North Carolina man pleads guilty to killing bald eagle

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Robert Garner Gambill, 91, of Sparta, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today in federal court to killing a bald eagle, a violation of the Bald Eagle Protection Act golden eagle, according to U.S. Attorney Dena J. King. Gambill admitted to illegally shooting the federally protected bird with a high-powered rifle in June 2024.

Court documents revealed that on June 5, 2024, Gambill used a Ruger M77 Mark 2 22-250 rifle, equipped with a Nikon Monarch scope, to shoot a bald eagle perched in a tree near the Farmers Fish Highway Bridge Camp in Sparta. Gambill left the scene, abandoning the eagle carcass along the New River. Two witnesses reported the incident, which led to the recovery of the eagle by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). A forensic autopsy confirmed the bird died from a gunshot wound.

The Bald and Royal Eagle Protection Act, passed to protect bald eagles from extinction, prohibits the killing or possession of these birds without a permit. Gambill faces up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. He also agreed to pay a $9,500 fine and is currently free on bail. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

ROCHESTER, NY- A New York man faces 20 years in prison after he was caught recording a young child in the shower.

According to a statement from the US Department of Justice:

United States Attorney Trini E. Ross today announced that Gregory M. Brooks, 53, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci , Jr. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years and a fine of $250,000.

Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, said that in February 2021, Brooks secretly placed a video camera in a bathroom where he knew an underage victim was taking a shower. He positioned the camera to capture nude videos of the minor victim entering and exiting the shower. Between February 2021 and August 31, 2023, Brooks received and stored the child pornography videos captured by his cell phone video camera.

The plea is the result of an investigation conducted by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the department of Greek Police, under the leadership of Chief Michael Wood.

WASHINGTON- Chanos Monroe, also known as Chanos Gillis, 41, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to charges of voluntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the 2022 murder of Keith Sistare, 52, at a BP gas station in the northeast. Washington, the US Attorney’s Office announced.

Monroe’s guilty plea is part of an agreement that calls for a sentence of 14 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The plea, subject to court approval, comes after Monroe has been in custody since his June 25, 2024, arrest.

According to court documents, the incident occurred on September 11, 2022, when Monroe and an unidentified man chased Sistare after he attempted to get into Monroe’s idling vehicle, which was parked outside the station- BP service on Benning Road. Monroe’s fiancée was sitting in the front seat at the time of the attempted robbery.

Surveillance footage showed Monroe repeatedly stomping on Sistare’s head as he lay on the ground. After the attack, Monroe retrieved a handgun from his vehicle but was convinced by his fiancée to return to the car without using the weapon. Sistare later died from his injuries.

Monroe faces sentencing pending court approval of the plea deal.