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Cleveland teacher faces sex crimes against student www.privateofficer.com
Source:Cleveland.com –A 40-year-old Cleveland teacher was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexual battery and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in January.
Kristen L. Ross, of Medina, is accused of having sex with a student at Riverside Elementary School, on Cleveland’s West Side. The student, whose age has not been released, said he had sex with Ross in her classroom after school on Jan. 15 and Jan. 31 , according to police.
Share The father of the student said that he was unaware of the incidents until they were notified by the school and the Department of Children and Family Services.
According to police, Ross said the allegations were false and that the student started a rumor that they were having a sexual relationship. She said that she also received an unsigned letter that was an attempt to blackmail her.
Ross and five male students, including the student making the allegations, were questioned by the Cleveland Metropolitan School Board and the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services, according to police.
They all were asked to write statements concerning the allegations.
Ross said that the students were playing an April Fool’s joke. She also claimed that in each of their statements they apologized for the prank.
Ross said that she was removed from the school April 13, according to police.
Mcnair High School teacher pleaded guilty to sex crimes www.privateofficer.com
Christina Oliver, 25, may serve up to 16 months in state prison and also have to resgister as a sex offender.
Since the victim was not under 16 years of age when the incident happened, its up to the judge to decide whether or not she will have to register as a sex offender.
Oliver was arrested in February 2009 after the parents of her sophomore student learned of the inappropriate relationship and reported it to police.
Soon after the arrest, Lodi Unified School District placed Oliver on unpaid administrative leave and did not renew her contract for the 2009/10 school year.
Oliver’s teaching credentials have also been suspended.
Oliver returns to court on July 12 and will likely be sentenced late August or early September.
Woman brings baby on drunken crime spree www.privateofficer.com
25-year-old Stephanie Elmore is facing a laundry list of charges including DUI and reckless care of a child. Police arrested Elmore last Monday at a shopping center on Brad McNeer Parkway near Brandermill. Chesterfield police say they went out to the Village at Swift Creek Shopping Center after getting several 911 calls about a woman breaking into cars.
When she was handcuffed for her ride to jail, police say Stephanie Elmore was not lucid. Alina Reyes says she saw the cops in the American Family Fitness parking lot when she got there for her early morning workout last Monday.
“I was shocked for this area,” said Reyes.
Reyes says what’s even more startling is that Stephanie Elmore, the mother accused in the rash of car break-ins, brought her infant son along for the crime spree.
“I’m a mom; a parent. I have an eight year old. I just can’t imagine like leaving a one year old in a car and doing that. That’s crazy,” said Reyes.
Police say Elmore was going around trying car doors and when she couldn’t get in that way she got more aggressive and started smashing windows. Several witnesses called police. By the time officers got there, police say Elmore racked up quite a loot including cash, wallets, purses, GPS devices, cameras and clothing. Elmore was arrested during a traffic stop with her infant son in her car.
“I really worry for the child. What could be next, you know,” said resident Lori Carter.
“Though it’s unfortunate the car got broken into, really I think it all worked out for the good,” said Jeff Lee, resident.
Elmore is being held without bond at Riverside Regional Jail. She’s expected in court Friday on a drug possession charge. Elmore has other court dates scheduled for July and August for the remaining charges.
Teacher pleads guilty to sex charges in NC www.privateofficer.com
blueridgenow.com A former Buncombe County middle school teacher arrested in August 2009 on charges of sex offenses against three elementary-age girls has pleaded guilty to his charges in U.S. District Court.
William George “Bill” Tillman, 61, of Henderson County, was originally charged with three counts of first-degree sex offense of a child. Later, police served Tillman with three more warrants, charging him with three counts of sexual exploitation of minors.
Information contained in the warrants says Tillman coerced or encouraged the girls, ages 6, 8 and 9, “to engage in and assist others to engage in sexual activity.” The sexual activity included using sex paraphernalia on themselves and others for a live performance, the warrants said.
In December 2009, Tillman was indicted in U.S. District Court on four counts of producing sexually explicit materials that had been mailed, shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
On April 20, Tillman pleaded guilty to his federal charges. He now faces a maximum of 30 years or a minimum of 15 years in federal prison for each count, a fine of no more than $250,000 and a term of at least five years of supervised probation for each count if released from prison.
Tillman’s plea was not part of a plea agreement or any plea bargain, according to court records.
No court date has been set for Tillman’s federal sentencing.
He still faces state charges and was supposed to appear in Henderson County Superior Court this week, but because his case is still pending federally, state charges have not been furthered, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
A former Calera teacher is now wanted by police www.privateofficer.com
John Everett Coley taught English at Calera High School, but reportedly turned in his resignation last month, just before the last day of school, when allegations surfaced that he had an inappropriate relationship with a student. An affidavit obtained from the Bryan County District Clerk’s office says that Coley now faces charges of lewd acts with a child under 16, and rape by instrumentation.
This afternoon, an arrest warrant was issued for Coley. According to court documents, Coley admitted to Calera High School Principal Rudy Manly, that he had the relationship with a student. Coley was immediately asked for his resignation and Manly immediately contacted Calera Police.
Assistant Chief TJ White says due to the young age of the student involved, extra precautions have been taken to protect the victim’s identity.
“Of course with juveniles you want to put their safety before anything, and their well being before anything,” said White.
Calera Police say the investigation is ongoing, a warrant has been issued for Coley, but he has not been arrested at this time.
School names citizenship award in honor of slain security officer www.privateofficer.com
Baltimore Sun Those who knew James Ball remember him as a hard worker, beloved father and partner, and good citizen. Ball, a security guard who was fatally shot in February while helping a woman, was honored Wednesday when Wellwood International Elementary School presented a student with a citizenship award named in his memory.
Ball, 38, was shot while guarding a bank building on Light Street near the Inner Harbor, his second job of the day. He had been trying to help a friend’s girlfriend, who was being harassed by a group of men. When he and his friend tried to intervene, Ball was shot twice. Police said at the time that the assailant had been aiming at Ball’s friend.
Ball’s elder son, James Jr., attends kindergarten at Wellwood in Baltimore County. At the school’s fifth-grade graduation, Sahrata Camara, 10, a fifth-grader who demonstrated Ball’s exemplary qualities of citizenship, honesty, trustworthiness, dependability and responsibility, was presented with the James Ball Sr. Citizenship Award.
Sahrata, who teachers say has been kind and eager to help during her time at Wellwood, was not told beforehand that she would be receiving the award.
“It was really surprising. I hadn’t really heard of the death before, so it’s an honor because winning this award makes me think that he was a great man,” Sahrata said.
Sahrata’s mother, Carmen Camara, added that she was extremely proud that the school had given her daughter the award.
“I have two girls and both of them are good students, but they’re also kind. So that’s something that we value as well as education. Sahrata has a reputation of participating, she loves to help teachers, she’s driven to do a good job as far as her education but she has that community aspect as well,” Camara said.
Adrienne Cusick, the president of Wellwood’s PTA, said that the group had decided to create an award to honor Ball because he was “a wonderful citizen.” Though the plaque holds only 12 spaces for students’ names, Cusick hopes that the award will continue to be given out for much longer. The plaque will be displayed in the school’s lobby.
Tai Bradley, Ball’s longtime girlfriend, and their son, James Jr., attended the award ceremony. Bradley said that the family, which includes another son, has been getting through the tragedy.
“Every day is a big steppingstone, it’s a process. We have our good days and we have our bad days, but all in all we’re making do,” she said.
Bradley said the award was an appropriate way to remember her partner.
“I thought it was a phenomenal idea, it was such a big way to honor him, because he does value education. That’s why James Jr. is here, because he loved this French immersion program. Once James Jr. was accepted [to Wellwood], he was overjoyed, and all he wanted to do was have him here,” Bradley said.
TX. court officers stop man with knife and pot www.privateofficer.com
The Nueces County Commissioners Court and Sheriff Jim Kaelin congratulated the officers Wednesday during a commissioners court meeting.
A sheriff’s deputy arrested a 30-year-old man earlier this month on a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana. He was released on $5,000 bail, according to jail officials.
He was not charged for carrying a knife because it was not an illegal length.
Deputy Miguel Ybanez said the incident raised questions of the man’s intentions.
“Why would somebody try to sneak something in if he didn’t have bad intentions?” he said. “It makes you wonder.”
The officers work for Amtex Security, a private security company contracted by the county.
Security employee Robert Atkins found the knife using a handheld metal detection device after the walk-through detector signaled. Employee Lucy Rodriguez helped search the man’s shoes.
“I think this just points out that the system you have down there makes it safe for the courts and any other users at the county courthouse,” Kaelin said.
Two charged with armed robbery of electronic store www.privateofficer.com
Oregonlive.com Two young Gresham men have been charged Wednesday in a June 10 knifepoint robbery of a Wilsonville electronics store.
One of the men also is accused of another robbery in Beaverton on Sunday.
Share Detective Jim Strovink, Clackamas County sheriff’s spokesman, said the deputies worked with three other police agencies across the Portland metropolitan area to examine similar cases.
“Right now, they’re looking at everything,” Strovink said. “It appears that they may have been on a tear.”
Last Thursday evening, two young men entered Fry’s Home Electronics, 29400 S.W. Town Center Loop W., and filled a shopping cart with high-ticket electronic devices, including a car stereo system, a Hewlett-Packard computer, an iPod Touch and iPod speaker docks, Xbox accessories, a PlayStation 3 console and PlayStation video games.
The men pushed the shopping cart out an entrance door to avoid cashiers. Store security officers immediately confronted the men outside.
“That’s when one pulled out a knife,” Strovink said. “He tried to stab one officer in the chest.”
The men kept the unarmed security officers at bay while they loaded the items into their car. They drove off and appeared to get away with the robbery.
However, store surveillance tapes provided to police revealed clear, detailed images of the men. Police circulated the images among police agencies and media.
On Sunday evening, a man entered Best Buy, 3055 S.W. Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton, placed four high-ticket items in his shopping cart, then pushed past the cashiers. When store security officers confronted the man, he threatened them with a knife. The man then walked to a car waiting in a neighboring parking lot and left.
Late Tuesday afternoon, after a thorough investigation, detectives arrested:
•Tio Carvajal Hernandez, 21, who was arraigned Wednesday on a first-degree robbery charge. He was booked into the Clackamas County Jail, with bail set at $250,000. Detective Pam Yazzolino, Beaverton police spokeswoman, said surveillance videos show Hernandez robbed the Best Buy. His case will be considered by a Washington County grand jury.
•Alex Ramon Garcia, 16, was charged in Multnomah County Juvenile Court Wednesday with first-degree robbery in connection with the Wilsonville robbery. He is being held in the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility.
Woman arrested 33rd time for shoplifting www.privateofficer.com
Brenda James, 49, of 117 Lafayette St. was one of two women arrested after store security at Walmart saw two women stealing more than $500 worth of cosmetics items from the store.
When an employee followed the two out of the store and confronted them, James and a second woman, Barbara Lee, 56, of 11 Harbor St., got into a Chevrolet Tracker and drove away.
Police knew James had regularly driven the Tracker around town and knew that her license and registration had recently been suspended. They say she took a plate belonging to a Salem Harbor CDC vehicle and put it on the Tracker.
Police spotted the vehicle outside 11 Harbor St. and arrested the pair. James was charged with larceny of more than $250, shoplifting, driving after license suspension, driving after registration suspension and attaching plates.
James pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Salem police prosecutor Lt. Conrad Prosniewski asked for $10,000 cash bail, pointing to James’ lengthy record, which includes the numerous prior shoplifting cases, as well as other types of crimes, all over the state. James has been to jail 18 times, Prosniewski said, and has missed numerous court appearances.
Judge Michael Lauranzano set bail at $2,500, an amount James is not expected to make. He also revoked her bail in another pending case, meaning she’ll be held without bail at MCI-Framingham for at least 60 days.
According to police, the women took several hundred dollars’ worth of cosmetics and two Zeno acne treatment devices, which retail for around $100 each.
Lee was charged with larceny of more than $250, as well as with assault and battery, stemming from a scuffle with the store security officer. She’s due in court today.
Police charge man with running down security officer www.privateofficer.com
Jermaine Cousins, 30, was one of two people suspected of stealing $2,000 worth of clothes and household goods Sept. 25 from the Mentor mall. When a guard tried to stop them, the two suspects got into a 2008 Lexus, witnesses said. Then the suspects hit the guard with their car. The guard — a 21-year-old Euclid resident — was knocked onto the car’s roof but was not seriously injured.
Cousins pleaded guilty Monday in Lake County Common Pleas Court to aggravated robbery and felonious assault.
Cousins faces up to 18 years in prison when he is sentenced July 12 by Judge Richard L. Collins Jr.
Prior to the hit-and-run, Cousins already had warrants for his arrest in Shaker Heights and Lyndhurst, and from the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.
Teen shot-killed on Dayton school playground www.privateofficer.com
Source: Dayton Daily News — A 15-year-old girl died at Miami Valley Hospital on Wednesday, June 16, after she was shot in the side while on the playground of Westwood PK-8 Elementary School about 6 p.m. She has been identified as Ronika Owens-Clemons of Orchard Avenue in Dayton.
Dayton police Sgt. John Sullivan said a confrontation between two teenage males on the playground, near Oakridge Drive and Burleigh Avenue, led to the shooting.
A 16-year-old male friend of the girl is in custody pending the filing of felony charges that included unclassified homicide, carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a firearm while on school property, and discharging a firearm at the school.
“We’re trying to determine whether this was an intentional act or an accident,” police Chief Richard Biehl said. “We are trying to locate additional witnesses.”
He added: “It’s very tragic that we have a 15-year-old’s life end in such a senseless way.”
Owens-Clemons is the fifth teen under 18 to die from gunfire in Dayton since 2008.
An initial investigation indicates that at some point, one of the males was handling the firearm when it discharged and struck the girl in the side , Sullivan said. The bullet traveled through her body and exited the other side. Police said she was a bystander and not part of the argument.
About 50 people were at the scene when the shooting occurred.
“Too many kids nowadays, their conflict resolution is to pull out a gun,” Sullivan said.
The shooting comes as the city reported a drop in every crime category to the FBI in 2009, except homicides.
Security nabs golf course burglar www.privateofficer.com
In April, when the manager of the course told deputies someone kept spraying chemicals on the greens during the overnight hours.
The manager told deputies the damage to the course, located at 7420 Constitution Circle, was estimated to be $50,000.
Deputies investigated the case then found a trail of dead grass that led to the rear of the home of 67-year-old Carlton Edward Abrahamson.
Neighbors said they thought Abrahamson was likely responsible for the damage because he felt the golfers on the course were disturbing him.
The break in the case came early Wednesday morning.
Around 2 a.m., a security guard working for the course says he found Abrahamson spraying a chemical on the greens.
The guard held Abrahamson until deputies arrived.
Abrahamson was taken to the Lee County Jail on charges of felony Damage to Property/Criminal Mischief.
Vanderilt University adds more community service officers www.privateofficer.com
Does your car need a jump? Did you lock your keys in your car . . . again? Well, Vanderbilt University’s Police Department is providing more help for some of life’s minor emergencies with its expanded community service officer program.
The department has added five community service officers bringing the total to 10 uniformed civilians who focus on providing services to the Vanderbilt community such as jump starting and unlocking cars, walking escorts and serving as extra “eyes” and “ears” for police officers. The community service officers travel in specially marked trucks.
The department also has plans to add five more community service officers to its ranks.
“We wanted to continue and enhance our community service functions while allowing police officers to focus on providing appropriate police services,” said Jason Goodrich, VUPD commander of special operations.
If you need assistance, dial 615-322-2745 (2-2745 from a campus extension) for non-emergency calls. In an emergency, dial 911.
Father forces 11 yr old to steal www.privateofficer.com
Police arrested James “Jamie” Frank Jordan III, 38, of Moreland and charged him with 15 counts of burglary, four felony thefts, four counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, 15 counts of cruelty to children and one count of cruelty to animals.
Coweta County sheriff’s investigators said Jordan had forced his now-11-year-old child to participate in burglaries for the past four years.
Officials said the child was not receiving any formal education.
Authorities said some of the stolen items they recovered included firearms, jewelry, tools, boots, knives, decorative items for the house and live animals – such as peacocks, chickens and dogs.
Since Jordan’s arrest, the 11-year-old and three other children were placed with family members.
NJ Trooper Scott Graham commits suicide www.privateofficer.com
Source: APP.com A New Jersey State Police trooper died today as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside a marked State Police car on a Garden State Parkway exit ramp, authorities said.
Trooper Scott M. Graham was found dead inside the car parked on the side of the southbound Parkway off-ramp to Route 34 south shortly after 7:30 a.m., according to the State Police.
Graham, 35, of Keyport, was a nine-year State Police veteran.His death comes just days after State Police buried State Trooper Marc. K. Castellano, who died last week in the line of duty a few miles away on I-195.
Graham was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:32 a.m. by a member of the Monmouth County Medical Examiner’s Office. Dr. Alex Zhang, assistant Middlesex County medical examiner, conducted an autopsy and determined Graham died of a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound, State Police said.
He was married and had three young children, including a set of twins, according to State Police.
Graham graduated with the 119th State Police Class in March 2001, and eventually stood out over his nine-year career for his efforts in the agency’s trooper coach program, which pairs trainers with new troopers for 60 days before they are sent out on their own, David Jones, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey, said today.
Graham performed so well that he was assigned to the State Police training academy in Sea Girt to set protocols for other trooper coaches, Jones said.
“It’s a pretty prestigious job, and it’s a pretty cumbersome job,” Jones said. “A lot of guys want to make the commitment, but it’s a real serious obligation and not necessarily a ton of fun. He was a high performer.”
Gregory Cirillo, a senior state corrections officer at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, came upon Graham’s marked state police car on the side of the roadway exit ramp and made the gruesome discovery before calling 911, state corrections department spokesman Matt Schuman confirmed. Cirillo was on his way to teach a training class at the state Department of Corrections training academy in Sea Girt, where he is an adjunct instructor.
The Exit 98 ramp from southbound Garden State Parkway to Route 138, along with the right lane between mile markers 99.6 and 97.2, was closed until about noon today as authorities investigated. There was a sizable law-enforcement presence near the exit, but they had cleared by 12:30 p.m.
The scene is about four miles from where Castellano was fatally struck by a vehicle, at exit 31A off of Route 195, on the morning of June 6.
Castellano was buried Saturday, following a funeral attended by thousands of law-enforcement officers, including hundreds of off-duty State Police personnel.
Castellano, 29, was helping to search for an armed suspect after a report made by a Camden County woman that authorities later determined was unfounded.
“The tragic death of Trooper Graham today deepens the wound that the New Jersey State Police family suffered from the recent death of Trooper Marc Castellano,” said Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, State Police superintendent. “We are again offering our support to another family coping with a tragic end to a loved one’s life.”
Graham was a classmate in the 119th State Police Class with fallen New Jersey State Police Trooper Bertram T. Zimmerman III, who was killed in automobile accident as he was responding to a call for backup from other officers at the scene of a Cape May County robbery in 2004.
Jones would not speculate on what effect, if any, Castellano’s death may have had on Graham.
“We are an organization that is a family and that embraces its history. . . . Tomorrow morning, there will be 1,000 troopers out there protecting the public and another 1,000 doing investigations, and we’ll be praying for Marc and praying for Scotty,” Jone said.
