Author Archives: Trish Mehaffey/SourceMedia Group News

About Trish Mehaffey/SourceMedia Group News

I'm the courts reporter for Gazette Communications. I moved to Iowa from Kansas City and have been with the company for three years. I'm originally from Kansas but have lived various places in my 16 years as a journalist including Oklahoma, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas. I'm also a Kansas State University Alumni and faithful K-State Wildcats fan but I have no ill will towards the Iowa teams ;)

22-year-old CR man charged with murder in strip club parking lot slaying

CEDAR RAPIDS – A 22-year-old Cedar Rapids man was charged Thursday with first-degree murder in the slaying of Raphael C. Blackwell Jr., who was unarmed and fatally shot in the parking lot of strip club last month. Dominique Antonio Fisher, … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Local law enforcement officers receive federal victim service awards

DUBUQUE – Two local law enforcement officers were honored Wednesday with Iowa Law Enforcement Victim Service Awards for going “above and beyond their duty” working with with crime victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Man to serve over 16 years for distributing methamphetamine in Mason City

CEDAR RAPIDS – A 42-year-old man was sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison Tuesday for his involvement in a Mason City area methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. James Patrick Overbeck, of Manly, pleaded guilty Jan. 18, to one count … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Waterloo man to serve 5 years for student aid fraud

CEDAR RAPIDS – A Waterloo man who defrauded the U.S. Department of Education was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison. Roy Lee Turner, III, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of financial aid fraud in December 2011. In … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Assault trial for CR man also accused in cab driver’s slaying is reset to September

CEDAR RAPIDS – The assault trial for a man, who is also accused in the stabbing death of a cab driver, is reset to Sept. 17, in Linn County District Court. Johnathan Mitchell, 33, of Cedar Rapids, charged with willful … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A charge for one Lisbon wrestler is dropped, another pleads guilty for his part in a hazing incident

Updated information bolded CEDAR RAPIDS – One Lisbon High wrestler pleaded guilty last week to an assault charge involving bullying-type behavior against a teammate and a charge against another wrestler in the same incident was dismissed. Dakota VanDyke, 18, made … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Invasion of privacy law isn’t without flaws but it has teeth for the digital age

CEDAR RAPIDS – Someone taking pictures of a woman partially nude in a bathroom is invasion of privacy. Someone who picks up a 15-year-old girl’s cell phone and views a picture of her without a shirt doesn’t, even if she … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Two charged Thursday in Kirkwood Court shootings face hefty bonds of over $1 million

CEDAR RAPIDS – Two additional people were charged Thursday with robbery and attempted murder and are being held on hefty bonds of $1.1 million in last week’s shooting at Kirkwood Court Apartments. Raymond Sellers, 24, of Chicago, was charged with … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mount Vernon man charged in federal court with child porn, sex exploitation of minor

Updated 6:48 p.m. Updated information bolded CEDAR RAPIDS -A 38-year-old Mount Vernon man charged in state court with sexual abuse of a minor was charged Wednesday in federal court for sexual exploitation of a minor and child pornography. An indictment … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mount Vernon woman involved in murder-for-hire scheme will serve 2 years for firearms charge

CEDAR RAPIDS – A 30-year-old Mount Vernon woman implicated in helping her friend with a murder-for-hire scheme against a police chief was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison Wednesday for possessing firearms as a convicted drug user. … Continue reading

Posted in Crime, Law and Justice | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment