44-page report released Monday found that agency attorney Joseph Band used deputy marshals in government vehicles to haul him to and from games including the 2007 World Series in Boston, the 2007 college football championship game and the 2008 Super Bowl in Phoenix. According to the report: Band, whom Fox paid about $150 per game, occasionally offered to provide escorts for the broadcast...

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Man disabled anklet before killing 3, police say

A 22-year-old man ordered to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet disabled the device before allegedly killing three men in the embattled Trinidad neighborhood this summer, authorities said. William McCorkle, of Northeast Washington, was able to thwart the GPS technology by wrapping aluminum foil around his anklet before he got into an argument in a gas station, pulled out a .38 caliber revolver and gunned down three men, authorities said. The incident prompted the D.C. Council to pass emergency legislation last week to make tampering with the devices a crime. Since August, 18 offenders have tampered or removed electronic monitoring devices. “We can’t sit around and...

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Md. man in estate battle charged with burning down own house

A Laurel business owner with a history of arson convictions has been charged with intentionally burning down his home over an estate battle with his deceased wife’s family. Federal agents charged Scott Wilson, 51, with arson in connection with a Halloween fire that badly damaged the single-family home on the 7200 block of Mink Hollow Road in Howard County. Wilson has denied setting the fire on Oct. 31, 2008. But federal agents said they had a threatening voice mail message from Wilson — left months before the blaze — saying to “kiss Mink Hollow goodbye.” Wilson has several arson convictions during the late 1970s and early ’80s, including for setting...

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Brazen gunmen rob restaurant in Takoma Park

Takoma Park police are investigating the armed robbery of a local restaurant. About 3:30 p.m. Saturday, three armed men entered the La Fonda Chiquita restaurant on the 6800 block of New Hampshire Avenue and demanded the money and belongings from everyone in the establishment. One culprit forced an employee to open the cash drawer and then struck her with his firearm. One gunman fired a round into the air. The culprits wore black jackets and jeans and did not attempt to hide their identities. They were described as Hispanic males ages 18 to 25. Anyone with information can call police at 301-270-1100.

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D.C. man gets 38 years for deadly chase in Columbia Heights

A Northwest Washington man was sentenced to 38 years for chasing a man who was later fatally struck by a speeding car in Columbia Heights. Marlon K. Blaize, 30, was accused of firing a gun during an argument with 25-year-old Tarran Miller in the summer of 2006. Miller ran into the street, where he was struck by a car, prosecutors said. Miller died six days later. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop and remains at large, police said. In September 2007, Blaize, of the 1300 block of Girard Street NW, was found guilty by a D.C. Superior Court jury of voluntary manslaughter while armed, assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a violent crime and...

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Masked man killed 8-months-pregnant woman

Sherry Ann Culp was a divorced mother of two with a third child on the way when a masked man walked up to her after work 11 years ago and shot her twice in the head. Culp, 36, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, died instantly. Her baby, who the family planned to name Kelley, was delivered by Caesarean section but died two days later. Kelley would have turned 11 years old this week. With the anniversary of the mother and child’s death approaching, Fairfax County cold case investigators are hoping someone will come forward with information. The family has offered a $50,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest or indictment. On Jan. 16, 1998, Culp was sitting in her car in...

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Police seek man who held 6-year-old at gunpoint

Arlington County police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who held a gun up to a young girl to rob an Asian grocery store on New Year’s Eve. Surveillance video captured images as the man walked into the store on the 2900 block of Columbia Pike, held a handgun to the neck of the 6-year-old daughter of a store worker and demanded money from the clerk. The culprit took the money and fled on foot. The culprit is described as an Asian male, 5 feet 5 inches, 145 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He was wearing a black knit ski hat covering his face with an oval area cut out around the eyes. The culprit was also wearing a tan fleece jacket with a blue stripe...

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Authorities searching for missing twin teen girls

Authorities are searching for twin teenage girls from Loudoun County who have been missing since November. Brenda and Sandra Bacarreza, both 16, were last seen Nov. 14, in Leesburg. They are considered endangered runaways, meaning they have been gone for more than 30 days or are in the company of someone considered a threat, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Authorities believe the twins are still in the area. Both are 4-foot-11 tall, and weigh 110 to 120 pounds. Both girls have tattoos on the back of their right shoulders. Brenda has a birthmark below her left eyebrow. Sandra’s ears are pierced and she has a scar on her right elbow. Anyone with...

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Arrests made in gang-linked Christmastime mall shooting

Five members of a Bloods street gang have been arrested in connection with a Christmastime attack on a rival Hispanic gang at a Wheaton mall. Arrested were three males and two female members of a Prince George’s County Bloods gang: Anthony D. Taylor, 19, of Washington, D.C., Andrew Davies, 19, Hyattsville, Antwaun T. Lee, 18, Greenbelt, Samantha “Cherry” L. Quick, 20, of Greenbelt, and Aliah Kinard, 14, of Alexandria. Kinard was charged as an adult. On Dec. 22, the suspects drove into Montgomery County with the intention of shooting a random victim when they bumped into several members of MS-13 in the Westfield Wheaton Shopping Centre parking lot, police...

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U.S. marshals still searching for third man in foiled kidnapping, bank robbery plot

U.S. marshals continue to hunt for a college student accused of abducting a Prince George’s County family in a failed bank robbery scheme last month. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in capturing Beruk Ayalneh, 24. Ayalneh was one of three men who allegedly broke into the home of an assistant bank manager last month and held the woman, her husband and two boys at gunpoint overnight. The other two suspects, Yosef Tadele, 23, of Silver Spring and Yohannes T. Surafel, 24, of the District remain behind bars on kidnapping, armed robbery and assault charges. Police say the trio’s plan was to keep the children, ages 8 and 11, as hostages and force the woman to take...

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3 Minute Interview-Agouridis

Leona Agouridis, 47, is executive director of the Golden Triangle Business Improvement District, which was created 10 years ago to provide a safe and friendly environment within its 42 blocks in downtown Washington. What is the Golden Triangle BID? First, it’s a neighborhood. It’s the part of downtown that spans from 16th Street to Washington Circle, from the White House to Dupont Circle. It’s one of the most exciting parts of the city. It’s also an organization created by the property owners through D.C. law to make the area a desirable place to do business. What does the BID do? Everything from marketing to homeless outreach, from member services to long-term...

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Cold case: Smithsonian curator was shot in his elevator

Alfred Steck, a Smithsonian sculptor, was riding the elevator at his Silver Spring high-rise when he became another victim in a bloody string of robbery murders in the summer of 1980. Police are still looking for the two men who were seen running from the apartment building shortly before Steck’s body was discovered. Detectives have another clue: The gun used to kill Steck was later used in the robbery of a clothing store in Takoma Park. “We’re hoping that over time, somebody who may know who’s responsible for the robberies may have a change of heart and come forward,” said Montgomery County police Detective Ed Golian. At around 11 p.m. on July 20, 1980,...

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D.C. schools cop faces sentence for bribes in parking lot scam

A D.C. Public Schools police officer is scheduled to be sentenced Monday for taking kickbacks from a parking lot operation. Shawn B. Armstead, 37, pleaded guilty in October to accepting bribes in exchange for looking the other way and not shutting down an unauthorized parking business. Armstead, of Laurel, faces two-and-a half years in prison, according to sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors have asked for two years. Last summer, Armstead and another D.C. schools police officer, Shawn M. Johnson, 38, were called to investigate a report that a man was charging vehicles to park on the property of Eastern Senior High School, at 1700 East Capitol St. NE. The operator, who was not affiliated...

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Top D.C. crime stories of 2008

Crime in 2008 around the Washington area was a year full of shock and horror. Among the top stories were the gruesome discovery of young girls’ bodies in a D.C. row house and a Calvert County freezer, an emergence in street gangs, a high-profile jail strangling of an accused cop killer, the sad ending of the “D.C. Madam case,” and the District’s extraordinary efforts to respond to the violence. These were the top crime stories in 2008. Deaths of young girls The year started on a horrific note as the decomposing bodies of four sisters were found in a Southeast Washington row house by U.S. marshals. Police believe that Aja Fogle, 5; N’Kiah Fogle, 6, Tatiana...

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Homicide rate for black D.C. teens surged since ’01, mirrors U.S. trend

Homicides among young blacks in the District have risen dramatically since 2001, a reversal from the 1990s that mirrors a national trend reported in a study released Monday. That study, by Boston’s Northeastern University, found that the number of slain black teenagers rose 39 percent across the United States, twice the rate of white youth. The numbers show a “divergent tale of two communities — one prosperous and safe, the other poor and crime-ridden,” said James Alan Fox, the study’s co-author. Although FBI crime statistics show that homicides have stabilized across the country, the picture for black juveniles is radically different from the rest of the...

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Slaying of planned park’s namesake still unsolved

Diamond Teague was 19 years old and going from the rough streets of D.C. on to college when he was gunned down on his Southeast Washington front stoop, and police are still looking for his killer. Teague had earned a scholarship to the University of the District of Columbia by helping with projects for the Earth Conservation Corps, a nonprofit organization for disadvantaged youth. Teague was the drummer at Galilee Baptist Church and an avid basketball player, and friends and family said he had managed to avoid the street life and violence that had marred his neighborhood. Early on the morning of Oct. 9, 2003, Teague was playing video games at his house on the 2200 block of Prout Street...

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Police searching for armed robber in Bethesda

Law enforcement officials are searching for an armed robber who pointed a gun at a 4-year-old’s head during the heist of a Bethesda business. Around 6 p.m. Friday, a man walked into the Delicias Carry Out at 4708 Highland Ave. He grabbed the clerk’s arm, pointed a handgun at her son’s head and ordered the woman to give him the money in the cash register, according to Montgomery County police. He took the money and then forced the mother and son and a male customer into the bathroom and locked them in. The suspect is described as a black male, 6 feet to 6 feet 1 inch tall with a heavy build. He has a mustache and beard with short black hair with brown eyes. During the...

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Marshals seeking assistance from public in catching sex abuse suspect from District

A District man who fled the country after he was charged with sexually assaulting a young teenager might have returned to the area, and U.S. marshals are turning to the public to help capture him. In 2005, Daniel Guardado, now 43, was charged with first-degree sexual abuse of a child after a 15-year-old girl became pregnant, documents said. The girl told D.C. police that she had been having sex with the then-married Guardado since she was 13. The sexual relationship began after the girl and her mother moved in with Guardado and his wife, documents said. Guardado would take the girl to a friend’s house to have sex with the girl. Authorities believe Guardado left the United States...

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Police seek bank robber caught on camera

A small woman carrying a large Macy’s shopping bag robbed a Pentagon City bank, and authorities would like the public’s help in finding her. Around 9:45 a.m. Saturday, a young woman walked into the Chevy Chase Bank on the 2100 block of Crystal Drive in Arlington and handed the teller a note demanding money, police said. She took the cash and fled on foot. The suspect is described as a 5-foot-3 Hispanic female in her late 20s. She was dressed all in black clothing, including leather jacket, scarf and hat. She was carrying a large white Macy’s shopping bag and spoke with a heavy Spanish accent. Anyone who has information is asked to call Arlington police at 703-558-2222...

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Neighborhood Watch: Q&A with Terry Lynch

Terry Lynch is the director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, a nonprofit, ecumenical association of 44 congregations that helps people and neighborhoods in the District. Lynch, 49, first got involved downtown by helping the homeless as a student at Georgetown University. He will celebrate his 24th year with the association next March. I see you as an advocate for many public safety issues. I’m very concerned about traffic and pedestrian issues, crime issues, fire safety issues, gang violence, schools. What are the biggest issues right now? The biggest issues are twofold. No. 1 is public safety. There remains a persistence of drug and violent crime in parts of the downtown....

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Police looking for suspect in K Street bank robbery

Police are looking for a man who robbed a bank in downtown Washington. Shortly after noon Friday, the man entered the Eagle Bank in the 2000 block of K Street NW, demanded money from the tellers and ran off with an undetermined amount of cash. The suspect is described as a black male with dark complexion, about 6-foot-2 and about 220 pounds. He is believed to be in his mid-30s to early 40s, with a thick beard and a raised scar under his left eye that runs down to his cheek. He was carrying what appeared to be a bright orange construction helmet. Anyone with information about this case is asked to police at 202-727-9099.

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Officer shoots man holding knife to woman’s throat, police say

A veteran Takoma Park police officer broke down an apartment door and shot a man who was holding a knife to the throat of a woman covered in blood, authorities said. One of the bullets went through the man and struck the woman. Both were hospitalized and expected to be released late Monday. Early Monday morning, shortly after midnight, police got a call from a resident that a woman was crying inside an apartment on the 700 block of Hudson Avenue. An officer responded to the scene and heard a commotion coming from inside the apartment, Takoma Park police said. She demanded to be let in but was refused entry, police said. She called for backup and either kicked or used her shoulder to...

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Fairfax County tax employee arrested in gambling probe

A Fairfax County tax office employee was arrested in a investigation of a illegal sports betting operation. Police said Diane Thanh Diep Tran, 28, an administrative assistant for the Fairfax County tax administration, was charged with one count of conducting an illegal gambling operation and one count of money laundering. Search warrants were executed at her workplace as well as her home on the 6500 block of White Post Road in Centreville. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are possible, Fairfax County police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or by e-mail at fairfaxcrimesolvers.org.

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Two convicted in phony security guard bank heist

Two Maryland men were found guilty late Friday in a brazen bank heist in which robbers posed as security guards and the teller helped with the crime. David Paul Mbom, 39, of Catonsville, and Robert T. Tataw, 43, of Windsor Mill, were found guilty of bank larceny and conspiracy to steal more than a half-million dollars from a BB&T bank in Wheaton earlier this year. The defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Prosecutors originally believed the head bank teller may have been the ringleader of the scheme because she had let a man posing as an armored truck guard into the bank and walk out with $547,500 in cash. But after...

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Police searching for disguise-wearing bank robber

A serial bank robber who uses unusual disguises is on the loose, and law enforcement authorities are hoping the public can help identify him. The culprit has tried to use various items and clothing to change his appearance, but authorities believe he is the same person who has robbed four banks in Montgomery County and Anne Arundel County this year. He has used a false beard and fake teeth, and in one instance wore a Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police uniform, Montgomery detectives said. The banks hit include: » March 31 – BB&T Bank at 9815 Main Street in Damascus » Nov. 21 – SunTrust Bank inside a Safeway at 2021 Goshen Road in Montgomery Village »...

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Police hope DNA can now solve woman’s 1982 slaying

A 30-year-old District woman was found gagged and stabbed in her Northwest apartment 26 years ago, and police hope that DNA evidence will help them find her killer. Awanda Roberts was last seen leaving work at the Bureau of National Affairs building on 35th Street NW, near Georgetown on March 11, 1982. When she didn’t show up for work or answer repeated calls to her home phone two days later, her boss went to her apartment at 3060 16th St. NW and knocked on her door. When no one answered, he called the police. Roberts’ body was found bound, gagged and blindfolded. An autopsy report stated that she had suffered a stab wound to the abdomen and a blow to the head. There was no...

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Six Laurel men indicted in kidnapping, attempted murder of businessman

A federal grand jury in Washington has indicted six Laurel men in a brutal kidnapping and attempted killing of a businessman whom they thought they had left for dead. The harrowing incident began on Sept. 24, when Gregory Lyles, the owner of an auto detailing business in Laurel, drove to a town house in Bowie with one of the men, Ryan Wheeler. Wheeler wanted to buy two bricks of cocaine and asked Lyles to see if he was getting a good deal, police said. Inside the home were five men, and Lyles quickly realized there were no drugs. This is what happened next, according to a police affidavit: The men, led by Gregory Lassitter, 39, began beating up Lyles, and then duct-taped his arms. They...

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MSNBC co-host allegedly mugged outside D.C. hotel

MSNBC “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski said she was mugged outside the Georgetown Ritz-Carlton early Thursday morning, just before she was to interview D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty. Brzezinski said the suspect told her to give him $20 and she wouldn’t get hurt, but she only had $6. He took the money anyway. Her co-host Joe Scarborough said that the hotel should have been more alert. Brzezinski said she was embarrassed that Scarborough was making a big deal over a loss of $6. Fenty, who had been scheduled to appear to talk about education and plans for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, told the hosts that the matter would be investigated. D.C. police...

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New trial denied in dry cleaner case

The D.C. appeals court denied a new trial for the former District judge who lost his $54 million suit over a pair of pants, completing a critical leg of a case that has become a symbol of runaway litigation. Custom Cleaners owner Jin Chung said he was happy with the result. “The past three years have been very difficult, but we hope this nightmare is finally over,” Chung said in a statement issued Thursday by attorney Christopher Manning. But Pearson can still ask the entire nine-judge appellate court to review the case or he can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The three-member panel of the D.C. Court of Appeals said the trial court showed “basic common sense”...

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Medical examiner: Girls in freezer died of asphyxiation

A medical examiner has determined that the two adopted girls whose bodies were found in their mother’s freezer in September died of asphyxiation, according to Montgomery County police. Jasmine Nicole Bowman, 9, and Minnet Cecila Bowman, 11, were found in the basement freezer of Renee Bowman’s Calvert County home. Police believe the two died in Montgomery County and their bodies were kept in the freezer for at least six months. They were discovered only after a third adopted child escaped from the Bowman residence. Bowman, 43, has been indicted on attempted murder charges in the abuse of the surviving daughter. Bowman is a suspect but has not been charged in the deaths of the...

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Father acquitted of manslaughter in July death of adopted toddler

A Loudoun County father was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter Wednesday in the death of his son who was left in the back of a sweltering sport utility vehicle for nine hours this summer. Fairfax County Judge R. Terence Ney ruled that Miles Harrison’s conduct did not meet the legal standard for manslaughter, which requires “negligence so gross, wanton and culpable as to show a callous disregard for human life.” Harrison’s actions were “tragic” but the new father was “dutiful and devoted,” Ney said. “The only atonement can take place in his heart and soul,” Ney said. Harrison, 49, of Purcellville, testified that he...

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Fugitive wanted on suspicion of home invasion

A Waldorf man charged with helping orchestrate a botched kidnapping of a recording artist in Ohio has returned to the area, and U.S. Marshals are asking the public to help track him down. Police said Wendell Kelly Riley, 23, set up the home invasion of rapper Sixx Digit. Three men broke into Digit’s Toledo home on April 20, then bound, gagged and threatened the five occupants, who were 3 to 20 years old. Digit and his wife were not home. One of the victims was able to escape out a back door and ran for help. Police arrived within minutes and quickly arrested the three men. Riley, a friend of the family, was eventually captured in Charles County, but was released on bail in July and...

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Adams Morgan Bryan Weaver

Bryan Weaver, 38, the advisory neighborhood commissioner in Adams Morgan, has lived in the neighborhood since 1993. He is the former president of the Adams Morgan Civic Association and runs Sacred Hoops, a nonprofit that helps at-risk kids. Why doesn’t Adams Morgan have a neighborhood crime watch? I think it’s tough to get people out. Guardian Angels and the Orange Hats have come out to patrol, but we have had a low turnout. Adams Morgan is sort of a different beast because you have wealthy homeowners on the west, south of 18 Street, and nonprofit, low-income residential apartments on the east side, and a thriving business corridor down the middle. So you have very different...

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Naval lab worker stole more than 19,000 items, papers say

The former computer systems administrator who stole more than 19,000 pieces of equipment from the Naval Research Laboratory said he wanted to create the “Noah’s Ark of Computer Land,” a two-by-two of every piece of computer technology available, according to documents filed Tuesday in federal court. Victor Papagno Jr., 40, has admitted in federal court to stealing hardware from the research lab on Overlook Avenue in Southwest Washington. Court documents and Navy officials valued his haul at up to $1.6 million. But the extent to which Papagno would go to feed his habit is revealed in sentencing documents filed in U.S. District Court of Washington. “I guess I love...

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Pr. William’s sheriff’s deputy arrested on child porn charges

A 65-year-old Prince William County sheriff’s deputy is under arrest on charges of possession of child pornography. Investigators say they found more than 900 such images on the computer of Deputy Arthur Staples. Last week authorities in St. Lucie County, Fla., contacted the Manassas City Police Department about a child pornography suspect in Manassas City. Manassas police searched Staples’ home Friday. Police said they were seeking evidence that he was distributing child porn. Staples was being held Tuesday without bail and will be extradited to Florida, where he will face charges of using the Internet to trade pornographic pictures of children.

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Firefighters, not recruits, staff councilman’s latest party

Given the choice to serve drinks at a councilman’s party or train to save lives, 32 D.C. fire recruits chose to save lives. Last week, The Examiner reported that D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin had ordered his recruiting classes and their instructors to help D.C. Councilman Jim Graham host birthday and holiday parties, at a cost to taxpayers of about $4,000 per affair. Rubin insisted that using the recruits as waitstaff was part of the curriculum because it taught the rookies the importance of community service. But Monday morning, instead of ordering the recruits to that day’s party, the fire department asked the recruits if they’d volunteer. None of them raised their...

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Rooftop robberies plague Dupont Circle area

D.C. police are investigating a rash of rooftop burglaries near Dupont Circle. In the past week, at least eight burglaries have occurred near Swann Street and around Newport Street in the area west of Dupont Circle, police said. Please are asking all residents to make sure that their roof hatches are secure and their fire escapes properly secured, and that anything that could be used to gain access to the roof has been made unavailable or uninviting. Officers will be knocking on doors in the area to let the residents know of these...

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Man arrested in connection with fatal shooting

A 30-year-old Largo man has been arrested in connection with a home invasion shooting in Columbia Heights that left a man dead and a 5-year-old boy wounded. D.C. police arrested Allen Butler after they linked him to a burning minivan that had been stolen from a home where he had been staying, according to charging documents. Butler was charged with first-degree murder and was ordered to be held without bond. At about 8 a.m. Thursday, two men in ski masks went to a two-story row house in the 600 block of Kenyon Street, and shot 37-year-old Franklin Johnson nine or 10 times, police said. A young boy was shot in the shoulder in the attack but was expected to survive. The men fled in a...

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FBI looking for two men in Vienna bank heist

The FBI is still looking for two men involved in a violent daylight robbery of a Vienna bank last year. About 10:45 a.m. on April 13, 2007, two gunmen walked into the Access National Bank at 8233 Old Courthouse Road and ordered the two tellers to the floor, FBI agents said. While one man jumped over the counter, the second man took the two employees back to the kitchen and ordered them to get on the floor, again. One of the gunmen grabbed the back of one of the teller’s sweaters and said, “Get up, empty out the drawers.” He then told the teller to put the cash on the counter and then fill a greenish-blue pillow case. He then grabbed another teller to go to the vault...

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Man pleads guilty to kidnapping, sexually assaulting 9-year-old girl

A 43-year-old man pleaded guilty last week in the abduction and sexual assault of a young girl 15 years ago, Arlington County authorities announced. Benjamin Ramirez-Segovia, of Petersburg, Va., was arrested earlier this year after submitting genetic evidence to a national DNA database that linked him to a 1993 rape. On Nov. 10, 1993, a 9-year-old Arlington girl was walking home from school on the 2800 block of South Glebe Road when she was grabbed, forced underneath a bridge adjacent to Four Mile Run and sexually assaulted. The victim ran home and reported the attack to her mother, who called police. Ramirez-Segovia pled guilty to one count of abduction with intent to defile, one count...

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Councilmember: Recent killings appear gang-related

Killings in Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights this week appear gang-related, according to a D.C. councilmember who is concerned the violence will spur more attacks and end a year of relative peace among the young people in his ward. A 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed Friday afternoon near 14th and Newton Streets NW, in what appeared to be part of a running brawl in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. The killing happened less than a mile from, and 48 hours after, the shooting of a 21-year-old black male who was killed near an Adams Morgan playground at 18th and Kalorama Streets, NW. The slayings do not appear to be connected, but D.C. Councilmember Jim Graham said the attacks show all...

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Hit-skip driver killed child in front of his siblings

Police are still looking for the driver of a car who two years ago struck and killed a 4-year-old boy in Southeast Washington and drove away from the scene. On April 27, 2006, shortly after 8 p.m., young Daniel Small was walking home from the Boys and Girls Club with his sister, 8, and brother, 15, when he stepped into the crosswalk at Valley Avenue and 9th Street. At the same time, a sedan was speeding down the street. Daniel’s brother tried to pull Daniel out of the way but he was too late. The car struck Daniel and dragged the child about 70 feet down the street. The driver stopped briefly but then sped west on Valley, leaving Daniel’s broken body with his brother and...

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Fairfax authorities looking for bank robber

Authorities are looking for an armed robber who has struck two Fairfax County banks this month. At about 5 p.m. Wednesday, the masked man entered the BB&T Bank at 13360 Franklin Farm Road in the Herndon area, pulled out a handgun and vaulted over the counter, police said. He ordered the clerk to hand over some money, then fled. The culprit was described as having light skin, possibly black or Hispanic. He was about 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a stocky build. He was wearing a blue, hooded sweatshirt, khaki pants, white shoes and a black mask. Detectives have linked this man to a robbery that occurred at the BB&T Bank at 2513 Fox Mill Road in Reston on Dec. 1. Anyone with...

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Two die in separate Northwest shootings

A man was killed and a 5-year-old boy was wounded in a home invasion by masked gunmen in Northwest Washington early Thursday. The death followed a fatal shooting at an Adams Morgan playground Wednesday. The two fatalities pushed the District’s homicide number within four of last year’s total. At about 8:15 a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of a shooting inside a row house on the 600 block of Kenyon Street Northwest in the Columbia Heights area. At least two men wearing ski masks were seen fleeing the home and driving off in a red or maroon minivan, possibly with Georgia license plates, police said. The injured man was taken to a hospital, where he died. The boy was...

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Arlington man charged with sex show murder

A 35-year-old Arlington man faces murder charges after being arrested and accused of fatally shooting a man who showed up at his house with a woman to put on a sex show, police said. Police received a phone call from Willie Donaldson at around 4 a.m. Monday, stating that he had shot another man inside his home on the 2100 block of South Arlington Ridge Road, Arlington County police said. The victim was identified as Matthew Hicks, 32, of Loudoun County. Hicks and a woman advertised on the Internet that they would let people watch them have sex in exchange for money, police sources said. The two showed up at Hicks’ home late Sunday or early Monday, but as far as police know, the...

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District fire recruits to staff councilman’s parties

District fire academy recruits will spend part of their training time serving drinks and passing out cake at a council member’s ward parties rather than learning how to save lives and fight fires. D.C. Fire Chief Dennis Rubin has assigned the 32-member recruiting class and its instructors to serve as waiters and hosts at a Holiday Bash on Monday hosted by D.C. Councilman Jim Graham. This comes four months after Rubin ordered the recruits to help with Graham’s 63rd birthday at the Columbia Heights Community Center. Graham said he’s been assured by Rubin that the parties don’t take the recruits away from their training, but if they do, he said, he “will...

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Wedding ring seized in D.C. tax office investigation

Federal prosecutors trying to recover tens of millions of dollars that were stolen in the D.C. tax fraud scheme have seized a pricey wedding ring set from a former District employee. D.C. tax office manager Harriette Walters, the ringleader behind the $48 million embezzlement scheme, and co-worker Kim Fleet, together bought the wedding bling shortly before law enforcement investigators uncovered the decades-old scam, according to court documents. Fleet had gotten married, and Walters was known to shower co-workers and co-conspirators with gifts and cash. In June 2007, Fleet visited Adore Jewelry in Annapolis and picked out an expensive diamond engagement ring and wedding band. Walters...

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Killer taunted police, woman’s parents

Dana Chisholm’s killer taunted D.C. police even before they knew she was dead. Chisholm, 25, a secretary with a sweet smile who moonlighted as an escort, was found strangled on Feb. 27, 1995, inside her apartment in the affluent Crestwood neighborhood in Northwest Washington. D.C. police had gone to Chisholm’s apartment after a man impersonating D.C. detective had called her parents in Rock Hill, S.C., to say she had been arrested for prostitution. When the parents called the real detective back, he denied knowing anything about her arrest and went to check on Chisholm at 3808 Argyle Terrace, police said. The detective found her naked with a cord around her neck. Her killer...

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Police arrest suspects in boy’s slaying in Trinidad

District police have arrested several suspects in the drive-by shooting death of a 13-year-old boy that led to the department’s controversial checkpoint in the Trinidad neighborhood. Alonzo Robinson was killed during a violent hot summer night in which five people were shot in a series of attacks. Robinson was in town from Alabama visiting his great-grandmother, who was undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer. The five suspects, who were part of a gang from the Kenilworth area, were driving through Trinidad-area neighborhoods during the early morning of July 19, indiscriminately firing at people, police said. Police on Wednesday announced the arrest of Antonio McAllister, 18, and...

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Marshals: ‘Career criminal’ eludes law again

U.S. Marshals say a 59-year-old “career criminal” is back on the run, and they’re seeking the public’s help in finding him. Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, has personally captured and arrested Lou Smith more than once, including after a long foot chase. The marshal wasn’t surprised to learn that Smith had violated his parole once again. “We’ve seen this before,” Burke said. “He violates his parole or commits an offense, gets back out and does the same thing.” Smith is a known heroin user and has been homeless at times, police said, and continues to pose a threat to the...

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3 Minute Interview-Gillespie

Mike Gillespie, the food resources director for the Capital Area Food Bank, has been with the nonprofit for nine years. What does the food bank do? The Capital Area Food Bank is the largest, public nonprofit hunger and nutrition education resource in the D.C. area. Each year the CAFB distributes 20 million pounds of food, including 6 million pounds of fresh produce, to over 700 partner agencies. How is the economy affecting the food bank? The biggest thing we see happening is the explosion of the need for food. The number of calls has almost tripled compared to last year. The past year, very high fuel costs drove our transportation expenses up. While the price of gasoline has recently...

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Arlington police ask for help finding theft suspect

The Arlington County police announced Monday that they want help identifying a man who entered business offices and stole cash and electronics. Surveillance video captured images of the man walking inside an office building in the 1200 block of North Fillmore Street in Arlington on Aug. 15. The man simply walked inside the offices and swiped electronics and wallets left on desktops. When confronted by an employee, he said he worked with the cleaning crew. The suspect is described as black, about 5-foot-10 and 220 pounds with black hair in cornrows. He appears to have a mustache and partial goatee. Anyone with information about this case, is asked to call 866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime...

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Three nominees picked for D.C. court vacancy

Three people have been nominated by the District of Columbia Judicial Nomination Commission to fill a judicial vacancy on the D.C. Superior Court. The commission submitted for the consideration of President Bush the names of Teresa A. Howie, 50, a veteran prosecutor in the U.S. attorney’s office in the District; Stuart Nash, 43, director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program at the U.S. Department of Justice; and Maribeth Raffinan, 38, a supervising attorney in the trial division of the D.C. Public Defender Service. Bush’s choice will fill an open position created by the retirement of Judge Rufus G. King III. Bush is expected to act before he leaves...

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Police investigate homicide that occurred after victim left nightclub

A week after shutting the doors of a popular hip-hop hangout, Prince George’s police are investigating what they call another nightclub-related shooting. Police said the victims had left the Icon Nightclub in Waldorf in Charles County early Saturday morning and were heading back home to Washington when 21-year-old Kordero Maurice Howard was shot. The victims had stopped at the intersection of Branch Avenue and Coventry Way in Clinton in Prince George’s County when another vehicle pulled up and someone fired a single gunshot. Howard was struck in the upper body. His friends rushed Howard to the Greater Southeast Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Acting Prince...

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Northeast nursing home to pay $2 million to settle fraud claim

The owners of a Northeast Washington nursing facility have agreed to pay $2 million to settle allegations of Medicare and Medicaid fraud, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia announced Wednesday. The owners of the Grant Park Care Center, at 5000 Nannie Boroughs Ave. NE, have signed a “corporate integrity agreement” that allows the federal government to monitor the 296-bed home, and the cost of doing so will be paid by the business. The government’s investigation into the Grant Park Care Center was initiated after a “whistle-blower” suit was filed in federal court in 2002 alleging that the business sought reimbursement for nursing services it did not...

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Teacher arrested for inappropriate contact with student

Fairfax County police arrested a 39-year-old private school teacher for allegedly inappropriately touching a boy in the locker room. Police charged Dan Hegarty, 39, of 6003 Pratt St. in Alexandria, with indecent liberties with a child under the age of 15. Hegarty was identified after police passed out fliers with a description of the suspect. Police said Hegarty is a teacher at Browne Academy, an Alexandria school that has students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Hegarty teaches seventh- and eight-grade math. On Nov. 10, an 8-year-old boy reported that he was changing clothes in the locker room of the Spring Hill Recreation Center around 8:30 p.m., when he was approached and...

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U.S. Marshals ask public to help find sex offender

U.S. Marshals are asking the public’s help in finding a convicted sex offender who fell off law enforcement’s radar last month. David Barry Warfield, 44, is wanted by Montgomery County police in connection with failure to register as a sex offender. Warfield was registered and living in Rockville but he apparently has moved without notifying the police, said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “We wanted to catch up with him for the holidays so Montgomery County can get on track with him again,” Burke said. U.S. Marshals are investigating potential violations of the Adam Walsh Act, a federal law signed in 2006...

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Former Bush aide charged with stealing federal grant

A former aide to President Bush was charged with stealing U.S. taxpayer money intended for the promotion of democratic changes in Cuba. In March, Felipe Sixto resigned from his position as special assistant to the president on intergovernmental affairs as the Justice Department began to investigate allegations that he misused federal grant money intended for his former employer, the Center for a Free Cuba. Also in March, the U.S. Agency for International Development officials reportedly suspended a $2.3 million grant to the Center for a Free Cuba after the group disclosed that Sixto allegedly had used more than $500,000 in grants for illegitimate purposes. On Thursday, Sixto was charged...

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Cops find slain couple’s belongings

D.C. detectives questioned residents of a Petworth home Monday after police discovered items in their backyard belonging to the community-conscious couple who were brutally slain this weekend. The items were found behind a residence in the 600 block of Ingraham Street NW, just yards from where Michael and Virginia Spevak’s burned-out car was found early Sunday, said Inspector Rodney Parks. Police believe the killers stole the couple’s Toyota Scion and drove it into the alley, torched the vehicle and tossed the items away. The residents being questioned were not considered suspects at this time but potential witnesses, Parks said. Police had not found any evidence that the...

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Police arrive too late to save frantic caller

The man accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend inside her apartment as police desperately raced to save her had escaped from the D.C. Department of Corrections last month, authorities said. U.S. marshals looking for fugitive Roderick Ridley got a frantic phone call from Tiffany Gates saying Ridley was trying to get into her apartment building on the 3900 block of D Street SE, said Robert Fernandez, commander of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshall. Gates, 33, was frightened. Last August, Ridley, 31, had allegedly set her fourth-story apartment on fire and the boyfriend had to be rescued by D.C. firefighters after he became overcome by the smoke, fire...

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Police looking for SunTrust Bank robbery suspect

Authorities are looking for a man who robbed a SunTrust Bank in the Safeway store at 2021 Goshen Road in Montgomery Village. Police said the man entered the store shortly before noon Friday posing as a customer, selecting several grocery items before walking up to the bank teller counter. He passed a note claiming he had a gun and demanded money. The teller handed over the cash and the suspect fled on foot toward Butterwick Way. The robber is described as a black male with a mustache, in his mid-20s, about 6 feet tall, and 270 pounds. He wore dark blue or black military-style pants with the cuffs bloused at the top of his black boots. Anyone who has any information about this incident...

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Discredited witness under perjury investigation

The discredited expert witness whose testimony has jeopardized the conviction of a District woman for killing her 2-year-old goddaughter is under investigation for perjury in a Wisconsin case, prosecutors said. The perjury investigation comes as the D.C. Court of Appeals is considering whether to grant a new trial to Angela O’Brien, who was sent to prison in 2001 for the high-profile case of Brianna Blackmond in part because of the testimony of the expert witness, Saami Shaibani, of Lynchburg, Va. In July, the court ordered prosecutors and defense attorneys to compare O’Brien’s case with a conviction that was overturned in Wisconsin. In that case, the Wisconsin Supreme...

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Police get new lead in 18-year-old homicide

Cold case detectives have uncovered a new lead and created a lifelike photograph in the 18-year-old mystery involving the District’s only female murder victim who has yet to be identified, D.C. police said. Jane Doe was found in a trash bin on the 5100 block of Sargent Road NE in August 1990, during one of the most violent years in the city’s history. Her face was badly beaten and she was stabbed all over the head. “She was battered, bloodied and bruised,” said Detective Jim Trainum of the Violent Crime Case Review Project. “There was nothing that you could show to anyone, and if you did, there was nothing that they could identify. All we had at first were...

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Three men indicted in slaying of D.C. lawyer

A partner of a prominent D.C. law firm and his lover were indicted on obstruction of justice charges in the investigation into the slaying a young lawyer in their Dupont Circle area town house two years ago. The indictment of Joe Price, a former partner of Arent Fox, and his domestic partner Victor Zaborsky comes three weeks after a third roommate Dylan Ward was arrested in Miami Shores, Fla., on the same charges. All three men were indicted Wednesday and face a maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. Price, 37, a partner with Arent Fox, was arraigned in D.C. Superior Court Thursday afternoon, wearing a dark gray suit, a collarless black knit shirt and designer shoes....

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Authorities investigating hit-and-run death

Authorities are investigating the death of a 22-year-old Marine who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Arlington. Maddison Peterson, who was a private first class assigned to the presidential guard unit and stationed at the Marine Barracks Washington, got into an argument on Nov. 8 at a Crystal City hotel bar and decided to leave to calm himself, Arlington police said. That was the last time Peterson was seen alive. Around 9:15 p.m. that night, a driver of a sports car called 911 to report that he had hit a man that had been lying in the left lane of State Route 110 near the Interstate 395 overpass, said Det. Crystal Nosal, of the Arlington Police Department. Peterson was taken to an...

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D.C. man suspected of heists still at large

U.S. Marshals are asking the public’s help in finding an armed robber suspected in a series of brazen heists, including one that sent a clerk to the hospital. Anthony Daniel Plummer, 30, is wanted in Charles County after his DNA was left at the scene of an armed robbery two years ago at Bob’s Trading in Waldorf. Plummer, of Washington, has a lengthy criminal history including arrests on charges of theft, drug offenses, gun violations, robbery and assaults, said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “We’re looking for help on this one because he’s a regional threat,” said Burke. “He’s living...

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Two students arrested in brawl injuring four

Four students stabbed in a fight at Anacostia Senior High School in Southeast Washington Wednesday afternoon are expected to survive, while two of them have been arrested, District officials said. The brawl broke out around 12:45 p.m., around the same time that someone deliberately set a blaze in the second-floor hallway in the new building, authorities said. Five students between the ages of 16 and 19 were taken to an area hospital, including one who was suffering from an asthma attack, said D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Alan Etter. The other four teenagers suffered injuries consistent with a knife and stab wound, with cuts and abrasions. None of the injuries were...

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D.C. toddler beaten to death; man arrested

Detectives on Wednesday afternoon arrested a man in connection with the beating death of a toddler, D.C. police said. Twenty-one-month-old Ronjai Butler, of the 1200 block of North Capitol Street NW, was taken to Howard University on Sunday and was pronounced dead. Police on Wednesday night had not released the identity of the suspect, but a department spokesman said the man lived in the same residence as Ronjai. Ronjai’s family was known to child welfare bureaucrats. His half-sister was the subject of a neglect complaint that was later closed, Councilman Tommy Wells, D-Ward 6, told The Examiner. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 202-727-9099.

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Former D.C. tax office employee gets 15 months in $180K scheme

A former D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue employee was sentenced to 15 months in prison in a scheme to embezzle more than $180,000 from the city. The inside job was uncovered while authorities were investigating a $50 million tax fraud scheme that was run by a separate group out of the same office. The crimes are not connected, police said. Jacqueline Cecilia Wright, 41, of Washington, had admitted in court to using her position as a revenue officer to generate six fraudulent income tax returns for her boyfriend, Michael M. Clark. The scheme began in 2006. After a fraudulent income tax return check was mailed to Clark, and deposited into his account, Wright altered computer records to make...

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2 women killed in Fairfax County head-on collision

Two people are dead after a Fairfax County teenager drove the wrong way on Interstate 66 in Arlington early Monday, authorities said. Virginia State Police said they are pursuing charges against the 17-year-old driver. Police said that alcohol was believed to have played a role in the crash. Police said the teen was driving a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-66 and hit a 2003 Toyota Corolla, killing two women inside. The collision occurred near the Washington Boulevard overpass. Police have not identified the two women in the Corolla. Their names will be released after their families have been notified, police said. The teen driver and his 17-year-old male...

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U.S. marshals seeking man with ties to District drug, club, music scenes

U.S. marshals need the public’s help to find a known drug dealer with ties to the underground hip-hop scene who has been on the run for nearly two years. Kalif Prysock, 29, has multiple arrests for distribution of large quantities of drugs and has used many alias names. Prysock is believed to have been involved in the D.C. club scene and associated with a rap music label called CCE (Career Criminal Enterprise) records. Efforts to reach CCE on Wednesday were unsuccessful. “This isn’t a guy that’s getting arrested for drugs that he’s going to use himself,” said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force....

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3 Minute Interview-Stagnaro

Lt. Col. Victor Stagnaro was promoted in October to deputy fire chief of the Prince George’s Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department. He has been married for 35 years and has seven children, ages 11 to 24. You immigrated to Silver Spring from Uruguay as a child. What was that like? I was too young to know any better or to recognize many of the challenges. I have some vague memories of being made fun of because I did not speak English. Though, at that young age it didn’t take me long to learn. I was counted on to translate for my parents, but that responsibility fell more squarely on my older sister. Why did the family move to the U.S.? My father was an electronic engineer...

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Navy veteran pleads not guilty to defrauding 9/11 victims fund

A federal grand jury indicted a Navy commander and his wife on charges that the officer fraudulently claimed he was injured in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon so he could collect hundreds of thousands of dollars from the victim compensation fund. Retired Navy Cmdr. Charles E. Coughlin, 49, of Severna Park, pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges of theft of public money, mail fraud and filing fraudulent claims. His wife, Sabrina, 46, pleaded not guilty to mail fraud. Prosecutors claim the Coughlins together devised an elaborate scheme to defraud more than $330,000 from the government-controlled fund. Coughlin, who had been stationed at the Pentagon on the day of the attack and...

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Pool-playing pair leaves baby in car, police say

Two people were charged with child neglect for allegedly leaving their 7-month-old baby in a car for more than an hour while they were in a pool hall, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responding to a call saw a man and woman involved in a physical altercation in the parking lot of Bungalow Billiards early Saturday morning. After breaking up the dispute, police learned that a baby had been left in a vehicle for more than an hour while the couple had been inside the billiards parlor, deputies said. Michael J. Budroe, 43, of Ashburn, and Kristen B. Emanuel, 42, of Kansas, were charged with felony child neglect, and Budroe was charged with disorderly conduct....

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Man accused of hindering investigation to be extradited

Dylan Ward, one of three roommates accused of hindering the police investigation into the 2006 stabbing death of a young lawyer, is expected to be extradited to D.C. from Florida within the next week or two, according to prosecutors. Ward, who had moved to Miami Shores, was arrested Wednesday on a obstruction of justice charge. In 14-page affidavit unsealed last week, D.C. police accused Ward and two other men, domestic partners Victor Zaborsky and Joe Price, of altering the Aug. 6, 2006, crime scene in the homicide of Robert Wone, general counsel for Radio Free Asia.

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Police investigate ’91 Christmas Eve shooting

On Christmas Eve 1991, Joel Simpson called his mother to tell her he was running late. He had to pick up his three children and would be over soon to spend the night and Christmas Day with her. But the 33-year-old Southeast Washington man never made it to his mom’s and never saw another Christmas. Simpson was shot and killed in the alley behind the home where his kids lived with their mother. Simpson’s death was the 484th homicide that year, breaking the record for most homicides in a single year. Nearly 17 years later, 1991 remains the most violent calendar year in the District’s history. And Simpson’s killer remains unknown and at large. The D.C. police cold...

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Former GAO employee indicted

A federal grand jury indicted a former Government Accountability Office contract worker on charges that he stole dozens of agency laptops and then sold them over the Internet. Darryl Roger Lyles, 37, a computer technician, was arraigned Thursday in federal court in Washington and pleaded not guilty. His case is set for a status hearing before Judge Reggie B. Walton on Nov. 14. The indictment charges Lyles with five counts, including wire fraud and theft of government property, and accuses him of earning more than $40,000 from the illegal sales. If convicted of all charges, Lyles faces a likely sentence of up to nearly five years in prison, prosecutors said. A GAO spokesman said that the...

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U.S. marshals seek alleged child sex offender

With Halloween and the holidays fast approaching, U.S. marshals are seeking help in capturing a child sex offender before he strikes again. Demont Hancock is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service for violation of parole and he is wanted by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for failure to register as a convicted sex offender. Hancock, 27, was convicted of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Northeast Washington in 2000 and sentenced to four years in prison. After serving his time, Hancock was required to register as a sex offender in the District on July 23, but instead he fled, authorities said. “It’s Halloween time so there’s going to be lots of kids...

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Ex-legislative aide charged with lying on income taxes

A former legislative aide for Missouri Republicans Sen. Kit Bond and Rep. Roy Blount was charged with a felony count of making false statements on his income tax return, according to documents filed in federal court. Trevor L. Blackann, formerly of the District, failed to report more than $4,100 worth of illegal gratuities he received from three lobbyists in 2003 while he worked as a legislative aide for Bond, according to charging documents. The charging documents do not identify the lobbyists who provided Blackann with the gifts. Blackann left Bond’s office to become a lobbyist working with Jack Abramoff. Blackann was charged by information, an indication that a plea agreement...

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Another fugitive captured after tips from Examiner readers

U.S. marshals captured an elusive fugitive mere hours after his mug shot and reported crimes were published in The Examiner. Lavon Deconte Childs, 24, was profiled Thursday as this week’s Most Wanted figure. By 9:30 a.m., he was in custody. One caller told marshals that he just saw someone that looked like Childs walking down Acton Road and Crain Highway in Waldorf. The agents initially were dubious because Childs had no history of hanging out in Charles County and he isn’t that distinctive looking. But when the sheriff’s office sent their units out, they found Childs in the area at a Home Depot store. “The Examiner readers do it again,” said Matthew Burke,...

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U.S. Marshals search for Montgomery man

U.S. marshals want the public’s help in tracking down a Montgomery County man wanted on weapons and armed robbery charges who continues to avoid capture. Lavone Deconte Childs, 24, has been on the run since February 2007. Childs has a long arrest history including numerous drug offenses, assaults and weapon violations, authorities said. He is wanted by federal authorities in Prince George’s for violating his parole on an armed robbery that occurred in 2003. He is also wanted out of Montgomery County on a weapons offense. Authorities consider him armed and dangerous. “We’re looking to get him off the street,” said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the...

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Appeals court tries on pants suit

The former city judge who unsuccessfully sued his dry cleaners for $54 million over a missing pair of pants took up the cause again Wednesday in an appeals court. Roy L. Pearson Jr. argued before the three-judge panel, more than a year after D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff rejected his claim that Pearson was defrauded by a “satisfaction guaranteed” sign in the store. “As a matter of law, the satisfaction guaranteed claim is perpetuating a fraud,” Pearson said. “It’s a tendency to mislead or deceive.” The dispute began in May 2005, when Pearson claimed the cleaners lost his pants and then tried to give him another pair after an alteration....

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Ex-D.C. official charged with causing forest fire

A former elected D.C. official has been indicted on charges he caused one of the most destructive forest fires in Minnesota history, one that lasted two weeks and consumed nearly 120 square miles. Federal prosecutors on Tuesday accused Stephen G. Posniak, of the District of Columbia, of setting fire to a trash can at a Ham Lake campsite in northern Minnesota, leaving without completely putting out the flames and then giving false statements to investigators. The 2007 blaze swept across the U.S.-Canadian border, destroying 140 structures, causing more than $4 million in damage on the U.S. side and costing $11 million to put out, according to charging documents. The blaze blackened about 57...

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Robber gets away with cash, leaves thumb

An armed robbery suspect made off with the money but left one of his thumbs behind following a violent armed robbery and double shooting at an alleged Columbia Heights bordello. Police used the bloody appendage to track down the nine-fingered bandit suspected of robbing what authorities say is a Hispanic brothel and gambling house in Northwest Washington earlier this month. Authorities said the suspect, Bryan Perez, 22, and his partner were able to escape from the row house with hundreds of dollars in cash. But, according to charging documents, Perez’s right thumb was left behind on the living room floor, hacked off during a struggle with one of the victims. About two hours after...

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Bank in Arlington, six other cities get letters with suspicious powder

Federal authorities are investigating at least 30 letters containing suspicious powder that have been sent to banks in seven cities, including one to the FDIC offices in Arlington. Initial tests on the white powder have come up negative for dangerous toxins, according to the FBI. Additional tests are ongoing. The FBI received a report Monday that a letter containing white powder had been sent to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation satellite facility at 3501 North Fairfax Drive in Arlington, said FBI spokeswoman Debbie Weierman. The address is also home to the FDIC Employee Federal Credit Union. The FBI has not released the text of the letters, Weierman said. An FDIC spokesman did...

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Fairfax County police arrest woman for abducting boy, 5

Police arrested a woman for allegedly snatching a 5-year-old boy from a shopping center in Fairfax County, ending a dramatic search that authorities said could have turned tragic. The woman and boy, Kameron Deveaux Wells, were found early Monday after a man flagged down a police officer and told him that the boy was at his home in the 5100 block of Ninth Street in Northwest Washington. Kameron was unharmed and was reunited with his family Monday morning, Fairfax police said. “To see his smile as he was returned truly touched my heart,” said Fairfax Police Chief David M. Rohrer. The dramatic discovery ended a 12-hour manhunt in which police dogs and helicopters combed the...

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Beating death suspect says he was provoked

The teenager suspected in the death of a man outside gay bar said he only punched the victim after the man grabbed his buttocks and crotch, according to an arrest affidavit filed by D.C. detectives. One of three witnesses corroborated the version offered by Robert Lee Hannah, the 18-year-old charged last week with voluntary manslaughter in the beating death of Tony Randolph Hunter. Hunter’s death had galvanized the gay and lesbian community who say they are targeted because of their sexual orientation. Some 200 people held a candlelight vigil at the site of Hunter's attack, calling for action against violence. Police initially said the crime might be classified as a hate crime...

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Authorities seek public’s help finding Md. woman missing since March

Montgomery County Police are asking the public's help in locating a 42-year-old woman who has been missing from her home since March. Family members of Erica Rager reported her missing after she was seen in the Olney area around October 8. Rager, who lives in the 2100 block of Sahalea Terrace in the Spencerville area of Silver Spring, is described as a white female, 5'5” tall, weighing 100 pounds, with brown shoulder-length hair and blue eyes. The last known clothing description for the Rager is a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. Rager suffers from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. She does not have her medications with her. She is known to frequent the Poolesville...

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Police seek clues in 2005 slaying of Mississippi bachelor

Warren Asher Jr. was a career federal employee who lived at a luxury downtown high-rise called the Lexington, within walking distance to work. He was a bachelor from Mississippi and preferred to be called Rusty. Asher, 57, loved the sports teams of his alma mater, the Oklahoma Sooners, and often drove his co-workers nuts by playing the fight song after a big victory. When he failed to show up to work as a media analyst at the Office of Property Management one Friday in 2005, his colleagues grew concerned. A co-worker went to his apartment to check on him. No one answered the knock on Asher’s door, but neighbors and workers around the building told the co-worker they were certain...

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Body found 9 days after car crash

Nine days after a car struck a tree and eight days after a Forestville woman was reported missing, authorities found her body yards away from the crash site. U.S. Park Police are trying to determine how authorities missed the connection that left the body of the woman, 50-year-old Jean Kearny, alongside the road for more than a week. National Park Service employees happened across Kearny’s body around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, police said. She was concealed by the brushy wood line along Suitland Parkway, not far from her home and about 40 feet from an Oct. 7 car crash site in which police found no driver or passengers, said spokesman Sgt. Robert LaChance. Investigators believe Kearny was...

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Warrant issued for ex-teacher from Beauvoir Elementary

Federal authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the teacher who was banished from a private elementary school at the Washington National Cathedral after authorities found inappropriate photos of young boys on a school-owned camera. Former Beauvoir Elementary School teacher Eric Toth, 26, is wanted on suspicion of possession of child pornography. In July, the third-grade teacher was removed from the campus after authorities said they found electronic photographs showing “inappropriate touching” of young children. Toth has not been seen since, sources said. In August, Toth’s car was found in a parking garage lot at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, law...

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U.S. marshals seek alleged shooter

U.S. marshals want the public’s help in tracking down a Prince George’s County man suspected of gunning down an acquaintance in an ongoing fight over a girl. James Cornell Ford, 20, is wanted by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for the Aug. 11 death of 21-year-old Joseph Ray Burgess, 21, of Waldorf. Police said Ford, of Oxon Hill, approached Burgess and a group of friends, pulled out a handgun and pistol-whipped one man before shooting Burgess in the chest. The dispute stemmed from an earlier “event” involving a girl, police said. Police also have charged Ford in an earlier shooting in Hughesville. In that case, police said Ford fired a handgun inside a...

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Man arrested for allegedly making

A Maryland man was arrested Tuesday on charges that he made bomb threats against leaders of an immigrant advocacy group that operates a day labor center in Silver Spring. Detectives said 34-year-old Wesley James Queen II, of Pasadena, used his cell phone May 18 to leave back-to-back voicemail messages at the Casa de Maryland offices and to organization spokesman Mario Quiroz. In both calls, police said, he warned Casa officials to not be surprised when their facility “blows up.” The telephone number of the caller was left on the voicemail system, and investigators traced the call to Queen’s cell phone, according to charging documents. Queen was charged with two felony...

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Springfield man charged with making child porn

A Springfield man was arrested on charges of manufacturing child pornography after a teenage girl reported that she had been sexually assaulted, Fairfax County police said. On Oct. 4, police were called to the area of Little River Turnpike and Beauregard Street in reference to a 15-year-old Alexandria-area girl who complained that she had been sexually assaulted. Officers met with the girl and an acquaintance, Don Douglas. Five days later, officers arrested Douglas. Douglas, 40, of 8823 Winding Hollow Way, was charged with custodial indecent liberties and manufacturing and possessing child pornography. He was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. The victim did not...

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3 Minute Interview-Crouch

Carolyn Crouch is the founder of Washington Walks, the company that offers guided tours of the city, including the “The Most Haunted House” walk. The $10 walks begin at 7 p.m. every Wednesday from outside the Farragut West Metro station’s 17th Street exit on the corner of 17th and I Streets, NW. The tour lasts until Oct. 31. You know a lot about Washington. What’s your background? I moved to Washington, D.C., in 1994 to earn an M.F.A. Acting degree at the Catholic University of America. That makes me someone who can pick up a good script, analyze the action and characters, and delve into the backstory or history — all to make the play come alive for the...

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Authorities searching for mother of dead newborn girl in Pr. George’s

Authorities on Monday continued to search for the mother of a newborn girl who died after the infant was found in a field in Takoma Park. Four detectives canvassed the neighborhood just over the District line looking for information about the mother. Police spent several hours knocking on doors, handing out fliers and asking residents whether they had seen anything, said Prince George’s County police spokesman Henry Tippet. Police said the mother likely needs medical attention. “We’re just hoping that the mother comes forward for her own safety,” Tippet said. Police have no other leads so far. The infant, who appeared to be just a few hours old, was found in a...

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Fugitive convicted killer surrenders after seeing Examiner profile story

U.S marshals on Friday made another arrest of a fugitive whose wrongdoings were publicized in the pages of The Examiner. Eddie Shade, 41, wanted for violating his parole on manslaughter and weapons charges, saw his own mug shot alongside a story that ran last week and turned himself in to authorities Friday. Shade is the third featured “Most Wanted” criminal arrested in less than a month. The other two were captured thanks to tips from readers. “The Examiner does it again,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “He saw his profile and just walked into the marshals’ office and they took him over to...

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Transgendered teens were gunned down in their car

Deon Davis and Wilbur Thomas were two teenagers living secretive lives when they were gunned down in Southeast Washington six years ago. Davis, 18, was known as Ukea, and Thomas, 19, went by Stephanie. They were transgendered — born male but living as females. Police have not ruled out the possibility that the killings were the result of a hate crime. A year after their deaths, D.C. police said they had some promising leads and were close to making an arrest. They just needed a little more information to secure the warrant. Today detectives still are seeking that final clue and are looking for help from the public. They’re offering up to $50,000 if the tip leads to a...

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Contractor pleads guilty to bribing fed official

A Maryland-based contractor has pleaded guilty to bribing a federal official in exchange for maintenance and construction contracts at the United States Tax Court in downtown Washington. Daniel Money, who provides maintenance services for government agencies and is also a planner for the Treasury Department offices, admitted in federal court this week that he agreed to pay a public official $55,000 in kickbacks. The projects that Money, 44, sought were for a first-floor renovation and an air conditioning job, according to documents. In return, the public official agreed to award Money’s company, Daniel Construction, contracts worth about $400,000 for work at the tax court at 400...

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Authorities release names of girls found in freezer

Detectives have identified the young girls whose bodies were found in a freezer and are asking the public to help with a timeline in their deaths. The girls are identified as Jasmine Nicole Bowman, who would be 9 years old, and Minnet C. Bowman, who would be 11 years old. Their bodies were found Sept. 27 in the freezer of their adoptive mother, Renee Bowman, after a third girl escaped from their home in Calvert County. Although the bodies were discovered in Calvert County, police said the deaths likely occurred in Montgomery County. Renee Bowman lived at 13100 block of Vandalia Drive in the Aspen Hill area of Rockville from 2005 until November 2007 before moving to Calvert...

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Examiner readers help marshals nab escaped kidnapping suspect

Thanks to tips from readers of The Examiner, U.S. marshals arrested a kidnapping suspect Tuesday who had been on the run since he narrowly escaped from police during a standoff three years ago. The suspect, Derrick Arthur, led authorities on a massive manhunt in December 2005 after he got past police during a shoot-out and ducked into the National Arboretum in Northeast Washington. Arthur was never found, and eventually the trail grew stale, authorities said. “He may disappear, but then as time goes by, he’s going out a little bit more and reconnecting with people who don’t know that he’s wanted,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area...

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Fugitive is wanted by three different jurisdictions

U.S. marshals want the public’s help in tracking down a fugitive wanted for violating his parole after an armed robbery conviction. Brandon Leray Morman, 24, has eluded authorities for more than a year on three separate warrants out of three different metropolitan-area jurisdictions. Morman’s rap sheet includes arrests on armed robbery, drugs, weapons and assault charges in the District and Maryland. Morman is considered a continued threat to the public as long as he’s on the streets, said Matthew Burke, supervisory inspector with the U.S. marshal’s Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “He’s a regional offender, he’s got a history of...

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District police want public’s help identifying robbery suspect

D.C. police are asking the public’s help in identifying a man suspected of robbing a Northwest Washington bank Thursday. At 10:05 a.m., the man entered the Bank of America on the 4300 block of 49th Street Northwest and passed a note to a teller demanding money. He obtained an undetermined amount of cash and fled. The culprit is described as a light-complexioned black male in his mid-20s to early 30s, about six feet tall and 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark-colored sport jacket, white shirt and blue tie and was carrying a “messenger bag” over his shoulder. Anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to call police at 202-727-9099.

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D.C. police raids net drugs, cash, arrests

Authorities conducted several raids late last week in neighborhoods in the northern part of the District. On Thursday, 150 D.C. police officers swarmed the Clay Terrace housing complex and nearby homes in Northeast Washington, and arrested 22 people on drug and weapons charges. The raids netted 8.5 ounces of PCP, a gun and more than $10,000 in cash, officials said. Police said they also seized marijuana, crack cocaine and ecstasy. A separate search of an apartment on the 200 block of 50th Street NE recovered 6.5 ounces of PCP and $1,347 in cash, according to court documents. On Sept. 30, U.S. Park Police executed a search warrant on the 3600 block of 16th Street Northwest and found 64...

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Final person charged in tax scam is expected to plead guilty today

The last person facing charges in the theft of $48 million from the District’s tax coffers is expected to plead guilty today, ending the investigative phase of the largest public corruption scandal in the city’s history. Jayrece Turnbull, 34, the niece of the woman dubbed the scam’s mastermind, Harriette Walters, will be the 13th and likely final person to plead guilty in the tax fraud scheme. She is scheduled to appear in federal court in Greenbelt this afternoon to admit to charges of mail fraud, possession of stolen property, conspiracy to commit money laundering and tax evasion. Walters, who pleaded guilty last month, is expected to receive between 15 to 18 years in...

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Ex-Pentagon official on trial on charges of self-dealing

The former head of security for a Pentagon agency that defends the country from nuclear and biological attacks is expected to stand trial Tuesday on charges he conspired to steer large government contracts to a company he helped start. James E. Wright, the ex-chief of the Security and Counterintelligence Directorate for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, and his alleged accomplice, John D. Villanueva, a Department of Defense contractor, are scheduled to face a jury starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday in District Judge Liam O’Grady’s federal courtroom in Alexandria. Both men were indicted in June on charges of conspiracy and committing an act affecting personal...

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Police seeking two men who robbed Northwest bank

Authorities are seeking two men armed with assault weapons who robbed a bank in Northwest Washington on Friday. About noon, the two masked men entered the Wachovia Bank on the 4300 block of Connecticut Avenue. The suspects displayed the weapons and ordered the customers to the ground. The men took an undetermined amount of cash and fled from the bank. The men jumped into a red sport utility vehicle, which police found abandoned shortly after the heist. The suspects are described as black males, wearing black clothing and white gloves. Anyone with information can call 202-727-9099.

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Teen’s death might have been result of Asian gang dispute

The Arlington County Police Department’s cold case unit is seeking the public’s help to solve unsolved crimes, including the death of 17-year-old Vu Huynh. Huynh, of Alexandria, was murdered on March 23, 1997. He was shot in the head outside Hi-Cue Billiards in the Barcroft area. Arlington police believe the killing was gang-related and Huynh may have been caught in the crossfire. The violence may have been retaliation for the shooting of an 18-year-old man who belonged to a rival gang. The wounded youth hung with another group, called “LB,” also known as Laos Bloods. Huynh, a Vietnamese immigrant who was a junior at West Potomac High School, socialized with...

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Ex-ICE official charged with accepting bribes

A former high-ranking U.S. Homeland Security official was charged with accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to get the government to buy nearly $3 million in armored vehicles that ultimately were unable to stop bullets, court documents said. Because of the safety risks, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been forced to replace dozens of armored sport utility vehicles. An ICE spokesman did not know whether any personnel were harmed because of the faulty armor. The case remains under investigation by the inspector general. “Accusations of misconduct, especially those involving public corruption charges, must be investigated thoroughly, and when...

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Pr. William police seek man in rape of 12-year-old

Prince William police are looking for a man accused of raping a 12-year-old girl in Manassas. Police said Sebastian Camilo sexually assaulted a young acquaintance on Sept. 22. Camilo is described as a Hispanic male, 28, 5-foot-2, 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. His last known address was on the 7300 block of Colton Lane in Manassas. Anyone with information about Sebastian Camilo is asked to call Prince William County Crime Solvers at 703-670-3700 or 1-866-411-TIPS. Callers don’t have to give their names, just the information. Callers could earn up to a $1,000 cash reward.

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FedEx Field-related nonprofit returns funding

A nonprofit in charge of dispensing millions of dollars to help neighbors who live around FedEx Field has been forced to return the money after an audit found an almost nonexisting accounting system that allowed officials to conduct business without the board’s knowledge, according to a Prince George’s County report. The county created the stadium grant to reduce the effect on the surrounding community and placed the Central Prince George’s County Community Development Corp. in charge of managing the money — $500,000 a year — generated from stadium revenue. Terry Speigner, chairman of the group’s board, said he was disappointed by the deficiencies...

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Marshals seek fugitive, parolee on manslaughter charges

U.S. marshals are looking for a man who was on parole for manslaughter and weapons charges and who disappeared last summer after being arrested again. Eddie Shade, 41, had been released from federal prison and was on parole when he was arrested in June 2007 on a charge of simple assault in Southeast Washington. Shade failed to show up for his court appearance, and he has not been spotted since. “We’ve been chasing him around for a year and believe he’s still in area,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “With his history of violence, he’s still a threat to the area as long as he’s out...

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Call from wife led authorities to crime scene

After Victor Papagno Jr. was arrested on a domestic violence charge in August 2007, his wife, Andrea, told his bosses at the Naval Research Laboratory that she wanted his work stuff out of the house, federal sources said. Navy officials didn’t know what she was talking about. When they showed up at the Papagno’s Calvert County home, authorities found a crime scene: 19,709 pieces of stolen computer equipment from the Navy lab – hard drives, CDs, zip drives, floppy disks – worth up to $1.6 million, according to court documents and Navy officials. Papagno, 40, the computer administrator for the Navy research lab, had accumulated so much hardware that some of the...

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Juvenile arrested in hate crime assault case

A juvenile has been arrested in connection with an apparent hate crime in which three men were attacked by a group in Adams Morgan earlier this summer, D.C. police said. The suspect, a teenage male who lives in the District, was arrested Thursday and has been charged with aggravated assault. His identity is being withheld because he is a juvenile. About 4:30 a.m. July 13, three men were assaulted by five male suspects on the 1800 block of Kalorama Road Northwest, police said. The suspects yelled several homophobic epithets just before the assault, police said. The victims, whose identities are being withheld because they are witnesses in the case, were transported to a local hospital...

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Police seek help solving Falls Church homicide

Fairfax County police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the person responsible for killing a 29-year-old Falls Church woman. On Thursday, a family member called for police to check on the welfare of Genevieve Paulette Orange. Officers went to the victim’s residence, at the Prestwick apartment building, located at 6166 Leesburg Pike, around 11:22 a.m. and found Orange dead. She died from blunt force trauma to the upper body. A Virginia Tech graduate, Orange worked for five years at the Futures Industry Association, a trade association of brokers, companies and exchanges involved in commodity futures trading. Detectives would like to hear from anyone who...

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Former CIA executive pleads guilty to fraud

The former executive director of the CIA pleaded guilty Monday to one count of fraud stemming from the Randall “Duke” Cunningham bribery scandal. Kyle “Dusty” Foggo, 53, admitted in U.S. District Court in Alexandria that he used his position to steer millions of dollars in lucrative contracts to his best friend without disclosing their relationship. As part of the plea, prosecutors dropped 27 other counts against Foggo and agreed to seek a maximum of three-year, one-month prison term. His sentencing is set for Jan. 8 in Alexandria. The plea comes three weeks after prosecutors complained that Foggo was threatening to reveal the identities of every CIA agent that he...

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Tax officer auditor charged with taking bribe

An auditor for the beleaguered D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue has been charged with demanding a bribe from a business he was auditing, according to documents filed in federal court. In November 2007, El-Hadj Drame, of Silver Spring, solicited and received $6,000 from an individual business owner whose company he was auditing for sales and use tax, prosecutors allege. In return, Drame, agreed to lower the business’s sales and use tax liability, documents said. The business and owner were not identified in the charging documents. The D.C. tax office was the agency where employees embezzled $48 million from city taxpayers by creating phony property tax refunds. Drame’s alleged...

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Police photo lab boss sued again for harassment

The longtime head of the D.C. police photography lab, whose actions forced the District to pay tens of thousands of dollars over a sexual harassment complaint, has been accused in a new lawsuit of again making unwanted advances on a woman he supervised. In graphic detail, the lawsuit filed in federal court last week accuses chief photographer William “Bill” Gresham of harassing 50-year-old Mary Gilkey even after the city settled a sexual harassment lawsuit with another employee, Tina Hall-Johnson, in 2001. “The chief is well aware of this guy. The question is did they give him any training [after the earlier lawsuit] or did they do anything other than ‘wink,...

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S.C. girl met end trying to get out of exotic dancing

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Wanted suspect escaped during police standoff in ’05

A kidnapping suspect who narrowly escaped District police in a shoot-out three years ago remains at large, and U.S. marshals want the public’s help in tracking him down. On a snowy day in December 2005, police got a tip that Derrick Arthur, who a day earlier had abducted a 26-year-old woman at gunpoint, was hiding at a Days Inn in the 2700 block of New York Avenue NE. As officers called in the SWAT unit and stationed themselves in the parking lot outside Arthur’s room, Arthur dragged out his victim and yelled at police. He then took the woman back into the room. Hours later, Arthur used a remote-control device to start his 2001 silver Infiniti in the parking lot, and jumped...

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Maryland fraud suspect resurfaces

A man who twice defrauded banks in Gaithersburg has resurfaced in Baltimore, according to Montgomery County police. Twice this month, the suspect used the identity of a Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., resident and attempted to withdraw a large sum of money from SunTrust banks in Baltimore. The man displayed a driver's permit and a credit card in the victim's name. In both cases, the transaction didn't go through and the suspect left the bank. Police said the suspect is the same man who in 2006 and 2007 used someone else’s identification to withdraw money from their account. The suspect is described as a white male, 5-foot-10 tall, 250 pounds, with receding brown hair, and glasses. In 2006...

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Man pleads guilty to stealing $400K from nonprofit

A 63-year-old Arlington man pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding a D.C. nonprofit organization out of more than $400,000, federal prosecutors said. Earl Staubs, the former finance director for the Center for Applied Linguistics, faces 30 to 37 months of prison, according to federal guidelines, prosecutors said. Staubs admitted in court that he improperly directed money from checks belonging to CAL into another bank account in “off the book” transactions. Staubs used a check endorser from the desk of another CAL employee to endorse and deposit the checks at a D.C. bank. As a result of Staubs’ actions, CAL suffered losses of approximately $438,098. Staubs is currently...

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2 men pose as ‘tree experts’ to enter home in Alexandria

Two men posed as tree experts to gain access to the Alexandria-area home of an 86-year-old woman Sunday, according to Fairfax County police. The men knocked on the homeowner’s door on the 6300 block of Lewin Drive around 5 p.m. Sunday and told her that she had trees in her backyard that needed trimming. She let the men into her backyard to inspect the trees. When she asked for identification, the suspects could not produce any, and she asked them to leave. They pushed their way back inside her home, retreated to different parts of the residence and then fled without taking anything. The suspects were described as white, in their 20s, about 5 feet 6 inches tall with medium builds....

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MontCo cops link killer to other home invasions

Montgomery County detectives said they have evidence that ties the person responsible for the death of Mary Havenstein earlier this month to at least two similar home invasion robberies of elderly residents. The Havenstein homicide is connected to the home robbery of a 92-year-old woman on Sept. 17, 2007, on the 7600 block Maryknoll Avenue in Bethesda and that of a 77-year-old woman on Nov. 27 on the 5500 block Montgomery Street in Chevy Chase, police said, but they would not reveal the nature of their evidence. Detectives continue to investigate whether three other brutal break-ins are also linked to the Havenstein case. The suspect has been described as a male in his early 20s, with a...

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Teen slain in 1993 aspired to be a model

On Sunday, Aug. 29, 1993, the body of 18-year-old Audrey Hamilton was found in the rear of a house in the 600 block of Savannah Street SE. She had been raped and strangled. Audrey, an aspiring beautician and model, told her friends at a McDonald’s that she was tired and was going home. It was near midnight. To protect herself on the walk from the Martin Luther King Avenue restaurant to her home on Mississippi Avenue, she carried an empty glass bottle. Audrey’s body was discovered the next morning in the 600 block of Savannah Avenue, near Ballou High School. Police are still looking for her killers and believe there is someone in that neighborhood with information about who is...

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Three shot in Sterling Park drive-by

Three young men were wounded Wednesday night in a Sterling Park drive-by shooting, according to Loudoun County police. Shortly after 9 p.m., a dark-colored, two-door vehicle drove past the men, who were standing at the intersection of East Poplar Road and Buckingham Court. The vehicle returned and someone inside fired several shots at the men. The three victims, ages 19, 20 and 21, were rushed to Inova Fairfax Hospital. Two of the men are in serious condition. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office conducted a door-to-door search of the area. Anyone with information about the crime can contact the sheriff’s office at 703-777-0475. Tipsters who wish to remain anonymousmay call...

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Ex-Navy computer administrator charged with stealing $1.6 million

A former computer systems administrator for the Navy’s Naval Research Laboratory in D.C. has been charged with the theft of more than $1.6 million in electronic equipment from the D.C. agency, according to federal charging documents. From 1997 to 2007, Victor R. Papagno, 40, stole nearly 20,000 pieces of computer and office equipment belong to the Navy, prosecutors claim in charging papers. Papagno is scheduled to plead guilty to theft of government property on Oct. 1. Papagno, who began working at the lab in 1989, took the equipment home for his own personal use and for family and friends. The Naval Research Laboratory, located at 4555 Overlook Ave. in Southwest Washington, is the...

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U.S. marshals renew focus in search for parole violator with long rap sheet

U.S. marshals are looking for a career criminal with a violent history that includes arrests for armed robbery, assault, weapons violations, burglary and stolen vehicles. Albert Colbert, 51, violated his federal parole in 2003 and has been on the run ever since. “He just took off,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “He just has a long history of armed robberies, burglaries and auto thefts, and we need to bring him in. We’re looking for the public’s help in generating new leads as to his whereabouts.” Colbert has lived in D.C., Hyattsville, Lanham, Upper Marlboro, Landover and Georgia. He is...

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3 Minute Interview Robert Fernandez

U.S. Marshal Chief Inspector Robert Fernandez is the commander of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Since its creation in 2004, the unit has captured nearly 19,000 fugitives. What’s the biggest challenge? There are about 150 task force officers in six offices, and I have to make sure they have what they need. We’re not only in Washington, D.C. — our area extends from northern Maryland and reaches out to western Virginia and down to the Tidewater area. What’s the biggest reward? The biggest reward is the satisfaction that I feel when we arrest a particularly dangerous and violent fugitive. Who’s the biggest suspect that you caught? There have...

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Man charged with smuggling beetles from Japan

An Arlington man has been charged with smuggling large, exotic beetles into the U.S. from Japan. Postal workers discovered the beetles after they heard scratching from inside a parcel, according to charging documents. After an X-ray examination indicated that it contained an “undetermined animal,” postal inspectors took the box to the North Quinn Street apartment of Wenxiao Jiang, who allowed them to examine its contents. Inside were several large, exotic beetles that were individually packaged in plastic containers, including a Hercules beetle that can grow to half a foot long. The beetles required a special permit to bring into the country because they can damage crops,...

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Fake polar bear causes real Metro havoc

The Columbia Heights Metro station was closed for nearly two hours Tuesday morning for the D.C. bomb squad to investigate a weird sight: A stuffed polar bear costume leaned up against a garbage can. The arctic reproduction, clothed in worn pants and a threadbare jacket, was posed to appear as if it were digging through the trash, leading to speculation that the display was street art to protest global warming’s destruction of the polar bear’s habitat. Not everybody got the point, and police were alerted around 10 a.m. The Metro station remained closed and trains were not allowed to stop there while authorities cordoned off the area and sent in the bomb squad. Investigators cut open...

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Pr. George’s police release photo of robbery suspect

Prince George’s County police have released a photo of a suspect in the robbery of the Chevy Chase Bank on the 5800 block of Eastern Avenue on Thursday. Around 11 a.m., a man approached a bank employee and passed a note demanding money. The victim complied and the man fled the bank on foot. The suspect is described as a dark-skinned black male, around 25 to 30 years old, with sparse facial hair. He is about 5-feet-5 and weighs about 140 pounds. He was last seen wearing a blue button-up shirt, black pants, black baseball cap and black sunglasses. Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to call police at 301-772-4905. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may...

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Contractor charged with unauthorized access to passport files

A U.S. State Department contractor accused of snooping into the passports of presidential candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain has been charged with unauthorized computer access, according to federal prosecutors. Lawrence C. Yontz, of Arlington, used his position at the McLean-based Analysis Corp. to peek into the electronic files of the presidential candidates as well as those of scores of celebrities, actors, media personalities, athletes and other people in the news, according to charging documents filed in the U.S. District Court for D.C. For three years, Yontz had been gaining authorized access to the database before triggering an alert that notified supervisors that a...

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Ex-loan supervisor indicted on charges of embezzlement

A former loan supervisor was arrested Friday on charges that she embezzled more than $234,000 from the credit union where she worked, prosecutors said. A federal grand jury indicted Felicia Renee Douglas, 40, of Upper Marlboro, on 18 counts, including bank fraud, embezzlement and aggravated identity theft. The indictment alleges that from January 2001 until November 2005, Douglas helped create false checking accounts and lines of credit in the names of at least five credit union customers, using their personal identifying information without their knowledge or consent. Douglas obtained about $234,897 and used the money for her personal benefit and her business, East West Management,...

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Suspects used victim’s cards within hours

D.C. police have obtained new DNA evidence that they hope will lead to the killer or killers of a Voice of America employee who disappeared after work 14 years ago. On Feb. 24, 1994, 35-year-old Lawrence O’Connell, of McLean, signed out of work at Third Street and Independence Avenue SW to go pick up his son from school. He never made it, and his car was left in the parking lot. His body was found two days later by a man walking his dog through a grassy area near Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. “This was every suburbanite’s nightmare,” said Detective Jim Trainum. Investigators believe O’Connell may have known one of the people who kidnapped him because...

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Court of Appeals agrees to hear arguments in pants case

The D.C. Court of Appeals has agreed to hear oral arguments seeking a new trial by the former administrative law judge, Roy L. Pearson Jr. Pearson, who has became a symbol for runaway litigation, will be allowed to make his case Oct. 22. People who want to listen can go to dcappeals.gov/dccourts/appeals/calendar/index.jsp. A legal expert said Pearson will likely argue that the court wrongfully dismissed his case based on the dollar amount of the claim rather than the validity of his lawsuit. The court last year rejected Pearson’s claim that he was defrauded by the owners of the Custom Cleaners, Soo and Jin Chung, and their “Satisfaction Guaranteed” sign. During the...

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Suspect identified in burglary, rape of elderly woman

Authorities are looking for a 24-year-old man who is suspected in the burglary and rape of a elderly woman in Sterling, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Martin Jose Morales-Mancia, who has no fixed address, is accused of entering a home on Ironwood Road on Aug. 2, where he brandished a knife and sexually assaulted the senior citizen, police said. Morales-Mancia, who also goes by the first name Arnold or Jose, is a light-skinned Hispanic male. He is described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall and 170 pounds. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Morales-Mancia is asked to immediately contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021....

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U.S. marshals seeking fugitive suspected of rape

U.S. Marshals are looking for a man accused of breaking into a Fairfax County home and raping and sodomizing a woman a quarter-century ago. Glenn Anthony Mitchell, also known as Tony, was finally arrested in 2005, but he failed to show up for his trial later that year and has been on the run ever since. “The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force would like to put an end to his years on the run and provide closure to a very serious Virginia cold case,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Fairfax County rape occurred in 1981. DNA evidence was collected at the scene, but no match was made. Fourteen years later, the evidence...

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U.S. marshals nab con man with taste for fancy cars

Thanks to tips from readers of The Examiner, U.S. marshals on Wednesday arrested a convicted con man who had duped numerous car dealers into letting him run off with their high-end vehicles. Along the way, from Georgia to Maryland, Clifton Clayton had left a lot of angry victims in his wake, authorities said. When Clayton was featured as a Most Wanted criminal two weeks ago, the phones started ringing at the U.S. Marshals Service. “Apparently, he aggravated a lot of people,” said Matt Burke, supervisory inspector with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. “We got a great response from readers of The Examiner. With that information, we were able to develop his...

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Are we safer?

Since the terrorist attacks of seven years ago today, nearly a half billion dollars in grants have poured into the region to upgrade security while new bureaucracies have emerged with the mandate to make us safe. But has it worked? On one hand, most experts agree that the D.C. area is safer than it was on Sept. 10, 2001. It’s certainly better prepared for a disaster. And yet a sense of unease still exists among security experts, partly because response to some recent episodes has been far from flawless. Last week, after an alert went out that a man had driven up to the Capitol with live hand grenades and a rifle in his car, it took the D.C. police department three hours to dispatch...

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Serial rapist strikes near Georgetown, police say

District of Columbia police and Georgetown University officials believe that a serial rapist who sneaks into the homes of young women has struck again, this time in Burleith near Glover Park. A woman was awakened around 2 a.m. Friday by a man who had crawled into her bed and put his arm around her, police said. The woman mistakenly assumed that the stranger was a guest of one of her roommates, jumped out of bed and sent him on his way. It wasn’t until the next morning that she and her roommates learned that the man was a dangerous prowler, police said. The suspect may have entered the home through an unlocked door or window and left a trail of muddy shoe prints. He was described as...

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Pr. George's police seeking sexual assault suspect

Prince George’s County police are looking for a man that they believe has been involved in sexual assaults on 65th Avenue. The suspect is described as a black male with a dark complexion and twists in his hair. He is about 20 years old, around 5-foot-6 and 150 pounds. On Aug. 31, a woman was awakened at about 3:45 a.m. to find the suspect standing next to her bed in her home in the 3500 block of 65th Avenue. The man tried to attack her but she fled. Earlier that night, a woman reported that she heard a noise on her patio in the 3500 block of 65th Avenue. When she looked out, the suspect was indecently exposing himself. The suspect tried to break into her residence but was eventually...

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Suspected art thief arrested, Georgetown gallery’s stolen lithograph recovered

Authorities recovered two Picasso etchings and a Chagall lithograph after a California art dealer realized that the Chagall had been stolen from a Georgetown gallery. Former D.C. resident Marcus Patmon, 37, was arrested at his Miami home Friday and charged with dealing in stolen property. Additional charges of burglary and grand theft are pending, police said. Patmon became a suspect after he allegedly tried to sell Pablo Picasso’s “Le Repas Frugal” to a California art dealer in July. The 1904 Le Repas Frugal, valued at $395,000, is considered by art experts to be Picasso’s first successful attempt at etching. Patmon told the dealer that his grandfather had given...

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Bank employee charged in robbery

Fairfax County police arrested a bank employee in connection with the robbery of a Bank of America in Springfield where she worked. Police charged clerk Pamela Ghofrani Shadman, 20, of Springfield, with embezzlement. She was originally identified as the victim in the case but investigators believe now that she was in on the crime. Police have obtained an arrest warrant for a second suspect, Piero Alvarado, 20, of Springfield. Around 3 p.m. Thursday, a man handed Shadman a note announcing a robbery. The victim handed over an undisclosed amount of cash and the suspect fled on foot. Alvarado was described as a white male, about 6-feet tall, and about 180 pounds. He had dark hair, a mustache...

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Ex-delegate pleads guilty to child porn possession

Former Maryland Del. Robert McKee pleaded guilty Friday to possession of child pornography. McKee, 59, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison at his Nov. 21 sentencing. The Republican from Hagerstown admitted in court that he had obtained the child pornography in 2004 through the Internet and a mail order service. McKee printed images of child pornography from the Internet and printed stories describing sexual acts between young boys and other young boys or adult men, according to prosecutors. Authorities arrested McKee early this year after a female who lived with McKee told police that she found child pornography. Authorities seized up to 150 images of child pornography,...

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Man fatally stabbed in drug deal gone bad

D.C. cold case detectives are looking for the man who fatally stabbed a construction foreman in the late 1980s and left a trail of blood from the crime scene. Authorities have obtained a partial DNA profile to match the suspect who killed 19-year-old James McCallum. The evidence is not enough to be entered into a national database, but it’s enough to get a match to the killer. All police need is a name, said Detective Jim Trainum, of the Violent Crime Case Review Project. And they’re offering $25,000 to the person who can provide it. “It’s very simple. For up to $25,000, you give me the name, we do the rest,” Trainum said. The McCallum case has been one of...

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Dead woman may be victim of violent serial burglar

Montgomery County police said a violent burglar who has been targeting senior citizens may be responsible for the death Thursday of a 63-year-old woman who was found bound in her Bethesda home. The body of Mary Frances Havenstein was discovered around 8:30 a.m. by a relative who went to her home on the 8900 block of Seven Locks Road to drive Havenstein to a doctor’s appointment. Havenstein was tied up, just like the other elderly victims who survived home invasion robberies in Montgomery County and the District, police said. Don Miller, who lives down the winding road from Havenstein, said his family would take every precaution to make sure they are safe. “I have to say,...

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