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Raleigh Businessman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Export to China

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 28, 20250

Raleigh Businessman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Export to China

**Raleigh, NC** – David C. Bohmerwald, 63, owner of Components Cooper Inc., a Raleigh electronics resale business, pleaded guilty to attempting to export military-use accelerometer technology to China without a license. This action violates the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) and could lead to a maximum of 20 years in prison upon sentencing.

Court records revealed that Bohmerwald purchased 100 accelerometers from a U.S. electronics company, intending to export them to a Chinese company. These devices are significant in fields spanning from research and product development to critical military applications like flight control and missile navigation. A license is necessary for exporting such technology to China.

Upon purchasing the accelerometers, Bohmerwald falsely stated they were for a Missouri-based end user. However, the Missouri company denied any such transaction. After obtaining the accelerometers, Bohmerwald attempted to ship them via FedEx to China. Agents from the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security detained the package, uncovering the lack of a proper export license and noting Bohmerwald’s undervaluation of the items.

The investigation is conducted by the Bureau of Industry and Security, FBI

Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Scheme

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 28, 20250

Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud Scheme

**Jackson, MS** – A Florida resident has admitted guilt in a case involving a decade-long scheme promoting an illicit tax shelter and committing wire fraud. The individual also confessed to aiding in the preparation of false tax returns for clients using the shelter.

Stephen T. Mellinger III of Delray Beach worked as a financial advisor, insurance salesman, and securities broker in various states. Since late 2013, he and his accomplices marketed an illegal tax shelter, encouraging clients to claim inappropriate deductions for “royalty payments” to unlawfully minimize their taxes.

Court documents reveal these royalty payments constituted a deceptive money flow, creating the facade of legitimate business expenses. Clients would transfer funds to accounts managed by Mellinger and his partners, who would return the sum—minus their fee—to an account controlled by the client, allowing them to claim false deductions.

Through the scheme, clients claimed over $106 million in misleading tax deductions, leading to a $37 million tax loss for the IRS. Mellinger and one unnamed co-conspirator reportedly earned approximately $3 million from the operations. They also misappropriated over $2.1 million from clients under investigation, some of which M

Delaware Corporation Pleads Guilty to OSHA Violation in Worker’s Death

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 28, 20250

Delaware Corporation Pleads Guilty to OSHA Violation in Worker’s Death

**Columbus, OH** – A Delaware corporation with operations in Ohio has admitted guilt in a federal court located in the Southern District of Ohio for breaching an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation. The breach is associated with a fatal incident in which a pneumatic door fatally injured an employee.

Fabcon Precast LLC, operating in Grove City, Ohio, along with other locations, specializes in manufacturing precast concrete panels. Employees, known as batch operators, handle the facility’s sole concrete mixer, with concrete ejected from a pneumatic door. An exhaust valve that neutralizes the door’s pneumatic energy remained unrepaired after its handle broke.

On June 6, 2020, 20-year-old Zachary Ledbetter, a batch operator since January, was present when the discharge door failed post-operation. Unable to secure the door due to the broken valve, Ledbetter was fatally trapped when attempting to fix it. He was later hospitalized where he succumbed to his injuries five days later.

Federal regulations classify the willful disregard of an OSHA safety standard leading to an employee’s death as a class B misdemeanor, the sole federal criminal charge for such

Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter After Overdose Death at Toms River Motel

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 28, 20250

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Browns Mills man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the 2019 drug-related death of a 29-year-old man at a Toms River motel, authorities said. William Anderson, 60, entered the plea on February 27, 2025, before Judge David M. Fritch in Ocean County Superior Court, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Prosecutors will seek a seven-year prison sentence when Anderson is sentenced on May 2, 2025. The case stems from an incident on February 28, 2019, when Toms River police responded to the Pelican Inn for reports of an unresponsive male. Officers

Bail Jumper Who Attacked MTA Train Conductor Pleads Guilty

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 25, 20250

GOSHEN, N.Y. — A Wallkill man has pleaded guilty to assaulting an MTA train conductor and later fleeing the jurisdiction, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Monday. Damarion Gulley, 24, admitted to second-degree assault and second-degree bail jumping in Orange County Court on Thursday. Prosecutors will recommend a combined prison sentence of four to six years when he is sentenced on May 8. Authorities say the assault occurred on September 7, 2023, at the Port Jervis train station. Gulley and three others ran across the tracks in front of a train and were denied entry onto the train

Brick Township Cat Hoarder Pleads Guilty As State Pushes for Jail Time, Pet Ownership Ban

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 24, 20250

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Brick Township man pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of animal cruelty after authorities discovered 157 cats and three dogs living in squalid conditions at his home, prosecutors said. Jeffrey Finlay, 56, entered the plea before Ocean County Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer in connection with the May 4, 2023, incident. He faces up to 180 days in the Ocean County Jail as a condition of probation at his sentencing on April 25. Prosecutors are also seeking a lifetime ban on animal ownership and community service unrelated to animals. Police responded to Finlay’s Mantoloking

Trump Was Right: New Jersey Politician Pleads Guilty to Massive Mail-In-Ballot Fraud Scheme

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 13, 20250

CAMDEN, N.J. — A former Atlantic City council president and longtime political organizer admitted in federal court to orchestrating a scheme to procure, cast, and tabulate fraudulent mail-in ballots in the 2022 general election, prosecutors said. Craig Callaway, 64, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Callaway, who has been involved in New Jersey political campaigns, admitted to depriving state residents of a fair election by submitting fraudulent ballots. Beginning in October 2022, about a month before the election, Callaway and his associates recruited individuals in Atlantic City, offering

Amtrak employee pleads guilty in $11 million healthcare fraud scheme

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 12, 20250

NEWARK, N.J. — An Amtrak employee admitted Tuesday to participating in a multi-million dollar health care fraud scheme that defrauded the company’s insurance plan, federal prosecutors said. Anthony Saloka, 44, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Prosecutors said Saloka and his co-conspirators allowed healthcare providers to use their personal and insurance information to submit fraudulent claims for services that were either never provided or medically unnecessary. In return, Saloka received thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks from providers, including acupuncturist Punson Figueroa and podiatrist Michael DeNicola. The scheme, which

New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Beating 10-Week-Old Puppy in Front of Young Daughter

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 10, 20250

MAYS LANDING, N.J. — A Pleasantville man pleaded guilty Thursday to multiple charges, including animal cruelty, endangering the welfare of a child, and aggravated assault on law enforcement officers, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office announced. Gabriel Mojica, 36, entered his guilty plea before Judge Bernard DeLury, Jr. and faces a five-year prison sentence when he is sentenced on April 10, 2025. The charges stem from a September 2022 incident in which Mojica was seen beating a 10-week-old puppy named Scooby with a closed fist in front of his seven-year-old daughter. Witnesses alerted the Atlantic City Police Department, leading to his

Jacksonville restaurant owner pleads guilty to immigration law violation

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 8, 20250

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville restaurant owner has pleaded guilty to operating a business designed to evade U.S. immigration laws, federal prosecutors announced. Hua Yao Ke, 38, admitted to employing undocumented workers at Kamiya 86 Sushi and Thai, a restaurant he owned in Ponte Vedra Beach. Prosecutors said Ke did not require workers to provide legal employment documents, violating federal law. In addition to hiring undocumented workers, Ke provided them free housing at a property he owned, as well as free transportation to and from the restaurant. He also paid wages in cash without withholding taxes or other required payments.

Philadelphia man pleads guilty to stealing deceased classmate’s identity for fraud, gun permit application

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 7, 20250

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Philadelphia County man has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges after stealing a deceased classmate’s identity to fraudulently obtain a driver’s license, vehicle registration, insurance, and apply for a concealed carry firearms permit, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Wednesday. Anthony Percell, 56, admitted to insurance fraud, theft by deception, identity theft, and forgery in Philadelphia County Court. Investigators revealed that he had assumed the identity of a former classmate who died in 1986 and used the stolen credentials for years to secure official documents and benefits. As part of a plea agreement, Percell was sentenced

Illegal Alien Drug Mule Pleads Guilty in New Jersey After Third Time Crossing Border to Traffic Cocaine

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 7, 20250

CAMDEN, N.J. — A Mexican national pleaded guilty Tuesday to trafficking cocaine and illegally re-entering the United States after being deported multiple times, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced. Anastacio Santiago Chaparro, also known as Arnoldo Urquidez, 41, admitted to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and illegal reentry by a convicted felon before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court. On Nov. 6, 2023, Santiago Chaparro was caught transporting a backpack containing more than 10 kilograms of cocaine. He admitted in court that the drugs were intended for distribution. He had previously been deported from the

Freehold Borough man pleads guilty to aggravated assault in Jackson Township shooting

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 4, 20250

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Freehold Borough man has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a weapons offense in connection with a 2024 shooting in Jackson Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced Monday. Michael Vulpis, 26, entered his plea before Superior Court Judge Kimarie Rahill. Prosecutors will seek a five-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison under the No Early Release Act for the aggravated assault charge and another five-year term, with 42 months of parole ineligibility, for the weapons charge. The sentences will run concurrently. The charges stem from a June 27, 2024,

Texas man pleads guilty to making violent threats against Sikh organization in New Jersey

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 2, 20250

CAMDEN, N.J. — A Dallas man pleaded guilty Friday to making violent threats against a Sikh civil rights organization and other individuals in a series of hate-filled messages, federal prosecutors said. Bushan Athale, 49, admitted in federal court to interfering with federally protected activities and transmitting interstate threats. Prosecutors said Athale left multiple voicemails in September 2022 for a Sikh advocacy group, threatening to harm its employees. In the messages, he made references to Sikh religious practices and described plans to forcibly shave and attack members of the organization. Athale continued his threats in March 2024 with additional voicemails that

Virginia woman pleads guilty in multimillion-dollar bank fraud conspiracy

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 2, 20250

ALBANY, N.Y. — A Virginia woman pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for her role in a nationwide scheme that used stolen identities to steal millions from financial institutions, federal prosecutors said. Sherry Ozmore, 56, of Richmond, admitted to acting as a “runner” in the fraud ring, impersonating identity-theft victims at banks and credit unions to withdraw money. Prosecutors said she fraudulently obtained more than $195,000 over five months in 2023, receiving only a small share of the stolen funds. The superseding indictment charges multiple individuals, including alleged ringleaders Oluwaseun Adekoya, 39, and David Daniyan, 60, both

San Joaquin County woman pleads guilty to illegal firearms trafficking

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 1, 20250

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A Tracy woman pleaded guilty Friday to illegal firearms trafficking after admitting to purchasing guns in Nevada and selling them on the black market in California, federal prosecutors said. Alejandra Susana Castillo, 34, was involved in a conspiracy that trafficked more than 30 firearms between August 2023 and August 2024, according to court documents. At least three of those weapons were later recovered in connection with suspected firearm-related crimes. Authorities said Castillo’s co-conspirator led officers on a high-speed chase in July 2024 before evading capture. Two days later, Castillo was detained while driving the same vehicle at

Former Marine pleads guilty in fentanyl overdose death of fellow Marine

Breaking Local News ReportFebruary 1, 20250

LOS ANGELES — A former U.S. Marine lance corporal pleaded guilty Friday to a felony drug offense in connection with the 2020 fentanyl-related death of a fellow Marine at a party in Compton. Anthony Ruben Whisenant, 24, admitted to using a cellphone to facilitate a drug transaction that led to the overdose death of another Marine, identified in court documents as L.M. Whisenant faces a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison when he is sentenced on May 7. Prosecutors said Whisenant, then stationed at Camp Pendleton, ordered fentanyl-laced pills from dealer Gustavo Jaciel Solis, 28, after seeing an

Barnegat man pleads guilty to robbery, shoplifting in Stafford Township

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 29, 20250

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Barnegat man has pleaded guilty to robbery and shoplifting in connection with multiple incidents in Stafford Township last year, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. Nicholas Santiago, 39, entered his guilty plea on January 27 before Superior Court Judge Kimmarie Rahill. Prosecutors will seek a five-year prison term under the No Early Release Act for the robbery charge and a four-year term for shoplifting, to be served concurrently. Authorities say Santiago robbed a convenience store on Route 72 in Stafford Township on May 27, 2024, brandishing a knife and demanding cash, cigarettes, and other

Queens man pleads guilty to rape, attempted murder in 2023 rooftop assault

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 27, 20250

QUEENS, N.Y. — A Jamaica man pleaded guilty Friday to charges of rape, attempted murder, and patronizing prostitution in connection with a violent daytime assault on a woman in August 2023, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced. Jerson Vasquez, 25, of 170th Street, admitted to luring the victim to a rooftop in Jamaica, where he attacked her after responding to a Facebook Marketplace prostitution advertisement. “This was a brazen and brutal daytime attack,” District Attorney Katz said. “Thanks to her brave testimony, we were able to charge this defendant with rape and attempted murder.” According to court records, on August

East Meadow man pleads guilty to hate crime for antisemitic graffiti

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 24, 20250

MINEOLA, N.Y. — An East Meadow man pleaded guilty Thursday to a hate crime charge after spray-painting antisemitic graffiti on private fences and in front of a local Jewish center in April 2024, the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office announced. Sebastian Patino Caceres, 23, admitted to Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree as a Hate Crime, a felony, during a hearing before Judge Robert Schwartz. Prosecutors said the vandalism included phrases such as “Zionism is Nazism” and “F-ck Israel” spray-painted on fencing and sidewalks, including at the East Meadow Beth-El Jewish Center. As part of his plea agreement, Patino Caceres

Orange County man pleads guilty to selling loaded firearm to undercover officer

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 23, 20250

GOSHEN, N.Y. — A New Windsor man pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree after selling a loaded firearm to an undercover police officer, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced Wednesday. Morgan Secreto, 42, admitted in court on January 16, 2025, to selling a loaded Taurus .380 pistol to an undercover New York State Police officer in July 2024 in exchange for $1,000. The firearm was later determined to be operable. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the District Attorney’s Office will recommend a sentence of 10 years in prison, followed by

Brooklyn man pleads guilty to unprovoked stabbing of liberal activist Ryan Carson

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 22, 20250

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A 20-year-old Brooklyn man has pleaded guilty to the 2023 unprovoked murder of Ryan Carson, a social justice activist, in a brutal attack caught on surveillance video, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Wednesday. Brian Dowling, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a sentence of 20 years to life in prison. The plea was entered before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun, with sentencing scheduled for February 19, 2025. The fatal stabbing occurred on October 2, 2023, at approximately 3:50 a.m. outside 57 Malcolm X Boulevard in Bedford-Stuyvesant. According to the investigation, Dowling,

Former Bradford County Youth Pastor Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Assault

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 17, 20250

HARRISBURG, PA – Robert David Fenton, 55, a former youth pastor from Bradford County, has pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault, announced Attorney General Michelle Henry on Thursday. The plea comes after an extensive investigation revealing that Fenton sexually abused a child between 1996 and 1998 when he served as a youth pastor at Abide in the Vine church. The abuse began when the victim was just 14 years old. Following the crimes, Fenton fled to Australia to evade prosecution. However, he was eventually apprehended in April 2024 while attempting to enter the Philippines,

New York Man Pleads Guilty to Dismembering Woman and Scattering Her Remains in Three Locations

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 17, 20250

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Gary Cowell, 72, of Patchogue, pleaded guilty to dismembering the body of Yvette Leonard and discarding her remains in multiple locations after her death, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced Thursday. Cowell admitted to charges of Unlawful Concealment of a Human Corpse and Tampering with Physical Evidence, both Class E felonies. He faces a maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison when he is sentenced. “This defendant’s actions following Ms. Leonard’s death denied the victim of the dignity and respect that she deserved,” said District Attorney Tierney. “We hope that this plea

Man pleads guilty to Tompkins Square Park shootings, faces 13 years in prison

Breaking Local News ReportJanuary 14, 20250

NEW YORK, NY — Waldemar Alverio, 38, has pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder for two separate shootings in Tompkins Square Park that left two people seriously injured, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced Tuesday. Alverio admitted to opening fire twice within five days in March 2024, including a March 16 shooting where he struck a man in the buttocks, fracturing his pelvis, and wounded a 53-year-old tourist, causing injuries that required hip replacement surgery. On March 21, Alverio returned to the park and fired five more rounds at a group, missing them but sending bullets