New Jersey Man Charged With Coercing And Enticing Commercial Sex Workers

NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man who allegedly lured commercial sex workers to travel from out of state to engage in prostitution and other sexual acts by use of force, violence and threats in and around Middlesex County, New Jersey, appeared in court February 19, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Jose Torres, 42, is charged by complaint with two counts of coercion and enticement. The defendant is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelly in Boston federal court. Torres was arrested on Feb. 14, 2020, in Boston.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From May 2015 to October 2019, Torres persuaded, induced and enticed commercial sex workers to travel from various out of state locations, including Canada and New York, in order to engage in prostitution. Torres lured commercial sex workers to New Jersey with promises of large payments. When the commercial sex workers asked for payment, Torres became aggressive, often assaulting and raping them. Torres never paid the sex workers.

The coercion and enticement charges each carries a maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment and a potential $250,000 fine.

The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma Spiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael; the Middlesex County, New Jersey, Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Christopher L. C. Kuberiet; and the Peabody, Massachusetts, Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Griffin, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The charges and allegation in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Attention Anglers! Forum at Batsto Saturday

BATSTO, NJ–Anglers have two great opportunities to learn, comment and ask questions about the Division\’s freshwater programs at the

South Jersey Fisheries Forum this Saturday

and the

Trout Meeting next Saturday

Pequest.

Saturday\’s forum at the Batsto Village Visitor\’s Center in

Wharton State Forest

will include presentations on

Harmful Algal Blooms

Largemouth Bass Virus Sampling

, and

Warmwater Fish Production

. Discussion topics will include the

Warmwater Fisheries Management Plan

(what do YOU want to see covered) and

Potential Regulation Changes for 2023

.The forum will begin at 10:00 a.m.

The annual

Trout Meeting at

Pequest

will be Saturday, February 29 at 10:00 a.m.

This year\’s meeting will cover:

2020 Hatchery Production

2020 Spring Trout Allocations

and a presentation on

Temperature Impacts on NJ\’s Wild Trout Populations

Batsto Forum Information and Directions

Trout Meeting Information

Pequest Directions

Diocese of Camden Food Drive March 22

Event details

March 22, 2020

All Day

Here in South Jersey, 1 in 6 people, and 1 in 5 children, suffer from food insecurity, which means they might not know where their next meal is coming from. In response, the Diocese of Camden organizes the annual FaithFULL Food Drive.

Delaware Offering Enhanced Online Electronic Recreational Fishing License Sales

DOVER (Feb. ,2020) – Anglers who have purchased recreational fishing licenses and freshwater trout stamps, or exempt anglers who obtained free Fisherman Information Network (FIN) numbers directly from DNREC’s website in the past will now benefit from an updated, more user-friendly version of the electronic fishing license sales system, DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife announced today. The enhanced fishing license sales system can be accessed online at

Recreational Fishing Licenses

The recreational fishing license sales system is part of DNREC’s new ePermitting system, which involves customers establishing a user profile usable for a variety of DNREC licensing and permitting opportunities. Online fishing license sales system enhancements include a more modern look and feel using an improved customer interface and a familiar shopping cart approach, along with full compatibility for a variety of mobile devices to include smartphones and tablets in addition to personal computers, including Apple products.

Recreational fishing licenses can also be purchased at the licensing office in DNREC’s Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, and at license agents statewide, where the previous license sales system will be used until the transition to the new electronic fishing license sales system is completed during the upcoming months.

For additional information and questions regarding Delaware fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tips On Saving Time/Money This Tax Season

(NAPSI)—Tax season is upon us, and you should have received all the documents needed to file your taxes and (hopefully) get a refund. To help reduce the stress that comes with filing taxes, Glinda

inancial expert

Glinda Bridgforth

Bridgforth, a leading financial expert who explores the emotional and cultural factors that block financial success, identifies a few ways to save time and money this tax season:

1. Get organized.

Whether you visit a tax professional or do it yourself, gather all documents ahead of time, such as your employer W-2s and any 1099 forms you may receive for interest income, retirement plans, or gig work such as driving for Uber. Don’t forget to check your online accounts where you might need to download tax documents.

“Avoid the panic and stress that comes from disorganization,” says Bridgforth. “Also, look at last year’s return, which can serve as a good guide.”

2. Start (and finish) early.

Don’t wait until April. Starting the process early will let you get organized, and have more time if you need it. Filing early will not only help you get your refund faster, it may also help you avoid tax-related identity theft since you will already have filed using your own Social Security number before someone else tries to. Speaking of identity theft…

3. Watch out for scams.

Where there’s money there’s a con, and criminals have become very good at exploiting tax season. Be wary of threatening phone calls from “IRS agents” and phishing e-mails “from the IRS” seeking your personal information. Also, while all tax preparers and DIY websites aim to minimize taxes and maximize refunds, beware of promises for more than your fair share. Unscrupulous “tax preparers” entice unsuspecting taxpayers with hopes of a high refund, only for them to lose it all. The IRS just launched “Identity Theft Central” (IRS.gov/identitytheft) to help taxpayers report identity theft and learn how to protect themselves against crimes.

4. Get all your tax breaks.

Did you get married? Have children? Change jobs? Take all the deductions you deserve.

“Even if nothing has changed in your life, you may have missed credits in the past that you’re entitled to,” notes Bridgforth. “For example, according to the IRS, one in every five eligible workers fails to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).”

If you find out you qualify for the EITC this year and didn’t claim it in the past, you can even file amended returns for 2016, 2017, or 2018. The IRS provides a wealth of this type of information online at IRS.gov/eitc.

5. Look for tax prep discounts and promotions, then use direct deposit.

The full service tax prep companies, as well as the DIY websites, are competing for your business, so be sure to shop around and look for coupons or rebates to find the best deal. Many free options are also available to those who qualify. Just go to IRS.gov/freefile to check eligibility.

And for the fastest and most secure delivery of your tax refund, opt for direct deposit instead of a check.

“If you don’t have or don’t qualify for a traditional branch bank account, there are new digital options to consider,” says Bridgforth. “Several FDIC-insured digital bank accounts and prepaid debit cards are available to open online or on your mobile phone, such as Green Dot Bank’s Unlimited Cash Back Bank Account, or Intuit’s Turbo Card prepaid debit card for those who use TurboTax.”

In addition, if you direct deposit your federal tax refund into your Green Dot account, not only will you get it faster, you’ll be entered in the Green Dot Extreme Tax Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of fifty $1,000 prizes. Details and official rules can be found at

greendot.com/ExtremeTax

Tabernacle Fire Co. Receives Grant from SJ Gas

TABERNACLE, NJ (February 18, 2020)—-South Jersey Gas recently presented a $4,681 grant to Tabernacle Fire Company No. 1 as part of its First Responders Grant Program. Pictured, from left, is Lauren Hurtt, Supervisor of Government Affairs with South Jersey Gas presenting the check to Kate Holden, Al Freeman and Chief Andy Cunard of Tabernacle Fire Company No. 1.

The grant funds, awarded in late-2019, were used by the fire company to purchase a thermal imaging camera and two gas detection meters.

“Our First Responders Grant Program provides crucial financial assistance to support operations, improve safety and provide training to departments throughout the South Jersey region,” said Dave Robbins, president of South Jersey Gas. “Through this investment, South Jersey Gas can help hardworking, courageous first responders and express gratitude for the work they do each day to ensure our communities remain safe. We are proud to partner with Tabernacle Fire Company No. 1 and commend them for their efforts.”

The thermal imaging camera and gas detection meters are vital safety tools that will aid the fire company in various situations. Thermal imaging cameras greatly enhance search and rescue capabilities in zero visibility environments, and gas detection meters gauge the levels of various types of gas, alerting the crew to atmospheric hazards so they can react accordingly.

The First Responder Grant Program will be offered again in November 2020. Program information and eligibility guidelines are available at southjerseygas.com/community.

State of NJ Sued by U.S. Department of Justice

By Bethany Blankley |

The Center Square

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued the State of New Jersey, Gov. Philip Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal for refusing to provide information to the U.S. Immigration and Customs

U.S. Attorney General William Barr speaks at the National Sheriffs\’ Association Winter Legislative and Technology Conference in Washington, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. Susan Walsh / AP

Enforcement (ICE) related to the immigration status and release dates of individuals in their custody.

The move is an attempt by the Trump Administration to reign in so-called sanctuary states and cities that have refused to enforce federal immigration laws.

“Today is a significant escalation in the federal government\’s efforts to confront the resistance of sanctuary cities,\” U.S. Attorney General William Barr said. \”But by no means do the efforts outlined above signify the culmination of our fight to ensure the rule of law, to defend the Constitution and to keep Americans safe.\”

The lawsuit challenges New Jersey Attorney General Law Enforcement Directive 2018-6, which prohibits state officials from sharing information with ICE and requires New Jersey law enforcement to “promptly notify a detained individual, in writing and in a language the individual can understand” if ICE files an immigration detainer request for the individual.

According to the complaint, New Jersey officials failed to provide information regarding the release dates of illegal immigrants who had been charged with or convicted of crimes multiple times last year.

“New Jersey’s decision to obstruct federal immigration enforcement by refusing to provide such information is unlawful under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” the DOJ argues.

The complaint states that “Congress has exercised its authority to make laws governing the admission, presence, status, and removal of aliens within the United States by enacting various provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act … the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 … and other laws regulating immigration.

“Congress has also codified basic principles of cooperation and comity between state and local authorities and the United States. Among the tools DHS uses to facilitate the sort of cooperation that Congress contemplated between law enforcement agencies and federal immigration officials is the ‘detainer request.’”

The detainer request is used by DHS to arrest and detain individuals subject to removal or removal proceedings.

In November 2018, the N.J. Attorney General issued a directive, which became effective in March 2019 and revised again in September 2019. The directive prohibits law enforcement agencies from “providing notice of a detained individual’s upcoming release from custody” to assist “federal immigration authorities when the sole purpose of that assistance is to enforce federal civil immigration law.”

republished by the Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

What You Need to Know About IVF in South Africa

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(February 18, 2020)–Prospective parents who are having trouble conceiving a child are more common than you may think. Statistics show that 1 in 6 parents will have trouble successfully conceiving their first child within 12 months of trying.

When this happens, couples turn to fertility clinics to help them conceive. Specifically, the procedure of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is designed to help parents with fertility issues so that they can successfully conceive a baby.

What this process entails and the factors that make it a successful conception alternative are things that you should consider when wondering if IVF is right for you and your significant other.

Only after you’ve been properly educated will you know what to look for in an

IVF clinic in South Africa

, or whatever area in which you’re looking.

What is IVF?

Since the first successful IVF in 1978, in vitro fertilization has become a common assisted reproductive technology (ART). It involves a complex series of medications and procedures that hope to result in successful embryonic fertilization, development, and implantation.

The first step involves medication designed to make a woman’s eggs mature so that they can be harvested by a doctor and fertilized in a laboratory with the desired sperm. These prepared eggs are then surgically inserted directly into the woman’s uterus.

Many people require multiple tries and many months for this process to be successful, as so much can go wrong. Most commonly, the uterus simply does not accept the implanted egg and no fetus ever develops.

This is why finding an accredited IVF clinic is so important. In a procedure already fraught with financial and physical complications, you want the best chance of getting it done right the first time.

IVF clinics in South Africa

Since so much can go wrong, you want to look for a few key factors when choosing an IVF clinic in South Africa.

The first is: are they accredited? You should only visit clinics that have been registered by

The Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA)

, the primary advisor on regulating and accrediting healthcare professions in South Africa.

Facilities

Next, you should ask if they have modern facilities and access to the latest fertilization technologies. Advanced laboratories like the one at Wijnland Fertility import IVF equipment from top manufacturers all over the world.

The Wijnland fertility clinic in South Africa, for instance, uses a device called an

Embryoscope

to maintain ideal conditions for eggs while they are being analyzed for quality. This is particularly useful for couples who have tried and failed many times with other fertilization methods.

Staff

You should also ask if the clinic has professional and experienced staff. Head doctors should have received specialist training in gynecology or obstetrics and have completed fellowships in fertility and related biological processes.

Do some research online to see what the embryologists and specialists at the clinic in question have done for experience, education, and additional training.

Mind and body

Finally, you want to assess whether the clinic treats patients as a whole person rather than merely as a medical procedure.

Fertilization is a trying process both physically and emotionally. Many different mental and social pressures converge on it to make it a stressful situation that your doctors need to address.

There’s the social judgment of not being able to conceive naturally, the pressure from family expectations when multiple attempts fail, and the strain on your finances. You may even have natural guarding and avoidance systems in your personality that make it really hard for you.

A clinic with staff trained in psychology or with counselors on call who are experienced in fertility counseling will be better suited to addressing all your needs as a prospective patient.

The Takeaway

In vitro fertilization is now a common process. This doesn’t mean that it’s always successful, however, as the process relies on many factors that all have a high failure rate. Variabilities such as your family history, the quality of the technology, and the inherent problems with successful fertilization mean that each attempt involves a series of stressful mental and physical trials.

This is why finding a suitable clinic to take care of all your needs is so essential. When evaluating your options for IVF treatment facilities in South Africa, look at the resumes of the resident doctors, the quality of their facilities, and the availability of mental counseling procedures to supplement the strain of going through this process.

Even though becoming a parent is difficult when you have fertility issues, it is possible in the modern age. With the right personnel and procedures, you can make the family you’ve always wanted into a reality.

How to Prevent Dog Attacks on Mail Carriers

PET PEEVES

If your dog bites a postal carrier, it could cost you thousands.

(

NAPSI)—Can you picture a member of your family attacking a mail carrier? Of course you couldn\’t, but it happened 5,714 times last year across the nation.

Dearborn, Mich., letter carrier Tameka

Toliver

recalls being pinned on a porch by a dog that bit her above her knee. \”It happened so fast, even with all my training, I barely had time to react,\”

Toliver

said last year. \”I\’m still scared when I get close to that house because I remember the attack so vividly. It takes a long time to get over the fear.\”

When a dog attacks a letter carrier, the dog owner could be held liable for all medical expenses, repayment of lost work hours, replacement of the uniform and other costs, which can run into thousands of dollars. The Postal Service places the safety of its employees as a top priority and dedicates a week each April to Dog Bite Awareness.

Here are four simple tips to prevent dog bite injuries that should be enforced year-round:

Door Delivery:

If a carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Some dogs burst through screen doors or plate-glass windows to attack visitors.

Electronic Fencing:

Although the electronic fence may keep your dog from wandering, it does not protect your Postal Service carrier, who must enter your property to deliver the mail. Even homes with curbside mailboxes may have oversized packages or signature-needed items that require the carrier to approach a doorstep and cross the boundaries of the electronic fence.

Dog in Yard:

Make sure your dog is properly restrained on a leash away from where your mail carrier is delivering the mail. Mail delivery service can be interrupted at an address or neighborhood the carrier deems unsafe because of an unrestrained dog. When service is interrupted at an address or neighborhood, all parties involved will have to pick mail up at their local post office.

Tracking:

Dog owners who have access to postal notification features such as Informed Delivery (

informeddelivery.usps.com

) for letter mail and package tracking are urged to use this as a way to gauge when the carrier is on his or her way and to ensure their dog is properly restrained.

LOVE YOUR MONEY: New Jersey Residents Making $1.9 Million Annually Taxed at 9.8 %

The Center Square

The top 1 percent of earners in New Jersey are taxed at an effective rate of 9.8 percent, compared to the state’s 10.1 percent tax rate on the middle 20 percent of income earners, according to

a new 24/7 Wall St. analysis

CNBNews graphic files

The study, which used data from a 2018 report by the Washington-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), did not include federal taxes paid. New Jersey ranked 46th on the study’s list of the most tax-friendly states for the rich.

On average, the top 1 percent of earners in the state take in $1.9 million annually, according to 24/7 Wall St.

Nationwide, the top-earning 1 percent of families pay 7.4 percent of what they make toward state and local levies, the ITEP study concluded. The middle 20 percent of U.S. earners, in contrast, paid more – 9.9 percent.

States with no income tax – or a very low income tax – tended to be the most friendly to wealthy individuals, 24/7 Wall St. reported. That’s because those states tend to rely more on more regressive taxes, placing more of a burden on poorer households, the study found.

republished by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square