Crime
Luciano Frattolin arrested after his 9-year-old daughter Melina Frattolin found dead in Ticonderoga
Essex County, NY – A tragic case that began with an Amber Alert over the weekend has ended with the arrest of a Canadian man following the discovery of his 9-year-old daughter’s body in upstate New York.
Authorities have confirmed that Luciano Frattolin, the father of Melina Galanis Frattolin, has been taken into custody and is being held at the Essex County Jail.
Melina, who had been reported missing by her father late Saturday evening, was found deceased on Sunday approximately 35 miles from the area where she was initially reported missing.
The case was initially treated as a suspected abduction after Frattolin contacted authorities around 10 p.m. Saturday claiming his daughter had been kidnapped.
Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and Canada launched an urgent search, issuing a regional Amber Alert and focusing attention on the Lake George and Ticonderoga areas of New York.
Melina was first believed to have last been seen around 7:40 p.m. traveling in a white van on Interstate 87 southbound near Exit 22. That time was later updated to 9:40 p.m. as the investigation progressed. Authorities said the girl was considered to be in “imminent danger” at the time.
However, as the investigation continued, New York State Police identified multiple inconsistencies in Frattolin’s statements and timeline.
By Sunday, officials stated there was “no indication that an abduction had occurred” and assured the public that there was “no threat to the community.”
Melina’s body was located later that day, ending the search under devastating circumstances.
According to publicly available information, Frattolin is a Montreal-based entrepreneur and the founder of Gambella Coffee.
His company’s biography and other personal writings painted a picture of a devoted father.
Melina was described in online profiles as “the light of his life,” with Frattolin often highlighting his daughter’s importance in shaping his worldview and inspiring his advocacy for social justice.
A now-poignant excerpt from his biography reads:
“Luciano currently spends as much time as he can in Montreal, Canada, with his beautiful daughter Melina. As the light of his life, she is the inspiration for… everything. His pursuits for building a more equitable and just world are deeply guided by his determination that she will not have to endure the same social injustices that he encountered throughout his childhood.”
Frattolin, described as the son of an Ethiopian mother and Italian father, claimed to draw strength and purpose from his cross-cultural upbringing, which he said was the foundation for his personal and professional ethos.
As of now, authorities have not released the specific charges Frattolin is facing in connection to Melina’s death.
The case remains under active investigation, and further details, including cause of death, are expected to be released pending autopsy results and prosecutorial decisions.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.