Mamdani gives influencers special access as Signal use raises records-law questions

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is giving special access to a network of approximately 200 social media influencers who take City Hall talking points and videos to promote municipal programs online to residents, according to a new report.

The report, by the Columbia Journalism Review, highlights that the online personalities get their talking points through an encrypted Signal group text, called "NYC Creators Announcements."

Signal offers a disappearing-messages feature that can automatically delete messages after a set period of time if enabled. It is unclear whether that feature is active in the Mamdani administration’s group, raising questions about compliance with city record-keeping laws.

Questioned by reporters whether the use of Signal possibly breaks city laws, Mamdani said, "My administration will always strive to fully comply with all legal requirements, including those that relate to the preservation of city records."

THIS IS WHAT MAMDANI JUST BANNED FOR NEW YORK CITY STUDENTS IN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS

"If there are any departures from what is legally required, my administration will look into it immediately and take corrective action," Mamdani added on Wednesday.

The use of Signal for government communications made major headlines last year, when then-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth came under fire after sensitive, real-time details about U.S. military strikes were shared in a Signal group that included a journalist.

The Columbia Journalism Review report also said influencers are not paid by the city for participating in the group or for their coverage, although some receive payments from marketing and advertising firms with contracts from city agencies for work on specific messaging campaigns. The municipal programs promoted include voting, healthcare, immigration and tenants’ rights, participatory budgeting and composting.

HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON NYC MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI

City employees told researchers the payments to influencers for their work ranged from $5,000 to $20,000 per campaign, according to the report.

The Signal group was formed out of Creators4Zohran, a group that supported Mamdani’s 2025 mayoral campaign. Mamdani rocked the political world by winning election as the first socialist mayor of the nation's most populous city.

The group chat is steered by Emilia Rowland, the New York City director of new media and cultural communications. Rowland and her staff push out daily updates, talking points, and clips that the influencers can use in their posts.

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The chat operates like a traditional press list used by communications teams to send updates and information to reporters.

Cities are increasingly using influencers to promote municipal services, policies and to engage the public more directly than through traditional media.

"New Yorkers get their news in a wide variety of ways, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we communicate information from city government directly to the people of the city, whether that means to all of you, to TV, to radio, to social media, to content creators and so on and so forth," Mamdani emphasized.

Fox News Digital reached out to City Hall but didn't receive a response at the time this report was published.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-gives-influencers-special-access-signal-use-raises-records-law-questions

GOP Sen Thom Tillis urges Trump to replace Pete Hegseth, blasts Pentagon leadership

Outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., called for President Donald Trump to replace War Secretary Pete Hegseth, slamming the Pentagon leader following the news that Army Secretary Dan Driscoll was resigning.

"I urge the President to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent rather than diminish it," Tillis declared in a fiery Wednesday post on X.

Tillis praised Driscoll in the post — and apparently referring to ex-Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George (ret.), the senator declared, "He and General George began a transformative period of innovation in how we array our forces and equip our Soldiers. He challenged our legacy approach to manning and procurement. Most of all, he cared deeply about the men and women in our Army formations and quickly earned their respect."

But Tillis excoriated Hegseth.

"If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement. Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks," the senator wrote.

ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF ORDERED TO RETIRE IMMEDIATELY AS HEGSETH CONTINUES PENTAGON SHAKEUP

"I served on Senate Armed Services for 8 years and as chair or ranking member of the Personnel and Readiness subcommittee. I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country. He is intimidated by competence and retreats to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense and the health and well-being of our fighting force," the lawmaker declared.

Tillis, who announced last year that he would not seek re-election, told Politico Magazine earlier this year that he would "love to see Pete Hegseth fired because he's incompetent and doing a horrible job."

The War Department declined to provide comment on Thursday.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "After Joe Biden’s Pentagon prioritized DEI and woke ideology, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth quickly reversed course and restored a Department of War that is focused on readiness, lethality, and supporting our warfighters. The President has complete trust in Secretary Hegseth, who is doing an incredible job leading the Pentagon. The results of Operations Midnight Hammer, Absolute Resolve, Southern Spear, and Epic Fury speak for themselves."

TRUMP'S ARMY SECRETARY HUNT TAKES SHAPE AS INSIDERS FLOAT POTENTIAL PICKS

Driscoll, in a Tuesday statement issued on the official Secretary of the Army X account, noted that Wednesday would be his final full day in the position.

"As a third-generation Army veteran, it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as the Secretary of the Army under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth. Tomorrow is my last full day in the role," Driscoll said in the statement.

"I had the privilege of working with them to modernize and accelerate how the Army mans, trains, and equips the most lethal fighting force on the face of the earth. We could not have made the progress we did without the support of Secretary Hegseth. I am forever grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to once again serve my country," he noted.

ARMY SECRETARY DAN DRISCOLL SUBMITS RESIGNATION TO TRUMP

A source familiar with Driscoll's resignation indicated to Fox News that "Driscoll brought up concerns with the administration surrounding Army transformation and readiness and Hegseth's blocking those efforts specifically by firing the Generals who were responsible."

Fox News Digital's Sophia Compton and Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and Liz Friden contributed to this report.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-sen-thom-tillis-urges-trump-replace-pete-hegseth-blasts-pentagon-leadership

Australia’s 'Queen of Infomercials' wants 'no-strings attached fun,' the O-dome is back & you’re not weird?

It's the first Thursday in September. Love is in the air and to prove that, we have Trinity Rodman showing up at the US Open in a crop top supporting her tennis player boyfriend Ben Shelton.

I'm not going to allow this week's True Romance to get off on the wrong foot. Keep the thoughts about wearing an article of clothing that reads "I heart my boyfriend" on it as a crazy girlfriend move to yourselves.

I don't want to hear it. She doesn’t have to do that in order for all the influencers who have descended upon the tournament to know that he's taken. They already know that. This is about love.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

We still believe in that around here. Cougars have made a strong case for a long time now that they also believe that love has not died, and we're going to learn from a jaguar who is taking it another step further.

Plus, we have good news about a certain tent at a certain festival making its triumphant return from disaster. And the cherry on top, if you will, this week is the realization that you're not as weird as you thought.

But before we get into all that, I had someone reach out with a question about cheating. It involves Sleep Number beds. The question is, has anyone ever gotten busted having an affair because of the Sleep Number app?

I think it's likely that someone has. If you, or someone you know, had the restful sleep, heart rate, or number of times getting out of bed in the middle of the night data, betray you, and reveal an affair. I want to hear about it.

WIFE AND MISTRESS JOIN FORCES AFTER SEXT MISTAKE, ALLEGED ONLYFANS ROMANCE SCAM & MARRYING THE LOGICAL CHOICE

Go follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook and keep sending your emails here: sean.joseph@outkick.com (anonymously if you prefer).

Rozz Switzer, a former Australian TV presenter, actress, media entrepreneur, and sometimes referred to in her home country as the "Queen of Infomercials," is now a happy jaguar.

She's at the top of the romantic food chain when it comes to older single women enjoying the company of young men.

"I'm embracing what I call the Jaguar effect. The pumas are the girls in their 30s, the cougars are in their 40s but the 50s onward is the jaguars. As you know, jaguars are the pinnacle of the cat world, the apex predator!' she told the Daily Mail recently.

Fascinating, am I right? Is all this cat talk how so many end up with a house full of cats? I'm no scientist, so I can't answer that.

I know you’re on the edge of your seat, as am I, prepared for more feline love talk. Let's do that and leave the science to someone else to figure out.

"Nothing is above them in the food chain. They are solitary by nature... they don't need anyone. Single and thriving. Rather than chasing, I let things come to me and I choose," Switzer continued.

"Think of the car, they didn't call it a cougar, they called it a Jaguar because it is sleek and sophisticated."

That's right, they do call it a Jaguar and not a cougar. And it is sleek and sophisticated. Cats and cars are what you want in a love life with no strings attached.

"I got all the way to my 50s and now I am enjoying them! I am now so busy and I don't need a man in my life to give me the things I already have," she explained.

"If I like the company I will have the company. It's the Jaguar effect, I get to pick and choose. It doesn't have to have any connection at all, it is all for fun and pleasure!"

Well there you have it. A form of romance that on paper looks like it could be lonely and have a slight scent of cat food. That couldn’t be further from how it works when practiced in the real world.

In reality, it's sleek and sophisticated, and you're the apex predator in a cat world. It's about fun and being drama free. I know that would appear to the untrained eye as if there are unresolved issues with relationships. That's silly.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE

Follow True Romance on Twitter and Facebook.

There's good news on the Orgy Dome front. Burning Man will take place with its special tents fully erected. Last year's pounding took it out.

But the folks responsible for making the magic happen every year asked for help and the people came through for the Orgy Dome.

The NY Post is reporting that the "hedonist hideaway" is "back up and running." They received the donations necessary to erect it.

They're stocked up on protection, and it's a go on getting the dome rocking during this year's festival. Sure there's lost time to make up for, but not without throwing safety out the window.

"We want an atmosphere where people are playing, and not walking around staring at people, or looking at people to pick up on. A lot of our guests, they don’t want to be picked up on by singles," an organizer said of the dome.

I had originally planned to go with another story in this slot, but when this popped up this morning, I took it as a sign. I always go where the romance takes me, and today it took me to the Orgy Dome at Burning Man.

I may still, in the future, use the other story. So I'm not going to spoil it here. The return of the Orgy Dome has far too much romance in it to ignore.

On top of that, it was a slice of good news that I felt went well with the realization that you're not quite as weird as you thought you were.

You could be under the impression that your romantic preference is weird. Okay, it could be a little weird, but not as weird as you think it is.

There are a few mentioned here by the freaks on Reddit that I would never have guessed would be romantic preferences and even if there are others into them, they're still pretty damn weird.

I mean necks, veins, and hands? What is going on with that? If any of those are your romantic preferences, I need to know more about them. Here's the proof that you're not that weird:

-------------

That's all I have this week. Keep the song of the week suggestions coming. I had a few to choose from this week. If I didn’t get to yours, I'm keeping a list and will work them in.

Thanks for reading the column each week. Remember, if you were caught cheating by the Sleep Number app, I want to hear from you. Also, I need romantic preference explanations for necks, veins, and hands.

You can reach me, anonymously if you prefer, at sean.joseph@outkick.com. And go follow along on Twitter and Facebook.

source https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-culture/australias-queen-infomercials-wants-no-strings-attached-fun-o-dome-back-youre-not-weird

Illegal alien's ‘inexcusable’ crime sparks interstate clash between GOP sen, Dem gov: ‘You should be ashamed’

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, is demanding answers from Connecticut’s Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont after an Ohio man was killed in a car crash by an illegal immigrant who Moreno says was granted a driver's license by the blue state governor's policy.

"My office has learned that an illegal alien granted a drivers license by the state of Connecticut killed a 29 year old Ohioan in a reckless driving accident," Moreno posted on X on Tuesday night. "While one death alone is an inexcusable tragedy, Connecticut has granted over 60,000 such licenses to illegal aliens, putting countless Americans at risk on the roads. This insanity has to stop."

Moreno also called on Lamont to "immediately apologize for his state’s role in this tragedy while also account for exactly how many illegals have been given Connecticut drivers' licenses and whether or not they have used them to vote in U.S. elections."

Washington Guillermo Naula-Ochoa, 34, was driving a 2024 Ram 3500 westbound in Fulton County, Ohio on Aug. 29 when he allegedly failed to yield at a stop sign and pulled into the intersection of State Route 66, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

THREE-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH KILLING NORTH CAROLINA GIRL, 6, AFTER RUNNING STOP SIGN

Naula-Ochoa’s car then struck a 1993 GMC Suburban driven by Austin J. Karr Grimes, 29, of Fayette, Ohio. Grimes lost control, went partially off the roadway and overturned. He suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers in Naula-Ochoa’s truck were uninjured, while two passengers in Grimes’ vehicle suffered minor injuries. Naula-Ochoa was charged with vehicular manslaughter and failing to yield at a stop sign.

Naula-Ochoa’s booking record at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio (CCNO) shows an immigration detainer lodged against him by federal authorities. Additionally, Naula-Ochoa is listed as "homeless."

"The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital, confirming the ICE detainer was placed on Naula-Ochoa, an Ecuadoran national. "7 of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE. Our message is clear: if you come into our country illegally and break our laws, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you."

Moreno’s X post was accompanied by a letter sent to Lamont tying him to the Connecticut program that allows for illegal immigrants to be licensed on the road.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT SUSPECT CHARGED IN CRASH THAT KILLED POLICE OFFICER AND HIS GIRLFRIEND

"Despite his lack of legal status, Connecticut issued him a driver’s license," Moreno wrote. "Horrifyingly, Connecticut not only permits illegal aliens to receive a driver’s license, but encourages it, all while Americans pay the ultimate price."

Moreno’s letter criticized Connecticut’s drive-only license program, backed by Lamont, which allows certain individuals who cannot establish legal presence in the United States or provide a Social Security number to obtain a license for driving purposes.

"Quite simply, your policies are killing my constituents," Moreno wrote to Lamont, adding, "You should be ashamed of this policy and its dangerous consequences, yet your support for illegal aliens knows no bounds."

Moreno also criticized Lamont’s 2024 proposal to remove the "drive-only" marking from the licenses, arguing that the change would make them difficult to distinguish from other non-REAL ID licenses. Lamont’s office said at the time that the change was intended to protect Connecticut residents from discrimination in other states.

Moreno asked Lamont to provide the number of drive-only licenses issued to people who are unlawfully present, how many recipients have committed crimes, how many registered or voted, and how much the program has cost taxpayers.

"I strongly suggest that you consider joining the vast majority of states that have adopted this common-sense requirement before another American citizen becomes the victim of vehicular manslaughter or is gravely injured by an illegal alien," Moreno wrote.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Lamont said his "heart goes out to the family and friends of Austin J. Karr Grimes, and to all families who lose a loved one to a motor vehicle accident.."

"Drivers must be held accountable for violating traffic laws, especially when it causes a tragic loss of life," Lamont said. "States including Connecticut offer drive-only licenses to undocumented residents to help ensure all drivers are trained, tested, and know the rules of the road. This reduces hit-and-run accidents and brings more drivers into the insurance system who might otherwise be driving uninsured. Undocumented residents in many states already need to drive for work, school, and daily life; it’s safer for everyone when that driving happens within a regulated system."

Moreno responded on X on Thursday, saying, "The answer to the presence of illegal aliens is NOT to 'train them' and allow them on our roads to wreak havoc. The answer is to DEPORT them! Of course, Democrat politicians know this, but need a crop of dependent and obedient voters to keep them in power."

The question of illegal immigrants driving on American roads has become a Trump administration priority, with federal officials arguing that state-issued licenses can make it harder to identify and locate people in the country illegally.

The Justice Department sued New York in 2025 over its "Green Light Law," which allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses while restricting the state from sharing DMV information with federal immigration authorities. The administration has also expanded ICE enforcement against criminal illegal immigrants, arguing that local arrests should trigger federal immigration action.

Mehek Cooke, a GOP strategist and attorney in Ohio, told Fox News Digital, "What is especially infuriating is that Connecticut Democrats get to congratulate themselves for being compassionate, while an Ohio family is left grieving the loss of 29-year-old Austin Karr Grimes."

"Connecticut made the policy choice, but Americans hundreds of miles away paid the price." Cooke said. "There is nothing compassionate about a policy that puts the interests of illegal immigrants ahead of the lives and safety of American citizens."

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/illegal-alien-inexcusable-crime-sparks-interstate-clash-gop-sen-dem-gov-ashamed

Alabama AG Marshall fires back at USPS mail-ballot order critics: ‘This is about securing elections’

Republican Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall argues that his Democratic counterparts do not care about election integrity in the same way Republicans do, as they attempt to block measures designed to root out illegal voters they have long claimed do not exist.

Marshall addressed a legal challenge brought by 25 Democratic state attorneys general challenging President Donald Trump's executive order that included provisions for federal agencies to help states ensure only citizens receive mail-in ballots, and for the U.S. Postal Service to institute practices to make the ballots trackable.

"The left, because they’re concerned about losing at the midterms, want to be able to obstruct this administration’s efforts to ensure the integrity of our elections," Marshall told Fox News Digital this week, ahead of Thursday's oral arguments before U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston.

"You have to wonder – when those that are objecting to this – how confident they can be in the security of their elections, as opposed to becoming just a partisan opportunity to ensure the Democrats win and keep conservative voices from being heard, not only in local and state levels of government, but particularly in Washington."

DHS PLANS COSTLY CRACKDOWN ON STATES THAT DON’T COOPERATE ON ELECTION SECURITY

Marshall led a letter in July from 13 Republican attorneys general, backing the U.S. Postal Service's following up on Trump's March 31 executive order that set up an audit of states' voter rolls.

"There shouldn't be a reason why we object to that, but yet Democrats simply don't want to have fair elections in a way that people can have confidence," Marshall claimed.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Democratic Attorneys General Association for comment on Marshall's remarks, but they did not immediately respond.

Democrats, in various arguments to block the audit of voter rolls before the mailing out of absentee ballots, claim that it would lead to "disenfranchisement," "chaos," "unconstitutional overreach" and a partisan "power grab."

Democrats' concern is that if they refuse to share their voter rolls with the Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration to crosscheck the eligibility of legal voters, the USPS can stop the mailing of state's absentee ballots.

"USPS's interest in correcting an unsubstantiated problem through likely unconstitutional means is dwarfed by the overwhelming risk of pervasive disenfranchisement of citizens who need access to mail ballots in order to vote," Talwani, appointed by former President Barack Obama, wrote in her restraining order against the Trump administration.

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM RESTRICTING MAIL-IN BALLOTS AHEAD OF MIDTERMS

"The postal service is not a partisan organization. As the postmaster said, I think most recently, we're just there to deliver the mail. They're experts in how it is that this can be configured."

Marshall stated that the problem of voter fraud is documented, not "unsubstantiated," as Talwani put it, with evidence in his own state.

USPS WOULDN'T DELIVER BALLOTS IN STATES THAT REFUSE TO FORK OVER MAIL-IN VOTER INFO UNDER PROPOSED RULE

"This is not a solution looking for a problem," he said. "This is in response to what we know is going on across the country. And this provides a commonsense, straightforward way for states to be able to ensure elections, but most importantly, for the people of this country to have belief that their elections in fact are accurate."

MAIL-VOTING CRACKDOWN MOVES AHEAD AS TRUMP COURT WIN OPENS DOOR TO FEDERAL ACTION

"It's not a shock that Democrats are standing up the ability for us to pass the SAVE [America] Act because they don't want to allow for there to be assurances of what is already in the law: That somebody here illegally cannot be able to vote," he added. "But here we have the president being able to make sure that we are allowing for government resources to be used in an appropriate way to simply allow those who are qualified to vote, vote, and those who aren't, don't."

Marshall has little confidence that the Obama-appointed judge in Boston is going to side with the Trump administration and the law.

"I would be remiss if I didn't say that I would fully expect her to continue with the Democratic Party line," he said. "The Trump administration has already filed a request with the First Circuit to try to get a stay of that order, but yet we're going to continue to battle this case along with the administration and look forward to standing beside them when they obtain this victory."

TRUMP SCORES SUPREME COURT WIN ON MAIL-IN VOTING RESTRICTIONS BEFORE MIDTERMS

Marshall maintains Republicans are not stopping anyone from getting an absentee ballot – they're just trying to make sure the process is conducted legally and securely.

"Here we have a barcode that allows us to be able to connect it directly with the voter – we have the assurance that that ballot is being cast by the person in fact that receives that ballot," he said. "Democrats and Republicans alike ought to praise this as a commonsense effort to be able to restore election integrity in this area, but it's not a shock that Democrats have opposed it."

MORE THAN A QUARTER-MILLION NONCITIZENS MAY BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN 4 KEY STATES, DHS ALLEGES

Marhall pointed to the 2005 bipartisan commission chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker that identified mailed absentee ballots as being susceptible to fraud.

"This is about securing elections, not interfering with states' abilities to conduct elections, and we think that we'll be able to eliminate many of the issues that we've seen, including in Alabama, that have occurred in the past."

The restraining order Talwani issued will remain in place for up to one more week while she considers whether to issue a longer-term preliminary injunction blocking the rule. The hearing is Thursday in Boston, but the fight will go on from states on both sides as the midterm mail-in ballot season officially gets underway.

source https://www.foxnews.com/politics/alabama-ag-marshall-fires-back-usps-mail-ballot-order-critics-securing-elections

Thai resort city cracks down on prostitution ahead of USS Abraham Lincoln arrival

A Thai resort city began cracking down on prostitution ahead of the arrival of 5,000 U.S. sailors and Marines exhausted from months at sea in the Middle East.

The USS Abraham Lincoln docked near Pattaya, one of Thailand's primary nightlife areas, on Wednesday along with two other naval vessels, The Independent reported.

"We are doing our best, but it is difficult," Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo said Monday of his department's efforts to curb prostitution in the city.

TRUMP PRAISES OUSTED NAVY SECRETARY PHELAN AMID TENSIONS WITH PENTAGON LEADERSHIP

The police effort involves increased patrols in beachfront and nightlife areas, as well as raids over the weekend in which more than 50 people were arrested on suspicion of prostitution.

Although prostitution is illegal in Thailand, major tourist hubs like Bangkok and Pattaya are well known for sex tourism.

The San Diego–based USS Abraham Lincoln left port in November and was redirected to the Middle East amid the U.S. war with Iran.

However, the prolonged deployment raised concerns amid reports of health issues, deteriorating conditions aboard the warship, and low morale.

US STOPS 9 OIL TANKERS ATTEMPTING TO BREAK TRUMP'S BLOCKADE ON IRANIAN PORTS

Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches expressed hope that the influx of American service members would boost the region's economy.

Each service member could spend around $30 to $90 per day, depending on where they stay and for how long, the mayor said.

"When we heard the news that a U.S. Navy warship would be docking in Pattaya, it became a source of hope for us," said Lisa Hamilton, president of the Pattaya Nightlife Business Association.

Pattaya originally grew from a small fishing village into a major tourism hub largely due to U.S. military members seeking rest and relaxation during the Vietnam War.

source https://www.foxnews.com/world/thai-resort-city-cracks-down-prostitution-ahead-uss-abraham-lincoln-arrival

Florida police learn the hard way to not trust 'Crooked Jess' with money to buy crack for undercover operation

I'd like to think there's one officer that attended the meeting where an undercover drug bust was being discussed that raised a concern about using a person with an alias of "Crooked Jess" to buy the drugs.

I give a tip of the cap to that officer. The rest of the officers at the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office who were part of setting this undercover operation up and didn’t listen owe the officer an apology.

Back in March, "Crooked Jess" aka Jessica Straubel Sanchez made off with $60 she was given to purchase crack cocaine and disappeared, according to an arrest affidavit.

DITCHING HIS 'WHIZZINATOR' IN A PATROL CAR WAS FLORIDA MAN'S SECOND BAD DECISION OF DAY

Police finally caught up with the 41-year-old and arrested her on Saturday, reports The Smoking Gun. The undercover officer explained that Straubel was supposed to return with crack cocaine after being given $60 to buy it.

The officer watched as she walked over to the residence and went into the backyard. After an hour, which the officer pointed out is "more than a reasonable amount of time to wait for a narcotics transaction to occur between two subjects," she failed to return.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK CULTURE COVERAGE

"Crooked Jess" had allegedly lived up to her name. She was nowhere to be found after officers drove around the area and came up empty. They also had no way of getting in touch with her because she "did not own a phone."

It was determined after a short search for her that she "had no intentions of coming back to facilitate the transaction and had deprived me of my money for her own use."

A truly shocking twist to the otherwise foolproof undercover operation meant to score some illicit narcotics from a known residence known for facilitating such activity.

TSG reports that along with the theft, "Crooked Jess" was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. An officer had allegedly found fentanyl residue on some foil she had tucked away "within the defendant's undergarments."

As you may have guessed, this wasn't her first run-in with the police. She's had others. Call me a dreamer if you must, but my hope is that she hasn't been part of her last undercover drug bust. I'd like to see "Crooked Jess" be given a second chance here to make things right.

source https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-culture/florida-police-learn-hard-way-not-trust-crooked-jess-money-buy-crack-undercover-operation