Ryan Oehrli

Charlotte

Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reporter at The Charlotte Observer

ENC native covering criminal justice for @theobserver. You can find me at @oehrli.bsky.social.

Featured in: Favicon

citizen-times.com Favicon

usatoday.com Favicon

yahoo.com (+5) Favicon

usnews.com Favicon

charlotteobserver.com Favicon

knoxnews.com Favicon

tennessean.com Favicon

newsobserver.com Favicon

montgomeryadvertiser.com Favicon

greenvilleonline.com + 81 more

Articles

‘Rigged’? ICE agents are arresting people at Charlotte’s immigration court

1 week ago | heraldonline.com | Ryan Oehrli

Federal agents are arresting people at Charlotte’s immigration court, raising concerns about basic fairness in the legal system. Several men waited in the hallway as people left courtrooms on Monday and Tuesday. The Charlotte Observer saw the plainclothes agents question one man and arrest another before loading him into a large, white, unmarked van on Monday. They declined to answer a reporter’s questions. They wore T-shirts, jeans and baseball caps; one sported a Breaking Benjamin band T-shirt.
A Charlotte airman was killed in WWII. His remains were ID'd 81 years later.

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Ryan Oehrli

A Defense Department agency has identified the remains of a World War II airman from Charlotte 81 years after he went missing in action. The announcement was made on Friday, which happened to coincide with the anniversary of D-Day. U.S. Army Air Forces Tech Sgt. Clarence E. Gibbs was accounted for in March, and his family was recently briefed on his identification, according to the agency.
A Charlotte airman was killed in WWII. His remains were ID’d 81 years later.

2 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Ryan Oehrli

A Defense Department agency has identified the remains of a World War II airman from Charlotte 81 years after he went missing in action. The announcement was made on Friday, which happened to coincide with the anniversary of D-Day. U.S. Army Air Forces Tech Sgt. Clarence E. Gibbs was accounted for in March, and his family was recently briefed on his identification, according to the agency.
CMPD cop tried to help a man in crisis before he threatened officers, report says

2 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Ryan Oehrli

Editor's note: This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The police officer who shot and killed a man outside nightclub Coyote Joe's in December will not be prosecuted.
Mecklenburg sheriff's office employee accused of stabbing coworker in the jail

3 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Ryan Oehrli

A fingerprint examiner at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office has been arrested after stabbing a colleague inside the jail, according to the sheriff's office. LaKisha Easter stabbed someone at the jail's arrest processing center on Monday, a news release said. "Easter produced a knife and stabbed a fellow employee multiple times, resulting in serious but non-life-threatening injuries," the news release said.
Mecklenburg sheriff’s office employee accused of stabbing coworker in the jail

3 weeks ago | ca.news.yahoo.com | Ryan Oehrli

Mecklenburg sheriff’s office employee accused of stabbing coworker in the jailThe Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office said an employee stabbed another employee at work on Monday. A fingerprint examiner at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office has been arrested after stabbing a colleague inside the jail, according to the sheriff’s office. LaKisha Easter stabbed someone at the jail’s arrest processing center on Monday, a news release said.
Tiawana Brown's daughter asks judge for permission to go to Jamaican resort

3 weeks ago | charlotteobserver.com | Ryan Oehrli

One of the daughters of Charlotte City Council Member Tiawana Brown has asked for permission to fly to a Jamaican resort while she awaits trial on fraud allegations. Tijema Brown - who faces wire fraud and conspiracy charges, like her mother and sister - filed the motion in federal court in Charlotte on Wednesday. A judge has not answered it yet. The family is accused of lying when they applied for funds that were meant to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tiawana Brown and daughters plead not guilty in first Charlotte court appearance

1 month ago | charlotteobserver.com | Ryan Oehrli

Charlotte City Council Member Tiawana Brown made her first appearance in federal court on Friday, pleading not guilty to allegations that she lied to obtain a pandemic relief loan and used it for her own birthday party. Her daughters, both charged with her in a federal fraud indictment, also appeared in court in Charlotte and pleaded not guilty. They asked a federal judge if they could keep their passports so they could travel while they await trial, but the request was denied.
Our churches are not your staging ground

1 month ago | charlotteobserver.com | Ryan Oehrli

A local Methodist conference criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement for its presence at an east Charlotte church this week. Armed agents "staged an operation" at Central United Methodist Church when preschoolers were being picked up, according to a statement from the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church.
ICE seen in Charlotte church’s parking lot during preschool, group says

1 month ago | heraldonline.com | Ryan Oehrli

Agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were in the parking lot of a Charlotte church when it hosted preschool on Tuesday, according to Carolina Migrant Network. “We received numerous reports of multiple agents in the parking lot of Central United Methodist Church during pick up hours for preschoolers,” Carolina Migrant Network spokesperson Daniela Andrade said. ICE in recent weeks has increased its enforcement in the Charlotte region under the the Trump administration.