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In 1994, Cyrus Wilson, who was 19 years old at the time, was put in prison for allegedly murdering a man in East Nashville as revenge for stealing his car.  Christopher Luckett’s body was found under a chain-link fence; he was shot in the face with a shotgun, according to a news article at The Tennessean.  Wilson, who has maintained his innocence for two decades, was found guilty based mostly on the testimony of a few juvenile witnesses.  Now, two of those witnesses have come forth and admitted that they lied at the time of the murder due to pressure from police.

Patrick McNally, Wilson’s defense attorney, spent part of the day on Tuesday May 13th laying out the issues with his client’s conviction before the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.  Not only have two of the primary witnesses now recanted their stories, a note was discovered in a prosecutor’s file that the defense lawyer in the original case never saw.  The shorthand note read “Good case but for most of witnesses are juveniles who have already lied repeatedly.”  In addition, a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation report revealed that the shells found at Luckett’s murder scene did not match the shotgun police claim Wilson used in the murder.

The two witnesses who claimed at the time that Wilson committed the murder, Rashime Williams and Rodriguez Lee, now say that their testimony was coerced by police, that police were threatening that if the boys didn’t say what police wanted to hear, they would be charged with the murder.  Now, McNally is arguing with the appeals court that there is essentially zero evidence that Cyrus Wilson murdered Christopher Luckett.  McNally went on to say that if the situation were to go back down to the trial court level, the case would not go to trial. Continue reading

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Last week, a 43-year-old executive pastor at a Santa Barbara church was arrested for driving under the influence. Gerald Torres has been placed on administrative leave from the Reality Church after crashing his motorcycle which he and his son, Judah, were riding on Casitas Pass Road on the afternoon of May 3.

Judah, who is 8 years old, was not injured in the crash which involved the Yamaha motorcycle leaving the road before it struck a traffic sign and fence. While Judah was thrown from the motorcycle, he was wearing a full-face helmet which prevented injury. A family member is said to have picked Judah up from the scene of the crash, while Gerald Torres was hospitalized after suffering cuts to his extremities and major head injuries.

According to Pastor Brick Merrick at the Reality Church, Torres’ blood alcohol level was well above the legal limit when tested by police. He was arrested on charges of DUI before being released to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. Continue reading

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On Wednesday May 10, a Hoover, Alabama man was arrested in connection to distributing a controlled substance, what the DEA called ‘designer drugs’ that are poison and clearly designed for human consumption. 56-year-old Ali Reza Samanifar was arrested at his home and faces three charg es of unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, according to a news article at Al.com. Samanifar’s business was also searched following his arrest after authorities obtained a search warrant to search the A & S Food Mart, Inc.

The DEA is carrying out a nationwide roundup, raiding head shops and convenience stores where the ‘designer’ drugs are being sold. According to the article, the ongoing operation is known as Project Synergy; the Alabama portion of the nationwide sweep has been dubbed “Operation Red Tide.” The substances DEA agents are in search of include eight classes of drugs ranging from hallucinogens to stimulants. Continue reading

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On June 25, 29-year-old Alicia Marie Simatos is expected to be sentenced after pleading no contest to charges that she stole approximately $55,000 from her employer, Holistic Care Approach in Plainfield Township.  Simatos could face up to 10 years in prison in connection with allegations that she embezzled money from the health facility.

According to news reports at Mlive.com, Simatos pocketed cash as she logged customers’ cash payments as if the customers were redeeming gift certificates.  Holistic Care Approach provides an array of services to clients which include Reiki, skin tightening, acupuncture, and massage therapy.  Kent County Sheriff’s Department investigators claim that the activity took place beginning in January of 2010 and continuing through January of this year.  According to police, Simatos confessed.

While it was estimated that the defendant embezzled about $55,000 which would have left her facing a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, part of her plea agreement includes making restitution.  The agreement allowed Simatos to plead no contest to embezzlement of between $20,000 and $50,000, which reduces the penalties and maximum prison time to 10 years. Continue reading

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On Friday May 2, actor Stephen Baldwin, perhaps best known as Alec Baldwin’s younger brother, was arrested for driving with a suspended license.

According to the NY Daily News, Baldwin’s 2013 Ford Explorer was spotted by a police officer who noticed that the temporary registration sticker on the windshield of the Explorer had expired, and was issued in Texas.  Baldwin was pulled over just before 7 a.m. in the area of Broadway near W. 156th St.  Upon further inspection, police found that the 47-year-old actor’s driver’s license was suspended.  He was released with a desk appearance ticket after being taken to the station house at the 33rd Precinct.

Just two years ago, Baldwin was stopped after making an illegal U-turn in Harlem; he was driving without a license at that time, a charge to which he pleaded guilty and paid $155 in fines. Continue reading

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On May 3rd of this year, 54-year-old Raymond Caggianelli of Waterford was involved in a one-car accident in Malta, New York.  Saratoga State Police responded to the accident which occurred at the Round Lake Bypass and Curry Road at just after 10 p.m.

During the investigation of the accident it was suspected that Caggianelli was driving while intoxicated.  Upon administering a breath test at the police station, it was found that Caggianelli’s BAC registered .25%, more than three times the legal limit of .08% in New York.  Caggianelli was ticketed for DWI and aggravated DWI due to his high blood alcohol content.

In the state of New York, aggravated DWI is a misdemeanor offense which an individual may be charged with when operating a vehicle with a BAC of .18 or higher.  Criminal penalties for a conviction include up to one year in jail, fines of up to $2,500, probation for up to 3 years, drivers license revocation for a minimum of one year, and more.  Continue reading

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In 2010, Corey Kucharski of Milwaukee was charged with killing both his parents; Kucharski was convicted in December of 2011 of first-degree intentional homicide, and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of supervised release in 30 years. Kucharski, who is now 38 years old, appealed his conviction, arguing that the judge in the case was wrong in ruling him mentally responsible for the murders of Ralph and Pamela Kucharski, as it was undisputed that at the time of the killings he was suffering from schizophrenia.

At trial, the defendant maintained that following a stint of heavy meth use, voices he started hearing told him to kill his parents. In February of 2010, Kucharski shot his mother four times and his father 10 times inside the home they all shared before calling to report the deaths to the police. Upon calling 911, the defendant told the operator to send the coroner, that his parents were dead. He also reportedly told a dispatcher that his parents were not getting up right now, that they were in a better place.

Although Kucharski was examined for competency twice and ruled competent to stand trial both times, the 1st District Court of Appeals ruled this week that the defendant was “clearly in a psychotic state” when he shot his parents. In the 2 to 1 ruling, the appeals court judges also wrote that there was no other explanation for Kucharski’s behavior. The appeals court tossed the 2011 conviction and ordered a new trial for the defendant. Continue reading

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On Sunday May 4, New Brunswick firefighters responded to reports of a basement fire at a home in the area where six Rutgers students were living. Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters discovered drugs including marijuana and cocaine, along with drug paraphernalia according to a news report at NBC New York.

The fire was determined by investigators to be an accident. None of the 20 to 22-year-old students were injured, however all were arrested on various drug charges. Police were called to the scene after firefighters noticed the drugs at the home located at 166 Hamilton Street. The investigation led to the arrest of:

20-year-old Christian Acevedo and 20-year-old Andrew Shattuck, both charged with possession of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute.

Charles Cini and Gregory Molfetta, both 22 years old, and Steven Carrero, age 21, all charged with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

Continue reading

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In February of 2013, 25-year-old Tanya Weyker was involved in an accident in which she was t-boned at an intersection by Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriff Joseph Quiles, who was making his rounds on the night shift.  The accident occurred as Quiles pulled out onto Howell Avenue, sending Weyker’s vehicle spinning into a tree.  Weyker was arrested for OWI or operating while intoxicated, although blood tests indicated she was completely sober.

Weyker, who had no criminal record and not even a speeding ticket, was too injured in the crash to perform field sobriety tests or blow into a breathalyzer, according to reports at Fox News.  Weyker had steel rods placed in her back after having radiation treatments for cancer that she developed at age three.  The crash with Quiles left her neck broken in four places.

When questioned by police the day of the crash, Weyker was truthful about her use of Vicodin a week prior to the crash, when she had her wisdom teeth pulled.  She also admitted that she had taken a few sips of a friend’s drink that evening.  After deputies were suspicious of Weyker’s red, glassy eyes, she explained it was due to her crying.  She was ultimately arrested for drunk driving causing injury, even though her injuries prevented her from taking the usual tests to determine BAC or blood alcohol content. Continue reading

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In 2000, then 18-year-old Dawn Vrentas of Seattle was arrested for the first time for DUI.  Vrentas later spent time in prison after two of her friends lost their lives in an accident in which Vrentas was intoxicated.  On Tuesday April 29, Vrentas, who is now in her early 30’s, pleaded guilty to a third DUI in connection with an incident that occurred in 2013.  A third DUI offense is a felony; Vrentas is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16, according to a news report at Q13Fox.com.

Because Vrentas pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, prosecutors agreed to recommend 22 months in prison, the low end of the sentencing guidelines in Washington.  She was charged with her third DUI (a felony) in July of 2013 when she was pulled over in the area of Northgate on I-5 for speeding.  Vrentas was required to participate in alcohol monitoring 24/7.

In Washington, a third DUI within a 7 year time frame will lead to serious penalties, which include a minimum of 90 days in jail, fines of up to $5,000, probation, license revocation, and four months on EHM, or electronic home monitoring.  However, a third DUI offense outside of the 7 year window may result in the same severe penalties.  Continue reading

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Lansing, MI Office
Boji Tower
124 W. Allegan St.
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Lansing, MI 48933
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