4 NJ Police Officers Indicted For Bilking Town For No-Show 'Extra Duty' Assignments: Prosecutor 4 NJ Police Officers Indicted For Bilking Town For No-Show 'Extra Duty' Assignments: Prosecutor
4 NJ Police Officers Indicted For Bilking Town For No-Show 'Extra Duty' Assignments: Prosecutor Four suspended police officers from Central Jersey bilked their town for no-show "extra duty" assignments, authorities said. The Edison Police officers were charged with racketeering, bribery, theft, money laundering and witness tampering, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Thomas Bryan of the Edison Police Department said on Friday, Oct. 14. They did not say how much taxpayer money was stolen by the former officers. Sergeant Ioannis (John) Mpletsakis, 43, of Edison Township, Patrolman James Panagoulakos, 36, of Jackson Township, Patrolman Gregory&nbs…
Jury Finds Former Cop Guilty Of Murder In Shooting Of Estranged Wife: Morris County Prosecutor Jury Finds Former Cop Guilty Of Murder In Shooting Of Estranged Wife: Morris County Prosecutor
Jury Finds Former Cop Guilty Of Murder In Shooting Of Estranged Wife: Morris County Prosecutor A jury has found a former Newark police officer guilty of murder in the 2019 shooting of his estranged wife and the attempted murder of her partner in Morris County following an eight-day trial, authorities announced. John Formisano, 52, was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder, hindering apprehension or prosecution, official misconduct, and two counts each of child endangerment and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said in a joint release on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Formisano, an Acting Lieutenant, was off-duty …
Video Shows Now-Former Paterson Officer Beating Defenseless Suspect, Prosecutor Says Video Shows Now-Former Paterson Officer Beating Defenseless Suspect, Prosecutor Says
Video Shows Now-Former Paterson Officer Beating Defenseless Suspect, Prosecutor Says Body camera video proves that a now-former Paterson police officer beat a defenseless suspect with a flashlight and kneed him in the face in an apartment hallway, a grand jury indictment charges. Spencer Finch, 45, of Mahwah filed an official report maintaining that he needed to use force against what he claimed was a combative suspect, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. The video from a fellow officer’s bodycam tells a different story, Valdes added. Finch – who was with the department for nearly 18 years -- is charged with aggravated assault, official misconduct, perjury, t…
Port Authority Officer Charged With Filing Bogus Medical Reports To Collect Paid Leave Port Authority Officer Charged With Filing Bogus Medical Reports To Collect Paid Leave
Port Authority Officer Charged With Filing Bogus Medical Reports To Collect Paid Leave A 13-year Port Authority police veteran illegally milked a paid medical leave by submitting bogus records, authorities charged. Marie Paz, 43, was charged with two counts of forgery before being released pending a May 13 first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Jersey City, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Paz, of Woodhaven, Queens, "submitted falsified medical records to her employer to receive additional paid medical leave," Suarez said on Friday, April 29. The prosecutor credited her office's Public Integrity Unit and the Port Authority of New York and New Je…
South Jersey Officer Indicted In Off-Duty Domestic Violence Clash: Report South Jersey Officer Indicted In Off-Duty Domestic Violence Clash: Report
South Jersey Officer Indicted In Off-Duty Domestic Violence Clash: Report A 37-year-old South Jersey police officer has been indicted for trying to strangle a woman while off-duty, NJ Advance Media reported. Myron V. Ford, with the Deptford Township Police Department since 2009, was indicted by a Gloucester County grand jury last week on a charge of aggravated assault/strangling a domestic violence victim, the outlet said. He was arrested by Deptford police at his apartment on Sept. 30, 2021. He was accused of forcefully shoving the woman against a door at her apartment, scratching her right arm and chin, and “placing his hands around the victim’s neck in a…
Oakland PD: DWI Driver From Franklin Lakes Kicks, Spits On Police Oakland PD: DWI Driver From Franklin Lakes Kicks, Spits On Police
Oakland PD: DWI Driver From Franklin Lakes Kicks, Spits On Police A DWI driver from Franklin Lakes was arrested after he kicked and spit at Oakland police, authorities said. Officers responding to a call of an erratic driver on Long Hill Road on Friday, March 11, spotted a Honda stopped at a green light, Capt. Timothy Keenan said. The driver, Nicholas Pellegrini, 26, was arrested following a field sobriety test and "became combative while being handcuffed," Keenan said. Pelligrini kicked one officer and spit on others while being subdued, the captain said. He was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, throwing bodily fluids at police, resi…
NJ Correctional Officer Admits Assaulting, Breaking Wrist Of Detainee, 16, With No Cause NJ Correctional Officer Admits Assaulting, Breaking Wrist Of Detainee, 16, With No Cause
NJ Correctional Officer Admits Assaulting, Breaking Wrist Of Detainee, 16, With No Cause UPDATE: A retiring New Jersey correctional officer admitted breaking the wrist of a detainee during an unprovoked attack at a state facility for juvenile offenders, authorities said. Lt. Edward Day, 52, of Paulsboro, assaulted the 16-year-old without cause or justification at the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission's medium-security facility in Bordentown on Oct. 25, 2020, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. The boy had his arms handcuffed behind his back during a transfer from his room to another location at the facility when Day "grabbed the victim’s ankle from …
Black NJ Teen Pinned In Viral Video Hires Lawyer Who Repped George Floyd, Breonna Taylor Black NJ Teen Pinned In Viral Video Hires Lawyer Who Repped George Floyd, Breonna Taylor
Black NJ Teen Pinned In Viral Video Hires Lawyer Who Repped George Floyd, Breonna Taylor The nationally renowned civil rights attorney who represented the families of George Floyd, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery has been retained by the New Jersey teen pinned to the ground and handcuffed by police during a mall fight. Benjamin Crump announced he has been retained to help 14-year-old Z’Kye Husain, who he said was standing up for a middle schooler being bullied by an 11th grader at the Bridgewater Commons last Saturday. The video shows officers forcefully pinning Z’Kye to the ground with their arms and legs handcuffing him, while the white teen involved in the fi…
Family Of NJ Man Shot Dead By Officer At Dorney Park To Get $950K In Settlement Money Family Of NJ Man Shot Dead By Officer At Dorney Park To Get $950K In Settlement Money
Family Of NJ Man Shot Dead By Officer At Dorney Park To Get $950K In Settlement Money The family of a New Jersey man shot and killed by an "inexperienced" police officer directing traffic at Dorney Park will receive $950,000 reached in the settlement of a wrongful death suit, The Morning Call reports. Joseph Santos' two adult sons and 11-year-old daughter will receive a portion of the settlement, aside from law firm costs and fees, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Morning Call. Santos' estate administrator, Juliana Valenzuela, agreed to end the lawsuit on Sept. 14, according to the settlement. South Whitehall Township Officer Jonathan Ros…
TikTokers Want Justice For Woman Who Died On Bumble Date TikTokers Want Justice For Woman Who Died On Bumble Date
TikTokers Want Justice For Woman Who Died On Bumble Date The family of a Connecticut woman who was found dead in her apartment is upset over the way her death was handled is being backed by TikTok users. Lauren Smith-Fields, 23, of Bridgeport, was found dead in her apartment on Sunday, Dec. 12 by Bridgeport police after a date with 37-year-old Matthew LaFountain, whom she met on a dating site. LaFountain was the one who called to report her death, the family said at a news conference on Sunday, Jan. 16. More than a month after Smith-Fields died, her family still doesn't have a cause of death and is frustrated with the way they are being treated …
Paterson Officer Indicted In Accused Beating Of Arab-American Resident Paterson Officer Indicted In Accused Beating Of Arab-American Resident
Paterson Officer Indicted In Accused Beating Of Arab-American Resident A Paterson police officer beat a 19-year-old Arab-American man and then lied about it, a federal grand jury charged. Officers Kevin Patino, 29, violated the civil rights of the victim, according to the indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Newark, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Osamah Alsaidi was walking with his hands in his pockets the night of Dec. 14, 2020 when Patino and Officer Kendry Tineo-Restituyo approached him, the U.S. attorney said. What they didn’t know was that area surveillance cameras were recording the incident (see below). “Patino grabbe…
Ex-Pompton Lakes Police Officer Admits Exchanging Nude Pics With Underage Teen Ex-Pompton Lakes Police Officer Admits Exchanging Nude Pics With Underage Teen
Ex-Pompton Lakes Police Officer Admits Exchanging Nude Pics With Underage Teen A now-former Pompton Lakes police officer avoided potential prison time by pleading guilty to exchanging nude photos online with an underage teenager, authorities said. Mark Stinnard, 37, engaged in the relationship with the Riverdale youngster on his own time 3½ years ago and not while he was on the clock, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said. Stinnard was arrested in late September and charged with “engaging in sexual conduct with a child” and endangerment for manufacturing child pornography and “causing harm to a child,” the prosecutor said. No sexual assault charges were fi…