This case began in 1973 with the murder of Donald Rodgers in Knox’s
home.2 At the time of the murder, Donald was fourteen years old and Knox was
fifteen years old. Although the State filed a petition against Knox for Donald’s
murder in 1973, it was dismissed for insufficient evidence and the case went
cold.
In 2015, Jeff Rodgers, Jr., Donald’s older brother, contacted... More...   $0 (07-16-2018 - TX)

We review a defendant’s sentence “under a deferential abuse-of-discretion standard.” Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 41 (2007). Under this standard, a sentence is reviewed for both procedural and substantive reasonableness. Id. at 51. In determining procedural reasonableness, we consider whether the district court properly calculated the defendant’s advisory Guidelines range, gave the ... More...   $0 (07-15-2018 - NC)

The present prosecution arises out of shootings on October 23, 2011, in 3 Central Islip, New York, in which Robert Faber and Curtis Williams were injured. 4 The operative indictment charged Hernandez in six counts, three with respect to each 5 victim. Counts Four and Five alleged that Hernandez, for the purpose of gaining 6 entrance to, and maintaining or increasing his position in, MS-13, atte... More...   $0 (07-15-2018 - NY)

In 2014, a Superior Court jury convicted the defendant, John Fredette, of murder in the first degree on a theory of felony-murder, with aggravated kidnapping as the 2 predicate felony.1 The jury based their finding of aggravated kidnapping on the third paragraph of the current version of the kidnapping statute, which punishes a kidnapping committed "while armed with a dangerous weapon... More...   $0 (07-14-2018 - MA)

New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Women Sentenced To Drug Offenses

ASHLI MARTIN, age 34, and ANGELMICA AUGUSTINE, age 28, both of New Orleans, to terms of three years’ probation and time served, respectively, after they pled guilty to drug charges. MARTIN pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and cocaine base (“crack”) and AUGUSTINE pled guilty... More...   $0 (07-13-2018 - LA)

J.J. Rosabel, the complainant in this cause, was twelve years old at the time
of trial. Howell was J.J.’s neighbor and a friend of J.J.’s mother, T.H., who
occasionally cleaned Howell’s house. Howell had an open door policy, and J.J. and
T.H. came in and out of his home as they pleased. There were several occasions
where J.J. spent the night at Howell’s home at J.J.’s request. ... More...   $0 (07-12-2018 - TX)

In assessing the legal sufficiency of the evidence to support a conviction, we view
all the evidence in a light most favorable to the verdict to decide whether any rational fact
finder could find the essential elements of the crime beyond reasonable doubt. Reynolds
v. State, 543 S.W.3d 235, 241 (Tex. Crim. App. 2018). This standard controls our review
here.

First, we... More...   $0 (07-12-2018 - TX)

McCarty manufactured methamphetamine on his property in rural Greene County.
In early 2013, McCarty learned that his friend Donovan Cowart was working with law
enforcement as a confidential informant. McCarty told Cowart that he wanted to show him
a hole that he had dug on his property for use in his meth operation. McCarty, along with
Robert Stevens and David Allen, picked up C... More...   $0 (07-09-2018 - MS)

On April 28, 2016, Stein, Brett Eley (“Eley”), and Krista Ashley
(“Ashley”) went to the home of Jason Davidson (“Davidson”) to retrieve some
property that had been stolen from Stein by Davidson and Eley. When they arrived,
Eley and Ashley went to speak with Davidson, leaving Stein in the car. Eley spoke
with Davidson while Ashley spoke with the owner of the home, Mike Volger... More...   $0 (07-08-2018 - OH)

On April 3, 2016, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Zachariah Lundy was on
patrol when he saw a black Toyota Tundra pickup truck traveling west on Interstate Highway 10
in Kimble County, Texas. The officer identified the Toyota Tundra as stolen from Bexar County
and requested assistance to initiate a stop of the Toyota Tundra. After being joined by Junction
Chief of P... More...   $0 (07-07-2018 - TX)

In this sentencing case, the defendant appeals the district court’s holding that a prior Tennessee drug conviction is a “serious drug offense” under the Armed Career Criminal Act (“ACCA”). A jury found the defendant guilty on one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). This offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. However,... More...   $0 (07-05-2018 - TN)

On April 25, 2015, Brandon Fries and Michael Sam-Sin-Nowlin were at their
apartment in Katy, Texas with several friends, including the complainant, Christian
Burke. Around 2:00 p.m., Fries and Sam-Sin-Nowlin went to see a movie with
Burke, Reagan Hughes, Tyler Clark, John Fox, and Richie Skinner. After the movie,
Fries and Sam-Sin-Nowlin returned to their apartment. Fries te... More...   $0 (07-03-2018 - TX)

In the early evening of May 11, 2014, Valerio Resendiz (Valerio), Valerio’s
friend, Garrick Gonzales (Gonzales), and Valerio’s girlfriend, Sabre Dillon (Dillon),
drove to Daniel Lira’s (Lira) house in Billings, Montana. Dillon remained in the vehicle
while Valerio and Gonzales stepped inside. Inside Lira’s house, Valerio and Gonzales
saw Lira and met Michelotti for the first t... More...   $0 (06-28-2018 - MT)

One Saturday night, Castillo visited a nightclub in downtown Denver with his
wife, his cousin, and two friends to celebrate his wife’s birthday. They stayed until the
club closed.
¶7 Closing time in downtown Denver often unleashes a flood of people into the
streets. The Denver Police Department calls the resulting sea of humanity “outcrowds.”
Because fights and other di... More...   $0 (06-28-2018 - CO)

On November 2, 1988, A.W. (Victim 1), who was 13 years old, went to her
15 home after school where an unknown man wearing a ski mask was lying in wait,
16 armed with a knife. The man vaginally penetrated Victim 1, and then forced her into
17 the bathroom. After securing the bathroom door so Victim 1 could not escape, the
18 unknown man fled. Victim 1 was taken to the hospital, whe... More...   $0 (06-28-2018 - NM)

Hot Springs, AR - Lonsdale Man Sentenced To Over 6 Years In Federal Prison For Felon In Possession Of A Firearm Violation

Steven Nelson a.k.a Steven Varnes, age 40, of Lonsdale, was sentenced on June 26, 2018 to 78 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Receiving and Possessing an Unregistered Firearm. The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided ... More...   $0 (06-27-2018 - AR)

Greenville, SC - Anderson Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking

Matthew Vinson Leopard, age 40, of Anderson, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court in Anderson, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking, in vi... More...   $0 (06-24-2018 - SC)

On August 25, 2016, Robert Holsey (“Holsey”) agreed to purchase marijuana from Gordon. Holsey and Gordon knew each other from playing basketball at Trent Park. Nieves drove Holsey to the marijuana-purchase- meeting place on W. 38th Street in Cleveland. As Nieves and Holsey drove toward the meeting place, they saw Gordon, became suspicious, and started to drive away. Through the side mirror... More...   $0 (06-19-2018 - OH)

On November 9, 2016, Chief of Police Glass of the Village of Botkins
received a phone call from an officer at the Wapakoneta Police Department
regarding a woman named Megan Donnelly, for whom there was an active warrant
for theft, and requested his assistance in obtaining her. Chief Glass was informed
that Donnelly was en route to a local motel, driving a white Ford Expeditio... More...   $0 (06-19-2018 - OH)

Pierre, SD - Nebraska Man Sentenced for Felon in Possession of a Firearm

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Columbus, Nebraska, man convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm was sentenced on June 14, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Tyson Quigley, a/k/a Tyson Stands, age 29, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of su... More...   $0 (06-18-2018 - SD)

In January 2017, the State indicted Smith for the offense of murder, alleging that he shot
and killed his uncle, Jack Smith.1 Two days after the incident occurred, and following a multi
state search for Smith, he admitted that he had shot Jack multiple times with a shotgun.2 At trial,
various witnesses testified to the events leading up to the shooting, and for the most part, the <... More...   $0 (06-15-2018 - TX)

The facts are undisputed. Around midnight on June 22, 2014, a Lawrence resident called 911 to report the sound of gunshots. Officer Skyler Richardson responded to the call and the caller pointed Richardson to a house on the corner of the street. A man outside the house—Ortiz' father—told Richardson that his son was drunk inside the house. Richardson asked Ortiz' father if he could see his son to m... More...   $0 (06-13-2018 - KS)

On February 6, 2001, Gus Boulis, a successful businessman, left his office in Broward County around 9 p.m. As he was heading south on Miami Road, a car stopped in front of him. Boulis stopped his vehicle, and another car pulled in behind Boulis so that he was boxed in. An innocent bystander was in a third car that stopped behind the first two cars. A red Jetta pulled up behind the bystander’s ... More...   $0 (06-11-2018 - FL)

James Alfred Jacobson appeals his conviction for seconddegree murder, arguing that the trial court should have granted his motion for judgment of acquittal. Jacobson contends that the State failed to prove that he acted with ill will, hatred, spite, or evil intent and that the shooting of the victim was an accident. We affirm.
The murder victim, Bryan Edwards, lived across the street fro... More...   $0 (06-10-2018 - FL)

Following a bench trial, the district court found Vasquez guilty of the premeditated
murder of Amber Lechuga. Lechuga and Vasquez shared an apartment in Springfield.
They had been romantically involved and have two children together. The State’s theory
was that Vasquez murdered Lechuga because their relationship had deteriorated, and she
was seeing other men. The State cont... More...   $0 (06-08-2018 - MN)