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Member Of Notorious Jersey City Street Gang Gets 7½ Years, No Parole, In Stabbing
UPDATE: A member of a ruthless Jersey City street gang must spend the next 7½ years in federal prison for stabbing a rival during an ambush.
Sheldon “Thottie” Mays, 23, was among eight members of a street gang at the Curries Woods public housing complex in Greenville who rolled up on the victim in two vehicles, seeking revenge for a previous incident, as he walked down a city street in August 2020.
The Tay Tay Shrimp Gang members parked in the middle of the street, hopped out and descended on the victim. They were punching and kicking him, authorities said, when Mays stabbed him, infli…
Sussex County Police Officer Stole $1.2K Item While On Duty: Prosecutor
A police officer in Sussex County has been charged in an on-duty theft, authorities said.
Konstantinos Protogeropoulos, 26, a Hardyston police officer, stole a "certain movable property valued at $1,225," Acting Sussex County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said.
Taggart did not say what the item was, but that he knowingly deprived that person thereof on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Protogeropoulos was charged with third-degree theft and second-degree official misconduct, Taggart said on Wednesday, Sept. 27.
'Distressing': Chess Club Teacher Sexually Assaulted North Jersey Student, Authorities Say
Matthew Swajkowski, a 36-year-old Verona resident and teacher, was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a student, prosecutors said.
Swajkowski oversaw the chess club at Verona High School and the victim was a member of the club, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said.
Police began investigating Swajkowski in July and determined he engaged in sexual conduct with the minor and also gave them alcohol, Stephens said. Swajkowski was arrested on Friday, Sept. 22, Stephens said.
Prosecutors did not say how old the victim is, but noted "while the ag…
Former Employees Forged Over $65K In Checks From Somerset County Contracting Firm: Prosecutor
Two former workers at a contracting firm in Somerset County were arrested for allegedly forging checks from their employer and making more than $65,000 in unauthorized purchases.
Carlos R. Escobar, 38, of Jefferson Avenue in North Plainfield, and Ciro A. Saenz-Puentes, 44, of Remson Avenue in New Brunswick, were each charged with theft by deception, forgery, and uttering a false document, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said in a release on Monday, Sept. 25.
Escobar and Saenz-Puentes became the center of an investigation when the owner of the contracting company they were former…
Pedestrian, 18, Killed As Nissan Crosses Double Yellow Lines On Rt. 202, Veers Onto Sidewalk
An 18-year-old was walking on the sidewalk of Route 202 when he was struck and killed by a Nissan that veered off the roadway over the weekend, authorities said.
Bedminster Township Police responded to the crash on Route 202 near Elm Street in Bedminster around 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, the department said.
Investigators say a 35-year-old Flemington man was heading westbound in a 2017 Nissan Maxima when the vehicle strayed from its lane, crossed the double-yellow line, and veered off the roadway before hitting William Richardson, a pedestrian on the sidewalk.
Richardson, 18, of Bedm…
Pedestrian, 67, Critically Hurt In Hackettstown Pickup Truck Crash
A 67-year-old man remains in critical condition after being struck by a pickup truck in Hackettstown, police said.
Hackettstown Police were called to the access road near Wendy’s on Mountain Avenue around 4:45 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, the department said.
Investigators say a 59-year-old Oxford Township man was behind the wheel of a Chevy pickup making a left turn onto the access road from the Wendy’s parking lot when he struck the victim, who was crossing the road.
The pedestrian, of Wildwood, Florida, suffered serious injuries and was flown to Morristown Medical Center, where he r…
Lyndhurst Police Lieutenant Busts Pair In MV Stop
A Lyndhurst police lieutenant out on patrol found an unlicensed driver wanted on multiple warrants and a passenger carrying Ecstasy, authorities said.
Lt. Paul Haggerty stopped their 1997 Ford Explorer – which had a cracked windshield and no front license plate -- at the corner of Ridge Road and Page Avenue, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said.
Officers James Colacci and Brian Kapp arrived soon after, he said.
The driver, Kevin Martinez, 25, of Newark, had outstanding warrants out of Toms River and Newark, the lieutenant said.
His passenger, Sarah Hicks, 24, was caught with Ecstasy, Auteri …
Door-To-Door Contractors Bilk North Jersey Victim Out Of $125K: Police
A pair of door-to-door contractors were arrested after police say they scammed a North Jersey woman out of $125,000.
The victim hired Patrick O'Doherty and Anthony Doherty to repair to sets of concrete steps for $3,800, paid in full in advance, on Aug. 20, Bloomfield police said.
Once the demolition began on the steps, Doherty and O'Doherty would show up sporadically, usually in the late afternoon hours, to do more demolition work.
The problem was, though, every time they came, they'd perform more demolition work and ask for more money — never repairing the actual steps, police said.
The …
