TRENTON, NJ (MERCER) — Multiple people suffered burns and other injuries in a house fire and were rushed from the scene in ambulances this evening (Oct. 31). Firefighters used a ladder to rescue at least one person from a second-floor window of the burning structure on Tyler Street.
The Trenton Fire Department’s Engines 3, 7 and 10, Ladder 2, Rescue 1 and Battalion Chief Dave Smolka were dispatched at 9:05 p.m. after the city’s communications center started receiving multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting that the multifamily house at 24 Tyler Street, near East Canal Street, was on fire with multiple people trapped on the upper floors.
Patrolling police officers were quickly on the scene. They confirmed people were trapped in the three-story rowhouse. Based on the police’s report, additional firefighters were sent to the scene as the “All Hands” signal for a working fire was transmitted.
Engine 7 arrived and reported they had a person hanging out a second-floor window. Firefighters raised a ladder to the window to rescue that person. Searches were made of the basement and all three floors and firefighters confirmed that everyone was out by about 9:15 p.m.
The total number of people injured and how they escaped from the fire was not immediately known. At least three people were transported by city and mutual aid ambulances to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. At least one trauma alert was called.
Firefighters used two hoselines to quickly extinguish the fire. The blaze was declared under control at 9:24 p.m.
Police quickly cordoned off the street on both sides of the burned building with crime scene tape. Investigators from the police department, fire department, county prosecutor’s office and state fire marshal’s office were called out to probe the cause of the blaze.
An act of juvenile delinquency for offenses which if committed by an adult would constitute as Aggravated Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault, Burglary, and Theft.
October 31, 2022
SAYERVILLE, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Acting Chief Daniel Plumacker of the Sayreville Police Department announced today that a juvenile male has been taken into custody and charged with an act of juvenile delinquency for offenses which if committed by an adult would constitute as Aggravated Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault, Burglary, and Theft.
Today, October 31, 2022, between Midnight and 12:30 A.M., a 68- year-old female victim was sexually assaulted in her residence. The suspect entered the victim’s apartment located on Swider Drive in Parlin, New Jersey, woke her, sexually assaulted, and deprived her of belongings before fleeing the scene.
This is an active and ongoing investigation anyone with information or surveillance footage of the area is asked to call Detective Lauren Leyva of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit 732-745-4499 or Detective Jeff Taylor of the Sayreville Police Department at 732-525-5450.
ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MERCER)–Hope Fire Company and Allentown – Captial Health EMS responded at 6:37 p.m. to Old York Road and Montgomery Way for a T-bone crash with reported injuries. Robbinsville Township Police and New Jersey State Police also responded to the scene of the crash. The injuries were minor, and one person was placed in the back of the ambulance for evaluation of injuries but did not seek transport to the hospital. Hope Fire Company stood by for cleanup and assisted Robbinsville Police with traffic control. The Robbinsville Township Police Department is investigating the crash.
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)—City of Trenton, Public Information Officer, Timothy J. Carroll told MidJersey.News that a double shooting was reported at 7:18 p.m. Two male victims were reported shot after having a verbal altercation with a passing vehicle on New Willow Street near Kirkbride Avenue and Wiley Avenue. Trenton EMS and Capital Health Paramedics transported the two victims to the Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center. The Trenton Police Department Shooting Response Team is investigating the shooting. No additional details are available at this time.
TRENTON, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for defrauding lenders of $50 million dollars in connection with an invoice factoring scheme perpetrated over nearly a decade, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Vincent Galano, 60, of Oceanport, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Quraishi imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Accounts receivable factoring, also known as invoice financing (factoring), is a financial transaction through which a company obtains cash by selling its unpaid invoices, ordinarily at a discount, to a factor. Factoring clients send their debtors notices of assignment naming the factor as the assignee of the debt owed on the invoices. The factor collects invoiced amounts owed by the clients’ debtors and, upon collection of the entire invoiced amount, pays its clients the balance of the invoice, deducting the factor’s fees.
Galano formed PF Funding LLC (PF Funding) in 1996 for the purpose of factoring accounts receivables for various corporate clients. In 2007, PF Funding entered into a secured lending relationship with a single purpose entity created to finance PF Funding’s factoring business. Shortly thereafter, the factoring lender established a line of credit as a means to provide PF Funding capital to grow its receiveables portfolio. Over the next several years, PF Funding grew its factoring business by drawing from the line of credit while maintaining as current its loan obligations to the factoring lender. However, beginning in 2011, Galano, through PF Funding, purchased increasingly greater numbers of invoices for which he was unable to collect the debt owed on the receivables. To justify PF Funding’s continued draws from the line of credit, Galano concealed this bad debt from the factoring lender by misrepresenting the bad invoices as collectible on reports he routinely provided to the factoring lender. In other instances, Galano mischaracterized invoices that had already been paid and collected as outstanding and capable of being factored, in essence double-counting to drive up the outstanding receivables. In the reports provided to the factoring lender, Galano manipulated the overall value of PF Funding’s portfolio of outstanding invoices in an amount proportional to the funds he needed to draw from the unsecured line of credit to maintain as current the principal and interest payments on his outstanding loans.
Engaging in this pattern of misrepresentation over nearly a decade, by 2020 PF Funding had ultimately defaulted under its loan obligations, owing approximately $50 million to its lenders by virtue of the scheme. During a May 2020 telephone call with his lenders, Galano admitted that he had concealed significant losses suffered by PF Funding over many years. He admitted that he had routinely distributed to lenders over that prolonged period fabricated reports that overstated the number and value of outstanding invoices which the reports represented as payable.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Quraishi sentenced Galano to two years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $50 million.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric A. Boden of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
22-406
Defense counsel: Christopher Porrino Esq. and Rachel Maimin Esq., New York
FREEHOLD – An Ocean County man has been arrested for allegedly killing his wife and leaving her body on the side of a road in Ocean Township this past weekend, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Monday.
Jeremy B. Cruz, 51, of Forked River is charged with First-Degree Murder in connection with the death of 51-year-old Dawn C. Cruz.
At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 30, a woman who appeared to have sustained severe injuries was observed by a concerned motorist at the intersection of Asbury and Colonial avenues in the Township of Ocean. Upon responding, Ocean Township Police Department officers located the victim, identified as Dawn Cruz, who was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.
A short while later, Jeremy Cruz turned himself in to authorities at Berkeley Township Police Department headquarters in Ocean County. A joint investigation by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, and Berkeley Township Police Department ultimately led to the arrest and charging of Cruz. He remains in custody pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court.
This case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Caitlin J. Sidley of the Major Crimes Bureau. Information on Cruz’s legal representation was not immediately available. Convictions on Murder charges are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.
Anyone with information about this matter is being asked to contact MCPO Detective Aaron Shaw at 800-533-7443 or Ocean Township Police Department Detective Zachary Rhein at 732-531-1800.
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.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On October 30, 2022, at approximately 10:15 p.m., a motor vehicle crash occurred on Whitehorse-Mercerville Rd near Godfrey Drive. A 2014 Buick Enclave driven by Linda McBride, a 55-year-old, female from Hamilton, was traveling southbound on Whitehorse-Mercerville Rd near Godfrey Drive when she crossed over the northbound lane and left the roadway. The Buick then struck a 2016 Ford Van that was parked in the driveway of 779 Whitehorse Mercerville Road before coming to a stop against the driveway retaining wall. Members of the Hamilton Fire Division arrived on scene to assist with medical attention. McBride was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The crash is under investigation by Officers C. Clugsten and J. Galant from the Hamilton Police Division’s Traffic Unit.
Any witnesses are asked to contact the Hamilton Police Traffic Unit at (609)581-4000.
According to statistics provided by the Union, Robbinsville, Bordentown and Allentown covered Hamilton Township 1,056 times over the past two years for calls in Hamilton. The statistics provided did not include additional mutual aid EMS services from Trenton, Lawrence and West Windsor that also provide mutual aid to Hamilton so the number could be higher.
October 30, 2022
BORDENTOWN, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Professional Firefighters Association IAFF Local 3091 says that on Wednesday, October 26, 2022, Union Officials met with Bordentown Township Administrator Michael Theokas and was advised that the City and Township are looking into privatizing EMS Services for the residents and visitors of Bordentown Township, Bordentown City and Fieldsboro.
The Union states that Bordentown Township requested Bids for EMS Coverage for 2022-2025 due by September 29, 2022. Just 1 year after PERC Awarded Burlington County Firefighters Association IAFF Local 3091 to be the exclusive bargaining agent for all full time and part time EMT’s, and 5 months after we signed the 1st Collective Bargained Agreement with the Township.
Now they’re looking to layoff 6 Full Time employees and 10 Part Time employees after serving faithfully during the entire COVID Pandemic and accept the only bid they received from RWJ Barnanbas Health.
RWJ provides EMS services to Hamilton Township and shortfalls on answering their call volume, which requires Mutual Aid to respond for the overflow.
Mutual Aid sent into Hamilton (RWJ) to handle calls:
In 2021 mutual aid was sent to Hamilton 507 times from Robbinsville 420, Bordentown. 57, Allentown. 30.
So far in 2022 mutual aid was sent to Hamilton 549 times with over two months to go in 2022 since statistics were collected. Robbinsville 411, Bordentown 97, Allentown 41
**The statistics included did not list TEMS – Trenton Emergency Medical Services, Lawrence Township, and West Windsor Emergency Services who also provide additional mutual aid into Hamilton Township.
The Union says that if RWJ is awarded the contract to cover Bordentown, we can estimate the amount of mutual aid calls will grossly increase into Hamilton Township, leaving our residents and visitors without proper coverage.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Around 1:15 p.m. the Hamilton Township Fire Department, Hamilton Police, and EMS were sent to the 5,000 Block of South Broad Street near Old York Road for a vehicle into a guardrail with reported entrapment. Firefighters arrived and reported a guardrail though the vehicle with entrapment. The patient was extricated and transported by EMS to Captial Health Regional Medical Center and a “Trauma Alert” was called. Firefighters requested a hazardous materials crew for a fuel leak from the vehicle. Hamilton Township Police Department is investigating the crash.
No further details are available at this time, check back later for updates.
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)– A fire involving a pile of junked cars sent a towering column of smoke looming up over the northern end of the city this evening (Friday, Oct. 28). The blaze, which involved more than a dozen old vehicles, occurred at a junkyard in the 300 block of Enterprise Avenue. Firefighters who were alerted about 7 p.m. arrived to find a pile of scrapped auto parts engulfed in a mass of flames. Crews from Engines 6, 10 and 7, Ladder 4 and Rescue 1, under the direction of Battalion Chief Ross Dale, attacked the fire using a pair of 2.5-inch hoselines. Additional crews from Engine 1 and Ladder 1 were dispatched and sent to the Route 1 Freeway to see if a better vantage point could be had to attack the fire from the elevated roadway. Ultimately, however, the crews on the ground made quick work at containing the fire and preventing flames from spreading to either a nearby structure and another even larger pile of junked vehicles. With the blaze contained, those additional companies were not needed and were ordered off of the highway and back to quarters. Firefighters were on the scene for about an hour and a half hosing down the smoldering pile.
FREEHOLD – An Ocean County man has been arrested and charged with committing a daytime robbery of a West Long Branch check-cashing business that netted $700,000, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Friday.
Travis A. Bryant, 41, of Jackson is charged with first-degree Robbery, second-degree Burglary, and fourth-degree Possession of an Imitation Handgun.
At approximately 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 2, 2017, members of the West Long Branch Police Department responded to the check-cashing business on Route 36 on a report of a silent alarm activation. At that location, officers found a lone employee, who advised that a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt pulled tightly around his face and sunglasses had just robbed the store of a large quantity of cash.
It was quickly determined that the man had entered the store when no customers were present and used a ladder to access and climb through ceiling ducts in order to access a secured, employees-only area of the business where cash was stored. After falling through the ceiling, Bryant reportedly approached the store employee, indicating that he was in possession of a weapon, and ordered her into the store bathroom while he made off with her purse, cell phone, and approximately $700,000 in cash, driving away in a van.
An intensive, long-term investigation by members of the West Long Branch Police Department and a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) resulted in Bryant being identified as a suspect in the case, and he was arrested without incident yesterday and lodged in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court.
This case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Bogner, Director of the MCPO Major Crimes Bureau, members of which also assisted in the investigation. Information on Bryant’s legal representation was not immediately available.
Convictions on first-degree crimes are commonly punishable by terms of 10 to 20 years in state prison.
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.
Jaree Kitchen, 24, was sentenced to 60 years pursuant to the No Early Release Act for the two counts of Murder and 10 years for the charge of Aggravated Arson, to run consecutively, for a total of 70 years.
October 28, 2022
JAMESBURG, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced today that Jaree Kitchen, 24, has been sentenced for the crimes of murder, aggravated arson, and weapons offenses.
On November 6, 2019, at approximately 3:19 a.m., Jamesburg Police officers responded to 7 Sheridan Street in Jamesburg for a report of a house fire. Upon arrival, officers observed visible flames exiting the structure of the house. The Jamesburg Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. A subsequent investigation conducted by Sergeant Kevin Wilson, Detective Sergeant Jason Muller and Detective Jim Dennis of the Jamesburg Police Department and Sergeant Deon McCall of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, founded that Kitchen had recently returned to Jamesburg from Georgia to live with his father, Clifford Kitchen Jr., but soon after his arrival the father and son began having significant issues. This erupted into a physical altercation that resulted in Jaree Kitchen fatally stabbing both his father and another resident of the home, Gregory Fisher to death on November 4, 2019. On November 6, 2019, in an effort to destroy and cover up the murders that occurred within the home, Jaree Kitchen set the residence of 7 Sheridan Street on fire.
Kitchen was subsequently indicted for two counts of first-degree Murder, second-degree Aggravated Arson, two counts second-degree Desecrating Human Remains, two counts of third-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, two counts of fourth-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and two counts of fourth-degree Tampering with Evidence.
Following the presentation of evidence by Assistant Prosecutors Amber Gibbs and Caitlin Lavery, Kitchen was convicted by a jury on June 1, 2022. Kitchen was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas J. Buck, today, October 28, 2022. Kitchen was sentenced to 60 years pursuant to the No Early Release Act for the two counts of Murder and 10 years for the charge of Aggravated Arson, to run consecutively, for a total of 70 years.
PRINCETON, NJ (MERCER)–Princeton Police Department reports that on October 28, 2022, at 10:38 a.m., a 2010 Kia Forte driven by Linda Simmins, 73 of Lawrenceville, was traveling south on Mercer Road. The pedestrian/victim, Salvatore Esposito-Dimarcant, 70,of Ewing was performing landscaping work in the 900 block of Mercer Road. Preliminary on-scene investigation revealed that Esposito-Dimarcant was standing in the southbound lane of Mercer Road when he was struck by the Kia Forte. Esposito- Dimarcant was transported to the Bristol Myers Squibb Trauma Center at Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries
The Police Department is requesting that anybody who witnessed the crash contact Ptl. Jonathan Myzie at (609) 921-2100 ext. 1875
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. An additional press release will follow when new information becomes available.
Many Law and Public Safety Divisions Will Play a Key Role in Ensuring a Fair, Free, and Smooth-Running Election
October 28, 2022
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced several key measures the Department of Law and Public Safety will be taking during the 2022 General Election to help ensure a fair, free, and smooth-running election, to protect the right to vote, and to assist voters, election officials, and law enforcement in resolving any emergent voting-related legal matters.
Early voting in New Jersey will begin on Saturday, October 29 and will end on Sunday, November 6. During that time and on Election Day on Tuesday, November 8, many divisions of the Department of Law and Public Safety will have a role in ensuring free and fair elections in the State of New Jersey.
To safeguard the fundamental right to vote, the Attorney General announced that the Office of the Attorney General and the Division on Civil Rights are establishing a Voter Protection Initiative for the 2022 general election. This Initiative will focus on identifying and addressing any voting rights or civil rights violations, including under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, that may arise during early voting and on Election Day.
The Attorney General’s Voter Protection Initiative will work with community stakeholders and partners to identify and address voting access issues. The Voter Protection Initiative will operate independently of the attorneys in the Division of Law who represent county elections officials and the Secretary of State.
“The right to vote is sacred, and we will do everything in our power to safeguard that right,” said Attorney General Matthew Platkin. “Now more than ever, it is critical that we ensure that New Jerseyans do not face intimidation, discrimination, or harassment when exercising their constitutional right to vote. Our Department’s initiatives to protect the right to vote during this election will ensure that every eligible voter will be able to cast a ballot, and that anyone who attempts to interfere with the voting process will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
The Attorney General also announced that, as in prior elections, hundreds of attorneys from the Division of Law will be working in shifts to answer emergent questions from county elections officials to ensure that all eligible voters can cast their ballots quickly, freely, and fairly in accordance with New Jersey’s election laws.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (“OPIA”) will monitor voter intimidation, electioneering, elections fraud, and other criminal violations, and will direct reports of election interference to local and federal law enforcement as needed and the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (“NJCCIC”) will also be monitoring for election security threats—both cyber and physical.
In preparation for the 2022 General Election, OPIA has also issued the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Guidance for Elections to local law enforcement officials across the State. View Guidance
Moreover, the Department of Law and Public Safety has also created a webpage that provides New Jersey residents voting-related resources and answers to frequently asked questions regarding the right to vote. The webpage explains how voters can report any problems they encounter during early voting or on Election Day: www.njoag.gov/electionprotection
In addition to this newly created webpage, the New Jersey Division of Elections website, located at https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/index.shtml, provides a list of county-level election office contacts, as well as other useful elections-related information.
Any person who believes his or her right to vote has been interfered with, or who wishes to report other voting-related problems or concerns, can call the State’s Voter Information and Assistance line toll-free at 1-877-NJVOTER.
Members of the public also can direct election-related questions to their County Superintendent of Elections and County Board of Elections.
Any member of the public who has been subject to discrimination or harassment in connection with voting may also report the issue to the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights through the NJ BIAS online portal, available at https://bias.njcivilrights.gov, or by calling 1-800-277-BIAS (1-800-277-2427). Depending on their urgency, complaints regarding possible discrimination or harassment filed with the Division on Civil Rights may be addressed during the election or after the election.
Attorney General Platkin also reminds the public that it is a criminal offense to solicit or electioneer voters within a “protective zone” as they enter or exit a polling location.
The “protective zone” extends 100 feet from the outside entrance of any polling site. Attempts to interfere with voters within this zone are usually handled by law enforcement officers from the appropriate agency.
MOUNT LAUREL, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Evesham Township Police Chief Walt Miller announced that a Mount Laurel police officer has been charged with hacking into the social media accounts of an Evesham woman and distributing nude pictures she took of herself to those on her contact and friends lists.
Ayron Taylor, 22, of Delran, was charged with three counts of Computer Crime (one Second Degree, two Third Degree), two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (one Second Degree, one Third Degree) and Invasion of Privacy (Third Degree).
The investigation began last month after the victim contacted the Evesham Township Police Department and reported that her Snapchat and Facebook accounts had been accessed by an unknown person who then sent nude photos she had taken of herself to her Snapchat contacts, messaged them to her Facebook friends, and posted them on her Facebook wall.
Communications Data Warrants were secured, and the investigation revealed Taylor had illegally accessed the accounts and distributed the photos. The Endangering the Welfare of a Child charges were brought against Taylor because some of the photos he sent of the victim were taken when she was a minor.
Taylor was arrested on October 21 and lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly. He was released following a first appearance in Superior Court.
Taylor became a full-time police officer with the Mount Laurel Police Department after graduating from the academy in October 2021. He has been suspended without pay and the department is seeking to terminate his employment.
The investigation, which is continuing, is being conducted by the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit and the Evesham Township Police Department. The lead investigator is ETPD Detective Christopher DeFrancesco, who is assigned to the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit as a Task Force Officer.
All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Ayron Taylor, 22, of Delran, was charged with three counts of Computer Crime (one Second Degree, two Third Degree), two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (one Second Degree, one Third Degree) and Invasion of Privacy (Third Degree).
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