VIRGINIA — The leader of an identity theft ring that stole more than 600 identities from federal employees and others was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 12 years in prison,…
Mexican Texans Served in the Civil War, 2,500 Joined the Confederate Army
Secession and the Civil War deeply divided the Mexican Americans of Texas (Tejanos). Accusations of subversion and disloyalty before the war resulted in a reluctance by many of them to become involved…
Three Plead Guilty to Growing Pot, Seriously Damaging Ecosystem of a California Conservation Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Three Eureka, Calif. men plead guilty on Wednesday to growing marijuana in a national conservation area, and in doing so, caused serious damage to the environment, according to federal…
Coal Companies Pay Record Clean Water Act Fine, Agree to $200 Million in Improvements
VIRGINIA — One of the nation’s largest coal companies agreed to spend about $200 million to install and operate a waste water treatment systems and upgrade its operation to reduce discharges from coal…
The Pilgrims Left Europe Because They Feared Their Children Would Become Too Dutch
The myth: The Pilgrims escaped the religious intolerance of Europe to establish freedom in the New World. The truth: Frustrated with the Church of England the future Pilgrims left England for Amsterdam,…
Jail Supervisor Indicted for Preparing False Tax Refunds That Claimed Bogus Deductions
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA — A jail supervisor, who recruited people from his jail to pay his wife to prepare and file tax returns that falsely claimed business losses, childcare and job expenses, charitable donations…
U.S. Recovers More than $458 Million Stolen from Nigeria by Former Dictator and Others
WASHINGTON D.C. — The U.S. froze more than $458 million that was hidden in bank accounts around the world by former and now-deceased Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha, according to a civil forfeiture complaint…
Artist Vincent Van Gogh Suffered a Nervous Breakdown After Being Rejected by a Woman
In June of 1873, Vincent van Gogh worked a the Groupil Gallery in London. There, he fell in love with English culture and with his landlady’s daughter, Eugenie Loyer. When she rejected…
Feds: Sprint Owes Government Millions for Over Billing on Court-Ordered Wiretaps
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Justice Department is alleging that Sprint Communications Inc. over billed the government for expenses it incurred while complying with court -ordered wiretaps, officials announced Monday. The lawsuit alleges…
Washington Man Gets 25 years in Prison for Producing and Distributing Child Porn
WASHINGTON — A 38-year-old man was sentenced last week to 25 years in prison for production and distribution of child pornography, federal authorities said. Jonathan Scott Lee, of Kelso Washington, also admitted to…
Two Texas Men Get Lengthy Prison Sentences for Trafficking in Methamphetamine
LUBBOCK, TEXAS – Two members of a three-person methamphetamine trafficking ring were given lengthy prison sentences last week in U.S. District Court. Two of the defendants, Michael Armenta, 19, and Fernando Valenzuela-Ceballos, 26,…
Calif. Lawyer Who Illegally Cashed Dead Grandmother’s Social Security Checks Pleads Guilty
RIVERSIDE, CALIF. – A lawyer who illegally cashed her dead grandmother’s Social Security checks plead guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to two counts of theft of government property. Audrey Owens, 60,…