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GOTCHA! Teaneck Fugitive Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring Captured At Newark Airport GOTCHA! Teaneck Fugitive Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring Captured At Newark Airport
Gotcha! Teaneck Fugitive Accused Of Running Sex Trafficking Ring Captured At Newark Airport A fugitive from Bergen County wanted for running a massive sex-trafficking ring in North Jersey, Rockland and New York City was captured trying to re-enter the United States from Colombia, authorities confirmed. Birmania “Nancy” Rincon, 62, a Colombian national living in Teaneck, was among the ringleaders of a crew that forced dozens of women into prostitution, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. She was in the wind, however, when authorities seized 21 defendants during a series of early-morning raids at 19 homes and other locations in Bergen and Hudson counties exactly two weeks ag…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
NJ Native Shows Love For College Roomie With Valentine's Day Organ Transplant NJ Native Shows Love For College Roomie With Valentine's Day Organ Transplant
NJ Native Shows Love For College Roomie With Valentine's Day Organ Transplant A brotherhood that blossomed 30 years ago between two college roommates is proving stronger than ever this Valentine's Day. Steve Robinson, 57, of Teaneck, is showing his love for Richard Koonce, 62, of Ohio, by donating part of his liver. The transplant will happen on Feb. 14 at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Richard Koonce and Steve RobinsonProvided by Norfolk State University “I love Richard...he is the man that introduced me to my wife and helped me get on the right track...we helped each other grow as men,” Robinson said. “He is someone who always looks out for others, an…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Flawed DNA Test Gets Bergen Man Doing Life For Beating, Burning Woman, 70, New Trial Flawed DNA Test Gets Bergen Man Doing Life For Beating, Burning Woman, 70, New Trial
Flawed DNA Test Gets Bergen Man Doing Life For Beating, Burning Woman, 70, New Trial DNA evidence found under the fingernails of a 70-year-old Bergen County woman bludgeoned and burned in her home wasn’t reliable enough to convict a man who’s now serving a life sentence for her murder, a state appeals court ruled. Daniel Rochat, 46, of Wood-Ridge, has already been moved from New Jersey State Prison in Trenton to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack in anticipation of a new trial following the Appellate Division ruling. He remains charged with various counts of murder and felony murder, as well as aggravated arson, desecrating human remains, burglary, hindering arrest and f…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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APARTMENT RAID: Large Cache Of Coke, Trio Of Tasers Seized, Hackensack Repeat Offender Jailed APARTMENT RAID: Large Cache Of Coke, Trio Of Tasers Seized, Hackensack Repeat Offender Jailed
Apartment Raid: Large Cache Of Coke, Trio Of Tasers Seized, Hackensack Repeat Offender Jailed A SWAT-backed drug raid on a Hackensack ex-con’s apartment turned up “a large amount” of cocaine, as well as three Tasers, authorities said Friday. Howard M. Harper, 41, was arrested on drug and weapons charges Tuesday following a warranted raid on his Quail Heights apartment on Prospect Avenue, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The SWAT team-backed raid was part of a joint investigation that Musella said his Narcotics Task Force detectives were conducting with Hackensack police. Harper has a criminal history covering nearly all of his adult life, records show. These include arr…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Pre-Dawn Blaze Destroys Fire Safety Business, Apartments In Garfield Pre-Dawn Blaze Destroys Fire Safety Business, Apartments In Garfield
Pre-Dawn Blaze Destroys Fire Safety Business, Apartments In Garfield Flames blew through the roof and upper-floor windows of a Garfield building that houses a fire safety business and apartments, authorities said. First-responding police officers got four tenants of apartments above Firematic Safety Equipment out before part of a roof and stairwell collapsed in the two-story River Drive building shortly after 4:30 a.m., Police Capt. Richard Uram said. Firefighters battling the intense blaze from the exterior needed about an hour and a half to get the bulk of it knocked down. They had it under control another hour and a half later. No serious injuries were …

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Six Hospitalized, Two Homes Ravaged By Fire In Hackensack Six Hospitalized, Two Homes Ravaged By Fire In Hackensack
Six Hospitalized, Two Homes Ravaged By Fire In Hackensack Six people were hospitalized with minor injuries from a fire that ravaged two Hackensack homes, authorities said. Firefighters were met by heavy flames on both floors in both wood-frame Franklin Street residences shortly before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. They rescued a dog who was returned to his or her owner. Six people in all were hospitalized for minor injuries in the Hackensack blaze.Hackensack Fire Dept. The three-alarm blaze was brought under control in a little over an hour. Hackensack firefighters were met by heavy flames in both houses.Hackensack Fire Dept. VIDEO: Companies op…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Teaneck Man, 75, Jailed On Child Sex Assault Charges Teaneck Man, 75, Jailed On Child Sex Assault Charges
Teaneck Man, 75, Jailed On Child Sex Assault Charges A 75-year-old Teaneck man was jailed on charges of sexually assaulting two children multiple times. Neville Kennedy remained held Tuesday in the Bergen County Jail following his arrest Friday in Teaneck, records show. Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said detectives of his Special Victims Unit investigated following a report from Teaneck police a month earlier. Investigators found that Kennedy “sexually assaulted two children, both of whom were under the age of 13, on more than one occasion,” the prosecutor said. Kenney is charged with aggravated sexual assault, aggravated crimina…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
ICY MORNING (UPDATE): One Dead, Highways Closed, Dozens Injured In North Jersey Crashes ICY MORNING (UPDATE): One Dead, Highways Closed, Dozens Injured In North Jersey Crashes
ICY Morning (Update): One Dead, Highways Closed, Dozens Injured In North Jersey Crashes UPDATE: One victim was confirmed dead and westbound Route 3 in East Rutherford was temporarily closed Wednesday morning following what was the most serious in a series of crashes on icy North Jersey roads. Here's a listing of incidents. Mark Kolta, 31, of North Bergen had been involved in an earlier chain-reaction crash on the Hackensack River bridge on westbound Route 3 shortly after 6:30 a.m., East Rutherford Deputy Police Chief Phillip Taormina said. He was struck in another pileup after getting out of his vehicle, the deputy chief said. Kolta was pronounced dead at a local hospital a …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Report Of Attempted Child Luring In Teaneck Turns Out To Be Something Else Report Of Attempted Child Luring In Teaneck Turns Out To Be Something Else
Report Of Attempted Child Luring In Teaneck Turns Out To Be Something Else UPDATE: What was at first reported as an attempted child luring in Teaneck turned out to be an innocent incident, authorities said. A “keen-eyed caller” reported hearing a conversation last week between the youngster and “occupants of a slow-moving vehicle that was driving next to the child” that triggered fears of a possible abduction, Teaneck Police Chief Glenn M. O’Reilly said Tuesday. The caller provided a license plate number along with Ring doorbell footage and audio of the New Year’s Eve incident, the chief said. “Based on the detailed information that the witness provided, detectiv…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Meet NJ's First Babies Born In 2022 Meet NJ's First Babies Born In 2022
Meet NJ's First Babies Born In 2022 Oh, baby, they're here! New Jersey welcomed its first babies born in 2022. The first in the state was delivered at 12:02 a.m., at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth. Keyla was born to Maria and Jose Duchi of Irvington and weighed 6 pounds and 15 ounces. Dr. Hannah Seltzer delivered her. Keyla with parents Maria and Joseduchi, of Irvington.Trinitas Medical Center At 12:07 a.m., Gabriel David DeCurtis-Springsteen was born at Hackensack University Medical Center, at 6 pounds and 5 ounces. His parents are Katlynn DeCurtis and Thomas Springsteen, of Belleville. Gabriel David D…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
UPDATE: Two Cats, Dog Killed In Bergenfield House Fire UPDATE: Two Cats, Dog Killed In Bergenfield House Fire
Update: Two Cats, Dog Killed In Bergenfield House Fire Two cats and a dog died in a pre-Christmas fire that severely damaged a Bergenfield home. Firefighters who responded within three minutes were met by flames on the first floor of the 2½-story Lunn Avenue home shortly after 1 p.m., Bergenfield Fire Chief Edward J Kneisler III said. "Because the fire was extending to the upper floors, a second alarm was requested," the chief said. Kneisler declared the fire under control in about 45 minutes. A firefighter was treated at a local hospital for a minor arm injury, the chief said, adding that the residents were evaluated by the Bergenfield Volu…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
UPDATE: Two Cats, Dog Killed In Bergenfield House Fire UPDATE: Two Cats, Dog Killed In Bergenfield House Fire
Update: Two Cats, Dog Killed In Bergenfield House Fire Two cats and a dog died in a pre-Christmas fire that severely damaged a Bergenfield home. Firefighters who responded within three minutes were met by flames on the first floor of the 2½-story Lunn Avenue home shortly after 1 p.m., Bergenfield Fire Chief Edward J Kneisler III said. "Because the fire was extending to the upper floors, a second alarm was requested," the chief said. Kneisler declared the fire under control in about 45 minutes. A firefighter was treated at a local hospital for a minor arm injury, the chief said, adding that the residents checked out OK when evaluated by the B…

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by Jerry DeMarco