Latest news with #NationalGuardsman
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Chicago man gets 34 years after murder to increase position in gang
CHICAGO — A Chicago man was sentenced to 34 years in federal prison for murdering another man to increase his position in a gang. Diontae Harper, 25, pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Paul Harris was shot and killed at a gas station in the 8600 block of South Halsted on May 13, 2020. Harper admitted in his plea agreement that he shot at Harris in order to maintain and increase his position in the Faceworld street game. While Harper was detained in custody earlier this year, he made threatening statements directed toward a witness, according to federal prosecutors. 2 alleged gang members charged in 2021 death of National Guardsman Two other individuals, the other shooter of Harris and the getaway driver, pleaded guilty to committing murder in aid of racketeering and are awaiting sentencing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother allegedly buys ammunition, tactical gear for son's planned 'mass targeted violence' at middle school: Officials
A Texas mother has been arrested and charged for allegedly buying ammunition and tactical gear for her son's planned "mass targeted violence" at his middle school, officials said. Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested on Monday and charged with aiding in commission of terrorism after she allegedly provided ammunition and tactical gear to her son, whose behavior demonstrated plans for a "mass targeted violence" aimed at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News. Back in January, Pardo's son was first contacted in reference to "drawings of the local school he currently attended," the affidavit said. These drawings included a map of the school -- labeled "suicide route" -- and the name of the school written beside a rifle, the affidavit said. The son, who was not named in the affidavit, was contacted by officials at the time and described a "fascination with past mass shooters," according to the affidavit. MORE: Former National Guardsman allegedly plotted ISIS-inspired attack on Michigan military facility In April, the son was found researching the 2019 Christchuch mosque shooting in New Zealand -- a tragedy that killed 51 people -- on a school-issued computer, the affidavit said. He was "subsequently suspended and later in the day attempted suicide with a straight razor causing significant injuries and requiring over 100 stitches," the affidavit noted. The boy attended an alternative school until May 7, according to officials. His grandmother, with whom he had been staying "on various occasions," contacted police on Monday after she found her grandson "hitting a live bullet with a hammer," the affidavit said. The middle schooler told his grandmother he received the bullet from Pardo and that she had "guns and ammunition at her house," according to the affidavit. MORE: Police searching for missing girl after mother arrested for allegedly locking sibling in closet The grandmother told officials Pardo had been taking the boy to a local surplus store and bought him magazines, a tactical black vest "capable of concealing ballistic plates," a tactical black helmet and various army clothing, the affidavit said. On Monday, the boy told his grandmother he was "going to be famous" before being picked up by his mom and taken to school, according to officials. The grandmother then looked through the boy's bedroom, where she found magazines loaded with live rifle ammunition and pistol magazines loaded with live ammunition, the affidavit said. She also found an "improvised explosive device" -- a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape -- among the boy's belongings, the affidavit noted. The explosive device had the words "For Brenton Tarrant," referencing the shooter in the 2019 mosque attack, along with multiple "SS" symbols and "14 words" -- referencing white supremacy -- written on it, according to the affidavit. Along with the weaponry, the grandmother found a handwritten note referring to previous mass shootings, mass shooting suspects and the number of victims in each incident, the affidavit said. MORE: Mom arrested after son was reported walking alone Pardo had been aware of the threats made by her son, expressed to the school her support of his "violent expressions and drawings" and said she did not feel concerned for his behavior, according to the affidavit. The affidavit noted that Pardo was purchasing the gear and ammunition for her son in exchange for babysitting his younger siblings. The school told officials that on Monday, the boy arrived wearing a camouflage jacket, mask and tactical pants and left shortly after, the affidavit said. In a letter sent to parents on Monday, Rhodes Middle School Principal Felismina Martinez said Pardo's son was "detained off-campus and is being charged with terrorism." "Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care," Martinez said in the letter. "We will always remain vigilant to ensure our learning and working environment is safe and secure." Pardo was released on a bond of $75,000 on Tuesday, according to jail records. She will return to court for a pre-indictment hearing on July 17, according to court records. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free, confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Mother allegedly buys ammunition, tactical gear for son's planned 'mass targeted violence' at middle school: Officials originally appeared on
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
R.I. General Assembly OKs renaming Sakonnet River Bridge after fallen Tiverton veteran
A pair of boots shows a placard for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Potts of Tiverton during the 'Boots on the Ground' installation at Fort Adams State Park in Newport over Memorial Day Weekend in 2021. Potts was killed in action in Taji, Iraq, on Oct. 3, 2004. Over 7,000 pairs of boots are displayed each year, each representing a U.S. service member killed in action since the post-9/11 global war on terror. (Photo by Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current) Legislation to rename the Sakonnet River Bridge after a U.S. Army soldier from Tiverton killed in action in Iraq in 2004 has cleared the Rhode Island General Assembly. The 'Staff Sergeant Christopher Potts Sakonnet River Bridge' would be the new name of the span connecting Tiverton and Portsmouth via Route 24 under the bill that passed the House on April 10 and the Senate version that passed in concurrence on May 1. Both chambers approved the legislation unanimously. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Dan McKee, who can sign it, veto it, or allow it to become effective without his signature. 'To rename this major Rhode Island bridge in his honor is a worthy tribute to a true Rhode Island hero who gave his life so that we all may live in a world free of tyranny and persecution,' Rep. Samuel Azzinaro, a Westerly Democrat and chair of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, said in a statement Thursday. 'And now, hopefully whenever someone drives over this bridge, they will be compelled to look up who Staff Sergeant Potts was and discover how his legacy will live on in the state that he loved so much,' Azzinaro, a retired National Guardsman and former member of the Army Reserve, added. Potts served in the Rhode Island National Guard for over 14 years. He deployed to Iraq in March 2004 and was killed in Taji, Iraq, on Oct. 3, 2004, his 38th birthday. Potts' fellow servicemembers who testified on the bill during a February committee hearing said that Potts had found a stockpile of weapons with ammo, guns, rockets, mortars, artillery rounds and more, shortly before he and a medic were executed by insurgent groups. Bill would rename Sakonnet River Bridge in honor of Tiverton soldier killed in Iraq War 'We think that by him finding this cache — it was the largest cache in Iraq at the time — it put a damper on the insurgents' operations against us and saved a lot of lives,' Command Sgt. Maj. Raymond Viens, who served alongside Potts, said during the Feb. 6 Special Legislation committee hearing where Azzinaro's bill was first heard. Potts posthumously received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat 'V' and the Purple Heart. Sen. Walter Felag, a Warren Democrat, sponsored the legislation in his chamber. Like Azzinaro, Felag chairs the veterans' affairs committee in his chamber. 'Renaming the Sakonnet Bridge in his honor will serve as a fitting reminder of what our service members sacrifice in order to protect the ideals and freedoms that we deeply cherish,' Felag said in a statement Thursday. The bill underwent one minor revision since being introduced by Azzinaro on the House floor in January. The original version of the bill suggested naming the structure the 'Staff Sergeant Christopher Potts Sakonnet Bridge' and the successful legislation simply retains the 'River' in the current name. McKee's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday, but the Democratic governor has historically used his veto powers selectively, and usually after the legislative session ends in June. Several bills have become laws in the 2025 legislative session without McKee's signature. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Search warrants in the case against Jennifer Gledhill unsealed: What to know
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. SALT LAKE CITY () — New documents in the case of Jennifer Gledhill — the Utah woman accused of killing her husband, Utah National Guardsman Matthew Johnson — have been unsealed. Gledhill, 41, was first for the alleged murder of her husband, whose body has not yet been found. On Monday, obtained court documents that were initially filed in October 2024, but had been sealed until April 2025 to prevent the investigation from being compromised by the leaking of information. RELATED: Utah woman accused of killing National Guardsman husband to face trial in December Several documents included similar paragraphs requesting they be sealed because 'any information released at this time has the potential to inform possible suspect(s) as to the direction of the investigation.' The potential destruction of evidence was also cited as a reason for the documents to remain sealed. Officials filed search warrants to examine Johnson's vehicle, Gledhill's Venmo account and the Venmo accounts of her parents, and several bank accounts. According to the search warrant for Johnson's vehicle, police were seeking to obtain location data and information about the devices connected to the car. Several warrants were issued to search the Venmo accounts of Gledhill and each of her parents, including deposits, withdrawals, and transfers. Gledhill's mother reportedly admitted to purchasing a new mattress for her daughter via Amazon. One of the search warrants detailed a transfer of $1,000 from Thomas Gledhill to Jennifer Gledhill two days before the last day Johnson was seen. One text message from Gledhill to her father said, 'I need 13K by Friday,' according to documents. Officials obtained search warrants for three accounts with USAA Bank associated with Jennifer Gledhill, as well as 'all accounts pertaining to Thomas Gledhill' at Zions Bank, and Jennifer Gledhill's account at Chase Bank. Jennifer Gledhill's trial has been set for December 2025. Gledhill's husband, Matthew Johnson, was , according to the . Between Sept. 20 and Sept. 21, 2024, police said witnesses reported an argument between Johnson and Gledhill. Officials believe Johnson died of a gunshot wound, and the alleged crime was first reported on Sept. 28. Gledhill was taken into custody on Oct. 2, 2024, on . On Oct. 3, court documents said to a third party (a man with whom she was allegedly having an extramarital affair) that she had shot Johnson while he slept on Sept. 21. However, Gledhill did not confess anything to police as of Oct. 3, 2024. On Oct. 15, Gledhill was — including first-degree murder and obstruction of justice — based on the testimony of the informant she allegedly confessed to earlier. Based on initial details from that informant, after the incident, Gledhill reportedly put Johnson's body in a storage container and slid it down the stairs and into the back of their minivan. Authorities then said Gledhill is accused of driving Johnson's body north and burying it 'in a shallow grave.' On Oct. 24, Gledhill's parents were after they allegedly came over to her home to help clean up in late September. On Oct. 25, Utah courts ruled to between Gledhill and her children. In November 2024, additional items were . Among the items included for discovery in the case were 'Jennifer's Phones,' 'Misc. Cell Phone Data,' photos and videos of several guns, and black boxes. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Aubree Jennings contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
11-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Senate Confirms New Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Senate confirmed early Friday Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, the former National Guardsman and fighter pilot, to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Caine is replacing another Air Force fighter pilot, Gen. Charles Brown, known as C.Q., whom President Trump abruptly fired in February. The Senate's lopsided approval of General Caine, who is retired, was expected. While Democrats had expressed concerns about the rash of firings at the Pentagon in Mr. Trump's second term, General Caine garnered little opposition because the majority of them appeared to view him as perhaps the best possible option, given the circumstances. In his new role, as the senior military adviser to Mr. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Caine will take over a Joint Staff that has been somewhat isolated from national security decision making in the last two months. The first challenge facing him will be whether he will manage to wield any influence. Mr. Trump's national security team has embarked on a series of early moves, including by expanding a bombing campaign meant to rein in Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and considering whether, and how, the United States will continue military assistance to Ukraine for the war with Russia. General Caine's confirmation came with none of the drama that accompanied that of Mr. Hegseth, who, amid a flurry of questions about his qualifications, needed Vice President JD Vance to cast the deciding vote. Throughout General Caine's hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on April 1, Democrats appeared to be torn. They wanted him to say plainly that he would push back against some of Mr. Hegseth's initiatives targeting ethnic minorities, women and other groups. But they did not want to push so hard that they irreparably harmed his relationships with Mr. Hegseth and Mr. Trump before he even took office. 'I expect you to pledge to always provide your best military advice to the president and the secretary of defense,' said Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking Democrat on the committee. 'Even if that advice is not what they would want to hear.' General Caine, for his part, promised he would give the president and Mr. Hegseth his best military advice and pledged to 'speak truth to power.' On Wednesday, Senator Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican who chairs the Armed Services Committee, called on the Senate to remain in session as long as necessary to approve General Caine. 'The Chinese Communist Party continues an expansive military buildup, and our adversaries continue to band together against the United States,' Mr. Wicker said in a statement. 'It is critical that the Senate confirm Lt. Gen. Caine as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff this week.'
