Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Crime Alert 02.28.23

Episode Date: February 28, 2023

3rd time's the charm to catch this armed robber. Woman poisons look-a-like friend for her identity. For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Crime Alert, I'm Nancy Grace. Breaking crime news now. Brian Hatfield robs a Vegas bar at gunpoint three times in one month. A cop sees Hatfield entering the bar and follows him. When the cop realizes another robbery's in progress, he calls for backup. Seconds later, Hatfield runs out, ignoring cops, commanding him to drop the gun. He hops in a van and drives off. Crime Online's John Limley. Nancy, Hatfield tries to ditch his rented van with stolen plates and attempts two carjackings, firing shots at one of the victims. Hatfield eventually returns home, and when police officers try to make contact, Hatfield takes to a social

media live stream drinking stolen vodka from the bar and holding the revolver used in the robberies to his head. Well, of course, the cops catch up with Hatfield, 34, at his own home. He's arrested on armed robbery, assault, grand theft, and attempted murder. Victoria Nasarova is invited to a New France, New York apartment. Like any good guest, she brings a gift, a homemade cheesecake laced with sedatives. Nasarova puts the woman in bed, empties the bottle of the sedative around her to make it appear like a suicide. She then steals the victim's ID and passport. Nasarova had an uncanny resemblance to the victim,

who was also a Russian speaker and likely planned to use victim's documents to avoid deportation. Another friend of the victim's discovered her the next day and rushed her to the hospital, where she recovered from the sedative overdose and told cops what happened. Nasarova, 47, now convicted of assault, unlawful imprisonment, and theft, facing up to 25 years behind bars. More crime and justice news after this.

With the latest crime and justice breaking news, Crime Online's John Limley. Video and dash camera footage provided by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety shows a black teenager holding a gun when he was fatally shot by police last year in an encounter in a store parking lot. Sydney Sumner is with Crime Online. The state agency released Gulfport Police body cam and dash camera footage from the October shooting of Jaheim McMillan. Gulfport police said in a news release soon after the shooting that it occurred after officers responded to a 911 call about several minors waving guns at other motorists. Officers pulled the minors over in the parking lot of the store. The footage shows the 15-year-old with a gun in his right hand when he jumped out of an SUV and ran in front of the store before Officer Kenneth Nassar shouted, Stop! Stop! Gulfport Police! Drop it!

McMillan was running with the gun near his side when he appeared to turn Nassar's direction and the officer opened fire, fatally wounding McMillan in the course of the estimated nine-second encounter. Attorney General Lynn Finch announced on February 22 that a Mississippi grand jury found no criminal conduct by the police officer who shot McMillan. A 15-year-old boy was accidentally shot and killed by another teen at a home west of Spokane, Washington. Police identified the teen as Shadrach Hall-Turner, a student at Reardon High School. Reardon Police Chief Andy Menke. We have five juveniles that were in the basement of a home playing video games, and one of the juveniles had introduced a handgun. Somehow, during those kids' interaction, the handgun went off.

Deputies arrived soon after a 911 call was made, but were not able to resuscitate the teen shot at the home. After interviewing the other teens, a 16-year-old was arrested on investigation of manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm. Chief Menke also said no adults were present at the time. A Florida man accused in 2020 of plotting terror attacks in the U.S. and acquiring an arsenal of weapons has pleaded guilty to attempting to

provide material support to the Islamic State extremist group. Once again, Crime Online's Sydney Sumner. Muhammad Al-Azari, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen, also agreed to accept an 18-year prison sentence during the plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli in Tampa federal court. A formal sentencing date has not yet been set. Al-Azari admitted in court papers that he scouted potential terrorism targets in the Tampa Bay area, sought to acquire multiple weapons, and pleaded an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State. The FBI recorded many conversations between Al-Azari and confidential or undercover sources in which he discussed avenging imprisoned Islamic State fighters and using violence to

oppose U.S. military actions in the Middle East. An FBI affidavit says Alazari was recorded as expressing admiration for Omar Mateen, the deceased shooter at the Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016, and even drove there to scope out the location. The founder of the troubled digital startup, Aussie Media, has pleaded not guilty to federal fraud charges, accusing him of scheming to prop up his financially struggling company, which hemorrhaged millions of dollars before it shut down amid revelations of possibly deceptive business practices. Federal agents arrested Carlos Watson at a Manhattan hotel earlier in the day after two of the company's top executives pleaded guilty this month to fraud charges,

including Oxy's then-chief operating officer, Samir Rao, who prosecutors say impersonated a YouTube executive during a pitch to Goldman Sachs, a potential investor. The indictment, unsealed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, accuses Watson and Aussie media of conspiring to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. Watson was also charged with identity theft for his role in the impersonation of several media executives. Michael Serrata stops his car in the middle of the road, prompting Florida cops to investigate. He appears to be under the influence but refuses to take a breathalyzer test, so cops call for backup. While waiting, Serrata reaches between his legs and pops the tab on a beer can,

which cops confiscate. Serata unable to perform a fuel sobriety test because he can't support his own weight. He's dragged to a patrol car and charged with DUI and resisting. For the latest crime and justice news, go to crimeonline.com. With this crime alert, I'm Nancy Grace. This is an iHeart Podcast.