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Sunday, dec 15
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Police & Fire
Trenton Man Targeted Business Owners In Deadly Crime Spree, Federal Prosecutors Say
A Trenton man was given federal charges after being accused of orchestrating three armed robberies, including one that resulted in the death of a cannabis shop owner, authorities said. Paul McNeil, 38, was charged with murder during and in relation to a crime of violence, three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy, and multiple gun offenses, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release on Wednesday, Dec. 11. According to court documents and statements, McNeil and a co-conspirator robbed an automotive recycling shop in Ewing on Friday, Sept. 30, 2…
News
Subway Death: Judge Dismisses Manslaughter Charge Against Ex-Marine In NJ Street Artist's Death
A New York judge dismissed the top criminal count against an ex-Marine accused of choking a New Jersey street artist to death aboard a Manhattan subway after the jury deadlocked. Manhattan Judge Maxwell Wiley granted a defense motion to dismiss the manslaughter charge against Daniel Penny late Friday afternoon, Dec. 6, after jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the top count, NBC News reports. The dismissal came hours after jurors told Wiley they were deadlocked on whether Penny was guilty of second-degree manslaughter and the judge ordered them to continue deliberations.…
Police & Fire
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…
Police & Fire
NJ Youth Soccer Coach Admits To Sexually Exploiting Players, Prosecutors Say
A Union Beach youth soccer coach admitted to molesting two players and sending sexual pictures to several others, authorities said. Ryan Gunsauls, 33, pleaded guilty during a hearing in superior court, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Monday, Nov. 18. The investigation began in May when a teen reported Gunsauls had asked for and shared sexually explicit material through a social media app. As the case developed, eight additional victims between 11 and 17 years old were identified. Gunsauls was held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution an…
Police & Fire
Man Confesses To Raping Sleeping Woman At Atlantic City Bus Terminal, Prosecutors Say
An Atlantic City man admitted to raping a sleeping woman at the city's bus terminal, authorities said. Eric Williams, 56, pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated sexual assault, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release on Monday, Nov. 18. Williams sexually assaulted the woman at the Atlantic City Bus Terminal on Thursday, May 19, 2022. Investigators said Williams used his penis and fingers to anally rape the victim. The woman was sleeping during the assault, according to prosecutors. Williams was arrested after surveillance video caught him raping her. Pr…
Police & Fire
15-Year-Old Carjacked, Ran Over Victim: Somerset County Prosecutor
A 15-year-old has been arrested for a carjacking and assault that left a man with life-threatening injuries on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 6 in Bernards Township, authorities said. At 11:35 a.m., officers responded to o a gas station located in the area of Valley Road and found the teenager had tried to take possession of a vehicle after assaulting the driver, a Bernards Township man, who was putting air in his tires, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Bernards Township Police Chief Jon Bur…
Police & Fire
Former South Jersey Corrections Officer Who Didn't Stop Attacks On Inmates Sentenced, Feds Say
A former corrections officer in Leesburg will spend more than a year in prison after admitting to not stopping attacks against two inmates, authorities said. Joshua Hand, 35, of Millville, was sentenced on Tuesday, Nov. 5 to 20 months in prison, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. He was a corrections officer at Bayside State Prison. According to court documents and statements, Hand was in the officers' quarters in the kitchen area when the first victim entered the room in December 2019. "Shortly after the victim entered the officers’ qua…
Politics
Andy Kim Wins Senate Race Replacing Bob Menendez
Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., won the election to the United States Senate, defeating Republican challenger Curtis Bashaw. BREAKING: Kamala Harris Wins New Jersey The Associated Press made Kim's call Tuesday, Nov. 5 just as polls closed at 8 p.m. Kim will be filling the seat left vacant following the resignation of former Sen. Rob Menendez, D-NJ, who was convicted of felony corruption and bribery charges. Kim will be appointed to the seat by Gov. Phil Murphy after his election is certified. Kim will be the first Asian American senator from the Garden State and the first Korean senator from any s…
Politics
Accused Pelosi Laptop Thief's Dad Convicted Of Child Abuse One Year After NJ Defamation Case
The father of a Pennsylvania woman who was accused of stealing Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's laptop was convicted of sexually abusing a girl on Wednesday, Oct. 30 — just two days after the trial began, according to court documents and the Dauphin County District Attorney's office. Rickey Williams, 55, — a security guard from Dauphin County — touched the girl when she was between the ages of 8 and 18. Judge William T. presided over the trial. She came forward about the abuse within two weeks after police allegedly caught him soliciting a video of a 14-ye…
Police & Fire
Six NJ Corrections Officers Indicted For Covering Up Pepper Spray Attack On Inmate, AG Says
Six corrections officers were indicted after an inmate was pepper-sprayed and forcefully removed from his cell at a Burlington County detention center, authorities said. A grand jury indicted a sergeant and five senior corrections officers for the attack and subsequent coverup, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a news release on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The incident happened at Garden State Youth Correctional Facility, a center for adults 18-30 years old in Chesterfield Township. These were the officers charged in the case: Sgt. Michael Emmert, 40, Toms River Ch…
News
'Shocks The Conscience': Colonia Doctor Who Exploited Undocumented Home Servants Sentenced
A doctor from Tinton Falls will spend time in prison for the abusive exploitation of two undocumented women from India, including denying one woman lifesaving surgery for a brain aneurysm, authorities said. Harsha Sahni, 68, was sentenced on Monday, Oct. 28 to two years and three months in prison, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. The former rheumatologist with a practice in the Colonia section of Woodbridge Township previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens and filing a false tax return. According to cour…
Politics
Meet Andy Kim, Curtis Bashaw: NJ Politicians Vying For Menendez's Former Seat
Rep. Andy Kim, D-NJ and Curtis Bashaw, a business owner, are running for Sen. Bob Menendez's old senate seat after the disgraced senator resigned following his conviction on felony corruption charges. Here's a little bit about the two candidates: Kim has represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district since 2019. He jumped into the race upon Menendez's indictment and fended off a challenge from First Lady Tammy Murphy, whose campaign struggled, forcing her to drop out before the primary. Kim's lasting impact in the race may be upending New Jersey's controversial "line" system. A j…
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man Who Killed GF With Toilet Tank Cover, Belt On Her Birthday Sentenced: Feds
A New Jersey man will spend up to a quarter-century in prison after admitting to brutally killing his girlfriend in a Washington, D.C. hotel, authorities said. William Barrett, 69, of Mount Holly, was sentenced on Friday, Oct. 25 to 25 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia said in a news release on Monday, Oct. 28. He was arrested in the killing of 36-year-old Romaine Maddox, a resident of the northeast quadrant of D.C. According to trial evidence, Barrett and Maddox checked into Ivy City Hotel on New York Avenue, Northeast at around 7 p.m. …
Police & Fire
Man Who Raped, Killed One-Year-Old South Jersey 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. …
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Recording Children's Sex Acts During Video Chats, Prosecutors Say
A Brick Township man admitted to recording children performing sexual acts for him in video chats, authorities said. Christopher Budelman, 37, pleaded guilty on Friday, Oct. 4 to two counts of sexual assault, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Prosecutors said they're seeking seven years in state prison for Budelman, along with registering as a sex offender, a ban from contacting the victims, and lifetime parole supervision. The state police's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force found a person was using the …
Police & Fire
Former Wildwood Mayor Admits To Healthcare Fraud, NJ Attorney General Says
A former mayor of Wildwood admitted to his role in a healthcare fraud scheme that stole more than $600,000 in government funds, authorities said. Peter Byron, 68, pleaded guilty to three charges on Friday, Sept. 27, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a news release on Monday, Sept. 30. Byron resigned as mayor in September 2023 after he was indicted in the case. According to court documents and statements, Byron, current Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr., and Deputy Mayor Steve Mikulski enrolled in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) despite being ineligible. The SHBP is only open…
Police & Fire
Central Jersey Man Convicted Of Sexually, Physically Abusing Girl For 6+ Years: Prosecutors
A Marlboro Township man was convicted of sexually and physically abusing a girl for more than six years, authorities said. A jury found 51-year-old Andrey Penkin guilty of second-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, as well as two counts each of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced the conviction in a news release on Wednesday, Sept. 18. Investigators said Penkin started sexually abusing the girl in 2016 when he lived in Sayreville. The abuse continued when Penkin moved …
Police & Fire
Toms River Woman Sentenced In Roommate's Shower Rod, Tape Dispenser Killing: Prosecutors
A Toms River woman will spend at least eight years in prison after admitting to her role in the death of her roommate, a former Manchester High School janitor, authorities said. Mary Carbone, 60, was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 13 to ten years in state prison, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. She must serve eight-and-a-half years before she's eligible for parole under the No Early Release Act. Carbone pleaded guilty on Monday, July 8 to aggravated manslaughter. She had been indicted for murder in the death of 55-year-old Frank St…
Police & Fire
Central Jersey Widow Avoids Jail After Fraudulently Collecting $268K In Police Pension: AG
A Mercer County woman avoided jail time after admitting to stealing $268,000 from her dead husband's police pension after she remarried, authorities said. Sandra VonScheven, 49, of Hamilton Township, was given a suspended sentence of 364 days in county jail, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a news release on Thursday, Aug. 29. She won't have to go to jail if she completes probation. According to court documents and statements, VonScheven started receiving state benefits in November 2001 after her husband died. He had retired as a municipal police officer in New Jersey. Widows …
Police & Fire
Monroe Township Man Among Two More Arrests In Jersey Shore Murder Plot, Prosecutors Say
Two more men were charged in a plot to shoot and kill another man in Jackson Township, authorities said. Noah Phelps of Monroe Township and Glenn Franzson of Jackson Township were arrested, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, Aug. 20. The two were facing charges in the shooting on Thursday, June 27. Jackson police responded to the shooting report on Larsen Road at around 12:20 a.m. and officers found a 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his face. He was treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and released from the N…
Police & Fire
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…
Police & Fire
Why Sergeant Won't Be Charged In Crash That Killed 44-Year-Old Pedestrian: AG (
Video
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Charges will not be filed against a police officer who last November struck and killed a 44-year-old man while on-duty in a patrol car, authorities said. Sgt. Richard Sbarra was on White Horse Pike (Route 30) in the Atco section of Waterford when he hit Christofe “Christopher” Wita, 44, of Berlin on Nov. 23, 2023, NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin previously said. Bodycam footage and radio transmissions from the incident were released last month. On Monday, Aug. 12, Platkin said Sbarra would not be charged following an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Account…
Police & Fire
South Jersey Corrections Officer Who Sexually Assaulted Girl Under 13 Sentenced: Prosecutors
A Cape May County corrections officer will spend more than a quarter-century in prison for sexually assaulting a girl younger than 13 years old, authorities said. Jonathan Perez, 35, of Woodbine, was sentenced on Thursday, Aug. 8 to 30 years in state prison, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland said in a news release. A jury convicted him on four charges on Friday, Apr. 12. The girl reported the abuse "over an extended period of time" to state police in Woodbine on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023. Perez was arrested the next morning and a grand jury indicted him on…
Traffic
State Agency Director ID'd As Driver, 55, Killed By Motorist Running Red Light On Route 130
The driver killed in an early-morning crash Wednesday, July 10 on Route 130 in Hamilton has been identified as the director of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation (SCI). The agency identified its executive director Chadd W. Lackey as the 55-year-old Voorhees driver who died in the Hamilton crash. Police in their initial report said the crash was caused by a 51-year-old Bordentown woman who allegedly ran a red light at Klockner Road and struck a 2020 Ford Edge SUV heading east around 6 a.m. Lackey's 44-year-old passenger from Hamilton was left critical. “We are deva…
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man, 58, Gets Prison For Sexually Assaulting 5 Girls Under Age Of 13: Prosecutor
A 58-year-old man from Vineland was sentenced to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison for sexually assaulting five girls under the age of 13 over a 10-year period, authorities said. Jesus Figueroa was sentenced on Friday, June 28, according to Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae. Figueroa must serve a minimum of 85% of the 10 years before being considered eligible for parole, she said. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and be subject to parole supervision for life. On Sept. 8, 2022, Figueroa, was charged w…
Police & Fire
20-Year-Old Who Shot Man In Head On Atlantic City Boardwalk Sentenced: Prosecutors
An Atlantic City man will spend several years in prison after admitting to shooting another man on the boardwalk early in the morning nearly two years ago, authorities said. Wesley Briscoe, 20, was sentenced on Wednesday, June 19 to three years in state prison, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Feb. 21 to second-degree aggravated assault, fourth-degree pointing a firearm, and fourth-degree hindering his own apprehension. A 20-year-old man was shot in the head on the Atlantic City Boardwalk at around 1 a.m…
News
Meek Mill Joins NJ Gov. Murphy To Celebrate Landmark Clemency Effort On Juneteenth
Gov. Phil Murphy celebrated Juneteenth by announcing a historic initiative in an effort to improve racial justice in New Jersey. The governor signed an executive order on clemency at Saint James AME Church in Newark on Wednesday, June 19. The order establishes standards for people to receive expedited consideration for pardons and commutations. Gov. Murphy said the goal is to fix the racial inequalities that have existed in the criminal justice system. "As we celebrate Juneteenth and reflect on our nation’s ongoing journey toward racial justice for Black and Brown …
Police & Fire
Former Notorious NJ Political Boss George Norcross Indicted For Racketeering
Former New Jersey Democratic kingmaker George E. Norcross III ran a criminal enterprise for nearly a dozen years during which he used his power and influence over elected officials to make laws that best served him, among other offenses, says a state indictment that charges him with racketeering. The poster boy of New Jersey political bosses, Norcross attended a news conference held on Monday, June 17 by state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin in Trenton -- uninvited -- to announce the indictment naming him and five co-defendants. When one of the attorney general's sta…
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man Admits To Racist Amazon Driver Threats, Illegally Growing Weed: Prosecutor
A Lacey Township man admitted to racist threats against an Amazon driver and illegally selling large amounts of marijuana, authorities said. John Vincentini, 64, pleaded guilty in two separate cases on Friday, June 7, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He and his wife, 64-year-old Karen Vincentini, have been held in the Ocean County Jail since March. John Vincentini pleaded guilty to bias intimidation after he was indicted back in June 2023. He was accused of threatening an Amazon delivery driver on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. Investi…
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