Gloucester City Middle School 5/6 boys defeated Audubon today in Camden County Basketball League action, 47-36.
Gloucester\’s Keegan Cohan had 15 points
Photo\’s Courtesy Bruce Darrow
Pictured Tristan Garcia
Pictured Dennis Havers
Pictured Byrant Lin
Pictured Drew Hannold
Pictured Keegan Cohan
Gloucestercitynews.net(January 12, 2020)—Whether we like it or not, stress and anxiety are here to stay. Although modern times cannot eradicate their ever-presence, there is a way to manage them.
Taking a hot bath is an easy way to achieve
relaxation. Ancient cultures believed in the healing powers of water, and you can replicate their ideas easily by having a hot bath.
Freestanding baths
are excellent options that make
your warm bath comfortable. So fill your tub with warm water, bubble bath, and essential oils, and you\’re set to go.
Relieves headache
Most headaches happen when nerves, blood vessels, and certain muscles swell, tighten, and experience an increase in press
ure from the surrounding nerves. Heat can soothe pressure points and relieve pain. Taking a warm bath is an excellent way to use the properties of heat for relief.
Therapeutic and calming
Soaking in a hot tub helps your body and mind rest. It enables you t
o quieten your thoughts and experience the moment. This moment can help you see a clearer picture of the things that are going well in your life, which is dimmed by the amount of stress your daily activities give you. Then gratitude takes the place of your
worries and finally, a moment of Zen. Repeat the process as often as needed.
Helps blood circulation
As you rest your tensed muscles and tensioned mind during a hot bath, your breathing changes. Your tendency to breathe deeper and slower during a relaxin
g activity like hot bathing has a positive effect on your blood flow.
Improves skin
Warm water opens up skin pores. Just before you end your hot bath, gently exfoliate your clean skin in small circular motions. Follow it up with cold water to seal your cle
ar pores. To prevent your skin from drying after a hot bath, it helps to moisturise after each bath.
Helps decrease blood pressure
Many people believe that a routine hot bath is effective in reducing blood pressure. For one, constant relaxation drives away
stress and the harmful effects it has on our health. Second, a study in 2016 revealed that passive heating releases levels of nitric oxide which dilates blood vessels and reduces blood pressure. Nitrix oxide, a molecule naturally produced by your body, is
essential in relaxing the inner muscles of blood vessels for improved blood circulation.
Prelude to a sound sleep
A warm bath increases your body temperature while relaxing tensed muscles along the way. Having an uninterrupted time during your bath is aki
n to meditating. It calms you, gives you peace of mind, relaxes your worries, and makes you feel safe. It replaces chaos with tranquillity, and before you know it, slumber is a matter of seconds away. Don\’t forget to hit the bed!
A warm bath has been a lon
g-standing practice for a good reason. It serves as an elixir that brings tranquillity to your present and alleviates your anxiety of the past and future. The pros of immersing yourself in hot water make it a good investment of your time; and bathtubs, a w
orthwhile investment of your money.
Illegal Products Manufactured in Manalapan, Monmouth Airport Facilities
FREEHOLD – A yearlong investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics and Criminal Enterprise Unit targeting a large-scale marijuana and THC distribution network operating throughout Monmouth, Ocean, and Bergen counties as well as parts of New York resulted in charges being filed against 24 men and women. One California man remains at-large and is considered a fugitive from justice, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.
The investigation, dubbed
Operation On The Ropes
uncovered a scheme to secretly convert legitimate candies, including the popular Nerds Rope and Sour Patch candy brands, to an illegal THC-infused product. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the substance that creates most of marijuana’s “high.”
Operation On The Ropes
culminated with the execution of over a dozen search warrants in Monmouth, Ocean, and Bergen counties resulting in the seizure of approximately 21,000 packages of candy infused with suspected THC, 1,100 lbs. of suspected marijuana, and over 6,000 flavored THC vape cartridges, all with an estimated street value of $1.9 million.
“The network operators used regular candy to further their scheme, buying hundreds of boxes of product from wholesalers before transporting it to a processing facility where they would unwrap the individual pieces of candy, lay it out on trays and then spraying the candy with a concentrated formula of THC distillate. Once the THC dried on the candy it was repackaged as an illegal marijuana edibles product for distribution across New Jersey,” explained Gramiccioni.
The illegal operation utilized a warehouse on Park Avenue in Manalapan Township and a hangar at Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall Township as production and storage facilities. The approximate 21,000 pieces of candy were manufactured with unknown amounts of THC and totals over 100,000 individual doses. The THC products that were processed were then intermingled with THC products that the network operators illegally trafficked into New Jersey from a supplier in California. The THC products have an estimated street value of nearly $900,000.
“The packaging on this THC laced ‘candy’ is almost indistinguishable from regular drug store candy. Your kids may be getting high right before your eyes, if you are not paying close attention. This illegal operation makes juveniles and anyone who consumes these products susceptible to random levels of drug toxicity,” said Monmouth County Chief of Detectives John G. McCabe.
Also seized were machines and paraphernalia used to repackage and repurpose the legitimate candies as marijuana-related edible products. The investigation did not reveal use of the airport to transport any of the illegal drugs to other areas inside or outside of New Jersey.
– more –
Seized during the investigation were 1,200 THC-infused Sour Patch Watermelon candy packages labeled, “Stoner Patch” edibles; 6,250 “Baked Burgerz” edibles; 3,111 TCH-infused “Nerd Ropes,” individually repackaged in red, pink, yellow and blue wrappers. Also seized were 1,151 Tic Tac-type containers without labels; numerous boxes and trays of Nerd Ropes in various stages of the infusion process; and 6,542 THC vape cartridges in a variety of 16 different flavors.
“The operation used their own wrappers and labels to repackage the drug-infused candy. There were no sanitary measures taken, no safety apparatus, and there were certainly were no standards in place to ensure the product was not contaminated. Consumers of these products had no way of knowing exactly what they were ingesting,” said Middletown Township Police Chief Craig Weber, President of the Monmouth County Chiefs Association.
A total of $10,151,711 in assets, $1,483,859 in cash, and 21 high-end exotic vehicles, including cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Mercedes Benz, with an estimated total value of approximately $2,783,445, were also seized as part of the criminal investigation.
Numerous agencies assisted in this investigation. Prosecutor Gramiccioni commended all of the agencies whose combined cooperation and partnership complimented the successful completion of
Operation On The Ropes
:
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force of New York and New Jersey, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Port of New York and Newark International Airport, U.S. Postal Inspection Service;
New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Police – Regional Operations & Intelligence Center (ROIC), New Jersey Department of Treasury, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the Office of the New York District Attorney – Richmond County, the Office of New York District Attorney’s Office – Rockland County, and the 123 Precinct of the New York City Police Department;
Aberdeen Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, Belmar Police Department, Brick Township Police Department, Colts Neck Police Department, Eatontown Police Department, Elmwood Park Police Department, Freehold Borough Police Department, Freehold Township Police Department, Howell Township Police Department, Jackson Township Police Department, Keansburg Police Department, Keyport Police Department, Lodi Police Department, Long Branch Police Department, Manalapan Township Police Department, Marlboro Township Police Department, Middletown Township Police Department, Old Bridge Police Department, Neptune City Police Department, Neptune Township Police Department, Spring Valley (New York) Police Department, Tinton Falls Police Department, and Wall Township Police Department.
Arrested and charged in
Operation On The Ropes
:
Dylon J. Addvensky, 27, of Freehold Borough
, first degree Leader of a Narcotics Trafficking Network, second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Knowingly Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 50 Grams.
Eric L. Karlewicz, a/k/a Anthony Mazza 40, of Colts Neck
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 50 grams.
– more –
Nicco C. Romanowski, 27, of Freehold Township
, second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 50 grams.
Anthony Dalessandro, 30, of Los Angeles, California
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish with Intent to Distribute, first degree Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 50 Grams. D’Alessandro remains at-large and is considered a fugitive from justice.
Ariel Baez, 45, of Lodi, New Jersey
, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 50 grams.
Mathew R. Caracappa, 24, of Freehold Township
, second degree Conspiracy, first degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Knowingly Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana and/or Hashish, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 50 Grams.
Lawrence A. Cella, 28, of Jackson Township
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, first degree Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana and hashish, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish.
Richard C. Chamas, 43, of Jackson Township
, is charged with a disorderly persons offense of Obstruction of the lawful arrest of Paul G. Hobbs, who is listed below.
Lee D’Avanzo, 52, of Staten Island, New York
, is charged with fourth degree Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana, fourth degree Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 50 grams.
Nicholas A. D’Ambrosio, 28, of Manalapan
, third degree Possession of Cocaine and a disorderly persons offenses of Possession of Marijuana Under 50 grams.
Alfonse D’Ambrosio, 26, of Howell Township
, is charged with third degree possession of Anabolic Steroids, fourth degree Resisting Arrest, fourth degree Possession of Examestane without a Prescription,
Angelynn J. Fecso, of Colts Neck
, second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana in Excess of 25 pounds, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 50 grams.
Matthew V. Filosa, 28, of Freehold Borough
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana and/or Hashish fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 50 grams.
Paul G. Hobbs, 27, of Jackson Township
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana and/or Hashish fourth degree Possession of Marijuana in Excess of 50 grams.
Ryan D. Hult, 39, of Riverdale in Morris County, New Jersey
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 50 grams.
Jason M. Lambros, 21, of Point Pleasant Beach
, is charged with disorderly persons offenses of Possession of Marijuana Under 50 grams and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Joseph A. Mari, 28, of Voorhees Township in Camden County, New Jersey
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, second degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and Hashish.
Gianna P. Mazzone, 23, of Egg Harbor Township
, is charged with third degree Possession of Cocaine and a disorderly persons offenses of Possession of Marijuana under 50 grams.
John T. Page, 25, of the Mickleton section of Greenwich Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, first degree Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana and hashish, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and Hashish.
Hannah R. Olstein, 25, Freehold Township
, is charged with fourth degree Possession of Marijuana Under 50 grams and a disorderly persons offense of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Daniel J. Riley, 25, of Brick Township
, second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 25 pounds, first degree Maintaining and Operating a Facility for the Production of Marijuana, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and/or Hashish in Excess of 50 grams
Kevin M. Shields, 31 of Jackson Township
, is charged with second degree Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, first degree Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana and Hashish, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and Hashish.
Alexa L. Stimpfel, 27, of Freehold Borough
, is charged with fourth degree Possession of Marijuana Under 50 grams.
Matthew C. Tracy, 27, of Jackson Township
, is charged with fourth degree Conspiracy to Possess Marijuana and Hashish, and fourth degree Possession of Marijuana and Hashish.
There is an ongoing investigation into the financial activities of the criminal enterprise. Anyone with information about the activities of any of the defendants listed above or any of the following companies Empire Pain Center, Empire Power and Gas Holdings, Global Empire International Holdings, Supreme Lead Generations, Platinum Communication Services, Platinum Funding Associates, Jenza Properties, LLC, Dynasty Property Holdings are urged to contact Captain Maria Reverendo of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, at 1-800-533-7443.
Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; can text “MONMOUTH” plus their tip to 274637; or, they can email a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com.
Anyone convicted of a first degree crime faces a sentence of 10 to 20 years in a New Jersey state prison. Anyone convicted of a second degree crime faces a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison. If convicted of a third degree crime, each defendant faces three to five years in state prison. If convicted of a fourth degree crime, each defendant faces up to 18 months in state prison.
The case is assigned to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutors Paul Alexander and Emily Cartmell.
Despite these charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, following a trial at which the defendant has all of the trial rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State law.
In the video below NEWS 24 Special Report looks into the friendship between Stephen Sweeney and George Norcross that began when the two were youngsters.
Stephen M. Sweeney
(born June 11, 1959) is an American executive and
Democratic Party
politician who currently serves as the
President of the New Jersey Senate
. He has served in the
New Jersey Senate
since 2002, where he represents the
3rd Legislative District
. He has been the President of the New
Jersey Senate since January 12, 2010. A Union
Ironworker
by trade, Sweeney is frequently described as a political power broker in New Jersey politics.
George E. Norcross, III
(born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a
Democratic Party
organiser and power broker in
New Jersey
.
Norcross is executive chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, an insurance brokerage firm. He is chairman of the board of trustees for Cooper University Health Care System and
Cooper University Hospital
both in
Camden, New Jersey
, and has served as a trustee since 1990. He led the effort to create the
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
and to partner with
MD Anderson Cancer Center
to create the MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center, which opened in 2013.
[1]
Norcross has been a prominent political leader in New Jersey for more than 30 years, since before he became chairman of the Camden County Democratic Committee in 1989, a position he held until 1993. For many years, he has been named one of the most powerful non-elected political figures in New Jersey by the website
PolitickerNJ.com
.
[2]
[3]
From 2014 through 2019,
[4]
he was named one of New Jersey\’s most powerful people by NJBiz.com.
[5]
He is regarded as New Jersey\’s most powerful unelected leader.
[6]
Norcross is a member of the
Democratic National Committee
. He also belongs to
Mar-a-Lago
, the club owned by United States President
Donald Trump
.
[7]
source Wikipedia
******
SENATE, No. 2173 with Senate Floor Amendments(Proposed by Senator WEINBERG)
ADOPTED: JANUARY 9, 2020
The Senate floor amendments authorize an exemption from mandatory immunization requirements for a child or student who has a sibling who experienced a vaccine injury. To qualify for the exemption, the child or student will be required to submit to the Department of Health documentation of a final determination of vaccine injury issued through the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration in the United States Department of Health and Human Services or a final judgment issued by a court of competent jurisdiction that includes a finding of vaccine injury. Documentation of the department’s approval of a sibling vaccine injury exemption will be submitted to the school or child care center by the child or student, or by the child or student’s parent or guardian, if the child or student is a minor.The amendments allow nonpublic child care centers, preschool programs, elementary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education to adopt a policy authorizing the admission of children and students who are not in full compliance with mandatory immunization requirements and who do not meet the requirements for a medical or sibling vaccine injury exemption, provided that the facility requires each child or student enrolled in the child care center, preschool program, school, or institution of higher education, or the child’s or student’s parent or guardian if the child or student is a minor, to sign an acknowledgement form, at the time of enrollment, that sets forth the facility’s policy with regard to admitting children or students who are not in full compliance with mandatory immunization requirements and indicates the immunization rates for the facility for the prior academic year. The child care center, preschool program, school, or institution of higher education will additionally be required to prominently post its policy concerning the admission of children or students who are not fully immunized and the facility’s immunization rates for the prior academic year at each entrance to the facility. The Commissioner of Health will be required to adopt rules and regulations concerning the format of acknowledgement forms used by nonpublic schools for this purpose.A child or student who is not in compliance with mandatory immunization requirements who seeks to attend the child care center, preschool program, school, or institution of higher education will be required to provide the facility with written notice of which specific immunization requirements the child or student is not in compliance with and sign a form that states that the child or student, or the child or student’s parent or guardian, as applicable, understands the risks and benefits of vaccination and acknowledges that the child or student may be excluded from attendance in the event of the occurrence of a communicable disease or condition or threat of a communicable disease or condition.The committee amendments restore language in the New Jersey Immunization Information System law that was deleted by prior amendment concerning who may access the system, and instead delete a provision of current law providing that an agency, organization, or other entity authorized to access information in the NJIIS may not use any report made by a healthcare provider in any punitive manner against the provider.
source
TRACK BILL
Jersey City
— The Enhance Liberty State Park Coalition today announced that the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 and Laborers International Union of North America have all called for the Legislature to postpone voting on the “Liberty State Park Protection Act”
until the bill is amended in a manner that protects 99% of Liberty State Park forever, secures private investment to remediate contaminated portions of Caven Point and Liberty State Park and ensures millions of dollars in economic and charitable impact do not leave the state.
Letters from the NAACP New Jersey State Conference, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 and Laborers International Union of North America calling on the Legislature to
postpone the vote
until the bill can be amended are attached. A copy of the Operators and Laborers’ letters was sent to every member of the State Senate and Assembly.
The Enhance Liberty State Park Coalition supports protecting forever 99% of Liberty State Park and making private investments to make the Park even more attractive for local residents. The remaining 1% of the park – currently a contaminated, difficult to reach area – can undergo an environmental clean-up and remain green space through light recreational use of three golf holes that will incorporate habitat and wildlife protections. The Coalition seeks to amend the legislation to provide the opportunity for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to consider a reuse and investment plan to improve the entirety of Liberty State Park.
On January 9, 2020, \”Betty\” (nee Hanselman) of St. Mary\’s Home in Cherry Hill
passed away at age 92. She was the beloved wife of the late, Casper J. Sr. She is lovingly survived by her 4 children, Casper J. Jr. (Alison), Joe, Nancy Godfrey (Glenn) and Mary Ellen (Ken); her 4 grandsons, Robert (Aaron), Ronald, Louis (Heidi) and Kyle (Olivia); her brother, Robert (Peggy) along with numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Charles and her sisters, Clara and Rhoda.
Viewing will be held on Tuesday, January 14th 2020 from 9:00 AM to 10:45 AM at the St. Mary\’s Catholic Church (426 Monmouth St, Gloucester City, NJ) followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 AM at the same location. Interment at the Calvary Cemetery (2398 W Rte 70, Merchantville, NJ).
In lieu of flowers
, donations may be made in her name to Msgr. Lucitt Needy Children Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 87, Gloucester City, NJ 08030. Funeral services under the direction of the
McCann-Healey Funeral Home,
851 Monmouth Street,Gloucester City, NJ
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ (January 12, 2020)–January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month and January 11th is designated as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The Gloucester Township Police want to raise awareness about the issue of human trafficking. The many scandals and the #MeToo movement have started to bring crimes like sexual harassment
and sexual assault into the light but many people still have the mindset that it will not happen to me or not in my community. Sadly it exists in many communities around the country and even in our own backyard. Knowing what it is and acknowledging that it does exist is the first step into putting a stop to it.
What is human trafficking?
According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking is “modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.” Human trafficking is not the same as human smuggling, which involves illegal transportation of a person across a border.
Victims of human trafficking are of all genders, ages, races, countries, socioeconomic statuses, and so on. While human trafficking can happen to anyone, people who are already in vulnerable situations – such as people experiencing homelessness – may be more likely to be targeted.
For more resources on Human trafficking and the different types check out
https://www.nsvrc.org/blogs/january-human-trafficking-awareness-month
Address/Location
Gloucester Township Police Department
1261 Chews Landing Rd
Gloucester Township, NJ 08021
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 856-228-4500
Bernadette “Bernie” Mary Monahan (nee Haug), passed peacefully surrounded by her family on Saturday, January 11, 2020. Longtime resident of Runnemede. Age 86.
Beloved wife for 64 years of the late Harold. Devoted mother of Dave (Lisa) and Robbie (Denise). Loving grandmother of David, Tyler and Gabrielle Monahan. She was the youngest of five siblings: Betty Coyle, Lori Scott, the late Catherine Coyle and Christian Haug. Also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Monahan was employed as a Licensing Agent by the New Jersey Racing Commission for 24 plus years. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially with her grandchildren. She also enjoyed gardening and baking.
There will be a visitation from 11:30am to 12:30pm on Thursday morning at GARDNER FUNERAL HOME, RUNNEMEDE. Funeral Mass 1pm at Holy Child Parish, St. Teresa’s RC Church, 13 E. Evesham Road Runnemede. Interment private at the request of the family, Locustwood Cemetery, Cherry Hill.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Bernadette’s memory to Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517 Topeka, KS 66675.
WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, NJ (January 11, 2020)–Police were dispatched to Red Fox Trail at approximately 20:00 Hours for a report of a man armed with a handgun. Police officers met with a female victim. She reported that she drove and parked in front of her home. As she exited her vehicle, she heard a noise, turned and saw a black male pointing a handgun at her. She screamed and the male fled towards S. Cedar Brook Road. K-9 assistance was called to the area to search for the male. That initial search was unsuccessful in locating the suspect.
Approximately two hours later at 22:02 hours, police received another report of a black male with a gun on E. Central Ave. In this incident it was reported that a male was walking in the center of the roadway appearing as if he were intoxicated. A vehicle being driven by a male was driving on E central Ave and approached the subject in the roadway. When he stopped, the suspect turned and pointed a handgun at the driver. This male fit the same description as the first incident two hours prior. The male ran into an adjacent field and then into a wooded section. A perimeter was setup and another K-9 track was initiated.
At approximately 00:05 hours the male was located and apprehended without incident. He was identified as Dyrelle T. Taylor from Mays Landing. He was taken to Headquarters and charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses.
He was sent to Camden County Jail to await a Superior Court Hearing.
Winslow Police would like to express our thanks to the following for their assistance:
Camden County Field Communications / Dispatchers
NJSP Aviation Unit
Voorhees Township Police Department
Hammonton Police Department
Monroe Township Police Department
Gloucester Township Police Department.
Winslow Fire Department
Winslow Emergency Medical Services
Suspect:
Dyrelle T. Taylor 26 years Old
6800 Block of Harding Highway
Mays Landing NJ
Men Sentenced for Scheme Targeting New Immigrants
It was easy for the criminals to spot their targets as buses offloaded passengers into the din of New York City’s Port Authority bus terminal. The men looked for people who had recently entered the United States to seek asylum—distinguishable by the monitoring bands on their ankles or the immigration paperwork they held in their hands.
Francisco Betancourt, Pascual Rodriguez, or Lucilo Cabrera would then move in on these vulnerable individuals. Rodriguez sometimes claimed to be an immigration official; the others claimed to be helpful strangers. In all events, the men would extort money from these newcomers by making up fees or forcing them to accept unnecessary services. Their most common scheme involved forcing victims into an unneeded and unwanted taxi ride from drivers who were also involved in the plot.
Many of the victims were sent on harrowing, hours-long car rides and were held until their family members could scrape together enough money to pay an exorbitant fare—often more than $1,000.
“They knew they were able to take advantage of these victims,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Richards, who prosecuted the case for the District of Connecticut. She explained that because the victims were hoping to have their petitions for asylum or entry into the country accepted, there was tremendous fear that any interaction with law enforcement put them at risk. So the perpetrators “knew their victims would not call the police,” she said.
The crimes were only uncovered because one individual reached out to police after being victimized by Betancourt and Cabrera and hearing about another new immigrant experiencing the same scheme years later. “This brave woman came forward to tell us: ‘I think something really bad is happening here, and it’s been going on for a long time,’” Richards said.
That person’s tip and the subsequent investigation led to the arrests and convictions of Betancourt, Rodriquez, and Cabrera, as well as one of the drivers, Carlos Hernandez. Each was sentenced to serve between eight and 14 years in prison for kidnapping and extortion in a scheme they had been running for years.
“They knew they were able to take advantage of these victims.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Richards, District of Connecticut
“They would put people in the taxis and drive for hours—they would drive through Pennsylvania before going to Connecticut—and relatives were told they had to pay for that taxi fare,” said FBI Special Agent Jennifer Wagner, who investigated this case from the New Haven Field Office. She said people were forced to borrow money from neighbors and friends or go with the criminals to an ATM to get enough money to pay for the safe return of the victim.
“The fact that they were knocking on the doors of neighbors late at night shows how afraid these family members were for the victims,” stressed Richards.
The court paperwork told the chilling story of one woman from Honduras who, with her two small children, entered the U.S. at the Texas border and applied for asylum. Immigration authorities gave her permission to travel to Connecticut to stay with her sister until her asylum hearing.
When she arrived in New York City to board a connecting bus to Connecticut, Bentancourt approached her and insisted there was no bus to Connecticut, but that he would help her. He then took her bus ticket, grabbed the arm of her small son, and asked for the phone number of a family member.
Betancourt called the victim’s sister and said the victim and her children had ended up in upstate New York, not New York City, and no bus to Connecticut was available. He would put them in a taxi for about $3 per mile, he told the sister. The victim’s sister explained that she didn’t have money for a taxi ride. She pleaded with Betancourt to tell her where her sister and the children were so she could drive to get them. Betancourt hung up on her.
The victim and her children were then brought by subway to Hernandez’s waiting car. Hernandez took the woman’s immigration paperwork and identification and drove the family slowly to Connecticut. He ultimately demanded $900 from the victims’ family members to drop her at an agreed upon meeting place.
After the family was only able to pay him $700, Hernandez locked himself inside the car with the victim’s older child and insisted the family pay another $100 to free the child and reclaim the victim’s immigration paperwork. The family was forced to go with Hernandez to an ATM to withdraw the additional $100.
Despite their fears about speaking to FBI agents about what they had been through, a number of victims provided details and identified the perpetrators. Wagner said that cell phone data was also instrumental in proving the case. After applying for warrants to view the suspects’ cell phone records, investigators could see an incriminating pattern of regular calls and text messages among the co-conspirators and then a cluster of phone calls to their victims’ family members on a single day.
Additional evidence, such as surveillance photos from ATMs and banks, helped solidify the case.
Richards said the long sentences the perpetrators received reflect the seriousness of their crimes and the length of time they had been victimizing people.
“It is important for everyone to know that law enforcement is looking after you regardless of your immigration status,” said Wagner. “Something will be done to the people who break the law.”
Resources
Fourth Defendant Convicted in Immigrant Kidnapping and Extortion Scheme Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison
Man Who Victimized Immigrants in Kidnapping and Extortion Scheme Sentenced to 135 Months
Man Who Victimized Immigrants in Kidnapping and Extortion Scheme Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison
New York Man Who Victimized Immigrants in Kidnapping and Extortion Scheme Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison