Category: Law Enforcement

War Memorial in Lawrenceville PA Vandalized Overnight


Pittsburgh Police from Zone 2 responded to reports of vandalism at the War Memorial at Doughboy Square at the junction of Butler Street and Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville before 8:00 a.m.

Officers found the memorial splashed with red paint and scrawled with indeterminate messages. 

People who KDKA talked to say they’re hurt and disgusted by the act of vandalism on a day when we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

“It’s just so sad,” Duane Rieder, a Pittsburgh resident, said. “What is your message? Why would you do something like this to this incredible piece?”

The monument, known as “The Doughboy War Memorial,” honors those who served in World War I, but is also in memory to all military members who have sacrificed it all.

“Everybody knows it for where it is. The corner here where Butler comes into here with Penn,” said Rieder.

Police are reviewing all available video footage. Arrangements are being made to have the memorial cleaned.

“Vandalizing a memorial on any day is wrong, but it is incomprehensible to vandalize this memorial on a day in which we honor those who served and gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today. Pittsburgh Police will vigorously investigate this crime, “Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police immediately at (412) 323-7800.

Pittsburghpa.Gov; CBS-Pittsburgh (May 2020) War Memorial in Lawrenceville Vandalized Overnight;‘Whoever Did This. Please Leave.’: Mayor Peduto Responds After WWI Monument Vandalized With Mysterious Message On Memorial Day

ICE responds to recent media coverage regarding family residential centers


On April 24, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was directed by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California to make every effort to promptly and safely release juvenile aliens who have suitable custodians and who are not a flight risk or a danger to themselves or others.

The court recognized that parents, not the government, should decide whether the juvenile should be released to a sponsor.

To comply with this order, ICE was required to check with each of the juveniles – and their parents – in custody at family residential centers (FRCs) to make individual parole determinations with respect to those juveniles.

To comply with the court-ordered deadline of May 15, ICE again interviewed nearly 300 individuals at the FRCs using a form developed almost three years ago to comply with another order from the same court.

This form, which has been recently circulating in media outlets, was submitted to the court December 1, 2017, and has since been available as part of the court’s public record.

This process is not new, and ICE has continually complied with the court’s order to conduct parole reviews of minors.

Despite misrepresentations, this form is nothing more than an internal worksheet used to document answers to questions regarding parole. In compliance with the judge’s order last week, some officers asked the individuals to initial or sign at the bottom of each page to verify that these were in fact their responses.

It is not a legally binding document and does not convey any legal implications on the family unit.

ICE continues to explore all options to ensure it acts in compliance with the court’s order which applies only to juvenile aliens, and not to their parents.

Parole can be denied based on flight risk or danger to self or others. Further, the court recognized that ICE need not release juvenile aliens whose parents waive their court-ordered option to be released to a sponsor.

This court-ordered option has been incorrectly reported as a change in policy. This is simply false. ICE has merely been conducting routine parole review consistent with the law, existing practice, and the court’s order.

ICE does not maintain custody of unaccompanied minors but does house family units (minors and their parent or legal guardian) at one of three FRCs.

ICE’s custodial determinations are conducted pursuant to its statutory and regulatory authorities, and in compliance with U.S. Department of Homeland Security and ICE policies and binding decisions from federal courts, including the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California’s most recent decision in Flores v. Barr, No. 85-4544 (C.D. Cal. Apr. 24, 2020).

Family units who come into ICE custody at an FRC and who pass an initial credible fear interview are generally released from custody in fewer than 20 days.

Consistent with President Trump’s executive order dated June 20, 2018, it is the policy of the administration to maintain family unity, including by detaining alien families together where appropriate and consistent with the law and available resources.

ICE adheres to the laws enacted by Congress and to decisions issued by federal courts with respect to the care and custody of minor children and family units.

As of May 19, 348 individuals are housed at FRCs.

ICE.gov (May 2020) ICE responds to recent media coverage regarding family residential centers

Death & Vehicle Fire Investigation- Harker Heights


The Harker Heights Police Department has identified the victim of the death investigation as 27-year-old United States Army PFC Brandon Rosecrans, of Fort Hood, Texas.

Preliminary investigation suggests that Mr. Rosecrans died from a gunshot wound and his death is now being investigated as a murder.

“Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan McLane and I would like to express our deepest regrets to the family and loved ones of Pfc. Brandon Rosecrans. The thoughts and prayers of the Soldiers of 215th Brigade Support Battalion and the Greywolf Brigade are with them during this difficult time,” said Col. Kevin Capra, Commander, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team.

Private First Class Rosecrans of Kimberling City, Missouri, first enlisted in the United States Army in May 2018. He received Advanced Individual Training as a Quartermaster and Chemical Equipment Repairer (91J) before being assigned to his first duty station in November 2018 at Fort Hood with the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. Rosencrans is the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

The vehicle fire reported on May 18, 2020 is confirmed to belong to Mr. Rosecrans. The vehicle was a 2016 Jeep Renegade orange in color. The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Harker Heights Fire Marshal.

The murder and arson investigation will run concurrently by the Harker Heights Police and Fire Departments.

The Harker Heights Police Criminal Investigation Division is asking anyone with information about this murder to contact them at 254-953-5400.

Individuals may also provide information to Crime Stoppers at 254-526-TIPS (8477) or go online at www.bellcountycrimestoppers.com. 

All information is confidential and anonymous and if your tip leads to the arrest of the person(s) responsible, you could be eligible to receive a reward up to $1,000 in cash.

Harker Heights Police Department (May 2020) UPDATE: Death & Vehicle Fire Investigation- Harker Heights

$1 Million Reward Offered for Information Leading to the Return of Paul Edwin Overby, Jr.


This month marks the sixth anniversary of the disappearance of Paul Edwin Overby, Jr. from Afghanistan. In mid-May 2014, Paul Edwin Overby, Jr., an American writer, disappeared in Khost Province, Afghanistan, where he was conducting research on a self-authored book.

Prior to his disappearance, Overby suggested that he planned to cross the border into Pakistan in furtherance of his research.

In May 2018, the FBI Washington Field Office announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading directly to the safe location, recovery, and return of Paul Edwin Overby, Jr.

The reward remains unclaimed.

The FBI is dedicated to locating American citizens overseas and returning them home to their families.

“This past Friday, we mark the anniversary of the disappearance of Mr. Overby and renew our public call for information,” said Timothy R. Slater, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “Paul Overby went missing along the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2014 while researching for his book about the Afghan people, and he has not been heard from since. For six years, dedicated FBI special agents and analysts have been working tirelessly to determine Mr. Overby’s whereabouts and return him to his family. Our pursuit of justice will not end until Mr. Overby has returned home to the U.S. and his loved ones. We ask anyone with information to please contact the FBI.”

We encourage anyone with information concerning the kidnapping of Paul Edwin Overby, Jr. to contact the FBI or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.

Tips can be kept strictly confidential.

FBI.gov (May 2020) $1 Million Reward Offered for Information Leading to the Return of Paul Edwin Overby, Jr.

Pittsburgh CBP Seizes Counterfeit and Potentially Harmful Cat and Dog Flea Collars


You wouldn’t feed your family dog or cat cheap animal food, so would you protect them with cheap, counterfeit flea collars?

During the past two weeks, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Pittsburgh have seized 13 international parcels that consisted of a combined 31 cat and 27 dog flea collars under the Bayer Seresto brand name.

The collars were counterfeit.

Veterinarians warn pet owners against purchasing counterfeit flea collars because the fake collars may not protect your pet, they may consist of harmful ingredients that may sicken your pet, or they may cause chemical burns or hair loss.

CBP officers began detaining the shipments in mid-April and then confirmed with the trademark holder that the products were counterfeit. The last of the 13 parcels were seized through Sunday. The shipments, which arrived from China and Hong Kong, were destined to addresses in Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland Counties in southwestern Pennsylvania.

If genuine, the flea collars would have had a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of more than $3,500.

“Caveat emptor; buyer beware. If the price seems to be too good, then the product likely isn’t too good, and it can be downright harmful,” said Kathleen Killian Schafer, CBP’s Acting Port Director for the Port of Pittsburgh. “Consumers should be aware that counterfeit goods pose a serious health and safety threat and should protect their families and their pets by purchasing safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.”

CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program.

Importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the U.S. economy, and threaten the health and safety of the American people.

On a typical day in 2019, CBP officers seized $4.3 million worth of products with Intellectual Property Rights violations.

Learn more about what CBP did during “A Typical Day” in 2019.

CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents seized 27,599 shipments containing counterfeit goods in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. The decrease from 33,810 seizures in FY 2018 can be attributed to the challenges at the Southern border and the one-month government shutdown.

However, the total estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods, had they been genuine, increased to over $1.5 billion from nearly $1.4 billion in FY 2018.

E- Commerce sales have contributed to large volumes of low-value packages imported into the United States. In FY 2019, there were 144 million express shipments and 463 million international mail shipments. Over 90 percent of all intellectual property seizures occur in the international mail and express environments

The People’s Republic of China (mainland China and Hong Kong) remained the primary source economy for seized counterfeit and pirated goods, accounting for 83 percent of all IPR seizures and 92 percent of the estimated MSRP value of all IPR seizures.

Read CBP’s Intellectual Property Seizure Report for Fiscal Year 2019 for more IPR stats and analysis.

CBP’s border security mission is led at ports of entry by CBP officers from the Office of Field Operations.  Please visit CBP Ports of Entry to learn more about how CBP’s Office of Field Operations secures our nation’s borders. Learn more about CBP at www.CBP.gov.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Baltimore Field Office on Twitter at @DFOBaltimore and on Instagram at @dfobaltimore for breaking news, current events, human-interest stories and photos.

CBP.gov (May 2020) Pittsburgh CBP Seizes Counterfeit and Potentially Harmful Cat and Dog Flea Collars