PEMBERTON BOROUGH, NJ (BURLINGTON)–The New Jersey State Police have charged Newlin Evans, 22, of Burlington, N.J., with murder and arson for allegedly setting fire to an apartment complex that killed a man and injured two other victims.
On April 20, the Pemberton Borough Police Department began investigating a fire on Egbert Street in Pemberton Borough that killed Camryn Powell, 22, of Pemberton Borough, N.J. As a result of the initial investigation, the fire was deemed suspicious and members from the New Jersey State Police Troop ‘C’ Red Lion Station along with detectives from the Criminal Investigation Office, Major Crime South Unit, and Crime Scene Investigations Unit were requested to assist with the investigation. The State Police assists the Pemberton Borough Police Department with investigations that involve first and second-degree crimes.
During the investigation, detectives determined that Powell was inside the apartment at the time of the fire and sustained fatal injuries. As a result of the fire, Evans sustained serious injuries and fled the scene. He was later located at a motel in Mansfield Township, N.J. and was transported to Jefferson Hospital. Through various investigative means, detectives determined that Evans initially used an accelerant inside the apartment and started the fire.
On May 4, detectives issued a warrant for his arrest, and he was apprehended by the Jefferson Hospital Campus Security Department. Newlin Evans was charged with felony murder, aggravated arson, causing or risking widespread injury or damage. He was lodged in the Philadelphia County jail pending extradition to New Jersey.
This case is being prosecuted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
Charges are mere accusations, and the accused is considered innocent until proven guilty.
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Pemberton Township Police report that this morning, May 2nd, 2022, at 5:31 a.m. the Pemberton Township Police Department assisted by the New Jersey State Police TEAMS Unit executed a residential search warrant on the 600 block of Herbert Road pertaining to a narcotics investigation. The execution led to 17 arrests and the seizure of a quantity of Heroin, Methamphetamine and Cocaine consistent with distribution, specifically from Nicole Vida and Nicole Lihou. Cody Smires, who had an active warrant for his arrest, was located in the area and a pedestrian stop was conducted leading to him being arrested. He was found to be in possession of a quantity of Methamphetamine consistent with distribution. Additional suspects were charged with various crimes including Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Heroin and Methamphetamine). Talarick, Vida, Blankenship and Smires were all charged and lodged at the Burlington County Jail pending court appearances. All other subjects were released on summons for their charges. This is the second time in a month that this address has been the target of a narcotics investigation by the Pemberton Township Police Department. A search warrant was executed on April 1st, 2022 where nine people were arrested including Vida who was charged with Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance in that incident.
Jeffrey Pastore, 67, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Maintaining a Nuisance.
Jacob Talarick, 56, of Browns Mills was arrested on an active warrant and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Cody Smires, 29, of Browns Mills was arrested on an active warrant and charged with Possession of Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) (Methamphetamine), Distribution of CDS (Methamphetamine) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Brandy Lawton, 31, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Nicole Vida, 40, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Distribution of a CDS (Heroin), Distribution of CDS (Cocaine) and Distribution of CDS (Methamphetamine).
Nicole Lihou, 31, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Distribution of a CDS (Heroin), Distribution of CDS (Cocaine) and Distribution of CDS (Methamphetamine).
Emerson Midgette, 41, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
David Roberts, 44, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Garriett Bullock, 60, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Michelle Lucas, 44, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Michael Gilliland, 44, of Browns Mills was arrested on an active warrant and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Latanya Jones, 52, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Alexus Jones, 26, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Desiree Blankenship, 30, of Browns Mills was arrested on an active warrant and charged with Possession of CDS (Methamphetamine) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Michael Guerra, 37, of Browns Mills was arrested charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Eric Linzmayer, 41, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Lisa Acevedo, 49, of Browns Mills was arrested and charged with Possession of CDS (Heroin) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
As a reminder all suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Anyone with information about this incident or other crimes occurring in Pemberton Township is asked to contact the Pemberton Township Police Department Detective Division at 609-894-3310 or the Confidential Tip-Line at 609-894-3352.
PEMBERTON, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Pemberton Township Police Chief Jason Watters announced that a 54-year-old Pemberton Township woman has been charged with driving while impaired and causing the death of a teenage motorist late last year during a head-on collision that occurred after she left a Browns Mills bar.
Wanda Sprague, of the 200 block of Pemberton Browns Mills Road, was charged with Reckless Manslaughter (First Degree) and Vehicular Homicide (Second Degree). During a first appearance in Superior Court this afternoon, the Hon. Terrence R. Cook, P.J.Cr., ordered her not to have any contact with the victim’s family. The case will now be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.
The investigation began December 16 after officers from the Pemberton Township Police Department were dispatched to the area of Lakehurst Road and Rancocas Lane for a report of a motor vehicle accident at approximately 9:15 p.m.
The investigation determined that the headlights on Sprague’s Chrysler 300 were not turned on when she crashed head on into a Nissan Sentra being driven by Kayla Bowen, 17, of Pemberton Township. Ms. Bowen was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation further determined that Sprague had been consuming alcohol prior to the crash at a nearby bar, and reached a speed exceeding 90 mph prior to the collision. She suffered extensive injuries from which she is still recovering.
In addition to the criminal charges, Sprague was issued multiple traffic citations, including Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol or Drugs. She is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit.
The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police. The lead investigators are BCPO Detectives Brian Cunningham and Melyssa Alonso, and PTPD Detective Joshua Mann.
All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP-BROWNS MILLS, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Yesterday on December 22, 2021 at approximately 9:10 p.m., the Pemberton Township Police Department was dispatched to a residence on Begonia Street in Browns Mills for a report of a shooting. Officers arriving at the scene found a 35-year-old male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to Cooper Hospital for treatment. The investigation into the incident is on-going. At this time we do not believe that there is any danger to the general public. The Pemberton Township Police Department is conducting the investigation jointly with the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. Anyone with information about this incident or other crimes occurring in Pemberton Township is asked to contact the Pemberton Township Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 609-894-3310 or the Confidential Tip-Line at 609-894-3352
PEMBERTON, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Pemberton Township Police Chief David King announced that six members of a Sunbury Village-based street gang have been charged with operating a criminal enterprise that is accused of carrying out multiple shootings – including two homicides – along with committing burglary, intimidating witnesses, possessing numerous firearms and fraudulently obtaining more than $125,000 in pandemic relief funds from the federal government.
Eight others have been charged for their role in helping the organization, known as the Gotti Boy Movement (GBM), perpetrate the COVID-related financial scam.
Those accused of running GBM were charged with Racketeering, a first-degree crime that alleges they conspired to commit violent crimes to further their criminal enterprise. They are:
Tayron Brown, 25, of Heather Street in Pemberton Township
Kavon Carter, 24, of Rancocas Road in Mount Holly
Brandon Clifton, 23, of White Pine Court in Pemberton Township
Javon Forman, 21, of Delap Court in Pemberton Township
Kyree Weathers, 24, of Lawrence Drive in Pemberton Township
Sylas Young, 19, of Cornell Avenue in Pemberton Township
The criminal actions identified in support of the racketeering charge began in September 2014, when shots were fired at a Pemberton Township police officer who was sitting in a cruiser in Sunbury Village. Brown and Carter are alleged to have participated in the shooting.
Clifton is waiting to be tried on murder charges for the March 2017 fatal shooting of Shaquille Williams in Sunbury Village. Clifton’s co-defendant in that case, Douglas Lewis, was found guilty in September 2021 and sentenced to 58 years in New Jersey state prison.
Weathers is awaiting trial on a 2020 firearms charge. Forman was found guilty that same year of burglary and a weapons violation, and was charged in February 2021 with possession of an assault weapon with a 40-round magazine containing armor-piercing rounds.
More recently, violent acts allegedly committed by GBM members have occurred in other communities, not just Pemberton Township.
Carter and Young have been charged in connection with the slaying of 18-year-old Yahsinn Robinson in April in Willingboro. Young was charged with Murder (First Degree), and both he and Carter were charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder (First Degree) and Gang Criminality (First Degree).
The investigation into Robinson’s death revealed that GBM had a long-running dispute with certain residents of the Buckingham Park section of Willingboro, where Robinson lived. Robinson, a Willingboro High School student who was returning home from his part-time job when killed, was not involved in the conflict.
A week later, in the same section of Willingboro, a woman was hit in the leg and a toddler was grazed across his backside by shots fired into their home. Young has been charged with both shootings.
Carter and Young have also been indicted on firearms charges from a separate incident earlier this year, and Forman was charged in October 2021 with witness tampering for making multiple threatening phone calls from the Burlington County Jail.
“The substantial charges we have brought against these members of the Gotti Boy Movement and their associates should make clear that we will not allow anyone to engage in indiscriminate gun violence and run roughshod over innocent people in Pemberton Township or any other part of Burlington County,” Prosecutor Coffina said. “Yahsinn Robinson’s family should be celebrating Christmas with him right now instead of mourning him, and babies should never be exposed to gunfire coming into their homes. We are committed to doing everything we can to keep families safe throughout the County, and bring to justice those who put our neighborhoods at risk.”
Carter, Clifton and Weathers have also been charged with Promoting Organized Street Crime, as has Brianna Scott, 28, of White Pine Court in Pemberton Township. Scott and other defendants are alleged to be responsible for filing multiple fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications. The PPP is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act of 2020, which is designed to provide economic assistance to small businesses that suffered a financial hardship due to the pandemic.
The investigation revealed that the scam yielded $124,996 in funds from PPP applications that were filed in the name of GBM members and their affiliates. Carter submitted an application claiming he was a barber with an annual income of more than $105,000 in 2019, even though Carter was incarcerated throughout 2019. He received a check for nearly $21,000, as did five of his associates.
Scott was additionally charged with Conspiracy to Commit Computer Criminal Activity (Second Degree). Others charged in connection with the PPP scam include:
Wanya Anderson, 25, of Jarvis Street in Pemberton Township, who was charged with Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing Under Oath (Fourth Degree).
Chad Boone, 30, of Grant Street in Camden, who was charged with Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing Under Oath (Fourth Degree).
Adam Clark, 28 of Atsion Road in Shamong, who was charged with Conspiracy, Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing Under Oath (Fourth Degree).
Jaquan Crawley-Pitts, 25, of Garden Street in Mount Holly, who was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Computer Crime (Second Degree), Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing (Fourth Degree).
Altauron Jean, 27, of Press Avenue in Pemberton Township, who was charged with Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing (Fourth Degree).
Shalaiyha Jean, 20, of East Lakeshore Drive in Pemberton Township, who was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Computer Crime (Second Degree), Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing (Fourth Degree).
Zion Powe, 22, of Ashton Street in Pemberton Township, who was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Computer Crime (Second Degree), Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing (Fourth Degree).
Clifton and Carter were also charged with Conspiracy to Commit Computer Crime (Second Degree), and additional charges against Carter include Computer Crimes with the Purpose to Defraud (Second Degree), Forgery (Third Degree), Theft by Unlawful Taking (Third Degree) and False Swearing Under Oath (Fourth Degree).
“This financial scheme by the defendants to obtain small business relief funds by ‘inventing’ fake businesses, phantom income and fraudulent loan applications, is merely further evidence of this group’s belief that the rules of society simply don’t apply to them,” Prosecutor Coffina said. “They are wrong, and will be held accountable.”
The cases will be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment. The defendants will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutors Michael Angermeier, Jamie Hutchinson and Joseph Remy. The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from the Pemberton Township Police Department and the Willingboro Township Police Department.
The majority of the defendants were apprehended during a December 16 sweep that involved the BCPO, Burlington County Sheriff’s Department, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Special Response Team, Mount Holly Township Police Department, New Jersey Division of Taxation – Office of Criminal Investigation, New Jersey State Police, Ocean County Special Response Team, Pemberton Borough Police Department, Pemberton Township Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, and Westampton Township Police Department.
All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP, NJ (BURLINGTON)–The Bordentown Township Police Department is investigating a fatal motor vehicle collision which occurred on November 29, 2021 that resulted in the death of a 58-year-old male from Pemberton Township, NJ.
Preliminary investigation has determined that the victim, David Jenkins – age 58 of 3rd Ave. Pemberton NJ, was traveling northbound on Rt. 130 in the area of Taconic Rd. at approximately 8:08 pm when his 2005 Dodge Caravan collided with a tractor trailer being operated by Eugene Mercer Jr., age – 58, of West Ave. Bridgeport CT. Jenkins sustained fatal injuries as a result of the collision.
Township Police continue to investigate the cause of this collision and anyone who witnessed or who has information regarding this incident is requested to contact Det. Anthony Nagle at 609-298-4300, ext. 2142.
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP, BROWNS MILLS, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 62-year-old man was found guilty of causing the deaths of his elderly mother and her companion who perished in a house fire in October 2018 in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township.
Kurt Smith, who lived at the residence in the 500 block of Willow Boulevard, was convicted by a jury on two counts of Reckless Manslaughter (Second Degree). The verdict was returned October 26 following approximately 10 hours of deliberation over two days.
The Hon. Christopher J. Garrenger, J.S.C., scheduled sentencing for January 7. Smith has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly since his arrest a few days after the fire.
Smith was accused of igniting flammable material with a cigarette lighter in the garage of the residence, then unsuccessfully attempting to extinguish the blaze.
In addition to the homicides, Smith was charged with arson. The jury was unable to come to a verdict on the arson charge.
The fire killed his mother, Lore Smith, 92, who was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Her companion, George Pikunis, also 92, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Autopsies performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood concluded the cause of death in each instance was smoke and soot inhalation, along with thermal burns.
Smith was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy and Assistant Prosecutor Bob Van Gilst, supervisor of the BCPO Major Crimes Unit, Violent Crimes Section. The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, the Pemberton Township Police Department, and the Burlington County Fire Marshal’s Office. The lead investigators were BCPO Detective Erica Ridge and Pemberton Township Detective Tom Lucas.
Kurt Smith, who lived at the residence in the 500 block of Willow Boulevard, was convicted by a jury on two counts of Reckless Manslaughter (Second Degree). The verdict was returned October 26 following approximately 10 hours of deliberation over two days.
PEMBERTON, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Pemberton Township Police Chief David King announced that an 18-year-old man has been charged with fatally shooting a 17-year-old male and wounding a 17-year-old female last week in the 100 block of Snow Avenue in Browns Mills.
Kai Johnson, of Kinsley Road in Pemberton, was charged with Murder (First Degree), Attempted Murder (First Degree), Aggravated Assault (First Degree), Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Third Degree).
Johnson turned himself in at the Pemberton Township Police Department late Friday afternoon and is lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly. He had a first appearance Saturday afternoon in Superior Court, and is awaiting a hearing on the Prosecutor’s Office’s motion to detain him. The case will be presented to a grand jury for possible indictment.
The investigation began the night of October 18, after officers from the Pemberton Township Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 11:35 p.m.
Upon arrival, they discovered Malachi Treherne, 17, of Pemberton, lying in the doorway of the residence he was visiting on Snow Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police also located the 17-year-old female, who had been shot in the chest. She was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, and has since been released.
The investigation revealed that Johnson and the decedent were having an argument inside the house when Johnson pulled out a gun and shot both victims. An autopsy determined that Malachi Treherne died as a result of two gunshot wounds to his head.
Other people present in the home at the time of the shooting, including a two-year-old boy, were not injured in the incident.
The investigation is being conducted by detectives from the Pemberton Township Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office. The lead investigators are Prosecutor’s Office Detective Erica Ridge and Pemberton Township Detective Anthony Luster.
All persons are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Kai Johnson
Kai Johnson, of Kinsley Road in Pemberton, was charged with Murder (First Degree), Attempted Murder (First Degree), Aggravated Assault (First Degree), Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), and Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Third Degree).
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 49-year-old Pemberton Township woman has been indicted for creating a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her husband’s cremation and funeral, then leaving his body in the morgue and using the donations for living expenses.
A grand jury indicted Patricia Clark on one count of Theft by Failure to Make Disposition (Third Degree). The indictment was returned August 13 and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be held soon in Superior Court.
The investigation began after family members contacted the New Jersey State Police Red Lion Station and indicated the decedent remained in a morgue even though money had been raised for cremation and funeral expenses.
The investigation revealed that Clark created the fundraiser after her disabled husband passed away in April 2019.
“Please, if there is anybody out there that can make a donation to help with the expenses I would greatly appreciate it,” she expressed on the GoFundMe campaign’s web page. “His children would also appreciate it.”
The investigation revealed that during a two-month period, 28 people contributed to the cause, raising $2,050 of the $3,000 goal.
The investigation was conducted by the New Jersey State Police. The case was presented to the grand jury by BCPO Assistant Prosecutor Eric Cornog.
An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a Pemberton Township man has been indicted on charges of fatally shooting his cousin during an argument earlier this year.
A grand jury indicted Antwian Warthen, 29, on charges of Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree).
The indictment was returned August 3 and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be held soon in Superior Court. Warthen, who lives in the Browns Mills section of the township, has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly since his arrest on February 20.
The investigation began on February 19 at approximately 9:15 p.m. when Pemberton Township police officers were dispatched to Warthen’s home for a report of a man severely bleeding, possibly due to a stab wound. Upon arrival, they were informed that Warthen had just transported his cousin, Horace Warthen, 39, of Burlington City, to Capital Health at Deborah – Emergency Services.
Police responding to the medical center were told that Horace Warthen had been pronounced dead by a physician after arriving at the facility a short time earlier. Antwian Warthen was at the hospital when police arrived but left on foot after they went inside to determine the status of Horace Warthen. Antwian Warthen was located by police walking in a nearby neighborhood approximately 30 minutes later and taken into custody for questioning.
The investigation revealed that Antwian Warthen shot Horace Warthen during an argument inside the residence, then drove him to the hospital to receive treatment.
The charges were presented to a grand jury by Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Hutchinson. The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department. The lead investigators are BCPO Detective Jenn Marchese and PTPD Detective Stephen Price.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
PEMBERTON, NJ (BURLINGTON)–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a Pemberton Township drug dealer has been indicted for causing the death of a Pemberton Township woman who fatally overdosed two years ago on fentanyl she purchased from him.
A grand jury charged Antoine Crawley, 35, from the Sunbury Village section of the township, with Strict Liability for Drug-Induced Death (First Degree), Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Third Degree), Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute (Third Degree) and Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Third Degree).
The indictment was returned June 24 and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. Crawley pled not guilty during an arraignment in Superior Court earlier this week. He is presently lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly awaiting trial.
Crawley’s co-defendant, Danielle Knight, 42, of Wrightstown, has pled guilty to Strict Liability for Drug-Induced Death (First Degree) and is awaiting sentencing. She has been released on her own recognizance.
The investigation began on August 19, 2019, after Brittney Wallace, 27, was found unconscious and unresponsive by her parents in the bathroom at the family’s residence. She was taken to Capital Health at Deborah – Emergency Services, where she was later pronounced dead.
An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood determined that Wallace died of fentanyl toxicity. The fentanyl level in her system was more than five times the lethal dose. The investigation revealed that Knight instructed Crawley to deliver drugs to Wallace at her residence.
Crawley was also indicted last month in a separate case with two co-defendants on drug possession charges stemming from an incident where an officer found heroin and cocaine in their vehicle during a traffic stop early last year in New Hanover Township.
Crawley and Knight are being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Jeremy Lackey. The case was investigated by detectives from the Pemberton Township Police Department, with assistance from the Prosecutor’s Office Gang, Gun and Narcotics Task Force and K-9 Officer Ringo from the Burlington County Sheriff’s Department. The lead investigator is Pemberton Township Detective Joshua Danka.
An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that two men have been indicted for shooting at the patrol vehicle of a Pemberton Township police officer seven years ago in the Sunbury Village section of Pemberton Township.
Tayron Brown, 24, of Trenton, was indicted on charges of Attempted Murder (First Degree), Conspiracy to Commit Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree) and Aggravated Assault (Third Degree).
Brown’s co-defendant, Kavon Carter, 23, of Pemberton Township, was indicted on charges of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree) and Aggravated Assault (Third Degree).
The indictment was returned July 16 and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be held soon in Superior Court. Brown is presently incarcerated in New Jersey state prison, and Carter is in the Burlington County Jail, both for unrelated offenses.
Brown and Carter were initially charged in September 2019, however the opportunity to seek an indictment was delayed because grand juries were not convened during the pandemic.
The investigation revealed that an officer was parked along Lemmon Avenue on September 24, 2014, when a bullet fired in his direction struck the roof of the marked patrol vehicle, approximately six inches above the officer’s head.
The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department. Brown and Carter are being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Mike Angermeier, supervisor of the BCPO Gang, Gun and Narcotics Task Force.
An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
Tayron Brown, 24, of Trenton, was indicted on charges of Attempted Murder (First Degree), Conspiracy to Commit Murder (First Degree), Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree), Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Second Degree) and Aggravated Assault (Third Degree). Brown’s co-defendant, Kavon Carter, 23, of Pemberton Township, was indicted on charges of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (Second Degree) and Aggravated Assault (Third Degree).
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that two men were sentenced to state prison today for attempting to lure underage girls they met on social media to meet for sexual encounters. The “girls” in reality were undercover detectives participating in “Operation Open House,” a multi-agency undercover operation in September 2018 led by the Attorney General’s Office that resulted in arrests of 24 men who allegedly were using social media to lure underage girls and boys for sexual activity.
William Singleton, 25, of Pemberton, N.J., and Charles Schlottfeld, 28, of Bayville, N.J., were each sentenced today to four years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan in Ocean County. Each man pleaded guilty to second-degree luring, Singleton on Feb. 3, 2020, and Schlottfeld, on July 22, 2020. Both men will be required to register as sex offenders under Megan’s Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life.
Deputy Attorney General Thomas Huynh prosecuted Singleton and Deputy Attorney General Rachael Weeks prosecuted Schlottfeld for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Cyber Crimes Bureau.
Both men were arrested in September 2018 during Operation Open House. In each case, an undercover detective with the New Jersey Regional Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force encountered the defendant on social media, and the defendant, believing the undercover detective was a 14-year-old girl, asked the “girl” to meet him for sexual activity. Both Singleton and Schlottfeld discussed in detail the sexual acts they would perform with the underage girl. Singleton was arrested on Sept. 7, 2018, and Schlottfeld was arrested on Sept. 9, 2018. They were arrested when they arrived at the undercover house in Toms River, where dozens of officers and agents participating in Operation Open House were prepared to arrest offenders and process any evidence seized.
“With these prison sentences, we are sending a strong message to predators who think they can freely hunt for vulnerable children online,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We will continue to identify and arrest these offenders because there is no higher priority for us than the safety of our children. But at a time when more young people are online as a result of the pandemic, we especially need parents and guardians to do their part by warning children that these dangerous predators use popular social media services, gaming platforms, and chat apps to target unsuspecting victims.”
“We will never cease in our efforts to arrest those who use the internet and social media to sexually exploit children, either by distributing child sexual abuse materials or by grooming children to sexually abuse or assault,” said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We want predators like Singleton and Schlottfeld to know the child they stalk online may turn out to be a law enforcement officer.”
In addition to investigating cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, members of the New Jersey State Police ICAC Unit, the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Cyber Crimes Bureau, and the New Jersey ICAC Task Force routinely conduct undercover chat investigations on social media platforms leading to arrests of hands-on offenders and defendants seeking to lure children. They also conduct proactive investigations to apprehend offenders by monitoring peer-to-peer file-sharing networks and identifying the IP addresses of individuals sharing child sexual abuse materials.
Attorney General Grewal and Director Allende urge anyone with information about the distribution of child sexual abuse materials on the internet – or about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children – to please contact the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Tipline at 888-648-6007.
Defense Attorneys
For Singleton: Assistant Deputy Public Defender Marissa K. DeAnna, Ocean County
For Schlottfeld: Alexandra Nieves-Martinez , Esq., Berkeley Township, N.J.
Charles Schlottfeld, 28, of Bayville, N.J.,
William Singleton, 25, of Pemberton, N.J.,
William Singleton, 25, of Pemberton, N.J., and Charles Schlottfeld, 28, of Bayville, N.J., were each sentenced today to four years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan in Ocean County. Each man pleaded guilty to second-degree luring, Singleton on Feb. 3, 2020, and Schlottfeld, on July 22, 2020. Both men will be required to register as sex offenders under Megan’s Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life.
William Singleton, 25, of Pemberton, N.J., and Charles Schlottfeld, 28, of Bayville, N.J., were each sentenced today to four years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan in Ocean County. Each man pleaded guilty to second-degree luring, Singleton on Feb. 3, 2020, and Schlottfeld, on July 22, 2020. Both men will be required to register as sex offenders under Megan’s Law and will be subject to parole supervision for life.
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that the former operator of the Wrightstown Municipal Utilities Authority pleaded guilty today to a criminal charge for using the municipal authority to dispose of waste from his private septic disposal company without proper authorization and failing to report that waste disposal to the state as required.
Rodman Lucas, 62, of Pemberton Township, N.J., pleaded guilty today to an accusation charging him with third-degree conspiracy to tamper with public records before Superior Court Judge Terrence R. Cook in Burlington County. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Lucas be sentenced to a term of probation, with a condition that he serve up to 364 days in the county jail. He will be permanently barred from public office and employment. Sentencing for Lucas is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2020.
Deputy Attorney General Brian Uzdavinis took the guilty plea for the Corruption Bureau within the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA). The investigation began with a referral from the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller, which initially investigated the matter.
“We formed OPIA to root out the type of misconduct and abuse of trust that undermines faith in government,” said Attorney General Grewal. “This case was referred to OPIA after an initial investigation by the Office of the State Comptroller, which began when local residents complained about what they saw happening at the Wrightstown Municipal Utilities Authority. We urge members of the public to contact our corruption tipline – 844-OPIA-TIPS – if they have reason to suspect that a public official is abusing his or her position and authority.”
Lucas was hired in October 2012 as the Wrightstown Municipal Utilities Authority’s (WMUA) plant operator/operations manager. Within a few months of taking the job, Lucas, who also owns a private septic waste disposal company called Aqua Clean Toilet Systems LLC, began dumping septic waste collected by his company’s trucks directly into a manhole at the WMUA without proper authorization. The WMUA at that time only processed incoming wastewater from the local sewage system, and it had not officially accepted septic waste privately collected from residential and commercial septic tanks for several years. When the WMUA previously accepted such waste, it was always tested and documented, and if deemed acceptable, it was received through a special filtration line or channel. Lucas continued regularly dumping his firm’s septic waste at the WMUA in this improper manner for about five years until complaints about the conduct were raised at a WMUA board meeting in September 2017.
Lucas ceased dumping at the WMUA a few months later, but the issue triggered an investigation by the Office of the State Comptroller. That investigation and the subsequent OPIA investigation determined that over a period of approximately five years from early 2013 through early 2018, Lucas disposed of more than 600,000 gallons of Aqua Clean’s septic waste at the WMUA.
Wastewater management facilities like the WMUA must regularly file various reports with the state Department of Environmental Protection, including monthly “residuals transfer reports” (RTR’s) showing the amounts of incoming and outgoing waste, including the total amount of any septic waste received. All of the RTR’s filed by the WMUA during Lucas’s tenure as plant operator, while he was dumping septic waste from Aqua Clean from 2013 through 2018, show only outgoing waste, but no incoming septic waste. That is the basis for the criminal charge to which Lucas pleaded guilty.
Attorney General Grewal created the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability in September 2018 to combat corruption and strengthen public confidence in government institutions. In December 2019, the Attorney General issued a directive codifying OPIA and making it a permanent part of the Attorney General’s Office. That directive established the OPIA Corruption Bureau as the lead office within the Department of Law & Public Safety for the investigation and prosecution of state criminal violations involving corruption and abuse of public trust.
OPIA has a toll-free Tipline 1-844-OPIA-TIPS for the public to report corruption. The AG’s Office has an Anti-Corruption Reward Program that offers a reward of up to $25,000 for tips leading to a conviction for a crime involving public corruption. Information is posted at: http://nj.gov/oag/corruption/reward.html.
Defense Attorney: Robert M. Perry, Esq., Rosenberg Perry & Associates, Mount Holly, N.J.
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