Latest news with #WestfieldPoliceDepartment
USA Today
5 days ago
- USA Today
Man found dead amid investigation for selling counterfeit sports memorabilia
An Indiana man being investigated for selling counterfeit sports memorabilia was found dead by suicide at his home Wednesday, July 16 when police conducted search warrants at the same residence. Brett Lemieux, a 45-year-old resident of Westfield, Indiana, was the founder of sports memorabilia site MisterManCave, which claimed to have sold millions of counterfeit items with net profits exceeding $350 million, and had "the largest framed jersey inventory on the web." Lemieux made the claims in a now-deleted Facebook post on the "Autographs 101" group Wednesday, saying the money was "too good" to pass up and that he wanted to stop the fraud, which had been going on for the better part of two decades. The coroner's office in Hamilton County, Indiana confirmed that Lemieux's body was found at 300 block of Hoover Street in Westfield, about 20 miles north of Indianapolis and that he died by suicide. His death took place hours after the Facebook post and where law enforcement conducted search warrants Tuesday. The FBI is assisting with the investigation, said Chris Bavender of public affairs with the FBI field office in Indianapolis. "We are referring media to Westfield Police Department as they are the lead agency," Bavender said. The Westfield Police Department did not immediately respond to a request by voicemail and email for additional information. Kayla Arnold, Director of Communications for the city of Westfield, said, "As the investigation is still ongoing, we do not have additional details to release at this time." Lemieux's scheme involved the faking of holograms of several high-profile companies in the sports memorabilia space, including Fanatics, James Spence Authentic, Panini and Tri-Star. Lemieux allegedly sold the fake items below market price, therefore earning a profit. Lemieux said when Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in January 2020, MisterManCave released 80,000 fake items "into the marketplace." He did not say how much he made off of the scheme. Steve Grad, a memorabilia autograph expert, told WRTV, the ABC affiliate in Indianapolis, that Lemieux's schemes were common knowledge amongst those in the industry. "People have known about this guy," Grad said. "They've known his work. They know what he's been up to. "He has been at it for years and years. And he's driven down the price of things. You know, you look at a Tom Brady autograph and Tom Brady's value is affected drastically by this individual." In 2013, the Indiana Attorney General's filed a lawsuit against a Carmel sports memorabilia company owned by Lemieux after customers complained that they never received items they paid for, according to Fox59 in Indianapolis and other media outlets. He was forced to pay restitution and reached a settlement of $8,550 with the attorney general's office, according to the Sports Collectors Daily and other media outlets. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Westfield apartment fire claims life
WESTFIELD — A fire in a Franklin Street apartment building Thursday night claimed one person's life, according to fire officials. 'On behalf of the Westfield Fire Department, I want to express our condolences to the victim's family and loved ones,' said Westfield Fire Chief Patrick Egloff in a statement provided by the state Department of Fire Services Friday. Just after 10:30 p.m., the Westfield Fire Department and Westfield Police Department responded to a central station alarm and 911 calls reporting a fire at 36 Franklin St. First responders saw fire showing from a first-floor apartment, with witnesses saying there was a person trapped inside, according to the statement. Firefighters attacked the fire at the front of the building while additional personnel entered the rear of the building in an attempt to locate the occupant. After battling heavy smoke and flames, firefighters later located the resident, a woman with limited mobility. She was deceased. The woman's name is not being released at this time, fire officials said. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct a formal identification procedure and determine the cause and manner of her death. The fire went to two alarms, drawing all unassigned Westfield firefighters and mutual aid to the scene. It extended to the second floor of the four-story brick structure, while upper floors sustained smoke damage. All residents of the nine-unit building have been displaced, fire officials said. The origin and cause of the fire are being investigated by the Westfield Fire Department, Westfield Police Department, State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal's office, and State Police detectives assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's office. Firefighters with the 104th Fighter Wing from Barnes Air National Guard Base provided mutual aid at the scene while the fire departments of Holyoke and West Springfield provided station coverage. Developer plans high-end housing on part of pre-tornado Cathedral High campus 30 Mass. National Guard troops with historic ties to Revolution marching in DC Army parade Getting the construction industry 'Sublime ready' with or without the federal government Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Westfield Police Department to acquire new K-9 unit, handler needed
WESTFIELD — With the Westfield Police Department planning on acquiring a new K-9 unit in late summer, four officers currently on the force are competing to become its handler. 'You've got to run with the dogs,' police Capt. Steve Dickinson said on the importance of the unit's next handler being in excellent shape. To learn if the candidates can meet the physical fitness requirements, they performed the Cooper Test Monday morning at the Roots Athletic Complex. The test is designed to provide a simple way to assess an individual's cardiovascular. 'When the dog is running through the woods during a search, they've got to be able to stay with them the whole time,' Dickinson said about the handler. The department hasn't had a K-9 unit for several years, but starting in 2000, it acquired Duke, who eventually retired and was replaced by Falco, Mako, and Ares. That would change when Jerome Pitoniak was named the department's chief in October 2023. During his interview in front of the Police Commission, Pitoniak, responding to a question about the new initiatives for the department if appointed, acquiring a K-9 unit was one of his goals. With Pitoniak appointed, police Detective Christopher Coach applied to The Hometown Foundation Inc., a Connecticut-based nonprofit that raises money for animal welfare, providing assistance to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, helping those affected major illnesses, providing assistance for military service members and their families, and helping emergency response personnel, which includes providing grants to police departments to acquire K-9 units. Coach said the foundation donated $14,500 for the purchase of a new unit, a GPS tracking collar, and a bullet- and stab-proof vest. He wanted to thank the foundation, including Meghan Sullivan. 'She was great to work with. We're grateful for their support,' Coach said. Coach said one of the reasons the department qualified for the grant was because many of the departments in neighboring towns only have access to State Police K-9 units. The Southwick Police Department has a K-9 unit, but other towns like Montgomery, Russell, Southampton and Granville don't. Those units, including Southwick's, are not always immediately available, and time, especially when searching for suspect that has run from the scene of a crime or for an elderly person with dementia that has wandered away from home, becomes important, Dickinson said. 'Those minutes matter,' he said. How the dog is trained determines what types of roles it will have. Dickinson said the department is planning on using the unit primarily for searching, but it will also used for narcotics detection and general patrol duty. The training is provided by the Hampden County Sheriff's Office, Coach said. It has two certified trainers, and the service is offered at no charge to the city. The first step, however, is to find the right officer. That officer will spend a significant amount of time during the training process, which can take months, and then when on duty. Off duty, the unit usually goes home with its handler. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Police and fire conduct training exercise at former Abner Gibbs Elementary School in Westfield
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Members of the police and fire departments are conducting training exercises at the former Abner Gibbs Elementary School in Westfield. In a social media post by the Westfield Police Department, the police and fire department, along with other partner agencies, will be at the former elementary school on West Silver Street. They will be conducting training exercises beginning Tuesday. Westfield hosts annual Memorial Day Parade Police say that residents in the area may notice an increase in emergency personnel and vehicles through Saturday, and there is no cause for concern. The elementary school closed at the end of 2024, as students in Pre-K through 4th grade transferred to the new state-of-the-art school, Westfield River Elementary, on Franklin Ave. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Portion of Elm Street in Westfield closing for Fast 5K Road Race Saturday
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A portion of Elm Street in downtown Westfield will be closed for the Fast 5K Road Race on Saturday. The Westfield Police Department says Elm Street will be closed from Franklin to Court Street between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Beginning on Friday afternoon, this area of Elm Street will be posted with no parking signs in preparation for the event. Vehicles are not permitted in the event space by 7 a.m. on Saturday. City of Springfield will celebrate its 389th birthday with the World's Largest Pancake Breakfast on Saturday The race will kick off at Westfield State University on Western Ave and end on Elm Street. Access to Granville Road from Western Ave will be inaccessible during this time. Drivers are asked to seek an alternative route and plan accordingly. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
