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Miss Teen USA "Sextortion" Suspect Arrested

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A 19-year-old Temecula man was arrested and charged in connection with an alleged "sextortion" scheme involving Miss Teen USA, the FBI said on Thursday.

Jared James Abrahams was arrested on suspicion of anonymously hacking several online accounts to extort young women into sending him nude photos and video and, in some cases, accessing victims' webcams remotely to secretly snap compromising photos of them, the FBI said in a press release.

One of the alleged victims was Miss Teen USA Cassidy Wolf, officials said.

Both suspect and victim attended Great Oaks High School together for four years, graduating in 2012, NBC4 has learned. The criminal complaint alluded to them attending the same school but provided no details.

Abrahams, who was arrested Thursday morning after surrendering to FBI agents in Orange County, allegedly hacked into a webcam in Wolf's Southern California bedroom in an attempt to obtain nude photographs of her, officials said.

Abrahams -- who has been diagnosed with autism -- was charged in a federal criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in federal court.

He was released on $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 4 for an arraignment.

The judge allowed him to go home with his parents, with conditions. Abrahams must wear a GPS monitoring bracelet, can only leave his home to attend school, and is not allowed to have a smartphone.

Monitoring software will be installed in the computer used by Abrahams, according to the FBI.

The FBI believes there are more victims elsewhere in the country and in Ireland, Canada, Russia and Moldova, court records show.

According to the complaint, the sextortion investigation began around March 2013 and continued for several months, as multiple victims’ online accounts were compromised, or “hacked,” by an individual later identified as Abrahams.

The hacking incident involving Wolf is the latest in a string of so-called "sextortion" cases involving individuals who have used email accounts, social media or a computer's own hardware to glean compromising information or images.

A judge sentenced 35-year-old Christopher Chaney of Florida to 10 years in federal prison in December for hacking into the e-mail accounts of several celebrities, including Mila Kunis, Christina Aguilera and Scarlett Johansson.

In July, Karen "Gary" Kazaryan of California pleaded guilty in a "sextortion" case in which he targeted 350 women and coerced them into showing him their naked pictures. Prosecutors alleged that Kazaryan hacked into the Facebook, Skype and email accounts of his victims to coerce them into removing their clothing on camera.

NBC News' Andrew Blankstein contributed to this report.

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Chula Vista Mix-Use Project Breaks Ground

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A multi-billion dollar mix-use development broke ground in the Otay Ranch area of Chula Vista Thursday.

Special Section: Local Business Spotlight

The Millenia project is expected to include one or two hotels, retail space and office parks along with six parks, an elementary school, a fire station and a library south of Otay Ranch Town Center.

The first phase will focus on a small percentage of the area near the southeast corner of Birch Road and the South Bay Expressway.

Two projects announced Thursday were a 270-unit apartment complex and another condo project bringing in 215 units. These may be available in late 2014.

The development would equate to 80 blocks in downtown San Diego broken up into several "districts" of work, shop and live.

“The project has something for everybody. You're going to either work here or you'll come to enjoy the shopping and the dining opportunities, you'll come maybe to watch a movie in the park, or maybe you're just one of those people that wants to live in a place where you can walk or bike instead of drive your car and we’ll have it all here in Millenia,” said Todd Galarneau, Senior VP of Land Development.

Galarneau estimated the development would generate 9,000 jobs on top of construction jobs.

The Millenia project, which has been 10 years in the making, is expected to take 20 years to develop.

 



Photo Credit: Corky McMillan Companies

Man Accused of Killing Wife Heads to Court

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A man accused of killing his estranged wife and driving her body to San Diego Police headquarters appeared in court for the first time Thursday.

Americus DeOrenday, 44, has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his estranged wife, Mirella Alas DeOrenday, 40.

Early Tuesday morning, Americus flagged down detectives near the downtown headquarters, telling them his wife was dead and that her body was inside his Ford F-150 pickup truck.

When detectives searched the vehicle, they found Mirella’s body on the floor board behind the driver’s seat. Blood was found on the floor board and a garden hose was attached from the truck’s exhaust into the car’s rear window, officials said.

The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office later determined that Mirella died from strangulation. Americus was arrested on suspicion of her murder.

During Americus’ arraignment Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Leonard Trinh shared details of the relationship between the defendant and victim, as well as the events leading to Mirella’s murder.

Trinh said the couple – who has three children together –married in 2004, but separated earlier this year. Americus then obtained a restraining order against Mirella and took primary custody of their children.

Trinh said Americus allegedly began using the kids as “leverage,” controlling when and under what conditions Mirella could see them. He also attempted to continue being intimate with Mirella, kissing and trying to have sex with her even though they were separated.

Recently, Trinh said Mirella had begun dating a co-worker, and this angered Americus. He would often allegedly drive by her workplace to stop her from seeing her new love interest.

On Saturday, Sept. 21, investigators say Americus dropped the children off at Mirella’s home for the weekend.

Once the kids were inside, Mirella went outside to briefly speak with her estranged husband, but never returned home.

After about 10 minutes, Trinh said the couple’s 17-year-old daughter grew worried and went outside to check on her parents, but Americus and Mirella were gone.

The teenager called police and officers were dispatched to Mirella’s home, but the mother was not immediately located.

By Sunday, Mirella still hadn’t returned home and failed to show up to work. Her daughter and employer called police again and filed a missing persons report.

On Monday, at around 8 p.m., Trinh said Americus was seen going into a Wal-Mart where he bought a garden hose.

About five hours later, Americus drove up to the San Diego Police headquarters and told detectives that his wife was dead inside his truck and that he wanted to turn himself in, Trinh said.

That garden hose Americus had purchased earlier was found by detectives duct-taped to the exhaust pipe of his truck, snaked into the passenger’s compartment of the vehicle.

As Trinh recounted the events in court, Americus stood still, listening with his head hanging down. He pleaded not guilty.

Dozens of family members and friends attended Thursday’s arraignment. One friend of the victim’s told NBC 7 that they still can’t believe Mirella is dead.

Americus’ preliminary hearing will begin in a couple of weeks. If he goes to trial and is convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison.

He’s currently being held at San Diego Central Jail on $1 million bail.
 

Elderly Victims of Fraud Scam Get Money Back

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After falling prey to a scam, San Diego resident Jessie Penner never thought she would get her money back. But now, the 91-year-old former school teacher is cashing a check for $23,827.73.

"It's just wonderful because I didn't expect to get anything back," said Penner.

Penner and her husband gave scammer Michael Woodward more than $100,000 for home health care and assisted living insurance. But investigators say Woodward and his wife, Melissa Woodward, were selling phony insurance plans.

"He had charisma," said Deputy District Attorney Michael Zachry. "And charisma will get you far in whatever profession you have, particularly as a con man."

Zachry says Woodward took money from 279 people in San Diego County and even more across the state. Now, the District Attorney's office is trying to return some of that stolen money to victims of the fraud scam through restitution checks.

"I'm hoping that by the end of both disbursements, every victim in the state will receive at least 50 percent of their loss," said Zachry.

The money is coming from Woodward's bank accounts and by selling his homes, art work and jewelry he purchased using money from the insurance scheme he operated.

Penner still blames herself for handing over the money.

"I don't think I should have taken it hook, line and sinker," she lamented.

Zachry says seniors need to get second opinions when they enter into any financial agreements. They also shouldn't let salesmen in the door. And, especially, they should not feel pressured to sign a contract. The best thing is to talk to friends, financial advisers and family before handing over anything.

So, how does Penner feel about people who would take advantage of seniors?

"They are the lowest people in the world," she said.

Brush Fires Burn 40 Acres in East County

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At least two brush fires burned approximately 40 acres in the East County Thursday, causing bright flames and heavy smoke along eastbound Interstate 8.

The fires began just after 5:30 p.m. along I-8 between Greenfield Drive and Los Coches Road near El Cajon. Crews from multiple agencies responded to the scene and began tackling the fires.

Lakeside Fire said one vegetation blaze began near Los Coches Road, while the other sparked near Dunbar Lane.

Lakeside resident Dianne Durrenberger immediately began preparing to evacuate.

"Smoke was billowing,we could see flames down here and then we saw it jump up onto the mountain,” said Dianne Durrenberger. “We were very concerned about us and we were very concerned about all of our neighbors as well.”

She has a group home near the fire and began assigning tasks to her staff.

She credits the quick response from fire crews using a helicopter for saving homes.

“We feel blessed that the wind shifted and no homes were harmed, so we're grateful.” Durrenberger said.

Another Lakeside resident Debbie Whittaker said she got a call from neighbors telling her the hill near her home was on fire.

She rushed to get home, worried about her two horses and dogs.

Her neighbors jumped in to help in her absence.

“I was just relieved that someone was here to load those horses,” Whittaker said."It was really nice to have neighbors who were there for you."

Officials said the flames were somewhat near homes. However, Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler said no residents had been evacuated. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department also said no evacuations had been ordered.

By 7:10 p.m., Cal Fire officials said the fires had scorched approximately 40 acres, but the spread had been stopped. Fire crews will remain on scene for several hours mopping up hot spots.

One lane on eastbound I-8 was open overnight with the second lane expected to be reopened as of 8 a.m. Friday. Get traffic updates here

At the onset of the fires, as heavy smoke blew across the I-8 in the middle of rush hour, Capt. Mohler said at least 100 ground crews had responded to the scene.

Some firefighters had the task of hiking into the brush along the freeway in order to gain access to more remote areas that were burning. Air crews also circled the scene, making large drops on the fires.

Capt. Mohler said the fires may have been caused by a spark from a vehicle's mechanical malfunction, though the official cause is still under investigation.

No structures were damaged, Capt. Mohler confirmed. He said residents in the fire areas should remain vigilant throughout the evening and night.

Suspect's Parents: Son Acted in Self-Defense in Dodger Stabbing

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The parents of the man arrested for allegedly stabbing a Los Angeles Dodgers fan after Wednesday's Giants game say that their son claims the killing was in self-defense.

Michael Montgomery, of Lodi, Calif., was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of Jonathan Denver, 24.  The suspect's mother, Victoria Montgomery, says her 21-year-old son is "freaking out" about what happened when a rivalry-fueled fight turned fatal late Wednesday night.

"My son says he was hit with a chair," Victoria Montgomery told NBC Bay Area Friday morning. "He was just trying to defend himself. He is in shock."

As of Friday morning, Montgomery's court date had not been scheduled.

MORE: Arrest Made in Dodgers Stabbing Death

His mother's comments mirror what her ex-husband, Marty Montgomery, told the Lodi News-Sentinel after speaking with his son, who remains in San Francisco County Jail. According to that account, the suspect said Denver yelled, "Giants suck," at his friend, who was wearing a Giants hat, then Denver and others hit his son and their friends without warning. They were in San Francisco for a concert, Montgomery's mother said.

The elder Montgomery said his son was jumped during the fight and stabbed Denver - ironically, the son of a Dodgers security guard - to protect himself. Denver is about 6 feet 3 inches, and Montogmery is about 5 feet 8 inches, his mother said.

"It was a self-defense deal," Marty Montgomery told the Lodi paper. "(Michael) got jumped. (Denver and friends) started swinging chairs and he stabbed (Denver). (Denver) mouthed off about the San Francisco hat. It wasn't even (Michael's) hat.'"

Denver, a plumber's apprentice from Fort Bragg, Calif.,  was stabbed by the intersection of Harrison and Third streets at 11:49 p.m. Wednesday - about 90 minutes after the Dodgers-Giants game at AT&T Park was over. His father, Robert Preece Jr., works security for the Dodgers and lives in Alhambra, Calif. His sons were there to celebrate his birthday.

MORE: Son to Celebrate Father's Birthday at Dodgers-Giants Game

According to the police account, Denver's group bumped into the suspects' group about four blocks away from the park, at Third and Harrison streets, and the two groups exchanged some sort of "Dodgers-Giants" comments. The suspects' group had not been at a game, but at a nightclub.

The two groups parted ways after the heated exchange, but moments later a second fight erupted, and Denver realized he had been stabbed.

One of the suspects in Montgomery's group was wearing a Giants hat, police said. Denver, his brother and his father were all wearing Dodgers blue. Two suspects were detained a short time later at Second and Howard streets - although one was let go after questioning. Montgomery is now the only one in custody, and police said they were seeking two other suspects.

Denver died later at San Francisco General Hospital.

At a news conference Thursday, Police Chief Greg Suhr said that  Montgomery made some "incriminating statements" while in custody that led to his arrest. Another person, whose name was not released, was also taken into custody. Police said they were still looking for two more suspects.

The account from Montomery's parents conflicts with what one friend of the victim told the Associated Press.

MORE: Brian Wilson in Post-Game Flap with Giants CEO

Denver's friend Matt Gomes told the Associated Press that Denver was trying to help a friend who was getting beat up during the fight.

"He was defending his friend," Gomes said. "And then he got stabbed and died.'"
 
Gomes said he doesn't believe Denver, his family and friends started the fight. He said his buddy wasn't the type to get violent. 

"He was an amazing guy who made everybody happy and made them laugh. He was there for everybody," Gomes said.

As for Montgomery's mother, she isn't sure what to believe. She last spoke with her son on Aug. 13 - the day before his 21st birthday. She said since she didn't live with him, she didn't know his exact goings-on. She didn't know if he owned a knife and didn't want to discuss with NBC Bay Area whether he had any past brushes with the law.

"What does it matter?" she said through tears.

She said her son graduated from Lodi Adult School and was working at a bakery, though he had wanted to go back to school to become an electrician. She hasn't spoken directly to her son - only to her ex-husband who relayed her son's version of the story to her. She learned about his arrest when she discovered reporters camped out in front of her home - she at first thought they were Mormons - and called police for help. It's the authorities who told her why the reporters were there.

Victoria Montgomery did not want to speak on camera about her son; she was emotional during a phone interview as she said she is at a loss for what to do. She feels horrible for both families.

"I don't want to say anything bad about my son," she said. "I'm sure these are both good kids and who ended up both having a bad result."
 
The  Associated Press contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

Nigerian Terror Suspect Flown to New York for Trial

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A Nigerian terror suspect accused of trying to help al-Qaida in Yemen was flown to New York to appear Friday in a federal courtroom.

Lawal Babafemi is accused of training with members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and using his English skills to help publish the terrorist magazine "Inspire."

Judge John Gleason ordered Babafemi, also known as "Ayatollah Mustafa," held without bail. No plea was entered. 

Prosecutors said Babafemi is married with children in Nigeria and helped al-Qaida attempt to recruit people who speak English to engage in acts of terror against Americans. 

The FBI said Anwar al-Awlaki, the American cleric who became the al-Qaida commander in the Arabian Peninsula and was killed in a U.S. drone strike, personally directed $9,000 be paid to Babafemi to assist in his recruitment efforts.

Sitting silently at a defense table, Babafemi wore a blue and white striped polo shirt as he listened to the hearing without the help of a translator.

His attorney did not object to his being held without bail, but told the judge Babafemi suffers from high blood pressure and asked that he receive medication when he gets to the Metropolitan Detention Center.

Investigators said Babafemi was active with al-Qaida operatives from 2010 to 2011 until he was arrested for crimes in Nigeria. He was then turned over to FBI agents to be prosecuted for his alleged terrorist activity. 

"The defendant threw his efforts behind al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula’s media, recruitment, and weapons training campaigns in an effort to strengthen the terrorist group’s grip on the region and extend its reach throughout the world," U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said in a statement.

Babafemi is another example of the Obama administration sending alleged terror operatives for trial in U.S. courts instead of military tribunals.  

His transfer to the United States comes amid increasing concerns about the growing footprint of al-Qaida affiliated organizations in Africa.

Al-Qaida in Yemen has tried to use an underwear bomb on an airliner heading to Detroit and has hidden explosives in printers to try to bomb cargo planes. 

Al Shabaab -- a Somali-based group linked to al-Qaida -- is believed to be behind the recent mall attack in Kenya. 


Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Military Brings in $25B, 1 in 5 Jobs to San Diego: Report

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There's no question our local military is a major player impacting our economy. But as major cuts to defense spending are implemented, how great is the effect?

The Military Economic Impact Study released Thursday by San Diego Military Advisory Council (SDMAC) covers the direct impacts of automatic budget cuts that started in March.

Amidst budget cuts and post-war downsizing, San Diego's military and defense community still carries the economic punch for the region.

"The major take away from the report is just how important the military is to the city and county of San Diego," said RADM Patrick Lorge, Commander Navy Region Southwest.

According to the study, the military was responsible for almost $25 billion flowing into our economy, and more than 1 in 5 jobs last year. And the impact of each of the two aircraft carriers stationed here is about half a billion dollars.

"We see of course those carriers employing a lot of people but they’re also buying food, they're paying for port services they need, all the maintenance and repairs," said Dr. Lynn Reaser, Ph.D., the report's chief economist.

But with defense spending on the decline, the ripple effect is spreading.

The U.S. Marine Corps is on course to drop from 202,100 Marines to 182,100 by 2016. The Corps has said they expect to be halfway to their goal of cutting 20,000 Marines by the end of this fiscal year.

Sequestration cuts that began in March resulted in local defense civilian workers facing furloughs and an uncertain future.

Larry Blumberg, Executive Director of SDMAC estimated 10-percent, or 18,000 jobs were lost in the defense contract industry in the San Diego region.

From July to September, San Diego military families saw hours change in Navy commissaries.

Of course one of the more visible results of the military budget cuts was the recent decision to remove military aircraft from the upcoming Miramar Air Show.

"The military have drawn down their reserve funds, they've cut back on training, cut back on maintenance, and we'll see further cutbacks going forward," said Reaser.

Yet with pressures of a shrinking budget looming, San Diego's defense advantages may protect us in the years ahead.

“We have advantages in cyber security, special forces, unmanned vehicles and weapons, and so San Diego fits in very well with the Defense Department’s new strategy, and so that will help us weather the storm better than many," said Reaser.

Also likely to buffer San Diego from the economic blows of shrinking defense budgets is the new defense strategy’s "pivot to the Pacific" plan.

The intent is for 60 percent of all Navy forces to be in the Pacific by the year 2020, and that's a 10 percent increase from what we have now.



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Google Celebrates 15th Birthday With New Doodle

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Happy Birthday Google!

Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded the search engine giant 15 years ago in a Silicon Valley garage.

And what better way to celebrate than with one of the company's popular Google Doodles?

This doodle features a game where the user controls the second letter "g" in Google's name to hit a piñata and get points.

Google has been featuring doodles on its site since 1998 to mark the Burning Man festival, according to Mail Online. It unveiled its first interactive doodle in May 2012 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the arcade game, Pac-Man, according to The Daily Mail.  

The anniversary also heralded another improvement from Google: The search engine giant has updated the algorithm it uses for searches, calling it "Hummingbird." The new algorithm allows Google to quickly analyze full questions and to identify and rank the answers to those questions with search results. 

Google is now the world's number-one search engine with its own name eponymous with searching something on the Internet. Originally dubbed BackRub, the company changed its name to Google, derived from a misspelling of the word googol, which refers to the number one followed by one hundred zeroes.

The company now boasts more than 70 offices in 40 global locales, with their headquarters – known as the Googleplex – in Mountain View, Calif. 

But the company is known for much more than its search engine.

It's creativity and innovation have sparked a suite of tools – Google Drive, Google Maps, GMail – and several more that many have come to depend on in everyday life.

Couple that with its popular Android mobile operating system and foray into the tablet market with the Google Nexus 7, and the company has firmly cemented itself as a technological powerhouse.  

Ex-Military Sgt. "Rambo" Accused in Plot to Kill DEA Agent

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A former military sniper instructor has been arrested on charges that he plotted with other former soldiers to kill an American drug agent overseas and help drug cartels ship cocaine into the U.S. 
 
Federal prosecutors in New York say former U.S. Army Sgt. Joseph M. Hunter, who went by the nickname "Rambo," organized a hit squad made up of another former Army soldier and retired solders from Germany and Poland. Drug Enforcement Administration agents said the group was also willing to work as a surveillance and security team for cartels. 
 
DEA agents said Hunter recruited the former soldiers by reviewing resumes he received via email.
 
They said the team worked to obtain weapons for the planned hits, including a sniper rifle, .22-caliber revolvers with silencers,  sub-machine guns. In the sting, Hunter allegedly agreed to an $800,000 payment for his team to kill the DEA agent. 
 
Members of the team met with three people they thought were representatives of a Colombian cocaine cartel but were actually undercover informants for the DEA. In June, four members of the team went to the Caribbean to conduct surveillance on an airplane they were told was flying cocaine to the U.S. 
 
Over the summer, members of the team allegedly met with the undercover informants in Asia to plan how they would kill a DEA agent in Africa and another person they were told was providing information to the U.S. government. Prosecutors say two members of the team flew to Africa on Wednesday to carry out the murder but were arrested there.  
 
"The job is not the headache -- it's getting in and out," said one team member, a former U.S. Army sergeant, according to court documents. The other team member that went to Africa, a former German soldier, was recorded saying, "Actually, for me, that's fun. I love this work," according to prosecutors.
 
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called the defendants an "international band of mercenary marksmen who enlisted their elite military training to serve as hired guns for evil ends." 
 
"Three of the defendants were ready, willing and eager to take cold hard cash to commit the cold-blooded murders of a DEA agent and an informant," he said.
 
Hunter was arrested in Thailand overnight and was seen being led in handcuffs to a plane that flew him to New York to face charges of conspiracy to murder a law enforcement agent, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to import cocaine. Lawyer information for him was not immediately available. 
 
 

 

Barilla Pasta Chairman's Anti-Gay Comment Prompts Boycott

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The chairman of one of the world's best known pasta brands has sparked calls for a consumer boycott after saying Barilla would never use a gay family in its commercials.

"I would never do a commercial with a homosexual family, not for lack of respect but because we don't agree with them," Barilla Chairman Guido Barilla said in a Radio 24 interview Wednesday. "Ours is a classic family where the woman plays a fundamental role."

Barilla also told the Italian radio station he opposed adoption by gay parents, but supported gay marriage, which is not legal in Italy, according to Reuters.

The comments have brought about a flurry of criticism on the company's Facebook page with customers who said they would no longer buy the company's products.

Barilla pasta has frequently featured the image of a happy family feasting in a countryside setting and the tagline: "Where there's Barilla, there's home."

The company issued a public apology on Thursday explaining that Barilla was trying to say "simply that the woman plays a central role in the family."

"Barilla features families in its commercials because it embraces anyone, and they have always been identified with our brand," the statement said.



Photo Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Grand Jury Indicts Aaron Hernandez’s Girlfriend

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A Massachusetts grand jury has indicted the fiancée of former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez as the investigation into the June murder of semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd continues.

Lloyd was shot to death on June 17 and his body was found in an industrial area close to Hernandez’s home in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

The Bristol, Connecticut native has been charged with the murder. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held in lieu of bond.

Hernandez's fiancée, Shayana Jenkins, 24, has been indicted on a single charge of perjury in connection with the ongoing investigation, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s office in Massachusetts.

Jenkins and Hernandez has been living together in the North Attleboro home and her sister was dating Lloyd. 

Officials said the investigation into the slaying of Mr. Lloyd remains active and ongoing and they will make no further comment on the new indictments can be made at this time.

Investigators said in August they were looking into whether Hernandez asked his girlfriend to get rid of a gun shortly after Lloyd’s body was found about a mile from the couple's home.

Search warrants for a Bristol, Conn. storage facility suggested Hernandez might have instructed Jenkins to take a gun safe or lock box out of their home the day after Lloyd’s body was discovered.

READ THE WARRANT HERE

Jenkins was seen on home surveillance video carrying a rigid object the size of a lock box or safe out of the house and into the yard, before loading it into her sister's car, according to the warrant.

She allegedly asked to use the vehicle to go to the bank and returned home about 35 minutes later without the object.

The warrants claim that Jenkins might have dumped the weapons in the woods in Massachusetts or might have taken them to a Bristol storage unit that Hernandez paid for.

Police searched the facility, U.S. Storage, in July, seizing some company records and a silver lock.

The grand jury also indicted Hernandez's cousin, Tanya Singleton, 37, of Bristol, Conn, on a charge of conspiracy to commit accessory after the fact.

The new indictment against Singleton is in addition to an indictment announced last month that charged her with criminal contempt. 

Singleton is due in Fall River Superior Court for a status hearing on her pending contempt charge on Monday and it is possible she could also be arraigned on the new indictment at that time, according to the DA.

When Jenkins will appear in court is not known.



 



Photo Credit: AP

NJ Judge: Same-Sex Couples Must Be Allowed to Marry

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A state court judge said in a ruling Friday that same-sex couples must be allowed to marry in New Jersey, and that the rights given to them under the state's civil unions law are not equal to federal benefits now granted to married gay couples.

Judge Mary Jacobson granted a summary judgment requested by Garden State Equality, which had claimed that the U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of the federal Defense of Marriage Act meant that same-sex couples in civil unions in New Jersey were being denied equal protection.

"The ineligibility of same-sex couples for federal benefits is currently harming same-sex couples in New Jersey in a wide range of contexts," the judge said.

"Same-sex couples must be allowed to marry in order to obtain equal protection of the law under the New Jersey Constitution," she wrote.

The ruling does not mean that same-sex marriages will begin immediately in New Jersey. The state has until Oct. 21 to either appeal or start the process to allow gay marriages.

The Christie administration was expected to appeal.

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

City to Pay $795K in Arevalos Settlement

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The City of San Diego will pay almost $800,000 to a woman who says she was violently sexually assaulted by a former police officer imprisoned for sexual battery and assault.

"I did the brave thing,” the woman identified only as Jane Roe told NBC 7 moments after the settlement was announced in San Diego federal court Friday.

“I drug everything out. I was honest to my core. Is it going to change the future? No. But I made a difference for myself and that was the most important thing,” she said.

Roe was not among the women involved with the criminal case against former San Diego police officer Anthony Arevalos.

In 2011, jurors convicted Arevalos of battery and sexual assault that occurred over two years. 

The 18-year SDPD veteran had a practice of preying on young, female drivers in the Gaslamp Quarter.

Roe chose to file her own suit in federal court.

Her lawsuit alleges Arevalos "forcibly and unlawfully assaulted and battered" Roe on February 20, 2010. The suit says Arevalos was on duty and wearing his SDPD uniform when he "placed his hand inside the plaintiff's pants and grabbed her genitals."

After the sexual assault, the lawsuit says Arevalos placed a bag over Roe's head, "nearly suffocating her," before he took her to jail.

The City of San Diego denied those allegations in a document filed with the court on July 27, 2012.

On Friday, Roe said choosing to come forward was difficult. She knew she did something wrong by choosing to drive a vehicle under the influence but she also knew she didn't deserve to be brutally sexually assaulted.

In federal court, Arevalos' attorney accepted the settlement by phone on his behalf.

By accepting the payment of $795,000, Roe releases all parties from any liability.

The plaintiff’s attorney, Mary Francis Prevost, called the settlement fair and reasonable and said that if the case had gone to trial, the city could have been facing a penalty in the millions.

NBC 7 reached out to Assistant City Attorney Paul Cooper Friday for comment on the settlement.

Cooper gave NBC 7 the following statement:

“Over the past two years, our attorneys have worked diligently to limit the liability to the City due to the criminal acts of former police officer Anthony Arevalos. This settlement resolves the lawsuit which contained some of the most egregious allegations filed against Mr. Arevalos and brings us one step closer to closing a sad and unfortunate chapter for the City of San Diego.”

The City Council has to finalize the settlement and the city has to disperse funds by Nov. 25.

The City Attorney's office also confirmed that the city has paid out $2.3 million to settle lawsuits related to Arevalos' misconduct. There is still one case pending in federal court.



Photo Credit: Cynthia Faram

SDUSD Takes on Issue of Teacher-Student Bullying

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Throwing a book across a classroom, name calling, screaming – these are examples of misbehavior by adults targeted at students in the classroom.

Administrators of the San Diego Unified School District met with parents, educators and city leaders to discuss how to handle accusations made against employees of the district when it comes to adult-on-child bullying.

At issue: how does a parent alert the school or the district if a child was mistreated by school staff?

Thursday’s meeting stemmed from a Grand Jury report that criticized the district for not having an effective policy of investigating complaints against employees who may be bullying children.

Parents say concerns go beyond children being mentally abused and include neglect, physical abuse and sexual abuse of children at school. The incidents, they say, go unreported.

“We have a culture of silence and a culture of vilifyng people who come forward with concerns,” said parent Judy Neufeld.

She said the schools have to change that and focus on child safety.

“Teacher bullying is illegal under the mental anguish law, so is neglect of children, so is physical assault on children and so is predation. We’ve seen all these types of concerns not be responded to appropriately in schools,” Neufeld said.

Parents want a clearinghouse, independent of the district, so complaints can be directed to the right agency for investigation.

They also want school staff to have better training so they know when they are mandated to report child abuse.

Representatives from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the San Diego City Attorney’s Office, San Diego Unified School Police, San Diego Police Department and agencies involved with child protection discussed how to increase public awareness of the issue.

“We’re trying to be responsive to what we’re hearing and make sure we’re striving always to support student safety,” said Moises Aguirre, Executive Director of District Relations.

Several agencies suggested creating videos on mandated reporting laws and how parents can report child abuse at school.

Superintendent Cindy Marten has also set up a one-stop complaint center with the goal to track complaint and address them.

“We don’t want to say there’s an easy solution because we understand we are dealing with very sensitive issues,” Aguirre said.

“There’s definitely many areas we need to review carefully so we can put together a more focused more comprehensive solution rather than a piecemeal solution.”
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images

Teen Uses Phone to Help Rescuers Find Crashed Car

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A teenager used her phone to direct rescuers to her car, hidden after crashing hundreds of feet down an embankment in San Diego.

San Diego Fire-Rescue were called to the 7800-block of Genesee Avenue in the University City area around 5:40 a.m. to help the driver in a vehicle that drove off the road and down an embankment.

A teenager was driving southbound on Genesee when she decided to change lanes to avoid traffic slowing down in front of her, officials said.

Her vehicle rolled down the embankment and was hidden in the trees and bushes. From aerial video, all that could be seen of the vehicle was a set of flashing hazard lights.

The 19-year-old woman called 911 and directed police to her location by the sound of the ambulance up above.

Emergency crews hoisted the woman from the wreckage and transported her to a nearby hospital. They said she was complaining of chest pains but they believed that was from the activation of the air bag.
 

Janitor Tips Cops After Finding Underwear, Bed in Classroom

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An observant janitor at a Northern California high school is being credited for tipping off police to an alleged inappropriate relationship between a teacher and a student.

According to court documents, the Santa Clara High School janitor noticed Hugo Cortes Guzman, 32, watching an "inappropriate” video with a student. Later, the janitor went into the classroom and found a bra, panties, condoms, a copy of the book "50 Shades of Grey," and a mattress in the classroom and contacted police. 

Guzman, a math teacher at the school was arrested on Tuesday.

Thursday was Guzman's first court appearance, where he was charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Prosecutors said he had sex with the student at least four times over the past year, including on one occasion in his Jeep while parked near the girl's house.

Investigators also said they found two letters from Guzman to the student. One of them appears to be written this week from jail. In it, he tells her that his arrest is not her fault and that she should not let the situation get to her.

"I am truly sorry for everything that has happen[ed],"Guzman said in the letter. He also wrote, "I love you more than I lead on. But it was because I knew it was wrong and that this would happen, so it will never be your fault."

Guzman allegedly engaged in sexual activity with one of his students, a 17-year-old female, starting in September 2012 until just days before his arrest, Santa Clara County Supervising Deputy District Attorney  Stacey Capps said.

He was still teaching at Santa Clara High School up until the day of his arrest on Tuesday, Capps said.

According to the school's website, Guzman taught algebra and Advanced Placement statistics.



Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area

NRC Updates Residents on San Onofre Closure

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Nervous North County residents met with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday for one of several public meetings about the dismantling of the San Onofre Generating Station.

San Onofre once provided Southern California with 20 percent of its power.

Then a leak in one of the reactors led to the decision to decommission the plant.

Now that it's closed the question on many minds - will it remain a safe place?

The NRC will tell you San Onofre has had its mishaps. There was a leak while transporting the remains of reactor one in the 1980's. Another non-injury leak in a second reactor on site occurred last January that lead to the decision to decommission the plant.

Members of Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE) based in San Diego joined approximately 100 others Thursday, on the edge of their seats listening to the NRC's plan
“Just because San Onofre is closed doesn't mean we are safe,” ROSE member Madge Torres said.

Because at the moment there is no safe storage off-site, radiated spent fuels will be stored at San Onofre in specially designed containers to withstand Tsunami flooding and earthquakes.

“Maybe if it were underground in berms many hundreds of feet underground then I would feel like those storage casks were safe from attack or tsunami,” Torres said.

Decommissioning the plant could take 10 to 15 years and cost more than $4 billion dollars. At the moment Southern California Edison is about $500 million short but still within NRC guidelines.

“We will be her overseeing the decommissioning process to ensure that it's done safely,” NRC spokesperson Victor Dricks said.

Despite a shortfall at the moment Southern California Edison says the cost of closing will not be passed on to the consumer.

More public meetings are expected at specific steps in this process.
 

Teams Search for Missing Serra Mesa Woman

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Dozens of law enforcement officers were involved Thursday and Friday in the extensive search for a Serra Mesa woman, last seen at her home three days ago.

San Diego police joined search and rescue teams from San Diego County Sheriff’s Department San Diego mountain rescue, U.S. Border Patrol and K-9 teams from Los Angeles and Orange County in the search for 79-year-old  Mehria Mansury.

Mansury, who officials consider a "missing person-at-risk," was last seen around 8 a.m. Tuesday at her home in the 2800-block of Amulet Street.

Officials say the search will continue until all leads are exhausted.

Mansury is described by police as Middle-Eastern with a light complexion, 5-foot-1, weighing 140 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on Mansury’s whereabouts to contact the SDPD Homicide Unit Adult Missing Persons line at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

SDPD Lt. Kevin Mayer said investigators are not calling Mansury’s disappearance a homicide at this point. On Friday around noon, search and rescue crews were scouring the San Diego River for any potential trace of the missing woman.

NBC 7 spoke with Mansury’s nephew and nieces who say they are concerned for Mansury’s safety.

The family members said a relative last saw Mansury on Monday. They said Mansury’s daughter – who lives with Mansury in the Serra Mesa home – last saw Mansury on Tuesday, but didn’t report her missing.

On Wednesday, a relative spoke with Mansury’s daughter who said Mansury had gone for a walk. The family members told NBC 7 that when relatives visited Mansury’s home on Wednesday, the house was a mess.

Worried for Mansury, a relative called police and the search efforts began.



Photo Credit: NBC 7 San Diego

Social Media Cheers "Batkid"

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Giving a 5-year-old boy, Miles, who is in remission from leukemia, the dream of being a Batkid for a day is touching people across the globe.

People turned to Twitter and Instagram, getting into the spirit of giving a boy, who has battled cancer since he was 1, a day to remember.

Even President Barack Obama retweeted the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the agency making the dream a reality, urging others to follow @SFWish. He also recorded a Vine message congratulating Batkid.

On Friday, through the efforts of the Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, 12,000 volunteers gave this "Batkid" an incredible day of dressing up as a superhero and rooting out evil and crime in Gotham City (aka San Francisco).

Police officers in Campbell put on bat masks, graphic designers created images of Batman floating over the Golden Gate Bridge, and three Harlem Globetrotters stood in a circle, pointed to the camera and wished Miles a great day: "Good Luck Bat Kid."

In a particularly funny tweet, Tony Michaels, a country DJ who lives in Fremont, said that Batkid helped an emergency landing in San Jose. An American Airlines flight did strike a bird about 6:40 a.m. Friday morning, and no one was injured.

MORE: SF Morphs Into Gotham City for "Batkid" Battling Leukemia

"This wish stands out because it's not to meet a star, or an athlete or go to Disneyland," said Michaels, who has been tweeting a lot about #SFBatkid. "He's his own wish. He's not pretending. He's himself. That's awesome."

As for why so many people are volunteering to help?

"Eighty to 90 percent of everything is negative," Michaels said. "This makes people feel good. People can hold on to that."

PHOTOS: San Francisco's Batkid Saves Gotham



Photo Credit: AP
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