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Police & Fire
Bulging Crack Pipe In Man's Sock Leads To Cocaine Seizure In Somerset County: Prosecutor Bulging Crack Pipe In Man's Sock Leads To Cocaine Seizure In Somerset County: Prosecutor
Bulging Crack Pipe In Man's Sock Leads To Cocaine Seizure In Somerset County: Prosecutor An odd-shaped bulge in a business patron's sock spotted by a police officer turned out to be a crack pipe, said authorities in Somerset County who also seized several vials of cocaine from him. A Branchburg officer was outside of a local business speaking to Diego Mena-Quesada, when he noticed the protrusion in his sock around 11 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. The officer identified the bulge as being consistent with the shape of a crack pipe, at which point 28-year-old Mena-Quesada, of Whitehouse Station, removed a crack pipe from his soc…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Random License Plate Check Nabs Fugitive With Cocaine, Heroin On Route 22: Authorities Random License Plate Check Nabs Fugitive With Cocaine, Heroin On Route 22: Authorities
Random License Plate Check Nabs Fugitive With Cocaine, Heroin On Route 22: Authorities A 48-year-old driver subject to a random license plate check by Branchburg police turned out to be wanted to failing to show up in court and had cocaine, heroin and Xanax on him and in his car, authorities said. A township officer patrolling Route 22 scanned John W. Hartrum's plates, which showed an active National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant around 11:50 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 15, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. The officer stopped 58-year-old Hartrum, of Bridgewater, for a traffic violation on Route 22 West approaching France Drive, where the officer …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Central Jersey Man Charged With Knifepoint Rape At State Park, Other Sex Attacks: Prosecutor Central Jersey Man Charged With Knifepoint Rape At State Park, Other Sex Attacks: Prosecutor
Central Jersey Man Charged With Knifepoint Rape At State Park, Other Sex Attacks: Prosecutor A 38-year-old man from Somerset County has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint in a state park and other alleged attacks. A Middlesex County attack occurred at the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park on the border of Plainsboro and South Brunswick Townships on September 28, 2021, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, Chief Fred Tavener of the Plainsboro Police Department, and Chief Raymond Hayducka of the South Brunswick Police Department Rogelio Calyeca Postrero, of Raritan, was charged with the alleged rape, they said.…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Gas Station Fight Leads To Attempted Murder Charge For Somerset Man: Prosecutor Gas Station Fight Leads To Attempted Murder Charge For Somerset Man: Prosecutor
Gas Station Fight Leads To Attempted Murder Charge For Somerset Man: Prosecutor A 32-year-old Somerset man has been charged with attempted murder when a gas station fight turned into a stabbing last month, authorities said. After Matthew B. Hall and the victim shoved each other, Hall went to his car at some point during the 12:30 a.m. argument in Franklin Township to get a weapon on July 23, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Hall tried hitting the victim with the weapon, and the victim tried to drive away, but was followed by Hall, McDonald said. Hall apparently stabbed the victim while sitting at a traffic light at Demott Lane and Easton…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Central Jersey Man Sexually Assaulted Girl, 12, He Met Online: Prosecutor Central Jersey Man Sexually Assaulted Girl, 12, He Met Online: Prosecutor
Central Jersey Man Sexually Assaulted Girl, 12, He Met Online: Prosecutor A 20-year-old Somerset County man was arrested for sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl he met online, authorities said. The victim on July 26 told police she met an unknown male, later identified as Lenic S. Galvin, of Bound Brook, on social media before he arranged for the victim to be brought to his home, where he sexually assaulted her, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Galvin was arrested the following day on charges of aggravated sexual assault and more. He was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing. Anyone with information relating …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Somerset County Man Busted With Stolen, Loaded Handgun Leads Cops On Chase: Prosecutor Somerset County Man Busted With Stolen, Loaded Handgun Leads Cops On Chase: Prosecutor
Somerset County Man Busted With Stolen, Loaded Handgun Leads Cops On Chase: Prosecutor A Somerset County man who was busted with a stolen, loaded handgun during an argument later led police on a chase as they were attempting to take him into custody, authorities said. Officers responding to a verbal dispute at a home on Burnt Mills Road found a handgun in an open lunchbox belonging to Jorge L. Mercado, 24, of Branchburg around 6:40 a.m. on Thursday, July 21, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said in a release alongside local officials on Wednesday, July 27. The weapon had allegedly been stolen out of Williamsport, PA, and was loaded with a large-capacity magazine wi…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Driver Wanted On Warrants Leads Route 202 Pursuit-Crash: Prosecutor Driver Wanted On Warrants Leads Route 202 Pursuit-Crash: Prosecutor
Driver Wanted On Warrants Leads Route 202 Pursuit-Crash: Prosecutor A 25-year-old woman wanted on warrants out of multiple Central Jersey towns arrested for leading a Route 202 police pursuit before crashing, authorities said. Police tried stopping Jerrie Lee Williams, of Bound Brook, around 11:05 p.m. in Branchburg when they noticed she had an expired registration, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Williams failed to stop when signaled by the officer activating his emergency police lights and siren, McDonald said. Instead, she fled on Holland Brook Road at a high rate of speed.  The officer deactivated his police emergency l…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Highland Park Man Fires Gun At Manville Intersection: Prosecutor Highland Park Man Fires Gun At Manville Intersection: Prosecutor
Highland Park Man Fires Gun At Manville Intersection: Prosecutor A Middlesex County man was arrested for firing a weapon in Somerset County this week, authorities said. Police responding to the area of South Street and South 3rd Avenue in Manville on Tuesday, June 28 identified Emmanuel Williams, 23, of Highland Park, as one of the shooters, Somerset County Acting Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said. No injuries were reported, and Williams was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and weapons offenses. He was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing. Detectives from the Manville Police Department and detectives from th…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Somerset County Man Busted On Child Porn Charges Somerset County Man Busted On Child Porn Charges
Somerset County Man Busted On Child Porn Charges A 33-year-old Somerset County man was arrested on child porn charges, authorities said. A search of devices at Jason O'Hare's Lake Road home in Far Hills the morning of May 25 turned up  numerous sexually explicit images of children under the age of 18, Somerset County Acting Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said. Detectives were tipped off to an apparent upload of images of sexual exploitation or abuse of a child by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).  O’Hare was arrested without incident at his house and charged with 2nd degree Distribution…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Somerset County Man, 24, Nabbed In Home And Vehicle Burglaries: Prosecutor Somerset County Man, 24, Nabbed In Home And Vehicle Burglaries: Prosecutor
Somerset County Man, 24, Nabbed In Home And Vehicle Burglaries: Prosecutor A 24-year-old Somerset County man accused of a string of home and car burglaries is facing various charges, authorities said. Jason M. Milak was seen driving a work van before burglarizing a home on River Road in Branchburg Township on Monday, May 9, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said in a release alongside local officials on Wednesday, June 22. A month later, Milak, of Branchburg, was scared off by a resident of Cedar Grove Road who claimed that he had tried to break into a parked vehicle shortly before 3:30 a.m. Meanwhile, a second resident’s vehicle was burglarized …

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
NJ Man, 23, Charged In Unprovoked Stabbing — Again NJ Man, 23, Charged In Unprovoked Stabbing — Again
NJ Man, 23, Charged In Unprovoked Stabbing — Again A 23-year-old New Jersey man who made headlines last year for his involvement in a stabbing was arrested and charged in a nearly identical crime, authorities announced. Safi N. Hill was arrested and charged with first-degree attempted murder, hindering, and weapons offenses, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said in a release alongside local officials on Friday, May 6. According to investigators, Hill approached a Hillsborough man walking his dog near 9th Street and Clawson Avenue before stabbing him several times in the back around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4. Hill was ide…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Central Jersey Man Sent Out Child Porn: Authorities Central Jersey Man Sent Out Child Porn: Authorities
Central Jersey Man Sent Out Child Porn: Authorities A 60-year-old Somerset County man was arrested on child porn charges, authorities said. Gary J. Babey, of Hillsborough, sent numerous images of child sexual abuse material to another individual, Acting Somerset County Prosecutor Annmarie Taggart said. The investigation stemmed from a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Babey was arrested on Monday, May 2 and charged with multiple child porn offenses. He was lodged in the Somerset County Jail where he will remain pending a detention hearing in this matter Acting Prosecutor Taggart, Chief …

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by Cecilia Levine