Fredericksburg Crime News (2024)

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Wellsville man accused of giving drugs to Pharaoh's witness faces new charges

A new indictment has added two kidnapping and six witness tampering charges against an Allegany County man under federal investigation since a government witness in the Pharaoh’s strip club case turned up dead in his home.

Prosecutors say Wellsville man tampered with government witnesses

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Cooper told a judge that his office intends to file witness tampering charges against Simon P. Gogolack 39, of Wellsville.

Wellsville man accused of giving drugs to Pharaoh's witness who died

A Southern Tier man with a history of drug-related charges has become entangled in the FBI’s probe into the death of a government witness in the Pharaoh’s strip club case.

Witness who died was under 'extreme pressure' to testify against strip club owner, her mom says

The FBI is investigating the Aug. 1 death of Crystal Quinn, 37, at a friend's home in the Allegany County Village of Wellsville.

FBI raids house while investigating death of witness against strip club owner

FBI agents executed a search warrant at an Allegany County home last week while investigating the death of a former exotic dancer who was going to testify as a prosecution witness at the trial of strip club owner Peter Gerace Jr.

Indicted ex-DEA agent restless for trial as co-defendant searches for new lawyer

Four years into wearing an ankle bracelet as an indicted ex-DEA agent, Joseph Bongiovanni now fears it could take well into a fifth year before he can try to clear his name in a courtroom.

Key witness in high-profile sex, drug-trafficking trial is dead

A key witness in the bribery, sex- and drug-trafficking trial of strip club owner Peter G. Gerace Jr. has died, underscoring the risks of any more delays in his trial, a federal prosecutor said at a court proceeding Friday.

Strip club owner fires lawyer over defense strategy in bribery, sex- and drug-trafficking case

    U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo, whose approval would be necessary to discharge Steven M. Cohen from the case, asked for affidavits from Cohen or his client Peter Gerace within a week.He said he would decide how to proceed after learning more about their differences.

    Defense lawyer opposes gag order in Gerace sex-trafficking case

      Steven M. Cohen contended in a court filing Friday, based on his consultant's calculation, that 97% of the newspaper coverage of the case "besmirches, condemns and slams Mr. Gerace."

      Warren County, Pa., to improve jail security after escape; fugitive still at large

        Officials in Warren County, Pa., announced plans Wednesday to improve security at the county jail in the wake of an escape nearly a week ago of Michael Burham, 34, a man with ties to the Jamestown area who is a suspect in a homicide.

        Search continues for homicide suspect who escaped Pennsylvania jail

          Police in Pennsylvania piled on the resources Monday as they spent a fourth straight day searching for a jail escapee with ties to the Jamestown area who is a suspect in a homicide.

          Jamestown residents warned to lock doors as search for escaped homicide suspect continues

            Jamestown police warned residents Friday morning to "lock their doors and stay vigilant" after Michael C. Burham, a suspect in the homicide of a woman in May and kidnapping of an elderly couple, escaped from jail in Warren County, Pa.

            New trial date set for strip club owner, ex-DEA agent in bribery, sex- and drug-trafficking case

              During a court proceeding Friday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardocharacterized the new trial start date as "cast in stone."

              Fearing a 'carnival-like' trial, prosecutors seek gag order in Gerace sex-trafficking case

                The government called the gag order necessary, saying that Steven M. Cohen, the lawyer for Peter Gerace Jr., the owner of Pharaoh’s Gentlemen’s Club in Cheektowaga, keeps making comments to the local media.

                Judge recuses himself from strip club owner case after voicing suspicion of legal 'gamesmanship'

                U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. recused himself Wednesday from a high-profile bribery, sex- and drug-trafficking case less than two months before the scheduled start of the trial for the strip club owner and former DEA agent facing the charges.

                Strip club owner accused of drug and sex trafficking faces additional $2 million Covid fraud counts

                Peter Gerace Jr. now faces fresh charges that he defrauded the government of $2 million in Covid aid forPharaoh's Gentlemen's Clubin what is considered to be one of the largest Covid fraud cases in Western New York.

                Prosecutor calls late Judge Michalski 'unindicted co-conspirator' in Gerace sex-trafficking case

                Federal prosecutors claim strip club owner Peter G. Gerace Jr. arranged sex for John L. Michalski, a State Supreme Court justice who later died by suicide, and gained judicial favors from him.

                How well do police forces represent racial makeup of their communities? | Behind the Headlines podcast

                🎧 Reporter Karen Robinson-Jacobs discusses the racial makeup of police departments in relation to the communities they serve.

                Jamestown man sought in homicide captured in South Carolina

                Authorities in South Carolina have capturedMichael C. Burham, the man being sought in connection with the May 11 homicide of a Jamestown woman, according to the FBI field office in Columbia.

                Statute of limitations creates roadblock in Susan Negersmith case | Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles podcast

                Listen to the final chapter of Late Edition: Crime Beat Chronicles that examines the circ*mstances surrounding a death in a New Jersey resort town.

                Man sentenced to 20 years for entering home, shooting

                A Fredericksburg man who shot two people after entering their home while wearing a mask in 2021 was ordered Monday to serve 20 years in prison.

                Man sentenced for downtown shooting

                A man who fired shots after having his jaw broken during an altercation in downtown Fredericksburg in 2021 was ordered Monday to serve six months in prison.

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                Multistate manhunt underway for Jamestown man

                Authorities have said Michael Burham should be considered armed and dangerous and that members of the public should not attempt to make contact with him.

                Pedestrian hit, killed on I-95 in Spotsylvania

                A portion of Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania was closed for nearly three hours Friday morning after a pedestrian was struck and killed as part of a multi-vehicle crash, police said.

                Police: Two found dead in Caroline home

                Police said they believe a Caroline County man shot a woman to death before killing himself Friday morning in their home.

                Police: Sixth grader brought loaded gun to Spotsylvania school

                A loaded handgun was recovered from a student Friday at Chancellor Middle School in Spotsylvania, police said.

                Police: Trio arrested on fraud charges in Stafford County

                Three Richmond area residents were arrested on multiple fraud-related charges Tuesday in Stafford after a 23-year-old suspect tried to pass herself off as a 52-year-old woman, police said.

                Two Orange County residents die in separate crashes

                Two Orange County residents were killed this week in separate crashes, according to Virginia State Police.

                Confounded family of King George man wants to know how relative died

                James Antonio Johnson died April 15 following a traffic accident in King George County.

                Appointment of new Bongiovanni defense lawyers prompts delay of high-profile trial

                Robert C. Singer and Parker R. MacKay on Wednesday took charge of Joseph Bongiovanni's defense in the bribery trial.They will have 89 days to prepare.

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