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Police & Fire
NJ Soccer Player, Licensed Gun Owner Jailed After Threatening Rival With Weapon After Game: PD NJ Soccer Player, Licensed Gun Owner Jailed After Threatening Rival With Weapon After Game: PD
NJ Soccer Player, Licensed Gun Owner Jailed After Threatening Rival With Weapon After Game: PD A Jersey City man has been arrested after pointing a handgun at a rival soccer player after both were ejected from a game in Secaucus over the weekend, police said. Reda Benyamin, 34, and the player on an opposing team began arguing during the game at Shetik Field on County Avenue on May 2, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said. Both players were ejected and went to their cars to leave after the game. While stopped at a light on Jefferson and County Avenue, Benyamin pulled up next to the player's car and threatened him with a black handgun, police said. Both then left the area. Benyamin…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Accused Public Masturbator From Englewood Jailed Again For Two Other Incidents UPDATE: Accused Public Masturbator From Englewood Jailed Again For Two Other Incidents
Update: Accused Public Masturbator From Englewood Jailed Again For Two Other Incidents A 34-year-old Englewood man who'd been arrested and released on charges of masturbating in front of a pre-teen was jailed again after authorities said they discovered at least two other alleged incidents. Dawid S. Iwaszek originally was arrested on May 25 for exposing himself and masturbating in front of a pre-teen in Englewood, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The prosecutor said at the time that detectives from his Special Victims Unit were continuing to investigate at least two previous incidents involving children in Englewood and Teaneck. They charg…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Reign Of Terror: NJ Ex-Con Gets 16 Years For Series Of Armed Robberies, Carjackings Reign Of Terror: NJ Ex-Con Gets 16 Years For Series Of Armed Robberies, Carjackings
Reign Of Terror: NJ Ex-Con Gets 16 Years For Series Of Armed Robberies, Carjackings 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A 25-year-old ex-con from Trenton who’s already served 2½ years in state prison is headed to federal prison for 16 more for a string of gunpoint carjackings and robberies. Joshua M. Perez was one of three armed robbers who commited a Oct. 10 carjacking, another on Dec. 5 and the robbery later than second night of a local gas station, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Surveillance cameras captured video of Perez and two other robbers emerging from a sedan, pointing handguns at occupants of another vehicle, Sellinger said. They then fled with money and cellphones in the victims…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More
'King James': NJ Lawyer Gets 4½ Years, No Early Release For $2 Million Theft From Family, More 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A once-prominent New Jersey lawyer must spend the next 4½ years in federal prison for swindling a family he represented out of $2 million -- and then, while on pre-trial release, impersonating another attorney in applying for a loan. The family had retained James R. Lisa, 68, of Jersey City, to gather millions that had been moved into offshore bank accounts by relatives decades ago and to resolve any tax issues that arose as a result, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Soon after being retained, Lisa moved more than $6 million back into the United States but told the famil…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Overnight Fire Destroys Home Of Couple Raising Special Needs Child Overnight Fire Destroys Home Of Couple Raising Special Needs Child
Overnight Fire Destroys Home Of Couple Raising Special Needs Child Their humble yet cozy Oakland home meant the world to Omar McCalla and Natalie Gregory as they raised their daughter, Amaria, who was born with multiple disabilities. "This was their first true home as a family outside of the extensive time spent at hospitals," friend Ana Sampson said. "(It) represented their bright future." A ferocious overnight fire on Saturday stole that dream. Flames were already shooting through the roof when firefighters arrived shortly before 2:30 a.m June 1. They had the blaze knocked down after about an hour and a half. Fire officials were trying to determine the…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA Sentenced Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA Sentenced
Member Of 'Hit List' Burglary Crew That Targeted Asian Homeowners In NJ, NY, PA Sentenced 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A member of a burglary ring that specifically targeted Asian-American small business owners in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware was sentenced to a plea-bargained 33 months in federal prison. James Hurt, 48, of New York, and other members of the second-story crew worked from what the FBI called a hit list of dozens of homes in the four states based on “stereotype and opportunity" from Dec. 2, 2016, to March 20, 2019. The burglars often got into homes through unsecured upper-floor windows before seeking out cash, jewelry and guns, the FBI said In one instance, th…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NO CHOICE: Ex-Con Who Shot Victims Five Days Apart In Newark Gets 10+ Years, No Early Release NO CHOICE: Ex-Con Who Shot Victims Five Days Apart In Newark Gets 10+ Years, No Early Release
NO Choice: Ex-Con Who Shot Victims Five Days Apart In Newark Gets 10+ Years, No Early Release 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: There’s no trying to present a defense in court when the prosecutors have a video of you shooting someone, as well as the loaded gun you were carrying when they arrested you. So Ex-con Antoine Hawkins, 31, of Newark, took a deal from the government and was formally sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Friday, May 31, for shooting two victims five days apart in the Brick City in August 2020. Hawkins must serve no less than 10 years of his plea-bargained sentence before he'll be eligible for release because there's no parole in the federal prison system. Surveillance video…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEE ANYTHING? Hit-And-Run Driver Critically Injures 76-Year-Old Kearny Man SEE ANYTHING? Hit-And-Run Driver Critically Injures 76-Year-Old Kearny Man
SEE Anything? Hit-And-Run Driver Critically Injures 76-Year-Old Kearny Man Authorities are hoping the public can help them investigate a hit-and-run crash that critically injured a 76-year-old pedestrian in Kearny. They recovered the vehicle believed involved in the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Kearny and Columbia avenues shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday, May 30, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. She didn't say, however, whether authorities had taken anyone into custody or had identified any suspects. No area surveillance photos were provided. The prosecutor did say that the victim remained in critical condition Friday at University Hospi…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Chainsaw-Wielding Man Shot By Police In Keansburg Chainsaw-Wielding Man Shot By Police In Keansburg
Chainsaw-Wielding Man Shot By Police In Keansburg A man wielding a chainsaw was shot and critically wounded by police sent to his Keansburg home on a welfare check, authorities said. Borough officers who went to the Seabreeze Way home shortly after 1 p.m. on Memorial Day "encountered an adult male civilian who possessed numerous weapons and a running chainsaw," New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. "As the male approached officers with the running chainsaw, one officer deployed a [Taser] and another officer fired his service weapon, striking the individual," the attorney general said. on Friday, May 31. Unconfirmed reports wer…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Former Newark Officer Sentenced To State Prison In Shooting Death During Pursuit Former Newark Officer Sentenced To State Prison In Shooting Death During Pursuit
Former Newark Officer Sentenced To State Prison In Shooting Death During Pursuit A former Newark police officer who shot and killed a driver during a pursuit and critically injured his passenger was sentenced to 27 years in New Jersey State Prison. Jovanny Crespo, 30, must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he's eligible for parole. Essex County Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin Jr. imposed the sentence under the No Early Release Act. Crespo was convicted in July 2023 on six counts of first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the death of 46-year-old Gregory Griffin, and second-degree aggravated assault for critically wounding Griffin's passenger, Andrew Dixon, 3…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Treadmill Abuse Dad Not Guilty Of Murder, Convicted Of Agg Assault In Son's Death (VIDEO) NJ Treadmill Abuse Dad Not Guilty Of Murder, Convicted Of Agg Assault In Son's Death (VIDEO)
NJ Treadmill Abuse Dad Not Guilty Of Murder, Convicted Of Agg Assault In Son's Death (Video) A Monroe Township man was convicted of abusing his six-year-old son during a treadmill workout that ultimately led to the boy's death, authorities said. After a six-week trial, a jury unanimously found 32-year-old Christopher Gregor guilty on Friday, May 31 of aggravated manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. The jury found Gregor not guilty of murder. A nearly video shared by Law & Crime shows the judge delivering the verdict. Gregor had been indicted on a murder charge in the death of his s…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Mom Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter For Drug OD Death Of Daughter, 12, In Fort Lee Mom Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter For Drug OD Death Of Daughter, 12, In Fort Lee
Mom Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter For Drug OD Death Of Daughter, 12, In Fort Lee 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A 48-year-old Fort Lee mom was charged with aggravated manslaughter for the drug overdose death of her 12-year-old daughter. Frances Caso was initially jailed on various child endangerment and drug possession charges after onetime child model Trinity Caso Perez overdosed on May 25. Further investigation led to the more serious charge, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said on Friday, May 31. Fort Lee police responding to a 3:34 p.m. call last Saturday found the lifeless child at Caso's Maple Street home. The youngster was pronounced dead soon after at Hackensack University Med…

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by Jerry DeMarco