Category: New Brunswick

Middlesex County, New Brunswick, State of NJ

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Recognized by New Jersey Sharing Network for Record-Breaking Organ Donation Efforts

RWJBarnabas Health Has Most Donations and Transplants Among All NJ Health Systems in 2022

February 28, 2023

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–The New Jersey Sharing Network, the federally-designated non-profit organization responsible for the recovery of donated organs and tissue in New Jersey, has recognized Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) for achieving the most-ever organ and tissue donations by a New Jersey hospital in a single year in 2022.

According to its end-of-year report, RWJUH worked closely with the NJ Sharing Network to fulfill the wishes of 33 individuals who gave the gift of life donating 102 organs for transplantation. RWJUH is one of the three state-designated Level I Trauma Centers for adults in New Jersey, and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJUH holds a Level II Pediatric Trauma designation. The hospital has quaternary-level capabilities for the critical care of patients for trauma, stroke, cardiovascular and medical conditions.

As a health system, RWJBarnabas Health hospitals work closely with the NJ Sharing Network and had 68 donors with 195 organs transplanted.

“As a state-designated Level I Trauma Center for Adult Acute Care medicine, a Level II Pediatric Trauma center, a certified Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, and a regional leader in transplantation for heart, kidney and pancreas, our partnership with the NJ Sharing Network and shared mission of saving and enhancing lives through organ donation runs deep in the RWJUH culture,” said Bill Arnold, President and CEO, RWJUH. “As an academic medical center through our longstanding partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and as one of only seven nursing programs in the world to achieve Magnet recognition six consecutive times, RWJUH is committed to facilitating the gift of life in the face of tragic circumstances. We are deeply honored to support the families of donors through this journey.”

RWJUH has an active Donor Council comprised of leaders across the hospital involved in the care of donor patients and families. The hospital also has a Donor Team, which is a volunteer, nurse-driven committee representing both the adult and pediatric emergency departments and all intensive care units throughout RWJUH. The committee provides specialized training to RWJUH’s clinical care team on the process to facilitate organ donation with the NJ Sharing Network.

Staff never approach patient families about consenting to a donation. Rather, they make a referral to the NJ Sharing Network to work directly with families if the potential exists for organ donation. There are specific criteria developed for when the NJ Sharing Network can be called in for a referral.

The Donor Team also conducts many outreach events to raise awareness and educate staff and the public about organ donation. This includes hosting an information table outside the Employee Dining Room during Donate Life Month. The Team also shares information at Somerset Patriots games, Rutgers Day, JCCs, YMCAs and National Night Out among other events. The Donor Team Committee is co-chaired by Nancy Lipschutz, RN, BSN, CCRN-CMC. and Mary Lynn Dupuis, RN, BSN, CCRN, CNIV.

“I have worked in the CCU forever and I have seen people with end-stage heart failure waiting for hearts,” said Lipschutz. “I have also seen heart transplant patients come back to visit us living and enjoying life. They treasure and honor the gift they have received – it’s never in vain.”

The Donor Team also pays tribute to organ donors and families by illuminating RWJUH’s East Tower in blue and green (the designated colors promoting organ donation awareness) for 24 hours each time a donation occurs. An image of the lit tower will also be pinned on the RWJUH Facebook to acknowledge this profound gift in 2023.

“Whenever people in our communities drive by RWJUH and see those colors illuminated on our buildings, they should know that something profound has occurred here. We can all be proud of this partnership with NJ Sharing Network and our team’s commitment to saving lives amidst grief,” Arnold added. “Publicly acknowledging this gift is healing for both our clinical teams and the donor families.”

For more information about becoming an organ donor, please visit: https://www.njsharingnetwork.org/

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Opens State-of-the-Art Trauma Intensive Care Unit

December 1, 2022

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, introduced its new, state-of-the-art trauma care intensive care unit this week. The 10,500 square-foot unit features:

•          12 ICU Patient Rooms equipped with lights, booms, lifts, dialysis connections and computers

•          Spacious Staff and Clinical Support Areas

•          Private, Welcoming Family Waiting Area

•          Private Physician-Family Consultation Room

As one of only three state-designated Level I Trauma Centers and an American College of Surgeons-designated Pediatric Trauma Center, RWJUH provides the state and region with the most advanced, comprehensive trauma and emergency care.

“As a Level I Trauma Center, RWJUH cares for some of the most critically ill patients from across the state,” said Bill Arnold, President and Chief Executive Officer of RWJUH. “The complexity of these injuries require a higher level of dedicated, specialized care and we are proud to provide our communities and team with the best resources and most advanced technology to help save lives.”

The new patient rooms feature overhead lighting, which enables physicians to perform procedures in the room without transporting a patient. The rooms also have medical equipment booms that are designed to free the workspace and keep equipment clean and off of the ground. The booms ergonomically centralize all support equipment and utility services for staff. Each room has large glass doors that open completely, making patient transport easier. Doors to all patient rooms are transparent, which helps nurses monitor patients. The doors can be made opaque for privacy.

“All team members across nursing, trauma, and emergency medicine contributed to the planning of this beautiful new unit,” adds Maryann Brookes, RN, BSN, CCRN, Nursing Director for Trauma and Neurocritical Care. “The safety and comfort of our patients, family members and staff remained our top priorities throughout the entire planning process.”

The Level I Trauma Center at RWJUH is an American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma- verified Adult Level I Trauma Center and an American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma-verified Pediatric Level II Trauma Center. The Level I Trauma Center cares for approximately 2,800 trauma patients a year. Of those approximately, 2,200 are admitted each year.

Carteret, Edison, Middlesex County, Monroe Twp, New Brunswick, Old Bridge, Plainsboro, Woodbridge

Operation Eagle Eye Busts Eight Men And One Juvenile In Multiple Child Porn Investigations In Middlesex County

November 18, 2022

Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced today, that thanks to multiple agencies diligent hard work and dedication to public safety, eight men and one juvenile were arrested and charged for their involvement in multiple child pornography investigations, Operation Eagle Eye.

As a result of Operation Eagle Eye led by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from, the New Jersey State Police, East Brunswick Police Department, Edison Police Department, Carteret Police Department, Monroe Police Department, New Brunswick Police Department, Old Bridge Police Department, Perth Amboy Police Department, Piscataway Police Department, Plainsboro Police Department, Sayreville Police Department, and the Spotswood Police Department, a juvenile male was charged on November 1, 2022, and eight men were arrested without incident and charged over the course of two days, November 17, 2022, and November 18, 2022.

Albert Leonardis, 37, of Edison was charged with one count of second- degree Distribution of Child Pornography, one count of third-degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files), and one count of second- degree Storing and Maintaining Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children Using a File Sharing Program.

Christopher Hernandez, 18, of New Brunswick, was charged with one count of third-degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files).

Alexander Antoini De Oliveria, 39, of Old Bridge, was charged with one count of second-degree Distribution of Child Pornography, one count of second-degree Storing and Maintaining Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children Using a File Sharing Program, one count of second-degree Possession of Child Pornography (over 1000 files).

Joseph Marino, 40, of Carteret was charged with one count of third- degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files), one count of second-degree Distribution of Child Pornography, and one count of second- degree Storing and Maintaining Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children Using a File Sharing Program.

Paul Rubbe, 62, of Piscataway, was charged with one count of third- degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files).

Edward Gicherman, 81, of Monroe, was charged with one count of third-degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files) and one count of second-degree Storing and Maintaining Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children Using a File Sharing Program.

Abhishek Pandya, 25, of Edison, was charged with one count of third- degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files) and one count of second-degree Distribution of Child Pornography.

Christopher Nicol, 20, of Plainsboro, was charged with one count of third-degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files).

A juvenile male, 17, of Woodbridge, was charged with an act of juvenile delinquency for offenses which if committed by an adult would constitute as third-degree Possession of Child Pornography (under 1000 files).

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-5924.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Leonardis, Hernandez, Antoini De Oliveria, Marino, Rubbe, Gicherman, Pandya, Nicol, and the juvenile male are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

U.S. News & World Report Names Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Among Best in New Jersey and New York Metropolitan Area

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Receives State’s Highest Score in Cancer Specialty

July 26, 2022

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), a RWJBarnabas Health facility, has been recognized as one of the top five hospitals in New Jersey and a top 20 Regional Best Hospital in the New York Metropolitan area by U.S. News & World Report in the annual Best Hospitals rankings. The hospital earned High Performing ratings in 12 adult specialties, common adult procedures and conditions.

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the only program in the state designated as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), received the highest score in New Jersey in the Adult Specialty category for cancer, earning a High Performing rating.  Rutgers Cancer Institute together with RWJBarnabas Health is at the forefront of cancer research and care and will soon be home to the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, New Jersey’s only freestanding cancer hospital, slated to open in 2024 in New Brunswick. Only 92 cancer programs nationwide achieved this rating in the 2022-23 US News & World Report Best Hospitals survey.

RWJUH earned a total of twelve High Performing ratings, including cancer, gastroenterology and GI surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), colon cancer surgery, diabetes, heart attack, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, kidney failure, lung cancer surgery, and stroke. A High Performing rating recognizes care that was significantly better than the national average, as measured by factors such as patient outcomes. “High Performing” is the highest rating U.S. News & World Report awards for common adult conditions and procedures. 

The annual Adult Specialty and Adult Procedure and Condition ratings are designed to assist patients and their doctors in making informed decisions about where to receive care for challenging health conditions or elective procedures.

“RWJUH has earned a top spot on the Best Hospitals rankings in New Jersey and in the New York metropolitan area year after year due to our academic partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute, as well as our stellar network of community physicians and our Magnet nursing program,” said Bill Arnold, President and Chief Executive Officer of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “As New Jersey’s premier academic medical center, RWJUH is committed to delivering access to the most advanced and equitable interventions and care designed to sustain and build healthier communities.”

“Our cancer program’s score and rating by U.S. News and World Report demonstrates the high quality, multidisciplinary care we provide, which is informed by innovative research and discoveries alongside exceptional patient experience,” stated Steven Libutti, MD, Director of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Senior Vice President, Oncology Services, RWJBarnabas Health. “As New Jersey’s leading cancer program and the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute together with RWJBarnabas Health offers patients access to the most advanced treatment options including clinical trials, many of which are not available elsewhere.”

For the 2022-2023 Best Hospitals rankings and ratings, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties and 20 procedures and conditions. Fewer than half of all hospitals received any High Performing rating, and only four earned this rating in all procedures and conditions. State and metro area rankings reflect the highest performing hospitals in the area across multiple areas of care.

“When patients are considering their options for care, the Best Hospitals ratings are designed to help them identify hospitals that excel in the kind of care they may need,” said Ben Harder, chief of health analysis and managing editor at U.S. News.  “A hospital that’s earned a High Performing rating in a service may be a good option for patients in need of that service and their medical professionals to consider.”

U.S. News evaluated each hospital’s performance using a variety of measures such as survival rates, complication rates, patient experience and level of nursing care. The Best Hospitals methodology factors in data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, professional organizations and medical specialists.

For more information, visit Best Hospitals and use #BestHospitals on Facebook and Twitter.

RWJ Facebook Page
Bordentown City, Bordentown Twp, Burlington, East Windsor, East Windsor, Hamilton, Hamilton, Hightstown-East Windsor, Mercer County, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, Trenton

21 Men Arrested in Undercover Operation Targeting Child Predators Using Social Media to Lure Children for Sex

Charges Stem from “Operation Risky Business,” a Collaborative Investigation Led by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey State Police, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations

May 26, 2022

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–New Jersey Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri today announced the arrests of 21 alleged child predators in “Operation Risky Business,” a multi-agency undercover operation targeting individuals who allegedly were using social medial in an attempt to lure underage girls and boys for sexual activity.  The defendants will be prosecuted by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the Division of Criminal Justice.  

The underage “children” were, in fact, undercover officers.  Most of the defendants in Operation Risky Business were arrested at either the undercover residence in Hamilton Township or another meet-up location, including the Hamilton Train Station. Those who went to the undercover house allegedly expected to find their victims home alone. Instead, they found law enforcement officers prepared to arrest them and process any evidence seized.  Those arrested include four Megan’s Law registrants, an injury lawyer from Georgia, an information technology worker, a dump truck driver, and a pastry chef from the Pocono Mountains region. One defendant was arrested and charged in two cases because he was chatting online with two separate undercover officers.

The operation was led by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit, the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Cyber Crimes Bureau, and the New Jersey State Police, in collaboration with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and additional federal, state and county law enforcement agencies listed below.

“Operation Risky Business is a great example of how successful law enforcement agencies can be when they collaborate across all levels like they did here by proactively investigating and arresting predators who sought to sexually exploit children,” said Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “We are committed to working collaboratively in order to aggressively investigate and prosecute sex offenders. But we also need parents to talk to their children about the dangers of social media and let them know not everyone who they encounter online is who they initially claim to be.”

“Not in Mercer.  Not our children.  Not under my watch.  That’s the message we are sending to sexual predators with collaborative efforts like Operation Risky Business,” said Prosecutor Onofri.  “Social media sites have become hunting grounds for individuals looking to exploit children.  Law enforcement will continue to use every investigative tool at our disposal to aggressively pursue and prosecute these predators that attempt to exploit our most innocent victims, but we can’t do it alone.  Parents and guardians can do their part by remaining vigilant.  Talk to your children about the dangers that exist on social media and gaming apps, and monitor their online activity.”

“Through collaborative efforts like this, we are sending a strong message to parents that we must remain vigilant and do our part to protect children by keeping communication open and warning them about the dangers of the Internet,” said Director Lyndsay V. Ruotolo of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners across all levels to investigate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders who attempt to sexually exploit children. There is no higher priority than keeping our children safe.”

“Operation Risky Business was a complete success; however, it is also a sobering reminder that there is no shortage of online predators willing to exploit children.” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “We remain committed to seeking out these criminals but remind parents and guardians that they need to be aware of the dangers that exist online and do their part to actively monitor and safeguard their children’s activity.”

“HSI is committed to supporting coordinated operations, helping ensure the children of our communities are protected from dangerous predators,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina of HSI Newark.

About half of the arrests in Operation Risky Business were made over a four-day period from April 7 through April 10.  The defendants were from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and one from Georgia.  They are variously charged with offenses including second-degree attempted luring, second-degree attempted sexual assault, third-degree attempted endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth-degree attempted criminal sexual contact.  Arrest warrants for the remainder of the suspects were forwarded to the U.S. Marshals Service, who tracked down the rest of the alleged predators over the last few weeks.

The undercover law enforcement members who conducted the chats with the defendants were specially trained members of the New Jersey ICAC Task Force. The defendants typically initiated contact based on profiles posted on social media platforms by the undercover detectives and agents. The social platforms that were used in these encounters included Kik, Skout, Whisper, Grindr, GROWLr, and MeetMe.  Once chatting began, the undercover officers clearly identified themselves as underage girls or boys.  Despite that information, the defendants allegedly engaged the purported “children” in conversations about sex, and all 21 defendants are alleged to have made arrangements to meet the “children” for sex.  Some of the chats were conducted over a period of several weeks leading up to the “meet-up” week when arrests were made.

Prosecutor Onofri advised parents to familiarize themselves with the apps their children use, as well as signs that their children may be targets of online exploitation.  “Spending an increasing amount of time online, becoming secretive about their online conduct, switching screens or closing tabs or windows whenever a parent is close, using sexual language they would not be expected to know and becoming emotionally volatile, these are all red flags,” he said.

The undercover house was staffed with dozens of law enforcement officers, analysts and attorneys.  Attorneys and detectives drafted search warrants for electronic devices that were seized from the defendants.  These devices were taken to the forensic computer laboratory at the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office for full forensic examinations.  These examinations, which are ongoing, will enable investigators to determine if the devices contain evidence of any prior encounters by the defendants with underage victims, which might constitute additional cases of luring, sexual assault or child endangerment.

The defendants were lodged in the Mercer County Correction Center until detention hearings were held.  Three defendants – Gregory Barger (who is a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania), Justin Wann, and James Hendryx – were ordered detained in jail pending trial.  The other defendants were released subject to stringent pre-trial monitoring conditions, including at a minimum reporting regularly to Pre-Trial Services staff and prohibitions from using the internet except for work or having any unsupervised contact with children under 18.

The following 21 men were arrested in Operation Risky Business and are charged as indicated.  They allegedly believed they were communicating with a minor as described in parentheses.  The prosecuting agency is also specified.

  1. Laurentiu Tonea, 41, East Windsor, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Tonea is an information technology worker in Edison, NJ.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted criminal sexual contact, attempted luring.  The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) is prosecuting.

  2. Richard Parsons, 42, Cumming, GA.  (Girl, 14)  Parsons is an injury lawyer.  Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted criminal sexual contact.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  3. Michael Kramer, 52, Philadelphia, PA.  (Girl, 15)  Kramer is a dump truck driver. Charges: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted sexual assault, attempted possession of child pornography, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  4. Robert Franklin, Gloucester City, NJ.  (Girl, 13)  Charge: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child. MCPO is prosecuting.

  5. Jesus Clavel Villa, 49, Trenton, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Villa is a cook in Trenton.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  The Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) is prosecuting.

  6. Moises Cortes Diaz, 35, New Brunswick, NJ.  (Girl, 13)  Diaz is a self-employed painter.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  DCJ is prosecuting.

  7. Joseph Roman, 31, Denville, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Roman is unemployed and a registered sex offender.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  8. Emanuel Rodriguez, 25, Trenton, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography. MCPO is prosecuting.

  9. Gregory Barger, 37, Morrisville, PA.  (Girl, 14)  Barger is a self-employed painter and a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted kidnapping.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  10. Justin Wann, 35, Paulsboro, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Wann is a self-employed painter.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted kidnapping, attempted criminal sexual contact, attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  MCPO is prosecuting. (Also see # 16 for second case)

  11. Frank Duggan, 54, Bordentown, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Duggan is unemployed.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  DCJ is prosecuting.

  12. Nestor Alonso Chappuis, 37, Hamilton, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Chappuis is unemployed and a registered sex offender.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  13. Evan Sluka, 27, Blakeslee, PA.  (Girl, 14)  Sluka is a chef in Stroudsburg, PA.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted criminal sexual contact.  DCJ is prosecuting.


  14. James Hendryx, 26, Hamilton, NJ.  (Boy, 14)  Hendryx is unemployed.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  15. Kyle Zang, 31, Stewartstown, PA.  (Girl, 14)  Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  16. Justin Wann, 35, Paulsboro.  (Girl, 14)  Wann is a self-employed painter.  Charges: Four counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  MCPO is prosecuting.  This second case is based on an additional chat with another undercover officer.

  17. Christopher Baez, 36, New York, NY.  (Girl, 14)  Baez is a restaurant worker.  Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  18. Joseph Zekas, 49, Williamstown, NJ.  (Girl, 13)  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted criminal sexual contact, attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  19. Taylor Picillo, 29, Hamilton, NJ.  (Boy, 14).  Picillo is employed by a solar energy equipment supplier in Rocklin, CA.  Charges: Attempted sexual assault, attempted luring, attempted endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  20. William Oldham, 45, Williamstown, NJ.  (Girl, 14)  Oldham is a fence installer. Charges: Two counts of attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted manufacturing of child pornography.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  21. Charles Amer, 50, Maple Shade, NJ.  (Girl, 13)  Amer is a warehouse laborer and a registered sex offender.  Charges: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child, attempted luring.  MCPO is prosecuting.

  22. Yohann Rigogne, 41, Philadelphia, PA.  (Girl, 14)  Rigogne is unemployed.  Charge: Attempted endangering the welfare of a child.  MCPO is prosecuting.

Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three of five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.  Fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Prosecutor Onofri commended all of the individuals and agencies who conducted Operation Risky Business.  He thanked the members of the ICAC Unit who led and coordinated the operation for the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, particularly Sergeants Joe Paglione and Michael Castaldo, under the direction of Chief of Detectives Jessica Plumeri.  He also thanked Assistant Prosecutor Alycia Beyrouty, chief of ICAC, and Chief Jillian Carpenter of the state Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Cyber Crimes Bureau.

He further commended all of the members of the New Jersey State Police who worked on Operation Risky Business, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, particularly Lieutenant Stephen Urbanski and Detective Sergeant Paul Sciortino, and all of the special agents of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina, particularly Supervisory Special Agent John Fitch.

Prosecutor Onofri also thanked the following federal, state and county agencies that assisted in Operation Risky Business:

  • New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Financial and Cyber Crimes Bureau
  • New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security
  • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  • Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Mercer County Sheriff’s Office
  • Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Camden County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office
  • Mercer County Central Motor Pool

The charges against the defendants in Operation Risky Business are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.  Because they are indictable offenses, they will be presented to a grand jury for potential indictment.

Aberdeen, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Neptune, New Brunswick

Two Arrested in Neptune Double Homicide

February 4, 2022

FREEHOLD – Two Bayshore men have been arrested and charged in connection with the double homicide that took place in Neptune Township last month, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Friday.

Gabriel Braithwaite, 19, of Keansburg and Jerod Dearin, 22, of the Cliffwood Beach section of Aberdeen are both charged with two counts of first-degree Murder and single counts of first-degree Conspiracy to Commit Murder, two related second-degree weapons offenses, and third-degree Hindering Apprehension in connection with the deaths of 18-year-old Samore Edwards of Plainfield and 19-year-old Isaiah Williams of New Brunswick. 

Shortly before 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 19, members of the Neptune Township Police Department responded to the 1300 block of Washington Avenue on a report of a shooting, according to the preliminary investigation. At that location, officers found the two victims in a parked vehicle; Edwards was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene, while Williams was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

An intensive investigation involving members of the Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, the Neptune Township Police Department, and the Keansburg Police Department resulted in Braithwaite and Dearin being identified as suspects in the case, and they were taken into custody without incident earlier today.

“This was a brazen and brutal crime, and the swiftness with which it was investigated and these defendants apprehended is a testament to the quality of no small amount of stellar collaborative work,” Acting Prosecutor Linskey said.

Convictions on criminal charges of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison. Despite the 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.

This case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Matthew Bogner and Stephanie Dugan.

Anyone with any information about this matter is still being urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Christopher Guy toll-free at 1-800-533-7443 or Neptune Township Police Department Detective Darell Harris at 732-988-8000, Ext. 408.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

RWJ University Hospital and Rutgers RWJ Medical School Deploy First FDA-Approved Clinical Robotic Tele-Cardiac Ultrasound Technology in the USA

Successful Transatlantic Cardiac Sonogram Testing Offers View into the Future of Remote-enabled Heart Care

February 2, 2022

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–The future of cardiac imaging arrived at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) last week via special delivery from France. The MELODY™ robotic tele-cardiac ultrasound technology is the first of its kind deployed in the United States for clinical use, and opens the door for providing patients with more access to expert diagnostic imaging in a convenient, telehealth delivery model.
The MELODY™ robotic tele-ultrasound system features a robotic arm, an ultrasound machine and video conferencing technology that connects the patient with an expert at two separate locations. Last week, experts in Naveil, France connected the system to the RWJUH and RWJMS Cardiovascular team, led by Partho Sengupta, MD, FACC, in New Brunswick, NJ. The team tested the limits of the system by performing several hours of trans-Atlantic diagnostic ultrasound imaging in real time over a routine 4G cellular network.
This system is being successfully used in Europe and Canada and has been approved for clinical use in the US by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The technology benefits patients through:

  • Improved access to diagnostic ultrasound imaging expertise in real time
  • Facilitation of earlier disease detection
  • Reduced travel times and transport costs

Benefits to health care professionals are significant and include:

  • Reduction in work-related injury from overuse and repetitive movements from manual ultrasound imaging delivery
  • Addressing the chronic shortage of ultrasound technologists and sonographers in health care today, nationwide
  • Reduction in exposure of providers to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 or influenza, or to radiation when the study is performed in the catheterization laboratory

Whereas the first MELODY™ robot in the US is located at RWJUH right now, experts envision the day when such technology is commonplace in rural community hospitals, pharmacies, rehabilitation facilities or even senior living locations.
According to Dr. Sengupta, who is the Henry Rutgers Professor of Cardiology and Chief of the Division of Cardiology at RWJMS, and Chief of Cardiology at RWJUH, and a member of the Combined Medical Group of RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Health, making advanced diagnostic imaging capabilities available to patients in remote locations may prove to be a gamechanger in the fight against cardiovascular disease and toward reducing the impact of “healthcare deserts” emerging in small towns due to staff shortages.
“Imagine that a patient comes to an Emergency Department in the middle of the night and there are no sonographers present to perform the imaging exam that he or she needs,” Dr. Sengupta explains. “In the very near future, we can connect with a sonographer at another hospital or from their home to perform a cardiac ultrasound exam that could be lifesaving.”
Dr. Sengupta says he will combine this technology with new Artificial Intelligence (AI) cardiovascular diagnostic capabilities to advance cardiac care.
“Many cardiovascular diseases remain undetected for a long time and can be silent killers,” Dr. Sengupta notes. “Combining robotic tele-ultrasound technology with new and existing AI capabilities will provide us with a tremendous opportunity for early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease in our communities and help us save lives.”
RWJUH and RWJMS clinicians along with representatives from AdEcho Tech, the MELODY™ system’s manufacturer, performed the successful transatlantic robotic cardiac tele-ultrasound test on January 24, 2022. The test was followed the next day by successful ultrasounds at RWJUH. Over the next two months, the team will work with sonographers to implement the technology for clinical care in order to make it available to the public later this year.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick, Ocean County, Somerset, Toms River

Hospitals in Urgent Need of Blood Donations

RWJBarnabas Health Makes Call for Blood Donations This Holiday Season; Urges Donors to Return to Address Emergency Shortages 

RWJBarnabas Health urges everyone to donate blood and platelets to help overcome a national blood shortage this winter. Blood collection in New Jersey is down more than 25 percent since late summer, compounding the effect that the COVID-19 lock downs had on reduced donations in 2020. Life-saving blood donations are given to patients in a wide range of circumstances including cancer care, trauma events such as car accidents and home accidents, childbirth, and mass casualty events.

“We need New Jersey residents to give the gift of blood this holiday season as blood supplies have yet to catch up since the height of the pandemic,” said Sally Wells, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Blood Services Business Development Liaison. “There are less blood drives being organized at workplaces, schools, houses of worship and community organizations. Our hospitals rely on the support of individuals to provide much of the blood we use, and we need your help now to address this blood shortage and prevent potential delays in lifesaving medical care for patients in New Jersey.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on people’s habits and daily lives and as a result, a profound impact on blood donations and collection nationwide. Prior to the pandemic, high school and college blood drives supplied about 40 percent of donations across the country. Many drives have not returned to these settings, challenging the industry to keep up with demand, which has returned to pre-pandemic levels.



RWJBarnabas Health is calling for blood donors of all types, especially type O, the universal blood type, and platelet donors.

Here’s how you can donate:

Schedule an appointment at one of our fixed site Donor Rooms.

RWJBarnabas Health has two fixed locations, one at RWJUH in New Brunswick, located on the 4th floor of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Clinical Academic Building (CAB) at 125 Paterson Street in New Brunswick, and one at RWJUH Somerset, located at 110 Rehill Avenue in Somerville. Both Donor Centers are open Monday -Friday and select Saturdays.

To make an appointment at a fixed RWJBH Donor Room or to find a blood drive location near you, please visit: https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org. or call 732-235-8100 ext. 221.

Attend a local blood drive.

 RWJBarnabas Health is hosting several blood drives across the state this holiday season including the following:

The Community Medical Center “Gift of Life” Blood Drive

Monday, December 20th from 10am-6pm

Community Medical Center Auditorium A & B

99 Hwy. 37 West

Toms River, NJ 08755

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset Blood Drives

Friday, December 24th and Friday, December 31st from 8am-2pm

110 Rehill Ave, Somerville, NJ 08875 

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital “Holiday Blood Drives”

Tuesday, December 28th and Thursday, December 30th from 10am to 4pm

Arline & Henry Schwartzman Courtyard

1 Robert Wood Johnson Place

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Free parking is available for all blood donors. Donors must be at least 16-years old (16 -year-olds require written parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds (120 pounds if 16-years old). Donors must also present photo identification at the time of donation.

Donor Centers and all RWJBarnabas Health Blood Drives have rigorous safety protocols in place to protect all donors. These include temperature checks of staff and donors, required face coverings, social distancing requirements in waiting areas and donation spaces, as well as strict sanitary protocols including disinfection of donor areas. Donors must also wear masks or face covering.

To organize a blood drive in your community, please call Sally Wells at 732-558-4983 or email sally.wells@rwjbh.org.  

Photo by Charlie-Helen Robinson on Pexels.com
Middlesex County, New Brunswick

RWJ University Hospital Names Alan Lee As Chief Operating Officer

Brings Depth of Experience in Academic Medicine and Customer Service

October 18, 2021

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has named Alan Lee as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).

A proven leader and expert in driving clinical excellence across integrated health care systems, Mr. Lee will draw on his experience at nationally distinguished academic medical centers and at internationally renowned hospitality brands to advance care at New Jersey’s largest academic medical center.

In his new role, Mr. Lee is responsible for aligning hospital operations with the RWJUH mission of delivering world-class patient care at the highest standards of clinical quality, performance and patient experience. As COO, he is charged with fostering new collaborations among Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School faculty physicians, RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group physicians and community physicians that contribute to clinical innovation and that promote groundbreaking research.

“We’re excited to welcome Mr. Lee to our team at RWJUH,” said Bill Arnold, President and Chief Executive Officer of RWJUH. “As we work to strengthen RWJUH’s position as a premier academic medical center in our state and region, Mr. Lee brings a wealth of experience and knowledge as an administrative leader. He has a proven track record of leading teams known for exceptional quality, outcomes, patient experience and research programs. We are confident that his expertise will prove invaluable to RWJUH as we enter this phase of expansion and transformation.”

RWJUH Board of Directors Chair Jack Morris adds, “Throughout his career, Mr. Lee has demonstrated a strong bottom-up management style, empowering frontline healthcare providers to identify challenges and develop strategies for improvement. His diverse body of professional experience and outstanding collaborative skills align perfectly with our vision for what we want to achieve with our academic partners.”

RWJUH is a 614-bed academic medical center that serves as the principal teaching hospital for Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. In addition, The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at RWJUH is a 105-bed, dedicated children’s hospital that serves as the focal point of the growing pediatric academic medical campus in New Brunswick. This campus also features the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital and Ronald McDonald House New Brunswick.

Mr. Lee joins RWJUH from New York-Presbyterian (NYP), where he served in multiple senior leadership roles since 2009. He was Vice President of Support Services and Patient Experience at NYP/Weill Cornell, then Vice President of Operations at NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, before assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer at NYP Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. During his time there, Mr. Lee led strategic initiatives focused on patient experience, operations and capital expansion, environmental services, patient throughput and length of stay management.

Mr. Lee began his career in hotel management where he established a strong foundation in customer service and environmental standards at several New York City-based luxury and deluxe hotel brands, including the Millennium Broadway, the Regent Wall Street, and the Ritz-Carlton New York Battery Park and Hudson, an Ian Schrager Hotel.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has named Alan Lee as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).
East Windsor, East Windsor, Hightstown-East Windsor, Mercer County, Middlesex County, New Brunswick

East Windsor Man Indicted for New Brunswick Shooting

September 16, 2021

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony
A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announce an East Windsor man has been indicted in connection with a September 2, 2020 shooting.

On September 15, 2021, a Middlesex County Grand Jury indicted Kyale Simonson, 33, of East Windsor with one count of first-degree Attempted Murder, one count of second-degree Aggravated Assault, and one count of second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose.

On September 2, 2020, at approximately 9:28 P.M., members of the New Brunswick Police responded to the area of Lee Avenue and Seaman Street and located two men who been shot. The men were taken to a nearby hospital and treated for their injuries.

An investigation by Detective Brandt Gregus of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Sean Sullivan of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office identified Simonson as the gunman.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Gregus of the New Brunswick Police Department at (732)745-5200, or Detective Sullivan of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4060.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Simonson are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

New Brunswick, NJ Native Serves In The Airborne Test Force

September 7, 2021

YUMA PROVING GROUND, AZ, US– Staff Sgt. Ahmed Elinbabi is currently assigned as a Healthcare Non-Commissioned Officer for the elite Airborne Test Force at Yuma Proving Ground.

Elinbabi is originally form New Brunswick, New Jersey and enlisted in the Army in 2012.

During this time in the Army he’s been deployed to Fort Bragg, N.C. as a line medic, to Iraq as a senior line medic, up to Alaska as an evacuation platoon squad leader, and to Guam as medic.

Elinbabi would like to attend the Military Free Fall School and become a jumpmaster.

His hobbies include cooking, baking, going to the gym, traveling internationally, riding his motorcycle, hiking with his dog, carpentry, reading, scuba diving, and playing video games.

  • Staff Sgt. Ahmed Elinbabi is currently assigned as a Healthcare Non-Commissioned Officer for the Airborne Test Force at Yuma Proving Ground. Elinbabi is originally form New Brunswick, New Jersey and enlisted in the Army in 2012.

Edison, Middlesex County, Monroe Twp, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Sayreville, Woodbridge

Eight arrests made by Internet Crimes Against Children Unit

May 14, 2021

Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced today that six County residents have been arrested for their possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children.

          On May 13, 2021, officers of the East Brunswick, Edison, Highland Park, Monroe, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Perth Amboy, and Sayreville Police Departments along with detectives of the New Jersey State Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office executed search warrants at six residences across the County. 

          The investigation resulted in the following arrests:

  • Edison was arrested and charged for  second-degree Using a File-sharing Program to Store Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children, second-degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Child Pornography, and first-degree Possession of Child Pornography after having been found to be in possession of 100,000 items of material depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children.
  • Hongpeng Zheng, 24, of New Brunswick was arrested and charged for  second-degree Distribution of Child Pornography, third-degree Possession of Child Pornography, and second-degree Using a File-sharing Program to Store Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children. 
  • Ali Armas-Iriarte, 58, of Highland Park was arrested and charged for third-degree Possession of Child Pornography, second-degree Possession with the Intent to Distribute Child Pornography, and second-degree Using a File-sharing Program to Store Items Depicting the Sexual Exploitation or Abuse of Children. 
  • Jeff Caramella, 21, of the Parlin section of Sayreville was arrested and charged for third-degree Possession of Child Pornography.
  • James Walden, 50, of North Brunswick was arrested and charged for third-degree Possession of Child Pornography. 
  • A juvenile, 17, of Monroe was charged for third-degree Possession of Child Pornography. 

          Additionally, on May 6, 2021, Kenneth Godfrey, 41, of Woodbridge Township was also arrested and charged with third-degree Possession of Child Pornography. 

          On May 10, 2021, a juvenile, 14, of Edison was also charged for second-degree Possession of Child Pornography.     

          All of the aforementioned individuals were arrested and charged following separate investigations by Detective Daniel Lojek and Detective Stephanie Redline of the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, which revealed the individuals possessed material depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of children.  Presently, the investigations appear to be unconnected and the individuals are unknown to one another.

          Nie is presently lodged at the Middlesex Adult Correction Center pending a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court.  The remaining defendants individuals are likewise lodged at the Middlesex Adult Correction Center pending their initial appearances in Superior Court this afternoon. 

The investigations are active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Lojek at (732) 745-5924 or Detective Redline at (732) 867-1496 .

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Zheng, Nie, Armas-Iriarte, Caramella, Walden, Godfrey, and the juveniles are merely accusations and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty or, as in the case of the juveniles, adjudicated delinquent.

  • Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com
Bordentown Twp, Burlington, Burlington Twp, Carteret, Chesterfield, Cranbury, East Brunswick, East Windsor, East Windsor, Florence, Fort Dix, Hamilton, Hamilton, Mansfield, Mercer County, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Robbinsville, Robbinsville, South Brunswick, State of NJ, Wrightstown

Update: Colonial Pipeline Back Online

May 13, 2021 –Updated again at 4:40 p.m.

ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MERCER)–As we reported Saturday on the Colonial Pipeline that runs though New Jersey and supplies gasoline, diesel fuel and aircraft fuel to the eastern part of the country has announced that the entire pipeline should be operational by noon today. There is no need to hoard gasoline or other fuel and disrupt the local supply chain as seen and reported in other parts of the country.

Locally the pipeline runs though Burlington, Mercer County, Middlesex County on its way to Linden, New Jersey and was shut down to a ransomware cyber attack.

System Restart and Operational Update #2
Update: Thursday, May 13, 4:40 p.m.

Colonial Pipeline has continued to make substantial progress in safely restarting our pipeline system. We can now report that we have restarted our entire pipeline system and that product delivery has commenced to all markets we serve.

Following this restart, it will take several days for the product delivery supply chain to return to normal. Some markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions during this start-up period. Colonial will move as much gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel as is safely possible and will continue to do so until markets return to normal.

This would not have been possible without the commitment and dedication of the many Colonial team members across the pipeline who worked safely and tirelessly through the night to get our lines up and running. We are grateful for their dedicated service and professionalism during these extraordinary times.

See update below from the Colonial Pipeline:

Update: Thursday, May 13, 9 a.m.

Colonial Pipeline has made substantial progress in safely restarting our pipeline system and can report that product delivery has commenced in a majority of the markets we service. By mid-day today, we project that each market we service will be receiving product from our system. The green segments on this map are operational, meaning product delivery has commenced. Blue lines will be operational later today.

This would not have been possible without the commitment and dedication of the many Colonial team members across the pipeline who worked safely and tirelessly safely through the night to get our lines up and running. We are grateful for their dedicated service and professionalism during these extraordinary times.

Colonial Pipeline Company, founded in 1962, connects refineries – primarily located in the Gulf Coast – with customers and markets throughout the Southern and Eastern United States through a pipeline system that spans more than 5,500 miles. The company delivers refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, home heating oil, and fuel for the U.S. Military. Colonial is committed to safety and environmental stewardship across its operations.

Colonial Pipeline is the largest refined products pipeline in the United States, transporting more than 100 million gallons or 2.5 million barrels per day. Colonial transports approximately 45 percent of all fuel consumed on the East Coast, providing refined products to more than 50 million Americans. 

Specifically, Colonial transports various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, jet fuel, and fuels for the U.S. military through a pipeline system. The system is connected refineries in the Gulf Coast and in the Northeast. The majority of the system is underground, with tankage and other facilities at key receipt, storage and delivery points.

Related MidJersey.news coverage on Colonial Pipeline incident here:

Colonial Pipeline initiated the restart of pipeline operations today; Several days to return to normal

Colonial Pipeline Works To Restore Service, US FMCSA Issues Emergency Declaration In 18 States To Control Shortages

Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption

Cyber Attack Shuts Down Colonial Pipeline

Locally the Colonial Pipeline runs though Burlington, Mercer and Middlesex Counties on the way to Linden, NJ
Bordentown Twp, Burlington, Carteret, Chesterfield, East Brunswick, East Windsor, East Windsor, Fort Dix, Hamilton, Hamilton, Mansfield, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe Twp, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Robbinsville, Robbinsville, South Brunswick

Colonial Pipeline initiated the restart of pipeline operations today; Several days to return to normal

May 12, 2021

ROBBINSVILLE, NJ (MECER)–As reports were coming in of gas stations running out of gas in the south east United States from the hoarding of gasoline and other fuel products the Colonial Pipeline announced the restart of of the pipeline after a ransomware cyber attack. The company states that it may take several days for the delivery supply chain to return to normal. See press releases from Colonial Pipeline below for the latest updates.

Wednesday, May 12, 5:10 p.m.

Colonial Pipeline initiated the restart of pipeline operations today at approximately 5 p.m. ET. 

Following this restart, it will take several days for the product delivery supply chain to return to normal. Some markets served by Colonial Pipeline may experience, or continue to experience, intermittent service interruptions during the start-up period. Colonial will move as much gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel as is safely possible and will continue to do so until markets return to normal.

As we initiate our return to service, our primary focus remains safety. As part of this startup process, Colonial will conduct a comprehensive series of pipeline safety assessments in compliance with all Federal pipeline safety requirements. 

This is the first step in the restart process and would not have been possible without the around-the-clock support of Colonial Pipeline’s dedicated employees who have worked tirelessly to help us achieve this milestone. We would also like to thank the White House for their leadership and collaboration, as well as the Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, FBI, PHMSA, FERC and other federal, state and local agencies for their ongoing support.

We will continue to provide updates as restart efforts progress.

###

Tuesday, May 11, 5:15 p.m.

Colonial Pipeline continues to make forward progress in our around-the-clock efforts to return our system to service, with additional laterals operating manually to deliver existing inventories to markets along the pipeline. Markets experiencing supply constraints and/​or not serviced by other fuel delivery systems are being prioritized. We are collaborating with the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate market conditions to support this prioritization. 

Since our pipeline system was taken offline, working with our shippers, Colonial has delivered approximately 967,000 barrels (~41 million gallons) to various delivery points along our system. This includes delivery into the following markets: Atlanta, Ga., Belton and Spartanburg, S.C., Charlotte and Greensboro, N.C., Baltimore, Md., and Woodbury and Linden N.J.

Additionally, in preparation for our system restart, we have taken delivery of an additional 2 million barrels (~84 million gallons) from refineries for deployment upon restart. 

Consistent with our safety policies and regulatory requirements, Colonial has increased aerial patrols of our pipeline right of way and deployed more than 50 personnel to walk and drive ~ 5,000 miles of pipeline each day. 

Actions taken by the Federal Government to issue a temporary hours of service exemption for motor carriers and drivers transporting refined products across Colonial’s footprint and actions taken by several Governors to lift weight restrictions on tanker trucks should help alleviate local supply disruptions. This is in addition to the Reid Vapor Pressure wavier issued today by the U.S. EPA that will also help alleviate supply constraints in several states serviced by our system. We would like to thank the White House for their leadership and collaboration in resolving this matter as well as the DOE, PHMSA, FERC and other federal agencies for their ongoing support. 

Our primary focus remains the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system, while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline. We will continue to provide updates as restoration efforts progress.

Related MidJersey.news coverage on Colonial Pipeline incident here:

Colonial Pipeline Works To Restore Service, US FMCSA Issues Emergency Declaration In 18 States To Control Shortages

Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption

Cyber Attack Shuts Down Colonial Pipeline

Bordentown Twp, Burlington, Burlington Twp, Chesterfield, Cranbury, East Brunswick, East Windsor, East Windsor, Edison, Fort Dix, Hamilton, Mansfield, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monroe Twp, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Robbinsville, Robbinsville, South Brunswick, State of NJ, Woodbridge

Colonial Pipeline Works To Restore Service, US FMCSA Issues Emergency Declaration In 18 States To Control Shortages

Move slider to 3:41 for President Joe Biden’s remarks on the Colonial Pipeline.

May 10, 2021

Update — Monday, May 10, 12:25 p.m.

Colonial Pipeline continues to dedicate vast resources to restoring pipeline operations quickly and safely. Segments of our pipeline are being brought back online in a stepwise fashion, in compliance with relevant federal regulations and in close consultation with the Department of Energy, which is leading and coordinating the Federal Government’s response.

Restoring our network to normal operations is a process that requires the diligent remediation of our systems, and this takes time. In response to the cybersecurity attack on our system, we proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat, which temporarily halted all pipeline operations, and affected some of our IT systems. To restore service, we must work to ensure that each of these systems can be brought back online safely.

While this situation remains fluid and continues to evolve, the Colonial operations team is executing a plan that involves an incremental process that will facilitate a return to service in a phased approach. This plan is based on a number of factors with safety and compliance driving our operational decisions, and the goal of substantially restoring operational service by the end of the week. The Company will provide updates as restoration efforts progress.

We continue to evaluate product inventory in storage tanks at our facilities and others along our system and are working with our shippers to move this product to terminals for local delivery. Actions taken by the Federal Government to issue a temporary hours of service exemption for motor carriers and drivers transporting refined products across Colonial’s footprint should help alleviate local supply disruptions and we thank our government partners for their assistance in resolving this matter.

Our primary focus continues to be the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system, while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline. We appreciate the patience of the traveling public and the support we have received from the Federal Government and our peers throughout the industry.

The FBI confirms that the Darkside ransomware is responsible for the compromise of the Colonial Pipeline networks. We continue to work with the company and our government partners on the investigation. 

REGIONAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION
UNDER 49 CFR § 390.23 
No. 2021-002

ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DELAWARE, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, LOUISIANA, MARYLAND, MISSISSIPPI, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH CAROLINA, PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, TEXAS, AND VIRGINIA

In accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR § 390.23, the Regional Field Administrators for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Eastern, Southern, and Western Service Centers hereby declares that an emergency exists that warrants issuance of a Regional Emergency Declaration and an exemption from Parts 390 through 399 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety (FMCSRs), except as otherwise restricted in this Emergency Declaration.  Such emergency is in response to the unanticipated shutdown of the Colonial pipeline system due to network issues that affect the supply of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products throughout the Affected States.  This Declaration addresses the emergency conditions creating a need for immediate transportation of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products and provides necessary relief.  Affected States and jurisdictions included in this Emergency Declaration (“Affected States”) are:  Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

By execution of this Emergency Declaration, motor carriers and drivers providing direct assistance to the emergency in the Affected States in direct support of relief efforts related to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products due to the shutdown, partial shutdown, and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system are granted relief from Parts 390 through 399 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations except as restricted herein.   

This Emergency Declaration provides for regulatory relief for commercial motor vehicle operations while providing direct assistance supporting emergency relief efforts transporting gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products into the Affected States during the emergency from shortages due to the shutdown, partial shutdown, and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system.  Direct assistance terminates when a driver or commercial motor vehicle is used in interstate commerce to transport cargo or provide services not in support of emergency relief efforts related to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products due to the shutdown, partial shutdown, and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system in the Affected States, or when the motor carrier dispatches a driver or commercial motor vehicle to another location to begin operations in commerce.  (49 CFR § 390.23(b)).  Upon termination of direct assistance to emergency relief efforts related to the shortages of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other refined petroleum products due to the shutdown, partial shutdown and/or manual operation of the Colonial pipeline system in the Affected States, the motor carrier and driver are subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Parts 390 through 399, except that a driver may return empty to the motor carrier’s terminal or the driver’s normal work reporting location without complying with Parts 390 through 399.  When a driver is moving from emergency relief efforts to normal operations a 10-hour break is required when the total time a driver operates conducting emergency relief efforts, or a combination of emergency relief and normal operation, equals 14 hours.  

All other applicable safety requirements remain in place and will be enforced by the FMCSA.  Specifically, nothing contained in this Emergency Declaration shall be construed as an exemption from the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements (49 CFR Part 382), the commercial driver’s license requirements (49 CFR Part 383), the financial responsibility (insurance) requirements (49 CFR Part 387), the hazardous material regulations (49 CFR Parts 100-180), applicable size and weight requirements, or any other portion of the regulations not specifically authorized pursuant to 49 CFR § 390.23. 

Motor carriers or drivers currently subject to an out-of-service order are not eligible for the relief granted by this declaration until they have met the applicable conditions for its rescission and the order has been rescinded by FMCSA. 

In accordance with 49 CFR § 390.23, this declaration is effective immediately and shall remain in effect until the end of the emergency (as defined in 49 CFR § 390.5) or until 11:59 P.M. (ET), June 8, 2021, whichever is earlier.  FMCSA intends to continually review the status of this Emergency Declaration and may take action to modify or terminate the Emergency Declaration sooner if conditions warrant.


Taft Kelly, Regional Field Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Eastern Service Center


Darrell L. Ruban, Regional Field Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Southern Service Center


Scott G. Hernandez, Regional Field Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Western Service Center

Related MidJersey.news coverage on Colonial Pipeline incident here:

Colonial Pipeline Works To Restore Service, US FMCSA Issues Emergency Declaration In 18 States To Control Shortages

Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption

Cyber Attack Shuts Down Colonial Pipeline

Colonial Pipeline in Burlington and Mercer Counties in New Jersey on Saturday May 8, 2021
Bordentown Twp, Burlington, Burlington Twp, Chesterfield, Cranbury, East Brunswick, East Windsor, Edison, Fort Dix, Hamilton, Hamilton, Mansfield, Monroe Twp, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Robbinsville, Robbinsville, South Brunswick, State of NJ

Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption

Update — Sunday, May 9, 2021

On May 7, 2021 Colonial Pipeline Company learned it was the victim of a cybersecurity attack and has since determined that the incident involved ransomware. Quickly after learning of the attack, Colonial proactively took certain systems offline to contain the threat. These actions temporarily halted all pipeline operations and affected some of our IT systems, which we are actively in the process of restoring.

Leading, third-party cybersecurity experts were also immediately engaged after discovering the issue and launched an investigation into the nature and scope of this incident. We have remained in contact with law enforcement and other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy who is leading the Federal Government response. 

Maintaining the operational security of our pipeline, in addition to safely bringing our systems back online, remain our highest priorities. Over the past 48 hours, Colonial Pipeline personnel have taken additional precautionary measures to help further monitor and protect the safety and security of its pipeline.

The Colonial Pipeline operations team is developing a system restart plan. While our mainlines (Lines 1, 2, 3 and 4) remain offline, some smaller lateral lines between terminals and delivery points are now operational. We are in the process of restoring service to other laterals and will bring our full system back online only when we believe it is safe to do so, and in full compliance with the approval of all federal regulations.

At this time, our primary focus continues to be the safe and efficient restoration of service to our pipeline system, while minimizing disruption to our customers and all those who rely on Colonial Pipeline. We appreciate the patience and outpouring of support we have received from others throughout the industry. 

Related MidJersey.news coverage on Colonial Pipeline incident here:

Colonial Pipeline Works To Restore Service, US FMCSA Issues Emergency Declaration In 18 States To Control Shortages

Update: Colonial Pipeline System Disruption

Cyber Attack Shuts Down Colonial Pipeline

Colonial Pipeline as winds though Burlington and Mercer Counties in New Jersey on May 8, 2021
Middlesex County, New Brunswick

Rutgers University To Require COVID-19 Vaccinations For Fall 2021 Semester

March 25, 2021

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–In a statement earlier today Rutgers University stated that all students planning to attend the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated. See the statement below:

Members of the Rutgers Community:

We write to share news of our plans to welcome back all members of our community to our campuses this fall. The anticipated additional availability of the COVID-19 vaccine is enabling Rutgers to take steps to protect the health of our academic community and to move toward a full return to our pre-pandemic normal as a vibrant institution in Fall 2021.

President Biden recently announced that he is encouraging all states to open their COVID-19 vaccine eligibility requirements to include all adults and, further, that he expects that all adults could have access to at least one inoculation dose by the early summer. The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recently issued helpful guidance for those individuals who have been fully vaccinated. These announcements have provided us with the opportunity to clarify what our path forward will entail as we plan for the Fall 2021 academic semester.

In support of Rutgers’ commitment to health and safety for all members of its community, the University will be updating its Immunization Requirements for Students to include the COVID-19 vaccine. This health policy update means that, with limited exceptions, all students planning to attend in the Fall 2021 semester must be fully vaccinated. In parallel, we continue to strongly urge all Rutgers faculty and staff to get immunized against COVID-19 at the earliest opportunity.

The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination include prevention of serious illness, hospitalization, and death from the virus. Broad immunization is critical to help stop the current pandemic and to protect our University community. Benefits specific to the Rutgers community include:

  • An expedited return to pre-pandemic normal
  • Additional face-to-face course offerings and academic experiences
  • Opportunities for a wider range of events and activities offered at our campuses
  • Expanded dining and recreation options at Rutgers
  • Greater interpersonal collaboration among faculty, students, and researchers

Most important, a safer Rutgers community supports a safer New Jersey for our families, our friends, and our neighbors across the state.

The University has also been approved by the State to offer Rutgers clinics for on-campus administration of vaccines to faculty, staff, and students when vaccine supplies become available. However, we have not yet been given vaccine to administer. Thus, the University urges all members of its community currently eligible to receive a vaccine not to wait and to register with the State in order to get vaccinated as soon as possible, wherever you can, if you have not done so already.  

Proof of vaccination will be required for all students planning to attend this fall. Any vaccine authorized for use in the U.S. (currently Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson) is acceptable.  It is understood that some incoming students may be 17 years old, and may be only eligible for the Pfizer vaccine.

Students planning to attend the fall 2021 semester may request an exemption from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons. Students enrolled in fully online degree programs (typically defined as having no access to on-campus facilities), as well as individuals participating in fully online or off-campus Continuing Education programs, will not need to provide proof of vaccination.

Should you have any questions about the vaccination program or Rutgers’ requirements, please see the FAQs at https://coronavirus.rutgers.edu/covid-19-vaccine/#forStudents. For general questions about COVID-19 vaccines, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html and https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine.

From the onset of the pandemic, the safety of the broader Rutgers community has been our shared responsibility. This has never been more true. The importance of an effective vaccination program to make our community safer for all cannot be overstated.

Please look for additional information and instructions regarding Rutgers vaccine clinics and exemptions in the coming days from Brian Strom, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs. Chancellors and their staffs will follow with additional information about fall planning as well.

We appreciate your patience, understanding, and commitment to health and safety during these challenging times, and we look forward to seeing you on campus this fall.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor    

Prabhas V. Moghe
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Distinguished Professor

Antonio M. Calcado
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer   

Rutgers University Facebook Photo
Middlesex County, New Brunswick, Somerset

Somerset Man Charged in New Brunswick Double Homicide

February 6, 2021

Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announced today that a Somerset man has been charged for his involvement in a shooting that left two dead and seven injured.

          Jeron Pitt, 19, of Somerset, was arrested and charged today with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, seven counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of second-degree conspiracy to possess a firearm for an unlawful purpose, one count of second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and one count of fourth-degree tampering with evidence. 

On September 13, 2020, at approximately 1:18 A.M., the New Brunswick Police responded to the area of 32 Delafield Street following multiple reports of gunfire.  Lionel Macauley, 28, of Somerset, and Anthony Robinson 23, of New Brunswick. were later pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. 

An investigation by Detective Erika DiMarcello of the New Brunswick Police Department as well as Sergeant Julissa Alvarado and  Sergeant David Abromaitis of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office revealed Pitt and other individuals drove to a party on Delafield Street where they shot into a crowd of people, killing Macauley and Robinson. The car used in the shooting was later recovered. 

          At present, the shooting does not appear to be a random act.  The investigation has determined there is no affiliation with Rutgers University or its students. 

Pitt is presently lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center where he is being held pending a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court. 

The investigation is active and is continuing.  Anyone with information is asked to call Detective DiMarcello at (732) 745-5200 or Sergeant Abromaitis at (732) 745-4436.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Pitt are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

New Brunswick Man Charged for Attempted Kidnapping

January 30, 2021

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announced today that a City man has been charged with attempted kidnapping.

On January 29, 2021, Gary Prichard, 41, of New Brunswick was arrested and charged with fourth-degree possession of an imitation firearm for an unlawful purpose and second-degree attempted kidnapping. 

Prichard was charged following an investigation by Detective Keith Walcott of the New Brunswick Police Department.  The investigation determined that, on Monday, January 25, 2021 at approximately 11:30 P.M., Prichard drove up to the victim as she was walking on Easton Avenue.  As Prichard approached the victim, he drew what appeared to be a handgun and demanded she get into his truck.  When the victim refused, Prichard fled the area.  Prichard was ultimately identified as the driver and owner of the truck, which was captured on camera as he fled the scene.  A starter pistol was also recovered from Prichard’s truck following the execution of a search warrant.  

Prichard is presently lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center where he is being held pending a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court next week. 

The investigation is active and continuing.  Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Walcott at (732) 745-5217.  As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Prichard are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

Former Meter Reader for New Brunswick Water Department Sentenced to Five Years in State Prison for Reducing Bills in Return for Bribes

January 22, 2021

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a former meter reader for the New Brunswick Water Department has been sentenced to state prison for participating in a scheme with two other former water department employees to reduce the water and sewer bills of numerous customers in return for bribes.

Guillermo Quinones, 51, of Somerset, N.J., was sentenced yesterday, Jan. 21, to five years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Robert Kirsch in Union County. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 14, 2020 to official misconduct. Quinones forfeited his job with the water department and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey.

Two other former employees of the New Brunswick Water Department who participated in the scheme with Quinones previously pleaded guilty to official misconduct. Joseph DeBonis, 58, of Toms River, N.J., a former senior account clerk, and William Ortiz, 59, of North Brunswick, N.J., a former meter reader, were each sentenced to five years in prison by Judge Kirsch on Oct. 4, 2019.

Deputy Attorney General Samantha Keleher represented the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability at the sentencing hearing for Quinones.  She prosecuted Quinones, DeBonis and Ortiz with former Deputy Attorney General Anthony Robinson, under the supervision of Corruption Bureau Chief Peter Lee and Counsel to the Director Anthony Picione. The defendants were charged in an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).

“The prison sentences we have secured in this case reflect our resolve to investigate and aggressively prosecute public employees who unlawfully use their positions for personal gain,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We now have secured five-year prison sentences for three water department employees who corruptly profited at the expense of the City of New Brunswick and its residents. These prosecutions should deter other government employees who might consider betraying the trust placed in them by the public.”

“One of our primary missions in OPIA is to ensure that government employees who break the law and corruptly exploit their public positions are held accountable,” said OPIA Director Thomas Eicher.  “Quinones and the other two water department employees we sent to prison took bribes from dozens of customers in return for falsely and dramatically reducing water and sewer bills. Their criminal conduct cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

In addition to the three defendants employed by the water department, 11 residents were charged with allegedly paying cash to have their water and sewer bills reduced.  One resident pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful benefit to a public servant for official behavior and was sentenced to probation.  The other 10 were charged with theft by unlawful taking and admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention program on the condition that they pay full restitution. 

Quinones, Ortiz and DeBonis illegally reduced water and sewer bills for roughly 50 different properties over a period of several years in return for bribes totaling approximately $20,000.  Quinones and Ortiz would solicit bribes from customers and then arrange for bill reductions through DeBonis, who had access as a senior account clerk to the city’s water and sewer database. After Quinones and Ortiz received bribes, they provided DeBonis with information about the customer’s properties, and DeBonis modified the customer’s water and sewer bills to dramatically reduce the charges.  Fees were reduced at times by as much as 90 percent. DeBonis took a share of the bribe payments in return for falsifying the bills.

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: David Oakley, Anderl & Oakley, PC, Princeton, N.J.

  • Photo by PS Photography on Pexels.com
Edison, Middlesex County, New Brunswick

Edison Man Sentenced For New Brunswick Man’s Murder

January 14, 2021

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced an Edison man was sentenced today for the murder of a 23-year-old New Brunswick man who he fatally shot in the City.

Christopher “C-Dub” Thompson, 29, of Edison, was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas J. Buck, J.S.C. to thirty years in prison for the murder of Larenz O’Garro.  Thompson was sentenced to an additional eight years in prison for the attempted murder of another man.  This term is subject to the No Early Release Act, meaning he must serve 85% before being eligible for parole.  Thomson was also sentenced for his unlawful possession of a handgun, and the hindering of his own apprehension for fleeing to Georgia after the murder.  Those sentences are to run concurrent to the murder and attempted murder.  He was also convicted of possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose.

Thompson was also separately sentenced to ten years in prison for being a certain person not to be in possession of a handgun due to a prior conviction with a five-year period of parole ineligibility.  In total, Thompson will have to serve forty-one years and eight months of his forty-eight-year sentence before he is eligible for parole.

At trial, Executive First Assistant Prosecutor Bina Desai and Assistant Prosecutor Deanna Himelson presented evidence and testimony establishing that, on October 26, 2018, Thompson fatally shot O’Garro shortly after an altercation involving the second victim and codefendant Eric “E-Z” Inman who was ultimately sentenced to three years in prison.

Thompson fled after the shooting, leading to an extensive search which included the coordinated efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the New Brunswick Police Department.  On November 15, 2018, members of the U.S Marshals Service apprehended Thompson in Lithonia, Georgia.

Thompson and Inman were charged after an investigation by Detective Kenneth Abode of the New Brunswick Police Department and Sergeant David Abromaitis of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.  Agent Jennifer Morelli and Victim Witness Counselor Marlene Valdez were also vital to the prosecution.

  • Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com
Middlesex County, Monroe Twp, New Brunswick

New Brunswick Man Charged With Vehicular Homicide In Monroe

MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Michael J. Biennas of the Monroe Township Police Department announced that a New Brunswick man has been arrested and charged with the killing of another man who he fatally struck with a vehicle yesterday afternoon.

Leovigildo Comisario-Salazar, 32, of New Brunswick was arrested and charged with Vehicular Homicide and Driving While Intoxicated following an investigation by Officer Daniel Mosakowski of the Monroe Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.  The investigation determined that, at approximately 4:08 P.M., Comisario-Salazar was operating a commercial truck at 433 Schoolhouse Road when he struck and killed his coworker Pedro Lopez Lopez, 33, of New Brunswick.  Comisario-Salazar was charged with being under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. 

The investigation is active and continuing.  Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Mosakowski of the Monroe Police Department at (732) 521-0222 ext. 184 or Detective Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4328.

Mercer County, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, Trenton

Professional Boards Revoke Licenses of Engineering Executive Involved in Criminal Pay-to-Play Scheme

Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Order

Board of Professional Planners Order

November 10, 2020

TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Division of Consumer Affairs today announced that two professional boards have revoked the licenses of a former executive of the Birdsall Services Group (“Birdsall”) engineering firm after he was convicted for his role in a criminal scheme to funnel more than $1 million in corporate political contributions through the company’s employees in an effort to evade New Jersey’s campaign finance laws.
 

James Johnston, 58, of New Brunswick violated multiple rules and regulations governing both the practice of professional engineers and professional planners, when he made illegal corporate political contributions that were reimbursed by the company through disguised bonus payments.
 

After a hearing of testimony and evidence, the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, and the New Jersey State Board of Professional Planners (the “Boards”), independently found that Johnston’s criminal conviction relates adversely to the practice of professional engineering and planning. 
 

In final orders filed today, both Boards separately revoked Johnston’s licenses to practice as a professional engineer and a professional planner in New Jersey, and barred him from applying for any professional license in the State for a minimum period of five years. Additionally, Johnston was ordered to pay attorneys’ fees and investigation costs in the amount of $2,820.09 by each professional board, totaling the full cost assessment of $5,640.18.
 

Johnston previously was sentenced in June 2017 to 270 days in the county jail as a condition of a term of two years of probation.
 

“Individuals who abuse their professional credentials and the public trust in order to violate our campaign finance laws should be prepared to face severe consequences,” said Attorney General Grewal. ”Professional licensees involved in schemes to avoid our pay-to-play laws face not only jail time and monetary penalties, but also loss of the licenses they rely on to earn their livelihood.”
 

“Johnston’s conduct and subsequent criminal conviction signal a blatant disregard for the rules promulgated by the professional boards, and raise serious concerns about his professional judgment and fitness to practice,” said Acting Director Paul R. Rodríguez. “The resolution of this case should send a clear message to all licensed professionals who may be tempted to violate the public trust and confidence.”
 

Under the scheme, instead of Birdsall making corporate political contributions to campaigns and political organizations that would disqualify it from public contracts awarded by certain government agencies, shareholders and employees of the firm made personal political contributions of $300 or less, which are deemed unreportable.  Multiple personal checks were bundled together at Birdsall and sent to the appropriate campaign or political organization.  The shareholders and employees were then illegally reimbursed by Birdsall, directly or indirectly, through added bonus payments, and the firm falsely omitted the illegally reimbursed contributions in documents filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) and with government agencies that awarded the firm engineering services contracts.  The scheme continued for more than six years and involved more than $1 million in contributions.
 

Eight Birdsall executives and employees pleaded guilty to criminal charges, as did the company itself.
 

The revocations of Johnston’s licenses are effective November 16, 2020. Before then, Johnston must complete any projects on which he is working, or make arrangements for them to be completed by another professional engineer or professional planner. Johnston shall not take on any new clients or projects, and if there are any companies that rely upon his ability to practice, he must immediately provide them with the Board’s decision to revoke his licenses to practice as a professional engineering and a professional planner.
 

Under his criminal guilty plea, Johnston is debarred for 10 years from personally bidding on public contracts in New Jersey or holding an interest of 5 percent or more in any company that bids for such contracts.
 

Deputy Attorney General Daniel Evan Leef Hewitt of the Professional Boards Prosecution Section in the Division of Law represented the State in this matter.
 

The matter was investigated by the Enforcement Bureau within the Division of Consumer Affairs.    

James Johnston, 58, of New Brunswick violated multiple rules and regulations governing both the practice of professional engineers and professional planners, when he made illegal corporate political contributions that were reimbursed by the company through disguised bonus payments.

*         *         *

The mission of the Division of Consumer Affairs, within the Department of Law and Public Safety, is to protect the public from fraud, deceit, misrepresentation and professional misconduct in the sale of goods and services in New Jersey through education, advocacy, regulation and enforcement. The Division pursues its mission through its 51 professional and occupational boards that oversee 720,000 licensees in the state, its Regulated Business section that oversees 60,000 NJ registered businesses, as well as through its Office of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Securities, Charities Registration section, Office of Weights and Measures, and Legalized Games of Chance section.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick, State of NJ

Governor Murphy Nominates Dr. Brian Bridges as Secretary of Higher Education

October 30, 2020

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Governor Phil Murphy today announced his nomination of Dr. Brian Bridges as the next Secretary of Higher Education.

Governor’s Office Photos

“Making college more affordable and accessible has been a hallmark of our mission to build a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all,” said Governor Murphy. “After conducting a nationwide search for a new Secretary of Higher Education, we’ve found just the right leader to build upon our progress. Dr. Brian Bridges has the vision and experience needed to put a college education within reach for more students, including continuing our highly successful Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) program. I know he’ll be a fierce advocate for our students and will work closely with both public and private college and university leaders to expand opportunity while promoting equity and access for all.”

“I would also like to thank Interim Secretary of Higher Education Diana Gonzalez for her capable leadership of the Office over the past few months,” continued Governor Murphy. “Diana has coordinated closely with our colleges and universities to navigate the challenges of the pandemic and will continue to serve the Administration as a critical member of our team.”

“I am humbled but invigorated by the confidence of Governor Murphy to serve as the next Secretary of Higher Education for the great state of New Jersey,” said incoming Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian Bridges. “I have a deep and abiding faith in the power of colleges and universities to not only provide life-changing educational experiences, but to also serve as economic engines and hubs of innovation and intellectual discovery. I look forward to working with leaders across the Garden State to develop and refine policies and practices that further improve student success, create efficiencies of scale, and strengthen the higher education enterprise.”

“Brian Bridges is a great choice to be New Jersey’s new Secretary of Education,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the United Negro College Fund. “Brian has led our research and institutional transformation work at UNCF, driving our strategy to ensure that our Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) produce ever stronger results for the students they serve.  Brian is a passionate, committed, and relentless advocate for justice, equality, and equity in the academy.  All of us at UNCF will miss Brian, but we know that he will continue to champion the urgent cause of higher education access and affordability, and he will lead a new era of innovation and transformation for all of New Jersey’s colleges and universities and their students.”

“The challenges that confront higher education today are daunting, but the opportunities are unlimited.  I am excited by the nomination of Dr. Bridges, and look forward to a partnership with him that will seize on theopportunities before us and how, together, we can leverage New Jersey’s higher education resources to help make New Jersey fairer and stronger for everyone,” said Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway. 

“Brian is just the leader we need at this time. He is dedicated to advancing equity in education and I’m excited that he’s decided to join our team and continue the work we began on behalf of students across New Jersey,” said former New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Zakiya Smith-Ellis. “I am looking forward to working with him and am confident that he has the skills necessary to assume the mantle of setting statewide higher education policy.”

“It has been an honor serving New Jersey’s higher education community as Interim Secretary at a time when institutions, students and families face unprecedented challenges during this ever-evolving public health emergency,” said Interim Secretary Diana Gonzalez. “I look forward to working closely with Dr. Bridges to continue making progress on our State Plan for Higher Education goals, including addressing college affordability and access through the Community College Opportunity Grant, to ensure we take an equitable approach to emerging from this crisis stronger than ever.” 

Brian Bridges, Ph.D., currently serves as Vice President of Research and Member Engagement at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) in Washington, DC, where he leads UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI) and the Institute for Capacity Building (ICB). He serves as the organization’s chief research officer, principal editor and contributor for FDPRI’s publications, as well as the manager of internal and external projects involving capacity building, evaluation and assessment. Dr. Bridges also leads the UNCF Career Pathways Initiative, a project funded by the Lilly Endowment, to improve job placement outcomes at HBCUs and PBIs.

Prior to joining UNCF, Dr. Bridges was Vice Provost for Diversity, Access, and Equity at Ohio University. Previously, he was Associate Director of the Center for Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Equity at the American Council on Education and has held various other roles, including Associate Director at the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). While at NSEE, he managed a million-dollar subcontract for the Building Engagement and Attainment of Minority Students project, a national initiative funded by Lumina Foundation to assist minority-serving institutions in their use of NSSE results for institutional improvement. He is a former Adjunct Assistant Professor of Higher Education Administration at George Washington University. Throughout his career, Dr. Bridges has served on numerous panels and advisory committees on issues related to student engagement, HBCUs, learning environments at minority-serving institutions, and success factors for African American college students at predominantly white institutions.

Dr. Bridges earned his Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Higher Education Administration from Indiana University–Bloomington, a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina–Charlotte, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in English Language and Literature from Francis Marion University.

Dr. Bridges was born in Brooklyn, NY and reared in Beaufort, SC. He will begin his new role on November 16, 2020.

Brian Bridges, Ph.D.

Vice President, Research and Member Engagemen

Brian Bridges, Ph.D., is UNCF’s vice president of research and member engagement and leads UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI) and the Institute for Capacity Building (ICB). He serves as UNCF’s chief research officer, principal editor and contributor for FDPRI’s publications and the manager of internal and external projects involving capacity building, evaluation and assessment. Bridges also leads the UNCF Career Pathways Initiative, a project funded by the Lilly Endowment, to improve job placement outcomes at HBCUs and PBIs.

Prior to joining UNCF, Bridges was vice provost for diversity, access and equity at Ohio University. He was associate director of the Center for Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Equity at the American Council on Education and held various roles, including associate director, at the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). While at NSEE, he managed a million-dollar subcontract for the Building Engagement and Attainment of Minority Students project, a national initiative funded by Lumina Foundation to assist minority-serving institutions use of NSSE results for institutional improvement. In addition, he has served on numerous panels and advisory committees on issues related to HBCUs, learning environments at minority-serving institutions and success factors for African American college students at predominantly white institutions.

Bridges earned his doctorate in higher education administration from Indiana University-Bloomington, a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and a bachelor’s degree from Francis Marion University.

Brian Bridges, Ph.D., UNCF photo
Middlesex County, New Brunswick

Pedestrian Struck And Killed In New Brunswick

October 30. 2020

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announced today that a pedestrian was killed the evening of October 28 after being struck by a vehicle.

The initial investigation conducted by Officer Peter Maroon of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined a man, who is yet to be identified, was fatally struck on Livingston Avenue in the vicinity of Welton Street.  The male was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. 

The motorist remained on scene to cooperate with law enforcement.  The investigation is active and continuing.  Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Maroon of the New Brunswick Police Department at (732) 745-5005 or Detective Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4328.

East Windsor, East Windsor, Hightstown-East Windsor, Mercer County, Middlesex County, New Brunswick

East Windsor Man Charged in New Brunswick Shooting

Kyale Simonson, 32, of East Windsor was charged with two counts of first-degree Attempted Murder, one count of second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and one count of second-degree Possession of a Handgun without a Permit.

October 26, 2020

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announced today that an East Windsor man was arrested and charged in connection with a shooting that occurred on September 2, 2020.

Kyale Simonson, 32, of East Windsor was charged with two counts of first-degree Attempted Murder, one count of second-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and one count of second-degree Possession of a Handgun without a Permit.

Simonson was charged following an investigation by Detective Brandt Gregus of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Sean Sullivan of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, which identified Simonson as the gunman in a non-fatal shooting of two men near the intersection of Lee Avenue and Seaman Street. 

Simonson is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center pending a Detention Hearing in Superior Court.

The investigation is active and continuing.  Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Gregus of the New Brunswick Police Department at (732) 745-5200, or Detective Sullivan of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4060.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Simonson are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Brick, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, Ocean County

Brick And New Brunswick Men Charged With Roles In Drug Trafficking Organization

October 17, 2020

NEWARK, NJ –Two alleged ranking members off the Bloods street gang have been charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin in Newark, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Leonard Wade, a/k/a “Clap,” 49, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Ezra A. Strong, a/k/a “Doonka,” 30, of Brick, New Jersey, are charged in separate complaints with conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin. Wade is also charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

Wade appeared for an initial appearance by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer. Strong appeared for an initial appearance by videoconference on Oct. 14, 2020, before Judge Hammer. Both men are currently detained.

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

Law enforcement officials have seized 831 grams of suspected fentanyl and 612 grams of suspected heroin, as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Monmouth and Middlesex counties, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.

The investigation has revealed that Wade, allegedly a ranking member of the Sex Money Murder (SMM) subset of the Bloods street gang, is a leader of the DTO. Strong, allegedly a ranking member of the Fruit Town Brims, also a subset of the Bloods street gang, distributes fentanyl and heroin on behalf of the DTO.

On Oct. 1, 2020, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Wade’s residence and recovered a 9mm caliber semi-automatic polymer “privately made” handgun, along with 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition and five rounds of .45 caliber ammunition.

The count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. The ammunition offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Monmouth/Ocean HIDTA Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson, with the assistance of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Gang and Criminal Enterprise Unit, with the investigation leading to the arrests.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Repole of the U.S. Attorney’s Office 4OCDETF/Narcotics Unit.

The charges and allegations in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

20-362 

Defense counsel:
Wade: Rahul Sharma Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Strong: Thomas Dunn Esq., Montvale, New Jersey

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

State Police and New Brunswick Police Department Shut Down Drug Mill

Troopers Seize Guns, Drugs, Fraudulent Credit Cards, and Cash

October 8, 2020

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–The New Jersey State Police have arrested Rikelvin Rodriguez-Reyes, 19, of New Brunswick N.J., for allegedly operating a narcotics processing mill out of a residence in New Brunswick that was allegedly producing heroin and cocaine.

During a two-month cooperative investigation with the New Brunswick Police Department, State Police detectives with the Gangs and Organized Crime Central Unit were able to determine that Rodriguez-Reyes was distributing drugs from a Sanford Street residence. On Monday, October 5, troopers from the State Police Gangs and Organized Crime Unit, T.E.A.M.S. Unit, K-9 Unit, and members of the New Brunswick Police Department executed search warrants at the Sanford Street residence and a residence in North Brunswick.

As a result of the searches, detectives seized a .380 caliber handgun, a .22 caliber handgun, hollow point ammunition, 60 grams of cocaine, 100 individual doses of heroin, 1 ounce of marijuana, 18 prescription legend drugs, 20 fraudulent credit cards with a reader/writer device, $3,821 cash, various distribution and packaging accessories, and tools consistent with a drug production facility. Rodriguez-Reyes was arrested at the North Brunswick residence without incident.

Rikelvin Rodriguez-Reyes was charged with maintaining and operating a CDS facility, possession and distribution of cocaine, possession and distribution of heroin, possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon during commission of a CDS offense, identity theft, possession and distribution of paraphernalia, and money laundering. He was lodged at the Middlesex County Jail pending a bail detention hearing.

This case is being prosecuted by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Charges are mere accusations, and the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Mercer County, Middlesex County, New Brunswick, Robbinsville, Robbinsville

Robbinsville Man Killed By Drunk Driver, Man From Edison Charged With Vehicular Homicide

October 2, 2020

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announced today that an individual has been arrested and charged with causing the death of another person in a crash that occurred on Route 1 South in New Brunswick on the night of October 1, 2020.

Arsalan Gul, 21, of Edison, was charged with one count of second-degree Vehicular Homicide, one count of third-degree Hindering Apprehension, and one count of Driving While Intoxicated.

On October 1, 2020 at approximately 11:30 P.M., New Brunswick Police officers responded to a motor vehicle crash involving three vehicles.  An investigation by Officer Peter Maroon of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Gul, who was driving an Infiniti sedan, crashed into a Honda Civic causing it to strike a Lexus SUV in the adjacent lane. The driver of the Civic, Brian O’Donnell, 32, of Robbinsville, was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. 

 Subsequently, it was determined Gul was operating his vehicle under the influence of alcohol and a controlled dangerous substance.

Gul is currently being held at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center pending a Detention Hearing.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Maroon at (732) 745-5005, or Detective Berman at (732) 745-4328.

As is the case with all criminal defendants, the charges against Gul are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Middlesex County, New Brunswick

New Brunswick Fatal Hit And Run Under Investigation

October 1, 2020

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Director Anthony A. Caputo of the New Brunswick Police Department announced today that the police are investigating a fatal hit and run, which took place during the evening hours of September 30, 2020 in the area of Somerset Street and Millstone Road.

The victim, who was pronounced dead at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital last evening, has been identified as David Wojcik, 55, of Warren Township.

Officer Peter Maroon of the New Brunswick Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that at approximately 8:39 p.m., the victim was struck in the area of Somerset Street and Millstone Road by a sedan, which sustained front-end damage.  Following the collision, the vehicle fled the scene.

          The investigation is active and is continuing.  Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Peter Maroon of the New Brunswick Police Department at (732) 745-5005, or Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745- 4328.