Bank teller charged in home invasion of a customer who'd made a large withdrawal, authorities say

By Ralph Ellis and Rebekah Riess

Nathan Michael Newell was charged with home invasion and other offenses.

(CNN) A bank teller has been charged in connection with a home invasion at the residence of a customer who'd made a large withdrawal of money, authorities in Maryland said.

A 78-year-old man told investigators he answered his door around 8:30 p.m. Monday and an unknown male forced his way inside, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The intruder assaulted the man until a relative, a 57-year-old woman, intervened, the sheriff's office said.

 

The suspect ran upstairs and the woman called police from a nearby home. When sheriff's deputies arrived, the intruder had fled and was not found during a neighborhood search with the K-9 unit, the sheriff's office said.

 

"As the investigation continued, it was determined one of the victims had removed a large amount of money from the bank," the news release said. "Detectives gained information identifying a teller at the bank as the suspect."

 

Nathan Michael Newell, 19, of Bel Air, was arrested Wednesday at the bank, the sheriff's office said.

 

He has been charged with robbery, first- and third-degree burglary, first- and second-degree assault and home invasion, the news release said.

 

Newell was being held at the county detention center without bond. The public defender's office said Thursday he will be assigned representation.

 

Both residents suffered injuries. The woman was treated at the scene and the man was transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff's office said.

 

Michael MacPherson, president and CEO of Freedom Federal Credit Union, confirmed Newell was an employee of the credit union.

 

Newell was fired, he said, adding vetting procedures while hiring Newell met all standards. Search of online databases showed he faced two traffic cases.

 

"We are shocked and appalled to hear of the events that led to the assault and injury of a longtime member of our credit union," MacPherson said in a statement. "Our thoughts go out to him, and his family, during this difficult time."

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Bank teller charged in home invasion of a customer who'd made a large withdrawal, authorities say

Texas County Judge Faces Felony Charges

A Texas judge was suspended without pay this week after being arrested on felony burglary and tampering with government records charges, an indictment he calls a “ridiculous” political attack meant to damage his candidacy in a runoff election.

The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct suspended San Jacinto County Judge John Lovett, 51, on Monday after a grand jury indicted him for entering County Clerk Dawn Wright’s office after hours in July last year and using Wright’s timestamp to approve a commissioners court agenda.

The suspension order was made public on Thursday. If convicted, he faces up to 3½ years in state prison and a fine of up to $18,000.

As the county judge, Lovett served in administrative and judicial roles. He led the commissioners court, the county’s executive board, and also presided over criminal, civil and probate cases at the county seat Coldspring, 60 miles north of Houston.

A phone call to his office Thursday was not answered.

Voters elected Lovett, a Republican, in November 2014, though he is not a licensed attorney. A layman can be a county judge in Texas. His term expires in December.

Lovett has a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Texas A&M University and worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years before his election.

He placed second, with 226 votes, in the March Republican primary for San Jacinto County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, and qualified for the May 22 runoff election.

Arrested Monday, Lovett posted bail and told local media he thinks the charges are political gamesmanship.

“In the full measure of time, I will be found not guilty of these ridiculous charges. I find it suspect the timing of this indictment. An incident that supposedly happened close to a year ago and they wait a month before a runoff election to bring it before a grand jury,” he told KTRK-TV, Houston’s ABC affiliate.

Lovett said that as county judge he is free to enter Wright’s office any time. Though he got into the office with his master key, he set off a silent alarm that alerted law enforcement. Wright asked the sheriff’s office to investigate, local newspapers reported.

Lovett, who also was charged with misdemeanor forgery, said he will be vindicated.

“The clerk of the court is subservient to the court,” Lovett told KTRK. “If I need to go into the office of the court, I think I have every right to do so. The sheriff’s office is investigating the alarm call. I don’t believe they are investigating any crimes. I don’t believe there was any crime committed.”

San Jacinto County, pop. 28,000, is named for the Battle of San Jacinto, a clash in 1836 near present-day Houston in which Anglo and Tejano soldiers under the command of Gen. Sam Houston routed Gen. Antonio López de Santa Ana’s troops.
 
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Texas County Judge Faces Felony Charges

Florida couple charged with burglary, elderly exploitation

George DeMetro & Dina Marie Miller

A Florida couple who burglarized more than $20,000 worth of goods from an elderly homeowner are now facing several charges.

Authorities say the two went to a home on Woodland Drive in January 2017 where the woman identified as Dina Miller, 48, told the 76-year-old homeowner she was from the Columbia Power Company, and pointed to her shirt with the Columbia Sportswear logo on the front, according to Sgt. Beatrice Bugg with the Newnan Police Department. Miller allegedly told the homeowner she needed to discuss moving a power pole on her property.

While they were outside, a man identified as George DeMetro, 42, went inside the home and and stole more than $20,000 worth of goods from the house including coats, jewelry and silverware, according to Bugg.

Several months after the burglary, the victim overheard reports of a similar incident occurring in Cobb County. During the incident, the male reportedly dropped his wallet and police were able to identify him.

On March 1, Demeanor and Miller were arrested in Coweta County on charges of burglary and elderly exploitation. They were later released on a $55,200 bond.

The two have an extensive history of similar incidents, including a 2011 incident outside Boston where police reportedly found $60,000 cash, jewelry, rare coins and other items believed to have been stolen from homes across the country.

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Florida couple charged with burglary, elderly exploitation