Month: January 2020

Bridgeport News: School Threats

#Bridgeport CT–The Bridgeport Police were contacted by a school official Thursday 1/2/20 at approximately 7:00 am regarding a principal who was notified by a student, about a threatening post that allegedly was sent to several students via Snapchat.  The threat posted on social media (Snapchat) was directed at several city schools.   Upon reviewing the information Bridgeport Police SRO’s, specifically Officer Rondell Jones and Officer Thiago Reaes conducted a swift and extensive investigation under the direction of Sgt. Marlon Campo, with assistance from Sgt. Angelo Collazo.

The investigation spanned over two days, resulting in a juvenile being identified as a potential suspect on Friday 1/3/2020.  During this investigation, Police were able to identify the address of the suspect and after arriving at the suspect’s residency today, with the juvenile’s parents present, he quickly confessed to being responsible for the threatening post. The juvenile stated it was not meant to be serious; only an attempt to get out of going to school.

The juvenile student was charged with, Threatening First and Breach of Peace. The student was released into the custody of his parents. This investigation will continue to determine if any other students were involved.

Bridgeport Police would like to emphasis that immediate police presence was put into place around all schools as a precaution when the original threat surfaced.  Any and all such threats are taken very seriously by public safety officers in the City of Bridgeport.     Captain Porter who oversees the School Resource Officers and Community Services Division of the Bridgeport Police Department advised, “The seriousness of such actions increases anxiety in students, and the disruptions it causes not only occurs within the schools, but increases the police officers responsibilities to keep our residents safe.”

 

Westport News: Fraudulent Check Charges

#Westport CT– On Monday December 23, 2019 at approximately 4:11pm, officers responded to TD Bank, located at 185 Main Street, on a complaint of a female customer attempting to cash a fraudulent check in the amount of $988.00. Bank employees further reported that prior to this attempt, the bank had received a fraud alert email advising that this same female accompanied two other males had been involved in recent fraudulent activity in neighboring jurisdictions earlier that day. This informational message reported the suspects were traveling in a silver sport utility vehicle.

Upon officers’ arrival, the female suspect, later identified as Tanika Smith, was at the counter and was detained while the matter was further investigated. It was ultimately determined that the check that Smith was attempting to cash was a forgery and that the account from which she was attempting to draw funds did not exist. Other responding officers located a vehicle parked in the area that was occupied by two subjects which matched the description provided in the bank’s internal fraud alert message. Through investigation, officers were able to confirm that this vehicle and its two occupants, identified as Tavares Civers and Eric Robinson, were connected with Smith and that the three had presumably been working together. In the course of this investigation, a credit card was found to be in the possession of Civers which did not belong to him. Both Civers and Robinson were also found to be in possession of cash, consistent with making prior successful transactions.

Based on the investigation, all three individuals were taken into custody and transported to police headquarters for processing. Tanika Smith was charged with 53a-48(53a- 125a) Conspiracy to Commit Larceny in the Fifth Degree, 53a-49(53a-125a) Criminal Attempt at Larceny in the Fifth Degree and 53a-140 Forgery in the Third Degree. Her bond was set at $5000.00. Eric Robinson was charged with 53a-48(53a-125a) Conspiracy to Commit Larceny Fifth Degree and 53a-48(53a-140) Conspiracy to Commit Forgery Third Degree. His bond was set at $2,500.00. Tavares Civers was charged with 53a-48(53a-125a) Conspiracy to Commit Larceny Fifth Degree, 53a-48(53a-140) Conspiracy to Commit Forgery Third Degree and 53a- 128c Payment Card Theft. His bond was set at $5,000.00.

 

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Blumenthal On Iraq Airstrike

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) posted the following tweets after American airstrikes killed Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps:

Trump Admin owes a full explanation of airstrike reports—all the facts—to Congress & the American people. The present authorizations for use of military force in no way cover starting a possible new war. This step could bring the most consequential military confrontation in decades.

 

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Bridgeport News: Carjacking

2020-1-2@8:00am–#Bridgeport CT– Bridgeport police said that at Approximately 8am this morning a vehicle was stolen allegedly at gunpoint from the 400 block of Wells Street. No injuries were sustained by the victim. Victim reports he was warming up his car when an individual made entry and left with the vehicle. Bridgeport PD advises the public to deter from warming up their vehicles when no one is present.

 

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Westport News: Threatening

On Wednesday December 18, 2019 at approximately 4:01pm, a resident came to police headquarters to report that she had received a letter in her mailbox which she construed as threatening in nature. The victim reported that the letter had apparently been hand delivered, as it was not postmarked, and alleged that it had been signed by Scott Fishoff. An investigation into the complaint was subsequently conducted in which Fishoff was interviewed. In the course of that interview, he reportedly did admit to delivering the letter to the victim’s residence. An arrest warrant was subsequently applied for and granted for him in connection with this incident.

On the evening of Friday December 27, 2019, Fishoff responded to police headquarters to turn himself in relative to this outstanding warrant. He was charged with 53a-183 Harassment in the Second Degree per the warrant. He was released after signing a written promise to appear in court. He is scheduled to be arraigned on this charge at Norwalk Superior Court at 9:30am on the morning of Thursday January 9, 2020.

 

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Blumenthal Wants Action On YouTube Influencers

WASHINGTON, D.C –In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman, Joseph Simons, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) urged the agency to take immediate, aggressive action against YouTube influencers who are deceptively and unfairly advertising to children as young as two years old through their content. Led by Blumenthal, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Representative Anna Eshoo (D- Calif.).

 

“The popularity of YouTube with children has created a new generation of child-directed “online influencers,” video channels starring kids and young adults who play, live their lives, and review toys with their friends and family for millions of viewers. What parents may not see is that many of these channels are little more than hidden advertisements for toymakers, movies, and fast food,” wrote Blumenthal.

 

As advertisers spend tens of thousands of dollars per paid post and video on popular YouTube channels, marketing to children by online influencers has become a booming field bringing in tens of millions in endorsements. Eager to exploit this new social media gold rush, many advertisers and sponsors have thrown basic ethics and the law out the window, disregarding even the minimal standards adopted to protect children.

 

A study by ad watchdog group, truthinadvertising.org (TINA.org) found that the popular “kidfluencer” YouTube channel Ryan ToysReview, who pulled in an estimated $22 million in earnings for 2018, referenced at least one product recommended for children under the age of five in nearly 90 percent of videos reviewed. While some videos did disclose a sponsorship, an overwhelming majority did not.

 

“Despite repeated attempts by the FTC to inform, warn, and persuade online influencers, so far little has changed to protect children and parents. Even prominent child-directed channels have ignored clear warnings and continue to flout the law. Without real action from the FTC, this manipulative behavior will continue,” Blumenthal added.

 

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