Displaying items by tag: Social Media

Akron Police are investigating yet another robbery that happened during a planned sale of a cellphone. 

The latest case was from Wednesday night around 8, when a 43-year-old man who drove to a public business along South Arlington Street to meet the seller of a cellphone he'd seen through an ad on Facebook. 

The victim met the seller inside, inspected the phone, and laid cash on the counter. That's when the suspect, identified as Dwayne A. Nixon, 18, of Triplett Boulevard in Akron, took off with both the phone and the cash. 

The victim immediately called police and officers, with the help of K9 officers, were able to track down Nixon and arrest him. He's been charged with two counts of theft and more, and booked into Summit County Jail. 

This is the ninth case in recent weeks of someone being robbed during a meeting that was arranged through social media, but Akron Police aren't saying whether Nixon was involved in any of the previous thefts. 

Akron Police, now, are offering tips to anyone who is looking to purchase a cellphone, or anything else, through social media: 

• Review the buyer or seller’s profile before agreeing to meet.

• Communicate with the buyer or seller through the social media site only.

• Choose carefully where you agree to meet.

• Select a location that is a public place, well lit, surveillance cameras, and a large amount of traffic.

• Never agree to meet at their residence and don’t invite people to your residence.

• If you agree to meet them at a public place, take a family member or friend. Never go alone.

Akron Police are warning residents to be cautious when buying or selling things online, as there's been a rash of robberies during recent meet-ups in the city.

Since December 30th, Akron Police says there have been eight robberies involving victims meeting someone they met through social media trying to buy or sell things like cellphones, tablets, or other electronics.

Detectives have narrowed down the recent thefts to a certain part of Akron around Donald, Virginia, Barbara, and Sylvan Avenues.

APD says internet buyers and sellers are welcome to plan meet-ups in front of the police station to make it safer for everyone.

See the full release from the Akron Police Department below: 

The Akron Police Department is investigating multiple thefts and robberies involving individuals using social media sites to buy and sell items in the Akron area.

Officers have taken eight police reports since December 30, 2018 involving the theft/robbery of individuals trying to sell cell phones or other electronics in the Hillwood Homes area of Akron. The streets mostly involved are: Donald Avenue, Virginia Avenue, Barbara Avenue, and Sylvan Avenue. The thefts and robberies appear to be committed by several people, possibly a group working together. The victims have reported they listed a cell phone or electronic device or want to buy a cell phone or electronic device on social media sites. The victims then agreed to meet the potential buyer/seller at a location of the suspect’s choice. When the victim arrives, they are met by the buyer/seller, who is on foot. The suspect asked to see the phone or electronic device or the cash. The suspect then grabs the phone or cash and runs away. During the most recent incident the suspect acted like he was reaching for a handgun; however, no gun was seen.

The suspects are black males in their late teens to early twenties.

On Friday morning, just after 8 a.m., Green High School was placed on "modified lockdown" after a social media threat. 

Inspector Bill Holland with the Summit County Sheriff's Office says a 17-year-old male student of Green High made threats and posted pictures students online. Holland said that the student claimed to be on the campus at the time the threat was made, thus prompting the lockdown. It wasn't until nearly two hours  later, after the school was searched, that the student was found at an address nearby, not on school property. Inspector Holland was unable to comment whether or not that was the student's home. 

A "modified lockdown" means the students were not locked in classrooms, and essentially, the day went on as normal. The lockdown was lifted just before 10 a.m. 

Holland told 1590 WAKR that while the threats were not specific, charges are pending against the teenager. 

In light of Isaiah Crowell's Instagram post and the fallout from that unfortunate decision, many people are asking questions as it relates to social media and what steps can one can take to make sure they don't make a similar mistake.

Julie Cajigas UA Communications Instructor joined Brad Russell to talk about these issues and more.

She says that people who are in the spotlight post something controversial, no matter if they take it down, it still lives on.

"It doesn't matter if it's up for 30 seconds, someone can screenshot it and share it," she said. "Ethically it puts someone in a very bad situation."

Crowell apologized for the post via Facebook video. He has said he was going to donate his first game check to the fallen Dallas Police Officers fund.

Cajigas said that athletes need to know the powerful nature of social media when they get drafted or picked up by a professional team and to be mindful of what they post and who may be affected by it.

An Akron man has been charged by the U.S. Government that he supported the ISIL group on social media, including posting a graphic with claimed personal information and addresses of military members.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says 25 year-old Terrence J. McNeil of Akron appeared in U.S. District Court on one count of solicitation of a crime of violence.

The charge comes from what the U.S. Attorney General's Office calls McNeil "disseminating ISIL's violent rhetoric" on social media.

The criminal complaint against McNeil says he reposted a graphic with that rhetoric and - quote - "detailed U.S. military personnel information" which "explicitly called for the killing of U.S. service members", with threatening graphics on the site Tumblr.

(U.S. Attorney's Office, news release) An Akron, Ohio, man was arrested today on federal charges that he solicited the murder of members of the U.S. military.

Terrence J. McNeil, 25, appeared in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Ohio after being charged with one count of solicitation of a crime of violence.

The charge was announced by Assistant Attorney General John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach of the Northern District of Ohio and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI's Cleveland Division.

"According to the allegations in the complaint, Terrence McNeil solicited the murder of members of our military by disseminating ISIL's violent rhetoric, circulating detailed U.S. military personnel information, and explicitly calling for the killing of American service members in their homes and communities," said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. "ISIL and its followers continue to use social media in an attempt to incite violence around the world, including in the United States. The National Security Division's highest priority is counterterrorism and we will use all of our tools to disrupt threats and acts of violence against our military members and their families."

"As this nation honors our veterans, we must make clear that we will not tolerate threats of violence against our service members," said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach. "This defendant is charged with urging harm to our men and women in uniform and will now answer for those threats."

"While we aggressively defend First Amendment rights, the individual arrested went far beyond free speech by reposting names and addresses of 100 U.S. service members, all with the intent to have them killed," said Special Agent in Charge Anthony. "We will remain vigilant in our efforts to stop those who wish to support these despicable acts."

According to an affidavit filed in the case:

McNeil professed his support on social media on numerous occasions for the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

On or about Sept. 24, 2015, using a Tumblr account, McNeil reblogged a file with the banner "Islamic State Hacking Division," followed by "Target: United States Military" and "Leak: Addresses of 100 U.S. Military Personnel."

The file type is a .gif file, which allows multiple still images to be looped in one file, with a timed delay between each image. The text of the first file reads "O Brothers in America, know that the jihad against the crusaders is not limited to the lands of the Khilafah, it is a world-wide jihad and their war is not just a war against the Islamic State, it is a war against Islam...Know that it is wajib (translated to "necessary") for you to kill these kuffar! and now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for? Kill them in their own lands, behead them in their own homes, stab them to death as they walk their streets thinking that they are safe..."

The file then loops several dozen photographs, purportedly of U.S. military personnel, along with their respective name, address and military branch.

The final image looped is a picture of a handgun and a knife with text that reads "...and kill them wherever you find them..."

A charge is not evidence of guilt. It is the government's burden to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, and a defendant is presumed innocent until that time.

The case is being investigated by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in Cleveland. This case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Ohio and the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.