Category: CNB CRIME

ICE HSI Nogales exposes drug tunnel

ICE\’s HSI special agents and taskforce officers on BEST executed a federal search warrant late Tuesday night and discovered a tunnel along the U.S. Mexico border, seizing nearly 200 lbs. of methamphetamine, almost two pounds of white heroin, close to three pounds of cocaine, over six and a half pounds of fentanyl, in addition to arresting two individuals and seizing one vehicle.

NOGALES, Ariz. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and taskforce officers on the Border

Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) executed a federal search warrant late Tuesday night and discovered a tunnel along the U.S. Mexico border, seizing nearly 200 lbs. of methamphetamine, almost two pounds of white heroin, close to three pounds of cocaine, over six and a half pounds of fentanyl, in addition to arresting two individuals and seizing one vehicle.

The tunnel that runs from the residence on North Morley to the IOI measures eight feet deep and stretches 82 feet (entry to breach of the IOI). The IOI is a gravity wastewater pipeline that runs from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico to Rio Rico, Arizona. The reinforced passageway features a sophisticated ventilation system equipped with tubing reinforced by several 2 x 4\’s and beams allowing for crawlspace. Special agents estimate the tunnel has been in existence for a few months due to the advanced construction and material used to excavate.

\”It comes at no surprise that HSI special agents on the BEST and those on the Joint Port Enforcement Group (JPEG) dismantled an operational drug tunnel along the border,\” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix. \”As this investigation makes clear, we remain focused on exposing border crime and combatting the cartels\’ increasingly unabashed underground smuggling tactics.\”

The investigation began earlier this year when investigators received information that a drug trafficking organization was smuggling large quantities of narcotics through the IOI. As the investigation progressed, HSI special agents obtained evidence to present to a federal judge for a search warrant. That evening, while executing the search warrant, agents uncovered the receiving end of the tunnel.

Those arrested, Jovany Robledo-Delgado and Jesus Martinez Selgado, both citizens of Mexico, were presented to the U.S. Attorney\’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson on charges of possession and conspiracy to distribute hard narcotics. They were initialed in federal court Wednesday afternoon.

The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Past Mt. Laurel Day Care Director Indicted for Taking $64,544 from Employer

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 31-year-old Clementon woman was indicted today for stealing nearly $65,000 from a Mount Laurel day care

center where she was employed as the director.

Ashley Offenbacker, (photo) of the 300 block of White Horse Pike, was indicted by a grand jury on one count of Theft by Failure to Make Disposition (Second Degree). The indictment was returned today and signed by Prosecutor Coffina. An arraignment will be scheduled soon in Superior Court.

The investigation revealed that Offenbacker, who was responsible for enrollment and billing at Kiddie Academy, instructed several parents to submit tuition payments to her in cash instead of utilizing the business’s online billing system.

She is accused of taking $64,544 from 14 families between November 2017 and January 2019.

The case was presented to the grand jury by Assistant Prosecutor Melissa O’Mara. The investigation was conducted by the Mount Laurel Police Department. The lead investigator was Mount Laurel Police Detective Thomas Corsanico.

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

Authorities Say Deaths of Burlington Township Couple was a Murder-Suicide

BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ–Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina and Burlington Township Public Safety Director Bruce Painter announced that the deaths of a man and woman who lived together in an apartment complex on Salem Road have been ruled a murder-suicide.

The investigation revealed that Tianna Drummond, 28, was fatally beaten by Kristopher Corry, 30, who then shot himself in the head. Their bodies were discovered the morning of January 2 inside of their unit at the Willow Pointe Apartments just after 9 a.m.

Autopsies performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood determined that Drummond’s death was a homicide and Corry’s was a suicide.

Burlington Township police officers had gone to the residence at the request of a neighbor who heard the couple arguing.

The case was investigated by detectives from the Burlington Township Police Department and the Prosecutor’s Office.

Gloucester Township PD Request Public to Register Security Cameras

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP NJ (January 6, 2020)–The Gloucester Township Police Department is requesting residents, businesses, and organizations that have security cameras in place on their property to complete a short registration form.

The registration does not give the Gloucester Township Police Department access to your camera system, and only allows our agency to maintain a data base reference of active cameras in the event a crime occurs in the area. For example if a burglary occurs down the street from your property, we would know your camera may have captured an image of a vehicle or suspect that could connect us to the suspects involved in the burglary. A detective would be able to contact you and ask to review the footage in hopes of identifying a suspect description or any information that can help the case.

Registration is voluntary and there is no cost associated with registration. You can check out https://gtpolice.com/gloucester-township-police-camera-program/

Address/Location

Gloucester Township Police Department

1261 Chews Landing Rd

Gloucester Township, NJ 08021

Contact

Emergency: 9-1-1

Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500

Two Delaware Men Arrested on Drug and Weapon-Related Charges

Jamar Smith and Joseph B. Coverdale

DOVER (Jan. 6, 2020) – DNREC’s Delaware Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit arrested two Wilmington men Dec. 31 and charged them with numerous drug- and weapon-related crimes after a traffic stop on Route 1 southbound led to discovery of crack cocaine in their possession. One of the men arrested had multiple warrants outstanding with the Wilmington Police Department, including first-degree robbery, carrying a concealed deadly weapon, and resisting arrest.

After pulling over the vehicle and making contact with the driver, Jamar Smith, 30, and passenger Joseph B. Coverdale, a DNREC ECU officer detected an odor of marijuana. An ECU search of the vehicle and the two occupants yielded 27.39 grams of crack cocaine and 1 gram of marijuana.

In connection with the traffic stop, Smith was charged by DNREC ECU with one count each of the following: manufacture/delivery of, or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a tier 3 quantity; conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct; possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity of marijuana; possession of marijuana, and failure to signal continuously when moving right, left, or turning.

In connection with the traffic stop, Coverdale was charged with one count of each of the following: manufacture/delivery of, or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a tier 3 quantity; tampering with physical evidence; conspiracy second degree – agreement to engage in felony criminal conduct; possession of drug paraphernalia not related to personal use quantity of marijuana; and possession of marijuana. Coverdale had multiple warrants outstanding with the Wilmington Police Department for the following charges: robbery first degree; possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony; carrying a concealed deadly weapon – firearm; conspiracy first degree; burglary second degree; and resisting arrest.

Following the traffic stop and initial charges, the Delaware State Police Governor’s Task Force and Delaware Probation and Parole conducted a search of a residence on Deville Circle in Wilmington that yielded 11 bags of heroin and a loaded 9-mm handgun.

In connection with the Deville Circle residential search, Smith was also charged by Delaware State Police with one count each of the following: possession, purchase, own or control of a deadly weapon, semi-automatic weapon, or automatic weapon by a person prohibited, who also possesses a controlled substance; possession, purchase, own or control of a firearm/destructive weapon if previously convicted of two violent felonies on separate occasions; possession, purchase, own or control of a firearm or ammunition by a person prohibited due to a prior violent crime or felony conviction; and possession or consumption of a controlled or counterfeit substance except human growth hormone without a prescription; and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child by committing a Title 16offense with a child in the dwelling.

Both men were video-arraigned by Justice of the Peace Court 7 in Dover. Smith was committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown on $26,226 secured bond. Coverdale was committed to the same facility on $78,400 cash bond.

Delawareans are encouraged to report environmental violations to DNREC’s Natural Resources Police Environmental Crimes Unit by calling the 24-hour environmental complaints line at 800-662-8802.

UCR Metrics for the City of Camden Released

(Camden City , NJ) – The Camden County Police Department finished 2019 with reductions in part one categories of violent crime. This amounts to an aggregate 3 percent drop over 2019 for violent crime accounting for 1,161 incidents. In addition, this represents a 42 percent decrease compared to 2012 UCR numbers for violent crime.

The numbers also represent a historic drop in total UCR crime – both violent and nonviolent – going back to the late 1960s. Last year, the city logged 3,305 total crimes compared to 10,724, during the first year we have on record for UCR data, 1974, representing a 69 percent reduction.

Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. talked about the improvements to the quality of life in the city and the commitment to community policing that has spearheaded much of the changes.

“This was another year of tangible progress by the men and women in the Camden County Police Department. It’s because of them that we have seen the transformation throughout the city and it’s been their commitment and dedication to the community that has bridged the divide that existed with residents,” Cappelli said. “When we started this endeavor, Camden had significant challenges. Now, we have decreased murders to a level that has not been seen since the mid-80s and reduced total crime to levels we haven’t seen since the 1960s.”

Throughout last year, several changes took place in the department from the promotion of a new chief to the adoption of a new use of force guideline that was nationally recognized. In addition, the department installed a new virtual training mechanism for de-escalation and continued a strategy grounded in the tenets of community policing, mutual respect and the preservation of life.

Mayor Frank Moran talked about the overall improvements to the city that the department has made for children and families.

“Public safety remains a priority here in Camden,” Moran said. “As elected officials, we have an obligation to make sure our community is safe.  Through collaboration and thanks to the dedicated effort of the Camden County Police Department, Camden is safer than it has been in decades. As Mayor and a lifelong resident, there is a noticeable change as the quality of life has continued to improve citywide.  Whether it’s reductions in crime, increased economic growth or improved educational outcomes, Camden is realizing sustained progress.”

Since the county police department was stood up more than six years ago, the city has experienced unprecedented private and public investment, more than $2.5 billion, from new corporate campuses, academic buildings and park construction. Furthermore, according to the U.S. Census Bureau the poverty rate has decreased by 14 percent since 2013, the job rate growth led the nation in 2017 and the high school dropout rate has been cut in half since 2013. Furthermore, Rutgers-Camden has ushered in its largest student body ever, unemployment is at a 30-year low and more than $53 million is being invested into the city’s infrastructure this fiscal year.

After 50 years of disinvestment and disenfranchisement, starting in 1967 with the closing of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden has been incrementally moving forward and becoming a beacon of hope and change for the region.

“This agency continues to provide the guardianship our community needs to feel safe when they go to the park or the corner store. This organization’s foundation is centered on engagement and dialogue with residents and we will be continuing that work in 2020,” Chief Joseph Wysocki said. “I want to thank our partners in the community, from the school district to civic leaders, who are working with us to make Camden a safer place. I also want to thank the officers working the beat who are the backbone of this agency.”

Cappelli also talked about the importance of partnerships with other law enforcement agencies in reducing crime in Camden.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Sheriff’s Department, New Jersey State Police and all of our federal law enforcement partners for the roles they played last year,” Cappelli continued. “We are looking forward to building on 2019 and working with them to maintain and continue the progress into the new year.”

source Camden County

New Audit: Problems with Pennsylvania Voter System

HARRISBURG, PA–An audit of the state’s voter registration system uncovered “potentially bad data and sloppy record-keeping,” but stopped short of saying the results revealed any inappropriate voting.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale’s examination of the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE) found what he said were more than 50,000 cases with potentially inaccurate voter records. While he called the estimate conservative, the review “did not validate the thousands of cases/situations identified.”

DePasquale, who is running for Congress, noted a lack of cooperation by PennDOT and four county election offices in compiling his audit. He also said the Department of State denied his office access to potentially relevant documents.

“It is past time to improve this system,” DePasquale said.

“Some county election officials are busy replacing voting equipment ahead of next year’s presidential election,” DePasquale said. “But keeping voter registration records up-to-date is an equally important task. And as we all know, the next year’s presidential election may be one of the most historic elections and one of the most closely watched elections in not only Pennsylvania but in U.S. history. The closeness of Pennsylvania in 2016 means that every single record is important.”

The state created SURE more than 15 years ago, and the system holds the records of more than 8.5 million registered voters. The audit covered Jan. 1, 2016, through April 16 of this year.

DePasquale’s office handed down 50 recommendations he says will strengthen the Department of State’s policies and management controls. The auditor wants the Department of State to work with counties to resolve records management issues, including duplicate voter records.

Of the 50,000 cases with potentially inaccurate voter records, in 24,408 cases, the same driver’s license number was listed in more than one voter record, while 13,913 were potential duplicate cases. Furthermore, 6,876 had a possible date of birth (DOB) inaccuracy, while 2,230 had potential DOB or registration date inaccuracies and 2,991 were records of potentially deceased voters.

As part of the audit, DePasquale selected 196 voters from the more than 8.5 million registered and requested source documents to verify the accuracy of data within SURE. The team was able to test 58 records and confirmed those were accurate.

However, the team was “unable to form any conclusions as to the accuracy of the entire population of voter records maintained in SURE since we could not test 138 or 70 percent of the records we sampled due to source documentation not being made available,” they said in the audit.

DePasquale said his audit did not suggest inaccuracies in votes cast during the 2016 presidential election or that deceased voters or people living illegally in the country had voted. The Department of State did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, but

told WESA

the findings were “flawed and misleading.”

published here with permission of The Center Square

Egg Harbor Township Man Murdered in his Home

MAYS LANDING-  A 24 year-old man is the victim of a fatal shooting in his Egg Harbor Township home, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.

At 11:20 p.m., Thursday, January 2, Egg Harbor Township Police received a 911 call with a report of a shooting at 109 Vermont Avenue. When police arrived they found a male resident of the home who was the victim of multiple gunshot wounds. Arturo Barrera III was pronounced deceased at the scene. An autopsy will be performed today. No arrests have been made and this appears to be an isolated shooting incident. This shooting is an active and ongoing investigation in coordination with the Egg Harbor Township Police Department.

Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at

609-909-7800

or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at

http://www.acpo.org/tips.html

and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at

609-652-1234

or

1-800-658-8477

(TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at

http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/

. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.

Senator Tom Kean Calls on Governor to End Attacks on Freelance Reporters & The Media

Local Publisher Set to Reduce Community Coverage After Being Fined by State for Using Independent Contractors

Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean (photo) called on the Murphy Administration to end its attacks on

independent contractors and the media after the Westfield Leader was fined for not classifying freelance reporters and photographers as employees.

“Many people choose to freelance for a variety of reasons, and those self-employed individuals make it possible for small media outlets like the Westfield Leader to offer comprehensive coverage of local government meetings, school sports, and community events,” said Kean. “Unfortunately, the Westfield Leader has been forced to end its freelance program completely after being fined by the Murphy Administration. I’d like for Governor Murphy to explain to the Leader’s many former contributors how his assault on the company that paid them has improved their situation or that of the community they proudly served. This is a clear example of how the Governor’s flawed labor policies will hurt New Jersey families and further erode a media industry that is already struggling to survive.”

According to the Westfield Leader

, it was forced to end its freelance program after the New Jersey Department of Labor fined the paper’s publisher going back to 2015 for not treating freelance reporters and photographers as employees.

Under the Governor’s direction, the State has fined a variety of businesses and services,

including Uber

, that have allowed freelancers and independent contractors the freedom to work when they want and the opportunity to earn extra income at their own pace.

Kean has been a vocal opponent

of efforts by Democrats in the Legislature to codify through

S-4204

the Murphy Administration’s treatment of independent contractors as employees under State law.

“Some people have a full-time job and want the opportunity to freelance to earn extra income to support their families, and others have caregiver responsibilities that prevent them from working traditional 9 to 5 jobs,” added Kean. “In 2020, we shouldn’t limit people’s ability to work based on some outdated 1950s mentality of what a job should be. Governor Murphy should stop denying the overtaxed people of New Jersey any opportunity to work.”

Dyheam Williams, 18, Charged with Murdering the Owner of Shamrock Deli

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (January 5, 2020)–Dyheam Williams, 18, of Lindenwold, NJ, was charged this morning in connection with the fatal stabbing of Jerome Pastore in Haddon Township.  Williams was charged with Murder,

Jerome Pastore

(image source social media)

Unlawful Possession of a Weapon and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, according to Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill S. Mayer and Haddon Township Police Chief Mark Cavallo.

On January 3, 2020, at approximately 4:50 p.m., officers from Oaklyn, Audubon and Haddon Township Police Departments responded to the Shamrock Delicatessen, located on South Davis Avenue in Audubon, in response to 911 calls reporting a male who had been stabbed.  On their arrival, officers found the victim, Jerome Pastore, 52, of West Berlin, lying on the 100 block of Cuthbert Boulevard in Haddon Township, just across the street from the deli he owned.  Jerome Pastore was suffering from apparent stab wounds throughout his body.  He was pronounced deceased at 5:07 p.m. at Cooper University Hospital.

Dyheam Williams was arrested at his home in Lindenwold and remanded to the Camden County Jail pending a pretrial detention hearing.

All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Released Sunday, January 5, 2020.