Women With Troubles - September 2007

Reported in the news during September 2007, here is the compilation of the women with troubles. Each name is linked to a blog entry displaying details. For a more comprehensive listing, check the Women With Troubles category link.

(AL) Holly Nicole Faircloth, 25,
teacher - Arrested for theft from students' lockers,

(AR) Amy Hilbun, 25,
teacher - Gets 3 years prison for abuse of son, 6,

(AR) Laura Elizabeth Newberry, 32,
nurse - Charged with sex assault of boy, 16,

(AZ) Alejandra "Alex" Rivas, 28,
juvie home worker - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(CA) Alexis Luz Garcia, 41,
neighbor - Charged with exposing herself to boy, 14,

(FL) Crystal Marie Bashford, 21,
teacher - Charged with lewd and lascivious battery of boy, 14,

(FL) Caroline Corbett, 22,
Boy Scout chaperone - Arrested for sex with Boy Scout, 15,

(FL) Ronda Lynn Lipko, 38,
neighbor - Arrested for sex with autistic boy, 7,

(FL) Vicki Tucker,
elementary school teacher - Cited for DWI on way to class,

(FL) Jessica Wink, 22,
deputy's wife - Arrested for sex with boy, 16, caught on video,

(FL) Noel Marie Wood, 28,
youth minister - Charged with unlawful sex with boy, 16,

(GA) Lora Hubbard, 56,
teacher - Arrested for possession of marijuana,

(IA) Kelli Cuperus (aka Kelly DeBoer), 39,
teacher - Sentenced to 4 months treatment for violating probation on sex crime conviction,

(ID) Sheryl Nawahine, 35,
neighbor - Charged with sexual battery of boy, 16,

(IN) Michelle VanMeter, 35,
teacher - Arrested for sex with 3 brothers (2 boys & deaf adult), having child by one,

(KS) DeAnna M. Abasolo-Farley, 34,
teacher - Guilty of unlawful sex with student,

(KS) Ashley N. Thompson, 22,
married neighbor mom - Charged in two states for sex with boy babysitter, 14,

(KY) Stephanie Burton, 31,
neighbor - Charged with rape of boy, 13,

(MA) Cathleen Trotta, 39,
neighbor - Gets 20 years probation for home invasion, kidnapping,

(MD) Robin Denise Lawrence, 24,
youth counselor - Guilty of sex abuse of boy, 16,

(MI) Janelle Batkins, 42,
teacher - Charged with criminal sexual conduct for sex with male student, 17,

(MI) Stephanie Ann Stein, 31,
teacher - Arrested for sex with boy, 15,

(MO) Rachelle Leslie,
caregiver - Accused of theft from mentally-challenged patient,

(MS) Carla Hughes, 27,
teacher - Charged with murder. Wants leniency due to being a descendant of slaves,

(MT) Koby Gayle Murray, 41,
teacher - Arrested for fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs,

(MT) Rachel (Rachael) O'Brien, 24,
neighbor mom - Charged with felony endangerment of her kids, ages 2 and 3,

(ND) Kimberly Nack, 28,
teen counselor - Gets probation for sex with boy, 16,

(NE) Christine Croissant-Smith, 46,
neighbor - Charged with attempted murder of son, 6,

(NE) Krista Crosby, 34,
teacher - Arrested for heroin possession,

(NE) Jodi Reeder, 29,
teacher - Charged with 4th DWI,

(NE) Brandy Reynolds, 25,
teacher - Gets minimum 4 years prison for sex with boy, 15,

(NE) Tammy Walnofer, 38,
neighbor - Charged with sex assault of boy, 15,

(NY) Rebecca L. Becker, 29,
teacher - Guilty of rape of boy, 16. Sentencing in November,

(NY) Morgan R. Crawson, 25,
neighbor - Guilty of rape of boy, 14, 2nd offense,

(NY) Dena Greene, 36,
neighbor - Arrested for rape of two boys, both 15 years old,

(NY) Stephanie A. Gross, 24,
teacher - Sentenced to probation in straddling of boy, 16,

(NY) Elizabeth Munn, 32,
teacher - Charged with rape of boy, 15,

(NY) Heather Mezzenga and Richard Werner,
mortgage brokers - Arrested for operating brothel in New Rochelle,

(OH) Donna Moonda, 48,
neighbor - Sentenced to life in prison for murder of husband, Dr. Gulam Moonda,

(OH) Kendra L. Sasser, 30,
neighbor - Charged with sexual exploitation of boy over Internet,

(OH) Brenda Slaby (aka Brenda Nesselroad-Slaby), 40,
assistant principal - Left baby to die in hot car,

(OH) Jennifer Whitson, 20,
neighbor - Guilty of sex with boy, 12. Sentencing in November,

(OK) Alicia Su-Lyn Groom, 23,
neighbor - Charged with rape of boy, 13,

(OK) Crystal Dawn Outlaw, 27,
neighbor - Charged with rape of boy, 14,

(PA) Teri Rhodes, 18,
college student - Arrested for killing her newborn,

(PA) Christine Carver-Schlesser, 30,
neighbor - Guilty of raping two boys, ages 12 & 13,

(PA) Tina Martinez, 42,
prison drug counselor - Gets probation for sex with inmate,

(PA) Heather D. Sites, 23,
neighbor - Charged with corruption of minor for sex with boy, 17,

(SC) Karen Robbins, 49,
teacher - Charged with unlawful sex and lewd acts on child under 16,

(SC) Allenna Williams Ward, 23,
teacher - Convicted of criminal sex and lewd acts with five boys, ages 14 and 15,

(TN) Dianne Dubay Dieterich, 35,
teacher - Gets probation for rape of boy, 17,

(TN) Julie E. Petty, 37,
teacher, coach - Indicted for rape of girl, 14,

(TN) Dana Faye Queen, 25,
neighbor mom - Charged with statutory rape for sex with boy, 15,

(TX) Sandra Borrego, 41,
dance teacher - Arrested for sex assault of boy, 13. Possibly had child by boy,

(TX) Beverly Renee Conditt, 35,
teacher - Gets probation for improper relationship with boy, 12,

(TX) Laura Hall, 24,
neighbor - Guilty of tampering with evidence in dismembering body of homicide victim,

(TX) Emily S. Willis, 28,
teacher - Gets 180 days jail for sex assault of boy, 14,

(WA) Lindsay Hall, 26,
neighbor - Charged with kidnapping, sex assault of boy, 12,

(WA) Jennifer Leigh Rice, 31,
teacher - Faces new charges of rape of boy,

(WI) Norma Giannini, 79,
nun - Charged with molesting schoolboys 40 years ago.

As always, thanks to all the tipsters.

Texas Dance Teacher and Boy, 13

(Corpus Christi, Texas) A 41-year-old dance instructor at Most Precious Blood Catholic School, Sandra Borrego, has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sex with a 13-year-old boy. Borrego is charged with aggravated sexual assault on a child.

The alleged sexual episode occurred 10 months ago but was just recently reported to authorities. The boy victim is now 14 years old and possibly the father of a child that Borrego recently gave birth to. The Nueces County District Attorney Carlos Valdez is investigating the possibility. A warrant to draw blood from Borrego is being sought.

The Catholic Diocese of Corpus Christi issued a statement indicating that its primary concern is protection of children but would wait for the law enforcement investigation to conclude before taking action.

Borrego was booked at the Nueces County Jail and released on bond.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 01/26/08]

DNA results obtained. Borrego indicted on 22 counts of sexual abuse of a child.

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Living in the Faslane Peace Camp

Check this out.

The Faslane peace camp (and, more recently the Faslane 365 crowd) has been a blight on the landscape of Helensburgh, Scotland comparable to the San Francisco parks from the 1960s - and just about as clean - since 1982. More importantly than that though, is what a horrible effect it has on the surrounding community and how they frankly just don't give a damn about anybody but themselves.

Hippies in Scotland, fighting the man with slogans, cardboard and decrepit buses.
Obviously, the hovel-dwellers haven't launched any community beautification campaigns over the last few decades. It's also apparent that the local population has been bend-over tolerant of people creating and living in roadside dumps. For years and years and years.

More here with additional pictures.

Shock and Disgust in Gaza

(Gaza Strip) A cellphone video of a particularly brutal honor killing in the Gaza Strip shows the apparent participation of an entire neighborhood. Any rational human being should be disgusted by the barbarism and gripped by the sadness.

The 16-year-old girl is seen being dragged to the street and pummeled savagely and mercilessly by male relatives and Hamas members. No one in the crowd attempts to intervene.

The scenes of the girl lying on the ground as frenzied men trample her are unimaginable.

At one point, the girl tries to cover her head with her hands to avoid the kicking. She then tries to rise to her feet, only to be stabbed repeatedly by one of the men.

As she collapses, one of the attackers pulls down her skirt so that the rest of his friends will not see her underwear. The girl is required to maintain her "modesty" even as she is being preyed upon.

And just when you think the lynch is about to end, someone emerges from the crowd carrying a large white stone.

He throws the stone at the girl's back as she lays face down, motionless.

Seconds later, another man throws a large stone at the back of her head. The video ends with the girl laying in a pool of blood. [vidcaps here]

Scant news reports covered the bloody public murder. One Hamas security official stated that honor killings happen regularly even though Hamas is "against these killings because we don't want anyone to take the law into his own hands."

Eleven women have been killed this year in the Strip according to the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Of course, that number excludes the many victims never reported and buried secretly.


[Update 09/30/07]

It's a hoax -- sorta. The killing actually occurred but not in Gaza, rather in Iraq in May 2007.

From lgf:

The Jerusalem Post has removed the article, and zombie received the following interesting note from the author:

Thanks, but it appears we were the victims of a hoax. the film was taken in Iraq, not Gaza. we have been misled deliberately...we have removed the story..apologies!

This was probably part of the ongoing Fatah-Hamas propaganda war, with the added benefit to Fatah of embarrassing the Jerusalem Post.

[ ... ]

UPDATE at 9/29/07 10:02:26 pm:

We've now received confirmation that this story was concocted by the "moderate" Fatah to discredit the "extreme" Hamas. Fatah is preying on the mainstream media's desire to promote them as "moderates."

The State Department and President Bush are living in a fantasyland if they think supporting Fatah will lead to peace; there is no difference between these two corrupt Islamist thugocracies.

Therefore, ignore the links to the story and keep in mind that the media are the frequently intentional and sometimes unintentional tools of the terrorists and their supporters.


[Update 10/01/07]

JPost adds clarification:

Both Fatah and Hamas are engaged in a campaign of disinformation aimed at discrediting each other. But the timing of the latest Fatah hoax was clearly intended to coincide with PA President Mahmoud Abbas's visit to New York.

Heh.

Tennessee Teacher Guilty of Statutory Rape

(Knoxville, Tennessee) A 35-year-old business teacher, Dianne Dubay Dieterich, pleaded guilty yesterday in Knox County Criminal Court to statutory rape of a 17-year-old Knoxville Catholic High School student. Dieterich taught at Knoxville Catholic until August 2007 when she was terminated.

Dieterich's guilty plea, a last-minute addition to the Friday docket of Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz, was part of an agreement between Knox County Assistant District Attorney General Charme Knight and defense attorney Gregory P. Isaacs. In return, the married mother of two will receive four years probation with the chance of clearing her record if she stays out of trouble.

Details of the relationship with the 17-year-old were not disclosed.

Rich Haglund, general counsel for the Tennessee Board of Education, said Friday that Dieterich's case would be reviewed for consideration of license revocation.


[Update 11/29/07]

Dieterich reported pregnant by student.

Ohio Woman Guilty of Raping Boy, 12

(Lebanon, Ohio) A 20-year-old local woman, Jennifer Whitson, was convicted by a jury of committing sex crimes against a 12-year-old boy in July 2006. The Butler County jury deliberated less than 30 minutes prior to finding Whitson guilty of rape and gross sexual imposition.

According to Prosecutor Robin Piper, the boy was visiting a friend when Whitson, a relative of the boy's friend, commenced being naughty with the boy.

"He and his friend were playing video games and stuff, and at some point in time the 20-year-old and 12-year-old were alone and she made these overtures and one thing led to another," Piper said.

Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Muench-McElfresh stated that both the victim and Whitson testified during the two-day trial with Whitson admitting to fellatio and masturbation with the victim.

Sentencing by Common Pleas Judge Noah Powers is scheduled for November 6th. According to Piper, prison time is mandatory but the judge doesn't have to impose the full possible 15 years for the offense.


[Update 11/07/07]

Whitson sentenced.

National Health Care Secretly Denies Services to Affluent

According to a report in today's Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian socialized medical scheme secretly diverts funding away from affluent areas on the basis that people with some means can pay for their health care at private facilities. Therefore, one can expect to find noticeably fewer hospitals, clinics, equipment, supplies, doctors and nurses in well-to-do areas and regions.

A SENIOR doctor who worked at Royal North Shore Hospital says staff were told 10 months ago it was State Government policy to slash the hospital's budget because "people on the North Shore had money" and could afford to use private hospitals.

Linda Dayan, a former staff specialist in sexual health at the hospital, said yesterday she left her job after being told by two managers in a meeting at Gosford Hospital in November that a "redistribution formula" had shown Royal North Shore "didn't need as much funding as other hospitals" because North Shore residents were affluent.

It's no surprise that administrators of the Aussie national health care system dispute the accusation.

A spokesman for the Health Minister, Reba Meagher, said: "We utterly reject that claim. We are bound by the Australian Health Care Agreement to provide equal access to services regardless of where people live."

Heh. I believe the doctor. A secret funding diversion scheme! It's likely a necessary element of any socialized medical system.

Why? Because there are never enough dollars to give everything to everybody. So, forget the promises of national health care, people will be denied. It's guaranteed by history. Socialism has only been successful at making everyone equally poverty-stricken.

Myanmar Protests, Violence & World Outrage

(Yangon, Myanmar) Yesterday and today, crowds taunted as police and soldiers strived to stop the demonstrations prompted by a steep rise in fuel prices. Groups of several hundred protesters shouted in English "F**k you, Army. We only want democracy!" Squads of soldiers charged the demonstrators.

Several shots were fired, but there was no immediate word of more casualties a day after troops swept protesters out of the city centre, giving them 10 minutes to leave or risk being shot, then pursued knots of demonstrators through the city.

 
Photo left: Man with camera as soldier approaches. Photo right: Man lies motionless afterward. Believed to be Japanese photographer Kenji Nagai, 50, shot point-blank.

There was no sign of the monks who turned what started as small protests against shock fuel price rises last month into a mass uprising by lending their huge moral weight to demonstrations against the junta.

Troops fired on several crowds on Thursday, and the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission said eight people were shot dead in a single incident in the northeastern Yangon district of South Okkalapa.

Loudspeaker trucks toured South Okkalapa on Friday, announcing a four-hour extension in the area to the overnight curfew that was imposed on Yangon and the second city of Mandalay on Tuesday, witnesses said.

State-run television admitted that nine people had been killed in Yangon, but Australian Ambassador Bob Davis told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio that should be multiplied several times to get the real figure.

At least six Buddhist monks are believed to have been killed. Others have vowed not to give up. They said they had formed a "united front" of clergy, students and activists to continue the struggle.

Myanmar generals have cut telephone and Internet communications. News reports are intermittent. At the Thailand-Myanmar border, a surge of Burmese troops arrived to guard against an incoming flood of people wanting to join the protests. If unrest continues, the troops are staged to close the border. Thai fishing trawlers have been warned not to encroach in Myanmar's waters.

From Bangkok Post:

It seems clear that the entire world, China especially, is standing by, holding the coats of the Burmese dictators while they mop the Burmese floor with the blood of the Burmese clergy and that of the people of Burma.

The bloody crackdown has prompted outrage across Asia and Myanmar's embassies are being thronged with protesters, notably Taiwan, Bangkok, Manila, Jakarta, Phnom Penh and Canberra.

Salmon Produce Trout Offspring

Researchers are injecting embryos from one species with cells from another species to create offspring of a desired species.

Marine biologist Goro Yoshizaki from the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology has used the method to successfully breed trout from salmon.

The embryos they produced developed into adult trout of both sexes, capable of producing either trout sperm or eggs. These were then combined to produce healthy trout offspring.

The scientists say the technique could be used to preserve threatened species if traditional methods such as reducing fishing, breeding in captivity or restoring their habitat fail.

Sounds fishy to me.

Another Radical Imam at Islamic Center of Cleveland

(Cleveland, Ohio) Readers may recall from 2004, the imam of the Islamic Center of Cleveland, Fawaz Damra, was convicted of lying to federal authorities on his citizenship application. Damra failed to disclose his support and fundraising for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a recognized terrorist organization. As a consequence, Damra was deported.

This week, the Islamic Center of Cleveland announced that a permanent replacement for Damra has been hired. According to David Briggs of the Plain Dealer:

Imam Ahmed Alzaree, an Egyptian-born cleric who led a mosque in Omaha, Neb., for the past five years until his contract expired in July, will join the Islamic Center of Cleveland Nov. 1, leaders of the mosque said.

They said Alzaree, 37, is a scholar whose strengths include working with young people.

Dr. Jalal Abu-Shaweesh, mosque president, said Alzaree should bring a "great deal of stability" to the Islamic Center.

Alzaree would not confirm his hiring, at one point saying he would not come to Cleveland because a reporter was inquiring about his background.

Interesting. Alzaree won't go to Cleveland because a reporter is asking questions. Which reporter isn't known. However, a query by Tom Blumer of BizzyBlog found a sermon that Alzaree gave at the Omaha Islamic Center in 2003 which contained the following.

“The hour of judgment shall not happen until the Muslims fight the Jews. The Muslims shall kill the Jews to the point that the Jew shall hide behind a big rock or a tree and the rock or tree shall call on the Muslim saying: hey, O Muslim there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him, except the Gharqad tree which will not say, for it is the tree of Jews."

Although there's no indication that Alzaree directly supports terrorism, it appears that he thinks like them.

Additionally, according to Patrick Poole of Ohioans Against Terror, Alzaree laments that Muslims are not receiving the "jizya" tax from non-Muslims as required by the Quran.

One must question Dr. Abu-Shaweesh's definition of a "great deal of stability." Since Alzaree promotes killing Jews and imposing taxes on non-Muslims, there's a great deal of something but it's not stability.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.


[Update 10/30/07]

Alzaree resigns due to bloggers.

Animal Lover Arrested

The ethical animal advocates are relentless in trying to further their beliefs. Just this week I learned that another ethical Hollywood actress took her clothes off in a gesture of ethical nudity to forward the cause. You never know what will come next in their campaign to shove radical veganism down the throats of everyone in society. Even so, I'm not sure that the following episode is in the ethical playbook.

(Denver, Colorado) A 33-year-old volunteer at the Denver Municipal Animal Shelter, Gustavo Castanon, was arrested yesterday for allegedly having a basset hound perform a sex act.

Castanon has been charged with cruelty to animals. Another shelter employee reportedly saw a partially-naked Castanon and the basset being naughty behind the building.

According to Ellen Dumm, a spokesperson for Denver Environmental Health, Castanon was suspended as a volunteer.

Castanon was booked and released on $10,000 bond.

Tip: slwlion

Youth Counselor Guilty in Sex Case

(Germantown, Maryland) In February 2007, a 24-year-old counselor at the M.S. Youth Services group home in Germantown, Robin Denise Lawrence, was arrested for engaging in sex with a 16-year-old boy under her care.

Two other workers at M.S. Youth Services, teacher Joy Morrow-Hargrove and counselor Koreen Avery, were also arrested and each was charged with sexual abuse of a minor. Subsequently, charges against Morrow-Hargrove were dropped due to lack of evidence. Meanwhile, 38-year-old Koreen Allen Avery is scheduled to go to trial in February 2008.

Regarding Robin Lawrence, yesterday she pleaded guilty in accordance with a plea agreement. Sentencing is scheduled for November 19th. According to the deal, Lawrence faces a possible 18 months in prison.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Couple Rescue Dogs, Leave Boy to Burn

(Center, Pennsylvania) James Chandler, 33, and his girlfriend, Crystal Adams, 31, escaped a fire in their mobile home while rescuing their dogs and marijuana. Unfortunately, they forgot to rescue Chandler's son, four-year-old Adam Chandler, who firefighters found cowering and crying in the corner of a bedroom.

"It blows my mind. I'm a father of three children. When they brought that boy out, it hits you totally," [Center Fire Chief] Brucker said Tuesday.

"How do you put somebody to bed and not remember that they're inside? I just find it hard to believe."

Both Chandler and Adams were charged with reckless endangerment. Also, Adams was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. An officer saw her try to hide a baggie of dope in her pants.

Adam Chandler was treated for smoke inhalation. Authorities would not comment on who presently has custody of the boy.

This case appears to support the contention that marijuana makes people stupid. Smoke enough dope and you forget you have a child. Frankly, I wouldn't call that NORML.

Tip: slwlion

Tennessee Teacher Erin McLean

(Knoxville, Tennessee) Readers likely recall the ongoing story of the high school teacher, Erin McLean, who mixed it up with a student, Sean Powell, who subsequently was allegedly murdered by Erin's husband, Eric McLean. It's a troubling story.

Eric McLean faces murder charges, Sean Powell is dead and it appears that Erin McLean still has an eye for high school boys.

The estranged wife of a North Knoxville man who shot her alleged teen lover has reportedly lost a teaching job in Middle Tennessee after claims of "inappropriate contact" with another teenage boy.

The CBS television affiliates in Nashville and Knoxville are reporting that Erin McLean got a job teaching English at Pioneer Christian Academy.

She used her maiden name, WTVF-TV in Nashville reported this evening. WVLT-TV in Knoxville picked up its sister station's story on its Web site.

The stations reported that McLean started about a month ago but that students went to the headmaster recently, complaining she made several phone calls to a 17-year-old senior.

There appears to be something seriously askew in Erin McLean's thinking. Her alleged promiscuity led to one death and now she has been fired from a job for the same reason. Does anyone else see a trend?

In my opinion, Erin McLean should face charges for taking advantage of students by a person in a position of authority. Let a jury decide.

Tip: WW

Oklahoma Woman Nabbed for Boy Rape

(Bartlesville, Oklahoma) A 27-year-old local woman, Crystal Dawn Outlaw, was arrested this week for allegedly raping a 14-year-old boy. Outlaw has been charged with second-degree rape. The boy's mother alerted authorities that Outlaw had raped her son.

Two sexual episodes allegedly occurred in early and mid-August at a local residence, according to the boy. The teen also said that another incident occurred at a different residence and was witnessed by a 13-year-old girl who walked in on the boy and Outlaw in flagrante delicto. The girl confirmed the teen's story.

Outlaw was booked into custody at the Washington County Jail with bond set at $50,000.


[Update 12/26/07]

Outlaw faces new charges.

Florida Youth Minister Accused of Sex with Boy

(Largo, Florida) A married, 28-year-old youth minister at the Real Life Christian Church, Noel Marie Wood, was arrested Tuesday for engaging in sex with a 16-year-old boy in her youth group. Wood faces two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Wood allegedly performed sex acts on the boy during two occasions in August.

The incidents came to light Tuesday when the teen's mother met with Wood to ask why she was spending so much time with her son.

Wood had been calling and sending text messages to the teen, prompting his mother to arrange the meeting, police said. During that meeting, Wood acknowledged having sexual contact with the boy, they said.

Wood was booked into custody at the Pinellas County Jail with bail set at $20,000.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Texas Teacher Gets 180 Days in Sex Case

(Katy, Texas) In March 2007, a 28-year-old eighth-grade math teacher at McDonald Junior High School, Emily S. Willis, was caught by Harris County Sheriff's deputies engaging in sex with a 14-year-old student in her car. Willis was charged with sexual assault of a child.

Last month, Emily Willis pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a child, an offense which carries a possible 20 years in prison. A pre-sentencing evaluation was ordered by District Judge Caprice Cosper.

Yesterday, Willis was sentenced to deferred adjudication consisting of 180 days in jail and 10 years probation.

It's not known whether Willis will continue teaching or be required to register as a sex offender. It is known, however, that 180 days is considerably less than the possible 20 years she reportedly faced. Six months in jail is nothing to laugh at but I suggest that a male teacher convicted of child sexual abuse of a 14-year-old in the same jurisdiction would probably have been treated more harshly.

Tip: Don Morgenstern

Human Leg in a Smoker

(Maiden, North Carolina) Local police were quite curious to learn why a severed human leg was found in a smoker. After a few questions, the mystery was solved.

Some time ago, John Wood was injured in a plane crash and had to have his leg amputated. Reportedly for religious reasons, he kept the leg, wrapped it in paper and stored it in a smoker. Yesterday, a buyer purchased the smoker at an auction of items abandoned at a storage locker and discovered the leg.

According to John Wood's mother, Peg Steele, her son will soon be traveling to Maiden to retrieve his leg. So, case closed.

Well, not exactly. Several salient points have not been disclosed. For example, was the leg actually smoked? If so, is the smoker useable after smoking human flesh? If not, is the smoker usable after housing decomposing human flesh? Also, what religion requires the retention of surgically removed body parts but doesn't necessarily require that a person remembers where a body part was stored?

Rex Farrance Murder

(Pittsburg, California) In January 2007, a senior editor for PC World magazine, Rex Farrance, 59, was murdered in his home by a gunshot wound to the chest during a home invasion. His wife of 21 years, Lenore Vantosh-Farrance, was pistol whipped before three intruders left.

At the time, investigators speculated the crimes were drug-related since the Farrance home housed a marijuana farm ran by the 19-year-old son, who had a valid medical marijuana license.

Yesterday, charges were filed against three suspects, all three of which are in custody on unrelated charges.

Tremaine Cleothius Amos, 25, of Bay Point, and Darryl Westley Hudson, 23, and Montrell Hall, 23, both of Pittsburg, were charged with first-degree murder with special circumstances, two counts of robbery and one count of burglary, said Pittsburg police Lt. Brian Addington. The three men are in custody and could face the death penalty if convicted.

During the attack, the intruders stole marijuana and weapons. By tracing the weapons and through ballistics tests, investigators were able to identify the suspects.

Kudos to the law enforcers on this case. However, one question does arise. How can a 19-year-old minor, who is prohibited from imbibing in alcohol, obtain a license to farm, harvest, process, package, distribute and use marijuana? Since a person has to be 21 years old to drink a beer, it would seem prudent to have an age requirement associated with being a big-time medical dope dealer.

NY Teacher Guilty of Rape of Boy

(New Windsor, New York) In June 2007, a 28-year-old teacher, Rebecca L. Becker, and a teacher's aide, Maria E. Zurita, same age, at McQuade Children's Services in New Windsor were charged with sex crimes after an alleged Memorial Day weekend of sexual encounters with two 16-year-old male students. An investigation was launched when the two boys failed to return to the school after the weekend.

Both Becker and Zunita were booked on counts of rape and child endangerment.

Last Friday, Rebecca Becker, now 29, pleaded guilty to third-degree rape in Orange County Court.

Becker's lawyer, John Ingrassia, said Becker was confronted by overwhelming evidence, including her own statement to New Windsor police and grand jury testimony from the boy.

Becker will face a possible six-month jail term and 10 years of probation when sentenced on November 30th.

The same deal was offered by the prosecution to Zunita. So far, she hasn't accepted. Zunita has a court appearance scheduled for November 1st. If she decides to go to trial and is convicted, a much stiffer sentence is possible.


[Update 02/05/08]

Marie Zurita, 29, trial now underway.


[Update 05/10/08]

Zurita convicted and sentenced to jail.


[Update 05/21/08]

Becker sentenced.

Florida Teacher Arrested for Sex with Boy

(North Port, Florida) A 21-year-old local woman and caretaker at Palm Christian Academy, Crystal Marie Bashford, was arrested Monday for allegedly engaging in sex with a 14-year-old boy. Bashford has been charged with one count of lewd or lascivious battery.

According to Detective Mary Thoroman, Bashford and the boy were friends who had sex one time.

The boy confided in an employee at the George Mullen Center in North Port, who in turn contacted the Department of Children and Families, which then contacted North Port Police, said Thoroman.

The victim said the sex occurred in November 2006, when he was 14 years old and Bashford was 20, according to records.

Bashford was booked at the Sarasota County Jail and released on $2,500 bail.

Palm Christian Academy provides daycare and pre-kindergarten. North Port is a small town about midway between Sarasota and Fort Myers.

Texas Family Sues Over Girl's Pic in Ad

(Dallas, Texas) A 16-year-old girl, Alison Chang, was photographed by a youth counselor last April during a church fundraiser and the counselor subsequently uploaded Chang's picture to the photo hosting site Flickr.

Advertising executives for Virgin Mobile Australia (VMA) saw the picture and decided to use it in their "Are You With Us or What?" campaign.

The ad created consists of Chang's picture superimposed with the wording "Dump Your Pen Friend" and "Free Text Virgin To Virgin."

The Chang family was less than amused and filed suit in Texas state court against Virgin Mobile USA, Virgin Mobile Australia and Creative Commons Corp., a nonprofit organization that licenses the sharing of photographs from Flickr.com.

The complaint asserts that Chang has been humiliated, embarrassed, frustrated, ... yadda-yadda-yadda, and seeks damages for "injury to her reputation and good name in the community, which exposes her to contempt and ridicule among her peers, neighbors, relatives and friends, and impairs, among other things, her ability to gain acceptance to the universities of her choice."

It's unclear how this case will play out. Presumably, the Chang family is looking for a handsome payday when all is said and done. VMA may or may not fight the case, opting to just write a check. Creative Commons involvement doesn't appear to include verifying that the photographer obtained permission to use the picture. And, above all, the ability of a state court to impose a ruling on a company in a foreign country is being tested.

My legal opinion is uneducated but it sure seems that the Chang family should be suing the photographer for using the photo without permission. Of course, I'm not excluding the fact that Virgin Mobile also has responsibility to assure the property they use has been obtained properly.

A more informed discussion regarding the intricacies of the case can be found at the comment thread here.

Prost! It's Oktoberfest!

(Munich, Germany) An estimated one million visitors invaded Munich this past weekend for Oktoberfest.

In brilliant sunshine, the Oompah bands played as buxom waitresses served more than one-half million liters of beer.

Munich Mayor Christian Ude ceremonially tapped the first keg

The Red Cross ambulance service counted only 60 so-called "beer corpses" -- people who had drunk themselves into unconsciousness -- on Saturday, half as many as last year, but a spokeswoman for the Munich police had her doubts about the figure. "I can't imagine it was so few," she told SPIEGEL ONLINE, adding that the police attended to 112 incidents over the weekend and detained 53 people for a variety of offenses.

The incidents reflected Oktoberfest's truly international character. An over-exuberant American man, for example, threw a 15-centimeter carrot through a tent, slightly injuring a 29-year-old woman from Chile just below the eye.

And one drunken 22-year-old Swiss man who visited a ghost train, one of the attractions at the Oktoberfest, got so scared by a mechanical ghost that he literally punched its lights out.

Most of the 14 giant tents, some holding as many as 10,000 people, were closed to newcomers by noon Saturday.

Incidentally, 11 oxen were eaten, two more than last year. The festival continues until October 7th.

Oklahoma Woman Accused of Raping Boy. 13

(Chouteau, Oklahoma) A 23-year-old local woman, Alicia Su-Lyn Groom, was arrested last week for engaging in sex with a 13-year-old boy. Groom has been charged with first-degree rape.

Chouteau Police Sgt. Rod Howell said while investigating an assault and vandalism, the police department was given information that a lot of parties with teenagers were going on at Groom's residence.

Through the investigation, the parent of the 13-year-old boy was contacted and put police in touch with the boy.

The 13-year-old admitted to having consentual sex with Groom.

Groom was booked at the Mayes County Jail and later released on bond of $5,000.

Chouteau is a small community about 25 miles east of Tulsa.

China Revokes Food Licenses

(Beijing) The Chinese government says it has revoked the food production licenses of 564 companies in a crackdown on unsanitary and unsafe food manufacturing practices. Only three companies have been identified.

They were the Shijiazhuang Good Cook Food Factory, a monosodium glutamate factory in northern China's Hebei province, the Hefei Wanmaomao Quick-frozen Food Co in Anhui province in the east, and Kaiping Shagang District Xinfengsheng Rice Factory in the southern Guangdong province.

The other companies had their food production licences revoked because they were found to be manufacturing goods they weren't licensed to make, or because they had moved or were being renovated, it said.

The ChiComs are attempting to win back consumer confidence in Chinese products.

Let's be honest. Anything the ChiComs have done or say they will do is pure horseflop. They're communists! Therefore, the economy at all levels is corrupt. Setting standards and revoking licenses is meaningless.

Caveat emptor -- buyer beware!

Actor Kevin Spacey Meets with Hugo Chavez

(Caracas, Venezuela) How nice! Actor Kevin Spacey had a three-hour dinner meeting yesterday with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. The content of their extended discussion wasn't disclosed.

Nonetheless, one could easily speculate that Kevin Spacey is an advocate or, better yet, a useful idiot for police-state socialism. The Oscar-winner joins other leftist cheerleaders such as Sean Penn, Danny Glover and Cindy Sheehan in being privately hosted by Chavez.

Reportedly, Chavez is trying to create a Venezuelan version of Hollywood in Caracas.

Idaho Mom Indicted for Sexual Battery of Boy, 16

(Fruitland, Idaho) A 35-year-old local mom, Sheryl Nawahine, has been indicted by a Payette County grand jury on three counts of sexual battery of a minor between the ages of 16 and 17.

The Payette County Sheriff's Office says Nawahine turned herself in Saturday morning, but bonded out of jail not long after.

The charges include sexually explicit conduct and showing a sexually explicit video and/or photograph to a minor.

The sexually explicit conduct charge stems from a long record of more than 900 text messages between Nawahine and a minor -- many of them explicit in nature.

The relationship was discovered by the 16-year-old boy's football coach who saw a picture of Nawahine exposed from the waist up on the boy's cell phone. The coach alerted the authorities.

Tip: Don Morgenstern


[Update 09/26/07]

This is interesting. Check out some of the text messages (among the 900 plus) sent between Nawahine and the boy. Obviously, there was something serious going on.

Various

Hillary Clinton proposes universal health care for the U.S. with an estimated price tag of $110 billion. Calculated cost of universal health care for the state of Ohio alone is $50 billion. Something doesn't jive. Tom Blumer explains. Read & remember.

The gay crowd bemoans the reduction in the number of alternatively oriented characters on scripted broadcast network shows. Last season, there were nine. This season only seven. Well, shucks.

Rosie O'Donnell won't promote her new book, "Celebrity Detox," because she's not ready to discuss or defend what she wrote. That's a shame.

Condolences to Debbie Schlussel and her family. A week ago, cancer took her father, H.L. Schlussel, M.D.

Nebraska Teacher Brandy Reynolds Gets Prison

(Fremont, Nebraska) In May 2007, an arrest warrant was issued for Brandy Reynolds, a 25-year-old former teacher at Omaha Baptist Academy, for engaging in a two-year sexual relationship with a male student starting when the boy was 15.

In June 2007, Reynolds was arrested and released on bond. In August, Reynolds pleaded no contest to reduced charges.

Today, Reynolds was sentenced.

Dodge County District Judge John Samson sentenced Brandy Reynolds to a minimum term of four years and a maximum of eight years in prison.

Judge Samson denied a request for leniency. Reynolds' attorney, Steve Lefler, said there are no plans to appeal.

After sentencing, Reynolds put her head on the wooden defense table and sobbed. More than a dozen friends and relatives, including Reynolds' husband, packed the courtroom to show support.

Abbi Andersen, a friend of Reynolds' who lives in Blair, said she believed that the only reason Reynolds received a prison sentence was because the judge did not know her.

Fortunately, there is no requirement in the law for the judge to "know" the defendant.

Notably, Judge Samson proved my speculation to be in error. Based on many recent cases, I predicted no jail or very little. Thankfully, Judge Samson didn't follow the the general trend in American jurisprudence to consider female sex offenders as not all that criminal. Reynolds' sentence is likely comparable to that which would be imposed on a male sex offender in the same jurisdiction.

Kudos to Judge Samson.

Gay German-Israeli Denies Being Spy

(Beirut, Lebanon) A investigation into the murder of Lebanese citizen Moussa al-Shalaani has prompted police to arrest Daniel Sharon, a dual citizen of Germany and Israel, on espionage charges. Sharon admits to being homosexual but denies being a spy.

According to Lebanese publication Al-Akhbar Wa-Sapir, Sharon was arrested on Thursday during an investigation into the murder of a Lebanese citizen.

During questioning, it emerged that Sharon had visited Lebanon 11 times on his German passport over the last two years. He denied allegations he was on an espionage mission and said he was in Lebanon for leisure purposes, according to the source.

Sharon is linked to, and spent a lot of time with, a Lebanese security agent who was the roommate of the murdered al-Shalaani. Also, the security agent's gun was used in the killing -- he claims he lost his gun.

Nevertheless, Sharon calmly denies everything.

"He is denying charges of espionage and insists that he is gay and he likes to have sexual relations with Lebanese men and that is why his visits to Lebanon were frequent," the source said.

"But further investigations into the case showed that Sharon had a friend in the Lebanese security offices who used to facilitate his entries to Lebanon and with the help of a hotel clerk he managed to hide his real name," the source added.

Based on the reporting, it appears that Sharon frequently travels in and out of Lebanon while trying to maintain a low profile and is remotely connected to a murder. As a result, Lebanese authorities believe he is a spy, although it's not clear who he would be spying for. Sharon explains that he's really just a homosexual who prefers Lebanese men.

It's hard to analyze what's going on in this case so its importance remains unknown. One thing that is known, however, is that it must be a rarity for a German-Israeli to openly claim homosexuality in the Muslim Middle East as his defense against accusations of espionage.

SC Teacher Faces Child Sex Charges

(Laurens County, South Carolina) Karen Robbins, a 49-year-old former special education teacher at the Thornwell School and the Bell Street Middle School, was arrested Saturday by Clinton Police for allegedly engaging in sex with a child under 16.

Robbins has been charged with three counts of a lewd act on a child, and three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a child.

According to arrest warrants, the incidents happened over a three month period back in 2005. Police claim Robbins had sex with a teen victim at her house, and in her car off Mill Pond Road in Clinton.

All of this happened while Robbins was teacher at the Thornwell School in Laurens County. The school's President, Skip Stansell, says he's shocked by the allegations. "I'm dumbfounded. I'm stunned. I'm offended."

Stansell says Robbins taught special education at Thornwell for more than a decade. She left on good terms in 2006, right before the school closed its doors. Robbins then taught at Bell Street Middle School through August of this year.

Robbins was booked at the Laurens County Detention Center and released on bond Saturday night.

Kansas Teacher Guilty in Sex Case

(Wellington, Kansas) In February 2007, a 34-year-old educator at Wellington High School, DeAnna M. Abasolo-Farley, was arrested by Wellington Police for allegedly engaging in sex with a student.

Abasolo-Farley was booked into the Sumner County Jail on charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child and unlawful sexual relations between a teacher and student, age 16 or 17. Abasolo-Farley resigned her teaching position in mid-January.

In July, Abasolo-Farley pleaded not guilty to the charges at a preliminary hearing.

On Thursday of this past week, Abasolo-Farley changed her mind and decided to plead guilty to the charges in accordance with a plea deal with the prosecution.

According to the plea agreement, Abasolo-Farley will spend 30 months in jail with 36 months of post-release supervision, and will be required to be on the registered sex offender list for at least 10 years.

Defense attorney Phillip White asked Sumner County District Court Judge Scott McQuin to allow Abasolo-Farley to remain free on bond until her sentencing. Judge McQuin consented. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 4th.

Wellington is a small community about 30 miles south of Wichita.


[Update 10/07/07]

Abasolo-Farley sentenced per schedule in accordance with the plea agreement.

Placebo Tops HIV Vaccine

(Trenton, New Jersey) Merck and Co. officials have halted testing of a new experimental HIV vaccine due to complete failure. The new vaccine infected more people than a placebo.

Officials at the New Jersey-based company told The Associated Press that 3.2 percent, or 24 of 741 of those who got the vaccine got HIV; 2.8 percent, or 21 of 762 of those on a placebo got it.

Heh.

I suppose it would be tacky for the half-empty crowd at Merck to take a lesson from P.T. Barnum and start marketing sugar pills as "more effective than the latest experimental HIV vaccine."

Tip: slwlion

Fast-Tracking Canada's Nukes

Critical of the burdensome Canadian environmental reviews required for nuclear plants, Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory vowed to fast track the building of new nukes.

"The people of the province need to know that when they get home at the end of a long day and turn on the lights that those lights will come on," he told reporters in Tiverton, the Bruce Power nuclear generating station on Lake Huron looming large behind him. "I think there's a way we can have absolute and complete consultation and review of these projects and get it done faster if the will is there."

Frankly, this is all just political rhetoric for now. The general Canadian mindset is liberal and won't likely change unless the lights go out.

Illegals Bottlenecked on French Coast

That's right. Illegal immigrants are crowding into makeshift camps on the northern French coast from Calais to Cherbourg waiting for the chance to get into Britain. Elite French anti-riot police, the CRS, have been dispatched to quell the increasing violence from growing numbers of frustrated "asylum seekers."


Cherbourg illegal immigrant camp
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has taken a strict law and order approach to the refugee problem. Last Thursday, the elite police arrived in Normandy and commenced 24-hour patrols to counter the "growing menace caused by illegal immigrants." Ironically, the people causing the problems in France would prefer to leave France but are unable to traverse the natural barrier of the English Channel to get to Britain.

In Cherbourg, up to 160 would-be asylum seekers try to jump on to lorries heading for Britain every night, according to the ferry port's management.

Serge Henry, the port director, said urgent action is needed. "The problems never end and, if anything, are getting worse."

Police guarding the area are stretched to the limit, but almost 300 a week are arrested.

Officers said troublemakers are arrested on a regular basis.

But as immigrants have no fixed abode, or official papers, dealing with them is difficult.

"In many cases, there is absolutely nothing we can do," said a police spokesman.

"They do not want to claim asylum here. All they want to do is get to Britain."

According to authorities, many immigrants come from war-torn places like Iraq and Afghanistan and are seeking to collect on Britain's generous social welfare benefits. Others simply want to participate in Britain's "burgeoning black economy."

Just a thought, the U.S. would benefit by having a natural barrier like the English Channel on the southern border but, since that's not possible, maybe a man-made barrier would work -- like a fence.

Frankly, I would suggest that were the English Channel to silt up, creating a land bridge between the continent and Britain, UK citizens would demand that the government have it dredged. And the British government, like the U.S. government, would probably ignore the citizens' demand for a barrier at the national border.

Tip: slwlion

Deputy's Wife and Boy on Video

(Royal Palm Beach, Florida) Twenty-two-year-old Jessica Wink, the newlywed wife of sheriff's deputy John Wink, was arrested Wednesday for engaging in sex with a 16-year-old boy and videotaping the episode.

Jessica Wink's co-worker at the supermarket, German Armentano, 28, was also arrested and accused of actually taping the sex.

According to a police report, Armentano got into an argument with Wink and decided to show her husband the videotape he made of her and the teenage boy on June 18.

Armentano told Wink's husband, "I don't want to ruin your day," before the two met at a Checker's in Wellington where they viewed the tape, according to the report.

Investigators said Armentano told police that he, Wink, and the teen had previously talked about videotaping sexual activity between the three, but, on this occasion, Armentano did not engage in sexual acts while it was being recorded.

Also, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera, the 16-year-old was arrested because he knowingly was involved with videotaping of a minor engaged in sex.

John and Jessica Wink became man and wife in November 2006 and, sadly, by the following June Jessica had developed adulterous sexual relationships with two males.

Tipped by Don Morgenstern & Slwlion

Woman Gets 20 Years for Kidnapping

(Middlesex County, Massachusetts) Two weeks ago, 39-year-old Cathleen Trotta was convicted by a jury in Middlesex Superior Court of home invasion and kidnapping charges.

The jury returned a verdict after deliberating for about eight hours on convincing evidence that Trotta and boyfriend Denis Piper had plotted to abduct Trotta's two daughters and flee to Florida.

In November 2005, Trotta and Piper invaded the home of Rebecca and Chris Borey, foster parents of Trotta's daughters. They kidnapped one daughter, 5-year-old Grace Trotta, and the Borey's 3-year-old son, Christian Borey, while beating Rebecca Borey with a billy club. The other daughter, Elizabeth Trotta, was in school on the day of the kidnappings.

The kidnappings prompted a statewide Amber Alert and, later the same day, Trotta was found at a hotel near Logan Airport with her daughter Grace packed in a suitcase. Three-year-old Christian Borey was found at the home of one of Piper's co-workers.

Yesterday, Cathleen Trotta was sentenced to 20 years in prison during proceedings which included a dramatic stunt by Trotta.

Trotta, 39, let her body go limp in her chair and then put her hands around her throat in an attempt to choke herself as court officers rushed the table.

Four officers wrestled with Trotta and bent her over the table before handcuffing her and putting her back in her seat.

Piper accepted a plea deal earlier this month and was sentenced to 13 and one-half years in prison.

Trotta told the court that she was sorry for her actions in November 2005 and that she has struggled with drugs throughout her life. Her first arrest on drug charges was at 17.

Nun Faces Molestation Charges

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin) In December 2006, a 78-year-old nun and former principal at St. Patrick's Congregation grade school, Norma Giannini, was charged with two felony counts of indecent behavior with a child. Giannini allegedly engaged in sex with two schoolboys 40 years ago. A warrant was issued for Giannini's arrest.

On Wednesday of this week, Norma Giannini, now 79, turned herself in to face charges.

According to the criminal complaint, Giannini confessed to the Milwaukee Archdiocese 11 years ago that she'd had sex with boys on numerous occasions at St. Patrick's Elementary School in Milwaukee, often in the church's convent and school office.

Those admissions weren't reported to police, however, until the accusers themselves reported it last year, the TV station reported.

Giannini could strike a plea deal, but a trial also is a possibility.

"We're prepared to go to a jury trial if that's what it takes. I know it would be a couple of days really, really rough for us, but just to get some finality to this after all these years," accuser Jim St. Patrick said.

Giannini was released on a $10,000 bond and allowed to return to her nursing home outside Chicago.

Jeez, at 79 years of age and living in a nursing home, it seems that there's not too much they can do to her, if she's found guilty. Of course, the diocese can probably be held somewhat liable and a lawsuit might bring a big payday for the plaintiffs.

Heh.


[Update 11/12/07]

Giannini pleads no contest.


[Update 02/01/08]

Giannini sentenced to one year in jail.

Donna Moonda Gets Life in Prison

(Akron, Ohio) In July 2007, a federal jury of seven women and five men convicted Donna Moonda of all the charges she faced in the death of her husband: murder for hire, interstate stalking and two counts of using a firearm.

Today, a loud Donna Moonda, 48, was sentenced.

A defiant Donna Moonda declared Friday that with her very last breath she would fight her conviction for killing her husband, Dr. Gulam Moonda, a prominent Mercer County urologist.

"I am a victim of May 13, 2005," Donna Moonda said at her sentencing in U.S. District Court. "I am innocent, as God is my witness, and I stand here today to be sentenced for something I have not done."

Judge David Dowd sentenced Moonda to life in prison for the contract killing of her husband along the Ohio turnpike more than two years ago.

Well, that's a shame.

Dracula's Kittens Fed to Pit Bull

(Dracula, Georgia) A 21-year-old Dracula man, Tye Hilmo, was arrested by Gwinnett County Sheriff's deputies for animal cruelty. It was discovered that Hilmo was feeding neighborhood kittens to his pit bull.

Deputies got a tip that some sort of animal cruelty had been going on at the Hilmo's house in Dacula, involving the pit bull there. They found two pounds of marijuana, a sawed-off shotgun and other weapons, and two dead kittens. How those kittens died is what brought the cruelty charges against Hilmo.

"He was getting the kittens and cats from the neighborhood," said Stacey Bourbonnais of the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office. "And he was injuring those kittens and cats before he was giving them to the pit bull to maul and kill."

One more piece of evidence from the case was on Hilmo's cell phone. He had a picture on his phone of his dog, with parts of a kitten in its mouth. The caption on the picture read, "Good Dog."

Regarding this all happening in Dracula, make your own joke.

Ohio Islamic School Vandalized

(Sylvania, Ohio) High school vandalized.

Several swastikas were spray painted on windows and trees outside of an Islamic high school in Sylvania early this morning, the school's principal said.

Two of the building's windows were broken out and two trucks in the parking lot were also vandalized, said Aalaa Eldeib, the principal.

This is news to me. I didn't know there was an Islamic high school in Ohio. Oddly, the article failed to identify the school by name.

Tent Rape Charged in Florida

(Collier County, Florida) Reportedly homeless, 45-year-old Lance Hicks has been charged with sexual battery.

A homeless man was arrested Wednesday night after a woman told authorities he raped her while she was sleeping inside his tent.

This is an outrage. Hicks wasn't homeless. He had a tent and it came with its own Goldilocks. After all, Sheriff Joe Arpaio houses thousands of prisoners in tents and they are not called homeless. Nor are the Bedouins and other nomadic tribes who roam the deserts of the Middle East and Africa while living in tents.

Regarding the alleged rape, Hiicks was arrested and claimed that he and the woman had consensual sex "all the time." This time, however, she was mad because he kicked her out of his tent.

Islamists Targeting Cartoonist, Swedish Firms

(Stockholm, Sweden) No surprise here, again the followers of the religion of peace and tolerance and diversity are furious about a cartoon.

Websites run by militant Islamists have listed the names of over 100 Swedish companies as possible targets in the ongoing row surrounding the publication in Swedish newspapers of a caricature of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

Detailing the addresses, maps and logos of Swedish businesses, the websites called for their readers to boycott these firms and "take revenge" on Sweden for the publication of a controversial cartoon by artist Las Vilks.

The cartoon apparently is a caricature of Muhammad as a "roundabout dog" and it was drawn to test the limits of art, says cartoonist Vilks.

A few days earlier, a bounty was offered for the death of Vilks.

An al-Qaeda front organization in Iraq, the self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq, issued a statement on the Internet on Saturday offering $150,000 to anyone who slit the throat of Lars Vilks, whose sketch depicted Muhammad as a dog.

It also offered $50,000 for the death of the editor-in-chief of the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper, Ulf Johansson, who published the caricature.

Additionally, the Swedish government has received formal complaints from Iran, Egypt and Pakistan. Naturally, the situation is being taken seriously by the government and Vilks is in hiding under police protection.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Iowa Teacher Sentenced Again

(Sioux City, Iowa) In May 2007, 39-year-old married mother of three and former teacher at Boyden-Hull Community School, Kelli Cuperus (aka Kelly DeBoer), received probation for repeatedly engaging in sex with a 15-year-old male student. Most observers would likely say she was treated leniently by the court. I'd say she was given a gift.

Nevertheless, it seems that probation was too hard for Cuperus (DeBoer) and, in June 2007, she was arrested for a probation violation.

Cuperus' probation officer, Kimberly Waagmeester, said in the court documents that it's apparent that Cuperus isn't "taking her probation seriously and feels she can do as she chooses."

Immediately after her her probation was imposed, Cuperus/DeBoer apparently crashed a family camping outing and, without consulting with adults in attendance, she spent an entire day playing with youngsters and imbibing in a reported six-pack of Mike's Hard Lemonade. Both activities were prohibited by the terms of her probation. Additionally, she also wasn't sporting her ankle monitor as required.

As a result, Judge Edward Jacobson found Cuperus/DeBoer guilty of violating her probation and sentenced her to four months at a residential treatment facility in Sioux City. If she keeps a clean record during her stay, the judge said he may overturn her conviction.

So, in a nutshell, a teacher gets essentially no punishment for child sex crimes, violates probation and receives a hand slap. One has to wonder what makes Cuperus/DeBoer so special, other than the fact that she is female. Holy moly, if a male teacher had been convicted of child sex crimes with a female student and then violated probation, I don't believe he would breathe air as a free man for many years.

Hey, it ain't over either. Given her demonstrated disregard for the law, Cuperus/DeBoer will likely be back in the news soon. Stay tuned.

Missing Mom Pleads Not Guilty in Sex Case

(Madison, Nebraska) A 38-year-old woman from the rural town (pop. about 1,000) of Battle Creek, Tammy Walnofer, faces a charge of sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy in a relationship which occurred two years ago.

This case is odd since Walnofer was listed as a missing person from May 2006 to March 2007. She apparently took off to parts unknown, taking her teenage daughter, Kylee Walnofer, without telling anyone. Their car was found abandoned in May 2006 in Logan, Utah.

Interestingly, some insight into the thinking of Walnofer and her daughter is illustrated by the statements of Norfolk, NE, Police Detective Joe O’Brien.

O'Brien said the Walnofer women had an interesting relationship and were more like best friends than mother/daughter. He said Tammy Walnofer mostly spent time with her daughter and her male friends.

After interviewing Kylee Walnofer's school friends, O'Brien said, he discovered that Kylee would often talk about her and her mother running away to Texas.

Authorities and concerned citizens searched for a year before they were found in March 2007 at a motel in Oxnard, California. Arrested on a charge of sexual assault of a minor, Tammy Walnofer was held in a California prison before being extradited back to Madison County, Nebraska.

In July 2007, a preliminary hearing was held in Madison County Court.

A former Norfolk Police Investigator took the stand to answer questions about his investigation involving an "intimate relationship" between Walnofer and a 15-year-old juvenile male who was staying in a group home.

He said the boy filed a complaint with the sheriff's department telling them that he was in an inappropriate sexual relationship.

A judge indicated that there was probable cause to have the case heard in District Court.

Today, it's reported that Tammy Walnofer pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual assault. Her trial is scheduled for next month. Daughter Kylee Walnofer is in the care of her grandparents.


[Update 8/26/08]

From Norfolk Daily News:

A Norfolk woman accused of first-degree sexual assault of a minor has entered a no contest plea to a lesser charge.

The Madison County Attorney's Office filed an amended charge of child abuse Friday morning against Tammy Walnofer, 38, of Norfolk in Madison County District Court here.

Consequently, the court found Walnofer guilty of felony child abuse. Sentencing has been scheduled for October 20.


[Update 11/12/08]

Walnofer sentenced to prison.

Student Arrested for Killing Newborn

(Erie, Pennsylvania) An 18-year-old student at Mercyhurst College, Teri Rhodes, was arrested and charged with homicide for allegedly killing her newborn girl.

Erie police said a Mercyhurst College student accused of killing her newborn researched abortion methods on her computer before she gave birth.

Teri Rhodes, 18, hid the pregnancy from friends and teammates, told a doctor two days before the birth that she didn't think she was pregnant and did Internet research on topics including "what can kill a fetus," police said.

After giving birth in her campus apartment Aug. 12, Ms. Rhodes put the newborn in a plastic bag and left it on the floor of a bathtub as she showered, according to the criminal complaint.

She was charged yesterday with homicide, abusing a corpse and concealing the death of a child. Her attorney, Philip Friedman, declined to comment.

The coroner ruled the death a homicide by suffocation. The child was alive for about 10 minutes before being snuffed. Police found the infant's body in a plastic bag on the bathroom floor of Rhodes' apartment.

Since Rhodes researched methods to kill prior to committing the act, any defense citing lapse in judgment or confused ignorance won't play at a jury trial. Expect a plea deal to be accepted.

Rhodes was booked and released on $25,000 bond.

Tip: slwlion

Ahmadinejad & Ground Zero

More than once I've heard the suggestion that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should have his own Ground Zero so he can leave ours alone.

Kidding aside, I fear he'll go there and pull a stunt to honor the terrorists who brought the towers down. For sure, it would make the homicidal Islamists more anxious to kill infidels.

Barricades should be placed to keep his evil ass away from Ground Zero.

Alabama Teacher Arrested for Theft

(Dothan, Alabama) A 25-year-old high school math teacher at Northside Methodist Academy, Holly Nicole Faircloth, was arrested this week by Houston County Sheriff's deputies for theft of students' property.

Faircloth faces two counts of third-degree theft of property and one count of third-degree theft of property by deception.

According to Investigator Bill Rafferty, Faircloth stole two Vera Bradley bags from student's lockers at the school. Security cameras caught the act on tape, Rafferty said.

Also, Faircloth had been soliciting students for a supposed mission trip to Jamaica, according to Rafferty. The solicitation had been unknown to school officials, a violation of Northside policy.

Faircloth was booked into the Houston County Jail and released on bond.

Deported Alien Returns, Kills Cop

(Phoenix, Arizona) Throughout his young life in Phoenix, illegal alien Erik Jovani Martinez has been in trouble with the law. He was a documented gang member, spending time in juvenile detention, the Maricopa County Jail and prison. Assaults, theft and drug charges pepper his rap sheet starting with his first arrest in 1999.

In March 2006, Martinez was finally deported.

In May 2006, Martinez returned to the Phoenix-area and was arrested by Scottsdale Police for a domestic dispute. Upon release from custody, a judge ordered Martinez to attend domestic-violence counseling. Martinez didn't attend and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

This week, 22-year-old Erik Jovani Martinez gunned down Phoenix Police Officer Nick Erfle.

My condolences to the family and friends of Officer Nick Erfle.

Companion post at The Jawa Report.

Stupid Criminal

(Lawrence County, Pennsylvania) Robbing a gun store is high risk when the owner is behind the counter.

A Lawrence County gun store owner confronted by an armed robber yesterday grabbed his own gun and foiled the attempt, sending the suspect running out of the shop.

"I always planned for this," said Donald Pieri, 60, owner of Triangle Gun Shop in Perry Township. "You have to think it out."

State police charged Jeffrey J. Ierino, 32, of Wampum, Lawrence County, with attempted robbery and other offenses after tracking him to his house.

Tip: slwlion

Big Idea and Cocaine

Don't you just hate losing something that belongs to someone else?

Leroy Carr, 46, called Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on August 7 to report that two backpacks he had stashed near the border containing 31 kilograms of cocaine were missing.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Emily Langlie said Carr asked the agents to put out a press release saying the drugs had been seized so that the people he worked for would not think he stole the cocaine.

About two weeks after he lost the drugs, a Boy Scout ranger found them and notified authorities. Subsequently, Mr. Carr was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.

Thirty-one kilos is a large load of cocaine for a mule on foot, almost 70 pounds, which will likely send Mr. Carr to prison for a long time. Of course, there's always the possibility that he will help himself by rolling on the organization.

Pennsylvania Woman Guilty of Raping Boys

Christine Carver-Schlesser sentenced to prison. See updated post here.

NYTimes Bends Over Best for Gays

Rated the most accommodating newspaper company for alternative sexually-oriented people is the New York Times, according to the latest Corporate Equality Index of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.

The Times Co. scored a "perfect" 100 in the HRC Index. Cox Communications was rated a 95. Gannett Co. was rated 65, and Dow Jones & Co. was scored as 30.

Presumably, with a 95 rating, Cox should soon slip into the elite "perfect" circle. On the other hand, Dow Jones apparently needs a hard push to get off the bottom.

The First Clue of Subservience

This story from Britain cracked me up.

A HIGH school teacher told a student he was allegedly having sex with not to scream "Yes, sir!" during their cocaine-fuelled sessions in bed.

Andrew Riley, a married father-of-two, allegedly gave the A-level student cocaine before they first had sex in June 2005, thesun.co.uk reported.

Prosecutor Dennis Watson said Mr Riley told the student that "sex and coke is mind-blowing" in a chatroom message.

Riley added: "You have to promise, in the heigh of passion you don't scream 'Yes, sir! Yes, sir!' because it will put me right off what I'm doing."

Interestingly, the girl didn't complain until she was in college.

Obviously it's not an absolute truth that every Brit sings "God Save The Queen" during sex.

Teacher Sentenced for Child Abuse of Son

(White County, Arkansas) In April 2007, a 25-year-old teacher at Jacksonville Elementary School, Amy Hilbun, was arrested for alleged child abuse of her six-year-old son. Another teacher, 35-year-old Stephen Rose, was also arrested for the same offense.

A hotline tip of child abuse to the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services prompted the investigation and arrests.

According to Prosecuting Attorney Chris Raff, Hilbun "whipped the child with a belt, hit him with a cat stick, a toy you play with cats with, grabbed him and shook him and caused him some bruising, in excess of a normal grabbing." The child, however, required no medical care.

Last week, a White County Circuit Court jury convicted Hilbun of two counts of second-degree battery and she was sentenced to three years in prison.

Stephen Rose is scheduled for a jury trial on October 9th.

I don't know about this case. Three years seems harsh for Hilbun, especially since Mary Winkler only got five months for fatally shotgunning her husband in the back while he slept.

Georgia Teacher Caught in Pot Bust

(Athens, Georgia) A 56-year-old teacher at Oglethorpe Elementary School, Lora Hubbard, was arrested at the school last week for possession of marijuana.

According to Athens-Clarke Police Lt. Mike Hunsinger, Hubbard's arrest resulted from an Athens Clarke-County Drug Task Force investigation which also netted her husband and son.

Husband Ronnie Jay Hubbard, 54, was arrested for possession of marijuana. Son Jay Warren Hubbard, 22, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of Xanax and felony intent to distribute marijuana. Both were booked and released on bond.

According to Kevin Kiger, human resources director for Oglethorpe schools, Lora Hubbard resigned her teaching position the day following her arrest.

Lora Hubbard was booked into the Clarke County Jail and released on $1,000 bond.


[Update 7/6/08]

According to a comment by Lora Hubbard, charges were dismissed against her due to lack of evidence.

Doctor: You Want Treatment? Get Out of Canada!

Both BizzyBlog and Porkopolis grabbed this story before me.

From TheStar.com:

OTTAWA–Belinda Stronach, the MP for Newmarket-Aurora and former cabinet minister, travelled outside Canada's health-care system to California for some of her breast cancer treatment earlier this year.

Stronach, diagnosed in the spring with a type of breast cancer that required a mastectomy and breast reconstruction, went to California in June at her Toronto doctor's suggestion, a spokesperson confirmed.

This illustrates a major problem with universal health care. Too many problems chasing too few dollars produces unhealthy waiting times for care. Lack of prompt health care equals reduced levels of health care.

Assuming Bill Clinton back-doors a third term in the Oval Office and he and Hillary take a second, and successful, shot at socialized medicine, what on Earth are the Canadians going to do? Think about it. As a minimum, there should be some rumblings of Canadians protesting universal health care in the United States.