Ex-teacher's aide at Christian school assaulted boy, sent nudes to him and friends, got 'flirty' when he was 12: Court docs



A former teacher's aide at a Wisconsin Christian school has been accused of having sex with a boy she reportedly began getting "flirty" with when he was just 12 years old.

Stephanie Jensen, 41, was arrested Nov. 4.

'Victim 1 mentioned Stephanie Jensen was not only sending him nude pictures, but that she was sending his buddies nude content as well.'

According to the Wisconsin Circuit Court, Jensen was hit with 13 charges, including four counts of exposing genitals, pubic area, or intimate parts to a child; four counts of child enticement by exposing genitals, pubic area, or intimate parts; three counts of sexual intercourse with a child 16 or older by an actor 19 or older; second-degree sexual assault of a child; and possession of child pornography.

The New York Post, citing allegations laid out in the criminal complaint, reported that Jensen had worked as a second-grade classroom aide at the Faith Lutheran School in Fond du Lac.

The Faith Lutheran School has a primary goal to "teach students in grades 3K-8 about the love of Jesus in a safe Christian environment."

As outlined in the criminal complaint, WBAY-TV reported that when the boy was in eighth grade, the pair would "regularly bump into each other on campus before she started the illegal relationship."

Citing the criminal complaint, the Post reported that the boy told investigators Jensen started becoming "flirty" with him when he was only 12 years old.

The boy told investigators that he first had sex with the former teacher's aide in September 2024 — shortly before his 16th birthday, according to charging documents.

The student — identified as "Victim 1" in the criminal complaint — told investigators he remembered the pair first had sex when he was 15 years old because it happened shortly before he obtained his driver's license, according to charging records.

The student told investigators that he had sex with Jensen four times until he was 17 years old, according to court documents.

WLUK-TV said charging documents it reviewed indicate Jensen sent nude photos to the boy and also to his friends: "Victim 1 said word traveled throughout his friend group that she was willing to share so people he knew would add her to see what she would share with them."

The criminal complaint said Jensen allegedly admitted to detectives that she sent sexual content but denied having sex with the boy in question.

According to the New York Post, a detective informed Jensen that she was being placed under arrest, but she allegedly replied, "I am not under arrest," and she reportedly refused to stand up from the couch.

The criminal complaint stated that the detective had to pull Jensen from the couch by her arm and that officers struggled to handcuff the suspect until police ordered her to stop.

RELATED: Middle school teacher accused of raping her former student who's now in high school, sending nude video of herself to teen

Following her arrest, Faith Lutheran School fired Jensen, according to school officials.

Faith Lutheran School Principal Benjamin Rank told WLUK:

Faith Lutheran School has terminated the employment of Stephanie Jensen upon formal charges being filed in court on Monday. The faculty, staff, and administration at Faith are committed to the safety and care of our students, staff, families, and community. We pray for all who are affected by these events as we continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord.

A judge initially ordered Jensen to have no contact with the victim, his family, or other minors and not to use social media, drugs, or alcohol.

In an update from WBAY, a judge allowed Jensen to have contact with her own children but not with other minors.

Jensen's cash bond was set at $200,000, and she is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 17.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Armed carjackers meet their match as gun-toting victim turns the tables, shoots the crooks — among them a 14-year-old male



A crew of carjackers most definitely picked the wrong guy to steal from in Seattle over the weekend.

Officers around 3:30 a.m. Sunday responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of 1st Avenue, police said.

'Stories like this just warm my heart. I love a happy ending.'

Officers found a suspect suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and detained him, police said, adding that they also detained the victim — a licensed gun owner — for questioning and recovered the firearm.

Firefighters responded with police and provided medical aid to the suspect, police said, adding that medics transported him to Harborview Medical Center in serious condition. Police said the suspect was under armed guard by officers.

Police determined that the victim parked his sports car along 1st Avenue when the driver of a white sedan approached him.

RELATED: 'I'll blow your head off': Carjacking victim threatened crook after turning the tables on him. Now carjacker learns his fate.

Image source: Seattle Police

Four individuals wearing face masks were in the vehicle, police said, adding that after a short conversation, two males armed with guns tried to steal the victim's car.

Fearing for his safety, the victim fired multiple rounds, striking one of the suspects, police said.

The remaining suspects fled the area in the sedan before police arrived.

While they were investigating, police said the driver of a white sedan dropped off a second suspect at Harborview Medical Center. The second suspect also had been shot, was in serious condition, and was under armed guard, police said.

The driver of the sedan fled before officers arrived, police said.

One of the wounded suspects is a 14-year-old male, while the other is a 20-year-old male, KING-TV reported, citing police.

Both wounded suspects will be booked into custody when they are released from the hospital, the station noted.

Officers and robbery detectives processed the scene, collected evidence, and spoke to witnesses, police said, adding that officers took the victim to Seattle Police headquarters, where detectives interviewed him; he was then released. KING said the victim is 24 years old.

Police said the case is an open and active investigation assigned to the Robbery Unit.

More than 3,000 comments have flooded KING's Facebook post about the shooting, and as you might expect, folks seem quite happy about the outcome. The following are a few of their reactions.

  • "Not every hero wears a cape," one commenter said.
  • "The vehicle owner doing the Lord's work," another user noted.
  • "Awesome story," another commenter wrote before adding "buy that man a beer."
  • "Stories like this just warm my heart," another user gushed. "I love a happy ending."
  • "FAFO! Whahahaha! I love it!!!" another user exclaimed.
  • "When you allow your streets to become the Wild West, sometimes you run into Wyatt Earp," another commenter observed.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

11-year-old arrested for alleged 'kill list' at Florida school — just 2 weeks after similar incident in same school district



For the second time in just two weeks, an 11-year-old has been arrested, handcuffed, and perp-walked after allegedly creating "kill list" at school — and both incidents occurred in the same Florida school district but involved different students in different schools. In addition, both schools are "alternative education" schools.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said an 11-year-old male on Monday "wrote out a kill list at Highbanks Learning Center in Deltona."

'It’s not appropriate to post about a child of this age on social media.'

The 11-year-old is "facing a felony charge of making a written threat to kill," the sheriff's office said, adding that the school resource deputy confirmed that the suspect doesn't have access to weapons.

Blaze News is not naming the suspect or showing his face because of his age.

However, the sheriff's office did name the handcuffed suspect and posted video of him being walked to a jail cell.

RELATED: Florida sheriff's office under fire for posting 9-year-old male's mug shot on Facebook after his felony arrest

Image source: Volusia County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office

Image source: Volusia County (Fla.) Sheriff's Office

While the sheriff's office added that "school threats are down recently," Blaze News reported that just two weeks ago — on Oct. 27 — an 11-year-old girl was arrested after writing a "kill list" at her school desk at Riverview Learning Center in Ormond Beach.

Riverview Learning Center and Highbanks Learning Center are "alternative education" schools, and both are part of Volusia County Schools.

The websites for both schools also tout the "iABLE (Intensive Academic Behavioral Learning Environment) program" which "provides a specialized program designed to meet the needs of students with intense emotional and behavioral needs."

In the Oct. 27 incident, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said staff at Riverview Learning Center notified a deputy about the "kill list," which contained four names. The suspect said she was just playing, officials said. The girl was charged with making a written threat to kill as well as violating her probation.

The sheriff's office posted video after the girl's arrest showing deputies perp-walking her into a jail cell. A deputy is heard asking her if she had been there before, and she replies in the affirmative.

Blaze News did not name the suspect or show her face because of her age.

Neither Volusia County Schools nor the Volusia County Sheriff's Office immediately replied to Blaze News' requests for comment regarding the two arrests.

However, about 4,500 comments — and climbing — so far have hit the sheriff's Facebook post about Monday's arrest. Here's a sampling:

  • "I know this young man personally, and he has amazing parents ... [and] is a phenomenal football player, son, and brother," one commenter claimed on the day of the 11-year-old's arrest. "Yes, he gets in trouble sometimes, but I also think the kid would bullied and pushed ... to his limit should [he] be in jail. After he was bullied today the teacher asked him to write his feelings, which I also feel is wrong because that’s what put him here, and it was not even what you guys think it is — but they took him [anyway]; all of this is messed up."
  • "Way [too] quick," another user wrote, adding that "this young man is my friend's son; he comes to where we work at all the time and volunteers his time to the elderly; I hate how this picture is painted."
  • "It’s not appropriate to post about a child of this age on social media," another commenter said. "His actions were wrong, but it’s important to remember that he didn’t pull the trigger or bring a weapon to school. This should be seen as a mental health crisis and be treated accordingly."
  • "As a child I got taken by my father to the city jail, [and] it was expressed to me that if I acted bad, this is where I would be staying — in that jail cell," another user shared. "I learned from that, [and] learned from tail whoopings ..."
  • "Bullying should have the same if not similar consequences," another commenter said. "I’m not sure why bullying is not taken so serious[ly]. Yes, what he did was wrong, but he is a child and is learning his lesson."

Blaze News published a story earlier in October about another Florida sheriff's office that was under fire after posting a 9-year-old male's mug shot on Facebook after his felony arrest for allegedly bringing a knife into his elementary school and threatening classmates with it.

However, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office at the time told WTSP-TV that the decision to post the child's mug shot is a policy the agency has upheld since 2018, and it won't remove the post. Indeed, the sheriff's Facebook post was still up Thursday morning.

“We have not had any repeat offenders since we have put this in place," Allison Merritt with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office added to the station.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

US man killed during mission trip in Angola — his wife is convicted for plotting his murder with security guard lover



The wife of a man killed in Angola has been convicted for orchestrating his murder during a mission trip with their family, according to a statement from their church.

44-year-old Beau Shroyer was found stabbed to death inside a vehicle on Oct. 25, 2024, in the town of Thienjo. His family had been sent to Africa on a mission trip in 2021 by the Lakes Area Vineyard Church in Detroit Lake, Minnesota.

Law enforcement had 'strong suspicions of a romantic relationship between the person who ordered the crime and her accomplice, the guard at the couple’s residence.'

Shroyer had stopped to help people who were pretending to have vehicle issues in a remote area. They stabbed him to death and fled in the rental car, as previously reported by Blaze News.

Local authorities eventually arrested the man's wife, 44-year-old Jackie Shroyer, and accused her of being the "mastermind" behind the slaying of her husband.

Angola official Manuel Halaiwa said that law enforcement had "strong suspicions of a romantic relationship between the person who ordered the crime and her accomplice, the guard at the couple’s residence."

They also arrested two people they said were her accomplices, identified as Bernardino Isaac Elias and Isalino Musselenga Kayoo "Vin Diesel." A third alleged accomplice identified as Gelson Guerreiro Ramos is still on the run.

Authorities said Jackie Shroyer paid Kayoo $50,000 to commit the crime.

"Though this news is shocking and extremely difficult to comprehend, it’s important for you to know that this verdict follows a very thorough investigation and trial process that was monitored closely, conducted fairly, and carried out with integrity," said the church's pastor, Troy Easton, in a statement.

The couple's five children were brought back the U.S. after their mother's arrest to be with family.

Jackie Shroyer will serve her sentence in Angola, according to the church.

RELATED: College student arrested for making death threat against GOP congressman over gay rights: 'I will take a bullet to your f***ing head'

The church did not say what her sentence was.

The victim's cousin Bret Shroyer told KSTP-TV that his death hit their family hard.

"Beau was a rock, just a really strong member of the family, he was doing good, all of the time," he said. "He was supportive; he was always looking for ways to help somebody else out."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

FBI whistleblower pans bureau for alleged ‘gross misconduct’ and ‘fraud’ in early Jan. 6 pipe-bomb investigation



The Biden FBI is guilty of “gross misconduct and/or fraud” for calling off surveillance of an early person of interest in the Jan. 6 pipe-bomb case, an FBI whistleblower alleges in a letter to Congress. The letter refers to events that occurred nearly five years before Blaze News disclosed that the surveillance subject lived next door to a Capitol Police officer who is now a potential forensic match to the gait of the bomb suspect.

After reading the Nov. 10 protected whistleblower disclosure from an FBI supervisory special agent who is still at the bureau and a Nov. 8 Blaze News investigation of the pipe-bombs case, U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie believes the FBI “has been engaged in a cover-up” or has been “grossly incompetent.”

“Either way,” Massie (R-Ky.) told Blaze News in a statement, “these latest revelations about the pipe-bomb investigation require answers from the new FBI director.”

The Blaze News investigation said former Capitol Police Officer Shauni Rae Kerkhoff, 31, appears to be a forensic match to the gait of the pipe-bomb suspect. A forensic gait analysis arranged by Blaze News rated Kerkhoff’s stride as a 94% match to the individual shown on video planting pipe bombs the night of Jan. 5, 2021.

The gait analysis used a computer algorithm to analyze walking parameters including flexion (knee bend), hip extension, speed, step length, cadence, and variance. The veteran analyst who ran the study said based on visual observations the program can struggle with, he personally pegged the match at closer to 98%.

Kerkhoff has not been charged with any criminal conduct by any law enforcement agency in connection with the pipe-bomb incident.

The FBI has not responded to Blaze News requests for comment.

Attorney Kurt Siuzdak of Madison, Conn., filed a 10-page protected disclosure on behalf of his client, the whistleblower, with Massie and U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), among the most active lawmakers still investigating Jan. 6 and its aftermath. Loudermilk is the chairman of the House Select Subcommittee to Investigate the Remaining Questions Surrounding Jan. 6.

The FBI supervisor said that “after FBI agents came within yards of the person who has been identified” in Blaze News' reporting, “the FBI surveillance team agents were ordered to cease their investigation, denied permission to conduct at least one logical interview, immediately removed from surveillance, and reassigned to do general leads work,” Siuzdak wrote.

“The ‘neighbor’ identified below [in the whistleblower complaint] lived within feet of [Person of Interest 3] and she appears to be the same individual as investigative reporter Steve Baker identified as a former U.S. Capital [sic] Police officer, who is currently associated with a U.S. intelligence agency,” Siuzdak wrote.

After the FBI identified several persons of interest in the pipe-bombs case, Squad 21 of the Washington Field Office Intelligence Division was assigned to do “FISUR,” or physical surveillance, in the Bailey’s Crossroads section of Falls Church, Va.

Kyle Seraphin, who was then a member of Squad 21, told Blaze News the surveillance lasted two days before the squad was pulled off the case without warning.

The new whistleblower said the female next-door neighbor of the man being surveilled was photographed by FBI agents.

“The ‘neighbor’ had been photographed by the FBI surveillance team, and her photograph and attire are similar to the individual who [allegedly] placed the devices,” Siuzdak said.

The FBI had already determined that the man referred to in FBI documents as Person of Interest 3 should be interviewed by agents. But when Seraphin proposed that he do a “knock and talk” at the man’s door, the idea was rejected, Siuzdak said.

The suspected pipe bomber moves to a bench behind the Democratic National Committee building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, 2021. FBI

The face-to-face interview with POI3 “would have obviously led to the doorstep of the ‘neighbor,’” Siuzdak wrote. “However, investigative steps offered by the FBI agents in the field were rejected, and agents were immediately reassigned. The discontinuation of the investigation was described [by the whistleblower] as improper.”

Kerkhoff is named in consumer, banking, and credit records as having resided next door to the man under surveillance. She later moved to Alexandria, Va. When Blaze News editor in chief Christopher Bedford visited the area of Alexandria near her residence the night of Nov. 7, the curtains were drawn, two civilian-looking vehicles were in the driveway, one civilian-looking truck was out front, and a fourth vehicle pulled up after Bedford parked. Two plainclothesmen got out of the final car, and a third joined them from inside the house. The three men stood sentry in front of the home for a time.

The local police responded to Bedford's visit, and when he tried to drive away, he was quickly pulled over and asked why he was in the area. The local police promptly allowed him to go after he provided his ID and explained the reason why he was near the address.

Internal FBI documents included in the protected whistleblower disclosure corroborated information contained in a January 2025 report from the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight.

According to the documents, the FBI had investigated an individual known as POI2, who was seen on surveillance video taking photographs behind the Capitol Hill Club the morning of Jan. 5 — about nine hours before an unknown subject in a grey hoodie placed a pipe bomb next to a row of rolling commercial garbage tubs.

The pipe bomb suspect (above left) walking west on C Street toward Rumsey Court, stopping in front of a congressional rooming house (upper right), possibly looking to place a pipe bomb on Jan. 5, 2021. Capitol Police squad cars (below) with lights engaged were across the street as the suspect walked down the court to plant the bomb. FBI/@Armitas/U.S. Capitol Police CCTV

The man left the area and later returned to walk through Rumsey Court, which runs behind the Capitol Hill Club and the Republican National Committee building. When he was later questioned by FBI agents, the man claimed he was taking photographs of “objects bearing numerals” for a book project.

Agents used surveillance video to track the man through part of the day Jan. 5. He arrived at the Capitol South Metro Station from the East Falls Church Metro Station at 9:58 a.m. Capitol Police “observed POI2 switching hats when we [sic] exits South Capitol Metro,” an FBI report said.

After taking photographs behind the Capitol Hill Club, POI2 walked around the U.S. Capitol complex and met with two unknown individuals, the House report said.

The FBI considered POI2’s behavior suspicious and said he could be considered a possible accomplice to the pipe bomber.

The man again walked through Rumsey Court before proceeding to the Capitol South Metro Station and riding the train back to Falls Church, Va., where he arrived at 6:53 p.m.

FBI records show that Person of Interest 2 was dropped off at the East Falls Church Metro by a Volkswagen Tiguan registered to Person of Interest 3, who was put under surveillance by the FBI a week later. Person of Interest 2 used a prepaid Metro SmarTrip card to pay for the train rides. The SmarTrip card was purchased by Person of Interest 3, the FBI said.

The FBI interviewed Person of Interest 2, who was not identified in the investigative documents Blaze News reviewed, on Jan. 19, 2021. The man was subsequently dismissed as no longer a person of interest in the pipe-bombs case. The FBI also cleared Person of Interest 3 of having any role in the placement of the bombs.

The U.S. House report said the FBI did not explain on what basis it cleared Persons of Interest 2 and 3, indicate how the men knew each other, or explain how Person of Interest 2 obtained the other man’s prepaid SmarTrip card.

In a Nov. 12 story, the Daily Wire reported that "law enforcement suspected a particular Falls Church, Virginia man’s Metro card of being linked to the case, and also that the Capitol Police officer was in fact his neighbor, literally sharing a wall with him."

The man told the Wire his Metro card "was used by a childhood friend who traveled from the south to attend Trump’s rally, and stayed with him to save money. The Air Force vet let him borrow his card and picked him up from the Metro station in Virginia after the rally, he said. Both men are Trump supporters, he said."

The man said he had been interviewed on the matter by what he believes to be Metro transit police, as was his visiting friend. Furthermore, the man told the Daily Wire that he does not believe his Metro card was used by his neighbor, the Capitol Police officer, on January 5.

Blaze News was unable to independently confirm the Wire's report. Blaze News investigative reporter Steve Baker knocked on the front door of the man’s townhouse on Nov. 9, but he declined to comment.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Neighbors allegedly noticed something suspicious — now a teacher is accused of 'extremely disturbing' sex assault of student



An Illinois middle school teacher has been accused of sexually assaulting a student after her neighbors noticed something suspicious about her house and tipped off police, according to authorities.

Jessica Bergmann — a 34-year-old teacher at Washington Middle School in Aurora — was arrested on Friday without incident. Bergmann was charged with felony criminal sexual assault by a person in a position of authority and two felony counts for aggravated criminal sexual abuse, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office said in a Saturday statement.

'Cases involving alleged abuse by a teacher strike at the core of community trust.'

Bergmann was released from custody after her initial court appearance, but she was ordered to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18 years old, the attorney’s office said.

The state's attorney's office said the Wheaton Police Department began an investigation after receiving leads about "suspicious incidents involving a minor male and an adult female."

The Daily Herald said it obtained court documents indicating that the Wheaton Police Department launched an investigation in October after concerned neighbors tipped off law enforcement that a young male made frequent visits to Bergmann's home.

The state's attorney's office said in the press release that Bergmann first met the alleged victim when he was a student at Washington Middle School. Bergmann — a math teacher at the school — also was a coach on a school soccer team, of which the boy was a member, according to prosecutors.

The attorney's office noted that the student graduated from middle school, but Bergmann and the boy began "communicating via text messages and phone calls" when he was a sophomore in high school.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Wheaton Police Department Chief P.J. Youker accused Bergmann of having an "inappropriate sexual relationship with a student."

The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office stated:

It is alleged that at some point in time, the relationship between the two turned sexual. It is further alleged that the relationship progressed further and that the victim would frequently go to Bergmann’s home, occasionally staying overnight, where the two would engage in sexual intercourse.

RELATED: Shocking texts allegedly reveal sinister plan by teacher and her boyfriend to groom, sex traffic her student

Berlin declared, "The profound abuse of trust and authority allegedly displayed by Ms. Bergmann is extremely disturbing and will be met with the full force of the law."

Berlin also said in his statement:

Teachers are entrusted with our students’ well-being. They are given the awesome responsibility to guide and protect our students, not to harm or exploit them. A teacher who takes advantage of a student, as alleged in this case, is not only breaking the law, but they are also breaking the trust placed in them by the community, the school, and the victim’s family.

Chief Youker said of the alleged sexual abuse allegations:

Cases involving alleged abuse by a teacher strike at the core of community trust. This behavior is unacceptable, and the Wheaton Police Department is dedicated to fully investigating any reports involving this allegation, to fully ensure the safety of our community and our children.

The DuPage County Children’s Advocacy Center assisted in the investigation, according to authorities.

The Daily Herald noted that the student is now 17 years old.

At the time of publication, Bergmann was not listed on the employee directory for West Aurora School District 129.

Washington Middle School Principal Marchel Rogers and West Aurora School District 129 Superintendent Michael Smith did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

Bergmann is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 1 in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

15-year-old Florida female caught on police bodycam video bashing cop car — with a shovel: 'You kidding me?'



Police officers in Florida probably got a little more than they bargained for after responding to a recent call about a disturbance in a home in the 1400 block of Bartell Avenue in Port St. Lucie.

Police said a 15-year-old female was in the middle of the road with a shovel and began to approach the arriving patrol car — and then struck the hood of the vehicle with the shovel.

'Regardless of age, resorting to intentional damage of people or property in our city will result in an arrest.'

Police posted bodycam video of the incident, which took place around 4:45 p.m. Nov. 3. The teen appeared to strike the police vehicle with the shovel at least four times.

One officer can be heard on the clip remarking, "You kidding me?" as he exited the police vehicle to confront the teen with what appears to be a powered-up Taser.

A second officer can heard ordering the teen to "put the shovel down!"

The video shows the girl immediately tossing the shovel to the street — and apparently issuing some sort of hand gesture to officers, which is redacted in the police bodycam video.

Image source: Port St. Lucie (Fla.) Police Department video screenshot

Police said the girl was arrested and charged with felony criminal mischief and that she caused more than $1,200 in damage to the vehicle's hood.

"Regardless of age, resorting to intentional damage of people or property in our city will result in an arrest," police said in a Facebook post, adding that the girl was "taken into custody without incident."

RELATED: Massive mall brawl: 300 teens descend upon shopping mall, run amok, fight — even with cops. TikTok influencer set 'meetup.'

The video has received more than 140,000 views. The following is a small sampling of some of the accompanying comments:

  • "Happy the officers are safe and weren’t also attacked, just the car," one commenter noted. "They never know what type of crazy they will deal with or how quickly a situation can turn dangerous, every single day."
  • "The amount of value sharing this video adds to our community is astonishing," another user said. "Thank you for your service."
  • "I pray she receives the help she needs," another commenter wrote. "Clearly something seems off here."
  • "Exemplary de-escalation!" another user exclaimed.
  • "15…. Where are the parents? What's her story? Home life, personal life, abused, etc. [?]" another commenter mused. "Yes, she did wrong. Obviously. But [a] 15-year-old kid doesn’t just take a shovel for a good time. At 15, many can't even control their emotions. Officers handle it without incident, thank God."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Former teacher sentenced to 132 years in prison for horrific abuse of her two stepsons



A former Virginia teacher was convicted of horrific abuse of her two stepsons beginning when they were 9 and 11 years old.

Barbara Paul was found guilty in July of 42 counts related to the abuse of the children that belonged to her fiancé, an Henrico police officer. She previously worked as an Henrico County school teacher.

'They're free of this now. It's no longer a weight that's holding over them. They won't have to deal with her.'

Paul punished the children with beatings and excessive exercise that included jumping for hours. Police were able to obtain video footage from inside the home showing her choking the children.

The children were punished for reasons that included their being unable to guess a number in Paul's mind, putting a pencil in a lunchbox, and missing the bus.

School officials testified to four instances when staff noticed injuries to the older boy. In the first instance, the issue was turned over to Child Protective Services, but no follow-up was conducted, according to a school official.

Paul's attorney argued that she suffered from mental issues, including executive function disorder and ADHD. He also claimed that the boys' father had been mentally and physically abusive to Paul.

Angela Fountain, the boys' maternal grandmother, spoke to WTVR-TV outside of the courthouse.

"To know that my grandsons will never have to look at this woman, ever. They'd never have to worry about running across her anywhere in public or in private," Fountain said. "They're free of this now. It's no longer a weight that's holding over them. They won't have to deal with her, and the joy, the elation is just beyond. It's everything that we had hoped for and prayed for."

Paul was sentenced to 132 years and 102 months in prison.

RELATED: California seeks 'compassionate release' of 'sadistic pedophile' convicted of raping and drugging his children

Chesterfield Judge David E. Johnson told Paul that the abuse she inflicted came from an "evil mind" and not a "disturbed one."

The judge had everyone in the courtroom stand as a sign of respect for each of the two boys as they walked out of the courtroom after their testimony.

Johnson said he wanted to ensure with the sentencing that the children would never have to face the fear of running into their former stepmother ever again.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Half-naked woman 'missing flesh' and handcuffed in backyard was tortured for weeks, beaten with bat, shot with BB gun: Cops



Police found a half-naked woman handcuffed in a Texas backyard who had been tortured for a considerable period of time by five people she knew for years, authorities said.

The Austin Police Department said in a statement that officers conducted a welfare check just after 9 a.m. Oct. 30 after a report regarding a "woman in distress who appeared to be restrained and calling for help."

The woman told investigators she 'got in trouble' the night before police found her because her pants fell down, according to the affidavit.

Police said they discovered a woman outside a home who was "handcuffed to a piece of exercise equipment."

"The woman showed signs of physical distress and had visible injuries consistent with prolonged restraint," the press release read. "The woman told officers she had been held at the residence for several months and was not allowed to leave."

Police said they had to cut through the "heavy metal links" to release the woman who soon was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Officers discovered three children inside the house who were "safely removed and placed in the care of Child Protective Services for safety and support."

Police arrested five people from the residence and charged them with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, injury to elderly or disabled, and unlawful restraint.

The suspects were identified as 51-year-old Michelle Garcia, 32-year-old Mache Carney, 30-year-old Juan Pablo Castro, 21-year-old Crystal Garcia, and 21-year-old Maynard Lefevers.

The Austin American-Statesman said it obtained the arrest affidavit, which indicated the woman told police she was friends with one of the females who lived in the house and visited often — but "one day they decided they didn't like her anymore and no longer allowed her to leave."

The suspects said they had known the woman for years, the affidavit stated.

Carney told police they started restraining the woman to stop her from stealing from neighbors, the affidavit said.

Several of the suspects claimed the woman suffers from mental health issues, according to the affidavit.

Crystal Garcia told investigators that the woman was only “50/50” capable of consent, the affidavit stated.

RELATED: Female reportedly orders her 5 lovers to kidnap, torture, and deprive man of food and sleep for a week at Red Roof Inn

Citing the affidavit, KVUE-TV reported that the woman had been at the home since July and had been "handcuffed inside and outside the house for months."

Castro — the husband of Carney — admitted to purchasing the handcuffs, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, the woman told detectives a male and a female repeatedly shot her with a BB gun and that she was beaten with a baseball bat and fed only once a day.

Michelle Garcia told investigators they fed the woman one meal a day because she had gotten "chunky," according to the arrest affidavit. However, police noted that the woman appeared malnourished when she was found.

Police said the woman told them she was punished if she tried to leave and had open wounds, cuts, swollen wrists, missing flesh from her hands and feet, extensive scarring all over her body from BB gunshots, and a battered face, the American-Statesman reported, citing the affidavit.

KVUE, citing law enforcement, reported that the woman had "hundreds of small BB scars across her body and a swollen shut right eye from a pellet injury."

The affidavit said the suspects confessed to shooting the woman with BB guns. Castro told police he bought an electric rifle-style BB gun "to shoot her" because he didn't want to touch the woman.

According to the arrest affidavit, Castro told authorities he would come home from work, grab the BB gun from his closet, and "chase her around the yard," firing pellets.

"I [expletive] hate her," Castro told investigators when asked why he shot the victim, the affidavit stated.

A 4-year-old child who lived at the home told a specialist during a forensic interview that Castro — his father — shot the woman when she was "bad," according to the affidavit. The child said he could hear the woman outside screaming, according to the affidavit.

The woman told investigators she "got in trouble" the night before police found her because her pants fell down, according to the affidavit.

The American-Statesman said as "punishment," a number of suspects "allegedly shot her repeatedly with a BB gun," secured her in the backyard with handcuffs, then left her there "overnight without pants or food as temperatures dipped into the 40s." The paper, citing police, added that the woman said she "begged and cried to be released, but was threatened with more and worse violence" if she kept pleading.

The investigation is ongoing, and those with information about the case are urged to contact the Austin Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit at 512-974-4786 or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

ICE makes pitch to NYPD cops after Mamdani promises radical overhaul



A poll conducted ahead of the New York City mayoral election found that 9% of residents would "definitely" leave the city and another 25% would "consider" relocating if Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani proved victorious on Nov. 4.

It is yet to be seen whether NYC will ultimately hemorrhage millions of residents in the coming months. It appears, however, that Mamdani's rise to power has already prompted departures at the New York Police Department.

'How do you work for somebody who considers you racist and anti-queer and wants to defund the police?'

Citing sources familiar with the situation and Police Pension Fund data, the New York Post indicated that a surge of police officers quit in the weeks leading up to the mayoral election, when Mamdani was a clear favorite to win.

In October, the NYPD reportedly saw a 35% spike in police of all ranks leaving the force. Whereas 181 left the force in October 2024, this year 245 officers left during the same stretch.

Detectives Endowment Association president Scott Munro told the Post, "Morale is down because everyone is concerned about the policies Mamdani wants to put in place."

"You have a person who is supposed to be running New York City that does not believe in law enforcement," continued Munro. "What's coming out of everyone’s mouth is, 'We're in trouble.'"

RELATED: Here's what exit polls reveal about Tuesday's electoral bloodbath

Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

Mamdani, who takes office on Jan. 1, has made no secret in recent years of his antipathy toward the NYPD.

The mayor-elect suggested, for instance, in a June 28, 2020, tweet that the NYPD "is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety" and stressed that it was necessary to "defund the police."

"How do you work for somebody who considers you racist and anti-queer and wants to defund the police?" said one retired cop. "Things are hard enough already. If you're eligible to leave, why would you want to stay in that situation?"

Mamdani now claims that he doesn't want to defund the police; however, he has indicated that he's not interested in hiring more police to address the NYPD's near-record-low numbers and appears keen to replace police in certain circumstances with social workers.

On the campaign trail, Mamdani proposed the creation of an agency aimed at preventing "violence before it happens by taking a public health approach to safety." The so-called Department of Community Safety would have a budget of over $1 billion — drawing $605 million from existing programs — and would appropriate some of the responsibilities of police, including responding to mental health calls and dealing with erratic homeless individuals.

Some individuals with actual experience dealing with the city's mentally ill and homeless have suggested that Mamdani's proposal is disaster waiting to happen.

A Bronx cop told the Post, "How’s that going to work when the person pulls out a gun or a knife?"

"You can't do this without police — it's impossible," Richard Perkins, a behavioral nurse with 14 years' experience told the Gothamist. "No one in their right mind would do this alone. You're going to get hurt."

Mamdani's appointment of Elle Bisgaard-Church as his chief of staff signals he's likely serious about the DCS. Bisgaard-Church, who serves as Mamdani's campaign manager, was reportedly the proposed agency's "chief architect."

In addition to effectively replacing police with social workers on certain calls, Mamdani has ruffled feathers by committing to both closing Rikers Island prison and shifting the final say on police disciplinary actions from the NYPD commissioner to the anti-police Civilian Complaint Review Board.

'It seems to me like there may be people from there looking for jobs.'

"Nobody wants to be a New York City cop," a police union consultant told the Post. "It's not worth the money, the stress, the danger, especially working for a mayor who wants to take the department apart."

Blaze News has reached out for comment to the New York City Police Benevolent Association and the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the NYPD as well as to the mayor's office.

Retired NYPD Chief of Department John Chell recently told Newsmax that about 4,000 police officers of every rank are eligible for retirement in January but suggested that "it remains to be seen" whether there will ultimately be a mass exodus.

In the meantime, law enforcement organizations in other jurisdictions are extending offers to disenchanted NYPD officers.

The Houston Police Officers' Union, for instance, released a flyer earlier his month telling New York cops "disgusted with the election of Zohran Mamdani" that the Houston Police Department is hiring and offering "competitive pay with [a] 36.5% pay raise just approved over 5 years."

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office was one of the outfits in Florida that is similarly trying to recruit from the NYPD, reported WMBB-TV.

"With the changing of what’s going on in New York City with a new mayor and probably a different way of doing things for law enforcement up there, it seems to me like there may be people from there looking for jobs," said Sheriff A.J. Smith. "And I have jobs. And I would love to have anybody from the NYPD or anywhere up that way that may be affected by the change to apply here."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is also seizing on the opportunity to recruit New York cops alienated by the incoming mayor.

ICE shared a recruitment poster to social media last month captioned, "NYPD OFFICERS: Work for a President and a Secretary who support and defend law enforcement — not defund or demonize it."

— (@)

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!