Category: CNB CRIME

Tyler Dralle, 22, and Kwamere Benjamin, 19, Convicted of Murder and Other Crimes

CAMDEN CITY NJ (January 24, 2020)–On January 23, 2020, a jury convicted Tyler Dralle, 22, and Kwamere Benjamin, 19, of Felony Murder, Murder, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary, Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose in connection with the murder of Deanna Scordo.  Assistant Prosecutor Peter Gallagher represented the State at trial.

Officers initially responded to a blueberry farm located at the 700 block of Bairdmore Avenue, in Winslow Township, shortly before 4:00 am on June 25, 2017, after receiving a 911 call from the victim’s father, stating that intruders had broken into his home and shot his daughter. On arrival, officers found Deanna Scordo lying on the floor of her bedroom. She had been shot three times and was pronounced deceased shortly thereafter. Detectives determined that the intruders had forced entry to the Scordo residence and, during the course of the home invasion, had stolen currency and property.

The extensive investigation was led by Sergeant Christopher Sarson and Detective Matthew Barber of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and Detective Nick Arnold and Detective Darren Dogostino of the Winslow Township Police Department and included numerous witness interviews and the forensic examination of physical evidence.  As a result, detectives were able to determine that Kwamere Benjamin and Tyler Dralle had committed the home invasion after conspiring to do so. Both defendants were charged felony murder and arrested in connection with the home invasion and shooting of Deanna Scordo.

The trial for both defendants commenced the week of November 17, 2019, and culminated with guilty verdicts on all counts for both defendants on January 23, 2020.

Sentencing hearings for Tyler Dralle and Kwamere Benjamin are scheduled for February 28, 2020, before the Honorable Frederick J. Schuck. Both men face up to life in prison.

Released Friday, January 24, 2020.

Officer Down: Police Officer Katie Thyne Dragged by a Vehicle Pinned Against a Tree

Police Officer Katie Thyne

Newport News Police Department, Virginia

End of Watch

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Police Officer Katie Thyne, age 24, died after being dragged by a vehicle while conducting an investigation.

Police Officer Thyne and her partner were investigating reports of drug activity when they approached a car along the 1400 block of 16th Street in Newport News. During the investigation, the driver sped off, dragging Police Officer Thyne for a block. The vehicle struck a tree, and Officer Thyne was pinned between the tree and the vehicle door.

Police Officer Thyne was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where she died from her injuries.

The driver of the vehicle was taken into custody and charged with felony homicide, evading and eluding, and possession of narcotics.

Police Officer Thyne served with the Newport News Police Department for approximately one year and had previously served with the United States Navy.

Police Officer Thyne is survived by her two-year-old daughter.

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published Gloucestercitynews.net | January 24, 2020

Mount Laurel Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Mount Laurel Police Chief Stephen Riedener announced that a 34-year-old Mount Laurel man has been charged with possessing child pornography.

Brian Horner, of the 200 block of Saint David Drive, was charged with one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Third

Degree).

The investigation began after the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit received information regarding Horner’s online activities from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The investigation revealed that Horner was utilizing a search engine to locate and view child pornography online. He was taken into custody at his residence following the execution of a search warrant on January 22. Electronic devices seized from his residence will be examined by detectives from the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit.

The case will now be prepared for presentation to a Burlington County Grand Jury for possible indictment. Horner will be prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Remy.

The investigation was conducted by the BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from United States Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill Office, the Mount Laurel Township Police Department and the Cinnaminson Township Police Department. The lead investigator was BCPO Detective Kevin Sobotka.

The Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit and the Cinnaminson Township Police Department are members of the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The BCPO also belongs to the New Jersey State Police Cyber Terrorism Task Force.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Camden City Drug Dealer Indicted for Causing Death of Customer

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a Camden drug dealer has been indicted for causing the death of a customer to whom he sold fentanyl-laced cocaine last year.

Marquese Smith, 22, of Baird Boulevard, was indicted on one count of Strict Liability for Drug-Induced Death (First Degree). The indictment was returned January 14 and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be scheduled soon in Superior Court.

The investigation began in June 2019 when officers from the Maple Shade Police Department responded to the Ryan Run West Apartment Complex and discovered the body of 33-year-old Kristi Ventura, who had fatally overdosed.

The Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded the cause of death was cocaine and fentanyl toxicity.

The investigation determined that the drugs used by the victim had been purchased from Smith, who has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly since his arrest in October.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Jeremy Lackey. The investigation was conducted by the Maple Shade Police Department and the BCPO Gang, Gun and Narcotics Task Force.

This is the second drug-induced death indictment the BCPO has announced this week.

Terrance D. Walker, 37, of Pemberton Township, was indicted January 9 on charges of Strict Liability for Drug-Induced Death (First Degree), Distribution of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Third Degree), two counts of Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (Third Degree) and two counts of Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance with Intent to Distribute (Third Degree).

Walker was charged in October with causing the death of a 21-year-old Pemberton Township woman by supplying the fentanyl-laced heroin that led to her fatal overdose in May 2019.

An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.

Ocean County Attorney George Gilmore Sentenced, Failed to Pay Taxes/Lied on Loan App

TRENTON, N.J. – George Gilmore, a partner at an Ocean County law firm, was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for his conviction on two counts of failing to pay over payroll taxes withheld from employees to the IRS and one count of making false statements on a bank loan application submitted to Ocean First Bank N.A., First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

On April 17, 2019, Gilmore, 70, of Toms River, New Jersey, was acquitted of two counts of filing false tax returns for calendar years 2013 and 2014; the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on one count of income tax evasion for calendar years 2013, 2014, and 2015. The verdicts were returned following a trial that began April 1, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson, who imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

Gilmore worked as an equity partner and shareholder at Gilmore & Monahan P.A., a law firm in Toms River, where he exercised primary control over the firm’s financial affairs. Because he exercised significant control over the law firm’s financial affairs, Gilmore was responsible for withholding payroll taxes from the gross salary and wages of the law firm’s employees to cover individual income, Social Security and Medicare tax obligations. For the tax quarters ending March 31, 2016, and June 30, 2016, the law firm withheld tax payments from its employees’ checks, but Gilmore failed to pay over in full the payroll taxes due to the IRS.

Gilmore also submitted a loan application to Ocean First Bank containing false statements. On Nov. 21, 2014, Gilmore reviewed, signed, and submitted to Ocean First Bank a Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) to obtain refinancing of a mortgage loan for $1.5 million with a “cash out” provision that provided Gilmore would obtain cash from the loan. On Jan. 22, 2015, Gilmore submitted another URLA updating the initial application. Gilmore failed to disclose his outstanding 2013 tax liabilities and personal loans that he had obtained from others on the URLAs. Gilmore received $572,000 from the cash out portion of the loan.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Thompson sentenced Gilmore to three years of supervised release.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, special agents with U.S. Attorney’s Office under the direction of Supervisory Special Agent Thomas Mahoney, and special agents of the FBI Red Bank Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

The government is represented by Deputy U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Skahill; Assistant U.S. Attorney Jihee G. Suh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division; and Trial Attorney Thomas F. Koelbl of the U.S. Department of Justice – Tax Division.

Defense counsel: Kevin H. Marino Esq., Chatham, New Jersey

Former Carlisle Police Detective And FBI Task Force Officer Indicted

HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Guido Modano of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s New York Field Office announced that Christopher Collare, age 52, currently a resident of Blythewood, South Carolina, was indicted by a federal grand jury for bribery, drug distribution, fraud, and making false statements.

The indictment alleges that Collare, who was a veteran detective for the Carlisle Police Department, a task force officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and a member of the Cumberland County Drug Task Force, used his official position to obtain sex from two women in exchange for agreeing to take actions in prosecutions.  In 2015, Collare allegedly agreed to accept sex or money in exchange for not appearing at an evidentiary hearing so that a criminal charge would be dismissed.  In 2018, Collare allegedly agreed to accept sexual favors in exchange for taking steps to help reduce a potential sentence.

The indictment also alleges that Collare distributed heroin in 2016, and that he defrauded the Borough of Carlisle and the Cumberland County Drug Task Force between 2011 and 2018 by providing confidential informants with drugs and allowing informants to retain drugs that they had obtained during controlled buys.

The indictment further alleges that Collare lied on a federal form he completed during the process of becoming an FBI task force officer, and that he made multiple false statements in an interview with federal agents in May 2018.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler was designated United States Attorney for this case because United States Attorney David J. Freed recused himself.  Mr. Freed was previously the District Attorney for Cumberland County and worked with Collare.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlo D. Marchioli and Phillip J. Caraballo and Trial Attorney James I. Pearce of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.

Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The maximum penalty under federal law ranges from 10 years to 20 years on the bribery-related counts, 20 years on the drug distribution count, 20 years on each of the fraud-related counts, and 5 years on each of the false statement counts.  There is also a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant\’s educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at

www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years

.

Anderson Diaz, 22, of Camden City, Charged with Murder

CAMDEN CITY, NJ –On January 23, 2020, Anderson Diaz, 22, of Camden, was charged with Murder, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, and Certain Persons Not to Have a Weapon for the murder of Michael Edwards, according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and

Camden Police Chief Joseph Wysocki.

At approximately 12:54 a.m. on January 11, 2020, Camden County Police responded to a ShotSpotter activation and reports of a possible shooting near the 500 block of Pfeiffer Street in Camden. When officers arrived, they located the victim, Michael Edwards, lying unresponsive on the 400 block of Pfeiffer Street, suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he died a short time later.

Anderson Diaz is currently being held in the Camden County Jail on an unrelated matter pending a pretrial detention hearing.

All persons charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Released Friday, January 24, 2020.

Cherry Hill Man Charged with Pos. of Child Porn

CHERRY HILL NJ –Robert Hammond, 68, of Cherry Hill, was charged with one count of Possession of Child Pornography according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan.

On January 24, 2020, detectives from the High-Tech Crimes Unit (HTCU) of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and Members of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Cherry Hill Office executed a search warrant for Robert Hammond’s residence on the 500 block of Murray Avenue in Cherry Hill. An onsite preview of digital media devices found in the home resulted in Hammond being charged. Numerous digital devices were taken to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office’s HTCU forensic lab to be further analyzed.

Robert Hammond was transported to the Cherry Hill Police Department, where he was processed and released pending further court proceedings.

The Cherry Hill Police Department, Cherry Hill Police Department Tactical Response Team and a New Jersey State Police Electronic Storage Detection K9 assisted the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office HTCU Detectives and HSI-Cherry Hill in this investigation.

The investigation is ongoing.

All persons charged with crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Nutley Man Pleads Guilty To Causing Fatal Crash in Mt. Laurel While Impaired

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 26-year-old Nutley man pled guilty yesterday in Superior Court to being intoxicated when causing the death of another motorist during a 2018 collision on Route 73 in Mount Laurel.

Under an agreement with the Prosecutor’s Office, William Dunbar pled guilty to Aggravated Manslaughter (First Degree) in exchange for a sentence of 10 years in New Jersey state prison. The Hon. Philp E. Haines, J.S.C. scheduled sentencing for May 14.

The investigation revealed that Dunbar was driving northbound at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour when he crashed into the rear of another vehicle traveling in the same direction near Church Road on August 19, 2018.

The driver of the vehicle that was struck, Christopher Pappas, 34, of Howell, New Jersey, was pronounced dead at the scene. The force of the impact caused his car to overturn and strike a utility pole before coming to rest. Neither vehicle had passengers.

Dunbar, who is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Douglas J. Bligh, indicated when entering his plea that he had been drinking alcohol at a concert earlier in the day. Dunbar did not dispute the results of toxicology tests which determined his blood alcohol content was .16 percent shortly after the crash.

The investigation was conducted by the Mount Laurel Police Department, with assistance from the Prosecutor’s Office and New Jersey State Police. The lead investigator was Mount Laurel Police Sergeant Nicholas DiGirolamo.

Pedestrian Killed Walking On Williamstown Road Crossing AC Expressway Bridge

WINSLOW TOWNSHIP NJ (January 23, 2020)–An adult male pedestrian was walking on Williamstown Road crossing the Atlantic City Expressway bridge,

when he was struck by an unknown vehicle.

The vehicle that struck the pedestrian fled the scene towards Monroe Township.

The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he passed away.

The accident occurred on 01/22/2020 at 10:34 Pm.

If anyone has any information about the accident, please contact Winslow Officer Rich Saunders, 609-567-0700 Ext. 1196 or Camden County Prosecutors Office Detective Rowand 856-225-8514.

The victim\’s name is being withheld until notification to his family.