On Tuesday, President Trump delivered the State of the Union address. The address included mentions of immigration and fentanyl, with the President spotlighting the designation of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and his assertion that he had declared illicit fentanyl a “weapon of mass destruction.” As reported by NPR, applying terrorism tools to narcotics groups is a novel use of federal authorities that could both expand prosecutions and raise civil‑liberties concerns. In the Democratic rebuttal, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger invoked a civic call to push for better leadership and emphasized topics the president did not bring up. Read on for more criminal law news.
Forced labor indictment tied to NC based farm labor contractor. A 35-count indictment unsealed this week alleges a Washington, N.C. labor contractor (“Las Princesas”) lured workers from Mexico, confiscated their passports, imposed unlawful fees and debt, and compelled labor at farms and nurseries in North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida. Prosecutors say the company also filed false attestations to Department of Labor about wages, housing, and recruitment practices. Workers were allegedly kept in crowded housing with limited access to water, food, or medical care and threatened with deportation to maintain control.
Durham man sentenced to federal prison for harassment and stalking of gay men. WRAL reports that David Ryan Winters, 40, received a 36-month federal prison sentence after nearly a decade of online and in person harassment of gay men in the Triangle area. His conduct included threats referencing the Pulse nightclub attack, doxxing, property damage, and showing up at victims’ homes and workplaces. At one point, Winters visited one victim’s workplace, shattered a window and threw a trashcan onto their car. Prosecutors said the intimidation campaign forced several victims to relocate or change daily routines. Winters plead guilty to the charges in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina.
North Carolina Attorney General sues wedding photographer. North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson filed a civil suit against Holly Christina Photography and owners Holly Christina Scott Ayscue and Christopher Owen Ayscue, alleging they misled and defrauded brides and engaged couples by taking deposits and, in many cases, failing to deliver photos, videos, or contracted services. The N.C. Department of Justice says it has received 166 complaints totaling about $750,000 in claimed losses. The company allegedly kept soliciting and accepting deposits into early January before abruptly shutting down on Jan. 25 “due to unforeseen circumstances,” leaving at least 24 couples with weddings less than 90 days away and no photographer. The state’s complaint seeks injunctive relief, restitution, and civil penalties, citing patterns that include customers receiving only “sneak peeks,” raw files without editing, or nothing at all.
Driver ticketed by drone for being distracted by drone. Laurie Esseltine noticed a drone hovering above her car while stopped at a red light, so she took out her phone and snapped two pictures of it. A block later, she was pulled over and ticketed for using her phone, as captured by the drone hovering above her car. This was the result of a police operation in Canada using drones to surveil drivers and see if they were using their phones. Using a phone while driving under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act carries a $615 fine, three demerit points, and the potential for a three day license suspension. Kingston Police have since confirmed the drone tactic was both the first and last time they used drones to enforce distracted driving laws, noting they have not used drones for this reason since and are unaware of other agencies doing so. Previously, officers had observed drivers from buses and vans.
