Breaking News - Houston Stringer

Pakistani national sentenced to 40 years after smuggling operation that led to deaths of two Navy SEALs

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Middle East, U.S.

Pakistani national sentenced to 40 years after smuggling operation that led to deaths of two Navy SEALs

ALEXANDRIA, VA – A Pakistani national has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for his role in an Iranian weapons smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. Navy SEALs. On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Pahlawan of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, aiding Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, and transporting explosives to the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. He was also convicted of threatening his crew during the mission. According to court records, on Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Navy forces operating from the USS Lewis B. Puller, including Navy SEALs and Coast Guard personnel, intercepted Pahlawan’s unflagged dhow off the coast of Somalia. The boarding team discovered Iranian-made ballistic missile components, anti-ship ...

Justice Department announces agreement with University of Virginia over DEI and discrimination policies

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Justice Department announces agreement with University of Virginia over DEI and discrimination policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement with the University of Virginia (UVA) to address concerns over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin. Under the agreement, UVA must comply with the Department’s Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination, confirming that it will not engage in racial discrimination in admissions, hiring, or other programs. The university will submit quarterly compliance data to the Department through 2028, with the university’s president required to personally certify adherence. The Department agreed to pause its investigations into UVA’s admissions and other civ...

Virginia man charged with unlawful retention of classified national defense information

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Virginia man charged with unlawful retention of classified national defense information

VIENNA, VA – Ashley Tellis, 64, a U.S. citizen residing in Vienna, was arrested on Oct. 11 for allegedly unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. Tellis appeared in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing. According to the Justice Department, Tellis, a senior advisor at the Department of State and a contractor for the Department of Defense, is accused of removing over 1,000 pages of classified documents from government facilities and storing them in his home. The materials reportedly included documents labeled SECRET and TOP SECRET, recovered from filing cabinets, a home office, and trash bags in his basement. Tellis held a Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information access and had been employed by the Depar...

Puerto Rico mother and daughter indicted on forced labor charges; third defendant charged with misprision of a felony

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Puerto Rico mother and daughter indicted on forced labor charges; third defendant charged with misprision of a felony

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The Department of Justice announced a federal grand jury indictment charging Luz Maria Peña Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Peña, 36, both of Carolina, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Peña Lopez is also charged with document servitude, and her husband, Enrique Gutierrez Rivera, 54, a municipal police officer in Carolina, is charged with misprision of a felony. All three were arrested Tuesday morning. According to the indictment, Peña Lopez and Correa Peña allegedly used physical beatings, restraint, threats, isolation, denial of hygiene and medical care, and the provision of drugs or unprescribed medication to compel an intellectually disabled adult woman to panhandle, engage in fraudulent and criminal activities, and per...

Ohio man charged with assaulting federal officer during Cleveland standoff

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Ohio man charged with assaulting federal officer during Cleveland standoff

CLEVELAND, OH – A Cleveland man has been arrested and charged with assaulting a federal officer after allegedly opening fire on U.S. Marshals attempting to execute an arrest warrant. File Photo (August 2025) According to a criminal complaint, on Oct. 15, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, barricaded himself in his apartment for several hours as members of the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Service sought to take him into custody on a prior federal violation. When officers entered the unit, Wiley allegedly fired multiple shots, striking a deputy U.S. Marshal in the arm with a .380 caliber round. The wounded deputy was transported to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover. Wiley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong on Oct. 16 and was ordered to remain in custody...

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton indicted for mishandling classified information

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton indicted for mishandling classified information

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal grand jury has indicted former National Security Advisor John Bolton, 76, of Bethesda, Maryland, on multiple charges related to the mishandling of classified information. According to the Department of Justice, the indictment includes eight counts of transmission of national defense information (NDI) and ten counts of unlawful retention of NDI. Prosecutors allege that Bolton transmitted top-secret information through personal email and messaging accounts and retained additional classified documents in his residence. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “There is one tier of justice for all Americans. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.” FBI Director Kash Pat...

Louisiana man arrested for alleged role in Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attack

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Middle East, U.S.

Louisiana man arrested for alleged role in Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attack

LAFAYETTE, LA – The Department of Justice announced the arrest of Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, 33, a native of Gaza currently residing in Lafayette, Louisiana, for his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. According to court documents, Al-Muhtadi is accused of being an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (DFLP) military wing, known as the National Resistance Brigades. Prosecutors allege that Al-Muhtadi armed himself, recruited others, and entered Israel during the October 7 attack, where his phone was traced near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the communities heavily targeted by Hamas and its affiliates. Al-Muhtadi allegedly falsified information on his U.S. visa application, concealing his connections ...

Sachse police investigating fatal hit-and-run on The Station Boulevard

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Texas

Sachse police investigating fatal hit-and-run on The Station Boulevard

SACHSE, TX – The Sachse Police Department is investigating a fatal hit-and-run that occurred around 7 a.m. on Oct. 23 on The Station Boulevard. Police are asking anyone who was in the area at the time, witnessed the vehicle, or has dashcam footage to contact investigators. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sachse Police Department at 972-495-2271 (option 2).

Man found deceased with burns under overpass in Houston

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Texas

Man found deceased with burns under overpass in Houston

HOUSTON, TX – Houston police are investigating after a man was found deceased beneath the North Loop East overpass late Thursday night. The discovery was made around 10:10 p.m. in the 7600 block of North Loop East (North Interstate Highway 610). According to the Houston Police Department, the man, believed to be between 40 and 50 years old, was found hanging under the middle of the overpass with burns on his body. Houston Fire Department personnel were already on scene when HPD officers arrived. The cause of death will be determined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences following an autopsy. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Trump says federal “surge” of San Francisco crime effort will be paused after mayor’s request

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Trump says federal “surge” of San Francisco crime effort will be paused after mayor’s request

WASHINGTON D.C. – Former President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform that the federal government had prepared to “surge” into San Francisco to address crime, but agreed to delay the action at the request of Mayor Daniel Lurie. According to Trump, the mayor asked “very nicely” for a chance to turn things around, and Trump said he told the mayor he believed the federal effort could be “faster, stronger, and safer.” In his post, Trump said: “The people of San Francisco have come together on fighting crime … Great people like Jensen Huang, Marc Benioff, and others have called saying that the future of San Francisco is great. They want to give it a ‘shot.’ Therefore, we will not surge San Francisco on Saturday. Stay tuned!”