NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced Jan. 30 that four men have entered guilty pleas, admitting their roles in a West Orange home invasion in June in which a husband, wife and young child were terrorized. The defendants Edward Bentura, 33, Yodelin Diaz, 25, Lidio Martinez Miese, 30, and Jesus […]
NEWARK, NJ — A political consultant admitted her role in a fraud scheme related to contracts with the Newark Watershed Development Corp. and kickbacks to officials there, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced on Jan. 29. Dianthe Martinez Brooks, 42, of West Orange pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark federal court […]
NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced Jan. 26 that Gery Destra, 21, of Maplewood was sentenced to 29 years in New Jersey State Prison on Jan. 25 by Superior Court Judge Verna Leath for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl. In October of 2017 an Essex County jury convicted Destra of […]
NEWARK, NJ — Three of the men responsible for the carjacking and murder of Dustin Friedland, the 30-year-old Hoboken lawyer killed leaving The Mall at Short Hills, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms on Thursday, Jan. 18, by Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin. “These sentencings end the legal process. We hope this will allow […]
NEWARK, NJ — Luis Rodriguez-Cruz, 24, of Newark, was arrested by police because he was wanted for questioning regarding a two-alarm fire at 14 Garden St. on Saturday, Jan. 13. At approximately 10:10 a.m., some 60 Newark firefighters responded to the scene, involving a fire on the second and third floors of the three-story, vacant […]
NEWARK, NJ — Members of the Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested Joseph Hawkins, 44, of Newark, on Tuesday, Jan. 16, who was wanted for an aggravated assault that occurred on Monday, Jan. 15. At approximately 9:30 a.m., police responded to an East Ward residence on a call that a man had pointed a gun at a […]
NEWARK, NJ — Luis Santander, 35 of Irvington, and Marlon Santander, 33 of Newark, who are brothers, were arrested for an incident of illegal dumping on Monday, Jan. 15. At approximately 10 p.m., members of the Illegal Dumping Task Force were conducting surveillance in the area of McCarter Highway and Verona Street, when they observed […]
NEWARK, NJ — The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, is investigating a double shooting that resulted in one fatality. On Monday, Jan. 15, at approximately 7:47 p.m. Pedro Dillahunt, 31, of Newark was fatally shot in the 200 block of Hunterdon Street in Newark. […]
NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino announced Jan. 18 that three of the men responsible for the carjacking and murder of Dustin Friedland, the 30-year-old Hoboken lawyer killed leaving The Mall at Short Hills, were sentenced to lengthy prison terms by Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin. “These sentencings end the […]
ORANGE, NJ — The Orange Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force are investigating a double homicide in Orange. On Monday, Jan. 1, at approximately 7 p.m., police responded to a call of shot fired. Two men were discovered in the 100 block of Taylor Street in Orange suffering from […]