Day: February 5, 2021

Freehold, Monmouth County, Ocean

Ocean County man facing child pornography charges

February 5, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

FREEHOLD (MONMOUTH)– An Ocean Township man is facing charges for the possession and distribution  of child pornography following a tip he uploaded the materials to his social media account, announced  Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni. 

Alexander Mejia, 35, of the 3100 block of Willow Drive in Ocean Township, is charged with  second degree distribution of child pornography and third degree possession of child pornography.  Mejia was taken into custody on Feb. 4, 2021, and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional  Institution in Freehold Township pending a detention hearing. 

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit/Internet Crimes Against  Children Task Force received a referral from the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children (NJ ICAC) Task Force in June 2020. The referral came after a complaint was filed by the social media  platform Instagram reporting a user utilized the platform to upload child pornography. Further  investigation traced the account to Mejia at his Willow Drive address.  

A search warrant was executed on Jan. 22, 2021, at his Ocean Township address where  evidence was recovered, including eight (8) electronic devices. 

If convicted of distribution of child pornography, Mejia faces a sentence of five to ten years in  a New Jersey state prison. If convicted of possession of child pornography, he faces a sentence of  three to five years in prison.  

The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Kristen Anastos. 

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. 

Mercer County, Trenton

Trenton man arrested for the murder of Yuell Moore

February 5, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

TRENTON (MERCER)– Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri announced today that an investigation
conducted by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force resulted in an arrest this
morning of a Trenton man for the March 25, 2020 murder of Yuell Moore.

Ravel Stokes, 25, is charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of
second-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and one count of
second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. He was taken into custody without
incident Friday morning at his Oakland Street residence by the U.S. Marshals NY/NJ
Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Mercer County Tactical Response Team. The
prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Stokes pending trial.  

At approximately 2:30 p.m. on March 25, 2020, Trenton police responded to the first
block of Hudson Street on a report of a shooting in progress. Upon arrival, they located the victim, later identified as Moore, 29, laying on the ground with a gunshot wound to
the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Brick, Ocean County

Brick Township woman charged with theft and forgery

February 5, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

BRICK TOWNSHIP (OCEAN)– Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Point Pleasant Borough Chief of Police Robert Lokerson announced that on February 4, 2021, Jessica Duffy, 37, of Brick Township, was charged with Theft in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a and Forgery in violation of N.J.S.A.  2C:21-1a(1).

An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Unit and Point Pleasant Borough Police Department revealed that Duffy, employed as a bookkeeper at R.H. LeChard Marine Contractors in Point Pleasant, misappropriated approximately $260,000 from the company during the course of her employment.  Duffy was not authorized to sign checks on the company account, yet wrote numerous unauthorized checks to herself, forging the signature of the company manager on each check.  She then deposited the checks into her personal account for her personal benefit.

Duffy was processed at Point Pleasant Police Borough Headquarters, and released on a summons pending a future court date.

Prosecutor Billhimer and Chief Lokerson acknowledge the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Economic Crime Unit and Point Pleasant Borough Police Department for their collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation leading to these charges.

The public is reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Middlesex County, North Brunswick

North Brunswick shooting under investigation

February 5, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

NORTH BRUNSWICK (MIDDLESEX): Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Joseph
Battaglia of the North Brunswick Township Police Department announced
today that authorities are investigating a fatal shooting at the Renaissance
Glen Apartments.

On February 3, 2021, at approximately 7:30 P.M., authorities
responded to Marc Drive following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival,
officers located a male juvenile, 17, of North Brunswick who had sustained
a non-fatal gunshot wound. Upon further investigation, officers later found
Marc Atkins, 18, of Plainfield who had also sustained multiple gunshot
wounds and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information
is asked to call Detective Errol McCalla of the North Brunswick Police
Department at (732) 247-0922 ext. 311 or Detective Sean Sullivan of the
Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4060.