April 24, 2024
TOMS RIVER, NJ (OCEAN)–Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on April 22, 2024, Olivia Paige, 35, of Toms River, pled guilty to Robbery before the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., in connection with an incident that occurred on August 29, 2023, in Lakewood Township. Additionally, Paige pled guilty to Possession of Cocaine in connection with an incident that occurred on January 11, 2023, also in Brick Township. Finally, Paige pled guilty to Aggravated Assault in connection with an incident that occurred on April 14, 2023, likewise in Lakewood. At the time of her sentencing on June 28, 2024, the State will be seeking a term of eight years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) – subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act – as to the Robbery charge, three years NJSP as to the narcotics offense, and 18 months NJSP as to the Aggravated Assault charge. The sentences are to run concurrently.
On August 29, 2023, Officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department were summoned to the area of Clifton Avenue for a reported robbery. Responding Officers determined that a female was sitting in her car on Clifton Avenue, when she was approached by a female suspect who brandished a knife and demanded money. The victim handed the suspect money, at which time the suspect fled the area. The Officers were able to ascertain a detailed description of the suspect. A short time later, the Officers located the suspect – later identified as Paige – at a nearby eatery. Paige was taken into custody without incident; she was searched incident to arrest, and found to be in possession of a five-inch utility knife. Paige was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where she has been detained since August 29, 2023.
On January 11, 2023, Officers from the Brick Township Police Department were summoned to a convenience store on Maple Avenue for a reported shoplifting. An investigation by responding Officers determined that Paige was responsible for taking items from the store without paying for them. Paige was located behind the store with the missing items, and taken into custody without incident. Paige was searched incident to arrest, and found to be in possession of cocaine. Paige was transported to the Ocean County Jail, and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
On April 14, 2023, Officers from the Lakewood Township Police Department were dispatched to the area of First Street for a report of a disorderly female. Responding Officers found that the female – later identified as Paige – was shouting profanities and acting in an erratic manner. As Officers attempted to subdue Paige, she spit in their faces. Paige was taken into custody, transported to the Ocean County Jail, and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Shanon Chant-Berry who handled these cases on behalf of the State, and commends the Lakewood Township Police Department and Brick Township Police Department for their efforts in connection with these investigations – leading to Paige’s guilty pleas, and soon her state prison sentence.
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April 24, 2024
FREEHOLD – An Asbury Park man who entered a stranger’s home in 2021, threatened and robbed two occupants at knifepoint, and sexually assaulted one of them has been sentenced to 40 years in state prison for the crime, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Wednesday.
Shawn Connolly, 37, was sentenced Tuesday by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Henry P. Butehorn, who also noted that the term is subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act, which mandates that 85 percent be served prior to the possibility of parole.
Shortly before 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, members of the Asbury Park Police Department responded to a home on 7th Avenue for a 911 call. Upon arrival, they immediately located Connolly and took him into custody without incident, recovering proceeds from the robbery in his pockets.
An investigation by members of the Prosecutor’s Office and the Asbury Park Police Department determined that shortly before the officers’ arrival, the two victims, an adult male and female, suddenly awoke to Connolly in their bedroom wielding a knife and threatening to harm them, having entered through a kitchen window. During the course of the robbery, the female victim was sexually assaulted by Connolly after he ordered the male to leave the room to retrieve cash; as he did so, the male victim also called 911 and left the line open.
Connolly was indicted in November 2021 before the case proceeded to trial in September 2023. Following a little more than two weeks of proceedings, the jury delivered guilty verdicts on charges of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, first-degree Armed Robbery, second-degree Burglary, second-degree Sexual Assault, third-degree Making Terroristic Threats, and three related weapons offenses. In accordance with his sentence, Connolly will also be required to register as a sex offender under Megan’s Law and remain subject to Parole Supervision for Life.
This case was tried by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Keri Schaefer and Christopher Ammon. Connolly was represented by John M. Murphy III, Esq., of Staten Island.
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April 24, 2024
FREEHOLD – A Monmouth County Grand Jury has returned a 52-count indictment against a former gas station attendant charged with stealing thousands of dollars from more than a dozen customers during the course of his work shifts, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced Wednesday.
Patrick A. Brown, 48, of Newark is charged with 13 counts apiece of third-degree Credit Card Fraud, third-degree False Uttering, third-degree Theft, and fourth-degree Credit Card Theft.
An investigation led by Sgt. Sean Foley of the Freehold Township Police Department revealed that the thefts took place during a limited amount of time in August 2023, with each following a similar pattern. Brown would accept a credit card or debit card from a customer at the Wawa on U.S. Route 9 North, then quickly swipe it through an attached device on his personal phone, funneling hundreds of dollars at a time into a bank account he controlled, before using the card to pay for the legitimate orders of gasoline.
Brown was criminally charged the same week as the report of the initial theft, then charged with more offenses as additional victims became known. His next appearance in Monmouth County Superior Court is scheduled for Monday, May 6.
Anyone with information about Brown’s activities, or anyone who believes they may have been victimized, is urged to contact Sgt. Foley at 732-252-1950 or [email protected].
This case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Fronk. Brown is being represented by Terence Van Dzura, Esq., with an office in East Brunswick.
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.
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April 24, 2024
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, couple was convicted today of forced labor and other crimes related to their coercive scheme to compel two victims to perform domestic labor and childcare in their home, harbor the victims knowing that they were unlawfully present in the United States and unlawfully confiscate the victims’ passports, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced.
Bolaji Bolarinwa, 50, was found guilty of two counts of forced labor, one count of alien harboring for financial gain and two counts of document servitude following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams in Camden federal court. The jury also convicted Isiaka Bolarinwa, 67, of two counts of forced labor and one count of alien harboring for financial gain. The defendants were each acquitted of a second count of alien harboring for financial gain.
“These defendants engaged in an egregious bait-and-switch, luring the victims with false promises of a life and an education in the United States, and instead subjected them to grueling hours, physical abuse and psychological abuse,” U.S. Attorney Sellinger said. “Forced labor and human trafficking are abhorrent crimes that have no place in our society, and I am grateful to our team of prosecutors, agents and support staff for ensuring that justice was done in this case.”
“The defendants exploited the victims’ trust and then inflicted physical and mental abuse against them, all so they could keep the victims working for their profit,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “Human trafficking is a heinous crime, and this verdict should send the very clear message that the Justice Department will investigate and vigorously prosecute these cases to hold human traffickers accountable and bring justice to their victims.”
“Imagine showing up in a foreign land, hoping for a better life, and ending up trapped with no place to go and no one to turn to for help,” FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy said. “The victims in this investigation suffered in unimaginable ways at the hands of their captors, enduring years of physical and mental abuse. Human trafficking often takes on many different forms and can hide in plain sight. I want to commend the agents and victim specialists who worked on this case, alongside our partners at the US Attorney’s Office. We want everyone to know if you or anyone you know is a victim – you can come to us for help. We will bring your tormentors to justice.”
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
From December 2015 to October 2016, Bolaji and Isiaka Bolarinwa – originally from Nigeria, but living in New Jersey as U.S. citizens – recruited two victims to come to the United States and then coerced them to perform domestic labor and childcare services for their children through physical harm, threats of physical harm, isolation, constant surveillance and psychological abuse. The defendants engaged in this venture knowing that both victims were out of lawful status while working in their home.
Once the first victim arrived in the United States in December 2015, Bolaji Bolarinwa confiscated her passport and coerced her through threats of physical harm to her and her daughter, verbal abuse, isolation and constant surveillance to compel her to work every day, around-the-clock for nearly a year. Isiaka was aware of his wife’s threats and abusive behavior toward the victim and directly benefited from the victim’s cooking, cleaning and childcare. The defendants then recruited a second victim to come to the United States on a student visa. When the second victim arrived in the United States in April 2016, Bolaji Bolarinwa similarly confiscated her passport and coerced her to perform household work and childcare but relied more heavily on physical abuse. On at least one occasion, Isiaka Bolarinwa also physically abused the second victim, and he was aware of his wife’s coercive, abusive behavior toward the second victim and directly benefited from her cleaning and childcare. The two victims lived and worked in the Bolarinwa home until October 2016, when the second victim notified a professor at her college, who reported the information to the FBI.
The defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each forced labor count. The defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the alien harboring count and Bolaji faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each unlawful document conduct count. They will also be required to pay mandatory restitution to the two victims and each face a fine on each count of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty verdict.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Bender for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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Defense counsel:Bolaji Bolarinwa: Jeff Zucker Esq., Camden
Isiaka Bolarinwa: Robert Gamburg Esq., Philadelphia
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