Thursday, November 13

Author: Houston Stringer

California man pleads guilty to abusing minors while working for U.S. Army in Japan
California

California man pleads guilty to abusing minors while working for U.S. Army in Japan

A California man has pleaded guilty to federal charges for sexually abusing two minors while employed as a civilian with the U.S. Army overseas. According to court documents, Thelmo Meneses Santos Jr., 60, of Merced, California, engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with two children under the age of 16 between 2015 and 2023 while stationed in Japan. He admitted to the offenses during an interview with law enforcement. He was later arrested in Hawaii by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) special agents. As part of his plea agreement, Santos faces up to 15 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, restitution to the victims, a $250,000 fine, and mandatory registration as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Sentencing is schedul...
Uzbek man loses immigration case after court finds risk of torture too low
Washington D.C.

Uzbek man loses immigration case after court finds risk of torture too low

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A man from Uzbekistan will be deported from the United States after the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that he did not meet the legal standard to stay under protection laws meant to prevent torture. According to Matter of J-A-, the respondent claimed that if sent back to Uzbekistan, he would be jailed and tortured due to pending terrorism charges. He said he was previously detained in Russia based on false claims and was later attacked in Turkey by men he believed were Uzbek agents. He was arrested in the U.S. in April 2024 on an Interpol Red Notice and applied for asylum and protection under the Convention Against Torture. However, the Immigration Judge found the man’s testimony to be unreliable due to conflicting details and missing information. The judge...
Judge Hidalgo calls for delay on law enforcement raises, proposes funds go toward fixing $410M flood bond deficit
Texas

Judge Hidalgo calls for delay on law enforcement raises, proposes funds go toward fixing $410M flood bond deficit

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – Judge Lina Hidalgo is calling on Commissioners Court to delay $100 million in proposed law enforcement pay raises and instead use those funds to help reduce a $410 million shortfall in the 2018 flood bond program. File Photo (August 2025) In a letter sent September 24, 2025, to County Auditor Mike Post and Budget Director Daniel Ramos, Judge Hidalgo suggested that Commissioners bring the law enforcement raises to voters in 2026 and repurpose the funds now to restart 27 flood bond projects currently on hold due to the funding gap. During the September 19 Commissioners Court session, Harris County Flood Control District Director Tina Petersen said the county cannot fulfill all of the original bond commitments unless the deficit is addressed. Over the course of...
Man charged, second suspect sought in 2019 fatal shooting at West Airport apartment
Texas

Man charged, second suspect sought in 2019 fatal shooting at West Airport apartment

HOUSTON, TX – Houston police are asking for the public's help identifying a suspect wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Terry Clark at an apartment located at 6633 West Airport Boulevard. The shooting occurred around 12:30 a.m. on January 29, 2019. Witnesses told police they heard gunfire and then saw two Black male suspects fleeing Clark's apartment. The pair reportedly left the scene in a white SUV. One of the suspects, Trevon Demitri Lewis, 28, has been charged with murder in the 337th Criminal District Court. He was arrested on September 18 by HPD South Gessner Patrol Division’s Crime Suppression Team and the U.S. Marshals Service. The second suspect remains unidentified. He is described only as a Black male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall a...
Two teens arrested in robbery linked to fatal shooting on Unity Drive
Texas

Two teens arrested in robbery linked to fatal shooting on Unity Drive

HOUSTON, TX – Houston Police have arrested two additional suspects connected to a robbery that occurred just prior to the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Felix Caxaj Tax in southwest Houston. The incident happened around 11:05 p.m. on September 21 in the 3400 block of Unity Drive. Officers were first called to a robbery and carjacking in the 6300 block of Skyline Drive, where a man reported that three Hispanic male suspects, one armed with a rifle, had taken his vehicle by force. While officers were on scene, a citizen alerted them to a male lying on a nearby sidewalk. Police then located the victim, Caxaj Tax, with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Investigators determined that after the carjacking, the suspect with the rifle drove west and attempte...
Family members, advocates call for justice in killing of 19-year-old father Jaylon Fox in Houston’s Third Ward
Houston

Family members, advocates call for justice in killing of 19-year-old father Jaylon Fox in Houston’s Third Ward

HOUSTON, TX – A press conference was held Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at noon at Rosalie and Brailsfort to address the murder of 19-year-old father Jaylon Michael Fox, who was fatally shot earlier this year in Houston’s Third Ward. https://youtu.be/B4xgV6V2Z7U Jaylon was remembered as a son, grandson, church youth member, aviation student, and a young father to his 2-month-old baby boy. His family spoke during the press conference, calling for justice in his case and urging for improved safety in the community. The event was hosted by Natural X Nwonknu, community activist and advocate for men’s rights; the Huey P. Newton Gun Club, Houston Chapter; Lanita Hale of Shining Stars Leadership Academy; John Marsden of Houston Unsolved Murders; as well as community members and the fa...
Two women found deceased inside Spring apartment during welfare check
Texas

Two women found deceased inside Spring apartment during welfare check

SPRING, TX – Deputies with Constable Mark Herman’s Office discovered two women deceased inside an apartment at the Wind Song Village Apartment Complex in the 2900 block of Hirschfield Road. Photo Courtesy of Pct. 4 Deputies responded on September 23, 2025, after a neighbor reported a large number of flies around one of the units. Upon entry, deputies and EMS confirmed both women were deceased. The investigation remains ongoing.
Louisiana company selected to build primary structure for Starlab commercial space station
Louisiana

Louisiana company selected to build primary structure for Starlab commercial space station

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Starlab Space LLC has selected Louisiana-based Vivace Corporation to manufacture the primary aluminum structure for its upcoming commercial space station. The structure, one of the largest ever developed for launch, will be fabricated at Vivace’s New Orleans facility with support from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility. Artist's rendering of the Starlab space station in orbit above Earth (Photo Courtesy of Starlab Space LLC) The announcement marks a major milestone as Starlab advances toward its Critical Design Review in December. The station is designed to succeed the International Space Station by maintaining continuous astronaut presence in low-Earth orbit and supporting scientific research, technology development, and commercial activity. “Selecting Vivace to l...
Prosecutor rules Arkansas State Police troopers justified in shooting during pursuit of Daniel Wallace
Arkansas

Prosecutor rules Arkansas State Police troopers justified in shooting during pursuit of Daniel Wallace

WILLISVILLE, Ark. – The Eighth Judicial District-North Prosecuting Attorney has determined that two Arkansas State Police troopers acted lawfully when they used force during the July 22 apprehension of Daniel Wallace, 35, of Rosston. The incident began around 5 p.m. when Nevada County deputies responded to a shooting at a home on Arkansas Highway 200 in the Morris community. Deputies found a 47-year-old Rosston man with life-threatening injuries. Wallace, identified as the suspect, fled the scene in a white 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. Troopers later located Wallace at a convenience store in Waldo, sparking a pursuit north on U.S. Highway 371. During the chase, Wallace fired multiple rounds at officers. A trooper executed a tactical vehicle intervention, after which Wallace exchanged gu...
Mother charged after shooting 13-year-old son in north Harris County
Harris County

Mother charged after shooting 13-year-old son in north Harris County

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – A mother has been charged after allegedly shooting her 13-year-old son during a disturbance at a home in north Harris County. https://youtu.be/xJRyjCqco-Q According to Capt. Juan Flores Jr. with the Harris County Constable’s Pct. 4 Office, deputies responded around 5:22 p.m. to the 1000 block of Ranch Oak Drive for a reported family disturbance. A secondary call was received reporting a firearm had been discharged and someone was struck. Capt. Flores stated the disturbance involved a mother and her 13-year-old son. During the altercation, the mother produced a handgun and fired a round, striking her son. The boy was transported to a local hospital, where he is in stable condition with a gunshot wound. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has accept...