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Fentanyl, Crack Cocaine, Guns: 30 Busted At Newark Housing Complex
Thirty people were arrested on Wednesday, June 11, for their respective roles in a drug trafficking organization that sold large quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine in the Kretchmer Homes housing complex in Newark, authorities said.
The charges include conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 280 grams or more of cocaine, along with various firearms and narcotics offenses, US Attorney Alina Habba said.
As part of their extensive investigation, law enforcement learned that the organization, called the Frelinghuysen DTO, distributed large quantities of fentanyl and coca…
NJ Woman Pleads Guilty To Robbing Princeton Bank Using Water Pistol: Feds
A 39-year-old Skillman woman pleaded guilty on Monday, June 2 to robbing a bank in Princeton last year using a water pistol, authorities said.
On Sunday, July 28, 2024, Ciara Brascom entered the TD Bank and demanded cash from the teller, while holding what appeared to be a black handgun, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said.
During the robbery, Brascom threatened that she would use the gun if the bank’s alarm was activated, Habba said. The teller showed Brascom that his register was empty, so the teller and another employee took Brascom to a vault and gave her $60,500 in cash, according to a cri…
Former Family Services Caseworker, Kearny Resident, Who Possessed Child Porn Learns Fate: Feds
A 58-year-old Kearny resident was sentenced to more than nine years in prison on Thursday, May 22, after pleading guilty to possessing and transporting child pornography, authorities said.
Trent Collier previously worked as a caseworker for the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Division of Child Protection and Permanency, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said.
In September 2021, Collier arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport on a flight from the Dominican Republic, Habba said. Upon arrival, law enforcement searched Collier’s cellular phone and identified at least two images …
'Devil Is Coming': Trenton Man Who Threatened to Shoot White People Learns Fate, Feds Say
A 24-year-old Trenton man was sentenced to 15 months in prison on Thursday, May 22, after previously pleading guilty to making a social media post threatening to shoot white people, authorities said.
In December 2022, Joshua Cobb wrote on social media that he wanted to cause mayhem to the white community, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said.
"It is going to take place in 2023 in the state of New Jersey, I have not chosen a exact date but I am going to be sure it is close to an important holiday to their race," Cobb, who said as a Black man, white people wouldn't understand his struggles, wrote. …
Orange Pastor, Wife Enslaved Church Members For Sex, Labor: Feds
A pastor in Orange and his wife were arrested and charged on Wednesday, May 7, with forcing church members into forced labor, authorities said.
Treva Edwards, 60, and Christine Edwards, 63, face charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and forced labor in Newark federal court, US Attorney Alina Habba said.
The Edwards’ were founders and pastors of a church called Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost, operated out of an apartment building in Orange, Habba said.
Between 2011 and 2020, the Edwardses identified and recruited victims who were facing struggles in their lives to join the…
Four Robberies, Two Shootings: Jersey City Man Learns Fate After Wild Night
A 32-year-old Jersey City man was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison on Wednesday, April 23 after pleading guilty to committing four robberies and two shootings, all in the same evening, authorities said.
On Nov. 14, 2021, Rodney Williams robbed a store in Jersey City at gunpoint, US Attorney Alina Habba said. Soon after, Williams, accompanied by Siobhan Chandler, demanded money from a gas station, Habba said. When the attendants did not immediately comply, Williams shot one of the attendants in the chest before fleeing the scene, Habba said.
Williams and Chandler then robbed a third s…
Toms River Man Went To Norway For Sex With Minor, Then Bragged About It: Feds Say
A 28-year-old Toms River man was recently arrested and charged with traveling to Norway to have sex with a minor, authorities said.
From Dec. 1, 2023 through Dec. 10, 2023, Jacob Bauer traveled from the United States to Norway and had sex with a 14-year-old girl, US Attorney Alina Habba said.
After returning to the United States, Bauer communicated over social media platforms with the girl and others about his sexual activities with the 14-year-old, Habba said.
During those conversations, Bauer acknowledged the victim’s age and status as a minor, Habba said.
After members of an online com…
Fake ID Scheme, USPS Robberies, Bank Fraud: Penns Grove Man Learns Fate, Feds Say
A 25-year-old Salem County man was recently sentenced to more than 9 years in prison after he robbed two postal workers while committing bank fraud, authorities said.
From May 2018 through February 2020, Dezhon McCrae, a Penns Grove resident, was part of a scheme to obtain stolen checks from the mail and then use the checks to create counterfeit checks with the same routing and account numbers for deposit into area banks, U.S. Attorney John Giordano said, following his sentencing in Camden federal court.
McCrae's group posted advertisements on social media, seeking people who had bank …
Loaded Gun, Cocaine: Toms River Man Gets Lengthy Sentence, Feds Say
A 38-year-old Toms River man was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison on Wednesday, March 26, after pleading guilty to illegally possessing cocaine and a firearm, authorities said.
In 2020, Masta Redding was found to be in possession of cocaine on his person and in his residence, which he intended to distribute, U.S. Attorney John Giordano said. Redding, who had prior felony convictions, also possessed a Jiminez Arms pistol with six rounds of ammunition, Giordano said.
Redding admitted that sometime after he was arrested he paid another individual for, and then provided to t…
Convicted Child Rapist, Gang Members Arrested In Virginia After Illegally Reentering US: DOJ
A convicted child rapist, gang members, and repeat violent offenders are among six men facing charges in Virginia after being arrested for illegally reentering the US following multiple deportations, federal officials announced.
Erik Siebert, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said the men—who hail from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico—had been previously removed from the country, only to return and commit new crimes, including violent assaults, stabbings, and child abuse.
Among them is Carlos Alberto Sosa Horellana, a Honduran national convicted of raping a child…
Skillman Woman Robbed Princeton Bank Using Water Pistol: DOJ
A 39-year-old Skillman woman was arrested and charged with robbing a bank in Princeton last year using a water pistol, authorities said.
On Sunday, July 28, 2024, Ciara Brascom entered the TD Bank and demanded cash from the teller, while holding what appeared to be a black handgun, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna said.
During the robbery, Brascom threatened that she would use the gun if the bank’s alarm was activated, Khanna said. The teller showed Brascom that his register was empty, so the teller and another employee took Brascom to a vault and gave her $60,500 in cash, according t…
Trump Justice Department To Investigate January 6 Prosecutors
The Trump administration will investigate prosecutors who oversaw the criminal cases against Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack defendants, according to a brand-new report.
Earlier report - Trump Ends All Jan. 6 Cases With Pardons, Dismissals, Commutations, Signs Flurry Of Orders
Calling the probe a "special project," Ed Martin, the acting US Attorney for Washington, DC, asked prosecutors to turn over notes, documents, files emails and other information related to the cases in an email on Monday, Jan. 27, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Hours after being sworn in to a second non-consecuti…
Trenton Man Possessed Guns, Dealt Fentanyl, Cocaine: Feds
A 33-year-old Trenton man was arrested and charged this week with illegally possessing firearms and dealing fentanyl and cocaine, authorities said.
On Wednesday, May 15, police searched the apartment of Jose Colon-Matos, recovering two loaded firearms from a safe, including one with an obliterated serial number, large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and $9,000 in cash, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.
Colon-Matos was being a previously convicted felon in possession of two firearms, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and …
