Author: CNN Newsource

By Erin Lowrey, Aubry Killion

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    NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — The federal government has entered new evidence in the fraud case involving indicted former New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and a former NOPD officer, Jeffrey Vappie.

The new filing outlines alleged gifts given to Cantrell by Vappie that the government says she failed to turn over.

Cantrell is facing charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, false statements, obstruction of justice and false declaration before a grand jury.

Vappie is facing conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 12 counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements to authorities.

The indictment against them alleges that in October 2021, Cantrell and Vappie developed a personal relationship and hid that relationship to maximize their time together.

Cantrell and Vappie are accused of exploiting their public positions to develop and implement a scheme to defraud the City of New Orleans.

They are accused of engaging in personal activities while Vappie was paid to be on her security detail.

Alleged gifts:

In the latest court filing, the government introduced two rings believed to be given to Cantrell by Vappie.

The rings include a small diamond ring and Vappie’s gold NOPD ring.

Court documents show that Cantrell was asked to provide all records, including gifts or anything of value, to the government on July 18, 2023, when she was subpoenaed by the grand jury.

The government said Cantrell produced a photograph of a diamond ring, but did not provide information on Vappie’s NOPD ring.

The government provided photographs of Cantrell wearing Vappie’s ring in multiple social media posts, including a post where Cantrell is wearing the ring at her official mayoral portrait reveal before her term ended. The portrait also includes the diamond ring and gold ring.

The government said Vappie was also asked to provide records on any gifts he gave to Cantrell, but did not disclose the rings.

“To date, Vappie nor Cantrell has acknowledged the existence of the golden NOPD ring, nor have they produced any evidence, including photographs, about it in response to the subpoena,” the court filing read.

The government alleges that Cantrell continues to possess these rings, and “chooses to display them prominently and publicly.”

Alleged misuse of campaign funds: Other evidence alleges Cantrell miscued campaign funds for her personal benefit.

According to court records, Cantrell is accused of using campaign funds to purchase alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of New Orleans was under strict restrictions at the time, where public gathering was prohibited.

The government presented 13 instances where Cantrell bought thousands of dollars’ worth of alcohol, including Veuve Clicquot champagne, dozens of bottles of wine, and several cases of beer.

In total, the government alleges that in 2020, Cantrell purchased $8,168.46 worth of alcohol with campaign funds in 2020.

In 2021, Cantrell was accused of buying $1,500.92 worth of alcohol with campaign funds.

According to the government’s filing, an associate within her administration, Associate A, warned her through text messages that she couldn’t use the campaign money for alcohol.

“What is it for? I have to put every purchase in our reporting system … Not sure how any of these qualify,” the messages read.

Text messages showed Cantrell pressuring the associate to find a way to cover the costs.

“And then who should it go to if campaign does not qualify?? I want to make sure that money I am raising is also accommodating me while I am doing this job. Comfort is not a luxury and I am not taking advantage,” Cantrell’s messages read.

The government said in the filing that the Associate who warned her about the misuse of funds was the same person who warned her about her illegal travel with Vappie in her indictment.

The government also introduced text messages outlining improper purchases for clothing and a stylist with Cantrell’s campaign funds.

According to the court filing, Cantrell’s hairstylist became her fashion consultant in 2017.

Cantrell is accused of paying the consultant in three accounts: the stylist’s personal bank account, her stylist’s hair business, and a business account in the name of a consulting business the stylist opened in 2017.

The government said the payments to the stylist continued until the FBI began probing Cantrell’s campaign spending in 2022.

In total, the government claims Cantrell paid the stylist $259,559 in campaign funds, and Cantrell only personally paid her $27,464.

The court filing included text messages between Cantrell and the stylist, where Cantrell admitted she had no money and needed to know how much her campaign owed her for services.

“I do not have any money. My first priority is paying you and me not knowing this was even a thing makes it more of a problem for me,” Cantrell said in the text messages. “Please let me know how much I owe you ASAP for clothes that you purchased.”

The government claims that Cantrell was not only warned by her associate but also attended the Louisiana Ethics Administration Program training specifically about campaign finance disclosures.

“At least as early as 2018, Cantrell knew that campaign funds could not be used to pay for Cantrell’s wardrobe and had to be limited to the stylist’s service,” the government said in the filing.

The government said that for these reasons, the rings and campaign spending should be included in her upcoming trial as evidence.

“The photographs discussed show that Cantrell’s obstruction was knowing, not accidental,” the filing read. “The evidence, including the brazen flaunting by Cantrell of the golden NOPD ring Vappie gave her, all while withholding its existence from the grand jury, is vital to proving the defendant’s intent.”

The new evidence will be discussed in a court hearing on April 21.

WDSU reached out to Cantrell’s attorney, but at the time of this publication, had not received a response.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Lily O’Brien

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — Following weeks of debate over the Wichita Police Department asking to use Capital Improvement Program funds for two robotic dogs, the Wichita City Council has answered WPD’s question.

WPD won’t be getting two robotic dogs — they’ll be getting one.

The device, also referred to as “Spot,” is designed to assist SWAT and bomb squad operations, keeping officers safer while still getting the job done.

With an original $650 thousand request, WPD first asked to have one dog for SWAT and the other for the bomb squad. The single unit approved Tuesday will be mainly designated for the bomb squad, although Mayor Lily Wu was optimistic about its multi-faceted capabilities.

“You can’t put a price tag on human life,” said WPD Chief Joe Sullivan. “This is something that’s seven years old. We didn’t decide that, oh, that looks interesting, that looks sexy, let’s run out and buy it. We sat back, we watched, we talked to people that utilize it.”

WPD’s Captain Jason Cooley presented the issue to the council on Tuesday. He cited various case studies around the nation of other departments that have benefited from the dogs.

Typically, Cooley said, departments are approved for one, recognize a further need, and come back with a request for a second device.

He pointed to population growth, a rise in SWAT calls, and an overall pressing desire to integrate technology for the betterment of the police force.

“Just this weekend, we definitely could have used Spot. We had a very busy weekend. We had a bomb job on Saturday, Easter night, I was out with the troops on a barricade where we definitely could have used it… so we know the need is there,” said Sullivan.

Two robots would’ve cost Wichita a negotiated and discounted price of roughly $629,000. One robot on its own is expected to cost around $330,000.

After one year, warranties for repair on the new tech would cost an additional annual rate of about $28,000, something Cooley says the department is looking to absorb through its software budget.

Some people in the meeting say the city still doesn’t have enough clear policy in place surrounding the new tech.

Councilmember Maggie Ballard, echoed by a couple of other councilmembers, looked to delay the decision even further — until WPD could establish policy and guardrails.

“They’ve had a month to come up with a policy. We don’t have a policy. How are we going to implement these safely when we do not have a policy?” asked one public speaker.

“People want investment in these things. They’re not opposed to them. They want to be a part of the process of building out policy guidelines and understanding the data,” said Joseph Shepard.

Sullivan pushed back, saying robots aren’t new to law enforcement.

“I’m confused about concerns, because we’ve been using robots for 30 years, and this is what we’ve always done, continuously improved those capabilities. I was out there recently… we really could’ve used Spot out here, because we did not have the ability to effectively communicate with our subject,” said Sullivan.

Both Cooley and Sullivan mentioned incidents over the weekend where their current technology was not enough.

Something as simple as walking over obstacles — like a pile of clothes — rendered current robotics useless in the field. Robotic dogs, they said, would streamline movement, processes, and capabilities.

There were also concerns over the cost and whether or not robotic dogs needed to be a priority for a city approaching a new budget after a failed sales tax vote.

Sullivan says no matter the cost, the safety provided by technology is worth it.

“This just isn’t just something that we decided to do. This was approved. We moved it up in the CIP because Captain Cooley had this project ready to go,” said Sullivan.

Another public speaker agreed with the necessity.

“Officers in these two units [SWAT and bomb squad] are examples of all officers dedicated and committed to uphold the oath they took to serve and protect our community. They all deserve the investment of this technology to mitigate the dangers they face,” she said.

As part of the motion to move from two dogs to one, Councilmember Becky Tuttle added an amendment where WPD and the council will reconvene in July with feedback, established policy, and data on robotic dog usage.

At that point, they can talk about if there’s a greater need for the second device.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By KAKE News Staff

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    GREAT BEND, Kansas (KAKE) — Police in central Kansas say a woman and baby were not seriously hurt when a car drove into a pond over the weekend.

The incident happened at around 4:45 p.m. Saturday in the 4700 block of 10th Street in Great Bend, next to Credit Union of America. The police department said on Facebook that 911 callers said a vehicle had left the roadway and was submerged in a pond. Officers and the fire department responded.

They arrived to find the driver and infant passenger already out of the water. Police said a passerby had stopped to help them out of the pond. Other people stopped and assisted until first responders arrived.

GBPD said the woman and baby did not have serious injuries, but they were transported to a local hospital as a precaution.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Danny Mata

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    PEYTON, Colorado (KRDO) — A local family is getting help for their son with Spina Bifida.

Karina Schroeder is a loving mom who does everything she can for her 18-year-old son, Adrian.

Adrian does things a little differently, and he needs help with things like showering. With the family’s bathtub design and Adrian getting bigger, it was tough for Karina to help.

“I’ve fallen. We didn’t have the right shower; not having the proper equipment – medical equipment – that we need,” Karina says. “I had to go to the hospital and get stitches in my head. I got like ten stitches. Adrian, not having the proper shower, he was getting injuries on his feet.”

That’s where Winds of Change Remodeling comes in. President David Thompson partnered with several local businesses and organizations to remodel the bathroom and make it more accessible for Adrian.

KRDO12 spoke to Thompson, who was fighting back tears while talking about the project.

“It’s not if, but when,” Thompson says. “And it’s more of a statement that we’re doing this and we’re gonna figure it out.”

Over the next couple of weeks, they got to work on remodeling. Now, it’s all finished. An easily accessible shower that will make life easier for Adrian and his family.

“I can say thank you a million times,” Karina says. “My heart is bursting with so much gratitude. I’m so thankful for this project; that it’s finally here.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Travers Mackel

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    TERREBONNE PARISH, Louisiana (WDSU) — Oyster farmers in Terrebonne Parish are questioning the state’s decision to reopen bays following a February oil spill, saying oil remains visible in their harvest areas.

At a packed meeting with the Louisiana Oyster Task Force, lifelong oyster farmer Brandon Hebert, who owns Brandon’s Quality Oysters in lower Terrebonne Parish, voiced his concerns to state health leaders.

“The state says they are safe, but I’m not eating them,” said Hebert.

Hebert shared videos of his harvest areas, showing oil still present.

The spill happened at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, about 18 miles offshore, releasing approximately 750 barrels of oil into the Gulf.

State leaders addressed the issue, citing their sampling results, but oystermen at the meeting said more needs to be done to clean up the oil.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Leo Stallworth

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — The family of a 45-year-old man who was shot and killed by Los Angeles officers is demanding answers and releasing a video which they say contradicts what police say lead up to the deadly encounter.

Grief-stricken loved ones of Elias Real released cellphone video that they say captured the moment two LAPD officers opened fire as his back was turned and he appeared to be walking away.

“They shot him from the back, and they kept shooting him after he was down,” his sister, Alejandra Barragan, said during a press conference Tuesday. “It was an execution, that’s what it was.”

The shooting unfolded just after 1 a.m. Friday near 111th Street and Van Buren Avenue in the Westmont area of South Los Angeles.

“At that time, they observed a suspect armed with a handgun. They gave him commands, but he refused to comply, at which point an officer-involved shooting occurred,” Capt. Mike Bland said at the scene just hours after the shooting.

Attorneys for Real’s family say the cellphone video directly contradicts the LAPD’s version of events.

Authorities say officers were responding to reports of a victim struck by gunfire near Vermont Avenue and 115th Street. The shooter was described as a 45-year-old man wearing a black sweater and pants. While canvassing the area, police spotted Real, who they say fit the description of the suspected shooter.

Police claim he was walking along the sidewalk, holding a handgun pointed to his head and that when he turned toward them, officers opened fire.

His fiancée, Patty Venegas, says she was on the phone with him the entire time leading up to the deadly shooting. She said if anything, police misconstrued the phone that was at his ear as a weapon.

“All he told me was ‘I just want you to know whatever happens, I love you, okay, I love you, but they’re gonna kill me.’ I heard the officers in the background saying ‘don’t reach for that weapon, don’t reach for that weapon’… And then I heard five to six shots and I heard him grunting every shot that he got.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Leanne Suter

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Hidden in an undisclosed building is a nonprofit’s secret shop that serves as a haven for sex trafficking survivors in Los Angeles County.

Run by the organization Give-Mentor-Love, the shop offers much more than just a new wardrobe; it is a lifeline for those who have escaped the unimaginable.

For Veronica, it began at just eight years old.

“I thought I was gonna die at least 16, didn’t think I was gonna make it to 20,” she said. “It means a lot to me. I feel like it’s not only saved my life, but it’s helped me find a path.”

Veronica now wants to join the FBI and use her experiences to help others.

GML helps more than 1000 girls a year. A small fraction is trafficked in Southern California.

“It’s so common in all the areas all over L.A. County. It could be in your neighbor’s house, it could be down the street. It’s not just the highly populated areas,” said Ashley Westbrooks with GML.

For 20-year-old Keke, GML’s support was the key to breaking free and getting her life back.

“I was 13 years old and a boy said, ‘Oh you want to make money, yeah, let’s get some money.’ Didn’t know it would be him pimping me out,” Keke said.

The foundation helped with financial support and mental and physical safety.

It builds a sisterhood sanctuary to house female victims between 18 to 21 years old, a time when many have been kicked out of the foster care system. “We want to support them create a sustainable change, rebuilding this life that was taken from them,” said Westbrooks.

GML gives victims, who are often forgotten, the focus and attention they need to thrive.

“It’s like family once you’re in here you’re in here and there’s no leaving,” said Keke.

Last month, thieves raided GML’s warehouse, but the foundation was able to replace most of the items. However, the financial need is great as they work to save as many girls as possible from the streets.

To learn more about Give-Mentor-Love, visit the nonprofit’s website at givementorlove.org.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Pete Cuddihy

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    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KETV) — April is Autism Awareness Month, and one local teenager is showing what’s possible when determination meets the right support.

His name is Noah Houston, and he’s excelling at Iowa Western Community College.

“I’m doing sports media for my major. And I’m also a track and field athlete,” Houston said.

But his success today doesn’t tell the full story of the hurdles he’s overcome.

“When he was diagnosed shortly after 2, it was pretty heavy,” said his mother, Lynn Haver.

Noah’s mom, Lynn Haver, was told her son had autism and might never be able to speak.

“He had patterns and behaviors and things that just weren’t typical,” Haver said.

Not sure what to do, she followed guidance from professionals who recommended early schooling.

“It was monumental in his development. And it’s really six hours a day, four days a week. He was around peer models,” Haver said.

With support from Elkhorn Public Schools and a mindset focused on possibility, Noah pushed past the expectations doctors once set.

“I’m not going to put limits on it. So, if we start talking more, that’s great. If we start driving someday, that’s great. I didn’t say he will never do these things,” Haver said.

Now 18 years old, Noah is doing all of that and more, even discovering a passion along the way when he joined his high school track team.

“Every race, he just kept getting faster and faster and faster,” Haver said.

His success landed him a place in Elkhorn High School’s record books.

“It was 4×4 school record, 3:24.56, and that was set in conference,” Houston said.

Those accomplishments helped earn him a spot on the Iowa Western track team.

“Giving track a try really paid off,” Houston said.

When he’s not running or in class, Noah is gaining hands-on experience in media. He interns on Jimmie Allen’s radio show.

“I basically control the entire show. I work the audio board, and I have to cut out the audio. I have to serve the streams,” Houston said.

Through sports media, he’s looking to use his voice for his career.

“At one time, we were told he wasn’t going to talk. We were unsure if he was going to live on his own,” he said.

Now, Noah continues to prove that expectations are not limitations.

“I’m just kind of watching in awe. The sky is the limit with him,” Haver said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.