Charges

Seattle Courthouse Busy as 16 Charged in Major Graffiti Crackdown, Facing Heavy Fines and Felony Charges

by

SEATTLE — A group of 16 individuals stood before a Seattle judge after being apprehended on charges of felony-level graffiti, which prosecutors claim has resulted in approximately $100,000 in damages throughout King County. The courtroom proceedings, overseen by King County Judge Ronald Kessler, involved the processing of 30 felony counts attributed to the collective actions of the accused. Each of the defendants is facing charges of criminal mischief for their alleged roles in the vandalism, with three of them also facing burglary charges, reflecting the serious nature of their supposed activities. The scale of the … Read more

Buffalo Strip Club Owner Convicted on Multiple Charges Including Drug and Sex Trafficking

by

BUFFALO, N.Y. — After almost a week of intense deliberations, a federal jury has convicted Peter Gerace, the owner of the Pharaoh’s Gentlemen’s Club, on eight of the nine charges he faced. The accusations against Gerace included drug trafficking, sex trafficking, witness tampering, and bribery, culminating in a high-profile trial that lasted over seven weeks. The government’s case was bolstered by testimony from 45 witnesses, all summoned by the prosecution, alongside more than 100 pieces of evidence. Prosecutors described a grim scenario where Gerace allegedly exploited the drug dependencies of his club’s dancers. According to … Read more

Texas Refinery Faces Federal Charges for Allegedly Polluting LA Waterways with Industrial Waste

by

Los Angeles, California — A Texas-based oil refinery, Phillips 66, is under legal scrutiny following allegations of dumping excessive industrial wastewater into the municipal sewer system of Los Angeles County, an act that could have severe environmental repercussions. A federal grand jury in Los Angeles has indicted Phillips 66, charging that the company violated the Clean Water Act by releasing hundreds of thousands of gallons of wastewater that far exceeded legal limits. In one instance in November 2020, the Carson refinery is accused of discharging 310,000 gallons of wastewater containing an alarming 64,000 pounds of … Read more

Buffalo Club Owner Convicted on Multiple Charges Including Drug and Sex Trafficking, Bribery

by

Buffalo, N.Y. — Peter Gerace, the owner of Pharaoh’s Gentlemen’s Club in Cheektowaga, has been convicted on numerous charges, including drug and sex trafficking, as well as bribery, following a lengthy federal court case. The verdict comes after a seven-week trial that featured the testimonies of over 40 witnesses, including former club employees. The charges against Gerace included two counts of bribery—conspiracy to bribe a public official and the act of bribing a public official. Additionally, the jury found him guilty of running a drug-involved business, conspiracies related to distributing various drugs such as methamphetamine, … Read more