MONMOUTH COUNTY – Today, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced that on March 15, 2024, before Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Christie Bevacqua, J.S.C., Davidson Jules, 42, of Keansburg, was sentenced to 12 years in a New Jersey State Prison on a charge of first-degree Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute, in excess of 5 ounces, and 5 years with a 42-month-period of parole ineligibility on a charge of second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
Those two sentences will run concurrently. Jules previously entered a plea on January 8, 2024.
The charges originate from a cooperative investigation involving detectives from the Keansburg Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Bayshore Task Force in the spring of 2023.
The investigation culminated when members of the Keansburg Police Department, the Bayshore Task Force, Tinton Falls Police Department, Union Beach Police Department, and Holmdel Police Department executed search warrants on Jules’ residence, as well as his storage unit in Tinton Falls, on May 1, 2023. During the search, police recovered over 5 ounces of cocaine, over ½ ounce of heroin, methamphetamines, and a firearm, as well as paraphernalia used in the distribution of narcotics.
This case was handled by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Emily Cartmell. Jules was represented by Nikole Pezzullo, Esq., of Freehold.
]]>CAMDEN – The City of Camden has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle a resident's lawsuit that claims he suffered debilitating injuries after falling from the electric bicycle he was riding in 2021 on one of Camden’s pothole-riddled streets.
Dalvi Shephard, who will turn 30 next month, said he had borrowed the electric bike from a friend and hit a pothole on the 1300 block of North 28th Street and “suffered severe injuries of both temporary and permanent nature,” according to documents filed in the 2022 lawsuit in New Jersey Superior Court in Camden County that alleges negligence on the part of the city government.
City Council last week approved the settlement resolution, which states it “is not an admission of liability on the part of the City of Camden but is made in recognition of the risks of litigation and in order to avoid the continued costs and expenses of litigating.” Council members discussed the settlement in closed executive session.
Shephard, who listed his address as the 200 block of South 36th Street, was treated at Virtua Lady of Lourdes for knee, body and back injuries, the suit states, and could not resume his job at Walgreens after the accident.
The city in fall 2022 announced an aggressive program to spend millions of dollars to repair Camden’s streets, which Mayor Victor Carstarphen at the time said was likely the leading complaint he had heard from residents.
“We have not seen this level of investment, maintenance and revitalization of public infrastructure in the last 60 years,” Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer, liaison to the county Department of Public Works, said in November as the city marked the progress of fixing city and county roads.
Vincent Basara, the city’s communications director, told TAPinto Camden last week in a statement that improving the city’s 182 miles of streets, including subsurface improvements such as underground utilities, remains a top priority for Mayor Carstarphen.
“The city is working along with our partners at Camden County, CCMUA, and Camden Community Partnership to continue an aggressive paving program that addressed 18 roadways in 2021, more than 50 streets in 2022, another 40 roads in 2023 and 50 more slated for completion by the end of 2024,” Basara said in a statement. “Crews are milling and paving county roads and city streets in our neighborhoods at a pace not seen in decades.”
In Shephard’s case, engineer Scott Moore, the plaintiff’s liability expert, stated the potholes around where Shephard fell have depths varying from just over two inches to more than three and a half inches.
Moore said in his statement in court documents that “in my professional opinion, the horrendous condition of the roadway and multiple repaired and unrepaired potholes show a clear knowledge and systemic patently unreasonable failure to make permanent and timely repairs.”
Shephard’s lawsuit asserts that the potholes constituted a “dangerous condition that the city insufficiently attempted to repair.”
]]>CORAL SPRINGS, FL – “I’m sorry for choking you…punching you and spitting on your face.”
That’s what a 25-year-old Coral Springs resident texted to his ex-girlfriend of two years after he allegedly dragged her by her hair up a staircase, spit on her, and strangled her in a home in Coral Springs, according to a police report.
The man, identified by police as Trace Torisk, was arrested earlier this month for the alleged attack on Jan. 2, during which the woman didn’t lose consciousness, but her airway was blocked for a few seconds, the report said.
The woman reported the attack weeks later because she didn’t want Torisk to get arrested, the report said.
She called police after Torisk allegedly attacked her again, weeks later on Jan. 21, the report said.
In the attack on Jan. 2, the woman managed to call 911 but Torisk allegedly grabbed her phone and hung up, the report said.
When a 911 dispatcher called her back, Torisk told the dispatcher that “everything is OK,” the report said.
After the woman reported the attack on Jan. 2, she showed police text and audio messages from Torisk in which he admitted to attacking her and apologized for what he did, the report said.
She also gave police photos showing her injuries, the report said.
For the Jan. 2 attack, he was charged with domestic battery by strangulation, battery, and depriving the victim of making a 911 call.
He also faces a domestic violence aggravated battery charge for the Jan. 21 incident.
Torisk declined to speak with police without a lawyer present, the report said.
(Our Law & Justice section is sponsored by Rader Law Group, a Coral Springs-based personal injury and commercial litigation law firm.
Injured in car crash? Hurt in a slip and fall accident? Read here how the firm recently recovered $100,000 for a client in car crash.
Your Justice Starts Here. Contact the firm: raderlawgroup.com. For free consultation, call: 954-654-7661)
MORE CORAL SPRINGS NEWS:
CORAL SPRINGS INFLUENCER: “A Lot of Opportunity Here”: Former Chairman of Coral Springs Coconut Creek Chamber Reflects on Local Economy and ‘Entrepreneurial Spirit’
FOOD & DRINK: KIMCHI MART Opens in Coral Springs, Adding to Grocery Scene with Asian Delicacies
BUSINESS & FINANCE: Berman Law Group in Coral Springs Hosting Business Networking Mixer at Tap 42 Craft Kitchen & Bar
FOOD & DRINK: Where to Celebrate Irish Culture on St. Patrick's Day in Coral Springs and Coconut Creek
]]>CAMDEN, NJ — A Burlington County man recently pleaded guilty in federal court to using his credentials as a manager of a telecommunications store in a scam involving swapping the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) numbers of cell phone customers for his financial gain.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Vikas Khanna, Jonathan Katz, aka “Luna,” 42, of Marlton, was paid for making unauthorized swaps of SIM cards into mobile devices controlled by another individual.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said that court documents and statements showed that while employed as a manager at a telecommunications store in May 2021, Katz accessed several customer accounts by using his credentials. He would then swap SIM numbers associated with the customers’ phone numbers into mobile devices controlled by another individual. This would enable another individual to control the customers’ phones and access the customers’ electronic accounts – including email, social media, and cryptocurrency accounts.
Katz was paid in Bitcoin for making these swaps, which were traced back to his cryptocurrency account.
Katz pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in Camden federal court on March 12 to charges of conspiracy to gain unauthorized access to a protected computer. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and a fine of not more than $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain to the defendant or twice the gross loss involved, whichever is greater.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16.
]]>ELIZABETH, NJ - An Elizabeth man has been convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting two young girls over the course of eight years, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced Friday.
Following a two-week trial, 62-year-old Ahmed Andre was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child.
“This verdict delivered a measure of justice for these brave women who came forward about the abuse they suffered,” Prosecutor Daniel said, upon hearing the verdict. “The Union County Prosecutor’s Office is committed to pursuing the prosecution of individuals who prey on vulnerable children.”
Andre will be sentenced on April 19. He faces 20 years in prison.
]]>ELIZABETH, NJ - An Orange man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for a deadly 2021 assault in Elizabeth.
29-year-old Kareem Allen of Orange was convicted of manslaughter following the death of 30-year-old Newark resident Malcom Webb. The two got into a verbal fight at a restaurant on Dickinson Street in Elizabeth on April 3, 2021. Allen hit Webb with his vehicle before fleeing.
“We are grateful for the hard work of Assistant Prosecutor Jillian Reyes, Homicide Task Force Detective Angela Concepción and Sergeant Lamar Hartsfield, and officers of the Elizabeth Police Department on this case,” Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel said in a statement.
Allen was sentenced to 13 years. He is required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
“The Union County Prosecutor’s Office, together with law enforcement agencies throughout Union County, are committed to ensuring that those who commit such egregious acts are held accountable,” Daniel said. “Our thoughts remain with Mr. Webb’s family and friends during this time.”
]]>Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown) joined Assembly and Senate Republicans earlier this week in a press conference highlighting new proposals that would put an end to New York Democrats’ flawed bail reform. One would make body dismemberment/concealment of a human corpse a bail-eligible offense and the other would strengthen laws regarding custody of a defendant and their electronic monitoring. These proposals follow the horrific acts of a group of four in Long Island who were alleged to have concealed a human corpse and dismembered body parts but have since been released because of the failed laws passed by state Democrats in 2019.
“Cashless bail has arguably been the worst policy ever to come out of Albany and we are seeing exactly why. New Yorkers must be protected from dangerous criminals who have committed violent acts and it does not get more violent than dismembering a corpse. The fact we were joined here today to propose bills that make the act of mutilating a human corpse bail eligible is astonishing. It is clear to every New Yorker that cashless bail must be repealed so people can finally feel safe,” said Slater.
Instead of calling for an immediate repeal, Gov. Kathy Hochul blamed the Suffolk County District Attorney for the defendants release, saying he should have charged the four with bail eligible crimes and should have done a more thorough investigation.
“Our district attorneys, judges and law enforcement have spoken out countless times about the dangers the cashless bail system has caused but Governor Hochul has made it clear she just won't listen to them. Everyday that passes without action is a failure by Gov. Hochul to protect hard working New Yorkers,” concluded Slater.
“The tremendous increase in crime we have been seeing in our state is the direct result of feel-good laws such as the bail reform law and of prosecutors who replace ideology and think tank studies over intelligent, realistic, and necessary law enforcement and community policy,” said Putnam District Attorney, Bob Tendy. “Governor Hochul and the New York State legislature need to work with people in law enforcement who know how to enforce the law and make our cities and towns safe. They should do the real work of rewriting the bail reform law immediately. The fixes to the law are not difficult, but they require collaboration with district attorneys and law enforcement agents who know how to combat crime and don’t base the decisions on ideology. Until they do so they are failing the people of New York State,” concluded Tendy.
“To have to explain to members of the Babylon community, my constituents, that those suspected of chopping up a human being can be arrested and just walk free is horrifying. I was not in office when dangerous bail ‘reforms’ were passed, but I will fight like hell to undo broken policies that provide criminals more protection than they provide our communities,” said Assemblyman Durso. “Our police and prosecutors are expected to do their jobs in a criminal justice system where the deck is stacked against them. The case in Babylon generated headlines not only for the gruesome details involved but because it showed how obviously broken our criminal justice system is. I’m proud to introduce legislation that addresses a glaring loophole in the state’s bail laws and strengthens the tools that prosecutors need to ensure our neighborhoods are safe from dangerous criminals.”
“How many more horrifying examples of criminal activity do we need to see before we start fixing what’s broken?” Assemblyman McGowan said. “As a former prosecutor, I can’t imagine the level of frustration within the Suffolk County DA’s Office after making major arrests and watching the suspects walk directly out of bail reform’s revolving door. It’s never been clearer that New York must get back to the standards of law and order that existed before 2019’s misguided ‘reforms.’ When heinous, violent crimes are committed, pre-trial detainment needs to be considered for the protection of the people we serve. I want to commend my colleagues for introducing these bills and I proudly support them.”
Assemblyman Matt Slater represents the 94th Assembly District, which includes parts of Putnam and Westchester counties, including the towns of Kent, Patterson, Putnam Valley, Carmel, Southeast, Somers and Yorktown, as well as the village of Brewster.
]]>MOUNT HOLLY, NJ — A Mount Laurel woman has been sentenced to 30 years in state prison for stabbing and killing her mother in 2019 at their home in Mount Laurel, Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced on Thursday.
Marisa Rivera, 27, was convicted on January 12 of Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Third Degree) and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Fourth Degree).
Under a sentence handed down on March 8 by the Hon. Terrence R. Cook., P.J.Cr., in Superior Court in Mount Holly, Rivera must serve the entire 30-year term before becoming eligible for parole.
The body of Denise DeNapoli, 56, was found in the pair's residence at the Ramblewood Village apartment complex in Mount Laurel on the morning of September 6, 2019 by Mount Laurel police officers, who went to the home to conduct a wellness check on DeNapoli after her co-workers did not hear from her that day.
Rivera was found to have killed her mother at about 3:30AM that morning before fleeing the apartment. She was located at a hotel on Route 73 several hours later and was taken into custody without incident by officers from the Mount Laurel Police Department.
Testimony from trial "indicated the relationship between the defendant and the victim had been steadily deteriorating," according to the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.
DeNapoli's autopsy, performed by the Burlington County Medical Examiner's Office, found that she died due to multiple stab wounds.
Rivera was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Conte. The case was investigated by the Mount Laurel Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The lead investigators were MLPD Sergeant Thomas Corsanico, BCPO Lieutenant Tim Horne and former BCPO Detective Sergeant Nicholas Villano.
Read More Local Mount Laurel, NJ News
MORE: Mt. Laurel Woman Convicted of Stabbing Mother to Death in 2019 Murder
]]>BAYONNE, NJ - A Bayonne police officer was justified in firing his weapon at a suspect who reportedly rammed his vehicle into numerous police vehicles.
The incident, as previously reported, took place on July 23, 2023.
On the night of the incident, Bayonne police officers approached the vehicle in a parking lot located at 1088 Broadway after they determined that it matched the description of the car that had driven away from a gas station on 53rd Street near Avenue E without paying for gas.
During the interaction with police, the driver of the vehicle, Kelvin Ortiz, 36, Jersey City, reversed and backed into numerous police vehicles. He then drove his car up on the side of the parking lot over the curb, making a U-turn and drove in the direction of Officer Rafael Ocasio as he fled the parking lot.
Ocasio discharged his weapon six times, striking Ortiz who was later treated at a local hospital where he remained for two weeks before he was discharged. Ortiz was charged with Eluding, four counts of Aggravated Assault, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose.
The investigation included interviews of witnesses, photographs, body worn camera footage, physical evidence collected by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office’s Crime Scene Unit, and ballistics evidence that was examined by personnel from the State Police Department’s Firearms Unit. This evidence, along with recorded interviews given by the three Bayonne officers on scene at the time of the shooting and the officer who fired his weapon, was presented to the grand jury.
"Our officers work to protect our citizens, each other and themselves and do a great job doing that," Mayor Jimmy Davis said following the decision. "Our officers acted professionally with respect to this incident."
COCONUT CREEK, FL – A Coconut Creek man ended up in jail this week after allegedly pointing a gun at a neighbor while taking out the trash.
Police arrested Tristan Andrew Duke, 38, in the early morning of March 12 after neighbors called 911 because he was waving a gun and threatening them, according to a police report.
The incident happened at a Coconut Creek apartment complex on Lyons Road, police said.
Police seized the gun.
No one was hurt, police said.
A judge this week set bond at $4,500 for Duke, who was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and improper exhibit of a firearm or dangerous weapon, court records show.
The judge ordered that Duke enter a pretrial supervision program, checking in twice a week with the court and ordered that he get a job or enter job training within a month of his release.
In addition, the judge ordered that he can’t drink alcohol or take drugs and he must submit to monthly random testing, according to court records.
(Our Law & Justice section is sponsored by Rader Law Group, a Coral Springs-based personal injury and commercial litigation law firm.
Injured in car crash? Hurt in a slip and fall accident? Read here how the firm recently recovered $100,000 for a client in car crash.
Your Justice Starts Here. Contact the firm: raderlawgroup.com. For free consultation, call: 954-654-7661)
MORE COCONUT CREEK NEWS
POLICE & FIRE: Extrication Equipment Couldn’t Save Person in Coconut Creek Car Crash
GOVERNMENT: Wynmoor Fight Spills Into Public View, Legal Battles Mounting
ART & ENTERTAINMENT: Easter Family Fun Event Coming to Promenade at Coconut Creek on March 29
]]>MOUNT LAUREL, NJ — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced a new program on Tuesday — the Community Peacemaker Collaborative — to combat the rise in bias and hate in New Jersey, including the significant uptick in antisemitism and Islamophobia in recent months.
The program, which will be undertaken in coordination with the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) is funded by a $347,000, four-year federal grant through the United States Department of Justice’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Program to fund the initiative.
According to the New Jersey State Police's (NJSP) monthly bias crime incident report, there were two bias crimes committed in Mount Laurel in January 2024. In this month alone, there were 213 such bias crimes that occurred statewide.
Preliminary data also compiled by the New Jersey State Police found that there was a total of 2,699 bias incidents reported to law enforcement agencies across New Jersey in 2023 — which equals a 22 percent increase compared to 2022. This preliminary 2023 data, per NJSP, shows that anti-Black and anti-Jewish bias remained the most common race- and religion-based motivations for reported bias incidents.
Platkin says the Community Peacemaker Collaborative builds upon current work that that state is doing to combat bias.
“In New Jersey, we will not stand idly by as the rise in bias and hate threatens the safety and security of our residents. Our diversity is our strength, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all New Jerseisyans can live without fear,” said Platkin. “The Division on Civil Rights has worked hard to increase awareness of the harm caused by bias and hate incidents, to educate the public about ways to respond to these incidents when they do happen, and importantly, to implement strategies to prevent incidents from occurring in the first place."
As part of the Department’s comprehensive approach to addressing bias and hate, the Community Peacemaker Collaborative will train local community members to deescalate conflict in their communities in response to bias incidents. The program seeks to prevent and respond to bias incidents by training individuals across all 21 counties – including community and student leaders – on best practices for responding to bias incidents and conflict resolution techniques.
The Division is looking for volunteers to participate in the Community Peacemaker Collaborative. They can contact the DCR’s Community Relations Unit at communityrelations@njcivilrights.gov.
Any member of the public can report bias incidents via the NJBIAS online portal at https://bias.njcivilrights.gov, to their local police departments, or by calling 800-277-BIAS.
]]>FIELDSBORO, NJ — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced a new program on Tuesday -- the Community Peacemaker Collaborative -- to combat the rise in bias and hate in New Jersey, including the significant uptick in antisemitism and Islamophobia in recent months.
The program, which will be undertaken in coordination with the Division on Civil Rights (DCR) is funded by a $347,000, four-year federal grant through the United States Department of Justice’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Program to fund the initiative.
According to the New Jersey State Police's (NJSP) monthly bias crime incident report, there was one bias crimes committed in Fieldsboro in January 2024. In this month alone, there were 213 such bias crimes that occurred statewide.
Preliminary data also compiled by the New Jersey State Police found that there was a total of 2,699 bias incidents reported to law enforcement agencies across New Jersey in 2023 — which equals a 22 percent increase compared to 2022. This preliminary 2023 data, per NJSP, shows that anti-Black and anti-Jewish bias remained the most common race- and religion-based motivations for reported bias incidents.
Platkin says the Community Peacemaker Collaborative builds upon current work that that state is doing to combat bias.
“In New Jersey, we will not stand idly by as the rise in bias and hate threatens the safety and security of our residents. Our diversity is our strength, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that all New Jerseyans can live without fear,” said Platkin. “The Division on Civil Rights has worked hard to increase awareness of the harm caused by bias and hate incidents, to educate the public about ways to respond to these incidents when they do happen, and importantly, to implement strategies to prevent incidents from occurring in the first place."
As part of the Department’s comprehensive approach to addressing bias and hate, the Community Peacemaker Collaborative will train local community members to deescalate conflict in their communities in response to bias incidents. The program seeks to prevent and respond to bias incidents by training individuals across all 21 counties – including community and student leaders – on best practices for responding to bias incidents and conflict resolution techniques.
The Division is looking for volunteers to participate in the Community Peacemaker Collaborative. They can contact the DCR’s Community Relations Unit at communityrelations@njcivilrights.gov.
Any member of the public can report bias incidents via the NJBIAS online portal at https://bias.njcivilrights.gov, to their local police departments, or by calling 800-277-BIAS.
]]>MAPLEWOOD, NJ - As was reported earlier this week, Frank Sanchez, Principal of Columbia High School who has been on leave since the start of classes following winter break was charged with a felony and a simple assault based upon his treatment of a female student at CHS in March 2023. .
During the day, numerous Columbia High School students walked out of the building and held a rally in support of Frank Sanchez, on Ritzer field.
This evening, March 13, 2024, we received the following notification from the Essex County Prosecutors' office:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
Criminal Complaint State of NJ vs. Frank R. Sanchez (CLICK ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK IF YOU WISH TO READ THE CHARGES)
Attached is the criminal complaint filed against Frank R. Sanchez.
The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and he is presumed innocent at this time.
]]>PATERSON, NJ - The inaugural Reentry Monthly Resource Fair, hosted by the Paterson Reentry Assistance Program (PRAP), marked a collaborative effort to support individuals reintegrating into society.
"I'm pleased to see support for Paterson from all of you," Coordinator Vailaida Hall said on Wednesday. "Through collaborations with Project Reconnect and St. Paul's CDC, I'm grateful we could organize this. I encourage the community to come out and access the resources they rightfully deserve."
The monthly initiative aims to provide vital resources and support to individuals transitioning back into the community. The fair offered a wide range of comprehensive services, including employment opportunities, reentry assistance, social services, and educational resources.
"I want to thank everyone for participating in our inaugural reentry resources fair," Mayor Andre Sayegh said. "Paterson is a city of second chances. We announced the creation of a community court to help low-level non-violent offenders, launched the Financial Empowerment Center, and initiated a guaranteed income program. We've also formed an Opioid Response Team and won a prestigious grant. Our REALFIX initiative provides medically assisted treatment and counseling for addiction, already helping 250 individuals. We're committed to a holistic approach to public safety and reintegration services, making Paterson a beacon of hope for those seeking a fresh start."
Various organizations participated in the fair, including Hackensack Meridian Health, Valley Bank, Clover Health, which provides America's seniors with highly affordable, "obvious" healthcare plans, Passaic County Division of Home Energy and Weatherization, which provides energy assistance and weatherization services to residents in need within Passaic County, CarePlus, a mental health service provider offering comprehensive behavioral health and addiction recovery services to individuals in need, Paterson Task Force, and the Passaic County Office of Recovery.
]]>