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Department of Justice

'Unconstitutional:' Feds Slam Trenton Police For Excessive Force, Illegal Stops 'Unconstitutional:' Feds Slam Trenton Police For Excessive Force, Illegal Stops
'Unconstitutional:' Feds Slam Trenton Police For Excessive Force, Illegal Stops Federal investigators have accused the Trenton Police Department (TPD) of widespread civil rights violations, including excessive force and illegal arrests, calling the department’s practices “unconstitutional” in a damning report released Thursday, Nov. 21. The Department of Justice (DOJ) found that TPD officers routinely stopped and searched individuals without reasonable suspicion, made arrests without probable cause, and escalated encounters with excessive force.  These practices, compounded by poor training, inadequate oversight, and a lack of accountability, have eroded community…
FBI Thwarts Iran-Linked Plan To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says FBI Thwarts Iran-Linked Plan To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says
FBI Thwarts Iran-Linked Plan To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says An Iranian operative and two associates living in America have been charged in a murder-for-hire plot targeting United States citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump. Federal authorities have charged Farhad Shakeri, an alleged operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with two New York City associates in a plot to assassinate a US citizen critical of the Iranian government.  The case highlights the continued threat posed by Iran’s attempts to silence dissidents and even target top US. officials. According to the Department of Justice criminal complai…
Convicted MS-13 Killer Sentenced In NJ Murder Plot Convicted MS-13 Killer Sentenced In NJ Murder Plot
Convicted MS-13 Killer Sentenced In NJ Murder Plot 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A member of an MS-13 clique who just began serving 40 years in federal prison for a murder in Virginia was sentenced to 10 years for his role in a failed plot to kill a rival in Hudson County. The plea-bargained sentence approved by a federal judge in Newark on Thursday, March 21, won’t require Jose Gimenez-Lobos, a 33-year-old Salvadoran national, to serve more time. It will run concurrently. Gimenez-Lobos and two companions were ordered by a high-ranking member of La Mara Salvatrucha to execute a member of the rival 18th Street gang from the Maryland/Virginia area, U.S. Attorney …
George Santos Is Out: Here's How NJ Delegates Voted George Santos Is Out: Here's How NJ Delegates Voted
George Santos Is Out: Here's How NJ Delegates Voted New Jersey's congressional delegation all shared the same sentiment when it comes to Rep. George Santos. They wanted him out, and they got it. The serial fabulist (R-Long Island) was expelled by the US House 311-114, with all 12 New Jersey representatives, including three Republicans, voting in favor of his ouster. The resolution required a two-thirds majority vote in order to pass. Santos was expelled amid mounting accusations of criminality. He is only the sixth member of Congress to be expelled in American history. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis), Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) and Ch…
$550M Sought From Thieves In Federal Catalytic Converter Crackdown $550M Sought From Thieves In Federal Catalytic Converter Crackdown
$550M Sought From Thieves In Federal Catalytic Converter Crackdown Catalytic converter thieves across the US could soon have to cough up $550 million as part of a federal, state and local crackdown on the thefts and resales that turned a massive profit, authorities announced. The Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, Nov. 2 that it will be seeking forfeiture from those responsible for the trend of vehicle parts being stolen and resold for massive profits. In total, 21 people in five states have been charged following busts, searches, and seizures in the following states, according to the DOJ: California; Oklahoma; Wyoming; Minnesota; New Jersey;…
4,000 Beagles Rescued From Research Facility Approved By Judge For Adoption 4,000 Beagles Rescued From Research Facility Approved By Judge For Adoption
4,000 Beagles Rescued From Research Facility Approved By Judge For Adoption Thousands of beagles who were mistreated at a Virginia breeding and research facility are one step closer to finding a happy home.  The Department of Justice approved the adoption of 4,000 beagles from Envigo, the company that kept the dogs in horrific conditions while using them for research. Adopted BeagleVirginia Coalition For Beagle Protection Facebook Page This story came to light in 2021, when PETA investigated Envigo for its brutal mistreatment of the animals. Some of the mistreatment PETA observed at Envigo included: Puppies and their mothers sprayed with a high pressured hos…
Trump DOJ Lawyer Forced To Stand Outside In Boxers During Humiliating Raid: CNN Trump DOJ Lawyer Forced To Stand Outside In Boxers During Humiliating Raid: CNN
Trump DOJ Lawyer Forced To Stand Outside In Boxers During Humiliating Raid: CNN Police forced a former Department of Justice lawyer for President Donald Trump to stand outside in his underwear while they raided his home last month, video obtained by CNN shows.  Wearing his underwear and a button down shirt, Jeffrey Clark asked agents at the door of his Fairfax County home if he could call his lawyer, put on pants or stand in his garage, the footage shows. “We’re gonna clear the house, and as soon as we clear the house, we’ll get you talking to your lawyer and we’ll get some pants on, okay?" one of the agents told him in the video. They did allow Clark to stand b…
Bergen County's Bill Hwang Arrested By Feds In Billion-Dollar Stock Manipulation Scheme Bergen County's Bill Hwang Arrested By Feds In Billion-Dollar Stock Manipulation Scheme
Bergen County's Bill Hwang Arrested By Feds In Billion-Dollar Stock Manipulation Scheme Four people including a Bergen County resident have been arrested and charged for their alleged roles in the multi-billion dollar collapse of Archegos Capital Management, federal officials said. The firm’s former CFO, Long Island resident Patrick Halligan, age 45, of Syosset, and New Jersey resident of Bill Hwang of Tenafly, NJ — a Korean investor on Wall Street — have been arrested in connection with a racketeering scheme to manipulate the prices of publicly traded securities and to defraud global investment banks, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said.…
COVID-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings COVID-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings
Covid-19: CDC Issues New Advisory Recommending People Wear Masks In These Settings The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is calling on the Department of Justice to proceed with an appeal after a federal judge struck down President Joe Biden’s mask mandate for public transportation settings. Following the announcement of the judgment, the CDC issued a statement advising that the agency is continuing to advise that all Americans continue to mask up while using public transportation, despite the ruling. Original story - COVID-19: Federal Judge Strikes Down CDC Mask Mandate For Travel According to the CDC, officials “continue to recommend that people west mask…
Gun-Running Jersey Shore Coke Dealer Nabbed In FBI Sting Gets 5 Years, No Parole Gun-Running Jersey Shore Coke Dealer Nabbed In FBI Sting Gets 5 Years, No Parole
Gun-Running Jersey Shore Coke Dealer Nabbed In FBI Sting Gets 5 Years, No Parole A confessed cocaine dealer from Freehold who sold smuggled guns to buyers working for the FBI was sentenced to a plea-bargained five years in federal prison. Enrique Quijada, 25, who was in the country illegally, must serve out the entire term because there's no parole in the federal prison system. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said Quijada – also known as “El Enano 13” and “Kike” -- worked for a crew that sold handguns and a semi-automatic rifle, among other weapons, to what turned out to be FBI operatives in and around Monmouth and Ocean counties. Rather than face trial, he took…
CRYPTO CRIME: Rapping 'Crocodile of Wall Street,' Husband Nabbed In $4.5 Billion Bitcoin Bust CRYPTO CRIME: Rapping 'Crocodile of Wall Street,' Husband Nabbed In $4.5 Billion Bitcoin Bust
Crypto Crime: Rapping 'Crocodile of Wall Street,' Husband Nabbed In $4.5 Billion Bitcoin Bust The self-described “Crocodile of Wall Street” and her husband were arrested by federal agents in Manhattan on Tuesday, Feb. 8, on charges of conspiring to launder billions of dollars in cryptocurrency stolen in a bombshell hack of a virtual currency exchange. Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, 34, and Heather Rhiannon Morgan, a 31-year-old business blogger/rapper, weren’t charged in the 2016 theft from Bitfinex of what at the time was $71 million worth of cryptocurrency – now valued at $4.5 billion. They are charged with conspiring to (a) commit money laundering and (b) defraud the United States, …
Feds: Defendant In Florida-to-Jersey Shore Gun Running Ring Takes Plea Feds: Defendant In Florida-to-Jersey Shore Gun Running Ring Takes Plea
Feds: Defendant In Florida-to-Jersey Shore Gun Running Ring Takes Plea A fourth defendant admitted Friday that he was part of a ring that sold guns trafficked from Florida to the Jersey Shore to buyers working for the FBI. Enrique Quijada, 24, of Freehold told a federal judge in Trenton via videoconference on Friday that he worked with ringleader Manuel “Chino” Espinosa-Ozoria of Bartow, FL his brother, Waldin “Manin” Espinosa-Ozoria of Freehold and two others. The crew sold handguns and a semi-automatic rifle, among other weapons, to what turned out to be FBI operatives in and around Monmouth and Ocean counties, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. De…
NJ Gym Owner Who Punched Officer At Capitol Riots Wants Financial Help While Jailed NJ Gym Owner Who Punched Officer At Capitol Riots Wants Financial Help While Jailed
NJ Gym Owner Who Punched Officer At Capitol Riots Wants Financial Help While Jailed A New Jersey gym owner who punched a police officer during the Jan. 6 Capitol Riots has raised more than $30,000 in an online campaign. The Department of Justice on Wednesday apparently sought the harshest sentence in the attacks yet for Scott Fairlamb, a former MMA fighter, of Sussex County.  That will mean a 44-month stint in federal prison and a $2,000 restitution payment, according to NJ Advance Media. While jailed, Fairlamb launched a GiveSendGo campaign to help raise money.  Fairlamb writes that since the insurrection, he's suffered a heart attack and been f…
DOJ Seeks Harshest Sentence Yet For NJ MMA Fighter Who Punched Officer At Jan. 6 Riot DOJ Seeks Harshest Sentence Yet For NJ MMA Fighter Who Punched Officer At Jan. 6 Riot
DOJ Seeks Harshest Sentence Yet For NJ MMA Fighter Who Punched Officer At Jan. 6 Riot The Department of Justice is seeking the harshest sentence yet for the former MMA fighter from New Jersey who was seen punching an officer in the head at the Jan. 6 Capitol riots. Scott Fairlamb faces a recommended 44-month sentence after pleading guilty in August to assaulting a police officer and obstructing efforts from Congress to certify the 2020 election, according to a lawsuit published by Politico. Armed with a police baton, Fairlamb was among the first of the more than 100 charged defendants to break in to the Capitol building and enter a wing door of the Senate, the suit says. On…
UNSOLVED: Reward Rises To $2.5M In Federal Prosecutor's Murder UNSOLVED: Reward Rises To $2.5M In Federal Prosecutor's Murder
Unsolved: Reward Rises To $2.5M In Federal Prosecutor's Murder On the 20th anniversary of a federal prosecutor's slaying, the government boosted the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible to $2.5 million. Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco announced Monday the Department of Justice has doubled the $1 million it posted toward the reward, to go with $500,000 pledged by the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys in the targeted killing of Seattle Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Wales. Wales, 49, had Northeast roots. A native of Southborough, Massachusetts, he was graduated from Harvard University and Ho…
Federal Grand Jury Indicts South Jersey Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver Federal Grand Jury Indicts South Jersey Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver
Federal Grand Jury Indicts South Jersey Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver An angry South Jersey police officer doused a drunk driver with pepper spray twice after he’d been handcuffed, then filed a false report about the incident, an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Thursday alleges. Another officer had handcuffed the disruptive driver and was beginning to put him in the rear of a patrol vehicle at a local gas station when Bridgeton Police John Grier III “grabbed a large can of OC spray and pulled out the pin,” Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig said. Grier, 49, of Cedarville, told the officer to “step back,” then asked the driver, “Do you want to …
'Police Misconduct' Presentation At Bergen High School Upsets Parents, Law Enforcement 'Police Misconduct' Presentation At Bergen High School Upsets Parents, Law Enforcement
'Police Misconduct' Presentation At Bergen High School Upsets Parents, Law Enforcement A presentation by a federal official to a Bergen County high school class about “police misconduct” has drawn the ire of some parents and law enforcement alike. Torey Cummings of the U.S. Attorney's Office for Massachusetts used slides during last Friday’s presentation at Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes that portray an unfairly negative image of police officers, parents said. One slide, titled "Police Violence and People of Color," featured blatantly false and misleading information, they said. Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who lives in Franklin Lakes, said a…
GUNS R US: Feds Charge NJ Men With Selling Homemade Pistols, Rifles, More GUNS R US: Feds Charge NJ Men With Selling Homemade Pistols, Rifles, More
Guns R US: Feds Charge NJ Men With Selling Homemade Pistols, Rifles, More A South Jersey man and his ex-con pal ran a black-market business selling guns and machine guns that he made at home, said federal authorities who took both into custody. David Bibler, 55, of Haddon Heights produced fully automatic pistols and rifles, as well as silencers while ex-con Francis Hillsee, 36, of Mount Laurel priced and sold them, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Hillsee also sold boxes of ammunition, she said. Bibler had eight firearms, including rifles and pistols, as well as firearm manufacturing equipment, explosive powder, and a large amount of ammunition when h…
13 STRIKES: Feds Seize Repeat South Jersey Felon After Gun, Ammo Arrest 13 STRIKES: Feds Seize Repeat South Jersey Felon After Gun, Ammo Arrest
13 Strikes: Feds Seize Repeat South Jersey Felon After Gun, Ammo Arrest A 13-time convicted felon from South Jersey was in federal custody after he dropped a loaded handgun while trying to flee local police on a bicycle, authorities said. Officers responding to a 911 shooting call on March 7 spotted Sharif Hallman, 38, of Carneys Point, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. As they grabbed Hallman, a pistol fell to the ground, she said. The gun had a round in the chamber and an extended magazine with 22 more, Honig said. Hallman has an adult criminal history spanning nearly his entire adult life, federal authorities said. These include convictions for …
Masked Ex-Con Who Held Gun To Boy's Head In Camden Barbershop Robbery Gets 12 Years In Fed Pen Masked Ex-Con Who Held Gun To Boy's Head In Camden Barbershop Robbery Gets 12 Years In Fed Pen
Masked Ex-Con Who Held Gun To Boy's Head In Camden Barbershop Robbery Gets 12 Years In Fed Pen UPDATE: An ex-con who held a gun to a young boy's head while robbing a Camden barbershop was sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison. Benjamin Daye, 34, had been out of state prison barely a month when he put a gun to the child’s head and forced employees and customers to empty cash and belongings into a bag in November 2019. Rather than go to trial, he accepted a deal from the government. Daye was wearing a mask when he entered the Federal Street shop, put the boy in a headlock and threatened to harm him “unless everyone got on the floor,” a complaint on file in U.S. District Court…
Police: Officer, Knife-Wielding Suspect Both Dead After Car Rams U.S. Capitol Barricade Police: Officer, Knife-Wielding Suspect Both Dead After Car Rams U.S. Capitol Barricade
Police: Officer, Knife-Wielding Suspect Both Dead After Car Rams U.S. Capitol Barricade An officer was dead, as was a driver who rammed a vehicle into a barricade near the U.S. Capitol building and got out with a knife, authorities in Washington, D.C. said Friday. Officer William Evans, who'd served with the United States Capitol Police for 18 years, was taken to a nearby hospital in a police cruiser but died a short time later, authorities said. Another Capitol Police officer was hospitalized after being stabbed during the encounter – which sent the Capitol into lockdown -- shortly before 1:30 p.m. “The entire Department of Justice mourns with the U.S. Capitol Police and th…
Feds: Armed Fugitive In 7-Hour Hudson Hotel Standoff Was ‘Prepared For War,’ ‘Ready To Die’ Feds: Armed Fugitive In 7-Hour Hudson Hotel Standoff Was ‘Prepared For War,’ ‘Ready To Die’
Feds: Armed Fugitive In 7-Hour Hudson Hotel Standoff Was ‘Prepared For War,’ ‘Ready To Die’ UPDATE: A heavily-armed fugitive who held tactical officers at bay for nearly seven hours at a Secaucus hotel told police that he was “prepared for war” and “ready to die,” the U.S. attorney for New Jersey said Monday. ATF agents charged Rahim Harris, 42, of Maplewood, with being a convicted felon in possession of weapons and ammo, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced. His wife, Haneefha White, 39, of Pottsville, PA, who was with him, is charged with aiding and abetting the possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. Authorities said they found eight loaded wea…
Hudson Ex-Con Caught With Modern-Day Saturday Night Special Gets 3 Years In Fed Pen Hudson Ex-Con Caught With Modern-Day Saturday Night Special Gets 3 Years In Fed Pen
Hudson Ex-Con Caught With Modern-Day Saturday Night Special Gets 3 Years In Fed Pen It's a cheaply-made revolver similar to the one that John Hinckley used in 1981 to try and kill President Reagan, and it's sending a Jersey City ex-con to federal prison for a mandatory three years. Benorce Duncan, 32, of Jersey City, spent more than four years behind state bars for robbery and aggravated assault before being released in September 2013, records show. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited by state and federal law from having a firearm or ammunition. Duncan was caught with a .22-caliber Röhm RG10 -- the modern-day equivalent of the "Saturday Night Special" -- loaded with s…
First Fort Dix Federal Inmate Death From COVID-19 Reported First Fort Dix Federal Inmate Death From COVID-19 Reported
First Fort Dix Federal Inmate Death From Covid-19 Reported An inmate who was placed in isolation at the Fort Dix federal prison after testing positive for COVID-19 last month died on Friday, authorities said. Myron Crosby, 58, was the first of more than 1,400 inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Burlington County who were diagnosed with the virus to die, U.S. Bureau of Prisons records show. He’d been serving a 14-year federal sentence at the low-security facility since Sept. 17, 2019 on a conviction out of Maine for having and conspiring to sell heroin, the Department of Justice said in a release. Crosby -- who had long-term, …
PA Home Health Aide Accused Of Pelosi Laptop Theft Surrenders PA Home Health Aide Accused Of Pelosi Laptop Theft Surrenders
PA Home Health Aide Accused Of Pelosi Laptop Theft Surrenders A 22-year-old Harrisburg home health care aide accused of stealing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's laptop during the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riots surrendered to authorities and was arrested Monday in central Pennsylvania, according to the Department of Justice. Riley June Williams was not charged with theft, rather knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on U.S Capitol grounds, federal authorities said. A caller claiming to be an ex-partner of Williams said friends of hers showed him a YouTube video t…
US Top Cop: 'A Lot' More Charges Coming Against Capitol Rioters, No Resources Spared US Top Cop: 'A Lot' More Charges Coming Against Capitol Rioters, No Resources Spared
US Top Cop: 'A Lot' More Charges Coming Against Capitol Rioters, No Resources Spared Federal charges filed against 70 or so people identified as participating in the seizing of the U.S. Capitol building by a violent mob last week apparently are only the beginning, the country's top law enforcement official warned. The FBI has gathered more than 100,000 digital tips from the public and has more than 170 additional investigations going, Acting Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said Wednesday. “There is a lot more to come,” Rosen warned. At the same time, the attorney general had a message for anyone considering their own form of criminal disobedience (click on video above to…
STRIKE 3: Two-Time Gun Convict From Middlesex Admits Having Firearm In Secaucus Hotel Lot STRIKE 3: Two-Time Gun Convict From Middlesex Admits Having Firearm In Secaucus Hotel Lot
Strike 3: Two-Time Gun Convict From Middlesex Admits Having Firearm In Secaucus Hotel Lot A Middlesex County ex-con caught with a stolen handgun and dozens of rounds of ammo in the parking lot of a Secaucus hotel took a guilty plea Monday rather than go to trial, federal authorities announced Monday. With two former gun convictions, Sharome Neals, 27, of Carteret is looking at an extended prison term when he’s sentenced on May 25 in U.S. District Court in Newark. He’ll have to serve nearly all of it because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Police who stopped Neals's Ford Taurus for tinted windows in the Red Roof Inn parking lot on Meadowlands Parkway this past De…
500 NJ National Guard Members Join State Troopers In DC For 'Peaceful Transfer Of Power' 500 NJ National Guard Members Join State Troopers In DC For 'Peaceful Transfer Of Power'
500 NJ National Guard Members Join State Troopers In DC For 'Peaceful Transfer Of Power' Five hundred members of the New Jersey National Guard were expected to remain in Washington, D.C. through the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, Gov. Murphy said Thursday. The Guard members were being deployed over a few days, joining nearly 75 state troopers who rushed to the district after rioters stormed the Capitol building during Wednesday’s ceremonial confirmation of the presidential election results, the governor said. Their assignment is to “assist in the peaceful transfer of power,” Murphy said. “They will likely be there at least through the inauguration.” Virgin…
Outgoing U.S. Attorney For NJ Praises Work Of Newark Public Safety Director Outgoing U.S. Attorney For NJ Praises Work Of Newark Public Safety Director
Outgoing U.S. Attorney For NJ Praises Work Of Newark Public Safety Director On his final day as the top federal law enforcer in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito took time to praise Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, calling him a "national treasure." Carpenito cited Ambrose's "exceptional contributions to cooperative law enforcement" in New Jersey. “Through his leadership, we have benefited from an unprecedented level of cooperation and proactive participation in our efforts to suppress crime in the great city of Newark," the U.S. attorney said from his office in Newark. Over the past five years, he said, Ambrose has "transformed the Newark…
Clifton Trader Sent To Federal Prison For $17 Million Market Manipulation Scheme Clifton Trader Sent To Federal Prison For $17 Million Market Manipulation Scheme
Clifton Trader Sent To Federal Prison For $17 Million Market Manipulation Scheme A securities trader from Clifton was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in federal prison for orchestrating a market manipulation scheme that netted him and others more than $17 million, authorities said. Joseph Taub, 41, must serve the entire term because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez also sentenced Taub via teleconference from Newark to one year of supervised release, while ordering him to forfeit $17.1 million and pay restitution of $394,424 to the IRS. The Department of Justice also has reached a settlement of a civil forfeiture ca…
Jersey Shore Ex-Con Chased Down By Police Admits Tossing Machine Gun Jersey Shore Ex-Con Chased Down By Police Admits Tossing Machine Gun
Jersey Shore Ex-Con Chased Down By Police Admits Tossing Machine Gun A Monmouth County ex-con admitted in federal court that he tossed a loaded machine gun while being chased by police. Davon Harley, 30, of Neptune City, was arguing with a group in the yard of a local apartment complex this past February when city police arrived, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Harley ran when he saw them, he said. Asbury Park and Neptune Township police joined a foot chase that ended when officers captured Harley and found a gun and magazine that he’d discarded, Carpenito said. The weapon “had been altered to fire exclusively in fully automatic mode,” the U.S. attorne…