Assistant Grayson County District Attorney Mike Mitchell said Secret Service officials found a number of pictures of what appeared to be a young child in sexual activity with adults.

Brooks’ guilty plea means he will have to register as a sex offender for life. The nature of the crime means Brooks will have to serve half of whatever sentence he might get before being eligible for parole. 

Among the deals announced, McDermott represented Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated in March with respect to its equity commitment in connection with the proposed $45 billion leveraged buy out acquisition of TXU Corp., the Texas energy company.  The transaction represents the largest leveraged buyout in history, and put McDermott among the top 10 legal advisors for global utility deals and private equity deals for the first quarter as well.
These rankings reflect the continued momentum of McDermott's M&A practice which for all 2006 was among the top 20 most active practices in the U.S. according to both Bloomberg and Mergermarket.

McDermott Will & Emery's Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group is a globally integrated team of corporate lawyers providing high-end M&A services to a broad range of clients around the world.  We represent clients in both friendly and contested public company acquisitions, proxy contests, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures and joint ventures. We have extensive experience in complex cross-border transactions and work closely with members of our tax, antitrust and other key practice groups.

A federal court in Chicago, Ill., has permanently barred Bertha Steverson of Chicago from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The court found that Steverson, the owner of Bertha’s Tax Service, prepared tax returns for customers that contained deductions for fictitious expenses. The court found that Steverson has prepared an estimated 1,224 returns since 2004 that have caused an estimated loss to the U.S. Treasury of more than $3 million.

The court’s order requires Steverson to give the Justice Department a list of her customers’ names, addresses, e-mail addresses and Social Security numbers. More information and a copy of the complaint are available at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/txdv07118.htm.

Since 2001 the Justice Department has obtained more than 235 injunctions to stop the promotion of tax fraud schemes and the preparation of fraudulent returns. More information about these cases is available on the Justice Department Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/taxpress2007.htm. More information about the Justice Department’s Tax Division can be found at http://www.usdoj.gov/tax/index.html.

In issuing a veto threat, the White House said it opposed a bill that treats crime victims differently from others, saying, "The administration believes that all violent crimes are unacceptable, regardless of the victims, and should be punished firmly." The White House, which called the legislation unnecessary, said the bill also raised constitutional concerns.

While the bill has broad bi-partisan support, it still may not have enough votes to override a veto from the executive branch. However, the legislation has earned the endorsement of a variety of groups, including most LGBT civil rights groups, and more than 210 law enforcement, civil rights, civic and religious organizations, such as the National Sheriffs' Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

Persing could get up to 20 years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, defense lawyer Deb Newton said after the verdict. The case will be appealed, she said.

A crestfallen Persing declined comment as he left the courthouse. Among the release conditions imposed by Fox prior to sentencing is that Persing only fly on commercial and private aircraft traveling to and from court appearances.

“He’s devastated,” Newton said. “By defending his right to be left alone on an airplane and by defending his civil rights, he lost his job. I admire my client. If more citizens would have stood up for their civil rights, we wouldn’t have these problems.”

Persing, 41, is a mechanic at a port in California. Similar charges against fiancee Dawn E. Sewell, 40, were dismissed Tuesday by Fox.

The couple were on a Southwest Airlines flight on Sept. 15 that was bound for Raleigh-Durham International Airport. The flight originated in Los Angeles and stopped in Phoenix. While on the ground there, the couple were observed by flight attendants “embracing, kissing and acting in a manner that made other passengers uncomfortable,” according to a criminal complaint signed by an investigating FBI agent.

Trial testimony by crew members established that Persing put his head in Sewell’s lap, and refused the request of a male flight attendant to stop. Several passengers testified they heard Persing warn the attendant to “get out of my face” and he appeared to be intoxicated.

After being refused mixed drinks on the flight, Persing told the flight attendant there would be a “serious confrontation” between the two, according to the complaint. Crew members testified Persing was verbally abusive on other occasions during the flight.

The FBI met the couple when the aircraft landed in Raleigh.

Persing never got out of his seat during the flight and put his head in Sewell’s lap to rest because he didn’t feel well, Newton said in her summation. The flight attendant, she said, was the real aggressor because he didn’t like the pair showing affection of any sort, she said Thursday.

A man accused of having a sexual affair with an underage student while working as a Sherburne-Earlville High School janitor pleaded guilty in County Court.

Shawn M. Clark, 28, County Rd. 24, Sherburne, pleaded guilty to 3rd degree rape, also known as statutory rape. Originally he was charged with third degree rape, third degree criminal sexual acts and endangering the welfare of a child. Clark never had any prior legal trouble with law enforcement and had maintained a relationship with the 16-year-old, who is now 17.

The couple allegedly had consensual sex and had family approval said Clark’s Public Defender Alan Gordon.

The allegations apparently came to light after the relationship ended on bad terms and the girl came forward said investigators.