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Tow Truck Driver Allegedly Targets Couple To Steal Their Transferring Automotive In Broad Daylight

Daily SF News — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 11:06:47 +0000

A tow truck driver allegedly targeted a Northern California couple by attempting to steal their car as they were stopped at a traffic light in downtown San Francisco, video footage appears to show.

Joanne, who only gave ABC7 News her first name, and her husband were reportedly driving through downtown San Francisco running errands on the morning of April 9, 2024, before the interaction occurred. As the couple stopped at a traffic light, they noticed a yellow specialty tow truck approaching near them as they sat in their silver 2017 Toyota Corolla, according to the outlet.

The couple initially believed the truck driver was heading toward a nearby Waymo autonomous vehicle; However, according to the outlet, he began reversing toward the couple, lowering the vehicle's lever as he did so. (RELATED: San Francisco Can't Seem to Get Rid of Its Poop Problem Despite Spending Millions on Public Toilets)

“We were at a stoplight minding our own business,” Joanne told the outlet. “It came from the side. I thought he was turning right. It started in reverse and all the lights came on. That’s when we thought, ‘Hey, something’s really wrong.’ His lever fell down.”

Video footage of the incident was posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), showing the moment the yellow tow truck appears to attempt to cling to Joanne's car by reversing. The bystander who recorded the video could be heard screaming, “What the hell are you doing?” at the tow truck, as Joanne could faintly be heard also trying to yell at the tow truck driver.

This woman and her husband were stopped at a traffic light at Montgomery & Bush yesterday morning when a tow truck came out of nowhere and tried to hook up to their Toyota!

I spoke to Joanne today who says her car is paid off, she's paid off her registration and doesn't understand why her car was targeted. … pic.twitter.com/6p2z0yBEfg

— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) April 11, 2024

When the light turned green, the tow truck failed to move forward, trapping the couple, according to the outlet.

“We freaked out. “The first instinct was to get away,” Joanne told ABC7 News.

However, a black sedan was seen reversing directly behind the couple's Toyota, giving the couple room to avoid the tow truck and escape down the street. The tow truck then followed the couple's car for several blocks, Joanne claimed, the outlet reported.

San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced in February that Auto Towing and several related individuals and companies, including Specialty Towing, were suspended and barred from bidding on or receiving city contracts, according to a press release. The towing companies were suspended by authorities for “illegally towing vulnerable people's cars from a private commercial parking lot, limiting vehicle pickup times and pressuring vehicle owners to pay in cash.”

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San Francisco Cops Chase Man Who Allegedly Set Off Bombs

Daily SF News — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 09:18:00 +0000

A disturbance at one of San Francisco’s most famous churches Sunday evening led police on a chaotic chase that allegedly involved a man setting off a pipe bomb and tossing a molotov cocktail before being taken into custody in the East Bay, a city official told The Standard.

Officers responded to a report of an assault at 5:52 p.m. at Saints Peter and Paul Church in the North Beach neighborhood, according to the San Francisco Police Department and Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who represents the neighborhood and was briefed on the situation.

Police arrived on the scene and the suspect fled in a vehicle, leading to a pursuit, according to the department.

“Officers initiated pursuit, and the suspect threw an unknown object out of the car window at pursuing officers,” officials said.

Peskin said police told him the suspect set off a pipe bomb on the 1500 block of Jones Street, a residential part of Nob Hill, and police continued to pursue the man south where he allegedly ignited a “molotov cocktail” on Eighth Street between Market and Mission.

Police advised members of the public to avoid the areas Sunday night.

San Francisco police block Eighth Street at Mission Street on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. | Source: Matthew Kupfer/The Standard

The suspect fled onto the freeway and California Highway Patrol took over the chase, police said. The pursuit ended in Martinez where the man was taken into custody.

A police pursuit of a subject believed to have explosives or an explosive device in his possession left San Francisco and blazed into Contra Costa County Sunday, ending on Imhoff Road near Martinez with a person in custody and explosives experts summoned to check his car. pic.twitter.com/PHW4IzWeTw

— News24/680 (@News24680) October 30, 2023

“Nobody got seriously hurt,” Peskin said, adding that he was initially told that a priest was assaulted but that does not appear to be the case.

People reported hearing loud explosions on social media Sunday evening and officers had taped off the block between Jones and Pacific Streets by the time a reporter for The Standard had arrived on scene around 7:15 p.m. An officer on the scene declined to comment. Police also taped off the area around Mission and Eighth streets.

PRELIMINARY REPORT: Assault at Saints Peter and Paul Church in North Beach. Responding officers encountered a suspect with an improvised device. A pursuit occurred. Suspect apprehended by SFPD in another county. If you are a witness or have video, contact SFPD at 415-575-4444. pic.twitter.com/POzUsftpwW

— San Francisco POA (@SanFranciscoPOA) October 30, 2023

Bobby Diaz, a guest at the BEI Hotel on Eighth Street south of Market, heard a blast as he was on the phone.

“I was looking out the window,” he said. “I heard what sounded like a boom. It kind of sounded like someone crashed into the hotel.”

Diaz said police responded almost immediately, with approximately 10 squad cars responding. “It was an impactful boom,” he said. “It was very loud.”

Peskin said the police department’s Night Investigations Unit would be updating him throughout the evening.

Police asked anyone with information to contact the department by calling (415) 575-4444 or texting a tip to TIP411 and beginning the message with “SFPD.”

Additionally, members of the public who come across any suspicious devices are advised to immediately call 911 and to avoid approaching or moving the object.

Julie Makinen and Matthew Kupfer contributed to this report.

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San Francisco Trainer Quits After Allegedly Harassing College students

Daily SF News — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 08:20:10 +0000

A San Francisco public high school teacher resigned last month after the school district began investigating allegations that he sent three former students salacious messages on social media and had sexual encounters with two of them soon after they graduated.

The teacher also pressured students to come out as gay and tried to manipulate them into outing their peers, according to a school district investigation report from July that The Standard received through a public records request.

The revelations follow numerous other incidents of alleged misconduct by teachers in the San Francisco Unified School District that The Standard has documented.

The allegations against Trueman Bender, a local artist and former special education teacher at June Jordan School for Equity in the city’s Excelsior District, emerged this year after two former students reconnected on social media.

The two men concluded that they both had endured unwanted advances from the same teacher at a time when they were vulnerable and not fully comfortable with their sexual orientation.

According to the report, one of the men was a “17-year-old junior” when the alleged harassment began, while the other described himself as a junior in his statement to the district. The Standard does not know their names, and their accounts of their experiences come from the district report.

“He forced me to come out when I wasn’t ready,” one former student, who graduated in 2019, told the district earlier this year. “Due to all that, I hated to be a gay man. I had many suicidal thoughts, and it changed me as a person.”

In April, the two students returned to their alma mater to make a report, leading the district to place Bender on administrative leave, contact police and launch its own investigation. In July, rather than appear for more questioning, Bender resigned.

The Standard attempted to reach Bender by phone, email and social media. He did not respond.

In an interview with the district investigator, Bender denied many of the allegations against him, but admitted to expressing his attraction toward students and having sexual contact with at least one after graduation, the report stated.

The district’s investigation is now closed, a spokesperson told The Standard in an email.

June Jordan School for Equity, in San Francisco on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. | Source: Jeremy Chen/The Standard

“SFUSD takes allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and abuse very seriously,” the spokesperson said. “The moment we found out about these allegations, the district took immediate action to ensure that Mr. Bender did not have any further contact with students.”

The San Francisco Police Department took a “desk report” on the two graduates’ allegations against Bender, but “it does not appear they undertook any follow-up investigation,” the district report stated. The Standard reached out to SFPD but did not receive a response.

School districts are required to inform the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing when an educator’s employment status changes in relation to allegations of misconduct. The San Francisco Unified’s report is addressed to the commission and states that the district believes Bender’s alleged conduct justifies revoking his credential.

‘An Even More Exploitative Sexual Interaction’

Bender, 34, was not just a teacher at June Jordan, a high school with approximately 250 students whose mission includes a strong emphasis on social justice. He was also a member of its first graduating class in 2007.

After receiving an arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2011, Bender returned to June Jordan in 2013 to work in special education. In 2017, he earned a master’s degree in special education from the University of San Francisco and secured a teaching credential during the 2019-2020 school year.

According to the district report, his alleged inappropriate behaviors began as early as 2015.

Bender did not have sexual contact with any of the young men when they were still students at June Jordan, the district found. But his one-time students described his actions as hardly subtle.

He explicitly expressed his interest in them while they were still students and invited them out, according to the report. He also made no secret that they were his “type,” young Mexican or Latino men, the investigator wrote.

According to the 2019 graduate, during his senior year, Bender invited him to the movies on the pretense that other friends would be there. Instead, the student found himself alone with his teacher.

Bender took him to the back row of the theater, the 2019 graduate told the district investigator, and inched closer to him, which made him uncomfortable. In response to that, Bender said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to kiss you,” according to the student’s recollection in the report.

A San Francisco Unified School District investigative report obtained by The Standard includes excerpted quotes from former students at June Jordan School for Equity who accused teacher Trueman Bender of pursuing them sexually. | Source: SFUSD

Bender did not make his sexual interest in the student a secret, the investigator concluded.

The student said he awoke one morning to a message on Instagram from Bender that said, “I had a wet dream about you.” The student found the message “disgusting” coming from a teacher. He said he replied with, “Ha ha ha.”

“What? You’re not interested?” the student said Bender responded. The report provided to The Standard did not include images of the messages.

June Jordan School for Equity is a high school with approximately 250 students whose mission includes a strong emphasis on social justice. | Source: Jeremy Chen/The Standard

For the remainder of that year, Bender attempted to set up “hangouts” with the student and tried to make him feel guilty for not participating, the investigator said. This persisted until the student’s graduation.

Around graduation time, the student told the investigator, Bender sent him another message on Instagram saying, “I really want to suck your dick.”

During his interview with the district investigator, Bender denied sending those two messages to the student. But the district found his denials to be less than definitive and noted that he also said he could not remember whether he made such statements.

“I don’t want to lie to you … like, in case you have something,” Bender said to the interviewer.

Bender reportedly also invited the second student, who graduated in 2016, to see a film. However, the student’s mother “was opposed to the idea of an adult male taking her teenage son to the movies,” and the student declined the invitation, the report stated.

The weekend of the same student’s high school graduation, Bender invited him out to dinner, where the district concluded he attempted to initiate a relationship.

The teacher ultimately pressured the 2016 graduate into a “plainly exploitative sexual interaction in his parked car in a darkened and nearly empty parking lot.” This was followed by an “even more exploitative sexual interaction” in Bender’s home after he requested help moving, the report stated. The Standard was unable to determine how old the student was when the alleged sexual contact occurred.

“I realize now that Mr. Bender was grooming me while I was a student, at a time in my life when I was particularly vulnerable both as an [undocumented] immigrant and as a still-closeted young person,” the report quotes that 2016 graduate as saying.

In a quote from the school district’s investigative report, a graduate of June Jordan describes how his teacher, Trueman Bender, allegedly forced him to come out as gay before he was ready. | Source: SFUSD

In his interview with the district investigator, Bender admitted to receiving oral sex on one occasion from a third student after he graduated in 2017. This third man refused to speak with the investigator; however, the district administrators believe his experience parallels that of the other two June Jordan graduates. The Standard does not know his name or identity.

Bender admitted to telling the 2016 graduate that he was sexually attracted to him but emphasized to the investigator that he had not acted on that attraction before that student graduated.

Forced Out

Perhaps the worst element of this experience for the 2016 and 2019 June Jordan graduates was being pushed to come out as gay before they were ready.

The two men identified this as part of Bender’s modus operandi.

As the 2019 graduate dodged his teacher’s alleged advances, he said he found himself under increasing pressure to open up about his sexuality.

Bender claimed to know his “little secret,” even though the student had not told anyone about his orientation. The 2019 student also noted that Bender was close with other male students.

“It got to the point where I had to come out to Bender to satisfy him,” the report quoted the student as saying. “Like, I had to tell Bender I’m gay. It was a very dark time for me. It wasn’t the right time for me to come out. And I was like, ‘This is what this person wanted the whole time to hear, that I’m a gay man.’”

When the 2016 graduate had dinner with Bender, the teacher claimed he “knew the truth already” about his sexuality. Bender then asked the student what his “type was”—implying it could be him.

Students and faculty wrote messages of support in chalk on the parking lot of June Jordan School for Equity following a 2016 shooting that wounded four students at the school. | Source: Paul Chinn/San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images

Both students told the district that Bender had questioned them about which of their classmates at June Jordan might be gay. He indicated to the 2016 graduate that it was his “mission” to out these students, the report stated.

In reporting Bender, the 2016 graduate expressed concern the teacher may have targeted other boys, too.

“I suspect Mr. Bender may have tried to groom others,” he said in a written statement to the district, “and make them vulnerable to his sexual approaches.”

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San Francisco fentanyl supplier allegedly advised arresting officer he would not ‘give a f—‘

Daily SF News — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 09:16:47 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO — As city leaders, attorneys and police debate how to curb the practice of blatant downtown drug trafficking, a local is said to have offered his opinion to police on the issue when they asked him – again – on suspicion of distributing Fentanyl arrests .

“You can grab me a million times and we’ll get out quick,” 28-year-old Jackson Torres reportedly told a San Francisco police officer when he was arrested on March 26 for allegedly selling fentanyl on 7th Street. Torres added that he was not concerned about the arrest.

But for now, at least, Torres is behind bars, where he faces two separate counts — one accusing him of selling fentanyl on March 26, when he was arrested in San Francisco, and another for violating his supervised release from a 2020 conviction for selling fentanyl in San Francisco. Prosecutors are now using that earlier case and his apparent lack of concern about future prosecutions to argue that Torres should remain in prison until his case is resolved.

The indictment alleges that an officer using binoculars remotely spotted Torres in three separate drug transactions. When officers arrested him, he allegedly ran away, throwing three bags of drugs in the air as he escaped. When police caught up with him and arrested him, they claimed he was carrying six ounces of the deadly drug.

According to court documents, following his most recent arrest by federal agents, Torres was charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The indictment carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, but when Torres was last charged with fentanyl trafficking, he received a much shorter sentence of 12 months and a day in prison and three years of supervised release. This time, if convicted, federal guidelines recommend a sentence of between 57 and 71 months, with the decision resting solely with the judge.

For years, state and federal officials have raised concerns about downtown drug markets, particularly in the Tenderloin neighborhood, but no one seems to be able to agree on a solution. Mayor London Breed noted at a recent press conference that “compassion kills people” while calling for more arrests, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took advantage of the spectacle of the open-air drug markets during a trip to the Bay Area this month as a campaign slot, arguing that California’s approach to fighting crime softly caused the problem.

On the other hand, many city officials and advocates have argued that an approach focused on arrests and prosecutions would be akin to the so-called War on Drugs, which sapped law enforcement resources but did little more than cut cocaine use – and heroin production and methamphetamine sales from coast to coast. In 2020, the US Department of Justice announced the creation of the Federal Initiative in the Tenderloin (FIT) to aggressively prosecute suspected drug dealers. At the same time, then-district attorney Chesa Boudin urged the opposite, arguing that street drug dealers were being quickly replaced and police should instead focus on identifying large drug dealers.

For Torres, the federal charges are just the latest misadventure in a difficult life. Court records show he was born and raised in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, but escaped gang violence alone at the age of 17 by boarding a northbound freight train. He was arrested and detained by federal agents in Arizona and stayed with a relative in Louisiana while seeking asylum in the United States, briefly residing in El Salvador before immigrating back to the United States in 2014 and settling in Oakland.

According to prosecutors, he began selling drugs in the Bay Area that same year and caused the first of 10 arrests between 2014 and March 26 last year. In March 2020, he was charged in federal court with selling fentanyl, secured bail, then arrested just three months later in an SFPD covert operation. By the time he pleaded guilty and received his 12-month sentence, he had already served about half of it in custody.

Torres’ attorney said in 2020 he expects Torres to be deported sometime in early 2021 after his release from prison. Court records don’t say if that was the case or not, but on January 12, 2023, he was back in San Francisco. That day, a police officer arrested him on suspicion of possessing 10 ounces of fentanyl for sale, among other drugs.

It was his first of three drug arrests in San Francisco in 2023.

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Metropolis investigating Hollywood eating places for allegedly protecting service charges, stiffing staff

Daily SF News — Tue, 16 May 2023 21:30:30 +0000

When Earl Witron landed a job as a waiter at the Thompson, a new luxury hotel from World of Hyatt, in the summer of 2021, he was “excited,” he said, “to be a part of something big in Hollywood.”

He made just $17.50 an hour at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, the Terrace, which offers its well-heeled guests stunning views of the Hollywood Hills. But, he said, managers promised that he and his colleagues would contribute a 5% service fee that would be applied to each check “in support of the health benefits to our employees,” according to the bill’s statement is called.

Still, the 40-year-old said he’s never seen that money reflected in his compensation. When he questioned management about how the 5% service fee was allocated, he received confusing answers or was simply dismissed.

“I lived paycheck to paycheck,” said Witron, 40, who now works as a runner at the Beverly Hilton. “I’m financially behind. I still haven’t recovered.”

This 5 percent service charge associated with customers’ restaurant bills is the focus of an investigation by the City of Los Angeles Attorney’s Office and affects some of the city’s most famous restaurants in the adjacent Thompson Hotel, Tommie Hotel and Citizen News building: Mother Wolf, Ka ‘teen, mes amis, bar lis and the terrace.

The city attorney is looking into whether Ten Five Hospitality – the group that operated the five restaurants at the time of the allegations – violated an ordinance that allegedly withheld the entire 5% service fee charged by customers instead of redistributing it to workers a letter from the Deputy City Attorney dated April 6. Joshua L Crowell.

City officials asked Ten Five Hospitality, the hotels and restaurants, for a response and numerous documents, including any evidence that would show the workers were benefiting from the fee. City prosecutors are also investigating allegations that at least two workers at the Terrace were fired after speaking out about the service charge.

Ten Five Hospitality executives were not available for comment. A spokesman issued a prepared statement that read: “The wellness fee, which is clearly explained on all customer invoices, allows the company to offer a better-than-market employee package, including a robust health, dental and vision insurance program, 401 (k) Benefits and better working conditions for all employees.”

The spokesman did not want to answer any further questions about the allegations in the letter from the city.

The dining room at Mother Wolf, one of the liveliest restaurants in Los Angeles. Mother Wolf is in the Citizen News building next to the Thompson Hotel.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Please investigate

Tipping and service charges are becoming a focal point in the food service and hospitality industry. Fees for health-related services began to appear on guest bills over the past decade, but became ubiquitous after the COVID-19 lockdowns. The additional fees came amid an outpouring of empathy and gratitude toward service staff at a time when the restaurants’ future seemed in doubt.

But for guests, the fees have become a source of confusion, leading some to tip less, feeling like the extra fee goes straight to their waiters. Workers who prepare and serve food and beverages at bus tables typically rely on tips as part of their net pay.

Where these service fees actually end up is unclear.

In California, courts have long held that compulsory dues do not qualify as benefits under labor law. That changed in 2019 when the law on service fees in the San Francisco case of O’Grady vs. Merchant Exchange Productions Inc. became clearer. In that case, a state appeals court ruled that under California law, service fees are due to employees if customers could reasonably believe the allegations were tips. The verdict applies to all catering establishments.

That ruling was not reviewed until April 19, when a San Francisco judge ruled in a trial without a jury that a Marriott hotel in downtown San Francisco must pay approximately $9 million in withheld service fees to staff serving served food and drinks at banquets.

The case revolved around the question of whether such fees are reasonably considered tips by customers. In April 2017, the San Francisco hotel began specifically notifying banquet guests that the fees incurred are not tips, thereby freeing itself from future liability.

Shannon Liss-Riordan, the plaintiff’s attorney in the Marriott case, said the ruling was the first on the matter in California. “I expect this will now lead to extensive enforcement action and employees are now acknowledging their rights,” she said.

Liss-Riordan, also the plaintiff’s attorney in the 2019 San Francisco case that set a precedent in California, has won similar cases in Hawaii and Massachusetts. Lawsuits are pending against other hotels in San Francisco and elsewhere in California.

In LA, city prosecutors appear to be focusing their investigations on additional service fees for restaurants at hotels, where current tipping laws are clearer. The definition of “hotel” in the LA Regulations includes restaurants that are contracted or leased premises affiliated with or operated by hotels, such as: B. the Terrace or Mother Wolf.

LA regulation states that service fees cannot be withheld by a hotel employer, but must be paid in full to the hotel employee who provides services to the customers from whom the service fees are collected. The regulation also stipulates that no part of these amounts may be paid to supervisors or officers and that the service charge must be paid fairly to hotel employees.

Steve Garrett, Jae Redlich and Jazelle Merritt, all former waiters at the Terrace, said that when they brought up the disagreements and asked questions about the 5% service charge in staff meetings, management gave them answers that didn’t make sense. A human resources representative told them it would offset the cost of the health insurance premium for full-time employees, the workers said. Dan Daley, director of Ten Five Hospitality, told them the service fee is intended to offset losses at the restaurants due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daley did not respond to requests for comment.

Garrett, Redlich and Merritt subsequently filed an unfair labor practice complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that management either fired them or forced them to resign after raising questions about the application of service fees. An indictment is a request for the government agency to investigate and decide whether the evidence is sufficient to institute proceedings against the employer.

At this time, no lawsuits or charges have been filed; The allegations are still being investigated. Unite Here Local 11 is helping Hollywood workers pursue their case.

It’s unclear if the celebrity chefs most associated with the restaurants named in the city’s letter — including Evan Funke at Mother Wolf, Wes Avila at Ka’teen, and Lincoln Carson, formerly at Mes Amis — understand workers’ concerns were aware of this or were trying to clarify their questions. Funke and Avila, two of LA’s most well-known and admired chefs, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Even before the allegations, the restaurants were locked in a chaotic tug-of-war between Ten Five Hospitality and Relevant, the hotels’ project developer, and the Citizen News building next door, which houses Mother Wolf, known for its Roman-style pasta, one of the most coveted reserves in the city. Both companies once claimed control of the properties, according to a report by Eater LA.

Chef Carson, who left Mes Amis in December, said he was aware of the restaurant’s service charge but believed “the money was properly allocated”.

Carson contracted with Ten Five Hospitality to develop the acclaimed French restaurant and also worked at The Terrace before Mes Amis opened. He said he works as a consultant and isn’t responsible for day-to-day financial accounting for the restaurants.

“I’m disappointed in all the people who put in so much hard work to create something that should be very special,” he told the Times. “It’s disappointing that this is coming out.”

Prosecutors declined to discuss Crowell’s letter. The bureau also declined to disclose whether it sent letters to other restaurant groups in the city about the service charges.

The Thompson Hollywood (seen on the left) is next to the Citizen News building where Mother Wolf is located.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In interviews, several former and current Ten Five Hospitality employees said they were in a difficult financial situation. Many workers were not eligible for the company’s medical program because they were not working full-time. And they said that if they qualified, the program would be financially unattainable for them.

Witron, Redlich, Merritt and Garrett said they are still dealing with the aftermath of working at the Terrace. They all described psychological anxiety and financial loss – arrears on bills and rent. Three of the four said they were unlikely to return to the hospitality industry.

“It’s awful. It’s so dehumanizing,” Redlich said. “On the surface, everything has been reduced to a certain appearance. It’s like putting all the dirt in the house, all this clutter, just under the rug. And yes, it looks clean but don’t look under the rug, that’s what it was like working there.”

Ten Five Hospitality faced a May 12 deadline to respond to inquiries in the April letter from the assistant city attorney. Both companies said Monday they were in contact but declined to explain further.

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Man arrested after allegedly stealing $1000s from OKC girl who employed him as handyman, caretaker

Daily SF News — Thu, 04 May 2023 17:07:32 +0000

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — An 81-year-old Subway woman is still trying to recover financially after her handyman and janitor allegedly withdrew thousands of dollars from her bank account over the course of three months.

Alice Dragoo told KFOR that two of her close friends introduced her to Joseph Wisner late last year.

“A really super nice young man who I thought was honest and uncomplicated. I hired him to take care of me when I had shoulder surgery because I didn’t want strangers in the house. [When] I had met him, he was going through a tough time, so I thought I’d help him,” Dragoo said.

Wisner was also hired to help around the house and make minor repairs.

Dragoo and Wisner became good friends and, according to Dragoo, often went out together.

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Dragoo said that one day while they were out, she gave Wisner her debit card to make a one-time withdrawal from her International Bank of Commerce (IBC) account.

Dragoo also gave Wisner her PIN number, he withdrew money and then they continued on with their day.

“But then I got a bank statement and he’d taken my debit card and taken up to $3 to $500 a night from my checking account, my savings, the only thing I’ve had to push for the past few years,” Dragoo explained.

Dragoo said she rarely checks her bank statements, “but that’s how it was. I didn’t get it in time. My mistake.”

During some of these retreats, Dragoo claimed to have been in Colorado to visit family, so she knew something was wrong.

Dragoo confronted Winser but she said he never admitted to taking her money.

Dragoo said the IBC had video footage of Wisner withdrawing from her account at an ATM in N. Portland.

Dragoo and her family were able to produce the video and turned it over to the Oklahoma City Police Department, officials said.

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Wisner was eventually kicked out of her home shortly after she found out.

“It appears he stole her ATM card, used it and came back and replaced it without her knowing,” Msgt said. Gary Knight with OKCPD.

Dragoo said she was a heavy sleeper, so while she slept, Wisner would take her card and use it at night.

Though Wisner never personally admitted to the crime, he texted Dragoo, saying, “I’m sorry I let you down. I’ve let a woman bring out the best in me and tried to woo her, that’s the stupid truth, but I’ve always intended to return what I borrowed. I’m sorry for the pain I caused you. I never wanted to hurt you. Thanks for your help. I love you…”

A text Joseph Wisner sent to Alice Dragoo on April 11. KFOR photo.

However, Dragoo has not yet received this money back.

In addition to the $11,000 in cash allegedly stolen, Dragoo said she lost about $12,000 in family mementos and tools.

“For the first time in my life, I’ve had to ask for help for medication my heart doctor says I need to have. I couldn’t afford it. I could have afforded my medicine even if my insurance paid for most of it. I couldn’t afford the $300. That was what mattered. $300. I didn’t have it,” Dragoo said.

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Dragoo has tried to contact IBC to get her money back, but she said discussions with her bank ended in a dead end.

“The bank said because I went to his place once and gave my card the numbers to withdraw money from the ATM that I gave him permission. You won’t appreciate all the times he’s used it without me,” Dragoo explained.

She said she understands her particular line of business may need to go through society to get the money back, but she doesn’t understand why they haven’t been able to do so before.

News 4 reached out to Dragoo’s dedicated IBC branch but the representative said she had never heard of the situation and was taking our information to pass on to someone else.

We haven’t received a call back.

An arrest warrant was issued for Wisner on July 27.

He was arrested on Monday and now faces charges of second-degree burglary, exploitation of the elderly and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Mug shot of Joseph Wisner. Photo courtesy of Oklahoma County Jail.

“I feel better that he has to pay. I mean he needs to grow up and face what he did wrong and put his life in order. He has a choice,” Dragoo said.

Dragoo wants their situation to be a lesson to others so they can do background research on who they let into their home.

She said she feels like she can’t trust other people now, which she never wanted to do.

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Houston handyman allegedly scammed neighbors out of 1000’s

Daily SF News — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 16:50:51 +0000

neighborhoods // height news

It found its victims on Nextdoor but never completed projects, officials say

January 30, 2020Updated: January 30, 2020 2:39 p.m

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He is accused of intentional theft of aggregates. He is in the Harris County Jail on $5,000 bail.

Harris County Police District 1

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He is accused of intentional theft of aggregates. He is in the Harris County Jail on $5,000 bail.

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A 71-year-old Heights-area man has been charged with theft after he allegedly tricked neighbors into handing over thousands of dollars for handyman work he never did, according to Harris County District 1 Police Officer Al Rosen’s office .

William Francis Herrington is accused of defrauding at least four people out of various amounts of money between July 5 and December 5, 2019, according to an indictment document filed on Wednesday. Herrington reportedly responded to posts on Nextdoor, offering his services as a contractor to carry out home repairs in Greater Heights, Woodland Heights, Rice Military, Norhill and surrounding boroughs.

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“He required an upfront deposit to cover the cost of supplies, but when cashing the checks or operating the credit card, he took the money without buying supplies or making repairs,” officials said in a news release.

According to court records, Herrington was found guilty of the same crime in 2003 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He was granted parole in 2017, court records show. In 2018, Herrington was charged with assaulting a family member/respiratory impediment. That case was dropped after prosecutors said they couldn’t prove it “beyond a reasonable doubt”. In 1989, he was convicted of forgery and credit card fraud in Collin County, Texas.

Herrington is currently in the Harris County Jail on $5,000 bail.

The agency believes there may be more victims, they said in a press release.

If you believe you are a victim of Herrington, please contact Deputy Hathhorn at Jason.Hathhorn@cn1.hctx.net.

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South San Francisco worker allegedly embezzles near $2 million | Native Information

Daily SF News — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 06:39:53 +0000

An employee of a South San Francisco wholesaler is said to have embezzled $1.9 million over a four-month period, the San Mateo County Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Kyle Loveness, a longtime associate with JC Cheyne & Co. who is in charge of finance, is accused of wiring the money into a private account in Mexico from June to October, the prosecutors’ office said.

Loveness, 61, of Foster City, began sending small amounts that grew in size, peaking at $529,000, the prosecutor’s office said. The 13 transactions went unnoticed until Loveness went on vacation and another employee noticed the irregularities and that the money wasn’t enough to cover expenses.

According to prosecutors, Loveness claimed the money was for a timeshare in Mexico. The money was not found, according to prosecutors. Loveness remains in custody and his next court date is November 10.

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South San Francisco worker allegedly embezzles near $2 million | Native Information

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 19:15:20 +0000

A South San Francisco produce wholesaler employee allegedly embezzled $1.9 million over four months, the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Kyle Loveness, a longtime employee of JC Cheyne & Co. in charge of finances, is accused of sending the money to a private account in Mexico through wire transfers from June to October, the DA’s Office said.

Loveness, 61, of Foster City, started sending small amounts that grew larger and reached $529,000 at its height, the DA’s Office said. The 13 transactions went unnoticed until Loveness went on vacation, and another employee noticed the irregularities and that there wasn’t enough money to cover expenses.

According to prosecutors, Loveness claimed the money was for a timeshare in Mexico. The money has not been found, according to prosecutors. Loveness remains in custody, and his next court date is Nov. 10.

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Man arrested after allegedly stealing $1000s from OKC lady who employed him as handyman, caretaker

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 00:10:24 +0000

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An 81-year-old metro woman is still trying to financially recover months after her handyman and caretaker allegedly withdrew thousands of dollars from her bank account over the course of three months.

Alice Dragoo told KFOR two of her close friends introduced her to Joseph Wisner late last year.

“A really super nice young man that I thought was honest and straightforward. I hired him to take care of me when I had shoulder surgery because I didn’t want strangers in the house. [When] I had met him, he was going through a hard time, so I thought I’d give him a helping hand,” said Dragoo.

Wisner was also hired to help out around the house and do minor repairs.

Dragoo and Wisner became good friends and often went out together, according to Dragoo.

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Dragoo said while they were out and about one day, she gave Wisner her debit card to make a one-time withdraw from her International Bank of Commerce (IBC) account.

Dragoo also gave Wisner her pin number, he withdrew money and then they went on about their day.

“But then I got a bank statement and he had been taking my bank card and drawing up to 3 to $500 a night out of my checking account, my savings, the only thing I had left pushing for this all these last few years,” explained Dragoo.

Dragoo said she hardly ever checks her bank statement, “but that’s the way it was. I didn’t catch in time. My mistake.”

During some of those withdraws, Dragoo claimed to have been in Colorado visiting family, so she knew something wasn’t right.

Dragoo confronted Winser, but she said he never admitted to taking her money.

Dragoo said the IBC had video footage of Wisner withdrawing from her account at an ATM on N. Portland.

Dragoo and her family were able to produce the video and handed it over to Oklahoma City Police, according to officials.

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Wisner was eventually kicked out of his home shortly after finding out.

“It appears that he had been stealing her ATM card, going out using it and coming back and replacing it without her having knowledge of it,” said Msgt. Gary Knight with OKCPD.

Dragoo said she is a heavy sleeper, and so while she was asleep, Wisner would take her card and use it during the nighttime.

Although Wisner never admitted to the crime in person, he texted Dragoo saying, “I’m sorry I let you down. I let a woman get the best of me and was trying to woo her is the stupid truth but I have always intended on returning what I borrowed. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you. I never wanted to hurt you. Thank you for helping me. Ich liebe dich…”

A text Joseph Wisner sent to Alice Dragoo on April 11. KFOR Photo.

Dragoo has yet to receive that money back though.

On top of the $11,000 in cash that was allegedly stolen, Dragoo said she lost about $12,000 in family memories and tools.

“For the first time in my life, I had to ask for help for medication that my heart doctor says I have to have. I couldn’t afford it. I should have been able to afford my medicine even with my insurance paying the majority of it. I couldn’t afford the $300. That’s what it came down to. $300. I didn’t have it,” stated Dragoo.

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Dragoo has tried contacting the IBC to get her money back, but she said talking with her bank has been a dead end.

“The bank said because I was with him one time and giving the numbers to my card to withdraw money from ATM that I gave him permission. They will not honor all the times he used it without me with it,” explained Dragoo.

She said she understands her specific branch may have to go through corporate to get the money back, but she doesn’t understand why they haven’t been able to do so far.

News 4 reached out to Dragoo’s specific IBC branch, but the representative said she had never heard about the situation and took our information down to pass it along to someone else.

We have not received a call back.

An arrest warrant was issued July 27 for Wisner.

He was arrested Monday and now faces charges for second degree burglary, elderly exploitation, and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent.

Mugshot of Joseph Wisner. Photo courtesy of Oklahoma County Jail.

“I feel better that he’s going to have to pay. I mean, he’s got to grow up and face what he’s done is wrong and straighten his life up. He’s got a choice,” said Dragoo.

Dragoo wants her situation to be a lesson to others to do background research on who they’re letting into their home.

She said she feels like she can’t trust other people now, which is what she never wanted.

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