Tag: massachusetts

Female prisoner ‘hurled in locked cell’ at Massachusetts prison after complaining that she had been raped by one of at least three transgender sex predators housed there

A female prisoner was thrown into a locked cell at a Massachusetts prison after she told authorities she was allegedly raped by one of at least four transgender sex predators housed there, a report has claimed.

According to an investigation conducted by The Hill, MCI-Framingham, the state’s all-female prison, is punishing biological female inmates who speak up about alleged abuse at the hands of transgender inmates who also call it home. 

One incarcerated woman, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation, told the outlet she informed MCI-Framingham officials she was raped by a male prisoner who identifies as transgender in November. The alleged attacker has not been named.

In return, prison authorities have locked her up in restrictive housing and only allow her to leave her dreary cell once a day to take a quick shower, the woman has reportedly claimed. 

‘It feels like I’m being punished for speaking up,’ the female prisoner told the publication. 

‘They are treating me as if I should have kept my mouth shut – as if it’s my fault, or as though I should have defended myself.’ 

Per the extensive report, seriously violent criminals, including sex predators, child rapists, domestic abusers, and killers, can gain access to female inmates just by telling officials they identify as a woman. 

The request is made possible by the state’s 2018 Criminal Justice Reform, which allows biologically male offenders convicted of those frightening crimes to be housed at the female-only prison in Massachusetts. 

Other protections transgender inmates get behind bars in the state include care for how they are searched, housed, and addressed, all according to their self-identified gender. 

While it is not known who the woman’s allegations refer to, a number of high-profile transgender inmates call the prison home.

One inmate who got into the prison because of the guidelines is Kenneth Hunt. 

Hunt, who now goes by Katheena, was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering two women, including a cousin, according to legal documents reviewed by the Daily Mail. 

Hunt’s cousin was found dead in her apartment by her boyfriend on January 5, 1982. 

According to an autopsy, the woman was stabbed more than four dozen times and was sexually molested with a broom, court documents stated. 

Just two years prior, a 29-year-old woman was also found dead in her apartment after suffering multiple stab wounds, the filing said.

Hunt is currently serving a life sentence at Framingham. 

A previously convicted criminal is also serving time there as a level three sex offender. 

Charlese Horton, who formerly went by Charles, was previously convicted of kidnapping and assaulting a child before being taken into custody again in 2019 on several charges, including repeatedly abducting and raping a 14-year-old at gunpoint. 

Horton, who now identifies as transgender, was sent to MCI-Framingham in July. 

A fourth transgender inmate, Wayne ‘Veronica’ Raymond, is in prison for life for raping multiple children. 

Raymond was allowed to live among women at the prison after being denied parole six times for failing to ‘demonstrate a level of rehabilitation,’ The Hill reported. 

Officials determined Raymond was found ‘compatible with the welfare of society.’ 

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‘Queer food’ course at Boston U. explores what ‘polyamorous’ and ‘non-binary’ people eat

Boston University students can study the “ways in which language and behaviors around food both reinforce and challenge gender hierarchies and restrictive norms around sexuality,” in a “Food Studies” class.

“Food, Gender, and Sexuality,” helps students explore the concept of “queer food,” according to Professor Megan Elias. The university recently profiled the professor and her course, along with a book she helped write, titled “Queers at the Table: An Illustrated Guide to Queer Food (with Recipes).”

The professor (pictured) gave some examples of topics of discussion in her “food studies classes.”

Students might consider “how [their] food choice is representing [their] gender identity,” she said in an explanatory video produced by Boston U.

“How is that different if you’re gay? How is that different if you’re non-binary? How is that different if you’re polyamorous,” she asked.

All these questions help “disrupt kind of ideas about foods that really obscure human experience,” she said.

Queer food is not a new concept, according to Elias.

“Queer food has always been,” Elias said in an interview with the university’s Faculty Angle series. “Queer people have always been cooking, they have always been eating, they have always been part of the food landscape. And so to acknowledge that is really to show us a new way of thinking about food.”

“We really feel that talking about queer food is a way to disrupt ideas about food that really obscure [the] human experience,” she said further. “That is what we do in food studies—we use food to understand the bigger picture of human experience.”

Elias said she does not have a definition for what “queer food” is but wants “recognition” it exists.

“So, to understand that queer food has always been, that queer people have always been cooking, they have always been eating, they have always been part of the food landscape,” she said in the YouTube video.

“Gender norms” can infect the way people think about food and cooking, Elias said. For example, “the idea that there’s a ‘mom’s home cooking,’” is not inclusive because some homes don’t have a mom, she said.

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Ex-Con Husband of Squad Member Ayanna Pressley Slaps Phone Out of Man’s Hands When Confronted About Fraud

Squad member Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and her ex-husband, Conan Harris, a convicted felon, do not like being confronted about allegedly defrauding American taxpayers in Minnesota. And they are willing to get violent instead of answering questions.

When asked to comment on the fraud, Pressley ignored the questioning, but Harris took it a step further and slapped the phone from the questioner’s hand.

A man is heard asking, “Congresswoman Pressley, do you support….” but before he could finish, Harris slapped the phone and it slammed to the floor.

The surprised man said, “Sir, you cannot take my phone out of my hand.”

Pressley quickly moved through the Chelsea City Hall in Chelsea, Massachusetts, ignoring the questions, as he called after her, “Congresswoman Pressley, do you support President Trump investigating Somali childcare fraud in Minnesota?”

“Congresswoman Pressley?”

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Trans-Identified Male Who Strangled Wife to Death Serving Sentence in Women’s Prison

A convicted killer man who brutally murdered his wife is serving a life sentence in a women’s prison. Robert Kosilek now calls himself “Michelle” and was quietly transferred into the Massachusetts Correctional Institution Framingham (MCI Framingham) women’s prison with the legal assistance of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD Law).

Kosilek, now 76, violently murdered his wife Cheryl McCaul at their condominium in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Cheryl’s body was discovered in the back seat of her gray Hyundai parked in a shopping mall lot in North Attleborough on the evening of Sunday, May 20, 1990.

She had been strangled with a rope and a wire to such an extent that her head was nearly severed. Her body was exposed in a graphic sexual manner, with her top pulled up and her pants around her ankles.

A taxi driver testified that he picked up Kosilek from the same mall on the afternoon of May 20, and drove him to a store located near Kosilek’s house in Mansfield. That evening, according to court records, police in North Attleborough received a telephone call from Kosilek stating that his wife had not come home that evening and asking whether there had been any reports of possible vehicular accidents in the area.

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Distraught Cape Cod widow told ‘forever home’ is one of 13 set to be demolished to make way for new bridge… with neighbors whose properties were spared dreading the thundering traffic

A distraught Cape Cod widow will see her home of more than 24 years demolished to make way for a new bridge.

Joyce Michaud, 80, is among 13 unlucky residents who will have their properties flattened by Massachusetts officials as part of the $2.1 billion project to replace the Sagamore Bridge.

Michaud’s three-bedroom home will bulldozed to make room for workers’ equipment, and will eventually become a basin to catch storm water rolling off the bridge, The Boston Globe reported. 

‘[I thought:] “I’m all set. My kids don’t have to worry. I’m all set”,’ she told The Globe. ‘And now, I’m not.

‘It’s really hard to lose something that you thought was yours.’ 

The residence is being seized through eminent domain, which allows the state to take property for public use. 

An additional 17 properties will be partially acquired. Seven vacant properties will also be seized. 

Meanwhile neighbors who have been spared demolition say they are dreading the onslaught of traffic and noisy works which will take place for the next ten years during construction of the new bridge, which connected Cape Cod to the mainland.

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Mayor of Massachusetts City Needs a Translator During Hearing Due to Apparent Inability to Speak English

Mass migration has caused one city in Massachusetts to resemble a foreign nation, as even its own mayor seems unable to speak or understand a word of English.

As The Eagle-Tribune reported, Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena testified earlier this month during a hearing in support of former acting police chief William Castro’s appeal against revoked credentials from a 2024 traffic incident.

According to WCVB, Castro “engaged in a motor-vehicle pursuit in violation of the policies of the Lawrence Police Department.” Moreover, he was “untruthful” regarding the chase while he and his superiors failed to investigate the incident independently.

Video has now emerged showing that DePena demanded a translator during the hearing because his English is so pathetic. DePena’s native language is Spanish.

The judge denied DePena’s request to have his personal assistant act as his translator because he and others involved in the case were unable to speak Spanish. Too much could get lost in translation.

According to reports, an official interpreter was used instead.

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Haitians Allegedly Bilked Taxpayers Out Of Millions In SNAP Scam

United States Attorney Leah Foley of the District of Massachusetts announced Wednesday that two Haitian immigrants to the United States were facing food stamp fraud charges.

Antonio Bonheur, 74, of Mattapan, and Saul Alisme, 21, of Hyde Park, were each indicted on a single count of food stamp fraud over a scheme that bilked over $7 million in benefits from two bodegas in the Boston area, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) release. Foley described how the bodega owners ripped off taxpayers during a press conference.

“These defendants exchanged SNAP benefits for cash, which they pocketed. Bohneur, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti, owned the Jesula Variety Store. Alisme, a lawful permanent resident also from Haiti, owned the Saul Mache Mixe Store,” Foley told reporters. “These two businesses were co-located within a single storefront in Boston. To be certain, these were not supermarkets. They were not full-service groceries. It would be a huge stretch to even call them convenience stores.”

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Amid fraud claims, campaign to end Mass. adult-use cannabis claims win

The controversial bid to end Massachusetts’ $1.6 billion annual adult-use marijuana industry claimed yet another significant early victory.

Amid widening accusations of voter fraud, the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts “is confident it has submitted enough signatures to put the question on the ballot” ahead of a Nov. 19 deadline, a campaign spokesperson told The Cannabis Business Times.

Ballot questions filed over the summer by lead sponsor Caroline Cunningham, a member of the state Republican Committee, seek to repeal Chapters 94G and 64N of the state’s General Laws.

If the “Act to Restore a Sensible Marijuana Policy” qualifies for the 2026 ballot and is approved by voters, adult-use cannabis retail sales would be outlawed in Massachusetts- though medical marijuana sales, home cultivation, and “gifting” between adults 21 and over would still be allowed.

Will Massachusetts vote to stop adult-use cannabis sales?

The campaign successfully collected a minimum of 74,574 signatures by Nov. 19 in order to qualify for a local vetting process ahead of another filing deadline Dec. 3, campaign spokesperson Wendy Wakeman told the Business Times.

Organizers have vowed to collect as many as 100,000 signatures.

And that’s despite mounting claims that signature-gatherers are using deceptive tactics to convince voters to sign the petition.

As MJBizDaily reported earlier this month, there are several accounts of campaign workers approaching voters while claiming the petition does something else, such as combat fentanyl or create housing.

Wakeman claimed in an MJBizDaily interview to have no knowledge or involvement with the alleged deceptive tactics. Campaign workers engaging in such behavior are volunteers and not paid signature gatherers, she said.

Cannabis industry advocates aren’t convinced.

Bid to stop Massachusetts adult-use marijuana sales accused of fraud

Such acts constitute voter fraud, according to the Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association, a statewide trade group.

It remains unclear what recourse cannabis advocates could pursue if the repeal campaign does indeed advance.

Using false claims to woo voters to sign is a protected free-speech activity under Massachusetts state law.

However, voters could petition local authorities to have their signatures removed and the petition disqualified if they feel they signed under false pretenses, elections observers have said.

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Massachusetts out-of-state SNAP spending soars, including in Hawaii

With the federal government reopened, Massachusetts SNAP benefits continue to reach far and wide, with out-of-state expenditures on the rise as the feds consider revamping the program to reduce waste, fraud and abuse.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins discussed SNAP benefits on Newsmax TV Thursday, telling the network that SNAP data from blue states is “going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable and they can’t survive without it.”

According to data from the state Department of Transitional Assistance, there have been notable increases in out of state spending through the SNAP program in eight states. From FY24 to FY25, these expenditures have jumped by 48.7% in Illinois, 47.1% in New Jersey, 25.9% in Arkansas, 21.8% in Minnesota, 20.8% in California, 10.9% in Washington, and 1.9% in New York. There was even a 16.7% increase in SNAP spending in Hawaii by Massachusetts residents.

This as other states, notably four of the other five states in New England, are getting the cold shoulder from Bay State SNAP purchases. Massachusetts EBT spending in Alaska was down 55% in FY25 and Florida experienced a 12.5% drop. Out-of-state EBT spending in Connecticut dropped 6.5% with a 5.9% slump in New Hampshire. Rhode Island and Maine saw decreases of 3.2% and 2.9%, respectively.

Acting DTA Commissioner Michael Cole tells the Herald that the out-of-state expenditures are negligible compared to what Massachusetts SNAP recipients spend at home and regionally.

“The SNAP program is a lifeline for more than one million Massachusetts residents, including veterans, seniors, children and people with disabilities. It brings in $2.7 billion annually that is spent at over 5,500 retailers and small businesses in Massachusetts,” Cole said.

He also emphasized the importance of allowing online purchases: “While 91% of all EBT transactions are made within Massachusetts and nearby states, it is important that recipients also have the ability to purchase food online. For example, some seniors are home bound due to their health or disabilities and are unable to physically visit a grocery store. All of these policies are set by the federal government.”

The DTA also says many Massachusetts SNAP recipients could be visiting or taking care of sick relatives and loved ones in other states, requiring them to spend money on food while away.

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56 Arrested in Massachusetts Child Porn Sweep

Massachusetts authorities arrested 56 people across the state for alleged child pornography activities in a crime sweep dubbed “Operation Firewall,” state police announced on Monday.

The three-day investigation in 38 communities targeted the growing problem of possession, production, child enticement, and sharing of child sexual abuse material, the Massachusetts State Police reported.

In addition to the arrests, investigators say they searched 34 homes and seized 229 devices.

“Over several months, members of the State Police’s Division of Investigative Services used their training and skill to develop these cases,” said Col. Geoffrey Noble. “I commend the Troopers for their hard work to overcome the evasive tactics of suspects and build a comprehensive operational plan to safely remove predators from our streets.”

The defendants are expected to face charges connected to child pornography, child enticement, outstanding warrants for assault and battery of a child, rape of a child, and failure to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board, according to authorities.

The investigators worked for several weeks to develop Operation Firewall, according to Lt. Col. Daniel Tucker.

The operation relied on several partners, including detective units, district attorney’s offices, special tactical teams, and officials specializing in the apprehension of violent fugitives.

Troopers conducted arrests for a variety of sexual offenses with children, including contact, enticement, trafficking, and aggravated rape, the state reported.

“The Massachusetts State Police are working very hard every day to keep our communities safe, especially our children,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a statement.

According to the state police, many child pornography investigations stem from a growing number of online tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspicious activity.

Under federal law, electronic service providers are required to submit a cyber tip line report to the agency when they recognize dangerous behavior. Troopers assigned to the cybercrime unit review the tips to see if the content violates the state’s child pornography laws.

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