Latest news with #DanaNessel
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
Wyandotte man accused of stealing $166K from former employer
A Metro Detroit man has been charged with embezzling more than $166,000 from his employer, the Michigan attorney general's office reported. Jason Garza, 45, of Wyandotte, was arraigned Monday in 35th District Court in Plymouth regarding money diverted from his employer, Montway Auto Transport in Canton Township. A probable cause conference is scheduled for July 7. The charges are: Embezzlement of more than $100,000, a 20-year felony. Embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000, a 15-year felony. Embezzlement between $1,000 and $20,000, a 5-year felony. Three counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in her report that during 2021 and 2022, Garza offered customers unauthorized discounts if they paid him directly through peer-to-peer payment applications. He is accused of then keeping that money for his personal use, while failing to submit that funds to Montway. "Employees who steal from businesses betray the trust of their employers and their colleagues," Nessel said.
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
West Bloomfield man accused of running theft, resale ring targeting Sam's Club
A West Bloomfield man is accused of running a theft and resale ring that targeted Sam's Club stores around Metro Detroit. Sean Allos, 54, is charged with eight counts of receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000 and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise. In January 2023, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's FORCE team began investigating an alleged food stamp fraud operation, which officials say illegally obtained electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card data from 8,000 people, primarily living in California. The operation would then reproduce EBT cards in Michigan using this data and then use the cards to fraudulently purchase energy drinks from Metro Detroit Sam's Club stores, authorities said. The FORCE team and the Organized Retail Crime Unit were established in January 2023 to target organized criminal operations that steal goods from retailers and then repackage and sell them for profit, according to Nessel's office. Officials allege that Allos bought the energy drinks below market value and intended to resell them. The alleged ring is accused of fraudulently buying and reselling energy drinks worth thousands of dollars. "Organized retail crime remains a growing threat to our communities and local businesses," said Nessel in a statement. "Our FORCE Team continues to work with law enforcement and retail partners to investigate and prosecute these coordinated schemes. My office remains committed to dismantling these criminal operations and holding perpetrators accountable." Nessel charged Allos in April, and he was bound over to stand trial in circuit court in May. His next court appearance is on June 30.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michigan Attorney General supports lawsuits to preserve public media
Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks to reporters at the G. Mennen Williams Building in Lansing, Mich., on May 15, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has signed onto a legal brief alongside 22 other attorneys general to support lawsuits brought by the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio that are attempting to block federal funding cuts to their organizations. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in May to cut federal funding for NPR and PBS, stating in the order that 'neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens'. Since then, NPR and PBS filed two separate lawsuits arguing the funding cuts threaten the First Amendment and create public safety hazards for citizens served by their local affiliates who rely on public media for weather, health and safety alerts. Forum highlights cost defunding public media has on emergency alerts, educational programming The brief Nessel and other attorneys general filed last week backs the arguments made by public media and warns of the harm that could come from weakening public media programming and infrastructure. 'Public media is a vital source of independent information for countless Michiganders and Americans, especially in rural communities, where it is often the only option available,' Nessel said in a news release Monday. Law enforcement depends on public media when issuing AMBER Alerts to find abducted children, as well as Silver Alerts for missing elderly individuals or individuals with developmental disabilities, the legal brief outlines. Public broadcasters provide critical coverage of emerging public safety threats like active shooters, especially in news deserts where public media may be the only resource to quickly disseminate information, the brief adds. The public media stations in Michigan, many serving rural communities outside of many news outlets' coverage areas, also provide emergency information that help residents navigate extreme weather of other crises, Nessel's news release said. 'Attempts to defund public journalism are a blatant attack on the press and the First Amendment, and a disservice to the people who rely on it every day,' Nessel said. 'Public radio reaches nearly every corner of our state, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues and with public media in defense of this essential news source.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michigan Attorney General supports lawsuits to preserve public media
Attorney General Dana Nessel speaks to reporters at the G. Mennen Williams Building in Lansing, Mich., on May 15, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has signed onto a legal brief alongside 22 other attorneys general to support lawsuits brought by the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio that are attempting to block federal funding cuts to their organizations. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in May to cut federal funding for NPR and PBS, stating in the order that 'neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens'. Since then, NPR and PBS filed two separate lawsuits arguing the funding cuts threaten the First Amendment and create public safety hazards for citizens served by their local affiliates who rely on public media for weather, health and safety alerts. Forum highlights cost defunding public media has on emergency alerts, educational programming The brief Nessel and other attorneys general filed last week backs the arguments made by public media and warns of the harm that could come from weakening public media programming and infrastructure. 'Public media is a vital source of independent information for countless Michiganders and Americans, especially in rural communities, where it is often the only option available,' Nessel said in a news release Monday. Law enforcement depends on public media when issuing AMBER Alerts to find abducted children, as well as Silver Alerts for missing elderly individuals or individuals with developmental disabilities, the legal brief outlines. Public broadcasters provide critical coverage of emerging public safety threats like active shooters, especially in news deserts where public media may be the only resource to quickly disseminate information, the brief adds. The public media stations in Michigan, many serving rural communities outside of many news outlets' coverage areas, also provide emergency information that help residents navigate extreme weather of other crises, Nessel's news release said. 'Attempts to defund public journalism are a blatant attack on the press and the First Amendment, and a disservice to the people who rely on it every day,' Nessel said. 'Public radio reaches nearly every corner of our state, and I am proud to stand with my colleagues and with public media in defense of this essential news source.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
CBS News
20-06-2025
- CBS News
Ohio man sentenced to life in prison for 1997 cold case murder in Lenawee County
An Ohio man has been sentenced to life in prison in connection with a cold case murder out of Lenawee County, Michigan. Richardo Sepulveda, 53, of Cincinnati, was sentenced Friday in 39th Circuit Court, following up on an earlier conviction by a Lenawee County jury, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reported in a press release. His co-defendant, Michael Sepulveda, 51, of Toledo, was sentenced in May to 10 to 30 years in prison on second-degree murder in the same case. The older man was found guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, one count of assault with intent to maim, one count of conspiracy to commit assault with intent to maim, one count of tampering with evidence and one count of conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence. The charges are related to the discovery of partial human remains on Nov. 19, 1997, in Blissfield Township. The victim's identity has not been confirmed, but he is believed to be a 32-year-old man from the Corpus Christi/McAllen area of Texas. Charges in the case were filed in January 2023. Nessel said the death is believed to be connected to international drug trafficking. "Every victim deserves to have their case thoroughly investigated and pursued," said Nessel in a statement. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of prosecutors in my office and local, state, and federal law enforcement, justice has finally been served nearly three decades after this horrific murder. My office will continue to stand up for crime victims and ensure offenders are held accountable." contributed to this report.
