Saturday, May 17, 2025
Racine police: 11-year-old boy was accidentally shot and killed by sibling
Cailey Gleeson
An 11-year-old boy was shot and killed at a home in Racine on May 16.
Officers were informed at 10:33 p.m. that the child was shot and was transported to the hospital by family, according to a Racine Police Department news release. The boy had a single gunshot wound and did not survive.
The department said preliminary information indicates the child was accidentally shot by a sibling inside a residence on the 2600 block of Prospect Street.
Authorities have identified and apprehended a suspect. The investigation is ongoing.
Racine police are asking anyone with information on the shooting to contact the department at 262-635-7756. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 262-636-9330 or use P3 Tips.
Friday, May 16, 2025
LGBT Center of SE Wisconsin closes Friday, citing finances, 'socio-political climate'
Holly Gilvary
RACINE — The LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin shuttered its doors Friday, reportedly giving little notice to staff members.
Shay King, who served on the center's board from 2019 through February 2025, organized a gathering of staff, volunteers and community members outside of the LGBT Center, 1456 Junction Ave., Friday morning to request an audience with the board of directors.
King said staff members were eventually let into the center’s building on Friday to speak with board members, adding that the board declined requests from staff and community members to give public comment on the situation.
A post on the LGBT Center’s Instagram page published shortly after 1 p.m. Friday said the board informed staff Friday of the center’s closing and offered “no clear answers.”
The Instagram page and post have since been deleted.
The LGBT Center posted on Facebook at 4 p.m. Friday about the center’s dissolution, citing financial issues and struggles with the “challenging socio-political climate.”
“This decision has been made after careful consideration,” the post read. “Our past fundraising was not at a level to address the needs of unrestricted spending.”
All groups and events at the center are cancelled, the Facebook post said.
LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin Executive Director Barb Farrar did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
King, who uses they/them pronouns, said they’re worried about LGBTQ+ youth in the community who would attending the center’s Youth Art nights. Some LGBTQ+ adults have also told King they would not be alive without the LGBT Center.
“My goal with gathering everybody today was to hopefully establish that the community will not go anywhere,” King said. “We will look for ways to rehome the services and the programs that the LGBT Center of Southeast Wisconsin was (offering) because these services are life changing.”
43-year-old pleads not guilty to child exploitation charges
Caroline Neal
RACINE — A 43-year-old Racine man who is facing 10 counts of child exploitation pleaded not guilty during a hearing Wednesday.
Cisco Roushia was charged in February after Mount Pleasant Police Department received a cyber tip related to the distribution of child sexual abuse material in October 2024.
According to previous Journal Times reporting, MPPD detectives identified accounts allegedly used to distribute CSAM. They also reportedly found multiple files containing CSAM that were sent from accounts associated with Roushia.
Roushia posted $50,000 cash bond March 10. He is scheduled to appear in court June 16.
Surprising new data about the labor market for young adults
19-year-old pleads not guilty in connection to child porn charges
Caroline Neal
RACINE — A 19-year-old Racine man charged with six counts of possessing child pornography pleaded not guilty during a hearing Wednesday.
According to previous Journal Times reporting, Ernesto Roman was arrested after the Racine County Sheriff’s Office received two cyber tips from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.
According to a criminal complaint, both tips contained child pornography and were generated by WhatsApp.
Information obtained through a warrant to WhatsApp reportedly indicated that Roman was the account owner and revealed six videos containing child pornography.
RCSO investigators searched Roman’s home April 14.
Roman also was questioned and allegedly provided information connecting him to the cyber tips and the account.
According to online court records, Roman is scheduled to appear in court June 17.
Thursday, May 15, 2025
53-year-old enters not guilty plea to more than a dozen child porn charges
RACINE — A 53-year-old Racine man who faces 17 counts of possessing child pornography entered a not guilty plea during a hearing Wednesday.
Michael Oswald originally was charged with 11 counts of possessing child pornography, but additional charges were added in an amended criminal complaint filed May 14.
According to previous Journal Times reporting, the Racine County Sheriff’s Office searched Oswald’s Gilson Street residence March 27 after receiving a cyber tip from the Division of e National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
During the search, investigators reportedly found a cell phone containing child pornography images or videos.
According to online court records, Oswald is scheduled to appear in court June 24.
Posts
