National Roundup

Florida
Man sues former fiancee over stolen jewels

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — A Florida businessman has sued his ex-fiancee alleging that she and her parents conspired to steal $2.1 million in gold, diamonds and other jewelry after their breakup last summer.

Scott Patrick Mitchell of Palm Harbor says his ex took 99 three-diamond necklaces, 147 gold rings and 172 loose diamonds from his vault, according to The Tampa Bay Times.

The ex-fiancee, Mary Catherine Hunt, also faces criminal charges of grand theft in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court for the alleged heist. Her attorneys have denied the allegations and say more facts will come to light.

Mitchell, CEO of salon products company Simply Organic, told investigators that he and investors bought the jewels from struggling jewelers during the recession in 2008. They paid $900,000, but now estimate the worth at $2.1 million.

He says only he and Hunt knew the combination to access the vault.

Mitchell told investigators that when he broke off his engagement to Hunt in June and called off their August wedding, the jewelry disappeared. He turned over surveillance video to investigators.

Hunt has since sold her home in Hillsborough County and moved back to Virginia.

However, before leaving Florida, surveillance video shows Hunt and her mother at a UPS Store.

The pair told the clerk they were mailing a laptop and an antique plate but tried to insure the package for $50,000, the maximum allowed.

Sheriff’s reports also show that on Aug. 19 Hunt’s father, Michael Hunt, called Mitchell from Virginia to say UPS had delivered a box of gold, diamonds and silver. Mitchell recorded the call and gave it to investigators.

New Mexico
Suspended judge  agrees to resign

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Corrales municipal judge suspended from his job last month has resigned.

The Albuquerque Journal cites court records that say Luis Quintana’s resignation went into effect late Monday.

The state Supreme Court issued a Jan. 11 order that suspended Quintana.

A petition by the Judicial Standards Commission explained that Quintana had been accused of, among other things, misappropriating a client’s workers’ compensation settlement funds and failing to make full restitution.

Judicial Standards Commission Executive Director Randall Roybal says Quintana and the commission reached an agreement in which he would resign in lieu of further disciplinary proceedings.

Quintana was disbarred in July, more than a year and a half after the client had filed a complaint claiming that her $4,500 settlement check was never turned over to her.

Ohio
Man doesn’t want to be compared to a serial-killer

CLEVELAND (AP) — A man accused of killing three women in Cleveland said in court documents that he doesn’t want to be compared to notorious serial killer Anthony Sowell.

A judge last week granted Michael Madison’s motion to prevent employees of the Cuyahoga) County Prosecutor’s Office from comparing him to Sowell, a Cleveland man who killed 11 women and hid the remains in and around his home. Sowell was convicted and sentenced to death in 2011.

WEWS-TV first reported the motion.

Madison is accused of killing three women whose bodies were found in an East Cleveland neighborhood. If he’s convicted of aggravated murder, he will be eligible for the death penalty. His trial is scheduled for April 4.

Madison, 38, also is charged with aggravated rape, kidnapping and abuse of a corpse after the bodies of the women were found in garbage bags in July 2013.

The county medical examiner said Shirellda Terry, 18, and Angela Deskins, 38, were strangled, and Shetisha Sheeley, 28, died of “homicidal violence by unspecified means.”

Kansas
Court: Prison’s punishment for threat was okay

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Court of Appeals says Lansing Correctional Facility officials acted properly when they punished Scott Roeder for making a threat against a woman who reopened a Wichita abortion clinic.

Roeder is serving a life sentence for killing abortion provider George Tiller on May 31, 2009, while Tiller was serving as an usher at a Wichita church.

Roeder suggested during an interview in April 2013 with an anti-abortion activist that Julie Burkhart had a target on her back for reopening Tiller’s clinic.

The Wichita Eagle reports Roeder was given 45 days in solitary confinement, 60 days of restricted privileges and a $20 fine after the interview was aired on YouTube.

Prison records show Roeder has been disciplined 22 times by prison officials since 2011 for a variety of offenses


Kentucky
Trial set for former college basketball coach

COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A bench trial has been set for a former Ohio college women’s basketball coach accused of groping a player in northern Kentucky.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports court records show the trial of former Xavier University assistant women’s basketball coach Brian McKey is expected to start March 21 in Kenton County.

McKey’s attorney earlier entered a not-guilty plea for the 29-year-old on a misdemeanor charge of third-degree sexual assault.

A player that he coached at Xavier says he invited her to come to his Covington, Kentucky, home and touched her inappropriately. She says he tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away and left.

He had become a University of Maryland assistant, but resigned after the allegation surfaced.

Florida
Woman arrested three times for Medicaid fraud

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida Panhandle woman has been arrested three times in six months on charges related to Medicaid fraud.

According to a statement Monday from Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office, 31-year-old Megan Sanai of Freeport first was arrested in August for exploitation of a senior citizen.

Sanai was arrested again in December for allegedly withdrawing more than $2,000 from the same victim’s account.

Bondi’s office says Sanai was arrested a third time Friday at a court hearing related to the previous investigations. Authorities say Sanai faces new charges for allegedly stealing over $11,000 from the Social Security Administration and falsifying vital statistics records.