Latest news with #HamiltonCountyProsecutor'sOffice
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
Carmel teen shooting that left man with serious injuries started as weed pen robbery
New details have been released about a Carmel shooting on Aug. 9 leading to the arrest of five teenagers and requiring a man to have extensive surgery. The shooting began as a robbery over marijuana pens, according to newly filed court records. Four teenagers participated in the robbery while another was detained for supplying and storing firearms used in the robbery, according to court records. The man who was shot required extensive surgery as a result of "significant internal trauma" that may have long-term complications, court records said. Bullet fragments remain in his body. A man and his cousin drove to the 1100 block of Golfview Drive of Carmel on Aug. 9 to sell weed pens to someone he met on Snapchat, according to the Carmel Police Departments. The cousin thought the driver was selling shoes because the pens were stored in a shoebox, he told police. When the men arrived, they said they were ambushed by four teenagers with guns. One of the teenagers got into the back of their car and demanded the driver hand over everything he had, court records indicated. The driver refused and was shot. Along with a box of marijuana pens, court records said the teens stole about $1,200 in cash, which they split. As the teens left, one was dropped off at an apartment complex. He told police he had work nearby. The rest of the teens met with another juvenile on their way back to an address in Carmel where two of them lived. That juvenile said he took their guns. He told police he'd stored their friends' firearms at least five other times. During questioning, he also admitted to a robbery during an unrelated drug deal earlier in the year, according to court records. At least one teenager admitted to smoking the weed pens. Below are the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office's charges against the teenagers. Carmel police initially arrested a 14 year old for dangerous possession of a firearm, it said on Facebook one day after the shooting. It is not immediately clear whether prosecutors formalized the charge due to privacy considerations regarding minors. Juvenile 1 Juvenile 2 Juvenile 3 Juvenile 4 Under Indiana law, teens older than 16 but younger than 18 charged with certain serious crimes are automatically treated as adults in court. Attempted murder and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury are both qualifying crimes. IndyStar uses discretion in naming people accused of crimes, considering the severity of charges and available information, among other factors. Suspects may not be named if ongoing reporting of the associated court proceedings is not immediately planned.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Fox News
Cincinnati beatdown suspects arraigned on new charges; bond changes spark courtroom drama
CINCINNATI – Five of the seven individuals charged in the viral Cincinnati beatdown appeared in court Thursday morning to be arraigned on additional charges in a tense back-and-forth over the case. The first suspect to appear was Montanez Merriweather, who was slapped with an additional federal charge for illegally having a gun as a convicted felon earlier this week. Prosecutor Kip Guinan revealed there are two additional videos from nearby city cameras that show new angles of the fight but have not yet been made public. Guinan also said the alleged racial slurs made toward the perpetrators were said nearly two minutes after the attack began. The judge determined Merriweather's bond would remain at $500,000. Dekyra Vernon's bond was then knocked down from $200,000 to $25,000 at 10%, eliciting cheers from the gallery. She was also ordered to stay away from the city's downtown area. Vernon's attorney, Clyde Bennett, argued that the case against his client had been inflamed due to race and politics, but in reality it was just a fight fueled by alcohol. Guinan rebutted Bennett's argument, asserting that for him to believe the case is driven by race is offensive. Jermaine Matthews, who was initially released on bond shortly after the attack, was granted the same bond amount and is still permitted to go to work. Guinan argued that Matthews was the "leader" of the beatdown and one of the primary instigators, adding "this is the man who started it." However, Matthews' attorney, Brandon Fox, insisted his client was "slapped" by a White man when the fight began. Dominique Kittle was then ordered to remain in custody pending a mental health evaluation, but his bond was kept the same. Kittle's defense attorney revealed his client is a paranoid schizophrenic and was previously found not guilty on prior charges by reason of insanity. However, Guinan referred to Kittle as "a grave danger to the public" during his arraignment. Aisha Devaughn also received a lower bond, with the initial amount of $300,000 brought down to $25,000 after her attorney cited her lack of prior felonies. Guinan also said Devaughn allegedly inserted herself into the fight and was not initially provoked. Upon being led out of the courtroom, Matthews exclaimed, "[I'm going to] go get her," before leaving the courtroom after Devaughn's bond was lowered. Patrick Rosemond was expected to be present in court after being arrested in Georgia last week, but he has not yet been extradited to Ohio. He could potentially appear in court on Friday. Matthews, Merriweather, Vernon, Devaughn, Rosemond and Kittle are each charged with three counts of alleged felonious assault, three charges of assault and two charges of aggravated rioting, the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office confirmed to Fox News Digital. If convicted, they face the possibility of up to 30 years in prison. A seventh individual, Gregory Wright, was arrested earlier this week and is charged with alleged aggravated rioting and aggravated robbery. Each defendant has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
International Business Times
02-07-2025
- International Business Times
Teacher at Private Christian School in Indianapolis Charged with Child Seduction After Engaging in Sexual Acts with Teen Student at Church
An arrest warrant has been issued for a former kindergarten teacher at a private Christian school in northern Indianapolis, after she was charged with child seduction of a teenage student. Torrie Lemon, 23, was charged by the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office on June 30 with two felony counts of child seduction as a care worker. On July 1, the Hamilton County judge issued a warrant for her arrest and set her bond at $15,000, according to court records. Victim's Friend Found a Video of Lemon and the Student Kissing During a School Trip and Reported it to Another Teacher The alleged abuse took place over several months in early 2025; however, authorities at Colonial Christian School were not aware about the misconduct until April 10, while the two were on a school trip in South Carolina, according to court documents obtained by IndyStar. Lemon was present during the trip, acting as one of the school's chaperones, according to court documents. A friend of the female student was going through the student's phone when they found a video of Lemon and the student kissing in a hidden folder on the device. When the friend saw the video, they immediately informed a male teacher of the video. Upon learning of this information, the male teacher confiscated the student's phone, informed the student's parents of the situation, dismissed Lemon from the school trip, and filed a report with the Indiana Department of Child Services and a South Carolina police department, according to court records. Lemon, Victim Spent the Night Together in Teacher's Room During the School Trip An officer with the Greenville Police Department had spoken with the student and Lemon about the video, and the two told the officer that they were "in a relationship," according to court records. The student told the Greenville officer that she had "sexual" inappropriate messages with Lemon on her phone and that she had stayed in Lemon's room during the school trip. However, the student noted that "nothing sexual" had happened between the two. The Greenville officer interviewed Lemon, where she explained that she "was having an inappropriate relationship with a student from her school" for a few months, according to court records. Victim Said Sexual Encounters with Lemon Took Place at the Teacher's Apartment, in a Church and at the Student's House On April 14, a detective with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department interviewed the student in hopes of learning how the alleged sexual misconduct started. The student explained that she and Lemon started exchanging messages in January 2025 as friends but the messages then turned sexual, with the two eventually having sex in March 2025, according to court documents. Upon further questioning, the detective learned that the two had sex at Lemon's on-campus apartment, in a church and at the student's house. Victim's Mother Said She Considered Lemon as a 'Family Friend' The detective then interviewed the student's mother, who explained that she had seen Lemon as a "family friend" and was "upset" after learning about the alleged sexual misconduct. The family had allowed Lemon to stay at their house on several occasions after she had moved to Indiana from New Hampshire, according to court documents. She didn't believe Lemon had many friends in the state and invited her to hang out with her daughter at the family's Super Bowl party. Although she had noticed that the two's friendship had developed "quickly" over the next few months, she did not believe they had developed an intimate relationship. However, in March, she had seen some text messages between the two that concerned her. The messages were things like, "I can't wait to see you," and "I saw you across the room and wanted to give you a hug," according to court documents. The mother said she confronted the two over the messages but was told that there was nothing inappropriate happening between the two. The detective then asked the mother if they could take her daughter's phone for evidence; however, upon further investigation, police learned that most of the text between the student and Lemon had been permanently deleted. Lemon Fired from the School in the Wake of the Allegations On April 16, IMPD detectives attempted to get in contact with Lemon, but learned that she had moved back to New Hampshire. On April 23, the case was transferred to the Fisher Police Department since the initial crime report had been filed in Hamilton County. Police also learned that Lemon had been dismissed from the school after academic officials learned of the allegations, according to court documents. In her exit interview with the school's principal, she admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a student and said that "it started with hugs, then longer hugs, then kissing, and then sexual acts." On May 2, police were informed that the IMPD digital forensics unit could not recover most of the deleted data from the phone, but it was able to recover a few text messages between the two. Some of the messages read as "thank you for an amazing night and morning," and "I love you more than I can describe." As of July 1, the Hamilton County prosecutor filed a warrant for her arrest and set her bond at $15,000.
Indianapolis Star
01-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Judge issues an arrest warrant for private school teacher charged with child seduction
An arrest warrant has been issued for a former kindergarten teacher at a private Christian school in northern Indianapolis, after she was charged with child seduction of a teenage student. Torrie Lemon, 23, was charged by the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office on June 30 with two felony counts of child seduction as a care worker. On July 1, the Hamilton County judge issued a warrant for her arrest and set her bond at $15,000, according to court records. The alleged abuse had transpired over several months in early 2025; however, school officials at Colonial Christian School didn't learn about the misconduct until April 10, while the two were on a school trip in South Carolina, according to court documents. Lemon was present during the trip, acting as one of the school's chaperones, according to court documents. A friend of the female student was going through the student's phone when they found a video of Lemon and the student kissing in a hidden folder on the device. When the friend saw the video, they immediately informed a male teacher of the video. Upon learning of this information, the male teacher confiscated the student's phone, informed the student's parents of the situation, dismissed Lemon from the school trip, and filed a report with the Indiana Department of Child Services and a South Carolina police department, according to court records. An officer with the Greenville Police Department had spoken with the student and Lemon about the video, and the two told the officer that they were "in a relationship," according to court records. The student told the Greenville officer that she had "sexual" inappropriate messages with Lemon on her phone and that she had stayed in Lemon's room during the school trip. However, the student noted that "nothing sexual" had happened between the two. The Greenville officer interviewed Lemon, where she explained that she "was having an inappropriate relationship with a student from her school" for a few months, according to court records. Lemon also told the officer that she had been confronted by the student's parent about the inappropriate relationship and that she had been "struggling with it." On April 14, a detective with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department interviewed the student in hopes of learning how the alleged sexual misconduct started. The student explained that she started texting and hanging out with Lemon in January 2025 as friends, but the messages quickly began turning sexual. She told the detective that she never intended for their relationship to turn sexual since "she knew it was wrong," but it kept developing with the two eventually having sex in March 2025, according to court documents. Upon further questioning, the detective learned that the two had sex at Lemon's on-campus apartment, in a church and at the student's house. The detective then interviewed the student's mother, who explained that she had seen Lemon as a "family friend" and was "upset" after learning about the alleged sexual misconduct. The family had allowed Lemon to stay at their house on several occasions after she had moved to Indiana from New Hampshire, according to court documents. She didn't believe Lemon had many friends in the state and invited her to hang out with her daughter at the family's Super Bowl party. Although she had noticed that the two's friendship had developed "quickly" over the next few months, she did not believe they had developed an intimate relationship. However, in March, she had seen some text messages between the two that concerned her. The messages were things like, "I can't wait to see you," and "I saw you across the room and wanted to give you a hug," according to court documents. The student's mother then confronted the two about the possibility of the pair being in a relationship, but Lemon told her that nothing inappropriate was happening between the two, according to court documents. The detective then asked the mother if they could take her daughter's phone for evidence; however, upon further investigation, police learned that most of the text between the student and Lemon had been permanently deleted. On April 16, IMPD detectives attempted to get in contact with Lemon, but learned that she had moved back to New Hampshire. Lemon later told police that she would not answer any questions until she spoke with a lawyer. The next day, police received a call from Lemon's lawyer, who explained that she would provide a statement by April 24, 2025; however, Lemon never ultimately provided police with a statement prior to the prosecutor's office filing charges against her, according to court documents. On April 23, the case was transferred to the Fisher Police Department since the initial crime report had been filed in Hamilton County. Police also learned that Lemon had been dismissed from the school after academic officials learned of the allegations, according to court documents. In her exit interview with the school's principal, she admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a student and said that "it started with hugs, then longer hugs, then kissing, and then sexual acts." On May 2, police were informed that the IMPD digital forensics unit could not recover most of the deleted data from the phone, but it was able to recover a few text messages between the two. Some of the messages read as "thank you for an amazing night and morning," and "I love you more than I can describe." As of July 1, the Hamilton County prosecutor filed a warrant for her arrest and set her bond at $15,000.
Miami Herald
03-06-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Euthanasia cost too much so man tried to kill his beloved dog, Ohio officials say
An Ohio man is facing charges after officials say he tried to kill his dog when the cost of euthanasia was too much. The 59-year-old man was indicted June 2 on one charge of cruel treatment of companion animals, according to a news release from the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office. On May 23, the man took his elderly dog Tinkerbell to an animal hospital in Cincinnati. The veterinarian determined Tinkerbell needed to be euthanized, officials said. The man was told the cost of the euthanasia was $500. When staff left to get the medication ready, the man was heard saying 'go be with God. I won't let you suffer. $500 is highway robbery,' according to prosecutors. The man then strangled the dog, injuring its neck and throat, officials said. Tinkerbell was then euthanized. The same day Tinkerbell died, and before the man was indicted, he shared a photo of Tinkerbell, who he said he had for nine years, on Facebook with the caption, 'I am heartbroken. Words cannot express my pain. My dear Tinkerbell, I wish I could join you. I will always love you,' WKRC reported. The man also had a banner outside his home that said 'spoiled dogs live here,' according to the news outlet. 'There's no excuse for what happened here,' Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in the release. If convicted, he faces up to one year in prison.
