Latest news with #EvanstonPoliceDepartment
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Miami Herald
City commissioner in Florida asked 12-year-old Illinois girl for nudes, cops say
An elected official in Florida is facing two dozen felony charges after a mom in Illinois reported he had been sexting her 12-year-old daughter over Snapchat, authorities said. St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Toro Jr. announced July 24 that law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Fort Pierce City Commissioner James Taylor, 38, and took him into custody. His arrest marks the culmination of a nearly yearlong investigation that began in August 2024 when the victim's mom filed a report with the Evanston Police Department, the sheriff said in a news conference. The mom of the now-13-year-old girl said a man had been inappropriately contacting her daughter over Snapchat beginning when she was 12, according to investigators. He sent her nude images of himself and asked her to do the same, Del Toro said. This went on for a couple months, investigators said. Detectives in Illinois traced the messages to a person in St. Lucie County and contacted the sheriff's office, which confirmed the suspect's IP address belonged to Taylor, the sheriff said. Investigators don't believe Taylor and the girl ever met in person. Taylor was pulled over during a traffic stop involving a 'ruse,' and was cooperating with detectives, according to the sheriff. 'I would say that he admitted his role in these and was very remorseful, obviously, I think mainly because he was caught,' Del Toro said. Taylor was elected Fort Pierce's District 2 commissioner in 2024 after serving on the county's planning and zoning commission for nearly a decade, according to his commissioner biography. He's involved in several local organizations, including the county's education board and theater advisory board. 'The City of Fort Pierce is aware of the recent arrest of Commissioner James Taylor,' a spokesperson for the city told McClatchy News in an email. 'We understand that this development may raise concerns within our community, and we want to reassure our residents that we remain committed to serving the public with integrity, transparency and accountability.' The 24 charges against Taylor include: transmission of materials harmful to minors by electronic equipmenttransfer or display of obscenity to a minorharmful communication to a minorlewd computer solicitationlewd computer solicitation of a child solicitation of transmission of child pornography by electronic device or equipment. Law enforcement officers are investigating whether there could be additional victims and ask anyone with information to come forward. Fort Pierce is about a 65-mile drive north from West Palm Beach.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
She Thought She Was Talking to a Famous 'Yellowstone' Actor — But It Was a $62K Scam
She Thought She Was Talking to a Famous 'Yellowstone' Actor — But It Was a $62K Scam originally appeared on Parade. A woman from Evanston, Ill., reportedly lost $62,000 after a con artist used the likeness of Yellowstone star Kevin Costner's name and image. According to Chicago's WGN 9, the woman spent six months communicating with someone she believed was Costner via the messaging app Telegram. The impersonator convinced her that she was making an investment, claiming that sending gift cards would be converted into cryptocurrency and eventually returned to her with profit. But that payday never came. Instead, she was left empty-handed, with the Evanston Police Department confirming she'd been targeted by a longtime cryptocurrency scam ring that has been active since at least 2018. "Due to the nature of the crime, an arrest is highly unlikely," police told local news, noting that even recovering the stolen funds could be a long shot. The woman has reportedly been advised to contact her credit card companies, but so far, she has not gotten any of her money back. Costner isn't the only celebrity name being used in these elaborate catfish schemes. Earlier this year, a woman in Texas was scammed out of $18,000 by someone pretending to be country star in a romance-based con. In 2024, a Vince Gill superfan lost her life savings and retirement to a similar online hoax — a scam so emotionally and financially destructive that it fractured her relationships with friends and family. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), when a celebrity contacts you on social media and asks for money, there are certain steps one should take: Slow down. Before you send money, talk with someone you trust. Do some research: search online for the celebrity's name plus 'scam.' Do the same with any charity or cause they're asking you to support—and learn more about charity scams here. Never send money, gift cards or prepaid debit cards to someone you don't know or haven't met – even celebrities you meet on social media. If you sent money to a scammer, contact the company you used to send the money (your bank, wire transfer service, gift card company, or prepaid debit card company). Tell them the transaction was a fraud. Ask the company to reverse the transaction, if it's possible. Report your experience to the social media site and to the FTC. She Thought She Was Talking to a Famous 'Yellowstone' Actor — But It Was a $62K Scam first appeared on Parade on Jun 11, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Daily Mail
Despicable moment ramen business owner chases man down the street demanding he tip for meal
The owner of an Illinois ramen restaurant was caught on video chasing a customer down the street demanding they leave a tip for their $20 meal. The confrontation, which has since gone viral on social media and triggered official investigations, unfolded on the quiet streets outside Table to Stix, in downtown Evanston. The ramen shop is well reviewed and known for its steamy bowls and casual vibe. But on Saturday afternoon, the store's frontage became the backdrop for an ugly outburst in which the owner, Kenny Chou, lost control. The video saw Chou follow a customer into the street then berate the man who paid for his $19.89 meal with a $20 bill - but left no additional tip. 'I paid for my food. I handed you $20. You cannot charge more than what them and you paid so what are you talking about,' the customer shot back during the heated exchange. As the minutes ticked by, tensions only increased as Chou intimidatingly closely followed the man. 'What are you going to do?' the man asked Chou repeatedly, warning that the video would 'blow up on social media.' 'What do you want? I paid for my food!' the man tells Chou who continues to trail him. 'Get the f*** back! Call 911 if you need to settle something,' he urges. 'I paid for my food. I paid you $20. I am not legally required to give you a tip. Get back bro,' the man warned. Chou lost his cool. 'Shut your goddam f****** mouth. How are my staff supposed to make money? I'll slap the s*** out of you,' he threatened. Throughout, the customer seemed to show remarkable restraint as he urged Chou to step back and chill out. 'What are you doing? Bro, what are you on? Get back!' Watching the footage later, Chou said he felt a wave of humiliation and guilt crash over him. 'Bringing shame to my wife as a husband, as an owner. At the same time to my mom and dad,' Chou said. The backlash was swift and brutal with accusations of racial discrimination as the customer involved is black. Messages scrawled in chalk soon appeared outside Table to Stix: 'Anti-Black, Do Not Eat Here.' Review site Yelp was also forced to slap an 'unusual activity alert' on the restaurant's page, freezing reviews as anger mounted. Phone lines were unplugged and social media accounts were deactivated. When asked later why he didn't tip, the customer made no apologies stating online, 'Oh, I just didn't want to.' Chou is now desperate to make amends and says he sent the customer's brother home with his favorite order, a handwritten apology, and a heartfelt offer: 'My door is open for you, man. You know, come on by anytime,' he said to CBS News. The incident has gone far beyond a simple spat. The Evanston Police Department confirmed a report for harassment was filed and an investigation is now underway. At a public Equity and Empowerment Commission meeting in Evanston, members debated what punishment, if any, could be levied against Chou. Meanwhile, activists and black community leaders have organized a boycott and staged a protest outside Table to Stix. They are demanding that Chou not merely apologize through media channels, but show up in person to publicly apologize to the black community. Sitting quietly inside his battered business as the dinner rush began Thursday evening, Chou reflected on the chaos his actions had unleashed. A Korean immigrant who came to America at the age of 5, Chou said he never imagined that his pursuit of the American dream would end in public disgrace. For ten years, he and his wife had worked to build Table to Stix into a neighborhood fixture but it now appears the future of their restaurant and their reputation hangs by a thread. One councilmember, Devon Reid, suggested one way forward might be for the city of Evanston to abolish the controversial tipped wage system altogether, proposing a service fee model to eliminate the sometimes awkward expectations around gratuities.
