Latest news with #MelissaNelson
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Florida State Attorney working to create Sextortion Taskforce as cases increase
Research shows financial sextortion cases are skyrocketing in recent years. State Attorney Melissa Nelson tells Action News Jax she's seen an increase in local cases. Now, her office plans to work with local law enforcement to create a sextortion task force. A nationally recognized cybercrime and financial sextortion expert was invited to Jacksonville Thursday by State Attorney Melissa Nelson to give advice to parents and children on how to protect themselves. 'I'm reading about teens, taking their own lives across our nation,' said Nelson. 'I'm the mother of both three teenagers and both as a prosecutor, a public servant, and a mother, I feel like our community needs to know about this.' >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Financial Sextortion is a crime that involves blackmailing children using their intimate images or intimate videos to demand money. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, there were 139 cases of sextortion in 2021. By 2023, there were over 26,000 cases reported. That is an 18,000% increase in the span of 2 years. 'If you're on social media and you get a friend request from somebody you don't know and immediately, they start messaging you, they start to compliment you, they ask you for pictures, that's a red flag right away,' said Paul Raffile, Cybercrime expert and researcher. Raffile said during his research, he noticed a correlation between the spike in financial sextortion cases and the increased use of financial payment platforms. 'What we actually saw is this crime started spiking about a year or a year and a half after COVID started. In fact, there's more of a correlation to a lot of the financial payment platforms that allowed teens on their platforms post-2021. And at the same time that teens have been able to send money back and forth to their friends, now they're also exposed to international criminals who exploit those apps to get them to send them money their way instead,' said Raffile. Raffile noted that a lot of the time, sextortion criminals are targeting young men on sports teams. He suggested some active approaches parents and coaches should be taking to get ahead of this. 'Just having that conversation, if this does happen to you, you can come to us. You can reach out to a parent, reach out to a coach or a teacher and they will find some way to help,' said Raffile. If you think you are falling victim to sextortion, be sure to report it to the authorities immediately. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How first criminal investigation of city since Deegan became mayor started and what's at stake
State Attorney Melissa Nelson's investigation of how the city of Jacksonville kept written records listing the names of gun owners who entered City Hall and the Yates Building marks the first criminal investigation of actions by the city since Mayor Donna Deegan took office in July 2023. Nelson launched the probe on April 22 and has not yet delivered any conclusion in the ongoing investigation. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has separately said if the allegations are true, it would be a "serious breach of Florida law." Here is a rundown of what the case involves and what the potential consequences would be. What started the investigation? On April 21, a member of Florida Carry, a nonprofit gun rights organization, went to the downtown Yates Building, which houses the county tax collector's office and the property appraiser's office, and found that people carrying concealed firearms must provide their names in order to continue past the security checkpoint. The Florida Carry member realized the requirement to provide identifying information such as a drivers license conflicts with a longstanding state law, said Eric Friday, general counsel for Florida Carry. He said he understands gun owners were asked to give their names, drivers license numbers and the make and model of their firearms in order to enter the Yates Building and also City Hall. Both buildings have security checkpoints staffed by First Coast Security through a contract with the city. "Florida Carry knows for a fact that on the table over there in City Hall and on the table at the entrance of the Yates Building were green notebooks that said 'weapons and firearms logs,' and that those logs had information of gun owners in them," Friday said. He said the Florida Carry member recorded the encounter at the Yates Building. "We believe in the right to bear arms and the right of Floridians to have their private information (remain) private," Friday said. "And we will continue to encourage the state attorney, the attorney general and any other lawful investigation to occur to find out who is behind this." Security measures to check visitors for hidden weapons were added at Jacksonville City Hall in December 2007. What law is at stake? Florida has had a law on its books since 2004 that says state agencies and local governments "may not knowingly and willfully keep or cause to be kept any list, record, or registry of privately owned firearms or any list, record or registry of the owners of those firearms." The law says such record-keeping "is not a law enforcement tool" and is illegal because it can be used to profile, harass or abuse "law-abiding citizens based on their choice to own a firearm and exercise their Second Amendment right." What is the punishment for violating the law? Jacksonville General Counsel Michael Fackler told the City Council's Rules Committee at its May 5 meeting the case involves "potentially significant sanctions." The criminal penalty is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine up to $5,000. The State Attorney's Office determines if there was a criminal violation of the law by a person or entity, according to the state statute. City Council member Nick Howland said at the Rules Committee the State Attorney issued investigative subpoenas to the city on April 22, which is the day after the Florida Carry member went to the Yates Building. In addition, the state attorney general can bring a civil action seeking a fine of up to $5 million against a government entity if the court finds evidence the list, record or registry was "compiled or maintained with the knowledge or complicity of the management of the governmental entity." "My office is looking into this allegation and we will be in contact with local officials to ensure those responsible are held accountable," Uthmeier said in a May 1 post on X. Can gun owners carry firearms into City Hall and the Yates Building? Yes. State law for years has allowed gunowners to bring weapons and firearms into city buildings if they have a state-issued concealed carry license. Starting July 1, 2023, gunowners could bring concealed weapons into city buildings even if they do not have a concealed carry license but meet certain requirements. State law puts some buildings off-limits to concealed weapons such as sheriff's offices, police agencies and courthouses. The law also bars carrying a concealed weapon or firearm into a local government meeting so at Jacksonville City Hall, a gunowner can carry a gun into the building but not into council chambers when City Council is meeting. In the case of the city's gun logs, Friday said the city's policy denied gun owners the ability to carry concealed weapons into city buildings as they are legally entitled to do unless they first agreed to provide the personal information for written records. "That is a criminal offense in in the state of Florida, and we know for a fact that people who attempted to enter without being willing to disclose information that's protected by law were turned away and not allowed to conduct business with the city," he said When did the written record-keeping begin for the gun logs? That remains an open question. The mayor's office said in a May 2 statement the "policy in question was created and written" before she took office on July 1, 2023. "In light of the issue that has been raised, we are undergoing a review of all policy directives, particularly those from the previous administration that were left for us on their way out," the statement said. "Mayor Deegan and the leadership of her administration fully support constitutionally protected rights." Lenny Curry, who was mayor before Deegan, responded that assertions he had "anything to do with this 'policy'" are false and an attempt by the Deegan administration to shift blame. "No employee within my organization kept and logged citizens exercising constitutional rights in City Hall," he said. "Deegan can't say the same. This is why they are under investigation." How many names were written on the gun owner lists? That also is a question that has not been publicly answered because the gun logs are part of the investigation by prosecutors. The investigative subpoena issued by the State Attorney's Office sought documents that pertain to the complaint about the lists, Fackler told the Rules Committee. He said the city turned over those documents. Friday said Florida Carry hopes that none of the gun logs remain in the possession of the city and the State Attorney will be able to use the subpoenaed documents to find out "when this started and hopefully, who started it as well." How did the investigation of the firearm logs become public? The existence of the State Attorney investigation became public nine days after the city received the subpoenas when Howland, who is chairman of the Rules Committee, told Action News on May 1 about the probe into the gun logs. Howland said at the Rules Committee meeting he began looking into the matter on April 29 after someone who asked to remain confidential contacted him. He said that source was likely "motivated by the fact that none of this had yet come to light" and Jacksonville residents deserved to know about it. Jacksonville City Councilman Nick Howland asked what the University of Florida would do with the Prime Osborne Convention Center for the new UF campus in downtown Jacksonville during Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority brunch Thursday morning April 24, 2025 at Jacksonville City Hall in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] He said he spent two days researching the matter by speaking with the State Attorney's Office, First Coast Security, the city's Office of General Counsel, the Property Appraiser's office and the Tax Collector's office, members of the Curry administration, and an attorney with expertise in constitutional issues. "When I gathered enough information to confirm conclusively that state law had been broken, in my opinion, I decided it was then time for transparency," Howland said. "That's when I went to the press." What law firm is defending the city? After getting the complaint on April 21, the city retained the Bedell Firm. The firm's partners include Hank Coxe, who is one of the leading criminal defense attorneys in the state. Coxe is the father-in-law of Fackler, a connection Fackler told the Rules Committee about when council members asking him about how and why the city retained the Bedell Firm. Fackler said the family connection had nothing to with the city's decision to retain Bedell. Will City Council launch its own investigation? City Council has the authority to launch its own investigation with subpoena power but at least for now, Nelson has asked City Council to hold off. City Council member Ron Salem said during the Rules Committee meeting that council should form a special investigative committee just as it did for an in-depth accounting of what happened during the attempted sale of JEA in 2019. He said doing the same for examining the gun logs would show council is consistent, regardless of whether the mayor is a Democrat as Deegan is or a Republican as Curry is. "That was a Republican mayor," Salem said of the JEA investigative committee. "We went after a Republican administration, but it was the right thing to do." He said the only reason for council not pursing an investigation would be if Nelson asked council not to take that course. Later that day, Nelson sent a letter to City Council saying she was making a formal request for council to "delay or pause any effort to form such an investigative body." Q&A with State Attorney Melissa Nelson: Here's what she had to say about several topics Howland said he agrees with Nelson's request. "I commend the state attorney for treating this potentially criminal matter with the seriousness it deserves and will do everything I can to ensure law enforcement has the space and support it needs to conduct a thorough investigation into the Deegan administration's firearm registry," he said in a statement. "Jacksonville deserves the truth." This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Details emerge in investigation of Jacksonville gun owner list
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fontbonne, The Early College of Boston, recognizes three alumnae, celebrates 70 years
Fontbonne, The Early College of Boston, a leading Catholic school for young women serving grades 7-12 celebrated its 70th anniversary with a gala on Saturday night. This year the school honored three distinguished alumnae for their accomplishments. The graduates recognized are Jean Hynes, a 1987 graduate who went on to become the first female to be named CEO of Boston-based asset management firm Wellington Management. Melissa Nelson, a 2006 graduate became the first Black woman to be named the Director of the Nurse-Midwifery Division at Massachusetts General Hospital. 2007 graduate Arielle Gaines, an educator at Match Community Day Charter School in Hyde Park, where she was recognized as a Teacher of the Year. The anniversary gala also featured a student speaker who highlighted the character and leadership skills students cultivate throughout their education at Fontbonne. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Florida leaders warn deadly consequences of ‘senior assassin' game
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Jacksonville teen was rushed to the hospital after he was shot in the arm by an off-duty Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent. Investigators said it happened while the high schooler was playing a popular game. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Law enforcement officials are warning parents across Florida about the dangers of the 'senior assassin' game. The game sounds like something you might have played as a kid: players shooting at each other with water guns – until only one team or player remains. State leaders warn the consequences of playing 'senior assassins' can be deadly because the game can be played almost anywhere, and not everyone is in on the joke. Florida pageant queen dies in car crash It's a game played in the dark, off -chool campus, sometimes involving masks. The use of water guns can often look real, and some players will go to great lengths to catch their targets. 'Parents, I urge you to have a conversation with your children about the dangers associated with this game,' said Michael Key, Neptune Beach Police Chief. Senior assassins, killer, or senior tag — no matter the name, the game has been played for generations.'The reality is, we live in a different day than when we did when this game started some decades ago,' said Melissa Nelson, state attorney for Florida's Fourth Judicial differences became very clear last week when an 18-year-old Jacksonville high school football player was shot while playing the game. Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said it began when a group was spotted lurking around cars.'The homeowner was alerted,' Leeper said. 'There's some people in her driveway, so she did what most would do, go check it out. And unfortunately, one of the students has a water pistol, but it looks like a gun in the dark, you can't tell the difference.' An off-duty FDLE agent was nearby and shot the teen. Fortunately, the boy is expected to make a full recovery. 8 On Your Side reached out to Tampa Bay agencies if they've seen a recent resurgence of this game, which got its start on college campuses on the 70s and 80s. 'In 2024, there were multiple calls for service from concerned citizens, which were later found to be juveniles playing 'Water Wars' in the community,' the Pasco County Sheriff's office told 8 On Your Side They are urging parents and guardians to discuss with their children the potential dangers of playing this Police said it's 'aware of this online trend' but 'have not identified any complaints specifically related' to the game.'The recent incident in Nassau County is a sobering reminder that incidents could occur in any of our communities,' Key said. The FDLE agent will not be facing charges, but the case is still under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Student shot by FDLE while playing ‘Senior Assassin' game
Florida officials warn of the dangers of the game after student shot JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida law enforcement leaders held a news conference on Thursday regarding the dangers of the 'Senior Assassin' game, a tradition among high schoolers. This comes after an 18-year-old Jacksonville high school football player was shot in the arm on Wednesday by an off-duty Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent while playing the popular game. Florida man to be executed for 1997 double murder witnessed by toddler According to WJXT, the shooting occurred around 6 a.m. in Nassau County when the FDLE agent spotted three people standing outside homes in a residential neighborhood. The game involves groups or pairs of students shooting each other with water guns until the last team remains. Gameplay usually occurs in the early or late hours of the night while it is still dark and often takes place on private property such as yards, driveways, or garages. Last year JSO issued a public service announcement warning parents of the potential hazards surrounding the game, which is prohibited on some school grounds. NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson returns to racing's grandest stage 'While intended to be really a simple and fun game, these tactics can obviously create a dangerous environment with potentially fatal consequences. And the reality is, we live in a different day than when we did when this game started some decades ago,' Florida State Attorney Melissa Nelson said. 'Across the country, there have been tragedies and near tragedies that have occurred as a result and all in retrospect, preventable.' The student was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and, according to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, he is expected to make a full recovery. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
