Fair 25°
Schools
Disturbing Details Released In Atlantic City Teacher Accused Of Relationship With Student Disturbing Details Released In Atlantic City Teacher Accused Of Relationship With Student
Disturbing Details Released In Atlantic City Teacher Accused Of Relationship With Student Disturbing details have been revealed in the arrest of an Atlantic City high school teacher accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a former student. Joseph A. Scalfaro, 47, of Absecon, allegedly sent the 17-year-old girl coded messages, kissed her in his classroom, NJ Advance Media reports citing court papers. He apparently checked into the Quality Inn in Galloway on March 8, where she joined him, the affidavit of probable cause says. The ten reported the relationship to authorities on Sept. 20. Scalfaro, a social studies teacher at the Atlantic City High Schoo…

SHARE

by Jon Craig & Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Longtime NJ Police Communication Officer Stole, Resold More Than $250K In Equipment: Prosecutor Longtime NJ Police Communication Officer Stole, Resold More Than $250K In Equipment: Prosecutor
Longtime NJ Police Communication Officer Stole, Resold More Than $250K In Equipment: Prosecutor A 21-year New Jersey police department communications officer was charged after allegedly stealing more than $250,000 worth of equipment and shipping it countrywide for personal gain. Eric Coran, 41, of Medford, was charged with second-degree official misconduct, multiple counts of theft, criminal computer activity and impersonation, and second-degree money laundering, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri said in a joint release on Friday, August 12. Coran, a communications officer for the Robbinsville Township Police Department since 2002, was terminated as the charges were issue…

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
News
Video Shows Now-Former Paterson Officer Beating Defenseless Suspect, Prosecutor Says Video Shows Now-Former Paterson Officer Beating Defenseless Suspect, Prosecutor Says
Video Shows Now-Former Paterson Officer Beating Defenseless Suspect, Prosecutor Says Body camera video proves that a now-former Paterson police officer beat a defenseless suspect with a flashlight and kneed him in the face in an apartment hallway, a grand jury indictment charges. Spencer Finch, 45, of Mahwah filed an official report maintaining that he needed to use force against what he claimed was a combative suspect, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. The video from a fellow officer’s bodycam tells a different story, Valdes added. Finch – who was with the department for nearly 18 years -- is charged with aggravated assault, official misconduct, perjury, t…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Off-Duty Son, Lieutenant Dad Indicted In Fatal Parkway Crash, Charges Dropped Against Mom Off-Duty Son, Lieutenant Dad Indicted In Fatal Parkway Crash, Charges Dropped Against Mom
Off-Duty Son, Lieutenant Dad Indicted In Fatal Parkway Crash, Charges Dropped Against Mom An off-duty Newark police officer, his father and his cousin were indicted by a grand jury on charges of trying to conceal the death of a pedestrian struck on the Garden State Parkway last year, authorities said. Charges against the young officer's mother, however, have been dropped. Louis A. Santiago, 25, was staring at a cellphone when his Honda Accord drifted onto the shoulder and struck Damian Z. Dymka, a 29-year-old nurse from Garfield, near Exit 151 in Bloomfield around 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2021, they alleged. What Dymka was doing on the parkway shoulder, particularly at that time, was…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Ocean City Beach Patrol Member, Teacher Nabbed For Sex Abuse After Social Media Tip: Prosecutor Ocean City Beach Patrol Member, Teacher Nabbed For Sex Abuse After Social Media Tip: Prosecutor
Ocean City Beach Patrol Member, Teacher Nabbed For Sex Abuse After Social Media Tip: Prosecutor A 40-year-old former member of the Ocean City Beach Patrol has been arrested on sexual abuse charges, authorities said. Police were first tipped off to the alleged crimes through social media posts, according to Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and Chief Paul Skill of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office. Arrested was Jonathan C. Howell of Marmora, they said. Howell is currently employed as a teacher by the Pleasantville School District, they said. On Thursday, June 2, Howell was taken into custody without incident by members of the Cape May County Prosecutor'…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Mayor Of Jersey Shore Town Pocketed Parking Meter Money, Sold Borough Furniture: Prosecutor Mayor Of Jersey Shore Town Pocketed Parking Meter Money, Sold Borough Furniture: Prosecutor
Mayor Of Jersey Shore Town Pocketed Parking Meter Money, Sold Borough Furniture: Prosecutor A mayor from a Jersey Shore town has been charged with official misconduct and theft for pocketing parking meter money and selling borough furniture, authorities said. Authorities did not detail the value of the cash and other proceeds allegedly stolen by Paul Kennedy, 66, who serves as the mayor of Ocean Gate. These charges are the result of an extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Professional Standards/Corruption Unit and Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Squad, according to Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. The investigati…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
News
Phillipsburg HS Teacher Admits Threatening To Leak ‘Embarrassing’ Info For Tenure Vote Phillipsburg HS Teacher Admits Threatening To Leak ‘Embarrassing’ Info For Tenure Vote
Phillipsburg HS Teacher Admits Threatening To Leak ‘Embarrassing’ Info For Tenure Vote A former Phillipsburg High School teacher admitted in court Wednesday to threatening to reveal “embarrassing” information about another employee in order to influence his tenure vote. George Chilmonik, 75, made threats to leak embarrassing information unless an official with the school district “took action consistent with their demands to influence a tenure vote,” Warren County Prosecutor James L. Pfeiffer said. Chilmonik, of Bethlehem, PA, pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct and will be entered into a pre-trial intervention program as a result of …

SHARE

by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Police Officer Brought Bergen Nurse's Body Home To Mom After Killing Him On Parkway: Prosecutor Police Officer Brought Bergen Nurse's Body Home To Mom After Killing Him On Parkway: Prosecutor
Police Officer Brought Bergen Nurse's Body Home To Mom After Killing Him On Parkway: Prosecutor A police officer was arrested for attempting to hide the body of a 29-year-old nurse who he struck and killed on the Garden State Parkway, authorities said. Louis Santiago, 25, an officer in Newark, was off duty when he swerved into the right shoulder and struck Damian Z. Dymka, of Garfield, on the northbound side of the parkway near Exit 151 around 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said. Neither Santiago nor his passenger, Albert Guzman, 25, of Newark, called 911 and instead, put Dymka's body in the back of Santiago's 2005 Honda Accord, Stephens sai…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Correctional Officer Charged With Raping Female Inmate NJ Correctional Officer Charged With Raping Female Inmate
NJ Correctional Officer Charged With Raping Female Inmate A correctional officer from Jersey City was arrested Wednesday and charged with raping an inmate at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women. Tyrell Harris-McLaughlin, 28, was charged with sexual assault and official misconduct in connection with the Sept. 16 incident at the troubled Union Township state prison, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck and Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said in a joint release. The charges were filed during an investigation by Bruck’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Off…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Jersey City Teacher, 68, Charged With Sexually Assaulting More Students Jersey City Teacher, 68, Charged With Sexually Assaulting More Students
Jersey City Teacher, 68, Charged With Sexually Assaulting More Students A 68-year-old teacher from Hudson County is facing additional and upgraded charges in the sexual assaults of two students, authorities said. Apparao Sunkara was arrested at his Hicksville, Long Island home on March 16, and charged with abusing an 11-year-old victim at the Infinity Institute, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Sunkara was indicted this week by a Hudson County Grand Jury for sexually assault a total of three female students, all ages 11 and 12 years old at the time of the assaults, Suarez said. The Grand Jury indictment upgraded Sunkara's charges from 201…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
News
Judge To Decide Holding Or Releasing Paterson Police Officer Charged With Assault, Misconduct Judge To Decide Holding Or Releasing Paterson Police Officer Charged With Assault, Misconduct
Judge To Decide Holding Or Releasing Paterson Police Officer Charged With Assault, Misconduct UPDATE: A judge in Paterson will decide Wednesday whether a city police officer charged with assaulting a victim and lying about it should remain jailed or be released from custody. Spencer Finch, 44, of Mahwah has been held in the Bergen County Jail since Friday, records show. The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office charged him with aggravated assault, official misconduct and illegal weapons possession, as well as tampering with public records.  Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said the 18-year city department veteran beat a victim with his fist and a flashlight and kn…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
News
Paterson Police Officer Charged With Assault, Misconduct Paterson Police Officer Charged With Assault, Misconduct
Paterson Police Officer Charged With Assault, Misconduct A Paterson police officer beat a victim with his fist and a flashlight, kneed him in the face, then filed a bogus report about it, authorities charged. Spencer Finch, 44, of Mahwah assaulted the victim on May 26, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said Friday without identifying where or under what circumstances. “The aggravated assault took place while the defendant was on-duty and in uniform,” Valdes said. “The defendant then prepared, signed, and submitted a police report describing the incident that contained several false statements,” she added. A first appearance via v…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco