
S.F. gang member sentenced to 7 years in prison for gun possession
A longtime member of San Francisco's Norteños gang convicted of unlawfully possessing guns was sentenced to seven years in prison, prosecutors said Monday.
U.S. District Judge James Donato also sentenced Nicholas Addleman, 38, of Vallejo, to three years of supervised release after he serves his prison term, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California.
Addleman previously served five years in state prison for assault with a deadly weapon and shooting at an inhabited dwelling, prosecutors said. A few months after his release in October 2022, police found two guns in Addleman's car during a parole search, prosecutors said.
After Addleman admitted the guns were his and his DNA was found on the grip of one of the guns, he was charged with felon in possession of a firearm, to which he pleaded guilty to in September 2023, prosecutors said. In February 2024, days before he was expected to be sentenced, Addleman fled from pretrial supervision and a court issued a warrant for his arrest, prosecutors said.
He was arrested in December and police searched his Vallejo home to uncover multiple assault rifles, large capacity magazines and suspected gun silences, according to prosecutors.

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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
N.J. congresswoman indicted over fracas outside Newark ICE jail
Rep. LaMonica McIver, a Democrat, is accused of shoving federal authorities during a scuffle outside an ICE jail in Newark last month. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against a New Jersey congresswoman who is accused of shoving federal authorities while Mayor Ras Baraka was being arrested for trespassing at an ICE jail in Newark last month, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday. The indictment charges Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-10) with assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with federal officers, according to a copy obtained by the New Jersey Monitor (Habba's office did not release it Tuesday). Habba said the three charges carry a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison total. 'As I have stated in the past, it is my Constitutional obligation as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for New Jersey to ensure that our federal partners are protected when executing their duties. While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve. Today's decision by the grand jury is the next step in a process that my Office will pursue to a just end,' Habba wrote on social media. McIver in a statement called the grand jury proceedings 'a brazen attempt at political intimidation.' She said she'll be entering a plea of not guilty. 'This indictment is no more justified than the original charges, and is an effort by Trump's administration to dodge accountability for the chaos ICE caused and scare me out of doing the work I was elected to do,' McIver said. 'But it won't work — I will not be intimidated.' McIver was initially charged on May 19, about a week after Baraka was arrested outside Delaney Hall, a privately owned migrant jail that recently reopened amid President Donald Trump's mass detention and deportation efforts. Authorities later dropped the charge it filed against Baraka. McIver and two other New Jersey House Democrats, Reps. Rob Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman, were visiting the jail May 9 for an unannounced visit, which is permitted by members of Congress. Baraka, a Democrat who at the time was running for governor, was there to check on the facility, which he had claimed owner Geo Group opened without obtaining proper city permits. The indictment alleges the House members entered a secure area of the property while a gate opened to let a vehicle enter. It claims Baraka said he was part of the congressional members' entourage, was denied entry, and then allowed on the property when a guard working at the facility 'became concerned for (his) safety amidst the crowd of protesters.' According to the indictment, Baraka was soon asked to leave the property, and a scuffle broke out when authorities moved to detain the mayor. When an agent announced Baraka would be placed under arrest, McIver shouted, 'Hell no! Hell no!' the indictment says. She then ordered others to circle the mayor in an attempt to 'thwart the arrest,' according to the indictment. Department of Homeland Security officials have released videos that show McIver pushing past a federal agent and pushing another one on his shoulder. A complaint filed against her last month claims McIver 'slammed' her arm into an agent and tried to grab another. McIver has maintained that she was acting lawfully and that the federal agents created an 'unnecessary and unsafe confrontation' when handcuffing Baraka. Paul Fishman, attorney for McIver, said the legal process will expose the charges she faces as 'political retaliation against a dedicated public servant who refuses to shy away from her oversight responsibilities.' Amol Sinha, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, blasted the indictment as 'an outrageous and unprecedented escalation of the Trump administration's intimidation campaign against those who refuse to do its bidding.' 'All public officials must immediately denounce this indictment,' he said in a statement Tuesday. 'Members of Congress must leverage their oversight powers to provide strong checks and balances on the Trump administration's shameful intimidation campaign and its cruel mass detention and deportation agenda.' Last week, Baraka filed a lawsuit charging federal officials with malicious prosecution and false arrest. Habba has previously said she is investigating Gov. Phil Murphy and state Attorney General Matt Platkin over the state's directive banning local law enforcement from assisting in civil immigration enforcement. McIver, who represents parts of Hudson, Union, and Essex counties, including Newark, first joined Congress in September. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX


USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
I first went to jail at 11. Coming home at 32, I entered a different kind of prison.
I first went to jail at 11. Coming home at 32, I entered a different kind of prison. | Opinion This isn't about erasing accountability. This is about recognizing rehabilitation, maturity and the human capacity for change. Show Caption Hide Caption More than 12,000 have had their records expunged as part of Project Clean Slate Project Clean Slate, started in 2016 by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, reached a milestone - and DeShaun is overjoyed to be No. 12,000. Fox - 2 Detroit I spent most of the first half of my life in carceral settings. My first incarceration was at 11 years old. By 17, I was serving what amounted to a juvenile life sentence, followed by 15 consecutive years in prison. When I came home at 32, I stepped into a different kind of prison: one built from stigma, systemic barriers and the persistent shadow of a criminal record. That's why clean slate, expungement and pardon legislation aren't abstract policy ideas to me ‒ they are deeply personal, transformational tools that can open doors otherwise locked shut. These aren't about erasing accountability. They're about recognizing rehabilitation, maturity and the human capacity for change. They're about giving people a real chance to rejoin the communities they never stopped loving. After my release, I refused to be defined by my record. Instead, I became the first formerly incarcerated person ever hired by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware. I helped anchor and launch the state's first federal reentry court, a visionary model that is still operating today and successfully serving Delawareans. I didn't just reenter society ‒ I helped reimagine what reentry could look like. But even with that level of access and success, I still faced unnecessary hurdles that clean slate legislation would have helped eliminate. Momentum for record-clearing legislation is growing Across the country, momentum for record-clearing legislation is growing. In recent months, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed the Expungement Reform Act into law, expanding eligibility for record clearance. Thousands of Marylanders who have stayed out of trouble and paid their dues now have a shot at housing, education and employment that was previously denied to them due to an outdated or irrelevant criminal record. This follows a broader national trend. Twelve states ‒ including Delaware, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Utah ‒ have enacted clean slate laws that automatically seal eligible criminal records after a certain period of time. Opinion: I worked for this office under the DOJ. Funding cuts will make you less safe. These laws increase employment, reduce recidivism and improve public safety. And they do it without requiring the person to navigate complicated and expensive legal processes that often disproportionately exclude the poor and people of color. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, nearly 1 in 3 American adults in the working age population has some type of criminal record, most of them for nonviolent offenses or arrests that never led to a conviction. Yet even decades later, these records can restrict access to housing, employment and education. The collateral consequences can be lifelong. We have a moral imperative to clean slates. We also have a financial one. The Center for Economic and Policy Research estimates that the U.S. economy loses between $78 and $87 billion annually in gross domestic product due to the employment barriers faced by people with criminal records. That's not just a policy failure ‒ it's an economic one. Opinion: PTSD can land veterans in prison. Restoring VA care honors sacrifices and struggles. Clean slate laws create stronger, more stable communities. When people can access jobs and housing, they pay taxes, raise their families and contribute to the fabric of our economy. The data is clear: When you give people a fair chance, most take it and run with it. At the federal level, the introduction of the Weldon Angelos Presidential Pardon Expungements Act is a potential game-changer. Named for a man who was sentenced to 55 years in prison for a first-time nonviolent offense and later pardoned, this bipartisan bill would allow people who have received presidential pardons to petition for record expungement. Currently, a pardon removes penalties but not the stigma. Even after a presidential pardon, individuals still face the barriers tied to their record. This bill would be the first of its kind to create a federal pathway for record expungement, offering real relief and real second chances. We have to close the federal gap We are living through a political moment where tough-on-crime rhetoric is once again on the rise. However, the facts don't support the fear. What we need now is not a return to mass incarceration, but a doubling down on policies that work: Clean slate laws, investment in reentry programs and fair hiring practices. These policies have broad bipartisan support. A recent Clean Slate Initiative survey found that both Democrats and Republicans in many states overwhelmingly back record clearance as a pathway to economic self-sufficiency, family stability and safer communities. I'm proud of what I've accomplished since coming home. I've built businesses, created training pipelines for returning citizens, and helped lead justice reform efforts at the local and national levels. None of that would have been possible without the belief ‒ first in myself, then from others ‒ that I could be more than the worst thing I ever did. Clean slate legislation codifies that belief into law. It says to every person coming home: You are more than your past. You deserve a future. Let's make sure our laws reflect that truth, not just for me, but for the millions who are still locked out of opportunity, even after serving their M. Soliman is the founder of Soliman Consulting LLC and is serving a four-year appointment on the Delaware Workforce Development Board.

USA Today
10 hours ago
- USA Today
Leaders of ‘orgasmic meditation' company OneTaste found guilty in forced labor scheme
Leaders of 'orgasmic meditation' company OneTaste found guilty in forced labor scheme Show Caption Hide Caption Defense strategies for Sean 'Diddy' Combs in his sex crimes trial A legal expert discusses strategies the defense attorneys for Sean "Diddy" Combs might use in his federal sex crimes trial. The leaders of a sexual wellness company that claimed to teach "orgasmic meditation" were found guilty of operating a forced labor scheme in which they coerced employees into performing sexual acts for little or no pay, prosecutors said. Following a five-week trial in Brooklyn, a federal jury convicted Nicole Daedone, 57, and Rachel Cherwitz, 44, on June 9 of forced labor conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for New York's Eastern District. Daedone was the founder and former CEO of OneTaste, Inc., while Cherwitz was the company's former head of sales. Prosecutors accused the two women of running a yearslong scheme to obtain the labor and services from a group of OneTaste members, which included volunteers, contractors, and employees of the company. The members were often subjected to "economic, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse, surveillance, indoctrination, and intimidation," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release. According to an indictment, Daedone and Cherwitz intentionally targeted and recruited people who had suffered trauma. Prosecutors said the two women induced their members to incur debt by taking courses they claimed could heal sexual trauma and dysfunction. Daedone and Cherwitz also instructed their members to engage in sexual acts for "freedom and enlightenment," and failed to pay promised wages, according to the indictment. "The jury's verdict has unmasked Daedone and Cherwitz for who they truly are: grifters who preyed on vulnerable victims by making empty promises of sexual empowerment and wellness only to manipulate them into performing labor and services for the defendants' benefit," U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said in a statement. Daedone and Cherwitz each face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Who are the 'Zizians'? The cult-like group under FBI investigation What is OneTaste? OneTaste was a privately held company that was founded by Daedone in 2004, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The company was based in San Francisco but also operated in other major cities, such as New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Texas, and London. Prosecutors said OneTaste promoted and branded itself as a sexuality-focused wellness education company for women. From around 2004 to 2018, prosecutors said the company generated revenue by offering courses, coaching, and events "related to so-called wellness practices" in exchange for a fee. The company also "offered hands-on classes on 'orgasmic mediation' (OM), which involved stroking a woman's genitals for 15 minutes," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said many OneTaste members lived in warehouses that were leased by the company. At these warehouses, members participated in courses and experimented sexually, according to prosecutors. Daedone was the leader and CEO of OneTaste until around 2017, when she sold the company for $12 million, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Cherwitz was the company's head of sales from around 2009 through 2018. The company was the subject of Netflix's 2022 documentary "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste," which followed its rise and controversies surrounding the company. The documentary also included interviews with former members. OneTaste was not a defendant in the case and previously said it cooperated with the investigation. The company now operates as the Institute of OM Foundation, and its current owners have said the charges against its former executives were unjustified, according to Reuters. She grew up in an AZ church community. Now, she claims it was actually a religious cult. Prosecutors: OneTaste leaders used 'abusive and manipulative tactics' Prosecutors accused Daedone and Cherwitz of using "abusive and manipulative tactics" to control OneTaste members. These tactics were designed to make members emotionally and psychologically dependent on the company, prosecutors said. Between 2006 and 2018, prosecutors said Daedone and Cherwitz coerced young women who had "turned to OneTaste for healing and spirituality" into performing labor for them. The work included manual labor and sexual services. According to the indictment, the former executives encouraged their members to incur debt by opening lines of credit to pay for expensive courses. OneTaste courses each ranged from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars, prosecutors said. "Once they had secured the loyalty and indebtedness of certain OneTaste members, Daedone and Cherwitz engaged in abusive employment practices," the U.S. Attorney's Office said, adding that members worked long hours seven days per week with little or no pay. Prosecutors said Daedone and Cherwitz subjected their members to sexual abuse and surveillance in communal homes. The two women also deprived members of sleep and collected sensitive information regarding previous trauma and sexual histories, according to prosecutors. "They isolated the OneTaste members from their support networks by breaking up established relationships and assigning them to move to new locations on short notice," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. "While employing such tactics, Daedone and Cherwitz demanded absolute commitment to Daedone, including by exalting Daedone's teachings and ideology." During the trial, prosecutors said three witnesses testified that they were pressured into becoming a "handler" for OneTaste's initial investor, who was also Daedone's boyfriend. The witnesses said they were forced to live with him, cook for him, and "perform demeaning sex acts at his direction," according to prosecutors. Other witnesses testified that they were coerced into participating in sexual acts with the company's potential clients and investors, prosecutors said. The witnesses said Daedone and Cherwitz had threatened them with termination, demotion, ostracism, and financial and spiritual ruin. Contributing: Reuters