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36°
Wednesday, nov 27
Tag:
Patrick J. Callahan
Police & Fire
Barricaded Man In NJ Motel Wounds 2 NJ State Troopers With Airsoft Gun
An armed man who wounded two New Jersey State Police troopers with an airsoft gun during a lengthy standoff at a Sussex County motel was eventually taken alive, authorities said. Troopers were conducting a welfare check at the Cobmin Ridge Motel on Route 206 in Branchville, 10 or so miles from the Pennsylvania border, around 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, they said. Nicolas R. Martinez, 27, refused to leave a room he was staying in, according to a joint release from New Jersey State Police, the state Department of Law & Public Safety and the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office. Negotiations la…
Police & Fire
Hero
:
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Detective Sergeant Who Tracked Down Fugitive Florida Murderer Named Trooper Of Year
A multi-state manhunt for an armed fugitive wanted for brutally murdering his 67-year-old female neighbor in Florida ended in New Jersey thanks in large part to NJ State Police Detective Sgt. Michael Savnik. Savnik tracked down Esteban De Jesus Jr., who was shot and killed by U.S. Marshals in Jersey City this past summer, NJSP Col. Patrick J. Callahan said in presenting the sergeant with the agency’s prestigious 2023 "Trooper of the Year" Award. The highest honor bestowed by the NJSP to its members, the "Trooper of the Year" award is a gold-framed red ribbon that recipients wear on their Cl…
Police & Fire
Update
: South Jersey Ex-Con Who Shot
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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…
Police & Fire
26 Pounds Of Fentanyl Seized In Passaic: Twin North Bergen Brothers, Associate Charged
New Jersey State Police seized more than 26 pounds of fentanyl worth $1.2 million on the street while charging twin brothers from North Bergen and an associate with slinging the deadly drug from a township residence and an apartment in the city of Passaic. Detectives from NJSP Drug Trafficking North Unit raided drug dens in Passaic and Hudson counties following the arrest of Edwal Mercedes, 39, during a traffic stop, authorities said. Mercedes was carrying a bogus driver's license and more than $10,000 in suspected drug cash, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and NJSP Supt. Col. Patrick J…
News
'No Safety Without Trust': AG Takes Over Paterson PD, Pledges Changes In Mental Crisis Policing
“There is no safety without trust,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in announcing a state takeover of the day-to-day operations of the Paterson Police Department and plans to include mental health professionals in responses to barricaded individuals there and statewide. Experience has shown that both moves are absolutely necessary at the moment, the state’s top law enforcement officer said. “There is a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in this city,” Platkin said, speaking outside the Frank X. Graves Jr. Public Safety Complex on Broadway on March 27. “Under these ci…
News
NJ Attorney General To Take Over Paterson Police Operations, Live Stream Link Here
“There is no safety without trust,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in announcing a state takeover of the day-to-day operations of the Paterson Police Department and plans to include mental health professionals in responses to barricaded individuals there and statewide. Experience has shown that both moves are absolutely necessary at the moment, the state’s top law enforcement officer said. “There is a crisis of confidence in law enforcement in this city,” Platkin said, speaking outside the Frank X. Graves Jr. Public Safety Complex on Broadway on March 27. “Under these ci…
News
Abused Woman Held Captive By NJ Man During Year-Long Cross-Country Trip Escapes: Authorities
A South Jersey man kidnapped a woman in New Mexico, then held her hostage during a nearly year-long cross-country trip before she managed to escape, authorities said Friday. James W. Parrillo Jr., 57, may have done the same thing to other women in other states, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and State Police Supt. Colonel Patrick J. Callahan said in a joint statement on Feb. 17. Parillo was captured after the woman escaped from a residence in Bass Township where she’d been confined and fled to a nearby gas station, they said. Authorities charged Parillo with first-deg…
News
Human Trafficking: US Homeland Security Investigations,
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, Others Cite New Enforcement Tools
New ways of targeting and stopping human trafficking will be discussed by an elite group of federal, state and local law enforcement authorities in Newark on Wednesday, Jan. 25. U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Phillip R. Sellinger, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent In Charge Ricky J. Patel and Ali Boak, the director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking, will be among the speakers at the unique news media event. They will discuss joint efforts at fighting human trafficking by giving law enforcement at all levels the necessary tools – including a new mobile app and…
News
Road
Rage
: NYC Man Charged With Shooting NJ Driver Off Route 80 Captured By State Police, Feds
GOTCHA! A broad-daylight road-rage shooting on Route 80 led to the capture of a Manhattan man by federal marshals and New Jersey State Police, authorities said. Lamont Griffin, 22, opened fire and struck the 39-year-old driver from Newark twice in the area of Route 20 off the eastbound highway around 3:30 p.m. March 2, they said. The wounded victim was taken in a private vehicle to the A+ Urgent Care treatment center in Clifton before being transferred to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick…
News
Missing Underage NJ Girl Rescued From Sex Trafficking Trio
An underage girl who'd been reported missing was rescued from a trio of South Jersey human traffickers who were prostituting her, authorities said. Marquise Ogawa, 28, Chyaire Lee, 26, and Jazmin Scott, 21, all of Lawnside, were being held in the Camden County Correctional Facility in Camden, charged with various child prostitution, trafficking and endangerment counts. The victim was reported missing out of Voorhees in late October of last year, Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck and New Jersey State Police Supt. Col. Patrick J. Callahan said in a joint release Tuesday. Detectives fro…
News
Obsession Produces One Year Without Parole For
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Trooper Who Stalked Female Driver
A New Jersey state trooper is headed to prison for a plea-bargained 12 months without parole for stalking a female driver while on duty and disabling his dashcam to cover it up. Trooper Michael Patterson, 30, of Bayonne also forfeited his job -- and any future public employment in New Jersey -- as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty this summer to tampering with public records. Patterson admitted pulling the victim over twice and then following her home to hit on her in January 2020, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said. Patterson’s behavior “stands in stark contr…
Police & Fire
FBI Bust Nets 7 Arrests, 8 Illegal Weapons After Newark Shooting Spree: Police
Authorities recovered eight illegal weapons and arrested seven individuals in what Newark police are calling "an intense violence reduction operation." The FBI and the US Attorney General's Office were among the agencies deployed in the city's hotspots following four non-fatal shootings that injured eight people Tuesday, Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara said. According to O'Hara, the following arrests were made: Sabir Williams, 25, Mahdee S. Johnson, 24, and Safiatou Dieng, 23, all of Newark, were arrested Thursday on the 100 block of Goodwin Avenue. Police saw a hand-to-…
News
Motorcyclist Killed In Route 206 Crash Was
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Sgt., National Guardsman
The motorcyclist killed in a crash Tuesday on Route 206 has been identified as a New Jersey State Police sergeant and member of the US National Guard. Juan Fajardo, 41, of Columbus, was on his Ducati when he collided with a Ford Transit van around 4:15 p.m. near the Mansfield Square shopping center, Mansfield police said. Life saving measures performed by EMS and police officers were unsuccessful. Fajardo served with the New Jersey State Police for more than 16 years and was a member of the 139th State Police Class. He was also a distinguished member of the N.J. Army National Guard who…
News
Attention Centers On Accused Mastermind Of 84 Brazen Burglaries In Nine NJ Counties, Rockland
A Teaneck ex-con accused of leading a band of brazen burglars who committed no fewer than 84 broad-daylight break-ins throughout New Jersey and Rockland County could find two of them testifying against him if he goes to trial. Porsche Brown, 29, of Lodi, and Kay Brown, 23, of Paterson (no relation) took guilty pleas rather than take their chances with a jury. The likelihood that either or both could testify against him in exchange for leniency at sentencing could determine the course that Keith Perry, 38, takes in his defense. A grand jury this week indicted Perry on a host of charges, inc…
News
Obsession
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Trooper Headed To Prison For Stalking Female Driver
A New Jersey state trooper will be sentenced to a year without parole in state prison and lose his job after admitting that he stalked a female driver while on duty and disabled his dashcam to cover it up. Trooper Michael Patterson, 30, had pulled the victim over twice and then followed her home to hit on her, an indictment returned by a grand jury in Trenton had charged. Patterson took a deal from prosecutors and pleaded guilty Monday in Superior Court in New Brunswick to tampering with public records rather than risk trial, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said. In exch…
Police & Fire
Njsp
Lieutenant Dies Suddenly
The New Jersey State Police is mourning the loss of one of its own. Lt. Matthew Razukas, who worked in field operations, died on July 27, Col. Patrick J. Callahan announced. Raukas had served NJSP for more than 20 years and was a member of the 122nd State Police class. Razukas is survived by his wife, Lisette Razukas, as well as his four children. "The entire New Jersey State Police family and extended law enforcement community extends our deepest sympathy to the Razukas family during this difficult time," Callahan said. The cause of death was not made public.
News
Abducted NJ Toddler Found In Tennessee, Dad In Custody, Mom Remains Missing
A 2-year-old boy abducted by his dad was found unharmed in Tennessee while his mom remained missing as of Saturday morning, authorities in Union County said. Tyler Rios, 27, of Highland Park was arrested without incident, Acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Rahway Police Department Director Jonathan Parham said. Yasmine Uyar of Rahway, had yet to be found, they said. Rios was convicted of aggravated assault on a domestic violence victim and was placed on conditional probation out of Middlesex County just last year, court records show. A multi-agency investigation was la…
News
Indictment:
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Trooper Put Female Motorist In Fear By Stopping Her Twice, Following Her Home
A New Jersey state trooper accused of pulling over a female motorist twice and then following her home to hit on her was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in Trenton. Michael Patterson, 29, of Bayonne first the victim for an unspecified offense on the New Jersey Turnpike on Jan. 28, 2020, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. After letting her go with a warning, Paterson “conducted a second, unwarranted stop of her vehicle a few minutes later when she exited the Turnpike at Exit 11….in order to make unwanted advances on the woman,” Grewal said. Patterson “put the victim in fear by …
News
Indictment: Sex Offender, Felons Drove Unsafe Buses For NJ Company Without Checks, Drug Tests
A Paterson-based school bus company owner from Wayne and his manager hired criminals as drivers – including a registered sex offender – and covered it up, a state grand jury indictment charges. Shelim Khalique, the 52-year-old owner/operator of A-1 Elegant Tours on Paterson Street, and manager Henry Rhodes, 57, of Paterson, hired drivers without background checks or mandatory drug tests while operating unsafe buses, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. Personnel files seized in 2019 revealed that A-1 – which has serviced Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties -- employed several…
Police & Fire
Prosecutor Details How Driver Caused Deadly Parkway Crash Then Tried To Cover It Up
A 43-year-old Newark man has been charged with causing a deadly crash earlier this week on the Garden State Parkway then trying to cover up his role in it, authorities said. Ronaldo Godwin was heading southbound behind the wheel of a Range Rover when he struck a Lexus SUV driven by Christopher Meikle, of East Orange, at a high rate of speed around 2:45 a.m. Feb. 15, members of the Union County Prosecutors Office said. Responding New Jersey State troopers found 46-year-old Meikle's SUV engulfed in flames near the highway's center median shortly before 2:45 a.m. near mile marker 136 in …
News
Accused Murderers, Kidnapper, Rapist Among Violent Jersey Shore Fugitives Snared In Sweep
Violent fugitives wanted for murders, kidnapping and rape were among 14 targets arrested during a quick-strike State Police-led sweep in Ocean and Atlantic counties, authorities said. The New Jersey State Police Fugitive Unit coordinated the three day multi-agency sweep from Wednesday through Friday after identifying targets through a combination of detective work, patrol advisories and tips, they said. Joining NJSP detectives were members of the Atlantic City Violent Crime Task Force, K-9 Unit and Casino Operations Unit, along with: members of the U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fug…
Police & Fire
Morris County
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Recruit, 27, Dies At Hospital After Training Accident
A New Jersey State Police recruit from Morris County died Tuesday after going unconscious during a training exercise last week. Lucas C. Homeijer, of Boonton, was participating in an active countermeasures boxing exercise with another classmate at the State Police academy in Sea Girt Borough when he went unconscious on Wednesday, Nov. 25, NJSP Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan said in a release. Homeijer, a member of the 161st NJSP Academy Class, was treated by staff at the scene before being taken to a local hospital, where he later died, Callahan said. “Deeply saddened by the tr…
News
Authorities: Released Gun Offender Charged With Prostituting Girl, 16, At Trenton Hotel
A Trenton man who was released after he was caught with three handguns and a missing 16-year-old girl following a high-speed police chase and crash was charged with prostituting the underage teen at a local hotel, state authorities announced. Ronald D. Harris, 40, originally was arrested on weapons charges by Trenton police and New Jersey State Police in July, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Monday. Harris had fled a traffic stop, hitting an unmarked police vehicle with his car, running a red light and hitting speeds of up to 80 miles an hour before it slammed into a taxi,…
News
Racetrack Murders: Three Jersey City Men, Boy Charged With Slaying Early-20s Pair
UPDATE: Three Jersey City men and a 16-year-old boy were charged with two counts each of murder and more after two men were shot and killed Sunday night outside the Meadowlands Racetrack. A New Jersey State Police trooper was patrolling the complex when he heard gunshots in racetrack parking lot and saw three people run from the area and hop into an Audi SUV that sped off shortly before 9:30 p.m., authorities said Monday. The trooper radioed for backup and followed the vehicle, which had been reported stolen out of Tenafly, NJSP Col. Patrick J. Callahan and Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Mus…
Police & Fire
Mercer Man Who Had 3,000 Child Sex Abuse Images Gets 2½-Year State Prison Minimum
A Mercer County man must spend the next 2½ years in state prison before he’ll be eligible for parole for sharing images of child sex abuse. Herbert Bell, 58, of Ewing, was targeted by authorities after a State Police detective found 14 files of child sex abuse images shared from an IP address traced to him, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. Detectives with the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, assisted by other members of the New Jersey Regional ICAC Task Force took Bell into custody during a search of his home in August 2018. A search of a computer…
Police & Fire
State: Paterson School Bus Company Hired Criminal, Sex Offender Drivers, Ran Unsafe Buses
A Paterson-based school bus company owner from Wayne and his manager hired criminals as drivers – including a registered sex offender – and covered it up, state authorities charged. Shelim Khalique, the 51-year-old owner/operator of A-1 Elegant Tours on Paterson Street, and manager Henry Rhodes, 56, of Paterson, hired drivers without background checks or mandatory drug tests while operating unsafe buses, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. Personnel files seized last year revealed that A-1 – which has serviced Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties -- employed several drivers w…
Police & Fire
Weekend Crowds At Reopened NJ Parks, Beaches 'National Model' For Social Distancing
Even though reopened New Jersey parks and beaches were crowded over the weekend, state authorities reported "overwhelming compliance with social distancing rules." Although there were challenges, there were no notable law enforcement issues, and the re-opening of recreational areas came off pretty smoothly, they said Monday. “After a month of staying at home, it was no surprise that families needed some fun in the sun and quickly filled parks to capacity, creating challenges for law enforcement,” state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. “What is heartening is the overwhelming deg…
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