Earlier today, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office responded to an incident that took place on Amity St. in Elizabeth, involving dogs fighting, which led to the owners being attacked by the dogs. Three victims were transported to Trinitas Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries sustained while trying to separate the dogs. Elizabeth Police Officers on scene discharged their weapons in order to stop the attack, which resulted in the death of two dogs. The investigation is currently ongoing.
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Two men – one who was convicted at trial and another who pled guilty – were sentenced to State Prison Friday for their roles in the beating death of 28-year-old Oscar Melara of Elizabeth in 2019, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today.
Union County Superior Court Judge Candido Rodriguez, Jr. sentenced Laquan McCall, 31 – who was convicted at trial of second-degree manslaughter in November of last year — to an extended term of 16 years in State Prison. Convictions on second-degree crimes normally carry a term of between 5 and 10 years, but based on McCall’s prior criminal history, Judge Rodriguez ordered that McCall be sentenced as a persistent offender and imposed the 16 year sentence, directing that McCall must serve at least 85% of that sentence before being eligible for parole. Judge Rodriguez also sentenced Christopher Elliott – who pled guilty as an accomplice to third-degree aggravated assault in December – to 3 years in State Prison.
Shortly after 2 a.m. on the morning of Saturday, July 27, 2019, Elizabeth Police Department patrol units responded to a report of an altercation at Ben’s Bar on the 600 block of Meadow Street and found Melara, 28, who had sustained severe injuries, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutors Alaina Caliendo and Jillian Reyes, who prosecuted the case. Melara was transported to Trinitas Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Caliendo and Reyes added.
Testimony presented during the trial revealed that McCall punched the victim approximately four times outside the bar after an altercation, ultimately causing brain injuries that led to Melara’s death. After McCall’s conviction, Elliott admitted to acting as an accomplice by driving McCall from the scene after the attack.
A Perth Amboy man has been sentenced to 25 years in State Prison for the shooting death of 24- year-old Isaiah Spicer of Union, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today. Union County Superior Court Judge Robert Kirsch imposed the term on 26-year-old Shannon Assing, handing down a 25-year sentence on his aggravated manslaughter conviction, this past Friday. Assing must serve at least 85% of the 25-year term before the possibility of parole. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on the morning of Thursday, November 4, 2021, Union Police Department patrol units responded to the 1200 block of Coolidge Ave and found Spicer who sustained fatal injuries to his head and neck after an apparent execution-style shooting, according to Assistant Prosecutor Robert Grady. Assing fled the scene, discarded the weapon, and turned himself in the next day.
At the time of his guilty plea, Assing admitted to shooting Mr. Spicer in front of the home of his ex- girlfriend.
“We are grateful for the hard work of Assistant Prosecutor Grady, Sergeant Chris Scuorzo, and Homicide Task Force Officer Sergeant Trent Fettes on this case in bringing this suspect to justice, “said Union County Prosecutor Daniel. “I hope this sentencing can bring some solace to those mourning Mr. Spicer.”
A Bloomfield man — who was convicted in November of attempting to murder a Lyft driver and assaulting another passenger before carjacking the vehicle in April of 2019 – has been sentenced to a total of 29 years in State Prison, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today.
Union County Superior Court Judge Thomas Isenhour imposed the term on 31-year-old Farrakhan Howard, handing down a 24-year sentence on his carjacking conviction, an 18-year concurrent sentence on the attempted murder and a 5-year consecutive sentence for the aggravated assault on the passenger, this past Friday. Howard must serve at least 85% of the 24-year term on the carjacking before the possibility of parole on that count, then must serve the additional 5-year term before being eligible for release Judge Isenhour ruled.
At approximately 1 a.m. on the morning of Wednesday April 24, 2019, Clark Police Department patrol units responded to the area of Westfield Avenue and found a 47-year-old man bleeding from stab wounds and cuts to his head, face and neck, according to Assistant Prosecutor Izabella Wozniak who prosecuted the case along with Assistant Prosecutor Alexandra Pecora. Soon after, Officers from the Rahway Police Department located a 20-year-old woman who was also suffering from stab wounds to her head and scratches to her neck, Wozniak added.
Testimony presented during the trial revealed that Howard was in the male victim’s Lyft vehicle with the female passenger. At some point during the trip, Howard assaulted and stabbed the female victim. At that point, the Lyft driver stopped the vehicle to help the female and Howard stabbed him several times before carjacking the vehicle. Both victims were able to escape before being located by Clark and Rahway officers. Howard drove off and was eventually arrested and charged after crashing the victim’s vehicle in Woodbridge.
A Union County jury has returned a guilty verdict against two men for the shooting death of an Elizabeth man in January of 2020, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today.
Charles Leach, 38 and Bashir Pearson, 22 both of Elizabeth, were found guilty last Wednesday on one count each of first-degree murder, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, and second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose following a three week trial before Union County Superior Court Judge Thomas Isenhour for the murder of 30 year old Tyshun Kearney. The jury deliberated for a day before returning its verdict.
At approximately 6:55 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, two Elizabeth Police Department Detectives were in the area of Jackson Avenue and Bond Street when they heard several gunshots. They immediately responded to the area and found Kearney, who had sustained multiple gunshot injuries, according to Assistant Prosecutors Michael Cleaver and Sarah Turk, who prosecuted the case. Kearney was subsequently rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Testimony offered at trial revealed that on the day of the crime, the victim was shot several times outside a City barbershop by Leach and Pearson. Elizabeth police officers responding to the area saw Leach, who matched the description of one of the suspects, and detained him. Video surveillance obtained from the area showed Leach and Pearson fleeing the scene on foot and each discarding handguns, which were recovered later that evening and confirmed by ballistics to the be the two guns used to murder Kearney.
Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 17, 2023 before Judge Isenhour, at which time each can face a sentence of up to life in state prison.
Press Release from the County Prosecutors Association of New Jersey
Jeffrey H. Sutherland, President
Cape May County Prosecutor
Bradley D. Billhimer Secretary
Ocean County Prosecutor
Mark Musella, 1st Vice President
Bergen County Prosecutor
James Pfeiffer, Treasurer
Warren County Prosecutor
Yolanda Ciccone, 2nd Vice President
Middlesex County Prosecutor
Esther Suarez, Immediate Past President
Hudson County Prosecutor
Jennifer Webb-McRae, State Delegate, NDAA
Cumberland County Prosecutor
Anger. Hurt. Frustration. These are just some of the many emotions experienced after seeing the brutal treatment suffered by Tyre Nichols during a Tennessee traffic stop. The videos released today are far beyond disturbing; we echo the sentiments of Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis in describing this violent police encounter as heinous, reckless, and inhumane. It was a failure of our system of justice, as law enforcement officers, as public servants, and simply as human beings. Shelby County District Attorney Steven J. Mulroy acted swiftly and appropriately in charging all five officers with Second Degree Murder and related offenses.
As County Prosecutors, we are entrusted with the responsibility of serving as the chief law enforcement officers within our own respective communities – we are your neighbors and your friends. All 21 County Prosecutor’s offices and all police agencies in New Jersey are dedicated to building strong and healthy relationships with our communities.
New Jersey has one of the finest law enforcement communities in the country, but we are not ignorant to the fact this breakdown of basic humanity can happen anywhere. Every law enforcement encounter such as this reverses the progress we are making across our state. The trust we have worked so diligently to establish is damaged. We want to assure our residents that we will continue the momentum of building relationships and partnerships with the community through transparency, accountability, training, and professional development. In the last few years, all law enforcement officers in New Jersey have received revised and extensive Use of Force training and Integrated Communication and Tactics (ICAT) and Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) de-escalation training. ICAT and ABLE instruction specifically trains our officers to de-escalate situations and intervene if they see other officers using excessive force, regardless of rank.
Our sincere concerns and prayers are with the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Nichols, and the entire city of Memphis as they cope with this tragedy and seek to rebuild trust in those who have taken an oath to protect and serve them. With this matter being investigated jointly by the Department of Justice, FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Shelby County District Attorney’s
Office, and the Memphis Police Department, we have the utmost confidence that the virtues of our criminal justice system will prevail.
We remind anyone who believes they have been unfairly treated by law enforcement to contact their local police chief or County Prosecutor’s office to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation is conducted.
A Union County jury has returned a guilty verdict against a man who sexually assaulted a Union Township woman in her home in July of 2020, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today.
Richard Darby, 37, of The Bronx was found guilty this past Friday on one count each of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, second-degree burglary and third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact following a three week trial before Union County Superior Court Judge Regina Caulfield. The jury deliberated for just hours before returning its verdict.
In July of 2020, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit received a referral from the Union Township Police Department regarding the sexual assault an elderly victim. The joint investigation led by the Special Victims Unit and the Union Police Department that followed quickly identified Darby as the suspect. After a two-day manhunt, Darby was arrested in Jersey City.
Testimony offered at trial revealed that on the day of the crime, the victim was at her home at approximately 5:00 a.m. and went outside to dispose of her trash, leaving her door propped open. When she re-entered the home, she was attacked and sexually assaulted by Darby who had somehow slipped into the home as she was placing her garbage outside, according to Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Dillon, who prosecuted the case. During the attack, the victim was able to escape the house and call 9-1-1 with her neighbor’s assistance, causing Darby to flee the scene, Dillon added.
Sentencing has been tentatively scheduled for Friday, March 10, 2023 before Judge Caulfield, at which time Darby can face a sentence of up to twenty years state prison, subject to New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA), under which defendants convicted of certain violent crimes must serve 85% of their term before being eligible for parole.
A West New York man was charged with sexually assaulting a woman in a Newark Airport parking garage in Elizabeth on Thursday, January 19, 2023, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Port Authority Chief Security Officer Greg Ehrie jointly announced today.
Thomassal Watkins, 40, is charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact in the attack on the victim.
Port Authority Police Department officers responded to the Conrac Parking Garage — connected to Newark Airport’s Terminal A — shortly after 9 p.m. this past Thursday after a woman reported being sexually assaulted minutes earlier by an unknown male as she was walking to her car, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who is prosecuting the case.
The responding officers were able to quickly locate and apprehend the subject on airport property. An exhaustive investigation jointly led by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the Port Authority Police Department, with the assistance of the Union County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene unit, resulted in the identification of Watkins as the suspect and collection of significant evidence.
“We are grateful for the extraordinary collaboration with our local law enforcement partners and for the exemplary police work of the Port Authority Police Department, which led to the identification and apprehension of Watkins within minutes of the attack”, Prosecutor Daniel said.
“We appreciate the swift response from our partners at the Union County Prosecutor’s and Sheriff’s Offices, and commend our Port Authority police officers for the exceptional work that led to the apprehension of the suspect,” added Port Authority Police Superintendent Ed Cetnar.
Watkins is currently being held in the Essex County Jail pending a pretrial detention hearing on Friday, January 27th in Union County Superior Court.
Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Claudia Diez at 908-965-3779 or Port Authority Police Department Detective Amos Shand at 973-961-6308.
Convictions for crimes of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to twenty years in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The owner of hundreds of rental units scattered across 18 residential properties in Elizabeth who was arrested in June of 2021 was indicted last Thursday for committing sexual offenses against 30 tenants over a number of years, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel, Elizabeth Police Director Earl Graves and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca jointly announced today.
The 42 count indictment charges Joseph Centanni, 75, of Mountainside with 23 counts of second-degree sexual assault and 19 counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. The alleged crimes took place at various times from 2013 to 2020, with male and female victims ranging in age from 22 to 61.
A long-term investigation initiated by a referral from the Elizabeth Police Department and led by the Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit, revealed that Centanni targeted tenants or prospective tenants who were homeless, about to be evicted, or otherwise struggling financially, according to Special Victims Unit Supervisor and Assistant Prosecutor Caroline Lawlor, who is prosecuting the case.
The defendant allegedly solicited the sex acts from his victims as a quid pro quo, agreeing to offer them rent reductions, a delay in an eviction, or other forms of financial assistance in exchange. He also purportedly threatened tenants who hesitated or refused his advances with eviction or other retaliatory measures.
The ongoing investigation into Centanni’s activities has been led by Special Victims Unit Detective Joanne Son, and assisted by Elizabeth Police Department Detective Louis Demondo, Special Agent Khela Vazquez of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Civil Rights Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. Anyone with information about this matter is still urged to contact Union County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Joanne Son at (908) 477-1698.
Convictions on second-degree crimes are commonly punishable by terms of 5 to 10 years in state prison on each count and those for fourth-degree crimes by up to 18 months in prison.
Centanni remains free on court-ordered pretrial monitoring pending the outcome of his case.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
A Newark man and Union woman were arrested last week after being criminally charged with the sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old female, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today.
Rony D. Game-Palacios, 30, is charged with second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and Valdirene Nogueira, 45, is charged with first-degree promoting prostitution of a child, third-degree promoting prostitution, third-degree compelling another to engage in prostitution and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.
In September of 2022, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit received a referral from the Union Police Department regarding the reported sexual assault of a 14 year old female. The investigation that followed revealed that the victim was sexually assaulted by Game-Palacios after Nogueira coerced her to have sex with him for money after plying her with alcohol, according to Assistant Prosecutor Peter Benza who is prosecuting the case.
This remains an active investigation, and anyone with information about this matter or these defendants is urged to contact Special Victims Unit Detective Jessica Tattoli at 908-965-3885 or Detective Sergeant Nicholas Veltre at 908-965-3812.
Convictions on first-degree crimes are commonly punishable by terms of up to 20 years in state prison. Convictions on second-degree criminal charges are punishable by 5 to 10 years and those on third-degree crimes can result in 3 to 5 years.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.