Latest news with #Castillo
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Search warrants confirm illegal drug activity at Ramsey Farms
May 30—Laura M. Vaughn, 52, and James R. Castillo, 32, both of Mount Ayr were taken into custody May 27, after search warrants were executed at four Ringgold County addresses, collectively known as Ramsey Farms, where controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were located. The Ringgold County Sheriff's Office said four properties of Ramsey Farms, located in the 2200 block of 270th Street in Mount Ayr, were suspected as a "drug hub" and hangout for selling and using controlled substances. With assistance from multiple local agencies, a list of individuals and criminal activity supporting the suspected activity was compiled over several months, resulting in search warrants being obtained and executed. During the search warrant execution, Castillo was taken into custody on an outstanding federal indictment arrest warrant charging him with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Vaughn was also taken into custody at the same location and charged with keeping premises or vehicle for controlled substance violations, gathering where controlled substances are used, possession of a controlled substance — methamphetamine, second offense and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to Ringgold County reports, Vaughn and her late mother were long-time caretakers and event planners for Ramsey Farms and both lived on the property for several years. Around the time of her mother's passing, it became apparent Vaughn had allowed several people participating in the sale and possession of illegal controlled substances to live or stay on the property. During the search warrants, controlled substances and drug paraphernalia were located in all of the occupied homes. A baggy containing a white crystalline substance was located on the kitchen bar of Vaughn's living quarters. The substance field tested positive for methamphetamine. In October 2024, the Ringgold County Sheriff's Office was made aware of a publicly-posted Facebook event at Ramsey Farm. The event was taken down by the individual who had created it but was described as a birthday celebration party for Jimmy, Vaughn's son, and two other people, that would include a "fun night of drugs, drinking and dancing." The event was scheduled to take place at 8 p.m. Oct. 26. Before the event took place, Ringgold County deputies gained permission from the Lesanville Operations Board to look for signs of suspected criminal activity inside Ramsey Farm's event buildings. While there, deputies collected a sample of debris left on tables in each building. These samples field tested positive for the presence of cocaine and methamphetamine. Castillo and Vaughn are being held in the Ringgold County Jail without bond and $9,300 cash bond, respectively. Agencies assisting Ringgold County with the investigation and execution of the warrants were sheriff's offices from Taylor, Decatur and Union counties; Afton, Creston and Maryville police departments, Iowa Division of Narcotic Enforcement, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Ringgold County Conservation and the Multi-Jurisdictional Entry Team.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The world's most unpopular president? Peru's leader clings to power
With an approval rating of just two percent, Peru's President Dina Boluarte may be one of the most unpopular politicians in the world. Yet, she has survived a string of scandals, protests and investigations. Protests greeted Boluarte's rise to power 29 months ago, and have accompanied her throughout scandals over allegations of military repression, an alleged nose job and gifted jewels. Yet analysts say voter lethargy and political expediency may well help Boluarte, 62, see out the remainder of her term to July next year -- bucking a trend of prematurely-ousted Peruvian leaders. "In Peru there is a political paradox: Boluarte is the weakest president of the last decade," political analyst Augusto Alvarez of the University of the Pacific told AFP. But her weakness is "also her strength," he explained -- particularly in Congress, which has the power to oust presidents. "It is a great business to have a fragile president whom they (lawmakers) use" to entrench their own power and pass laws beneficial to allies and backers, said Alvarez. Plagued by political instability, the South American country has had six presidents in eight years. If Boluarte lasts to the end, she would have been the longest-serving among them. The conservative leader replaced leftist rural school teacher Pedro Castillo in December 2022 following his impeachment and imprisonment for trying to dissolve Congress. Having served as Castillo's vice-president, Boluarte opted not to call fresh elections but take over herself. Despite not having a party in Congress, she has managed to stay in power with the backing of Peru's majority right-wing parties. - Rolexgate - Boluarte is the target of a dozen investigations, including for the police crackdown that caused the death of 50 protesters after Castillo's ouster. Others have looked at her alleged omission in declaring gifts of luxury jewels and watches in what has been dubbed "Rolexgate," and at her two-week, undeclared absence for nose surgery she insists was medical, not cosmetic. This month, Boluarte's popularity hit rock bottom, according to the Ipsos polling agency -- down to two percent from 21 percent when she took office. "We might be talking about a world record of sustained presidential disapproval," Ipsos Peru president Alfredo Torres told AFP. Ipsos has not measured such a low score in any of the other 90 countries it surveys, he added. But Boluarte does have factors counting in her favor. Congress is seemingly keeping her around for lack of a better, consensus, candidate, and because her political feebleness means she cannot stop it passing tax and environmental laws that benefit lawmakers' political and business backers, critics say. Transparency International's Peruvian chapter Proetica has cited Congress for "counter-reforms, setbacks in anti-corruption instruments... and shielding of members of Congress who are ethically questioned." Another plus for Boluarte: Peru's economy has been performing well, with GDP growing 3.3 percent last year and 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2025 -- a steep improvement from the 2020 recession blamed on Covid pandemic lockdowns. Peru's inflation rate is one of the lowest in the region. "Another reason Boluarte remains in power is that the economy continues to function, there is enormous resilience, and the population's income is growing," said Alvarez. But this may have little to do with policy, observers say, and more with external factors such as rising copper prices. Peru is one of the lead producers of the metal. - 'Terrible image' - On the street, there is little love lost for Boluarte as Peru battles a surge in gang violence characterized by a wave of killings linked to extortion rackets. Boluarte "has no empathy, she is an incapable president, she does not solve the security problem," Saturnino Conde, a 63-year-old teacher, told AFP. At frequent marches against the president, the catchphrase: "Dina, Asesina!" (Dina, Murderer) has become a popular refrain. But a full-out rebellion appears unlikely, say analysts. Peruvians "feel it's not worth it: if she resigns or is dismissed, she would be replaced by a member of Congress, but Congress also has a terrible image," said Ipsos manager Torres. In addition, "there is no other candidate that captivates, which is why people are not in a hurry to remove her from power." ljc/cm/vel/lbc/mlr/arb/bgs
France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
The world's most unpopular president? Peru's leader clings to power
Protests greeted Boluarte's rise to power 29 months ago, and have accompanied her throughout scandals over allegations of military repression, an alleged nose job and gifted jewels. Yet analysts say voter lethargy and political expediency may well help Boluarte, 62, see out the remainder of her term to July next year -- bucking a trend of prematurely-ousted Peruvian leaders. "In Peru there is a political paradox: Boluarte is the weakest president of the last decade," political analyst Augusto Alvarez of the University of the Pacific told AFP. But her weakness is "also her strength," he explained -- particularly in Congress, which has the power to oust presidents. "It is a great business to have a fragile president whom they (lawmakers) use" to entrench their own power and pass laws beneficial to allies and backers, said Alvarez. Plagued by political instability, the South American country has had six presidents in eight years. If Boluarte lasts to the end, she would have been the longest-serving among them. The conservative leader replaced leftist rural school teacher Pedro Castillo in December 2022 following his impeachment and imprisonment for trying to dissolve Congress. Having served as Castillo's vice-president, Boluarte opted not to call fresh elections but take over herself. Despite not having a party in Congress, she has managed to stay in power with the backing of Peru's majority right-wing parties. Rolexgate Boluarte is the target of a dozen investigations, including for the police crackdown that caused the death of 50 protesters after Castillo's ouster. Others have looked at her alleged omission in declaring gifts of luxury jewels and watches in what has been dubbed "Rolexgate," and at her two-week, undeclared absence for nose surgery she insists was medical, not cosmetic. This month, Boluarte's popularity hit rock bottom, according to the Ipsos polling agency -- down to two percent from 21 percent when she took office. "We might be talking about a world record of sustained presidential disapproval," Ipsos Peru president Alfredo Torres told AFP. Ipsos has not measured such a low score in any of the other 90 countries it surveys, he added. But Boluarte does have factors counting in her favor. Congress is seemingly keeping her around for lack of a better, consensus, candidate, and because her political feebleness means she cannot stop it passing tax and environmental laws that benefit lawmakers' political and business backers, critics say. Transparency International's Peruvian chapter Proetica has cited Congress for "counter-reforms, setbacks in anti-corruption instruments... and shielding of members of Congress who are ethically questioned." Another plus for Boluarte: Peru's economy has been performing well, with GDP growing 3.3 percent last year and 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2025 -- a steep improvement from the 2020 recession blamed on Covid pandemic lockdowns. Peru's inflation rate is one of the lowest in the region. "Another reason Boluarte remains in power is that the economy continues to function, there is enormous resilience, and the population's income is growing," said Alvarez. But this may have little to do with policy, observers say, and more with external factors such as rising copper prices. Peru is one of the lead producers of the metal. 'Terrible image' On the street, there is little love lost for Boluarte as Peru battles a surge in gang violence characterized by a wave of killings linked to extortion rackets. Boluarte "has no empathy, she is an incapable president, she does not solve the security problem," Saturnino Conde, a 63-year-old teacher, told AFP. At frequent marches against the president, the catchphrase: "Dina, Asesina!" (Dina, Murderer) has become a popular refrain. But a full-out rebellion appears unlikely, say analysts. Peruvians "feel it's not worth it: if she resigns or is dismissed, she would be replaced by a member of Congress, but Congress also has a terrible image," said Ipsos manager Torres. In addition, "there is no other candidate that captivates, which is why people are not in a hurry to remove her from power." © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Horry County Fire Rescue, Atlantic Beach police chief offer differing accounts of bike week fights that injured 12
ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County Fire Rescue initiated its mass casualty protocols during a series of fights during Sunday morning's Atlantic Beach bike week festivities in which 12 people were hurt, but the town's police chief still disputes claims of a mass casualty incident. 'There were no mass casualties at the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival on Saturday evening as has been reported. There were a couple of fights that broke out, causing panic in the crowd and several people were injured trying to leave the area,' Chief Carlos Castillo Jr. said on Sunday. 'Adequate police and medical staff were on hand to aid as needed and transport individuals to the hospital.' Horry County Fire Rescue said it was dispatched for a reported disturbance with multiple injuries. 'Because of the increasing number of patients from the initial dispatch, HCFR engaged its mass casualty incident protocols, which includes bringing resources like the Multi-Patient Unit bus to the scene and alerting local hospitals of a possible influx of transports,' HCFR spokesperson Tony Casey said. 'These protocols may be enacted any time HCFR is handling five patients or more on a given incident. Additional to the two on-site ambulances, HCFR Command brought in seven ambulances from across Horry County to handle the patient load, along with other personnel.' 12 people in total were taken to the hospital, all with non-life-threatening injuries, according to HCFR. Six other people signed medical transport waivers. In a statement to News13 on Wednesday, Castillo reiterated that rumors of a mass casualty incident were 'inaccurate, though the situation did cause significant disruption.' 'The injuries sustained were primarily due to the panic — patrons ran to escape the fights, leading to trampling incidents,' Castillo said. 'Emergency medical services (EMS) provided aid, 12 people were transported to the hospital and six additional people signed medical transport waivers. Reports indicate that these injuries were not from a single event but rather from separate fights throughout the festival.' Castillo said the people involved in the altercations fled and could not be located, but that authorities are continuing to investigate. * * * Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. * * * Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Albuquerque police arrest murder suspects in 2021 shooting, 2022 retaliatory shooting
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — Two murder suspects have been arrested by Albuquerque police on Wednesday. One suspect is accused of fatally shooting a man in 2021, then killing a witness in 2022. The second suspect is accused of driving the car used in the secondary, retaliatory shooting. 4th teen arrested for role in hitting and killing man riding his bike to work Police say Nathanial Lopez, 29, is being charged with two open counts of murder and one count of shooting at or from a motor vehicle resulting in death. Angelique Salazar, 30, is facing an open count of murder and a conspiracy charge. On Dec. 23, 2021, police say Lopez allegedly shot Christopher Pino, 32, after a fight at Bluewater Village Apartments off Coors Boulevard in west Albuquerque. Krystal Castillo, who was dating Pino, told a friend she saw Lopez kill Pino. Castillo also told her friend she was terrified Lopez would try to kill her due to her witnessing the shooting. Four months later, on April 25, 2022, Castillo saw Lopez at a gathering. A witness said Lopez got out a handgun and threatened Castillo, who left the gathering. When Castillo returned to her apartment with a friend, Lopez was waiting in a car. The vehicles approached each other. A witness said he saw Lopez lean out of the passenger side window, then fire several shots towards their car. Castillo was struck and taken to the hospital, where she died. In 2022, Lopez was arrested in a different incident. His gun was taken as evidence. Investigators found out that a gun was used in both homicides. When detectives questioned Lopez, he denied his involvement. The investigation carried on until detectives obtained arrest warrants on May 22. He was arrested nearly a week later on Wednesday, May 28. Salazar was also arrested on Wednesday. Police say she was driving the silver Ford Escape from shots were fired from in the 2022 shooting. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
