Feds say woman faked immigration kidnapping in Los Angeles & 5 more legal cases
Thousands of legal cases reach U.S. courts every year. From accusations of mistreatment in prisons to fraud to sexual abuse and beyond, here are some of the latest from across the country.
Fake tutor tries to meet child for sex acts, feds say. Florida cops were waiting
In Florida, Kevin Patrick Wilson, 39, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after being accused of attempting to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex acts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. Court documents say Wilson posed as a tutor in a Facebook group and communicated with an undercover detective posing as the girl's guardian. The sting operation led to his arrest on July 24, 2024,according to federal prosecutors. | Published July 15 | Read More
Off-duty deputy threatens crypto businessman's rival inside CA mansion, feds say
In California, two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were charged with civil rights violations in connection with their work as private security for a cryptocurrency businessman, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Christopher Michael Cadman and another deputy were accused of intimidating a rival of the businessman, leading to a $25,000 transfer, federal prosecutors say. Cadman agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy against rights and a tax offense on July 14. | Published July 16 | Read More
'I'm gonna go postal.' Mail carrier purposely hits USPS vehicle in VA, feds say
In Virginia, Lolita Brickhouse, 31, pleaded guilty to causing over $42,000 in damage after federal prosecutors say she purposely crashed into a USPS vehicle. The incident occurred after Brickhouse accused her co-workers of stealing her phone, leading to a violent outburst, court filings say. Brickhouse faces up to 10 years in prison for destruction of government property, according to prosecutors. | Published July 16 | Read More
21-year-old Army soldier hacks databases, threatens to leak stolen data, feds say
Cameron John Wagenius, a former U.S. Army soldier, pleaded guilty to hacking and extortion charges after he was accused of accessing data from telecommunications companies, federal prosecutors say. Wagenius and his conspirators attempted to extort $1,000,000 and sold stolen data, according to court documents. He faces prison time, with sentencing scheduled for October, prosecutors say. | Published July 17 | Read More
Woman fakes immigration kidnapping, then is found at CA shopping plaza, feds say
Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon, 41, is accused of faking herimmigration kidnapping from downtown Los Angeles to solicit donations, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors say Calderon and her family falsely claimed she was abducted by masked men, but she was later found at a shopping plaza. Calderon is charged with conspiracy and making false statements to federal officers. | Published July 18 | Read More
Woman in crisis was stripped, strapped to chair at Florida ICE center, suit says
A federal lawsuit in Florida says a woman was mistreated at an ICE facility, where guards stripped her and strapped her to a chair during a mental health crisis. The woman, a human trafficking survivor, was exposed and mocked by officers, according to the complaint. The lawsuit seeks damages and calls for the closure of the detention center. | Published July 18 | Read More
McClatchy News continues to follow lawsuits and legal cases from around the country. Check back for more legal stories.
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Los Angeles Times
8 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump's top federal prosecutor in L.A. struggles to secure indictments in protest cases
To bystanders at the federal courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, it sounded as though U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli would not take no for an answer. A prosecutor had the irate Trump administration appointee on speaker phone outside the grand jury room, and his screaming was audible, according to three law enforcement officials aware of the encounter who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. The grand jury had just refused to indict someone accused of attacking federal law enforcement officers during protests against the recent immigration raids throughout Southern California, two of the officials said. It was an exceedingly rare outcome after a type of hearing that routinely leads to federal charges being filed. On the overheard call, according to three officials, Essayli, 39, told a subordinate to disregard the federal government's 'Justice Manual,' which directs prosecutors to only bring cases they can win at trial. Essayli barked that prosecutors should press on and secure indictments as directed by U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi, according to three officials. Court records show the reason for Essayli's frustration. While his office has filed felony cases against at least 38 people for alleged misconduct that either took place during last month's protests or near the sites of immigration raids, many have already been dismissed or reduced to misdemeanor charges. The three officials who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity said prosecutors have struggled to get several protest-related cases past grand juries, which need only to find probable cause that a crime has been committed in order to move forward. That is a much lower bar than the 'beyond a reasonable doubt' standard required for a criminal conviction. Five cases have been dismissed without prejudice — meaning they could be refiled — and records show nine have been filed as misdemeanors, which do not require a grand jury indictment to proceed. In some cases, prosecutors reduced charges against defendants to misdemeanors after repeatedly falling short at the grand jury stage, according to three federal law enforcement officials. Essayli declined to be interviewed for this article. A statement provided by his office on Tuesday accused The Times of spreading 'factual inaccuracies and anonymous gossip,' but offered no specifics or further comment in response to questions. 'The U.S. Attorney's Office will continue working unapologetically to charge all those who assault our agents or impede our federal investigations,' the statement said. Legal experts said Essayli's low number of indictments raised concerns about the strength of the cases he is filing. Carley Palmer, a former federal prosecutor in L.A. who is now a partner at Halpern May Ybarra Gelberg, said the grand jury's repeated rejection of cases was 'a strong indication that the priorities of the prosecutor's office are out of sync with the priorities of the general community.' Essayli has won indictments in some serious cases, including two where defendants are accused of throwing or planning to throw Molotov cocktails at L.A. law enforcement officers, and a case where defendants allegedly fired a paintball gun at federal police. But in total, he has only secured seven indictments, which usually need to be obtained no later than 21 days after the filing of a criminal complaint. Three other cases have been resolved via plea deal, records show. High-ranking Justice Department officials have repeatedly praised his work. 'My friend, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, is a champion for law and order who has done superlative work to prosecute rioters for attacking and obstructing law enforcement in Los Angeles,' Bondi said in a statement to The Times. But legal experts and some of Essayli's own prosecutors say he's stretching legal limits to serve as Trump's attack dog in L.A. 'It's just generally a culture of 'if Bill asks you to jump, you ask how high,'' said one prosecutor who feared retaliation. 'Any case he wants to charge, find a way to make it a yes.' Questions about Essayli's effectiveness come at a critical time for the former California Assembly member. Bondi appointed him in early April, giving him 120 days to serve as interim U.S. attorney until receiving Senate approval. If he is not confirmed by then, a panel of federal judges will have the opportunity to appoint him — or someone else — to the position. Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla of California raised concerns about Essayli's leadership of the office in interviews with The Times, and a direct approval from the bench is no sure thing. Earlier this month, a federal judicial panel blocked Trump's choice for U.S. attorney in upstate New York after the time limit for Senate confirmation had expired. On Tuesday, another judicial panel declined to appoint New Jersey's interim federal prosecutor, Alina Habba, one of Trump's former personal lawyers. Bondi, however, decried the judges for going 'rogue,' fired their choice for U.S. attorney and reappointed Habba. Legal experts say the move is unprecedented. Meghan Blanco, a former federal prosecutor in L.A. who serves as defense counsel to one of the protesters who is facing charges, said the cases are faltering in part because of unreliable information provided by immigration agents claiming to be victims. 'Frankly, they're not deserving of prosecution,' she said. 'What is being alleged isn't a federal crime, or it simply did not happen.' Blanco represents Jose Mojica, who was accused of pushing a federal officer in Paramount on June 7. According to an investigation summary of the incident reviewed by The Times, a U.S. Border Patrol officer claimed a man was screaming in his face that he was going to 'shoot him,' then punched him. The officer said he and other agents started chasing the man, but were 'stopped by two other males,' later identified as Mojica and Bryan Ramos-Brito. Blanco said she obtained social media videos showing no such chase took place and presented them at Mojica's first court appearance. The charges were soon dropped. 'The agent lied and said he was in hot pursuit of a person who punched him,' Blanco said. 'The entirety of the affidavit is false.' Felony charges against Ramos-Brito and two related defendants, Ashley and Joceline Rodriguez, were also dismissed, though prosecutors refiled misdemeanor cases against them. Christian Camacho-Cerna, the man who allegedly punched an agent, has been indicted. He has pleaded not guilty, with trial set for next month. Similar issues arose in the case of Andrea Velez, who was charged on June 25 with assaulting a federal officer. The criminal complaint alleged Velez, who is 4 feet 11 inches, stood in the path of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer with her arms extended, striking his head and chest when they collided. Diane Bass, Velez's attorney, said the incident occurred when masked, unidentified men in plainclothes pulled up to question a downtown L.A. street vendor. Velez had just been dropped off for work when some of the masked men ran at her and one shoved her to the ground, Bass said. Velez, fearing she was being abducted, held up her work bag to shield herself. Bass requested body-worn camera footage and witness statements cited in the complaint. Soon after, she said, the prosecutor dismissed the case. One federal law enforcement official not authorized to speak publicly said concerns are growing among prosecutors about the accuracy of statements by federal immigration agents that serve as the basis of criminal charges. 'There are a lot of hot-headed [Customs and Border Protection] officers who are kind of arresting first and asking questions later. We're finding there's not probable cause to support it,' said the prosecutor who requested anonymity over concerns of repercussions. One case under close scrutiny is that of Adrian Martinez, a 20-year-old charged in a criminal complaint last month with conspiracy to impede a federal officer. Martinez said he was on a break from his job at Walmart when he spotted immigration agents chasing down a maintenance worker, and told them to leave the man alone. Video footage shows Martinez being thrown to the ground and shoved into a truck, which he said took him to a parking structure. Once there, Martinez said he was told he'd been arrested for assaulting a federal officer by striking an agent in the face and breaking his glasses. Martinez, who weighs around 150 pounds, said the agents arresting him pointed to the colleague he was being accused of attacking, who looked 'like a grizzly bear.' 'I don't even remember you,' Martinez recalled saying. 'It just seemed like they were trying to get me to say like, 'yes, you assaulted him,' but I knew I didn't.' The next day, Essayli posted a photo on X of Martinez, still in his blue Walmart vest. Martinez, he wrote, had been arrested 'for an allegation of punching a border patrol agent in the face.' The criminal complaint makes no reference to a punch and video taken at the scene does not clearly show Martinez strike anyone. Federal prosecutors instead charged Martinez with conspiracy to impede a federal officer, alleging he blocked federal law enforcement vehicles with his car and then later a trash can. Ciaran McEvoy, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, previously told The Times that complaints do not always include 'the full scope of a defendant's conduct, or the evidence that will be presented at trial.' A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the agency could not comment on cases under active litigation. 'Our officers are facing a surge in assaults and attacks against them as they put their lives on the line to enforce our nation's laws,' the DHS statement said. Charges against nonviolent defendants have repeatedly raised alarm bells among current and former federal prosecutors. In early June, union leader David Huerta was charged with conspiracy to impede a federal officer for allegedly interfering with immigration enforcement actions in the downtown L.A. garment district. Legal experts said Huerta's conduct did not appear criminal. 'Where do you draw the line between an organized protest and a conspiracy to impede?' Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor and professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, asked last month. 'It'll actually be interesting to see if a grand jury indicts these cases.' Huerta has denied all wrongdoing and his attorney did not respond to a request for comment. A deadline of Aug. 5 looms for prosecutors to secure an indictment. Court filings show some prosecutors appear to be refusing to sign their names to contentious cases. An indictment returned against Alejandro Orellana — who is accused of conspiracy and aiding in civil disorder for passing out gas masks at a protest scene in early June — was only signed by Essayli and his second-in-command, Jennifer Waier, records show. Such cases are typically handled by rank-and-file assistant U.S. attorneys. In early May, when Essayli pushed to offer a lenient plea deal to L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy Trevor Kirk months after a jury convicted him of assaulting a woman during a 2023 arrest, several prosecutors refused to sign the document asking for the deal, and some later resigned. Times staff writer Kevin Rector contributed to this report.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Doctor charged in Matthew Perry's death pleads guilty to supplying ketamine to actor
A physician charged alongside four others for his role in actor Matthew Perry's death pleaded guilty in court Wednesday, July 23. In court, Dr. Salvador Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of illegal distribution of the prescription anesthetic ketamine and faces up to 40 years in prison. In June, Plasencia agreed to plead guilty to his role in the substance abuse that contributed to the "Friends" star's tragic death in 2023. Also known as "Dr. P," Plasencia first signed a plea agreement on June 13 drafted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, according to a court document filed June 16 and obtained by USA TODAY. Ketamine is a short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic properties. It is sometimes prescribed to treat depression and anxiety, but is also abused by recreational users. As part of the plea deal, Plasencia acknowledges that he "knowingly distributed ketamine" to Perry before his 2023 death, behaved in a manner "outside the scope of professional practice," and that the drug distribution lacked "a legitimate medical purpose." Doctor who supplied Matthew Perry with ketamine to plead guilty, faces 40 years in prison In addition to prison time, other conditions of Plasencia's sentence could also include a three-year period of supervised release, a fine of $2 million (or alternatively, "twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offenses") and a mandatory special assessment of $400. In August 2024, Plasencia was charged alongside Jasveen Sangha, whom the Department of Justice previously referred to as "The Ketamine Queen" of North Hollywood, and the pair faced 18 criminal counts for allegedly "distributing ketamine to Perry during the final weeks of the actor's life." Perry, best known for his role as the wisecracking Chandler Bing on "Friends," died in October 2023 at the age of 54 after the actor was found dead in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home. The drug-related nature of Perry's death prompted a sweeping investigation in May 2024 by several U.S. agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. An autopsy report released in December 2023 revealed that Perry's death was an accident, with the cause being "the acute effects of ketamine." Contributing factors were drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine. If you or someone you know needs help battling a substance abuse addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Contributing: Reuters
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
Trump weighs in on Bryan Kohberger's plea deal ahead of crucial Idaho murders sentencing
President Donald Trump waded into the "vicious" Idaho student murders case Monday with a post on Truth Social about Bryan Kohberger's upcoming sentencing, saying he hopes the judge requires some kind of explanation at Wednesday's hearing for the slayings of "four wonderful young souls." When Kohberger pleaded guilty earlier this month, he gave no motive or explanation while admitting to the home invasion stabbing deaths of four college students. "While Life Imprisonment is tough, it's certainly better than receiving the Death Penalty but, before Sentencing, I hope the Judge makes Kohberger, at a minimum, explain why he did these horrible murders," Trump wrote. "There are no explanations, there is no NOTHING." Trump echoed public surprise about the unexpected plea deal, which spares Kohberger from the potential death penalty in exchange for admitting to the crimes. He is expected to receive four consecutive terms of life imprisonment with no chance of parole, plus another 10 years, and has waived his right to appeal and to seek a sentence reduction. Critics have questioned why the deal didn't require him to explain himself. And the appeal waiver does not mean he won't have any chance to appeal, according to Judge Steven Hippler, who cited a Supreme Court case, Garza v. Idaho, that found defendants who waive their rights to appeal may still have a right to appeal. "People were shocked that he was able to plea bargain, but the Judge should make him explain what happened," Trump added. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Kohberger pleaded guilty to all charges on July 2, about two months before he would have gone to trial in Boise, Idaho. At the hearing, he admitted to sneaking into the off-campus home at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, and killing four University of Idaho students inside, some of whom were asleep. The victims were 21-year-olds Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, as well as 20-year-olds Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin. They were all killed around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022. Kohberger was studying for a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University, about 10 miles away over the state line. Goncalves' family posted on their Facebook page that the president's remarks left them wowed. "Absolutely shocked," the family wrote. "Kaylee, Maddie, Xana, Ethan – you have always mattered so much. You are so loved & your nature, your light, your entire being is so bright & visible." Kohberger could have faced capital punishment, and Idaho had recently taken steps to bring back the firing squad as a result of difficulties with lethal injection as a viable option. The victims' families were split over the plea deal, with some welcoming a chance to move past the murders. Goncalves' family, notably, had been hoping for the most severe punishment and pleaded with the judge to at least require an explanation before accepting the deal. According to court documents, DNA from a knife sheath left at the crime scene matched Kohberger's, and cellphone data placed him near the victims' house multiple times before the killings. Surveillance footage also captured a white Hyundai Elantra in the area. Kohberger's official sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday morning.
