A Northern California man accused of sending threatening e-mails to President Barack Obama and other officials has pleaded not guilty to federal charges.

Federal authorities say 59-year-old John Gimbel of Crescent City sent a new batch of messages on Sept. 28 after previously being warned to stop. Authorities say the e-mails contained racist, profane language and included threats to the first lady.

Gimbel was arrested Oct. 6 by the U.S. Secret Service and was indicted before Obama appeared in San Francisco on Thursday for a fundraiser.

Randall Davis, Gimbel's former attorney, says Gimbel argues he was exercising his free speech rights.

On Monday, a federal public defender was appointed to the case, which has been transferred to San Francisco.

The central figure in a huge New Jersey corruption investigation pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud and money laundering charges Tuesday.

Solomon Dwek's work for the government as a cooperating witness directly led to the arrests of 44 people in July, but it was his turn in court Tuesday.

Wearing a dark suit and light blue tie, the 37-year-old Dwek stood before U.S. District Judge Jose Linares and admitted his role in a multimillion-dollar bank fraud scheme in 2006. He acknowledged depositing two $25 million checks drawn on a closed account and using them to make wire transfers to separate banks totaling nearly $23 million.

Bank fraud carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years, and the maximum for money laundering is 10 years, but Dwek would face nine to 11 years under federal sentencing guidelines. Linares can adjust that range up or down when he sentences Dwek on Feb. 9, and the U.S. attorney's office said it may recommend a lighter sentence based on Dwek's ongoing cooperation.

Former U.S. District Judge Brian Sandoval has joined the Nevada law firm of Jones Vargas.

Sandoval, a Republican, resigned from the bench last month to launch a campaign for governor.

He said he will focus on building an alternative dispute resolution practice for the firm, one of the state's largest with significant lobbying presence in Carson City.
Sandoval said he isn't worried about a conflict of interest.

"I know there's a government relations department in the firm, but I will be completely independent of that as well," Sandoval said. "I'll have zero involvement with them."

Sandoval becomes one of two gubernatorial candidates working for law firms that are major lobbyists. Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid, a Democrat, is a shareholder in Lionel Sawyer and Collins.

Sandoval is a former Nevada attorney general, assemblyman and chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission.

A federal judge on Tuesday revoked bail for former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and sent him to jail to await a corruption trial scheduled to start next week.

Calling Kerik "a toxic combination of self-minded focus and arrogance," Judge Stephen Robinson said he was revoking the $500,000 bail because Kerik disclosed sealed case information to the trustee of his legal defense fund.

The trustee shared some of the secret information with the Washington Times, which didn't publish it. The judge said he did not believe Kerik's claim that the trustee had been hired as a lawyer and was therefore allowed to see the information.

Kerik was being jailed to make sure he was unable to "influence witnesses or prospective jurors," Robinson said.

"My fear is that he has a toxic combination of self-minded focus and arrogance, and I fear that combination leads him to believe that his ends justify his means," Robinson said. "The failure of Mr. Kerik to abide by the direct order of this court ... must be appropriately addressed."

Kerik is charged with accepting apartment renovations from a construction company in exchange for recommending the company for city contracts. He has pleaded not guilty.

Defense lawyer Barry Berke said he would appeal the ruling and seek a stay, but he said he was unsure if that could be accomplished before the trial, which is scheduled to begin Monday.

At the end of the court session, Kerik took off his purple tie, emptied his pockets, removed a ring from his finger and gave them to his lawyer. He then walked off in custody.

The former Yale lab technician charged with killing a graduate student last month is scheduled to appear in a Connecticut courtroom.

Raymond Clark III is due in New Haven Superior Court on Tuesday. His lawyer says he will plead not guilty after deciding whether waive his right to a probable cause hearing.

Police say Clark strangled the 24-year-old Annie Le (LAY') and hid her body behind a wall in the laboratory building where they both worked. Authorities have not released a motive.

People charged with murder in Connecticut have the right to a probable cause hearing, in which both sides can introduce evidence and call witnesses. A judge then decides whether the case can move to trial.

Le's body was found on what was to be her wedding day.

A man accused of badly beating a teenage actor on a San Francisco bus has pleaded not guilty to felony assault and robbery charges.

Prosecutors say 18-year-old Uluao Mase was carrying a loaded gun when he and three others beat 18-year-old Christopher Borgzinner and stole his wallet and iPod. Two others suspects, ages 15 and 16, are also in custody. Police are seeking a fourth.

Police say Borgzinner was going to an acting class when the suspects asked if his red sneakers meant he was in a gang. Despite replying no, police say the suspects pummeled Borgzinner, who sustained fractures under both eyes.

Borgzinner plays a gang member in "La Mission," a new film starring Benjamin Bratt.

Mase is being held on $200,000 bail.