Police/Fire

Father and Son from Watertown Convicted of Lottery Scheme

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The following announcement was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice:

A father and son were convicted by a federal jury Dec. 9 in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme in which they cashed winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets on behalf of the ticket holders to avoid taxes and receive tax refunds.    

Ali Jaafar, 63, and Yousef Jaafar, 29, both of Watertown, were convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count each of filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2023 and April 13, 2023 for Ali Jaafar and Yousef Jaafar, respectively. Mohamed Jaafar, another of Ali Jaafar’s sons, who was also involved in the scheme, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service on Nov.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Seen Trying to Get into Cars, Shoplifter Busted at Target

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

None

Incidents

Nov. 30, 12:04 p.m.: A Woodleigh Road resident spotted an unknown man walking around the area at about 2 a.m. The man walked up and down the street with a flashlight in his hand. Several times he pulled at the door handles of vehicles. Then he went on the resident’s property, pulled on vehicle door handles, and then tried the back door.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Caught Using Multiple Stolen Credit Cards, Suspicious Man Seen in Yard

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrests

Nov. 22, 2:53 p.m.: A man was stopped at Target after the store got multiple reports from four people out of the area who said someone was using their credit card at the Watertown store. Police were in the store on another matter and security informed them about the man who had been seen on video at the self checkout for more than 35 minutes. Security found that he fraudulently used several credit card numbers which he had loaded onto his Samsung Pay cellphone app.

Police/Fire

Chimney Fire Damages Home on Belmont Street

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Minor damage was done to a Belmont Street home Tuesday by a fire that began in the chimney. At about 7 a.m., the Watertown Fire Department received call for smoke coming from the attic of a single-family home, said Provisional Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson. “Upon arrival fire companies found a smoke condition in the attic and on the second floor. Thermal imaging cameras were used to determine the heat source between the second and third floors,” Nicholson said. Watertown Fire Engines 3 and 1, Ladders 1 and 2, Medic 1, and C2 responded.

Police/Fire

Watertown Police Catch Pair of Men with “Ghost Gun”

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Watertown Police DepartmentThe “ghost gun” recovered by Watertown Police during a traffic stop. The Watertown Police confiscated a “ghost gun” along with a high-capacity magazine and other items during and arrest made after making a traffic stop on Sunday, Nov. 13. Denis Amaral De Abreau, 20, of Boston, was pulled over after officers stopped his vehicle for speeding at 1:35 a.m. on Nov. 13.

Police/Fire

City Planning to Appeal Decision in Sexual Discrimination Case Involving the Police Department

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown Police Station

The City of Watertown will be appealing the verdict and award of a Middlesex Superior Court jury that ruled in favor of a former Watertown Police detective who sued for sexual discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. On Thursday, the jury ruled in favor of Kathleen Donohue on both matters, and awarded her $4.3 million in back pay, future earnings, and damages, including $1 million in punitive damages. The City disagreed with the jury’s decision, said Doug Louison of Louison, Costello, Condon and Pfaff, one of Watertown’s attorneys in the case. “I think we’re looking at the case very closely again right now,” Louison said. “We strongly disagree with the jury’s conclusion.