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Ex-congressional IT aide accused of stealing 240 government phones and selling them at pawn shop

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Ex-congressional IT aide accused of stealing 240 government phones and selling them at pawn shop

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A former congressional IT aide is accused of abusing his trusted access to steal roughly 240 taxpayer-funded cellphones worth more than $150,000, shipping them to his Maryland home and selling most of them at a pawn shop, federal prosecutors say.

The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that Christopher Southerland, 43, of Glen Burnie, Md., was arrested and charged in a federal indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court, accusing him of stealing about 240 government-issued cellphones from the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to evidence reviewed by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and her office, Southerland worked from about April 2020 through July 2023 as a system administrator for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

In that role, Southerland was authorized to order mobile devices for committee staff, prosecutors said, giving him direct access to the internal system used to procure government-issued phones.

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Federal prosecutors say a former House IT aide abused trusted access to steal and sell 240 government cellphones, a scheme uncovered after one device surfaced online. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

From January 2023 through May 2023, Southerland allegedly used that authority to order roughly 240 new cellphones and have them shipped directly to his home, despite the committee having only about 80 staff members at the time.

Prosecutors say Southerland later sold more than 200 of the phones to a nearby pawn shop, converting the government property into personal cash.

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Federal prosecutors say a former House IT aide abused trusted access to steal and sell 240 government cellphones to a pawn shop, a scheme uncovered after one device surfaced online. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

As part of the alleged scheme, Southerland instructed a pawn shop employee to sell the devices “in parts,” investigators say, a move designed to bypass the House’s mobile device management software, which allows officials to remotely monitor and secure government phones.

The scheme began to unravel when one of the stolen phones was sold intact rather than dismantled, according to prosecutors.

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Federal prosecutors say a former House IT aide’s alleged scheme to steal and sell 240 government cellphones was uncovered when a buyer purchased one on eBay. (iStock)

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That device ultimately ended up listed on eBay and was purchased by an uninvolved buyer. When the buyer powered on the phone for the first time, a contact number for the House of Representatives Technology Service Desk appeared on the screen, the DOJ said.

The buyer called the number, prompting House officials to investigate and discover that multiple phones ordered under Southerland’s account were unaccounted for, prosecutors said.

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The case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Green for the District of Columbia, with assistance from other federal prosecutors.

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Boston, MA

Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to 76ers – The Boston Globe

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Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to 76ers – The Boston Globe


Amid several reports that said Brown didn’t request a trade and that Boston actually thought Derrick White was the best player on the 2025-26 roster, an already motivated Brown now has an even larger chip on his shoulder after the Celtics dealt him away. ​

“The message was received,” Brown said. “I wasn’t thrilled with the amount of respect that was shown throughout this process. I think there was a bit of a lack of respect. I think it was fine at one point, then out of nowhere, things just went left. I think Brad [Stevens] is getting a lot of the criticism. I wasn’t thrilled with the way he facilitated some of the conversations.”

After the Celtics fell short in their pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo — Brown was the centerpiece of Boston’s trade package — Stevens was noncommittal when asked about Brown’s future in Boston.

“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens said. “I’m never going to predict the future, but every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys, right? So obviously, you never know. But at the same time, the one thing I want to make very clear is how valued he’s always been.​​”

“He’s been amazing. He’s been an amazing teammate, a great person to be around. And whether that run ends 10 years from now when he retires, or before, there’s a lot to celebrate. We have a great relationship, an open relationship where we talk about everything. But I don’t want to predict the future. I look at it as, this is our team.”

Stevens traded Brown to the 76ers on Wednesday in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. The deal was widely criticized.

For Brown, the most puzzling aspect was the lack of an explanation.

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“I definitely think there’s more to it,” Brown said. “I just wish that more to it could’ve been explained to me. Because I think if more to it was explained, I would’ve understood. I thought I earned the respect to get that explanation. But hey, obviously, I was wrong. That’s life. You move on.”

Brown will now join a 76ers team that, with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and V. J. Edgecombe already in place, could be poised to leapfrog Boston in the Eastern Conference.

“I don’t want [any] special treatment, I don’t need no handouts … I plan on earning my respect one day at a time by putting in the work,” Brown said of playing for Philadelphia. “I’m looking forward to getting in the gym, the whole process.”

“The hard part is, the last 10 years, I’ve been programmed to hate Philadelphia. The history of the rivalry, the playoff battles … I’ve been programmed to think like, ‘[Expletive] The Process’. It’s funny, now I’ve got to reverse-engineer it. But I’ll be ready to go by the time the season starts.”


Conor Ryan can be reached at conor.ryan@globe.com.

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Pittsburg, PA

Fireworks Near Me: July 4th Events Around USC, Pittsburgh For 2026

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Fireworks Near Me: July 4th Events Around USC, Pittsburgh For 2026


The 90-foot tall Ferris wheel will run from July 1 through July 5 on the North Shore. Tickets are on sale now and 50% of all proceeds will be donated to the Veterans Leadership Program. Tickets can be purchased at: pittsburghpa.gov/july4.

The BNY Main Stage at Point State Park will have entertainment starting at 4 p.m. Headlining the performances will be Grammy- and Tony-Award nominated national pop rock band the Plain White T’s. Shows are free,

As part of the National Flag Foundation’s Light to Unite, the city’s skyscrapers will be illuminated in red, white and blue across Downtown at 9 p.m.

The city’s fireworks spectacular is set to be the city’s largest fireworks display in decades. For the first time, there will be a drone performance immediately before the fireworks start.

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The fireworks show will utilize six barges on all three rivers – and some rooftops. Fireworks will begin at 9:35 PM on July 4.





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Connecticut

Motorcyclist seriously injured after crashing into parked, unoccupied vehicle in Meriden

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Motorcyclist seriously injured after crashing into parked, unoccupied vehicle in Meriden


MERIDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A motorcyclist has serious injuries after a crash early Friday morning in Meriden, according to police.

The crash happened just after 3:00 a.m. in the area of Lincoln Street. The motorcyclist was navigating a turn when they struck a parked, unoccupied vehicle, police said.

Motorcyclist seriously injured in Meriden crash, July 3, 2026.

The motorcyclist was taken to an area trauma center, according to police.

A section of Lincoln Street is blocked for the investigation, police said.

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Meriden’s accident investigation team responded to the scene.

Additional information was not immediately available.


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