April 11, 2022
Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a New York man who purchased a historic Riverside Township commercial building to create luxury apartments has transferred ownership of the property and paid nearly $670,000 to clear liens and cover taxes, a move that will allow work on the seven-story landmark to resume under a new developer.
The move came in conjunction with the sentencing on April 6 of Raphael S. Weiss, 61, of Brooklyn, on charges of Computer Related Activity (Second Degree) and Forgery (Third Degree) in exchange for a suspended five-year sentence.
Weiss, who pled guilty in January, admitted to using the credentials of a potential subcontractor to fraudulently gain approval for electrical permits from the township construction office.
“We are pleased that the defendant has accepted responsibility for his crimes and more importantly, that Riverside soon will be able to move forward with this project with a responsible developer,” Prosecutor Coffina said after Weiss entered his guilty plea. “We know how important the Keystone Watch Case Co. is to Riverside’s past, present and future, and look forward to seeing this beautiful building brought back to life, and the positive impact it will have on this community.”
The investigation began in 2020 after a contractor who was negotiating with Weiss to be the electrical subcontractor on the Keystone Watch Case Co. building redevelopment project noticed that electrical work had begun at the North Pavilion Avenue site, even though no formal agreement had been finalized and he had not applied for any permits.
After being denied access to the construction site by Weiss, the electrician went to the township construction office and was told that 36 permits had already been issued in his name, and in the name of his business, for work to be done at the property.
Further examination revealed that the electrician’s signature had been forged on the permits, which were applied for by Weiss, and a counterfeit version of the contractor’s state-issued embossing seal had been used to make an imprint.
The investigation revealed that Weiss initiated the scheme as a way to reduce construction costs by fraudulently utilizing the credentials of the licensed electrician to obtain the necessary permits, then hiring unlicensed, unqualified laborers to complete the work at a much less expensive rate.
Not only was the action illegal, but it also jeopardized the safety of the project, as demonstrated by the fact that the electrical work completed after the fraudulent permits were obtained failed to pass inspection.
The Keystone Watch Case Co. building was constructed in 1908 and manufactured gold cases for watches. The company employed more than 1,000 employees in 1918, making it the largest watch case manufacturer in the world. The business was treasured as a strong engine in the local economy, with many employees living close enough to walk to work.
The company closed in 1956, and the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It was purchased in 2016 by Brooklyn-based SimShabs Capital Partners LTD, of which Weiss is owner and president.
The plans submitted by Weiss to Riverside Township indicated that the iconic landmark, which has a prominent, highly visible clock tower rising above the roofline, would be converted into 64 luxury apartments.
Weiss was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy, supervisor of the BCPO Financial Crimes Unit, and Assistant Prosecutor Andrew McDonnell, supervisor of the BCPO Insurance Fraud Unit.
The investigation was conducted by detectives from the BCPO Financial Crimes Unit and the Riverside Township Police Department. The lead investigators are BCPO Detective Nicholas Schieber and Riverside Lt. Louis Fisher.
2022-43 Keystone Watch Case Co. Building Sentencing
Raphael S. Weiss, 61, of Brooklyn
A New York man who purchased a historic Riverside Township commercial building to create luxury apartments has transferred ownership of the property and paid nearly $670,000 to clear liens and cover taxes, a move that will allow work on the seven-story landmark to resume under a new developer. The move came in conjunction with the sentencing on April 6 of Raphael S. Weiss, 61, of Brooklyn, on charges of Computer Related Activity (Second Degree) and Forgery (Third Degree) in exchange for a suspended five-year sentence. Weiss, who pled guilty in January, admitted to using the credentials of a potential subcontractor to fraudulently gain approval for electrical permits from the township construction office.
Developer Faces Criminal Charges over Riverside Watch Case Project
April 11, 2022
TRENTON, NJ (MERCER)–According to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, on March 3, 2022 at 4:38 a.m. the Trenton Police Department responded to a domestic dispute on Southard Street. When officers arrived, they found an elderly female, later identified as the victim Helen Nelson, 73, unconscious. An investigation revealed she was assaulted by Jermaine Picott, 48. After assaulting Nelson and another female victim, Picott fled the location.
Picott was charged by Trenton Police Department with Simple Assault (Domestic Violence), Theft (Domestic Violence), Aggravated Assault, and Criminal Attempt-Murder. He was apprehended on March 10 and has been in the Mercer County Corrections Center since.
Helen Nelson died as a result of her injuries on March 28 and the Homicide Task Force charged him with murder.
Names of the 2022 homicide victims in the City of Trenton:
- 2/15/2022 Antwone Barnes, 37, of Trenton, Stabbing
- 2/23/2022 Leonardo Fernandez, 32, of Trenton, Stabbing
- 3/01/2022 Shimon Nesmith Jr., 19, of Trenton, Shooting
- 3/03/2022 Helen Nelson, 73, of Trenton, Physical Assault
- 3/15/2022 Albert L. Barnes, 46, of Trenton, Shooting
- 3/25/2022 Sequoya Bacon-Jones, 9, of Trenton, Shooting
- 3/31/2022 Tahaad Goss, 16, of Trenton, Shooting *Under Investigation*
- 4/07/2022 Jaquir Queen, 26, of Willingboro, Shooting
- 4/09/2022 Leroy Davis, 31, of Trenton, Shooting
*Under investigation the official cause is unclear and has not been released yet.
Council severs ties with private organization, leaves City scrambling to fill the void
April 11, 2022
TRENTON, N.J. – Today, Mayor W. Reed Gusciora sent a letter to Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver in her capacity as head of the State Department of Community Affairs asking for State assistance and intervention in animal shelter understaffing. The City Council voted down a vendor contract last week with Trenton Animals Rock (TAR), leaving the City without staffing in several key positions.
“TAR has been instrumental in our status of operating a ‘no-kill’ shelter, which is now in jeopardy,” Mayor Gusciora said in his letter to Lt. Gov. Oliver. “I have determined that a resolution to this matter requires utmost urgency for the sake of the animals embraced under the care of the City of Trenton animal shelter.”
Prior to Council’s action, TAR was supplementing City staff by providing veterinarian care (through a subcontractor), dog walkers, adoption services, community outreach, vet tech support, and training.
“While the Council Members who voted to reject the continuation of TAR’s services felt City employees and/or our four (4) animal control officers could now immediately perform such duties, this is simply not true,” Gusciora continued in his letter. “Moreover, this would require us hiring additional staff as well as contracting out for veterinarian services, an occurrence that is unlikely given our budgetary constraints and necessity for DCA’s approval under our MOU.”
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April 11, 2022
A month-long investigation into narcotics distribution in the Trenton area has culminated with the arrest of a Trenton man and the seizure of $212,500 in heroin, Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri reported.
On Tuesday, April 7, 2022, as part of an ongoing investigation being conducted by members of the Mercer County Narcotics Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, detectives conducted a motor vehicle stop of a white Acura TL belonging to Dionys Rivas as it exited the New Jersey Turnpike at exit 7A in Robbinsville Township. Rivas, 33, was driving the vehicle and his girlfriend, Rosilenny DeJesus, was in the front passenger seat. Both were detained without incident. A search of the vehicle revealed 425 bricks of heroin inside a gym bag in the trunk. A subsequent search of Rivas’ residence on South Clinton Avenue revealed 10 grams of cocaine.
Rivas and DeJesus, 22, were each charged with numerous narcotic offenses, including first-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and first-degree possession with the intent to distribute. The prosecutor’s office has filed motions to detain both Rivas and DeJesus pending trial.
According to Prosecutor Onofri, the street value of the confiscated heroin is approximately $212,500 and the cocaine is approximately $1,000.
Despite having been charged, all persons are presumed innocent until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Rivas and DeJesus, 22, were each charged with numerous narcotic offenses, including first-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and first-degree possession with the intent to distribute. The prosecutor’s office has filed motions to detain both Rivas and DeJesus pending trial.
April 11, 2022
FREEHOLD – Three men have been arrested and criminally charged in connection with a sexual assault that took place earlier this month at a residence in Marlboro Township, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey announced Monday.
Andrew J. Gallucci, of Marlboro, Richard S. Gathy, of Manalapan, and Ronald W. Hondo, of Monroe Township (Middlesex County), each 24 years of age, are all charged with first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, second-degree Sexual Assault, and third-degree Criminal Restraint.
An investigation by members of the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Bureau and the Marlboro Township Police Department revealed that on the night of Saturday, April 2, the three defendants gathered at a Marlboro Township bar, where they met the victim, an adult female, for the first time. Later on in the evening, the investigation revealed, the defendants brought the victim back to Gallucci’s residence, where they allegedly restrained her against her will in a bedroom and repeatedly sexually assaulted her.
All three men were taken into custody on Friday, April 8 and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI) in Freehold Township pending detention hearings to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court.
“This was a disturbingly coordinated and predatory attack,” Acting Prosecutor Linskey said. “We commend the courage of the victim in coming forward to report what happened to her, and we look forward to bringing those responsible to justice.”
Investigators are actively seeking additional information about the activities of these three defendants, and photos of each are being distributed along with this press release. Anyone with any information is urged to please contact Detective Kayla Santiago of the MCPO Special Victims Bureau at 732-431-7160, Ext. 3588, or Marlboro Township Police Department Detective Ed Ungrady at 732-536-0100.
Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can submit a tip to the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling their confidential telephone tipline at 1-800-671-4400; by downloading and using the free P3 Tips mobile app (available on iOS and Android – https://www.p3tips.com/1182), by calling 800-671-4400, or by going to the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.
This case has been assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Cummings of the Office’s Special Victims Bureau. Gallucci is being represented by Yan Katsnelson, Esq., while Gathy and Hondo are being represented by Mario Gallucci, Esq., both attorneys with offices on Staten Island.
If convicted, these defendants would face up to 20 years imprisonment on the Aggravated Sexual Assault charges, up to 10 years on the Sexual Assault charges, and up to 5 years on the Criminal Restraint charges. In addition, the defendants would be subject to Parole Supervision for Life and required to register under Megan’s Law.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendants have all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
Andrew J. Gallucci, of Marlboro, Richard S., of Manalapan, and Ronald W. Hondo, of Monroe Township (Middlesex County), each 24 years of age, are all charged with first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, second-degree Sexual Assault, and third-degree Criminal Restraint. 
Ronald W. Hondo of Monroe Township (Middlesex County) 
Richard S. Gathy, of Manalapan 
Andrew J. Gallucci, of Marlboro
Andrew J. Gallucci, of Marlboro, Richard S. Gathy, of Manalapan, and Ronald W. Hondo, of Monroe Township (Middlesex County), each 24 years of age, are all charged with first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, second-degree Sexual Assault, and third-degree Criminal Restraint.
April 11, 2022
TRENTON (Mercer) – City firefighters had their hands full this afternoon (Monday, April 11) as they responded to back-to-back fires in a high-rise apartment building and an elementary school. It was shortly before 12:55 p.m. when the first fire was reported in the Cathedral Square apartment building at 26 West Hanover Place. Initially it was reported as a fire alarm activation but was upgraded to a structure fire following reports of a fire on the second floor of the six-story building. Dispatched were Engines 10, 1 and 8, Ladders 1 and 4, Rescue 1 and Battalion 8. After firefighters arrived and confirmed a working fire, the balance of the first alarm was dispatched – Engine 3, Ladder 2, Special Services 1 and Battalion 7. Firefighters made quick work of the blaze. The bulk of the fire was reported to be knocked down prior to 1:10 p.m. and the blaze was officially declared under control at 1:22 p.m. Shortly before 1:30 p.m., while companies were still operating at the first fire on West Hanover Place, another fire was reported inside the Mott Elementary School at 45 Stokely Avenue. All remaining city fire companies – Engines 7, 6 and 9, along with Battalion 10 – responded. Engine 3, Ladder 2, and Rescue 1 were also released from the scene of the West Hanover Place blaze to respond to the school. Firefighters arrived to find a heavy smoke condition on the third floor of the school. The smoke was traced to a trash can fire in a boys’ bathroom. The fire was quickly extinguished before it could spread. An ambulance was called to the scene to treat a teacher who reportedly suffered some smoke inhalation.
The causes of both blazes remain under investigation. In the case of the school fire, investigators from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office and the State Fire Marshal’s Office were called out to assist with the probe.
Cathedral Square fire photos by: Brian McCarthy OnScene News
