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Pastor extradited from SC to Warsaw, VA to face 30 felonies against minors
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Pastor extradited from SC to Warsaw, VA to face 30 felonies against minors

After a 15-month investigation, Albert Benjamin Wharton was extradited from Pickens County, SC to Richmond County, VA to face 30 felonies for crimes against children. According to Richmond County Sheriff Steve Smith, the investigation involved Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, and it resulted in charges for 22 counts of indecent liberties with a child under age 13 while in a custodial position and 8 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The alleged crimes occurred between 1981 and 1997 at the Berachah Christian Academy in Warsaw, said the Sheriff. According to Victory Baptist Church, that academy was one of its ministries and “provided the community with the choice of a Christian education in grades K-12.” “Dr. Ben Wharton” was the...
Missing NYC 3-Year-Old found, Vehicle Involved in Her Snatching found in Virginia Beach
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Missing NYC 3-Year-Old found, Vehicle Involved in Her Snatching found in Virginia Beach

The 3-year-old who was taken from Staten Island and believed to possibly be in the Virginia has been found, but the person accused of kidnapping her has not.   On Monday, Virginia State Police issued an alert on behalf of the New York City Police Department advising that Kadence France was missing, was possibly in Virginia, and there was a credible threat of health and safety. The child was last seen on Saturday, December 16, with 26-year-old Randalae Rhodes, the alert added. After two days missing, NYPD confirmed that France was returned to a police precinct in the city by a family member Monday. France’s father, who reportedly didn’t want to provide his name, explained to PIX11 News that Rhodes is France’s mother, but he has custody. On the day the girl was taken, he was sc...
Virginia shutting 4 prisons & taking control of privately-run Lawrenceville
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Virginia shutting 4 prisons & taking control of privately-run Lawrenceville

Citing staffing shortages, safety, and maintenance costs, VADOC announced four Virginia prison facilities will be officially closing, effective July 1, 2024. The facilities include Augusta Correctional Center in Craigsville and Stafford Community Corrections Alternative Program (CCAP). At the other two facilities, Sussex II State Prison in Waverly and Haynesville Unit #17 in Richmond County, the staff have already been temporarily reassigned to neighboring facilities, Sussex I State Prison and Haynesville Correctional Center, VADOC said. The department said it has begun working with staff to identify job placement opportunities within the agency to ensure the opportunity for continuous employment and career advancement. And VADOC said it will work diligently to ensure that everyon...
Plans for $2 bn Alexandria Entertainment District unveiled
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Plans for $2 bn Alexandria Entertainment District unveiled

Plans are in the works to develop a 9 million sq. ft. entertainment district at Potomac Yard in Alexandria. The project is a public-private partnership between the City of Alexandria, the Commonwealth of Virginia, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and JBG SMITH. According the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP), the entertainment district will include hotels, retail, residential, restaurants, conference, and community gathering spaces. Other standout elements include: The global headquarters for Monumental Sports & Entertainment and its more than 650 employees An arena for the Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards A state-of-the art Monumental Sports Network media studio The Wizards practice facility An expanded e-sports facility A perf...
Nurse wanted in Spotsylvania for sex offense against minor was working in Hanover
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Nurse wanted in Spotsylvania for sex offense against minor was working in Hanover

A 55-year-old nurse practitioner has been charged and arrested for inappropriately touching patients during their medical consultations. Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office explained that the initial charges against Keith Allen Henry, listed as a Lewisberg, NC resident, were related to a 7-year-old patient. The child alerted her mother about the incident, which reportedly occurred on Nov. 7 at a medical clinic. SCSO said detectives in the Child Victim Unit conducted “a lengthy investigation” and charged Henry with felony aggravated sexual battery of a child under 13. An arrest warrant was issued but Henry couldn’t be found locally so federal assistance was requested, and he was arrested in Hanover on Nov. 28 with the assistance of Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the United St...
Arlington home explosion: suspect had contacted FBI for years
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Arlington home explosion: suspect had contacted FBI for years

Remains recovered from the duplex in the 800 block of N. Burlington Street are believed to belong to 56-year-old James Yoo, who is believed to be the suspect involved in the events leading up to the home explosion. According to Arlington P.D., police were dispatched to the residence for a report of possible shots fired at around 4:45 p.m. on Dec. 4. The preliminary investigation found that a male had fired a flare-style gun from inside out into the neighborhood over 30 times, Arlington Police Chief Andy Penn stated. After attempts to engage with suspect were unsuccessful, police obtained a search warrant “to allow our officers to secure any weapons to ensure there would be no ongoing threat to the community,” Penn continued. Police attempted to execute the warrant through vario...
Plane crash near airport in Fauquier kills Bealeton pilot
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Plane crash near airport in Fauquier kills Bealeton pilot

State and federal authorities are investigating a plane crash that occurred Sunday shortly before 4 p.m. in Fauquier County, claiming the life of a 62-year-old Bealeton, VA man. Virginia State Police reported Simmie Adams was flying a single-engine 1975 Beechcraft plane when it crashed near the intersection of Midland Rd. and Ebenezer Church Rd, which is near the Warrenton-Fauquier Regional Airport. VSP said Adams was attempting the land the plane when the crash occurred, and according to DC News Now Adams was attempting to land at the airport. Ralph Hicks of the NTSB told NBC4 Washington, the wreckage was “just south of the runway.” “Turns out at the moment of his approach, the weather was below minimums,” said David Huss, director of Warrenton-Fauquier Regional...
72-Year-Old Killed in 3-Vehicle Crash in York County
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72-Year-Old Killed in 3-Vehicle Crash in York County

Virginia State Police believe 72-year-old Carol E. Mitchell of Newport News set off the series of events that led the fatal 3-vehicle crash in York County Friday night. The crash occurred around 8 p.m. on I -64 at the 243 mile marker exit for Busch Gardens. VSP said its preliminary investigations reveal Mitchell was headed west in a 2009 Civic. She attempted to make a lane change and sideswiped a Mitsubishi Outlander. That collision caused the Outlander to run off the road and hit a guardrail, police said. Meanwhile, Mitchell’s Honda was stopped in the center lane of I-64 when it was hit from behind by a Buick Lacross, VSP reported. Mitchell was taken to Riverside Regional Hospital but died from her injuries, State Police reported. The driver of the Mitsubishi, 33-year-old Kier...
CHKD agrees to $68k civil penalty for claims, including missing fentanyl syringes
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CHKD agrees to $68k civil penalty for claims, including missing fentanyl syringes

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, commonly called CHKD, agreed to pay $68,400 to settle civil penalty claims accusing the hospital of violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) announced. The federal government alleged that “CHKD failed to comply with various recordkeeping requirements” mandated for DEA registrants who handle controlled substances. Providing some specifics, EDVA said the government accused the Norfolk-based hospital of having prescription drugs deliveries coming to a warehouse that wasn’t registered with the DEA between late March 2021 and December 2021. In addition, the EDVA alleged that those deliveries included a shipment of 200 one-milliliter fentanyl syringes, and CHKD ...
Augusta Sgt. arrested, charges stem from case of hospitalized suspect
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Augusta Sgt. arrested, charges stem from case of hospitalized suspect

An Augusta County deputy, Sgt. William Mikolay, was arrested and charged for offenses that occurred amid a September 29 police chase that ended with the suspect hospitalized. Sheriff Donald Smith’s Office released a statement about the September 29th pursuit after it happened explaining that it was about 3:30 a.m. and an unnamed deputy was on patrol near Three Notched Mountain Hwy. A black Infinity “caught the attention of the Deputy as being the vehicle involved with multiple pursuits over the past several weeks with The Virginia State Police and numerous other law enforcement agencies.” The deputy ran the registration, which allegedly came back to a different vehicle. The deputy then tried to stop the vehicle, which didn't comply, and a pursuit ensued, according to the Sheriff...