Former Clear Creek ISD teacher accused of having relationship with student

  LEAGUE CITY, TX (KTRK) -- A former Clear Creek ISD teacher is facing allegations she had a sexual relationship with one of her students.

Stephanie Raleen Forbes, 40, was arrested Thursday afternoon in the 300 block of Sorrelwood Dr. in League City on charges of sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between educator and student, according to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives say they launched an investgation last month after Clear Creek ISD officials were notified of allegations that Forbes had an ongoing sexual relationship with a student. She resigned from the district after detectives launched an investigation into the accusations.

Forbes was released from the Galveston County Jail after she posted a $20,000 bond.

The investigation is ongoing.
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Baytown man accused of selling counterfeit Texans jerseys

BAYTOWN, TX (KTRK) -- A Baytown man is accused of trying to cash in on the Texans fever sweeping through our area.

When it comes to buying Texans gear right now, Baytown police are urging buyers to beware. Detectives say they caught one guy trying to pass off some decent looking knockoff jerseys as authentic.

From a white Arian Foster jersey, to Andre Johnson's No. 80 in blue, even to a bright pink J.J. Watt jersey for the ladies; they may all look like official NFL sanctioned Houston Texans jerseys, but Baytown police say look again.

Detectives say the jerseys are knockoffs that were being sold by Edward Lawrence Williams.

"Selling items like this on the black market is pretty big counterfeiting. It's a big business," said Lt. Eric Freed with the Baytown Police Department.

Investigators say on December 10, 2012, undercover officers caught Williams selling several dozen counterfeit jerseys for $65 apiece from his truck parked outside a tobacco store at 1600 N. Alexander Drive. They say the man was telling his customers those jerseys were the real deal -- like those you can find being sold in the Texans store.

"The detective inspected the garment and noticed some issues with the stitching," Lt. Freed said.

The jerseys Williams was allegedly selling do have the Texans mark, the NFL logo and the Nike swoosh. But police say the labels are all off-center, the threads are shredding and the stitching's all uneven.

"They're capitalizing on the forward momentum of our Houston Texans," said Lt. Freed.

We went to Williams' residence to get some answers about his jerseys. There, a woman who identified herself to Eyewitness News as Williams' wife says someone gave him the shirts to sell and claims he didn't know they weren't authentic.

Court documents state 41 counterfeit Texans jerseys with Nike emblems were seized. The items were valued at more than $2,600 total.

Experts examined the jerseys and police say they confirmed the jerseys are counterfeit.

Baytown police say Williams, 46, has a criminal history including arrests for assault and criminal mischief. Now he's facing felony charges of trademark counterfeiting.
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Bond reinstated for car dealer accused of raping teen girl at his Crosby dealership

Car dealer Riku 'The Finnisher' Melartin Thursday faced a judge, who reinstated Melartin's bond on rape charges.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have an update in the rape case against local car dealer Riku Melartin.

A judge Thursday reinstated the $100,000 bond for Melartin. His attorney says the bond was revoked last week because of a paperwork issue.

Melartin is accused of raping a girl at his dealership in Crosby. The girl and her mother worked for Melartin, and say they want justice, while Melartin's attorney says his client is ready to go home.

"It's been hard. It was hard to see him come out, but I'm confident that we will get justice. I'm confident in that," said the mother of the alleged victim.

Melartin's attorney, Jim Butler, said, "Happy that he gets to go back home. All the other emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other are still there."

Melartin and his assistant, George Koutani, are both also accused of fondling the 16-year-old at Melartin's dealership.
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Murder suspect accused of firing at HPD in custody

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities say a 43-year-old man is now in custody after firing at officers. He also led them on a chase that began at a home where a body was found.

Yesterday morning, a police officer responded to an assault call near south Houston when he was immediately fired upon entering the neighborhood.

The shooter got into a vehicle and tried to flee the scene. Police chased the suspect until he attempted to break into a nearby home.

Police say the body of a women was found on the porch who neighbors identified as the shooters ex-girlfriend. Charges have not yet been filed against the shooter.

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Pre-trial motions begin for man accused of setting fire at Gallery Furniture

Attorneys for Robert Gillham are preparing for the trial which is scheduled to begin next month.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Pre-trial motions begin today for the man accused of setting a massive fire at Gallery Furniture.

Attorneys for Robert Gillham are preparing for the trial which is scheduled to begin next month. Gillham is charged with arson, criminal mischief and attempted retaliation for the fire that caused more than $20 million in damage to the store three years ago.

He's a former Gallery employee who was fired in 2007.

The trial had been on hold while Gillham received treatment for a brain tumor. He's now been found competent to stand trial.

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One of two teens accused of graffiti threats at Kingwood High School appears in court

KINGWOOD, TX (KTRK) -- One of two Kingwood High School students faced a judge today on graffiti charges. The 18-year-olds were arrested after racist messages and threatening graffiti were found at the high school.

These are two separate cases of graffiti in the bathrooms at the high school, each disturbing in their own way and both ending in felony charges against students.

School officials say one student drew a picture of a gun and wrote threats on bathroom walls at Kingwood High School. That student was in court to hear the charge against him -- a 3rd degree felony of exhibition of a firearm -- for the threatening graffiti police believe he drew on the walls of a Kingwood High School bathroom.

Derick Richard Montelongo, a senior at Kingwood High, is behind bars on a $250,000 bond. If he is released, he will have to wear a GPS monitor and have no contact with the officer that prosecutors say he threatened at the high school.

Last Wednesday, prosecutors say Montelongo drew a picture of a gun pointing to a stick figure with the name Officer West, saying kill Officer West and "shoot everyone at 3:07."

Assistant District Attorney Mary McFaden said, "Any type of threat in this day and age, whether or not officer or civilian, we take any complainant as serious as another."

In a separate incident just two days later on December 14, student Trent McKay Skinner was arrested for a similar offense. Police believe he scrawled neo-Nazi symbols on bathroom walls and referred to the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Skinner is charged with graffiti on school property.

Kingwood High School put a note out to parents saying the Montelongo situation was taken care of immediately and involved no real weapons.

"Last week, two boys' restrooms were defaced with graffiti that was offensive and threatening. The graffiti in one of the restrooms included a drawing of a gun and a message against police and the school. Acting immediately, we were able to quickly identify the student involved and conduct a search to determine that this was a case of vandalism with no actual weapons involved. We then worked with Humble ISD Police and the Harris County District Attorney's Office to ensure that the incident was appropriately addressed. That investigation resulted today in the arrest of two students, who each face a charge related to defacing school property with graffiti. Our school will not tolerate vandalism, graffiti, threatening or offensive messages. Thank you for your support of a safe and positive school environment."

In both cases, surveillance video showed the suspects going into the restrooms, and police discovered drawings of the graffiti on the students.

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Metal singer accused of manslaughter performs in Houston

This undated promotional photo provided by Adrenalin PR shows members of the Richmond, Va., based rock band "Lamb of God," from left, John Campbell, Randy Blythe, Mark Morton, Willie Adler and Chris Adler. The band was set to appear at the Great Western Forum with the Grammy-nominated "Slipknot," as part of the Subliminal Verses Tour on April 9, but the owners of the venue near Los Angeles wanted to cancel the entire show and relented after it determined that Slipknot had toned down its image. (AP Photo/Greg Watermann)

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A heavy metal singer charged in the death of a fan in Europe was in downtown Houston Thursday night, performing in a concert at Bayou Place.

Lamb of God singer Randy Blythe was indicted for manslaughter Monday by authorities in the Czech Republic. Two years ago, a fan jumped on stage during a concert and was shoved by Blythe. The fan fell and died of a head injury two weeks later.

"The government over there, they posted a video of it and all that, and it showed the security guy pushing him off and he runs into him and he just kinda shoved and the guy just fell off stage," Lamb of God fan Scott Fisher said.

KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy says this is a security issue. He also says the singer would not have been charged in the United States.

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Karate teacher accused of sexually assaulting 15-year-old female student

Jimmy Lee Walker, 46, is charged with sexual assault of a child under 17 years of age.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A local karate teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Police say Jimmy Walker assaulted a 15-year-old girl at his home back in June. According to authorities, the girl was a student of Walker's and also worked at his studio.

Police say Walker, 46, denies the allegation. He faces one count of sexual assault of a child under 17 years of age.

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Pre-trial motion hearing for day care owner Jessica Tata accused of murder

  Pooja LodhiaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- A year after a horrific fire at an in-home day care, a woman accused of leaving very young and helpless kids alone is about to go on trial for murder. But first, critical decisions will be made about what evidence can be used against her.

Four small children were killed in February of last year when a fire broke out at a home day care in west Houston. Jessica Tata, the woman who was supposed to be watching them now faces murder charges.

On Monday she was in court as attorneys argued about what evidence should and should not be allowed in her upcoming trial.

Jessica Tata sat in the courtroom staring straight ahead. The now 24-year-old is charged with four felony murders, the first of which goes to trial next week.

"She's diabetic and we're dealing with that. My son went to get her an order for insulin. But other than that, she's doing as best she can in the situation she's in," said defense attorney Mike DeGuerin.

Prosecutors allege that on February 24, 2011 Tata went shopping when she was supposed to be watching several children at her home day care. Police say she left a pot of oil burning on an electric stove and while she was gone, the home burst into flames, killing four young children and injuring three.

Police say Tata then fled to Nigeria to avoid charges. She was arrested and retuned to the U.S. about a month later.

"People have an emotional reaction without knowing all the facts. That's the hardest thing," DeGuerin said.

In Monday's pretrial hearing, attorneys argued over allowing into trial certain evidence and testimony that was collected before Tata was charged. One big issue is Tata's computer and diary. Her landlord gave them to investigators without a search warrant after the fire. Investigators testified they didn't even consider Tata as a suspect when they first questioned her.

"Both sides have a different spin on it. The state says we didn't know she was a suspect. We just needed to know what was going on. The defense saying you knew very well that she was a suspect and would be the target of your investigation," said KTRK Legal Analyst Joel Androphy.

The hearing will resume on Wednesday morning.

A jury panel will fill out questionnaires later this week. Testimony in Tata's trial is set to begin October 24. The trial is expected to last one month.

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HISD employee accused of possession of child pornography

Henry Walter Hauffe, 63, is charged with four counts of possession of child pornography.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A $10,000 bond was set Friday for a Houston ISD district clerk accused of downloading child pornography.

Henry Walter Hauffe, 63, was arrested Thursday and charged with four counts of possession of child pornography. A cyber crime task force investigation led to a search of Hauffe's home back in February. There, investigators uncovered explicit images of young girls stored on his computers.

No word why eight months passed between the search and his arrest. A spokesperson for HISD tells us Hauffe's duties did not involve any interaction with children.

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Cypress man accused of posting sex photos online

  CYPRESS, TX (KTRK) -- A Cypress man is facing charges after allegedly posting photos and videos online of him and his ex-girlfriend engaging in sex acts.

Eduardo Monsivias, 47, is charged with improper photography and visual recording. Investigators say the sexual images were posted from October 24, 2011, through January 22, of this year. They're reportedly from inside his home.

According to court documents, the victim -- who says she ended the relationship nearly two years prior -- discovered the images while doing a web search on her name. She says she was unaware the the recordings were being made at the time.

Investigators were able to obtain a search warrant and confiscated memory cards and computers from Monsivias' home, which reportedly contained several still photos and videos of Monsivias and the victim engaged in sex acts.

Monsivias has not yet been arrested. His bail has been set at $2,000.

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Juvenile Justice Center jailer accused of offering girl candy for sex makes court appearance

Robert Emerson Robinson, 28, appeared before a judge Friday morning.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Harris County Juvenile Justice Center jailer accused of trading candy for sexual favors with a teenage inmate at the facility made his first court appearance.

Robert Emerson Robinson, 28, appeared before a judge Friday morning. Police say he admitted to having sex with the 15-year-old girl. Officers also say they have surveillance video of him entering the girl's cell on May 23.

Robinson has been fired and charged with sexual assault with a child under 17.

The girl reportedly told police she allowed him to have sex with her because he provided her with candy and other treats.

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Uncle accused of fatally stabbing teenage nephew

Alejandro Figueroa, 35, is charged with murder. Shown in this photo from 2009, he is believed to currently have short and partially gray hair.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Authorities are looking for a man they say fatally stabbed his own teenage nephew two days ago.

Police say witnesses said Fernando Figueroa, 19, was stabbed by his uncle, Alejandro Figueroa, in the parking lot of the apartment complex at 2200 Wirt Road at about 9:30pm Wednesday. Alejandro fled the scene prior to the arrival of police officers. Fernando Figueroa suffered stab wounds and was transported to Memorial Hermann Northwest Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Alejandro Figueroa, 35, is charged with murder. He is believed to currently have short and partially gray hair. He is believed to have fled in his black, 2002 Ford Escape with Texas license plates BE09626.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Alejandro Figueroa is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

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No bail for man accused in Russian technology sale

  HOUSTON -- A federal judge denied bail Thursday to the owner of a Texas microelectronics company accused of conspiring to sell advanced technology to the Russian military.

U.S. Magistrate George Hanks Jr. in Houston ordered Alexander Fishenko and two other defendants to federal custody in Brooklyn, N.Y., where they face numerous charges.

Fishenko likely would appeal the detention order there, said his attorney, Eric Reed.

Fishenko, owner of Houston-based Arc Electronics Inc., and seven of his employees were arrested last week. Prosecutors say Fishenko instructed co-workers and associates to cover their tracks as they conspired to sell the highly regulated microelectronics.

Prosecutors arguing against bail said Thursday that the Kazakh-born naturalized American citizen was a flight risk. Reed argued his client wouldn't flee because he has a 7-year-old son in the Houston area.

Two female defendants ordered to Brooklyn are Viktoria Klebanova and Sevinj Taghiyeva. Another man arrested in Houston, Shavkat Abdullaev, waived the bail request.

All are accused of scheming to illicitly sell military technology to Russia, starting in 2008.

In a case with echoes of the Cold War, U.S. authorities say Fishenko's company obtained highly regulated technology and clandestinely exported it to Russia for use by that country's military and intelligence agencies. The microelectronics could have a wide range of military uses, including radar and surveillance systems, weapons guidance systems and detonation triggers, U.S. authorities say.

Reed has said he plans to review the charges against his client with a critical eye. The Russian Foreign Ministry has noted the defendants are not charged with espionage.

Fishenko allegedly coached the companies in Russia that were working with his firm to remove all references to a known supplier to the Russian military.

According to court documents, Fishenko was born in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan and graduated from a technical institute in St. Petersburg before coming to America in 1994. In his initial asylum application, Fishenko stated he had no prior military experience, but elsewhere he claimed to have served in a Soviet military intelligence unit in Berlin in the 1980s, according to court records.

Fishenko filed paperwork with the Texas Secretary of State to form a for-profit corporation in 2001. His company proved to be successful, earning him about $50 million in gross revenue since 2002.

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Katy woman accused of sending marijuana to jail inmates

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A Katy woman is accused of sending marijuana to jail inmates, hidden inside letters.

Back in June, a detention officer at the Harris County Jail noticed bulges in handwritten letters to a couple of inmates. The handwriting on the letters appeared to be similar, even though they were sent from different names

According to court documents, at least one letter was found to have marijuana in it, and fingerprints from the letter reportedly matched Rachel Elizabeth Hankins.

Hankins, 20, is charged with a felony -- prohibited substance in correctional facility.

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Two accused in minister's murder appear in court

Devonte Hayes, 18, and Kesley Davis, 19, went before a judge Thursday morning.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two men accused in a minister's murder were in court on Thursday.

Devonte Hayes, 18, and Kesley Davis, 19, went before a judge facing charges in the death of Desmond Jones back in July. Authorities say Hayes and Kesley shot and killed the 21-year-old minister in front of his apartment complex, then stole his vehicle.

Hayes has been charged with capital murder. Kesley is also facing a murder charge.

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Man accused of being Russian agent appears in court

  HOUSTON -- A naturalized U.S. citizen accused of illicitly obtaining military technology for Russia has been formally briefed on the charges against him in an initial court appearance.

Alexander Fishenko and six others had an initial appearance in court Thursday. They did not enter pleas. Hearings to determine whether they will be allowed out of jail before trial are expected to start Friday.

Fishenko was born in what is now Kazakhstan and owns Houston-based Arc Electronics Inc.

Prosecutors say Fishenko and others sold cutting-edge microelectronics that could be used in Russian weapons systems, exchanged communications with Russian intelligence and tried to hide documents when they suspected authorities were onto them.

Fishenko's attorney, Eric Reed, told reporters that he plans to "take a hard look at" the allegations.

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Man accused of leaving girl, 3, unsupervised which resulted in her walking alone down a busy road

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man is accused of leaving a young child unsupervised which resulted in her walking alone down a busy road in the Spring area.

According to court documents, on September 19 a 3-year-old girl was found wandering in the 24000 block of Aldine Westfield, a four-lane roadway with a posted speed limit of 45mph. Police say the girl was alone and wandering down the street about one mile from her residence.

Court documents state investigators brought the girl back to her residence and spoke with a 10-year-old boy who said he just arrived home from school and that his older brother, Joshua Montel Stephens, was in charge of watching the girl. Police say about 10 minutes later, Stephens walked up to the residence. They say Stephens said he walked to the store to get some food for the girl and the 10-year-old boy and that he admitted to leaving the girl home alone.

Stephens, 19, is charged with endangering a child.

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CSI investigator takes stand in trial of ex-HPD officer accused of raping woman

  Pooja LodhiaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- The prosecution is continuing to build its case against a former Houston police officer accused of raping a woman two years ago. On Thursday they showed surveillance video taken before the alleged assault.

Surveillance video shows former HPD Officer Abraham Joseph driving up to a gas station and releasing a man into the parking lot. Prosecutors allege Joseph picked up a woman and a man, then dropped off the man and raped the woman at a nearby park. A crime investigator on Thursday confirmed records showing that Joseph never told dispatch he picked up anybody. The witness says male police officers are always asked to call in when they're alone with women. He said, "Officers typically call a female officer to do a search... You want it to be known that there is a female in your backseat." The witness also confirmed the police uniform, handcuffs and gun that Joseph had on the day he's accused of raping the woman. "They want to remind the jury that he was in uniform at the time, not like he is today. Today he's in street clothes, he's in a suit, he looks like any guy that would take your daughter on a date," said KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy. He says prosecutors want to remind jurors that Joseph was in a position of authority during the alleged assault. "This was a guy in uniform, wearing a badge, driving a police car and they really want to drive home that he used his authority to abuse her," Androphy said. When we asked defense attorney Nicole DeBorde if she thought her client is being held to a different standard because he's a police officer, she replied, "I have a lot of confidence in this jury. They're smart, they're taking notes, and they know that the law is that he should be held to the same standard under the law as is anybody else." The defense claims the sex was consensual. Prosecutors are still expected to call forward several witnesses. Attorneys say it could be a week or longer before this case is sent to a jury. (Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Man accused of engaging in sex acts via Skype with underage girl

Stormy Christopher Smith, 23, is charged with one felony count of online solicitation of a minor and one felony count of sexual performance by a child.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man is in custody for allegedly engaging in sexually explicit conversations and video performances via Skype.

The Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office conducted an investigation after a family came forward and reported their 15-year-old daughter had been communicating with a man via Skype.

Investigators learned the juvenile and the man, Stormy Christopher Smith, met through a mutual friend and they struck up a relationship by communicating over Skype. Investigators say Smith engaged in video sexual performances via Skype with the girl.

Smith, 23, is charged with one felony count of online solicitation of a minor and one felony count of sexual performance by a child.

He was arrested by the Montgomery Co. Precinct 4 Constables Office late Wednesday night. Bond has been set at $40,000 total.

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