January 10, 2022

MOUNT HOLLY, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Mount Holly Township Police Chief Richard Spitler announced that a 41-year-old Mount Holly resident has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failing to seek medical treatment for an injured person after fatally striking a woman with his pickup truck in October 2020.

Angel Carrion, of Blue Jay Lane, was taken into custody January 6 by officers from the Mount Holly Township Police Department. He was lodged in the Burlington County Jail and released following a first appearance in Superior Court.

The criminal charges against Carrion include Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Accident (Second Degree) and Endangering an Injured Victim (Third Degree) by failing to seek medical assistance after he struck and drove over the victim at approximately 5:30 a.m. on October 16, 2020.

The investigation, which utilized surveillance footage from multiple businesses, revealed that Carrion turned onto Route 38 west from Pine Street in Mount Holly and immediately struck Cynthia Ann Rasinksi, 57, of Mount Holly, who was crossing the roadway.

The investigation further revealed that Carrion left the scene but then returned to the intersection, positioning his silver, lifted pickup truck so the headlights illuminated the area where the victim was lying in the roadway. He then drove off again without reporting the incident to police.

Officers from the Mount Holly Township Police Department were dispatched to the scene a short time later after another motorist reported a person being down in the roadway.

Rasinski was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood determined that Rasinksi died from multiple injuries.

The investigation was conducted by the Mount Holly Township Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office. The lead investigator is MHTPD Detective Nicholas Dell-Priscoli.

Carrion will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Collision and Accident Reconstruction Unit, and Assistant Prosecutor Michael Sullivan, supervisor of the Civil Remedies Unit. 

Anyone with information about the collision, or who was traveling in the area of Route 38 and Pine Street in Mount Holly between 5:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. on October 16, 2020, is asked to contact the Mount Holly Township Police Department at 609-864-2231 or the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office at tips@co.burlington.nj.us.

All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

2022-01 Motorist Charged in Mt. Holly Pedestrian Fatality

December 9, 2021

CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for stealing more than $350,000 from a special needs trust, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Eugene Young, 70, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

A special needs trust was established to provide for the supplemental care, maintenance, support, and education of a disabled individual and, in December 2017, had more than $1 million in assets in two bank accounts. In December 2017, Young caused the trust’s trustee, a senior citizen, to execute a power of attorney appointing him as the trustee’s agent.

Young used the power of attorney to gain access to the trust’s bank accounts and, between December 2017 and June 2019, used a variety of means to divert funds from the trust. Young used a debit card associated with the bank accounts to make more than 650 purchases and approximately 200 ATM withdrawals. He also wrote checks from the accounts to himself, made other withdrawals from the accounts, and cashed portions of annuity checks that were the property of the trust. The funds were not used for the benefit of the trust’s beneficiary, as required by the terms of the trust, but rather for Young’s personal use. Young misappropriated more than $350,000 from the trust before his scheme was discovered.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Young to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $359,560.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; special agents of the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.

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Defense counsel: Thomas Young Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden

July 26, 2021

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–A Burlington County, New Jersey, man is expected to make his initial appearance today after being charged with trafficking over three kilograms of methamphetamine and illegally possessing unregistered firearms as a previously convicted felon, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Nicholas Layton, 41, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more methamphetamine, three counts of unlawful possession of unregistered firearms and one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He is scheduled to appear today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Arpert.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in Court:

In December 2018, Layton and an unnamed conspirator were driving separate vehicles from Arizona back to New Jersey. Both vehicles were the subject of a motor vehicle stop in Crawford County, Arkansas. Subsequent investigation revealed that the conspirator’s vehicle contained four wrapped bundles of suspected narcotics, later confirmed to be approximately three kilograms of methamphetamine. According to receipts located in both vehicles, Layton rented both cars and the cars traveled together through multiple states before being stopped in Arkansas. Both Layton and his conspirator were charged by the State of Arkansas in connection with the methamphetamine; Layton was released by authorities.

In May and June of 2019, Layton sold methamphetamine on three separate occasions to confidential informants under the surveillance of law enforcement in Pemberton and Mount Holly, New Jersey.

On July 17, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Layton’s residence in Mount Holly where they located:

1) a black “AR” style, 5.56 x 45mm semi-automatic rifle, having no visible serial number, which law enforcement later determined was a Privately Made Firearm (“PMF”);

2) a 9mm semi-automatic rifle, having no visible serial number, which law enforcement later determined was a PMF;

3) a firearm silencer, having no visible serial number, which law enforcement later determined was a PMF; and

4) eight “M-Class” explosive devices

On July 17, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at another residence associated with Layton in Southampton, New Jersey, where they located:

5) a Norcino, SKS type, 762 caliber, semi-automatic rifle (the “Norcino”), bearing serial number 244931DUP;

6) a 12-gauge caliber Browning shotgun (the “Browning”), bearing serial number 13324 S69; and

7) nine “M-Class” explosive devices

Layton was not found at either location during the execution of the search warrants. On or about Aug. 4, 2019, Layton was found at a residence in Marlton, New Jersey. At the time of his arrest, Layton was found in possession of approximately 200 grams of methamphetamine and an additional explosive device.
The conspiracy and the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine counts are punishable by a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison and a fine of $10 million; the possession of an unregistered firearm is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000; and the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and fine of $250,000.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Camden Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark; the DEA Fort Smith Post of Duty under the supervision of Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley, Arkansas; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Toby C, Taylor, Newark Field Division; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina; and officers of the Arkansas State Police, under the direction of Chief William J. Bryant, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle S. Gasparian of the Criminal Division in Trenton

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: Brian P. Reilly, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton

• Layton.Complaint.pdf

February 8, 2021 (released Feb 8)

PACIFIC OCEAN U.S. Navy Seaman Jamil Kelly, from Mt. Holly, N.J., uses an alidade on a bridge wing of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John Finn (DDG 113) Feb. 2, 2021. John Finn, part of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. As the U.S. Navy’s largest forward deployed fleet, with its approximate 50-70 ships and submarines, 140 aircraft, and 20,000 Sailors in the area of operations at any given time, 7th Fleet conducts forward-deployed naval operations in support of U.S. national interests throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific area of operations to foster maritime security, promote stability, and prevent conflict alongside 35 other maritime nations and partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jason Waite)

February 3, 2021

By: Tyler Eckel

A Burlington County, New Jersey, man today admitted stealing more than $350,000 from a special needs trust, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

Eugene Young, 69, of Mount Holly, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by video conference before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

A special needs trust was established to provide for the supplemental care, maintenance, support, and education of a disabled individual and, in December 2017, had more than $1 million in assets in two bank accounts. In December 2017, Young caused the trust’s trustee, a senior citizen, to execute a power of attorney appointing him as the trustee’s agent.

Young used the power of attorney to gain access to the trust’s bank accounts and, between December 2017 and June 2019, used a variety of means to divert funds from the trust. Young used a debit card associated with the bank accounts to make more than 650 purchases and approximately 200 ATM withdrawals. He also wrote checks from the accounts to himself, made other withdrawals from the accounts, and cashed portions of annuity checks that were the property of the trust. The funds were not used for the benefit of the trust’s beneficiary, as required by the terms of the trust, but rather for Young’s personal use. Young misappropriated more than $350,000 from the trust before his scheme was discovered.

The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain to the defendant or twice the gross pecuniary loss to others, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark, special agents of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty, and special agents of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.

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Defense counsel: Thomas Young Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden