National Roundup

New York
Microsoft pays $25 million to settle corruption charges
NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft is paying more than $25 million to settle federal corruption charges involving a bribery scheme in Hungary and other foreign offices.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Microsoft will pay about $16.6 million to settle charges that it violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. While the case centered on Hungary, the SEC said it also found improprieties at Microsoft offices in Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Turkey.

The Justice Department said Microsoft will also pay an $8.75 million criminal fine stemming from the Hungarian bid-rigging and bribery scheme.

Federal prosecutors said that from 2013 through 2015, a senior executive and other employees at the Hungary office took part in a scheme to “inflate margins in the Microsoft sales channel” in connection with Microsoft software licenses sold to Hungarian government agencies.

Savings were falsely recorded as discounts and used for corrupt purposes, the prosecutors said.

Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a letter to employees Monday that the misconduct was “completely unacceptable” and involved a small number of employees.

Smith outlined changes to prevent public sector discounts from being used improperly and said the company is expanding its use of artificial intelligence to flag suspicious transactions.

South Carolina
Jury convicts doctor of trading money, sex for painkillers
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a 60-year-old South Carolina doctor has been convicted of trading painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs for money and sex.

Prosecutors said a jury found Dr. Ronald Hargrave of Mount Pleasant guilty Monday of distribution of controlled substances after a four-day trial.

Investigators said they started looking into Hargrave in 2105 after he went with a woman to a Columbia pharmacy around midnight on a Saturday with a Xanax prescription.

Prosecutors said in a statement the pharmacist refused to fill the prescription because it was odd to have a doctor accompany a patient to the drug store, especially out of town.

Authorities six Hargrave exchanged sex in his office for painkillers in another case in 2017.

Hargrave faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced later.

Arizona
Tucson woman gets life in prison for fatally ­starving son
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A Tucson woman convicted of fatally starving her 3-year-old son and then putting his body in a toy chest has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Pima County prosecutors say 44-year-old Raquel Marcella Barreras also was sentenced Monday to 24 additional years in prison for child abuse charges.

A jury found Barreras guilty of first-degree felony murder and one count of child abuse earlier this year.

She pleaded guilty to four other charges in the case, including abandoning or concealing a dead body plus three counts of child abuse.

Authorities say Roman Barreras is believed to have died sometime between the spring of 2013 and January 2014.

The child’s remains were found after his family was evicted from a Tucson rental unit.

Illinois
Attorney pleads guilty to Joliet courthouse ­parachute jump
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) — A Chicago-area attorney has been sentenced to 12 months court supervision and 100 hours of community service after pleading guilty to parachuting off a 10-story courthouse under construction.

The Daily Southtown reports 36-year-old Adam Wirtz of North Aurora also was fined $600 after entering the plea to a charge of criminal trespass on Monday.

Wirtz was arrested shortly after 1 a.m. Feb. 22 after jumping from the 218-foot Will County Courthouse and landing in the Joliet Police Department’s parking lot, where two officers observed his jump.

Wirtz told Will County Judge Cory Lund he regretted what he did and that it was a lapse in judgment.

Lund ordered Wirtz to serve half of his service hours assisting those who cannot afford attorneys, with the remainder served at an animal shelter.

Texas
Houston man, 20, gets 4 years in prison for pointing laser
HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for pointing a laser at a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter on patrol.

Prosecutors say 20-year-old Bryan Aldana was sentenced Monday in Houston for the June 2018 incident. Aldana in April pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft.

DPS agents were flying over Houston when a green light illuminated the helicopter’s left side. The pilot reversed course and the chopper was again targeted, as the laser lit up the cockpit. Prosecutors say the pilot had to close and shield his eyes.

Authorities say Houston police and nearby store security video later helped identify the suspect who was seen in a chair near a car and pointing the laser, which was seized.

Vermont
Massage ­therapist admits secretly ­videotaping clients
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont massage therapist has been sentenced to six months in jail for secretly videotaping clients.

Roger Schmidt, of Middlebury, originally pleaded not guilty. WCAX-TV reports he changed his plea to guilty on Monday to more than 25 counts of voyeurism and two counts of illegal practice of medicine. A child pornography charge was dropped.

Police began investigating Schmidt after a Rogers Relaxing Massage Therapy customer filed a complaint. Last year, investigators said they discovered multiple hidden cameras.

Schmidt apologized Monday to the more than a dozen victims. But the woman said his apology and sentence are not sufficient.

Vermont doesn’t require massage therapists to have licenses or training. Addison County State’s Attorney Dennis Wygmans says he plans to push for regulation during the next legislative session.