All articles tagged with #federal arrest
Shamim Mafi, 44, of Woodland Hills, was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on charges that she brokered Iran’s sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan, using shell companies and cash transfers to evade sanctions; she allegedly worked with Iran’s intelligence service and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles during Grammy weekend, tied to a Jan. 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minn., where Lemon and three others were charged with conspiracy to deprive rights and violating the FACE Act for allegedly disrupting a church service. Lemon’s team says he acted as a journalist; prosecutors say a grand jury indicted him. The case has sparked debate over press protections during protests.
Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards, in connection with a Jan. 18 protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, alongside three others; charges had not been disclosed at publication, but the DOJ said it will pursue them. Lemon’s attorney condemned the arrest as an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment, as prosecutors tied the case to broader immigration-enforcement actions in the Minneapolis area.
Hundreds of immigrants detained during a federal immigration 'blitz' in Chicago are set to be released on bond following a court ruling that questioned the legality of their arrests, which may have violated a consent decree limiting warrantless arrests. The judge ordered a review of all similar cases, highlighting concerns over potential widespread violations and the impact on those already deported or with no prior interactions with law enforcement.
A 29-year-old man, Jonathan Rinderknecht, was arrested for allegedly setting the Palisades fire in Los Angeles and making recent threats, including a fire threat in Florida and hiding a gun in a stuffed animal. He is accused of arson that destroyed thousands of homes and caused 12 deaths, with authorities linking him through evidence such as a ChatGPT image and phone calls. Rinderknecht remains in custody pending further proceedings.
Two Chinese nationals, one of whom is an illegal alien, were arrested for allegedly exporting sensitive AI microchips from the U.S. to China without proper licenses through their company ALX Solutions Inc., involving multiple shipments and transshipment points to conceal the exports, with potential penalties up to 20 years in prison.
Three current and former police chiefs in Louisiana were arrested for allegedly selling fake police reports to immigrants seeking visas, creating false armed robbery reports to help them apply for U-visas, with charges including conspiracy, mail fraud, and bribery. The scheme operated from 2015 to 2025, involving multiple law enforcement officials, and could result in decades of imprisonment if convicted.
An American Airlines flight attendant, Estes Carter Thompson III, was arrested for allegedly recording young girls in airplane bathrooms and possessing child pornography. He was caught by a 14-year-old girl who found his hidden iPhone in the lavatory. Authorities discovered that he had recorded young girls using the plane’s toilet at least four different times and found more than 50 photos of a 9-year-old, including images taken while she was sleeping. American Airlines stated that they take the allegations seriously and have been cooperating with law enforcement. Thompson has been kept from working for the airline since September and hasn’t worked since.