Latest news with #Ojo


USA Today
13 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
No. 1 offensive tackle in 2026 cancels Oklahoma official visit
No. 1 offensive tackle in 2026 cancels Oklahoma official visit The Oklahoma Sooners have received good news over the last few days in the 2026 recruiting class. But on Monday afternoon, their recruiting efforts took a bit of a hit with five-star offensive tackle Felix Ojo. Ojo canceled his official visit, which was scheduled for the ChampU BBQ on June 20-22. Ojo told On3's Hunter Shelton, 'Not needed. Nearing my decision a lot sooner than later.' Ojo is the No. 1 offensive tackle in the class, according to 247Sports, and a consensus top-five tackle in the cycle. The Lake Ridge, Texas product has already taken visits to Colorado, Ole Miss, Florida, Ohio State, and Michigan. He's scheduled to be in Austin this coming weekend. The Sooners currently have two offensive linemen committed in the 2026 class, Will Conroy and Noah Best. Oklahoma is also in a strong position for four-star offensive tackle Deacon Schmitt. Oklahoma and coach Bill Bedenbaugh put together a strong 2025 recruiting class with the additions of Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje and are off to a strong start in 2026. More: Oklahoma Sooners 2026 recruiting commitment tracker Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.


Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Wildest prison officer flings - sperm syringe to jail baby and smuggled knickers
As guard Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington was given a suspended sentence after 'artificially inseminating' herself with her prison lover's sperm, the Mirror takes a look at other shocking staff-prisoner flings They're supposed to be locking up, not hooking up. But a wave of female prison officers have landed themselves in hot water after getting too close to the inmates they're meant to keep in line. The latest is Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington, 29, who, as a prison officer at HMP The Verne in Portland, Dorset, fell for 'extremely dangerous' inmate, sex offender Bradley Trengrove, 31. The pair had sex on as many as 40 occasions while she was on duty, and she became pregnant with Trengrove's baby, but suffered a miscarriage. The infatuated officer, who had the lag's name on her phone as 'husband to be', then tried to get pregnant again by 'artificially inseminating' himself with his sperm in a Calpol syringe. Mum-of-three Austin-Saddington narrowly missed seeing the inside of a jail cell herself after she was handed a suspended sentence for misconduct in a public office last week. But by no means is she the only prison officer caught in a steamy fling with an inmate. According to the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), 19 members of prison staff were charged with misconduct in public office between 2023 and 2024 - the highest number of lock-up liaisons in the past 10 years. Here we look at some of the others… Kerri Pegg On Friday, a prison governor was jailed for nine years for having a relationship with a drug-dealing gang boss at HMP Kirkham in Lancashire. Kerri Pegg, 42, was seen as a "rising star" of the Prison Service, climbing the career ladder from graduate to governor in six years. But her trial heard she "didn't play by the rules" and began a relationship with major Liverpool crime figure Anthony Saunderson, helping him secure day release. Sentencing her at Preston Crown Court, Judge Graham Knowles KC told her: "You betrayed the public trust in you and you betrayed the Prison Service." Tracy Boateng Last week, prison officer Tracy Boateng, 27, avoided jail after having a fling with a drug-dealing inmate who thought she was his "fairytale ending". The 27-year-old was arrested after colleagues found footage on her body-worn camera of her posing for a selfie with heroin dealer Vincent Ojo while telling him to say "cheese" as she held up two fingers while Ojo stuck his tongue out. Other clips caught Boateng, an officer at HMP Pentonville, using sexualised language with the prisoner and hugging and kissing him in a jail office. The footage also suggested that Boateng had given Ojo confidential information from his files. In one clip he could be heard saying: "Let me see what it says in relation to my…" Ojo had been in the jail since 2020 after being recalled to prison for breaking his licence conditions in relation to a 2016 sentence for possession of heroin with intent to supply. The mother of a three-month-old daughter from Dagenham, Essex, appeared in Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced for a single count of misconduct in a public office. Judge Caroline English said that it was only the fact Boateng was the sole carer for such a young child that had saved her from prison. Judge English said: "I cannot emphasise enough just how serious this offence is. As a senior prison officer you held a position of authority and trust and were expected to discharge the duties by upholding prison rules. You knowingly breached those conditions with a prisoner who was under your supervision." Katie Evans Officer Katie Evans, 26, was sentenced to 21 months behind bars in March by a judge who told her she had been "manipulated by an experienced criminal". She had been "corrupted" by prisoner Daniel Brownley, who was jailed for attempted robbery, shortly after she started working at HMP Doncaster when she was 21, the court heard. Evans had more than 140 phone calls with Brownley, moved money around bank accounts for him, and supplied him with information the prison held on him, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said. When talking to Brownley she referred to herself as 'your queen' and boasted to an ex-prison officer that she had performed oral sex on him. Moss, defending, said Evans was "immature and vulnerable" at the time and is "absolutely ashamed of her behaviour". The judge said the sentence should have been longer, but "purely as an act of mercy", he reduced it to take into account the effect it will have on her young daughter and the difficulties she will face as a former officer. Toni Cole In February officer Toni Cole was sentenced to 12 months behind bars after swapping more than 4,000 risqué messages with an inmate she had been entrusted to guard. In January 2023, the 29-year-old female guard engaged in a series of intimate trysts with a convict while working at Northamptonshire's new 'super-prison' HMP Five Wells. Over the course of the illicit romance, Cole sent some 4,369 messages to the con and partook in 18 video calls while participating in "contact which was sexualised or flirtatious". Flouting prison rules, Cole would sit on the knee of her lag lover and kiss him. The game was finally up when bosses got wind of what was really going on. Hayley Jones In August 2024, prison teacher Hayley Jones, 33, pleaded guilty to having an "inappropriate relationship" with convicted killer Jordan McSweeney at HMP Belmarsh. Judge David Miller said: "Some of the evidence was that he was getting special favours or treatment. He may have been bragging to another prisoner about the power that he had over this person." But despite the workshop instructor admitting to misconduct, charges were later dropped against McSweeney as there was "insufficient evidence" to prove the twisted killer was guilty of further criminality. McSweeney is currently serving a minimum term of 33 years for the heinous murder and sexual assault of Zara Aleena, a 35-year-old law graduate, in June 2022. Linda De Sousa Abreu In January HMP Wandsworth officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was jailed for 15 months after a video was widely shared on social media showing her having sex with an inmate in a cell. The shocking clip, which went viral, captured the woman, clad in uniform, having sex while a cellmate filmed it on a mobile phone. In a prepared statement, De Sousa Abreu claimed she was "terrified for her own safety" prior to the offences. She said: "I thought if I didn't go along with it, they would have both raped me and there was no guard on the landing." The officer, who previously described herself as a swinger, had a number of videos on adult platform OnlyFans, where she described herself as a "happily married sexy Latina" under a pseudonym. At sentencing, Judge Martin Edmunds KC said: "From what I know about you, you were certainly not naïve about the media or social media." He continued: "It must have been obvious that the recording would be shown around and shared, at least amongst prisoners at Wandsworth where it would do the most harm. Whether you intended it or not, the fact is that the video went viral, and caused great harm." He added: "You knew that conduct was forbidden." Morgan Farr Varney Prison guard Morgan Farr Varney's 'physical and romantic relationship" with an inmate while working at HMP Lindholme was exposed after she was caught on CCTV sneaking into a cupboard with the man. A search of the inmate's cell then led discovery of a tranche of love letters, with more found during a search of Farr Varney's bedroom. Farr Varney - who appeared on ITV's This Morning last year to complain of her issues with an online dentistry service - was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office in January 2023. In an interview, she told officers she "proper fell in love" with the inmate, and said she was worried that she had "f****d" her life up. After being arrested in January 2023 Farr Varney quit her job at the prison, with the inmate transferred to another prison. But their relationship continued, and police officers later found more photographs of Farr Varney on the inmate following his move to HMP Wealstun in West Yorkshire. Farr Varney pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office at Sheffield Crown Court on April 16 last year, and was remanded in custody. Ayshea Gunn Officer Ayshea Gunn, 27, was jailed for 12 months in December 2019 after having a four-month fling with inmate Khuram Razaq, 29, who was serving time for armed robbery and assault. The pair exchanged more than 1,200 phone calls, including explicit video calls, some of which were streamed over the internet while the prisoner was serving time at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham. Gunn, who has a degree in criminology and psychology, smuggled items into the prison for Razaq, including clothes, a smartwatch and a pair of knickers. Some of the calls were made via a third party in Birmingham in order to cover her tracks, and on other occasions she pretended to be someone else when calling the phone in his cell. Judge Niclas Parry, sentencing Gunn after she admitted misconduct in a public office, said the images were "highly sexualised and pornographic images" created "at significant risk". Defence barriset Peter Hunter said Gunn had become depressed and was "at the bottom in her world", adding: "Somebody showed her affection and she stupidly accepted." Razaq admitted two charges of possessing a specified item inside a prison. Jennifer Gavan Corrupt prison officer Jennifer Gavan was jailed in December 2022 for having an inappropriate relationship with prisoner Alex Coxon, also at HMP Berwyn in Wales, where she was working in April 2020. Coxon, 25, bribed Gavan with £150 to give him a mobile phone, which they used to secretly conduct their relationship. A court heard the pair were rumbled after Coxon's phone was discovered underneath a laptop in his cell with explicit videos found on it which had been sent through Snapchat. Gavan later admitted to sending the image and that she'd kissed Coxon, an inmate with a track record of drugs and robbery. She was described by her own barrister as having "immaturity with an element of naivety", but had shown "empathy" for inmates unable to see visitors during the Covid lockdowns. She had just come out of a very lengthy relationship and was "manipulated" into thinking she was in love. Gavan was jailed for eight months after pleading guilty to misconduct in a pulic office and Coxon was handed 10 months for having a prohibited item in jail. Corinne Redhead In 2022, officer Corinne Redhead, 29, was jailed for having an inmate's baby following a secret year-long fling with convicted robber Robert O'Connor at The Mount prison in Hertfordshire. O'Connor was serving a 10-year sentence when Redhead was working as a supervisor on the wing. The relationship lasted from January 2018 to January 2019. Redhead was caught at six months pregnant after a tip-off led to her fellow officers to search his single cell, where a Samsung Galaxy mobile was found hidden in the U-bend of his toilet. Redhead's number was saved on the phone under the name "my baby" and they had shared video calls and messages which showed they were having a sexual relationship. Redhead later gave birth to a child and named O'Connor as the father on the birth certificate. Drea Becker, mitigating, told Luton Crown Court that Redhead made a "terrible mistake" and "expresses remorse and shame". She was jailed for 25 months. Why do prison flings happen? Criminologist and psychologist Alex Iszatt told the Mirror that these inappropriate flings "occur regularly in prisons, but they are not always driven by sexual attraction". She said a number of factors play a role in a jail fling forming, including "emotional attachment, vulnerability, dependency, power dynamics, trauma bonding and grooming". Alex explained: "When women work in male-dominated prisons, they can become rare, sexualised objects of attention. This dynamic has been portrayed in porn, and occasionally, the boundaries between fantasy and reality can blur." She said prisons can be "isolating environments" which leads officers and inmates to turn to each other. "If officers aren't trained to set boundaries, and supervisors fail to manage effectively, situations can quickly get out of hand - especially if the individual lacks emotional support outside of work," the criminologist continued. Alex said female officers may be more susceptible to relationships if they are "emotionally vulnerable or lonely". "Inmates may exploit these vulnerabilities, particularly if they sense that the officer is seeking emotional validation or attention," she said. Once this relationship takes off, another level of mind games comes into play, with "fear of retaliation, loss of earnings, and loss of respect" potentially forcing the relationship to last longer than planned. "Ultimately, inappropriate relationships between female correctional officers and inmates are not primarily driven by physical attractiveness. Rather, they stem from emotional vulnerability, manipulation, power dynamics, and the stresses of the prison environment, all of which can contribute to boundary-crossing," Alex concluded. In response to the recent surge in the number of prison officers in the UK charged with having sexual encounters with the prisoners, an MoJ spokesman told the Mirror: "The vast majority of our prison officers are honest and hard-working. We will always take robust action against those who are not."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ohio State Predicted To Be Dealt Blow on Projected $809,000 Star From SEC Foe
The Ohio State Buckeyes have been strong contenders in the national recruiting landscape, especially when it comes to landing top-tier offensive linemen. However, they're now facing stiff competition from SEC rival Texas Longhorns for one of the nation's best , Felix Ojo. As the No. 4 overall prospect, No. 3 offensive tackle, and Texas' top recruit in the 2025 cycle, Ojo is a hot commodity. And while Ohio State has kept itself in the mix, momentum seems to be slipping. Felix Ojo's recruiting journey has been nothing short of a wild ride. The 6-foot-6 tackle has drawn attention from powerhouses like Texas, Ohio State, Michigan Wolverines, Oklahoma Sooners, Florida Gators, and even Colorado Buffaloes. Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day talks to the media during 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day at Georgia World Congress Center, Building Lee-Imagn Images But the Longhorns have set the tone throughout. According to On3's Chad Simmons, 'Everywhere he goes, Ojo is impressed, and the staff shows him and his family love, but Texas has been the school setting the pace in this recruitment for some time. Others are contending, but until I hear enough to change my thoughts, I like the Longhorns.' Advertisement Despite strong visits elsewhere, Ojo has consistently come away impressed by the Texas staff's approach, especially the love shown to his family. Ohio State isn't out of the race just yet, but the odds aren't in their favor. On3's Steve Wiltfong noted, 'The Longhorns have looked like they've had the edge for Felix Ojo for much of his process. Ohio State is a school not to be slept on, though.' Meanwhile, Florida is trying to make a late push. After a promising visit during the Orange and Blue Game, the Gators secured an official visit. Co-offensive line coach Jonathan Decoster is giving it everything, but Florida needs a perfect weekend to leap ahead, especially if Ojo plans to commit before the season kicks off. For now, Texas looks like the likely landing spot, and Ohio State may soon feel the sting of losing the offensive tackle to an SEC rival. Related: Buccaneers Make Emeka Egbuka Announcement on Friday
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Prison officer avoids jail after ‘fairytale relationship' with inmate
A senior prison officer who had a 'fairytale' relationship with an inmate has avoided jail. Tracy Boateng, 27, from Dagenham, admitted misconduct in a public office after engaging in an inappropriate relationship with Vincent Ojo, 34, at HMP Pentonville between Feb 25 and April 19 last year. On Monday, she was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. The court heard that body-worn camera footage captured the pair hugging and kissing, while messages on Boateng's phone revealed she had discussed the relationship with a colleague, who replied: 'This guy really believes you are his fairytale ending.' The couple were filmed taking a selfie together during which Boateng made a V sign and asked Ojo to 'say cheese', prosecutor Laura Kenyon said. Ojo, 34, is serving a sentence for possession of heroin with intent to supply and has been held on the same wing since 2020. Ojo reportedly accompanied Boateng to an office 'multiple times' where she had appeared to 'reveal details' of organisational information and permitted him to look at her computer screen, the prosecutor added. Her behaviour, which became known to other inmates, risked undermining prison discipline, the court was told. Boateng originally joined the Prison Service in 2020 through a graduate scheme immediately after she left university, and passed an exam on 'anti-corruption', the prosecutor said. She was therefore aware she could 'avoid corruption by being friendly but not friends' with inmates, Ms Kenyon added. During mitigation, Ioana Nedelcu, defending, said Boateng's daughter, of whom Ojo is not the father, was three months old and still breastfeeding. Boateng was 'remorseful' and now a single mother after her relationship with her daughter's father broke down after he found out about her interactions with Ojo, the barrister added. 'She understands her actions were wrong and that she makes no excuses for it,' Ms Nedelcu added. Sentencing, Judge Caroline English said Boateng had avoided prison because of the impact it could have on her three-month-old baby. Addressing the defendant, Judge English said: 'This offence is so serious that nothing other than a custodial sentence can be justified. 'There is however, an exceptional feature in this case, that is your child. 'One thing is for certain, your child is a total innocent and the impact on such a young baby would be significant.' She added that 'for that reason and that reason alone', she was 'persuaded to suspend the sentence'. Earlier this year, former HMP Wandsworth prison officer Linda De Sousa Abreu, 30, was jailed for 15 months after having sex with an inmate in a cell. Footage of the act was widely shared on social media. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why this Peruvian town is celebrating Pope Leo XIV as one of their own: Reporter's notebook
Pope Leo XIV might be "gringo" by birth but ask the people from Chiclayo, Peru, and the man is decidedly Peruvian. A sampling of Friday's local headlines: From Peru 21: "The Native Pope." From Correo: "From Chiclayo to the Vatican." From Ojo: "The Pope is Peruvian and He Misses Ceviche." The 69-year-old Robert Prevost served in Peru for over two decades, including as bishop of the northwestern city of Chiclayo, a role he was appointed to in 2014 by the late Pope Francis. Restaurants around town proudly write "The Pope ate here." One owner serves me Leo's favorite dish…goat with beans and rice (delicious). There's a huge banner draped on city hall with Papa Leon's picture on it. At a nearby church where the now pope once held mass, an elderly member of the congregation told me she yelled out in joy when she saw him elected. "I started to cry" she said, adding that he would do so much for this town. Chiclayo and its surrounding suburbs are not rich areas. People work for everything they have here. If the new pope is humble and close to the lives of the working poor, it is in this part of the world he learned that empathy. The pope said it as much himself. "The people of Peru taught me what it means to walk with the poor, to accompany others in their struggles and their joy," he said in 2024. Stop me if you've heard this before: A religious missionary goes to a more impoverished country for a few months, builds a couple houses and goes back telling everyone they're "changed" by the experience. It's the kind of poverty tourism a lot of people in lower income countries often come to resent. This is where Pope Leo was apparently different. Other missionaries come and go, we're told, but Leo stayed, for a few decades. He showed up during birthdays and funerals. He ate at local restaurants, he learned the language, he took his ministry out of the church and into the streets. He helped procure oxygen supplies during the pandemic. The people here respected that. They say he earned it. This mild-mannered guy from the Chicago suburbs has improbably captured the hearts of this part of northwest Peru in a major way. "I feel in his heart he's more Latino than gringo," long-time friend Father Jorge Antonio Millán Cotrina told me, laughing. He texted then-Cardinal Prevost the day before the conclave and said he'd be thinking of him, that anything could happen in a conclave. The cardinal thanked him for his prayers, no idea he was about to become the leader of the Catholic Church. Why this Peruvian town is celebrating Pope Leo XIV as one of their own: Reporter's notebook originally appeared on