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Criminal Justice Reform

Business
NBA Star Just Opened Weed Shop In New Jersey NBA Star Just Opened Weed Shop In New Jersey
NBA Star Just Opened Weed Shop In New Jersey One of New Jersey's newest marijuana shops is owned by a former NBA star. Village Brands is a multi-state cannabis operator founded by industry pioneers, Al Harrington, and Dan Pettigrew. It's officially opening its first East Coast location in Hoboken.  Harrington is an Orange, NJ native who played for the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and more. After helping his grandmother find treatment for her glaucoma with cannabis, Harrington teamed up with Pettigrew to start Viola to help others in her honor. The duo then founded Village Brands in an effort to expand their footprint and ope…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Town's Police Chief Refuses To Leave Residents Behind In Assuming Statewide Leadership Role NJ Town's Police Chief Refuses To Leave Residents Behind In Assuming Statewide Leadership Role
NJ Town's Police Chief Refuses To Leave Residents Behind In Assuming Statewide Leadership Role John Russo never intended on becoming a police chief. He was going for an FBI agent, but while growing up in Rutherford and meeting his friends' parents and coaches who were police officers, he decided to switch gears. Twenty-six years into his law enforcement career, and 11 years in his role as Rutherford Police Chief, Russo has been sworn in to a one-year term as the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police's 109th president. The ceremony happened during the association's 112th annual training Training Conference & Police/Security Expo in Atlantic City last month. …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
3 Busted In Spree Of Attempted Car Burglaries, Madison Police Say 3 Busted In Spree Of Attempted Car Burglaries, Madison Police Say
3 Busted In Spree Of Attempted Car Burglaries, Madison Police Say Three suspects from Irvington were busted in a spree of attempted car burglaries throughout Madison, local police said. Officers responded to a report of three suspects trying to break into vehicles near Madison Plaza (300 Main St.) shortly after 4:50 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, Madison Police said. Officers then found Jaquane Simmons, Raemir Peaks, and Randolph Peaks, all age 20, in the immediate vicinity and matching the suspects’ descriptions, police said. The suspects were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit burglary to a motor vehicle, hindering apprehension, investigation, p…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
Newark Man, 18, Stole 9 Cars From North Jersey Dealership: Prosecutor Newark Man, 18, Stole 9 Cars From North Jersey Dealership: Prosecutor
Newark Man, 18, Stole 9 Cars From North Jersey Dealership: Prosecutor A Newark man was slapped with a slew of theft and burglary charges after stealing a total of nine cars from a Morris County auto dealership, authorities said. Ahjhir Jones, 18, is accused of stealing the vehicles from GT Motors in Morristown August 6, 2021, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said Monday. He was identified via surveillance footage and fingerprinting, Carroll said. Jones was taken into custody Jan. 19 and charged with conspiracy to commit theft, theft by unlawful taking, conspiracy to commit burglary, burglary, criminal mischief and unlawful means of conveyance. Jon…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Popular Morris County Restaurant Owner Accused Of Sexually Assaulting His 17-Year-Old Staffer Popular Morris County Restaurant Owner Accused Of Sexually Assaulting His 17-Year-Old Staffer
Popular Morris County Restaurant Owner Accused Of Sexually Assaulting His 17-Year-Old Staffer The owner of a popular Morris County restaurant was arrested on accusations he sexually assaulted his 17-year-old employee, authorities said Wednesday. Robert Grow, 61 -- the owner of Potbelly's Riverside Cafe in Rockaway -- was arrested March 8 and charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said. Grow engaged in sexual acts with the female victim between Dec. 1, 2018 and March 8, 2019, Carroll said alongside Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker and Rockaway Borough Police …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Prosecutor: Morris County Man, 29, Harassed Woman, Followed Her Home And Watched Her Change Prosecutor: Morris County Man, 29, Harassed Woman, Followed Her Home And Watched Her Change
Prosecutor: Morris County Man, 29, Harassed Woman, Followed Her Home And Watched Her Change A Morris County man is facing charges for stalking and invasion of privacy after he was accused of harassing a woman, following her home and looking into her bedroom window while she changed clothes on several occasions, authorities said. Luis Rodriguez-Ponce, 29, allegedly stalked a woman he knew as an acquaintance, harassing her, following her home and looking into her bedroom window while she changed numerous times between Dec. 1 and Jan. 9, Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll said in a joint release with Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Investigations Christoph Ki…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
NJ Man Arrested For Selling Heroin, Coke Hours After Parole Release Under Murphy COVID Law NJ Man Arrested For Selling Heroin, Coke Hours After Parole Release Under Murphy COVID Law
NJ Man Arrested For Selling Heroin, Coke Hours After Parole Release Under Murphy COVID Law A Sussex County man was arrested for selling heroin and crack cocaine, just hours after being released from parole supervision last week, authorities said. Leighton A. Brown, 42, of Newton, was arrested at his home last Wednesday, and charged with distribution of heroin and crack cocaine, as well as selling CDS within 1,000 feet of a school zone, police said. Brown was released from parole supervision on Nov. 4, under Gov. Murphy’s COVID-19 law that reduced and ended parole time, police said. He was being held at Morris County Jail in accordance with the Criminal Justice Reform Act. …

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by Valerie Musson
News
NJ Lawmakers Approve Early Prison Releases For Thousands Of Inmates, It's Up To Murphy Now NJ Lawmakers Approve Early Prison Releases For Thousands Of Inmates, It's Up To Murphy Now
NJ Lawmakers Approve Early Prison Releases For Thousands Of Inmates, It's Up To Murphy Now It’s now up to Gov. Phil Murphy whether thousands of New Jersey inmates will soon be freed early from state prisons following approval of the move Thursday by the state Assembly. The state Senate, which had already approved a broader version, rubber-stamped the more limited bill that passed the Legislature’s other house. Murphy has said he’ll sign the measure into law. Early releases could begin a little over two weeks after that. Initial estimates are that 2,500 to 3,000 inmates whose prison sentences end within the next 12 months could be granted early release – nearly 20% of the current…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Bergen, Hudson Bail Reform Car Burglar Arrested Yet Again -- 500 Feet From Edgewater Police HQ Bergen, Hudson Bail Reform Car Burglar Arrested Yet Again -- 500 Feet From Edgewater Police HQ
Bergen, Hudson Bail Reform Car Burglar Arrested Yet Again -- 500 Feet From Edgewater Police HQ Police have nearly lost count of the number of times serial car burglar Isaiah Jones has been released only to strike again in community after community in Bergen and Hudson counties. It happened again Friday night when Edgewater police said they caught Jones entering unlocked vehicles in the parking lot of a River Road shopping center barely 500 feet from their headquarters. The 29-year-old Bayonne resident has become a local bail reform poster boy of sorts. Two weeks ago, Edgewater police arrested Jones for breaking into vehicles at the Viva Margarita Restaurant on Old River Road, across…

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by Jerry DeMarco