Search Results for: prison
Suspect in social media catfish killing sentenced to 25 years in prison
Suspect in social media catfish killing sentenced to 25 years in prison
Waco, TX Cyle Flores, 18, was sentenced to 25 years in state prison after pleading guilty to murder on Thursday. Flores is one of four individuals involved in a scheme to lure a man to his death through deceptive social media tactics.
In 2021, he and three accomplices, Jeremiah Marquez, 18, Justin Angel Hernandez, 22, and Edgar Alfonso Castillo, 17, used Facebook Messenger to entice 22-year-old Israel Martinez to a home on Gurley Avenue, where he was murdered.
Flores is the last member of the group to accept a plea deal, avoiding a trial.
The initial charges for each defendant included capital murder. Prosecutors ultimately negotiated lesser murder pleas for the defendants, leading to varying sentences with the possibility of parole.
The crime transpired on September 19, 2021, when Martinez was misled into believing he was meeting a woman named “Kaelani Moore.” This identity was part of a catfishing scheme orchestrated by Hernandez and the three teenagers.
The scheme involved communication through a fake account which led to Martinez being instructed to transfer money to a different app user.
Detectives traced the fake profile back to Hernandez, who used the name “Kaelani Moore” to deceive Martinez.
Martinez arrived at the location around 10:00 PM, where he was shot multiple times with various firearms from inside the residence while the defendants were reportedly escaping through a back window.
Following the murder, the account used to lure Martinez was deleted.
Law enforcement believes Hernandez and Marquez were the shooters, although all four participants faced similar charges.
While the minors could not face the death penalty, Hernandez could have but accepted a plea deal instead.
Hernandez and Marquez received 35-year sentences, Castillo received 30 years, and Flores received 25 years, with all to serve a minimum of half their sentences before becoming eligible for parole.
Prosecutors emphasized their commitment to addressing gun violence in the community.
Texas mother sentenced to 22 years in prison for toddler’s death
Texas mother sentenced to 22 years in prison for toddler’s death
WICHITA FALLS, TX A Texas mother has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for the death of her 2-year-old daughter. Sarah Elizabeth Newsom, 30, pleaded guilty to injury to a child by failing to protect resulting in serious bodily injury.
Judge Trish Coleman Byars issued the sentence on Monday. Newsom was immediately taken into custody by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
The case centers around the death of Scarlette “Olivia” Newsom, who was severely beaten by Joshua Thomas Fulbright, 30, in October 2018. Scarlette was initially brought to Clay County Memorial Hospital by her mother, who claimed the child was suffering from the flu.
Witnesses described seeing the toddler covered in extensive bruises and unresponsive. Fulbright was later convicted of capital murder on March 10.
Prosecutors faced multiple mistrials before securing the conviction. Newsom testified during Fulbright’s trial, detailing his method of punishment, including time-outs and physical discipline.
The case garnered attention due to the horrific nature of the injuries Scarlette sustained. Newsom admitted to inflicting harm on her daughter as well.
Fulbright is appealing his conviction, claiming improper exclusion of defense testimony. Newsom’s plea deal waived her right to appeal.
The prosecutor stated the resolution to the case was made with careful thought. The community mourns the tragic loss of Scarlette as the court proceedings conclude.
Man sentenced to life in prison for pizza order murder
Man sentenced to life in prison for pizza order murder
Milwaukee, WI A 39-year-old man was found guilty of first-degree intentional murder for fatally shooting a cashier after a dispute over a pizza order. Charles J. Leggett shot 26-year-old Jamil I. Owies at Action Food and Liquor on the morning of October 19.
A jury delivered its verdict on Wednesday after approximately 30 minutes of deliberation. Leggett is set to be sentenced by Circuit Judge David L. Borowski on December 17.
Milwaukee Police received a 911 call around 11:50 a.m. reporting a gunshot at the store. When first responders arrived, they discovered Owies with a gunshot wound to the chest, unresponsive, and without a pulse.
Officers attempted life-saving measures, but Owies was pronounced dead at the scene. An employee revealed that Leggett became upset when he saw his pizza being made without gloves.
Witnesses reported Leggett returned to the counter, where he and Owies began arguing. The argument escalated just before the sound of a gunshot was heard, followed by Leggett fleeing the store.
Security footage from inside the store captured the incident, showing Leggett visibly upset during the confrontation. The recording also revealed that he brandished a handgun before shooting Owies.
Leggett was apprehended soon after and allegedly admitted to shooting Owies during questioning. He described the incident as a response to Owies’ loud remarks regarding the pizza preparation.
During his sentencing hearing next month, Leggett will receive a mandatory sentence of life in prison.
Man sentenced to decades in prison for shooting girlfriend over infidelity accusation
Man sentenced to decades in prison for shooting girlfriend over infidelity accusation
Spartanburg, SC
A 24-year-old man was sentenced to 35 years in a state correctional facility after shooting at his girlfriend more than 40 times. The incident occurred following a confrontation over the use of her car during an alleged affair.
Circuit Court Judge Patrick C. Fant, III announced the sentence after a jury found Kelbrez Antrial Stringer guilty of attempted murder, possessing a weapon during the commission of a crime, discharging a firearm into a dwelling, and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle.
The shooting took place on April 17, 2023, when Stringer borrowed his girlfriend’s car while she was at work. After picking up his girlfriend, the couple received a call alleging Stringer’s infidelity, prompting a verbal argument.
Upon reaching Cowpens, the girlfriend asked Stringer to exit the vehicle. As she drove away, Stringer fired over 40 shots towards her car.
Several bullets struck a nearby home, while nine hit the girlfriend’s vehicle. One bullet struck her in the neck, but she managed to drive away and call 911.
Emergency medical personnel transported her to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center for treatment.
In a police interview, Stringer claimed an unknown person was following them and fired at him. Eyewitnesses, however, testified only the couple’s vehicle was present during the shooting.
Stringer had prior convictions for breach of peace, petit larceny, and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, among other offenses. Earlier, he pled guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon and was sentenced to five years in prison, concurrent with his 35-year sentence.
The victim testified in court, a decision praised by Assistant Solicitor Eddie Hunter.
Mom ordered food while infant starved to death, sentenced to prison
Mom ordered food while infant starved to death, sentenced to prison
Sun Prairie, WI A 22-year-old woman was sentenced to eight years in prison for felony child neglect after her infant son died from malnourishment. Taryn L. Strait pleaded guilty in connection with the death of her three-week-old son Dev’Kumar Keys.
The child died on February 1 in Sun Prairie, a suburb of Madison. An autopsy indicated that the infant weighed only five pounds, having lost more than a pound since his birth.
Strait and her boyfriend, 27-year-old De’Varius D. Keys, primarily fed the child almond milk while refusing to give him formula. Strait believed that baby formulas contained lead and supported her notion by watching videos online.
On the day of the child’s death, police reports stated that Strait observed the infant in his bassinet around 2:30 a.m. Shortly thereafter, she felt the boy go limp after picking him up.
Instead of calling 911, Strait and Keys transported the infant to a hospital due to concerns about ambulance costs. Medical personnel attempted to save the boy, but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Investigators revealed that the infant’s weight loss had prompted doctors to advise the parents to increase feeding every two hours. The couple did not attend a subsequent doctor’s appointment to monitor the child’s health and failed to respond to follow-up calls from Child Protective Services.
CPS had previously assessed the case and closed it, citing insufficient evidence of neglect. An autopsy later confirmed that Dev’Kumar died from starvation and dehydration.
During the sentencing, the assistant district attorney criticized Strait for neglecting her child’s needs. Strait acknowledged her wrongdoings and expressed remorse while stating the child’s death would impact her for life.
Circuit Judge Nicholas McNamara expressed disbelief at Strait prioritizing her and her boyfriend’s needs while their infant was suffering. Keys is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on November 20.
Stabbing over clogged toilet leads to prison sentence for daughter
Stabbing incident over toilet leads to prison sentence for daughter
Otisville, NY A woman has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for stabbing her father multiple times. Kimberly Mann, 37, stabbed her father during an argument over a clogged toilet on August 14.
Mann pleaded guilty to first-degree assault as part of a plea agreement. She admitted to intentionally causing serious injury to her father using a dangerous instrument.
The altercation escalated when Mann’s mother became involved. When her father intervened, Mann drew a concealed knife and stabbed him multiple times in the chest.
Emergency responders found the victim suffering from severe injuries, including collapsed lungs. Medical personnel transported him to a local hospital, where he received lifesaving treatment and survived.
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler described the incident as a nightmare. He emphasized the seriousness of domestic violence and commended law enforcement for their role in the case.
As of Monday afternoon, Mann remained in custody at the Orange County Jail. The conviction highlights the potentially dangerous nature of familial conflicts.