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(NEW YORK) — Two men hired by Iran in a failed plot to kill Masih Alinejad, an Iranian dissident, author and activist, at her New York City home in 2022 were sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday.

A Manhattan federal court jury convicted Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov of murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering in March.

Federal prosecutors said the two partnered with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in an attempt to silence one of Iran’s most vocal, internationally recognized and effective critics in exchange for half a million dollars.

“I looked these men in the eyes — men who intended to silence me for defending women’s freedom — and am still standing,” Alinejad said after the sentencing hearing.

The journalist said the verdict is a “victory for my fellow dissidents who continue to fight for freedom and refuse to be silenced.”

“For too long, dictators have treated America as their personal playground to orchestrate transnational oppression,” she said. “It’s past time the U.S. government makes clear that U.S. residents are protected and that if they are targeted on American soil, there will be consequences for the hitmen as well as the regimes that sent them.”

In a video posted on social media Wednesday morning, Alinejad said she was en route with the FBI to the federal courthouse for the sentencing “to face my would-be assassins” and read a victim impact statement.

“As you see, I’m wearing red because they were hoping to cover all over my body with blood,” she said. “I’m wearing red to celebrate my life.”

Ahead of the sentencing, prosecutors said Omarov and Amirov deserved 55 years in prison because they sought “to soak the Brooklyn streets with the victim’s blood.”

Meanwhile, Omarov’s attorney argued for a sentence of no more than 10 years and Amirov’s attorney argued for no more than 13 years.

Prosecutors said the pair is part of an Eastern European criminal organization with ties to Iran and wanted to use the bounty to build power and influence in the Russian mob.

“When Amirov and Omarov were presented with a $500,000 bounty to assassinate Ms. Alinejad, they pursued the assignment quickly and relentlessly,” federal prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said that in late July 2022, the triggerman hired by Amirov and Omarov “repeatedly traveled” to Alinejad’s Brooklyn neighborhood to surveil her.

At one point, the triggerman, Khalid Mehdiyev, saw Alinejad on her porch while he was walking around the neighborhood, and by the time he was able to make his way back to his car to retrieve an assault rifle, she had gone back inside, prosecutors said. “Alarmed” by the sight of Mehdiyev, Alinejad left her house on July 28, 2022, to stay with a friend out of state, prosecutors said.

Alinejad posted a video on social media of Mehdiyev outside her house on July 28, 2022.

When the triggerman drove away from the Brooklyn residence that day, the NYPD pulled him over for blowing a stop sign and driving on a suspended license. The officers arrested him and, during an inventory search of the car, found the assault rifle, as well as 66 rounds of ammunition, a ski mask, gloves and a bundle of cash, prosecutors said.

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(NEW YORK) — Several more North Carolina homes have collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean, and more could collapse in the coming days, according to the National Park Service.

Five unoccupied homes in the Outer Banks fell into the sea on Tuesday afternoon amid rough surf, the NPS announced.

Two of the homes that collapsed on Tuesday were located on Tower Circle Road in the community of Buxton, while two were located on Ocean Drive and one on Cottage Avenue, according to the NPS. All of the homes fell between 2 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. ET.

Local officials are attempting to reach the owners of the homes to determine their plans for cleaning up the debris on the beaches lining the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the NPS said.

Officials advised visitors to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore to avoid the beach and stay out of the water in Buxton due to “varying amounts” of hazardous debris that are currently littering the beach south of the collapse site. Large pieces of lumber have also been observed in the surf and shorebreak.

The Outer Banks is a chain of barrier islands stretching the coast of North Carolina, featuring more than 100 miles of shoreline. The picturesque seaside communities are known for their beach homes propped on high stilts.

But more than two dozen privately-owned homes along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore have collapsed into the Atlantic since 2020, according to the NPS.

Sixteen of those homes succumbed to the sea since Sept. 16 of this year, according to the NPS.

Most of the debris from the homes that collapsed prior to the latest event had been cleaned up before Tuesday, the NPS said. There is potential for more homes to subside in the coming days.

Rising sea levels that have resulted from global warming and the melting of ice caps have likely exacerbated the natural sea erosion that occurs daily from the impacts of wind, waves and tides.

In the Outer Banks, the villages of Rodanthe and Buxton have been hit particularly hard by the effects of coastal erosion, according to the NPS.

The Outer Banks — along with other barrier islands on the East Coast — often face the brunt of inclement weather that impacts the eastern coast of the U.S.

In August, mandatory evacuations were issued in several counties in the Outer Banks due to Hurricane Erin, despite the storm not making landfall in the U.S.

Eight homes collapsed between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 after the impacts from Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda, both of which stayed far in the Atlantic but still brought massive waves to the eastern seaboard.

An additional home fell on Oct. 18, days after the first nor’easter of the season battered the East Coast.

Projects to fortify the beaches near the Outer Banks, including beach nourishment and jetty repairs, are scheduled for 2026, ABC Raleigh-Durham affiliate WTVD reported.

Local officials are trying to preserve and secure the beaches as quickly as possible, Bobby Outten, manager of Dare County, told WTVD.

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(NEW YORK) —  Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane — one of the most powerful hurricane landfalls on record in the Atlantic basin — and is now continuing its path of destruction through the Caribbean.

Melissa tore through Jamaica on Tuesday with 185 mph winds, making the storm the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall on the island. The previous record was set by Category 4 Hurricane Gilbert in 1988.

Rain totals in Jamaica could be up to 2 feet, with up to 30 inches in higher elevations. Jamaica’s prime minister has declared the country a disaster area.

Early Wednesday morning, Melissa made landfall in Cuba with 120 mph winds. Cuba faced a storm surge of up to 12 feet and could be inundated with 25 inches of rain in higher elevations.

Now, Melissa is heading toward the Bahamas as a Category 2 storm.

In the southeastern Bahamas, 5 to 10 inches of rain is expected and a storm surge of 5 to 8 feet is possible.

The storm is then expected to pass closely to Bermuda on Thursday night.

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(NEW YORK) — A man in Pennsylvania with multiple warrants, including federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers, is at large after he escaped police custody while still wearing handcuffs, according to the East Pikeland Township Police Department.

Jairo Eliazar Ramirez-Lima, 41, escaped from police custody on Saturday at approximately 6:59 a.m. while being transported from a local hospital following an arrest for driving under the influence, police said in a statement on Saturday.

Despite being handcuffed, Ramirez-Lima “fled on foot from the hospital grounds” and has not been seen since, police confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday.

Ramirez-Lima, who “should be considered dangerous,” was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, white or light gray sweatpants and black sneakers, police said.

While police said there is “no known active threat to the public,” they added Ramirez-Lima has “multiple active arrest warrants, including federal ICE detainers and has a history of violence and weapons offenses.”

In addition to the DUI and escape charges, Ramirez-Lima was also charged with false identification to a law enforcement officer, tampering with public records, driving without a license, disregard to a traffic lane and careless driving, according to court documents obtained by ABC News.

He also has a protection-from-abuse order against him in Maryland, according to Philadelphia ABC station WPVI.

The suspect’s escape remains under investigation and police said additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Anyone with information on Ramirez-Lima’s whereabouts should contact the East Pikeland Township Police Department at 610-935-0606 or call 911, officials said.

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(NEW YORK) — At first light on Wednesday, the coastal communities of southwestern Jamaica bore the devastation of being in the direct path of Hurricane Melissa, as images emerging from the area show numerous homes destroyed, vehicles overturned, power lines down and trees uprooted.

One of the hardest-hit areas appeared to be the town of Black River, where many homes and businesses were left in ruins by the powerful Category 5 hurricane that made landfall on Wednesday. Twisted sheets of metal and busted concrete lay in ruins in the streets of the village, as first responders were seen in the footage weaving through downed power lines in search of survivors.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said his nation was “ravaged” by the hurricane’s 175 mph winds and torrential rain.

“I know many, especially those in the worst-affected parishes, are feeling disheartened,” Holness said in a social media post. “Your homes may have been damaged or destroyed, and your communities and towns no longer look the same.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(WASHINGTON) — Two federal prosecutors were informed Wednesday that they will be put on leave after filing a legal brief that described the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as being carried out by “thousands of people comprising a mob of rioters,” sources familiar with their removals told ABC News. 

The two prosecutors, Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, were locked out of their government devices and informed Wednesday morning they will be placed on leave, just hours after they filed a sentencing memorandum in the case of Taylor Taranto, the sources said.  

Taranto was pardoned by President Donald Trump over his involvement in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol but faced a separate conviction for firearms and threat charges related to a June 2023 arrest near the home of former President Barack Obama where he was found in possession of two guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, as well as a machete. 

A day before Taranto’s arrest, he claimed he would use a car bomb to drive into the National Institute of Standards and Technology. 

In their sentencing memorandum, Valdivia and White used only two sentences to detail Taranto’s involvement in the Jan. 6 attack. 

“On January 6, 2021, thousands of people comprising a mob of rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol while a joint session of Congress met to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election,” the memorandum said. “Taranto was accused of participating in the riot in Washington, D.C., by entering the U.S. Capitol Building. After the riot, Taranto returned to his home in the State of Washington, where he promoted conspiracy theories about the events of January 6, 2021.” 

It’s unclear if Valdivia or White were given a reason for their suspensions, though the moves come following months of turmoil in the Washington, D.C., U.S. attorney’s office where multiple career prosecutors faced removals or demotions related to their involvement in prosecuting the more than 1,500 defendants charged in connection with the Capitol attack. 

A Justice Department spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

It’s also not immediately clear how Valdivia and White’s suspensions could impact Taranto’s case or whether the Justice Department plans to alter its recommendation that he serve 27 months in prison related to his firearms and threats conviction.

Taranto is currently set to be sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. 

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(NEW YORK) — A crew dressed in neon construction vests stole a safe containing jewelry — valued at more than $3.2 million — from a home in Queens, New York, after breaking in through a back door, police said Tuesday.

The theft occurred on Oct. 16, just after 2 p.m., when the suspects entered the Jamaica Hills-area home.

Once inside, the thieves removed a safe and jewelry valued at about $3.2 million and then fled in a blue Hyundai Elantra, police said.

It is not clear whether the home was occupied at the time, but the NYPD said no injuries were reported in the incident.

Police said two sought individuals in connection with the break-in appear to be male and were last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants, black sneakers, a neon construction vest, a white construction hat, eye protective wear and were seen carrying black backpacks.

The third sought individual is described as a male and was last seen wearing a white hoodie sweater, black pants, gray sneakers, black gloves and seen operating and exiting a blue Hyundai Elantra.

The jewelry heist clad in construction gear came just days before a group of thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris, stealing $102 million worth of jewels, including crowns, necklaces, earrings and a diamond-encrusted brooch that once belonged to Emperor Napoleon and his wife.

On Oct. 19, two of the thieves dressed as construction workers used a cherry picker to get up to the second floor of the museum, where they cut through the window of the Apollo Gallery using angle grinders, authorities said.

Upon entering the gilded gallery, the thieves used power tools to cut into the glass cases to reach the precious jewels, investigators said.

The entire theft took about seven minutes, according to investigators, and the stolen jewelry remains missing.

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(CONSTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif.) — Police are looking for a murder suspect who they say was accidentally released from a California jail.

Isaiah Jamon Andrews, 20, was mistakenly released from the Martinez Detention Facility, according to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in a press release Monday.

A native of Kent, Washington, Andrews was held in California on local charges, a juvenile warrant out of Sacramento and an arrest warrant for homicide in Seattle, per the sheriff’s office. He was intended to be extradited to a jail in Washington.

“After Sheriff’s Office staff realized Andrews had been released, we launched a search of the immediate area and confirmed that Andrews was no longer in the area. The search for Andrews is ongoing by the U.S. Marshals Service. Local law enforcement agencies have also been notified,” officials said in the press release.

Andrews was previously arrested after a car chase in California, three days after he allegedly shot and killed Theodore Wheeler, 20, in Seattle, according to the Seattle Police Department (SPD).

“I think sometimes people forget that it is a criminal justice system. Cops, courts and corrections is kind of how I always remember it. And although we did our due diligence, the courts and that part of the system however did not,” Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes told ABC News’ San Francisco affiliate ABC 7.

Anyone with information about Andrews’ whereabouts can call (866) 846-3592 or email tips@so.cccounty.us.

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(NEW YORK) — Closing arguments began Tuesday morning in the trial of a former Illinois sheriff’s deputy accused of shooting and killing a Black woman in her home.

The trial began last week for Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County deputy accused of fatally shooting Sonya Massey in July 2024 after she called 911 to report a possible intruder at her home in Springfield, Illinois.

“When you threaten to shoot someone in the face, and you do, that’s first-degree murder,” Sangamon County Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers said during closing arguments, according to ABC affiliate WICS in Springfield, Illinois.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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(CHICAGO) — In a face-off on Tuesday with a federal judge, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol commander-at-large Greg Bovino came under questioning about the crowd-control tactics he and his agents are using in their Chicago immigration crackdown.

With Bovino appearing before her dressed in uniform, Judge Sara Ellis of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois ordered him to meet with her in person each weekday at 6 p.m. local time, to report to her on the immigration activities in Chicago that he is spearheading.

Bovino was on the witness stand for slightly more than an hour Tuesday morning, as Ellis considered allegations from the plaintiffs of multiple violations of a temporary restraining order (TRO) she issued this month, placing restrictions on the use of force and riot control weapons against demonstrators.

Ellis did the vast majority of the talking during the hearing, including an oral recitation of each provision of her temporary restraining order that she first issued on Oct. 9, requiring federal agents to issue advanced warnings when deploying tear gas.

The judge expanded the order on Oct. 16 to include a requirement for federal agents equipped with body-worn cameras to wear them and keep them on during “law enforcement activities” in Chicago.

“My role is simply to see that in the enforcement of those laws that you and the agents operating under you are acting in a manner that is consistent with your obligations under the law, meaning that it is consistent with the Constitution, that it is consistent with the law … and the TRO that I entered,” she said.

“That is my job and that is all that I am doing,” Ellis told Bovino as the hearing got underway.

Ellis ordered Bovino to appear before her following allegations that he had personally deployed tear gas on a crowd of demonstrators “without justification” last week, according to court filings in a lawsuit against the federal government.

Ellis indicated in a hearing earlier this month that she was “profoundly concerned” over the tactics used by federal agents in a series of clashes with protesters.

She issued a temporary restraining order on Oct. 9, restricting federal agents from using aggressive tactics to quell protests, including the deployment of tear gas without advanced warning.

On Oct. 17, Ellis expanded her order to include a requirement for federal agents equipped with body-worn cameras to wear them and keep them on during “law enforcement activities” in Chicago.

Ellis is presiding over a lawsuit brought by journalists and citizens against the federal government over the immigration enforcement tactics in Chicago.

The plaintiffs argue that the government is “engineering their own pretext for their presence and behavior in Chicago” by “regularly inflicting harm on civilians who are simply protesting” the immigration enforcement operation.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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