Crime Scene Middletown: Recent Police Activity Report (Just in time for the Holiday) 12/8/12 -12/18/12

Written and Issued by the Middletown Police Department
Monday, December 19th, 2012 - Arrests do not indicate convictions

Angel Vallone, age 36, from Carter Avenue in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 8, 2012 by Patrolman Keith Hirschbein for Simple Assault. She was released pending a court date.

Roger Smith, age 53, from Ninth Street in Belford, NJ, arrested on December 8, 2012 by Patrolman Anthony Bumbico for Driving While Intoxicated. He was released pending a court date.

Luke Jacobs, age 18, from Mountain Street in Red Bank, NJ, arrested on December 8, 2012 by Patrolman Andrew Micalizzi on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Oceanport Municipal Court. He was held on $2,500.00 bail.

William Welch, age 34, from Chapman Terrace in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 7, 2012 by Patrolman Anthony Bumbico for Possession of Marijuana, Possession with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was held on $22,500.00 bail set by Judge Richard Thompson.

Jeron Redway, age 25, from Willow Drive in Ocean, NJ, arrested on December 10, 2012 by Patrolman James Beirne for Obstructing an Investigation and on Contempt of Court warrants issued by the Middletown and Red Bank Municipal Courts and the Monmouth County Superior Court. He was held on $27,150.00 bail.

Erika Leonardi, age 35, from Tarpon Drive in Wall, NJ, arrested on December 10, 2012 by Patrolman Anthony Dellatacoma on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. She was released after posting $1,000.00 bail.

Violetta Borovaya, age 22, from Scenic Drive in Highlands, NJ, arrested on December 10, 2012 by Patrolman Brian McGrogan on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. She was released after posting $2,500.00 bail.

JD Rockafellow, age 23, from 34 ½ South Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, NJ, arrested on December 10, 2012 by Patrolman Christian Clark for Disorderly Conduct. He was released pending a court date.

Levys Sotomayor, age 30, from Monmouth Parkway in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 11, 2012 by Patrolman Charles Higgins for Simple Assault, Obstructing the Administration of Law and on Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Keansburg and Tinton Falls Municipal Court and the Ocean County Superior Court. He was held on $6,651.00 bail.

Kiernan Kelly, age 24, from Poricy Lane in Red Bank, NJ, arrested on December 12, 2012 by Patrolman Donald Coates on Contempt of Court warrants issued by the Sea Bright and Rumson Municipal Court. He was released after posting $364.00 bail.

Christina Marraccini, age 24, from Bowne Road in Locust, NJ, arrested on December 12, 2012 by Patrolman Richard Belmonte on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Freehold Municipal Court. She was released after posting $350.00 bail.

Jennifer Smith, age 34, from Hudson Avenue in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 12, 2012 by Patrolman Albert Scott on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. She was released after posting $1,000.00 bail.

Thomas Emerson, age 34, from Hudson Avenue in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 12, 2012 by Patrolman Albert Scott on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Keansburg Municipal Court. He was released after posting $435.00 bail.

Patrick Davis, age 46, from 6th Avenue in Asbury Park, NJ, arrested on December 13, 2012 by Patrolman John Mele on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Asbury Municipal Court. He was held on $101.00 bail.

Tara Murphy, age 38, from Cherry Street in Iselin, NJ, arrested on December 12, 2012 by Corporal George Freibott on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. She was held on $500.00 bail.

Kenneth White, age 21, from Richard Terrace in Red Bank, NJ, arrested on December 17, 2012 by Patrolman Nicholas Fenezia for Simple Assault. He was released on his own recognizance.

Tariq Wright, age 34, from Grand Avenue in East Orange, NJ, arrested on December 18, 2012 by Patrolman Stephen Greenwood on Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. He was held on $2,500.00 bail.

On December 17, 21012 Detective Best arrested a 13 year old male juvenile from Middletown, NJ, for Unannounced Videotaping. He was released pending a court date.

Karl Dorau, age 51, from Linden Avenue in Highlands, NJ, arrested on December 17, 2012 by Sergeant John Werner for Violation of a Court Order. He was released after posting $5,000.00 set by Judge Richard Thompson.

Brandon Ozelas, age 18, from Campbell Avenue in Belford, NJ, arrested on December 16, 2012 by Patrolman Robert Shannon for Simple Assault. He was released pending a court date.

Kathleen McAlister, age 31, from Garden Drive in Ocean, NJ, arrested on December 15, 2012 by Patrolman Charles Higgins on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Ocean Municipal Court. She was released after posting $190.00 bail.

April Bokay, age 21, from Walnut Street in Port Monmouth, NJ, arrested on December 14, 2012 by Patrolman Brady Carr for Possession of under 50 Grams of Marijuana, Possession of Methamphetamine and on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Eatontown Municipal Court. She was released after posting $600.00 bail.

Melvin Clarida, age 25, from 123rd Street in Queens, NY, arrested on December 14, 2012 by Corporal Gerald Weimer for Theft, Conspiracy, Criminal Attempt and Identity Theft. He was held on $230,000.00 bail set by Judge Francis Vernoia of the Monmouth County Superior Court.

Christopher Rosado, age 24, from Standish Drive in Howell, NJ, arrested on December 14, 2012 by Patrolman Charles Higgins on Contempt of Court warrants issued by the South Brunswick, Seaside Heights, Marlboro and Wall Municipal Courts. He was held on $2,850.00 bail.

Edward Conte, age 18, from Cherry Tree Farm Road in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 14, 2012 by Patrolman Christian Clark on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Red Bank Municipal Court. He was released after posting $120.00 bail.

Patrick Davis, age 46, from 6th Avenue in Asbury Park, NJ, arrested on December 13, 2012 by Patrolman John Mele on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Asbury Park Municipal Court. He was released on his own recognizance.

Kevin Allen, age 29, from Powell Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, NJ, arrested on December 14, 2012 by Patrolman Christian Clark on Contempt of Court warrants issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. He was held on $1,000.00.

Avery Jackson, age 25, from Firth Street in Jamaica, NY, arrested on December 14, 2012 by Corporal Cliff O’Hara for Possession of under 50 Grams of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Identity Theft and Theft. He was held on $230,000.00 bail set by Judge Francis Vernoia of the Monmouth County Superior Court.

Rachel Sawyer, age 24, from Kimberly Court in Red Bank, NJ, arrested on December 18, 2012 by Patrolman Richard Belmonte for Shoplifting from the Kohls Store. She was released pending a court date.

Dominick Bongiorno, age 62, from GreentreeTerreace in Lincroft, NJ, arrested on December 18, 2012 by Patrolman Anthony Gigante for Violation of a Court Order. He was released on his own recognizance.

Ashley Quellman, age 22 from Ocean Avenue in Middletown, NJ, arrested on December 19, 2012 by Patrolman Stephen Greenwood for Driving While Intoxicated. She was released pending a court date.

Only a Partial Solution

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:


Since last August, more than 300,000 of America’s young immigrants have emerged from the shadows to apply for a new program that provides temporary protection from deportation.

The program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, asserted by the President because Congress would not act, has strict eligibility rules. It is open only to immigrants who were brought into this country as children, who have grown into law-abiding adults, and who have worked hard to better themselves through education or military service.

By offering a legally recognized status to these immigrants, many of whom have never known any other home than America, the Childhood Arrivals program has made our immigration system more humane and just. This partial solution reminds us how much more remains to be done to create an immigration system that benefits our society and our economy at large and treats individuals and families humanely and justly.

I expect that one of the major issues of the early 113th Congress will be the consideration of more comprehensive immigration legislation. To guide this process, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus have set forth nine principles for immigration reform.

The principles call for requiring undocumented immigrants to register with the federal government, submit to a background check, learn English and American civics, and pay taxes. In return, these new Americans would earn a path to permanent residency and eventual citizenship. The principles also emphasize the importance of attracting highly educated immigrants, protecting the border, and ending the exploitation of immigrant workers.

These principles are sensible, straightforward ideas that should guide America’s conversation about immigration reform in the new year.

Not Just Rain and Wind

You may know that you can apply for federal disaster assistance to help pay the costs of repairing damage done to your home by Hurricane Sandy. But did you know that disaster grants may also help cover indirect costs of the storm?

The Genealogical Society of New Jersey, for instance, is a Trenton-based nonprofit that was scheduled to hold its annual public meeting and lecture on November 10, just days after Sandy struck New Jersey. The society was forced to postpone its meeting, requiring the re-printing and re-mailing of all of the associated flyers and publicity announcements. Total costs ran up to $850 – a meaningful amount of money for a small organization.

Fortunately, the Genealogical Society applied for and received a grant to cover its losses from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. The grant was one of several provided from a larger, $30,000 fund that the New Jersey Council secured with my support after the storm.

To be clear, not all indirect hurricane damages will be covered by grants or disaster aid, but the Genealogical Society’s story shows how a dedicated organization can recover even losses that weren’t the direct result of rain or wind.

If you or your organization suffered direct or indirect damage from Hurricane Sandy, the first step is to apply for FEMA disaster relief by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. If FEMA aid does not fully cover your costs, please contact me at holt.house.gov/contact or 1-87-RUSH-HOLT (1-877-874-4658), and I would be glad to help you determine how you might pursue additional aid.

Remain On Guard for Disaster Relief Scams

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, scam artists too often attempt to prey on disaster victims. FEMA is warning of several particularly common scams:

• Home Repair Scams - Unregistered home improvement contractors may take your money and disappear, leaving unfinished work and unsafe homes. Before hiring a contractor, you should check with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-242-5846 to make sure the contractor is registered.
• Identity Theft - Scam artists may pretend to be employed by FEMA, the Small Business Administration (SBA), or other government agencies and try to obtain personal information such as Social Security and bank account numbers. Please bear in mind that all authorized FEMA or SBA personnel display a laminated photo identification card, which they are required to wear at all times.
• Charity Scams – Before donating, you should investigate to be sure the organization asking for donations is registered to solicit in New Jersey and ask how the money will be used.

Further information about protecting yourself from these and other scams is available online.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Crime Scene Middletown: Home Health Aid Charged with Forgery And Theft By Deception

Written by Middletown Township Police Department
Wednesday, 24 August 2011 -Arrests do not indicate convictions


On August 23, 2011 Detective Laurence Schachtel arrested Jennifer Franklin, age 21, from Hudson Avenue in Middletown, NJ, for Forgery, Theft by Deception and Theft as a result of an investigation into a theft from a resident on Harvey Avenue where she worked as a home health aide.

Police say Franklin used the victim’s ATM card to steal close to $5,000.00 from his bank account. The victim confronted Franklin at which point she agreed to pay him back. However, police say Franklin used counterfeit bills to make the payments.

Franklin was processed and released pending a court date.

On August 23, 2011 at approximately 2:05 am Patrolman John Soltysik was on patrol in the area of Highway 36 and East Road when he observed a vehicle driving through a construction zone set up by road crews paving the highway. Officer Soltysik observed the vehicle swerve numerous times and knock over traffic cones. The officer stopped the vehicle and approached the driver who provided the officer with a fake name.

Officer Soltysik conducted an investigation and was able to identify the driver as Robert Jeffcoat, age 29, from Raritan Avenue in Keansburg, NJ. The officer also located seven outstanding Contempt of court warrants issued by numerous municipal courts for his arrest. Jeffcoat was then taken into custody.

Officer Soltysik continued his investigation and determined that the passenger, identified as Jeron Redway, age 23, from Willow Drive in Ocean, NJ, also had numerous Contempt of Court warrants for his arrest. Redway was also taken into custody.

Officer Soltysik also located Naproxen pills inside the vehicle which neither subject had a lawful prescription for. Both subjects were transported to police headquarters. Jeffcoat was charged with Contempt of Court, Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Legend Drug, Providing false Information to a Police Officer, and numerous motor vehicle violations. Redway was charged with Contempt of Court, Hindering Apprehension and Unlawful Possession of a Prescription Legend Drug. Jeffcoat was being held on $12,200.00 bail and Redway was held on $7,636.00 bail.

On August 23, 2011 at approximately 2:40 pm Patrolman Brady Carr responded to the area of Priscilla Drive in reference to a report of a suspicious female going door to door soliciting magazine subscriptions. Upon arrival the officer located the female who provided the officer with a fake name. Officer Carr conducted an investigation and was able to identify her as Fina Toia, age 19, from Cabrillo Drive in Fairfield, NJ.

Officer Brady confirmed that Toia did not have a permit to solicit and conducted a warrant check. The checked revealed that there was an outstanding Fugitive warrant out of Delaware issued for Toia’s arrest. She was taken into custody and was transported to police headquarters where she was charged with Hindering Apprehension, Soliciting without a Permit and being a Fugitive from Justice.

She was processed and was being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Facility in Freehold, NJ, where she was awaiting extradition to Delaware.

On August 23, 2011 at approximately 8:55 pm Patrolman Richard Fulham was on patrol in the area of Thompson Avenue and Highway 36 when he observed a vehicle fail to stop at a stop sign. The officer stopped the vehicle and approached the driver who provided the officer with a fake name.

Officer Fulham conducted an investigation and was able to identify the subject as Stacy Cook, age 44, from Old Manchester Road in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Officer Fulham arrested Cook for Obstructing an Investigation. He was transported to police headquarters where he was processed and was held on $2,500.00 bail set by Judge James Berube.

On August 23, 2011 at approximately 10:45 pm Patrolman Christopher Dee and Patrolman Raymond Sofield of the Quality of Life Unit were on patrol in the area of West Front Street when they stopped a vehicle for swerving from the lane of travel. The officers approached the vehicle at which point they detected an odor of raw Marijuana coming from inside the car.

The officers conducted an investigation and requested a drug detection canine respond to the scene. Monmouth County Sheriff’s Officer Kurt Kroeper and his canine partner Evan responded and searched the vehicle. The dog indicated on the trunk of the car which was then searched by the officers. The search resulted in the recovery of a bag containing Marijuana, a Marijuana Pipe and a scale used to weigh Marijuana which was located in the spare tire compartment and the arrest of Autumn Innocenti, age 21, from Telegraph Hill Road in Holmdel, NJ.

Innocenti was transported to police headquarters where she was charged with Possession of under 50 Grams of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was processed and released pending a court date.

On August 22, 2011 at approximately 5:45 pm Patrolman Keith Hirschbein was on patrol in the area of McMahon Park when he observed several subjects sitting in the dugout of the hockey rink. Officer Hirschbein approached the subjects and located alcoholic beverages in the dugout.

Officer Hirschbein conducted an investigation which resulted in the arrests of a 20 year old female subject from Keansburg, NJ, and a 19 year old female from Kailua, Hawaii. Both subjects were transported to police headquarters where they were charged with Underage Possession of Alcohol and were released pending a court date.

On August 22, 2011 at approximately 11:20 am Patrolman James Beirne was on patrol in the area of Highway 36 and Wilson Avenue when he observed a vehicle being operated carelessly. Officer Beirne stopped the vehicle and approached the driver, identified as Manuel Costa, age 32, from Center Avenue in Keansburg, NJ.

Officer Beirne conducted an investigation which resulted in Costa being arrested for Possession of under 50 Grams of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after he located a Marijuana pipe with Marijuana residue in it inside the car. Costa was transported to police headquarters where he was processed and released pending a court date.

The Middletown Police Department reports the arrests of the following subjects for various offenses:


Alexander Potts, age 30, from Main Street in Port Monmouth, NJ, arrested on August 22, 2011 by Patrolman Christopher Dee and Patrolman Raymond Sofield of the Quality of Life Unit for Possession of under 50 Grams of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was processed and released pending a court date.


Thomas Hardie, age 29, from Hosford Avenue in Leonardo, NJ, arrested on August 23, 2011 by Patrolman Keith Hirschbein on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. He was released after posting $1,000.00 bail.

Ciro Taormina, age 49, from Main Street in Port Monmouth, NJ, arrested on August 23, 2011 by Patrolman Keith Hirschbein for Shoplifting from the Walgreens Store. He was processed and released pending a court date.

Crime Scene Middletown: POLICE ARREST THREE MEN IN CREDIT CARD FRUAD CASE

PREPARED BY DETECTIVE LIEUTENANT STEPHEN DOLLINGER

Police have arrested three men involved in a credit card fraud totaling $1,556.45 in unauthorized transactions. On March 7, 2011 the victim reported to police that her credit card had been stolen and fraudulently used at numerous businesses throughout the Middletown area.

Middletown Police Detective Daniel Sullivan and the United States Secret Service conducted a joint investigation resulting in the arrests of Edward Malek, age 23, from Clinton Avenue in Belford, Christopher Newrock, age 22, from Evergreen Terrace in Middletown, and James Guadagno, age 36, from Navesink River Road in Middletown.

Police say Edward Malek, who was known to the victim, stole the credit card and with the help of Newrock and Guadagno set up a fake PayPal account in order to access the credit card and receive cash from fraudulent transactions made to the fake account.

The investigation resulted in all three subjects being charged with Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card and Conspiracy. Malek was also charged with one count of Theft after police were able to connect him to the theft of jewelry from the victim as well. Police report Malek was in possession of the stolen credit card at the time of his arrest.

Newrock and Guadagno were released on a summons pending a court appearance. Malek was held on $22,500 bail set by Judge Michael Pugliese.

Are smartphones smarter than identity thieves? As the amount of smartphones on the market rises, so do instances of identity theft

A new friend of mine, Jennifer, sent me this social media release from Allstate Insurance Co. She wanted me to pass along to readers the possible dangers of using smartphones as they pertain to identity theft.

The release mentions some commonsense things that people can do to protect themselves from identity theft, so I thought that it would be of interest to some of the readers of MiddletownMike:

08.11.2009 – More and more consumers are reaching for a smartphone to simplify their hectic lives. On the road and with the click of the touchscreen, the ability to communicate, store information and pay bills has never been easier. But if your smart phone falls into the hands of identity thieves, the cost of convenience will be replaced with something much more expensive.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, reported instances of identity theft increased between 2007 and 2008. At the same time, the use of smartphones doubled, accounting for nearly one-quarter of all handset sales in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to the NPD Group, a leader in wireless industry market research. And, with the price of smartphones on the decline, their sales are expected to steadily increase this year, leaving consumers -- and the information that is stored on their phones -- vulnerable.

"Smartphones are like portable computers. People do their banking, store personal information, and even passwords on these devices," said Grady Irey, Field Product Manager, Allstate New Jersey. "What happens if your phone is stolen? What happens if you leave it in a restaurant or in the back of a cab? All of the information you have stored could make you an easy target for identity theft."

There are several measures consumers can take to safeguard their valuable information and lessen their chances of becoming the victim of identity theft.

Make sure your phone is password protected. It may be a hassle to type in a password every time you turn on your phone, but this simple step is a good first line of defense when it comes to protecting your personal information.

Think twice before you store your information. Sure, it may be convenient to store your passwords and PIN numbers on your phone but, in the wrong hands, this information could cause some serious damage. Before storing any information on your phone, ask yourself if it could cause financial and/or personal harm. If the answer is "yes," then the information is not appropriate for saving to your smartphone.

Find out more information >>> HERE