Latest news with #U.S.DistrictCourtofMassachusetts
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Suveillance of WMass. man leads to fentanyl trafficking charge
SPRINGFIELD — After attaching a GPS to his car and trailing him as he traveled to New York City, federal investigators say a Western Massachusetts man trafficked fentanyl in bags branded with names like 'Trump,' 'Top Tier' and 'American Gangster.' Kristian Morales, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court of Massachusetts in Springfield on Thursday, had allegedly been distributing heroin and fentanyl in Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke since at least March. Court records showed Morales was arrested that day. The documents did not detail Morales' age or where he is from. Linus Nkansah, one of special federal officers with the FBI that was investigating Morales, detailed the bureau's two month investigation into him in a 34-page criminal complaint. Nkansah said members of the FBI's Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force worked with a cooperating confidential witness to observe Morales as he interacted with the witness and other people and to make controlled purchases. The FBI also received permission from a federal judge to track Morales' vehicle with a GPS device, according to the complaint. The Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, as part of the investigation, observed Morales as he traveled in the area. At one point, Nkansah followed Morales from Massachusetts to the Bronx, New York, and watched as he met with people there and allegedly handed off drugs to them. Nkansah said Morales took multiple similar trips to New York and believed he was re-upping his supply of the drugs. Upon returning from New York, the investigator said he and his task force witnessed Morales immediately selling the product. 'Based on my training and experience, it is common and consistent behavior of a drug dealer to make sales immediately following obtaining a re-supply of illegal drugs,' said Nkansah in the complaint. During the federal investigation, Nkansah said 'more than 40 grams of fentanyl' were involved. On May 12, Judge Katherine A. Robertson ordered setting the conditions for Morales' release from prison with conditions: He must not break any laws, he must cooperate in giving a DNA sample, he must notify the court if he changes his phone number or address, and he must appear in court at any future hearing. Morales is being represented by attorney Thomas J. O'Connor, Jr., a public defender for the federal court. O'Connor did not immediately respond to a phone call for comment. The U.S. is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Newhouse, who also did not respond to a request for comment. According to that document, Morales has agreed to the terms. His next hearing is scheduled for May 27. Springfield informational meeting about the 'X' construction scheduled for Wednesday Council votes to support MGM Springfield union Springfield protests loss of $20M federal grant to protect environment Mount Holyoke union calls for improved wages, immigrant protections Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Harvard sues Trump over $2.2 billion funding freeze as free speech battle heats up between White House and Ivy League school
Harvard University is suing the Trump administration for violating its free speech rights by freezing federal funding to punish it for its refusal to take action against students for their beliefs. U.S. officials said last week they would withhold $2.2 billion in research grants and contracts after Harvard defied their demands to crack down on student protests and screen international applicants for their opinions about Palestine. The administration has claimed that Harvard is breaking U.S. civil rights laws by failure to combat antisemitism, commanding it to immediately end all DEI programs while also, in effect, implementing affirmative action for conservatives. But Harvard's lawyers on Monday asked the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts to block the freeze and bar the federal government from further attempts to dictate Harvard's actions against particular students the administration doesn't agree with.. "Defendants' actions threaten Harvard's academic independence and place at risk critical lifesaving and pathbreaking research that occurs on its campus, and they are part of a broader effort by the Government to punish Harvard for protecting its constitutional rights," reads the university's complaint. "The government has not — and cannot — identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America's position as a global leader in innovation,' it added. The lawsuit targets numerous federal appointees and agencies including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and their respective agencies. It comes after furious Trump officials reportedly threatened to revoke an additional $1 billion in federal funding because the school had dared publish the administration's latest list of demands. Later reports suggested that the second letter was actually sent by "mistake," triggering a "frantic" phone call to Harvard from someone inside the administration. The White House is now standing by the letter of demands.
The Independent
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Harvard sues Trump over $2.2 billion funding freeze as free speech battle heats up between White House and Ivy League school
Harvard University is suing the Trump administration for violating its free speech rights by freezing federal funding to punish it for its refusal to take action against students for their beliefs. U.S. officials said last week they would withhold $2.2 billion in research grants and contracts after Harvard defied their demands to crack down on student protests and screen international applicants for their opinions about Palestine. The administration has claimed that Harvard is breaking U.S. civil rights laws by failure to combat antisemitism, commanding it to immediately end all DEI programs while also, in effect, implementing affirmative action for conservatives. But Harvard's lawyers on Monday asked the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts to block the freeze and bar the federal government from further attempts to dictate Harvard's actions against particular students the administration doesn't agree with.. "Defendants' actions threaten Harvard's academic independence and place at risk critical lifesaving and pathbreaking research that occurs on its campus, and they are part of a broader effort by the Government to punish Harvard for protecting its constitutional rights," reads the university's complaint. "The government has not — and cannot — identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America's position as a global leader in innovation,' it added. The lawsuit targets numerous federal appointees and agencies including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, and their respective agencies. It comes after furious Trump officials reportedly threatened to revoke an additional $1 billion in federal funding because the school had dared publish the administration's latest list of demands. triggering a "frantic" phone call to Harvard from someone inside the administration. The White House is now standing by the letter of demands.
