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Bridgeton, NJ

BREAK IN, RINSE, REPEAT: Recidivist With 30-Year Sheet Busted For Burglaries In 4 Bergen Towns BREAK IN, RINSE, REPEAT: Recidivist With 30-Year Sheet Busted For Burglaries In 4 Bergen Towns
Break IN, Rinse, Repeat: Recidivist With 30-Year Sheet Busted For Burglaries In 4 Bergen Towns It never ends with some guys. Mark C. Todd, most recently of Hasbrouck Heights, just turned 50 amid what has been a three-decade-long string of burglaries, thefts and police pursuits in nearly a dozen Bergen County towns. It got to the point that detectives from Maywood, Carlstadt and Hasbrouck Heights all went together to arrest the ex-con at his home last Friday morning, April 12. He was charged with break-ins in Maywood, Carlstadt, Elmwood Park and Fair Lawn. Tood has remained held in the Bergen County Jail this past week based on the likelihood that he’ll be returned to prison. He sp…
Imprisoned Sex Offender From Hackensack Gathered 42,000 Child Porn Files While Free: Prosecutor Imprisoned Sex Offender From Hackensack Gathered 42,000 Child Porn Files While Free: Prosecutor
Imprisoned Sex Offender From Hackensack Gathered 42,000 Child Porn Files While Free: Prosecutor A registered sex offender from Hackensack who was returned to prison last year is expected to spend much more time there following what authorities said was the discovery of more than 42,000 child porn images. Rahvae Richards, 32, served 3½ years of a five-year state prison sentence for trying to sexually assault a young city boy nearly a decade ago, records show. He’d also been downloading child pornography at the time, prosecutors said. Richards was paroled in October 2021, a year and a half short of what originally was supposed to be a five-year mandatory hitch. Sixteen months later, st…
52 Arrested In 'Elaborate' Cockfighting Ring In South Jersey: Police 52 Arrested In 'Elaborate' Cockfighting Ring In South Jersey: Police
52 Arrested In 'Elaborate' Cockfighting Ring In South Jersey: Police More than 50 people were arrested after police broke up a large cockfighting ring in Atlantic County, authorities said. Galloway Township police executed a search warrant at a home on the 300 block of South Bremen Avenue on Saturday, Mar. 9, the department said in a news release. When officers arrived, a large group of people were there and many tried to run away before they were detained. Investigators found an "elaborate cockfighting operation" that included a fighting ring, seating for spectators, and several cockfighting kits. About 50 roosters were found in "various degrees of health" …
Ghost Gunman Who Killed Home Invader Released From Jail In South Jersey: Prosecutor Ghost Gunman Who Killed Home Invader Released From Jail In South Jersey: Prosecutor
Ghost Gunman Who Killed Home Invader Released From Jail In South Jersey: Prosecutor A 24-year-old Cumberland County man charged with multiple gun crimes after he shot and killed an alleged home invader was ordered released from jail on Friday afternoon, March 1, authorities said. Kevin Lucero, 24, shot one of two people who reportedly forced their way into his Upper Deerfield home at 7:15 p.m. on Feb. 19, New Jersey State Police said.  Lucero was charged with owning ghost guns and other weapons offenses, police said. A ghost gun is a firearm without a serial number. Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae confirmed Lucero's release from jail. Troopers …
News Story About NJ Christmas Shooting Is Fake, Made With AI, Police Say News Story About NJ Christmas Shooting Is Fake, Made With AI, Police Say
News Story About NJ Christmas Shooting Is Fake, Made With AI, Police Say There was no Christmas shooting in Bridgeton, despite what you might have read online, police said. An article published on Newsbreak claims a person was shot on the 100 block of West Broad Street and the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office was investigating was all fake. The report goes on to bemoan the state of gun violence in small towns in America. But the article was written by artificial intelligence and a disclaimer at the end said "it may contain errors." According to police, it was "entirely false." "Nothing even similar to this story occurred on or around Christmas, or e…
NJ Pair Staged Dog Fights, Shared Vids On Telegram Of 'Underperformers' Being Hanged: Feds NJ Pair Staged Dog Fights, Shared Vids On Telegram Of 'Underperformers' Being Hanged: Feds
NJ Pair Staged Dog Fights, Shared Vids On Telegram Of 'Underperformers' Being Hanged: Feds Two South Jersey men were charged by federal authorities with participating in a depraved multi-state dog-fighting collective. Tommy J. Watson of Clayton and others used the “DMV Board” on the Telegram app to share videos of live dog fights, dogs being trained to fight and "the killing of underperforming fighting dogs, including by hanging,” U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said on Monday, Dec. 11. They also posted bloodline information on the dog fighting website “Peds Online” from an operation they called “From Da Bottom Kennels,” the U.S. attorney said. Federal authoriti…
'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say 'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say
'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say A South Jersey police officer admitted in federal court to using excessive force when he twice pepper-sprayed a drunken but cooperative driver while handcuffed in 2017, authorities announced. John Grier III, 51, of Cedarville — who was indicted in 2021 — pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden in federal court on Thursday, Oct. 5, to a superseding information charging him with one count of violating an individual’s civil rights, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. A sworn Bridgeton police officer since 2004, Grier's admission is in connection with an…
UPDATE: South Jersey Ex-Con Who Shot NJSP Detective Gets 28 Years Without Parole UPDATE: South Jersey Ex-Con Who Shot NJSP Detective Gets 28 Years Without Parole
Update: South Jersey Ex-Con Who Shot Njsp Detective Gets 28 Years Without Parole An ex-con was sentenced to 28 years in prison without parole for shooting a New Jersey State Police detective during an ambush. Tremaine Hadden, 30, of Bridgeton, was one of three men who opened fire on NJSP Detective Richard Hershey as he investigated a home invasion at the Harding Woods mobile home park in the Salem County town of Pittsgrove on April 25, 2020. Five women had been accused of forcing their way into a trailer and assaulting the owner – breaking a rib and lacerating a lung -- while stealing her iPhone. Sometime after Hershey arrived, a hostile group of 15 people connected t…
'Local Cowgirl' Killed In Double Fatal NJ Crash Made Unicorn Dreams Come True 'Local Cowgirl' Killed In Double Fatal NJ Crash Made Unicorn Dreams Come True
'Local Cowgirl' Killed In Double Fatal NJ Crash Made Unicorn Dreams Come True New Jersey's equine riding community is mourning the loss of a treasured rider, instructor, and mother. Ashley Knuth-Formato was among two drivers who died in a crash with a dump truck Thursday, July 27 in Salem County. The 36-year-old Bridgeton mom, along with David Mitchell, of Woodstown, both died. Those who knew Ashley are remembering her for her profound impact on children, animals, and families within the horseback riding community. According to a GoFundMe campaign, Ashley leaves behind "a hurting family & a barn full of critters." Ashley's passion was animal rescue — particular…
Man Has Medical Episode And Dies Following NJSP Arrest, Authorities Say Man Has Medical Episode And Dies Following NJSP Arrest, Authorities Say
Man Has Medical Episode And Dies Following Njsp Arrest, Authorities Say A man charged with assaulting an officer suffered a medical episode and died after being arrested by New Jersey State Police, authorities said. Medical personnel were called to the NJSP Bridgeton station around 8 p.m. Saturday, July 8, after the arrestee became unresponsive, according to a release from the office of state Attorney General Matthew Platkin. Troopers tried to resuscitate the as-yet unidentified man, who was pronounced dead at Inspira Medical Center in Vineland the following evening -- 11:37 p.m., July 9, to be exact, the attorney general's release says. State Police had take…
Bergen Man Convicted Of Murdering Parents, Brothers Paroled After 45 Years Bergen Man Convicted Of Murdering Parents, Brothers Paroled After 45 Years
Bergen Man Convicted Of Murdering Parents, Brothers Paroled After 45 Years A New Jersey convict who drew international attention after he shot and killed his entire family in their Bergen County home on Thanksgiving weekend 47 years ago has been paroled. Harry De La Roche, 64, had been denied six times and was told in 2019 that he'd have to wait until 2028 before he could petition the Parole Board again. However, records show a variety of work, annual reviews and other credits combined to free De La Roche on June 29 after 45 years behind bars. As with all state inmates, the 6-foot-3-inch, 219-pound De La Roche must first pull time at a halfway house while findin…
Trans Pedo Who Made Sadistic Sex Videos Of Daughter, 7, Moved To Infamous NJ Women's Prison Trans Pedo Who Made Sadistic Sex Videos Of Daughter, 7, Moved To Infamous NJ Women's Prison
Trans Pedo Who Made Sadistic Sex Videos Of Daughter, 7, Moved To Infamous NJ Women's Prison A transgender pedophile who produced sadistic sex abuse videos of her 7-year-old daughter has been housed since last summer in New Jersey's notorious women's prison along with her lover, state records confirm. Marina Volz, 34, originally was processed as a man and sent to serve a 25-year sentence at South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton. But a check of state records -- prompted by recent published reports -- found Volz listed at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility along with Ashley Romero, a 30-year-old transgender inmate herself who was convicted of participating in the abuse. New Jerse…
NJ Mom Gets Life Without Parole For Death, Dismemberment Of Toddler NJ Mom Gets Life Without Parole For Death, Dismemberment Of Toddler
NJ Mom Gets Life Without Parole For Death, Dismemberment Of Toddler A 28-year-old mom from Cumberland County was sentenced to life in prison without parole in the death and dismemberment of her 23-month-old son, authorities said. Nakira M. Griner, of Bridgeton, was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 21, according to Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae. Griner was previously found guilty on Jan 4 of first-degree murder, second-degree desecration of human remains, tampering with evidence, false public alarm and child endangerment. The verdict came after a two-week jury trial. Nakira GrinerInstagram @nikglowed_up The charges were based on events tha…
Two NJ Natives Head To Super Bowl LVII Two NJ Natives Head To Super Bowl LVII
Two NJ Natives Head To Super Bowl Lvii Hard work is paying off for Michael Burton and Isiah Pacheco. Both New Jersey natives are Kansas City Chiefs players, and will make their Super Bowl debuts Sunday, Feb. 12 when against the Philadelphia Eagles. Burton, 31, grew up in Long Valley, playing football for West Morris Central High School before scoring a spot on the team at Rutgers, from 2011 to 2014. He went on to play for the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Redskins, before signing with the Chiefs in April 2021. Pacheco, 23, is a Bridgeton native and was a standout…
‘Macho’ Man Who Shared Child Porn Through Phone On Gmail, Social Media Gets 8 Years: NJ Feds ‘Macho’ Man Who Shared Child Porn Through Phone On Gmail, Social Media Gets 8 Years: NJ Feds
‘Macho’ Man Who Shared Child Porn Through Phone On Gmail, Social Media Gets 8 Years: NJ Feds A South Jersey man must spend the next eight years in federal prison for trafficking child porn. Edwin “Macho” Torres, 39, of Bridgeton, must serve out the entire plea-bargained term because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Unlike many of his kind, Torres didn’t operate on the dark web. Instead, he used his phone to upload more than 100 videos of child sexual abuse through a Gmail account to a social media app, investigators said. This led special agents of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Newark and the bureau’s Atlantic City Resident Agency…
Two Dead In Christmas Crash On NJ Turnpike Two Dead In Christmas Crash On NJ Turnpike
Two Dead In Christmas Crash On NJ Turnpike A pair of young men were killed in a crash on the NJ Turnpike early Christmas morning, authorities said. Pedro Morales Roias, 28, and Rolando Perez Aragon, 21, both of Bridgeton, were killed when the car they were passengers in tried changing into the lane of a tractor trailer that was trying to pass them on the northbound side in Westampton around 5:15 a.m., New Jersey State Police said.  The car's driver, a 30-year-old Bridgeton man, was seriously injured while the truck driver, a 34-year-old Florida man, had minor injuries, police said. The crash remains under investigation.
Fractured Skull Among Injuries NJ Toddler Suffered Before Body Was Found Dismembered: Report Fractured Skull Among Injuries NJ Toddler Suffered Before Body Was Found Dismembered: Report
Fractured Skull Among Injuries NJ Toddler Suffered Before Body Was Found Dismembered: Report A nearly-two-year-old South Jersey boy suffered skull fractures and other broken bones from being hit by his mother before his burned and dismembered body was found in the family's backyard, a forensic anthropologist testified in court, according to NJ Advance Media. Nakira M. Griner, 28, of Bridgeton, is on trial for murdering her son, Daniel Griner, Jr., in February 2019. Griner admitted she struck Daniel after he refused to eat his breakfast the outlet said. She admits to burning and dismembering the boy’s body, but denies intentionally killing him, her defense lawyer said in o…
Notorious NJ Serial Killer To Plead Guilty To Murders Of Five Long Island Women: Report Notorious NJ Serial Killer To Plead Guilty To Murders Of Five Long Island Women: Report
Notorious NJ Serial Killer To Plead Guilty To Murders Of Five Long Island Women: Report The number of brutal murder confessions continues to mount for imprisoned New Jersey serial killer Richard Cottingham, who reportedly is scheduled to plead guilty to five more killings, all of women on Long Island. Cottingham, now 76, has been serving multiple life sentences in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, NJ, for more than four decades for killing six Garden State women between 1967 and 1980. He's spent a considerable part of that time lately claiming he's committed several other killings. “For a long time now I have been trying to understand the darkness that enveloped my soul…
WINNER: Powerball Lottery Player Takes Home $50K WINNER: Powerball Lottery Player Takes Home $50K
Winner: Powerball Lottery Player Takes Home $50K One New Jersey Lottery ticket matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball drawn on Monday, Aug, 15,  The third-tier Powerball prize was worth $50,000. The winning ticket was sold at Big Save Inc., 145 Irving Ave., Bridgeton in Cumberland County. The winning numbers for the Monday, August 15, drawing were: 20, 24, 47, 50, and 63. The Red Power Ball number was 05. The Power Play was 2X. 
AGAIN AND AGAIN: Allendale Ex-Con Freed After Two Years Charged In Ramsey, Ho-Ho-Kus Burglaries AGAIN AND AGAIN: Allendale Ex-Con Freed After Two Years Charged In Ramsey, Ho-Ho-Kus Burglaries
Again AND Again: Allendale Ex-Con Freed After Two Years Charged In Ramsey, Ho-Ho-Kus Burglaries A Bergen County ex-con with a violent history had been free all of two days when he started up again, authorities said. Justinian Rocco, 25, of Allendale was released from custody only two weeks ago. He’d spent two years behind bars for laying down on a railroad track, stopping NJ Transit service and fighting with police who arrested him. Rocco is already back in the Bergen County Jail, charged with more than a half-dozen burglaries and break-in attempts in Ramsey and Ho-Ho-Kus. The career criminal got into a frenzied brawl with responding officers in a waist-high stream -- biting and kick…
4 NJ Ministers Accused Of Sex Abuse On Lengthy Southern Baptist List 4 NJ Ministers Accused Of Sex Abuse On Lengthy Southern Baptist List
4 NJ Ministers Accused Of Sex Abuse On Lengthy Southern Baptist List Four ministers with ties to New Jersey were among hundreds of people with ties to Southern Baptist churches accused of sexual assault. "This table was created as a research tool to discover the scope of sexual abuse of children within the Sothern[sic] Baptist Convention," the 205-page report released last week reads. The New Jersey ministers on the list include: John Janney Sr: In 1985, the pastor of the Calvary Bible Baptist Church in  Bridgeton pleaded guilty of abusing three male foster children. Chavalis T. Williams: In 2003, Williams was fired from the Shiloh Bapt…
'Remorseful' NJ Minister Released From Jail After Recording Sex Assault Of Teen Girl: Report 'Remorseful' NJ Minister Released From Jail After Recording Sex Assault Of Teen Girl: Report
'Remorseful' NJ Minister Released From Jail After Recording Sex Assault Of Teen Girl: Report A 54-year-old South Jersey minister who is a licensed family therapy and marriage counselor has been released from jail after being arrested for recording a video of a 15-year-old girl performing a sex act on him, NJ Advance Media reports. Bridgeton's Allahdjinn Wright can be seen touching the victim before unzipping his pants and pulling her head toward in in the video, apparently taken in his vehicle last month, the outlet says. The clip was discovered by a teen in his care. Wright initially denied being the person in the video but later admitted to it, and even expressed remorse. W…
Vineland Driver Admits Drinking, Going 90 MPH Crash That Killed Family Of 3: Report Vineland Driver Admits Drinking, Going 90 MPH Crash That Killed Family Of 3: Report
Vineland Driver Admits Drinking, Going 90 MPH Crash That Killed Family Of 3: Report A Vineland man has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in a crash that killed three members of another family, NJ Advance Media reports. Modesto Pino, 37, admitted he had been drinking and driving at speeds exceeding 90 mph when he slammed into an SUV driven by Iban Garcia-Ruiz, of Bridgeton, on Nov. 1, 2020, the outlet said. Garcia-Ruiz and his wife, Elisa Perez-Hernandez, 32, were pronounced dead at the crash scene. Their two children were hospitalized and one of them, 1-year-old Ivan, later died. Last September, Pino was indicted by a grand jury on 15 counts in connectio…
Missing South Jersey Man Found Dead Missing South Jersey Man Found Dead
Missing South Jersey Man Found Dead New Jersey State Police say the body of a man missing from Cumberland County has been found. "The body of Jonathan Morris II, 23, has been located and identified," Trooper Brandi Slota said Tuesday morning.   Morris had last been seen early Friday morning in the Bridgeton area, according to State Police. “NJSP Bridgeton Station considers him missing and possibly in harm’s way,” State Police had posted on social media. Morris reportedly went out with friends after work on Thursday night, and then communication suddenly stopped, his family said at a Sunday afternoon news conference in Hope…
Substitute Teacher Pay Rate Doubles Amid COVID Driven Staffing Shortages In This NJ District Substitute Teacher Pay Rate Doubles Amid COVID Driven Staffing Shortages In This NJ District
Substitute Teacher Pay Rate Doubles Amid COVID Driven Staffing Shortages In This NJ District Substitute teaching pay has more than doubled in a South Jersey school district this year due to staff shortages, NJ Advance Media repotted, citing school sources. When the Bridgeton school year began in September, subs were making just $90, the outlet said. Then, the daily pay rate for subs increased to $135 a day. The Bridgeton School Board recently voted to raise the daily pay rate for subs even higher: $200. Bridgeton High School closed on Dec. 10 due to not having enough substitutes to fill in for teachers who called out that day, among many schools plagued by the coronavirus, NJ…
Wawa To Break Ground In Sussex County Wawa To Break Ground In Sussex County
Wawa To Break Ground In Sussex County Wawa will be breaking ground in Sussex County on Dec. 10 for the opening of their newest location, NJ Advance Media reports. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Wawa will happen at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Route 15 and Route 206 in Frankford Township. The store will occupy the former space of The Chatterbox, an iconic New Jersey drive-in restaurant that shut down three years ago and was demolished in March 2021. The latest location for the convenience chain will be the first Wawa in Sussex County. It is expected to open in the summer of 2022 Wawa has seen a massive expansion o…
Hour Of Crime: Guns Seized, Stolen Cars Recovered In Linden Spree, Police Say Hour Of Crime: Guns Seized, Stolen Cars Recovered In Linden Spree, Police Say
Hour Of Crime: Guns Seized, Stolen Cars Recovered In Linden Spree, Police Say Linden police endured an hour of mayhem in late November resulting in the arrests of several teens for separate incidents of stolen vehicles and armed robberies, they said. The crime spree started a little after 8 p.m. on Nov. 29, when officers found an occupied stolen car parked on E. Elizabeth Ave near Zeigler Avenue, Police Chief David Hart said. As the officers approached the vehicle the driver, a 17-year-old male from Linden suddenly reversed and hit one of them with the door, before fleeing the scene. A second suspect, a 15-year-old male from Newark, was arrested at the scene. P…
Another Wawa Opens In NJ & More On The Way Another Wawa Opens In NJ & More On The Way
Another Wawa Opens In NJ & More On The Way After years of planning, a long-awaited New Jersey Wawa store is hours away from opening its doors. The Plainfield location will open at 1470 South Ave., at 8 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, NJ.com reports. Free T-shirts will be given to the first 100 customers, and all customers will get free coffee through Sunday, Dec. 5. The property sold last October for $8.8 million, according to the Kislak Company. The property includes 5,051 square feet of newly-constructed retail space on 1.71 acres and a triple net ground lease with Wawa that includes an initial 20-year term, multiple renewal opt…
NJ Driver Indicted In Crash That Killed Baby, Parents NJ Driver Indicted In Crash That Killed Baby, Parents
NJ Driver Indicted In Crash That Killed Baby, Parents A New Jersey driver was indicted by a grand jury on 15 counts in a crash that killed a baby and his parents last year. Modesto Pino was under the influence and speeding when he ran a stop sign in Vineland, colliding with an SUV on Nov. 1, 2020, authorities said. The occupants of the SUV were identified as Iban Garcia-Ruiz, 30, his wife, Elisa Perez-Hernandez, 32, and their two children, of Bridgeton, police said. The children were hospitalized with injuries suffered in the crash, and 1-year-old Ivan later died. More than $40,600 had been raised on a GoFundMe in memory of the fam…
Feds: Duo Caught With AR-Style Rifle, Clothing Used In Camden County Gas Station Robberies Feds: Duo Caught With AR-Style Rifle, Clothing Used In Camden County Gas Station Robberies
Feds: Duo Caught With Ar-style Rifle, Clothing Used In Camden County Gas Station Robberies Federal agents captured two men following a pair of Camden County gunpoint gas station robberies, authorities said. Paul Rogers, 27, and Kamau Bradshaw, 19, were both spotted after each robbery returning to a Camden residence with a large duffel bag, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Monday. Authorities armed with a warrant searched the residence and found an AR-style rifle believed used in both holdups, the duffel bag and other pieces of evidence, Honig said. Both Rogers and Bradshaw participated in the robbery of cash and cigarettes from a Pennsauken gas station last Tuesday, th…
Photo Progression Shows What Dulce Alavez Could Look Like Now Photo Progression Shows What Dulce Alavez Could Look Like Now
Photo Progression Shows What Dulce Alavez Could Look Like Now The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children released an age-progression photo of what New Jersey's Dulce Maria Alavez might look like now. The rendering was released on Wednesday, Sept. 15, two years after the then-5-year-old disappeared from Bridgeton City Park. Dulce was playing with her 3-year-old brother, Manuel, when she went missing on Sept. 16, 2019. Manuel told their mom in a nearby vehicle that her sister had disappeared while they were playing together near a storage building next to the playground. The NCIC released the rendering of what Dulce mig…