Federal prosecutors interviewed Chris Christie in bridge scandal probe, report says

TRENTON — Federal prosecutors interviewed Gov. Chris Christie last month as part of the ongoing investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane closure controversy, according to a published report. The governor, who’s weighing a presidential campaign, met with prosecutors and the FBI for more than two hours, according to ABC news. The meeting took place at… Read the rest of this entry »

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Howell man gets 4 years in prison after crash that killed friend

FREEHOLD – Jacob Cannizzaro could not hide his emotions, his grief or his remorse as he stood in front of his family and the family of his friend Mark Chilton on Friday afternoon. On June 14, 2013, Cannizzaro lost control of the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt he was driving on Fort Plains Road in Howell Township. The… Read the rest of this entry »

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Arrest made in Asbury Park Murder

Tyreek Williams. Photo via facebook

Tyreek Williams, 24, of Asbury Park, was arrested today for the stabbing death of 19 year old Prize R. Johnson, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.

Williams was charged with first degree Murder, third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose and fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.  He is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $1,022,500 bail with no 10% option as set by Superior Court Judge  Honora O’Brien Kilgallen.

Asbury Park police responded to a 911 call around 9:58 p.m. on Monday Jan. 5, 2015, reporting a person had been stabbed on Ridge Avenue before arriving at the apartment.  Johnson was found inside Building 1, Apartment 53, at the Washington Village apartments, 1259 Washington Avenue, where he died from his injuries and was pronounced dead at 10:29 p.m.

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Man tried to remove air conditioner to break into Ocean Township apartment, police say

Maybe it’s not so bad to still have your air conditioners in your windows

OCEAN TOWNSHIP —A Toms River man tried to remove an air conditioner from the window of an Ocean Township apartment he was trying to burglarize, but his plans were foiled when he fell two stories, police said on Friday. Jamaar Jefferson, 23, was charged with attempted burglary after police determined he tried to break into an… Read the rest of this entry »

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Bellew’s Campaign Manager Gets PTI

Texas Gov Rich Perry and Dwayne Horner. Oct 2014 via facebook

Dwayne Horner, campaign manager for Leigh-Anne Bellew’s 2013 Bayshore Tea Party backed primary campaign against State Senator Joe Kyrillos, received an early Christmas present earlier this month when he was admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) Program.

The 45 year old resident of Little Elm, Texas woke up thousands of Monmouth County voters with a 4 am robo call on June 4, 2013 the morning of the primary election.  The call purported to be from the campaign of Kyrillos and his running mates Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon, informing Repbulican voters that the still had four hours to vote.  The calls were caller ID spoofed to falsely indicate that they came from a phone number owned by the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

Here is a recording of the call:

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South Jersey Man Gets 6 Hours In Jail For Shooting Hawks

Robert Losasso

Robert Losasso, a 70 year old Somers Point man, was sentenced to 6 hours in jail today on charges that the shot and killed or attempted to kill four species of hawk protected by federal law, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman announced.

Matthew Reilly, Deputy Public Affairs Officer for Fishman’s office laughed when we asked if Losasso could be released before lunch on good behavior.

Losasso admitted that he fatally shot or attempted to shoot red-tailed, sharp-shinned, red shouldered and Cooper’s hawks on several occasions. These species are among the tens of thousands of birds of prey that migrate every year from Canada along the Atlantic Flyway through New Jersey. Losasso also admitted that he didn’t have any permit to shoot the birds.

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Disbarred West Long Branch Attorney Gets Seven Years For Diverting Trust Funds

Eugene LaVergne

A disbarred West Long Branch attorney who was also an Independent candidate for U.S. Senate last month was sentenced to seven years in prison today following his conviction earlier this year on charges of withdrawing funds for personal use from a Court ordered a escrow account and for Contempt of Court, according to Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Eugene M. LaVergne, 50, was disbarred in November of 2012.  He was convicted in October of second-degree Misapplication of Entrusted Funds and fourth-degree Contempt of Court.

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Middletown Oxy Ring Busted

Suspended Doctor Caught Selling Forged Scripts for $300-$400

The Middletown Police Department in conjunction with investigators from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the State Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Affairs broke up a prescription drug enterprise Thursday night following a month long investigation, according to a statement by Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Dr. Kenneth Lewandowski

Dr. Kenneth Lewandowski, 51, of Tatum Dr , Middletown, was charged with six counts of third degree Conspiracy, six counts of third degree Forgery and the Unlawful Practice of Medicine, also a third degree crime.  He was held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $140,000 bail as set by Middletown Municipal Judge Richard Thompson.

Lewandowski’s medical license was temporarily suspended last April after he was arrested for DUI three times in the six weeks between February 14 and March 31.  His DUI arrests occurred in Middletown, Lakewood and Wall.  The Lakewood incident included an accident that resulted in injuries.  Lewandowski was charged with Assault by Auto in that case, according to the Order suspending his medical license.

Thomas Menendez, 50, of Geary Drive in Middletown is alleged to be Lewandowski’s partner in the criminal enterprise.  Menendez was charged with six counts of  third degree Conspiracy and six counts of third degree Forgery.  Judge Thompson set Menendez’s bail at $30,000.

Neither Lewandowski or Menendez are currently in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, according to APP’s Data Universe.

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Highlands Man Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Child Pornography

Layne Bracht, screen shot

Layne Bracht, 32 of Highlands, pleaded guilty in federal court in Camden today to one count as possession of child pornography, according to a statement by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

Bracht admitted that on Oct. 28, 2013, he knowingly placed images and videos depicting child sexual abuse into shared folders that others could access via a peer-to-peer network. Special agents of the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence in Highlands on Jan. 15, 2014 and seized digital evidence that contained numerous videos and images depicting child sexual abuse, including material involving prepubescent minors and sadistic or masochistic conduct. The digital evidence seized included three files previously downloaded from Bracht by law enforcement agents working in an undercover capacity on the peer-to-peer network.

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Colts Neck Teen Indicted in 2013 stabbing and carjacking

photo via facebook

Brennan Doyle, 17 of Colts Neck, was indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury on 6 charges related to a July 2013 stabbing and carjacking in the Township.

Doyle will be tried as an adult on charges of first degree Carjacking; first degree Attempted Murder; third degree Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose; fourth degree Unlawful Possession of a Weapon; third degree Hindering Apprehension of Oneself; and fourth degree Obstructing the Administration of Law according to a statement by Acting Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.  His name was not previously released due to the juvenile confidentiality statute.

Doyle was released after posting $760,000 bail with no 10 percent option, as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge James J. McGann, J.S.C.  Judge McGann also ordered Doyle to have no victim contact and no return to scene on all charges.

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