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Leader of L.A. gang's crack trafficking ring sentenced to 14 years in prison

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

One of the leaders of a notorious gang in South Los Angeles has been sentenced to prison for leading a crack cocaine trafficking ring in the Watts area, the United States Department of Justice announced Friday.Damion Baker, 46, of L.A., was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for leading an operation that manufactured and distributed crack cocaine around the gang's territory in the Nickerson Gardens public housing projects in Watts.In February, Baker pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine, as well as one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Leader of L.A.-based gang sentenced to 16 years in prison Baker was the lead defendant in an indictment targeting the gang, which is associated with the Bloods. He's been in custody since his arrest in April 2021 as part of the case.According to the DOJ, from August 2019 to May 2020, Baker organized and led the drug trafficking operation, distributing cocaine throughout the gang terr...

Oakland man pleads guilty to trying to illegally export guns, rifle scopes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

OAKLAND – A 40-year-old Oakland man is facing up to 20 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to trying to illegally export guns and night vision rifle scopes to the Sultanate of Oman, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | East Bay man charged with murdering his grandmother Crime and Public Safety | Defense lawyers say retired police officer who held Pleasant Hill cops at bay during two standoffs ‘did not intend to kill anyone’ Crime and Public Safety | Suspect arrested in killing of Oakland rapper outside nightclub, was on federal probation for gun conviction at the time of shooting Crime and Public Safety | Alameda reaches settlements with Mario Gonzalez’s estate, mother Crime and Public Safety | After plea deal, man has been convicted of pimping in both Contra Costa and Alameda Counties Fares Abdo Al Eyani admitted in a plea agre...

Lawsuit: Saint Mary's College rape victim shamed as 'bad girl,' silenced by school

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

(KRON) – A former Saint Mary's College of California student is accusing school officials of negligence, covering up a rape on campus, and victim-shaming her as a "bad girl." The woman, identified in a new civil lawsuit as "Jane Doe," said she was a freshman at St. Mary's College when she was raped by another student in September of 2000. Her roommate drove her to a hospital and police were alerted. According to the lawsuit, then-college president Brother Craig Franz chastised the rape victim for drinking and "having sex," both which broke St. Mary's rules. The small Catholic school is located in the town of Moraga in Contra Costa County. Franz warned Jane Doe that breaking rules would put her full scholarship on the line and he pressured her to stop cooperating with police for the investigation, the lawsuit claims. Franz also allegedly insisted that the victim allow the school to handle the investigation, not the police. She complied out of fear, the suit states. Attorney Jessica D...

'Suspicious death' in Walnut Creek ruled a homicide

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

(KRON) -- A "suspicious death" in Walnut Creek that was first investigated by police on Nov. 27 is now being ruled as a homicide, the Walnut Creek Police Department announced on Friday. Officers were called to the scene in the area of 1900 Camino Verde Circle around 3:09 p.m. to investigate a suspicious death.WCPD did not release the identity of the victim, but the next of kin was notified. The law enforcement agency did not release information about any potential suspect(s) or the circumstances of the homicide. Series of violent robberies leaves Walnut Creek residents on edge No other information is available at this time. WCPD says anyone with information about this case is asked to contact Detective Nick Olsen via email at [email protected] or call the anonymous tip line at 925-943-5865. Last week, two people were robbed at gunpoint in downtown Walnut Creek on the night of Dec. 5. Around 7:36 p.m., WCPD responded to the report of a robbery on the 1500 block of Bonanza Str...

Kreider scores twice, Quick makes 29 saves to help Rangers beat Ducks 5-1

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Kreider scored twice to move into third place on New York’s career goals list, Jonathan Quick made 29 saves to continue his stellar start and the Rangers beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 on Friday night.After Jimmy Vesey broke a tie with 8:15 left in the second with his seventh goal, Kreider tipped the puck past Lukas Dostal on a power play for his second of the game and 16th of the season to make it 3-1 with 3:41 left in the period.The 32-year-old Kreider has 281 goals — 100 on the power play — to move past Adam Graves on the franchise list. Only Hall of Famers Rod Gilbert (406) and Jean Ratelle (336) have more. “It’s hard to talk about it postgame right now, especially since we have a game tomorrow,” Kreider said when asked about moving past the rugged Graves, a Rangers cornerstone when they won the Stanley Cup in 1994. “I’m happy with the result tonight.”The Rangers are 20-7-1, with a showdown set for Saturday night in Boston against the Ea...

Heiskanen and Duchene rally Stars past Senators after Oettinger departs with lower-body injury

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — Miro Heiskanen and Matt Duchene scored 44 seconds apart in the third period, and Dallas beat the short-handed Ottawa Senators 5-4 on Friday night after Stars goalie Jake Oettinger departed with a lower-body injury.Joe Pavelski, Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley also scored for Dallas, which trailed 4-2 midway through the second. Oettinger left eight minutes into the game. He was replaced by Scott Wedgewood, who stopped 25 of 27 shots and improved to 6-1-1.Drake Batherson scored two goals for Ottawa, and Jakob Chychrun had three assists. Josh Norris and Travis Hamonic also scored.Senators goalie Anton Forsberg made 19 saves in his 10th start of the season.Ottawa played without veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who was scheduled for his 700th career NHL game. The team said Tarasenko was attending to a family matter.Tarasenko’s replacement, Rourke Chartier, left after two periods with an upper-body injury after fellow forward Mathieu Joseph departed after the first period w...

Eastern Conference-leading Bruins rally to beat Islanders 5-4 in shootout

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — David Pastrnak scored in the third round of a shootout to give the Boston Bruins a 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday night.Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, James van Reimsdyk and Mason Lohrei scored in regulation, with Lohrei tying it with 3:09 left on a bank shot from behind the goal line. Linus Ullmark made 34 saves to help Eastern Conference-leading Boston improve to 19-5-4.Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat, Alexander Romanov and Simon Holmstrom scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves. New York had won four in a row.Following a wide-open overtime session in which the teams traded chances, Charlie Coyle and Pastrnak scored in the shootout for Boston, while Holmstrom scored for the Islanders.RANGERS 5, DUCKS 1NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Kreider scored twice to move into third place on New York’s career goals list, Jonathan Quick made 28 saves to continue his stellar start and the Rangers beat Anaheim.After Jimmy Vesey broke a 1-1 tie with 8:15 left in the second ...

Beal leaves game with ankle injury, another blow for Suns’ trio of All-Stars

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal injured his right ankle during the first quarter of Friday night’s game against the New York Knicks and won’t return, according to the team.It’s another blow for the Suns’ All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Beal, which has played together for just one other game this season, and that was in Wednesday night’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets.The 30-year-old Beal took a 3-point shot in the first quarter, which he made, but he landed on the foot of New York’s Donte DiVincenzo, who was called for a Flagrant 1 because he didn’t allow Beal a space to land. Beal was on the ground for a few minutes, writhing in pain. He eventually got up to make his free throw, but then went to the locker room.The three-time All-Star was playing in just his sixth game this season. He has dealt with a sore back for much of the past two months. Durant and Booker have also missed time this season with various injurie...

Dillon Brooks scores 26, keys rally in 2nd half as Rockets defeat Grizzlies 103-96

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Dillon Brooks scored 24 of his 26 points in the second half as the Houston Rockets overcame an early double-digit deficit and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 103-96 on Friday night.Brooks, who was making his return to Memphis after being traded to Houston in the offseason after six seasons with the Grizzlies, was 1 of 9 in the first half. He keyed a second-half comeback and hit a 3-pointer with 39.4 seconds left for a 99-94 lead as the Rockets won their fifth straight. He also stole an inbounds pass later, sealing the Houston win.Fred VanVleet had 16 points and eight assists for Houston, and Alperen Sengun finished with 15 points.Desmond Bane led Memphis with 28 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 22 points and four blocks as Memphis dropped to 1-10 at home.The Rockets had won the first two games in the season series, including a 117-104 defeat of Memphis on Wednesday night in Houston. This time, Memphis jumped to a 17-point lead in...

David Pastrnak scores shootout winner, Bruins beat Islanders 5-4

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:52 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — David Pastrnak scored in the third round of a shootout to give the Boston Bruins a 5-4 victory over the New York Islanders on Friday night.Pastrnak, Morgan Geekie, James van Reimsdyk and Mason Lohrei scored in regulation, with Lohrei tying it with 3:09 left on a bank shot from behind the goal line. Linus Ullmark made 34 saves to help Eastern Conference-leading Boston improve to 19-5-4.Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat, Alexander Romanov and Simon Holmstrom scored for New York and Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves. New York had won four in a row.Following a wide-open overtime session in which the teams traded chances, Charlie Coyle and Pastrnak scored in the shootout for Boston, while Holmstrom scored for the Islanders.Horvat gave the Islanders a 3-2 lead on a power play goal at 5:06 of third that extended his points streak to nine games.It appeared as if Brad Marchand tied it with 10:21 remaining, but a video review showed the Boston captain punched the puck past Sorokin while laying...