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Police & Fire
Man Admits To Vandalizing Rutgers Islamic Center On Muslim Holiday, Feds Say Man Admits To Vandalizing Rutgers Islamic Center On Muslim Holiday, Feds Say
Man Admits To Vandalizing Rutgers Islamic Center On Muslim Holiday, Feds Say A North Plainfield man admitted to trashing an Islamic center at Rutgers University-New Brunswick during an important Muslim holiday, authorities said. Jacob Beacher, 24, pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 9 to damage to religious property, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. According to court documents and statements, Beacher broke into the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University (CILRU) at around 2:41 a.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 10. That day was Eid-al-Fitr, a holy celebration for Muslims at the end of Ramadan. Prosecutors said Beacher caused m…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Woman Who Stole $178K+ From Jersey Shore Engineering Firm Sentenced: Prosecutors Woman Who Stole $178K+ From Jersey Shore Engineering Firm Sentenced: Prosecutors
Woman Who Stole $178K+ From Jersey Shore Engineering Firm Sentenced: Prosecutors A Manahawkin woman will spend several years in prison after stealing nearly $180,000 from a Long Beach engineering firm, authorities said. Dona Carlo-Tanzola, 51, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 11 to five years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. The former administrative assistant at Horn, Tyson & Yoder, Inc. pleaded guilty to theft on Monday, July 1. Long Beach Township police said Carlo-Tanzola deposited checks for the business into her personal bank accounts between May and November 2022. She also edited the…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Former Jersey Shore Fire Dept. Treasurer Who Stole $100K+ Sentenced, Prosecutors Say Former Jersey Shore Fire Dept. Treasurer Who Stole $100K+ Sentenced, Prosecutors Say
Former Jersey Shore Fire Dept. Treasurer Who Stole $100K+ Sentenced, Prosecutors Say A Point Pleasant Beach man will spend several years in prison after stealing more than $100,000 from a volunteer fire department, authorities said. Salvatore Umek, 46, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 11 to five years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. The former treasurer of Point Pleasant Beach Fire Company No. 2 pleaded guilty to theft on Monday, June 10. Investigators said Umek stole about $100,000 from the fire company's bank account to pay off personal credit card debt between February 2019 and November 2021. He als…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
NJ Man Transported Irish Citizens Who Entered US Illegally: Feds NJ Man Transported Irish Citizens Who Entered US Illegally: Feds
NJ Man Transported Irish Citizens Who Entered US Illegally: Feds A 43-year-old Union man was charged last month with unlawfully transporting Irish citizens who entered the United States illegally, authorities said. On Sunday, Sept. 8, nine citizens of Ireland crossed into the United States illegally near Drew Road in Richford, Vermont, federal prosecutors said. Murray picked up the nine citizens near the US-Canada border and transported them in his SUV, with two young children unrestrained in the rear cargo compartment, authorities said. Murray faces up to five years of imprisonment if convicted of unlawfully transporting citizens of another country, aut…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Woman Killed, Three Injured When SUV Runs Red Light In Central Jersey: Prosecutors Woman Killed, Three Injured When SUV Runs Red Light In Central Jersey: Prosecutors
Woman Killed, Three Injured When SUV Runs Red Light In Central Jersey: Prosecutors A Kendall Park woman was killed when she was in a car that was hit by an SUV that ran a traffic light in South Brunswick, authorities said. Ranjinidevi Ramakrishnan, 43, died in the crash, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 10. Police responded to the crash in the area of Route 522 and Georges Road at around 7:13 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3.  The driver and two passengers in a Hyundai Sonata were rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital with serious injuries. Ramakrishnan, a rear passenger, was pronou…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Disbarred NJ Attorney Admits To Ponzi Scheme That Cost Investors $1 Million: Feds Disbarred NJ Attorney Admits To Ponzi Scheme That Cost Investors $1 Million: Feds
Disbarred NJ Attorney Admits To Ponzi Scheme That Cost Investors $1 Million: Feds A 61-year-old Hillsborough resident pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Oct. 9 to running a Ponzi-like wire fraud scheme that caused losses of more than $1 million, authorities said. Lawrence Coven, who had previously been disbarred as an attorney, operated and controlled Sunrise Enterprises LLC, which purported to provide financial services to investors, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  In reality, Coven induced investors into sending him funds by falsely representing that he would invest their money through Sunrise in exchange for large profits by providing short-term loans to borrowers …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Man Who Raped, Killed One-Year-Old Girl Gets Life In Prison: Prosecutors Jersey Shore Man Who Raped, Killed One-Year-Old Girl Gets Life In Prison: Prosecutors
Jersey Shore Man Who Raped, Killed One-Year-Old Girl Gets Life In Prison: Prosecutors A Manahawkin man will spend the rest of his life in prison for brutally raping and killing a toddler, authorities said. Michael Disporto, 30, was sentenced on Thursday, Oct. 10 to life in prison without parole, Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay said in a news release. He was convicted in the death and sexual assault of a 23-month-old girl identified by the initials "A.S." Gloucester City police responded to a report of an unresponsive child on Sunday, July 3, 2016. A.S. was rushed to Cooper University Hospital for extensive injuries and signs of sexual abuse. …

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Thieves Stole Assemblyman's Car In Hazlet While Family Slept, Police Say Thieves Stole Assemblyman's Car In Hazlet While Family Slept, Police Say
Thieves Stole Assemblyman's Car In Hazlet While Family Slept, Police Say A Jersey Shore assemblyman's car was stolen by thieves in Hazlet, authorities said. Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, R-Brick Township, said in a Facebook post that his car was taken from his mother-in-law's house in Hazlet just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Kanitra was in Washington, D.C. for his work as the owner of the lobbyist firm Lobbyit.com. Kanitra said the thieves drove up to the home in a stolen white BMW with temporary plates. "They ripped off every screen window in the house," Kanitra posted. "They then broke one of the windows and climbed in." In a news release, …

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Teen, Three Adults Charged In Attack On Elderly Woman At Jersey Shore Supermarket: Police Teen, Three Adults Charged In Attack On Elderly Woman At Jersey Shore Supermarket: Police
Teen, Three Adults Charged In Attack On Elderly Woman At Jersey Shore Supermarket: Police Four people were arrested after an elderly woman was "brutally attacked" and had her purse stolen at a Somers Point supermarket, authorities said. A 15-year-old Egg Harbor Township boy was charged with robbery, aggravated assault, and theft, the Somers Point Police Department said in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 10. Three adults were facing conspiracy charges in the case: 60-year-old Maria DeSantis of Woodbine, 23-year-old Charles Ogelsby Jr. of Atlantic City, and 22-year-old Emily Labaco of Atlantic City. Officers responded to a "strong-armed robbery" at t…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
PA Man, 40, Dies In Fiery Chain-Reaction Crash On NJ Turnpike: Troopers PA Man, 40, Dies In Fiery Chain-Reaction Crash On NJ Turnpike: Troopers
PA Man, 40, Dies In Fiery Chain-Reaction Crash On NJ Turnpike: Troopers A Pennsylvania man was killed in a chain-reaction crash during the morning commute on the New Jersey Turnpike, authorities said. Colin Mahon of Newtown Square, PA, died on Tuesday, Oct. 8, a New Jersey State Police spokesperson said. Troopers responded to the crash on the northbound inner highway at milepost 69 in Cranbury. Investigators said a Volkswagen Golf driven by Mahon was stopped in the left lane when a Cadillac Escalade crashed into his car. The impact caused the Volkswagen to hit the back of a Ford F-150 in the left lane and a Hyundai Sonata in the center lane. The…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Man Inappropriately Touched Two Women At Dollar Tree: Raritan PD Man Inappropriately Touched Two Women At Dollar Tree: Raritan PD
Man Inappropriately Touched Two Women At Dollar Tree: Raritan PD A 25-year-old Milford man was arrested and charged on Friday, Oct. 4 with inappropriately touching two women at a Dollar Tree last month in Raritan, authorities said. On Wednesday, Sept. 4, officers responded to the Dollar Tree on Orlando Drive, Raritan police said. A woman said a man, later identified as Dylan Wilson, followed her around the tore and then walked by and intentionally made contact with her buttocks, police said. This was later confirmed by surveillance footage, police said. Approximately 20 minutes prior, Wilson had inappropriately touched another woman on her buttocks, poli…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For October 2022 Atlantic City Shooting: Prosecutors Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For October 2022 Atlantic City Shooting: Prosecutors
Jersey Shore Man Sentenced For October 2022 Atlantic City Shooting: Prosecutors A Barnegat man will spend several years in prison after admitting to shooting another man in Atlantic City almost two years ago, authorities said. Louis Stokes, 27, was sentenced on Tuesday, Sept. 24 to five years in state prison, the Atlantic City Police Department said in a news release on Wednesday, Oct. 9. He must serve about four years and three months before he's eligible for parole. Atlantic City police found a gunshot victim on Sewell Avenue just before midnight on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022. The man was shot once in the leg and he survived his injuries. Eight fired 9mm shell casin…

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by Chris Spiker