Camden Family Drug Ring of 14 Arrested

TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that 12 individuals were indicted on charges including first-degree racketeering as alleged members of a family-

run drug network that distributed large quantities of heroin and fentanyl in a violence-torn area of North Camden. Two additional defendants face weapons charges, bringing the total number of defendants indicted to 14.

Six guns were seized in the investigation, including an illegal, untraceable “ghost gun” and plans and materials to make ghost guns. The ring stamped wax folds of heroin with the brand name “Bad Boys,” which has been linked to three overdoses, including two fatal overdoses.

The defendants were indicted yesterday by a state grand jury in “Operation Strikeout,” a collaborative investigation led by the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau in cooperation with the Camden County Metro Police Department, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Police, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Police Department. Most of the defendants were arrested in October 2019, when arrest and search warrants were executed.

The following two alleged “owners and operators” of the drug network are charged with first-degree promoting organized street crime:

Wilbert Segarra, 40, of Camden

, the alleged primary ringleader, also faces a charge of first-degree leader of a narcotics trafficking network, which carries a sentence of life in prison, including 25 years without parole. In addition, Segarra and co-defendant Joseph Cooper Jr. are charged with attempted murder in the non-fatal shooting of a man at 27th and Howell Streets on May 24, 2019. The shooting allegedly stemmed from violence between the drug network and a rival drug set. Segarra fled and was arrested on July 23, 2019 in Virginia, but he allegedly continued to run the drug network with Luis Rosado while on the run and in jail. The attempted murder case was initially investigated and charged by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.

Luis I. Rosado, 28, of Camden

, allegedly took Segarra’s place as operator of the drug network after the shooting in May 2019, receiving direction from Segarra through phone calls and mail.

Meligza Cruz, 32, of Camden

, Rosado’s girlfriend, allegedly managed day-to-day operations for the drug network. She is also charged with first-degree promoting organized street crime. Segarra, Rosado, and Cruz are all allegedly members of the G-Shine set of the Bloods street gang.

“Through this operation, we dismantled a major drug ring that allegedly was dealing large quantities of heroin and fentanyl in a violence-torn neighborhood in North Camden,” said Attorney General Grewal. “By targeting the entire alleged hierarchy of this network with first-degree charges – including a leader charge for the top ringleader and racketeering charges for 12 defendants – we are sending a strong message that we will prosecute drug traffickers to the full extent of the law. We will continue to collaborate with our partners in Camden and throughout New Jersey to arrest the drug dealers who are driving gun violence in our cities and fueling the opioid epidemic that is destroying so many lives.”

“These arrests are a testament not only to the outstanding work of our attorneys and detectives, but also to the strong working relationships that we have forged with our law enforcement partners in Camden and across the region,” said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. “I thank all of the agencies that assisted us in Operation Strikeout. This operation is a great example of intelligence sharing and proactive police work to target a criminal network that had been identified by the Camden County Police Department as a major threat to safety and quality of life.”

“Eliminating this violent drug network that was pedaling poison on the streets of our city will overwhelmingly improve the quality of life for residents and make the North and East Camden neighborhoods a safer place for residents,” said Camden Police Chief Joseph Wysocki. “Ultimately, we know more than 80 percent of fatal overdoses in the city are related to fentanyl adulterated narcotics killing scores of people. This staggering statistic alone underscores the critical work of Operation Strikeout. Furthermore, I want to thank the men and women of the other agencies who brought this case together and got these individuals off our streets.”

“These arrests highlight our continued efforts in Camden to get deadly drugs off the street and stop the violence that all too often goes hand-in hand with drug distribution,” said Acting Camden County Prosecutor Jill Mayer. “Two people died as a result of deadly doses of heroin mixed with fentanyl that were stamped with a brand name linked to these defendants, and another was shot as a result of the rivalry between drug sets. If not stopped, the number of deaths could have grown. We will continue to work collaboratively with all of the agencies who took part in this investigation to disrupt and eliminate these violent racketeering enterprises.”

“I want to thank the Attorney General for focusing resources and the tools that were needed to dismantle this network of individuals who were terrorizing the city,” said Camden County Sheriff Gilbert “Whip” Wilson. “Our agency was proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to get these violent criminals off of our streets. Moving forward we will continue to assist our front line partners in eliminating violent crime and opioid distribution, not only making the city safer but improving public safety throughout the county.”

The investigation involved controlled purchases of hundreds of single-dose wax folds of heroin and fentanyl from the drug network beginning in January 2019. The network was based in the 400 block of Grant Street and operated in and around a section of North Camden extending from Grant Street to Elm Street between Coopers Poynt School and Northgate II Park. Most defendants face charges of third-degree distribution of heroin within 1,000 feet of a school.

Eight of the defendants, including Rosado and Cruz, were arrested on Oct. 4, 2019, when the partnering agencies executed arrest and search warrants in Camden and Philadelphia. Segarra was already in jail on the attempted murder charge at the time. Most of the other defendants were arrested later.

Two semi-automatic handguns (one with a defaced serial number), $2,960 in cash, and approximately 285 wax folds of heroin and fentanyl, many bearing the stamp “SpongeBob,” were seized during a search of the residence where Rosado and Cruz live in the 400 block of 40th Street in Camden.

Investigators seized approximately 70 grams of pure fentanyl when they executed a search warrant at a residence on Whitaker Avenue in Philadelphia that Rosado called “the Office,” where he and others allegedly packaged heroin and fentanyl. The residence was an operational narcotics mill equipped with sifters, scales, various cutting agents, wax folds, and five rubber ink stamps used to stamp the following brand names on wax folds: “Bad Boys,” “SpongeBob,” “Glizzy Gang,” “NS,” and “Two Guns.” Heroin stamped with the brand “Bad Boys” has been linked to three overdoses, including two fatal overdoses.

Three semi-automatic pistols – including one illegal “ghost gun” assembled from parts bearing no serial number – were seized at the Philadelphia heroin mill, along with several large-capacity magazines, including a 50-round drum-type magazine. In addition, law enforcement seized polymer and schematic plans to manufacture ghost-gun assault rifles and semi-automatic pistols.

The investigation revealed that the enterprise had a structured hierarchy with defined roles, including “owners and operators,” “case workers,” “set managers,” and “trappers.” Segarra and Rosado allegedly were the co-owners and operators, and Meligza Cruz was the primary case worker. She allegedly managed the enterprise’s day-to-day drug distribution activities, assigning shifts and workers for the day, and having responsibility for the transfer of drugs and proceeds to and from Rosado and the set managers. The set managers directed the trappers, who were the street-level dealers who conducted hand-to-hand exchanges of drugs and money with buyers. Some ring members served in multiple roles.

The following defendants were charged with first-degree racketeering in “Operation Strikeout” along with Segarra, Rosado, and Meligza Cruz:

Maria Morales, 29, of Camden

Ramon Saldana, 22, of Camden

Rafael Velazquez, 27, of Camden

Migdoel Morales-Cruz, 33, of Camden

Michael Canales, 23, of Camden

Angel Martinez, 34, of Camden

Daniel Sanjurjo, Jr., 21, of Camden

Emanuel Morales, 25, of Camden

Joseph Cooper Jr., 24, of Philadelphia

In addition to the first-degree racketeering charge, all 12 racketeering defendants listed above face a charge of second-degree conspiracy to distribute narcotics, and, with the exception of Segarra, are variously charged with additional second- and third-degree drug offenses.

The ring included multiple members of an extended family, several of whom live in the neighborhood where the drug network operated. Meligza Cruz, Maria Morales, Emanuel Morales, and Migdoel Morales-Cruz are all related as either siblings or cousins. Other ring members may also be related.

The following two people, who also are family members, were indicted on weapons charges:

Jose Morales, 49, of Camden

Jesus Morales Cruz, 34, of Philadelphia

Jose Morales, and Jesus Morales Cruz are charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and fourth-degree possession of a defaced firearm in connection with a handgun with a defaced serial number that was seized from a car following a traffic stop on May 8, 2019, as a result of the investigation. Jose Morales also faces a charge of second-degree possession of a weapon as a convicted felon in connection with that gun. Jose Morales was driving the car at the time, but Jesus Morales Cruz is the registered owner of the car.

Meligza Cruz is charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly conducting drug transactions using vehicles while she had her and Rosado’s child, age 1 at the time, in the vehicles.

The following defendants were ordered detained following detention hearings: Wilbert Segarra, Luis Rosado, Ramon Saldana, Michael Canales, Angel Martinez, Emanuel Morales, and Jose Morales.

Deputy Attorney General Mohammad A. Mahmood presented the case to the state grand jury and former Deputy Attorney General Jamey Collidge was assigned to the investigation for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Erik Daab and Bureau Chief Lauren Scarpa Yfantis. Detectives David Swanson and Jon Norcia are the lead detectives for the DCJ Gangs & Organized Crime South Unit, under the supervision of Sgt. Peppi Pichette, Deputy Chief of Detectives Christopher Donohue, and Chief of Detectives Weldon Powell.

Attorney General Grewal commended the attorneys and detectives of the Division of Criminal Justice and all of the investigators who participated in “Operation Strikeout” for the Camden County Metro Police Department, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Police, Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office, DEA in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Police.

The charge of first-degree leader of a narcotics trafficking network carries a sentence of life in state prison, including 25 years without parole, and a fine of up to $750,000. The charge of promoting organized street crime carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison, consecutive to the sentence for any underlying crime, and a fine of up to $200,000. The first-degree racketeering and first-degree attempted murder charges carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison, including a period of parole ineligibility equal to 85 percent of the sentence imposed, and a fine of up to $200,000.

Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. Second-degree possession of a weapon by a convicted felon carries a mandatory five-year period of parole ineligibility, and second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon carries a mandatory period of parole ineligibility equal to one-third to one-half of the sentence imposed or three years, whichever is greater. Third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree crimes carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Timothy P. Lydon in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Camden County, where the defendants will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment.

Thanks to Pilot Program, Residents Can Recycle Oyster Shells at PDE’s New Drop-Off Site

WILMINGTON — Preparing oysters at home can be fun, and makes for a delicious meal. But what do you do with the shells when you’re done? Tossing them in the trash doesn’t feel right, and you can’t recycle them — or can you?

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) has started a pilot residential shell recycling program in Delaware. PDE has two recycling bins in the parking lot of George & Sons’ Seafood Market in Hockessin. Now, all people have to do after enjoying their delicious oysters at home is drop them off when it’s convenient in the specially marked bins in George & Sons’ parking lot. PDE will pick up the shells and take them to its shell recycling area. These shells will be used in living shoreline restoration projects and to expand oyster habitat. In more than three years, PDE has reinforced 1,300 feet of living shoreline in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey by using recycled oyster shells.

“PDE\’s shell recycling program has always been a great point of pride for our organization, but whenever we talked about it with the public, the response was always ‘how can I help?’” said Sarah Bouboulis, PDE’s Habitat Project Coordinator. “All of our shells came from area restaurants until today, and there was no direct link to our shell recycling efforts and the general public. Now there is. We are so excited to offer this opportunity to oyster lovers, and we hope residents take us up on the offer.”

Since 2016, PDE has had an agreement with area restaurants to collect their used oyster shells, but this is the first time that the organization has formally offered shell drop-off to residents.

\”This program is a prime example of one more way we can engage and educate the public about the benefits of embracing our coastal culture,” said George Esterling IV of George & Sons’ Seafood Market. “To now have the opportunity to involve our community in these efforts is just the icing on the cake. At George & Sons\’, it is our goal to provide not only friendly service and quality product, but also a culture that residents of our state so desperately need to embrace —coastal pride. We\’ll keep on shuckin\’, and you keep on recycling.”

But wait, there’s more! Starting on March 2, residents who recycle their shells can be eligible for a monthly gift card drawing. When recyclers drop off their shells, they can take a selfie — or

shell

fie — next to the recycling bin and post it on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the #PDEShellfie hashtag. From there, they become eligible for the random prize drawing.

As this is a pilot program, PDE’s drop-off site at George & Sons’ is the first of what it hopes will be many locations for residential shell recycling. PDE will add locations depending on the success of the pilot program.

George & Sons’ Seafood Market is at 1216 Old Lancaster Pike in Hockessin, Delaware. For more information about the recycling program, contact Sarah Bouboulis at

sbouboulis@delawareestuary.org

If You Want to Succeed on Instagram, Listen Up

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(March 1, 2020)–Here\’s the problem when it comes to social media marketing. A lot of people are under the impression that they have to just post the right content and everything will be fine.

Well, on an absolute level, this is 100% correct. There is nothing to debate. There is nothing to discuss. This is absolutely spot on.

But there are a lot of details to explore. There are a lot of gaps there.

What content? When do you post these materials? Who do you address this to? How do you position this content? I can go on and on. The list is actually quite long.

While we can talk about basic truisms, like you have to buy Instagram likes or social proof so you can get an organic critical mass going, you have to read between the lines. You have to dig deeper. This requires an overall day to day strategy. Simply buying social proof from places like

buzzvoice.com

isn’t going to be enough.

Now, please understand that this is very different from an overall holistic strategy. I\’m not talking about that. I\’m not talking about your big picture strategy or 30,000 bird\’s eye view perspective.

There\’s a place for that. It\’s absolutely important, but we\’re talking about day to day practical tasks that you need to do every single day for your Instagram marketing account to be successful.

So, what are these daily activities that you need to take care of? Well, first of all, you need to make sure that you use the right hashtags.

Now, how do you know which hashtags to use? Well, it\’s very simple. You mix and match.

You experiment with different hashtags that you lifted from other places. You can reverse engineer your competitors\’ hashtags. Wherever they come from, make sure you experiment and see which hashtags are actually delivering solid value.

How do you know? Well, you can call people to action. You can run little contests. Whatever the case may be, get your followers themselves to supply the hashtags through some sort of feedback so you can see if you are on the right path.

The second thing that you need to do is call people to action in terms of your content. Ask them, \”Is this the kind of content that you want?\” If not, please suggest the right content.

Offer them some sort of incentive. Here\’s the secret: it doesn\’t have to be money.

You have to understand that on the internet, especially on social media, symbolic or purely non-monetary incentives work as well, if not better, than monetary incentives.

You don\’t have to spend one red cent. Just get people to believe that they are getting value. Oftentimes, the perception of value is more important than the actual value. When your fans believe they are getting value, they spread the word about you. This is one of the cheapest and most sustainable ways to

grow your Instagram following

The third thing that you need to do is to constantly pay attention to your competition. This is the great thing about Instagram. Everything is transparent.

So, if you see that your competitors are up to something and they\’re experimenting with different types of postings as well as different types of media and hashtags and descriptions, sit up and pay attention. See if you can copy some of that and improve what you\’re doing.

By sticking to these three daily, highly practical tasks, you will be able to take your account to the next level in terms of reach and effectiveness.

Spend a Night inside Lucy The Elephant

AN ELEPHANT-SIZED HOME ALONG THE JERSEY SHORE NOW LISTED ON AIRBNB

Guests will be transported back in time with a stay inside Lucy the Elephant, one of the last standing pieces of roadside Americana

Margate, New Jersey (February 27, 2020) — Pack your trunk (err, bags)! Three lucky Airbnb guests and their friends will have the chance to stay inside

Lucy the Elephant

, one of the first and only National Historic Landmarks now on Airbnb. A tribute to the golden age of roadside Americana, Lucy was built in 1881 and is older than the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

image courtesy of Wikipedia

Starting on March 5, longtime Lucy fans — or anyone who has had the Jersey Shore on their travel bucket list — can book a stay inside Lucy’s storied walls, which will take place on March 17, 18 or 19. Each of the three one-night overnight stays is priced at $138, to honor the number of years Lucy has served as a New Jersey Shore icon.

Standing a regal six stories high, Lucy calls Margate, New Jersey, home — a tight-knit community that has proven its resilience in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and that couldn’t be prouder of its unofficial ‘mascot.’ Lucy hosted her first stay in 1902 and over the years, she’s been a tavern and even hosted former United States President Woodrow Wilson.

During the Airbnb stay — which is modeled after what Lucy’s interior would have looked like when she was briefly a summer vacation home in the early 20th century — guests will take a journey through her fascinating history. They will also have the chance to experience the best of what the Jersey Shore has to offer, from delicious meals by top local chefs to scenic ocean views. And Lucy’s human counterpart,

Richard Helfant

, Executive Director of the

Save Lucy Committee

— the organization that restored and preserved Lucy for the past 50 years — will be on hand to share his memories of the majestic structure and offer local tips.

“I’ve been by Lucy’s side for 50 years, and she’s been a part of so many unique moments — together we’ve hosted weddings and now we are hosting on Airbnb — I can’t wait to show guests what Lucy is all about,” says Helfant.

To celebrate this historic stay, Airbnb will make a donation to the Save Lucy Committee, supporting efforts to keep Lucy the Elephant standing “Jersey strong” so new generations can visit for years to come.

If you want to stay inside a piece of history that continues to invigorate the Jersey Shore, you can request to book* this experience. Reservations open March 5 at 12:00 p.m. EST on

airbnb.com/lucy

Maureen D. Auletto, of Audubon Park

Maureen D. Auletto (nee McCormack), on February 28, of Audubon Park, formerly of Gloucester Township. Age 68.

Proceeded in death by Bernard and Gloria (nee Oelenschlager) McCormack. Devoted mother of Danielle Hennessy (John), Renee Auletto (Frank Olsen), and Nicole Auletto. Loving mom mom of Desiree

(Andy), Brittanee, Johnny, Danny, Georgia, and Jaidyn. Great granny of Giani, Lorenzo, Angelo, Drew Keith. Former wife of Daniel Auletto for 38 years. Devoted sister of Bernie McCormack (Micki). Loving aunt of BJ (Nicole), Colleen (Jeff), Sean, and many other nieces and nephews. Lifelong and best friend of Anna Damerau.

There will be a viewing 9am to 11am Tuesday morning at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE, 126 S. Black Horse Pike, Runnemede, NJ 08078 (856-939-2095).

Entombment New St. Mary’s Mausoleum, Bellmawr.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Maureen’s memory to the Animal Orphanage 419 Cooper Road Voorhees, NJ 08043.

JEROME BY DAVE WOLFE

ARTIST Dave Wolfe

Vol. 6 No. 35 (March 1, 2020)

Editor\’s Note: Each Sunday morning we post a weekly comic strip provided by cartoonist Dave Wolfe. (click image to enlarge)

PETS ARE THE BEST: Giving The Gift Of Love

(NAPSI)—Most people would agree, the best gift during the holidays—and all year round—is the gift of love. For thousands of families, that means welcoming a puppy into their home. For those considering getting a new best friend for themselves or someone else, remember that choosing a puppy is a big decision. It’s also one you should think about carefully—for both your sake and the dog’s.

Consumer groups report receiving nearly 10,000 complaints about puppy/dog businesses in just the last three years, with 60 percent of consumers indicating they never got the pets they purchased, received pets that had health or genetic problems, or got no documentation for their pet. Just as concerning, most people don’t know how to make sure they are getting their pet from a reputable breeder and not an inhumane and substandard puppy mill. While everyone is encouraged to look to their local shelters and rescues, roughly a quarter of new pet parents obtain their puppies from breeders, whether because of allergies, size or temperament, or just because they have their hearts set on a particular breed of dog.

Whatever your motivation, you should make sure you know that the organization you use to find your new best friend is legitimate and will secure you a happy, healthy and responsibly bred pet.

To help you avoid scams and find properly raised puppies, here are some important tips from the experts at American Humane—the country’s first national humane organization and the largest certifier of animal welfare in the world—and PuppySpot, a placement service committed to helping responsible breeders place healthy, happy puppies with caring individuals and families:

• INTEGRITY:

Find a source you can trust.

• SUSPICIOUS PHOTOS:

Don’t be swayed by a fancy website or puppy photos that look like stock photos that are perfectly posed, don’t look real, or are found on multiple websites.

• PRICING:

If the price looks too good to be true, it generally is. People should avoid buying from a company that says it will transport a dog by air if the full purchase price seems to be less than or similar to the price of a flight.

• WIRING MONEY:

Never wire money to anyone you have met only online and avoid major money wiring companies and mobile payment service apps.

• BAD GRAMMAR OR MISSPELLINGS:

Be sensitive to strange language choices in puppy listings or communications. The vast majority of scammers are from foreign countries.

• BOGUS STORIES/EXCUSES:

Scammers often come up with complicated reasons they need immediate wire transfers or can’t deliver the puppy to you based on current events. Be on alert for bogus stories or excuses for why more money is requested after initial payment.

• REFUSAL TO SUPPLY DOCUMENTATION:

A responsible breeder, shelter or rescue organization will provide registration, vaccination and veterinary health records on request. Refusal to supply medical records or pedigree documentation is a red flag.

Bringing a new best friend into your home should be a positive and joyous experience. By following these guidelines and using diligence and common sense, you and your family may avoid unnecessary heartache and find the healthy, happy puppy of your dreams.

Learn More

For further information, please visit

www.AmericanHumane.org

and

www.PuppySpot.com

NJ State Trooper Charged with Allegedly Receiving Child Porn from Another Trooper

Andrea V. Knox, who is assigned to Troop D at the Moorestown station, has been suspended, according to the New Jersey State Police

TRENTON — A State Police trooper faces criminal charges after she allegedly received images of child pornography in a sexually explicit text exchange with another trooper.

Gloucestercitynews.net graphic files

Andrea V. Knox, of Mount Holly, failed to report her fellow trooper had shared child pornography, “despite her duty as a police officer to enforce and uphold the laws,” the state Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday.

Knox, 35, was charged Tuesday with official misconduct and possession of child pornography, the agency said in a statement. Knox, who is assigned to Troop D at the Moorestown station, has been suspended, the statement said.

The other trooper, Jeffrey Reitz of Williamstown, was charged with distribution of child pornography.

Reitz, 48, previously was indicted in December 2019 on two counts of possession of child pornography. Those charges were related to a separate exchange of texts with a different woman, the statement said.

“During those exchanges, the woman proposed that Reitz sexually assault a young girl and sent him a sexually explicit photo of the girl,” the Attorney General’s Office said.

It had described the girl as the woman’s 5-year-old daughter.

A criminal complaint in that case alleges Reitz responded to the child’s photo by texting “NICE!” and making a reference to sexual arousal.

That exchange occurred in December 2014, but investigators only learned of the images when the mother’s phone was seized “much later” during a separate investigation of the Gloucester City woman.

Additional images of alleged child pornography were found in an iCloud account that belonged to Reitz, the statement said.

Further investigation of the iCloud account revealed alleged text exchanges between the troopers that allegedly included sexually explicit conversations about an underage girl, it said.

According to the statement, Knox asked Reitz for details about sex acts he’d like to perform on the child during a text exchange on Aug. 27, 2018.

“The following day, the pair had another sexually explicit text exchange, during which Reitz sent Knox photos of people at a nudist location,” the statement said.

The images included photos of two exposed girls, it said.

“Knox failed to report that Reitz shared items of child pornography with her,” the statement said.

Reitz has been suspended since his arrest in April 2019.

The troopers were charged after an investigation by the Financial and Cyber Crimes Bureau of the state’s Division of Criminal Justice.

James H. West, of Hamilton, formerly of Mount Ephraim

James H. West, on February 27, of Hamilton, formerly of Mount Ephraim. Age 87.

Beloved husband of Patsy (nee Dodd) for 50 years. Devoted father of Penny Lynn West. Loving brother of Arthur West, Marion Scheurich (George), Harry West, Janet Mathis, Robert West (Deliah), and the late William West, Doris Winther, Joseph West, and John West. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.

James was in the graduate class of 1953 from Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf and worked at Pepsi-Cola in Pennsauken for 24 years.

There will be a viewing 9:30am to 11am Wednesday morning at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE.

Funeral service 11am at the funeral home.

Interment Hillcrest Memorial Park, Hurffville.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in James’ memory to the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf 320 Sullivan Way, Ewing Township, NJ 08628.

Finally After Years Struggling a Place to Call Home

PENNSAUKEN, NJ–Kimberly Van Hook moved excitedly around her new apartment, pointing out each and every detail — the view of the trees from the window, the food items neatly arranged on the shelves in her refrigerator, the smooth counter-tops in the kitchen. Every few moments, she’d pause and say, “I can’t believe I finally have a home,” while looking around wondrously.

Kimberly Van Hook is one of eight senior citizen residents who, after experiencing difficulty finding permanent housing, recently found a place to call home at

Stonegate at Saint Stephen – Phase II

through the help of staff at the Diocesan Housing Services Corporation.

Van Hook was one of eight senior citizen residents who, after experiencing difficulty finding permanent housing, recently found a place to call home at

Stonegate at Saint Stephen – Phase II in Pennsauken

, a newly-developed 68-unit senior community of the

Diocesan Housing Services Corporation of the Diocese of Camden

(DHSC). Through the help of the DHSC staff who guided her through the entire application process, Van Hook now has a comfortable one-bedroom apartment to call her own. And because of staff at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden, who collected donations and helped set up the new units, she and seven of her fellow new residents were surprised and overjoyed to walk into homes that were completely furnished.

Van Hook revealed that she had spent years without a stable place to live, resorting to a series of less-than-ideal living options as she battled a number of health conditions.

“No more living out of a truck. No more imposing on friends or family,” she said, picking up a bouquet of tulips from her countertop. “[The staff] gave me these the day I moved in. Can you believe that?” she said, laughing. “Everyone — from the directors to the maintenance staff — have been so kind and so helpful. The first day I moved in, they invited me to have pizza with them downstairs, and that was so nice because I don’t know anyone here yet. But there’s even a game room down the hall, so I’m sure I’ll meet some more people!”

Jose Sanchez, a program director at Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden, has worked with DHSC staff, as well as donors, to ensure that new residents who have experienced difficulty in finding housing would have quality furniture and supplies when they moved in to their new homes.

Two floors below her apartment, Michael Alessi, another new senior resident was preparing for his daily five-mile walk, a practice which he credits for his perfect health at the age of 70. The other key, he said, is his devout Catholic faith. He remains a life-long member of Sacred Heart Parish in Camden, where he grew up and worked for most of his life. Motioning toward the housing staff members, he said, “I prayed for years for direction, and they were the answer to my prayers. I knew that this place was a Christian community before I even asked. I can feel their love and their faith; they truly do love us as their neighbors.”

This sense of love is echoed in the mission of Diocesan Housing Services Corporation, which quotes Saint Teresa of Calcutta when she said in her 1979 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, “Because I believe that love begins at home, and if we can create a home for the poor — I think that more and more love will spread.”

Those words inspire the Diocesan Housing Services Corporation’s team of property managers, maintenance and social services professionals to address the housing needs of people across the Diocese of Camden. Together, they work to provide quality affordable housing for low and moderate income households in New Jersey’s six southern counties with a special focus on senior citizens and those who are living with disabilities.

“We are so happy to be able to offer seniors the opportunity to access high-quality affordable housing with the opening of Stonegate II,” said James Reynolds, executive director of the Diocesan Housing Services Corporation. “We look forward to helping our residents enjoy their golden years in a warm, loving and supportive environment rooted in the Catholic tradition of meeting the needs of the underserved.”

Over the next several months, more than 60 additional seniors are expected to move into the new building, including others, like Van Hook and Alessi, who have experienced difficulty in finding a long-term place to call home.

AS OF PUBLICATION, APPROXIMATELY 10 UNITS ARE UNCOMMITTED AND REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR LEASING. ANYONE INTERESTED IN MAKING APPLICATION SHOULD CONTACT DAWNE PENNER AT 856-342-4055. CLICK

HERE

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT STONEGATE AT SAINT STEPHEN PHASE II.