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NJ Ring That Dealt Fentanyl, Crack Smashed By Federal, County, Local Crime-Fighting Team NJ Ring That Dealt Fentanyl, Crack Smashed By Federal, County, Local Crime-Fighting Team
NJ Ring That Dealt Fentanyl, Crack Smashed By Federal, County, Local Crime-Fighting Team Eleven accused members of a drug ring that authorities said openly peddled crack and potentially fatal fentanyl in a Newark neighborhood were charged federally on Wednesday. The ring's "primary supplier," Frazier Burton, 46, was caught with 100 bricks of heroin and fentanyl when tactical officers arrested him Wednesday morning, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. At 50 bags per brick, that's 5,000 individual packages -- all of which Honig said carried the neighborhood drug network's particular stamps. The case took several months for an ad hoc team of local, county and federal inve…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Newark Police Helicopter Pilot Helps Recover Stolen Car Newark Police Helicopter Pilot Helps Recover Stolen Car
Newark Police Helicopter Pilot Helps Recover Stolen Car The pilot of a Newark police helicopter was being praised for his efforts in helping to recover a stolen car. The pilot, Officer Angel Gonzalez, told ground units that a silver Honda Accord, stolen on Saturday while left idling, was driving erratically near Clinton Avenue and South 13th Street, Newark Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said. Gonzalez was able to track the vehicle to where it parked, and guided officers to make a safe apprehension of the suspect without a police pursuit, O'Hara said. Drivers are reminded to shut their vehicles off and take their keys with them ev…

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by Cecilia Levine
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Former Bookkeeper Who Embezzled $1.78M From NJ Steel Company Gets Six Years In Fed Pen Former Bookkeeper Who Embezzled $1.78M From NJ Steel Company Gets Six Years In Fed Pen
Former Bookkeeper Who Embezzled $1.78M From NJ Steel Company Gets Six Years In Fed Pen A former bookkeeper who embezzled $1.7 million from the Newark-based steel company she worked for must spend a plea-bargained six years in federal prison. There’s no parole in the federal prison system, which means Tammy L. Martinez, 49, of South Amboy, must serve out just about the entire term. For more than five years, Martinez forged her manager’s signature on bogus checks made out to her or to cash, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. She cashed the checks at area TD Bank branches where the company had an account or dropped the money into a personal account, a complaint on file…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Police Helicopter Helps Nab Thieves In Stolen Bergen County Car: Newark Authorities Police Helicopter Helps Nab Thieves In Stolen Bergen County Car: Newark Authorities
Police Helicopter Helps Nab Thieves In Stolen Bergen County Car: Newark Authorities A Newark police helicopter helped track a pair of car thieves in an SUV stolen out of Bergen County, authorities said. The copter spotted a gray Alfa Romeo SUV stolen out of Closter speeding near 16th Avenue and South 13th Street around 9:30 p.m. Friday, city police said in a release. The car was later seen parked in a driveway at North 6th Street and 12th Avenue. Upon becoming aware of police presence, Rasheed Mells, 23, the driver, got out of the car and ran, police said. He was apprehended at North 11th Street. Newark Police Director Brian A. O’Hara, who was in the area at the time appr…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Police Officer Brought Bergen Nurse's Body Home To Mom After Killing Him On Parkway: Prosecutor Police Officer Brought Bergen Nurse's Body Home To Mom After Killing Him On Parkway: Prosecutor
Police Officer Brought Bergen Nurse's Body Home To Mom After Killing Him On Parkway: Prosecutor A police officer was arrested for attempting to hide the body of a 29-year-old nurse who he struck and killed on the Garden State Parkway, authorities said. Louis Santiago, 25, an officer in Newark, was off duty when he swerved into the right shoulder and struck Damian Z. Dymka, of Garfield, on the northbound side of the parkway near Exit 151 around 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II said. Neither Santiago nor his passenger, Albert Guzman, 25, of Newark, called 911 and instead, put Dymka's body in the back of Santiago's 2005 Honda Accord, Stephens sai…

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by Cecilia Levine
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Gun-Toting Ex-Con Who Tried To Flee Newark PD On Bicycle Sent To Federal Prison Gun-Toting Ex-Con Who Tried To Flee Newark PD On Bicycle Sent To Federal Prison
Gun-Toting Ex-Con Who Tried To Flee Newark PD On Bicycle Sent To Federal Prison A bicycle-riding ex-con who tossed a gun as he tried to evade pursuing Newark police officers was sentenced Monday to a plea-bargained 32 months in federal prison. Joseph Triplett, 32, of East Orange, was maneuvering his bike around pedestrians on a South 8th Street sidewalk when an officer tried to stop him in September 2019, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Triplett ignored the officer's orders and pedaled off in the opposite direction, Honig said. Officers pursued Triplett, who tossed a fanny pack holding a loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver before he was capture…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Fugitives Arrested In Fatal Atlantic City Shooting, Prosecutor Says Fugitives Arrested In Fatal Atlantic City Shooting, Prosecutor Says
Fugitives Arrested In Fatal Atlantic City Shooting, Prosecutor Says Two New Jersey fugitives have been arrested on murder charges in the fatal shooting of a 28-year-old Atlantic City man last spring, authorities said. Denzel Garrison, 28, of Newark was arrested Tuesday by Newark police and charged with murder, conspiracy and weapons offenses, according to Acting Atlantic County Prosecutor Cary Shill. Laquine Demby, 30, of Pleasantville, was arrested Tuesday by ACPO detectives and Pleasantville police and charged with murder and conspiracy,  Shill said on Wednesday. Demby and Garrison were processed and were being held at the Atlantic County Justice Fa…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Newark Officer Struck By Mercedes SUV Stolen Out Of Elizabeth Newark Officer Struck By Mercedes SUV Stolen Out Of Elizabeth
Newark Officer Struck By Mercedes SUV Stolen Out Of Elizabeth A Newark police officer was hospitalized after being struck by a stolen vehicle Tuesday night. The officer noticed a Mercedes Benz SUV stolen out of Elizabeth on Quitman Street near Spruce Street around 11 p.m., Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said. The driver noticed the police presence, pulled off and hit the officer, O'Hara said. The injured officer was taken to University Hospital for treatment and was in stable condition as of Wednesday.  The vehicle was recovered by police at Livingston Street. The incident remains under investigation. No further information was availa…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Woman Wanted In NJ Parking Lot Murder Captured In PA, Authorities Say Woman Wanted In NJ Parking Lot Murder Captured In PA, Authorities Say
Woman Wanted In NJ Parking Lot Murder Captured In PA, Authorities Say A 39-year-old woman has been charged with killing a 34-year-old man whose body was found in a Newark parking lot late last month, authorities said. Stephanie Martinez was captured on video and identified as a suspect in the 8:58 a.m. killing of Raul Rios on Sept. 28, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens, II, and Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara said. Rios' body was found in a parking lot on the 400 block of Springfield Avenue in Newark. He was pronounced dead approximately 30 minutes later, authorities said. Martinez was arrested in Pennsylvania by Pennsylv…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Distressed Boy Who Wet His Pants Gets Help From Newark Officer Distressed Boy Who Wet His Pants Gets Help From Newark Officer
Distressed Boy Who Wet His Pants Gets Help From Newark Officer A distressed boy who had wet his pants got help from a compassionate police officer in Newark. Newark Police Officer L. Ciesla found the boy near Broad Street and Branford Street, the city’s department of public safety said Tuesday. Ciesla then went to a nearby store and bought the boy new clothes using her own money. “Officer Ciesla went above and beyond in making the child’s day brighter by giving him a fresh set of clothes and helping him change, literally on her knees,” the department said. “We salute Officer Ciesla for treating the child as if he were a member of her own family.”

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Man Who Broke NJ Mall Security Guard's Nose During Shoplifting Incident Sought By Police Man Who Broke NJ Mall Security Guard's Nose During Shoplifting Incident Sought By Police
Man Who Broke NJ Mall Security Guard's Nose During Shoplifting Incident Sought By Police Newark police are seeking the public's help in identifying a man who they say broke a store security guard's nose during a shoplifting incident last week. The guard was working at the Gap Outlet in the 100 block of Market Street on July 27 when a woman walked into the store around 1:15 p.m. and grabbed a bag with items from the storage area, according to Newark Public Safety Director Brian A. O’Hara When the guard went after the woman, the Black male suspect walked into the store and shoved him to the ground, authorities said. The suspects left the store, but the guard confronted…

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by Nicole Acosta
News
Ex-Con Carjacker Who Was Run Over, Pinned By Newark Police Car Takes Plea In Federal Court Ex-Con Carjacker Who Was Run Over, Pinned By Newark Police Car Takes Plea In Federal Court
Ex-Con Carjacker Who Was Run Over, Pinned By Newark Police Car Takes Plea In Federal Court A Newark ex-con who was run over and pinned by a city police car as he tried to flee an armed carjacking took a guilty plea in federal court on Tuesday, authorities said. Jared Walker, 24, had to be rescued after being run over while hiding in snow-covered grass shortly after 2 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2020. Walker had just taken a 2008 Ford E-350 van at gunpoint from its driver, who eventually managed to escape and call police, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Walker hit a police car and several other vehicles with the van before crashing through a fence and into a parking lot, authorit…

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by Jerry DeMarco