Latest news with #ButlerCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mexican cop 'El Diablo' set to go on trial for 2004 killing
A Mexican police officer is set to go on trial in connection with the killing of a man in Butler County more than 20 years ago. Antonio Riano, 63, was indicted on a single count of murder in February 2005, but he fled the country. His trial is expected to begin June 10 before Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael Oster Jr. Prosecutors say Riano shot and killed 25-year-old Benjamin Becerra Ramirez during a December 2004 skirmish outside a bar in Hamilton. He then fled to Mexico, where authorities located him nearly two decades later working as a police officer in his hometown of Zapotitlan Palmas in Oaxaca. The case was put on a long pause as Riano evaded capture, but it was revived after his 2024 arrest and extradition back to the U.S. Riano told police in a roughly 90-minute interview that on the day of the shooting, he went to confront a group after hearing that his younger brother was assaulted, according to a transcript of the interview previously displayed in court. The group attacked Riano while outside the bar and he retrieved a gun from his truck and fired two shots toward them, the transcript states. Kara Blackney, Riano's attorney, wrote in a May court filing that he intends to argue self-defense at trial. Blackney previously said Riano told police that he was shot at first. It didn't take long after the shooting for investigators to tie Riano to the shooting. After interviewing witnesses, police identified Riano as the suspect and learned he was commonly referred to as 'El Diablo,' a detective wrote in an affidavit. Prosecutors said surveillance video also showed Riano pull out a revolver and open fire on Becerra, striking him in the head. Authorities searched a house on East Avenue where Riano had parked his vehicle and found a box of ammunition matching the weapon used in the shooting. When police later searched Riano's home, they learned he used several fake names and had papers to create false documentation to obtain different identifications. Prosecutors said Riano was in the country unlawfully at the time of the shooting. A teacher at the elementary school Riano's daughter attended told police they overheard the child's mother say they were moving to New Jersey, where the family had lived previously. Investigators contacted New Jersey authorities to help locate Rian, but they were told that he had already left the country. Police said they interviewed the mother of Riano's daughter, who said she'd fought with Riano the night before the shooting and had left him. She told police that a friend had driven Riano to Mexico. Two years after the shooting, the owner of the East Avenue home found the revolver used to shoot Becerra under the floor of a bathroom closet, investigators said, adding that Riano bought ammo from a local Walmart less than an hour before the shooting. The Butler County Sheriff's Office listed Riano as a wanted fugitive and the case was even profiled on Fox's "America's Most Wanted.' Paul Newtown, lead investigator with the Butler County Prosecutor's Office, previously told The Enquirer that authorities never stopped searching for Riano. However, his trail went cold for the better part of 20 years. Newton said the U.S. Marshals Service became involved early on in the investigation and there was an attempt by marshals to arrest Riano in Mexico, but they missed him. 'After he found out the U.S. Marshals were after him, he kind of went underground,' Newton said, adding that investigators lost track of Riano until the beginning of 2024. Newton eventually stumbled upon Riano's Facebook account, which included a video of him. That's also when investigators learned he was working as a police officer. He was later arrested by Mexican authorities and brought back to the U.S. to stand trial. However, Blackney previously argued in court that Riano taking a job in law enforcement shows that he wasn't trying to hide. This story will be updated. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: After 20 years, Mexican cop 'El Diablo' to face murder trial
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
1 arrested after roughly 500 protest outside Butler County Jail
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — One person was taken into custody Sunday evening after a reported protest in Butler County. According to the Butler County Sheriff's Office, approximately 500 people were outside the county's correctional complex around 6 p.m. on June 8. The sheriff's office claimed people gathered because someone was reportedly being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer. Members of the sheriff's office responded to make sure the protest stayed orderly. It is reported by the office that while most people stayed peaceful, some reportedly got on a road and allegedly obstructed traffic. An unnamed individual was arrested at the scene by a Hamilton police officer. The person arrested is reportedly facing a number of charges. Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said protesting peacefully is recognized under the First Amendment. 'The First Amendment protects the right to peaceful protest, and we will always defend that right,' said Jones. 'However, when individuals break the law or endanger others, they will be dealt with swiftly and according to the law. Public safety and the rule of law are non-negotiable.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Demonstrators return to Butler County Jail to demand protester's release
HAMILTON, Ohio — The morning after an anti-ICE protest attended by hundreds, a group of more than 30 people returned to the sidewalk in front of the Butler County Jail to denounce the jail and its officers and to chant: "Immigrants are welcome here." The demonstrators, organized by Cincinnati Socialists, a local political organization, were there to call for the release of one of their members and for all people detained at the jail by ICE. Cincinnati Socialists and others protested the Butler County Sheriff's Office's contract with ICE in front of the jail on June 8. Drew Vasser, the political group's media representative, said at least a couple hundred people showed up to the protest. A press release from the sheriff's office said the demonstration drew around 500 people. One protester, 26-year-old Cayley Baker who lives near Dayton, was arrested by Hamilton police officers, according to jail records obtained by The Enquirer. Baker was charged with felony assault and four misdemeanors: obstructing official business, resisting arrest, failure to disclose personal information and disorderly conduct. Baker was held at the Butler County Jail on a $5,000 bond and was released hours after the protest began on June 9. She has a preliminary hearing for the felony charge scheduled for June 16. The sheriff's office said most of the protesters assembled peacefully, but some were obstructing traffic in the street and creating a safety hazard, so officers were deployed to maintain order. Vasser said officers tried to intervene in the demonstration about halfway through. "One of our marshals basically got caught in the crossfire trying to protect the people from the cops," he said, referring to Baker. "She had her hands up. She was trying to keep the cop away from them (the demonstrators) and got pushed over in the process into a car." Cincinnati Socialists learned about ICE agents' arrest of Emerson Colindres, a 19-year-old Honduran immigrant, and invited his family to speak at the June 8 protest. Colindres was arrested June 4 during a routine check-in with ICE officials at the agency's office in Blue Ash. Colindres and his family came to the United States to seek asylum in 2014, when he was 8 years old. His mother said she had been robbed and extorted by gang members, federal court documents show. But an immigration judge denied her asylum application. Colindres graduated from Gilbert A. Dater High School last month and was a top player on the Western Hills soccer team. He also played for the Cincy Galaxy soccer club. In April, members of a Dayton-area church also protested outside the jail after the arrest of Armando Reyes Rodriguez. A Dayton resident from Honduras, Reyes Rodriguez was in the process of seeking asylum and was also arrested during a check-in with ICE officials in Blue Ash. "It's important to highlight that this is continuing to happen. Children (are) being put into these positions," Vasser said. "This is not one person, not even just Butler County ‒ this is a countrywide issue." This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Protesters return to Ohio jail after demonstration ends in an arrest
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman chokes dog until it's left wheezing in video 'too disturbing to watch'
A woman in Ohio, US, has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty and domestic violence after a disturbing video of her allegedly attacking her boyfriend and a dog circulated on social media A woman is facing criminal charges after a disturbing video allegedly showing her choking a dog circulated on social media. The Butler County Sheriff's Office in Ohio announced that 28-year-old Katelin Conklin has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty and domestic violence. Her arrest followed an investigation triggered by the release of the video last month. According to authorities, the video shows Conklin physically assaulting her boyfriend and violently attacking a dog. The footage allegedly captures Conklin punching her boyfriend and choking the dog, which can be heard struggling to breathe. She is also seen forcefully throwing the animal to the ground. Deputies responded to a residence on Buena Avenue after receiving the video. Following conversations with both Conklin and her boyfriend, she was taken into custody. 'This type of behaviour is unacceptable,' said Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones. 'We take both domestic violence and animal cruelty very seriously and will always pursue charges when the evidence supports it.' It comes after a Brazilian beauty queen was stripped of her title and now faces jail after a video of her surfaced online allegedly attacking a cat with a firecracker. The incident is thought to have taken place around New Year in Araucaria, a city in the state of Parana, Brazil. Beauty queen Gabrielly Palacio, 19, was allegedly seen lighting a firecracker and throwing it towards a cat as she laughed with a friend. Following the video's release, Palacio was stripped of her 'Miss Araucaria 2024' title by the pageant organisers. Animal rights activists have also widely condemned the act and demanded legal action. Under Brazilian law, animal abuse is punishable by up to five years in prison. Local authorities say they are currently investigating the incident, while Palacio has not issued a public statement regarding the allegations. The clip, which the Mirror has chosen not to share, sparked outrage on social media, with several disgusted viewers slamming Palacio's actions and calling for accountability. One user wrote: "This is absolutely disgusting. She should face the full consequences of her actions." Another said: "It's sad to see someone in her position behaving like this. A crown comes with responsibility." One user argued: "I think she needs education on animal rights rather than punishment. People make mistakes." The case has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of animal protection laws in Brazil. It comes after the RSPCA claimed young people are at risk of being desensitised to animal cruelty as 'terrifyingly high' numbers are now exposed to vile images online. The charity found more than two-fifths of people aged 16 and 17 and almost a third of 18 to 24s have seen avoidable animal suffering online, compared with a fifth of all people. Reports to its emergency line about animal cruelty on social media were on course to hit a four-year high. Since the start of 2020, there have been 2,000 reports logged. he RSPCA claims there is a 'compassion gap' between generations, with those spending the most time online having the least favourable opinions about animal welfare. Chief executive Chris Sherwood said: 'There's a growing concern the proliferation of abuse content online risks normalising animal harm, pain and suffering. We're concerned by the high numbers of young people being exposed to such images.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
1 dead after car crashes into tree, catches on fire
One person is dead after a car crash in Butler County on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson from the Butler County Sheriff's Office. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The crash was reported in the 3000 block of Radabaugh Road in Madison Township around 11:37 p.m. TRENDING STORIES: Man found with over 200 grams of heroin, cocaine during traffic stop Deputies searching for man accused of stealing a package from someone's porch in Greene County Mom attacks 12-year-old daughter inside nature preserve, investigators say Upon arrival, deputies found a single car that had hit a tree, according to the spokesperson. The car's engine was on fire but had been extinguished. Madison Township Fire Department crews helped free the driver who was trapped inside the vehicle. The spokesperson said the driver died on scene. No one else was inside the car at the time of the crash. The identity of the driver was not immediately available. 'These are always tragic scenes to respond to,' Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones said. 'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time.' This crash remains under investigation by the Butler County Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team (START). [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
