Paradise News

Tag: Americas

  • Mom allegedly boarded bus with child in suitcase to 'keep him warm'

    BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (TCN) — A 29-year-old woman was taken into custody after she allegedly boarded a bus with her toddler son stuffed inside a suitcase.

    According to court records cited by WXIN-TV, Ashley Gibson reportedly walked on the bus on Dec. 18 at 1:43 p.m., and took a seat near the front. The driver allegedly heard Gibson mention that her 2-year-old son was inside the suitcase, so the driver stopped the bus. Video footage reportedly shows Gibson taking her son out 18 minutes after she boarded public transit.

    Bloomington Police Department officers arrived at the scene, and Gibson allegedly told them that she zipped her son up in order to “keep him warm.” The little boy, however, was reportedly wearing pants and a parka. Gibson also claimed her caseworker “told her it was OK” to leave him in there.

    Police arrested her on charges of neglect of a dependent and criminal recklessness. Gibson pleaded not guilty at her hearing on Jan. 15. She posted bond and is scheduled to head to trial in April.

    MORE:

    • Docs: Bloomington woman allegedly stuffed 2-year-old inside suitcase before boarding bus – WXIN
    • State of Indiana v. Ashley Gibson

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Do you believe Pamela Ianetti died by suicide?

    Do you believe Pamela Ianetti died by suicide?

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • San Francisco halts guaranteed-income program limited to transgender individuals

    From The Christians Post:

    San Francisco officials have shut down a guaranteed-income program exclusively offered to trans-identified individuals.
    The city’s Board of Supervisors voted 7-3 last month to end the taxpayer-funded initiative, halting any future projects with the same eligibility criteria.
    The city agreed not to create a similar initiative with the same eligibility rules, according to an agreement to settle a taxpayer lawsuit brought by Judicial Watch on the grounds that the program contravened the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution.
    The settlement, filed in San Francisco Superior Court, also includes a payment of $3,250 in attorney’s fees and costs. Judicial Watch, a Washington-based conservative legal organization, stated that the lawsuit, Phillips et al. v. Breed et al., was filed in January 2024, naming Mayor London Breed, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros, the director of the city’s Office of Transgender Initiatives and City Administrator Carmen Chu as defendants.
    Read more here…

    Source: Judicial Watch

  • Woman with 'definitely not a bag full of drugs' tote arrested for drug possession

    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) — A woman who had been out of jail for just over a week was arrested again after she was allegedly found with drugs hidden inside a tote that said, “Definitely not a bag full of drugs.”

    On Jan. 6, a Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Teryn Acri was the passenger. The driver reportedly told the deputy that he could conduct a search because “nothing illegal should be inside.” The K9 detected a presence of drugs, so Acri and the driver were asked to get out of the car. The deputy reportedly found a broken glass smoking pipe in the driver’s pocket that tested positive for meth. Due to the fact that Acri and the driver were in the car together, the deputy searched Acri for drugs, and found 14 grams of meth.

    Acri was arrested on charges of trafficking in meth, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and possession of drug paraphernalia, then bonded out two days later on Jan. 8.

    According to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, on Jan. 10, a Brevard County deputy and her K9 conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Acri was the passenger. The driver reportedly told the deputy that she could conduct a search because “nothing illegal should be inside.” Acri supposedly had multiple bags on her, including the one with the “Definitely not a bag full of drugs” design on it.

    The sheriff’s office noted, “In her possession, within all of her belongings and the cool bag of course, Deputy Gordon located methamphetamine, needles, Narcan, digital scales, small baggies, cut straws, and other items associated with drugs.”

    The deputy transported Acri to jail, where she is being held without bond.

    MORE:

    • Press Release – Brevard County Sheriff’s Office
    • Probable Cause Affidavit, 1/7/2025

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Nearly 400 non-citizens voted in DC’s 2024 general election: Judicial Watch

    From Just the News:

    Nearly 400 non-citizens voted in Washington, D.C.’s 2024 general election, according to public records, Judicial Watch reported on Tuesday.
    In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the District of Columbia Board of Elections sent Judicial Watch a spreadsheet showing that 388 non-citizens voted in the November general election.
    More than 230 of the non-citizen voters are registered Democrats, compared to less than 20 who are registered Republicans, and the rest either registered with a third party or did not register with a party.
    “It is an outrage and insult to every American citizen, and may be a violation of federal law, that DC allowed 388 foreign nationals to vote in the 2024 general election,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a statement on Tuesday. “Congress can and should end this practice immediately.”
    Read more here…

    Source: Judicial Watch

  • New Jersey man accused of killing his wife and dumping her body in trash

    ELIZABETH, N.J. (TCN) — A 42-year-old New Jersey man allegedly killed his 39-year-old wife and disposed of her body out of state.

    According to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, on Jan. 9, Jadan Sumba’s family reported her missing to the Elizabeth Police Department after they hadn’t seen her since the previous day. Officers found her remains in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, on Jan. 11.

    Charging documents reviewed by NJ.com say authorities discovered the victim’s body in a trash receptacle, and she died of sharp force injuries.

    Sumba and her husband, Rolando Corte, were allegedly having marital problems before her death. According to N.J.com, their 21-year-old son said they had disagreements. Sumba reportedly dropped off her two youngest children at school on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

    During a search of the couple’s home, investigators allegedly discovered suspected blood in the kitchen, as well as in the hall outside their bathroom.

    According to NJ.com, Corte told a witness that he killed his wife before driving Sumba’s body in her vehicle to Pennsylvania to hide her body. Investigators obtained plate readers and cell phone ping evidence indicating he did drive from Union County to Pennsylvania.

    Prosecutors announced Jan. 14 that their office charged Corte with first-degree murder. He was arrested on Sunday, Jan. 12, and was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, Jan. 16.

    MORE:

    • Elizabeth man charged with murder – Union County Prosecutor’s Office
    • N.J. husband charged with killing wife says ‘only he and God know what happened to her’ – NJ.com

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Trump slams Biden for pardoning Fauci, Milley and Jan. 6 committee staffers in final hours of presidency: ‘Disgraceful’

    From New York Post:

    Biden faced swift backlash from Republicans over the spate of preemptive pardons, which was somewhat muted by Trump’s forthcoming inauguration.
    “Ask yourself this: Why would Joe Biden pardon Fauci if he wasn’t a criminal who should be locked up for his lies, negligence, & greed that killed innocent Americans? Biden was already going out in shame and disgrace, but this is a new low,” activist Riley Gaines wrote on X.
    “@realDonaldTrump should ignore the preemptive, blanket pardons just issued by whoever is running the Biden WH. Specifically, President Trump should immediately court-martial Milley and proceed as appropriate in criminally investigating Fauci and any one else on the Biden’s list,” Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a conservative legal group, said.
    “The blanket pardons issued by Biden are invalid and constitutional nullities and should be considered to have no legal force or effect.”
    Read more here…

    Source: Judicial Watch

  • Teen who bludgeoned and stabbed mother to death gets conviction thrown out – TCNPOD

    This Week on True Crime News The Podcast: A woman’s sanity remains in question after her conviction for the brutal murder of her mother. While jurors found Sydney Powell guilty of the beating and fatal stabbing of her mom, Brenda Powell, an appeals court overturned the verdict, ruling that Sydney’s right to a fair trial was violated in the presentation of her insanity defense. 

    Dr. Gail Saltz joins host Ana Garcia.

    YouTube: Teen who bludgeoned and stabbed mother to death gets conviction thrown out

    Source: True Crime Daily

  • Enforcement of Driver’s License Security Law Passed after 9/11 Delayed Two More Years

    In what has become a decades-long joke, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is once again postponing the deadline to fully enforce a law requiring driver’s license security standards designed to prevent another terrorist attack. Unbelievably, among the reasons for the latest delay is that the public expects it based on the government’s history of repeatedly extending enforcement deadlines. The measure, REAL ID Act, was passed by Congress after 9/11 to establish a more secure national system less prone to fraud after several of the hijackers exploited loopholes to obtain dozens of driver’s licenses from various states. The cards allowed the terrorists to take flight lessons and board planes to carry out the 2001 attacks. At the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 and states originally had until 2011 to comply.

    Two decades later it has yet to be enforced. The Obama administration tried to drastically weaken the legislation with DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano granting a 20-month extension on the deadline as she worked behind the scenes to undermine the law, asserting that it violates civil liberties and privacy. During the first Trump administration DHS announced that full enforcement of REAL ID would take effect at all federally regulated airports, federal facilities, and nuclear power plants by the fall of 2021 since all 50 states were finally in full compliance with the law. It never materialized, however. Biden got elected and used COVID-19 as an excuse to postpone the security measure’s implementation, extending the deadline by two years to address the lingering impacts of the pandemic on the ability to obtain a compliant license. Less than a year later, the Biden DHS again delayed enforcing REAL ID, claiming that is could cause “undue burden and confusion” for those using licenses that fail to meet federal standards.

    Somewhere along the way, May 2025 became DHS’s target date to finally enforce the measure but this month the agency issued yet another two-year extension, giving federal agencies the choice to begin full enforcement by May or implement a “phased enforcement plan” as they see fit. Created after the 2001 terrorist attacks to protect the nation from new and emerging threats, DHS justifies the delay in the Federal Register by explaining that the public may not feel an urgency to obtain a REAL ID-compliant card because there is a history of enforcement deadlines being extended and residents may continue to expect additional extensions. “DHS believes this lack of urgency is likely to delay increased adoption in many States despite best efforts to inform the public, potentially leading to last-minute surges in demand for REAL ID-compliant IDs leading up to the deadline,” DHS writes. The surge could overwhelm states and result in backlogs and delays in REAL ID issuance, according to the agency. “In light of this, DHS anticipates that a significant number of individuals seeking to use their DL/ID for a REAL ID official purpose on and after May 7, 2025, may not have a compliant DL/ID.”

    Although the law was enacted two decades ago only around half of the U.S. population with a state-issued driver’s license or identification card is REAL ID-compliant, DHS reveals. As of January 2024, states, territories, and the District of Columbia have issued approximately 162 million REAL ID-compliant cards and data from states indicates that around 124 million noncompliant licenses and ID cards are still in circulation. “DHS recognizes that this could result in a situation where individuals are unable to present a compliant DL/ID to access a Federal facility, board a federally regulated commercial aircraft, or enter a nuclear power plant on a large scale,” the new rule states. “For some agencies, this scenario may raise serious concerns related to security, agency operations, and potential impact to the public.” The newly issued rule recognizes the concerns, DHS writes, and provides flexibility by giving federal agencies another two years to implement REAL ID card-based enforcement “using a phased approach tailored to their specific operations.”

    DHS estimates the cost of the rule, over two years, is $1.73 million. The agency fails to offer details but says the expense is related to “facilitating phased enforcement” while offering federal agencies flexibility that may reduce operational disruptions. DHS assures it is working hard to “raise awareness” about the 20-year-old driver’s license security law by, among other things, engaging in a print, social and digital media campaign.

    Source: Judicial Watch

  • Texas man who kidnapped, killed 11-year-old girl whose body was found in river is sentenced

    LIVINGSTON, Texas (TCN) — A man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for kidnapping and killing an 11-year-old girl whose body was found in a river several days after she disappeared.

    The Polk County District Attorney’s Office announced Jan. 17 that Don Steven McDougal entered a plea agreement in connection with the abduction and death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole or appeal.

    Prosecutors noted that Texas law limits their ability to seek the death penalty when the defendant “has significant documented intellectual and developmental disabilities.” Investigators reportedly reviewed the law and medical records and determined McDougal “was not eligible for a death penalty sentence under the existing law.”

    According to an initial press release from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Cunningham was last seen near her home on the morning of Feb. 15, 2024. She was supposed to catch the school bus, but she never made it on and failed to show up to school.

    Two days after the young girl disappeared, the Texas Department of Public Safety said they identified McDougal as a person of interest in the case because they determined his vehicle was connected. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested McDougal on an unrelated charge of aggravated assault.

    Authorities also announced that they found Cunningham’s backpack near the Lake Livingston Dam.

    According to Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Craig Cummings, McDougal lived in a camper behind Cunningham’s residence, and her family had a relationship with the defendant. McDougal would reportedly drop the victim off at her bus stop or take her to school sometimes.

    McDougal pleaded guilty in 2008 in Brazoria County for enticing a child, and he was sentenced to two years in prison with 527 days of time served. Cummings said McDougal was not required to register as a sex offender.

    Investigators reportedly found Cunningham’s body in a river on Feb. 20, 2024, in the Trinity River. According to KRIV-TV, the Harris County medical examiner determined Cunningham died of blunt head trauma and ruled her death a homicide.

    In a statement to KRIV, the victim’s grandfather, Philip Munsch, said, “Our granddaughter was the second victim of his because of a loophole in the law that allowed him not to register as a sex offender,” adding, “That was the only reason he was allowed to stay at our house. We were asked, and we agreed to help him, and we’ve suffered the consequences.”

    Cunningham’s grandparents are reportedly trying to pass Audrii’s Law, which would require offenders to register as sex offenders.

    MORE:

    • The Polk County District Attorney’s Office Announces Plea Agreement Resulting in Life Imprisonment Without Parole or Appeal – Polk County District Attorney’s Office
    • 11-year-old girl who never got on her school bus is found dead in river days after going missing, 2/20/2024 – TCN
    • Press Release, 2/16/2024 – Polk County Sheriff’s Office
    • Update, 2/17/2024 – Texas Department of Public Safety
    • The Texas Department of Public Safety and Polk County Sheriff’s Office are providing a briefing regarding the disappearance of Audrii Cunningham – Texas Department of Public Safety — Southeast Texas Region 
    • The State of Texas vs Don Steven Mcdougal
    • Audrii Cunningham murder: Don Steven McDougal gets life in prison – KRIV

    Source: True Crime Daily