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The word "ratchet" may be played out, but until the Internet agrees upon a more accurate description for these crimes, it will have to do. These stories are sad, imaginative, and they inspire us to have conversations about race, class, and the American dream.
This week's roundup includes an intoxicated horseman, psychotic "sugar babies," and cereal burglars. Each crime is rated on our Ratchet Meter, a base-10 logarithmic scale modeled after a similar system developed by Charles Richter—except that the Ratchet Meter has nothing to do with science because it's not actually a real thing.
Read on for the best of the worst ratchet crimes in America. Proceed with caution, stay safe, don't try this at home, and send your tips to cityguidetips@complex.com.
And for your viewing pleasure, here's the latest episode of Ratchet News Network with The Kid Mero:
RELATED: This Week's Most Ratchet Crimes in America
RELATED: The Most Ratchet Stories of 2014 (So Far)
RELATED: "Ratchet News Network with The Kid Mero" Episode 2: America's Youth [Video]
This Week's Most Ratchet Crimes in America
The word "ratchet" may be played out, but until the Internet agrees upon a more accurate description for these crimes, it will have to do. These stories are sad, imaginative, and they inspire us to have conversations about race, class, and the American dream.
This week's roundup includes an intoxicated horseman, psychotic "sugar babies," and cereal burglars. Each crime is rated on our Ratchet Meter, a base-10 logarithmic scale modeled after a similar system developed by Charles Richter—except that the Ratchet Meter has nothing to do with science because it's not actually a real thing.
Read on for the best of the worst ratchet crimes in America. Proceed with caution, stay safe, don't try this at home, and send your tips to cityguidetips@complex.com.
And for your viewing pleasure, here's the latest episode of Ratchet News Network with The Kid Mero:
RELATED: This Week's Most Ratchet Crimes in America
RELATED: The Most Ratchet Stories of 2014 (So Far)
RELATED: "Ratchet News Network with The Kid Mero" Episode 2: America's Youth [Video]
Child Informs Minnesota Police of Parents' Weed Stash
Date: 6/28/2014
Location: Barnesville, Minn.
Crime: Pending
Ratchet Meter: 8
A surprisingly bold child told police in Minnesota about the little weed operation her parents had begun.
According to the Star Tribune, the 9-year-old Barnesville, Minn. girl strolled into the Barnesville Police Station and announced that her parents were growing, smoking, and selling marijuana. That, and the resulting odor was making both her and her dogs sick.
Police were impressed with how forthcoming the girl was. "She was a very brave, very smart, very articulate little girl," Officer Ryan Beattie told the Star Tribune, adding that it was like "interviewing an adult." This triggered a raid of her home in late June that produced not only seven marijuana plants growing beneath the home, but a substance that tested positive for meth.
The girl currently resides with her grandparents, which is hopefully a more stable environment.
Never Tell a Judge "I Know This All Looks Really Bad" And Expect Leniency
Date: 6/23/2014
Location: Boise, Idaho
Crime: Aggravated assault, possession of destructive devices or bombs, two counts of injury to a child, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon
Ratchet Meter: 9
An Idaho man with an ample amount of materials used to make bombs tired to reason with a judge, saying "I know all this looks really bad, but I wasn't trying to hurt anyone." It's not what the judge was interested in hearing.
According to The West, Joshua Finch was convinced that all of the electronics in the U.S. were going to be eliminated by an electromagnetic pulse. His idea of a remedy for this situation was gathering an assault rifle, materials used for making pipe bombs, and 100 pounds of explosives.
The 33-year-old pleaded guilty in May to charges of possession of destructive bombs, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, aggravated assault, and injury to a child in May. His girlfriend told police that he began spending hours in a shed, and that his obsessive behavior was fueled by his parents, alcohol and student loan debt. He'll spend the next 13 to 25 years in prison.
Georgia Man Accused of Sexting Six Women While Son Died Inside of Scorching Hot Vehicle
Date: 6/18/2014
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Crime: Murder and child cruelty
Ratchet Meter: 10
The hole that Justin Ross Harris, the man accused of leaving his son to die inside of a hot car in Georgia, is in just got even deeper.
According to CNN, a detective testified today that Harris, 33, sexted six other women while his 22-month-old son, Cooper, died inside of his vehicle on Jun. 18. One of them technically isn't even a woman-she's a 17-year-old girl who he sent a picture of his erect penis to.
Furthermore, this comes a week after it was revealed that both Harris and his wife, Leanna, had done Internet research about children and animals dying inside of vehicles. Harris also looked into prison survival tips.
CNN adds that when Leanna Harris went to pick their son up from day care the day he died, she appeared to already know what happened when told that he was never been dropped off. "Ross must have left him in the car," she said, according to Cobb County Detective Phil Stoddard. Stoddard added that Harris and his wife had been struggling financially, and had taken out two insurance policies on their son worth $27,000. Lastly, a Cobb County judge found probable cause for the murder and child cruelty charges Harris currently faces.
Michigan Man Allegedly Killed 2-Year-Old Girl to Torture Her Father
Date: 6/24/2014
Location: Inkster, Mich.
Crime: First-degree murder and attempted murder
Ratchet Meter: 10
Authorities in Michigan say a man fatally shot a toddler in order to torture her father.
The Associated Press reports that 24-year-old Raymone Jackson, 24, of Inkster, Mich. was charged with first-degree murder for killing 2-year-old Kamiya Gross on Tuesday, June 24th. According to the Associated Press, Lt. Michael Shaw of the Inkster Police Department said Jackson "was going to kill the child in front of this guy and then kill him afterward so that it would be the last thing he sees."
Jackson also faces attempted murder charges for shooting Gross' father, 34-year-old Ken French, and family friend Chelsea Lancaster. Lancaster, 12, had surgery to remove bullets from her stomach, and both are recovering at a local hospital.
High-End Prostitute Accused of Murdering a Google Exec on a Yacht in Santa Cruz
Date: 7/4/2014
Location: Santa Cruz, Calif.
Crime: Second-degree murder, destruction of evidence, and transporting and providing narcotics
Ratchet Meter: 9
It's a sad day for Google as news of the death of executive Forrest Timothy Hayes has been released.
Hayes was aboard a cruise when a prostitute, also on the ship, killed him with a heroin overdose. According to the New York Post, the high-end prostitute injected lethal doses of heroin into the Google exec before stepping over his body, taking a sip of wine and leaving him to die on his 50-foot yacht.
Hayes worked at Apple and Sun before finding a home with Google. In the video footage seen from aboard the yacht, the prostitute, Alix Catherine Tichelman, exited the yacht after watching Hayes die. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports, "Hayes was discovered dead the next morning by the boat's captain. She showed no regard for him, she was just trying to cover her tracks." Now, Tichelman, 26, is being charged for second-degree murder, destruction of evidence, and transporting and providing narcotics.
Tichelman is being held on $1.5 million bail while she awaits results. Authorities claim the Hayes met Tichelman on a sugar daddy dating website, SeekingArrangement.com, where women go in search of wealthy men. Tichelman charged thousands of dollars in exchange for sex, which Hayes had no issue paying.
The New York Post states that the 26-year-old was taken into custody last week after being lured back to Santa Cruz County via a prostitution sting.
Very Drunk Man Has "Grand Theft Auto" Moment, Leads Police on Chase from Manhattan to Bronx
Date: 6/11/2014
Location: New York, N.Y.
Crime: Criminal possession of stolen property, larceny, refusing a Breathalyzer, and resisting arrest
Ratchet Meter: 10
This tale of a man so blackout drunk that he threw a cab driver from his vehicle before commandeering it and leading police on a chase throughout New York City will scare cabbies everywhere.
The New York Post reports that a friend of 39-year-old David Meck placed him into a cab during the early hours of Jun. 11, then instructed the driver to take him to his Yonkers home. The vehicle didn't make it far before Meck attacked the driver, striking him in the back of the head, throwing him from the car, and driving away.
The stunned cab driver called police, who used GPS to track the car all the way to the Bronx before Meck bailed on it and allegedly fled on foot before being taken into custody. He was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, larceny, refusing a Breathalyzer, and resisting arrest. That goes nicely (horribly, actually) with his 17 prior arrests, five of which are for driving while intoxicated.
He told police he was too wasted to remember any of the chaos he caused. Perhaps he should stop drinking.
Woman Arrested for Drunk Driving With Five Kids in Her Car
Date: 7/6/2014
Location: Long Island, N.Y.
Crime: Driving under the influence
Ratchet Meter: 9
Drunk driving is dangerous enough, let alone doing it with five children in the car.
CBS New York reports that Elba Ayala, 43, was arrested Sunday, July 6th for driving a car intoxicated with five kids, ranging from eight years old to just seven months, as passengers. Ayala had apparently tried to pass through a sobriety checkpoint on Long Island when cops caught her.
Ayala was one of five adults caught drunk driving as part of Suffolk County's new "SAFE-T" program to catch driver's under the influence.
Alabama Woman Drunkenly Steals Horse, Rides It to Store to Steal Again
Date: 7/5/2014
Location: Fyffe, Ala.
Crime: Public intoxication and illegal possession of a prohibited beverage
Ratchet Meter: 9
An Alabama woman was arrested for riding a horse-which, for the record, she stole-to rob a store July 5th.
According to AL.com, 45-year-old Fyffe, Ala. resident Christine Saunders took the horse, then traveled to a nearby store where DeKalb County deputies say she stole merchandise from the store. She was found with the stolen goods in her possession, and the horse was discovered tied up outside of the store with a bag carrying three cans of beer tied to its saddle.
Though the horse owners elected not to press charges, Saunders was charged with public intoxication and illegal possession of a prohibited beverage. Additional charges will likely follow.
High Florida Men Arrested for Stealing Snacks from School
Date: 7/3/2014
Location: Spring Hill, Fla.
Crime: Burglary
Ratchet Meter: 8
Ten years ago, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle taught us that weed, boredom, and the desire for snacks can lead to an evening of trouble. Two Florida men in pursuit of an "adventure" learned the hard way, even their mugshots suggest they're mildly amused...and possibly still high.
On Jul. 3, Logan Brown, 18, and Christopher Ramos, 20, ventured to Challenger K-8 School in Spring Hill, Fla. As they roamed the school's hallways, they eventually found Fruit Loops, i.e. precisely what their hearts desired.
Unfortunately, their ridiculous costumes did little to obstruct their faces, and surveillance footage helped the Hernando County Sheriff's Office identify them. Brown and Ramos were charged on burglary charges, all over fucking cereal.
Woman Arrested for Leaving Child on NYC Subway Platform
Date: 7/7/2014
Location: New York, N.Y.
Crime: Abandoning a child
Ratchet Meter: 8
A woman is being questioned by police after an infant was abandoned on a New York City subway platform July 7.
The New York Times reports that a woman exited a 1 train headed north at Columbus Circle with a stroller carrying a 7-month-old girl, then got back onto the train without the stroller. A 33-year-old woman discovered the child, then called authorities after about 20 minutes.
The NYPD released pictures of the child and video of the woman in hope that the public would help identify them. A 20-year-old woman was reportedly taken into custody around 12:30 a.m. the next morning for questioning, but the Times says no charges have been filed as of yet.
UPDATE: According to the New York Daily News, Frankea Dabbs, 20, has been charged with abandoning a child and committing actions acting in a manner injurious to a child under the age of 17.