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Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds
Two Newark men pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 18 to being members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, authorities said.
From January 2014 through September 2020, Thomas Padovano, 50, and Bartholomew Padovano, 72, agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
The Padovanos placed orders with a source in China and distributed the controlled substances and analogues in Ne…
Feds Dismantle Luxury Car Ring, Detail Theft Of Range Rover From Jersey City
Eight men, including seven from New Jersey, have been charged in Newark federal court on Thursday, Nov. 7, for their roles in a conspiracy to steal luxury cars and transport them across state lines, authorities said.
Arrested were: Ahmad Franks, 24, Shaquan White, 23, Nathan Braswell, 20, Ibn Bellamy, 24, Zamir Wright, 20, all Newark residents, Ryan Bowen, 26, Khyree Lawrence, 20 both East Orange residents and Mohammed Buhari, a 45-year-old Virginia resident.
Federal officials detailed the thefts:
Audi Q5, Jersey City: On Nov. 5, 2021, a 2021 Audi Q5 was reported stolen in Jersey City…
Newark Man Gets 4+ Years For Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl: Feds
A 37-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 4.8 years in prison on Tuesday, Nov. 5, for distributing cocaine and fentanyl in 2022, authorities said.
In December 2022, Carlos Gonzalez and another individual conspired to distribute approximately one kilogram of cocaine and 100 grams of fentanyl and were arrested shortly after arriving at an agreed-upon location in Kearny to complete the sale, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said.
After their arrests, a search of Gonzalez’s home and an apartment uncovered two loaded firearms, an unloaded firearm, ammunition, drug packaging materials, a…
Newark Man Robbed Pharmacy At Gunpoint: Feds
A 26-year-old Newark man was arrested and charged on Monday, Nov. 4, with robbing a pharmacy at gunpoint last year, authorities said.
On Saturday, Dec. 30, Nariq Petes and an accomplice drove to a pharmacy wearing black masks, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said. Once inside the pharmacy, Petes brandished a handgun and demanded prescription drugs, Sellinger said. Petes and his conspirator took at least six bottles of prescription medication, Sellinger said.
Petes was charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery and brandishing a weapon, Sellinger said. He faces…
'I'll Give You The Steel Bat:' NJ Man Sent Death Threats To Political Commentator, Feds Say
A 45-year-old Morris County man has been arrested and charged after posting an online death threat at a political commentator, authorities said.
Last month, Haim Braverman, of Morris Plains, posted a video of himself on a social media platform in which he made various threats to a political commentator who had publicly commented on a prominent, now-deceased rabbi, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
In the video, Braverman threatened to use a bat against the commentator, stating: “You’ll get what’s coming to you . . . , I’ve never met someone . . . if I could [expletive] kill you right…
Two Hudson County Men Get Lengthy Sentences For Gas Station Robberies: Feds
Two Hudson County men were sentenced to years in prison on Tuesday, Oct. 15 for their role in a series of robberies at gas stations in 2022, authorities said.
From January to February 2022, Wendell Bradley, a 27-year-old Bayonne resident, – either alone or with Joseph Brown, a 26-year-old Jersey City resident – would drive to a gas station, pull up to a gas pump, ask the gas station attendant to put gas in the car’s tank, and, while the tank was being filled, would pull a gun on the attendant and demand money, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
On Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, in Union, Brown po…
Saudi Arabian Stole School Bus From NJ, Busted In PA: Feds
A 24-year-old Saudi Arabian pleaded guilty on Thursday, Aug. 14, to stealing a school bus from Livingston last year and transporting it across state lines, authorities said.
In Jan. 2023, police in Livingston responded to a report of a break-in and during a search of a backpack at the home, found a Saudi Arabian passport with the name Bader Alzaharani, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
Two days later, a Livingston school bus was reported stolen from a parking lot across the street from the home where the break-in occurred, Sellinger said. Alzahrani was located in Stroudsburg, PA, and …
NJ Woman Who Dealt Meth, Cocaine Via FedEx Gets 10 Years, US Attorney Says
A 32-year-old Newark woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday, July 11, after being convicted of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, authorities said.
In March 2021, two FedEx parcels addressed to a "John Brown" in Newark were intercepted by law enforcement and found to contain cocaine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. An undercover officer disguised as a FedEx driver delivered the package of cocaine to Mahogany Hawkins, Sellinger said.
Officers showed up at Hawkins' place again, but when they identified themselves as law enforcement, Hawki…
Jersey Shore Man Admits Anti-Semitic Rampage: Running Down Victims, Stabbing, Carjacking
A Jersey Shore man admitted in federal court on Thursday that he committed a series of violent assaults on members of the Jewish Orthodox community in and around Lakewood.
What became a rampage over roughly seven hours began when Dion Marsh, 29, of Manchester, dragged a "visibly identifiable" Orthodox Jew out of his car, beat him and sped off in the victim's vehicle on April 8, 2022, authorities said.
Marsh was driving a different car in the heavily Orthodox community hours later when he ran down victims in three separate incidents, attempting to kill each of them, U.S. Attorney for New Jer…
Repeat Child Porn Trafficker From NJ, 65, Gets 10 More Years Without Parole: Feds
A 65-year-old convicted child porn trafficker from New Jersey is headed to federal prison for 10 years without parole for going back to it while on supervised release.
Hugh Cohen, 65, of Elizabeth, served nearly all of a five-year federal prison sentence for possessing and receiving child pornography in 2010.
Supervised release, which was a requirement of his sentence, was to run from the end of October 2014 to the end of October 2021, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.
While still on supervised release, from March 28, 2021, to April 24, 2021, Cohen “engaged an undercover agent in an …
Ex-Hudson Sheriff's Officer Admits $98,000 Short-Sale Mortgage Scheme For Jersey Shore Home
A former Hudson County sheriff’s officer admitted defrauding a bank to duck $98,000 in mortgage payments on a Jersey Shore home, federal authorities said.
Osbado Hernandez, 54, of Avenel, conspired with others to lie about a bogus short sale of his house in Keansburg so that the unidentified bank would discharge what was left on his mortgage, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said.
Hernandez bought the property for $239,900 in 2006, financing it through a mortgage loan from the victimized bank, a complaint on file in U.S. District Court in Trenton says.
He ended up behind on the payments,…
NJ Teacher, Coach Admits Posing As Woman To Get Children To Send Sexual Photos, Videos: Feds
A New Jersey elementary teacher and soccer coach admitted to posing as a woman to get children to send sexual content, federal authorities confirmed.
Steven Brooks, 36, of Morristown, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said in a Thursday, April 6 release.
Brooks, who taught at Washington Elementary School in Summit and helped run the Livingston Soccer Club, used a fake online profile to get underage boys to send him videos and photos, Daily Voice reported in 2021.
According to court documents, Brooks…
Fake Accountant Admits Stealing $1.5 Million In Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits: Feds
A Hudson County woman admitted to stealing more than $1.5 million from non-profits, private schools and religious institutions throughout New Jersey by pretending to be an accountant.
Yezenia Castillo, a 46-year-old Hoboken resident, pleaded guilty on Thursday, April 6 to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion in U.S. District Court in Newark, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced.
For nine years, Castillo falsely claimed to be an accountant, offering her serves to non-profits throughout the state, Sellinger said. Upon being hired, Castillo would charge…
