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Police & Fire
'Patient Broker' From Balto Goes To Federal Prison For Preying On NJ Drug Addicts 'Patient Broker' From Balto Goes To Federal Prison For Preying On NJ Drug Addicts
'Patient Broker' From Balto Goes To Federal Prison For Preying On NJ Drug Addicts A Baltimore man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for paying people to bribe drug addicts in New Jersey to go to specific rehab centers -- some as far as California. John Devlin, 37, is one of seven people who took deals from the government and admitted participating in a plot to defraud health insurance companies through patient brokering in several states, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. The confessed schemers enlisted "recruiters" to pay users addicted to heroin and other drugs with "robust" private health insurance several thousand dollars to ent…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Couple Convicted Of Turning Immigrants Into Slaves NJ Couple Convicted Of Turning Immigrants Into Slaves
NJ Couple Convicted Of Turning Immigrants Into Slaves UPDATE: A South Jersey couple was convicted of forcing a pair of undocumented immigrants into slavery after luring them to America. Bolaji Bolarinwa, 50, and Isiaka Bolarinwa, 67, of Moorestown were discovered when one of the victims told her college professor, who alerted the FBI, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip Sellinger said. Originally from Nigeria, the couple were living in New Jersey as U.S. citizens when they recruited two victims to follow them, Sellinger said. They "engaged in an egregious bait-and-switch, luring the victims with false promises of a life and an education …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
'Chameleon': Wife-Killer Facing Charges In 33-Year-Old NJ Murder Case Featured On Dateline NBC 'Chameleon': Wife-Killer Facing Charges In 33-Year-Old NJ Murder Case Featured On Dateline NBC
'Chameleon': Wife-Killer Facing Charges In 33-Year-Old NJ Murder Case Featured On Dateline NBC A convicted killer facing new charges in connection with his second wife's death in Mercer County will be featured in a two-hour broadcast titled "Chameleon" on Dateline NBC on Friday, April 26. John David Smith III has served 20 years in an Ohio prison for the murder of his first wife. Now, he faces murder charges in New Jersey for killing his second wife, Fran Gladden-Smith, 33 years ago in West Windsor. At 9 p.m. Friday, Dateline NBC said it will reveal a "gripping investigation exposing (the) man suspected of multiple murders." Victims' relatives and detectives who put Smith behin…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
GOTCHA! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism GOTCHA! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism
Gotcha! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism UPDATE: An elite law enforcement team captured a 24-year-old local man on Monday who authorities said broke in and trashed the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in New Brunswick earlier this month. Jacob Beacher was due for an initial afternoon appearance on federal hate crime charges in U.S. District Court in Newark on April 22. Beacher broke into the CILRU shortly after 2:30 a.m. April 10 and did an estimated $40,000 worth of damage, state and federal authorities said. It was during the Eid-al-Fitr -- the Islamic holiday commemorating the end of sunrise-to-dusk fasting during…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Fugitive Caught After Overnight Standoff In South Jersey: Police Fugitive Caught After Overnight Standoff In South Jersey: Police
Fugitive Caught After Overnight Standoff In South Jersey: Police A fugitive was taken into custody after an overnight standoff in Atlantic County, authorities said. Prentiss Blaylock, 37, of Egg Harbor Township, was arrested on Friday, Apr. 19, according to an Egg Harbor Township police spokesperson. The scene on Ivins Avenue had been active for more than 24 hours, the police department said in a Facebook post. Blaylock was sought for unlawful possession of a weapon, child abuse, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, resisting arrest, and theft. He was listed on the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office's "most wanted" list. No in…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Passaic County Jail Officer Admits Bringing Inmate To 'Blind Spot' For Beating By Colleagues Passaic County Jail Officer Admits Bringing Inmate To 'Blind Spot' For Beating By Colleagues
Passaic County Jail Officer Admits Bringing Inmate To 'Blind Spot' For Beating By Colleagues 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A Passaic County correctional officer admitted that he brought an inmate to a "blind spot" at the county jail so two colleagues could beat him for squirting one of them with urine. Officer Lorenzo Bowden, 39, initially agreed with Sgt. Jose Gonzalez and Sgt. Donald Vinales not to talk after they'd received federal grand jury subpoenas two years ago this month, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said. Bowden eventually had a change of heart. The pretrial detainee was "transported through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which correctional officers …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Teacher Who Posed As Woman To Lure 70 Boys Into Sending Him Nudes Gets 17½ Years: Feds NJ Teacher Who Posed As Woman To Lure 70 Boys Into Sending Him Nudes Gets 17½ Years: Feds
NJ Teacher Who Posed As Woman To Lure 70 Boys Into Sending Him Nudes Gets 17½ Years: Feds UPDATE: It's a measure of how despicably and disgustingly a former Union County grade-school teacher and youth soccer coach from Morristown abused dozens of boys he'd met online that a plea bargain got him "only" 17½ years in federal prison. Steven Brooks, 37, must serve at least 85% of the negotiated sentence handed down in federal court in Newark on Thursday, April 18, for posing as a woman to lure at least 70 underage boys into sending him nude photos and videos. That means he'll be in his early 50s before he'll be eligible to experience freedom again. FBI agents who investigated Brooks…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
'RHONJ' Star's Stepson Arrested In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Thanks To Her Social Media Post: Feds 'RHONJ' Star's Stepson Arrested In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Thanks To Her Social Media Post: Feds
'Rhonj' Star's Stepson Arrested In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Thanks To Her Social Media Post: Feds The stepson of former "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Sigalit "Siggy" Flicker has been arrested and charged for his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the FBI said. To help nab Tyler Campanella, the FBI reviewed videos and images on social media — including one shared by Flicker, which shows him at the Capitol.  "I love patriots so much," Flicker wrote. "Stay safe Tyler. We love you. #StopTheSteal." Flicker later deleted the post, the FBI said. Witnesses also confirmed Campanella, who faces five misdemeanor charges, was at the Capitol wearing a blue Trump 2020 hat.…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Reservist Admits Scamming Grieving Army Families Out Of $3.7M In Death Benefits Jersey Shore Reservist Admits Scamming Grieving Army Families Out Of $3.7M In Death Benefits
Jersey Shore Reservist Admits Scamming Grieving Army Families Out Of $3.7M In Death Benefits UPDATE: A ruthless now-former military reservist from Monmouth County admitted scamming the survivors of soldiers killed in war out of $3.7 million. Caz Craffy, 41, of Colts Neck, used his role as a counselor with the United States Army to pocket $1.4 million by exploiting the grief of Gold Star families, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. Craffy – who’s also known as “Carz Craffey” – “used lies and deception” to defraud two dozen families of what he told them were investments, the U.S. attorney said. For many, it was the only money they had. Whenever a member of the a…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Fourth Body Recovered From Baltimore Bridge Collapse Fourth Body Recovered From Baltimore Bridge Collapse
Fourth Body Recovered From Baltimore Bridge Collapse A fourth body has been recovered from the scene of the Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse, responders announced. Unified Command said only that the body was that of a construction worker presumed dead in the collapse on Tuesday, March 26. The body was recovered Sunday, April 14. The victim will not be identified at the family's request but was positively identified on Monday, April 15 by the medical examiner. On Friday, April 5, divers located the body of Maynor Yasir Suazo-Sandoval, 38, from the Patapsco River, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott said. The bodies of 35-year-old Alejan…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Crooked Cardio Doc Admits Pocketing $2 Million In Health Insurance Ripoffs Crooked Cardio Doc Admits Pocketing $2 Million In Health Insurance Ripoffs
Crooked Cardio Doc Admits Pocketing $2 Million In Health Insurance Ripoffs The owner and sole medical provider of a Middlesex County medical practice admitted in federal court that he pocketed nearly $2 million in a long-running series of blatant health insurance scams. Dr. Fazal Panezai, a 76-year-old cardiologist from Morganville, at one point submitted claims for a single day's worth of visits to his Matawan-Aberdeen Heart & Medical Center in May 2022 that totaled 27.9 hours, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. Hei also billed health insurance providers more than $80,000 for office visits when he was out of the country, the U.S. attorney said. Panezai …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Duo Accused Of Carjacking Takeout Customer In Newark Face Federal Prosecution Duo Accused Of Carjacking Takeout Customer In Newark Face Federal Prosecution
Duo Accused Of Carjacking Takeout Customer In Newark Face Federal Prosecution Two repeat offenders charged with carjacking a customer waiting for a pickup order outside a Newark restaurant are now in federal custody and aren't going anywhere. The victim was pumping air into the front passenger tire on Dec. 9, 2023 when the pair arrived in a 2015 Lexus that had been stolen from outside a Wawa on Route 34 in Wall Township. Arraqeeb Williams-Cook, 23, of East Orange, got into the driver's seat of the victim's car, then pulled a gun, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. As the victim ran into the restaurant to call for help, ex-con Washir Singleta…

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by Jerry DeMarco