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U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp

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NJ Data Analyst Admits Trafficking Child Porn NJ Data Analyst Admits Trafficking Child Porn
NJ Data Analyst Admits Trafficking Child Porn A data analyst from Somerset County admitted in federal court in Trenton on Thursday that he trafficked videos and other images of child pornography. Marcevan Manasse, 28, of Somerville, was nabbed following an undercover operation, authorities said. Detectives accessed five video files and 11 images containing child sexual abuse from an IP address at Manasse’s home, a complaint on file in U.S. District Court in Trenton says. The files included “multiple visual depictions of pre-pubescent children being sexually abused by adults” that he ended up sharing over the course of more than two ye…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Ex-Con At Morris County Pharmacy Admits Bribing Jersey City Docs For $2.4M In 'Script Business Ex-Con At Morris County Pharmacy Admits Bribing Jersey City Docs For $2.4M In 'Script Business
Ex-Con At Morris County Pharmacy Admits Bribing Jersey City Docs For $2.4M In 'Script Business A former Morris County pharmacist once convicted of selling oxycodone without prescriptions admitted masterminding a kickback scheme that steered $2.4 million worth of business to his new employer, federal authorities said. Srinivasa Raju, 51, of Haskell, began the new scam at another Morris County pharmacy after serving three years probation -- and losing his pharmacist's license -- following his 2016 state conviction. SEE: Jurors Convict Clifton Pharmacist In Oxycodone Scheme While in that job, Raju "worked with other pharmacy personnel to pay kickbacks and bribes to medical employees in…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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GUILTY: Jurors Convict Jersey Shore Porn Collector Who Threw Devices Into Creek To Avoid FBI GUILTY: Jurors Convict Jersey Shore Porn Collector Who Threw Devices Into Creek To Avoid FBI
Guilty: Jurors Convict Jersey Shore Porn Collector Who Threw Devices Into Creek To Avoid FBI A man who threw an iPad and iPhone containing child pornography into a Jersey Shore creek – only to have a drone help the FBI find them -- was convicted by federal jurors of several related charges. Charles F. Browne, 52, of South River, became a target of investigators after officials at Dropbox Inc. tipped them off, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. The FBI obtained the uploaded files, which included Browne’s resume along with images of prepubescent children being sexually abused, the U.S. attorney said. Investigators approached Browne in April 2019 as he left his then-home in…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Feds: NJ Ex-Con Caught With 33 Guns, High-Capacity Mags, Silencer, Ammo Takes Plea Feds: NJ Ex-Con Caught With 33 Guns, High-Capacity Mags, Silencer, Ammo Takes Plea
Feds: NJ Ex-Con Caught With 33 Guns, High-Capacity Mags, Silencer, Ammo Takes Plea UPDATE: A South Jersey ex-con found with dozens of guns, high-capacity magazines and ammo admitted having others buy guns for him, federal authorities said. Darick Nollett, 32, who lives in Cumberland County near the Delaware Bay, caught the attention of law enforcement when he bought a “fuel filter” – a device commonly used to silence firearms -- from China, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. As a convicted felon, Nollett was prohibited from having weaponry, Honig said. So he got straw purchasers to buy guns for him, she said. A court-approved search of his Heislerville home in …

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Hudson Doctor's Employee Admits Role In $24.8M Kickback Scheme Hudson Doctor's Employee Admits Role In $24.8M Kickback Scheme
Hudson Doctor's Employee Admits Role In $24.8M Kickback Scheme UPDATE: Dominoes continued to fall in the federal takedown of a $24.8 million kickback scheme when a Jersey City woman who worked for a local doctor took a plea deal. Yudelka “Vicky” Ayala, 42, admitted conspiring with six co-defendants associated with the now-defunct Prime Aid Pharmacy in Union City to boost prescription sales through kickbacks and bribes to health care professionals in New Jersey and New York. Prime Aid, which also had a location in the Bronx, processed expensive medications used to treat various conditions, including Hepatitis C, Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Armed Wayne Man Who Terrorized Couple At Delaware Water Gap Headed To Federal Prison Armed Wayne Man Who Terrorized Couple At Delaware Water Gap Headed To Federal Prison
Armed Wayne Man Who Terrorized Couple At Delaware Water Gap Headed To Federal Prison UPDATE: A Wayne man must spend more than a year and a half in federal prison for an assault and fierce struggle that occurred after he pulled a pellet gun on a couple who'd been swimming at the Delaware Water Gap. Jeffrey A. Mulcahy, 59, must serve just about all of the 21-month sentence he received Tuesday because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Mulcahy took a deal from the government rather than face trial, admitting last fall that he assaulted the couple in the Kittatinny Point area on the New Jersey side of the river in September 2019. Mulcahy initially walked off after…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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NJ Tax Preparer Gets 5 Years In Fed Pen For $1.6M IRS Scam NJ Tax Preparer Gets 5 Years In Fed Pen For $1.6M IRS Scam
NJ Tax Preparer Gets 5 Years In Fed Pen For $1.6M IRS Scam A twice-convicted tax preparer who helped New Jersey clients scam the IRS out of $1.6 million is headed to federal prison for the next five years. Joseph Kenny Batts, 52, of Elkridge, MD became the third of five men sentenced for preparing bogus tax returns at Tax Pro’s and Tax Solutions & Associates in Essex and Union counties. Batts, who already had a federal tax fraud conviction on his record, was the only one of the group to go to trial. U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp convicted him of conspiracy to defraud the United States, as well as five counts of aiding in preparing fals…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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NJ Feds: Oxy Doc Admits Trading Drugs For Sex NJ Feds: Oxy Doc Admits Trading Drugs For Sex
NJ Feds: Oxy Doc Admits Trading Drugs For Sex A Staten Island doctor who saw patients from New Jersey admitted deliberately keeping some of them hooked by trading opioids for sex, federal authorities said. Joseph Santiamo, 65, “knowingly prescribed dangerous quantities of oxycodone – and, even more egregiously, solicited sexual favors from certain patients” in exchange for writing them additional opioid scripts, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Wednesday. Although he specialized in geriatric care, many of Santiamo's patients were "well under 40 years old" and "dealing with pain and addiction,” Carpenito said. Others didn’t even have…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Wayne Man Admits Assaulting Swimmer With Pellet Gun In Fierce Struggle At Delaware Water Gap Wayne Man Admits Assaulting Swimmer With Pellet Gun In Fierce Struggle At Delaware Water Gap
Wayne Man Admits Assaulting Swimmer With Pellet Gun In Fierce Struggle At Delaware Water Gap A Wayne man admitted in federal court Thursday that he pulled a gun on a couple who'd been swimming in the Delaware Water Gap and hit one of them with it before trying to tie the victim up. Jeffrey A. Mulcahy, 58, approached the couple in the Kittatinny Point area on the New Jersey side of the river on Sept. 2, 2019 and began talking to them about fishing, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. He left and then returned holding a can of beer and acting agitated, the U.S. attorney said. After the two got out of the water, Mulcahy pulled a pellet gun from his waistband, pointed it at the man an…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ Man Who Vowed To Shoot Pro-Israel Demonstrators, Bomb Trump Tower Admits Supporting Hamas NJ Man Who Vowed To Shoot Pro-Israel Demonstrators, Bomb Trump Tower Admits Supporting Hamas
NJ Man Who Vowed To Shoot Pro-Israel Demonstrators, Bomb Trump Tower Admits Supporting Hamas A Somerset County man who told Instagram followers he was wanted to shoot or run down pro-Israel demonstrators and bomb Trump Tower admitted Tuesday that he secretly supported Hamas. Jonathan Xie, 21, of Basking Ridge admitted during a video conference with a federal judge in Trenton that he wired $100 via Moneygram to a purported member of the Al-Qassam Brigades, a faction of Hamas that has conducted suicide bombings and other attacks on civilians inside Israel, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “Just donated $100 to Hamas,” Xie posted to his Instagram account. “Pretty sure it was illega…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Former Elizabeth Restaurant Owner Admits Stiffing IRS Of Nearly $200,000 Former Elizabeth Restaurant Owner Admits Stiffing IRS Of Nearly $200,000
Former Elizabeth Restaurant Owner Admits Stiffing IRS Of Nearly $200,000 The former owner of an Elizabeth restaurant admitted ducking nearly $200,000 in federal income taxes from the business. Omar Rodriguez, 49, who owned Mojito’s Lounge on Bayview Avenue, told a federal judge in Trenton on Wednesday that he “skimmed a substantial portion of [gross cash receipts] for his personal use, which he did not report as income, and to pay Mojito’s employees and suppliers in cash,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Between 2015 and 2017, Rodriguez, of Parlin, received more than $844,000 in income from Mojito’s that he failed to report to the IRS, Carpenito said. Of th…

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by Jerry DeMarco