PHILADELPHIA, PA — Philadelphia Police Department stated that an Englishtown, New Jersey, woman and a man from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges when they visited Philly last weekend to wreak havoc during car meetups. The chaos unfolded around 9:30 p.m. Saturday September 21 and lated until around 4:30 a.m. Sunday September 22.
According to police, officers responded to multiple locations where crowds ranging from 50 to over 200 vehicles had gathered. Philadelphia Police Department would like to thank the Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI Philadelphia office for their assistance.
Police would like the public to continue to share info to 215-686-TIPS. Police say that there is more information to come.
Fox29 Philadelphia Pittsburgh 18-year-old, NJ woman charged in illegal Philadelphia car meetups: officials
WPVI CH6 Action News for more infomation visit this link: NJ woman, Pittsburgh man charged after chaotic car meetups in Philadelphia
Police say that Alexis Boyce from Englishtown,NJ is facomg multiple felony & misdemeanor charges.
Ms. Boyce’s Dodge Challenger was seized and towed in NJ.
Philadelphia Police Department provided photos via X (Twitter)
Police say that behind the mask is Albert Woynar of Pittsburgh, PA and facing multiple felony & misdemeanor charges. Among evidence seized from Mr. Woynar was a yellow sun…possiby banana?… mask.
TRENTON, N.J. – Assemblyman Alex Sauickie’s bill that increases penalties for those who attack law enforcement officers and emergency workers passed the Assembly Thursday. Under Sauickie’s bill (A2378), those accused of these assaults would face second-degree charges, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fined up to $150,000. The legislation bars pleas to lesser charges. Those assaults that currently result in bodily harm to officers are third-degree crimes, carrying a five-year maximum sentence and $15,000 fine. Assaults where no bodily harm results are fourth-degree crimes, with fines of $10,000 and 18-month prison sentences. The bill also requires those using body fluids to attack officers must submit to communicable disease testing. Assault victims would have access to those results. “Not only have attacks on law enforcement officers been increasing, attackers have been resorting to spitting, biting, and other depraved actions that put these men and women at risk for disease,” Sauickie (R-Ocean) said. “Would-be attackers need to know that such violence will not be tolerated.” Officials from both the State Troopers Fraternal Association and New Jersey Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 105, which represent state troopers and corrections officers respectively, said assaults have increased exponentially over the last several years. The Department of Corrections reported in 2022 attacks on personnel jumped from 200 the previous year to 424. Nearly half of those involved body fluids. More than 10% of its 4,500-member workforce was out on leave due to assaults that year. The bill covers attacks on law enforcement officers, correctional and probation staff, paid or volunteer firefighters, and emergency medical workers. “Law enforcement and other emergency workers are exposed to dangers most of us can’t even imagine simply because of their line of work,” Sauickie said. “They are targets for vile attacks because of who they are and what they do. They need to know that justice will be sought if they are attacked on the job.”
The bill now goes to the governor’s desk for signing.
PRINCETON, NJ (MERCER)–Police say that on Sunday, July 28, 2024, the Princeton Police Department responded to a panic alarm at TD Bank, located at 883 State Road. Shortly after, a bank teller called 9-1-1 to report a robbery in progress.
The investigation revealed that the suspect entered the bank at 1:56 p.m., approached the teller counter, and displayed a black semi-automatic handgun while handing the teller a note demanding money. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, the suspect fled the scene, last seen walking south on Route 206 near the Exxon Gas Station at 870 State Road.
Following an extensive investigation led by Detective Daniel Chitren, the suspect was identified as 37- year-old Ciara Brascom from Skillman, NJ. With assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Brascom was arrested By Det. Chitren and Ptl. Melody Van Ness on September 24, 2024, in Montgomery Township, NJ. Brascom faces multiple charges, including:
• Robbery• Criminal Restraint• Possession of a weapon for Unlawful Purposes• Unlawful Possession of a Weapon• Terroristic Threats• Theft• Money Laundering
• Aggravated Assault
Brascom was processed at the Princeton Police Department and is currently being held at the Mercer County Correction Center.
HIGHTSTOWN, NJ (MERCER)–Around 9:00 a.m. Hightstown firefighters responded to the 400 Block of Stockton Street for a reported garage fire and automatic mutual aid fire departments from East Windsor and Cranbury along with EMS from Robbinsville were dispatched to the scene.
Upon arrival it was determined that there was an active fire in the roof of the garage and additional units were called from Robbinsville, Monroe and Plainsboro fire departments. An engine from Jamesburg also provided extra fire coverage for the town.
Hightstown Engine 41 established a supply line while firefighters advanced two hose lines into the garage and quickly brought the fire under control. The firefighters remained on scene mopping up hot spots as well as overhauling.
No additional information is available about the fire at this time.
FREEHOLD, NJ (MONMOUTH)–Freehold Raceway announced today that it expects to cease all live racing and simulcast operations as of December 28, 2024. Employees and affected stakeholders were notified by track officials earlier today.
“This was an extremely difficult decision, especially given the historical importance of Freehold Raceway to the local community and the New Jersey horse racing industry,” said General Manager Howard Bruno. “Unfortunately, the operations of the racetrack cannot continue under existing conditions, and we do not see a plausible way forward. We are incredibly thankful for our dedicated employees, horsemen and fan base for their support and patronage for so many years.”
The remainder of the approved live racing schedule for 2024 will be completed and daily simulcasting will continue until the closure date. Freehold officials are working proactively with the New Jersey Racing Commission, state and local officials, and industry stakeholders on all necessary items related to the closure of the facility. Severance will be paid to employees, including compensation as required by New Jersey’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining (WARN) Act, and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
According to court documents victims were from: Hamilton, Lindenwold, East Orange, Toms River, Williamstown, East Brunswick Teaneck, Warren, in New Jersey. Additional victims included are in states of Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts.
August 5, 2024
NEWARK, N.J. – Sixteen individuals were charged in connection with a sprawling “grandparent scam” to defraud hundreds of elderly Americans out of millions of dollars, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.
Eleven men from the Dominican Republic are charged in a 19-count indictment with mail and wire fraud conspiracy; wire fraud; mail fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; and money laundering:
*Juan Rafael Parra Arias, aka “Yofre,” 40
Nefy Vladimir Parra Arias, aka “Keko,” 39
Nelson Rafael Gonzalez Acevedo, aka “Nelson Tech,” 35
Miguel Angel Fortuna Solano, aka “Botija,” aka “Boti,” 41
*Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, aka “Fili,” aka “Filly The Kid,” 36
Carlos Javier Estevez, 45
Louis Junior Serrano Rodriguez, aka “Junior,” 27
Miguel Angel Vasquez, aka “Miguel Disla,” 24
Jovanni Antonio Rosario Garcia, aka “Porky,” aka “Chop,” 45
*Jose Ismael Dilone Rodriguez, 34
*denotes in custody
An additional five defendants were charged by complaint with wire fraud conspiracy as part of the same scheme: Endy Jose Torres Moran, 21, of Brooklyn, New York; Ivan Alexander Inoa Suero, 32, of the Bronx, New York; Jhonny Cepeda, 27, and Ramon Hurtado, 43, both of New York; and Yuleisy Roque, 21, of the Bronx.
“As alleged, these 16 defendants preyed upon grandparents’ familial love and devotion, cheating them out of millions of dollars. In this ‘grandparents’ scam,’ the defendants allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress, claiming, for example, they had been arrested after a car accident involving a pregnant woman who later miscarried, and they needed immediate cash for bail or a lawyer. The panic-stricken grandparents quickly paid—sometimes tens of thousands of dollars. My office is committed to protecting the rights of all victims, and we will relentlessly prosecute those who allegedly target vulnerable seniors to steal their hard-earned savings.” U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
“The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners will vigorously pursue individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through fraudulent schemes,” Deputy Assistant Attorney General Arun Rao of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Consumer Protection Branch said. “We will continue to identify perpetrators of these schemes and prioritize the pursuit of those who deliberately target vulnerable consumers, whether located in the United States or abroad.”
“Today’s announcement stems from the defendants’ alleged heartless targeting of elderly victims who were collectively tricked into handing over millions of dollars,” Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York, Acting Special Agent in Charge Darren B. McCormack, said. “For their own selfish gain, these accused individuals threatened innocent Americans’ livelihoods, and robbed them of their precious time and any nest eggs they had secured for themselves. I commend HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force Cyber Intrusion Group, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the NYPD, the FBI, the Social Security Office of Inspector General, and HSI Santo Domingo for their outstanding collaboration and coordination. This can truly happen to anybody, and while we will always be there to assist victims, we hope that raising awareness will give these criminal opportunists fewer chances to target the public.”
“We allege these scammers created an elaborate scheme revolving around a grandchild reaching out to say they were in trouble, had been arrested, and needed help,” FBI – Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “Then to reinforce an immediate need for cash, these fraudsters allegedly posed as attorneys, law enforcement officers and court employees explaining how grandparents can get them money. Even the most jaded and savvy of us out there may pause a moment, thinking that this could actually be real. That’s the insidious nature of this particular fraud, criminals are preying on our instinct to protect our families. We ask anyone who believes they could also be a victim to report it at www.ic3.gov.”
“Fraud targeting the elderly has a uniquely harmful effect on a segment of the population that is often amongst society’s most vulnerable,” Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Boston – New York Field Division, said. “SSA OIG is proud to join HSI, the FBI, the Justice Department, and the NYPD in investigating these complex, international scams aimed at defrauding SSA beneficiaries.”
“These charges underscore law enforcement’s commitment to protecting our older population from fraudsters and financial exploitation,” New York Police Department Commissioner Edward A. Caban said. “The crimes outlined here are truly depraved in their nature: targeting our parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, and others in an elaborate venture to bilk them of their hard-earned savings. I applaud our NYPD investigators and all of our federal partners involved in this important case for their tireless dedication to our shared public safety mission.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Juan Rafael Parra Arias, Nefy Vladimir Parra Arrias, and Gonzalez Acevedo operated a sophisticated network of call centers in the Dominican Republic. Their alleged victims included elderly residents of several states, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. The call centers victimized hundreds of Americans through fraud, stealing millions of dollars.
Members of the conspiracy referred to as “openers” called elderly victims in the United States and impersonated the victims’ children, grandchildren, or other close relatives. The call centers used technology to make it appear that the calls were coming from inside the United States. Typically, the victim was told that their grandchild had been in a car accident, was arrested as a result of the accident, and needed help.
Once openers duped victims into believing their loved ones were in dire trouble, others working at the call centers, known as “closers,” impersonated defense attorneys, police officers, or court personnel and convinced victims to provide thousands of dollars in cash to help their loved ones.
Closers, including defendants Rodriguez Guzman, Fortuna Solano, Reynoso Ventura, and Estevez, typically told victims to give the cash to couriers who they sent to victims’ homes to collect their money. Other times, closers instructed victims to send the cash by mail.
Once victims were convinced to give cash, call center “dispatchers,” including Serrano Rodriguez, Vasquez, Rosario Rodriguez, and Dilone Rodriguez recruited and managed a network of U.S.-based couriers to steal cash from the elderly victims across the Northeast.
Those U.S.-based couriers, including the five charged by complaint, typically went to the elderly victims’ home to retrieve the cash, often using false names and providing victims with fake receipts in exchange. The couriers then brought the cash to other members of the conspiracy, who sent the victims’ money back to the Dominican Republic.
Each of the charges in the indictment and complaint carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Each of the mail and wire fraud charges also carry a potential fine of up to $250,000; each of the money laundering charges also carry a potential fine of up to $500,000.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents and investigators of the Department of Homeland Security, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge McCormack; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark; the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, New York / Boston Field Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Bradley Parker; and the New York Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Caban, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Silane of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark, and Jason Feldman, Joshua Ferrentino, and Emily Powers of the Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Branch in Washington, D.C.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
ASBURY PARK, NJ (MONMOUTH)–An Asbury Park man is facing charges in connection with an unprovoked stabbing that took place on Labor Day in the same town, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced on Wednesday.On Monday, September 2, 2024, officers from the Asbury Park Police Department responded to the 500 block of Asbury Avenue for a report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers discovered an adult female victim suffering from multiple stab wounds. Several bystanders were rendering aid to the victim at the time the officers arrived.Travis A. Cavanaugh, 39, was detained at the scene and arrested. He is charged with first-degree Attempted Murder, third-degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose (knife), and fourth-degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.An investigation by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office – Major Crimes Bureau and the Asbury Park Police Department determined that Cavanaugh approached the victim from behind and began to stab her, continuing until a witness intervened.The victim was rushed to a local hospital and is in critical condition.The investigation is ongoing at this time. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Stephen Cavendish at 800-533-7443 or Asbury Park Police Department Detective James Crawford at 732-774-1300.The case is assigned to Assistant Prosecutor Michael Luciano of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Bureau. Information regarding Cavanaugh’s legal representation was not immediately available.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on July 26, 2024, the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., sentenced Dion Marsh, 29, of Manchester, to 30 years New Jersey State Prison – without the possibility of parole – as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Terrorism in connection with a series of violent incidents that occurred in Lakewood Township and Jackson Township on April 8, 2022. Marsh pled guilty to the charge before Judge Ryan on January 24, 2024.
On April 8, 2022, at approximately 1:10 p.m., a male victim was operating a 2011 Toyota Camry heading northbound on Arlington Avenue in Lakewood, when he was approached by a male suspect on foot who attempted to open the door to the vehicle. The victim locked the door as he observed the suspect approach the vehicle. As the suspect tried to open the door, the victim accelerated and began to pull away. The suspect reached through the open window and attempted to hold on to the vehicle as it was in motion; the vehicle traveled approximately one city block before the suspect finally let go.
At approximately 1:15 p.m., Officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department were summoned to the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Pine Street for a report of a carjacking. Responding Officers determined that a male suspect approached a 2016 Toyota Camry, assaulted the driver, and fled the area in the vehicle.
At approximately 5:20 p.m., a male pedestrian was crossing Kimball Road at Central Avenue in Lakewood in the southern direction when a dark colored sedan struck him from the right side, causing minor bodily injury. The vehicle then fled the scene.
At approximately 5:25 p.m., a 911 call was placed by a male in the area of Carlton Avenue and Central Avenue in Lakewood, reporting that his minor son had been approached by a black Honda Accord occupied by a thin black male. The caller stated that the black male attempted to physically grab the minor victim and pull him into the vehicle, but was unsuccessful.
At approximately 6:00 p.m., Lakewood Township Police received a report of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle in the area of Central Avenue and Carlton Avenue. Responding Officers discovered that a male victim had been struck by a dark colored vehicle. The victim was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was treated for his injuries and released.
At approximately 6:55 p.m., Lakewood Township Police Officers responded to a 911 call in reference to a stabbing in the vicinity of Pine Circle Drive and Lakewood New Egypt Road. The Officers discovered a male victim with a stab wound to his chest. The victim was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries and released.
At approximately 8:20 p.m., Officers from the Jackson Township Police Department responded to a 911 call for a report of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle in the area of Galassi Court. Responding Officers were able to determine that the male victim had been struck by the same vehicle that was taken in the carjacking incident in Lakewood earlier in the day. The victim was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where he was treated, moved to a rehabilitation facility, and eventually released.
A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Lakewood Township Police Department revealed that Marsh was responsible for all of these criminal acts. On April 8, 2022, Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Manchester Township Police Department arrested Marsh at his residence in Manchester Township without incident. Marsh was initially charged with numerous criminal offenses, including multiple counts of Attempted Murder, Carjacking, Attempted Carjacking, Attempted Kidnapping, Weapons offenses, and Bias Intimidation. Additionally, based upon the facts and circumstances surrounding this series of incidents, Ocean County Prosecutor Billhimer sought the approval of Attorney General Matthew Platkin to charge Marsh with Terrorism; accordingly, Marsh was charged with Terrorism on April 14, 2022. Marsh has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since the date of his arrest, April 8, 2022.
On or about April 19, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation charged Marsh with four counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as a single count of Carjacking, all in connection with the same series of violent assaults that occurred in Lakewood and Jackson Townships on April 8, 2022. On February 1, 2024, Marsh pled guilty to all five counts in United States District Court of New Jersey before United States District Court Judge Zahid N. Quraishi. On July 23, 2024, Judge Quraishi sentenced Marsh to 40 years in prison as a result of his previously entered guilty pleas. Marsh’s federal sentence will run concurrent with his state prison sentence.
“I am hopeful that this lengthy prison sentence will serve as a deterrent to anyone with even the slightest inclination to act on their misguided feelings of bias and hate,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated.
“It is clear that Marsh’s virulent rampage was intended to terrorize the Jewish community. This prison sentence sends a clear message to those who would seek to terrorize innocent citizens in Ocean County: we will pursue you, prosecute you, and ultimately convict you. We will do everything within our power to send you to prison for a very long time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, hate has no home in Ocean County,” Prosecutor Billhimer added.
“I’m thankful to all of the law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, whose combined efforts and teamwork led to Marsh’s swift apprehension and today’s lengthy prison sentence,” Prosecutor Billhimer concluded.
Prosecutor Billhimer likewise acknowledges the diligent efforts of Executive Assistant Prosecutor Michael Weatherstone, who handled the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department, Lakewood Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Jackson Township Police Department, Manchester Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit, New Jersey State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, and New Jersey Department of Homeland Security and Preparedness, for their collective efforts in connection with this investigation leading to Marsh’s apprehension, guilty plea, and now his very lengthy state prison sentence.
Dion Marsh, of Manchester, New Jersey
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on July 26, 2024, the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., sentenced Dion Marsh, 29, of Manchester, to 30 years New Jersey State Prison – without the possibility of parole – as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Terrorism in connection with a series of violent incidents that occurred in Lakewood Township and Jackson Township on April 8, 2022. Marsh pled guilty to the charge before Judge Ryan on January 24, 2024.
On or about April 19, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation charged Marsh with four counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act, as well as a single count of Carjacking, all in connection with the same series of violent assaults that occurred in Lakewood and Jackson Townships on April 8, 2022. On February 1, 2024, Marsh pled guilty to all five counts in United States District Court of New Jersey before United States District Court Judge Zahid N. Quraishi. On July 23, 2024, Judge Quraishi sentenced Marsh to 40 years in prison as a result of his previously entered guilty pleas. Marsh’s federal sentence will run concurrent with his state prison sentence.
Three Die in Tragic Crash Involving School Bus in South Brunswick
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Around 5:27 p.m. Police, firefighters and EMS responded to the intersection of Route 130 and Stults Road for a serious crash involving a South Brunswick Township School Bus and a car. There were reports of multiple people entrapped in the car and that they were extricated and rushed to a local hospital for treatment. Two students and the bus driver were not injured in the crash.
Police say Route 130 North Bound from Route 32 to Stults Road is shut down due to a serious motor vehicle crash. Stults Road at Route 130 intersection is also shut down. Please avoid area and plan alternate routes.
South Brunswick Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the crash.
The story will be updated as information becomes available.
January 31, 2024
EAST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER)–Sometime around 2:20 p.m. a vehicle hit the back of a tractor trailer on Twin Rivers Drive. East Windsor Police, Cranbury First Aid Squad and Captial Paramedics responded to the scene. It was reported that one person was transported to Captial Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton for treatment.
Another accident occored around 2:25 p.m. at the intersection of Route 33 and Airport Road with reported entrapment. East Windsor Police, East Windsor Fire Company and East Windsor EMS responded to the scene and reported no one was trapped. It was reported that one person was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
East Windsor Police are investigating both crashes. No addional details are available at this time.
A vehicle hit a tractor trailer on Twin Rivers Drive.
This accident occored at the intersection of Route 33 and Airport Road.
January 31, 2024
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Raymond Hayducka of the South Brunswick Police Department announced today that Giovanni Gaines-Little, 24, of Camden, has been charged in connection with a fatal hit and run that occurred on February 25, 2023.On February 25, 2023, at approximately 9:58 P.M., authorities responded to the intersection of Route 130 and Route 32 following the report of a crash. Upon their arrival, authorities located Kerri Lynn Shea, 43, of East Windsor, who died as a result of the crash. Shea was married and had one daughter at the time of the crash. Shea was a vice president at Merrill Lynch in Hopewell.
The 11-month investigation led by Patrolman First Class Officer Bryan Sites of the South Brunswick Police Department and Detective Matthew Colonna of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Giovanni Gaines-Little, 24, of Camden, was the driver of the other vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Gaines-Little was arrested on January 29, 2024, and charged with second-degree Vehicular Homicide, second-degree Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Death, third-degree Causing Death While Operating a Motor Vehicle in Violation of N.J.S.A. 39:3-40 or While Unlicensed, fourth-degree Obstructing Administration of Law, third-degree Hindering One’s Own Apprehension or Prosecution, second-degree Hindering One’s Own Apprehension or Prosecution, and third-degree Witness Tampering.
Chief Raymond Hayducka said, “The investigators were determined to follow all the leads and track down the person responsible for this fatal crash. This mom was just coming home from volunteering at a local theater company when this driver ran the red light and killed her. I appreciate all the work and dedication by the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office, PFC Sites, and our Traffic Safety Bureau on this case.”
Gaines-Little is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
A GoFundMe account was set up for the victim’s family –
https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-kerrilynn-shea-memorial-fund
January 29, 2024
TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN)–Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force collaborated with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas-Monmouth/Ocean Post of Duty (HIDTA/MOPOD) Group 5, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Patrol Division, Toms River Township Police Department Special Enforcement Unit, Toms River Township Police Department K-9 Unit, Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Manchester Township Police Department Narcotics Enforcement Team, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, to conduct a two month-long investigation into the distribution of illegal narcotics in the Ocean County area. This cooperative, multi-agency investigation identified Jireh Mathis, 27, and Tashawn McDonald, 23, both of Trenton, as being involved in the distribution of Heroin/Fentanyl and Cocaine in Ocean County.
In early December 2023, Detectives from the aforementioned law enforcement agencies established stationary and mobile surveillance on both Mathis and McDonald. On January 22, 2024, Detectives observed Mathis and McDonald arriving at the Green Meadow Apartment Complex in Toms River in a vehicle operated by Mathis. Mathis and McDonald both exited the vehicle, and they were approached by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force. As Detectives made contact with Mathis, he attempted to flee the scene but was subsequently apprehended and taken into custody. McDonald was taken into custody without incident. In a subsequent search incident to his arrest, Mathis was found to be in possession of approximately 500 wax folds of Heroin/Fentanyl and ten grams of Cocaine. In total, law enforcement seized approximately 1,500 wax folds of Heroin/Fentanyl and 25 grams of Cocaine throughout the course of the investigation.
Mathis was charged with Possession of More than One-Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, Possession of More than One-Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, Conspiracy to Distribute More than One-Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Heroin, Conspiracy to Distribute More than One-Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Cocaine, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Cocaine, and Resisting Arrest. Mathis is presently lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending trial.
McDonald was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute More than One-Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Heroin, and Conspiracy to Distribute More than One-Half Ounce but Less than Five Ounces of Cocaine. McDonald was served with the charges via summons pending an upcoming first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.
Prosecutor Billhimer commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Asset Forfeiture Unit, United States Drug Enforcement Administration – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas-Monmouth/Ocean Post of Duty (HIDTA/MOPOD) Group 5, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, New Jersey State Police Crime Suppression Unit, Toms River Township Police Department Patrol Division, Toms River Township Police Department Special Enforcement Unit, Toms River Township Police Department K-9 Unit, Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Manchester Township Police Department Narcotics Enforcement Team, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, for their combined and collective assistance in connection with this investigation.
The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6).
January 28, 2024
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Police say that on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 12:04 p.m. Trenton Police received a 9-1-1 call reporting a deceased male and female in a garage in the 900 block of Chambers Street. Officers arrived on scene and met with the caller who reported that he knows both the male and female as homeless from the area. He related that he had not seen the garage door open where they were staying for the last few days and decided to check on them. When he went into the garage, he discovered the pair deceased. An investigation into the circumstances was conducted and no foul play was believed to have occurred. The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office was contacted and took both individuals for autopsies to determine a cause of death. The identities of both the male and female are being withheld pending notification of family members. This is an active investigation.
File photo
January 26, 2024
LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–On Friday, January 26, 2024 at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Lawrence Township Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting smoke coming from a nearby neighbor’s residence at 175 Johnson Ave (Eggerts Crossing Village). Officers responded to find visible fire on the second floor of the home. The residents were not home at the time that the fire was reported.
There were no injuries, however the home sustained significant damage. The American Red Cross responded to the scene to aid the displaced family.
The fire was placed under control at 2:11 p.m. by Lawrence Township Fire Chief, Jack Oakley. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Lawrence Township Police Department, Lawrence Township Fire Marshal’s Office and the Mercer County Prosecutors Office.
Members of the Lawrence Township Fire Department were assisted by area fire departments from Hamilton Township, City of Trenton and Ewing Township.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Lawrence Township Police Detective Suzanne Girard at 609-844-7124 / [email protected]
January 26, 2024
EAST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER)–Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri and East Windsor Police Chief Jason A. Hart announced today that a man has been charged in connection with his father’s death.
Yu Chavarria, 23, is charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Chavarria pending trial.
East Windsor police responded to a residence on Twin Rivers Drive North at approximately 7:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, on a report of an unconscious male. Upon arrival, officers found a tenant of the property, identified as 58-year-old Edgar Chavarria, on the kitchen floor bleeding from the head and face. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation revealed that the father and son got into a verbal argument Thursday morning that turned into a physical altercation, with Yu Chavarria striking his father in the face multiple times with his fist and then once with his head.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force and the East Windsor Township Police Department, specifically MCHTF Detective Tim Bruey and East Windsor Detective Joe Zucchero.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Yu Chavarria, 23, is charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Chavarria pending trial.
Police investigating the death of 58-year-old Edgar Chavarria at his residence on Twin Rivers Drive North. His son Yu Chavarria, 23, is charged with the crime. Photos by: Dennis Symons
January 26, 2024
BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP, NJ (OCEAN)–Police say that NJ State Troopers responded at 5:00 p.m. January 25, 2024, to a motor vehicle crash on the Garden State Parkway south bound milepost 68.2, Barnegat Township, Ocean County. Based on a preliminary investigation George M Francis, a 34-year-old male of Lanoka Harbor, NJ was operating a Infiniti EX35 south on the GSP with front passenger Bridget Francis, a 34-year-old female of Lanoka Harbor, NJ and two rear seat passenger juveniles. In the area of milepost 68.2 the vehicle ran off the road to the right, traveled down an embankment and impacted a retaining wall and multiple trees. During the collision sequence the driver was ejected and sustained fatal injuries, the front passenger sustained serious injuries and the juveniles sustained no injuries. The crash remains under investigation and there is no additional information available.
January 25, 2024
ROBBINSVILLE – UPPER FREEHOLD, NJ — Around 4:27 p.m. a vehicle traveling south on Old York Road lost control and left the roadway in the 1300 Block of Old York Road near the curve in New Sharon and came to rest in wooded area near a creek on the Upper Freehold side of the roadway. Robbinsville Township Fire Department, EMS, Hope Fire Company of Allentown and Captial Health EMS and Paramedics responded to the scene. There were initial reports of entrapment and firefighters had the driver free in a few minutes. The driver was transported by EMS to Captial Health Regional Medical Center by Robbinsville EMS and Captial Health Paramedics. Robbinsville Township Police and New Jersey State Police were on scene. No further details are available.
January 25, 2024
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–State Farm has sent letters to policy holders in New Jersey that they are giving notice that they filed notice with New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance seeking a rate increase of 23.7% for the Private Passenger Automobile line of Business.
Under the filing policy holders with liability-only would see an average rate change of 24.8% increase. Full Coverage policies that include comprehensive and collision coverage will see a rate change of 23.5% increase.
The company stated in the letter received by policy holders that the rate increase is subject to review and approval by the Department of Banking and Insurance pursuant to law, and the request ultimately may not be approved or may not be approved for the full amount requested. If approved in whole or part, the rate change will not affect existing polices until renewal.
See letter from State Farm that went to NJ’s policy holders below:
State_Farm_Price_Increase_01252024Download
January 24, 2024
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX) – The Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at a South Brunswick, New Jersey, motel. A man sustained fatal injuries after exchanging gunfire with officers. His identity is not being released at this time.
According to the preliminary information, members of the United States Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Task Force, assisting the New York office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrived at the motel on Route 1 South in Monmouth Junction at approximately 2:05 p.m. to execute an arrest warrant for a suspect in several felony offenses. At approximately 2:47 p.m., the individual to be arrested exchanged gunfire with officers. The individual was pronounced deceased at approximately 4:29 p.m. Authorities recovered two firearms near the decedent. No officers were hit during the shooting.
This investigation is being conducted pursuant to Attorney General Directive 2019-4, which implements the statutory requirement that the Attorney General’s Office conduct the investigation of any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody, and which establishes clear standards and procedures for conducting such investigations.
The investigation is ongoing and no further information is being released at this time.
January 24, 2024
NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Around 3:35 p.m. today January 24, 2024, firefighters were detailed to 633 Nassau Street near Wilson Street and Rt 171 Georges Road for a fire at Dream Well Inc. Arriving firefighters found fire showing and immediatly called for a 2nd Alarm. With in a few minutes a 4th Alarm was called with fire showing all sides of the building and firefighters set up defensive operations on the large warehouse. Several tanker task forces, strike teams and multiple fire departments are operating on the scene. As of 7:15 p.m. the fire is now reported at 8-Alarms.
Fire departments and water tankers have responded from Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, Somerset, Ocean and Burlington Counties.
NJ Public Safety News Alerts
January 24, 2024-Updated January 25, 2024
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–Police are continuing to investigate a motor vehicle crash that occurred on January 24th shortly after 6:50am on Route 1 southbound just prior to New Road.
A 2009 Ford, being operated by a 54 year old man from North Brunswick working as an Uber driver, was travelling in the left lane of southbound Route 1 and was approaching New Road, when the driver abruptly changed lanes, striking a 2001 Mack dump truck stopped in traffic, being operated by a 52 year old man from South Brunswick.
The crash left the driver of the Ford in critical condition with serious injuries. His passenger, a 64 year old woman from Franklin Park who had been sitting in the back seat, suffered significant injuries. The driver of the dump truck suffered minor injuries. The occupants of the Ford were transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital by ambulance.
Due to the severity of the crash, Route 1 southbound was closed for several hours, causing significant traffic congestion in the area.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact PFC Jesse Blake of the South Brunswick Police Department’s Traffic Bureau at (732)329-4000 x7474.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–South Brunswick Police reported that there was a serious crash on Route 1 near New Road around 6:56 a.m. A Uber Driver ran into the back of a dump truck and both the passenger and driver were seriously injured. South Brunswick Police is investigating the crash.
Serious Crash – Rt 1 South near New Rd. At 6:56 AM, an Uber driver ran into the rear of a dump truck. Uber driver and passenger seriously injured. Traffic investigators remain on scene.#Traffic pic.twitter.com/ebHemkkDqy
— So Brunswick PD (@SoBrunswickPD) January 24, 2024
January 23, 2024 — Updated
EWING, NJ (MERCER)–Ewing police reported that around 7:11 p.m. tonight January 23, 2024, police responded to a structure fire with reported possible entrapment on Boone Avenue. Several police officers responded and observed flames coming from the residence. Officers attempted to make entry into the residence but were unsuccessful due to heavy smoke and heat. Ewing Fire Department – Station 30, West Trenton Volunteer Fire Department, and Prospect Heights Volunteer Fire Department responded and quickly extinguished the fire. Upon entry, a single adult victim was located and was pronounced deceased at the scene. A dog was also found deceased by the responding personnel.
Detectives from the Ewing Police Department Detective Bureau and detectives from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the fire. Police say that the cause and origin of the fire is unknown and the case is actively under investigation. The name of the victim is being withheld, pending notification to the next of kin.
Original MidJersey.news story below:
EWING, NJ (MERCER)–Fire officials and law enforcement investigators are currently on the scene investigating the cause of a serious house fire. Ewing Township career firefighters and volunteers from the West Trenton and Prospect Heights fire companies were dispatched at 7:12 p.m. this evening (Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024) to Boone Avenue, a couple blocks from Parkway Avenue, for a reported structure fire with an elderly resident believed to be trapped inside. Firefighters quickly arrived on the scene to find flames shooting from the front of the house. Hoselines were stretched to attack the flames and firefighters initiated a search of the smoke- and flame-filled house for the trapped resident. One person was reportedly located inside, however details about the extent of that person’s injuries were not immediately available. A ladder company and battalion chief from Trenton Fire Department was also called to the scene to stand by as a rapid intervention team until the fire was declared under control at 7:56 p.m. Investigators from the Ewing Fire Marshal’s Office, Ewing Police, and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating.
January 23, 2024
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported today that an investigation into online child exploitation has resulted in the arrest of a Trenton man.
Mouhamadou Ndiour, 19, is charged with one count of first-degree distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of first-degree possession with the intent to distribute CSAM and one count of second-degree possession of CSAM. The complaint alleges he knowingly possessed and distributed more than 1,000 items depicting the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child. The prosecutor’s office has filed a motion to detain Ndiour pending trial.
Detectives with the prosecutor’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit recently received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an individual in Mercer County was distributing items that portrayed the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child. An investigation was initiated and Ndiour was identified as a subject.
On Thursday, January 18, 2024, members of the Mercer County Tactical Response Team, with assistance from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations Trenton, executed a search warrant at Ndiour’s Trenton residence, where detectives seized multiple items of evidentiary value. Ndiour was taken into custody without incident.
First-degree crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
Prosecutor Onofri urged anyone with information about suspected improper contact by unknown persons communicating with children via the internet or possible exploitation or sexual abuse of children to please contact his Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit at (609) 989-6568 or the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force tip line at (888) 648-6007.
Despite having been charged, every defendant is presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Amid National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Decades-Old Mystery of East Windsor Teen’s Death Is Solved
April 26, 2023
EAST WINDSOR, NJ (MERCER) — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri announced that a collaborative, multi-agency investigation by the Mercer County Homicide Task Force in conjunction with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Cold Case Network and the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) has resulted in the conclusive identification of Nathaniel Harvey, formerly of East Windsor, as the individual responsible for the sexual assault and murder of Donna Macho in 1984. Harvey died in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton in November 2020.
Ms. Macho, 19, went missing from the East Windsor home where she resided with her parents and sisters on or about February 26, 1984. Her skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area in Cranbury, N.J., on April 2, 1995, and she was positively identified using dental records.
Throughout the initial and subsequent investigation by the East Windsor Township Police Department, with assistance from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, persons of interest were developed in the case. Harvey, who was arrested around the same time Ms. Macho went missing and held in connection with several sexual assaults as well as an unrelated murder in the Windsor/Plainsboro, N.J. area, was identified early on as a possible suspect, but investigative leads dissipated and the case went cold. During the commission of his crimes, prosecutors say Harvey typically entered unlocked homes, where he would hold captive and rape young women.
In February 2022, at the direction of Prosecutor Onofri, the case was presented to the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability’s Central Regional Cold Case Task Force, one of the task forces statewide that makes up the Cold Case Network, formed in 2019. The investigation was reopened.
All viable physical evidence was resubmitted to the NJSP Central Regional Laboratory, including DNA evidence and fingerprints. During the initial investigation police found Harvey’s semen in Ms. Macho’s bedroom. But DNA testing was less precise at the time, and the testing conducted on that evidence was unable to match the bodily fluid to one specific individual. The reinvestigation of the case, and reexamination of the evidence using present-day DNA technology, matched it to Mr. Harvey, and determined that his DNA was the only DNA evidence in the room that should not have been present.
Ms. Macho’s body was found in April 1995 in a wooded area by a farm that Harvey briefly worked at around the time of her disappearance. Her vehicle was found abandoned by a nearby sewer plant, within walking distance of Harvey’s residence.
Though the initial autopsy ruled Ms. Macho suffered a gunshot wound to her head, further examination of her remains by the Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office during this cold case investigation determined that, although it was clear a head injury caused the victim’s death, it was not conclusively a gunshot wound. The cause of death was amended to evidence of homicidal violence and Ms. Macho’s manner of death remained recorded a homicide.
Harvey was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with a different homicide in Middlesex County, and he remained incarcerated from the time of his arrest in 1985 until his death in 2020.
“By sharing personnel, expertise, and technological resources, the Central Regional Cold Case Task Force took a fresh look at this decades-old mystery and identified the suspect in this horrific crime,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “We are grateful Prosecutor Onofri referred this case to the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, and that all the agencies involved collaborated as a team to bring some resolution to the victim’s family. The life and the loss of Donna Macho was not forgotten, and this announcement illustrates the Cold Case Network will not relent in its pursuit of justice.”
“This case illustrates the importance and effectiveness of the Cold Case Network, and its ability to dedicate resources, including cutting-edge technology, to revive cold cases, apply previously unavailable tools to reexamine evidence and bring resolution to grieving families long haunted by unanswered questions,” said Carolyn Murray, Director of the Integrity Bureau of OPIA, which includes the Cold Case Network. “It also ensures with greater accuracy that the proper suspects are identified in connection with these cases, and those who are innocent are not falsely accused of criminal conduct.”
“Nearly 40 years have passed since the life of a 19-year-old was mercilessly stolen by a predator who discarded her remains in a shallow grave, leaving them unrecovered for more than 10 years,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Time does not erase the quest for justice, and although this murderer was imprisoned for another killing and died in custody in 2020, it does not make this conclusion any less meaningful. I applaud the Central Regional Cold Case Task Force and the State Police forensic scientists who were hopefully able to offer the slightest measure of consolation to the victim’s family after all these years.”
“All of the evidence that was viable to be tested has been tested and all leads have been exhausted,” said Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri. “After a comprehensive, cooperative investigation, cold case detectives were able to eliminate other potential suspects and are confident that Nathaniel Harvey is the perpetrator in the sexual assault and murder of Ms. Macho and the case is now closed.”
“I’m grateful to the Attorney General’s Office and the NJSP for the formation of the Cold Case Task Force,” said Prosecutor Onofri. “The technological and investigative resources made possible through this collaboration of law enforcement agencies are invaluable and allow us to bring some closure to families like the Machos after decades of questions and uncertainty.”
Attorney General Platkin and Prosecutor Onofri commended all of the Central Regional Cold Case Task Force’s participating agencies, including the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability under the leadership of OPIA Executive Director Tom Eicher, the New Jersey State Police, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
They also expressed their appreciation to the NJSP Office of Forensic Sciences, the NJSP Central Regional Laboratory, the Middlesex Regional Medical Examiner’s Office, the New Jersey Department of Corrections’ Special Investigations Division, and the East Windsor Township Police Department for their assistance.
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