Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years
Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years A New Jersey mail carrier took bribes for five years to help people use the U.S. Postal Service to ship coke, pot and other contraband through the mail. Emerson Pavilus, 46, of Union was working for the post office in Flanders when he took the payoffs, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. “Among other things, Pavilus provided his conspirators with addresses in Flanders to which parcels could be shipped, intercepted those parcels from the mail stream, and personally delivered those parcels to conspirators at addresses other than those listed on the parcels,” Honig said. Pavilus was n…
Long Island Man Sentenced In ‘Shotgun’ Mortgage Scheme That Cost Banks $9 Million Long Island Man Sentenced In ‘Shotgun’ Mortgage Scheme That Cost Banks $9 Million
Long Island Man Sentenced In ‘Shotgun’ Mortgage Scheme That Cost Banks $9 Million A Long Island man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for his role in a $9 million ‘shotgun’ mortgage scheme in New Jersey and New York. Yorce Yotagri, age 54, of Freeport, admitted last year that he partnered with Jorge Flores of Oakdale and Jose Piehrahita, also of Freeport, to secure several home equity lines of credit for the same properties and pocket the money before the lending banks found out, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. One of those properties was in Jersey City, a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Newark says. Yotagri lived on another i…
Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years
Feds: NJ Mail Carrier Picked Up, Delivered Drugs For Years A New Jersey mail carrier took bribes for five years to help people use the U.S. Postal Service to ship coke, pot and other contraband through the mail. Emerson Pavilus, 46, of Union was working for the post office in Flanders when he took the payoffs, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. “Among other things, Pavilus provided his conspirators with addresses in Flanders to which parcels could be shipped, intercepted those parcels from the mail stream, and personally delivered those parcels to conspirators at addresses other than those listed on the parcels,” Honig said. Pavilus was n…
Feds: Online NJ 'Romeo' Conned Woman Out Of $300,000 Feds: Online NJ 'Romeo' Conned Woman Out Of $300,000
Feds: Online NJ 'Romeo' Conned Woman Out Of $300,000 She met him on an Internet word game, then gave him her heart. Before she knew it, he’d taken more than $300,000 of her money. And she didn’t even know who her online Romeo really was. Eseosa Obaseki, 36, of Linden, was trying to dodge justice when FBI agents grabbed him this week at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, authorities said. Obaseki used a bogus persona to reach out to the Washington State victim in late winter/early spring of 2019, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Their online exchanges continued for a couple of months before Obaseki “convinced [her] of his rom…
Feds: Hunterdon County Man, 48, Pleads Guilty To Receiving, Possessing Child Porn Feds: Hunterdon County Man, 48, Pleads Guilty To Receiving, Possessing Child Porn
Feds: Hunterdon County Man, 48, Pleads Guilty To Receiving, Possessing Child Porn A 48-year-old Hunterdon County man admitted in court Wednesday to receiving and possessing child pornography, authorities said. Daniel Murphy, of Lebanon, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography in Trenton federal court, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said in a release. Murphy received and possessed images depicting the sexual abuse of minors, Honig said. Child pornography receipt and possession charges carry a maximum penalty of 40 and 20 years in prison and fines totaling $250,000 each, respectively, Honig said. …
NJ Federal Juror Who Did His Own Research Fined $11,227 For Causing Mistrial NJ Federal Juror Who Did His Own Research Fined $11,227 For Causing Mistrial
NJ Federal Juror Who Did His Own Research Fined $11,227 For Causing Mistrial A New Jersey federal juror was fined $11,227 for researching the case and sharing what he found with other jurors, causing a mistrial, authorities said Tuesday. Jurors in the trial “were instructed repeatedly, both in writing and verbally, not to conduct any research about the case, including through use of the Internet,” Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. However, Juror Number 7 – as he was identified – “conducted Internet research into evidence in the case” during a recess and then shared his findings with the other jurors during deliberations, causing a mistrial,” Honig said. U…
Disgraced Ex-Dentist From Morris County Takes Guilty Plea In DEA Meth Raid Disgraced Ex-Dentist From Morris County Takes Guilty Plea In DEA Meth Raid
Disgraced Ex-Dentist From Morris County Takes Guilty Plea In DEA Meth Raid A disgraced former dentist who already had a criminal history involving crystal meth admitted having the drug when the DEA raided his Morris County home last year. Frederick Bailey, 61, pleaded guilty via videoconference with a federal judge in Newark to having and conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Federal agents arrested Bailey, of Denville, after finding “methamphetamine and packaging materials throughout the residence” during a January 2020 raid. He already had a criminal history at the time. Local police arrested Bailey in 2016 after…
Feds: Purported NJ Gang Members Indicted On Murder, Attempted Murder Charges Feds: Purported NJ Gang Members Indicted On Murder, Attempted Murder Charges
Feds: Purported NJ Gang Members Indicted On Murder, Attempted Murder Charges Three purported members of the Rollin' 60s Neighborhood Crips gang were indicted on charges of murder and attempted murder Wednesday, federal officials said. Elijah Williams, aka “Lil Smith,” 21; Jason Franklin, aka “Freak,” aka “OG Freak,” 37; and Tre Byrd, aka “Bands,” aka “G Bandz,” 20 -- all of Newark -- were charged by indictment with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Williams is accused of shooting four individuals and hitting two in Newark on Sept. 25, 2018, authorities said. Both victims survived the at…
Jamaican Man, Peruvian Woman Admit Smuggling 22 Pounds Of Cocaine Into Newark Airport Jamaican Man, Peruvian Woman Admit Smuggling 22 Pounds Of Cocaine Into Newark Airport
Jamaican Man, Peruvian Woman Admit Smuggling 22 Pounds Of Cocaine Into Newark Airport Two people in two days this week admitted smuggling more than 22 pounds of cocaine combined into Newark Airport. Perez Omar Gibbs, 38, of Jamaica told a federal judge in Newark via videoconference that he hid more than six pounds of coke in two bags of coffee and four picture frames aboard a flight from Montego Bay, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. In an unrelated case, Honig said, Yolanda Fonseca Melgarejo, 59, a legal permanent resident of the United States and a citizen of Peru, told another judge in Newark that she concealed more than 15 pounds in chocolate candy on a flight …
Mobster Sent To Federal Prison For Beating Husband Of ‘Real Housewives Of NJ’ Cast Member Mobster Sent To Federal Prison For Beating Husband Of ‘Real Housewives Of NJ’ Cast Member
Mobster Sent To Federal Prison For Beating Husband Of ‘Real Housewives Of NJ’ Cast Member A Lucchese crime soldier was sentenced Thursday to a plea-bargained 2½ years in federal prison for throwing the current husband of former “Real Housewives of New Jersey” cast member Dina Manzo a beating in exchange for an extravagant gift from her well-known ex. John Perna, 44, of Cedar Grove testified last October that Thomas Manzo hired him in 2015 to assault David Cantin, who was dating Dina at the time. Perna told a federal judge he was armed with a “slapjack” when he and another Lucchese associate followed Cantin to a Passaic County strip mall and attacked him on July 18, 2015. In exc…
Mailman Admits Stealing, Cashing Checks From Hackensack, Maywood, Leonia Residents Mailman Admits Stealing, Cashing Checks From Hackensack, Maywood, Leonia Residents
Mailman Admits Stealing, Cashing Checks From Hackensack, Maywood, Leonia Residents A postal carrier admitted Thursday that he stole and cashed checks sent to customers on his routes in Hackensack, Maywood and Leonia. Juan Torres, 28, of Hackensack told a federal judge in Newark via teleconference that he deposited more than $27,000 in stolen checks – including one for $1,505 -- into a bank account that he controlled, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents and investigators got wise to him, however, she said. Rather than face a trial, Torres took a deal from the government, pleading guilty to bank theft in exchange for leniency. …
Feds: Essex Jail Officer Admits Covering Up Colleague's Assault On Federal Detainee Feds: Essex Jail Officer Admits Covering Up Colleague's Assault On Federal Detainee
Feds: Essex Jail Officer Admits Covering Up Colleague's Assault On Federal Detainee An Essex County correctional officer admitted Wednesday that he covered up a colleague’s assault of a federal detainee. Angel Chaparro, 38, told a federal judge in Newark that he and two colleagues were strip-searching the detainee at the Essex County Correctional Facility last August when the assault occurred. The detainee – who was being held pending a federal trial – had squirted a mixture of urine, yogurt, and milk onto a correctional officer, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Friday. Officer Damion James attacked the detainee in a disciplinary cell, “striking him multiple tim…