A Danbury Township couple accused of bankruptcy fraud and using an elderly woman’s credit card without her permission both pleaded guilty to felony charges Monday morning.

Iris and Hugh Stephenson both pleaded guilty in the Ottawa County Court of Common Pleas almost five years after the couple deceived an 83-year-old woman into loaning them more than $160,000 for their home mortgage and business and then never paid her back.

Iris, 63, who owned Golden 1 Jewelry in Lakeside-Marblehead, pleaded guilty to attempted misuse of a credit card and defrauding creditors, both fourth-degree felonies, according to Ohio Attorney General’s Office spokesman Dan Tierney.

http://liarcatchers.com/fraud_investigation.html

Each of Iris’ charges carries a maximum jail sentence of 18 months, Tierney said. Her restitution totals $167,712.

Her husband, Hugh, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft, also a fourth-degree felony, before visiting Judge Charles Wittenberg at the courthouse.

As this was Hugh’s first offense, he qualified for the diversion program, in which he has two years to pay $30,000 in restitution to the victims. If he fails to do so, he will face jail time, Tierney said.

His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5.

The couple was accused of deceiving an elderly woman, Eleanor Shaeffer, 83, out of $167,000 back in November 2010.

In December 2012, Shaeffer filed a complaint with the Danbury Township Police Department alleging that she loaned money to them to help with their store, “Golden 1 Jewelry,” and a home mortgage.

She told police that the Stephensons agreed to repay the money but did not.

The investigation began as a result of Schaeffer’s complaint but then expanded into a bankruptcy fraud investigation.

In July, the Stephensons took a plea deal after Shaeffer’s family raised concerns about the stress of a trial on her.

“They definitely took responsibility for their actions and saw the consequences,” Tierney said.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s help in finding a missing person.

Luis Rojas (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office)

Luis Rojas, 37, was reported missing from his home in Maylene. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a red and white striped shirt.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

Rojas has a history of depression, authorities say.

Anyone with information on Rojas’ whereabouts is asked to call the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at 205-669-4181. Tips may be left anonymously at www.myshelbyso.com.

A Leetonia man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Cleveland to child-sex charges related to 13- and 15-year-old girls from Pennsylvania.

The Morning Journal says that 41-year-old Lucas Ippolito is to be sentenced in December. The charges include transporting a minor to engage in illegal sex and sexual exploitation of a child.

Ippolito reportedly brought the 15-year-old from Pennsylvania to Ohio back in January. He did the same three times early this year with the 13-year-old victim.

http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html

The Ohio Attorney General’s Crimes Against Children Unit and the Leetonia Police Department raided Ippolito’s home in early April. Three computers and a cell phone were among items seized and were reportedly found with the child pornography on them, including one image found of a child under the age of 12.

Karen Higgins says she wants her son, 34-year-old George Higgins to come home.

Higgins, a Soddy Daisy veteran left for a job interview almost a month ago and hasn’t been seen since.

“He said mom I’m going on an interview tomorrow morning, and I said okay,” said Higgins.

On August 25th, Higgins came across a Craigslist ad for a maintenance job.

He drove his mother’s 2006 Black Ford 500 to his interview.

http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html

According to Karen Higgins everything went well at George’s interview.

She says later that day George spoke with his brother and told him he got the job and was starting work that day, but that would be the last time the Higgins family would hear from George.

“He had gotten a call saying he had gotten the job, and he was working on it, they were debugging 111 units and he was going to turn in the keys to the manager, and that’s who he was waiting on, and we never heard nothing more,” said Higgins.

The family waited for 48 hours to pass before filing a missing person report. When time passed, and there was no site of George, they went straight to Soddy Daisy Police for help.

“It’s mountainous and heavily wooded in that area. And that may have been the last place he’s been,” said Chief Hamrick, Soddy Daisy Police.

Soddy Daisy Police launched an investigation. They traced Higgins number to Mineral Bluff, Georgia.

Fannin County deputies helped search the area George was believed to be in, but no luck.

Soddy Daisy Police Chief, Phillip Hamrick says they have no evidence to conclude foul play at this point of the investigation, but they are staying on top of it.

“Someone who may know his whereabouts contact us or his family and let us know,” said Hamrick.

In the meantime flyers with George’s face on it hang around Soddy Daisy. George’s mother hopes someone recognizes him from one of these flyers.

If you may have seen George Higgins call Soddy Daisy Police at 423-332-3577.

A New Jersey man who worked as a summer camp counselor and school bus monitor has been charged with sexually assaulting two boys.

Middlesex County prosecutors say 25-year-old Alex Farkas, of Woodbridge Township, faces aggravated sexual assault and other charges.

Prosecutors say Farkas was a bus monitor for the Edison YMCA and a camp counselor at an Edison swim club. The charges stem from an investigation that began after one boy told a relative he had been assaulted.

http://liarcatchers.com/pedophile_tracking.html

Prosecutors say one boy was assaulted on the bus and at the camp many times from March to September. They say the other boy was assaulted on the bus on various occasions from July to September.

Farkas’ telephone number couldn’t not be located Tuesday. It wasn’t known if he has an attorney.

Lexington police have identified the suspect in the robbery and shooting of a man.

Police are searching for Adam Purnell Duff for his involvement in the robbery that took place at a residence on Warfield Place. Officials confirm that this incident happened during a game of cards. The victim told police that Duff demanded money and then shot him in the leg. Officials say Duff fled the scene without taking anything.

Duff is also a suspect in an unrelated arson investigation linked to a fire at Bracktown Road.

http://liarcatchers.com/contact.php

This investigation is ongoing. Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call police. Tips can be phoned into: the Division of Police at (859)258-3600, the Robbery/Homicide Unit or Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at (859)253-2020. Finally, information can be submitted by logging onto www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com