“DWI Dude,” James Balagia off to jail

For years Texans charged with DUI and drug possession turned to the attorney known as the “DWI Dude.” James Morris Balagia touted his skills in getting people accused of serious crimes off or their charges lowered. His motto; “Busted? Call the dude!”

Balagia was sentenced to 188 months.

Balagia, 65, was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for pocketing money from drug traffickers. He claimed he could bribe officials for favorable treatment in their cases.

Balagia was ratted out by the drug dealers he tried to rip off.

Harry 'Pittsburgh Phil' Strauss

Harry 'Pittsburgh Phil' Strauss

Harry 'Pittsburgh Phil' Strauss was a prolific contract killer for Murder, Inc. in the 1930s. He purportedly killed over one hundred men including: shooting, ice picks, drowning, live burial, and strangulation. Killers were paid a regular salary as retainer as well as an average fee of $1,000 to $5,000 per hit. Strauss was arrested 18 times but wasn't convicted until he was found guilty of the homicide that sent him and fellow Murder, Inc. hitman Martin 'Bugsy' Goldstein to the electric chair.

After hitman Abe 'Kid Twist' Reles turned informant, Strauss was arrested for the murder of Irving 'Puggy' Feinstein. Strauss tried to avoid conviction by feigning insanity in the courtroom and on death row. Strauss and Goldstein were convicted September 19, 1940, and executed by electrocution using Sing Sing's Old Sparky on June 12, 1941.

Harry Strauss and Martin 'Bugsy' Goldstein.

Abe 'Kid Twist' Reles

Island raids net drugs, cash, HA gear

Hells Angels marked their 35th anniversary in B.C. in 2018 with a party in Nanaimo.

RCMP seized drugs, guns and $42k in a pair of raids in Saanich and Sooke. Two pickup trucks, a car, a Harley-Davidson, eight long guns and Hells Angels gear also goes to the state.

Reginald “Tex” Arthurell

NSW triple-killer Reginald Arthurell has been granted parole from his/her 24-year term for murder. Arthurell, 75, came out as a transgender woman in prison.

Mr. Sidewalk dies at 71

Nicolo Milioto was a Montreal businessman known as “Mr. Sidewalk”. Milioto was a middleman between the Mafia in Montreal and construction companies, an accusation Milioto flatly denied. Milioto was caught on the RCMP’s hidden cameras 236 times at the Café Consenza from 2004 to 2006. He denied that he demanded a 2.5% “pizzo,” or tax, on behalf of the Rizzuto family.

Milioto said he'd never heard of the Mafia.

His habit of handing over large wads of cash while inside a Mob headquarters to the boss who stuffed them in his socks was explained. Milioto said it was a security measure and the money was linked to the Cattolica Eraclea association, an Italian community organization.

These shoes are made for smuggling

The Georgia woman was returning from Jamaica.

A 21-year-old woman was arrested at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for attempting to smuggle three pounds of cocaine hidden in the soles of seven pairs of shoes. "Shoes are made for walking and not smuggling narcotics," US Customs and Border Protection said.

Boss of organized Lego theft ring

Portland man Raji Afife Azar, 41, was busted in 2019 for a Lego theft ring selling thousands of dollars in stolen toys online. He was arrested after buying $13k in stolen toys from undercover cops. During a search of Azar’s Southeast Portland home, detectives found at least $50k in Lego sets stolen from Portland-area Fred Meyer stores alone. They also found more stolen items from other stores.

Azar’s theft ring used a network of thieves or 'boosters'. Azar met with the thieves and bought the stolen Legos for 30% of their retail prices. He then put the stolen toys up for sale online and made big profits. Legos are the targets of professional thieves because they are hard to trace and can be sold quickly on the black market.

Azar was found guilty of first-degree aggravated theft, laundering a monetary instrument, 10 counts of first-degree theft and 15 counts of computer crime.

Some sought-after Lego sets can sell for over $1,000.

Give me your money, I am a gangster from Hardwick = 82 months

Tony Hornby, 20, was charged with numerous offences after a crime spree including blackmail, attempted robbery, possession of class A and B drugs, criminal damage, making threats with a bladed article, assault and a racially-aggravated public order offence. He said 'Cheers' after being handed a sentence of six years and ten months.

Ismael Zambada-Imperial guilty

Ismael Zambada-Imperial was arrested in Culiacán in 2014 after cops tracked his frequent posts on social media.

Cars, jewelry, weapons and women is what the son of "El Mayo" Zambada boasted of on social networks. Alias is “Mayito Gordo” or chubby little version of his father.

While the Sinaloa Cartel remains under the leadership of Zambada García, he has not been seen in some time. There has been a serious split between his supporters and those of Guzmán Loera’s sons, collectively known as “Los Chapitos.” Mayito Gordo faces at least 10 years in prison but could be sentenced up to life.

The Sinaloa Cartel remains among the two most powerful cartels in Mexico, but its status has been challenged by the rapid rise of the Jalisco Cartel New Generation (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación – CJNG)

Oxygen Mafia

India recorded 3,500 Covid deaths in 24 hours, pushing the death toll to 185,000. 386,452 new cases were reported on Friday. Hospitals are now running out of oxygen. Citizens are dying beside their empty oxygen canisters.

Naturally a black market for oxygen has instantly appeared. Those willing and able to pay more will have no issues finding oxygen in India. In Delhi, people are scrambling to find oxygen. One oxygen cylinder is selling for upwards of 50,000 rupees, or $675, nearly 10 times the normal price.

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