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14 Members of a major drug trafficking group accountable for “substantial quantities” of crack cocaine and heroin were caught on Thursday with the arrest of 14 people in the areas of Monmouth, Ocean and some Middlesex counties as reported by the U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman during a press conference after the arrests were made. In the complaints received by the police, 22 members were charged with conspiracy regarding the distribution of heroin. Two leaders of the conspiracy – Herve Cadet, also known as “Gotti” or “Bro,” 22, of Neptune and... Read More»

A woman was recently arrested for a million dollar prostitution ring in Middlesex County. Aged 44, Deanna Ruiz was sentenced in New Brunswick by Judge Michael A. Toto in the Superior Court. This was after she pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering. Ruiz was one of the six adults who were arrested following an intensive investigation by the Woodbridge Police Department. The investigation uncovered that Ruiz was operating an internet prostitution service. The clients were called to a motel in Woodbridge, and other motels around New Jersey. It was determined... Read More»

New Jersey Law states that drivers are only allowed to use their cell phones with one hand on the steering wheel, if the drivers fear for their safety or if the drivers are in the process of reporting something to the authorities, for example; an emergency situation following a traffic accident, or reporting a drunk driver. Even though drivers are allowed to use Bluetooth devices, the driver is given no leeway under the law for situations in which he/she is fixing the Bluetooth device. In June, Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey’s... Read More»

A 42-year old New Jersey woman was charged with third degree insurance fraud this week. The county fraud unit received a referral from an insurance company that one of its insured clients had disclosed fraud. Reportedly, the woman has "made material misrepresentation in obtaining her motor vehicle insurance policies since 1999," claiming to be a single woman in a household without another driver. In this 10-plus year period, she had acquired an insurance policy she would have been ineligible for due to her spouse's driving record. By paying this lower... Read More»

New Jersey has long been a leader in the national crackdown on sex crimes against minors. The national notification law known as "Megan's Law" was based on New Jersey law. Recently, a committee of the New Jersey legislature unanimously passed a new bill that would result in increased penalties against individuals charged with sex crimes against minors. The new bill, known as the Jessica Lunsford Act, would classify any aggravated sexual assault on a person under the age of 13 as a first-degree crime. It also imposes a minimum term... Read More»

A Massachusetts crime lab has been shut down after an investigation revealed a chemist there had not been following proper testing protocols. The records of over 50,000 drug samples have been turned over to public defenders and prosecutors, who will examine the results and decide whether or not evidence was mishandled. The lab is responsible for testing substances found on arrested persons. False positives could result in convictions and imprisonment for drug charges, changing the lives of the arrested person forever. The records of this chemist from 2003 to 2012... Read More»

Three teens are facing alcohol and drug charges after a traffic stop earlier this month. The driver of the vehicle, a 17-year-old male, was stopped for speeding and failure to signal a turn. He was arrested for driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, and underage drinking. His two passengers, also juvenile, were also arrested. One passenger, another 17-year-old male, was charged with marijuana possession and underage drinking. A 16-year-old male passenger was charged with underage drinking. These are very serious charges for juveniles to face, as the... Read More»

A few weeks back we posted about the crime lab in Massachusetts where staff were accused of tampering with over 50,000 samples of substances found on drug charge  suspects and arrestees. That number has been increased to approximately 64,000, and the Public Health Commissioner has resigned. In the wake of the growing investigation into the testing system as well as the specific lab, located in a neighborhood of Boston, In his statement he said that the situation at the lab was "unacceptable," and recognized that there could be a large... Read More»

A 19-year-old Bronx man has filed civil rights charges against two New York police officers. The young man had been charged with assault, but his case was dismissed after the grand jury viewed a video shot by a neighbor the night of the incident. The video appears to show two New York police officers holding a young man to the floor of his apartment, with one repeatedly punching him in the face. This clip may be the crucial piece of evidence in the young man's case against the officers. The... Read More»

New Jersey does not take drug related offenses lightly - convictions come with strict penalties. The state Attorney General has recently echoed this sentiment saying that the state is "aggressively targeting" drug distribution, whether by "individual dealers...or major networks with gang ties." A Woodbridge man was recently convicted on multiple drug charges, stemming from a September arrest in which he attempted to sell a kilo of cocaine to an undercover police officer. During that incident, the man and his friend were arrested at his place of residence. He was convicted... Read More»