Massachusetts
Massachusetts jury convicts illegal immigrant of identity theft, stealing benefits, voter fraud
A federal jury in Massachusetts has convicted a Colombian woman of living illegally in Boston under a stolen identity for more than 20 years and receiving over $400,000 in stolen benefits.
Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 59, who has remained in federal custody since her initial indictment last February, has also been convicted of using the stolen identity to vote in the 2024 presidential election.
Authorities say the woman obtained a Massachusetts Real ID and eight other state IDs through the stolen identity, which she also used to apply for a U.S. passport.
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Leah Foley describes the crimes as a “slap in the face to all those who come into this country legally and abide by our laws.”
“Ms. Orovio-Hernandez has lived in this country illegally for two decades, during which time she repeatedly made false statements, stole, committed fraud and even voted illegally,” Foley said in a statement on Friday. “The air of entitlement is astounding. This case is yet another example of our commitment to rooting out those who violate our immigration laws and steal from United States Citizens.”
Orovio-Hernandez used the stolen identity to submit a fraudulent voter registration form in January 2023 and then cast a fraudulent ballot in the 2024 presidential election.
The Colombian national also received more than $400,000 in federal benefits: $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance benefits from October 2011 through January 2025; $101,257 in Social Security disability benefits from July 2014 through January 2025; and $43,348 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from April 2005 through January 2025.
After a five-day trial in federal court in Boston, a jury convicted Orovio-Hernandez of one count of false representation of a Social Security number; one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport; one count of aggravated identity theft; three counts of receiving stolen government money or property; and one count of fraudulent voting.
Shawn Rice, a federal special agent in charge with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said Orovio-Hernandez’s actions were “not a one-time mistake or accident.”
“Orovio-Hernandez’s calculated deception caused her to fraudulently receive over $400,000 in federal benefits including more than $250,000 in HUD rental assistance,” Rice said in a statement. “These taxpayer funds were intended to provide housing assistance to our most at-risk populations – low-income, disabled, and elderly United States citizens.”
The Department of Homeland Security used Orovio-Hernandez’s case last year to advertise how it updated the so-called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program, meant to stop voter fraud.
“Illegal aliens have exploited outdated systems to defraud Americans & taint our elections,” DHS stated in a social media post last spring, around the time of Orovio-Hernandez’s indictment.
Massachusetts
How will the Iran war impact gas prices in Massachusetts?
With a widening conflict in the Middle East after the American and Israeli attack on Iran Saturday, global markets are bracing for a shakeup in the energy supply chain.
So, here at home, what can consumers expect at the gas pump?
An increase in oil prices is almost always followed by an increase in gas prices. And the oil market has already reacted to the war. NBC News reported on Sunday that U.S. crude oil initially spiked more than 10%, while Brent, the international oil benchmark, rose as much as 13%.
Early Monday morning, reports were coming in of black smoke rising from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City.
While Iran’s oil reserves supply less than an estimated 5% of global production, the main concern is the Strait of Hormuz. This maritime passageway borders Iran at the bottleneck of the Persian Gulf, and more than 20% of the world’s oil passes through. If Iran closes or restricts Hormuz, the oil market could face severe disruptions.
Gas prices rise about 2.5 cents for every dollar increase in crude oil prices. As of Sunday, U.S. crude oil prices had already increased by nearly $5 a barrel.
“I fully expect that by Monday night, you could credibly say that gas prices are being impacted by oil prices having gone up,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan told NBC News.
GasBuddy characterizes their expectations for price increases as “incremental” rather than “explosive”. The group said to anticipate a potential 10-15 cent increase over the next couple of weeks.
Massachusetts
Body camera video shows Massachusetts police officer save 78-year-old man from burning truck – East Idaho News
EASTON, Mass. (WBZ) — Police body camera video shows an Easton, Massachusetts, officer rescuing a 78-year-old Raynham man from a burning car on Friday morning.
A Mack dump truck was experiencing problems on the side of Turnpike Street just after 2 a.m. when a Ford pickup truck struck the back of it, according to police.
The pickup truck then became stuck under the dump truck, trapping the driver, Francis Leverone, inside. A Toyota Camry then hit the back of the pickup truck and caught fire, police said.
Easton police officer Dean Soucie arrived at the crash and saw that the two vehicles were on fire. Video shows Soucie rushing over before breaking the driver’s side window and then, with the help of the two witnesses, freeing Leverone from the pickup truck. Soucie said he was confused but conscious.
“As I reached inside the vehicle, one of the passersby — he actually jumped into the cab of the truck, and he helped me free the individual,” Soucie said.
They then carried the driver to safety.
Leverone was taken to a nearby hospital before being transferred to a Boston hospital. He received serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
No one else was injured in the crash.
Dee Leverone told WBZ her husband is doing OK. “I’m just thankful for the people that got him out,” she said. “Very thankful.”
After watching the police body-cam video on the news she said, “I was shocked, I was like ‘Oh my God!’ I just couldn’t believe it. His truck is like melted.”
She says she realized that something was wrong last night when her husband never made it home from work.
“I kept trying to call him and call him, and I finally got a hold of him at like 4:30 a.m., and he was at (Good Samaritan Hospital) and he told me he’s gotten in an accident,” Dee said.
She says he’s recovering at the Boston Medical Center and being treated for a dislocated hip.
“He’s a trooper,” Dee said. “He’s a strong man — and you know he’s 78, but you know he’s a toughie. He definitely is a toughie.”
Soucie commended the help of the two witnesses and said that before he arrived at the crash, they had attempted to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher and removed a gasoline tank from the pickup truck before it could ignite.
“They jumped into action like it was nothing,” Soucie said. “Those two individuals were absolutely awesome.”
Easton Police Chief Keith Boone said that he is “extremely proud” of Soucie and the witnesses.
“He saved a life last night,” Chief Boone said. “He is an exemplary police officer and this is just one example. I think he’s a hero.”
Turnpike Street was closed for several hours following the crash. Easton Police are investigating.
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Massachusetts
Crews battle fire at Townsend home
A fire broke out Sunday morning in Townsend, Massachusetts.
The Townsend Fire department said shortly before 7 a.m. that firefighters were on scene for a structure fire on Dudley Road.
People have been asked to avoid the area.
The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said state police fire investigators assigned to the state fire marshal’s office are responding to assist the Townsend Fire Department.
There was no immediate word on any injuries, or any information on what caused the fire. It’s also unclear if the large snow piles in the area impeded access to fire hydrants, as was the case at the house explosion in Taunton last week.
This developing story will be updated when we learn more
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