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Jersey Shore Woman Left Heroin/Fentanyl Within Toddler's Reach: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Woman Left Heroin/Fentanyl Within Toddler's Reach: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Woman Left Heroin/Fentanyl Within Toddler's Reach: Prosecutor A 26-year-old Asbury Park woman has been indicted in the drug overdose death of her 2-year-old son, authorities said. Quanique Smith was charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter and other offenses, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. Shortly after 1 a.m. on Jan. 5, Asbury Park police responded to an apartment unit on the 100 block of Langford Street for an unresponsive child.  Police found the child, who was rushed to a local hospital, where despite lifesaving efforts he was pronounced dead shortly before 2 a.m. An investigation f…

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by Jon Craig
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Asbury Park Teen Charged With Torturing, Sexually Abusing, Killing His Pet Cat: Prosecutor Asbury Park Teen Charged With Torturing, Sexually Abusing, Killing His Pet Cat: Prosecutor
Asbury Park Teen Charged With Torturing, Sexually Abusing, Killing His Pet Cat: Prosecutor An 18-year-old from Asbury Park is accused of torturing and killing his pet cat, authorities said. Bani J. Mezquititla, 18, is charged with animal cruelty by tormenting, torturing or unnecessarily or cruelly abusing a living animal resulting in its death and animal cruelty by using or causing or procuring the use of an animal or creature in any kind of sexual manner, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. An investigation into Mezquititla’s activities was initiated on Thursday, March 2, when a concerned citizen brought the body of a dead cat to Asbury Park Police …

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Police Officer Stalked Ex-Girlfriend, Vandalized Her Home: Monmouth Prosecutor Police Officer Stalked Ex-Girlfriend, Vandalized Her Home: Monmouth Prosecutor
Police Officer Stalked Ex-Girlfriend, Vandalized Her Home: Monmouth Prosecutor A police officer from the Jersey Shore is accused of stalking and harassing an ex-girlfriend, among other crimes, authorities said. Erich A. Bennett, 46, a Sea Bright police officer, is charged with official misconduct, computer theft, criminal mischief, making terroristic threats, cyber harassment, stalking and hindering apprehension, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago Bennett and the victim were in a brief dating relationship that the victim ended in late November 2022. On Dec. 5, 2022, Bennett showed up unannounced to the woman’s residence and thre…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
South Jersey Man Thought He Was Chatting With Teenage Girl: Prosecutor South Jersey Man Thought He Was Chatting With Teenage Girl: Prosecutor
South Jersey Man Thought He Was Chatting With Teenage Girl: Prosecutor A Burlington County man has been arrested and charged with seeking a sexual encounter with an underage girl, authorities said. Hazleton Newman, 31, of Chatsworth, was charged with luring, child endangerment and attempted sexual assault on a minor, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. An investigation revealed that Newman was attempting to set up a sexual encounter with who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl via electronic platforms and other forms of communication, Santiago said. Newman remains detained in the Monmouth County Correctional …

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by Jon Craig
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Prison Guard Charged With Giving Cell Phone To Inmate In Monmouth County Prison Guard Charged With Giving Cell Phone To Inmate In Monmouth County
Prison Guard Charged With Giving Cell Phone To Inmate In Monmouth County A correctional police officer assigned as a guard at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution has been charged with providing a cell phone to an inmate, authorities said. Latonya C. Johnson, 51, of Piscataway is charged with knowingly providing an electronic communication device to an inmate. An investigation led by the MCPO Professional Responsibility & Bias Crime Bureau and assisted by the MCCI Investigations Division revealed that Johnson brought the cell phone into the jail sometime between May and October 2022, when she and the inmate were allegedly eng…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Man Convicted Of Child Porn Charges Had More Than 1,000 Images On His Computers: Prosecutor Man Convicted Of Child Porn Charges Had More Than 1,000 Images On His Computers: Prosecutor
Man Convicted Of Child Porn Charges Had More Than 1,000 Images On His Computers: Prosecutor A Monmouth County man was found guilty of possessing a large cache of child sexual abuse materials in his home, authorities said. Jose Gabe Veras, 34, of Keansburg was convicted of child endangerment for possessing more than 1,000 images of child porn, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. An investigation by the Monmouth County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, initiated by a tip received through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, revealed that Veras had utilized a cloud storage application to store child sexual…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NJ Jail Officer Admits Smuggling Drugs In Potato Chip Bags: Prosecutor NJ Jail Officer Admits Smuggling Drugs In Potato Chip Bags: Prosecutor
NJ Jail Officer Admits Smuggling Drugs In Potato Chip Bags: Prosecutor A Monmouth County Correctional Institution Officer admitted distributing drugs to inmates within the jail, authorities said. The drugs were smuggled in using potato chip bags, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. Bryant Mack, 54, of Shamong, pleaded guilty on Friday, Nov. 18, to conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, Santiago said. His plea agreement requires him to forfeit his job at MCCI and prohibits him from holding public office again in the State of New Jersey. A cooperative investigation by the Monmouth Cou…

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by Jon Craig
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Man Charged With Prostituting Teenage Girl: Prosecutor Man Charged With Prostituting Teenage Girl: Prosecutor
Man Charged With Prostituting Teenage Girl: Prosecutor A Monmouth County man has been arrested and charged with promoting the prostitution of a teenager at a Tinton Falls motel, along with numerous other crimes, authorities said. Jerome L. Harbour, 41, is charged with first-degree promoting prostitution of a child, criminal sexual contact, child endangerment, hindering apprehension, obstruction of justice, and drug offenses, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. On Wednesday, Nov. 16, members of the Tinton Falls Police Department received information that a 17-year-old girl may be in crisis some…

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by Jon Craig
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Man Charged With 'Upskirting' Women At Jersey Shore ShopRite Man Charged With 'Upskirting' Women At Jersey Shore ShopRite
Man Charged With 'Upskirting' Women At Jersey Shore ShopRite A Jersey Shore man has been criminally charged with taking “upskirting” photos of at least two women in a supermarket, authorities said. Christopher W. Cox, 33, of Red Bank was charged with two counts of invasion of privacy, eluding and resisting arrest, according is Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. An investigation involving members of the MCPO Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit and the Shrewsbury Borough Police Department has revealed the following facts: Shortly before 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, a man later identified as Cox was seen enterin…

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by Jon Craig
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Jersey Shore HS Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student For 4 Years: Prosecutor Jersey Shore HS Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student For 4 Years: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore HS Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student For 4 Years: Prosecutor A Jersey Shore high school English teacher has been arrested and criminally charged with having a longterm sexual relationship with a former student, starting when she was enrolled at the school, authorities said. Michael F. Canning, 41, a Long Branch resident and English teacher at Red Bank Regional High School, was charged with sexual assault, endangering and criminal sexual contact, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago  The alleged criminal conduct by Canning began in 2015, when the victim was a junior, and extended into 20…

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by Jon Craig
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Asbury Park Man Convicted Of Sex Crimes Against 2 Teenagers: Prosecutor Asbury Park Man Convicted Of Sex Crimes Against 2 Teenagers: Prosecutor
Asbury Park Man Convicted Of Sex Crimes Against 2 Teenagers: Prosecutor A Monmouth County Jury has returned guilty verdicts against an Asbury Park man who sexually abused two teenage siblings on multiple occasions over the course of several years, authorities said. Walter Orlando Perez-Ramos, 35, was convicted Friday, Nov. 4 on two counts of sexual assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and a single count of criminal sexual contact, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. On May 3, 2021, members of the Asbury Park Police Department first received information regarding the abuse of the…

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by Jon Craig
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Jersey Shore Check-Cashing Robbery Netted $700K: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Check-Cashing Robbery Netted $700K: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Check-Cashing Robbery Netted $700K: Prosecutor An Ocean County man has been arrested and charged with committing a daytime robbery of a West Long Branch check-cashing business that netted $700,000, authorities said. Travis A. Bryant, 41, of Jackson is charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary, and fourth-degree possession of an imitation handgun, according to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago. At approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017, members of the West Long Branch Police Department responded to the check-cashing business on Route 36non a report of a silent alarm activati…

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by Jon Craig