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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 3 June 2017
Co-defendant testifies against minister in church abuse case

By MITCH WEISS day, saying she threw the a January 2013 service at screaming and choking the gave him routine prayer
JEFFREY COLLINS first slap after their minister the Spindale church. man for about two hours. that lasted no longer than
Associated Press began the attack. Sarah She testified that Covington Anderson’s testimony obvi- 15 to 20 minutes, and that
RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. Anderson took the stand started pushing Fenner’s ously surprised the minister’s Fenner hugged everyone
(AP) — One of five people despite defense objections chest and screaming lawyers. During opening when it was over. Ander-
charged with trying to beat in the trial of Word of Faith “Open your heart!” Ander- statements the day before, son, 30, left the church in
“homosexual demons” out minister Brooke Covington. son said she then slapped defense attorney David February 2016 after accus-
of a fellow church mem- Anderson accused her of Fenner in the face, and Teddy said Word of Faith ing Covington and other
ber in North Carolina testi- starting the confrontation about 30 church members members did not attack church leaders of abusing
fied for prosecutors on Fri- with Matthew Fenner after then joined in, beating, Fenner at all. He said they her 1-year-old son. q
John Gotti’s ex-son-in-law avoids prison in plea deal

Prosecutors also agreed to City Police Department’s
give one of his associates organized crime unit. Wire-
heavy equipment seized taps on Agnello’s phones
during the investigation intercepted conversations
and a shotgun found dur- with mob associates in
ing a search of Agnello’s New York and Cleveland,
upscale home in the Cleve- authorities said.
land suburb of Bentleyville. Friedman on Friday called
Then-Cuyahoga County the plea deal “fair and just”
Prosecutor Tim McGinty and thanked county Pros-
and Cleveland police ecutor Michael O’Malley,
made a big splash after who took office in Janu-
Agnello’s arrest in July 2015 ary, for resolving the case.
for what he and others said Friedman declined to com-
was a scam that involved ment further. An O’Malley
weighing down stolen vehi- spokesman declined to
cles with sand and dirt be- comment on Friday.
fore selling them to a scrap Agnello moved to Cleve-
yard. McGinty said Agnello land after his release
bribed scrap yard employ- from a federal prison in
ees to look the other way Youngstown in 2008. He
about the weighted-down married the daughter of
vehicles, many of which a suspected Armenian-
had been stolen and pur- American terrorist with
In this July 17, 2015 photo, Carmine “The Bull” Agnello of Bentleyville, Ohio, is escorted into court chased by Agnello for as whom he served prison
in Cleveland. Agnello, a reputed member of the Gambino crime family and former son-in-law little as $50, sometimes less. time. Agnello was mar-
of John Gotti agreed Thursday, June 1, 2017, to a plea deal to avoid prison in what authorities
originally said was a multi-million dollar scam involving stolen cars and scrap metal in Cleveland. Prosecutors later alleged ried 17 years to Victoria
(Ida Lieszkovszky /The Plain Dealer via AP) that Agnello defrauded the Gotti, the daughter of the
scrap yard of $4.2 million late Gambino crime boss.
CLEVELAND (AP) — A reput- scrap metal in Cleveland. the cost of the investigation over three years, Cleve- They divorced in 2002.
ed member of the Gambi- Agnello, 56, pleaded guilty into his business practices in land.com reports. The theft Victoria Gotti starred in a
no crime family and former Thursday to an environmen- Cleveland. The Cuyahoga charge included in the reality show with her and
son-in-law of John Gotti tal violation and no contest County Prosecutor’s Office plea deal states Agnello Agnello’s three sons called
agreed to a plea deal that to theft and being a felon agreed to dismiss charg- stole between $7,500 and “Growing Up Gotti.”
included a large fine but in possession of a firearm es against Agnello’s wife, $150,000 from Ferrous Pro- Agnello received nine
no prison. charges. Agnello could Danielle, and his business, cessing and Trading in years in prison and was
Carmine “The Bull” Agnel- have faced a lengthy pris- Eagle Auto Parts. The judge Cleveland. ordered to pay $11 million
lo had been indicted on on sentence had he been placed him on inactive The plea deal concludes in restitution in 2001 after
racketeering and con- convicted on the original probation for a year, which what McGinty said in 2015 pleading guilty to federal
spiracy charges related to charges in an August 2015 will end when he has paid was an 18-month investiga- charges of racketeering
what prosecutors said was indictment. the money, defense attor- tion led by Cleveland po- and conspiracy to defraud
a multi-million dollar scam Agnello’s deal calls for him ney Ian Friedman said Fri- lice and assisted by a de- the Internal Revenue Ser-
involving stolen cars and to pay $180,000 to cover day. tective from the New York vice. q

Search warrant describes scuffle before agent was shot

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The officer walked up to a car ficer, police said. The driver tive vest, died of a gunshot say Friday what prompted
driver of the car that a Vir- in Mosby Court, a public told police he “observed wound to the head, the the scuffle or whether any
ginia State Police special housing complex in Virgin- a scuffle” between Walter medical examiner’s office words were exchanged.
agent approached before ia’s capital city, authorities and Travis Ball, who had said. His funeral will be held Police seized guns and
being shot in the head last say. The suspected shooter, been sitting in the passen- Saturday. Police initially ammunition from the car
week told authorities that a 27-year-old Travis Ball, fled ger seat, the search war- said a single shot rang out among other items, a
scuffle broke out between the scene and was arrest- rant says. The driver saw moments after Walter ap- search warrant says.
the officer and the suspect- ed early Saturday after an a gun in Ball’s hand near proached the passenger Ball faces malicious wound-
ed shooter, according to a overnight manhunt. the agent’s head, heard side of the car, but did not ing and firearm charges
search warrant affidavit. After the officers ap- a gunshot and saw that say there was a struggle and authorities say addi-
Special Agent Michael proached the car, the the agent was down, the between Walter and Ball. tional charges are expect-
Walter was shot after he driver got out and was de- document says. Walter, State Police Spokeswoman ed. The driver has not been
and a Richmond police tained by the Richmond of- who was wearing a protec- Corinne Geller wouldn’t charged.q