NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.

Pleas entered over $4,800 taken in metal detector area

A Hopkinton woman has pleaded no contest to allegations she swiped $4,800 from the metal detector area at the Wakefield courthouse in South Kingstown.

The Westerly Sun reports that 24-year-old Cynthia McLintock pleaded no contest to robbery over $500 on Tuesday at the same courthouse. Her mother, 49-year-old Deborah McLintock, was also arrested and has pleaded not guilty.

State police say the mother and daughter were at the courthouse earlier this year, and Cynthia McLintock stole 48 $100 bills that a man had placed on a tray to be scanned through the detector. Police say the man brought the money to pay his lawyer.

Cynthia McLintock couldn’t be reached for comment. She’s been detained since an unrelated arrest in May.

SALEM, N.H.

Bail granted to ex-teacher accused of Facebook misuse

A former substitute teacher in Pelham’s middle school accused of sending sexual Facebook messages to a student has been granted $3,000 bail.

Matthew Levine did not enter a plea Thursday during a court appearance on a charge of prohibited use of computer services, but his lawyer said he denies the charges.

The 22-year-old Levine was also barred from contacting the girl, unsupervised visits with juveniles, and using the Internet or sending text messages.

Prosecutors say Levine met the girl when he was a substitute teacher at Pelham Memorial School and the girl was an eighth-grader.

MONTPELIER, Vt.

Satellite TV provider fined for ‘deceptive’ language

The state of Vermont says DISH Network is going to pay $125,000 to resolve a complaint about a letter to some subscribers that included wording the state considered unfair and deceptive.

The state says that in July 2010, the satellite television provider sent 310 letters to Vermont consumers that included phrases such as “Urgent Action Required” and “Please read immediately to avoid service interruption.” The letter went on to claim that replacement of consumer equipment was “necessary” and “free.”

In settling with the state, DISH admitted no immediate equipment upgrade was necessary.

Attorney General William Sorrell says that under Vermont’s Consumer Fraud Act words like “urgent,” “immediately,” “necessary” and “free” have significant meanings.

Sorrell says using such language to trigger unnecessary action won’t be tolerated.

SALEM, Mass.

Woman gets 30 days in jail after baby dies at day care

A Massachusetts woman has been sentenced to 30 days in jail on a charge of reckless endangerment of a child after a 2-month-old New Hampshire boy died at her day care center.

Linda Favazza of Methuen was also sentenced Thursday to three years of probation.

The 60-year-old Favazza also pleaded guilty to two counts of running an unlicensed day care center for providing care for eight children in her sister’s home in violation of a cease and desist order issued following the child’s death.

Prosecutors say 2-month-old Tyler Grealish of Sandown, N.H., died in Favazza’s care in September 2008. The cause of death was not determined, but prosecutors say the baby was placed in a crib with an adult pillow, and on his side, in violation of state rules.

CONCORD, N.H.

Video shows man helping himself to motorcycle parts

Maybe the thief decided that if he couldn’t take the whole motorcycle, he’d just grab whatever parts he could.

Concord police are looking for the man seen on video surveillance this month taking a back rest and luggage rack worth a combined $400 off a Harley-Davidson motorcycle parked outside a city Walmart.

Police tell The Concord Monitor the thief went in the store first. When he came out, he got in his car, pulled up next to the motorcycle, took the parts, and took off.

The suspect is described as a white man wearing jean shorts and a black, long-sleeve T-shirt. He was driving a teal-colored car.

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.

Local man faces accusation of costly bout of ‘bad faith’

A former investment adviser from Portsmouth already facing federal charges for allegedly bilking a local man out of $1.9 million is facing more legal trouble.

Karl Hahn is also a defendant in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts.

The Portsmouth Herald reports that Hahn’s former employer, Deutsche Bank, seeks enforcement of an order by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which found he had “breached his duty of loyalty and acted in bad faith” and is liable for more than $2.5 million in damages.

In New Hampshire, prosecutors allege that Hahn took $1.9 million from a local man and promised it would be used for an investment, but “there was no investment and instead Hahn simply intended to … take the victim’s money for his own personal use.”

BOSTON

Lawyers for former speaker: 3 years an adequate sentence

Lawyers for former Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi say three years in prison is enough punishment for his conviction on corruption charges.

The sentencing recommendation is significantly lighter than the 12 years sought by prosecutors.

DiMasi was convicted in June on charges he used his clout as speaker to steer two lucrative state contracts to a software firm in exchange for payments.

In a sentencing memo filed Friday in U.S. District Court, DiMasi’s lawyers say he “derived a very small personal benefit from the offense,” and has a long record of dedicated public service.

DiMasi plans to appeal.

— From news service reports

 

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