Hard Boiled News

True Crime and News of the Weird from around the Globe

YouTube Star Austin Jones Hit With Child Porn Charges

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CHICAGO — Austin Jones, a musician and YouTube star has been hit with child pornography charges for allegedly talking underage fans into sending him sexually explicit videos.

The 24-year-old pop singer, who resides in Bloomingdale, Illinois, has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, most of whom are young girls, and his YouTube videos are routinely watched millions of times.

Federal prosecutors say he is charged with talking two 14-year-old girls he met on Facebook into sending him video of them exposing their private parts while twerking for the camera and talking about how young they are.

“Get super close and say these lines: hey Austin, it’s (name) and this butt is (age) years old and then make it clap for 30 seconds. Got it?” he was quoted in the indictment as telling one of the victims.

To the second victim, Jones was quoted as saying: “Think about how amazing that would be for you!! To have your favorite singer spanking your ass!” He then said, “If you’re lucky, maybe I’d let you suck my d**k.”

Prosecutors said Jones would goad the victims into making more explicit videos by telling them they had to prove they were his biggest fans. If they demurred, he would threaten to break off communication. He admitted to the FBI that he would masturbate to the videos.

After being contacted by the FBI, Facebook deactivated Jones’ account, prosecutors said.

Jones was arrested on Monday at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and was set to go before a judge on Wednesday to face two counts of producing child pornography. He faces between 15 and 30 years on each count.

In 2015,  a petition circulated demanding Jones be removed from the Warped Tour for allegedly soliciting underage girls to send him twerking videos. He later apologized to fans, saying in a post on Facebook that he had gone into therapy and that he never “intended to mistreat or humiliate anyone.”

Chicago Gang Leader Faces 70 Years After Instagramming Pics From Gun Range

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CHICAGO — A Chicago gang leader faces up to 70 years in prison for firing a pistol with pals at a gun range and then posting pictures on Instagram that documented the day.

Labar “Bro Man” Spann, 38, is barred from having a gun due to a variety of prior felony convictions including aggravated battery of a police officer, drug offenses, harassment of a witness and armed robbery.

The reputed leader of the Four Corner Hustlers pleaded guilty to going with a gal pal and a friend to Midwest Sporting Goods in Lyons, Illinois in September 2014 and loading a Glock 19 and opening fire at targets at the range.

Prosecutors alleged that Spann later posted a number of photographs and videos on Instagram showing him at the range and the targets at which he’d fired.

“Ya’ll know I had to go first just to show my b***ch how this s**t works lmao I do this s**t,” Spann wrote below one picture he posted showing a target with holes in the head and chest.

Spann also pleaded guilty to pressuring his girlfriend, Ladonah Hampton, to lie to authorities and say that he had never fired a gun while at the range.

He was also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to sell after cops found dozens of small bags of the white powder in his home.

Spann faces up to 70 years in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 5, 2017.

In addition to his various felony offenses, Spann was acquitted of being the mastermind behind the 2003 killing of Rudy Rangel, a notorious high-ranking member of the Latin Kings street gang.

Hero Driver Leaps into Action to Save Motorist Having Seizure

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DIXON, Illinois — A hero driver was caught on tape leaping into action to save a fellow motorist having a seizure behind the wheel from a nasty accident at a busy Illinois intersection.

Police say the terrifying episode unfolded late in the afternoon last Friday when the stricken driver ran a red light and began drifting into oncoming traffic in downtown Dixon.

That’s when Randy Tompkins, who was sitting behind the wheel of his pickup truck with his wife beside him in the opposite lane, sprang into action, with the whole thing being captured on the dashboard camera of a nearby police car.

 

At approximately 4:06 p.m. yesterday afternoon, one of our squad cars was on routine patrol approaching the intersection of 4th Avenue and North Galena Avenue.

Officers observed a blue passenger car traveling north on North Galena Avenue and had disobeyed the red traffic signal at that intersection. The car proceeded through the intersection, almost striking several vehicles. Our squad car activated its emergency lights in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop on the car. The car proceeded north at a low rate of speed and began traveling into the oncoming lanes of travel.

A truck, that was southbound in the 1300 block of North Galena Avenue, had to back up to avoid being struck by the car. The driver of the truck could see the driver of the car and observed that something looked medically wrong. The driver of the truck (later identified as Dixon resident Randy Tompkins) exited his vehicle, ran up to the car and without hesitation jumped into the car through the passenger side window in an attempt to stop it. Tompkins was able to get the car in park just as officers approached the vehicle as well. The driver of the vehicle was found to be having a seizure.

Tompkins and the two officers stood by until Dixon City Fire arrived and transported the driver to KSB Hospital. We want to thank Tompkins for his heroism and for coming to a complete stranger’s aid!
#DixonProud

Posted by Dixon, Illinois Police Department on Saturday, June 3, 2017

First, Tompkins backed his vehicle up and out of the way of the oncoming motorist and then raced out of his car and dove headlong through the passenger window of the sick driver’s car and pulled the parking brake.

“I saw him come out from behind the traffic, and he almost hit me in my lane,” the 39-year-old Tompkins told the Northwest Herald. “I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t realize he was having a seizure until he got to the intersection.”

The quick-thinking Tompkins said it all happened in a blur, but that he “just did what had to be done”.

“He was in danger himself, and he was a danger to others,” Tompkins said. “My adrenaline was pumping, and I just reacted.”

Police say the driver, who was described as a man in his 20s or 30s, had indeed had a seizure and was taken to a local hospital and later released.

“We want to thank Tompkins for his heroism and for coming to a complete stranger’s aid!” the Dixon Police wrote on Facebook.

We’re On a Mission From God: Fire Erupts at Jail Featured in ‘The Blues Brothers’

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Elwood and Jake begin their mission from God

JOLIET, Illinois — The prison featured in the opening scenes of the cult classic film, “The Blues Brothers,” was heavily damaged when a fire erupted in an old industrial building on the grounds of the abandoned jail.

The fire at the old Joilet Correctional Center broke out Monday evening and was brought under control after a few hours. No one was injured in the blaze, officials said.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, fire officials said. Two people found leaving the grounds of the prison were taken in for questioning and told authorities that other people had been in the complex before the blaze, the Joliet Herald-News reported.

Opened in 1858, the prison was closed in 2002 and was most famous for its cameo appearance in the 1980 film when Elwood Blues, played by Dan Aykroyd, picks up his brother Jake, portrayed by John Belushi, in order to get the band back together following a stint in prison.

Fire tears through the roof of an industrial building on the grounds of the abandoned Joliet Correctional Center

The jail also appeared in the Fox series “Prison Break” and in the Bob Odenkirk comedy, “Let’s Go To Prison.”

But its role in the opening sequence of “The Blues Brothers” made it a tourist destination of sorts, and visitors to Joliet would often visit the abandoned jail to pose for photos.

In 2013, a fire at the complex destroyed a warehouse building after which officials welded shut the gates leading into the jail to keep vagrants out. In 2009, a prison parking lot was transformed into a public park.

College Student Killed By Hammer in Freak Track & Field Mishap

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Ethan Roser was accidentally struck by the hammer at the event

WHEATON, Illinois — A Wheaton College student volunteering to work at a track and field competition was tragically killed when he was hit by a hammer flung during the hammer throw event.

College officials said 19-year-old freshman, Ethan Roser, of Cincinnati, was accidentally struck Saturday afternoon during the competition. A hammer, which is actually a ball attached by a wire to a grip, weighs 16 pounds.

Paramedics and school safety officials had been on the scene and rushed to Roser’s aid and quickly transported him to a local hospital where he died.

“We are deeply grieved, but, because of our faith in Christ, not without hope,” said Wheaton College President Philip Ryken. “We ask people to pray for Ethan’s family, his friends, and our campus community.”

A hammer weighs 16 pounds

Relatives told the Chicago Tribune that Roser, the child of missionaries, had recently transferred to the school and was a member of the soccer team.

Wheaton is a Christian liberal arts college located just outside of Chicago. Notable alumni include the Rev. Billy Graham, film director Wes Craven and former speaker of the house of representatives, Dennis Hastert.

 

Parolee Fatally Shot Hours After Release at Party Celebrating His Freedom

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Nathan Hofkamp had just served two years for theft and assault

MINOOKA, Illinois — A man who had just been released from prison hours earlier was shot and killed during a party celebrating his freedom, police in Illinois said.

Cops say Nathan Hofkamp, 29, had just returned home Friday from a two-year stint for theft and assaulting a peace officer, when “a disturbance broke out” at a party at his family’s home in honor of his release, the Will County Sheriff’s office said.

“Apparently someone inside the residence became upset and fired a shot striking the victim in the chest,” the police said in a statement.

Hofkamp was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.

Investigators later identified the suspect in the shooting as 65-year-old James Hess, a live-in acquaintance of Hofkamp’s mother.

Hess has been charged initially with one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, while other charges are pending a review by prosecutors, cops said. He is being held at the Will County Adult Detention Facility awaiting a court hearing.

Son Killed, Dad Wounded in Gun Fight Over Whose Turn it Was to Walk Dog

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CHICAGO — A father and son opened fire on each other during a knock down fight over who was going to walk the dog, leaving the younger man dead and his dad critically wounded.

Police in Chicago say the gun battle erupted early Sunday morning when the pair pulled their guns and opened fire over the dog.

In the exchange, the 43-year-old father fatally shot his 22-year-old son and was struck multiple times in return. The son was declared dead at a local hospital and the father was hospitalized in critical condition.

Police recovered two guns at the scene and are continuing to investigate.

Chicago Father and Twin Sons Made Pimping the Family Business

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Nathan Nicholson (l) and twin sons Myrelle and Tyrelle Lockett kept their pimp hand in he family

CHICAGO — Like father, like sons, unfortunately.

A cruel Chicago dad groomed his twin sons to become vicious pimps who forced underage girls into prostitution, prosecutors said.

Nathan Nicholson, 45, and his 24-year-old sons, Tyrelle and Myrelle Lockett were all hit with lengthy prison sentences last week for running a family business in which the sons preyed on young girls they met at shopping malls and online.

According to federal prosecutors, Nicholson used the twins to recruit minor girls by promising them money for going on dates with older men in exchange for cash.

Once they lured a victim in, Nicholson would bring them to an abandoned house in Calumet City, where he would photograph them in skimpy outfits or bikinis, and then tell them they needed to “tested” by having sex with the twins.

The photos were then used for online sex ads, and the girls were soon being shopped around to have sex with men in area hotels and private homes for around $100 and hour. Whatever cash came in, went into Nicholson’s pockets and the women were beaten if they acted up or threatened to leave.

Some women were forced to get Myrelle or Tyrelle’s’ names tattooed on their necks, marking them as the twins’ property. Some women told authorities they were required to have sex with up to five strangers a day.

The twins also sought victims further afield, in one case forcing a Minnesota they had found online to come to Chicago to work for them. She managed to escape their clutches and called police, bringing the sordid family business to an end.

Both of the twins have been sentenced to 17 ½ years in prison, while their father got a 16 ½ year sentence.

Illinois’ Baffling Airtight Bridge Murder Solved After Nearly 40 Years

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Diane Small’s dismembered body was found under the Airtight Bridge in 1980

BRADLEY, Illinois — It took nearly four decades, but cops in Illinois have finally got their man.

Police say they have arrested 70-year-old Thomas Small for the 1980 murder of his then-26-year-old wife whose dismembered remains were found in a river under the Airtight Bridge in rural Coles County.

The body’s head, hands and feet had been amputated and were not recovered so it wasn’t identified for another 12 years.

The perplexing case became known locally as the Airtight Bridge murder.

The Daily Journal in Kanakee, Illionois reported that Small had confessed to the 36-year-old slaying. He has been charged with murder and is being held on $2 million bond.

Cops say Diane Marie Riordan Small disappeared in October 1980, but that investigators were unable to connect the waterlogged remains found under the bridge to her until 1992, when her sister came into police headquarters and said her sibling had been missing for 12 years and a DNA test was done.

Thomas Small, 70, has been charged with his wife’s murder after 36 years

At the time Diane Small went missing, cops say Thomas Small called police and filed a report that she had left and not returned. But he said she had a history of leaving for several days at a time and then coming back.

The couple had a 2-year-old daughter, Vanessa, at the time, who is now 38.

“This is great news, especially for her daughter,” retired Bradley Chief Steve Coy, who was a detective in 1992 and worked the case told the Daily Journal. “She has always wanted to know what happened.”

 

5 Inmates Injured in Wild Chicago Jail Rumble

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CHICAGO — A furious rumble broke out in the maximum security section of Chicago’s Cook County Jail on Friday, leaving five inmates injured, some with stab wounds, officials said.

Authorities quickly brought the lunchtime melee under control and recovered several weapons, including shivs made out of what appeared to be asthma inhaler casings, the Cook County Sheriff’s office told the Chicago Tribune.

Five inmates were transported to local hospitals, officials said. No prison staff were injured in the fracas. Authorities were investigating how the weapons got into prisoner hands.

The prison ward houses the most dangerous inmates.

None of the injuries was life-threatening. Prison officials sad four of the wounded inmates are awaiting trial on murder charges. The fifth was in custody on armed robbery charges.

In October, 20 inmates were  hurt — eight with stab wounds — and three prison guards were hospitalized after being struck with food trays in a massive brawl in the same section of the jail. Four of those inmates were awaiting murder trials and fifth was charged with attempted murder.