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Civil Rights Violations

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'Unconstitutional:' Feds Slam Trenton Police For Excessive Force, Illegal Stops 'Unconstitutional:' Feds Slam Trenton Police For Excessive Force, Illegal Stops
'Unconstitutional:' Feds Slam Trenton Police For Excessive Force, Illegal Stops Federal investigators have accused the Trenton Police Department (TPD) of widespread civil rights violations, including excessive force and illegal arrests, calling the department’s practices “unconstitutional” in a damning report released Thursday, Nov. 21. The Department of Justice (DOJ) found that TPD officers routinely stopped and searched individuals without reasonable suspicion, made arrests without probable cause, and escalated encounters with excessive force.  These practices, compounded by poor training, inadequate oversight, and a lack of accountability, have eroded community…

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by Cecilia Levine
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Lawsuit: Hunters' False Report Triggered Harrowing Swatting Incident At Mahwah Man's Home Lawsuit: Hunters' False Report Triggered Harrowing Swatting Incident At Mahwah Man's Home
Lawsuit: Hunters' False Report Triggered Harrowing Swatting Incident At Mahwah Man's Home A Mahwah resident has filed a civil lawsuit claiming that a false police report led to a SWAT response at his home, causing severe emotional distress and placing his family in harm’s way. The complaint, filed by Christopher Toskos, alleges that on Nov. 12, 2022, hunters falsely told Mahwah police that he was armed and had fired a weapon in a wooded area behind fire company 3. The area is authorized for bow hunting, the lawsuit notes. According to the complaint, the defendants claimed Toskos was dressed in a "ghillie suit," a type of camouflage, and alleged he fired a .22 caliber firearm in …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Postmaster Dragged Female Employee Into Bathroom After Groping Her: Feds NJ Postmaster Dragged Female Employee Into Bathroom After Groping Her: Feds
NJ Postmaster Dragged Female Employee Into Bathroom After Groping Her: Feds A postmaster at the Teaneck Post Office is facing federal charges after being accused of sexually assaulting a female employee he was supervised, authorities said. Gabriel Ekram Pagabe Ali, 47, is charged with violating the woman’s civil rights and assaulting her while she was working as a City Carrier Assistant for the U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced. The incident happened on Nov. 26, 2022, when Ali groped the victim’s breasts and buttocks without her consen…

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by Cecilia Levine
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Federal Jurors Convict Ex-Paterson Police Sergeant Of Civil Rights Violations Federal Jurors Convict Ex-Paterson Police Sergeant Of Civil Rights Violations
Federal Jurors Convict Ex-Paterson Police Sergeant Of Civil Rights Violations UPDATE: A federal jury convicted a now-former Paterson police sergeant of stealing money from a suspect, then lying on reports to protect himself and his department accomplices. The guilty verdicts against Michael Cheff, 51, of Oakland on Thursday followed a five-day trial in U.S. District Court in Newark. They also prompted a statement from Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh: "Michael Cheff was fired [Thursday]. His trial revealed sickening and horrific acts committed by former officers who violated their oath to protect and serve. Paterson has taken significant steps to root out such conduct an…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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NJ Woman In Wheelchair, 74, Among Group Charged By Feds Following DC Anti-Abortion Protest NJ Woman In Wheelchair, 74, Among Group Charged By Feds Following DC Anti-Abortion Protest
NJ Woman In Wheelchair, 74, Among Group Charged By Feds Following DC Anti-Abortion Protest A 74-year-old North Jersey woman in a wheelchair was among a group of anti-abortion activists charged with federal civil rights violations for blocking access to a reproductive health clinic in Washington, D.C. The arrest of Joan Andrews-Bell of Montague and eight other demonstrators was originally live-streamed on Facebook during an October 2020 protest that they dubbed “The Pink Rose Rescue” and federal authorities called an “invasion." Justice Department officials on Wednesday, March 30 announced the return of an indictment charging the defendants with criminally conspiring to “injure, …

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Feds: Essex Jail Officer Admits Covering Up Colleague's Assault On Federal Detainee Feds: Essex Jail Officer Admits Covering Up Colleague's Assault On Federal Detainee
Feds: Essex Jail Officer Admits Covering Up Colleague's Assault On Federal Detainee An Essex County correctional officer admitted Wednesday that he covered up a colleague’s assault of a federal detainee. Angel Chaparro, 38, told a federal judge in Newark that he and two colleagues were strip-searching the detainee at the Essex County Correctional Facility last August when the assault occurred. The detainee – who was being held pending a federal trial – had squirted a mixture of urine, yogurt, and milk onto a correctional officer, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Friday. Officer Damion James attacked the detainee in a disciplinary cell, “striking him multiple tim…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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COVER-UP: Essex Correctional Officers Beat Detainee As Sergeant Stood By, Feds Charge COVER-UP: Essex Correctional Officers Beat Detainee As Sergeant Stood By, Feds Charge
Cover-up: Essex Correctional Officers Beat Detainee As Sergeant Stood By, Feds Charge Three Essex County correctional officers beat a federal detainee as a sergeant stood by, said authorities who charged all four with civil rights violations. The detainee – who was being held pending a federal trial -- squirted a mixture of urine, yogurt, and milk onto a correctional officer at the Essex County Correctional Facility (ECCF) the evening of Aug. 17, 2020, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Friday. The detainee was brought to a disciplinary cell and beaten by Officers Angel Chaparro, 38, Damion James, 40, and Luis Ortiz, 29, in front of Sgt. Herman Pride, 51, Honig said.…

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by Jerry DeMarco
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Lawsuit: Years Of Bullying, Lack Of Administrative Action Led To Westfield Teen's Suicide Lawsuit: Years Of Bullying, Lack Of Administrative Action Led To Westfield Teen's Suicide
Lawsuit: Years Of Bullying, Lack Of Administrative Action Led To Westfield Teen's Suicide The parents of a Union County teenager who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2018 are suing the Westfield School District saying bullying and lack of administrative action contributed to their son's death. Carthoris “Carter” Uziel died by suicide when he was a 15-year-old sophomore Westfield High School in June of 2018, after nearly a decade of verbal and physical bullying by his peers, according to the suit, filed by his parents Gene and Frances Uziel on June 16 in Union County Superior Court. In addition from being called racial slurs and stalked, Uziel was thrown agains…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
FBI Busts Paterson Police Sergeant Charged With Stealing Cash During Search FBI Busts Paterson Police Sergeant Charged With Stealing Cash During Search
FBI Busts Paterson Police Sergeant Charged With Stealing Cash During Search The FBI Tuesday morning arrested a Paterson police sergeant accused of stealing money during a search of a suspect’s apartment. Sgt. Michael Cheff, 49, of Paterson, gave a few of his fellow officers a portion of the proceeds and didn’t report it, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Federal authorities have been busting a band of rogue officers who they said violated civilians’ civil rights by stopping and searching their vehicles without justification and stole money from civilians. Cheff “routinely received a portion of these stolen monies from some of these officers and signed off on cor…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Paterson Officer Who Beat Hospital Patient, Sold Stolen Drugs Gets 5½ Years In Federal Pen Paterson Officer Who Beat Hospital Patient, Sold Stolen Drugs Gets 5½ Years In Federal Pen
Paterson Officer Who Beat Hospital Patient, Sold Stolen Drugs Gets 5½ Years In Federal Pen A former Paterson police officer will spend 5½ years in federal prison for assaulting a hospitalized attempted suicide victim -- while his partner recorded it -- and selling drugs that he stole from crime scenes while on duty following his sentencing in U.S. District Court in Newark on Wednesday. Because there is no parole in the federal prison system, 27-year-old Ruben McAusland of Paterson will have to serve just about all of the 66-month sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge William H. Walls. Walls also sentenced McAusland to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Group Of Rogue Paterson Police Exchanged Texts While Robbing Innocent Victims, FBI Finds Group Of Rogue Paterson Police Exchanged Texts While Robbing Innocent Victims, FBI Finds
Group Of Rogue Paterson Police Exchanged Texts While Robbing Innocent Victims, FBI Finds A group of rogue Paterson police officers who targeted pedestrians and motorists for stops just to steal their money exchanged texts about it, authorities revealed Wednesday. The evidence, obtained by the FBI, is described in a nine-count federal grand jury indictment charging Officer Eudy Ramos, 28, of Paterson, with violating and conspiring to violate the victims’ civil rights, as well as with filing false reports to cover up his crimes. Ramos was one of three city officers originally identified as being arrested and charged by the FBI last April. He “targeted, stopped and searched” spec…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Paterson Officer Admits Beating Hospital Patient, Selling Stolen Drugs Paterson Officer Admits Beating Hospital Patient, Selling Stolen Drugs
Paterson Officer Admits Beating Hospital Patient, Selling Stolen Drugs A now-former Paterson police officer admitted in federal court in Newark on Wednesday that he beat a hospitalized attempted suicide victim -- while his partner recorded it -- and sold drugs that he stole from a crime scene. For several weeks up to his arrest, 26-year-old Ruben McAusland admitted, he sold a government cooperator heroin made to look like Percoset pills, as well as two pounds of marijuana.He said he also sold the informant cocaine and crack -- all stolen from crime scenes while he was on the job. McAusland, who lives in the city and joined the department nearly four years ago,…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Passaic Prosecutor Reviewing All Cases Of Paterson Cops Busted By FBI Passaic Prosecutor Reviewing All Cases Of Paterson Cops Busted By FBI
Passaic Prosecutor Reviewing All Cases Of Paterson Cops Busted By FBI PATERSON, N.J. – Passaic County Prosecutor Camela Valdes said Friday that her office is reviewing all cases involving two Paterson police officers charged by the federal government with pocketing cash and valuables during illegal traffic stops and searches. City Officers Jonathan Bustios and Eudy Ramos “detained the occupants and searched those vehicles without any justification,” U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said after both were arrested by FBI agents Wednesday on civil rights violations. Bustios -- who prosecutors said took a handgun from a motorist in exchange for lenient treatment -- w…

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by Jerry DeMarco