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Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, NJ Mom Demands Answers Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, NJ Mom Demands Answers
Forgotten On The Bus: 4-Year-Old Girl Never Made It To School, NJ Mom Demands Answers A 4-year-old New Jersey girl was left on a school bus for nearly six hours in what her mother is calling a traumatic and preventable incident. Darielle Lugo said her daughter, Makani, was supposed to arrive at the Bargaintown Preschool in Egg Harbor Township around 9:25 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, after being put on the bus by her father.  But Makani never made it to class. The ordeal came to light when Darielle’s husband arrived at the school around 2:05 p.m. for a class party. After signing in with security, he discovered Makani had been marked absent. “I thought it was a joke…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
New York Resident Sexually Assaulted 11-Year-Old In Jersey City: Prosecutor New York Resident Sexually Assaulted 11-Year-Old In Jersey City: Prosecutor
New York Resident Sexually Assaulted 11-Year-Old In Jersey City: Prosecutor An 18-year-old New York man was arrested and charged on Tuesday, Dec. 3, with sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Jersey City, authorities said. Sergio Lokhanova-Flores  met the victim online in February 2024, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The crimes occurred on various dates between March and July 2024 when the victim was 11 and 12 years old, Suarez said. Lokhanova-Flores was arrested in Brooklyn and is awaiting extradition to New Jersey, Suarez said. He was charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said.

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say
Former Jersey Shore Gymnastics Coach Sexually Assaulted Girl, Police Say A former Galloway Township gymnastics coach was accused of sexually assaulting a girl under 16 years old, authorities said. The Galloway Township Police Department announced the arrest of 51-year-old Matthew Shriver in a news release on Tuesday, Nov. 19. The Brigantine man was a co-owner of Everest Gymnastics and Tumbling Center in Galloway Township. The investigation began after officers received a report regarding the abuse accusations. Police said they obtained cell phone evidence that corroborated the victim’s statements.  This evidence led to search warrants for Shriver’s phone, perso…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say
NJ Performing Arts HS Teacher Confesses To Molesting Female Student, Prosecutors Say A former teacher at an Ocean County performing arts academy admitted to molesting a female student, authorities said. Douglas Bollinger of Neptune City, pleaded guilty on Monday, Nov. 18, to endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Investigators said Bollinger, 57, engaged in "inappropriate sexual contact" with a student. The incidents happened in Point Pleasant Beach and Asbury Park between February and August 2019. Bollinger was a teacher at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy, part of Ocean County Vocational Tech…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Union City Man Made Sexual Contact With 6-Year-Old: Prosecutor Union City Man Made Sexual Contact With 6-Year-Old: Prosecutor
Union City Man Made Sexual Contact With 6-Year-Old: Prosecutor A 48-year-old Union City man was arrested and charged on Wednesday, Nov. 6 with making sexual contact with a 6-year-ol girl earlier this year, authorities said. Edgar Fernando-Gomez made sexual contact with the girl in May at a residence in Jersey City, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The victim was known to Fernando-Gomez, authorities said. Fernando-Gomez was charged with sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, Suarez said. He was arrested at his residence and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance, Suarez …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Former Columbia University VP Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen At Bergen County Home Former Columbia University VP Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen At Bergen County Home
Former Columbia University VP Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen At Bergen County Home A former Columbia University vice president has been convicted of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 years old at his Bergen County home, authorities announced. Marcelo Velez was found to have sexually assaulted the child at his home in Woodcliff Lake after the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office was notified in January 2021, Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Velez was convicted by a jury of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child by engaging in sexual conduct following a three-week trial that began earlier this month. Col…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
'Mrs. Maisel' Actor Sent Sexual Messages To 14-Year-Old In North Jersey: Sources 'Mrs. Maisel' Actor Sent Sexual Messages To 14-Year-Old In North Jersey: Sources
'Mrs. Maisel' Actor Sent Sexual Messages To 14-Year-Old In North Jersey: Sources A 31-year-old actor and Hawthorne resident was arrested and charged on Thursday, Oct. 10, with sending sexual messages to a 14-year-old girl, Daily Voice has learned. Matthew Kresch sent the text messages to the girl as part of an attempt to lure her into having sex, Hawthorne police said. He was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of luring. Kresch, whose birthday was Sunday, Oct. 13, co-directed the horror film "Alone Together" with his brother, William, and played a bartender on two episodes of "The Incredible Mrs. Maisel," IMDB shows. …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Man Took Video Of Girl In Shower: Guttenberg PD Man Took Video Of Girl In Shower: Guttenberg PD
Man Took Video Of Girl In Shower: Guttenberg PD A 46-year-old Guttenberg man was arrested and charged on Sunday, Oct. 6 with taking a video of his ex-girlfriend's young daughter exiting the shower, authorities said. The girl's mother said she went through her ex-boyfriend's cell phone and found a video of her daughter exiting the shower, completely nude, Guttenberg police said in a release.  Officers were able to confirm that the video was taken without the juvenile’s knowledge and that she was secretly recorded through a crack/hole in the bathroom door, police said.  The man, whose name is being withheld to protect the p…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ Mom Believed Killed By Husband Survived By 4 Daughters, Campaign Says NJ Mom Believed Killed By Husband Survived By 4 Daughters, Campaign Says
NJ Mom Believed Killed By Husband Survived By 4 Daughters, Campaign Says Support is on the rise for four girls mourning the loss of their 40-year-old mother, who authorities said was stabbed dead by her husband this weekend in New Jersey. A GoFundMe campaign launched for Rosana Rodriguez's daughters had raised more than $10,000 as of Sunday, Sept. 22, more than 24 hours after she was found lying on the kitchen floor of a Perth Amboy home with stab wounds next to her husband, Wellington Leonard, as previously reported by Daily Voice. Officers were called to the Bertrand Avenue home around 3 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ci…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
New Brunswick Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile, Prosecutor Says New Brunswick Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile, Prosecutor Says
New Brunswick Pastor Charged With Sexually Assaulting Juvenile, Prosecutor Says A 61-year-old pastor has been charged with sexually assaulting a juvenile in Middlesex County, authorities said. Roby D. Cruz-Hernandez, a pastor at Iglesia Pentecostal El Mesias in New Brunswick, was arrested without incident at his home in Somerset, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and New Brunswick Police Chief Vincent Sabo said. Cruz-Hernandez was charged with second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Castro of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit at 732-7…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Performing Arts High School Teacher Molested Female Student, Prosecutors Say NJ Performing Arts High School Teacher Molested Female Student, Prosecutors Say
NJ Performing Arts High School Teacher Molested Female Student, Prosecutors Say A former teacher at an Ocean County performing arts high school was accused of molesting a female student, authorities said. Douglas Bollinger, 56, of Neptune City, was charged on Monday, Aug. 12 with two counts each of endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. Bollinger was a teacher at the Grunin Performing Arts Academy at Ocean County Vocational Technical School (OCVTS). The academy had 240 students as of September 2023 and offers high schoolers opportunities to take dual-credit co…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ Youth Soccer Coach Accused Of More Sexual Crimes Against Ninth Player, Prosecutors Say NJ Youth Soccer Coach Accused Of More Sexual Crimes Against Ninth Player, Prosecutors Say
NJ Youth Soccer Coach Accused Of More Sexual Crimes Against Ninth Player, Prosecutors Say A Monmouth County youth soccer coach accused of molesting two players and sending sexual pictures to others was given more charges, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 32-year-old Ryan Gunsauls of Union Beach on 30 counts, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Tuesday, Aug. 14. He was previously arrested in the case in Hazlet on Friday, May 11.  Investigators said one boy told police earlier in May that Gunsauls had been sending him "sexually explicit materials" and asking for them on social media. Eight more victims bet…

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by Chris Spiker
News
Teenager Killed Trenton Dad Who Tried Saving Kids During Carjacking: Prosecutor Teenager Killed Trenton Dad Who Tried Saving Kids During Carjacking: Prosecutor
Teenager Killed Trenton Dad Who Tried Saving Kids During Carjacking: Prosecutor A 17-year-old boy from Mercer County has been arrested in connection with a carjacking that led to a fatal shooting, authorities said. The juvenile, from Lawrence, is charged with one count of first-degree felony murder, one count of first-degree carjacking, two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and weapons offenses, according to Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri. He was arrested on Monday, July 29 without incident in Trenton by members of the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task F…

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by Jon Craig
News
Teacher Seen Assaulting Student In Disturbing Video Charged In Essex County: Cops Teacher Seen Assaulting Student In Disturbing Video Charged In Essex County: Cops
Teacher Seen Assaulting Student In Disturbing Video Charged In Essex County: Cops A West Orange teacher has been arrested for assaulting an 11-year-old student, authorities said. Jaron Spicer, 32, of Bayonne, has been charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and simple assault — a disorderly persons offense — following an incident on April 18, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II and West Orange Police Chief James P. Abbott said. Disturbing footage shared by Pix11 shows Spicer, a teacher at Mt. Carmel Guild Academy on Valley Way, throwing the boy to the ground and holding him down with his own body weight. The outlet s…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Bergen County Pastor Repeatedly Performed Sex Acts On Child: Criminal Complaint Bergen County Pastor Repeatedly Performed Sex Acts On Child: Criminal Complaint
Bergen County Pastor Repeatedly Performed Sex Acts On Child: Criminal Complaint A 74-year-old Paramus church pastor has been arrested and charged with 21 counts of sexual offenses for disturbing sexual assaults on a girl between ages 13 and 18 for years, authorities announced Friday, July 12. Stephen E. Sweet, the pastor at Grace's Lutheran Church in River Edge, became the center of an investigation on Thursday, July 11, on a tip that he'd sexually assaulted a juvenile in the past, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. ** WARNING: The following news article contains graphic and disturbing information. Reader discretion is advised ** Sweet sexually assaulted…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Grand Jury Declines To Charge NJ Principal Arrested Last Spring Grand Jury Declines To Charge NJ Principal Arrested Last Spring
Grand Jury Declines To Charge NJ Principal Arrested Last Spring An Essex County Grand Jury declined to indict Columbia High School principal Frank Sanchez on charges of endangering the welfare of a child on Thursday, June 13, authorities announced. Sanchez still faces charges of simple assault stemming from an incident involving a student in January at the school in the South Orangewood-Maplewood School District, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. The principal was suspended from his job following the alleged incident, as reported by Daily Voice when charges were filed in March. Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert, Acting Superintendent of the South Orange &a…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Two Girls For Better Part Of Decade NJ Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Two Girls For Better Part Of Decade
NJ Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Two Girls For Better Part Of Decade A 62-year-old Elizabeth man was sentenced to 22 years in prison on Wednesday, March 29, after being convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls in March, authorities said. Ahmed Andre assaulted the girls over the course of eight years, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said. An investigation began after a referral from the Elizabeth Public School District, Daniel said. Andre began sexually assaulting the girls beginning from when they were nine and 10 years old, Daniel said. Andre was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault, two counts of aggravated…

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by Sam Barron