National Roundup

South Dakota
Inmate gets more prison time for prostitute visit
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A Sioux Falls man with a history of soliciting sex has been given more jail time after authorities say he invited a prostitute to his house while out of jail on work release.
Fifty-two-year-old Robert Corsini was caught in two separate online sex stings last fall. He was serving a seven-day jail term and was out on work release when authorities say he went online to find a prostitute.
Corsini said in court that he did invite the woman but that he told her to leave when she asked for money.
Judge John Schlimgen said he found Corsini’s explanation “implausible” and sentenced him to another 90 days in jail — without the option of work release.

North Dakota
Jurors see video of father of slain children of tribe
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The father of two children slain on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation told investigators that he couldn’t explain their deaths because he had been drinking but that he was “not a monster.”
The videotaped FBI interview of Travis DuBois Sr. was shown to jurors Tuesday in federal court in Fargo during the trial of Valentino “Tino” Bagola, The Forum newspaper reported. Bagola, 20, is charged with murder in the May 2011 deaths of 9-year-old Destiny Shaw-DuBois and her 6-year-old brother, Travis DuBois Jr.
Prosecutors allege that Bagola — who is the nephew of the children’s mother — sexually assaulted the girl and that he stabbed her at least 40 times and her brother at least 60 times. FBI investigators have said Bagola told them he was angry with the elder DuBois but could not find him and instead took out his rage on the children. Authorities allege Bagola’s DNA was found beneath Destiny’s fingernails.
Bagola’s defense attorneys contend that the elder DuBois killed the children in the middle of a multi-day drinking binge.
DuBois acknowledged during the interview with FBI agents soon after the killings that he had been drinking.
“What am I supposed to tell you guys if I don’t remember?” he said.
DuBois said he was stunned when the children’s mother found their bodies.
“I was in shock and everything,” he said.
At the time of the interview, DuBois was considered a suspect. The FBI agents suggested he killed the children but also told him: “You’re not a monster.”
DuBois told the agents, “I’m not trying to hide anything,” but he couldn’t recall what happened. “I’m not a monster,” he said.
The Spirit Lake tribe is overhauling its child protection system, which came under fire last year. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs stepped in in October to bolster and oversee the system.

Massachusetts
Man pleads guilty in lost luggage fraud conspiracy
BOSTON (AP) — A Marlborough man authorities say scammed airlines out of tens of thousands of dollars by submitting false lost luggage claims has pleaded guilty.
Pedro Igor Duarte pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court last week to three counts of mail fraud.
He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 6, when he faces up to 20 years in prison and full repayment.
Prosecutors say the 28-year-old Duarte bought tickets from several different airlines between October 2007 and April 2009, then filed lost luggage claims, even though none of his bags had actually gone missing.
Duarte varied the spelling of his name on baggage claims and used different addresses to hide his multiple claims. Authorities say the scam netted him more than $28,000.

Arkansas
Federal judge tosses suit in Dirksmeyer case
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by a man who was found not guilty in the death of his girlfriend, who was murdered while a student at Arkansas Tech in Russellville.
U.S. District Judge James M. Moody on Tuesday dismissed Kevin Jones’ lawsuit, saying he couldn’t prove he was maliciously prosecuted.
Jones was found not guilty in 2007 of killing Nona Dirksmeyer, who was beaten and stabbed in her Russellville apartment.
After Jones was cleared, prosecutors charged 34-year-old Gary Dunn, who was Dirksmeyer’s neighbor. Juries in two trials deadlocked and charges against Dunn have been dismissed.
Jones’ lawsuit named Dunn, a former Russellville police chief and a police detective. He accused the officers of conspiring to withhold evidence.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports Jones’ lawyer may appeal.

Missouri
Inmate, woman  charged in plan to kill witness 
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — A Buchanan County Jail inmate and a St. Joseph woman are charged with conspiring to kill a witness in the man’s pending criminal case.
County authorities say 69-year-old Doyle Brant, formerly of Agency, and 44-year-old Alesia L. Rivera were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Buchanan County prosecutors allege Brant and Rivera conspired to pay a confidential informant $2,000 to commit the murder.
Brant is jailed on charges of sodomizing a 14-year-old girl in Agency in 2006. The St. Joseph News-Press reports court documents identified the target of the murder plot as having the same initials as Brant’s alleged victim.
Court records do not indicate that either Brant or Rivera have attorneys for the conspiracy charge.

Idaho
Boise man now accused of being ‘hot tub bandit’
CASCADE, Idaho (AP) — Valley County authorities say they have arrested and charged a man for trespassing on to a vacation home and taking a long and illegal soak in the hot tub.
The Valley County Sheriff’s Office identified the so-called “Hot Tub Bandit” Tuesday as 48-year-old Bryan M. Baines of Boise.
Baines is charged with trespassing, unlawful entry and malicious injury to property for his actions at a home near the Horsethief Reservoir.
Investigators used security video they allege shows Baines soaking in the hot tub on the night of June 6. Baines is accused of damaging the hot tub cover and other components and trying to break into the home.
Baines told The Associated Press Tuesday he intends to appear in court next month and take responsibility for his actions.?