‘Stowaway’ sentenced over hiding in Delta flight bathroom & 5 more legal cases
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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.
Veteran faked military awards for government job, feds say. He gets prison in FL
In Jacksonville, Florida, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran was sentenced to three months in prison over making false statements to a federal agency, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. Prosecutors say he fabricated military accolades, including a prestigious combat medal, to secure a government intelligence job and claim disability benefits. The man, who pleaded guilty, also received three years of supervised release and a $2,500 fine, according to prosecutors. | Published May 16 | Read More
Man planned Halloween ‘sex party’ to abuse child, feds say. He’s convicted in FL
In West Palm Beach, Florida, Michael Gordon Douglas, a 48-year-old from Escondido, California, was convicted of distributing child sexual abuse material and attempting to entice a minor for sexual activity, according to federal prosecutors. Douglas, a repeat sex offender, was caught planning a Halloween “sex party” involving a child, which led to a standoff with a SWAT team, prosecutors say. He faces a minimum of 15 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. | Published May 19 | Read More
Deputy, dad of 4, died after explosion at CA shooting range. Now, family sues
In California, the family of Alfredo “Freddy” Flores, who was a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, filed a wrongful death lawsuit after he died from burns sustained in an explosion at a mobile shooting range. The lawsuit accuses Los Angeles County, the sheriff’s department and the range’s manufacturer of negligence, citing unsafe conditions that led to the fire. The family seeks accountability and aims to prevent future tragedies. | Published May 20 | Read More
‘Stowaway’ hid in bathroom of Delta flight, feds say. Now, Texas man sentenced
In Utah, a Texas man was sentenced to six months of time served for attempting to fly to Austin from Salt Lake City without a boarding pass by hiding in a Delta Air Lines plane bathroom, federal prosecutors say. The man, who pleaded guilty, was caught after the flight crew noticed him, according to court documents. He was fined $5,000 and also sentenced to three years of supervised release, prosecutors say. | Published May 21 | Read More
Girls confined to ‘box’ if they fought sex abuse at FL youth center, suit says
In Santa Rosa County, Florida, a lawsuit filed by five women says they were subjected to sexual abuse and harsh punishment at the now-closed Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility. The lawsuit accuses staff of confining girls who resisted abuse to a small, cement room known as the “box.” The suit seeks justice for the survivors and aims to expose systemic failures in the juvenile justice system. | Published May 22 | Read More
‘Fisherman frustrated with dolphins shot and poisoned them in Florida, feds say’
In Florida, Zackery Brandon Barfield, a Panama City commercial fisherman, was sentenced to 30 days in prison over shooting and poisoning bottlenose dolphins, according to federal prosecutors. Barfield, frustrated with dolphins eating snapper caught by his clients, used a toxic pesticide to poison the dolphins and shot them during fishing trips, including in front of children, prosecutors say. He was fined $51,000 and sentenced to one year of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. | Published May 23 | Read More
McClatchy News continues to follow lawsuits and legal cases from around the country. Check back for more legal stories.