Latest news with #juvenilecrime
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
16-year-old charged as an adult for alleged Monroe armed robbery
MONROE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A 16-year-old will be charged as an adult after being accused of armed robbery in Monroe Sunday morning. According to the Monroe Police Department, officers responded to the 500 block of East Green Street at 11:15 a.m., where the victim reported being approached by a man who pointed handgun at him and demanded personal property. 'Trusted family member' pleads guilty to sexually assaulting two young girls in Union County The victim reportedly said the suspect was known to them: Jakeem Mungo. As officers began a K9 track in the area, Mungo, 16, of Monroe, exited a nearby residence, saw the approaching officers, and immediately surrendered. Officers say he was found in possession of the property that had just been reported stolen. A search of the residence led to the alleged recovery of the firearm described by the victim. The gun was later confirmed that it was reported stolen out of Charlotte. Mungo is charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon. He is currently being held in a juvenile detention facility where a judge will set his conditions of release. The Monroe Police Department commends the swift work of its officers and will continue working diligently to bring offenders to justice and ensure the safety of our neighborhoods. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
18-07-2025
- CBS News
Teen charged as adult after fight among minors, gunfire outside Baltimore County store
A 16-year-old is being charged as an adult after a fight among minors led to gunshots being fired outside of a Baltimore County Walmart, according to police. The teen is being charged with attempted murder, assault and gun violations, police said. Seven minors were detained after the fight and reported gunfire in the 100 block of Carroll Island in Essex on Wednesday, July 16. They ranged in age from 11 to 15, according to police. Two of the juveniles sustained minor injuries during the altercation, though it's unclear if the injuries were from a bullet or debris, police said. Officers said it was an isolated incident and no other injuries were reported. The arrest comes as Maryland sees an uptick in juvenile crime cases, according to data from the state Department of Juvenile Services (DJS). A report released by the department in May shows a 14% increase in juvenile crime cases during the first six months of the year compared to the same six-month period from 2024. Maryland leaders have been working to address juvenile crime, especially in cases where a suspect is on ankle monitoring. Earlier in July, the DJS changed the guidelines for young people who are arrested for serious crimes while on ankle monitors. Under the new guidelines, minors will be detained until their next court date. The policy went into effect on July 3. "Electronic monitoring is a really important tool in the continuum to support young people, but we have to make sure we're using it appropriately and in the right circumstances," said Acting DJS Secretary Betsy Fox Tolentino.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Yahoo
New Mexico law enforcement leaders demand stricter juvenile crime laws
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Demanding action from state lawmakers, prosecutors and New Mexico's top law enforcement leaders say the time is now to change the state's juvenile crime laws. Albuquerque has grabbed headlines for problems with juvenile crime, but on Tuesday, police chiefs from all over the state said they're seeing the same problems. Story continues below News: Forest road rule in New Mexico faces potential change Trending: Former Hope Christian School teacher to remain behind bars through trial Weather: Stormier day with drop in temperatures KRQE Investigates: Drones in Blue: Albuquerque police deploying autonomous tech to 911 calls 'If you know there are no consequences for your actions, and you are put into a rehabilitation program, but you reoffend. Juveniles tell us in the back of my deputies' patrol units, 'we're not worried about it, we will be released, and we will get around the system,'' said Sheriff John Allen, Bernalillo County. Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman gathered police chiefs from Farmington to Española to Las Cruces to make a point about minors committing crimes. 'It isn't, unfortunately, until they are charged with murder that they finally face any real consequences, and then it's too late,' said Bregman. While lawmakers walked away from a juvenile crime reform bill in the last 60-day legislative session, police said they're still seeing a trend of kids committing violent crimes. In Las Cruces, teens took part in a mass shooting, killing three people and wounding 15 others. In Española, two 15-year-olds are charged with shooting at people near a homeless shelter. Las Cruces police chief Jeremy Story shared a video of a teen, who has a record, firing an automatic pistol. 'I hope that we can all agree that once we get to this point, once we get to the point where a juvenile has been arrested 16 or 17 times or charged with 40 separate offenses, we failed as a society. We failed that child,' said Chief Story. Leaders held Monday's news conference in part because they want to give lawmakers plenty of time to review their legislative proposals ahead of the next session. They're advocating to extend the time someone sentenced as a juvenile can be held in jail, from 21 to 25 years old, and they want to see a new crime making it illegal to sell or give a gun to a minor. Bregman said that in the past few weeks, they've charged six juveniles with first-degree murder. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Yahoo
12-year-old Delaware girl accused of fatally shooting teen in Camden, New Jersey, home
A 12-year-old girl from Delaware is accused of fatally shooting a teenager while "recklessly" handling a gun in a Camden, New Jersey, home. The girl, identified only as a Newark resident, is charged with manslaughter in connection with the June 6 death of Xyere Brooks, 16, of Camden, New Jersey. Brooks was shot about 12:35 p.m. at a home with multiple juveniles on the 1500 block of Thorn St., said the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital at about 2:15 p.m. Brooks was a student and football player at KIPP Cooper Norcross High School in Camden. A 16-year-old male who allegedly brought the gun to the home is charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, the prosecutor's office said. The 12-year-old faces the same charge. The charges against the juveniles are only allegations. They have not been convicted in the case. Both juveniles surrendered themselves at the prosecutor's office on July 1. They were released on conditions pending a court date. Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@ This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Delaware girl accused of fatally shooting teen in Camden, NJ, home
CBS News
30-06-2025
- CBS News
New Maryland DJS leader talks about critics, challenges with repeat juvenile offenders
Violent incidents have placed a spotlight on juvenile crime in Maryland, including a recent carjacking and a kidnapping by young, repeat offenders on GPS monitoring. Betsy Fox Tolentino, the new leader of Maryland's embattled Department of Juvenile Services (DJS), spoke with WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren as she takes over an agency that has been a lightning rod for critics. "We don't want people to feel unsafe," Tolentino said. "We want people to feel that they are safe in their communities and confident that the department is doing what it can do to support our young people." Tolentino is no stranger to the DJS she now leads. Tolentino worked there for more than a decade and rose to deputy secretary. She also previously worked with the Roca program, an intense anti-violence initiative targeting Baltimore's youth. Hellgren asked her why she believes DJS faces criticism. "I think because we're working with young people, and we all really care about our young people," Tolentino said. "We want to make sure we're getting it right. And when it feels like we're not getting it right, people want to know why. What can we do differently? How can we approach this problem in a different way to build solutions that get us that lasting, sustainable behavior change that we want to see for our young people?" Young repeat offenders Recent cases include a 14-year-old who police say went on a crime spree in Northeast Baltimore last week, carjacking someone and robbing a delivery driver at gunpoint. A 15-year-old allegedly robbed and kidnapped a 12-year-old on his way to school in East Baltimore at gunpoint last month. Both were on electronic monitoring, drawing frustration in the community. "Electronic monitoring is a really important tool in the continuum to support young people, but we have to make sure we're using it appropriately and in the right circumstances," Tolentino said. "So that means we're doing a really good evaluation, making recommendations for monitoring when it fits the situation. And with any tool, it's only as good as your operations around it." Tolentino added, "So, we want to make sure our operations and our frontline staff who are showing up every day for our young people have what they need to ensure they are able to support young people when they are in the community on monitoring." Monday morning, Anne Arundel County police reported a 15- and a 17-year-old crashed a stolen Hyundai in Glen Burnie. Police also reported that a 17-year-old girl sprayed a man with mace and robbed him at a Pasadena convenience store. "By looking at those cases, we're going to be able to evaluate what we could have done differently to support that young person and support the community," Tolentino said. "So, maybe we have to ensure there are some other strategies we use. Maybe we got it wrong." Tolentino continued, "Maybe we can develop different sorts of strategies over time that can help that young person, but we're going to dig very deeply into that population and see what we do need to do differently — and that means using all our tools — whether it's additional monitoring, additional supervision, additional behavior change strategies and using our highest-level interventions in receiving treatment in a residential facility." Criticism of predecessor Critics said juvenile offenders do not fear consequences and lashed out at Tolentino's predecessor, Vincent Schiraldi. "He has been a colossal failure," said Frederick County Republican Senator William Folden. "He should never have been in that position, and for the governor to put him in that position and leave him in there for as long as he did, at least there's change coming," Tolentino said she is not concerned about the upcoming confirmation process. "I'm here to do a job, ensure our operations are aligned with Maryland law, our frontline staff have what they need, our kids are getting what they need," Tolentino said. "I invite all the questions. I want to have the discussions. And I hope that when we get to that time, I have a lot of confidence from many of our members of the General Assembly, so that I can continue to carry on the work here." Tolentino, a former public defender, is meeting with prosecutors to see what they need. "My message is, call me," Tolentino said. "Let's have conversations. Let's sit down and talk. I really want to understand how law enforcement, how state's attorneys, and other justice system partners are really experiencing the system." Asked whether she sees things that need immediate fixing within DJS, Tolentino said, "What I bring to the agency is this renewed focus on our day-to-day operations—ensuring that at the front door of our system when law enforcement brings a young person to our attention, that our decision making is aligned with Maryland law and designed to get young people what they need—and also that we are in the position to support public safety."
