Fair 66°
Police & Fire
South Jersey Registered Sex Offender Who Sexually Abused 13-Year-Old Sentenced: Prosecutors South Jersey Registered Sex Offender Who Sexually Abused 13-Year-Old Sentenced: Prosecutors
South Jersey Registered Sex Offender Who Sexually Abused 13-Year-Old Sentenced: Prosecutors A registered sex offender in Atlantic County will spend more than a decade in prison for sexually assaulting a child, authorities said. Marcelino Cruz, 35, of Mullica Township, was sentenced on Tuesday, June 4 to 16 years in state prison, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. A jury found him guilty on Wednesday, Feb. 7 of second-degree sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and possession of child sexual abuse material. An investigation began when a 13-year-old's mother found disturbing text messages on the child's phone. Police co…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
South Jersey Woman Found With 950+ Pounds Of Marijuana, Other Drugs: Prosecutors South Jersey Woman Found With 950+ Pounds Of Marijuana, Other Drugs: Prosecutors
South Jersey Woman Found With 950+ Pounds Of Marijuana, Other Drugs: Prosecutors A Franklin Township woman was accused of having nearly 1,000 pounds of marijuana and other drugs, authorities said. Maria Santiago-Cossean, 55, was arrested, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release on Monday, June 3. Investigators executed a search warrant on her home on Thursday, May 30. Police found about 346 pounds of marijuana, 219 pounds of THC gummies, 121 pounds of THC food products, 97 pounds of THC resin, 90 pounds of vape cartridges, 70 pounds of THC candies, and eight pounds of psilocybin mushrooms. Officers also seized about $26,000 in cash and drug p…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
19-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Atlantic County Crash 19-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Atlantic County Crash
19-Year-Old Motorcyclist Killed In Atlantic County Crash A 19-year-old man was killed in an Atlantic County motorcycle crash over the weekend, police said. Jeremiah Saint Surin, of Mays Landing, was heading east on West Jersey Avenue approaching Cates Road in Egg Harbor when he struck a Ford Explorer that entered the intersection around 6:15 p.m. Saturday, June 1, Egg Harbor police said. Saint Surin was hospitalized with serious injuries and pronounced dead by hospital personnel. The Ford driver, a 38-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries from the airbag deployment. No other injuries were reported. The area was closed for approximately four ho…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Former MMA Fighter Admits To Stabbing Man To Death At Atlantic City Casino: Prosecutors Former MMA Fighter Admits To Stabbing Man To Death At Atlantic City Casino: Prosecutors
Former MMA Fighter Admits To Stabbing Man To Death At Atlantic City Casino: Prosecutors A former mixed martial artist from Philadelphia admitted to killing a man at an Atlantic City casino, authorities said. Andrew Osborne, 35, pleaded guilty on Thursday, May 30 to first-degree aggravated manslaughter, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. Osborne is facing 25 years in state prison and he would have to serve more than 21 years before he's eligible for parole under the No Early Release Act. Prosecutors said Osborne admitted to stabbing 47-year-old Brian Wilkinson of Egg Harbor Township to death in a hotel room at Ocean Casino Resort on Friday, Sept. 23…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man Accused Of Deadly Shooting After Guilty Plea Sentenced: Prosecutors South Jersey Man Accused Of Deadly Shooting After Guilty Plea Sentenced: Prosecutors
South Jersey Man Accused Of Deadly Shooting After Guilty Plea Sentenced: Prosecutors An Atlantic County man accused of killing another man while awaiting sentencing will spend several years in prison on his original charge, authorities said. Kalief Lyons, 35, of Galloway Township, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 28 to 10 years in prison on a gun charge, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. His sentence was given more than two weeks after he was arrested in the separate shooting death of 38-year-old Baseem Taliaferro of Galloway. Lyons was originally charged after he was identified as the suspect who pulled a gun on another man on Wedn…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man Who Used Teen Son In Marijuana, Mushroom 'Business' Sentenced: Prosecutors South Jersey Man Who Used Teen Son In Marijuana, Mushroom 'Business' Sentenced: Prosecutors
South Jersey Man Who Used Teen Son In Marijuana, Mushroom 'Business' Sentenced: Prosecutors A Somers Point man will spend several years in prison after admitting to using his teen son to sell marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms through an unlicensed business promoted on Facebook, authorities said. John Garman, 39, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 28 to 10 years in prison, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. He pleaded guilty to several charges on Monday, Mar. 18. Investigators began looking into Garman's marijuana "delivery service" called Garmans Goods in March 2023. The business was advertised on Facebook and Garman placed jars of marijuana in …

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
South Jersey Youth Worker Let Juvenile Detainees Use His Cellphone: Prosecutors South Jersey Youth Worker Let Juvenile Detainees Use His Cellphone: Prosecutors
South Jersey Youth Worker Let Juvenile Detainees Use His Cellphone: Prosecutors An employee at an Atlantic County juvenile detention center was accused of letting detained residents use his personal cellphone, authorities said. Tyrell Jones, 33, of Atlantic City, was charged on Thursday, May 16, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release on Tuesday, May 28. Jones is a youth worker at Harborfields Detention Facility in Egg Harbor City. The state's Juvenile Justice Commission gave information to the county prosecutor's office about Jones giving contraband to detained Harborfields residents in 2023. Investigators said he allowed the…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Man Convicted Of Robbing $20K Poker Winner In Atlantic City Casino Parking Garage Man Convicted Of Robbing $20K Poker Winner In Atlantic City Casino Parking Garage
Man Convicted Of Robbing $20K Poker Winner In Atlantic City Casino Parking Garage A Newark man was convicted of robbing someone who won $20,000 at an Atlantic City casino, authorities said. A jury found 51-year-old Robert Reed guilty on Monday, May 20 of second-degree robbery, third-degree aggravated assault, third-degree theft by unlawful taking, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office announced his conviction in a news release on Friday, May 24. Trial evidence and testimony said the victim identified by the initials D.H. went to gamble at …

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man Who Killed Mother During Second Stabbing In Nine Years Indicted: Prosecutors South Jersey Man Who Killed Mother During Second Stabbing In Nine Years Indicted: Prosecutors
South Jersey Man Who Killed Mother During Second Stabbing In Nine Years Indicted: Prosecutors A Mays Landing man was indicted for murder after stabbing his mother for the second time in about nine years, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 53-year-old Sean Daly on Wednesday, May 22, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. He was facing charges in the Wednesday, Mar. 20 death of his 74-year-old mother Melba Daly, who was also from Mays Landing. Township of Hamilton police responded to a 911 call at a home on Quinn Avenue at around 11:38 a.m. and officers found Melba Daly dead inside the house. A suspected cause of her death was not mentioned. Ha…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
South Jersey Woman Indicted In 81-Year-Old Man's Stabbing Death South Jersey Woman Indicted In 81-Year-Old Man's Stabbing Death
South Jersey Woman Indicted In 81-Year-Old Man's Stabbing Death A Mays Landing woman was indicted for murder in the killing of an elderly man, authorities said. A grand jury indicted 75-year-old Eileen Bright on Wednesday, May 22, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. She was previously charged in the Sunday, Mar. 31 death of 81-year-old Gary Johnson, who was also from Mays Landing. Hamilton Township police responded to a 911 call about a dead man inside a home on Lewis Drive at around 5:39 p.m. Officers found Johnson with several wounds to his head and body. A nurse pronounced Johnson dead at the home in the Woods Landin…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Corrections Officer Accepted Money In South Jersey Jail-Smuggling Scheme: Prosecutors Corrections Officer Accepted Money In South Jersey Jail-Smuggling Scheme: Prosecutors
Corrections Officer Accepted Money In South Jersey Jail-Smuggling Scheme: Prosecutors An Atlantic County corrections officer was among three people accused of a scheme to smuggle contraband into the county's jail, authorities said. In a news release, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said 33-year-old Christopher Piccioni of Swedesboro was charged on Monday, May 20. Piccioni is an officer at the Atlantic County Justice Facility. The county prosecutor's office said it learned in January about contraband being smuggled into the jail in Mays Landing. Piccioni was identified as a suspect during a four-month investigation. Investigators said Piccioni conspired wit…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Fugitive Admits To Home Invasion, Kidnapping In Atlantic City: Prosecutors Fugitive Admits To Home Invasion, Kidnapping In Atlantic City: Prosecutors
Fugitive Admits To Home Invasion, Kidnapping In Atlantic City: Prosecutors An Atlantic City man admitted to a home invasion and forcing a victim at gunpoint to withdraw money from an ATM, authorities said. Glen Graves, 33, pleaded guilty on Monday, May 20 to first-degree kidnapping, second-degree possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree resisting arrest by flight. The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office announced his guilty plea in a news release. Investigators said Graves forced his way into an Atlantic City apartment with a gun on the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022. He "ransacked" the apartment and forced a resident at gunpoint …

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by Chris Spiker