Youth prison employee accused of rape, veteran defrauds airline: Latest legal stories
.jpg "A New York man accused of defrauding a major airline was arrested on a federal wire fraud charge, according to federal prosecutors.")
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Thousands of legal cases reach U.S. courts every year. From accusations of mistreatment in prisons to fraud to sexual abuse and beyond, here are some of the latest from across the country.
Marine veteran fakes deployment, defrauds airline by taking 130 free flights, feds say
In New York, Dior Jay-Jarrett, a Marine Corps veteran, faked deployments to take 130 free flights, defrauding an airline of nearly $70,000, according to federal prosecutors. Jay-Jarrett used falsified military documents to obtain travel benefits, taking flights to various destinations while continuing to work as a military guard and later as a federal air marshal, prosecutors say. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he acknowledged retiring from the Marine Corps without notifying the airline and faking military orders. | Published March 21 | Read More |
Man has kids harvest magic mushrooms, gives them ‘microdoses’ in California, feds say
In California, Randal Vanceused children to harvest psilocybin mushrooms and gave them “microdoses,” according to federal prosecutors. Authorities discovered over 250 pounds of mushrooms and 40 pounds of psilocybin chocolate bars at two locations in San Diego County, prosecutors say. Vance, along with his wife and a friend, were arrested on federal drug trafficking charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. | Published March 21 | Read More |
Man profits off patients’ addictions, pays brokers to lure them to CA clinics, feds say
Casey Mahoney, who ran addiction treatment facilities in California, paid nearly $2.9 million in kickbacks to “body brokers” to recruit patients, federal prosecutors say. Mahoney’s clinics earned $24 million from the scheme, according to prosecutors. He was sentenced to over three years in prison after being convicted of federal charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. | Published March 26 | Read More |
Chinese woman wanting US citizenship is scammed out of $500,000 by fake agent, feds say
In New York, Tommy Aijie Da Silva Weng is accused of scamming a Chinese woman out of $500,000 by posing as a federal law enforcement agent. Weng promised to expedite her green card application under the EB-5 Program, but instead strung her along with lies for eight years federal prosecutors say. He faces charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, and impersonating a federal officer, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. | Published March 24 | Read More |
Prison psychologist raped 17-year-old dozens of times as NY staff made jokes, suit says
A former psychologist at a youth detention center in New York raped a teen during counseling sessions while staff ignored the abuse, according to a federal lawsuit. The woman, Maya Hayes, who’s charged with 65 sex offenses, manipulated and groomed the teen, with staff members joking about the abuse, the lawsuit says. The plaintiff, now an adult, is suing Hayes and other staff accused of enabling the abuse. | Published March 25 | Read More |
Cops dump amputee from wheelchair and shoot him 11 times, killing him, CA suit says
In California, a lawsuit says police officers fatally shot Anthony Lowe, an amputee, 11 times after dumping him from his wheelchair during a mental health crisis. The officers are accused of using unreasonable force instead of attempting nonlethal tactics. The case is set for trial in January 2026, with Lowe’s family seeking justice for his death. | Published March 27 | Read More |
Police chief pooped on floor and spiked office coffee with Adderall, Viagra, NJ cops say
In New Jersey, Police Chief Robert Farley is accused of workplace misconduct, including defecating on the floor and spiking office coffee with drugs, according to legal documents. Several officers have filed claims against Farley over harassment and inappropriate behavior. | Published March 27 | Read More |
McClatchy News continues to follow lawsuits and legal cases from around the country. Check back for more legal stories.