Search Results for: school

Middle school teacher arrested for child pornography lands job at child welfare agency

Jackson, MS

A former Mississippi middle school teacher has been hired by a state child welfare agency after being arrested for producing child sexual abuse material. Wilson Frederick Jones, 30, was employed by the Corinth School District until he was fired due to allegations of using a school computer to create such material.

Jones was terminated on November 20 and subsequently arrested by the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office in early December. He applied for a position at the Mississippi Department of Child Protective Services while facing these serious charges.

Jones requested not to contact his previous employer during the application process. He began working as a Social Service Specialist II on February 18, even though the agency knew about his background.

Recent court filings reveal that Jones’s role would require him to work directly with foster children. Corinth School District Superintendent Edward Childress is also implicated in the case for allegedly failing to report Jones’ actions.

Court records indicate that the Mississippi Department of Education did not learn about Jones’ arrest until January. Childress is accused of not informing the police in a timely manner.

Jones produced the child sexual abuse material using an AI tool and images of female students from social media. The trial for Jones and Childress is scheduled to start on November 17.

David Scott Jr. arrested after threatening to shoot elementary school over snack time

Eastpointe, MI A 43-year-old man has been arrested for threatening to shoot up his son’s elementary school. David Scott Jr. allegedly became enraged at Pleasantview Elementary School after his son did not have enough time to finish his snack.

He faces several charges, including making an intentional threat to commit violence against a school. Officers took Scott into custody earlier this week following the incident.

Witnesses reported that he confronted a teacher and threatened to return the next day. The Eastpointe Police Department executed a search warrant at Scott’s home, recovering multiple rounds of ammunition, which he is legally prohibited from possessing.

Scott’s behavior was described as aggressive. He reportedly screamed and made threats in front of students and staff. He also expressed that he would “air the place out,” a slang term indicating an intent to inflict harm.

The school administration condemned his actions, calling the behavior unacceptable. Officials from Eastpointe Community Schools emphasized they take all threats seriously.

Scott’s bond has been set at $150,000, and he must undergo a mental health evaluation. Conditions for his release include GPS monitoring and restrictions on alcohol consumption and contact with the school.

New traffic violations highlight school bus safety concerns

Charlottesville, VA An officer with the Albemarle County Police Department conducted proactive patrols on Thursday at approximately 8:40 a.m. in the vicinity of Proffit Road and Acadia Drive. The officer noticed a driver passing a stopped school bus while on duty.

The officer initiated a traffic stop and discovered that the vehicle had made contact with the stop arm of the bus. No students were boarding the bus, and there were no reported injuries.

Following the investigation, the officer charged the driver with misdemeanor hit-and-run and passing a stopped school bus. Albemarle County Police Department reminds the community of the dangers and legal ramifications of passing stopped school buses, especially during National School Bus Safety Week.

Woman arrested for threatening to blow up Florida high school over lunch dispute

Rockledge, FL

Brandie Covington, 40, has been charged with making threats after a dispute regarding her daughter’s boyfriend’s school lunch. The incident transpired on Tuesday morning as classes were in session at Rockledge High School.

Around 10:50 a.m., Covington called the cafeteria in a state of frustration because her daughter’s boyfriend did not receive his lunch due to insufficient funds in his account. The cafeteria employee attempted to explain the school’s policy on such situations, but Covington reacted by yelling and using profanity.

She threatened to “burn the school down” and followed that with “I’ll be over there to blow that f— school up,” according to an arrest affidavit. The cafeteria employee promptly reported the threat to the school resource officer.

Approximately five minutes later, Covington made another call, this time to the vice principal. She again identified herself and expressed her dissatisfaction regarding the lunch situation.

The vice principal informed Covington that he could not discuss the matter since she was not related to the student, but he tried to explain the school’s procedures. Covington became verbally aggressive, repeating that she would burn the school down before hanging up.

After being notified a second time, the school resource officer took further action. Later that day, law enforcement visited Covington’s home.

After she was informed of her rights, Covington acknowledged making the calls regarding her daughter’s boyfriend’s lunch. She expressed frustration over previous communications with the school that had not yielded a response.

The statements provided by Covington were mostly consistent with those reported by school officials, though she denied threatening the school. Covington was arrested and taken to the Brevard County Jail.

She was subsequently released on Thursday after posting a bond of $75,000.

State’s attorney partners with business school to combat financial crimes

COLLEGE PARK, MD – State’s Attorney Charlie Smith has announced a partnership with Justice for Fraud Victims, Inc. to address financial crimes in Frederick. The nonprofit, which collaborates with the University of Maryland Smith School of Business, aims to support victims of economic crimes.

The Justice for Fraud Victims, directed by Samuel Handwerger, is composed of financial professionals and retired F.B.I. investigators. The organization has already partnered with the State’s Attorney for Prince Georges County and has produced numerous court exhibits in various cases.

The JFV offers free services that include fraud examination and detailed fraud reports on cases such as embezzlement and payroll fraud. Its team also performs tracing of stolen funds within public blockchain systems and conducts risk assessments for small businesses and nonprofits.

“Fraud victims are underserved due to the lack of necessary investigation and resources needed to make a case for prosecution,” said State’s Attorney Charlie Smith. He emphasized the importance of forensic accounting reports in determining the criminal nature of a case.

In a recent jury case involving elder fraud, UMD student volunteers contributed to the production of a comprehensive 40-page report. The report included data analytics and visualizations, analyzing over a year’s worth of bank statements and recorded calls.

The partnership will allow the Smith School of Business to extend its forensic accounting training programs this fall. The initiative is part of a broader network involving several universities across the country that tackle similar issues in their regions.

Charlie Smith, a finance graduate from the University of Maryland, anticipates that this collaboration will enhance justice for fraud victims in Frederick.

In a significant move to address fraud, local leaders partner with academic professionals to bring justice to financial crime victims.