Kidnapping Scam Targets Parents | Patch PM

Stories worth talking about tonight.

Virtual Kidnapping Scam Reported in Region

Reports of a familiar, yet scary, scam dubbed a “virtual kidnapping” have resurfaced in the Washington, DC, area, says the FBI and area police departments.

The Prince William and Fairfax (Va.) police have warned residents that the scam, which has been around for a few years, is becoming popular again with scam artists in the D.C. region. Authorities warned that residents in neighboring counties have also been targeted, as have members of the Archdiocese of Washington, which serves Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. >>> Read more.

Officer Nero Trial Closes with Focus on Freddie Gray Arrest

As Judge Barry Williams heard closing arguments Thursday in the trial of Officer Edward Nero, the debate largely focused on whether the arrest of 25-year-old Freddie Gray was legal and if he was at fault for not seat-belting the detainee in a police van.

Nero, 30, is a Baltimore Police officer charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office related to the detainment of Gray, who was arrested last April and died a week later. >>> Read more.

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Poll: 9 in 10 Native Americans Don't Mind 'Redskins' Name

• A new poll suggests Native Americans aren't offended by the Washington NFL team's name; some Native leaders disagree with "racial slur."

Preakness Stakes 2016: Race Time, Festivities, Forecast

• Horses may be running the Preakness on a soaked track this weekend.

Trump Delegate Indicted on Child Porn, Explosives Charges

• The Waldorf, Maryland, delegate to the Republican National Convention was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday.

Patch PM shares a few of the day’s must-read items from our Maryland network. The Patch community platform covers communities across the state.