Category: Security

A suspect who allegedly shot and killed eight individuals over a two-day period near Chicago is believed to have committed suicide Monday night after being confronted by law enforcement officials in Texas.

A statement released Monday by the Joliet Police Department of Illinois identified 23-year-old Romeo Nance as the suspect linked to the murder of eight individuals.

The Joliet Police Department stated, “At approximately 8:30 PM this evening, the Joliet Police Department learned that Nance had been located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas, at which time it is believed that Nance took his own life with a handgun following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.”

According to NBC News, Will County Sheriff deputies discovered two victims on Monday while looking for the suspect’s red Toyota Camry that was linked to two shooting incidents on Sunday, including one fatal shooting. After arriving at Nance’s last known place of residence and receiving no answer, the deputies discovered two victims in the house next to Nance’s residence. The deputies later found five other victims in the first house.

Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans explained that the two crime scenes were the most disturbing scenes he had witnessed as a law enforcement officer. “I’ve been a policeman for 29 years,” he said, “and this probably the worst crime scene I’ve been associated with.”

READ MORE: 18 killed, 13 injured in mass shootings; manhunt underway

In Monday’s statement on social media, the Joliet Police Department noted that detectives were quickly able to identify Nance as the suspect in the multiple homicides located on West Acres Road. The Joliet Police Department added that Nance was also “involved in a fatal shooting” under investigation by the Will County Sheriff’s Office and an additional non-fatal shooting incident in Joliet, both of which occurred on January 21.

“Identification of the victims and manner of death will be determined by the Will County Coroner’s Office,” the Joliet Police Department stated. “This remains an active investigation. Further information will be provided once it becomes available.”

According to The New York Post, law enforcement has not yet revealed how Nance was able to travel from Illinois to Texas during the manhunt conducted by local police officers and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The New York Post also reported that police have indicated that Nance knew his victims; however, a motive for the shooting incidents has not yet been announced.

The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Joe Biden’s administration a major win Monday in the federal government’s ongoing feud with Texas over border security. The Supreme Court granted the Biden administration’s emergency appeal to allow Border Patrol agents to remove razor wire that the state had constructed at the southern border to prevent waves of immigrants from illegally entering the United States.

In a 5-4 court order, the Supreme Court vacated a lower court’s ruling that temporarily prevented the federal government from removing the razor wire while the court considered a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas against the Biden administration.

Monday’s order explained that Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Neil Gorsuch, Justice Samuel Alito, and Justice Brett Kavanaugh would have ruled against the Biden administration’s emergency appeal to vacate the lower court’s injunction.

According to The Daily Wire, Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) ordered the installation of approximately 30 miles of razor wire near the Rio Grande to address the unprecedented level of illegal immigration at the southern border in light of the Biden administration’s border policies. The installation of the razor wire was conducted under Operation Lone Star, an initiative launched by the governor in March of 2021.

READ MORE: Texas seizes control of US-Mexico border area; blocks federal gov’t access

NBC News reported that Texas filed a lawsuit against the federal government after Border Patrol cut down multiple sections of the razor wire and allowed illegal immigrants to cross the border.

“The Biden Administration has repeatedly cut wire that Texas installed to stop illegal crossings, opening the floodgates to illegal immigrants,” an Abbott spokesperson stated. “This case is ongoing, and Governor Abbott will continue fighting to defend Texas’ property and its constitutional authority to secure the border.”

After Monday’s ruling by the Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told Fox News that the “fight” over the southern border “is not over.” Paxton warned that the temporary order granted by the Supreme Court will allow the Biden administration to continue to illegally “aid the foreign invasion of America.”

“The destruction of Texas’s border barriers will not help enforce the law or keep American citizens safe,” Paxton added. “This fight is not over, and I look forward to defending our state’s sovereignty.”

The owner of The Income Store was sentenced to 7 ½ years in federal prison Thursday for a website development fraud scheme that prosecutors say caused hundreds of investors to lose more than $92 million collectively.

Kenneth Courtright, 53, who operated the business out of his home in Minooka, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, lured more than 500 investors with promises of high annual returns in perpetuity if they paid a six-figure upfront fee to build and operate websites, according to the February 2020 criminal indictment.

Instead of website revenue, the returns were funded primarily by upfront fees from new investors in what prosecutors alleged was a Ponzi scheme, until the business model unraveled and the SEC froze the company’s assets in December 2019. The criminal complaint revolved around the upfront wire transfers from seven investors.

In July, a jury found Courtright guilty on seven counts of wire fraud following a seven-day criminal trial in Chicago federal court. A separate civil complaint filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission against Courtright and The Income Store is ongoing.

Federal prosecutors had been seeking 22 to 27 years in federal prison, arguing in a January memorandum that a “substantial sentence” was justified by the extent of losses suffered by investors, and would serve as a deterrent to “other would-be fraudsters” considering similar schemes.

During the course of the fraud, at least 518 investors lost $92.5 million through The Income Store, according to federal prosecutors.

“These losses are staggering and stem from defendant’s repeated false statements about how his business operated,” the sentencing memorandum stated. “The victims are real people who are unlikely to ever get back what they lost.”

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly discounted some of the actual losses through recovered assets, and handed down a far lighter sentence than prosecutors sought.

Michael Leonard, a Chicago attorney representing Courtright, said the sentencing reflects his characterization of the defendant as a “hard-working guy” who operated a failed but not necessarily fraudulent business.

“We thought it was a huge win for Ken,” Leonard said. “Judge Kennelly did a great job kind of getting to the heart of Ken and the case.”

The scheme began in January 2017, with The Income Store marketing its website investment offering through radio and online ads, according to the criminal complaint. Investors paid $100,000 or more in upfront fees for buying, developing and running an assortment of commercial websites, with guaranteed annual returns of 13% to 20% in a revenue-sharing agreement.

The Income Store created and operated more than 3,100 mostly obscure websites, ranging from KeepingCarsClean.com, a waterless car washing e-commerce site, to HoneyBeeStings.com, an ad-supported site for beekeepers.

But website revenues were “insufficient to make guaranteed investor payouts,” generating about $9 million in advertising and product sales revenue through October 2019 — far less than The Income Store paid to investors over the same time, according to the federal complaints.

In addition to paying out investors through new upfront fees, The Income Store added a second source of funding in May 2019, taking out $11 million in high-interest loans, according to the complaint.

Courtright also spent some of the investor funds to pay his mortgage and school tuition for a family member, the criminal complaint alleged.

In December 2019, Courtright’s business model became unsustainable and he notified investors via email that the company would put a temporary “moratorium” on the payment of returns due to unspecified “challenges and headwinds,” the criminal complaint alleged.

The Income Store took in $144 million from investors and paid out about $44 million over three years before it ran out of money, according to the court-appointed receiver in the SEC complaint. There was less than $2 million left when the SEC froze the company’s assets.

The estate has since sold hundreds of websites and pursued claims against third parties, insiders and affiliates of The Income Store, seeking to recover funds to distribute to investors and other creditors.

In August, the receiver settled the estate’s claim against Heartland Bank, which helped finance The Income Store, for $9 million. The estate plans to distribute about $7 million of the money, representing nearly 10% of the outstanding investor claims against The Income Store, according to court filings.

While federal prosecutors produced a number of victim impact statements recounting the emotional and financial toll their losses with The Income Store have wrought, from divorce and depression to the depletion of retirement savings, Leonard contends Courtright did not operate a Ponzi scheme but rather a failed business.

“Clearly, money was lost, but from our standpoint, not in an intentional fashion,” Leonard said. “Ken’s intent was never to try to defraud people. I think they just got in over their head.”

Since relinquishing The Income Store, Courtright has remained peripherally involved in the computer business, recycling old PCs for companies, Leonard said.

Courtright is required to report to federal prison within 60 days. Leonard said Courtright plans to appeal the verdict.

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© 2024 Chicago Tribune

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Ford Motor Co.’s decision to reduce all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup production is affecting 1,400 jobs in Dearborn, Michigan. Meanwhile, it’s hiring nearly 900 people in Wayne for assembly of Bronco SUVs and Ranger midsize trucks.

The Dearborn automaker in a Friday news release said it’s seeking to balance production to meet customer demand. It says it expects growth for Lightning sales this year, but it’s less than previously anticipated. The production cut is the latest pullback by the automaker in the EV space.

“We are taking advantage of our manufacturing flexibility to offer customers choices while balancing our growth and profitability. Customers love the F-150 Lightning, America’s best-selling EV pickup,” Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement. “We see a bright future for electric vehicles for specific consumers, especially with our upcoming digitally advanced EVs and access to Tesla’s charging network beginning this quarter.”

The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center will become a one-shift operation effective April 1. Roughly 700 affected employees will transfer to the Bronco and Ranger factory, Michigan Assembly Plant off Michigan Avenue in Wayne, Michigan.

Ford is adding a 1,600-person third crew at Michigan Assembly in preparation for the launches of the new Ranger and off-road-focused Ranger Raptor. The plant will produce vehicles seven days a week instead of five with three crews working two shifts.

Others affected by the Lightning production cut will be placed in roles at the Rouge Complex or other facilities in southeast Michigan, according to the company.

Anyone else will be able to take advantage of the Special Retirement Incentive Program available this year through the new United Auto Workers contract. Depending on the number of employees who apply for the buyout, a few dozen workers at component plants supporting Lightning production could be affected. Ford says it would provide placements for those employees within southeast Michigan, too.

Lightning sales last year were up 55%, making it the country’s best-selling all-electric pickup. Ford implemented a several thousand-dollar price drop in July.

In January 2022, Ford announced plans to double Lightning production to 150,000 vehicles per year. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center was down for six weeks last summer to expand capacity.

Ford in October said it was cutting $12 billion in planned EV investment as the growth in adoption slows. That included almost halving the size of its planned west Michigan battery plant in Marshall and delaying by a year the launch of production at one of its two battery plants in Kentucky with SK On. The automaker also cut back production in Mexico of the Mustang Mach-E SUV and has decreased requirements for dealers to be EV certified in the coming years.

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© 2024 www.detroitnews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A New Mexico grand jury has charged Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter for his role in the deadly shooting of the cinematographer during production of the ill-fated western movie, “Rust.”

The indictment, filed Friday, was signed by special prosecutor Kari T. Morrissey, who has been handling the case.

If convicted of the charge, a fourth-degree felony, Baldwin could serve up to 18 months in prison, according to New Mexico law.

The high-stakes decision to charge Baldwin comes nearly two years after Baldwin accidentally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza during a Oct. 21, 2021, rehearsal in an old western church at Bonanza Creek Ranch, a popular high desert movie location south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hutchins died that afternoon and Souza, who was shot in the shoulder, recovered.

“We look forward to our day in court,” said Baldwin’s attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro in a statement.

New Mexico’s wrongful death prosecution has been fraught. In January, the district attorney who oversees Santa Fe County, Mary Carmack-Altwies, filed two involuntary manslaughter charges against Baldwin as well as the film’s cinematographer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who loaded the gun. Carmack-Altwies said at the time that “sufficient evidence” existed to charge Baldwin criminally.

But after Carmack-Altwies stepped down from the case, Morrissey and Lewis took over as special prosecutors. In late April, they dropped the charges against the 65-year-old Hollywood star.

“New facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis,” Morrissey said then. Sources who were not authorized to comment said prosecutors were told the gun had been modified before being delivered to the set.

The actor has long maintained that he didn’t pull the trigger, only that he pulled back the gun’s hammer. When Baldwin was handed the gun, he was told that it was “cold,” meaning it had no ammunition. However, the gun contained five so-called dummy rounds and one live bullet.

A respected firearms expert, Lucien C. Haag, was brought in by prosecutors to determine whether the Italian-made Pietta pistol, a replica of a vintage 1873 model, was functional or faulty, which could have contributed to the deadly accident on set.

“Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver,” Haag wrote in his Aug. 3 report.

The weapons provider, Seth Kenney, said in a July witness interview that the gun Baldwin used was new. Kenney said he had just received it from a California supplier, via Federal Express, and he transferred it to the prop master who was hired to work on “Rust.”

Baldwin was one of the producers of “Rust.” The star — who achieved acclaim for performances on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock,” as well as movies “Glengarry Glen Ross,” and “The Hunt for Red October,” among others — could now face a criminal trial or accept a plea bargain.

Gutierrez Reed still faces the involuntary manslaughter charges. The judge overseeing the criminal case, Mary Marlowe Sommer, has scheduled a Feb. 21 trial for Gutierrez Reed. She has pleaded not guilty.

Investigators have not identified the source of the live bullets — six were found on set.

“Rust” producers were determined to finish the story of Harland Rust, a fictional 1880s Kansas outlaw, played by Baldwin. They resumed filming the movie in Montana last spring, after Morrissey and Lewis dropped the initial charges against Baldwin.

Producers have said the movie will be a tribute to Hutchins, the 42-year-old film cinematographer who died.

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© 2024 Los Angeles Times

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Baltimore Police are investigating the deaths of three adult men found shot outside a business in the 5200 block of Fairlawn Avenue in Northwest Baltimore on Friday night.

Another man was injured and is being treated.

Police Commissioner Richard Worley said at a press conference at the site that no suspects had been identified in the shooting.

He complained to reporters about the number of guns in Baltimore.

“I think the gun situation here is frustrating,” he said. “Just the amount of guns on the street, I’ve never seen so many.”

Police said that shortly after 8 p.m., a dispute started at a business. That argument led to the shooting. Police discovered two people dead on the street and another was inside the business. The fourth shooting victim with non-life-threatening injuries walked to an area hospital.

The three adult male victims were pronounced deceased by medics at the scene.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Baltimore Police Department Homicide detectives at (410) 396-2100.

Those who wish to remain anonymous may utilize the Metro Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-(866) 7LOCKUP.

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© 2024 The Baltimore Sun

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A recent study conducted by Yale School of Medicine shines a light on concerning statistics regarding Veteran Affairs (VA) acceptance of PTSD claims issued by veterans. 

Several noted differences in claim acceptance existed. While combat-related PTSD claims resulted in an 18.2% denial rate, PTSD claims related to military sexual trauma (MST) resulted in a 27.6% denial rate.

In addition, racial and gender disparity was noted. Caucasian claimants experienced a 25.3% denial rate, while Black veterans encountered a 32.4% denial rate. Male veterans with PTSD claims related to MST were denied more often than female veterans, with a denial rate of 36.6% compared to 25.4%. 

Aliya Webermann, Ph.D., lead author and clinical instructor in psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, hopes the study encourages the VA to reassess criteria.

“This is the first empirical study to identify racial and gender disparities in awarding of MST-related PTSD VA benefits, and as compared to combat-related claims,” Webermann said. “While the VA has substantially increased their grant rate for MST-related PTSD benefits, this study shows continued disparities in access to VA benefits and barriers to accessing VA benefits for veterans from underserved backgrounds and/or those who may underreport military sexual trauma.”

READ MORE: US troops may have suffered traumatic brain injuries from Iran-backed militia attack

The study is based on 102,409 combat-related claims and 31,803 MST-related claims submitted between October 2017 and May 2022. While the VA doesn’t have a specific disability rating that applies to MST, it does allow PTSD applications from veterans who are filed with MST as a causative factor. 

Improving VA handling of MST claims has been ongoing. In 2002, evidentiary standards were lessened, allowing veterans to submit a claim even if they had difficulty in providing evidence due to loss of paperwork, lack of reporting, or time passage between the events and claims. New guidelines allowed the consideration of statements from those close to the veteran, supporting medical records, treatment for depression, or documented decline in performance during timeframes that correspond with the alleged assault. 

In 2011, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) began providing specialized training to claim adjudicators assigned to evaluate MST cases. 

According to VA News, these measures have achieved a denial rate of MST PTSD claims similar to combat-related PTSD claims. In 2017, 54.6% of combat-related PTSD claims were approved, compared to 53.4% of MST PTSD claims.

Another Yale study found that an estimated 7.6% of military veterans screen positive for MST experiences. Among those affected, a higher rate of psychological symptoms, including an increased risk of suicide, was noted. 

In a further effort to provide aid to veterans and active-duty members who have experienced MST, the Veterans Health Administration staffs an MST coordinator at each VA medical facility. These coordinators are available to assist veterans and active-duty members who have experienced MST with locating and facilitating medical and mental health care.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-Ark.) generated speculation Sunday over her response when asked if she would be open to campaigning as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

During a Sunday “Face The Nation” interview on CBS News with Margaret Brennan, Sanders was asked whether she would be open to running alongside Trump against President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the November election if the former president wins the Republican primary. While Sanders indicated that she wants to continue serving the people of Arkansas as governor, she did not give a definitive answer to the CBS host.

“Look, I absolutely love the job I have,” Sanders told Brennan. “I think it’s one of the best jobs I could ever ask for. And I am honored to serve as governor, and I hope I get to do it for the next seven years.”

Prior to serving as governor of Arkansas, Sanders served in the role of press secretary during the Trump administration. In November, Sanders endorsed Trump’s campaign for the White House.

During a Fox News town hall event in Iowa earlier this month, Trump said he already knows who his vice presidential pick will be; however, he has not yet announced his choice. According to The Daily Wire, sources close to the former president have indicated that Trump will most likely choose a woman for the role of vice president.

READ MORE: Video: Major Bank CEO defends Trump, MAGA

During Sunday’s interview, Sanders also shared her perspective on the anticipated matchup between Trump and Biden following the primary elections.

“I think this election right now is very simple. It’s a very clear contrast; you have two individuals who have a four-year record to run on,” Sanders said. “One has a record of success coming from a posture and a position of strength in Donald Trump, and one who comes from a position of weakness.”

Sanders told Brennan that Trump is “winning” on “every single thing that voters actually care about,” including the southern border, national security, the economy, and China.

“Every single one of those major issues that really drive voters, Donald Trump is dominating Joe Biden on,” Sanders said. “They both have clear records in which to run from, and I have no doubt that the matchup in November will declare Donald Trump a clear victor because of that contrast.”

A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330 aircraft was forced to cancel its flight last week after a passenger raised concerns over multiple bolts missing from the wing of the airplane.

The Manchester Evening News reported the cancellation of the United Kingdom-based Virgin Atlantic airline flight, noting that the flight crew was informed by one of the passengers that multiple bolt fasteners were missing from the plane’s wing prior to takeoff from Manchester Airport in England. The aircraft was supposed to transport passengers to New York City.

A spokesperson with Virgin Atlantic told Fox Business the flight was ultimately canceled “to provide time for precautionary additional engineering checks, which allowed our team the maximum time to complete their inspections.”

According to The New York Post, the British passenger who discovered the missing bolts on Flight VS127 was 41-year-old Phil Hardy.

“I’m a good flyer, but my partner was not loving the information I was telling her and starting to panic, and I was trying to put her mind at rest as much as I could,” Hardy said. “I thought it was best to mention it to a flight attendant to be on the safe side.”

A Virgin Atlantic representative explained that engineers were quickly notified and conducted maintenance checks on the aircraft after the airline was alerted of the issue. Pictures taken by Hardy and shared by The New York Post on social media show the missing bolts on the Airbus A330, as well as an engineer attempting to fix the issue.

“The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority and this was not compromised at any point,” the Virgin Atlantic representative said. “We always work well above industry safety standards and the aircraft is now back in service.”

Neil Firth, the local chief wing engineer for the Airbus A330, noted that the missing bolts only affected a secondary structure intended to increase the plane’s aerodynamics.

READ MORE: Video: Plane catches fire mid-flight, forced to make emergency landing

“Each of these panels has 119 fasteners, so there was no impact to the structural integrity or load capability of the wing, and the aircraft was safe to operate,” Firth said. “As a precautionary measure, the aircraft underwent an additional maintenance check, and the fasteners were replaced.”

In response to last week’s incident, Libs of TikTok, a popular X account, posted a statement on social media, along with a photo of an LGBTQ-themed advertisement by Virgin Atlantic. The social media account blasted the airline for promoting transgender ideology over aircraft safety and integrity.

“Maybe @VirginAtlantic should focus less on drag queens and LGBTQ pride and more on safety,” Libs of TikTok stated. “DEI will get people k*lled.”

U.S. Central Command announced Sunday that two Navy SEALs who went missing recently after conducting a dangerous mission near the coast of Somalia are presumed “deceased” after the Navy completed a 10-day search and rescue operation.

“We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing U.S. Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement released on social media. “The search and rescue operation for the two Navy SEALs reported missing during the boarding of an illicit dhow carrying Iranian advanced conventional weapons Jan. 11 concluded and we are now conducting recovery operations.”

Last week, Central Command announced that the U.S. Navy had seized control of a dhow ship that was illegally transporting Iranian cruise missile and ballistic missile components from Iran to Houthi terrorists in Yemen. Central Command also noted that two U.S. Navy SEALs were reported “missing at sea” during the operation.

Multiple U.S. officials told The Associated Press the missing Navy SEALs went missing during a nighttime boarding interdiction mission of the dhow vessel. The officials added that one of the Navy SEALs was knocked into the water by high waves during the boarding mission, prompting the next SEAL to jump into the water to aid the first SEAL. Central Command confirmed that both missing Navy SEALs were “directly involved” with the dangerous mission.

READ MORE: US Navy seizes ship with Iranian weapons

During the 10-day search for the missing Navy SEALs, both Spain and Japan aided the United States in covering an area of over 21,000 square miles. The U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, the Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, the University of San Diego’s Scripts Institute of Oceanography, and the Office of Naval Research’s Oceanographic Support also provided assistance throughout the search operation.

U.S. Central Command noted that no other information regarding the missing Navy SEALs would be released yet due to respect for the families of the Navy SEALs.

“We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example,” General Michael Erik Kurilla said. “Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time.”

CENTCOM Status Update on Missing U.S. Navy Seals

We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing U.S. Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased. The search and rescue operation for the two Navy SEALs reported… pic.twitter.com/OAMbn1mwK8

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 21, 2024