Former Agriprocessors manager Hosam Amara pleaded not guilty Friday in federal court to 27 charges involving illegal immigration, after fighting extradition from Israel for two years. Amara, 48,was first indicted Nov. 20, 2008, and additional charges followed in 2009 stemming from the 2008 Agriprocessors immigration raid but he hasn’t been prosecuted because he fled the [...]

Two people were hospitalized after a fire Sunday night at the Shamrock Condominiums, 324 Jacolyn Dr. SW. The fire started around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Firefighters could see thick black smoke from several blocks away and arrived on scene at the two-story, 15-unit condominium complex to find fire pushing out of a ground level apartment window [...]

A trial for a West Branch man, who was granted a new trial last year after being convicted in the 2007 death of his 3-month-old daughter, is reset to Sept. 25, in Linn County District Court. Curtis A. Miller, 33, waived his 90-day right to speedy trial Friday and pleaded not guilty to the amended [...]

Police arrested a Marion man they believe sexually assaulted and stabbed a woman found in the stairwell of a southeast Cedar Rapids apartment complex Sunday night. Bryan Roche, 21, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, sexual abuse and attempted murder Tuesday afternoon. Officers were called around 7 p.m. Sunday to 1627 Second Avenue SE [...]

Assistant Federal Public Defender Jane Kelly was confirmed Wednesday by the U.S. Senate as an Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals judge. The Senate voted 96-0 to confirm Kelly as only the second woman, and the first public defender, to serve in the history of the court that was established in 1891. No one opposed Kelly’s [...]

A Clarence man found out this week that driving to his sentencing may not have been a good idea in light of the fact that his license was suspended, he was arrested and missed his hearing. Ledale Lanehart, 24, didn’t avoid his sentencing too long. The hearing was reset and he was sentenced to 15 [...]

  A Cedar Rapids man was charged Tuesday in Linn County District Court with five different convenience store robberies committed within four hours Monday, which was his birthday. Rayshawn Cribbs, 24, had an initial appearance Tuesday and was charged with five counts of second-degree robbery. He is accused of displaying a replica BB gun while [...]

UPDATE: One man is now in custody after police responded to at least seven armed robberies or attempted armed robberies Monday morning, including six in Cedar Rapids. The man, who hasn’t yet been identified because he wasn’t carrying any identification, was arrested after the seventh reported robbery, at 6:50 a.m. Monday at the Kwik Shop [...]

A Costa Rican man convicted for harboring illegal workers by employing them as roofers in Iowa and money laundering was sentenced in federal court Thursday. Luis Trejos, 45, who recently lived in Newnan, Ga., was sentenced in U.S. District Court to two years in prison after pleading guilty in December 2012 to one count of [...]

Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Assistant Federal Public Defender Jane Kelly is expected to get a vote by the U.S. Senate next week. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, made the announcement Thursday after the Senate floor schedule was released. The day or time next week is to be determined by the majority leader and Republican [...]