Latest news with #BureauofCriminalInvestigation
NBC News
6 days ago
- NBC News
Pennsylvania police seek help after 'imposter nurse' allegedly used aliases to land jobs
The Pennsylvania State Police is asking healthcare companies to review their employment records as it investigates a woman who allegedly used at least 10 aliases to pose as a nurse for five years. Shannon Nicole Womack, 39, allegedly used the aliases to pose as a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse, and a registered nurse supervisor at rehabilitation and nursing homes across the state, according to a police press release. She is facing several charges, including corrupt organizations, endangering the welfare of care, unlawful use of a computer, identity theft, forgery, theft by unlawful taking, and multiple other charges, state police said. "She is charged with securing the nursing positions through staffing agencies by submitting fraudulently signed documents and also by creating a false LLC to deploy herself to jobs. Reports indicate Womack worked at each of these jobs for only a short time," state police said. If any of her aliases match employment records, the facilities are asked to call the state police. Investigators confirmed that some of the names she used were Shannon Nicole Parham, Shannon Nicole Abiola, Shannon Nicole Armstrong, Shannon Abiola-Parham, Shannon Nicole Grimes, Shannon Nicole Lawson, Shannon Nicole Lethco, Shannon Nicole Robinson, Shannon Lee Lawson, and Shannon Nicole Womack. It's unclear whether she has retained an attorney. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation began investigating Womack in April after a routine traffic stop in Pittsburgh, during which they claim she presented a fake ID, according to the criminal complaint. Police say her vehicle was registered in Georgia, but the registration had expired. Inside the vehicle, troopers say they found several forms of ID, prescription medications from different nursing facilities that were prescribed to residents, medical documents, patient logs and medical equipment, according to the complaint. Womack had multiple warrants in several states related to fraud and impersonating a nurse, according to state troopers. Authorities allege she used the identities of four real healthcare workers from multiple southern states to obtain employment in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, and Georgia. A probable cause affidavit states that she is not a licensed medical professional in any state. She was also listed on the Georgia "Nursing Imposter Alerts" site, according to the affidavit. The State's Attorney General issued a cease and desist order, but could not locate her. In Pennsylvania, nine employers had placed Womack on "Do Not Retain" status due to professional misconduct before her arrest, according to investigators. Authorities alleged that seven Social Security numbers were connected to Womack and accused her of using fake references to secure jobs and creating a phony staffing agency to funnel work to herself. "She was going through proper host agency channels and then created her own, as like her own fake secretary, answering the phone call, giving it to herself," Pennsylvania State Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said at a Monday news conference. "She put a lot of time and effort to get approved from these different agencies." During a brief stint at Southmont of Presbyterian Senior Care in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Womack allegedly diverted oxycodone pills intended for residents, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators stated that she was in charge of the medical cart during her shift and failed to distribute medication to residents. "Five residents were affected by said acts as over 120 oxycodone 5mg pills were missing," the affidavit reads. Womack allegedly worked at the facility in March for one shift before being placed on "do not retain" status due to professional misconduct, according to the affidavit. "This is a vile act or acts, I should say, not only taking advantage of older citizens in this way," Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said at a news conference. Police said the scheme dates back to the early days of the COVID pandemic when the need for nursing staff was critical. "It wasn't uncommon for these different residence locations, agencies to reach out to host agencies and say, we need some extra shifts filled," said Gagliardi. "That started in 2020 and it was such an easy transition. She just kept going after that."
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Yahoo
Father of Montreal girl who was found dead in N.Y. charged with 2nd-degree murder
The father of the nine-year-old Montreal girl who was found dead after being reported missing in northeastern New York was arrested Monday morning and charged with second-degree murder and concealment of a human corpse. New York State Police said officers from the Warren County Sheriff's Office received a call Saturday at around 10 p.m. ET from a man who said his daughter was missing from the area of Exit 22 of Highway I-87 in Lake George, possibly due to an abduction. They said the child was identified as Melina Frattolin and her father as 45-year-old Luciano Frattolin. Both were later confirmed to be Montreal residents. Robert McConnell, Bureau of Criminal Investigation captain for the New York State Police, told reporters at a news conference on Monday morning that the father and daughter had been on vacation in the United States since July 11. Melina resided full time with her mother and Frattolin would visit the child when he was in Canada. The parents had been estranged since 2019, police said. McConnell explained that the trip was planned and that the mother was aware of it and had no concerns about Melina being with her father. Frattolin and his daughter were expected to return to Canada on Saturday, July 19, at which time Melina would be returned to her mother's custody in Montreal. According to McConnell, at about 5:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, video surveillance images showed the girl and her father in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Around 6:30 p.m. ET, Melina spoke to her mother on the phone and told her they were going back to Canada. WATCH | N.Y. State Police provide update on the investigation: The child appeared to be in good health and did not indicate she was under any duress. Sometime after that call and before Frattolin's call to the police, the man allegedly murdered his daughter and left her body in a remote area, said McConnell. Melina was found dead in the shallow water of a pond on Sunday at approximately 1:50 p.m. ET in Ticonderoga, N.Y., about 50 kilometres east of Lake George, near the New York-Vermont border. The charges against Frattolin allege he concealed her body under a log. The Warren County Sheriff's Office initially led the investigation and transferred it to the New York State Police. As the case progressed, officers identified inconsistencies in the father's account of events and the timeline of Melina's disappearance. Police refute Frattolin's initial abduction account McConnell shared the suspect's initial account with reporters. According to him, Frattolin told police he had stopped his car in the area of Exit 22 in Lake George to urinate, left his vehicle to go into a wooded area and when he returned to the car, his daughter was gone. Frattolin reported a white van fleeing the scene southbound. And in a subsequent interview, he mentioned two unknown men who forced Melina into the white van. "That lead was thoroughly investigated and disproven," said McConnell, adding that the suspect has no domestic violence or criminal history. "He fabricated the initial report of the abduction." Frattolin appeared at the Ticonderoga town court on Monday. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment, according to court officials. The public defender's office assigned to defend Frattolin did not immediately respond to phone and email requests for comment from The Associated Press. The victim's cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy which is scheduled for later today. On the website of a company called Gambella Coffee, the girl's father was described as someone who "spends as much time as he can in Montreal, Canada with his beautiful daughter Melina." By Monday morning, the link to the website was broken. Melina was described as the "light of his life, she is the inspiration for…well, everything." The company is headquartered in downtown Montreal.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ohio BCI to hold Missing Persons Day event at Wright State University
May 14—The Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation announced it will hold an Ohio Missing Persons Day event at Wright State University, inviting families with missing loved ones, law enforcement and members of the public to remember the state's missing people and take steps to help find them. The event is 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 17 at the WSU Neuroscience Engineering Collaboration Building at 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway. There will be a candlelight vigil at noon. At the event, Ohio BCI said there will be consumer DNA kits available for free to families of missing people to use for Project LINK, a program from the state attorney general's office to offer free assistance to people with loved ones missing more than 30 days. The announcement also urged family to bring police reports, photos of their loved ones, dental records/X-rays and any other information to share with law enforcement at the event for assistance on their cases. BCI also said the event will offer facial reconstruction for unidentified people, crisis support for families of missing people, information on human trafficking and information on search and rescue teams.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
BCI probe of area state rep finds 'concerning and suspicious' behavior, raises concerns with case handling
May 13—A state investigation of alleged sexual misconduct involving state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, and a minor teenage female this news organization has chosen not to identify concluded in October with no criminal charges but findings of "concerning and suspicious" behavior by the state lawmaker, a Dayton Daily News investigation found. While no charges were filed, investigative records obtained by the Dayton Daily News raise questions about how Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson and then-prosecutor Martin Votel — who both later recused themselves from the case due to their relationships with Creech — originally handled the allegation. Simpson and Votel allegedly took no investigative action and created no record of the allegation when initially told a potential crime was committed, delaying a criminal investigation until it was reported a second time over a month later to a different law enforcement agency. A month after the case was closed with no charges brought, Creech won his third successive term in the Ohio House of Representatives. The entrepreneur and former Preble County commissioner carried 77% of the votes of his district, which includes all of Preble County and portions of Butler and Montgomery. According to state investigative records, Creech was accused of conduct that state investigators believed could have risen to a charge of sexual imposition — a misdemeanor that Ohio law forbids being brought against someone unless there's corroborating evidence. This news organization does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault, and is not reporting details of the allegations in order to avoid identifying the alleged victim. When interviewed by state investigators, Creech denied any and all conduct that could have been seen as sexual imposition. After Preble County officials recused themselves, the allegation was investigated by the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll, also a Republican, was asked to review the investigation and decide on whether to pursue charges. Driscoll opted not to pursue charges. "After a full review I find that (Creech's) behavior during the time of the investigation was concerning and suspicious. However, the evidence falls short of the threshold needed for prosecution. I have spoken with the investigator in this case and believe he has pursued all leads to an end. I find the statements of (the victim) to be persuasive but find no independent evidence to support their claims. At this point I consider the case closed," Driscoll wrote on Oct. 9, 2024. In an interview with the Dayton Daily News, Driscoll clarified that he was referring to Creech's behavior both during the investigation and during the time that was being investigated. Driscoll's additional commentary is unusual. He told this outlet that he intentionally wrote the memo in case some other entity were to pick up the case in the future. Creech responds When reached for comment, Creech told this news outlet that he believes the publicization of the state's criminal investigation into his behavior is political in nature. "I'm deeply disappointed to see my political opponents dig up an old false allegation, for which a law enforcement investigation cleared my name. It seems to be no coincidence that this political smear piece is appearing just days after I announced my campaign for Ohio Senate," Creech said Tuesday in a written statement. "These allegations have been found to be demonstrably false, and I have already begun pursuing legal action against those who are pushing this filth. Like President Trump, I am no stranger to false media attacks. This will not deter my important work on behalf of my constituents, and I look forward to eventually running my Senate campaign on the issues that matter to Ohioans." Creech on Monday announced his 2026 candidacy to replace term-limited Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, in the Ohio Senate. This came several days after the Dayton Daily News spoke to Creech's representatives requesting comment for this story. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman last week removed Creech from all four of his committee assignments, including the Ohio House Agriculture Committee where he served as chair. A spokesperson for Huffman, R-Lima, did not return a request for comment on why Creech was stripped of his committee posts. 'Dereliction of duty' The mother of the alleged victim told state investigators that the early May 2023 incident was first reported by the alleged victim's stepfather — an Ohio police chief — in early July 2023 directly to Preble County Sheriff Simpson. There was no investigation opened nor report created, the Dayton Daily News has confirmed. "This is an absolute dereliction of duty by a public official," the mother wrote in a summary of the allegation provided to BCI. She wrote that the stepfather first called Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck, who advised him to report the information in Preble County, where the alleged incident occurred. The stepfather then called Simpson directly, a call which Simpson later confirmed with this news outlet. The contents of that early July call, however, are under dispute. Here's how lead investigator BCI Special Agent Perry Roeser reported what Simpson told him in a November 2023 meeting about that phone call: "(The stepfather) apparently told Simpson that he felt he had to say something due to his position as a mandatory reporter. (Redacted) sent Simpson text messages that outlined (redacted) actions. Simpson told SA Roeser he took the text messages to his county prosecutor, Martin Votel, for his opinion. Simpson said Mr. Votel indicated there was no criminal complaint at that time. No report or other action took place from the sheriff's office." Simpson responds In a recent interview with this outlet, Simpson denied that he had been given a tip in July 2023. Instead, Simpson said the stepfather called him specifically asking if he, as a police chief, was mandated to report what he believed might have been a crime committed against his stepdaughter. "(The stepfather) reached out to me and he had questions on whether or not he thought that he might be a mandated reporter on some issues that he had learned as part of a family discussion. He called me, I asked if he wanted me to check with our county prosecutor (Votel) ... just to see if he thought that (the stepfather) would be a mandated reporter, he said that would be great," Simpson told the Dayton Daily News. "I did that, returned (the stepfather's) call, told him that we didn't believe, or the prosecutor didn't believe, it was a mandated reporter situation. He thanked me for checking with him and that was the end of that conversation and that request on his part." It's unclear why Votel would have found that the stepfather, a police chief, wouldn't be a mandated reporter. Votel, who is now a Preble County Common Pleas Court judge, did not return a request for comment. Ohio law forbids law enforcement officials, among many other mandated reporters acting in official capacities, from failing to immediately report scenarios where they know, or have reasonable cause to suspect, that a minor "has suffered or faces a threat of suffering any physical or mental wound, injury, disability, or condition of a nature that reasonably indicates abuse or neglect of the child." Simpson said he was never requested to complete an investigation or to file a report by either the mother or the stepfather. "I want to make it very clear that if that family or anybody else would have walked in here to request an investigation or anything like that, we absolutely would have done it," Simpson told this outlet. "It makes no difference who's involved, whether it's Rodney Creech or anybody else. We don't operate over here that way." Using Ohio public records law, the Dayton Daily News requested from the Preble County Sheriff's Office all relevant electronic communications regarding this allegation. The sheriff's office provided communication from November 2023, but not the text messages from July 2023 referenced in the state's investigation. The sheriff's office has not filled a follow-up request for those messages. The mother and stepfather of the alleged victim declined to comment for this story. BCI investigation The state investigation was opened in November 2023 after the alleged incident was reported a second time in Montgomery County. That time, Simpson and Votel recused themselves because of their personal and political connections to Creech. Votel did not provide comment to the Dayton Daily News on his relationship to Creech. Simpson said he considers Creech a personal friend and that the matter was further conflicted due to Creech's role as Preble County's state representative. In September 2023, the allegations against Creech resurfaced during a forensic interview at Montgomery County CARE House Child Advocacy Center during an unrelated investigation. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office developed a case file based on a follow-up interview about the allegations against Creech and sent it to Simpson in a sealed envelope, according to state investigators. "Simpson told (Special Agent) Roeser he never looked into the sealed envelope due to his conflict of interest with (redacted). Simpson also explained his county prosecutor, Martin Votel, was conflicted as well," Roeser wrote after meeting with Simpson. Simpson contacted BCI about taking over the investigation in November 2023. Streck did not respond to a request for comment about his involvement in either the July 2023 or September 2023 reports. Rep. Plummer interview The state's investigation, records of which this outlet received from the Ohio Attorney General's Office, included interviews with Creech, the alleged victim's mother, and Dayton-area state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp., who spoke to BCI about a conversation he had with Creech. According to both Plummer and Creech, Creech approached Plummer as a colleague and longtime sheriff. Plummer says this happened as the two were walking to a committee meeting at the Statehouse. Creech reportedly asked for advice on what to do about the allegations. According to Plummer, Creech made a comment that was "disgusting and uncalled for" about the allegations. Creech denied this to state investigators. When approached about the conversation by state investigators, Creech noted that he and Plummer had a good relationship. "Whatever Phil told you I probably said," Creech initially told state investigators before being talked down by his lawyers. When Creech was asked whether or not he made the comments Plummer criticized, Creech responded: "Never. So yeah, don't believe anything he said. That's ridiculous. Why? That's insane. That's insane." State investigators continued to probe around Creech's alleged comment. Eventually, Creech's lawyer Tony Cicero questioned Plummer's credibility and told investigators to move on. "No no no, we are done. It's obvious that Phil is trying to play politics in this situation and is making stuff up," Cicero said. "He's answered the question that no way, no how, move on to your next set of questions. We're done with anything that Phil Plummer claims was said." Plummer is a potential primary opponent against Creech in the 2026 Republican primary to replace Huffman in the Ohio Senate. He told this outlet Tuesday that he hasn't decided what his next political steps are. "I'm not doing this for political motivation. I'll beat him any day of the week. He ain't even on my radar," Plummer told state investigators in February 2024. "(The allegations against Creech are) very disgusting to me. With me doing what you (investigators) are doing my entire career, it's very white and black with me: If you break the law, you get reported," said Plummer, a former Montgomery County sheriff. "So that's my skin in the game, just doing what's right." ------ Timeline Early May 2023: Alleged incident between state Rep. Rodney Creech, R-West Alexandria, and a teenage minor female. Early July 2023: Alleged victim's stepfather — a police chief — spoke on the phone with Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson about the alleged incident. No report or investigative action was taken; Simpson denies that the father reported a criminal tip to him. September 2023: A forensic interview at Montgomery County CARE House resulting from an unrelated case alerts Montgomery County law enforcement to the allegations against Creech. Sept. 26, 2023: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office requests one of its detectives assist CARE House Child Advocacy Center with a forensic interview of the alleged victim. Oct. 12, 2023: The alleged victim participates in a forensic interview at Montgomery County CARE House. Oct. 12 — Nov. 8, 2023: At some point during this time, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office sends its investigative records regarding the allegations against Creech to Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson in a sealed envelope. Nov. 8, 2023: Simpson asks the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to take over the case due to his conflict of interest with Creech. Nov. 15, 2023: Ohio BCI officially opens its investigation into the allegations against Creech. Nov. 21, 2023: State investigators meet with Simpson to discuss the origins of the case. Dec. 5, 2023: State investigators meet with the mother of the alleged victim to discuss the allegations. Feb. 23, 2024: State investigators meet with state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp., to discuss a conversation he had with Creech about the allegations. March 1, 2024: State investigators meet with Creech and his lawyers to discuss the allegations. Oct. 9, 2024: The state's criminal investigation into Creech is closed with no charges brought on advice from Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll, who is asked to review the case. Driscoll notes "concerning and suspicious" behavior from Creech. Nov. 5, 2024: Creech is elected to his third successive term in the Ohio House of Representatives. May 12, 2025: Creech announces his 2026 candidacy for Ohio Senate. May 13, 2025: Creech is removed by Republican House leadership from all of his committee posts.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Pet raccoon with meth pipe in its mouth found in car during traffic stop
An officer in central Ohio encountered a pet racoon while conducting a traffic stop earlier this week. The animal, named "Chewy," had a glass methamphetamine pipe in its mouth and was sitting in the driver's seat of a car that the officer had pulled over, police said. The discovery led Springfield Township Police Officer Austin Branham, who conducted the traffic stop, to search the vehicle more thoroughly. He and other officers found methamphetamine, crack cocaine and three used methamphetamine pipes elsewhere in the car, according to the Springfield Township Police Department. The vehicle was pulled over because its registered owner had an active warrant and a suspended driver's license, the department said. Law enforcement arrested and charged the owner of the car, 55-year-old Victoria Vidal, with drug possession and three counts of drug paraphernalia and cited her for driving under suspension, the police department said. Vidal may face more charges for crack cocaine possession, depending on the outcome of lab results still to come from the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The raccoon was not harmed, police said, and officers confirmed Vidal has the documents needed to legally own the animal. (In Ohio, people are allowed to have pet raccoons, but the process to keep them domestically is highly regulated and certain permits are required.) Springfield police released body camera video of the traffic stop, which shows Chewy emerging from the car. "While our officers are trained to expect the unexpected, finding a raccoon holding a meth pipe is a first!" the department said. Why Hegseth is calling for cuts to senior ranks across U.S. military Analyzing Trump's announcement of ceasefire with Houthi rebels in Yemen Cardinals hold final mass in St. Peter's Basilica before papal conclave
