October 7, 2020
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–The Trenton Fire Department was sent to Route 129 and Cass for a vehicle fire around 8:15 pm. Trenton Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. During the fire operations a call was made for Trenton EMS to respond for a burn victim. There was no word on the condition of the burn victim or cause of the fire.
October 7, 2020
DEAL, NJ (MONMOUTH)–A Rockland County, New York man was arrested Wednesday after police responded to a call about a trespasser and the man became uncooperative prompting a response from the county emergency response team (MOCERT), announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
Deal Police Department responded to a call at approximately 12:41 p.m. reporting a trespasser who entered the vacant Loch Arbour Beach Club. Upon arrival, Deal Police officers recognized the subject as Edward Schwarz, 60, of Monsey, NY. Schwarz was wanted out of Ramapo, NY for terroristic threats against law enforcement. Schwarz was uncooperative and refused to exit the structure when approached by officers. As a result, the Deal Police Department requested assistance from the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT).
Law enforcement agencies were successful in having Schwarz exit the structure peacefully and without further incident. The subject was charged with third degree Burglary, fourth degree Criminal Trespass, a disorderly persons charge of Criminal Mischief, and as a Fugitive from Justice. Schwarz was transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township. There was no threat to the public during this isolated incident.
The Deal Police Department was assisted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Allenhurst, Asbury Park, and Ocean Township police departments.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
October 7, 2020
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On September 22, 2020 the Hamilton Township Police Department was dispatched to the 400 Block of Nottinghill Lane at Kuser Village Apartments for a past tense theft of jewelry from a residence.
Through the course of the investigation, Detective Christopher Pullen determined that the maintenance worker for the Kuser Village Apartments, Wayne Wood, Jr. was responsible for the theft of approximately $5,000 worth of jewelry from the residence. Wayne Wood, Jr. was subsequently charged with this theft of jewelry.
Hamilton Detectives are inquiring from the public, if anyone was witness to this theft that occurred on September 21, 2020. Anyone with information can contact Detective Christopher Pullen of the Hamilton Police Division Criminal Investigations Section at (609) 581-4080 or via email at cpullen@hamiltonpd.org The public can also contact the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at (609) 581-4008.
October 7, 2020
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–The Hamilton Township Council yesterday unanimously approved of the acquisition of the long vacant property at 1750 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road. The property which is known to have been the former home of ShopRite and Cost Cutter grocery stores has been vacant for well over 15 years.
“The acquisition of the former Whitehorse ShopRite property is another example of our Mayor and Council working together to redevelop properties that have been neglected and ignored for too long,” said Council President Rick Tighe.
The 8.4-acre property had been appraised at nearly 6.5 million dollars. The Township, looking to redevelop the vacant property for public use, and the sellers reached an agreement for the Township to purchase the property for a price of $700,000 with the remaining value of the property being donated to the Township. The deal is conditioned on the Township’s due diligence to identify potential or existing environmental contamination. At this time, the Township has not seen any evidence of environmental concerns. An additional $50,000 was approved by Council for due diligence and closing costs.
“I want to thank Council, the property owner and all those involved in coming up with a creative solution to a decades-old problem,” said Mayor Martin. “This now puts the Township in the driver’s seat on redeveloping the property. While we expect the deal to close by the end of the 2020, we want to hear directly from the residents on what they would like to see at the property.”
The Township is seeking input from residents on how they would like to see the property redeveloped. Residents may submit their suggestions in writing via email to Mayor@HamiltonNJ.com.
Photos by: Tyler Eckel
Firearm, Along with Other Weapons and Ammunition, Found at Locations Connected to Perpetrator of Jersey City Mass Shooting
Ahmed A-Hady, 36, of Keyport
October 7, 2020
NEWARK, NJ –A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man today admitted illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Ahmed A-Hady, 36, of Keyport, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Court Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Dec. 10, 2019, there was a mass shooting in Jersey City in which two individuals, David Nathaniel Anderson and Francine Graham, killed three civilians after earlier killing a law enforcement officer. After the shooting, law enforcement recovered from Anderson’s right rear pants pocket a handwritten note that contained a telephone number ending in 4115, and a Keyport, New Jersey, address. Law enforcement also recovered several weapons carried by Anderson and Graham, including an AR-15 rifle.
FBI agents determined that the phone number ending in 4115 contained on the note belonged to A-Hady. Law enforcement also determined that the Keyport address listed on the note was a storefront for a pawn shop. On the evening of Dec. 13, 2019, law enforcement officers traveled to the pawnshop and interviewed A-Hady and two of his relatives.
Law enforcement lawfully searched both the pawnshop and A-Hady’s private residence. During the search of the pawnshop, law enforcement recovered multiple rifles, handguns, and one shotgun. In addition, during the searches of the pawnshop and A-Hady’s private residence, law enforcement recovered over 400 rounds of ammunition, including a large number of hollow point bullets.
One of the weapons recovered from the pawnshop was a Sig Sauer .22 caliber rifle capable of accepting a large capacity magazine. Records showed that A-Hady purchased this rifle in Florida on Oct. 23, 2012, a time when he, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing firearms. The purchase of this rifle came approximately five months after A-Hady was convicted in New Jersey Superior Court of a crime that was punishable by a term of imprisonment of more than one year.
As part of the guilty plea, A-Hady also agreed to forfeit his interest, if any, in the firearms recovered during the search of the pawnshop.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson in Newark; the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, under the direction of Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal; and the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation leading to the plea. U.S. Attorney Carpenito also thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Director James Shea, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronnell Wilson, Chief of the National Security Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean C. Sovolos and Thomas S. Kearney, also of the National Security Unit.
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Defense counsel: David Jay Glassman Esq., Marlton, New Jersey
October 7, 2020 (updated at 2:30 to add additional press release about another Postal Service fraud below original story)
NEWARK, NJ — A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier from Hudson County was arrested today for discarding mail, including 99 general election ballots sent from the County Board of Elections and intended to be delivered to West Orange residents, from his assigned routes in Orange and West Orange, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Nicholas Beauchene, 26, of Kearny, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of delay, secretion, or detention of mail and one count of obstruction of mail. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Approximately 1,875 pieces of mail – including 627 pieces of first class, 873 pieces of standard class, two pieces of certified mail, 99 general election ballots destined for residents in West Orange, and 276 campaign flyers from local candidates for West Orange Town Council and Board of Education – were recovered from dumpsters in North Arlington and West Orange on Oct. 2, 2020, and Oct. 5, 2020. The mail had been scheduled to be delivered on Sept. 28, Oct. 1, and Oct. 2, 2020, to addresses on certain postal routes in Orange and West Orange. On the delivery dates for which mail was recovered, Beauchene was the only mail carrier assigned to deliver mail to the addresses on the recovered mail.
The recovered mail was placed back into the mail stream for delivery to its intended recipients. Copies of the recovered mail were made and retained as evidence.
The delay of mail charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The obstruction of mail charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of six months in prison and a $5,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the USPS-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked the North Arlington Police Department, under the direction of Scott Hedenberg, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara F. Merin of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charge and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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In another case of Postal Worker Issues. 2nd press release of the day on the Postal Service:
BERGEN COUNTY POSTAL EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR BANK FRAUD AND MAIL THEFT
NEWARK, N.J. – A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was arrested today for stealing mail and committing bank fraud, including stealing checks sent through the mail and fraudulently depositing those checks without authorization, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Juan Torres, 27, of Hackensack, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of bank fraud and one count of mail theft. He is scheduled to appear/appeared this afternoon via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From November 2019 to Jan. 11, 2020, certain checks addressed to third-party victims and mailed to addresses on postal routes in Hackensack, Leonia, and Maywood, New Jersey, were stolen on or about the same dates that Torres was delivering mail on those routes and subsequently were fraudulently deposited by Torres, in New Jersey and elsewhere, into a bank account that he controlled.
The bank fraud charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The mail theft charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also thanked special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez, and the Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine K. Lou of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Lawrence Fisher Esq., New York
October 7, 2020
HOWELL TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–Yesterday the Howell Township Office Of Emergency Management posted a notice to all residents closing all parks in the township. The notice states parks were closed due to an uptick in COVID-19 cases, parks filled to capacity, users not practicing social distancing and users not wearing masks per Executive Order 107.
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